Hello and welcome to Bargain Hunt.
Now, today is all about our furry, Feathered, and four-legged friends.
Yes, I'm talking about pets.
But have you ever wondered what they're thinking?
Good programme, Bargain Hunt.
I've sniffed out a few bargains in my time.
If it's not a velvet chaise longue, I'm not interested, babes.
Why are the teams always in such a rush?
My owner watches Bargain Hunt quite a lot.
I prefer the news.
Well, I can't wait to see who fetches the best deal today.
So what are we waiting for?
Let's go bargain-hunting!
For our pet-themed special, I've come to this RSPCA
Animal centre in Hertfordshire.
Our teams are off the leash,
Sniffing out some tail-wagging treasure.
They'll be on the hunt for the'purrfect'buy,
Trying not to bark up the wrong tree.
Wouldn't it be great if it was on legs? It would!
But who will be top dog?
Thank you very much. Thank you.
One thing's for sure, you won't want to miss
Our chart countdown
To see who gets their paws on the biggest bounty.
Plus, if you're on the hunt
For some pet-themed collectables of your own,
I have some top tips
To help you claw your way to a profit.
OK, first up, we are bounding over To an antiques fair in Detling
To meet friends and dog-loving duo, Kim and Jenny.
I have five golden retrievers and I'm a member
Of the Southern Golden Retriever Display Team.
They're the Red Arrows of the dog world.
The Blues are stepping out with Leader of the pack, Raj Bisram.
But will this make them sit?
Actually that is...
It's not bad, is it? I mean...
How old do you think that would be?
I would think it's sort of turn of the century.
And you can always tell that by the grain,
The way it's been cut and also the patina on it.
Right. They're asking 18. 18. You know,
That's not a bad price, to be honest.
To be fair, it's not a bad price.
I mean, you know, obviously we'd want to get it cheaper.
But you do both like it, because It's important you both like it.
OK, we'll remember it. Thank you so much.
We'll come back maybe.
So the stool has potential,
But the Blues are on the scent of something else.
These always sell. But I can see you're not...
No, you don't like? No, no. Fair enough.
No, it's not me.
What about the shoe scraper? No? What do you think of that?
It's a bird bath. No. I don't like any of those.
No, sorry.
If you could give us a really good price for all five? No?
I can tell you're not interested in my cannonballs.
Forget those.
Everything I'm showing them, they're not interested in.
One of them likes it. The other one doesn't.
I don't know what they're looking for exactly.
Well, why don't you go with what you know?
In this case, a four-legged friend.
I've just seen the dog up there. Have you seen the dog?
How much is he going to be? You've seen the dog.
And it's a golden retriever! It's a golden retriever!
You already have five, Jenny.
But I can see the appeal of adding more.
Originating from Scotland in the mid 19th century,
Golden retrievers were bred to be obedient
With a soft mouth for carrying game.
Bronze and cast iron dog statues Like the Blues'retriever example
Became popular in the late 1800s
When decorative statues were All the rage in Victorian homes.
And here's a top tip, most are cast With a dog facing to the right,
But collectors are keen on rarer examples,
With the hound facing to the left.
So if you spot one, you could be barking up the right tree.
Back to the Blues, and are they biting?
Yeah, that's really me, isn't it? Well, that is you, isn't it?
It's a nice looking thing,
But I'm going to give you my honest opinion.
At auction, that's going to be estimated
Somewhere between £50 to £80.
What's the best you do?
OK, the very, very best I can do...
As a dog lover?
I'll do it for 60.
I think that's pretty fair.
It's just at the bottom end of my range.
It's really lovely. I like it. It's fate, isn't it?
Yeah. You both happy? It's mine! Hang on, hang on.
OK, shake hands, shake hands.
Thank you again! Thank you!
Well done, Kim and Jenny.
We'll find out later how the dog does at auction.
But next up, we're off to Carmarthen
To meet a married couple with animal magnetism.
I'm Willem. And I'm Sue.
And we're going to roar to victory! Argh!
Oh! Easy, tiger.
Willem and Sue, good morning! Hi! Hello!
This wild pair are teamed with Kate Bliss.
And Sue has a question for her expert.
I was just wondering about these, the decanters.
But they are quite modern. They are, Sue.
Yeah, they are.
And they've gone a little bit off the boil actually. Yeah.
Those pin cushions, but those are silver.
They're silver plated.
That's cheap as chips. Yeah, yeah, cheap as chips.
