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00:00Hello and welcome to a very special Bargain Hunt. Let me tell you, I'm really excited today
00:08because we're taking stuff from here and turning it into this. Yes, we've come to an upcycling
00:17project in Bristol that gives unwanted items a second chance finding new homes for old treasures
00:24like this table they've let me work on. Mix a bit of skill with some love and care
00:31and voila, she's as good as new. Job done.
00:40I think I better leave it to the experts. Let's go bargain hunting.
00:54On today's show we'll be touring the country and meeting teams that have picked out some
01:14pre-loved purchases and some recycled relics. From those who took flight. What do you want
01:20for food? There's this chicken I'll be. Caviar. To contestants who got carried away.
01:26We could be speeding around this fair. At the end of the show we'll find out who made the biggest
01:30profit in our chart countdown. And if you're in the market for some upcycle antiques of your own,
01:37I'll have some handy tips to help you seal a cracking deal. Right, let's get started and leading the way
01:44is our first red team. Friends, Jane and Colin, who are at an antiques fair in Brighton.
01:50They were delighted to be teamed up with expert Mark Stacey. But Sue fell out over some silver saltpots.
01:57Do you know, the problem is what you're doing to yourself though, is you are completely
02:01defining what we're buying by what you like. No, I'm not. But they never make money.
02:06It was getting salty. 1899. For what? William Hutton. So a very good maker, William Hutton.
02:13Oh, were they? Add it in a box. Thank you so much for showing us. Hang on, what's the best price on there?
02:18It'd be 120, that'd be the very best, yeah. And it's William Hutton. William Hutton. And it's 1890.
02:24And are they all in good condition? All in good conditions, perfect conditions actually.
02:29And it's in the original box. Absolutely. Thank you very much. 10 minutes more wandering.
02:37Well, I think you'd better move on, Jane. The team soon took a shine to a unique upcycled item,
02:43a bedpan lamp. It's the only one in the world. And what do you say your best price was, sir? 140. 140.
02:51Is that the very, like, we're groveling now? We're groveling. I think we need it for quite a bit less.
02:57We need it for, like, 110. I know. 120. Okay. But it's, we're portsmouth.
03:04Sorry, do you know, I'm completely, you are completely bamboozled. I'm sorry, Mark.
03:08I'm not surprised, Mark. But this bedpan lamp is just one of a range of unusual upcycled
03:15electrical items found at antiques fairs these days. From lamps made from a trombone to this,
03:23a workbench vice. But when you're thinking of upcycling a lamp, you don't have to go to extremes.
03:29Take this sorry-looking 1980s table lamp. She's not much to look at now, but add a coat of quick
03:36drying spray paint, switch up the lampshade, and... Hey, presto. You've got yourself a modern classic,
03:45and all for under a tenner. So, were the reds switched on to that bedpan lamp?
03:51Hang on, hang on, hang on, hang on. Quickly. I can't make up my mind. Which one do you like best?
03:55We've literally... Let's just go mad. We'll go for that one. 120 pounds.
03:58Shake his hands quickly. Give yourself a hand.
04:02You got there in the end. Did Jane and Colin's lamp light up the bidders at the auction?
04:07Keep watching to find out. Next, we're off to Cornwall,
04:11where friends Carys and Bonnie were keen to get shopping.
04:16They were on the lookout with expert Team Weeks, and soon spotted something familiar.
04:22This is amazing. This reminds me of you. I was going to say thanks, but...
04:26Why? I'm hoping, because it's very similar to what I have at home.
04:30Yeah. So, it's fabulous. It is really cool.
04:33How old do you think it is? I'm going to go maybe 60s on that one.
04:38Might be a bit late. I think a bit earlier. Yeah?
04:40Oh, really? I think it's going to be a bit earlier than that, yeah.
04:42Let's have a look at the back of the frame as well. I always like to do that when I'm looking at Frames & Glazed.
04:45It's a nice new frame, isn't it? Yeah.
04:47I always like to have an older frame. Yeah.
04:49So, who's going to be buying it? So, I'm thinking kind of man, cave, somebody.
04:57It may be quite specific. Yeah. I think it's a great thing. A really great thing.
05:02I'm just nervous as I think you probably are at the £120 price tag. Yeah, absolutely.
05:06That price does scare me to death. Yeah, okay. No, that's fine.
05:10The anatomical animal poster was on the maybe list.
05:13But things really took off with their next find.
05:17These look really interesting. Can we have a look at the airplanes?
05:20Yes. What do you feel about these?
05:21I really like these. Yeah, I like it. Well, come on, get in there.
05:23You go in the front, I'll go in the back. Are we allowed to sit in them?
05:25Well, we're doing it. Hang on a minute. I've got little tables.
05:28Have you? Yeah, you haven't. I've got the tables, that.
05:31What do you want for food? There's this chicken. Caviar.
05:34Breathing new life into seating can be seriously uplifting,
05:38especially if what you start with is far from first class.
05:42Take a classic wicker chair, for example.
