Lewes 5 Bargain Hunt

We're in the beautiful county town of Lewes, today,

where there are no less than four antique centres for our teams

to have a go at.

So, let's go bargain hunting. Yeah!

Lewes is famed for its gorgeous

flint-knapped buildings and twittens.

Twittens, by the way, are a Sussex name for alleyways.

And we've got no twittens on this show. Oh, no.

Stay tuned to find out what's coming up.

It's all fun and games for the Reds.

Yay! Brilliant.

-And the Blues make a discovery.

-I reckon that's a yeti's snow boot.

THOMAS LAUGHS

-What, a one legged...

-A one-legged yeti.

-He'd be hopping around.

Well, it's all about dads and their little girls today.

For the Reds, we've got father and daughter, Roger and Mel.

And for the Blues, we have father and daughter, Marcus and Holly.

-Hello, everyone.

-Hello.

-Very nice to see you.

Roger, it says here you're an obsessive hoarder. Is that true?

Oh, absolutely.

Records, of course, is my main collection where I've got...

HE EXHALES

..of albums and boxes...

-What does "pfff" mean in numbers?

-About 2,500 LPs.

And, I don't know, the same number of CDs and boxes and boxes of singles.

I can smell vinyl from not far off. I get dragged away, don't I?

-Yes.

-You have a passion for photography.

-Oh, indeed.

That's what I do for a living now. It's my second career.

I'm thoroughly enjoying that. It takes me out and about.

-I get to meet lots of people.

-What sort of photography do you do?

Events, weddings, family dos,

-corporate events, all sorts of things like that.

-Good. Mel,

you've got a photographer's eye, too, I believe?

Yes. I've got a degree in photography.

I studied at Manchester Metropolitan but I first started at college

and Dad taught me everything I needed to know to get going.

We've set up dark rooms in the bathroom together

and taken photos any time we can.

What sort of subjects do you like?

I like landscapes.

But there's no end to your creative skills, is there?

-I make my own jewellery, as well.

-Is that a piece of yours?

-It is.

-How lovely.

-I made that.

What experience have you got with this antique-buying business?

Well, we both go rummaging, don't we,

round antique shops and in antiques fairs and so on?

What sort of thing will you be going for today, Mel?

I like anything decorative but also practical, so something pretty.

I like silver, obviously jewellery, so anything that sparkles.

-This is a tall order.

-THEY LAUGH

You're going to spend all your cash, I have a funny feeling.

-Let's hope so.

-Good luck when you get to it.

-Marcus, you're in the police force.

-I am, Tim.

-What exactly do you do?

-I've been a police officer now for...coming on 20 years.

-No?

-You joined as a lad?

-Not quite.

-Cadet?

-Thank you for saying so.

No, no, come on.

I was young but not that young.

I do do the Cadets as well, the Police Cadets. I train them.

They are from 13 up to 18. My role's slightly changed now.

I'm a bobby on the beat. I tend to deal with more people's problems.

I will go and try to sort out neighbourhood disputes.

I have the time now to talk to people. I can go to local

communities. I have lots of meetings within the community.

-And when you're not policing, what do you like to do?

-Many hobbies.

But my real passion, I suppose, is my motorbike.

I'd like to say I wasn't obsessive with my bike, but I am.

She gets polished. I say she.

TIM LAUGHS

-Do you go pet her?

-Oh, yes. I use it everyday.

Unfortunately, my daughter doesn't share my passion for bikes.

-Too scary.

-Too scary. What, Dad goes too fast?

-Yeah.

I was round the corner and I was like, "I can't do this any more."

-Holly, like your dad, you work in the community?

-I do.

-Tell us about that.

-I'm a carer at the moment

but I'm training to be a nurse at the same time.

-Oh, are you?

-But I love my job so much.

All my little elderly ladies and gentlemen.

-Yes.

-I just do their personal care and chat with them.

Just all that kind of work.

But you'd like, at the end of the day, to be a nurse?

-I want to work in A&E.

-Do you?

Follow your father's footsteps down the 999 route?

-Yeah, it would be exciting.

-Yes, exactly. Exactly.

What other hobbies can you possibly enjoy in your busy life?

I just love to bake.

If I've got spare time, I just bake a cake.

What sort of cakes do you like to bake?

I make these lollipop cakes and they're literally like a ball of

cake and you put it on a stick, and you just ice it like a lollipop.

And then you lick it? No, bite it.

You can just eat it like a little canape, or something.

I don't think I've ever had a lollipop cake.

Anyway, now the money moment.

You get £300 apiece, as per normal. There you go, Mel. Holly.