Where have I heard that before?
The decanters are dismissed.
But Willem has cast the net a little wider.
That fish down there.
Oh, there? Yeah, that one there.
Oh, that is nice. Yeah. I love it. Let's have a look.
Oh, lovely. Thank you.
So it's... Is it Lalique?
Well, let's have a look.
Aha. So we've got a script mark.
There are lots of different signatures for Lalique.
So you can see here we've got Lalique France in a script hand,
Which means it's a relatively late piece,
But it is a signed Lalique paperweight,
I would call it.
This, I think, is probably workshop of Lalique or factory,
Rather than a period piece by the very famous Rene Lalique,
Who started the glass business.
But even so, the later Lalique pieces
Are very sought after still, And you've got that lovely sort of
Opalescent look to it, which is typical for Lalique.
First produced in 1913,
These shimmering little sculptures were designed
To capture the movement and light Of real fish gliding through water.
We've got 120 on there.
Is there something you could do for us?
Very best price?
90. 90. What are you thinking, Sue?
You're not sure. I'm thinking of that £1 off!
So where does that stand?
90. 89. 89. 89.
Do you think if we wait here long enough?
89. I mean, at auction, it's a really nice piece.
Would it be at all possible for you to hold this
For a few minutes for us, please? Yes.
Thanks very much. Thank you. Thanks a lot.
The Lalique fish seems to be off the hook,
But just a few minutes later...
I think that Lalique is good.
And she's given us quite a good price off.
She really has.
Yes. £31 off. So, yeah, I'm happy To have a go with that. OK.
They've decided to swim back for it.
It is lovely. It is. I think that's super.
There are collectors of it.
Yeah. So I think, at 89, was it? Yeah. Yeah.
I think for 89, I think we'll take it. OK.
So thank you very much. Thank you.
Thank you. Great. Thanks very much.
Brilliant. Thanks for your help.
We'll see if that fish nets a profit
When it goes under the hammer later in the show.
Now, let's meet our next 'purrfect'pair,
Best friends Diane and Pam, who are on the prowl in Newark.
Riding out with the Reds is expert Caroline Hawley,
And Pam's feeling reflective.
I have a granddaughter
And she's always looking in the mirror at the make-up,
And she loves, she loves these kind of small things.
That's pewter. It's Art Nouveau. And this,
Can you see this iris motif here? Yes.
It's very, very popular in the Art Nouveau iconography.
It is Art Nouveau? Absolutely. 1895, 1905. Great condition.
I also like this leather kind of loop around the edge.
Yes, I do, Pam. I quite like that one.
What do you think that's going to be then?
Shall we risk asking? Can we ask?
Yeah, go for it. Could you tell us what this one...?
I'd do it for 40. If we go around
And then make sure that we come back.
Got to remember where we are. I like this,
I really like this. F53. F53. Right.
One to think about.
But don't let time creep up on you, ladies.
Can we have a look at the little...
It is silver as well.
Wow, that's gorgeous!
Oh, I love it. Yeah, it's lovely. Gorgeous.
The cat will have it, won't it?
Cats might love them, but for many, Spiders are the stuff of nightmares.
Eight legs, webs and fangs.
It's not hard to see why arachnophobia,
A fear of spiders, is so common.
But there's more to these misunderstood creatures
Than meets the eye.
Spiders are surprisingly popular pets.
Tarantulas, especially, are a favourite
As they don't need walks, they're quiet,
And many species only need feeding every week or two.
And some owners go all out.
Take Aaron Phoenix from Yate in South Gloucestershire.
He has more than 1,000 tarantulas
And, to help people overcome their fear of creepy crawlies,
He travels up and down the country, showing them off.
Back to the shopping, then.
Can the Reds spin a good deal on that spider brooch?
It's 925 parts silver to 1,000.
So, yes, it is silver, isn't it?
And it's marcasite. It is marcasite. Yeah.
Now, marcasite was very, very fashionable
In the early 1900s, 1920s.
And it was a form of getting the sparkle of diamonds
Without the cash -
The huge amount of cash that you would pay for diamonds.
Now, marcasite is generally known as cut steel,
But it is actually a pyrite, a type of crystal.
It's that beautiful sort of dark grey colour.
How old do you think it is, Caroline?
It might possibly be'50s,'60s. Probably continental.
How much is it? It's 25. Can you do it for any less?
I can do it for 20. Special deal today.
What about just for today, £18? Yes. Please. Be kind. Go on, then.
