Westpoint 17 Bargain Hunt

Exeter is the place to be today and in the early 1700s,

it was an extremely prosperous city thanks to the woollen trade.

From these quays, ships were loaded with woollen goods

which were then exported throughout the world.

The big question today is, will our teams being able to weave

a decent profit over at the fair,

or will they simply be spinning out of control?

Let's find out. Let's go bargain-hunting! Yeah.

We are at the Westpoint Centre at Devon County Showground

with 400 stands exhibiting a range of antiques and collectables.

You know the score by now -

the important numbers are two teams, three objects to find,

two experts, £300 to spend and 60 minutes to do it in.

Add that lot up and hopefully you get

a profitable result at the auction.

That is the Bargain Hunt challenge.

Let's take a sneaky peak as to what's coming up.

Oh, dear, something must be in the air.

The Reds have got the giggles...

This is scandalous!

Seven years qualifying, I did, to work with these two.

..and the Blues are going bonkers.

-Shall we be mad?

-Shall we go mad?

-Let's go mad!

-And it spills over into the auction.

I'll add that £5, it's good.

35... 45...

But before all that, let's meet the teams.

Gosh, we've got some top teams on the show today.

For the Reds, we've got friends and fellow students Hugo and Nick,

and for the Blues, we've got friends of over 50 years, Ange and Sue.

-Hello, everyone.

-Hello!

-Lovely to see you.

Now, Hugo, you met Nick when hunting a bargain, is that right?

Absolutely right, yeah. We were at... The first week of university,

at freshers week, we were at a fair

and we were haggling over a TV for our respective rooms

in our halls, got chatting,

we realised we were living opposite each other in the halls.

-Fantastic.

-We've been friends ever since.

-And who got the telly?

-I got the telly. Stupid question, Tim, stupid question.

-OK.

-So, what are you studying, Hugo?

-I'm doing medicine.

I'm in my fourth year, so I've got a year left to go,

whereafter I hope to do a couple of years in England

-and then go abroad somewhere for at least a year.

-Really?

-Yeah.

Hobbies-wise, what makes your boat float?

Well, I'm big into water sports - sailing anything from dinghies

up to yachts. Anything that I can get on board, really.

Now, Nick, you sailed a slightly different route

into medicine, didn't you?

Yeah. I'm studying medical engineering,

so it's a sort of mix between engineering and medicine.

Hopefully I'll end up making the stuff that this chap is going

-to be using later on.

-Oh, right, so you want to...

You are into prosthetics, are you?

Yeah, I'm quite interested in prosthetics.

The technology is really coming along quite quickly

at the moment and it's moved on a lot since old Captain Hook, so...

Yeah, yes. Which is a relief, isn't it?

Yeah, thankfully so. Maybe not when I'm involved, but we'll see.

Are you proposing to spend a lot today?

-I think we are really just going to...

-No, we're going to let go.

I don't care what he wants, I'm going to spend a lot.

-Are you going to blow it?

-Oh, yeah.

-OK. Sounds as if it could be fun.

Because, you know, you've got to speculate to accumulate, right?

-Is that the motto?

-Absolutely, yeah.

-That is the motto. You took the words right out of my mouth.

-Super-duper.

That's marvellous. Anyway, you get your £300 in a moment,

but we're going to have fun with these chaps, I can tell you.

Girls, Ange. You have known each other...

You've known Sue for 50 years!

-It doesn't seem possible, does it?

-You met at kindergarten.

-We practically did, yeah.

-Tell me about it.

-Both of our fathers were prison officers...

-Hello, hello.

..and we moved into Dartmoor and Sue was already there

and came to say, would we like to go to youth club?

-And that was it, and we've just been friends ever since.

-Good.

Tell me about Egypt and Canada and all that lot.

-We've just got back from Egypt.

-Oh, you have?

-We have, yes.

-So, you go on these trips?

-We got back on Monday.

We honed our bargain-hunting skills

-because we have been haggling all over Egypt.

-Been in every souk?

We think we are going to be quite good at this.

-I pity the people in Exeter, don't you?

-I pity the boys.

Oh, do you? There's a challenge, then, chaps!

Oh, brave talk.

-I'm going to address your team-mate now.

-I think you better.

Because you do a first-class job, don't you, Sue?

I certainly do, in the Post Office.

And - frankly - how long have you been doing this for?

-I have been doing this for about 18, 19 years.

-Have you?

-Yes, I have.

-That really is first class. Good. You walk a lot?

-I walk...

-Yeah, with my husband, doing letter boxing.

-Tell me about that.

Dartmoor letter boxing is rather strange.

You are given a map reference and a basic clue and then you go out

and find the stamp and then you put it in your book.

And I have stopped doing it, to be honest,

-because I got a little bit bored and...

-She would rather shop.

I would rather shop and have a latte.

But my husband is still very keen.

In fact, he is out there now, as we speak.