£300. You know the rules.

Your experts await and off you go and very, very good luck.

I like the sound of a lollipop cake.

Let's meet the experts working with our teams today.

In the spotlight for the Reds it's Catherine Southon.

And hoping to keep the Blues out of trouble is Thomas Plant.

MUSIC: "Daddy Cool" by Boney M

-Do we know what we're going to buy?

-No.

-We have a few things in mind.

Have you?

-Who's the buyer?

-I like to shop.

-You like to shop?

-Definitely her.

-And who's the dealer?

I like to do a bit of dealing and a bit of bargaining.

We just need to look for things that are...I don't like to use

the word "quirky", but things that are not standard, shall we say?

-Let's go and get some quirk, shall we?

-All right, then. Where do we go?

-I've got really nothing to do today, have I?

-No.

-You can get the coffees.

-Get the coffee while you choose.

-That sounds like a plan.

-Right, let's go.

And they're off, and Roger seems keen to stretch his legs.

Let's just walk to the back of the shop and back again, shall we?

Captain Franklin. RE - Royal Engineers.

-OK.

-Oak case.

Oh, my God.

-Out of our price range?

-£440.

-Way out of our range.

-Way out of our range.

Too rich for this show, Thomas.

Well, Roger's starting to get to grips with the job at hand.

I don't like chintzy stuff.

You know what that is. That's a bit like Aunt Flo's monstrosities.

I tell you what that is...

-..Horrible.

-THEY LAUGH

Now that is a big lump.

-You're right there.

-What do you think this is? What's this?

I don't think so, Roger.

These are dumbbells. They're cold.

-They're dead cold.

-They're freezing.

THEY LAUGH

Victorian, late 19th-century, cast-iron. Four pounds.

-They're quite cool.

-They're £65.

-Yeah.

-Too much. Too much.

What have you found?

-And...

-Cribbage boards are... We see them constantly - all the time.

What is nice about that one is the section that comes out.

-That is quite unusual.

-This is different.

-I've not seen one like that before.

-Would it make us much money?

I think, honestly, if you put that into auction, it would make

-exactly what you've got on it, about 25, 20 to 25.

-All right.

But you might be able to get that for...

-..20, 15, 20.

-Who knows?

Do you want to try on it?

We haven't been going long so why don't we just leave it

there for the moment, and then if we need something, we know it's there.

Managed to find anything in your price range yet, team?

-These are cool. 380. 280.

-A bit outside our budget.

-65.

-A bit much.

So, no luck there then, Blues. And it's time to move.

MUSIC: "Money" by The Flying Lizards

-It looks like Mel's focusing on something.

-Oh, I love that.

-The handle is gorgeous. Look at that.

-Oh, yes.

-Magnifying glass.

-Can we have a look at that?

-What do you reckon that is?

How old do you think that is? 1930s?

Arts and Crafts, so it's going to be turn-of-the-century.

-You reckon it's as old as that?

-And the whole ethos behind Arts

and Crafts was making something useful but also

making it beautiful, and that is very aesthetic and it's very useful.

A nice magnifying glass there. It just has a fantastic look about it.

It's silver-plated. The way these have been twisted around.

It's a super piece of design.

-85.

-Mm.

-Mm.

-I don't know.

-What could it be?

It would probably get to 70.

I would say that's probably still a little bit too much.

-We've got to get a profit, haven't we?

-We have. That's the idea.

Could we go down to 60?

OK, we'll do 60.

-A nice shape.

-I like it.

-Can you tweak another fiver off?

-Yeah, OK. Just a fiver.

-Are you happy with that?

-Yeah, let's go for it.

-We'll go for that one.

-First purchase. Well done. Well found.

An elementary purchase there for the Reds.

MUSIC: "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge

Now, what's Thomas found?

-This is a swagger stick or a crop.

-A swagger stick.

-Is that when you have to sort of...

-No, like this.

-OK.

In the army or colonial services.

I think it's more of a crop, really, for riding

but it's certainly colonial-made. Somewhere hot.

The Tropics, because this here is vegetable ivory.

-Vegetable?

-A nut.

-OK.

-A nut.

-Yes.

It's been carved to take something in there.

It's rather handsome, isn't it?

What would they have put in there, do you think?

You could be walking round your estate,

your plantation and you wanted to collect some seeds.

Instead of putting them in a pocket, you'd probably put them in here,

screw it up and it's dead tight in there and they're fine.

-It's quite unusual.

-It is unusual, isn't it?

I'd say it's 1920s and its £17.

-That's quite reasonable.

-I like that.