The sun's shining. Go on, then, yeah. OK.
That's lovely. Yeah. OK. Whoa! Thank you.
It's beautiful. Thank you. Whoa! Wowzie!
Wowzie indeed! We'll see if that marcasite spider
Weaves its way to a profit later in the show.
Right, let's take a break from the shopping
To learn about a very cute and popular pet,
Which has inspired some highly collectable antiques.
Is there anything more adorable than a fluffy bunny?
They may come after cats and dogs In the pet popularity stakes,
But these charming creatures always find a way
To hop into our hearts.
But which bunny is the most famous of them all?
Could it be the White Rabbit from Alice In Wonderland?
Or good old Bugs Bunny?
What about Peter Rabbit?
Well, world-renowned toy and bunny expert
Daniel Agnew has his own view.
More on that later. But first,
I want to hear about his remarkable rabbit collection.
I think, you know, most people can sort of relate to them.
You know, lots of people had A pet bunny or rabbit as a child.
And, you know, they're a very appealing, cute animal
And they just come in all different shapes
And sizes in the toy world.
Which is your earliest rabbit example?
Well, it's not just one. There's a little family of them
Down the front here, and they're By Steiff, the German maker.
Founded in 1880, Steiff is famous For its trademark ear buttons.
And these are a velveteen family, And most of them have got their
Little Steiff buttons.
And they're about 1906, 1907,
And they're in very good condition.
And they actually originally would have been bright white,
But they just sort of age over time,
And you can't really clean velvet very easily.
So that set's probably worth sort of £2,000, £3,000. Really?
From early survivors of soft toy making
To examples that shine a light on our social history...
One of the rarest is perhaps this
Second World War gas mask case, which has the slightly
Scary rubber gas mask in front of it.
But on the case which it goes in has a lovely rabbit.
This is made by the famous English company, Farnell. Yes.
Yes, that's really quite rare.
You see them with teddy bears and dogs on the front,
But that's the only rabbit I've seen.
And that's probably worth about £1,000.
And I suppose that's one of the Appeals of rabbits, isn't it?
As a pet, as a sort of a comforter in a way?
Well, I think so, yeah. Very much so.
You know, they would have been more comfortable
About carrying it around.
Because it had my rabbit with it. Yes, exactly.
My rabbit was looking after my gas mask. Yes.
You know, anything that ties into,
You know, the wars, the First, Second World War,
You know, has a real sort of poignance to it.
Absolutely.
There are some familiar furry faces at this table,
But when it comes to collectable bunnies,
There's one that has a special place in Daniel's heart.
There's one name, isn't there... Yes, there is.
Really, that is like the Hollywood of rabbits. Yes.
And that's got to be Peter Rabbit. Yes.
And that's, I've got my Peter Rabbit here,
Which is a very rare Steiff one.
Now, hang on a second. That's not Peter Rabbit.
He's wearing a red jacket.
Peter Rabbit wore a blue jacket. He did indeed.
Yes, but Steiff actually didn't have permission to make him.
They did apply to Beatrix Potter And said, could they make it?
And sent her examples, but she didn't like it at all.
I think it's actually quite a Good representation. It's charming.
So Beatrix Potter actually went on to make her own,
But we've never seen one of those, Whereas this one is from about 1907
And in really good condition for its age.
And the last one of those I sold made £6,000.
So that's perhaps my most valuable rabbit.
Wow! That's a huge amount of money.
Well, it is, yes.
And the best bit about that, it didn't cost me anything.
Why did it not cost anything?
Well, because my mum bought it in a big job lot years ago.
I don't tend to tell her how much it's worth these days.
She might ask for it back!
Daniel has dedicated his life
To bringing together this adorable lot.
So what advice does he have for a budding bunny collector?
You want to aim for early. You know, the earlier,
Generally, the earlier, the more valuable.
But then I think a big thing for collectors is condition.
So, you know, the better condition, Particularly if it's something
That's almost 100 or over 100 years old,
The better condition, the more valuable it's going to be.
And it's like all toys, it's slightly sad,
But the ones that haven't really been played with much
Are the ones that are more valuable.
Which seems so sad somehow, doesn't it?
Well, a little bit, yes. And talk to me about labels
Because this little chap's still got his label on here.
Yes. Well, I'm quite obsessed with labels,
Particularly card labels,
Which were designed just to be ripped off straight away.
