Episode 18 Bargain Hunt

Today we're coming to you

from one of the most picturesque parts of Devon.

We're on the Exe estuary at Topsham

and I feel bit of divine Devonian inspiration coming on.

Let's go Bargain Hunting!

The news is that our teams have £300 to scour the Topsham Antique Centre

to try and find three items to sell on later at auction

and hopefully make a profit.

And here's a quick peek at what's coming up.

Today we're in a warren of wonders.

-The Reds dither.

-Can we think about those?

-Let's have a think.

-So we've got one on the back burner.

-Come back to it.

-Off we go, then.

-OK.

Whilst the Blues know what they like.

-I like it a lot.

-It's quite nice.

-It's decorative.

So now let's meet the teams.

Today we have the best of friends versus father and son.

For the Reds we've got Jackie and Jane

and for the Blues we've got John and Philip. Welcome.

-Lovely to see you.

-Hello.

-Hello.

So how did you two girls meet, then?

Jackie moved in opposite me when she nothing and I was two.

-Really? A seriously long, long time ago.

-A seriously long time.

So what do you do for a living now, Jacks?

I'm a staff nurse and I work at Rowcroft Hospice in Torquay,

which is a great place to work, yes.

I work with a very good team of people

and, yeah, thoroughly enjoy it.

It must have its stressful moments, though.

It does but it's a worthwhile job and I enjoy it.

Jane, you're the person I need to ring if I have an emergency, right?

-That's absolutely right.

-Tell us about it.

I'm a call-taker for the Ambulance Service.

-And do you get asked for advice in the emergency, then?

-Yeah, we do.

We, obviously, give advice on CPR

but also, the best thing for me is when you give advice on how to give birth.

-Has that ever happened to you?

-Yeah. It's happened three times now.

The best one was a lady on her way to hospital stopped at a pub car park

because she couldn't go any further.

She needed a drink?

She certainly did afterwards.

-It says here that you're a bit of a collector, too.

-I am.

I collect old Torquay pottery, mainly because I come from Torquay.

-You might find a piece or two here in Topsham.

-I might.

-Yeah.

Well, very good luck. I should think this has got the Blues quaking in their boots.

-Absolutely.

-John, you're looking scared.

-Absolutely.

-Philip, you run the family business.

-That's right.

Along with my step-mother - the two of us run the business.

-What is the business?

-We're publishers.

We publish magazines and books on coins, medals and military history.

-Do you?

-That's our area.

Dad was involved but he semi-retired a couple of years ago

and now Carol and myself run it.

-You inherited your hobby from your father.

-I did, yes.

I collect military medals

and it's one of Dad's passions for years.

Have you got any particular favourites in your collection?

I actually collect medals to chaplains - men of the cloth, vicars, that sort of thing.

It fascinates me that these guys can go onto the battlefield

-without any weaponry to defend themselves.

-Yes.

And I do have one particular medal, a Zulu war medal, 1879, to a chaplain

who actually gave the last rites to the Prince Imperial on the battlefield.

But Dad's a Zulu war medal collector as well,

so he's a little bit jealous, I think.

Now, John, you're no stranger to antique fairs, are you?

Oh, no. That's one of my pastimes.

So, what sort of things between you will you be looking out for today?

Well, probably medals, militaria, that sort of thing.

Something local, maybe. Good quality items.

-We won't be spending £3 or £4.

-Oh, good.

You'll be spending proper money. Folding money.

If you can find the right things. It's jolly difficult.

Talking of money, this it the money moment. Here's your £300, girls.

-There's your £300 apiece.

-Ooh.

-Thank you.

You know the rules. Your experts await and off you go

and very, very, very, very good luck.

Do I feel an emergency coming on?

Our experts today will be guiding two teams.

For the Reds, we have a man who can spot a bargain a mile off.

It's Philip Serrell.

And the Blues will be guided by a man whose glass is always half full.

It's Charles Hanson.

-So you two are the best of mates?

-Yeah, we are.

-You're not going to gang up on me, are you?

-Never.

-Is there a plan? What are we going to buy?

-Anything fluffy.

-What?

-She's into rabbits.

-Coins and medals is our speciality.

-Much else?

-Not personally, no.

-No?

-No. Anything old and cheap.

Sounds good to me.

He's seen this show before.

-You're into knitting, are you?

-I do knit.

-Do you?

-Yes.

-What do knit?

-Well, I make half things, really,

because I tend to get halfway through them and give up.

Well, if you've only got one leg you know where to go for your socks.

-But it's not necessarily practical for everybody.

-No.

In today's living, there's no way you're going to want something of this size, this age.

-Correct.

-So we need something that's small, something people can use.

-I like the bears.

-I think we should look at those.

-I do like them.

-I like the one with the reel.

-The cotton reel, yeah.

I was thinking perhaps we could buy a family of bears.

Is that supposed to be with that or have they added that?

-He's a cotton reel holder, isn't he? Do you like them?

-I do.

-Yeah.

-That's half the battle, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-I just wonder how much age that's got, at the bottom.

-Mm.

-Do you reckon?

-It doesn't look as good as the others.

Or is he...? He looks a bit older.

-And he's quite fun.

-I like him with the reel on.

-That's my favourite.

I like that. It's fun.

-That's £45.

-Yeah.

-Get it for about 30?

-If we could get it for 30, that would be fantastic.

-OK, let's have a word and see if we can do that.

-Lovely.

-Purchase number one.

-Well, we hope.

-Hopefully.

-That might be wishful thinking.

Go on, then, Goldilocks. Get haggling.

-What's the best on these, then, Albert?

-£38.

38? That's a good discount, isn't it?

-Would 35 buy them, do you think?

-I don't think so.

-Shall we take them out...?

-Yeah.

-Because otherwise we'll be locking cabinets.

-I'll ask Albert to put them behind the counter for us.

-Lovely.

So we'll have a look round. That's almost... How long have we had?

-About 15 minutes?

-Yeah.

-And we've almost got one already.

-Our first thing.

Albert, you're a gentleman and a scholar.

Well, almost buying isn't actually buying.

-Thank you.

-Thanks, Albert.

-Are you happy with that?

-I think that's a great idea.

-So we've got one on the back burner.

-We can come back to it.

-Off we go, then.

-OK.

-OK.

Will the Blues be more decisive? They've found something "tray" bon!

-Is that a tray?

-What do you think? John, what do you think?

-It doesn't do it for me.

-John, just look at the size.

-What price is it?

Hide that price and you give me your all-encompassing opinion on that.

-What's it made of?

-Mache.

-Yes, paper mache.

