Ardingly 23 Bargain Hunt

Today we are in Sussex, a county steeped in Roman history.

It was invaded around AD 43

and at the command of a gent called Titus Flavius Vespasianus.

How about that for a name?

Let us hope that our teams today can mount their own successful invasion

of the fair and uncover their own treasures.

Right now though, let's go bargain hunting, yeah.

We're at the Ardingly International Antiques & Collectors Fair,

with over 1,700 stalls.

Our teams only have an hour and £300 to do their business,

so they'd better get on with it.

Let's take a sneaky peek as to what's coming up. Oh, yes.

-The Reds have some throwaway tactics...

-Give me that! Hu-ah.

Oh, man!

..while the Blues underestimate their expert.

-I'm fitter than you think. Race you.

-Oh, what? No!

-And there's plenty of excitement in the saleroom.

-£28...5. £35.

One more. Come on.

-Yes!

-Oh, I say. Good Lord.

-Yes! Well played.

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

Well, it's all about media on the show today

because we have filmmaking friends Will and Laurie for the Reds

and a couple of playwrights, Ellen and Charles, for the Blues.

-Hello, everyone.

-Hello!

-Ooh, rousing.

Now, Laurie, you've been friends for absolutely ages.

Tell us about how your friendship truly blossomed.

It started to blossom about eight years ago

at Chelsea College of Arts and we've been friends ever since.

Yeah, I mean, we kind of met at a bar that served free curry

every Monday night and, you know, like every student,

you go where there is free food.

-So you collaborate at work a bit?

-We collaborate.

We're working on a short film at the moment...

well, animation. Will is an animator,

but I'm helping with the scriptwriting side of things.

OK, and can you tell us anything about it?

-It's about a depressed robot.

-Sounds...

-Sprightly?

Incredibly commercial.

Now, your profession should mean that you're going to be

very comfortable in front of our cameras today.

-I'm more comfortable behind them.

-Are you?

-Yeah.

-You're not feeling shifty now, are you?

-No.

-No.

-Will...

-Hello.

-..you're also a budding filmmaker.

-Yeah, I direct animation, both commercially and creatively.

-Yeah.

I work for a whole bunch of clients.

One of my latest jobs was to do a One Direction music video.

It wasn't so much one of their tracks,

it was for their new world tour.

The average stadium size for One Direction is about 75,000 a night.

Really? That's a bit of coverage, isn't it?

-So a lot of screaming kids, I think.

-Yeah.

So, what sort of things are you going to go for

on the old bargain hunt today then?

-I think we're going to go all or nothing.

-Is it? You reckon?

-Yeah, I think so.

-What, really spend every last penny?

-Well...

-Spend it all, yeah.

-Really?

-Spend it all.

-Look at that glint in his eye.

-Leave them with nothing.

He's determined. You're determined to do this, aren't you?

-Going to leave him with nothing. Make him sweat.

-OK.

What fun we are going to have. Great, chaps, thank you so much.

-Now, Ellen...

-Hi.

-You have creativity in your job, yeah?

-Yeah.

And it's that creativity

that brought the two of you lovebirds together.

You make it sound a lot more romantic than it was.

Was is not romantic?

-Our eyes met across a slightly darkened bar...

-Smoky?

-..mid-afternoon.

-Oh, mid-afternoon.

-That's the decadent, the mid-afternoon.

-After a lesson.

It was bored out of our minds in a classroom, wasn't it?

-No, we were in a lesson.

-I can tell the romance is oozing here.

-You've been together now for three years.

-Yeah, apparently so.

Don't look so surprised. Somebody's got to know these facts.

So, tell me, Ellen, what do you do now, darling?

You've done the university, you've done the MA, done the business.

I'm currently writing plays. I've done a couple of groups

with the Royal Court Theatre, which is good.

I did their young writers group and their studio group.

I'm currently editing a play that I've got to give to them, so...

There is something about your writing because it starts off

being terribly jolly and then what happens?

-Um... The word harrowing has been thrown around...

-Has it?

..in describing it, which is fun

cos I'm such a chipper person naturally

and then in all of my plays, I don't even kill off my characters

-because that's too easy.

-Oh.

-So they all end up living forever in a terribly miserable state.

-Do they?

-Oh, yes. Everyone.

-You two should get together.

The depressed robot, I feel could have another life.

But he can't die.

This is going very nicely. Charles, you're also a playwright?

My first passion, I'm very lucky,

I work in customer service churning out coffees and beers,

and I'm very lucky that I can satisfy that, but on the side,

just for a little old laugh, I like to sometimes write a play,

draw a comic book. SHE LAUGHS

And you performed at the arts festival.

Yeah, The International Youth Arts Festival.

I had my first show put on there a few years back.

-Well, that's very nice.

-That was a live radio comedy.

You seem pretty live wires to me.

What are you going to be on the lookout for today

-on the old bargain hunt?

