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00:05Hey, guess what? Today on Bargain Hunt, I've got a real treat for you.
00:09But I won't be needing this. It's going to feel a little bit different.
00:15Yes, it's a farmer's life for me as we celebrate all things rural.
00:20From feeding chickens to milking cows and ploughing fields.
00:27A farmer's work is never done.
00:31Later, we'll be checking out some of the best rural antiques and collectibles,
00:35snapped up by our teams over the years.
00:37But first, there's no time for horsing around.
00:40Let's go bargain hunting!
01:09On today's show, we're taking a tour around the countryside, meeting teams who really ploughed ahead with some barnstorming by.
01:17Some thought they'd cracked it.
01:19Can you imagine? Somebody's going out and they collect the eggs in that.
01:22While others took a swipe at the competition.
01:25You had to pull it right back like that.
01:28I'll also be learning about the rich history of these remarkable workhorses.
01:33It was truly a global invention. It went worldwide.
01:36And you won't want to miss our chart countdown to find out which team made the biggest profit.
01:41And if you're in the market for some farming collectibles of your own, I will have some handy tips to
01:46help you harvest a bargain.
01:49Right, time to put our backs into it. Our first team of Reds were sisters-in-law Rebecca and Vanessa,
01:55who were hitting the stalls at an antiques fair in Newark.
01:58That's me.
02:00They were teamed with expert Raj Bisram.
02:03And some brightly coloured glass caught Vanessa's eye.
02:06What about those tall vases, Raj?
02:08Good spot. Good spot. Those are Murano glass vases.
02:12And of course, Murano glass is very famous. Do you know where from?
02:15Yeah. Italy?
02:15Absolutely. On the islands just off Venice.
02:17This is where all the Murano glass is made.
02:19Okay. Are they collectible? Are they modern?
02:23They are. They are modern. They are modern.
02:24You know, there's probably not going to be a profit in that.
02:27So the Reds moved on.
02:29And Rebecca soon spotted something practical but slightly less glamorous.
02:33There was a bucket over there that you could put in your garden or have in your kitchen.
02:38I don't know. Just back there.
02:40Raj?
02:41Yes, I really like that.
02:42That's, you know, it's for going, can you imagine?
02:44Somebody's going out and they collect the eggs in that.
02:48Buckets like these were used to store eggs in the early to mid 20th century.
02:52Back in the days before fridges, rural households had to be clever about storing fresh eggs.
02:58Particularly during winter months when hens can stop laying them.
03:02One solution was to place the eggs in a bucket or pail of water mixed with Isinglass, a gelatin-like
03:08substance made from fish bladders.
03:11Forming a seal to lock out air and bacteria, Isinglass could keep eggs fresh for up to a year.
03:18A brilliant example of farming ingenuity. But did the Reds think their pail was all it cracked up to be?
03:26The £75 Raj, what do you think?
03:28It's there, it's way there. I mean, but you never know.
03:31They're quite on trend, aren't they?
03:32Yeah, very, very on trend.
03:33Do you think we could get some knock top?
03:35Yeah, I would definitely.
03:36Try and get some knock top.
03:37I think if that was at auction, that would make anything between £30 and £50.
03:43The ladies quite like it. I know it's an original one, but you've got quite a hefty price to get
03:48on that.
03:50£40, and that's the very best.
03:52Could we squeeze you a little bit more, £35?
03:54Give us a fighting chance when we get to...
03:56You're happy with that, girl?
03:57We are very happy with that.
03:58We have a deal. Thank you so much.
04:02Excellent Reds. We'll find out how the pail fared at auction later.
04:06Next, we're off to Carmarthen to meet a father and daughter team with some impressive farming credentials.
04:12Betterwin, what do you do for a living?
04:14I'm a farmer then. I've come from several generations of our family have been farming then.
04:19Really? So, livestock?
04:21Crops, livestock and pheasants.
04:23Pheasants?
04:24Yeah, we've got hundreds of cows and I know most of them by sight and by name.
04:27That's absolutely amazing.
04:29The pheasants, I'm still working on them.
04:33This fabulous farming duo were shopping with expert Gary Paye.
04:37And, true to form, they were quickly drawn to animals.
04:41Oh, my goodness. Oh, that's a bit more lifelike.
04:44Yeah.
04:45This one is a bit more country, I think.
04:47Yeah.
04:47You know, with sort of a barrel body, which is a bit more unusual.
04:51Has it been modified, do you think?
04:53It's a homemade piece.
04:54Ah, right. In its original state?
04:56Yes, well, a few bits missing, as you can see from the ear.
05:00Yeah.
05:00That is more traditional.
05:02Yeah.
05:03Probably 50s, 60s.
05:05I think I prefer that one, but then that one's more unusual.
05:09It has a charm about it. It almost looks like a puppet.
05:13Charming, but not rocking the blues world.
05:16Would some furniture tickle their fancy?
05:19It's got a lot of character there.
05:21Character, yes.
05:21Very authentic.
05:23Yes, exactly.
05:24Yeah.
05:24I'm not sure if it was an auction on its own, it wouldn't look as impressive.
05:29OK.
05:29I think we'll leave that one.
05:31Another no.
05:32What about a chair?
05:34The spring mechanisms are still there and intact.
05:37Yes, yes.
05:37The seats have been replaced at some point in its life.
05:41To do with a bit of a polish.
05:42It's an antique.
05:43Ah.
05:44You expect a bit of dust.
05:46To have gathered over the years.
05:47Original dust.
05:48Ah.
05:50It's got 65.
05:5265, yeah.
05:52But it had 72 on it.
05:54It had 72 on it.
05:54So it's coming down.
05:56It's coming down.
05:57Coming down.