So this one is a Master Bunny by Farnell,
And he's got this little tag there, and this little tag
Makes him worth twice as much money, you know?
So, you know, he's a £200 rabbit, But now sort of £500 rabbit
Because he's got that little card tag.
Really makes that much of a difference?
Yes, certainly, you know, with something rare like that.
And because it identifies it as well, you know,
That's really important.
Daniel, what is it about bunnies
That keeps you collecting them after all these years?
Well, I think it's that warmth, that fluffy bunny,
You know, that sort of lovely, Charming character that you can
Relate to from your childhood. It's just such a lovely,
Soft and gentle thing to collect, really.
A perfect reminder of why we love our pets,
Real or otherwise, isn't it? Daniel, thank you so much
For bringing along this wonderful collection.
It's been such a joy to see it. My pleasure.
Right, let's hop back to our teams.
We're off to Peterborough next, And a shy and retiring Blue team.
I'm David. I'm Merryn.
And we're in it to win it. And to bag a bargain.
That's the name of the game.
David and Merryn, hello!
This confident couple are paired with expert Kate Bliss.
Now, could this strike the right note?
Merryn, what do you think of this? It's nice. Is it a gramophone?
Yeah. We need to ask Kate about this.
Yeah, I mean, a lot of people like these
As lovely, fun, vintage things.
I think in reality, they're tricky to get
The quality of the playing,
But I've just asked the stallholder actually, £30.
What do you think, Merryn? You're being very quiet.
Er, no. I think it's really nice.
And I think there is a market, isn't there,
For that vintage, retro kind of look at the moment.
I don't know enough about it to say
Whether that is a good quality one or not.
Is it a leather case?
No, it's kind of leatherette I would say. Yeah.
And it's a bit scuffed, isn't it, on the corner.
It's a bit scuffed. I mean, £30.
It's not a lot of money, is it?
But in my experience, if people Are buying them, they're buying them
To use and they want one that's, you know,
Sufficient quality, that it's going to play properly.
And possibly they want a free standing one rather than
Just a little portable table top one.
Yeah. But, you know, £30 is not huge.
At auction, if the right person isn't there,
Again, it might struggle a bit, I'm afraid.
But, hey, it is a lovely vintage item, isn't it?
Wouldn't it be great if it was on legs?
Well, what about this then, David? It has four.
It's just a bit of a wild card.
You know, I've seen them go for 60, 80.
I've seen them go for a couple of hundred.
Got a bit of a bash there, hasn't he?
A little bit of a bash. Had a bit of a life.
This podgy porker is just one example
Of our long-standing fascination with pigs.
A niche pet with specific needs,
There are strict laws to protect them,
But over the years, pigs have had some pretty famous owners.
One of history's most famous pet pigs
Belonged to none other than Winston Churchill.
The former Prime Minister's pet pig, said to be named Bacon,
Was a beloved companion at his family home.
Churchill captured the essence of these clever animals
When he reportedly said,
"Dogs look up to you, cats look down on you,
'pigs treat us as equals.'
Back to Peterborough, then.
And Kate has a question for her team.
Do you think he'll bring home the bacon?
Oh, if he doesn't, oh, I don't know. 150.
What's your absolute rock bottom,
Considering he's been in the wars a bit?
130. 130?
Let's move on. 130. You're not happy, David?
No, no. Don't think it'll do.
It's not going to make, it won't make 130.
Have you seen these go at auction before, Kate?
Not like that. I've seen similar, yes.
Do you know what? Let's move on. Let's not make a pig's ear of it.
Come on. Oh!
Right, enough of the pig puns.
Don't muck about, Blues.
What do you think of microscopes?
Microscopes are tricky, generally speaking.
You're definitely into clocks, right? Right.
I have to say, they're not brilliant sellers.
If we see something better, then great.
If we don't, they're here.
Furniture goes, if it's the right furniture.
It's nice, but it looks che... You can tell...
You were going to say it looks cheap, weren't you?
LAUGHTER
It's make your mind up time, Blues.
Do you think the pig for £99?
Let's go and try him. Come on.
What do you think?
I think you need to use your massive charm, Merryn.
Really?
Can I just ask, would you take £99 for the piggy?
Yeah, I'll take 99. Yeah?
That's great. Thank you so much.
Great work, Merryn. We'll find out later
What the saleroom makes of that fibreglass pig.
Next up, we're heading to the village of Detling in Kent
To meet mother and daughter duo Belinda and Sanita.