05:45I mean, it might look a bit dull and sun faded at the moment,
05:49and the fabric, it's seen better days.
05:52But with a splash of paint and a nice funky cushion,
05:56it's gone from granny's garden cast off to boho chic centerpiece.
06:01Just like that. There's so many that deserve a new lease of life,
06:05not a one-way trip to the tin. Right, back to the blues plane seat.
06:12Was Tim enjoying the ride? I mean, I haven't got much leg room back here, guys.
06:17It's budget all the way back here. Two, right?
06:19I love them. I feel the sun is a sign that we're going somewhere hot.
06:24Yeah. And that we should probably try and buy them.
06:28Really? Do you? It is a dangerous buy.
06:31Oh. It's really dangerous.
06:32Dangerous because it's risky?
06:33Well, your average buyer is not going to be looking for these, are they?
06:38Because you say there was a price. Here, on the arm, £35.
06:40I think we should offer 35 quid for both.
06:43Go on. Work your charm. Do it.
06:45Go. Be brave.
06:46Confident and brave.
06:48Okay, I can see him. Do it.
06:49Go, go, go.
06:49Excuse me. Your aeroplane seats.
06:52Yeah.
06:53Would you do a deal for both?
06:55Yeah, what have I got on them?
06:56For 35?
06:57Both for 35?
06:59Yeah, they'll be okay, yeah.
07:00Really?
07:00Yeah.
07:01Hey, guys.
07:02For both?
07:02Yes.
07:03£35 for both?
07:04For both?
07:05For both, yes.
07:06Come on.
07:08Find out later if the aeroplane seats took off in the sailroom.
07:12Time to check in with our next team.
07:14We're off to Weatherby, where friends Ben and Tom were hitting the stools.
07:20What are you going to be looking for?
07:21Heading up the team was expert Kate Bliss.
07:24And her Yorkshire boys were on the lookout for a good old brew.
07:29What's the thing with kettles, then?
07:30I just like kettles.
07:31You like kettles, you like tea.
07:33I like tea, yeah.
07:34I love tea.
07:35So I make him cook the tea, yeah.
07:36It's copper.
07:37It's got a turned wooden handle.
07:39Yes.
07:39It's a lovely object, but how commercial is it?
07:42Not hugely.
07:45It's quite a niche market.
07:47£12 we've got on there.
07:48I think, probably, at auction, that's about the right price.
07:52Maybe we could look for another one.
07:54Tom was a kettle connoisseur, but Ben had his eye on something else.
08:00I'm thinking bikes.
08:01That one each, OK.
08:02That one looks...
08:03Yeah, we have, haven't we?
08:04We could be speeding around this fair.
08:07That one looks a bit more modern to me.
08:09I'm liking the look of this one.
08:11The other two haven't got it, but you've got a name on the front of this one.
08:14And you've got Zelle, which is probably the model, and Rueville Fabrique.
08:20Now, I think it might be Dutch, because Fabrique, with an E, is factory in Holland.
08:26Obviously, it's a bit rusty in places.
08:28We're missing the light and the reflector on the back there.
08:31That seat may well be a replacement seat, I think.
08:33That looks like a modern seat to me.
08:35Where would you see this, though?
08:36Would you see it in the front of, like, an old cafe shop?
08:38Like, an old French cafe shop?
08:41Well, there is that.
08:41There's using it as an interior designer's piece, as a decorator's piece.
08:46It's quite difficult to tell the age of it.
08:48It's definitely post-war.
08:49Yeah.
08:50I think it could be 60s.
08:52Why do you like this, particularly?
08:54Well, we wanted something which was a bit action, a bit moving.
08:57So, you know, Tom's always had his heart on a new bike as well.
09:02Vintage bikes, like the Red's Gazelle, can be a big hit with collectors.
09:07But you definitely want to try before you buy.
09:10One of the key areas to check when you're thinking of buying a vintage bike
09:14is the condition of the frame.
09:16Have a look for cracks, rust, or dents, especially around the joints.
09:21Also, check out the chain.
09:23If it's worn out or rusty, particularly on old bikes,
09:27like the Red's found, it just might need replacing.
09:34And don't forget to give the brakes a proper test.
09:39You want a nice, smooth operation?
09:47I'm back.
09:48No broken bones and the brakes are fixed.
09:50Thankfully, Tom was taking my advice and giving his bike a test drive.
09:56Let's do a bunny up.
09:58Come on, Tom.
10:00The death is 45.
10:02Yeah, we'll have that.
10:03Yeah, definitely.
10:04Definitely have that.
10:0445?
10:05Yeah, 45 quid.
10:06Yeah.
10:07I think it's a bit of a gamble, fellas, but you've got a name on it.
10:11Yeah.
10:11It's not in bad, Nick.
10:1245 quid.
10:13Yeah, we'll get that.
10:14I'm not going to talk you out of it.
10:15I can see you two have made your mind up.
10:17I'm pretty irrelevant here, aren't I?