05:58Furniture wasn't cutting it for the blues.
06:01But what about this?
06:0350, 60 years ago there'd be 10, 20 men going out with a scythe like that to cut hay.
06:08I like that.
06:09In the same field.
06:10When you say 50 years, that's good.
06:11Yeah.
06:11So that means this predates 50 years.
06:13Ah, yes, yeah.
06:14Quite possibly.
06:16Because, long before tractors took over, one tool reigned supreme in the fields.
06:21The scythe.
06:21With its long wooden handle and graceful curved steel blade.
06:25Required skill, rhythm and a good deal of stamina to master.
06:30In fact, scything is such a respected and precise craft that it's celebrated in a yearly showdown.
06:37The West Country Scythe Championships held in Somerset brings together the best of the best.
06:43Competitors must mow a 5x5 metre patch of meadow as swiftly and neatly as possible.
06:50So, Berwyn, how are your scything skills?
06:53You had to pull it right back, like that.
06:56And you'd be doing that for hours on end.
06:58Do you get the feeling this is something that ticks the box?
07:02It ticks the box, definitely, you know.
07:04And the handle is a very good quality handle, isn't it?
07:07Yes.
07:07It's a real...
07:09What type of wood would you say that is?
07:11It looks oak.
07:12Yeah.
07:13I thought that it might be myself.
07:15Yes, I think it's oak, yes.
07:16Maybe this bolt has been added here.
07:19Right.
07:20Just reinforcement.
07:21Yeah, to give it more strength, you know.
07:22Now, question is...
07:23Yes.
07:24What's the price?
07:25£30, they're asking for it.
07:27I'm sure we'd manage to knock it down to 20.
07:29I think that's a good starting point, don't you think?
07:31Oh, yeah.
07:32We're interested.
07:32Yes.
07:33Yeah.
07:33I'm going to be frank, there isn't much movement on the price.
07:37Yeah.
07:37Push me to 25, but that's going to be it.
07:3920?
07:3920 would be our best.
07:40No, no, no.
07:41You know, I don't blame you for asking, but I just...
07:43Yeah, yeah, yeah.
07:43I'm being honest, I can't do it.
07:45It's a very good piece.
07:46What if we went halfway between 20 and 25, say 22?
07:50No, I'm going to stick at 25.
07:52I thought I'd have managed to squeeze them a bit harder than that, you know.
07:55I'm a bit disappointed than that.
07:57Shall we go for it?
07:58I think we will.
07:59Yeah.
08:00And I'm sure we'll make money on that.
08:01Yeah.
08:01I'm sure we'll make money on that.
08:02There we are.
08:03Agreed on that, then?
08:04Agreed.
08:04Very good.
08:05Yeah, we have decided then.
08:07Yes, yes.
08:07£25, we'll take it, sir.
08:09Thank you very much for that.
08:10Excellent.
08:11We'll see how the size got on at auction later in the show.
08:15Now time to meet our next team, retired firefighters Andy and Simon,
08:19who were raring to go in Newark.
08:22Andy and Simon, hello!
08:24Leading the way was expert Izzy Balmer.
08:27And first up, the boys found something familiar.
08:30A small fire ladder.
08:34£35.
08:35I'm presuming that slots into that, doesn't it?
08:38Okay.
08:39And with that one being price, that's for the two.
08:41But should we have a look if the two do slot in?
08:44That's what I was just going to say.
08:49Yeah, I don't think.
08:50But it does?
08:51Maybe.
08:52So that goes there?
08:53Yeah, but it's the wrong way.
08:55Yeah.
08:56It's not true what we would understand to be a...
08:59So would we call it a marriage, do you reckon?
09:02No.
09:03No?
09:04It's a divorce?
09:05Yes.
09:06So we're not interested, is that the vibe I'm guessing?
09:08No, unfortunately not.
09:09Okay.
09:10No.
09:10The ladder wasn't the right fit for the Reds.
09:13But they didn't let it clip their wings.
09:16Izzy, I think I've seen something over here.
09:18Ooh, show me.
09:19High reach cutter.
09:21Yeah.
09:22These go all the time, don't they?
09:23Like an apple picker type thing.
09:25No, it cuts branches.
09:26It cuts branches.
09:26It's an old fashioned...
09:28Yeah.
09:28Don't chop his fingers.
09:30We could try it though.
09:31Go on, put your finger in.
09:32See if it works.
09:34Yeah, that depends.
09:35I mean, it's just an old item.
09:37It certainly is.
09:39The earliest specialised pruning tools for trees
09:42were developed in 19th century France,
09:44called Echenidois.
09:45They could reach up to 10 feet high.
09:48Long, sturdy and fitted with a very clever
09:51pulley and blade mechanism at the top,
09:53they gave farmers the reach of a giraffe
09:56with the precision of a barber.
09:59They might look like a medieval fishing rod,
10:01but this tool was essential for shaping fruit trees
10:04and keeping the harvest healthy.
10:07But could the Reds get a cut-price deal on theirs?
10:11He said £30.
10:12Do you think he'd take £28?
10:14Doesn't hurt to ask, does it?
10:15I will find out.
10:18They said yes, £28.
10:19Excellent.
10:20Excellent. We've got a deal.
10:21Brilliant.
10:21Fantastic.
10:23We'll see how that vintage pruner fared
10:25in the sale room later in the show.
10:28Right, let's take a break from the shopping
10:29and step back in time to learn more
10:31about the mighty machines that have powered
10:33our countryside for over a century.
10:36Tractors!
10:41Britain's countryside has always been shaped by farming.
10:45For centuries, it was horsepower that did the heavy lifting,
10:48quite literally.
10:50The late 19th century heralded the golden age of steam,
10:54and steam traction engines began to take the place of horses.