-Is he? You get rid of him quite often!

-Yes.

-Oh, dear.

So, apart from this stamp lark, do you collect anything?

I don't actually collect things, but I do like clowns.

I like blue clowns, preferably, with sad faces.

-Will you be going for a few clowns today, then, maybe?

-Hopefully.

-No?

No, hopefully not.

Very swiftly recovered there, Sue, I have to say.

Now, we are ready for the money moment. £300 apiece.

Here comes your £300. Happy about this, aren't you, Hugo?

Well done, Ange. There you go, £300 a piece.

You know the rules. Your experts await. And off you go!

And very, very, very good luck.

Time to meet today's experts.

Skippering for the Reds, it's Captain Philip Serrell. Ahoy, there!

And hoping to keep all her eggs in one basket,

it's Caroline Hawley with the Blues.

Now, what are the teams looking for today?

I quite fancy something car-related.

We want to earn enough money to see us through retirement.

-That's the plan.

-OK.

-No biggie!

For me, I reckon something nautical-based,

some sort of barometer or something around there.

Sinking horsepower, sinking horsepower.

-Where do you want to start, ladies?

-Ideally, up by the silver.

-Yeah, by the silver.

-OK.

And they're off! Their 60 minutes starts now.

Let's get going, we've got money to earn. Come on.

Straight away, the Reds look like they have struck black gold.

-Well, that is quite cool, yeah.

-Bizarre.

-Oil drums?

-Oil drums.

-They're seriously not for sale?

-They are seriously not for sale.

OK, then we won't look.

-Is this enough silver for you?

-I think this is enough silver.

-There's a lot of silver.

-There's something right up my street.

It's blue, it's glass and it's silver.

-All three things that we like.

-Yeah.

Do you know what it is? Without looking at the label.

-I've just looked.

-It's too late!

It is a salt and spoon.

Yes, it is a salt with a lovely original blue glass liner

and it is Hester Bateman, a wonderful maker.

Excuse me, how much is the Hester Bateman?

We've got 260 on that here.

We've obviously got expensive tastes.

You have, you focused in on the really choice piece.

-It's really nice.

-Thank you.

-Cheers, now.

It's that gorgeous Bristol blue which you all love, don't you,

you both love? And I do.

A delicate beauty, but for the Reds, it is heavy metal.

-That looks a bit of fun, doesn't it?

-Look at that, that looks awesome.

What is it?

Well...

It is some sort of minter, isn't it?

So that just whizzes round and round and round and then you put

something in there and it rinds it

and then that comes whooshing out there.

That might be a chaff cutter or a chaff grinder or...

Meat and sausages?

No, no. It's too coarse for sausages.

A bit broken, unfortunately.

-Where, there?

-That's a repair.

-That's patina.

-That's character!

-He doesn't get it, does he?

-I do quite like it, though.

-It looks quite...

-Well, it's all down to price, isn't it?

-That's the bottom line. Can we borrow you?

-OK.

Now...

As he's pointed out there, serious damage there.

Serious repair work there. A big discount on that, I would imagine.

-Sensible thing - 35.

-35?

-Yeah, 35.

I...was thinking more like 20.

-Look at this!

-Oh, brave Nick.

You put your hand in the top and I'll turn.

Ouch! But then again, if you don't ask, you don't get.

£25.

-Oh, the hand stretched out!

-Go on, get in there!

-You think we should do it?

-Let's bag an early one.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you very much indeed. Right, come on.

-One down, two to go.

-Good start.

Indeed, boys -

your first item within the first five minutes.

The Blues are homing in on a glass store, but don't forget, Sue,

clowns are off-limits.

-Look, there is a blue glass bowl.

-That's nice.

-That is nice.

-It's lovely.

-It's like... It's actually blue-purple, isn't it?

-Yes, it's not the deep Bristol blue.

-But I do like the colours.

-Yes, I do.

-Could you tell us a bit about the bowl here, please?

-It's French, isn't it?

-Belgium.

-Oh, Belgium? Right.

And what would be your best price?

-What is on it?

-65.

-60.

And is it from the '50s, '60s?

-It's '50s.

-1950s, yeah.

I can tell you now, it is absolutely perfect.

Hold it and look at it

and turn it over to make absolutely sure you're quite happy.

It's a bit heavier than I thought.

And feel for imperfections,

because your fingers tell you an awful lot more than your eyes.

-And this is perfect.

-Look at the way the light catches that.

-Have you got it if I let go?

-Yes, I have! Yes, I promise.

And there's wear where you would expect wear. This is an original...

-Just to show you it's been on the table or something.

-Yes.

And that's just with picking up

and putting down over the years from the '50s.

And a modern piece will either...

If it's pretending to be old, will have scratched in.

Sometimes they fake marks and you can't fake...

With sandpaper or something.

Yeah, but you can't fake that - that's wear.

Oh. Are you keen, girls?