-I'd like something grotesque.

-Would you?

-It goes with his personality.

-That could be arranged.

Well, you're going to have a challenge. That's brilliant.

The first emotion you have to overcome is taking the £300.

-Are you going to be able to do this?

-Just about.

-That's the £300.

£300 apiece. You know the rules, your experts await

and off you go, and very, very good luck.

Sparky or what?

And, of course, our teams today need two experienced experts

and we've got a right pair of Charlies.

Planning his next move for the Reds, it's Charles Hanson.

And he's tickled pink for the Blues - it's Charlie Ross.

Laurie, what's our plan?

Oriental and strange is going to make us a load of money.

We could go for some lovely bits of silver, bits of jewellery,

a bit of Deco?

I do like cameras as well, so maybe we'll look for some vintage ones.

-Teams, your time starts now.

-Feeling in focus?

-Yeah, focus.

-I'm feeling very focused.

-Let's go.

-Follow me.

-Really, I like to take my time over these things.

-Really?

I thought you were a fit, thrusty guy on the way to make a profit?

That's funny. Well, if you like action, Charlie...

-I'll give you action.

-Go on, you run ahead.

-Let's go!

-Oh, Lord.

Act One, Scene One, already off the pace.

Well, let's hope you don't get the runaround today, Charlie.

Now there's shopping to be done and the teams are searching

high and low.

-Have a good look.

-OK.

-See if there's anything you like.

-That's just scary, man.

-No.

Ellen is focused on the competition, while Charlie just needs to focus.

Easy.

Reds are on a mission for something Oriental

and I think they may have spotted something right up their street.

-Isn't yellow...the colour they use in China?

-Samuel Guane. G-U-A-N-E.

I like the typographic element here as well.

-I just don't know what it's used for.

-What is that?

A sceptre is an ornamental staff carried

by rulers as a symbol of sovereignty.

If it was, let's say, Chinese Imperial...

-Right.

-..and it was made for Emperor Quianlong's palace

in the late 18th century...

it might be worth a million pounds.

-What do you think of it?

-I like it. I think the colours are pretty bold.

I'm no expert on stuff like this,

but if it's is as old as you say it is, it's certainly good quality.

-What would be the absolute very, very bottom?

-I'd do that for 300.

Oh, don't say that. Would you really?

That's your entire budget, Reds.

Let's hope it's worth a million pounds for that price.

-250?

-I couldn't do it.

-So it might just be a no-go.

-Yeah, well, you know...

Well, yeah. Let's have a walk and a wander.

While Carlos tries to rein in the Reds,

Charlie's got a lot on his plate with the Blues.

-I think you might be disappointed with us again.

-You are, aren't you?

I can't say I'm over the moon with it,

but I would still rather you bought something you liked.

-Where are we here?

-Right... India.

India, spot on. What are we made of?

-Um... Not quite silver. Well, silver with...

-Not wood.

-If that was silver, it wouldn't be £18. It's brass.

-Yes.

OK. And it's got a typically Indian pattern on it,

-which I think is quite charming.

-Charming is the word.

-It's not a lot of money.

-No.

-It's a safe sort of buy...

-Yeah.

..because, after all, at 18 quid, there isn't a lot of downside,

is there? And you might be able to get a bit of a deal on it.

-That's true.

-It's certainly not earlier than 1900.

I would think it could be as late as 1950s,

-but it's a difficult thing to age.

-1930.

-There we are, 1930s.

-You see, the Oracle has spoken.

-Thank you.

-He can tell the age.

-And you can have it for a tenner.

-Did you hear that?

-A tenner?

I tell you what, I like it when people spend loads of money.

But at a tenner, if you can make something on that, frankly...

We could hopefully at least break even with that.

-I think that's hard to pass up.

-Should we go for a tenner?

-Let's make it so.

-Let's make it so.

Well done, Blues. You served up a bargain on your first item.

But let's see if the Reds can ride in with a purchase too, shall we?

Highly-detailed, Continental Silver oxen and carriage.

-How much is it?

-139.

I think that's quite expensive for a low-quality silver and something.

-My gut feeling is no.

-Yeah, gut feeling is no.

-For the time being.

-For the time being.

We're against the clock, so you don't know what's going to happen.

We'll mental note it and perhaps come back to it.

-Thanks for your help.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

I think Carlos is struggling to impress these London lads,

but the Blues have got to be joking about this next one.

-No! We don't want that!

-It's awesome!

A jester tobacco jar.

-Do you notice the...

-A tobacco jar?

-It's so heavy.

-..similarity?

-It's uncanny.

-No. Absolutely not, no.

-You don't?

-Oh, there it is.

-Aah.

-There we go.

-You don't like it, do you?

-I don't like it.

-Well, I would never go against you.

-Would you not? Oh, dear. That's not very cutting edge, is it?

-Only because you've already bought something.