10:57And from those great iron giants came the modern tractor.
11:01It wasn't until the mid-20th century,
11:03with the arrival of lighter, petrol-driven machines,
11:06that tractors really began to change everyday farming.
11:10To tell us more about these revolutionary machines,
11:13I'm meeting Andrew Hollingsworth
11:15from the Turn Valley Vintage Machinery Trust,
11:18and he's brought along quite the line-up.
11:21Andrew, what a pleasure it is to meet you.
11:23Likewise.
11:24And thank you for bringing all these wonderful tractors,
11:26but this one in particular is quite magnificent, isn't it?
11:30It is. It's a really special machine.
11:31It's ancient, it's over 100 years old.
11:34Is it?
11:34It's basically the design of this tractor
11:36was the concept that all of the following tractors
11:39that we're going to see today is based upon.
11:42My goodness.
11:43But it's really basic, and it's lasted for over 100 years.
11:46This is a bit of a survivor, isn't it?
11:47It is.
11:48How many Deerings are left?
11:50A handful.
11:51We're talking...
11:52Oh, really?
11:52Oh, yes.
11:53Probably four or five of this particular model in the UK.
11:56Very few of them left now.
11:57It's a very special tractor.
11:59Very special tractors.
12:00And as such, how much would it be worth?
12:02It's very difficult to say
12:03because they very rarely come up for sale.
12:05You can go to an auction expecting a tractor to fetch £10,000,
12:10and there are two people there that want it,
12:12and before you know it, it's £40,000.
12:13So it's a very difficult thing to put a price on.
12:15Yeah, you can't put a price on that sort of passion and love for something, can you?
12:19So antique tractors are in demand,
12:21and next up is a vintage example from the 1960s.
12:25This is a 1964 Massey Ferguson,
12:28and this revolutionised agriculture because of its three-point linkage.
12:33It was designed by Harry Ferguson,
12:34and basically all of the other manufacturers had to pay him to use it.
12:38It allowed them to lift the implements onto the tractor
12:41rather than having to drag them behind,
12:43which the previous tractor we saw was only able to do that.
12:46So it really did revolutionise agriculture, didn't it?
12:49It did.
12:49It meant that the equipment manufacturers really had something
12:53to base all of the machines that, even to this day,
12:55still fit on this same system.
12:57That's extraordinary, isn't it?
12:59It is. It really is.
13:00So this was really the first time in British agriculture
13:03that they'd had a standardised system, wasn't it?
13:05It was, but not just in the UK.
13:07It was truly a global invention.
13:09It went worldwide.
13:11It's international innovation.
13:12Absolutely.
13:14Talking of international innovations,
13:17through the mid-20th century,
13:19the battle for tractor supremacy went transatlantic.
13:23This one is a Ford,
13:25and of course this is one of the first American design tractors in the UK
13:29to really start to take a foothold in the market.
13:32In fact, it became the major market leader in the UK
13:36based on this particular design.
13:37And this one here is a Nuffield.
13:39Nuffield was part, or became part,
13:41part of the British Leyland Empire.
13:43And they were very keen to take Ford's lead
13:45and have a share of that market for themselves.
13:48We've got a real battle going on here, haven't we,
13:50between British and American agricultural production.
13:53Yes.
13:54Who's the winner?
13:55Well, ultimately, it did become America.
13:58And many of our traditional British manufacturers
14:00were either absorbed into some of the American conglomerates
14:04or simply fell by the wayside.
14:08I mean, would you say that this was the sort of golden era
14:11of tractor production?
14:13I think for my generation, certainly, yes.
14:15So it's all very much nostalgia driven, isn't it?
14:18It's what you drove as a young farmer, as a young lad.
14:22Indeed.
14:23Early to mid-20th century tractors are collector's items,
14:27and later models like this one are just as sought after.
14:31Talking of nostalgia, Andrew, these are the kind of tractors
14:34I remember as a child.
14:36Yes, indeed.
14:36This takes us into the 1990s, and it's instantly recognisable.
14:41It's got the three-point linkage at the back.
14:42It's got the three-point linkage at the front now,
14:45so you can put machines on the front.
14:47And, of course, it's four-wheel drive,
14:49which is pretty much the blueprint that we would use today.
14:52Yeah. And, of course, you've got a weatherproof cab.
14:54Yes, with all the modern cons.
14:56You've got air conditioning, you've got the radio,
14:59fingertip control, and a really comfortable seat.
15:02Today, these are becoming highly collectible.
15:05The young tractor collector today is looking for this kind of machine.
15:08Because that's what they remember as a child.
15:10Indeed, absolutely.
15:10That's the market, isn't it?
15:11It's that generational difference.
15:13Yeah.
15:13So, again, you could pay a lot of money for one of these,
15:1615,000, 18,000, almost the same price when it was new.
15:20It's been fascinating to hear about Andrew's passion
15:23for these antique and vintage workhorses.
15:26But it's time to plough on and meet our next team.
15:30Dad and daughter, Neil and Jess,
15:32were shopping at the Royal Welsh Showground in Bilfwells
15:34with expert Richard Madley.
15:36Why, hello.
15:37Richard!
15:38Yeah!
15:39And the Reds were quick off the mark.
15:42So, immediately drawn something like this.
15:44Yes.
15:45And I know that lighting, industrial-style lighting...
15:49Yes.
15:49..is really popular.
15:50Yeah.
15:50It could be shop fittings, that kind of thing.
15:52You're spot on.
15:53Spot on.
15:54Excuse the pun.
15:55Do you like the look?
15:56I mean, the look is going...
15:57Yeah, I can imagine it in Canada.
15:58You know, like, you see these trendy little cafe and bars now,
16:00you know?