Time to chip away at the £65 asking price.

Go to 55?

Or even 50.

-Not 50, no.

-Going down!

I'll go to 55, yeah.

-I'm happy to pay 55.

-Yeah?

-Are you? You happy?

Let's call it number one, in the bag. Thank you very much, 55 it is.

-Thank you.

-I won't shake your hand because I'm holding the bowl.

-Please don't let go!

-£55 for a 1950s heavyweight glass bowl.

The Blues' long friendship is paying off -

they are making quick decisions.

You two are so close, you must have similar tastes.

-Apart from sad clowns.

-Apart from sad clowns and husbands?

-Yes.

-Do you not like each others' husbands?

-Oh, no!

-Not that well!

That is both teams off the mark within ten minutes.

And Hugo has spotted something which appeals to his love of sailing.

This, I don't think, has got that much age.

I would think this is probably 30, 40 years old, at best.

Which I appreciate, in your tender young years,

might be incredibly ancient, but in the real world

which the rest of us inhabit, that has got no age.

-Really? What you think about this?

-I was just looking at that.

-This looks awesome.

-I know. It looks like a lot of fun.

-£220.

Yeah, but we could get it down from that.

If we could get it for about 25 quid, we'd be laughing.

Laughing? You're joking.

-How much?

-25 quid for it.

25 is my price, everything is 25.

I think we are in for a very interesting hour or so, really.

We'll try and get everything at 25, regardless of what it actually is.

Good luck with that! Now, Blues, who's for tea?

Tea services are coming back, aren't they?

Tea services are very much coming back.

It's all this sort of cupcake rage.

Do you know, 20 years ago when I had an antique shop, 25 years ago,

tea services were really in and then they went so out,

you couldn't sell them for love nor money. You could not sell them.

And now, the tables are turning

and all the young ladies setting up home, they all want tea services.

They don't even need to be matching.

You know, they are happy to have odd trios.

It's all becoming fashionable. How much is that?

-60.

-60, for the tea set?

-For the whole lot?

-Gosh. Not just for the saucer, I hope.

-No!

-It says "complete".

-Really?

And it's 1930s Tuscan China. And this...

-I think they are delphiniums, aren't they?

-Oh, I'm not into flowers.

-Do you not know your herbaceous borders?

-No.

-Oh!

-My annuals and my bi-annuals, there's really...

I think that is quite a nice...

-I think that's quite stylish.

-I don't know, I've seen...

-We can think about it and move on and...

-OK.

-After you.

-After me.

Both teams are browsing like mad, but they've stopped buying.

Whoever is using this as a walking stick is not going to get far!

-No, it' not...

-It's 245.

-Yeah.

-OK, one more go, one more go.

-It's easy!

Oh!

-I think that's gorgeous.

-That is a serious statement piece, that.

It's beautiful, yeah.

-It has got a bit of a statement price, though, at that.

-Yes.

-With a pair of easily distracted boys...

-What is that, do you reckon?

-Look at that.

-..Philip is in need of assistance.

Let's try a different tack. What's cheap?

What are we going to make a profit on?

-I'll show you what I have, right? It could be quite cheap.

-Yeah.

It's a surgical instrument, just a small silver one.

I'm into that, yeah. Let's have a look at that.

Because of the sterilisation process,

-they needed to do that them in hallmarked silver.

-Oh, really? OK.

-HUGO: Catheter.

-It's a catheter, isn't it? Yeah.

Oh, God, why are you touching that thing?

Any guesses where that went?

-You could also, actually, use it as a straw, if you're desperate.

-Yeah.

Just put your lips on it.

What worries me is that at my time of life, I might need you two

as medics in a few years' time and I'm just not sure...

-I'll be using this sort of stuff.

-What does that do?

-It goes up there - whoop!

-It goes up the ding-dong, doesn't it?

It just sort of drains your bladder for you,

-so you don't have to go to the loo.

-Is that a medical term, whoop?

-Yeah.

-Yeah? Up the old doodah?

-Yeah.

-I'd probably need a bigger one!

I sympathise, Phil.

This is scandalous!

Seven years qualifying I did, to work with these two,

to buy a catheter tube on national television.

You and me both, Phil.

So, how much is that?

-STALLHOLDER:

-That will be 15 quid.

-It is silver.

-It's hallmarked silver.

-STALLHOLDER:

-Edwardian or Victorian.

-Buy it.

-Can we say ten?

-STALLHOLDER:

-Yes, go on.

-Ten quid.

Pleasure doing business with you, sir.

-Thank you.

-And...thanks for that.

A tenner for silver? The Reds are in full flow. Oh, dear.

With something right up their street. Oh, dear.

We've got half an hour left. Half the time left. We're just going to have a look round,

try and keep the pace up a little bit and see what we can find.

Their goal was to spend some money, so we've now got one thing

and oodles of cash to buy.