-I've already gone rogue. I can't go rogue twice.

-OK.

-All right. Let's mosey.

-Let's mosey.

Well, don't mosey about too much, Blues. The clock is still ticking.

You're 20 minutes down. Charles is trying so hard,

but is getting nothing but rejection from the Reds.

-I can't win.

-Are you being serious?

Give me that. Hu-ah.

I can't believe it.

They've now turned down an early 20th-century silver scroll box.

I'll put it down.

While the Reds are proving hard to please, those cunning young Blues

-have got their eyes on a second item.

-Oh, that's nice.

-Charlie.

-Yes?

-Both of you.

-Both Charlies.

It's a standard object.

-Standard, yeah. It's very...

-Mother-of-pearl. Open it up.

Let's have a look.

-Oh!

-Oh, that's not a standard object.

-No.

-That's the most wonderful interior.

Normally there's no fittings inside -

it's just plain satin or silk -

-and that's got individual card, I think, isn't it?

-Yes, it is.

-Would this have been added in later?

-No, that is definitely original,

in my humble opinion, because of the colouring and the gilding.

-It does have this tile missing.

-That is a problem.

-Yeah.

-Well done.

-And very well spotted because to repair that...

-Would cost...

Well, it's the time in doing it. It's something you could do yourself

if you could find a bit of mother of pearl.

It's a sweet thing and it's 19th century I think.

-I think it's just about Victorian rather than Edwardian.

-Yeah.

-It's got some nice age to it.

-How much is the price?

-It says 60.

-Yeah.

What I would do with that is ask the lady if she can do anything

better on the price. There's no harm in asking in this business.

-I think you should ask the lady.

-All right, I'll give it a go.

-Give it a go.

-Give it a go.

Dear, lady... THEY LAUGH

..we're wondering, is there any price lower than £60

we could push you, just given the damage and...wear and tear?

-The very, very best I could do on that is 40.

-40?

I wouldn't dare push you to 35...

of course.

-You can push me.

-Can I?

-Yes, 35.

-You're such a star.

-I know.

-35?

-That's so generous. Thank you very much. That's a deal.

-OK.

Another Charles, another charmer.

Well done, team. That's your second purchase.

Now, I have a question for you.

What is the similarity between these two objects?

They're both made silver - wrong.

They're both filthy - right.

These two items came from an outside dealer

and have been cleared from a house.

This is actually made of silver plate

and it's called a novelty knife rest.

You'd have that on a late-Victorian dining table

and put your carving knife on that to stop the dirty knife

mucking up the nice tablecloth.

And it's novelty because, instead of it just being

an X-form support with a bar across the top,

what we've got is a device that goes on top of a mine shaft.

You've got the rope around the central tube

and then these X supports on the end are textured,

as if they were made of wood, and then the base itself is cast

with grass and all the rest of it.

In fact, it's a beautifully-made object.

What's it worth? Well, to a novelty knife rest collector, at least £75.

But the interesting thing that came with it is this fellow.

Strictly speaking, this is a piece of jewellery called a torque -

T-O-R-Q-U-E -

and torque date way back to antiquity, to early, early

Saxon times, before the Romans, when ancient peoples,

particularly men, would wear bent, curved pieces of precious metal

around their necks. But these things were crudely made

and then displayed on men who were warriors.

And if you look carefully, the whole thing is chased with designs.

We've got two fish here, look, on the end.

And then, running down the ridge, you've got some herringbone

patterning here and then some diamond quilting.

Where does this thing come from?

I have not got the faintest idea, but it's got some age

and it's incredibly heavy. And, assuming this is silver,

a gram of silver today scraps at 50p a gram.

There's £100 worth of silver in this thing alone.

So if the worst came to worst, you could melt it down

and get your money back. How much money back?

Well, scrap that, you get £100 for it. £70 for the novelty knife rest

and these two items, on an outside stand, here at Ardingly today,

would cost you the princely sum of £50. Not bad, hey?

But what happens if actually this torque

is not only made of solid silver, but it's actually got some age

and you could perhaps attribute it to a particular period?

Well, then its value would be transformed.

In fact, it could be worth a fortune.

Back to the shopping. It's two-nil to the Blues with 20 minutes to go.

The race is on, teams.

-I'm taking you to some posh antiques.

-Excellent.

-Magic.

-And I'm fitter than you think. Race you.

-Oh, what?! No!

The Blues are well and truly in the lead,

but the Reds aren't even off the starting blocks yet.

Come on, lads. Time to strike a deal, eh?

-Nice.

-Yeah.

-I'm not sure. I feel like it's kind of like ski lodge.

-Bearing in mind time is running...

-Yeah, yeah.

-I wouldn't mind getting a buy under our belt.

-OK.

-Do you like it?

-Um...

Gut feeling is... I've got hesitations about it,

-but we're running out of time.

-Yeah.

-Do you want to move on?