-You like it?

-Yeah, it's cool.

You like the fact it's got a little nut carved...

-Yeah, it's weird.

-And it's not very much money. Should we go for that?

-Yeah. I like it.

-Sounds like a plan?

-Does sound like a plan.

-It's cheap.

-Shall we see what we can get off it?

-Absolutely.

Go on, Marcus. Strut your stuff. Get haggling.

-It's £17.

-We can do 14.

-14.

-Is that the best you can do?

-It's the best.

I was thinking more sort of 12.

-They're not ours so we are only guardians for them.

-I'm with you.

-Maybe we can meet in the middle.

-13.

-13.

-OK.

-Well done, Blues.

And as they saunter off with a new cane,

-it looks like Melanie's rising to the challenge.

-What can you see?

-I think it's a phoenix or something.

-Oh, wow.

Now that would look lovely on your...

-..Look at that. Against the red.

-It's superb.

Obviously, we've got no precious gems or metal going on here.

It's purely, I would say, probably glass.

So it's a bit...

tinfoily on the back, isn't it?

-Shall we think about it?

-Let's see what else we see today.

-All right.

It's not...

..You can have that later if we haven't seen anything else, anything better.

He's only looking out for you, Mel.

MUSIC: "My Girl" by The Temptations

What do you think of those two beakers? We call that niello work.

-They are expensive.

-I can't see.

-They're 180 quid.

Look at that. Really fine work on there.

-What do you think?

-Yeah, they're cool.

I see they have some hallmarks on them.

Those would be the Russian, the Russian strike marks.

They've got 875 on there, so Russian standard silver.

A bit below our standard of 925.

Silver-gilt which is mercury-gilded silver.

And then engraved with an enamel design on here.

Originally produced in Roman times, niello reached the heights of its

popularity during the Renaissance period.

Russian goldsmiths, working in the town of Tula,

revived the craft in the 18th century.

-They've got real quality, haven't they?

-Yeah.

-Would you see these being used or more an ornament?

-Collector.

Collectors, absolutely.

Although I think their price is quite high.

-It can be 120.

-Do you think we should go for that?

-I think so.

-And you like them?

-Yeah. I do like them.

-I think that's a really good

-discount and I think they've got a chance.

-A large tequila.

That's another item down the hatch for the Blues. This pair are going

far, but I don't think the Reds have moved yet.

Roger, where are we going? Where are we going next?

I don't know. Where do you want...

-You don't want to go down...

-I don't mind. We'll go wherever...

..Let's have a quick look down there. Let's go have a quick look.

That is quite nice. That's a little agate inkwell.

-Isn't that lovely?

-It's very pretty, isn't it?

I think that's quite pretty. People do collect inkwells.

I think that's quite a nice example.

That round the top as well is nice.

It's absolutely pure and perfect.

-It's quite heavy.

-Well, it would be. It's just a lump of stone, isn't it?

That would sit quite nicely on your desk, wouldn't it?

-You haven't seen my desk.

-A complete contrast to the fashion jewellery.

-But this is practical as well. It's what I quite like.

-You say that.

I don't think it's practical now, so you don't really...

It may well have been part of a set.

You might have had the red and the black ink

and perhaps it was on a desk once upon a time.

-Shall we see how much we can get it for?

-Go and ask.

-Do your stuff.

-Go on, then.

-Would you be willing to go down to 30?

-33 quid. We'll do 33.

-33?

-33.

-I reckon 33.

-You think it's OK.

-OK, do it.

-Well done, Reds. That's your second item.

MUSIC: "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" by The Temptations

Right, the Blues are on the move

-and it looks like Roger's following his nose.

-I can smell vinyl, here.

-Look at this.

-Don't need any more records.

-Shall we leave him to it?

-Don't be too long.

-Hey, hang on. You know what you got here.

We've got Babbacombe Lee. You know the story of Babbacombe Lee?

It's quite good. I wonder...

-Come on. Come on, dear.

-MEL LAUGHS

With tension mounting and the clock ticking,

it appears the teams are heading for a dramatic finale...

..in the same shop.

Looks like Thomas has found another trunk.

Oak, copper chest.

Very useful in today's world because it has a flat top.

Look at the hammered rivets here.

Actually quite a good size

-for modern houses, because it's narrow.

-Modern hinges...

-..I think all these fittings are modern.

-They're all quite modern.

It is quite modern. I think old bits of wood which have been...

-..put together.

-To make a box.

-Oh, God!

-God.

-He always picks up heavy things.

If you want heavy, try that.

I'm not even going to attempt to lift it. What is it?