10:18I'm just going to do the deal, okay?
10:19Yeah.
10:20They're happy with that.
10:21How did it ride?
10:22Looked like a dream.
10:22Yeah, it's a little bit shaky, but I thought that was you, to be honest.
10:2745 quid for a working vintage bike.
10:31That will do me.
10:32We'll find out later if the bidder's felt the same when the boys' wheels went under the hammer.
10:38Time now for a break from the shopping, as I discover more about the fantastic recycling project
10:44here in Bristol.
10:49With the rising cost of living, money is tight.
10:52So, finding new life for old treasures has never been more important.
10:58To tackle this, a charity in Bristol is making us think twice before chucking stuff out.
11:04I'm meeting Chief Executive, Nicky Peck.
11:07Nicky, what a place.
11:09I mean, this is totally up my street.
11:11Please, tell me all about it.
11:13Oh, it's really good to have you here today, Danny.
11:15So, Sofa Project, we've been going 45 years this year.
11:19We just started about a local volunteer wanting to reuse furniture back in the day, in 1980.
11:26And then it morphed into a charity.
11:28And we are all about furniture and appliance reuse.
11:3240 years ago, that's before the start of the whole sustainable world.
11:36What made you guys get into it?
11:38I think at the time, it was just a couple of people who were tired of seeing things being
11:43thrown away unnecessarily.
11:44And they thought, surely, this can just be reused.
11:46Someone else would love it.
11:48It can have a new life.
11:50Why are we throwing all this stuff away?
11:51Absolutely.
11:52I mean, have you got any sort of figure of how many items you have recycled?
11:56Yeah, we think about over the last 45 years, it's close to 500,000 items.
12:01Never.
12:01Yes. Crazy.
12:04As well as recycling once loved goods, there are also volunteering and employment opportunities here.
12:11We have retirees.
12:12We have people who've been long-term unemployed.
12:15We have people who've been in prison or come out of recovery.
12:19So, you know, we just want to be able to give chances to anyone who needs that support as well.
12:24And they contribute to us and we hopefully contribute something to them as well.
12:28So, this is as much about giving people a second chance as it is the furniture.
12:33Yeah.
12:33Yeah.
12:34That's a good way of putting it.
12:36But can I offer any help to volunteer, Lynda Art?
12:40Tell me, what's going on here?
12:42Well, this piece was donated and there's quite a bit not quite right about it, not working.
12:48We had to put a new back on it because that was all...
12:50Oh, I see.
12:51Yes.
12:51Yeah.
12:52Yeah, I've got you.
12:53And then this piece had, off the drawer, had broken.
12:57So, we've got this new piece here.
12:58Well, it's actually an old piece from another donated piece of furniture.
13:03Oh, so you've had another set of drawers of something or another piece of wood that's
13:06come from a piece that you're not going to be using.
13:08We just keep every single piece of wood.
13:10We don't throw anything away because it always comes in useful for something.
13:13Lovely.
13:14We don't buy things like that.
13:15But before I do this, this is a job you can do.
13:17You can help me with.
13:18Oh.
13:19I don't want to ruin it.
13:20I don't want to ruin it.
13:21The top's been sanded down because it's really badly stained and marked.
13:26So, it's nice and smooth now.
13:27Oh, that's come up well, hasn't it?
13:28Yeah, yeah.
13:29So, we've got this Danish oil and it will colour it the same sort of colour as this.
13:34So, here you go.
13:35Let's get you started.
13:37Get some gloves on.
13:42And tell me, why is it so important to you?
13:45I love to see things reused.
13:47I hate throwing things away.
13:48Oh, you're not a bit of a hoarder.
13:50Oh, no, no, I don't hoard.
13:51No, but it's nice that home.
13:53But I like to give things another lease of life and it's just really creative.
13:58Go on, Lynne.
14:01I'll say, that hammer looks old.
14:04It's been donated.
14:06Yeah, everything we have here is donated.
14:08That's amazing.
14:10Yeah, all the tools.
14:11Don't tell me you're using secondhand nails.
14:13No.
14:16So, tell me, Lynne, I mean, once this is finished, what sort of price will it be sold for?
14:20I mean, you've put a new back on it.
14:21Your fits in the drawer.
14:22Yeah.
14:23You've done quite a bit of work.
14:24Well, we like to keep things reasonable.
14:26So, I think probably about £100.
14:28It's just people might not have that much money to spend and they get something really beautiful
14:33for their house.
14:34And it's all been restored.
14:35I mean, to be quite honest with you, if I've seen one of these in an antique shop,
14:39I mean, it's Edwardian by the looks of it.
14:41It's got lovely detail. It's got this inlaid around the edges.
14:45It's got to be worth £200, £250.
14:47I mean, drawers sell very well.
14:49People buy into storage.
14:50Yeah.
14:51And you've definitely got a nice period set here.
14:55Well, I'm pretty much done here now, Lynne.
14:58And it looks like you are too.
14:59So, time for the moment of truth.