-Let's move on really quickly. We'll be quick.

-Thank you, sir.

-Charles is trying really hard with these Reds.

-How about this hand-stitched sampler?

-It's got a few holes in,

it's stained and I'm hoping it will be...£40? How much is it?

-It's 110.

-We're going.

-We're running out of time.

-Come on.

This has to be a first on Bargain Hunt - only 10 minutes left

and the Reds still haven't bought anything.

Thank goodness the Blues have bucked up, with only one item left to buy.

Is there anything else here that tickles your fancy?

-Let's move on.

-OK.

With time running out for the Reds, they really need to get a move on.

At this rate, they could be going to the auction empty-handed.

-I like that. Look at that.

-Yeah.

-That's really Aztec-y.

-Yeah. I quite like that.

But it seems not as much as that Chinese sceptre you saw earlier,

-eh, lads?

-I say, let's see our sceptre first.

I've got this gravitational pull back to the sceptre.

I've never had, in my career, such a gamble on that sceptre.

-It could just go all wrong for us.

-It could, yeah.

-It could make £50.

-Yeah.

-Stop laughing. This is serious.

-Yeah, this is serious.

Frightening, isn't it, this show?

-We've got to give you something for the leftover lolly.

-Well, thanks.

So I assume that's a no to the copper coal bucket.

Poor, old Carlos.

It's turning into the most desperate hour because we've seen nothing,

we've cherished nothing

and we could end up gambling almost everything on that Chinese sceptre.

This is like that situation where people go,

"Oh, I've spent all the money on one thing."

And we're doing that and we'll see how it goes for us.

-This is... Now we're answering those calls.

-All or nothing.

-Yeah.

A risky strategy, lads.

I just give up.

I think Charlie has also got his hands full with the sprightly,

-young Blues. Time check, please, old bean.

-Five minutes left.

-OK.

-I'm going to make a suggestion.

Don't keep running round and round in circles -

you won't focus on anything. Either buy something here

and if you haven't found something in four minutes,

we are about 43 seconds away from that grotesque lead tobacco jar.

-I love grotesque lead tobacco jar.

-Let's find something here.

-Right, well, let's get cracking.

-OK.

The boss has spoken. Now get a move on, teams. Time is running out.

-Is it still here?

-Oh, oh, oh...

-Yes, there it is, glowing.

-I just can't believe we've come back to this.

-Yeah.

Well, you know, like any good story, it goes round in a full circle.

You had the Aztec bowl - you turned it down.

The Bavarian clock, you said "No, thanks."

There were other objects we saw and we've come back to this.

-Yeah.

-Life's too short.

-Life's too short. Exactly.

And the hour is too short now.

-Excuse me, is this your sceptre, over here?

-Yes.

We have arrived at a scenario where we have bought nothing.

-Right.

-What's your best price on this?

-Very best?

-Yes.

285.

-I've never spent that much money on one item.

-285.

280?

Seeing as... ..I could do 280.

We've got five minutes and we've bought this from you.

Have you anything else, where you could maybe throw in two items

-for maybe a tenner?

-I can show you two items. Let me just think.

-I'll show you one...

-Bring them out to us and we'll just stand here.

-OK, OK. Do you want me to bring them to you?

-Please, bring them to us.

-What have we done?

-What about this lamp?

Who is this guy?

He's on your team, Charles, and frankly you need to buck up

their ideas cos time is running out.

Just two minutes left and you still need two items. I can't bear it.

Let's take a breather and see how those Blues are doing

finding their last item.

That is a Victorian twisted glass walking stick.

-I haven't seen that before.

-And I would say this stands out.

-It certainly does.

-Oh, la.

-Do you know what's good about that?

-Beautiful.

-It's still full-length. They're nearly always broken...

-Mm.

-..and that isn't. It's a decorative item, obviously...

-Certainly.

..but I have seen these at quite a lot of money.

I saw one yesterday that was...£60 or £70, I think.

It was a different colour, perhaps a more attractive colour. It might be worth asking.

-Do you like that?

-I do quite like this.

-We were looking for something glass as well.

-We were.

Well, we could always ask. Sir? What's the damage?

-20.

-£20.

-It's a steal at 20.

-I have to say, that is amazingly cheap.

Right, I'm not moving from this spot until you have made a decision.

-That's going to make money at auction, I admit.

-Yes.

However, grotesque tobacco lead jester head is...

-One and three-quarter minutes.

-..a grotesque lead jester tobacco head.

But I think, I've never seen or even heard of anything like this before.

Let's take this and take the rest of the money down the pub.

-One and a half minutes.

-All right.

-One and a half minutes.

I think with one and a half minutes to go, we've found our third piece.

-You hold that.

-All right.

-We're going to buy it.

-I'll miss you!

-I'm going to give the gentleman 20 quid. Thank you very much.

-Perfect.

It's all right, dear, you got the case, I get the walking stick.

