Original subtitles

NARRATOR: On Salvage Hunters,

a relic from the age of the steamboat

run aground in a former stable...

It's lovely.Absolutely. It's a good thing. It's a gem.

...a squabble in a Welsh prop house...

Look at this lovely little... It's rubbish.

Look... I'm not talking about this. It's rubbish.

...and irresistible attractions at the fairground.

I bought more stools, and...

There's still some left out there, that you don't own.(LAUGHS)

Drew Pritchard is one of Britain's leading

antique and decorative salvage dealers.

It's a great-looking thing, isn't it? Fab thing.

Joined on the road by queen of the haggle and quick flip,

Viki Knott...

£275, the lot?Yeah. Yeah, I'll take them.

...and lover of all things weathered and wonderful,

Alister Dryburgh...

Just needs a load of cleaning. You clean it, I'll sell it.

Can we do it the other way around? (BOTH LAUGHING)

...Drew is sharing the knowledge... What are those over there, Drew?

They're great little milk carts. ...and expertise...

Three-step Angelpoise, rare as hell.

God, it's an education already.

...he's gained over the past three decades...

It'd have to be a really "buy me now" price,

but I don't think it will be. £550, Drew.

(ALL LAUGHING)

Today, we're off to Ripley Castle antique fair.Yep.

Hasn't been going very long, but it's a really nice event.

Very friendly, very, er, easy to navigate.

Doesn't start ridiculously early.

But do you know what?

It doesn't matter what type of fair you go to,

whether it's a wee one

or it's a huge, big, massive trade one,

you have absolutely no idea

what anybody's gonna pull off the back of the van.

When budgets are tight,

destinations that offer multiple sellers

are one way to get the van filled.

So, today, Drew and Viki are heading 160 miles northeast,

towards Harrogate, and a giant antiques fair

which could be their perfect one-stop shop.

You know, we're being very laid back

as we drive up here. It's daylight, so yes.Yeah.

Normally, we're, like, in the back of the van,

freezing at 4 o'clock in the morning.Yes.

Waiting at a queue.Antique fairs have changed dramatically

since we started going. It's a different...It's not...

It's not... It's not the old days.

It's not down and dirty.No.

This is a different way of doing fairs,

and, in some ways, it's a bit nicer.

You know, they start four hours later.

And there's clean toilets

and food that isn't gonna make you sick, so it's great.

(CHUCKLING)

Twice a year, the grounds of the 14th-century Ripley Castle

host an extraordinary celebration of decorative antiques,

with around 100 sellers offering everything

from garden sculptures to carpets to industrial lighting.

I like this fair, and the weather's good.The weather's great.

It, kind of, feels

a bit holiday-ish, don't you think?

It is.It's got like... It's nice.Yeah.

It's gorgeous.It's lovely.

One of my favourite fairs. It's a really nice, fun, gentle,

family, decorative antiques fair.

It's just a nice environment, you know?

And we got this great weather, which just helps, doesn't it?

It really, really does. I love it.

He's great, isn't he? He's really good.

Ripley Castle fair.

I cannot wait to get stuck in about it

and see what is available for me today.

Today is a trade day,

so it actually opens at 12 o'clock.

So, it's quite good, 'cause you kinda get in early

before the public, over the weekend.

However, there's queues outside.

You know, they open the gates, it's like a cattle market.

Everybody just makes a run for it.

So, you know, sharpened elbows and all that.

That's how I feel some days.

That's how you look.Yeah. (LAUGHS)

What about that coffee table? Oh, I like that.

You know, we're not even in the gate five minutes,

and, already, I've spotted this big...

I don't really wanna use the word "brutalist",

but it's a big, chunky, oak coffee table.

It's just got the best look.

Great size, statement piece.

Oh, just brilliant.

It's got a good look, eh?

Right. Looks great for the money.

I quite like these stools, as well.

Ooh, God, they're nice. If you don't, I will.

What do you think? The coffee table?Yeah.

What do you need for the coffee table?

Er, £95.£95.

And what about the little stools that Drew's picked up?

Er, £150 would be the best.

£150.Is that for the pair? For the pair, yeah.

Any more wriggle room on them?

£240.

£240?Yeah.

Yeah, I'll take them.Cool.

Thank you.Thank you. Cheers. Brilliant.

Very nice. Love these.

Good, aren't they?Superb.

Absolutely cracking.

They're really good.Really nice.

When I was looking at the coffee table,

I spotted this stool, so, right away,

I'm thinking, "Good, let's get a wee deal going. The two together."