15:01Yeah.
15:02Let's put the drawer in.
15:06Perfect.
15:07What an absolute fabulous restoration.
15:10Can you give me a hand putting it on the fan?
15:11Absolutely.
15:14When I put my back into it, it's time you got back to the shopping.
15:17We're off to the Royal Cornwall Showground next.
15:20Where sisters, Tina and Angie, were seeking advice from expert, Philip Serrell.
15:26It's not a medicine cabinet, is it?
15:28No.
15:28No, don't know.
15:29Right, what you've got to imagine is that that sits on something about six foot tall.
15:33And in there, there's a clock face and it's a grandfather clock.
15:36Wow.
15:36Or as we call them, a long case clock.
15:38Now, we're wasting our time now, aren't we?
15:42I see what you did there, Phil.
15:44The red soon clocked.
15:45Another repurposed item.
15:48How unusual is that?
15:49It's an upcycled paraffin eater with a manhole cover on the top of it.
15:53Is that an old paraffin lamp?
15:54That is indeed an old manhole cover.
15:57Is that an old manhole cover?
15:58I don't think that's an old manhole cover.
16:01I can't believe I'm having this conversation.
16:04I'm surprised every house hasn't got one of them.
16:07I think it's really nice.
16:08Why?
16:09It's just different.
16:10It'd be a talking piece, wouldn't it?
16:12It would.
16:13But refurbished tables don't have to incorporate sophisticated paraffin burners.
16:18Have a look at this little side table that I spotted in the charity shop for just a couple of quid.
16:24Now, everybody walked past it, but I saw the potential.
16:28All you need to bring it into the 21st century is a little bit of imagination.
16:33I snapped up this retro roll of self-adhesive vinyl wallpaper online for a fiver.
16:40And after giving the table surface a light rub down, the vinyl goes on a treat.
16:47Have a look at it now.
16:50A cool and kitsch addition to any home for next to nothing.
16:56So what was the best deal on that paraffin heater table, Reds?
17:00These two, for some reason, best known to themselves, like this.
17:03This is priced up at £125. What's the best you can do for?
17:07It's got to be £75. I really can't do any lower than that.
17:11If you break down the component parts of this, I think the paraffin heater's worth £2
17:17and the top's worth £5.
17:1965?
17:20I'll do 60 for you. There you go.
17:23Yeah, OK.
17:24Lovely.
17:24You want to buy it?
17:25Yes, please.
17:26Yes.
17:26Lovely.
17:27Thanks.
17:27Lovely. Thank you very much.
17:28What's the world coming to?
17:30What is the world coming to?
17:32Phil wasn't a fan of the ladies' upcycled table,
17:35but did the sale room take a different view?
17:37Find out later in the show.
17:39Next, we're off to an antique centre in the village of Hill in Devon,
17:43where the Blue Team were in a confident mood.
17:46I'm Darren.
17:47And I'm Lindsay.
17:48And we love to win.
17:49And we love to win.
17:49Blue Team.
17:50Come on, Blue Team!
17:52They were joined by expert Tim Weeks,
17:55and Darren soon danced his way to a piece of pottery.
18:00What do you think of this?
18:01Do you think this is Ming?
18:04Ming-ing?
18:05I think it's more Ming-ing, yeah.
18:07OK.
18:07It is decorative.
18:08It is.
18:09It does say a Japanese bowl,
18:12and it's got a really good price of £68.
18:15We're looking for something big,
18:17something that's going to stand out,
18:18and to me that's not it.
18:19Elephants?
18:21I mean, these are really common, all right?
18:23I'm going to say...
18:24You see these at auction all the time.
18:26I'd say about £20 for that there.
18:27I'm closer to that.
18:28I mean, it might be a little bit more than 20.
18:31Shall we move on?
18:31Let's move on.
18:32Let's move on.
18:34The Blues walked away,
18:36but then found more pottery.
18:38Do you know what you would call that dish that shape?
18:40So that's a spear dish.
18:42OK, yeah.
18:42As you can see, it's almost like a spear's head.
18:44Very collectible.
18:45It's going to be that late 1960s, sort of swinging 60s period.
18:50OK.
18:50It's £72.
18:52I was going to tell you, that'll sell for about £60.
18:56The dish wouldn't serve up a profit then, but would this?
19:00What is that animal?
19:01Is it a polar bear?
19:03It's very decorative, isn't it?
19:05It's a wall hanging, £20.
19:07£20.
19:08Royal Staffordshire Ceramics by Clarice Cliff, made in England.
19:12It's in nice condition.
19:13I love the eye, by the way.
19:15So it's not a Clarice Cliff piece,
19:17and obviously at the price of £20, that probably helps us know that,
19:20but it's using pieces of Clarice Cliff to form that mosaic of the polar bear.
19:25Having that on your wall in the kitchen, that is kitsch.
19:27Kitsch upcycled pieces like the blue team's mosaic polar bear are popular with punters,
19:35and also a great form of sustainable art.