-Paper mache.

-Probably mid-Victorian.

-Mid-Victorian, yes.

1860. I quite like it because if you look at the condition, it's in quite nice order.

The gilding is pretty strong.

What would it cost in an antiques centre?

-£35.

-No, no, more than that.

-More than that?

-Yeah.

-OK.

-I know nothing about this.

-John, how much?

-£125.

-How much?

-35 was my...

Well, I think it's quite nice because we've met halfway - it's £65.

-65.

-65.

-I think that's not a bad object.

If it was smaller and therefore practical, I would say yes,

but I can't see that fitting in anyone's kitchen or dining room - it's just too big.

Come on, Philip. Sometimes big is beautiful.

-Mid-Victorian. £65.

-I don't mind it. Maybe it's one we can come back to.

-Not a lot, is it?

-We might get it for 50.

-Exactly.

Food for thought, John.

-There are some coins over here, gents.

-Ah!

-There's tools. Are they any good? Old tools?

-Yes.

There's no tool like an old tool.

Do you like these or are you just grasping at any straw?

-Any tool.

-I do like old tools, I have to say. I really do.

There's something aesthetically pleasing about them.

-You know that they've been used, don't you?

-Some skilled...

What about those? Shall we ask Albert to find out...?

You've got 25 quid, there, look.

-What are these?

-Those are a pair of dividers.

But they're definitely 19th century. I think they're really nice.

-Shall we find out from Albert?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Great.

If we can them for 15 or 20 quid, that's a bit of a shout for us.

-I like that.

-OK.

-What do you think?

-No.

-But I thought you loved coins?

-Yeah, but not those prices.

-No, they're all too expensive.

-John, when you purvey a good coin, what do you look for?

-Oh, condition.

Condition is all important, particularly with milled coins,

which are the later ones.

There's a very nice sixpence there.

It's still got the original patina on it, which is nice.

-And which one is that?

-The 1787 sixpence.

-But that is really top end. I wouldn't want to pay that much.

-No.

The prices there are probably about right

but we need to try and make a profit.

And how has the coin market performed in the last 20 years?

-Very good.

-Has it?

-I wish I'd bought these coins 20 years ago.

-Really?

Oh, it's phenomenal. Coins now are going through the roof.

And you can make a mint.

Albert's come back. Let's see what he's got to say.

-£22 the pair.

-£22 for the pair. Right.

Don't tell me you're almost buying these, too.

-What I suggest that we do, let's ask Albert to put those with our...

-Bears.

-With our bears.

-Is that all right?

-Quite all right.

You're a gentleman and a scholar.

Come on, teams! Buy something, one of you!

-I like this.

-I like the timber, actually.

-I like it a lot.

-It's quite nice.

-It's decorative.

It's practical, as well. It's the sort of thing you can use as a...

-I don't know.

-I know what you're thinking of. It's like a coin collector's chest.

-But it's the sort of thing that you can actually... It's decorative.

-Yes.

It's pretty. It's something that you can actually use and it's 135.

-Mm.

-I like that. What do you think?

Of course you've got the mother-of-pearl, the abalone, on the lacquered, hinged doors.

-This top section might also hinge open, like that.

-It does.

And you've got the drawers within.

It's quite a nice item.

-Shall we take it down?

-Yeah.

-It needs slight work, I think.

-There we are.

-It's Japanese.

-With the hinged handles on either side.

-This top section opens up to reveal divisions for maybe...

-Could be anything.

Could it be a specimen cabinet of some sort?

-Well, whatever it is, it can be used for anything, can't it?

-Yeah.

And the patination is nice, the colour.

-I like the colour of it.

-It must be, what, 1900, 1890, in date?

-Yes.

-And how much is it?

-They're saying 135 but let's see what we can get.

-Is it worth a question?

-I think it is.

-OK.

So where's our Albert, then?

Hello. Who's this?

I've just had a word with the lady and she said £100 would be OK.

-Great.

-Sorted. Excellent. Are we happy with that?

-Yeah.

Right, brilliant. That's great.

Hurrah! Someone's spent some cash.

Come on, Reds, your turn now.

Do you know, I'm a sucker for kids' shoes and clogs.

-Do you like those?

-Oh, they're beautiful.

Aren't those fantastic, look? Look at those.

-They're all leather.

-Yeah.

-How old would they be?

-1920s. But they've never been worn, have they?

-Hardly.

Aren't they cute? I just love...

I bet they weren't very comfortable, really.

That's probably why they've not been worn.

I don't know if they're your size, Phil.

No but I just think...

They're like the crossover between the working man's clogs and the child's shoes.

-They were probably for Sunday best, maybe.

-They're fantastic.

-I think they're lovely. Shall we ask another question?

-Yes.

Albert! We can ask Albert.

Albert was only 23 when we started this programme

and we've had him running around...

Now, those are 44 quid, Albert. We'd like them for 30. How's that looking?

Don't worry, Albert. They've got to buy something at some point.

What a man, Albert. Get in there.

-38 would be the best?

-38.

Out of the three things that we've put by, I would buy the tools

because I think they're really interesting,

-perhaps a bit more blokey.

-Possibly.

-And I'd buy these.

-They're not fluffy, aren't they?

-No, no.

And I'd buy these.

Don't tell me they're actually going to buy them.

-All right?

-Can we think about those?

-Let's put them in our little pile.

No, no, no, no. They're not going to buy those either.

Do you know what, Charles, I think we need to be looking at the bottom of cabinets and at the top

because I think we're in danger of looking at what everyone else has looked at

-and these things have been here for a long time.

-Exactly.

-If we start looking up or down...

-Exactly.

-..we may make some money.

Let's go down below, OK?

Hit the deck, boys.

-John, this is quite a sweet thing.

-Silver photo frame.

-The photo frame.

-Can you see? What is so nice is it's a pretty lady.

-Is it silver?

Yeah. Well, it says silver.

-It's got an interesting patina on it, though - a pewter colour.

-It has.

-I might enquire. Hello, sir.

-And silver has gone up.

You're all right, Albert. The Blues seem to be spending their cash at last.

It's not awful lot of silver, though, if you look.

-It's very, very thin. Very thin.

-It is.

-It's not a solid silver frame.

-But hasn't it got style?

It has, yes, you're absolutely right.

Look down there. What are they?

-The hallmark letters.

-Exactly.

-What date is that, Charles?

It's actually not very old.

The hallmark is for London,

-date code probably no earlier than 1960 or 1970.

-Yeah, '60s.

I think in an auction you might guide it between £40 and £60.