The danger is that they just can blow it on something

that's going to lose a fortune.

With only one item in the bag, the Blues are still

searching for that little bargain.

But with such expensive taste, they're struggling to find anything

even close to their price range.

-There's nothing jumping out at you?

-No.

-No, I don't think so.

-Apart from very lovely things that we can't afford.

-That we haven't... Yes.

Silver and enamel jewellery, casket. That's nice. How much is that?

-STALLHOLDER:

-850. How many?

-850.

-It's beautiful.

-850.

-850.

In the meanwhile, Philip is giving the Reds a pep talk.

If you want to spend some money, do you want to do between 150 and 200?

-Leave me with something to spend.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Yeah. OK. Let's go.

There's a stall here that sells walking sticks.

They will be expensive.

Back at the high-class silver stall, the Blues are still ogling

things way beyond their means.

And finally, after 40 minutes, Caroline has a breakthrough.

A sweet little bonbon dish with an asking price of £60.

-Now, this...

-Uh-huh.

-Edwardian, Birmingham, 1907.

-Henry Clifford Davis is the maker.

-It's got cute little legs on it.

-Yes.

They said that about me once!

-If you're wanting a bit of silver, this might be better value.

-OK.

-What's the best on this one?

-Very, very best?

-STALLHOLDER:

-35.

You nearly said 30. You did..

-30, 30, look in your book.

-STALLHOLDER:

-Give me the S number.

Look... Give you the number.

-S74.

-I'm sure she said 30.

-Yeah.

-STALLHOLDER:

-32.

-How about 30?

-30.

-STALLHOLDER:

-He'll kill me!

-30. He's not here.

-30.

-He's gone off for a coffee.

-We won't tell.

-No.

-STALLHOLDER:

-OK, 30.

-You're a star. You are a star. Thank you so much.

-Is that a deal, ladies?

-That's a deal.

-That's number two in the bag.

-Does that tick your boxes?

-Yes.

-It's silver.

-No, it's nice, that one.

-And I think at £30 -

famous last words, I know -

but I'll put my money on it, there'll be a profit on that.

The Reds wanted a walking stick

and Phillip's led them to a veritable forest of them.

-Can you help us, my love?

-I can indeed.

We'd like... We think, don't know,

-we think we'd like to buy an original walking stick.

-OK.

We've got about 150 quid to spend

and we need something that's going to make us a profit at auction.

-Right.

-That's not much to ask.

-It isn't much to ask.

-Dead easy.

Very specific, Phillip.

While they go hunting in the forest, at last,

the Blues have hit their stride.

Oh, look. A chess set.

Chess set, now, that's wonderful. That's an outside chess set.

-I think that's great.

-Really? Obviously wooden.

For the lawn that has everything.

Isn't that gorgeous?

And outdoor games are very popular at the moment. We'll ask.

-I'll go and see if I can find him. Stay there.

-OK.

-It's quite...

-Is it heavy?

-Quite hefty.

That's obviously the knight. I know nothing about chess.

I don't know a great deal about chess.

I have never, in all my years of being around antiques,

seen an outdoor chess set like this.

That came from a very posh, private hotel near Penzance.

They were made in the late '50s, early '60s,

so if you look at the wood, it's good.

150.

I can't do any less.

Hmm. What will the cunning players have to say about that?

Now, I think lots of people would like those.

-Shall we be mad?

-Shall we go mad?

-Let's go mad.

-Let's go mad.

-We'll have it.

-We'll have it!

-Yes!

-That's a deal.

A sharp move, girls.

£150 for an outdoor chess set, and with ten minutes to go.

Meanwhile, the rookie Reds are still knee-deep in sticks.

-Lovely.

-That's got a snooker cue.

-Yeah. Would you go into the snooker hall without?

-Absolutely not, no.

-I'd get so much STICK from everyone!

-You would.

Well, STICK it out, boys, eh?

You need to make a decision soon.

Time is running out.

While they dither, I've got something to show you.

If you were a young girl in about 1920

and you were going out to have a good time at night,

you would probably - if you'd got the cash in your pocket - go out

and buy a little, dinky bag like this, into which you might

just get in your lipstick and perhaps a tiny little handkerchief.

The joy with this particular evening bag, though,

is the absolute luxury of the materials used in its construction.

Either metal or glass beads,

strung together to create an effect just like an Oriental carpet.

It looks like a Caucasian carpet

centred on that bit of territory between the Caspian

and the Black Sea around the town of Kazak.

Typical of carpets made in that region, are geometric shapes.

Another attractive feature is the fringe on the bottom.

Usually with beaded bags, these are frayed,

but in this instant, every single bit of fringe -

this long, sinuous length of single bead -

finishes with a little red flower head

and all those red flower heads are present.

And I would guess that this little bag

has only been out perhaps two or three times in its entire life,

and we're talking about something that's well nigh 100 years old.