And I'm literally in the... I'm in the gate five minutes.

These have always been over-painted a bit, but...

True, they'd been overstuffed when I got them.

Hmm, on the side there.

...the original rails, so I didn't...

Yeah, you did the right thing. Yeah.There's a pair of...

I think the Ford Madox Brown designed chairs, side chairs.

Everybody calls them Morris chairs, Liberty chairs, or Sussex chairs.

They're all a variation on a theme, basically, retail through Liberty.

These, on first inspection, looked quite tatty.

But the reality is, they're just very original.

Constructed using traditional handcrafts,

the poised turned frame and woven rush seats

of what William Morris' design company

named the Sussex chair,

became hugely popular in the late 19th century.

And the style is considered an icon of the Arts and Crafts movement.

These examples, with ebonised timber frames,

were designed by the British Pre-Raphaelite artist,

Ford Madox Brown,

and, after careful restoration,

Drew thinks they could be worth around £350.

I never know if things are too small, 'cause I'm really small.

Yeah, but they're amazing bedside tables.Hmm.

Put a book on them. They're great.

How much were they?£120, about.

Yeah.

I'll take those.

And, I mean, that's why you should come to antique fairs.

£120. Cracking pair of chairs.

Gonna last you forever. Super cool.

These work, you know, as all good design does,

in any environment. So, we're onto a winner.

There's quite a few nice wee pots here.

That's great, I like that one. It's good.

Oh, look at the light on that. There's that one there,

in a wee stand. Okay, how much are these?

WOMAN: Best on that is £45.

Erm, £35, £35, and £35. Three.

And what about that one...£45.

£45?Yeah.On the stand?

Stand.What about... Oh, the big......that one?

Yeah, there's a big... Yeah, that one, £80.

I think they're good as a little group.

There's an amazing lady here today

who's just literally come back from France.

I swear, she is taking

the goodies out of French boxes.

That's how fresh this stock is.

Right away, saw a few copper and brass pots,

and they are exactly what I'm looking for.

Now, what I love about a copper and a brass pot

is you can use them all around the house.

You can have them at the side for kindling,

you know, for the fireplace. You can have them anywhere.

£275, I've got. Is that right? £275, right.

Yeah. £275, the lot?Yeah. Yeah, I'll take them.

Yeah?Perfect.Brilliant. Thank you very much.

Again, trade prices. You know, she didn't wanna muck about.

There was no deal to be done, really.

I just gave her the £275

for all the job lot. Perfect.

Can I ask about these?

They're French. Art Nouveau period.

What are they made from?I think they're, sort of, like a metal.

And then, they're brass-coated on top.

You know, those thin sheets of brass that they would put over?

I quite like them. They've got a good shape to them.

They have a nice look about them as well,

especially having dragons on them.

Any movement on the £50?

£40.£40? For the pair? Yep.Yeah, I'll take 'em.

Brilliant.Thank you.

When I was looking at the copper, there was a pair of vases

sitting on her table at the very back.

They've got a little bit of a, kind of,

Aesthetic Movement stroke Art Nouveau.

They're period, they've not been messed about.

She said £40. Shook on it.

Deal done. Oh, my God, they're great.

Have you got any history on it? No. I just eyeballed it

and I've just left it as it is, original.

You did exactly the right thing, not doing anything to it.

Been cut down a bit.It's lost a bit of height, and needs to stretch...

The upholstery, actually, I quite like the upholstery.

Leave it as is?Yeah.

It's great, and you did... Can't tell you enough,

just leaving it alone is absolutely the best thing. Well done.

So, we're, em, wandering about, and I was, like,

I couldn't believe my eyes, like, "Bang, look at that."

18th-century Scottish laburnum armchair.

Yes.

Known for its exceptional sheen, or lustre,

the almost-black heartwood of the native laburnum tree

was widely used by Scottish furniture makers

from around the mid-18th century.

And, traditionally, it was also the material

for the wooden components of the bagpipes.

Because of the durable, hard timber,

this chair's camelback frame,

although damaged, is still intact.

And, with some restoration,

Drew thinks it could be worth around £500.

What are you asking for this? £170.£170.

Dealers love nothing more than a location

that can provide a large variety of items at great prices,

and nowhere does that better than an antiques fair.

Yeah. £275, the lot?Yeah. Yeah, I'll take them. Perfect.

And, at a fair just outside Harrogate,

Drew's been blown away by a laburnum wood chair

from the 18th century.

What are you asking for this? £170.£170.

£170. Thank you very much.Cheers.