Charles is sold on this. I'm not sure about Phil and John, though.

-I prefer it to the platter or the tray, though.

-Do you?

I prefer it to the tray.

-It's priced at £45.

-It's worth more.

-Is it really?

-Yeah.

Well, thank you.

-39.

-39? Oh, you're teasing me now, you're teasing me.

38.99.

-What do you think?

-I will leave it up to you

-but I would say at £39...

-It's a good buy.

-Yeah, it is a good buy.

-All right.

-What do you think?

-The final decision's yours.

-OK. £39. We'll go for it.

-Are you sure, Dad?

-Yeah.

-Cheers, Dad. We'll take it. £39. Great.

-Are you happy with that?

-I'm... No.

-Not really.

I think our Albert is just happy that cash is being spent by somebody.

This is quite nice because this is all Exeter silver.

That's quite nice.

That's £330. We can't afford that.

-But there is a premium for that, as you can see.

-Yes.

-Yes.

Walk on, I think.

I think the place to buy Exeter silver is probably in Sheffield.

Speaking of silver, how's the Blue team feeling about purchase number two?

I do like my silver photo frame.

It has great style and I think for £39 it's a good buy.

So, so far so good.

We're getting on really well and there's good team spirit.

I'm not entirely certain about the picture frame

-but we'll go with Charles's...

-We'll go with Charles.

We'll go with Charles's expertise.

Right, good to see everyone's on the same page.

The Reds are tearing the place apart.

-Let's have a look, girls.

-It doesn't feel very substantial.

-Do you know why that is?

-Because it's not.

-You got it.

-It looked nice from a distance.

-Yeah, about three miles.

-You need to get out more.

-All right.

40 minutes gone, chaps. Come on!

-It's a really extensive tea set, isn't it?

-It is.

-Copeland Spode and there's a lot there, isn't there?

-125.

-125? Well, we've got 161 left, I think, but it's too...

-Big?

Again, I'm not struck. Is it complete?

-Well, it's got six cups.

-Six cups.

-Six coffee cans.

-John, it's a good spot.

-We've got another floor, we've got 20 minutes - let's come back.

But you're on track. Two items with 20 minutes to go.

The Reds, on the other hand...

Are you thinking that perhaps adding something to those two tools might be an idea?

-It might be an idea, yeah.

-What about that, look?

-Isn't that a lovely ruler?

-That's nicely made, isn't it?

-That's eight quid.

-What's so different about this one, then?

Erm, well, as a rule...

-THEY GROAN

-If you didn't see that joke coming, you're probably from outer space.

-I think that's a good plan, do you?

-Yeah. £6.

-Six quid. So I'd go for that.

-Yeah.

-I think that's... I think so.

Something tells me it's going to be the bears, the tools and the boots.

Go on - put us out of our misery.

The Blues still need a final item.

-Eight minutes to go.

-All right, we'll split up.

You go over there, I'll go over here.

-I can't see anything at all.

-Nothing leaping out at you?

Why not take a leaf out of the Reds' book and think back?

-It could be the paper mache tray.

-I think you might be right.

Five minutes to go and we finally have decision in the Red camp.

I think you should go and buy those three bits.

-Go and charm Albert. Go on.

-See what we can do, shall we?

He doesn't know what he's got coming.

Mm. And it's decision time for the Blues.

It's your decision. It's the tea set or the tray.

You make the decision.

-Go for the tray.

-Really?

-Go for the tray.

-If it's still there.

-If it's not, we go for the tea set.

-It might be gone.

-Right.

-That's the bears, the boots and the tools, please.

-The tools.

So if we do all them for £104?

-Excellent.

-That sounds a bargain.

-Yeah.

-Right.

-Excellent.

-Lovely. Thank you very much.

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

-You're going to thrash the Blue team, aren't you?

-We hope so.

Well, they're confident - indecisive but confident.

It's got to be the tray. We made the decision upstairs, didn't we?

-We made the decision. We'll go for this one.

-I don't think we go far wrong with this.

-Can we negotiate?

-Hard.

-Can we negotiate on what?

-We're real hard negotiators.

-Let's have a look.

The death on that one would be £50.

-Is that what you call the death?

-That's it.

We did say upstairs, didn't we? We did say upstairs.

-That's a really good discount and I think...

-For £50.

-All right, we'll go for it.

-We'll take it. Good man.

-We've got it.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you, sir.

-We're down to the wire.

-Yeah, that's true.

We're at 58 and a half minutes, OK, so well done.

-We can now relax. OK - a cup of tea in the sunshine?

-Absolutely.

-Come on, let's get out of here.

-Thanks, Charles.

-Well done.

That's it, time's up, the items bought.

It's time to leave Topsham and travel east to Honiton

and to Bearnes, Hampton and Littlewood's saleroom.

But before we find out if they're going to hit some high profits,

let's have a little reminder for the Reds.

A pair of Black Forest bears set them back a roaring £38.

After the bears came boots.

This pair of children's hobnailed footwear cost them another £38.

Their third purchase ensured they'd be tooled up for the auction,

costing them £28 for the set.

I've been told you're really looking forward to seeing what your bonus buy is.

-We are.

-We're looking forward to Philip revealing it.

-Revealing all.

-196 squids' worth he had to spend.

-Ooh!

-There we are - that is a copper tray.

-Ooh!

And I bought that because I thought, well, we're in Devon,

Devon's not far from Newlyn,

this looks, with a bit of imagination, like Newlyn school,

-so there's a bit of a local theme...

-That's beautiful.

-..with a broad imagination.

-Do you like it?

-I'd like that myself, actually.

-Yeah.

-And that's cost £35.

-No!

-Yeah, yeah. So I like that.

-How do you know it's Newlyn?

-We don't.

-Oh.

Newlyn style.

-You should take that as sort of auto-suggestion, really.

-OK.

We're trying to get that thought into the minds of the buyers.

You paid £35. How much do you think it's worth?

Between £30 and £45.

-So not a lot of profit in it.

-No, no, no.

I'm sorry. I tried hard.

Luckily, the Reds can decide later -

after the sale of their first three items.

Now for the Blues. Here's a little reminder of what they bought.

The Blues didn't want to buy big

and this Japanese chest fitted the bill perfectly.

£100 paid.

They weren't too sure about the silver frame

but Charles thought it pretty as a picture at £39.

Finally, after umming and ahhing,

they chose this papier-mache gilt tray for £50.

Now, John and Philip, this is your moment.

You gave Charles £111. Did you blow the lot, Charles?

-John and Philip are hugely into coins...

-OK.

..so I found the case for you two.