If you're going to assess the quality of any beaded bag,

it's important to count, roughly, the number of beads,

rather like the number of knots on a carpet.

So, if we take a tape measure and I measure out an inch

and you count the beads, in this instance,

you will get to a total of about 30 or 32 beads.

So 30 beads by 30 beads equals 900 beads

to a single square inch.

Do the maths,

and you have nigh-on 40,000 beads on this side alone.

So, this thing has a total of 80,000 beads strung together

to create this delicious effect.

And, nigh-on 100 years later, this thing is in perfect condition.

It ought to make this bag worth at least £250.

What might you have to pay for it, though?

It could be yours for £40.

Now that is what I call...

money in the bag.

Back to the shopping. There's only four minutes left.

The Blues are all done and dusted.

-Shall we go and put our feet up?

-Let's have a cup of tea.

-Have a game of chess!

-THEY LAUGH

Meanwhile, the Reds are still eying up the walking sticks,

but they're so spoiled for choice.

One stands out for Phil - a cane priced at £195 -

and the stall-holder is offering a deal Phil can't refuse.

-For that one? Boys, buy this.

-All right.

-But I'll need to get the...

-70 quid, look.

-70?

-I mean, really.

-What do you think so far?

-Rubbish.

-Yeah, all right.

-70 quid.

-How have we managed that? It says £195.

He's a lovely man who's just told me we can have it for 70 quid.

-60?

-No, listen, don't push your luck.

-"Ooh, you are handsome!"

I only want to hear one word...

-Yes.

-Yes or no?

-Thank you very much.

-That is purchased.

-You've been very, very kind to us.

-Thank you very much.

It's supposed to be a Victorian lady out shopping

with her little lace gloves.

If she wanted to pick something up,

she would take one off, put it in the dog's mouth, and hold it.

-Isn't that great?

-Oh, that's better. I'm happy with that.

The final bargain, an articulated hound's head walking cane.

Snapped up for £70.

Those 60 minutes are up.

-Yes!

-In the bag, yes.

-Excellent.

That is skin of the teeth.

Let's remind ourselves what those Reds bought, eh?

Mince no words, the Reds bought an early 20th-century grinder for £25.

Whoop! The medic students then spent £10 on a hallmarked silver catheter.

Painful.

And finally, a lady's articulated hound's head walking cane,

bought for £70.

-How was it for you?

-I thought it was great.

-Yeah, great fun. Loved it.

-You slowed up a bit though, didn't you?

-Yeah, we started really well.

Got the first one quickly, second one sort of on time

and then we just couldn't decide on the last one, really.

So, how much did you spend, all told?

-£105 in total.

-Which is hardly blowing the whole lot, is it?

-No.

Which is what the prediction was. OK.

£195 of leftover lolly, please. Thank you.

And which is your favourite bit?

I quite like the dog stick we got at the end.

-And do you agree with that, Hugo?

-I like the catheter, to be honest.

We got an absolute bargain price of £10. Silver. Still very useful!

-Exactly, and a medical collectable.

-Exactly.

Which is going to bring the biggest profit, then?

-I think the stick will.

-You think the stick?

-I think the catheter will.

-OK, fine.

Split decision. Nothing the matter with that. Anyway, good fun, Phil.

And I guess you've been run off your feet?

Well, I think he's been taking the... No. Erm...

For these two, I'm going to try and find something

that just spells out "antiques."

Really? He is full of enigma, this man.

You've got a lot of money, so, I mean...

Anything could happen. Anyway, he's off.

We'd better be off.

And maybe discover what the Blue team bought, eh?

A 1950s blue glass bowl for the Blues at £55.

They then treated themselves to

an Edwardian silver bonbon dish for £30.

And thirdly, they made a move on

a very unusual outdoor chess set -

a whopping £150 was paid. Wow.

-I've never seen the like on Bargain Hunt.

-No.

-That's...

How lovely is that? How much did you pay for them?

For these? 150.

Really?

-OK...

-Oh, oh...

Now, I have to ask you, which is your favourite piece, Ange?

-I think the glass bowl.

-Glass bowl, do you agree with that, Sue?

-I certainly agree with that.

-Super.

And which of the pieces you've bought

is going to bring the biggest profit?

I think the silver bonbon dish that we bought.

-OK, do you agree with that?

-Yes, yeah, definitely.

Well, you're not predicting the chessmen, then?

-Well, we have hopes. This was...

-Cos it's a little bit different.

-Yeah.

-It's a high-risk strategy, but I love you for that.

How much did you spend, all told?

-£235.

-£235.

235, I'd like £65 of leftover lolly, please.

-There you go.

-Thank you very much,

and a bit like the Inland Revenue, it comes in one hand

-and goes out the other.

-Thank you very much.

-So, what are you going to spend that on?

-Well,

I've seen a few things as we've been going round.

Haven't quite decided.

-Right.

-But I'll spend it wisely.