But what do they want from their expert?
Someone who can put up with her.
And somebody who could put up with her.
Somebody who could put up with both of us!
Ta-dah!
Taking up the challenge is Irita Marriott.
It's pouring outside. Could this bring some shelter?
That's an Indian... Pagoda. Yeah. Something to do with praise.
What do you think? Do you like the vintage pagoda?
Oh, this is gorgeous. Feel the weight of that.
It's not the weight. I thought you wanted jewellery.
No, but you should have a look. And this is very pretty,
Don't you think? What do you think?
Um...
Can I reserve judgment? Yes.
That means no. Let's look at that. You like that?
What about this one?
Um, can I reserve judgment again?
Yes. No. Yes, let's do that.
I just don't think it's the right Thing to take to an auction.
OK, let's go then. Shall we try? Yeah.
Moving on.
Could this be the'purrfect'item for cat lover, Sanita?
I had a tabby. You had a cat? Yes.
A tabby cat with green eyes.
And this one reminds you of yours? Yes.
Well, these are very well known.
Produced since 1958 by Jenny Winstanley and her family,
These handmade ceramic cats
Are often identifiable by their glass eyes.
Each one is hand-painted, giving it A distinct colour and pattern.
Whisper it quietly in certain company,
Like little Missy here,
But cats come second in polls Of pet popularity across the UK.
They miss out on the top spot by, Well, I think you can guess.
DOG BARKS
Despite their runner-up status, there are thought to be
Nearly 11 million pet cats in the UK.
One in four British adults has one.
But will Belinda and Sanita give their Winstanley cat
A new home?
I wonder what the best price would be on that?
40. 40.
Can I ask, then, if you would do it for 39,
So we just bring it under the 40? OK.
I love it. Are you happy with that? Do you love it?
Yes. Do you think it's worth it?
If you love it, that's all that matters.
I think we should go for it. Yeah?
Thank you so much. Thank you.
The cat's in the bag.
We'll see how the moggy gets on at auction later.
But first, it's time to meet our final team.
Father and son-in-law Pete and Asif,
Who are good to go in Guildford.
But who will be guiding them?
You've got me. Hello! Hello!
So with Raj Bisram by their side,
The team soon finds something unusual.
What's this? That is an Indian stem holder.
If you hold it up, look at the bottom.
Wow!
It's flat at the bottom, But all the stem holders are intact.
I'm fascinated by things I've never seen before.
It's quite good condition. What's the price on it?
It's 35.
What do you think, Raj? What's your experience saying?
I think if most of us didn't know what it is,
I think that that's going To create a problem at the auction.
I think people might buy it for the novelty value,
But again, it's too cheap.
That's absolutely not a problem.
I can just triple the price! Oh, wow!
We'll come back in ten minutes when it's around 200.
Yeah. There you go. Thank you very much.
Time to walk away, guys.
Could a hound bring in a few pounds?
Yeah, I quite like the dog.
All right. Yeah.
Well, that's 275. It's concrete.
1950s. Yeah. 1950s? Yeah.
What's the very, very, very best on it? 270.
Oh, no.
That clipped your wings.
Speaking of which...
What about an unusual clock?
One dial does the minutes and then the top does the hours.
I think it's that way round.
And the little bird ticks as it moves.
That's very unusual. And that does work.
I had that working for probably 24 hours.
This pretty little bird cage is An iconic example of an automaton.
These self-operating mechanical devices that bring animals
And humans to life have been popular for centuries.
This is a modern example, but way back in the 1700s,
Long before batteries were even a thing,
Craftsmen in Europe built clockwork pets
That wagged their tail and mechanical birds that sang.
Perhaps the most famous of All automatons is the Silver Swan.
Built in London in 1773,
Its complex system of clockwork gears and levers
Made the swan glide,
Turn its head and catch fish, proving science
And craftsmanship could imitate nature.
So does the Reds'bird cage automaton have wings?
I had 120 on it, but the absolute death on it is 80 quid.
It is very, very different. Very unusual.
I like it. I would, I would buy it myself if I could. Right.
If you both like it... Would you Take 75? I would. We have a deal.
I think you should shake the lady's hand.
Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you very much, madam.
Thank you. Amazing.
A good deal, but still not'cheep'.
We'll see how the automaton and all the other
Buys fare at auction shortly.
But before that, Eric's off to see a man about a dog.
The story begins in 1884, when a man
Called Mark Barraud brought home a puppy to his family.