-Ah!

-Do you like it?

-Excellent.

-Pretty.

Yeah, a leather covered, gilt brass mounted sovereign and half sovereign case.

-It's not my best find.

-You don't look impressed, Dad.

-What did you pay for it?

-What, for £111?

-It's quite expensive for 111.

-Let me tell you.

If you were a late Victorian gentleman

with your half sovereign and sovereign, you'd want a nice case.

I love this leather finish. It's a bit shabby and chicy.

But it is all there and complete and it may have been on the end of your fob chain.

-I hope you didn't pay 111 for it.

-No, well, well...

Yes, it does, it works, so... What do you think?

-I think it's probably worth...

-Come on, Dad.

-40?

I was going to say at retail I would have thought £75-80.

-£35.

-Oh, well, there you go.

-You did well.

It might just stand a fair chance of hopefully making 45 or 50.

-As I say, it's not my best find.

-With the wind up its tail.

-I like it.

-Do you?

-I think it's nice.

I just wish that it had a sovereign and a half sovereign in it

-but I think you did well.

-That's very kind.

-Well, that's a nice reaction. Do you agree with that, John?

-Yes, I do.

All right, super.

Is it a closed case? They'll decide in a while.

In the meanwhile, auctioneer Brian Goodison-Blanks is ready,

so let's start the selling.

-Now, girls. Happy?

-Yes.

-Very happy.

Out of the £104 that you spent,

he's not predicting much of a profit, frankly.

-Neither were we.

-On any of it.

But on the other hand, you didn't spend that much.

It's not big profits you're after. Your strategy is just to make a little and often,

which is fair enough.

The first lot up are your two bears and here they come.

Two Black Forest carved wooden bears.

And what am I to say for those? £15?

£10? £10 here I have. At 10. And 12 now for the bears.

-At £10, maiden bid only.

-No!

-12 at all?

-£10. 12 on the internet, I'll take. 15.

-It's on the internet.

18, internet? I've got 15 in the room, I want 18 online.

18, fresh place. 20?

22, 25. At least he's here. £22. In the second room, then. At £22.

-£22 is minus 16 but let's not fret.

-Is it? Oh, that's a shame.

Because here come the old boots.

Early 20th century child's hobnail boots, size 12.

-Rather interesting, these ones, and I'll start these here at £20.

-Ooh.

Commission bid with me. 22, now?

22, 25, 28, 30, 2.

-35, 38. Are you sure?

-Oh, come on.

-We want more.

Commission with me at 35. 8 now elsewhere?

Are you quite sure, then? For the pair of shoes at £35...

-No money. Bad luck.

-THEY GROAN

That is just minus £3.

35 is minus £3, totalling minus 19 so far.

-OK, here comes the tools.

-The set square, the dividers and the rule.

What am I to say for those?

£5? 5 I have, thank you. Eight?

10. 12?

12 online? At £10 in the room, then. At 10. And 12 online? No.

-Oh, lord.

-At £10, then, in the room.

12, fresh place. 15?

£12, now. Thank you, sir.

At £12 here. In the room, then, at 12.

-A hat trick - all three.

-A hat trick of losses, sadly.

So 19, 29, minus 35. You are minus £35, girls.

-Wow!

-Now, the Newlyn copper tray cost £35.

-I think we've got to go for it.

-What do you think, Phil?

Well, I don't know, really.

-I think we'll go for it.

-We've got to.

You don't have to, actually. You can just park it.

Because minus £35 could be a winning score.

-Are you going for it or not? Quick!

-Go for it.

-Go for it.

-All right.

We're cracking on.

The Newlyn-style copper tray and commission's with me here at £20.

22, now? 22. 25. 28? 30, 32, 35, 38?

40, 2, 45. 48?

45 my bid, then. At £45.

And eight now, anybody else?

-Good man!

-Commission's with me, then, at 45.

Eight, now? At £45...

-Yes!

-Good decision, girls.

-That's plus £10.

-See the faith we had in you?

-Good boy. That's reduced your losses to minus £25.

-Minus £25.

Which is more respectable.

That's why you love the man. That's why he does the business for you, which is marvellous.

Anyway, so you've got a total of minus 25, which could be a winning score.

-It could be.

-So say not a word to the Blues, OK?

-OK, JP, how's it going for you? All right?

-Yeah, yeah, it's fine.

-Confident?

-No.

-Oh, come on!

Well, the cabinet is first up and here it comes.

So, the pearl cabinet there, with the inlay

and specimen woods, as you can see.

And interest here with me at £40.

At 40 with me. And five I'm looking for now. My bid here at £40.

-Commission at 40. Five, I can see.

-Come on.

-50, 5, 60, 5.

OK, OK. Come on.

-70, 5.

-OK.

£70 bid is with me. And five elsewhere?

-Anybody else? Anybody else?

-My bid then at £70.

-Come on.

-THEY GROAN

-£70.

-I felt sure that one was worth more.

-Miserable.

Minus £35. Miserable.

OK, now the photo frame.

The Art Nouveau-style silver photograph frame.

It's London 1968, at 20, 25, 30.

-OK, that's good.

-Good.

-35, now?

-Come on.

£30 bid is here. Five I'm looking for.

-Oh, somebody...!

-35, 40, 45 online.

-Come on, come on.

-My bid at 40. 45 internet?

-I don't believe this.

At £40, then.

£40 and you are plus £1.

-We're playing catch-up.

-That means you're minus 29.

-Oh, dear.

-Now the rectangular tray.

The Victorian papier-mache gilt rectangular tray

and commission's here with me at 40.

-At £40 here. 45 I'm looking for.

-Come on.

-At 40 with me.

-Somebody!

-42 I'll take. 45, 48.

-One more.

-Let's not haggle. At 45 with me.

48, now? At £45 then...

-My bid at 45.

-I can't believe it.

-Disappointing.

-Very.

That is minus £5 on that, which means you're back to minus 34.

Minus £34. So are we going with the sovereign case or not?

I think we have to, don't you?

-You don't have to. Minus 34 could be a winning score.

-It could be but I think...

-You can park it.

-We're not going to make... I don't think we're going to lose on it.

-Let's go for it.

-Let's go for it.

-I agree.

-A bit of excitement.

We've got nothing to lose, have we?

I think it will go for 40. We'll make £5 on it.

OK, we have a prediction.

-Are you happy? Are we going to go with it?

-Definitely.

-OK, lovely.

-We're going with the bonus buy at £35...

-Come on.

-..and here it comes.

It is the late Victorian leather case sovereign holder.

-More like a charity case, this one.