Not gonna knock you on that.

Hell of a state. I mean, it's had a hard life.

Like somebody put a bomb in it, it's blown up.

All original, but very scruffy. I equate it to having a car

that you've kept going for years, for no money,

and had bodged repairs all over it.

But nothing that isn't fixable.

The excitement, for me, is where it's at now.

We can take that, you know, and make something of it.

And a rare little beastie.

There's a stand here. This thing here.

This one.

This thing.Yep.

That's all right, isn't it?

Basic, but I like the look of it. Great marble.

Where'd you get it from? France. Normandy.

That's great. It looks English, doesn't it?

To be honest, this is what we find with Normandy.

There's a lot of things that are very English-looking.

I just see this little marble-top washstand,

and I'm like, just everything, all my senses go, "Look at that."

And it's only small, really good black-and-white fossil marble

on the top, and the splashback as well.

Oak throughout, single drawer to the frieze,

erm, a belt.

How much is it?Erm...

Absolute best trade on it is £120.

I'll shake your hand. Thank you very much.Yeah?

Yeah.Thank you.Thank you.

(DOGS BARKING) Ooh, hello. Even the dogs approve.

Yeah.I say to the fella, "How much is that?"

"120 quid." Well, I could've bit his hand off.

Bang. There's money all day long, and something I love.

In the 19th century, new ideals of personal cleanliness

led to an increase in attention to the humble washstand.

This late 19th-century example

is made from high-quality French oak,

with skilfully turned legs, towel rails,

and a shelf for water jugs and soap.

The black-and-white tones of the fossil marble-top

creates a striking modern effect.

And, as a side table or kitchen worktop,

Drew reckons it could be worth around £300.

Love that. Thank you very much. No problem.

Happy with that. Right, let's give you some money.

I have now been standing antique fairs

and going to antique fairs for exactly 30 years

as a self-employed, independent antique dealer.

And I still love it. And I bought great things.

Me and Viki had a right laugh

in between her buying half the place.

Just a really good day, a cracking day.

I think, today, the girl done well.

I filled my van, which is what I wanted to do,

and every single item I've bought,

I'm absolutely delighted with.

There's been no wrong buys today.

So, yeah, I need a pat on the back.

Right, my darlin', look what I got us.Aw.

(GASPS)Look at those cakes.

Oh, yeah. Oh, thank you very much.

I know it's not really the weather for tea,

but we had to have it with the cake. This is topping off a very good day.

It's been amazing, eh? It's been a good day.

Do you know the little marble-top washstand we got?

I love that. 120 quid.

It's really sweet. I think, buy of the day,

it's that little 18th-century laburnum chair.

They were made into the 19th century as well.

That one is an 18th century one. Yeah, it is.

I know what my buy of the day is, without...Hmm.

It's, leaps and bounds, the coffee table.

It's a bit good, isn't it? Yeah, it's got a great look.

Good size. And I bought more stools.

Yeah? (CHUCKLES)Er... And...

There's still some left out there, that you don't own.(LAUGHS)

A giant haul from a single location is a great start to the week.

Today, Drew's hoping to keep up the pace

with a 160-mile drive to Worcester,

to visit a dealer whose business name

promises top buying.

We're off to meet Caroline,

who runs Fabulous Finds from her house.

Any dealer who deals from home, you always wanna have a look.

Yeah.I mean, just for the sake of, like,

poking around people's lovely house, isn't it?

I know. And you know what? You never know what you'll find.

Well, she's just up the road here.

We are in the middle of the countryside.

Beautiful English countryside on the Welsh Marches,

so we will see.

Due to its position on the River Severn,

the town of Worcester has been an important crossroads

for traders, as far back as Roman times.

Today, just a few miles upstream from the town centre,

an extraordinary hoard of antiques treasures

has found its way here.

Fabulous Finds is the collection of former racehorse trainer,

Caroline Howard.

CAROLINE: I started off with a shop

in a little village near Stratford-upon-Avon,

and I was there for about eight years.

And then, we bought this house,

and I decided, "Oh, I didn't really like the commuting,"

so I moved the whole business here.

It's lovely when people come to have a look at an object

they've maybe seen online, and they want to come see it.

And they can see it in situ, so, either in the living room

or in the kitchen, or wherever the piece should go.

It's really good for them to come and see that.

So, I've got Georgian pieces, which I love,

but my favourite pieces are Arts and Crafts.

I'm really excited about Drew and Viki coming today

because however much you enjoy

selling things and collecting things,

it's always nice to get somebody else's opinion,

erm, so it would be really interesting

to see what they think about the items that I have.