16:01Yeah, yeah.
16:01I can imagine it in somewhere like that,
16:02if they're decking something out.
16:04Yeah, indeed.
16:05But...
16:05But it's £180.
16:09To make a £10 or £20 profit at auction will be a struggle.
16:12Oh, yeah, yeah.
16:12Well, we want more than that.
16:13Yeah, fair enough.
16:15Of course we do.
16:16The light was too pricey.
16:18But Jess soon spotted another potential purchase.
16:22Quite like that yellow, this yellow thing over here.
16:25Oh, at the stove.
16:26Yeah, what is it then?
16:27That is different.
16:28Caught your eye.
16:29That's always a good sign.
16:29It did catch my eye.
16:30Look how bright it is.
16:32It is bright.
16:33That's nice, that, Jess.
16:34When I first saw it, I thought it was all cast iron,
16:36but it's not, is it?
16:37It's pottery.
16:38It's pottery.
16:39It's pottery with a pierced cast iron lid.
16:41A little bulb in it.
16:43Let's call the dealer over, shall we, and get a price?
16:45Yeah, yeah, yeah.
16:45Get him over.
16:45Come on.
16:46Hello, sir.
16:47£350.
16:48It's £350.
16:50OK, right.
16:52Well, look, Jess.
16:53I think we've got to keep going.
16:54Let's keep going.
16:54Thanks very much.
16:56The Reds clearly had expensive taste.
16:59But was this in budget?
17:01A little Welsh stool, always popular, aren't they?
17:04The milking stools technically have three legs,
17:07because that gave you the ability to sit on an uneven surface.
17:12You're right, Richard.
17:14Let me show you what he means.
17:16This is a working dairy farm.
17:18Now, take a look at this uneven floor.
17:20That's no accident.
17:22These floors were designed to allow for drainage
17:24and to maintain hygiene.
17:27As Richard said, the three-legged milking stool
17:30can guarantee the milker gets stability,
17:31whereas a four-legged stool would topple and fall
17:34on this uneven surface.
17:37These little stools were a staple of farm life
17:40from the 18th century, usually hand-crafted from hardwoods
17:43like oak or ash.
17:45Many were made by the farmers themselves,
17:47so no two are the same.
17:49So, did the Reds reckon they could milk a profit
17:52from their stool?
17:53Oh!
17:53It's got a ticket price on it.
17:55Oh, 65.
17:56Oh, 65 pounds.
17:57It's cheaper, isn't it?
17:58We could get it down to...
17:59Ideally, you'd like to buy it for 30.
18:01Oh.
18:02Ideally.
18:03No, we're not going to get there.
18:04But why don't you use your charms
18:06and go and ask the owner
18:08if they are prepared to give you the friendliest price?
18:13I'm scared.
18:15We like the stool, don't we?
18:16We do like the stool,
18:17but we're after your friendliest price
18:20that you'd give us for this.
18:21That's a very good stool.
18:26For you, 40 quid, not a penny less.
18:28Not a penny less.
18:29What do you think of that, then?
18:30I like it on lots of fronts.
18:32I like it, you know,
18:33A, not just it's Welsh.
18:34We actually know it's from Pembrokeshire.
18:36Yeah.
18:36This gentleman's given us a great discount
18:38from 65 down to 40 pounds.
18:41It's ticking so many boxes.
18:43What do you think, Dad?
18:44Down to 40 pounds?
18:45Okay, so...
18:46Pembrokeshire.
18:47I don't like it.
18:48I'd say we go for it.
18:49I'm with Jess.
18:51You know when we started this journey,
18:52she was like,
18:53I'm the boss?
18:54Mm-hmm.
18:55There you go.
18:56She shake on it?
18:57Okay.
18:58Thank you, sir.
18:58Thank you very much.
19:03Dad didn't like it,
19:04but Jess was sold.
19:06We'll find out later
19:07what the sale were made of their stool.
19:08Next, we're heading to an antiques fair in Peterborough
19:11where retired sisters,
19:13Pat and Christine,
19:14were very keen to get shopping.
19:16Showing them the ropes was expert,
19:18Philip Serrell.
19:22And first up,
19:23some cool retro chairs were calling Pat.
19:28They're cold on the bottom.
19:30What could you tell us about your chairs, sir?
19:32Whereabouts are they from?
19:34I bought them from a charity shop, actually.
19:36No, I didn't mean that.
19:37I mean, what country of origin?
19:38Oh, I don't know.
19:39The...
19:40220 for four?
19:41Yeah.
19:42What is your best price?
19:44We could round it down to two.
19:47A decent price for a set of four retro chairs,
19:49but the Blues walked away.
19:51Phil decided to dig deeper on a different store.
19:54Do you like that boot scraper?
19:56Yes.
19:57I like that.
19:58I do like that.
20:00Before welcome mats and pressure washers,
20:02the first line of defence against farmyard muck
20:05was the humble boot scraper.
20:07Found outside barn doors,
20:09cow sheds and cottages,
20:11boot scrapers were a staple of country life
20:13from the early 18th century
20:15and played a vital role in both farm and home hygiene.
20:20You'll find all shapes and styles
20:22from simple U-frames bolted to stone steps
20:25to more playful designs
20:26like this Victorian pig-shaped scraper.
20:30Authentic Victorian scrapers
20:32can fetch up to £150
20:34depending on design and condition.
20:37So, what was the best price on the Blues example?
20:4155 on that.
20:4255. Can it come down?
20:44Looking like I'm down much.
20:45Yeah, 40.
20:47But could a double deal be struck with this hip flask?
20:50The team would count them as two separate buys.
20:5375 for this and 25 for that?
20:56Yeah.
20:56Is that okay?
20:56Thank you very much.