They called him Nipper.
Nipper had a happy life in his new home until...
Mark died suddenly.
With no means of support, his widow Was forced to split up the family.
Nipper was homeless.
But then, Mark's brother Francis came to the rescue
And took Nipper in.
Up-and-coming artist Francis took
A photograph of Nipper to advertise his studio,
But it was his decision to paint him
In a portrait which made Nipper world famous.
I'm meeting up with Nipper fan
And cartoonist Patrick Blower to find out more.
Patrick, I mean, you are an artist,
So what is your opinion of this painting?
The stroke of genius in the painting is the way,
When you look at the painting,
The dog's head is ever so slightly tilted,
Which gives it this extra quizzical look.
This is an intelligent dog trying to figure it out.
I think that really conveys a real feeling
And a moment in a story.
The painting caught the attention of the Gramophone Company,
Who bought the picture and the copyright for £100.
Francis then repainted it
With their gramophone instead of the original phonograph.
This iconic image, and the title His Master's Voice,
Were adopted as the company's logo and trademark.
By now, Nipper had died, but the company still wanted to use
The dog and gramophone to promote their brand.
They needed a solution,
As curator of the EMI Archive Trust, Joanna Hughes explains.
When he became this huge icon,
The company then had to find a replacement for Nipper.
I have something which is probably One of the earliest versions of
Advertising by the Gramophone Company.
It's a Mutoscope made out
Of 700 individual framed photographs.
The Nipper replacement is not as well behaved as our Nipper.
What is it they say,"Don't work with animals and children"?
JOANNA
Back to the present day, and Kingston's most famous dog
Is now finally on the map,
Thanks to a campaign by Patrick and his friends
To rename a spot near his final resting place Nipper Alley.
There can't be many dogs that have had a road,
An avenue, or, in this case, an alley named after them.
I don't think there are, Eric.
It just goes to show, every dog has his day.
Ah, Nipper. Right. It's time to find out how our
Teams'pet-related purchases get on at auction.
First up, Natasha is off to Canterbury to see what auctioneer
Cliona Kilroy makes of that cast iron dog.
I think this has got some age.
I do think it is probably late 19th century.
I quite like the quality of the casting.
I think the subject is a good one and will appeal to a lot,
And I would have thought, at Auction, that that's probably going
To be about £100 to £150. OK,
That would be very exciting because they only paid 60.
Brilliant. This could'fetch'a healthy profit.
Lot number 62 is the late 19th century, cast iron
Standing figure of the retriever, starting at £90.
90, we have here on commission now and I'm looking for 100.
Ooh! You only paid 60? Yes! We're back in profit.
120, 130. Two bidders online. Up to £130.
Yes! This was your choice! This was your choice! 150.
Back to you online, should you wish to bid.
I have 150. 160? £150... It's all go.
Is there anybody else in the room wanting to come in at 160?
Are we all done at 150? 160. Fresh bid.
Oh, yes! Two bidders on here still. 160, 170.
£170 the bid is now. Selling then at 170, if we're sure.
GAVEL BANGS Ladies... Yes!
£170. Amazing!
Wow! What a result!
When it comes to pets, all bets are off.
It's lovely. I mean, Lalique is So well collected and so well loved.
This is a post-war piece based on The original pre-war example there.
It's in nice condition,
Which does make all the difference as well.
We've placed an estimate on this of £100 to £200.
Well, they paid £89. OK. That's good.
I'm sure we can'reel'in some bidders for you.
Excellent!
Here's hoping it goes swimmingly.
Start me off at £100.
100, 130, 140.
150 I'm bid on my screen now.
Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa!
At 150 then. Fair warning and away. GAVEL BANGS
Oh, excellent. Thanks very much. Guys! Well done! Yo, yo, yo! OK.
£61 profit.
Great result.
The worldwide appeal of Lalique
Meant the bidders were happy To splash out on the little fish.
Next, it's the spider brooch.
What does auctioneer Charles Hanson think of it?
I'm not a big spider man. I don't like creepy crawlies,
And obviously it's quite lifelike in its cast form.
It has got some age.'50s, silver, a lovely marcasite body.
Estimate, Charlie? Anita, we've gone in quite strong
Because we do have spider fans.
Between £40 and £60.
Well, they only paid £18, Charlie.
There'll be a web of buyers out there,
You know, online as well. Might creep into profit there.
Exactly. You spin your wonderful web.
Exactly, Anita!