19:37These traffic sign tables are a brilliant way to give old street signs a second life.
19:43Practical, playful, and full of character.
19:48Or for something really extreme, what about pavement Picasso, Ben Wilson,
19:52who creates works of art using blobs of chewing gum left on London streets.
19:57Now that's upcycling.
19:59The key is, it's not about perfection.
20:01It's about personality, creativity, even a conversation starter.
20:07Sometimes it's not about where it's come from, it's about where it's going next.
20:12So where were the blues going with that Clarice Cliff polar bear?
20:17It says £20 at the moment.
20:19OK.
20:20What would be your best deal on it?
20:22How about we go to £15 on this one?
20:24Could we go down to at least £14?
20:27So we've got that pound mark for manoeuvring if we need it.
20:30Go on, we'll do that for you.
20:31Shall we, we want to think about it now?
20:33We're going to think about this one for now.
20:35Just while we've got Ian, we've got the crocus bowl there, more traditional Clarice Cliff.
20:40I think there's £30 on that, just so we know what sort of discount can we get on a £30 bowl.
20:45How about we do both items for £30?
20:48Can we move it to the £29 so we end up at £1 mark?
20:51OK.
20:52I think we can shake on this.
20:53I think we can. Thank you very much.
20:56The blues bagged the double deal there with that all-important £1 discount.
21:01We'll soon find out how they fare at auction.
21:04For our final item, we're off to Carmarthen, where sisters Natalie and Victoria,
21:10they knew exactly what they wanted from their expert.
21:13Someone that's going to find us something unique and someone that we can have fun with along the way.
21:18Hello, Retta.
21:19How are you doing?
21:20Hi.
21:20Leading the team was Stephanie Connell.
21:23And first up was some mid-century furniture.
21:26There's a little sort of child's chair that looks about 50s and then there's this bench.
21:31It's quite a good size, isn't it?
21:33Yeah, it looks like a bench you'd find in a sports club to me and it's collapsible.
21:37A bit of character about it.
21:39Yeah, I like the green as well.
21:40I think that's a nice little color.
21:41Yeah, it reminds me of tennis or something.
21:43Yeah, that's a good thing.
21:44Yeah, that's a nice little size.
21:45Oh, how much is it?
21:47That's a 35.
21:4835.
21:48That seems like a bad price.
21:50So child's chairs are sometimes a bit tricky just because they're a very specific size.
21:56Sometimes people use them in nurseries and things for toys rather than for actual children themselves,
22:01especially when they're a vintage piece.
22:03What's your best on it?
22:0450.
22:05I think that's a fair price, actually.
22:07Yeah, it is.
22:08And what's the best price on a little child's chair?
22:09Right, I'll give you a chance.
22:1128.
22:12I'm probably leaning towards the bench.
22:14I think my heart is like this because it's just cuter but I think my competitive edge is
22:19saying the bench.
22:19Yeah, saying the bench.
22:20Can you both find them for you?
22:22Yeah, okay.
22:23Shall we wait in there?
22:24Yeah, shall we have a think?
22:26So the Reds sat on the furniture but they soon fancied some fashion.
22:31So we've got here two pieces of vintage Yves Saint Laurent.
22:36Isn't that amazing?
22:37So with vintage clothes, so we always check for things like moth damage, damp, mould.
22:44I wouldn't be surprised if there's been just a few alterations here because there's some later
22:49sewing there.
22:51Alterations are fine when you're buying retro clothing.
22:54You can even do them yourself.
22:57Have a look at this cardie.
22:58Isn't it cute?
23:00I picked it up in a charity shop for just a couple of quid but we can make it better.
23:05I found these fabulous flower badges and little buttons online for a few pounds.
23:10Knit the old boring ones off, a nice secure fixing with a needle and thread and 15 minutes
23:19later and the little one has a brand new cardie all for under a fiver.
23:25Back to the Reds then but was the Yves Saint Laurent outfit right for them?
23:29Do you like 80s? You're a big fashion person, aren't you?
23:31Yeah, I'm a fashion buyer as my job.
23:33So for me this is a definite green flag I think.
23:36I love all the detailing.
23:38So it's £30 in the skirt, is that also £30?
23:41Er, £35.
23:42Do you like them?
23:43The top half for me I'm really excited about.
23:45I think that stands out to me and I love all the detailing.
23:48I believe they wear a set but I'm happy to sell them separately if you want.
23:52You've got £30 on that Jess, what's your best price on it?
23:55Probably £28.
23:57£28?
23:58OK.
23:58Do you want to go with it?
23:59I think so, yeah.
24:00Yeah, you agreed as well, yeah, you agreed!
24:04The Reds were chuffed with that vintage designer jacket
24:07but did the sale room take a shine to it?
24:10Keep watching to find out.
24:12Now, Caroline Hawley went to discover the way the Victorians gave their worn out friends
24:18a new lease of life.
24:19Today, many of us like the idea of upcycling or reusing old clothes, but it's not a new idea.