-All right.

-Are we good?

-Yeah.

-Awesome.

Well done, Blues. That's your final purchase.

Now there's only a minute left on the clock

and the Reds are in trouble. Will the dealer save their bacon?

This is one other item I've got, which is extremely pretty.

LAURIE: How much is it?

DEALER: It's only costume. It's not silver or gold.

Very, very pretty, but I must have £10.

-Perfect. Put it in our pile.

-Put it in the pile.

-Yeah, we'll take it.

Thanks a lot. What else have you got? Anything for a fiver?

-There's one other rather unusual item.

-Come on, let's get it out.

Two down, one to go.

Now I don't know an awful lot about this piece,

other than it's an early bell. THEY LAUGH

-Let's get that.

-It doesn't work.

-It doesn't work, no, but it's not wired.

It's not wired at the moment.

-LAURIE: Oh, definitely.

-We need a new bell.

-I want the bell.

-I think it's plastic, isn't it?

-I think it's plastic.

-No, no, no...

Hurry up, lads, you need to make a decision.

-There?

-You should find it's quite cold.

I think you'll find it may be ceramic...

Oh, it is china. It is ceramic, you're right.

But it's an early... That, I would throw in for the £300.

What I quite like about this...

I like the chrome finish and the Bakelite

-and obviously, on the back there, that little...

-It's quite charming.

-It's quite interesting how it's ceramic.

-..stoneware firing.

Now I'm going to be cheeky. Because we've spent 290 already,

I need maybe at least a sliver of hope in the bonus buy,

so could I maybe buy that for a fiver?

Make it 295 all in...

and you've cleared us almost all out.

Oh, you're a smooth talker.

Get out of here. Put it there. That's a sale. Done.

Thank goodness for that.

BELL CHIMES

Stop. Teams, that's it. Time is up.

-Thanks a lot.

-Thanks.

-Never, ever...

-You must be buying the beers.

-Yeah.

-Well, I don't know about that.

We haven't got any money left.

Well, Laurie, I kid you not, I will not sleep until that auction

for fear, for panic, of dread of that sceptre completely bombing.

Yeah, well, it's going to haunt my dreams too,

but hopefully in a good way.

Let's remind ourselves what the Red Team bought, eh?

Putting all their eggs in one basket and almost blowing

their entire budget, they splurged £280 on the Oriental sceptre.

Bought in a panic, £10 went on this piece of costume jewellery,

a pendant in the form of a cross.

And the dealer let them chime in with this bell push for £5.

Well, Charles, you've had some shopping experiences.

These boys have taken you to a special place, haven't they?

Tim, I'm still recovering. It was frightening.

Now, I have to ask you, do you have a favourite piece?

-Oh, yeah. It has to be...

-The Chinese sceptre.

-I think so.

-A big investment.

-This is a major, major risk.

-We're confident in it. It's unusual.

So the piece that's going to bring the biggest profit has to be the sceptre.

I hope so, yeah. I think the bell is a nice object

and I reckon that will probably make a profit,

but I think we're going for the big guns.

Not like the monster profit that the sceptre could bring.

-Yeah.

-OK.

-All our hopes are in...

-This is such bravery.

This is such courage, I can't tell you. Anyway, you spent quite a lot.

-How much did you spend?

-We spent 295.

-This is so magnificent. Thanks.

I'll have your £5 note. Thanks very much. That goes over to Charlie.

Normally, Tim, this moment can be the escape to victory, but...

I just don't know what to do.

Well, you could afford a cup of coffee and a meat pie,

-and that's about it.

-Exactly.

Well, it's a challenge, Charles, and one to which I know you will rise.

Well done, chaps.

Why don't we now check out what the Blue Team bought, eh?

First up was the Indian brass tray, served up for a mere £10.

Next, they gambled £35 on this 19th-century mother-of-pearl

card case.

And, finally, they toddled off with this glass walking stick for £20.

-Well, team, that was extraordinary...

-Yeah, yeah.

..largely because of your parsimony.

-I mean, how much did you spend?

-£65.

-I don't believe it.

-Why do we give them 300?

-We don't like to be excessive.

Well, I'd like £235 of leftover lolly, please,

and a security guard to guard me while I hand it over to Charlie.

-There you are.

-But you had great fun, didn't you?

-Yes, definitely.

-Absolutely.

-Very good.

-Charlie, what's your favourite piece?

The glass walking stick.

Ellen, which is your favourite, darling?

I'm going to have to go with the mother-of-pearl card case.

-As your favourite?

-Yeah.

-And will that bring the biggest profit?

Probably not, no.

And, Charlie, which is going to bring the biggest profit, please?

-The walking stick.

-OK, the walking stick.

Out of the miserable amount, and the mouths of babes and sucklings,

-comes a whole pile of dough.

-I've never had so much fun

-spending absolutely diddly squat in all my life.

-Really?