So, are there any fans of creepy crawlies in the saleroom?
Thank you to a buyer in Japan. You've bid £35.
Straight in! Wow! Hello, Japan!
38, 40, 42, 45, 48, 50.
Five. Five. In Japan, 60. 65 and 70.
Come on, Japan. £70.
Five.
Five I am bid. 80 online. Oh!
80. 85. Look at me. Look at me, madam. Are you sure?
I will take... 85 bid, 90 online.
You're out in the world. Fantastic!
90 online. Five. Online, please, 100.
We are live in the room.
Come on, Japan! Please! On the second row at £95.
I'm calling it.
We say going, going at £95...
95! That's a profit of 77.
Another item with international appeal.
What a profit!
Three down, three to go.
And while we take a break from the auction,
Charlie's finding out more about A curious canine collection.
For thousands of years, dogs have been by our side
And remarkably, it's the different Types of collars they've worn over
The years that can help us chart
Man's relationship with his canine friend.
It's not often that you come across A collection of dog collars,
But here at Leeds Castle in Kent, That's exactly what they've got.
There are now over 100 in the castle's collection,
With more than half donated
By art dealers John and Gertrude Hunt in the 1970s.
To find out more about these items,
I'm meeting Leeds Castle curator Annie Kemkaran-Smith.
Well, Annie, you've got an extraordinary collection
Of dog collars here.
Some of them are really rather scary, aren't they?
But there's a reason for that, isn't there? There is indeed.
So, this one here that we're looking at,
This is an early 16th century collar.
The reason it looks so scary is
Because dogs at this period, they were used for hunting.
They were literally utility items. So when they were
Hunting these wild boars in the Forests of Germany, for example,
They had to be protected in case That wild animal turned on them.
May I handle it? Absolutely.
It's pretty weighty too, isn't it? It is, it's very heavy,
So you can imagine the size of The dog that would be wearing that,
Not simply because of the circumference of it,
But the actual weight, it needed to have a very,
Very strong neck to hold the weight of it too. Yeah.
So to own hunting dogs of this size, Obviously they needed feeding.
So it's a person of some considerable wealth
To even own hunting dogs.
And of course, during this period,
During the 16th century, to have hunting rights on land,
It would have to be a lord of the manor of some description.
It's working dogs, weren't they? Yes, indeed.
So, this is 16th century, as I said.
And absolutely the dog was a tool, it was used.
We move on to the 17th century here
And you can immediately see there's a difference.
It's much more decorative.
It's made out of a more precious metal,
Much more fancy and much more luxurious.
So this one here, this is
A beautiful Italian collar... Gosh! With brass openwork.
It's got these coats of arms on it, this family crest,
Which shows, to me, that it became part of the family
And was a valued item.
That's an extraordinary statement, isn't it?
Of status and of wealth. Absolutely. It would have been a very big dog,
A very intimidating dog. Yes. And perhaps even a guard dog. Right.
So someone that would greet any visitors
And make sure that those visitors Knew they were being watched
And I certainly wouldn't want To mess with a dog of that size.
No. And when did dogs become, I suppose, pets?
I see it as changing in the early 18th century.
You can see this in the portraits of the day, the fact
That the lapdogs were included in The portraits with their owners.
Yes! And I think that really shows the shift in
Considering these animals,
Not just as tools, not as hunting dogs, not as guard dogs.
Members of the family. Members of the family,
Just as they are today.
And you can really see that throughout the Georgian period,
Moving into the 19th century and the Victorian period,
They really do become members of the family. Yeah.
We've got two others here, which Seem to have got padlocks on.
They have indeed. So these two, we've got this very,
Very small one here, which is 18th century.
So you can see here this beautiful padlock as well
And this was to prove ownership.
So because dogs were a valuable item to own,
But also had become much part of the family,
A much-loved part of the family,
This was so that only the owner had the key.
So if there was ever any question about
Who owned that dog, the person with the key
Could unlock it and prove their ownership.
Annie, thank you so much. It's a fascinating collection.
Right. Let's return to our teams'buys.
We're off to Lichfield next, to see what auctioneer
Richard Winterton makes of that fibreglass piggy.
It's obviously, I think, going To be a garden sort of ornament.
Oh, do you think?
What else do you think? You can't Have it in your house, surely!
I don't know! LAUGHTER
So on that basis, I think we'll go 30 to 40 on it.
£30 to £40. OK. It was their big spend.