Hello.Hello, Caroline? Yes.Drew. How you doing?

Nice to meet you. Viki. Hiya.Hi, Viki.

Come on in.Thank you.

Ooh. Nice.

Thank you.Seeing things straightaway. Love this.

That's an unusual size. Sorry to dive straight in.

No. That's fine.That's really unusual. That's a weird one.

It fits just perfectly there. Just there.Yeah. (LAUGHS)

Right. So, obviously, you're dealing from home.

Yes, I am.So, erm, show us what you're doing.

Perfect. Follow me.

Okay, let me show you through into the living room.Ladies first.

Lovely house.Thank you very much.

Love it.Thank you. Got a real Arts and Crafts feel.

It's just a period that I really enjoyed,

and I just love, yeah, the furniture.

There's something really honest about it.Yeah.And beautiful, yeah.

So, I mean, how long have you been doing this for?

So, I start... I opened a shop in about 2011.

So, what was your background before that?

Nothing to do with antiques. I worked in, erm,

racing, horse racing, for about 25 years.

Really?Yep. I was a Work Rider.

Really?Yeah. Exercising the racehorses

for years and years. Yep. (CHUCKLES)

And then, got to a stage where, falling off,

was becoming a little bit more dangerous.

So, I thought I'd better, you know, find another...

Exactly, yeah.Yeah. Never met Caroline before.

Haven't looked at anything she's done,

so it's completely fresh. Not seen anything,

not met, not looked.

Huge Arts and Crafts, Aesthetic Movement,

slightly into Modernism,

a touch of Nouveau.

And that's an area which I really love.

Right, I'll show you through into the office.

Every room's got an amazing view.

Thank you. Yeah, we're really lucky.

What about those boxes? They're fun. Yeah, I was looking at them.

What's in those? There's nothing in them.

But they were used... They came from a factory, I think,

that closed down, there were a jewellery-making factory,

I think.Okay.I love the font.

Whoever's done that wonderful,

very Arts and Craftsy font. Yes. Yeah.Yeah.

How much are they, Caroline?

Erm, do 'em for £15 each?

Well, I'll definitely take them. Thank you.

Done.Thank you very much. Very nice. They're great.

They have these amazing, old,

original stickers on the front,

with all... You know, hand-done.

There's little diagrams on them,

and all the font's been done beautifully.

They're just so tactile,

beautiful, got a bit of history about them.

But the best thing is, they're dead practical as well,

so you can use them. So, what's that, there?

These, love these things.

The best one I ever bought, I bought in Paris.

Would they be used in the jewellery makers?

That's what I've used it for,

is for looking at a bit of jewellery or something.

Right, yeah.For the hallmarks.

Yeah. No, they're interesting little things.

There's this little, scientific-y looking stand,

bronze base, gilt bronze,

and the support, with a pressure slide on there.

So, you can move the magnifying lens up and down on there,

and the only thing holding it is,

there's a slight angle to it, which keeps it from moving.

I love these things. I find them fascinating.

There's something in the hallway

that I wanna talk to you about as well.Okay. Certainly.

That.Yeah.

I absolutely adore that.

I just like it. Sucker for this type of thing.Yeah.

There's a... Almost pure Aesthetic Movement

side cabinet. And it's great.

It's really nice. Completely untouched.

The door makes it. It's got this spinning roundel in the centre,

surrounded by this, sort of,

Anglo-Chinese-Japanese framework. Lovely.

This cabinet is typical of late 19th-century

British Aesthetic Movement makers,

who were strongly influenced by Japanese design,

and who wanted furniture to be more like art,

to counteract the ugliness and materialism

of the Industrial Age.

Though it will need some restoration,

Drew thinks this well-preserved example

could be worth up to £450.

Roughly, ballpark.£150.

And what were you thinking about that little magnifying thing?

Can you do £150, including the magnifying thing?

Whoo.

That's quite a push, isn't it? Ouch.Ouch.That is an ouch.

£175.

Do £180, I think we've got a deal. Fine. Of course.

Thanks very much.Thank you. Thank you.That's lovely.

That's a good deal. It's not setting the world on fire,

we're not making fortunes, but I've got something nice.

And I've always been a massive fan of the Aesthetic Movement.

This weird, crazy, lunatic fringe

of the Arts and Crafts world, which I found fascinating.

We're going up to the stables now.

Just watch your head as you're going up here,

'cause the rhododendrons

have taken over the garden, as you can see.