-Charity case?

-Bid me £5.

-Five I have, thank you.

-Five?

-Eight. Ten I have, here. 12? 12 I have.

-And 15.

-Oh, for goodness' sake.

-18.

-Come on!

-This is mean.

-20, 22, 25, 28, 30, 2.

-One more, sir.

-At £30 here.

-One more.

-32 at all?

-One more?

-Quite sure, then, at 30?

THEY GROAN

So instead of making five we lost five.

-Didn't you say a profit of £5?

-I thought we'd make a profit of £5.

-I meant the word "loss".

-You had five in your mind.

-I meant "loss".

-You had five in your mind but in the mists of your prediction...

Yeah, I got that wrong. I did mean a loss of £5.

-Anyway, minus 39 is the end score.

-Never mind.

-That could be a winning score. Don't talk to the Reds.

-We won't.

-All will be revealed in a moment.

-Fantastic.

-Thank you very much.

-Brilliant. Thank you, Tim.

Oh, dear, neither team making a profit today.

With only £14 between them,

the Reds narrowly had the winning score with minus £25.

Coming up, will our next two teams manage to make

some marvellous profits? We'll see.

Meanwhile, we're heading off somewhere positively divine.

Antony in Cornwall has been home to the Carew family for over 600 years.

It continues to be a home to the latest generation of Carew Poles

and is also the perfect space to display the wide variety

of fascinating artefacts, antiques and furniture

the family have collected.

It was the Roman philosopher Cicero who said,

"To add a library to a house is to give it soul,"

and here at Antony, certainly this library is a soulful place.

And out of the collection of books in the library,

one of the most notable that's caught my eye is this,

which is absolutely unique and relevant to Antony.

If I turn to the title page,

it says Antony House in Cornwall A Seat Of Reginald Pole Carew.

In the introduction page, it identifies the author,

the landscape gardener Humphrey Repton,

who produced this for Pole Carew in October 1792.

This particular book is a facsimile, it's a modern reproduction,

but it contains plates that are relevant,

so let's pop outside and have a bird's-eye.

So, in 1792, Reginald Pole Carew would have stood here

on the north front of his mansion house,

looking out over the garden with Humphrey Repton.

And the view they would have seen at that moment looked like this.

Effectively, a tall stone wall ran through the park at this point,

with the distant Tamar beyond.

Such was the magic of Repton's art

that by folding back these paper sections,

he'd be able to illustrate to Reginald Pole Carew

exactly what he would see from this point

after the works and plantings had matured.

And if you look at his vision for the future

and then what we see today,

sure enough, you do get three delicious glimpses

of the distant Tamar with those lovely hills beyond.

Hmm! Clever, isn't it?

Back in Topsham, at the Quay Antiques Centre,

and there's bargains galore awaiting our next two teams to snap up.

But who are they?

Today we have Tom and Patrick, brothers representing the Reds,

and partners Lisa and Paul for the Blues.

-Hello, everyone.

-ALL: Hello!

Lovely to see you.

Tom, let's start with you. What line of work are you in?

I'm a stand-up comedian/ sit-down writer.

-Are you really?

-Yes.

In that order?

A little bit of both.

-Really?

-Yeah.

Well, that's very brave - stand-up comicry.

I suppose it is fairly, yeah.

I don't think I could do that, I have to say.

Well, you get used to it.

I mean, I still get pretty nervous before going on, but...

They say that the adrenaline nerve is the thing that gives you

-your edge, but it's not a nice thing, though, is it?

-No, it's not.

If you're going to stand up in a beery environment

and try and make somebody laugh and they don't find you amusing,

-then you soon know that, don't you?

-Hasn't happened often, though.

Well, I'm glad to hear that. Well, good luck with it.

Now, Patrick, what do you get up to?

Your brother's establishing himself as a writer and comic,

-what do you do?

-I've actually got, sort of, two jobs on the go.

First one being taxidermy,

which I've been doing since I was about 12,

and I'm a gamekeeper as well in my spare time.

Well, those two connected jobs are rather convenient, aren't they?

They go rather well together, yes.

You've done some pretty big mammals in your time, haven't you?

Yes, not ones that I've personally shot -

things that were found about 100 years ago.

Things like tigers and polar bears.

-Have you done big cats?

-Yeah, I've worked on a few of those, yeah.

Oh, God. What are you going to go for, you two?

Just anything a bit fun, a bit quirky, really.

We want to find fun stuff - we're not in the market for crockery.

Not something you'd find on Grandma's shelf.

Something a bit different that's going to stand out in the auction.

This is the voice of youth today!

What is going to happen on Bargain Hunt? Anyway, very good luck.

So, team.

-How did you and Paul meet, Lisa?

-We met a couple of years ago.

Paul's a host at one of the local hotels in Torquay,

I was brought in as the Christmas Day singer,

and we sort of hit it off. Paul texted me later that evening

and we've been together pretty much ever since.

-Why don't you give us a trill, then, Lise?

-OK.

Here we go, then. Stand by.

Exercise your vocal cords,

because this is...Lisa!

# Ain't no sunshine when he's gone

# It's not warm when he's away

# Ain't no sunshine when he's gone

# This house just ain't no home

# Any time he goes away. #

Now, listen, how brave do you have to be to do that?

You've got a really beautiful voice.

-Thank you.

-That's fantastic.

No backing group, she didn't know

she was going to have to do it, and out she trilled, which is great.

Paul, you're in the same line of business, then?

Yeah, pretty much the same line.

I do the all-round entertainment thing.

I obviously sing a few songs, tell a few gags.

I also run my own disco company as well.

Seems to me that you two were made for each other, then.

-That's rather clever, isn't it?

-Yes.

Now, guys, what do you collect and what's your tactics going to be?

-What do you collect, Lisa?

-I collect shoes.

-Do you?

I don't know if it's a... Well, it is a collection, as such,

I've probably got in excess of 80 pairs.

Are you the Imelda Marcos of Torquay?

The first thing she did when we moved in together was

-she made me go out and buy her a shoe wardrobe.

-Yes.

You never know what you're going to find in an antique centre like Topsham.

Anyway, the money moment now, £300 apiece. There's your £300.

You know the rules, your experts await, and off you go!

Very, very, very good luck.

I feel like bursting into song myself.

-So, you... This one here...

-Yes.

-You stuff things?

-I do indeed.

And you, you crack them up laughing?

-I try to.

-Oh, right, OK, fine.

I think I'm going to stick on your side and not your side, then.

-Don't turn your back to him.

-No, absolutely.

OK, guys, so we're by the seaside.