OK. OK. Are you ready? No. Come on.
£99 paid. Oh! Oh, but come on!
It's quite weird and wacky and wonderful, isn't it?
£99, though. Do you think it might get there? No. Oh!
No. No, no, no.
There's not even a glimmer of hope in your eyes there.
No. No. I hope I'm proved wrong!
Richard doesn't rate it, but will the bidders?
Right. Anticipation.
Are we ready for this?
I'm going to start at £30.
£30. 40. 50. 60. 70.
80. 90. 100.
Boom! Boom, boom, boom, boom! £100.
110, 120, 130, 140,
150, 160, 170, 180,
190. £200.
220. Oh, my goodness! Telephone at 220.
Amazing! 220. 240!
Internet's come back in. 240. All finished?
Sold. £240! Sold! 240.
Yes! Well done!
I just want to...
I just want to oink! HE OINKS
Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant. I can't believe that. I mean,
Seriously. I don't know what I know any more.
THEY
So that is a £141 profit.
Astonishing!
They say that novelty sells and this was one profitable pig.
It's the Reds'Winstanley cat next
And Roo is checking in with auctioneer Hugo Lemon.
It's classic of that Winstanley cat.
I think, with the signature underneath,
They're always quite popular.
These usually make between £30 and £40.
OK. Well, they spent £39 on this,
So we want someone to buy with their heart, don't we?
Yes, that's right. A cat lover.
Roo likes it, but will the saleroom?
£40 to start.
30. THEY
25. 25, 27 and 30 now I'm bid.
30 I'm bid and two,
32, 35 on commission. At 35 now, 37 I have.
40 I'll take. £40 I'm bid.
Yes! Thank you. 40, and 2? You're in profit. 42 now.
42 I'm bid. Oh, my gosh! £42, then, at 42.
You all done at 42?
GAVEL BANGS Yes!
Fabulous! Nice work, Reds. It's a nice £3 profit.
Ooh! Close! But a profit's a profit.
Finally, it's over to Southsea and auctioneer John Cameron.
What does he make of the automaton bird cage?
And still novel. You know, we do see them from time to time.
It is in working order and there Is a real charm to them, I think.
And again, we've said £40 to £60.
£75 paid.
OK. So they're not a million miles away. Not really.
And it's the sort of thing that will run away a little bit.
So, will it charm the bidders?
Lovely little thing.
Who'll start me at £40 for it? Cheap as anything.
Got to be worth that and some. £40 somewhere?
£40 there. £40 there. Two anywhere else?
Seems cheap. 42 there. 45 there.
48 then? Come on! £48 there.
50 in the room. I've got 50 in the room.
Five anywhere? 55 here. 60? £60 there.
£60 there. 65 anywhere? 65. 65.
70 there. £70.
One more. 75.
Selling in the room, then, at £70. Five if you like.
At £70. 75 there. 80, sir?
80 there. £80.
Brilliant! Still not a lot of Money. Are we done there at £80?
Come on. Selling at 80. 85 now.
85 we've got. It's so good! 90 anywhere? At £85.
90 can we say? Last chance. It's £85 online.
90 can we say? At £85, then...
GAVEL BANGS
THEY CHEER
You've just sold it for 85. £10-worth of profit.
A tidy tenner to end our auctions, But where did our team's items rank?
Time for our chart countdown.
In at number six is the Winstanley cat.
Yes! Fabulous!
It clawed a modest £3 profit. Meow!
At number five is the automaton bird cage.
THEY CHEER
Not exactly a nest egg, but it made £10 all the same.
In at number four is the little Lalique fish.
Oh, excellent. Yo, yo, yo!
Not the catch of the day,
Even with a £61 profit.
Into the top three,
And at number three is the spider brooch...
Wow! Hello, Japan! THEY CHEER
Creeping up the leaderboard with a £77 profit.
At number two,
Standing proudly on the podium is the cast iron retriever...
Ladies... Yes!
Fetching a £110 profit.
DOG BARKING Good boy!
And taking the top spot at number one
Is the fibreglass pig.
Sold! 240! Well done!
This beauty hogged all the attention
With a £141 profit.
OINKING
Well, it's time for us to head home
From our whirlwind walk through the world of pets.
Hopefully we've helped you sniff out a bargain or two,
Which might see you
Unearth some tail-wagging treasures of your own.
Don't forget to follow us on social media,
And be sure to join us again soon For some more bargain-hunting.
Yes? ALL: Yes!