Wow. It's great.

I love it. So, these are the stables,

and there's quite a few more pieces in here.

Okay. It's still set out in stalls.

But in every single section,

Caroline's filled it with stuff

that's not really good enough for the house,

but good enough for us to have a proper rake.

You've not got any more of these? Unfortunately not.

That's the only one I've got. Just one?Yep.

And that...Yep.

...stool.Lovely.

And this stool.Yes.

And that stool.And that stool.

Perfect.

100 quid for the four bits.

Chair, and the three stools. What do you think?

(EXHALES) £110? Can you squeeze that, £110?

Yeah. Of course, I can.(LAUGHS)

We're not arguing over two cups of coffee.

For items like that chair and the stools,

you know, realistically, there's not a huge amount

of profit in each item.

But the thing is, to get a good price,

you put them in a wee job lot, and then, ultimately,

that means that it's worth doing the deal.

And it's all about the caning.

(CHUCKLES)Yeah, I know. That's the one thing.

I can get it done. Got a brilliant guy in Cheshire. Does it for us.

This folding reclining lounger,

they've used beautifully-figured wood.

They've used it just the right way.

The quality of manufacture is extremely high,

the form is excellent, the colour is great,

highly original. It's a gem.

This skilfully-crafted folding lounger

was probably made for the comfort

of wealthy Victorian era passengers

on a luxury ocean liner,

an elite precursor of the modern deckchair.

With careful restoration to its cane weave,

Drew thinks it could be worth around £450.

What will you sell it for?£150.

Hmm.

On the lookout for a location where they can fill the van,

Drew and Viki have been invited inside the home collection

of fellow dealer, Caroline Howard, in Worcester.

Come on in.Thank you.

Ooh. Nice.

And, in a former stable

stacked to the rafters with overflow,

Drew spotted an extraordinary lounger

from the age of ocean steamship liners.

What will you sell it for?£150.

Hmm, I think that's fine.

I think I'm probably gonna be into it for another £250.

But it's lovely.Absolutely.

It's a good thing. That's a good thing.Yeah.

If you're gonna buy one of these for yourself,

that's the one to have.

Have some little squab cushions made up for it.

Throw a blanket over it,

pour yourself a gin and tonic. Done. Belter.

It's quite a decent chair, this.

There's a chair there, and I recognise it.

I go, "Ah, Philip Webb for Morris & Co."

You can see me, sort of,

tickling away at the upholstery there.

And, unbelievably, some of the original upholstery is still...

There's remnants of it still inside.

And, er, very exciting.

It's in a bad way, all right? But it's still a great chair.

What would you want for that?£70.

£50? £60.

£60. Come on, £60. Thank you.

I think what we'll do with that one is send it off to an upholsterer

and just have it done properly in a Morris fabric again.

Er, I think it's worth it, and there's enough money in that one

to warrant doing it. Good thing. Great price.

Philip Webb was the architect of the iconic Red House,

the Kent home of legendary designer, William Morris.

And, together, Webb and Morris were key figures

in the 19th-century Arts and Crafts movement.

Underneath the later upholstery of this chair,

the original Morris and Webb frame

is likely to reflect the superb traditional craftsmanship,

which was a cornerstone of their philosophy.

Once reupholstered, Drew reckons it could be worth around £750.

Is that everything, or is there more?

Erm, I've got a shipping container.

Let's go have a look at that. Perfect.

We finished in the stables, and Caroline says,

"Actually, there's more. There's a container,

"the other side of the field, six acres away.

"Do you wanna go and have a look?" "Yes, please."

There we go.

Oh!Oh, my God, it's a posh one.

Wow, that's well-organised, isn't it?

Opened the door. It's like a little miniature shop.

It's really civilised. And immediately, immediately,

I'm like, "Yes, yes, yes." Straightaway, I'm seeing things.

I'm like, "That's it. Great. We're in."

This little fella. Yep. It's a lovely table.

What would you want for that one?£120.

Yes.Lovely. Thank you.Thank you.

Now, the pair of Druce tables... Yes. Yep.

These. (GRUNTS) They've gotta be a bit more.

A pair of what? What did... Druce. The manufacturer.

D-R-U-C-E.They've got a little...

They've got a little brass. Have they?Yes.

"Druce & Co." Right there. Yep.Price?

I was gonna ask £300 for them. For the pair?

Yeah.£300?Yep.Sold.

Perfect. Thank you very much.

Just in brilliant condition.

Completely unmessed with.

Utterly untouched.