And I'm with a couple of lovebirds.

-Even a couple of songbirds.

-Indeed you are.

And before we go Bargain Hunting, can you give me a warm up?

# La-la-la-la-la-la! #

-Follow me.

-Woo! CHARLES LAUGHS

And they're off, with both teams raring to go.

Their 60 minutes start now.

Now, this, Patrick, is stuffed, so it's not exactly what you want.

It was never living, though.

-It's an old... It's described as an old teddy bear.

-It's £39!

Yeah, but it might be worth a lot of money.

It's got a mini chair, though.

Could we not buy him and the chair and then have it as one thing?

-One lovely, little...

-What have you found, guys?

-teddy bear on a chair.

And how much is the chair?

-I like the chair, but I hate the bear.

-The chair is £22.

-Let's have a look. The chair...

-It's a little bit damaged.

I think the chair's a bit fun, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-It's for tiny people.

-That rules you and I out.

-Yeah.

What do you think its background would be?

Well, it's copying a sort of a late 18th/early 19th-century

rush-seated, ladder-backed chair. That's called a ladder back

because it's like a ladder that you step up, OK? Erm...

When I first saw it, I thought it was probably 1950s,

but I think it might be a little bit earlier than that.

If you can get that for 15 quid, I think it gives you a chance.

-So that's our cheapo, isn't it?

-That's our cheap option.

-Go and have a word with the man up there.

-With this?

-Yeah, and let the stuffer and I go and see what we can find.

-OK.

So, whilst Tom negotiates for the chair,

the Blues continue to hunt high and low for that elusive first buy.

-Now, what have they found here?

-They're nice, aren't they?

-Yeah.

-They are nice.

-I like them.

Good spot - I like them.

-And I think you'd buy them as a pair, wouldn't you?

-Yeah.

-I like that one.

-Because they're very aesthetic, aren't they?

And they're actually...

little, sort of table...almost like fruit bowls, aren't they?

Or just little table centrepieces.

But they are quite decorative.

These go back to around 1885, 1890.

And at the height of the fashion for all things Japanese.

These were made for the western market.

£24 a pair, should be worth 40?

I reckon, at auction,

I would guide them at between, probably, 40 and 60.

50 and £70. So if I can get a deal...

They're £28 each, aren't they?

-BOTH: 24.

-That's OK, which makes what?

-48.

-Exactly. He's a clever guy.

-Yeah!

He's a clever guy. 48, OK.

If we could get the pair for, like, I don't know, £35, even 30...

-Go in at 30.

-Yeah, go in at £30, yeah.

Whilst the Blues head off to get a price for the plates,

it seems Tom has an update about the chair.

Here we go, take a seat.

-Now you're rushing me.

-Here.

Now listen, do you think if you put this into auction

you're going to have a leg to stand on?!

-There we go!

-18 quid. I think that at auction is going to make...

I think it's going to make between 20 and 35 quid.

Well, that would be a profit.

-Let's go and put that over there.

-Right.

Definitely buy it, and we'll just carry on and see what we can find.

-Excellent.

-Right.

Great news - that's the first item in the old bag for the Reds,

and only 20 minutes into the shop.

Now, what's the latest on them plates?

-Cheapest we can do it would be £40.

-Did you hear that?

That's pretty good, it's £8 off. So from 48, we've come down to 40.

-Worth a gamble?

-I think so -

-we're running out of time, aren't we?

-Think so?

-Yep.

-Need to buy something.

-Let's buy them. Yeah?

-We'll take.

-Job done.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

One down, two to go. So, both teams have their purchases.

30 minutes in, and it seems Charles has spotted

another oriental piece for the Blues.

-Paul, it's a blue and white plate, right?

-Yep.

-Lisa, do you like it?

-Yeah.

-You've got here...

You've got the sea, you've got a lakeland landscape,

but this plate was made in the 18th century.

It was made under the reign of Emperor Chien-Lung, or Qianlong,

who... It was a period of history from 1735 to '95.

So, this would go back to around the French Revolution.

It would go back to the time of King George III. It's 18th century.

-Isn't it great?

-Yeah.

And it's £12. And to me... that's a bargain.

-Lisa doesn't look quite so sure, Charles.

-Lisa, look at me!

Lisa, this is it. This is the gold mine. This really is...

Buy an antique with a big capital A.

Because it really is what it purports to be.

-Shall we try and make an offer?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Give him a shout, Paul, he's over there.

-And your best deal?

Probably be ten at the lowest.

Well, it's a good thing.

It's a shame we can't get a bit more off, but £10 is £10.

-Just remember, it is blue, OK?

-We are Team Blue, let's go for it. £10.

-OK, that's it.

-We've got to go with it, and then let's go and spend...

-How much is left over?

-BOTH: £250.

-Really?

-Let's buy something big.

-Let's go big for Lisa.

-OK.

OK, we'll take it, sir. Thanks ever so much, great.

Don't worry, Blues - you're in safe hands with Carlos.

Now, what have the Reds spotted here?

Let's have a look at these two.

That's the old... What's that?

That would be a... Oh, I reckon this is probably a rack adjust.

-Oh, the old rack-adjust telescope.

-Yeah.

-Looks like one.

-You do the gags, he stuffs.

-You've been doing the gags!

-I'm the antique man.

-I'll do some of the antique stuff now. There we go.

-Kids trying to nick our jobs now.

-I like that one, that's quite sweet.

What would be nice... Normally, there's a maker's name here.

-There you go. The Spotter.

-I quite like that.

-I like its action.

-Do you really?

-This one doesn't have...

-Well, that's the old rack adjust, isn't it?

-Well, exactly.

That's priced up at £59.

I think at auction that's going to make

probably 30 to 50, 40 to 60 quid.

-Right.

-So you've got to be buying that for...

I suspect it's not going to come to much below 50,

which doesn't give you much of a chance.

-It is nice, though.

-I think it's a 40 to £50 lot.

I'd like to see you buy that. Do you want to have a word with the lady?

-Let's have a haggle, shall we?

-Yeah.

Could you possibly find out

what the best is you could do on that for us, my love, please?

-So, two small items, let's now try and find that really big one.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Really big.

-Really big one, really big one!

-Oh, hello!

-So, you just bought your plate?

-Yes.

-That's nice, isn't it?

-Yeah. In good order. Yeah, exactly.

-Little hairline crack.

-Oh, yes, thank you!

I think I'll shut up while I'm ahead. You can re-negotiate now.

I don't know, it cost £10.

I didn't see that. I've missed that lovely little crack there,

and Mr Wonnacott's just seen it.