-It's a bit of sculpture.

-What's it made from?

-Stone of some sort.

-Good grief.

-It is enormously heavy.

-It is, isn't it? Why do you like that?

-I don't know.

It just sort of goes whoomph at you.

-"Whoomph"?

-Wow!

-Whoomph. Yes. It does go whoomph, doesn't it?

I'm not sure it whoomphs in the right direction.

-This thing here.

-Yeah.

A plum dryer. £48. For drying one's plums.

-Come on, you.

-That's me. You want me to come past, do you?

I reckon that's a yeti's snow boot.

THOMAS LAUGHS

-What, a one-legged...

-a one-legged yeti, yes.

He'd be hopping around.

-What's that?

-Money box, is it?

-I don't know.

-American money box.

-Yeah.

I like the fact that it's got a home-made appeal to it, hasn't it?

-A bit of woodworm.

-A bit of woodworm.

It could be used for display

but it could also still be used for drying one's fruit.

I think that's quite fun. That's quite well spotted.

-Shall I go and ask for key 17?

-Can you do that?

-Stay here.

-Keep looking. I'll go have a look.

-You do that. OK.

£48. It's quite a lot of money

-but it is a bit of fun.

-It's different.

It's your turn. There you are.

Go and do some haggling and I'm sure you've got your father's genes.

-I'm going to try my hardest.

-Go on.

-Go for it.

Well, there's no time to waste, Holly.

A nice piece.

Oh, it's heavy. How does it work? Is it clockwork?

-Place coin in the pitcher's hand.

-So then what we do?

I don't know. I cant see...

-..Oh, I see. It goes like that.

-Is there a button to press?

-ALL:

-Yay!

-Brilliant. Fantastic.

-So it works.

The thing is, this will be online, it's baseball.

American collectors, maybe. How much is on it?

-56.

-What could it be?

I can make a telephone call and let you know what it can be.

You go.

It's all pressure on the dealer

-because the Blues are approaching her, too.

-Found this plum dryer.

Do you think there's any possible way we could have it down to 28?

You want to make me an offer. 48. I can make a telephone call for you.

Yeah?

And the dealer's having to be quick with all these phone calls.

Two and a half minutes left. Let's use those minutes wisely

-in case we don't get a discount. Oh, hello.

-Hello.

I've made a phone call. Unfortunately there's no answer, so

-I'm allowed to...let's go for £48.

-Oh.

-But I probably could go to 45, if that would help?

-Could you do 40?

That is going to be robbing a bank, but I will let you have it for 40.

-I love that. I think that's brilliant.

-No, I like it.

-OK.

The Reds have just made it, but what about the Blues?

-Hello.

-Hello.

I made a phone call and she's happy to let it go for £28.

-Well done.

-Well done, Holly. Thank you very much.

-That's it.

Time's up. Let's check out what the Red team bought. They went that way.

The sleuth in Melanie just couldn't overlook the magnifying glass.

The Reds spent £55 on their first purchase.

Catherine did well to find their second buy.

They just couldn't resist spending £33 on the agate ink pot

and in the final throes of the game, Roger spotted the baseball

money box for £40.

-OK, team?

-Yes.

-Did you have fun with Catherine, or what?

-We did.

-Wonderful, wasn't it?

-What's your favourite piece, Rog the Dodge?

I think that money box.

-That little...

-Do you?

-I really like that.

OK. Do you agree with that, daughter?

No. I like the magnifying glass with the fancy handle.

-That's your favourite?

-Yes.

-Is that going to bring the biggest profit?

-I hope so. I think so.

-Do you agree, Dad?

Um. I think all three will make a medium profit.

-Has he been like this all day?

-Yes.

OK, lovely. On that happy family note, how much did you spend?

-£128.

-128. I'd like £172, please.

£172. Steaming hot, too. Straight over to trot to Catherine.

-Lovely.

-What are you going to spend it on, darling?

-I feel that I might go down an artistic route.

-Really?

That means she might buy a picture. That's code, maybe.

On the other hand, perhaps she won't. Such a temptress.

Anyway, good luck with that, Catherine. Good luck, team.

Meanwhile, why don't we check out what the Blue team bought, eh?

The Blues snagged the swagger stick for just £13.

They were rushing to get their hands on the niello beakers

but it cost them a whopping £120 for the pair.

And they dried their eyes

and picked up the tear-shaped plum rack for £28,

JUST in the nick of time.

Well, team. That was great, wasn't it?

-It was brilliant.

-It was fun.

-What's your favourite piece, Marcus?

-My favourite piece is the plum dryer.