There'll be a little bit of a bun fight over those.

People will want those, they're hard to find.

And something so understated

and something so classy is very rarely seen.

And, er, great trade prices.

Really good. I could just keep buying all day.

What's the top on that? Leather. It's a leather skiver.

Ebonised. 1870 to '80.

A lot of people put them a bit later, but this one is an early one.

Em, price for this one. It's gonna be... (EXHALES) £130.

Sold.Lovely. Thank you very much.

We got an ebonised writing desk.

Late 19th-century. English.

Just, again, in that untouched condition.

And, straightaway, I'm like, "There you go. Day made."

So, four tables for me.Yes. Lovely.

Sorry, I didn't shake your hand on those.No, but thank you.

Today, I've spent the day at Fabulous Finds Antiques,

and... they've been fabulous finds.

I can't tell you how difficult it is

to go out and buy that many things.

Right, and they all got to be really good, original pieces

that need very little work, and there's a profit left in them.

That's hard. Try it.

It looks easy. It really isn't.

And, today, every single one, remarkable.

Meeting both Viki and Drew today,

it validates that I know that the things I have been buying,

somebody else likes as well, and can see they're good,

'cause you never know, do you? It's cleared some stock.

Now, I've got a bit more space to get more things in.

That was a good day. That was a brilliant day.

Lovely lady. Fabulous house. Great setup.

I loved what she did. What you bought was great.

What I really loved that you bought,

I loved them, those little boxes.

They're cute, aren't they? Love those.

They were really buyable as well. Yeah.

I have to say, I got that little,

little jump inside me when she said,

"Oh, yeah, they're for sale." I was like, "Yes!" (CHUCKLES)

I was really pleased with what I bought.

So, a good one. Yeah, I was delighted.A good one.

So far, it's been a successful week buying for both Drew and Viki,

and today is a chance to take a bit of a risk.

They're heading into South Wales,

to a seller who has more objects under one roof

than the average antiques dealer.

Right. So, today, we're off to Celtic Prop in Cardiff.

I've been here before. Have you?Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Lovely lady, Sian. She's moved.

They've expanded. They've been working

on some really big productions. But she does everything, you know,

from, like, a high-school production

all the way through to feature films.

Never been to a prop hire place before.

Cardiff Castle has been the scene of thousands of years of warfare,

from Roman times right through to the Second World War.

But it was around the turn of the millennium

that the city became a centre for another form of drama,

with a boom in film and TV made locally, including Doctor Who.

And with the transformation of the city

into a national hub for drama production,

a 10,000sq ft warehouse,

stacked to the rafters with artefacts,

means time travel as far back as mediaeval times

is now easy, courtesy of owner, Sian Bundy.

We try and have every genre of prop.

We acquire props from different sources,

so we'll very often get props donated to us

at the end of a production. And that might be a mediaeval production

or it might be a modern production.

We've got some props that we've acquired over the years,

that we just don't have space for,

but we'd never throw them out because they're lovely items.

So, we are really hoping that Drew and Viki like them,

and, erm, can get them to a good home.

Sian. Hi. Hey, how you doing? I'm very good, thank you.

This is Viki.Hiya. Nice to meet you, Viki.

Nice to be here for the first time. Yes, bit of catch up to do.

Walking in, she said, "I've never been to a prop house."

Hopefully, you'll find exciting things here

you haven't seen anywhere else. Yeah, I'm actually quite excited.

It's fun. It's fun.Yeah. 'Cause it's all the stuff

you think... You look at and you go, "What..."

"Why?"Yeah, why. Yeah.(LAUGHS)

"Why is there a dinosaur on that shelf?"

Yeah, it's a prop. I like the sound of it.

I've been into lots of these prop houses over the years.

Being really honest, about 99% of it is just everyday junk,

but is the benchmark of a period of time.

'60s, '70s, '80s, 90's, you know. It just says...

When you look at the screen, you go, "Oh, early '90s",

because the clock in the background, or the furniture, tells you it is.

And that's what props do. It tells part of the story.

But they tend to be fairly mundane. (GIGGLING)

But, in amongst it, they hold more stock

than 95% of antique dealers on the planet.

You know, they have huge stocks,

so there's gotta be something in here of worth.

This is our mediaeval section. Oh, God... (LAUGHS)

Look at that. Wonderful. What's for sale?

Well, we only really try and keep the stock

that hires out a lot, and we are acquiring new stock all the time

and we... we don't have the space to keep it all.

So, we're more than happy to entertain offers,

or, if you have an interest in a particular thing.