Yeah, thanks, thanks, mate(!)

-I can't believe it! Sorry, guys.

-It's been lovely seeing you!

Yeah, look, you can see just there.

I've got an appetite, and tonight it might mean what?

-Singing for our supper?

-Well, my supper, exactly. I can't believe it.

£10 down, but do you know what? It's 18th century and we'll stand by it.

-And do you know what? It might still make a profit.

-Yeah.

-You watch.

-£10.

-Exactly.

Ever the optimist, Charles!

Whilst waiting for a price on the telescope, what has Phil fished out?

Salmon gaff, look.

-Salmon gaff?

-Yeah.

So you'd be out fishing for your salmon

and you'd get one on the line.

And as it comes in, instead of netting it, you'd hook it.

-And you extend it and you hook it like that.

-Careful, careful!

Easy, tiger. And this is all in brass.

And this is...

Might be rosewood, or what does it say on the thing?

It just says "Telescopic salmon gaff". And it's priced at £98.

I bought one of these 12 years ago and paid about 160 quid for it.

-Do you like that?

-I do, yes.

Is that your sort of thing?

It's an interesting...

Have a word with the dealer and see what the best price for that is,

see what the best price for the telescope is,

what the best price for the two is,

ask him to put them by for half an hour,

-then that takes the pressure off us a bit, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

-Absolutely.

-Job's done.

-Brilliant.

-I will go and have a word with the dealer.

-Thank you very much.

So, good luck with reeling in a deal, Phil.

But the teams have only 15 minutes left to go.

It's always nice to spend cheap, but when you spend cheap

and buy badly, it's even worse.

So, the two Japanese dishes are delightful,

and for £40 they're on the money,

but that plate, which had

such a pedigree, is now just a broken plate.

Guys, are we ready? Now, then. Here's the plan.

The telescope, which was £59, we can have for 50.

And that's the finish, OK? The gaff, which was £98, we can have for 85.

And if we buy them both, they're still 50 and 85.

So, my suggestion is we put them both by

for however long we've got left, have a look round.

I can see us definitely coming back for this, and if we can't find

anything better that floats our boat, we'll come back for this.

-Yeah.

-But what we don't want to do is make a gaff, do we?

-Oh!

That's another maritime pun, at it again!

Phil, leave the gags to Tom, will you?

Looks like Charles has a plan to spend some money.

-Do you know? I'm thinking...I'm thinking nice piece of silver.

-Yes.

Something sparkly to give us a bit of flamboyance.

-Definitely.

-Let's do it.

Despite time ticking on,

Phil and the boys decide to talk tactics in the sunshine.

We've just had to come outside to get a bit of clear thinking

on this, haven't we? We've rushed,

ground floor, first floor, second floor,

we've seen pretty much everything there is.

-Is there anything else that you like at all?

-Erm...

-I don't know. I mean... I like the salmon hook.

-Yeah.

-What's it called? BOTH:

-Gaff.

-I like the gaff, but...I don't know.

-Yeah.

-I think we don't have any time to...

-There's nothing else I've seen...

We've got three to five minutes left, or something like that.

So literally all we've got time for is to go back in and say,

"Yes, we'll have them."

-Yeah.

-So, it's 50 quid and £85.

Otherwise, we end up just taking away a small chair.

Yeah, otherwise we go into the final conflict

with £18 worth of modern chair, really.

-So, that's not the answer, is it?

-Let's get the gaff.

Let's just hope it doesn't leave us like that over there.

Er, anyone got that sinking feeling?

Right, we got to go here. Come on, guys.

I hope they're still here. Oh, that's a relief. Here we are.

-I didn't sell them!

-50 and 85, job's done?

-Done, let's do it.

-Shake hands, shake with the man.

-Jolly good, 135.

-I think you've made the right decision.

-Thank you very much.

So, the Reds have landed all three items,

and with only minutes to go, it's crunch time for the Blues.

-This is it now, this is where time is really of the essence.

-Yeah.

This is a very, very nice silver christening mug

with a good weight. The one problem is, it has got an inscription.

It says here, "ES Parkin, from his godfather."

So that's not so good,

because inscribed objects haven't got the same popularity.

What's that like?

-It's quite heavy, it's quite pretty.

-Yep.

-I like this, more so than I like...

-OK, let's have...

This is early, which is good. This is 1830, who was King of England?

-I'll test you.

-Don't ask me!

William. William IV. He was in his first year.

The maker, we can see, is G Turner.

We've got the all-important Exeter three-turret mark on there as well.

What would you use it for?

-Fish.

-Exactly, and where are we?

-In Topsham.

-On the...?

-Along the coast?

-Exactly, so it might appeal to fish people,

perhaps fishermen and all of that.

And we're going to Exeter and, of course, it's hallmarked for Exeter,

so maybe fish of Topsham and Exeter being its place of assay

all those years ago, it might have a popularity.

But it needs to be nearer £200 to give us a chance, OK?

We've got three minutes to go.

-What's the best you can do us on this?

-I don't know.

We could go to 200 and...20.

15.

-You wouldn't go one more?

-We've got 30 seconds left!

Give us a slice off, sir!

How much are you going to pay me back?!

-THEY LAUGH

-All right, 215.

Job done. Sold. Job done. We got it. That's great.

Thank you, sir. Shake his hand quick.

That's it.

-That was close!

-That was too close for comfort.

Congratulations, Blues.

You've finished your shop too, and just in the nick of time.

Now it's time to sell, and we're off

to the Bearnes, Hampton & Littlewood saleroom in Honiton.

Before we find out if they make a profit or not,

let's have a reminder of what the Reds bought.

First of all, they stuffed £18 into a rush-seated ladder-back chair.

Next, they zoomed in on this telescope, picking it up for £50.

Finally, the brass and turned-wood salmon gaff caught their eye at £85.

-Tom, Patrick - are you ready for this?

-Definitely.

You spent 153. He had 147. What did you spend it on, Phil?

I just had a vision of these boys in the pub,

having a quiet game of crib and a smoke.

So I bought this.

England's Glory - the match people.

It's a crib board.

-You're completely underwhelmed.

-I am a bit!

Tom, have you ever played cribbage?

-I have.

-Good.

I was one of the most boring games I've played,

if I'm honest with you, Phil.

So this is going to go down really well(!)

You're not a member of the British Cribbage Society(?)

They wouldn't have me. No.

Explain to your bro exactly what goes on here.

It's a card game.

-Cards not included?

-No.

-So it's already one thing wrong with it!

-Damaged!

-Yeah!

-You have little pegs. Pegs not included?