20:58You're a gentleman.
20:59Thank you very much.
21:01Did the bidders get a kick out of the boot scraper?
21:03We'll reveal all later in the show.
21:06Time now to meet our final red team friends Rob and Graham
21:10who went shopping at an antique centre in Bradford.
21:13Ru Irvin was leading the team.
21:15No pressure then, guys.
21:17Oh, are we?
21:18And Graham quickly tuned in to his childhood.
21:22That takes me back to an hour and all that does that.
21:24Really?
21:25Yeah.
21:25A long time ago.
21:27What did you used to listen to?
21:28Radio Luxembourg?
21:30No.
21:30He he.
21:31Radio One.
21:32Mid-century design is very popular.
21:34A lot of people are filling their homes with a sort of mid-century 1950s, 60s furniture, accessories.
21:41£45 is not a bad price, but I think...
21:44Do you think it could profit or do you think that's its worth?
21:46I think because the natural wood, probably pine, has been painted.
21:50Yeah, yeah.
21:51In a way it's a shame because people are wanting pine for that mid-century look.
21:55Right.
21:55But it takes you back, eh?
21:56Yeah.
21:57When I were alive.
21:57When I were alive, eh?
21:59When you were alive.
22:00Twenty years ago.
22:01We're back all the news.
22:01Twenty years ago.
22:02Not going around you.
22:04The radio struck a chord, but the Reds walked away.
22:07What about this?
22:09That looks like a goffering iron.
22:11A goffering iron?
22:12What are they for?
22:13It's the price tag that I'm interested in, just £10.
22:16£10.
22:17A goffering iron, you would use this to make the ruffles on your shirt.
22:22Oh.
22:23And these have been used for hundreds of years.
22:24So you know you've got these big sort of almost Elizabethan ruffles, collars.
22:30And what it does is the material is put round here.
22:32This is heated and then it crimps it.
22:34So you end up with a crimped collar.
22:36Now £10 is a good price.
22:39Is it collectible and is it valuable?
22:41Wow.
22:41The ones I've seen do well are the much bigger pieces.
22:45Shall we keep it on the back burner?
22:47Yeah, let's put it on the back burner.
22:48Yeah, it's a really cool thing though.
22:50So the goffering iron was a maybe.
22:53Could this set of agricultural stools fit the bill instead?
22:57See, they are very desirable.
23:01They're often tractor chairs.
23:03How many?
23:03£75?
23:04What, eight?
23:05Is that just for one though?
23:06Yeah.
23:07They were often, yeah.
23:08How much, £75?
23:09Yeah, I'm guessing it's just for one, isn't it?
23:11They went through a phase where these became really trendy.
23:15Right.
23:15So these were upcycled.
23:16Tractor chairs put onto bases and they become really cool bar stools to have at home.
23:22The Reds' retired tractor seats are just one example of farmyard paraphernalia given a second chance.
23:28Take a look at these sculptures by Carmarthen artist Chris Crane.
23:32He breathes new life into rusty tools and old agricultural equipment to create beautiful wildlife designs.
23:39And if you're feeling inspired to turn some rural relics into rustic masterpieces then you're in luck.
23:45The British countryside is full of places to find old farm equipment with a bit of character.
23:51Start with vintage machinery sales.
23:53They're great places to discover forgotten gems.
23:56So, did the Reds' see potential in their tractor stools?
23:59Yeah.
24:00£75.
24:01How much would the normal get then?
24:02It could be like £150.
24:04For one or for a sandwich?
24:06For one.
24:06For one.
24:07Yeah, but it's the same with anything when it's new and trendy.
24:11Right.
24:11Then so many more flood the market and the price just comes right down.
24:14Yeah, yeah, yeah.
24:15I mean if that was £75 for the set.
24:17Then yeah.
24:18That'd be quite cool.
24:19It's worth it.
24:19But for one it's £70.
24:21I'll tell you what, I'm going to let you sit on that and test it.
24:25Don't break it.
24:26Oh!
24:27Yeah, Audrey alright.
24:28Does it feel comfy enough?
24:30Like it's screwed up properly?
24:31Yeah, it's pretty sturdy.
24:32It's very cold.
24:33Is it?
24:34Yeah, it's very sturdy.
24:35Right.
24:36Well, do you know what?
24:37Do you want to find out?
24:38I mean I think if we got these, I'd love them to be buy one get one free.
24:42Yeah, yeah.
24:43Then I think at auction because it's a pair and pairs are far more sought after.
24:48Yeah.
24:49Might be rich in free figures.
24:51Yeah.
24:51Yeah.
24:52Could do 100, 120.
24:54Yeah.
24:54Do you want to ask?
24:54Yeah, let's ask.
24:56Yeah?
24:56Why not?
24:57Hi guys.
24:58Is this £75 for the pair?
24:59I wish it was but unfortunately they're £75 each.
25:03Yeah.
25:03But they've got a real look to them haven't they?
25:05They do, they do and as I was saying it's that trendy look.
25:07What would you be best for the pair?
25:10Could it be a Bradford Bogoff?
25:12Yeah.
25:13Not quite but I could do £85 for the pair.
25:17£85 for the pair?
25:18For the pair.
25:19I'm quite keen.
25:20Do you like them?
25:20Yeah, yeah.
25:21Would you like them more if they were like £80?
25:24Probably.
25:26I'll shake your hands at £80 guys.
25:28Really?
25:29Oh, you are amazing.
25:31Thank you very much.
25:31Thank you very much.
25:32You're a legend.
25:34Great haggling by the Reds and that's our final buy.
25:37We'll see how all six of our teams got on at auction shortly.
25:40But before that Natasha went to learn about a very famous forest.
25:50It's one of the most famous areas of woodland in the world, Sherwood Forest.