Above my head, there's polystyrene,

like, comedy weights,

and I'm standing beside a hidden dinosaur.

And it's quite overwhelming, actually,

and you're surrounded by fake antiques, really,

because they're props, so they don't have to be real.

So, actually, I think I'm gonna have to get my specs on,

'cause you sometimes need to really look quite closely at items,

to see if they're real or not.

And I think, if I get raking,

I might be in for a good day, hopefully.

I take it this is the, sort of, witch's spell section.It is.

We have a bit of a potion section going on

and some brass...Do you know what?

I just love a cauldron. I actually just think it sits well,

it's got its little legs.Yeah.

Right away, I spotted a cast iron cauldron.

I love them. They are, honestly,

one of the most interesting plant pots you can get.

But, actually, you can also set it by a fire

with your kindling in it and all your other little...

You know, matches and stuff for the fire,

which is great, 'cause we get asked for that all the time.

So, when you rent that out, how much money do you get for that?

That would be about £15 for a one-week hire.

For a week hire?Yeah.Right, okay.

So, if I was to offer you £40 for it...

Erm, I would accept £45.

Do you know what? I'm gonna have it at that.

But I'm not quite sure if you want me to shake your hand,

'cause it's filthy.(BOTH LAUGHING)

That's brilliant. I absolutely love that.

I'm, kind of, known for selling cast iron cauldrons, which,

I don't know if that's, like, a, sort of, inner witch in me,

but I don't really care. I love them.

What's that?

This one here?

Has it got any age to it?

It has got some age. Looks old on the back, doesn't it?

Here, let me take that.Hang on.

Oh...

Oh, God. Look at that.

(CHUCKLING) That's great.

I quite like that. It's great. It's a really famous...

I can't remember the name of it.

That's a really, really famous tablet, that. That really is.

Is it, really? Yeah, yeah, yeah. For sure.

And it's carved in oak. It's probably done in period,

looking at it, looking at all the work on it.

That's loads of fun. That's good.

That's actually quite good.

Viki starts pulling out this panel,

and I thought, "Oh, wow, look at that."

As soon as she got halfway, I thought, "I've seen that before."

And it's a really well-known Art Deco frieze.

Two gazelle. You know, it's classic Deco.

Pure, pure Deco.

And somebody's done their own interpretation on it,

on, I think, a pair of old cupboard doors.

And then, painted it gold. And it, sort of, works.

What do you want for it? Yeah.I have to say,

I have no idea on the value of that particular thing.

So, absolutely open to your offer.

In a 10,000sq ft TV and film prop warehouse in Cardiff,

Viki's found a unique decorative piece

based on an Art Deco design.

What do you want for it? Yeah.I have to say,

I have no idea on the value of that particular thing.

So, absolutely open to your offer.

Would you take £50 for it? That's fine.

Yeah, I'll take that. That's brilliant. Thank you.

In the period after World War I,

the rise of Art Deco was an attempt to escape the sorrows of the past.

A sleek, modern pair of leaping gazelles

was a common motif, full of optimism for the future,

as in this gold-painted panel,

which Viki thinks could be worth up to £225.

Wow, it's great.

Oh, my. You...(LAUGHS) ...literally have everything.

It's quite nice just to get a few little frames

together in a little group.Yeah.

Do you know what I mean? Just a little, kind of...

Yes, I know what you mean... A little job lot.

Sets them all off a bit better, doesn't it?Exactly.

I'm just putting a little bundle together. (CHUCKLES)

That's great. That's lovely.

That's junk.

Look at this lovely little... It's rubbish.

Look... I'm not talking about this. It's rubbish.

It's modern. It's not. It's not modern.Right.

It's about... That's 100-years-old.

No, it's not.Yes, it is.It's not.

Go... clean your specs. It's not. It's not.

100% it is. Maybe '20s. That's great.

Okay.That's great. Love that.

I like a wee bundle,

because what you can do is,

you can have a few things that are pickup prices,

and then, if you buy,

you know, quite a few individual bits,

if you've made a mistake on a few bits,

it doesn't matter, because it balances it out in the long run,

and you spread your risk a little bit.

Drew, go and do some...

Grab that. Thank you.

We'd sell one of those.

I'd like to keep one, but I'd sell one of them.

You've got another bamboo one in there...

Oh, that is true...

If you noticed, she's not shy.

(LAUGHS)She's not backwards in coming forward, is she?

They're great.

Yeah, I see where you're coming from with those.

Very chic.Chic.Very chic.