-The plum dryer?

-Yes.

It would be, wouldn't it?

-You agree with that?

-That's my favourite piece as well.

Is it really? Oh, dear. It's young and trendy as well as popular.

And is your plum dryer going to bring the biggest profit?

Erm, I think the swagger stick will.

Swagger stick will bring the biggest profit?

I'm going to stick with my plum dryer, definitely.

You're obsessed about it. How much did you spend all round?

-We spent £161.

-£161.

-I'd like £139, please.

-Okey-doke.

-Okey-doko.

-There's the notes.

-Thank you very much.

-And your change.

-And the shrapnel. Straight over to Thomas.

-Thank you.

-T Plant, this is your favourite moment.

-I love it.

-Absolutely love it. I'm going to spend it all.

-Spend it all.

-Every penny.

-On something profitable.

-Hope so.

-Great.

So, while Thomas heads off on his travels, I'm going

to head off on mine.

Would you expect to find in Lewes

an early American headdress?

I think this thing is absolutely brilliant.

Out of all the first nation tribes in North America,

only about 12 actually wore feathered headdresses

and they come in a variety of styles.

You get the halo look

that does a curve all the way around your head.

You have this long trailed type.

Or, if you belonged to the Blackfoot tribe, typically,

they liked their feathers sticking more or less vertical,

which is what these do.

So I reckon this is a war bonnet

that might come from the Blackfoot tribe.

It's beautifully decorated with its beadwork along the front.

It's got all its feathers there. Some of them are a bit wonky.

Each of those feathers traditionally came from the great

American Eagle, which the warrior had to hunt down.

That was one of his tasks.

And he would not be entitled to wear a feather

until he had done some brave deed of daring do.

So the guy that had this did approximately 40 brave deeds

to enable him to wear this number of feathers.

What I like is the way the feathers have been secured

to the chamois leather skullcap

and they've got bits of red blanket that have been crudely cut

and tied together to make the sockets into which the feathers sit.

The other thing that's nice is these little trails of hair that

have been tied to the top of each of these feathers.

They are another traditional sign of an additional honour.

Sometimes these bits of hair are from the mane or tail of a horse,

sometimes the hair comes from an opponent who you've scalped.

You take a lump of hair and add that to your war bonnet.

The big problem is, unless you're an expert, is dating them.

My personal feeling is that this

is not one of the modern tourist type headdresses.

It's got some age to it.

This is a lovely understated war bonnet that could date perhaps

from the end of the 19th century or early part of the 20th century.

How much would you chance on this war bonnet?

Would you pay a couple of hundred pounds for it? £300?

How about 25,500

that was paid for a similar one in America last year?

There's the range of price and there's the range of speculation.

And actually, the price here in Lewes was £300.

And for me, that was my Hiawatha moment.

It is surely worth more. Commissioned at £250. Are we all done?

Fair warning, then. Selling at 250.

How lovely is this, to be at Bellmans

saleroom in Wisborough Green in the county of West Sussex with JP.

-How are you, old boy?

-I'm very good, Tim.

-Looking ever younger.

Now, first up we have the silver-plated magnifying glass

that looks like CR Ashbee to me. Is it?

It is that sort of ilk. Arts and crafts, late 19th century style.

-The handle is better than the other bits.

-How do magnifying glasses sell?

Well, in the section of the sale that this is in, very well.

We have all sorts of miscellaneous and I think it would do rather well in that section, actually.

-Perfect. And your estimate?

-£30-£40.

-£55 paid.

So it is within a whisper.

Next is this rather intriguing looking agate inkwell.

It wouldn't hold much ink but it's novel, isn't it?

Being a gemologist, for me, I'm more interested in the stone itself, which is agate, which is a quartz.

You've got these coloured lines in it which were all formed sedimentary as the thing is growing.

-So it's rather a fun object.

-OK. How much?

£20-£30. £33, so that is within a whisper.

Now, we've got the Americano cast iron money bank.

-It looks the part, doesn't it?

-It does. And you are connected to the internet?

-Absolutely.

So our American collectors who seriously know about cast iron money safes, don't they,

they can get a squint and if they fancy it, they can have a go.

-Absolutely.

-How much?

-£30-£50.

-Perfect. £40 paid.

That's bang in the middle.

Let's hope we'll be posting some cash into our money box shortly.

Anyway, that's it for the Reds.

I fancy that they are going to need their Bonus Buy,

so let's go and have a look at it.

Well, this is exciting, isn't it?

What did Catherine, who had the whole £172, go and buy?

Catherine, you bought a rocket ship!

-Oh, that's it.