25:55Shrouded in myth and legend, it once covered around a fifth of Nottinghamshire.
26:00Today, Sherwood boasts a staggering number of ancient oaks and one particular tree, the
26:06Major Oak, has defied the passage of time to reach a truly remarkable age.
26:11I'm meeting Ian Major of the Sherwood Forest Trust to learn more.
26:16Ian, it is incredible.
26:17Almost hard to wrap your head around the fact that this tree has been there for a millennium,
26:22a thousand years.
26:23It's amazing.
26:24It's survived 41 kings and queens.
26:26We've seen the ceiling of the Magna Carta, the English Civil War, two world wars and
26:32it's avoided the woodsman's axe throughout all that time.
26:35So we know roughly how old the Major Oak is, but what about its dimensions?
26:40Can you put it into facts and figures?
26:41We think that it's round about 23 tonnes.
26:44The circumference of the trunk is round about 10 metres and the spread of the branches
26:49round about 30 metres.
26:51It's a behemoth.
26:53Size also helps to establish the age of a tree.
26:57Measuring the diameter of the trunk and dividing by the average growth each year can be a good guide.
27:02And anything above 9.5 metres is thought to be more than a thousand years old.
27:08And these poles which are propping up the tree, when were they added?
27:12Round about 100 years ago, it was active management.
27:15The Victorians saw this as a tourist attraction.
27:19So the props were put on it to stop those huge branches from falling down.
27:23And are they just halting the inevitable?
27:27Or is this tree actually still growing?
27:30There's still growth there, so it's very vibrant in the crown.
27:32So the prospects are good at the moment.
27:35The RSPB is the current guardians of the Major Oak and Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve.
27:42Conduct regular surveys.
27:43And so there's some good marks that it's getting at the moment.
27:46But there's more time behind it than there is in front of it.
27:50You put it so nicely when you said that the Major Oak has avoided the woodman's axe over the years.
27:55What about the others that didn't? What did they go on to become?
27:58When we go back 800 years to the Norman Conquest, those trees were used for everything.
28:04From the common people with their spoons, their bowls, their chairs, their houses, their fires.
28:09The men of the woods that grew and tended to the trees could grow the trees in such a way
28:15and then halved that it was mirrored and created the bow of a ship or the arch of a cathedral.
28:21So this was one of the finest factories in the kingdom.
28:25Oaks from Sherwood were used in the construction of St Paul's Cathedral
28:28and Nelson's flagship, the HMS Victory, which used a staggering 2,000 trees alone.
28:35But the drain on this natural resource had been noticed 200 years earlier.
28:41Elizabeth I in the 17th century saw the problem that this was causing from the creation of her navy
28:48and decided that a planting programme across the whole of the country was in order.
28:53It's really interesting to think that there was a nod to sustainability even back then.
28:58Before that realisation, what's been the knock-on effect of the over-exploitation of the land?
29:03When we go from 1609, we have good written evidence that there were round about 49,000 trees in this
29:10part of Sherwood.
29:12Come forward to 1790, that number had dropped to round about 10,000 trees.
29:17And then we come forward to today and there are only 1,000 ancient oak trees in Sherwood Forest.
29:22You say only 1,000 other ancient oak trees, but surely that's a huge amount.
29:28Is there anywhere else in the world that can compare?
29:31Probably not. This is probably the greatest example of ancient trees of any species in the whole of Europe.
29:38So that's the history of this tree, the major oak, and indeed the area, but what about its future?
29:44This area specifically is going to remain as a protected area, hopefully become bigger as a protected area.
29:50But our charity wants Sherwood Forest to become more wooded, lots more trees, and we want people to benefit from
29:55those trees.
29:56So, once again, mighty oaks from tiny acorns will grow.
30:01Absolutely.
30:02Well, that's great to hear, and Ian, it's been great to hear all about the major oak and the area,
30:07so thank you very much for talking me through it.
30:11Right, it's time to see how our team's purchases got on at auction.
30:15First up, I headed to Litchfield to see what auctioneer Richard Winterton thought of that egg-preserving pail.
30:23I mean, it looks like it has preserved a few eggs as well.
30:26And they're really trendy, they do sell.
30:29We've gone 15 to 25, I don't think they paid much more than that, I would have thought.
30:3215 to 25 pounds, they paid 35 pounds.
30:36OK, with a push, we'll get close.
30:38So, did the sale room shell out?
30:40A good galvanised egg-preserving pail and cover.
30:45Always popular, these is, you're going to be bidding on this.
30:47Good for the garden.
30:4815 pound, I'm bid.
30:5015 pound, the internet.
30:5220 pound, I'm bid.
30:5220 pound.
30:5325, I'm bid.
30:5528, I'm bid.
30:5630 pound, I'm bid.
30:57Keep going, keep going.
30:5935 pound, I'm bid.
31:015.
31:0235, we're tinkering at 35.
31:04Come on.
31:0635 pound, I'm...
31:0736.
31:08Yes!
31:0936 pounds.
31:1136.
31:1238 pounds.
31:1338 pounds.
31:14It's in the corner, right away, 38 pounds.
31:18Thank you very much.
31:21Well done.
31:22Very well done.
31:23That is a three pound profit on your first lot.
31:27An enthusiastic sale room and a small profit.
31:30A cracking result.
31:32Next, we're off to Cardiff where Charlie checked in with auctioneer Ben Rogers-Jones.
31:37What did he make of the blue team's scythe?
31:41It's got a sort of gothic look to it.
31:42It has got a look about it.
31:44Yeah, I like this.
31:45And it's the sort of thing that is collected by Welsh people in agricultural Wales.
31:49Yep.
31:49Could go on a barn conversion or perhaps a restaurant.