24:30In Victorian times, working class families needed to stretch their money as far as they could,
24:35so they found a clever way to furnish their homes with uniquely designed rugs made from rags.
24:41To find out more, I'm meeting textile designer Jenny Stewart-Anderson.
24:45So, what are rag rugs?
24:47They're recycled clothing cut into pieces and made into rugs.
24:53So, what was the purpose of these rag rugs?
24:56Well, they were done out of necessity for a long time, but in those days, houses were cold.
25:01And the poor people who used to make them, because they had no other way of getting a rug or a mat,
25:08they'd have a mat in front of the fire.
25:11And give a bit of comfort and warmth.
25:13Yes.
25:14Families would often spend their evenings making these rugs to have a new one ready for Christmas.
25:20They'd start off at the fire in front of the hearth on Christmas Day,
25:23and then when the new one came a year later, that would go to the kitchen in front of the sink,
25:29and then it would go to the back door, and then it would go either on a kennel or on a compost heap.
25:35So, how were they made originally?
25:37It's a very simple process, and it's cutting up old clothes into strips and using a particular tool,
25:46a bodger it's called.
25:47A bodger?
25:48A bodger, yes.
25:49Yeah.
25:49And pulling them through a food sack, in those days.
25:52Sort of a pesciant sack.
25:53Yeah.
25:53What's the method called?
25:55Progging.
25:57And Jenny's going to show me the art of progging.
26:01So progging is often done on the table. I use a bodger, and this is a bodger, and this is a cutting gauge.
26:10I put my thumb on it there, and wind it round, and then snip down the groove, and those pieces are the same size.
26:22Oh gosh, yeah.
26:23Progging with a bodger, it's worked in parallel lines, and I poke it into the hessian and out again, half an inch further along.
26:33Now, I open the jaws of the tool, the bodger, grab the end of the bit of fabric, and pull it halfway through, and let go so it sticks up like a bow.
26:45Yeah.
26:45And then, I put the bodger in the same hole I just came out of, and do another half inch, and pull another bit through, and they're shoulder to shoulder, as it were.
26:59Yes, yes.
26:59That helps to hold them in.
27:01And just work in a line like that.
27:04Right, so in to the same hole, and then up about half an inch, is that right?
27:10Yeah, no, push it through, push it through so you can see that join.
27:14Yeah.
27:15And then squeeze it open and put a piece in.
27:18And get the end of it.
27:19The end.
27:19Clasp it in there, right, and then pull it through.
27:23Yes.
27:25Till it's equidistant.
27:26And let go, and that looks all right, doesn't it?
27:29That's progging with a bodger.
27:31So all these rugs here, Jenny, are they your creations?
27:34Yes, they are.
27:35And they're all made from old recycled bedding, jumpers, blankets, clothing.
27:43There's a particular traditional design that I make repeatedly.
27:47When I've sold one, I make another one because people really like it to go in front of the fire.
27:53And it's got a red diamond in the middle, surrounded by random colours and pieces.
28:00And the red diamond was called the devil's eye.
28:03Oh.
28:04And if the devil looked down your chimney and saw that in front of the fire, he'd keep moving,
28:09because you already had one in residence.
28:11Really?
28:12Can these rugs be valuable?
28:14Historic ones can be valuable, yes, yes.
28:17If they've got a story to them and they've come from somewhere special.
28:21But generally, they haven't got a lot of story because it's what poor people did,
28:25so it wasn't written up much.
28:27Do you know, I love the fact it's so sustainable as well.
28:30Exactly.
28:31But I could get into this, you know.
28:33Well, come to a workshop sometime.
28:35Do you know, I might just do that.
28:36Thank you so much.
28:37Nice one, Caroline. She's in the sustainable club.
28:43Right, it's time to find out how our teams fared when their items went to auction.
28:48First up, Christina Trevanyan was in South Sea, near Portsmouth,
28:52meeting auctioneer John Cameron.
28:54I wonder what he made of their bedpan lamp.
28:58Yeah, I think it's an interesting thing.
29:00Okay, and do we think there's a market for it here?
29:02There's a market for anything, but it's all to do with the price, isn't it?
29:05Yeah, exactly. And what's your price on this, John?
29:07Well, really, where do you start?
29:09You can sort of stick your finger in the air with that one, can't you?
29:11I think we've gone for £50 to £80.
29:14Okay, well, look, they paid £120 for it.
29:18John wasn't sure, but what about the sale room?
29:21Where should we start for it? £50 anywhere.
29:24Nice thing, this is £50. You won't see another.
29:27£50, £40, then, anybody?
29:29No, go on.
29:31£40, £30, anybody? Come on.
29:33Oh, yes, I've got £30 on the net.
29:35Yay! Oh!
29:36And £35.
29:38£38 now, a new bidder, everyone wants a piece of the action.
29:41£40 now, £45 behind now.
29:43At £45, are we all done there?
29:45Last chance, it's in the room at £45.
29:48Hammers up.
29:49At £45.