Good luck, Caroline. Thank you, thank you, girls,

because very shortly, we'll be shovelling off to the auction, what?

The auction is at Lawrences Saleroom in Crewkerne,

in Somerset, and the man who will be doing his best for our teams

today is auctioneer Richard Kay.

-Very nice to see you, Richard.

-Hello, Tim. Nice to see you, too.

Now, for the Red team, we start out with the Beatrice.

It's a chunk of cast iron.

I can see this in a stately home kitchen with some poor

-under-sous sous chef, who is...

-Kitchen boy, hmm.

..required, in the morning, to cut up the swede,

-or whatever would have gone through this particular device.

-Mm-hmm.

He hated doing it, probably, and couldn't wait to move on.

It looks like an object associated with drudgery,

-doesn't it?

-It does, doesn't it?

-Which isn't quite the right spin,

-if we're trying to find a buyer for it.

-No, quite.

So, put your most optimistic hat on.

For the Beatrice, how much?

Well, there's something reassuring, just about the sheer weight of it,

and I hope we can grind the bids up to about £25-£35.

Perfect. I feel a revolution coming on.

-£25 was paid.

-Good.

And now, our medics have come up with this catheter,

-solid silver.

-Mmm.

What have you been able to discover about that?

Well, there is a very strange market for anything medical, in silver...

-Mmm.

-..and it doesn't appeal to the same people

who buy teapots and salvers,

but it appeals to the collectors of small, minutely worked items.

And although that's not quite complete,

it is in reasonably good condition.

I think it could do rather well...

-£50-£70.

-Really?

-Mmm, possibly, yes, yes.

-Good Lord, that is marvellous.

They only paid a £10 note, so our medics were right.

-I think it looks very good value at £10.

-Good.

What do you think about the palm wood walking stick?

Well, it's nice that it's got such an appealing top to it,

-erm, with the hound's head on it.

-Yeah.

-Having a moving part helps, doesn't it?

-It does,

it makes it rather quirky, and people do like slightly

unusual walking canes,

-and walking sticks like this.

-They certainly do, I mean...

Yeah, and a dog's head is always an advantage.

A dog's head is an advantage. In reasonable condition, isn't it?

It is, but you'd expect it to show signs of wear.

-Yeah, it's been for walkies a few times.

-It has, yes.

-Yes, how much?

-£40-£60.

-Needs to be 70.

Well, we'll try and get it up as close as that,

-or above, if possible.

-Yeah, all right, good.

Now, depending on how that stick finishes up will determine whether

they need the bonus buy or not, but let's go and have a look at it.

-Well, this is exciting, isn't it?

-Mmm.

-It is.

What has Philip Serrell, the silver fox, been up to?

I mean, you know, you gave him £195, which is

-a dangerous situation, really.

-It is, it's on the edge, isn't it?

You've lit his blue touchpaper.

What has the man come up with? Philip?

Well...

-Oh, that is impressive.

-LAUGHTER

Oh, I like that. You said you'd buy an antique, didn't you?

Well, there it is. It's got a bit of an Arts and Craftsy look to it.

-It was 70 quid...

-Hmm.

..and I think that someone who's got an antique shop,

who wants a sign over the door...

Is it antique?

It's probably... Well, what's an antique?

-Over 100 years.

-Oh, yes.

-Oh, he's getting good.

-Well, it probably is, then, in that case.

-Is it?

-Oh, well, it's hard to tell.

-Yeah, it is.

-I think it's really cool.

-I like it.

-It's been over-cleaned off...

Do you think that the copper will get its age back over time, or...?

-If you don't polish it, it will.

-Yeah.

Yeah, if you don't polish it, it will.

So, what do you think it will go for, then?

-If I have a bad day, it's 30 quid.

-OK.

-Mm-hmm.

If I have a good day, it might make £80-£100.

-Phew. I really like it.

-I think it's cool, I think it's really cool.

-But like you said, we'll need two people.

-We need the wind behind us.

-Well, it beats the old, "Whoop!"

-It does. Yeah, that's for sure.

-Yeah.

I think most things do in the world, really.

-Not necessarily.

-No?

-Oh, no?

-Oh, that's a telling comment.

-No, I really like it. I think it's good.

-I think it's cool,

-and it's different to what we have so far.

-Yeah, exactly.

-It's different.

-I think that is interesting.

-You seem to have

ticked a few boxes there, Phil. For the audience at home,

let's find out what the auctioneer thinks about Phil's sign.

Right, Richard, this is

what we don't get much of on these programmes - that's antiques.

Not proper antiques, anyway.

This isn't a proper antique, despite what the label on it says.

But it's been made with a lot of care.

To cut the copper and rivet it in this way is quite a lot of work,

I'll give you that, but to what purpose and what effect?

Well, once it would have been more useful than it is now,

but in this market nowadays, and the cold, hard light of day,

I think that might only be, dare I say it, 15 or £20.