-But things are going to change.

-Things are looking up.

OK, well, standby for big things over at the auction,

which we are about to scootle off to. Thank you very much.

Here we are, between Selsdon and Warlingham, with Catherine Southon,

-which is a thrill, Catherine.

-Lovely to see you. Thanks for coming, Tim.

Well, we're delighted to be here and at such high risk,

I have to say, for the Reds, Will and Laurie, who have invested

nearly all their dough in this Chinese reproduction ruyi,

-or sceptre.

-Yes.

-I have to say that, as a modern reproduction,

it does look the part.

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

-Exactly that. It does look the part.

From a distance, that looks like a rather nice piece.

It looks like it might be a 19th-century ruyi,

but as you get closer, you can see that this is reproduction,

it is 20th-century. The enamel is in lovely condition.

It's all there, it's got lovely colours, nice, bright colours.

What made me laugh is the actual figure here with his nice quiff -

-that's quite funny.

-Who looks like Elvis, right?

-Well, he does.

He's got an Elvis quiff. He's overdeveloped, isn't he?

-Yes, he is.

-In the chest department.

It just doesn't quite work, does it?

So for our team to have paid £280, which is most of their money,

-I have to say...

-Gosh, yes.

-That is a huge risk.

-What's your estimate, by the way?

We haven't gone anywhere near that. I've put £100 - £150.

OK, so it really is risky.

Anyway, they only had £20 leftover, so they went off and bought

this bit of paste, which, for a £10 note, looks jolly good actually.

It looks like a sapphire in the middle and it looks

like diamond encrustations, doesn't it?

-So is it worth £10, do you think?

-Why not?

-10-to-15.

-Perfect.

Now we come to the bell push, which I think is pretty nonsensical,

but so what? They spent £5 on it. Will it make £5?

Oh, yes, yes. Definitely. If we don't make £5, there is something wrong.

-What's your estimate then?

-10-to-20.

-Perfect.

So it all hinges on our ruyi here.

and, if it all goes wrong, let's have a look at the bonus buy,

which was acquired with only a £5 note.

Will and Laurie, you've spent £295, which is an incredibly brave amount,

and £5 went to Charles Hanson to find your bonus buy. Charles.

Frightening, the amount we spent. £5 leftover and it was eyes down,

and it was very much for my sort of thing - my spectacles.

-There we go.

-Oh, wow.

-It is what it is really.

I like the form because it's obviously quite

a labour-intensive object and we've got mother-of-pearl on an

ebonized spectacle case and, actually, if you open the base...

-Look at that.

-Hello, gentleman.

-It is quite a nice little novelty.

-It is.

-What's it for?

-Glasses.

-It's for spectacles.

So, back in the Victorian times, you would put your wirework spectacles

-into your case.

-Right.

-This is called a frogmouth opening.

-There we are, it's open and shut.

-Nice.

-And it cost me £5.

-Yeah, mind it doesn't croak.

-HE CROAKS

-I like it.

-I think you did all right.

-It's got personality. Good job.

-It has.

It's unique because you will not find an identical spectacle case

-in that condition.

-The smell of it.

You're hoping for big profits though, aren't you?

Well, that's the plan but, you know, who knows?

Well, you've invested very, very strongly and we're looking forward to the result.

But right now, for the audience at home, let's find out

what the auctioneer thinks about Charles's spectacle case.

There we go, Catherine, a boring, lacquered spectacle case.

-Are you about to make a spectacle of yourself?

-A-ha.

Well, that's just it. I mean, it is a little bit boring and it is a little bit tired,

-but I love the mouth, frogmouth. Isn't it great?

-Yes, frogmouth.

It says it all, doesn't it?

-But you try and get a pair of your spectacles in there today.

-I know.

OK, then, what's it worth?

£10-to-£20.

He only had £5, poor, old Carlos, and that's what he came up with,

which is fair enough in the pressure of it all.

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

We've got the embossed Indian tray. Banaras.

-Pretty standard object that, isn't it?

-Pretty standard.

-I think probably a bit of tourist-ware, may I say?

-Yeah.

-Maybe £10-to-£15 on that.

-And £10 was paid, so that's fair enough.

Yeah, I think that's fair.

Now the mother-of-pearl card case, is that yesterday's antique?

This one, it's OK. It's got a few little bits of mother-of-pearl

missing. Some of them have been stuck back on again.

-It's been through the wars a bit, but it's OK. They always sell.

-How much?

-£20-to-£40.

-£35 paid, so they paid the right price.

-We should be all right.

-Lastly is the novelty Nailsea-type walking cane.

-I mean, they're just so wacky in glass these, aren't they?

-It is.

I mean, the Nailsea glassware...

What used to happen, when they had been making their glass panes

and whatever else, whatever bits of glass they had leftover,

the glass blowers used to show off their talents

and make walking sticks like this.

This isn't actually Nailsea, but it is Nailsea-type.