31:53Yes.
31:53And you can just imagine some late Victorian farm worker breaking his back in the fields with it, can't you?
32:01God, well, you paint such a picture.
32:02What about a value?
32:0430 to 40.
32:04Well, they paid 25 pounds.
32:06That was quite a reasonable buy, I think, wasn't it?
32:08They got a good chance.
32:09Did the bidders want a slice of the action?
32:12Not 129.
32:13The English scythe.
32:15I've got to start at 35.
32:18Wow.
32:18We're in.
32:19We're in.
32:20God.
32:20Your dad's good, isn't he?
32:22Your dad is a star.
32:2345 in the room.
32:2445 bid.
32:2545 pounds.
32:26Is there 50?
32:28Up 45.
32:29Up 45.
32:30Harvesting a profit here.
32:31Massive.
32:32Up 45.
32:34Plus 20.
32:36The scythe was a cut above.
32:38It almost doubled its money.
32:41Next, we're off to Derby where Eric asked auctioneer Sean Devitt what he thought of the tree pruner.
32:48It's for getting to those top branches.
32:51Yeah, I could imagine it's a useful object, you know, in one of these kind of stately homes really.
32:56Is it really commercial or not?
32:58Only time will tell at the auction, but we've put an estimate of 20 to 40 pounds.
33:03Oh, they'll be happy with that.
33:04They paid 28 pounds for it.
33:05It's okay to be honest.
33:08The auctioneer was hopeful, but how did it get on?
33:11And selling.
33:11Well, what shall we say for that?
33:1330 pounds for it, please.
33:1430.
33:15It's huge.
33:1630 pounds for it quickly.
33:18Come on.
33:1920 pounds then.
33:2020 pounds quickly.
33:21Any bids at 20.
33:24Oh dear.
33:2510 then.
33:27Hovering bid.
33:2810 bid now.
33:28This is damage limitation boys.
33:31At 10 pounds and selling hit 12, 12, 15 now.
33:35Oh, 15.
33:36Oh.
33:36At 12 pounds, 15 bid.
33:39At 15 pounds on the internet, you sure?
33:42Last 18 bid.
33:43Oh, brilliant.
33:4520 pounds for you.
33:47At 8, 20 bid.
33:49At 20 pounds bid on the internet.
33:5120 pounds in selling, ordering at 20.
33:54Yes!
33:55So you bought for 28, sold for 20.
33:58You made a loss at 8 pounds.
34:00What a shame.
34:01Despite some online interest, the pruner didn't quite take root.
34:05Three down, three to go.
34:07And while we take a quick break from the auction,
34:09Danny Sebastian celebrated the best of British farming life
34:13and discovered where there's muck, there's brass.
34:20Before the use of machinery in the 20th century,
34:23we relied on horses to provide the muscle needed
34:26to power industry and agriculture.
34:30To help them perform their tasks efficiently and safely,
34:34they wore harnesses, bridles and reins.
34:37But this particular equipment was often decorated with ornaments
34:42known as horse brass.
34:44To find out more, I'm meeting farmer and collector Ian Jones,
34:49chairman of the National Horse Brass Society,
34:52who boasts a staggering 5,000 pieces in his collection.
34:58Welcome, Ian.
34:59I mean, this seems like a fitting place to meet you.
35:02We're at an antiques fair at the Agricultural Showground.
35:06Yeah, I never miss one.
35:07Come here every time.
35:09Some of these brasses were found at this fair.
35:11How did they first come about?
35:13Well, horses were used for everything,
35:15from hauling all their food on the farms in the towns,
35:20the dust cart, everything was horse-drawn.
35:22It all started about 1850 with the brasses.
35:27It was very simple decorations,
35:29fixed to the leather with shanks on the back.
35:31But obviously the shanks on the back were metal and they used to rust through and the pieces dropped off.
35:37So somebody came up with a bright idea of putting the hanger on to secure them.
35:41Is that the bar across the top?
35:43Yes. Here is an early example where it's got both the hanger and the remains of the metal pins.
35:49Oh, I see.
35:50One of my favourites is this particular martingale here.
35:55What's a martingale?
35:56It's the Herefordshire name for a strap of brasses.
36:00In some parts of the country they were called a breastplate.
36:02They were very often given it a ploughing match free as a prize.
36:06What's a ploughing match?
36:09It's turning the ground over to plant crops.
36:12So it was really the person who could plough the straightest and tidiest furrow.
36:17And whoever made the tidiest line would get a brass.
36:21Yeah.
36:21And what makes this one so special?
36:23Because it's local, it's rare, that's only the second one of those I've ever seen.
36:28Vener, the saddler, his son was actually killed in the First World War.
36:32That ended the Vener dynasty really.
36:35But to any collector, the local things are the things you always treasure most.
36:39It's still in such great condition, even the buckles, the leather.
36:43Do you still polish them?
36:44Occasionally.
36:46It's like painting the fourth road bridge, to be honest.
36:51In the 1930s and 40s, people liked to have them in their house and in pubs.
36:55Used to be down the side of fireplaces, didn't they?
36:57Yes.
36:58Yes.
36:58Seems like a daft question, but are they always made of brass?
37:02Or are there any made of, say, different materials?
37:05Oh yes, they're made from several different materials.
37:08They made the porcelain-centred ones.
37:10Very often red, white and blue.
37:12The blue-petalled ones are quite rare.
37:14And they also made them with mirrors in.
37:17Can you imagine a horse covered in those on a sunny day?
37:20Oh, it would be very nice, wouldn't it?
37:21Just after the war, there was a metal shortage and the RSPCA awarded for, I think it was four or
37:27five years, plastic brasses.
37:31And they weren't popular with the carters because they couldn't polish them.