I think you might be right.

£70 - as a bonus buy, it might be best avoided.

We shall see.

That's it for the Reds. Now for the Blues, who have got a thumping

great lump of glass bowl - nice colours, but how do you rate it?

Well, it is quite a nice design

and it is, as you say, quite nice colours.

It's very distinctively of its period - 1950s.

Thankfully, it hasn't, apparently, been dropped,

because so many of them, being heavy pieces, get chipped.

But what it lacks is anything to say where it was made, or the factory.

That is off-putting for collectors, they do like to have a name -

unless the design is shrieking the obvious, which it isn't, here.

No, it's pretty anonymous, then. How much?

I'm only thinking of 10 or £15.

That's a come-buy-me type estimate. Might it make 30? Might make 40.

Will it make 55?

Bit dodgy for £55. OK, that's that.

Now the bonbon dish. The perennial, good-selling bonbon dish.

Everybody's got some nuts they want to shove in a little

dish like that, haven't they?

Well, they have, and actually, that is rather a nice little thing.

Thankfully, the piercing on the side of that is not broken or

twisted, as it sometimes can be.

£30 is the target. Will it make £30?

-It might not make 30, but it should make £15-£20.

-OK, well, they paid 30.

It could easily get there, I think.

How do you rate the giant chess set?

I think they have a very, very small market.

-They're not terribly well made, are they?

-No, they're not.

Just sheets of plywood. Been cut up and cheaply put together.

But I think also, if you're going to buy chess pieces,

you do want them to be in the round, not sectional, like that.

I don't see somebody re-landscaping their garden

-for the benefit of these particular pieces.

-I'm afraid you're right.

-So we have a problem, here.

-Only to the extent that I have

a feeling they might have paid a lot of money for them

and I don't think they'll make very much at auction, I'm afraid.

I think they're only £25-£35.

I had a funny feeling you were going to say that, because £150 was paid.

-At that price, they're looking a bit stale, mate.

-Are they?!

That's why he's an auctioneer!

Anyway, I fancy that chess fans will seriously let them down

and they'll seriously need their bonus buy.

So, let's go and have a look at it.

Well, girls, this is exciting, isn't it?

-Very.

-It is.

-£65 you gave Caroline.

-We were very generous.

-You were!

And very sweet with it. OK, so, what did you purchase?

-These two little beauties.

-Wow.

-Goodness gracious.

-Made of...

-Feels like chainmail.

-It does feel like chainmail, what do you think?

-They're made of different materials, both of them.

-Oh, really?

-Yep.

-They're not a pair, then?

-Oh, no, they're not a pair at all.

But I bought them together -

-this one is solid silver...

-Wow.

This is an Edwardian silver purse.

If you open it up, inside, you'll see it's got the silk lining,

which is original, and it's slightly shot, really.

So really, that could do with replacing or taking out altogether.

I think the lining in this one is better.

The lining in that one is better, however,

THIS one is just made of silver plate.

-What do you think I paid?

-Well, you were given 65...

-I reckon you paid for the two of them, maybe 50?

-No.

No, I'd go for...35.

-Ange!

-In between.

-You're so cheap!

-It was a steal.

-She always has been!

-I'm even cheaper. I got them for £20.

-Get away!

-Really?!

-Which is ridiculous.

-And you think I'M cheap!

This is worth £20 in its weight in silver.

-That's a lot better than scrap, to me.

-Of course.

-I'd put my money on it that I can double the money on those.

-Wow.

-They'll get 40.

-We might very well need you, you know.

-I have a feeling we might need you!

-They're lovely.

Anyway, for the audience at home, let us

find out what the auctioneer thinks about these old bags.

Excuse me!

Do you rate these? Fashion accessories.

Well, they're not rare, of course, but that one is silver,

so there's value in that, just for the silver. This one is plate..

And that one is beginning to show signs of wearing along the hinge,

-there.

-Yeah.

-That one I think is a very nice example of its type.

A little bit of breakage on the side, but the mesh isn't broken.

They are quite appealing, of their type.

-OK.

-£30-£50, perhaps?

-For the two?

-For the two, yes.

-They only paid £20.

That seems to me, on the face of it, a jolly good bonus buy. And...

if the team go with it,

they may claw back some of their losses on the chess set.

We never know what's in store

-and what people are thinking about spending - we'll have to see later.

-Wait and see later.

10. £18.

-You got the bottom table.

-I did!

70.

-Hugo, Nick, how are you feeling?

-Very excited.

-Uber confident?

-I'm VERY confident.

-Are you?

-I am VERY confident.

I just know it's going to be a win, I can feel it.

Do you fancy that grinder? You think the...

-Yes, I think it could do all right, now.

-Here it comes.

Lot 488, early 20th-century grinder,

£10 for this one. 10 is bid.

At £10, who will say more? At £10. 12, now.

15, 18, 20,

25, 30, 35...