It's got a few little chips at the bottom.

Completely impractical, why you'd want one I don't know,

-but it looks nice.

-Yeah. Some of them are brightly coloured.

That's very plain and dull. How much?

-£30-to-£40.

-£20 paid. They paid the right price.

Yeah, I think they paid fine.

-They've only spent £65, this team, on the whole lot.

-How mean.

So does the strategy to go out

and blow the lot on something speculatively work?

Or does being parsimonious and spending practically nothing work?

-We have the perfect contrast here.

-Yeah.

And the perfect test for you, Catherine, today from the rostrum.

-Yeah.

-Anyway, if it doesn't work out nicely for the Blues,

they've got the bonus buy to fall back on

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

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

-Oh, yeah.

-Very much so.

Have you any idea what Charlie Ross has bought you for your bonus buy?

I'm starting to have a couple of suspicions about what it might be.

I trust you less than I once did. THEY LAUGH

Something's going on here, Charlie Ross. You had £235, old bean.

-Yeah.

-What did you spend it on?

-I spent less than half.

-Yowzer.

-Wow.

I know. I really thought that I would nail it

and spend a couple of hundred pounds of your money, but I didn't.

I spent... I'll tell you in a minute. I bought that.

-I recognise this.

-That is... I'm so happy.

We're, I think, in the 19th century. We're in France.

We're bronze and I think actually it would convert into a table lamp,

-but I like it.

-Yeah.

It's absolutely marvellous, but there's a Gothic feel to it, I think.

I know. I feel like it could be...

It looks like it's come straight out of something that

Edgar Allan Poe has written. First of all, what did you spend?

-£85.

-85?

Yeah, I know you're probably thinking,

"85's a little on the strong side." I'd like it to make £100 at auction.

-Yeah?

-It's great. I'm really happy. Good job.

-Tim's lost.

-Would you own it? Would you buy it for home?

-Personally, no.

I don't think it would go in my flat, with all my fluffy cushions

and cat posters.

OK. Well, we are where we are

and we're going to do what we're going to do.

You pick it later if you want to. But right now, for the audience at home,

let's find out what Catherine Southon thinks about it.

Now, Catherine, that looks chunky. Bronze or brass?

Brass. Brass made to look like bronze.

It's been aged and I don't really rate it a huge amount.

-It's gothic...

-Style.

-Gothic-style, absolutely. Gothic-style.

But, yeah. Who knows when this has been made

because this has all been aged.

It's decorative, it's ready to go. Charlie loved it.

-He paid £85. Will you get £85 for it in the auction?

-I'm not sure.

I can see why he went for it. 40-to-60, Tim.

-OK. 40-to-60, if you're lucky, on a good day?

-Yes.

-OK.

It could be his good day, in which case,

perhaps the team should leave it, but maybe they won't.

When does the auction start? Any minute now?

-Very soon.

-OK, thank you, Catherine.

OK, Catherine, it's time to get this sale underway

-and take to your rostrum, girl.

-£50, thank you. 5, 60, £100 then.

-All done.

-Right then, chaps.

-Hello.

You have chanced you arm here, haven't you?

The first item is the sceptre. I mean, who knows? Risking all.

Well done, chaps, and here it comes.

We've got a 20th-century

Chinese canton enamel ruyi sceptre.

Who will give me £100 for it?

£100, I'm asking for. 100 is bid.

-Thank you.

-He's straight in.

-£100. 110.

-Come on.

I think we're onto a run now.

120 standing. £120 down.

130. 140, standing. 150.

-Go on, son.

-160. 160 standing.

It's against you, net at 160. £160 against you, net.

-Going once...

-Come on, net.

-Going twice.

-Oh!

-£160.

-Well, it didn't work, did it? 260... Minus 120.

-Impressive(!)

-It was worth a go, Tim.

-I mean, £160 is not so far off £200.

-No, no.

-£200 is not so far off £280. It's just not quite there.

We have a modern costume jewellery pendant in the form of a cross. £10.

-£10 is bid. £10.

-Come on, let's go.

-I've got £10. £10, 15.

-Profit!

Any more at £15? I will sell.

-£5.

-WILL: Not bad, not bad.

-Good stuff.

OK, we now have a 1930s ceramic and chrome-plated bell push.

Straight in at £10.

-£10. Any more at £10?

-Come on.

-12, 15, 18, thank you.

£20. No more. With me at 20? £20, all...

Why not? 25, 30, 35, 40.

-Yes! £40!

-With me at £40. Any more, £40? £40 then, all done. 40.

-Ding-dong.

-Oh, yes!

-£40. I don't believe that.

It's £35 up, plus your other pound means that you're plus 40. Right.

Which means you're only minus 80 now.

-Which doesn't sound so bad, does it?

-No.

-What are we going to do about the spectacle case? Are you going to go with it?

-Go with it.

-Yeah.