That's actually quite an interesting bundle,

because what I did was,

I took a few, kind of, pickup pieces for the shop,

and I bundled them in with those two mirrors.

Now, I'm gonna have to do a wee bit of research,

but I think they're Italian, and I think they're by a designer.

The rattan material and geometric design

of this larger mirror suggests it could be the work

of Italian designer and architect, Franco Albini.

Born in 1905, he became an important figure

of mid-20th century Italian furniture design.

If this mirror is his,

then Viki thinks it could be worth around £250.

But we're doing a little bit of a job lot here.

Go on, then. So, these three, yeah?

These three, and this, and them.

£120.

I'm not far. I was thinking £130.

I don't know if that... I can go to £130.£130?Brilliant.

That's great. Thank you. Perfect. No problem.

I was like a kid in a sweet shop looking at everything.

But I'm delighted with that bundle at that type of money.

See, that's the difference between Drew and I.

He'll buy one item and he'll make his week's money,

when I'm having to buy and sell a lot of stuff,

you know, a lot of individual items,

to make the same money that he would make off one piece.

I think we're done.Okay. If we can grab

the bits and bobs we've bought. Yes, absolutely.

And sort out some paperwork. Lovely.Yeah?No problem.Cool.

Nice to come back to Celtic Props. Nice to see Sian again.

Been a long time, actually, since we were last here.

Her business has clearly grown.

It's good to see. It really is good to see.

Today, it didn't really work out for me,

but it worked out well for Viki.

It's just been brilliant.

I've just had so much fun raking about here.

I could've been here for days and days and days.

I've bought well, and I'm really, really happy.

I think Viki and Drew were quite excited

to be in a prop house, because it's, kind of, a cross

between a toy shop and an antique shop, really.

They know what they like, and they know what suits them.

And, yeah, they found some lovely pieces,

which we were more than happy to sell to them.

That was good. For you. That was brilliant. (LAUGHS)

Today was never gonna be your day, let's be honest.

(CHUCKLES) How do you figure that?

I don't know if you've got a market

for big hot dogs and bits and pieces.Not really.

Let's talk about what you bought. How's that?

Do you know what? I'm just happy with everything that I've bought.

You did well. You did well.

Back in Scotland, and still based in her old shop,

Viki's been researching the mirrors she bought

on a hunch from Celtic Props.

She's hoping to link them to the work

of Italian design icon, Franco Albini.

My mirror is made from rattan,

which sometimes gets confused with bamboo.

But, actually, rattan's a vine, and it...

Bamboo is hollow

when rattan isn't,

and back in the '50s and '60s,

it was quite a popular material

to be used in furniture-making and furniture design,

because you can bend it really easily

and make these fabulous shapes.

And I know that, when Franco Albini

was looking at materials to make

furniture and mirrors, et cetera, out of,

he wanted inexpensive materials, which is what this was.

Working during the scarcity of the 1930s,

Albini tried to minimise use of material

while maximising functionality and harmony in his designs.

The thing about these mirrors is,

originally, they didn't have makers' marks.

So, you kinda just have to piece together

and get clues, to, sort of, come to your conclusion.

From looking at some other very, very similar mirrors online,

they are coming in at about 70cm wide,

which is exactly the size of this one.

So, when you piece it all together,

we've got the right size, we've got the right materials,

we've got the right period,

so I can be fairly confident

that I can attribute this to Franco Albini,

even though it doesn't have a maker's mark.

Having bought the mirror as part of a job lot for only £130,

Viki's profit could be significant.

Some of the top-end websites have got them four figures,

to be quite honest with you. But that's not where I'm going with this,

because they'll probably be still sitting on it, this time next year.

I wanna get it up and hung in the shop

and sold this weekend.

There's still plenty of money to be made,

even if I price it at the lower end

of what people have gotta advertise for.

And then, ultimately, one of my customers will be able to go home,

hang a Franco Albini mirror on the wall,

knowing that they've bought it here

and they'll be able to tell somebody else,

which makes me a happy girl.

An excellent week on the road, buying.

Ripley Fair was excellent, actually.

I bought a very nice pair of Ford Madox Brown dining chairs,

and then, an absolutely belting marble-top washstand.

A really good thing.

Highly original, interesting, fresh-to-the-market pieces.

Caroline Howard, a very, very good call.

You don't often buy that amount.

You know, you will see that we're off buying,

and, "Wow, he bought loads there, and loads there."

In-between, there's ten places where we don't get anything.

So, when you do get the opportunity to buy lots,

do it. Buy it all.

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