Kerching!

45... Lady's bid at 45... 50, now.

£50, it's on my right, I'm selling it at 50.

-Double the money.

-It's not worth £50!

Last time at 50.

A nifty 50, look at that.

£25. Plus 25.

Now, what's going to happen with our catheter, boys?

Silver catheter,

£30 for it.

£30 for it.

20, then?

£20, anywhere?

At £20...

£10 for it.

-I don't believe it.

-£10 anywhere?

-It's silver!

-Surely.

-10 is bid. Opening bid. 12, now.

-Profit.

-Kerching!

-AUCTIONEER:

-15, 18...

It's your bid on my left at 18,

-I'm selling it...

-This is no money.

-£18, are we done?

-Come on!

Solid silver!

-£18.

-Still a profit.

-Almost double.

Now, here comes the cane.

This is absolutely splendid.

A lady's hound's head walking cane,

£20, anywhere? 20 is bid.

At £20, it's on my immediate left at 20.

25, 30, £30 still on my left,

-I'll sell this one at 30...

-Articulated.

Last time at £30, then...

Phil! £30.

That is just so wicked.

That's -£40, you're now -7.

I can't bear it.

OK, so what are you going to do about the antiques sign?

Are you going to go for the bonus buy or not? Chop chop.

-£7, I mean... It could be a winning score.

It could be, you're absolutely right.

You're not going with the bonus buy. Here it is.

Copper and oak antiques sign.

I'm bid 15 on this one, £15 bid.

18, 20, 25 and I'm out.

It's £25. At 25 in the room...

Where's my book?

I'm selling this one at 25 now. Last time...

All done.

£25.

£25, you decided not to go with the bonus buy,

which means you have preserved your losses at only -£7.

-£7 could be a winning score, so that's where we're at.

But what a rollercoaster of a show!

-I think so!

-That is tense, isn't it?

-Now, Ange, Sue...

-Tim.

-Caroline. Do you know how the Reds got on?

-No idea.

-Not a clue.

-Good, those lovely young men.

-Hopefully not very well.

-They've been so brave(!)

Now, first up is the glass bowl

and here it comes...

1950s glass bowl.

-Start me here at £10 on this one. £10 for it?

-At £10.

-Oh, for God's sake.

-Five if you will.

-What?!

-Five pounds anywhere?

-You're supposed to go up, not down!

-At £5?

Five is bid, I'll sell it at five, opening bid at five only.

£5...

-That's -50.

-Somebody's got a bargain.

-They certainly have.

-It's shocking.

This is our bowl...

The silver bonbon dish, bids start me here at £20 on this one.

25, 30, 35 now...

At £35, I'm out.

-It's 35...

-In profit.

And I'm selling at 35.

Last time at 35.

Plus £5.

Good, that means you're only -£45!

-Oh, only(!)

-Oh, dear, wait for this!

Chess set.

Lot 512 is the outdoor chess set.

What shall we say? £25 for them?

25 is bid. Straight in at 25.

30 now, 35, 40,

45, 50, 55, 60,

65, 70, 75...

80... £80, it's your bid, sir, at 80.

I'll sell this one at £80.

Last time at 80...

-All done...

-Oh!

-£70...

-115.

-Now, listen, girls - that could be a winning score, -115!

-Oh, yes!

-Could be.

-Could be. So, what are you going to do about the two bags?

-I don't think we have a choice, do we?

-No, I think we go with them.

You're committed, now. You're going with the bonus buy.

We all think they're jolly nice, and here they come.

Silver mesh lady's bag and a plated evening bag.

£30 for them?

£30 for these? 20, then?

20 if you will. £20. 20 is bid.

At £20, opening at 20 and selling at 20... All done? £20.

Last time. At 20.

-Robbery.

-We was robbed.

That's less than the scrap price.

That means it's wiped its face

and you are -£115.

That could be a winning score! Say nothing to the Reds, OK?

-Nothing at all!

-Thank you very much.

It's no big secret that there's no profits today, right?

Everybody's going home in the minus category,

it's just a question of scale.

But there is a chasm between the teams, nevertheless,

and at the bottom of the league, I'm afraid, today,

by a large chalk, are the Blues!

-Oh!

-Oh, no!

-Oh, well done!

--£115 is your number.

It's just a small figure!

-Three figures!

-A drop in the ocean!

Did you say the three-figure word?

You did, oh, yes, but I said the three-figure word, too.

But I said it quite quickly.

Anyway, you've taken it very well, beautifully on the chin,

thank you for being so sporting.

But the victors today, who are going home with absolutely NOTHING...

and have won as a result of losing £7, are the Reds,

-so, well done, chaps!

-Thanks very much.

-Had a good time?

-Absolutely great.

-Thanks to both teams for embroidering our day,

because we've had great fun.

-Join us soon for some more bargain-hunting, yes?

-ALL: Yes!

That is a KICK!