37:34They are desirable.
37:36I mean, what sort of values are we talking, Ian?
37:38You can still pick them up.
37:40I've seen brasses here today at the fair, just ordinary pattern brasses, good Victorian ones, for a couple of pounds
37:46each.
37:47But still now, when a rare piece comes up for sale, they can make many hundreds of pounds.
37:52So tell me, Ian, which one's your favourite?
37:54Well, Danny, my usual answer to that is the next one, because I'm always on the lookout for more brasses.
38:01But I do have a favourite.
38:03It would probably be this one here, which says,
38:07My friend, always kind and faithful.
38:10And what a sentiment between the carter and his horse.
38:13That sounds like a lovely sentiment.
38:15And thank you very much, Ian.
38:17I've loved it.
38:20Right, let's return to our team's buys.
38:22Anyways, we're going to head to Malvern to see what auctioneer Philip Serrell thought of the Red Stool.
38:28Can we be sure it comes from Pembrokeshire?
38:30Oh, I'm positive.
38:32I'm positive.
38:33Mattis is my mate.
38:34I'm 100% convinced.
38:36What about an estimate?
38:3820 to 40 pounds.
38:39They've paid 40, so we're doing all right, aren't we?
38:41Yeah, it's punchy, but it's there.
38:43A punchy price, but was it a knockout?
38:47There we go.
38:48Bid me for this.
38:48The Little Welsh Stool.
38:49I like this.
38:50Who's got 50 pound to start me?
38:54Silence.
38:57The way auctions work is that someone puts their hand up.
39:01Someone start me at 30 pounds.
39:0430 I'm bid.
39:05At 30 pounds.
39:07At 30 pounds only at 30.
39:09It's your bid five.
39:1135, 40.
39:12Come on.
39:12Five.
39:1445.
39:15Just one more, sir.
39:1650.
39:1750 bid.
39:1760 now.
39:1860 pounds.
39:20Seated and done.
39:20Then it's 60 and done.
39:22Well done.
39:24That's 20 pounds.
39:26That's good.
39:26A slow start, but Mr Serrell milks a healthy profit.
39:31It's the Blues boot scraper next.
39:33In Stratford-upon-Avon auctioneer Mark Ashley gave his verdict.
39:38We're on a partly rural area here.
39:41So I think you've got a winner because outside the cottage, you know, got on a nice dog walk.
39:45It's a useful item.
39:47So I think we'll sell it.
39:49Estimate, sir.
39:4930 to 50.
39:50All right.
39:51They spent 25 pounds on that one.
39:53Oh.
39:53So, you know, things are looking up a little bit now.
39:57It sounded promising, but did the boot scraper step up?
40:00I can start it there at 20.
40:03Who's got five?
40:0525.
40:0530.
40:065.
40:0740.
40:0740'd you go internet?
40:09Aren't you going to be there at the end?
40:10Another one?
40:11Are we all finished?
40:12It'll go then for 35 pounds.
40:15Internet's just come back.
40:17They woke up.
40:18They got back to the computer just in time.
40:21Do I see five anywhere?
40:23At 40, I'll sell.
40:24Then at 40, it's away.
40:2640 pounds.
40:2740 pounds.
40:2840 pounds.
40:31OK, so that is plus 50 pounds.
40:35Having the auction in a rural area definitely helped the scraper to a bootiful profit.
40:41And finally, it's back to the red team and their upcycled tractor seat bar stools.
40:46Natasha asked auctioneer Caroline Hawley what she made of them.
40:51They are quite a fun way to upcycle though, aren't they?
40:53Yeah, they are.
40:53And they go up and down.
40:55They go round and round.
40:56And I quite like a spin on a seat.
40:59So, yeah, I think 100 to 150.
41:01They were cheaper at 80 pounds.
41:03It's a good buy.
41:06Caroline was a fan, but did the tractor stools plough to a profit?
41:10And I've got to start you at 100 pounds.
41:15Yes.
41:16Get it.
41:17110.
41:18110 in the room.
41:20120.
41:21130 in the room.
41:23140.
41:24Blue's better watch out.
41:25Good going.
41:26Excellent.
41:27Nice work.
41:27150.
41:28The bid is in the room at 150.
41:30All done.
41:32Yes.
41:33Well done.
41:34Straight off.
41:34150 is a 70 pound profit.
41:37Nice.
41:38A fantastic result for the tractor seat bar stools.
41:41What a way to end our auctions.
41:43But where did our team's items rank?
41:46Time for our chart countdown.
41:48In at number six was the vintage tree pruner.
41:52Oh.
41:53Oh.
41:54It didn't quite cut it with an eight pounds loss.
41:58At number five was the egg preserving pail.
42:01Thank you very much.
42:02Yeah.
42:03Scrambling to a small three pounds profit.
42:06In at number four was the boot scraper.
42:09Oh.
42:1040 pounds.
42:11Yeah.
42:12It made a tidy 15 pounds profit.
42:15It's a tie for the number two spot.
42:17First up, the vintage scythe swung into action.
42:20Harvesting a profit here.
42:22All done.
42:2350 pounds profit.
42:24And the utterly charming Welsh stool also made 20 pounds.
42:30And taking the top spot at number one are the upcycled tractor seat bar stools.
42:36Excellent.
42:37Nice work.
42:38They ploughed a path to an impressive profit of 70 pounds.
42:45Well, sadly, that brings us to the end of our countryside ramble.
42:49But hopefully we've sown a few seeds of inspiration if you're looking to invest in some rural related treasures of
42:55your own.
42:55Don't forget to follow us on social media and more importantly, join us again next time for some more bargain
43:01hunting.
43:01Yes.
43:02Yes.
43:03Yes.