29:50There we go, my goodness. So that made a £75 loss.
29:55Ouch! The bed pan lamp was a busted flush. The lamp itself was fine, but the item it was attached to saw it go down the pan with the bidders.
30:05Next, Charlie Ross paid a visit to Plymouth where auctioneer Anthony Aldred gave him the lowdown on those aeroplane seats.
30:15We have had other sorts of seats, cinema seats and so forth, the ones that flip up and down.
30:21But I suppose these do lay back, don't they? You can say that for them.
30:24Yeah. How on earth do you value these?
30:27I don't think you do. I think you just sort of have an educated guess.
30:31Well, you've got the education. What's the guess?
30:34Well, my guess is £40 to £60.
30:36Well, they only paid £35 before them, so there's not too much downside, is there?
30:41No, indeed.
30:43Let's see if the auction room agreed.
30:4610 are for those at £10. 12 if you want them, somebody. At £10, 12 online. 15, 18, 20, 2.
30:53All online at 22, 5, 8, still going. 28, 30 now, 2. At £32. They're all there, look, at 38.
31:01I'm making a profit.
31:03At £38, bidding's all online then, at 38. I'm selling online at £38.
31:11Well, I'll tell you what, you've made £3.
31:14They just about took off.
31:16Perhaps folding cinema seats with more luxurious upholstery would have been a bigger hit.
31:21But a profit's a profit. The vintage bike is up next. Anita showed it to auctioneer David Elstob.
31:29These things are very fashionable now. I can see one of our local residents going away with that after the sale, I think.
31:35I think it's an absolutely super thing. I think it's lovely. What's your estimate on that?
31:40Our estimate is £70 to £100.
31:42Well, that is absolutely wonderful. They only paid £45 so they could make a good profit on that item.
31:52Time to get these wheels in motion.
31:55Fantastic thing, this. I'll start you on the book.
31:58£35 and bid. £35 and bid the bicycle. £35 bid to see.
32:02£40, £40, £45, £50, £5, £60, £5, £60, £5.
32:08No, £60 on the gallery. £65, £70 on the gallery.
32:12£70 and bid.
32:13£70, all done and finished, at £70.
32:17£60 on the gallery. £75, £80 on the gallery. £50.
32:19£70 on the gallery. £70 with £70.
32:23That bike might have been old, but it was in perfect working order. A great bit of recycling. Get it?
32:30We're halfway through the auction lots, so let's take a quick break and join Christina,
32:36who went off to meet an artist who was bringing butted old paintings back to life.
32:41since prehistoric times when men first daubed the walls of their caves
32:49humans have had a fascination with creating art here in europe the practice of painting
32:56with oil paints on an easel started in the 15th century and today the walls of galleries around
33:03the world are filled with famous oil paintings from artists such as rembrandt constable and van
33:10gough but as time passes paintings can become dirty or damaged restoring them is a painstaking
33:18process as alan brown knows only too well i've come to meet him to find out how it's done
33:24hi alan hi christina can you talk me through what you're working on today yes three paintings on the
33:32go at the moment this one which is early victorian it's just a varnish removal because the varnish
33:39has discolored over the years when these varnishes were produced the uv rays would deteriorate the
33:47varnish right just to give you a little bit of an idea of i've removed the varnish on the left hand
33:52side left the right hand side with the original varnish just to show you the difference you can
33:58see that the colors are a lot brighter on the left than they are to the right this looks like spring
34:03and that looks like autumn and you kind of see you've either got a sunset or a sunrise going on
34:08over there but it looks like somebody's lit a bonfire so it's all a bit smoky it must be really
34:12magical when you take that varnish off and it sometimes does it just sort of reveal a wonderful
34:17image underneath it's amazing even it it surprises me sometimes i mean to be honest with you when i see
34:23a painter as soon as they walk through the door i i'm looking at it and i know what's underneath it
34:28and then i cannot wait i'm like an excited child to start working on it remove the varnish
34:35take all those layers away and reveal it in its full and pure glory
34:40some are so noticeably different if they're really dark and then you add the old faded varnish
34:51on top of it a lot of the details are missing so all the blues would turn green the whites would just
34:58just look dirty and then you you end up with a masterpiece sometimes
35:03in the antiques trade we often talk about things that have been restored and repaired and to avoid
35:08them is it the same with paintings depends on the value of the painting really the majority of
35:14customers have had a painting handed down through the family so it's not about the money it's about
35:21um looking after that painting this one came in with very poor original varnish that again had broken
35:30down so i removed the varnish on the back there were a couple of poor patches basically just card
35:36and glued bits of card over the holes so what i've done i've removed them they're like plasters
35:43they're like little plasters it's uh belgium linen does that match the canvas that the painting was
35:49painted on it's very similar yes good quality canvas after you've put those plasters on the back
35:55what happens on the front on the front when i removed the varnish the over painting came away
36:03the the bit of filler that the trap had put in came away so basically we were left with the two
36:10little holes again i've applied a flexible acrylic filler into both those holes that that modern filler