Well, unanimous vote in favour of that.

You paid £5, Charles. She likes it. She's put £10-to-£20 on it.

-Well, good.

-Right, were going to go with the bonus buy and here comes.

-Is this it?

A late 19th-century papier mache and mother-of-pearl spectacle case.

We would love £10 for this. Is bid. Thank you. 10, 12, 15, 18...

20, come on! The escape is on.

-20. No. Any more? £20.

-One more, sir.

-£20.

22, 25, 28, 30.

-Charles.

-One more, sir. Come on!

-5, £35. I've got 35.

-35, it's yours. £35.

-One more.

-All done at 35. It's done.

-Yes.

-We were so nearly...

-Thanks.

-That was great.

That is plus £30. Well done, Charles.

Which means, overall, you're only minus 50, which is nothing...

-No, no.

-Pretty good.

That could easily be a winning score. Well done.

-Ellen, Charles, how are you feeling?

-Very good.

-Do you know how the Reds got on?

-Not at all.

-Good, you don't want to.

-Oh, God.

-First up is your tray from the banks of the Ganges

and here comes the tray.

It's an early 20th-century Indian, large, brass tray.

-Thank you, £10, I have. £10.

-Can you believe it?

-£10, any more?

Nice and even.

CATHERINE: £10. Surely worth a bit more than that. £10?

Any more at £10? £10.

-11!

-Come on, you can all put your drinks on that.

15, 18. No more? £18.

-It's yours at 18. Any more at 18?

-You beautiful people.

Thank you, 20. 22, 25.

Charlie, you're going to eat your words here.

25, I've got here. All done. It's against you standing.

-I think that was £25, if I heard it right.

-Oh, my God.

-It was.

Which is plus £15.

Lot 202, a late 19th-century mother of pearl card case. £20.

Come on, ladies. It's a gent.

£20. 25, 30, 35.

-35. Do you want to bid, sir?

-Come on! 40, sir.

-£35. No?

-It's your bid at 35. Against you on the internet. £35.

-Oh.

-All done, 35.

-£35. It's washed its face.

-That's broke even.

-Washed its face?

-Yeah. Now...the walking stick.

Victorian, Nailsea-type, twisted, green glass walking stick.

I have 20, 25, 28. I've got 30. With me at £30?

£30. Any more at £30?

-£30.

-We can get the train home.

-Yay.

I'm going to sell on commission and 30. £30. Any more?

Going once, going twice...

-35.

-Yes!

-Yes!

-On the internet at 35.

-Well-played.

I'm selling then on the internet. All done, 35.

-Major dosh.

-Plus 15, plus 15 equals plus 30.

-Yay!

-You're £30 up.

Now what are you going to do about this candlestick?

I think, if we're plus, we should go against it.

Are we being conservative?

-I think we're being conservative.

-You're not going with the bonus buy?

-No.

-No.

You love it but you're not going with it.

You have your £30. You're going to part with £30.

-Yes.

-Well done for that.

We're going to sell the candlestick anyway, just for the fun of it.

-Yes, of course.

-Here it comes.

A large, 19th-century-style, French, bronzed candlestick. £50.

-Come on, £50. £45 on the internet at 45.

-They haven't seen it.

Any more at £45? I'm selling at £45...

-No matter though. You didn't go with it. You didn't lose that £40.

-No.

You have plus £30, which could be a winning score,

and don't say a word to the Reds, all right?

-We won't, we won't.

-We won't.

-Aren't they lovely?

Well, what fun this has been, hasn't it? Have you been chatting, you lot?

-No!

-About the score, no?

-Not about the score.

The moment has come to reveal the truth

and I'm afraid the truth is quite unpalatable for one of the teams...

-Oh.

-..and the team that it is unpalatable for are the Reds!

-Yes!

-Ohhh!

-Well done.

The Reds, who were so brave with their enamel sceptre.

-Yeah.

-Rats!

-Rats.

-THEY LAUGH

It was minus £120, but you did a fantastic recovery run thereafter.

-We got... Yeah.

-And only minus 50 is an achievement, I have to tell you.

We have a fleece to show for it.

Exactly. You haven't been fleeced, you've got one to go away with.

-THEY LAUGH

-How lovely is that?

What a lovely attitude.

-Aren't they great, those guys?

-They're dynamite.

-But the victors today go home with £30.

-Yay.

-Whoo-hoo! How about that, hey?

-Take that, student loan.

-Quite right too.

That gorgeous tray, which Charlie loves so much,

-your special choice, Charles.

-Have a little faith, Chaz.

-Yeah, I know. £15 on that. That walking stick, plus £15...

-Yeah.

..and you didn't go with the bonus buy, your wisest move of the day.

We've learned a lot about Charlie Ross.

Well said, Charles. Anyway, there we go. Had a good time?

-Yeah, amazing, thanks.

-Thanks for coming.

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

-Yes!