-No.

Really, it's kind of a...

-You use it as a scoreboard?

-Yeah.

You play the game, you use it as a scoreboard,

you advance the pegs up and down through these little holes.

There are people who collect all this advertising stuff.

I paid £20 for it, and I think it might make you 10 or £15 profit.

No more than that.

-It's a safety net.

-Yeah.

I can't see you losing money.

-It's not a safety match.

-No. Very good!

I like that!

We'll see if they play it safe later on.

In the meanwhile, let's discuss the Blue team's three items.

Here's a little reminder.

They acquired this pair of lacquer pedestal dishes for £40.

Continuing the theme, they chose an 18th-century blue-and-white plate,

despite its small hairline crack, for a smashing £10.

Finally, they spent a whopping £215 on an Exeter silver fish slice. Wow.

Now, you two naughty ones.

You spent a magnificent £265 and only gave Charles £35. Charles?

Tim, exactly.

We came off the rough-and-tumble edge of a wonderful fish slice

that cost a large sum of money,

so I wanted to dig deep and find a piece of silver that would

just bring us back into the game,

back into making a profit overall. So I found Sylvia.

-Eh?

-And here is Sylvia.

Or Sylvia's little vesta case, or match-case sleeve.

From the year 1920. So it's George V, and it's solid silver.

-Feel the weight of that, feel the weight.

-That's quite heavy.

And I'm just hoping today in Honiton there might be

Sylvia in the room who's looking for a very nice silver match case.

-Sylvia looking for silver.

-Exactly.

-How many people do you know called Sylvia, Charles?

-Not many.

It's like Barbara or Margaret - they're slightly outdated names.

Paul, how many people called Sylvia do you know?

A grand scale of no-one.

Lisa, how are you with Sylvia, sweet?

-No-one.

-Lovely.

I rest my case.

It's a blast from the past. It has a pedigree.

We can only imagine, who was Sylvia who liked her silver

back in the Roaring Twenties...?

-Did you use all the money?

-It cost me 20.

-OK.

-I'll be very disappointed if Sylvia doesn't race away

and doesn't make 30 or £35.

-I do like it. I think you've done well.

-Thank you very much.

Will there be a Sylvia in the room today?

We'll see before long, as we're about to start selling.

Brian Goodison-Blanks, the auctioneer,

has his gavel in hand, and is ready to sell, sell, sell.

Tom, Paddy, how are you feeling?

-Pretty good. Pretty confident.

-Are you?

-Excellent.

-As always.

Here comes your chair.

Lot 170 is the rush-seated mini ladder-back chair.

Commission's here with me at eight, ten, 12 - £12 with me.

15. I'm out.

18, behind you, 20, 22,

25, 28.

Can't see you, sir. 28, 30.

£28 in, at the far chair there at 28.

At 30, I'm looking for now. At £28, then...

Liking it. £28 is plus £10.

Thank you very much, Tom. Good pick.

Now, the telescope.

Lot 171 is the spotter four-draw telescope by JH Steward of London.

What am I saying for that? £30?

£20. 20 here. Thank you. At 20, opening bid of 20.

Two now elsewhere?

At £20 - looking for further bids.

22 online. 25?

25 in the room, I have. 28 now online.

I'll take the bid of 30 online. 32, sir?

32 in the room now, I have. 35 online.

£32, bid is in the room. 35, 38.

38 in the room. At 38 in the room. 40 online?

Bid is now 40. 45, sir? Bid is on the internet at £40.

Five I'm looking for elsewhere. Two if you lie.

At £40 - bid is on the internet, then, at 40.

£40. There is a very happy gillie somewhere.

That is minus £10, which means you have nothing at the moment.

Lot 172 is the 19th-century brass and turned-wood salmon gaff.

The salmon gaff there. Nice example. Commission bid here at £55.

60 do I see?

60, five, 70, five, 80?

At £75. Back with me at 75. 80 at all? Quite sure, sir?

At £75 with me, then, all done at 75.

It's not so far off, I have to say, minus £10.

We've gone plus £10, minus £10, minus £10.

Overall, you're minus £10.

This is incredibly bad luck. You're on the cusp of everything.

-So, the cribbage board, then?

-Got to go for it.

Got to go for it, haven't you? It's £20. Everything to play for.

Here comes the cribbage board from heaven.

Lot 175 is the England's Glory cribbage board.

Interest here with me at £5. And eight now? At £5 with me.

Something to do on a winter evening. Eight now?

You quite sure, then, at £5 only?

At five, and selling.

Minus 25. Now listen, chaps, that could be a winning score.

Don't say a word to the Blue team. Mum is the word.

No point in ruining their day.

We might tempt them into an even bigger loss.

-How you feeling?

-Nervous.

-What about you, Lise?

-Yeah, nervous, I think.

First up are the lacquer dishes. Here they come.

Lot 190 is the pair of Japanese lacquer dishes. Circa 1900.

£30?

-30 do I see?

-Let's move.

20 do I see?

£10 at all? Ten, thank you, sir. 12 now?

At £10, open bid. 12 at all? It's a pair.

At £10, then. £10 only.

-Oh, dear. £10, that's not good.

-His guide price was a lot more.

£10 is minus 30.

I'm not liking the look of this. Now your plate, Charles.

Blue-and-white plate. Qianlong Dynasty.

It is damaged, but what will I say for that, £30?

30? 20? Ten?

-Five?

-Oh, dear.

Five, thank you, sir. At £5, and eight now? £5 only.

Eight, do I see? At £5...

Eight, thank you, sir. Ten?

-Nine I'll take.

-Why not?

Ten? Ten - let's do it the easy way.

-At £10, then.

-10.25!

£10 only. Quite sure, then?

At ten.

Disappointing, isn't it? Sorry, team.

That's £10, then. Now the fish slice.

The Exeter silver fish slice from George Turner. Circa 1830.

Interest here with me at 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130...

130, I have. 140 now?

-At £130...

-Keep going.

140 at all?

£130 for the fish slice.

140 now? £130, then.

130 is 70 - minus 85. Minus 85 plus 30 is 115. Minus 115.

What are we going to do about the match case?

I think we're going to have to go with Sylvia.

-I think we bring it on...

-Take it on the chin.

-Take it on. Walk tall.

-Yeah. We trust it.

Ready? Here it comes.

The silver match case, engraved "Sylvia".

Interest here with me at ten.

12, 15. At £15, I have. 18 now?

At £15. 18 at all?

-18, 20, 22, 25, 28...

-Well done, Charles.

-We've made a small profit.

-28 now?