-What do you mean, that's it!

I think that's pretty good.

-Don't you think that's brilliant?

-I like it.

-Look at the size of it.

-It's huge.

-It's fantastic. This has a multitude of uses.

You get your artist first of all.

Think about a nice hotel, they could put it in the entrance to a hotel.

A nice big menu on it or a wedding, so many uses.

So how much did you pay for it?

-You gave me quite a lot of cash, didn't you?

-Yes.

-You didn't spend it all, did you?

-I didn't spend it all.

-I spent £50 on this.

-Is that all?

-£50.

-That's OK. I don't know.

I thought that was brilliant, actually.

I'm just trying to work out, I mean, what would it sell for?

This is going to double your money. If it doesn't, I will be surprised.

The big thing is, you don't have to choose now,

you can choose later after the sale of the first three items.

But for the audience at home,

let's find out what the jolly old auctioneer thinks about Catherine's easel.

JP, as if by magic, let's not get hung up on this!

This is rather a nice one, really.

It's made of Beechwood but because you've got this lovely old dribbled oil on there and stuff...

It's got an old master on it!

Made in Italy, which I always find is a very reassuring sign.

Nice brass ratchet.

The thing is decently made.

You could put a really expensive picture on that with some security.

I think you probably could.

I think it would be fairly safe to put a big gilt frame on there

and expect it to be there when you came back into the shop.

My feeling is that we will hopefully see about £100 for it.

-So I've put an estimate of £80-£120.

-Have you really? Because she only paid £50.

If you can get £100, she has doubled her money

and you will get a whoop in the saleroom, I guarantee you.

Anyway, that's it for the Reds. Now for the Blues.

A pretty wacky mixture. We've got the swagger stick.

It's a cane, isn't it?

A bamboo cane or something with this organic ivory egg on the top with a little screw-top.

-Vegetable ivory, that.

-Vegetable ivory, yes.

Yes. Quite fun to have that novelty, isn't it?

People buy canes for the finials, don't they,

and it's quite nice to have this very organic...

I think if you are a vegetarian sergeant major, this is what you would want, isn't it?

Yes. I don't know many vegetarian sergeant majors. You horrible lot!

Finish up your carrots or you will be in big trouble!

-We're on night patrol tonight!

-Polish your boots!

-So what is it worth?

-That is £30-£40.

-£13 paid.

-That's good, I think.

-That is a Thomas Plant find of the century.

Next, we've got the niello Russian decorated beakers.

As soon as I saw these, I knew Thomas was coming to the saleroom.

He seems to like these things, very much so.

What I quite liked about these ones though is if you go 19th century

you get that very traditional 19th century sort of ornament.

To look at that, it really does make you think of the 20th century

and it has that air of the early 20th century about it.

And actually, the marking on the base is for the period of 1927 to 1954

and it fits right in there.

'40s or '50s in style.

So I really quite like them.

So putting our boldest and bravest hat on, how much do you think they are going to bring?

Again, I hope we're going to get £70-£90 for them.

-Or maybe a tad more?

-Maybe a tad more.

If I can push it past 100, I will endeavour to do so.

-Give it a push, push because Thomas paid £120.

-Well, we're nearly there.

Now, next is the plum dryer,

which I thought might have been a Canadian snowshoe.

Yes, you would have to have a big foot for that, wouldn't you?!

This is very specific and particular to a place in southern France.

-This shape, particularly.

-How interesting.

So there are regional varieties in France of plum dryers.

Only by this one particular shape, to be honest.

-The rest are fairly straightforward.

-How fascinating.

You are a brilliant man to do all that research.

Having said all that, what is it worth?

-£30 or £40, I would have thought.

-Would you go for a plum dryer?

-I don't have a great deal of use for them any more.

-No.

-It just depends how plummy you are really, doesn't it?

-Yes.

So that's very interesting.

It all depends frankly on how the vodka cups go as to whether

the team will need their Bonus Buy, but let's go and have a look at it.

OK, you dynamic duo, you spent 161 and you gave Tom £139.

What did you navigate yourself towards, Tom?

It looked like a really boring box, but when you open it up,

a fabulous desk set. Ink, seal, pencil,

paper knife and a little inkwell.

-Very nice.

-And it's Bakelite. The colours are strong.

If you think of the Deco period, you think strong, bold,

geometric patterns and colours, and this is what you've got. Fabulous.

The thing about deskware, is it's becoming more and more popular.

Oh, OK. How much did you spend?

-£75.

-OK.

Which I don't think is a huge amount of money for a Deco desk set.

How much do you think it'll go for?