36:19then is perfectly smooth well when you look at the painting there brush strokes everywhere so
36:25to get over that you can with a very sharp blade replicate the weave of the canvas like so that's
36:34amazing so you're like a painter and decorator a magician and a doctor rolled into one
36:39i'm loving this rainbow palette that you've got in front of you here what are you going to do with
36:45right so take this one i'm working on at the moment again i'll remove the varnish usual procedure
36:51i've actually gone ahead and filled the small tiny holes where the paint had come away i'm going to
37:00put the first layer of paint over on top of the the filler that i've previously applied how do you
37:08match the color alan by eye this van dyke brown here we just start with a little bit and again with
37:14experience you you know you just look and there's two light so you you want a little bit darker
37:20mm-hmm tiny little bit of black in there as well you only need a small amount don't you
37:27the first layer you put on it's it's going to look slightly different because it's going to be very
37:34very thin and you'll see the filler underneath so that's going to affect it but after about three or
37:40four small amounts of paint on there ah it's going to give it depth of color and it's going to match
37:47perfectly with its surroundings so you won't see you alan you must get a huge amount of satisfaction
37:52out of your job so thank you so much for giving me just a tiny insight into it pleasure it really is
37:57right back to the auction and up next is that upcycled paraffin heater table anita showed it to
38:05auctioneer david sumner i've never seen anything like it is that good or bad it's the way the market's
38:14going it's it's upcycling um they've taken a spirit heater and placed a manhole cover on it
38:21and created a table a patio table interesting estimate please 20 to 30 pounds 20 to 30 they've
38:29paid 60 pounds for it let's hope this is a unique thing that makes that sort of money that's right
38:35and two people fall in love with it they're okay was there a burning desire for the paraffin heater
38:42table let's find out lot 89 this is a interesting upcycled paraffin heater who will start me away at 40
38:50pounds 40 pounds 30 pounds then 20 pounds on bid 22 22 pounds for this lot 22 22 25
39:02i'm looking for 28 pounds for this lot 28 pounds anywhere not at 28 i'm selling at 25 then that's
39:08your bid in the corner oh dear the ladies loved it but the sale room didn't you can't win them all in
39:22the upcycling game up next is the blue team's claris cliff polar bear charlie ark's auctioneer andy
39:30stowe what he made of it i really like that polar bear ah obviously at some point somebody smashed a
39:37claris cliff piece and have quite inventively turned it into another piece of decorative art
39:42yeah of course claris cliff is very collectible yeah we've put an estimate on both of those items
39:46at 50 to 80 pounds good paid 29 i'm really pleased they seem to have bought really well
39:52the auctioneer was a big fan but was he right to be i've got commission interest i'm in at 30
39:58pounds already on this what a start yes who wants that five now oh oh i want a bit more completely unique
40:06this one 30 pounds who wants the five then are we all done but it's a profit profit selling on
40:12commission at 30 pounds okay plus one just made it but it goes to show a broken piece can be repurposed
40:22for profit finally it's the eve saint laurent jacket which i showed to auctioneer stuart maul in stroud
40:31i think it's a stunning piece i love the gilt buttons i think it's got a really good look to it
40:35what sort of estimation would you put on it we've gone with an estimate sort of 20 to 40 pounds
40:40well they paid 28 so they're pretty much bang in the middle aren't they really i think that's okay
40:47but was it the perfect fit for the sale room i can open up the bidding at 40 pounds get in there
40:5440 pounds starts the bidding 42 45 48 50's with me 55 keep going 55 looking for 60. at 60 pounds bid on
41:04the net do i see five oh he's got 60. still cheap at 60 pounds then the bids on the net do i see five
41:09anywhere selling to the net 60 pounds if we're all done at 60 pounds well well well that's a 32 pound
41:23profit that was a cracking result for the sisters designer clothing in good condition will always
41:30hold its value well from upcycled bedpans to seats from a plane we've seen how vintage items can be
41:38given a new lease of life but which teams made the biggest bounty in the sale room time now for our
41:45chart countdown in at number six was the bedpan lamp at 45 there we go my goodness it didn't light up the
41:56sale room and made a 75 pounds loss at number five was the upcycled paraffin heater table
42:06the bidders didn't warm to it and the team lost 35 pounds at number four was the claris cliff polar bear
42:12and bowl but it's a profit with a smashing little one pound profit into the top three and at number
42:20three were the airplane seats 38 they flew away with a three pounds profit just missing out on the
42:30top spot was the vintage bicycle at 70 pounds with a wheelie decent 25 pounds profit
42:40and at number one was the eve san loran jacket
42:43the bidders were dazzled by its designer charm and it brought home a 32 pounds profit
42:57and that's all we have time for on today's roundup of antiques given a second chance i hope you're
43:03feeling inspired and maybe you've picked up a few hints and tips along the way don't forget to follow
43:09us on social media and join us again soon for some more bargaining on tin yes yes
43:39we'll see you next time
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