I do quite a lot of pens and desk sets at auction

and I see a potential in this. I say small profit, £10 or £20.

But I see it as being a good thing.

-The thing about these is they are good online sales items.

-OK.

You may not need to go with it because you've made so much profit.

-I don't think we'll need it, but we never know.

-There you go.

That's a nice positive attitude, Marcus. Lovely jubbly.

Anyway, for the audience at home, why don't we find out right now

what the audience thinks about Tom's desk set?

-There you go you.

-Yeah, isn't that wonderful?

It's Bakelite, early 20th-century,

and it's simulating a sort of jasper and onyx and...

-Amber.

-Amber and onyx, absolutely.

And ivory, it's meant to be. Very typically '30s.

Now, what are you going to do with it?

You either shut the box and keep it

or take all the stuff out and use it.

I don't really like the inkwell. The top doesn't fit very well.

The nib's broken. But you could replace that, of course you could.

-There's just a few things about it that I really...

-Thomas had £159.

He invested just under half of it. He paid £75.

And quite frankly, for me, I'm slightly with you,

because that box isn't good enough.

It's paper covered. If it were leather covered or even old cloth...

OK, having said that, how much?

£25-£35.

I'm with JP on this.

I think it would be better if the team don't go with it.

But you never know in this game. They probably will. Let's find out.

Thank you very much, JP.

-OK, kids, this is exciting, isn't it?

-Super!

-Yes!

-Yes! She said yes!

First up will be your magnifying glass. £55 you paid for that.

-30 to 40 is its estimate.

-Ohhh!

-Let's get into focus. Here we go.

Nice little object, this. And I have £25 to start me.

At £25. Give me 30 now. 30. 35.

-40 by the flowers.

-Ooh, a little bit more!

£40 down here. It's surely worth another fiver. 45.

One more, come on.

Yes!

50. 55.

55 on the right. Still at 55.

Any more at £55? It's all quiet on the net.

I shall sell for 55, then. All done at £55...

Yes!

OK, it's face, how lovely is that, 55.

No profit, no loss, no pain, no gain.

£30 to start me, £30 for the inkwell.

-Surely worth £30.

-Come on, surely!

£20, then. Nice little...£20 is bid, thank you. £20 at the front here.

£25 on the internet.

He says "no". Internet now at £25, surely worth 30 in the room.

One of you put your hand up in here.

We've got 25 going...30, thank you.

Well done, Madam.

In the room at 30. 35 on the net.

Oh, we've got profit!

No, you're not. 35 on the net,

selling to the internet then.

All done at £35.

£35 is plus £2, what could be nice than that? OK, now, the money box.

£30 to start.

Nice lot this for £30.

-Somebody.

-Come on, internet.

£20 then? Let's get £20.

-There's 20.

-He quite rated this as well.

So, 25, 30, he's gone now.

35, to the left of the pillar, 40, sir? 40.

45. We have 45, hiding behind the pillar at £45.

Where's 50? Surely worth 50!

£45, behind the pillar at £45.

Any more than £45?

-All done, are you sure?

-It's good enough.

£45, gentleman's bid, 45 all done.

£45 is plus £5. So, that means overall you're plus £7.

One wiped face, £2 and £5 is £7.

What are you going to do about the easel, you going to risk it?

-No-brainer.

-We're going to go with it.

Definitely going with it.

Lovely, they're going to go with the Bonus Buy, the easel.

Now, you've made your decision,

I can tell you that the auctioneer has estimated it at £80-120.

Oh, that's all right.

So, clever socks over there paid £50,

the auctioneer thinks you're going to double your money, for certain.

-That would be good.

-Wouldn't that be nice?

Anyway, decision made, we're going with the Bonus Buy,

we're going with the easel and here it is!

I have £220 to start with.

I don't believe it!

How brilliant is that?!

-On the book at £220.

-That's amazing!

Straight in at £220,

with commissions, that £220.

220 then?

I shall sell it...any interest on the net?

At £220.

Yes!

£220, you've just made £170!

-Brilliant!

-£170!

-Thank you!

-Catherine Southon!

-I'm glad I bought that now.

"Oh, I'm glad I bought that!"

That is so cool! So, you are plus £177...

177.

Do not tell the Blues a thing!

-Oh, no!

-Keep that quiet.

Now, team, do you know how the Reds got on?

-Not a clue, not a clue.

-You don't want to know, I tell you.

Now, the swagger stick, yes?

With the little screw-on kind of end cover.

-You paid £13 for that.

-Yes.

Which is so a joke, I can't tell you!

Anyway, he's put £30-40 on and I think that's

a bit of a miserable estimate, if I'm being frank.

Let us hope for the best! Here it comes.

Someone start me at £40 it.

£40 is bid. Straight in at 40.

In the centre at 40.

£40 is bid, main bid at 40.

Surely worth five though, where's five?

That's five, in the centre of the room at £40.

Gets it at 40, he's the only bidder and I'm selling to him now.

If you're all done, it's £40. All done? £40.

Oh...£40 but never mind, it's £27,

there's nothing shameful about that!

-These are your glasses.

-Now, here come your beakers.

Rather attractive with gilt

interiors and at what shall I say?

Someone start me £70 for them,

for the silver beakers.

Start me £70.

Tumbleweed...yes, it's gone quiet.

£40 then, let's get it rolling. 40 down here.

Come on, it's got to go upwards now.

Where's five? 45, 50...

you can't just do one, surely?

50, he's saying.

I thought these would cream away.

Internet? No interest on the net now. It's £50 down here.

Anyone else in the room? Come on, one more bid, £50 here...

Come on!

This is a disgrace!

£50, he's steely faced!

50, I'm selling, fair warning, 50.

That is as cheap as the proverbial fried potato!

Anyway, that's -70, bad luck, chaps.

Now, the plum dryer, this has got a long way to go.

£40 for it?

-£40?

-Worth every penny.

£30 then? Surely, £30? Come on, £30 for the plum dryer.

£30? There's £30 on the internet now.

Surely another five though? Internet on £30.

-You're in profit.

-We are.

-Miracle!

Five somewhere else?

Anyone in the room for 35?

You're all quiet now...at £30.

£30, well that's not bad, is it?

You've made a £2 profit.

That means overall you are -£41.

So, what are you going to do about the bonus buy?

What do you reckon, shall we go for it?

-Yeah, why not?

-We're in the minus anyway.

Try and bring it up a little bit.

I don't know if it will, but might as well go for it.

-Yeah, we'll go for it.

-You're going to go for it.

An art-deco Bakelite desk set.

Nicely fitted this with bids on the book,

I can start straight in

at £40, is bid.

At £40, are we going to get 40, we're looking for £45.

45 internet, 50 with me.

Come on!

55 and I've got 60 on the book.

Against you 60.

65 and 70 with me,

against you, internet, at £70.

75...

Yes, you've wiped your face, Tom.

-I've got 80 on the book.

-Oh, 80 on the book!

We're in profit, well done, Tom.

-I have 90 on the book.

-90, it's all coming back, Tom!

Are you going to go one more? It's a commission bid then at £90.

Anyone in the room now?

On the book at £90 commission.

It's fair warning, selling to

the book at £90, 95 in time,

clears the commission.

Now, internet bid at £95, fair warning then, selling 95.

£95, Tom-tom is plus £20,

that means you are overall -£21,

so well done.

That could be a winning score. Don't say a word to the Reds, all right?

-No, nothing at all.

-Zip!

Well, you lovely teams, you've been chatting to one another?

TOGETHER: No!

Not about the result, I dare say.

Well, there is a chasm between our teams today, I have to say.

And the runners-up by a fair old chalk are the Blues.

THEY SIGH

But it ain't right this, Blues, because you made three profits

on three of your items.

You just missed on one, seriously badly,

which was those wretched Russian cups.

-£70 was the body blow from which you could not recover,

all right.

Tom made you £20 profit on the Bakelite, contrary to the

auctioneer's and my predictions, so you did well with that, Tom.

But it wasn't enough to claw it back, was it?

-No.

-Never mind.

No, your overall score is -£21

but we have loved having you on the show.

-Thank you, it's been brilliant!

-And you've been great sports.

But the victors today are going home with a multitude of pleasures.

For a kick-off, £177 profit, which is a fair old slug.

Almost entirely made up by the brilliance of Catherine Southon.

Well done!

Who made £170 profit on her easel, that was a result!

And as it's in my gift, you had one wiped face

and two further profits but I've decided that you should be

admitted to the ancient and venerable order

of the "golden gavel".

We will treat it as three profits,

cos it's as close as a sheet of Bronco to achieving it.

There you go, darling. There you go, Rog the Dodge!

All right, thank you.

Pin on with pride

and there's something to go with Catherine's collection of these.

-Anyway, have you had a nice time?

-I've had a lovely time, thank you.

It's pretty cool, isn't it? When it works out like that.

It's really exciting. Did you enjoy it, Rog?

Oh, it's fabulous!

On that happy note, join us soon for some more bargain hunting. Yes? Yes!