(dramatic music) (dramatic music continues) - [Narrator] This Warwickshire cottage holds a stunning collection of art nouveau and arts and craft antiques from the early 20th century.

And they're about to spark a serious battle between the secret dealers.

- Relentless doesn't even begin to describe him.

- I'll go to 480.

- Jumping it?

Thanks, Mike.

- Consider yourself stunned, Simon.

- This is the Mike Melody Show.

- [Narrator] Amongst this mouthwatering collection, you'll find a highly desirable 1905 copper peacock fire screen.

And this liberty chamber or candlestick by famed British designer, Archibald Knox.

These very special pieces are worth hundreds of pounds each.

And the good news for the dealers is they're fresh to the market, having been collected by Tony and Helena for over 50 years.

- I've been collecting all my life 'cause I absolutely adore arts and crafts and art nouveau.

And our boys don't want anything, so this is the best thing to do is to get somebody in that knows what they they're doing instead of us going and getting anybody else to come in and say, oh, I'll give you 30 pounds for the lot.

- [Narrator] Well, Helena, I'm sure our dealers can do better than that.

And it seems Tony is rather keen to have a clear out too.

Although he has a slightly different description for Helena's gorgeous collection.

- Clutter.

It collects dust.

I love some of it, but there's just too much of it.

- [Narrator] With no one in the family to pass it on to, it's time for it to go.

(dramatic music) Today's dealers looking to splash the cash on Tony and Helena's fine collection are David, Mike, and Simon.

- Anything with a bit of profit, that's the thing I'm looking for.

- It's not always about making a profit.

Sometimes it's just wonderful to have an object passed through your hands.

- Profit is what makes me tick.

- [Narrator] The dealers will have just one hour while Tony and Helena are away to place their secret bids on the items they want the most.

Let the battle commence.

- Well, here we are, gentlemen.

- Well, that's very kind of you to call me that.

- First impression?

- Well, the arts and crafty looking, isn't it?

- [Narrator] You've hit the nail on the head there, Mike.

What's your first impressions though, David?

- Mike's quite right.

It is very arts and crafty, isn't it?

An art nouveauy.

Wow.

- [Narrator] Wow indeed, David.

And if art nouveau is your thing, then it doesn't get much better than this pewter chamber stick by renowned designer, Archibald Knox.

- I'm liking that.

Anybody looking now can see.

If they can't see style in that, then really they shouldn't be watching the program 'cause that is pure class.

I mean, its shapes, its marks, it's got the two.

Well, they're damaged, by the way.

Two high fired discs.

These little discs in either side.

It's Celtic knots is what it is.

An Archibald Knox was famous for you it.

- [Narrator] The candle holder gets its first bid.

And one thing's for sure, it won't be the last.

- [Mike] There we go.

- [Narrator] On the stairway is a very similar piece of art nouveau design that's caught Simon's eye.

- Really pretty fire screen.

That is beautiful.

So we've got a peacock.

And these little porcelain plaques here are probably Ruskin, and they're probably high fired Ruskin, which is the way they're putting the kiln and fired to get this sort of lustrous iridescent effect on them.

And although fire screens might not seem the most sort of practical thing to buy nowadays 'cause obviously not a lot of people have open fires anymore, it's still a very decorative item.

- [Narrator] The fire screen gets its first bid of the day, but you can be sure others will follow.

- I think I'm gonna have a lot of competition today.

We've got the lovely Dapper David Ford.

And although he's a gentleman, he can be quite nasty when it comes to the bidding.

And then we got Mike Melody, but don't ask me.

Relentless doesn't he even begin to describe him.

If he sees me bid on it, he'll be on it.

- [Narrator] Great, we do love a bit of rivalry.

Anyway, who doesn't love a nice peacock?

- One thing I never buy, and the other's gonna leave as much money as they want, and that's a peacock.

- [Narrator] Really?

Why ever not?

- In our house, peacocks are bad luck.

So peacocks and the other thing is is elephants we don't particularly like either, unless they're facing the window with the tails.

- [Narrator] Never heard of anything so ridiculous.

Anyway, there's plenty of stuff in this house to keep you happy, Mike.

- Oh.

- [Narrator] And David seems to be enjoying himself.

- It's great looking around somebody's house, isn't it?

- [Narrator] He's firing off the bids.

- [David] Pop it on top.

- [Narrator] And what's this he's found?

- There's a tray here, which is pewter.

Art nouveau again, these nice organic lines.

So at a price, I'd buy that.

- [Narrator] With so much to see and so little time, the dealers are gonna have to be on top of their game today.

- Think have our eyes in the back of your head in this house because there are items absolutely everywhere.

(upbeat music) - Terrible thing is you're frightened of missing anything and those other couple of rascals finding it.

- [Narrator] Well, one thing nobody can fail to miss is this enormous metal figure.

- That's gotta be bronze.

It's plated bronze.

If you plate a bronze, you can't tell how old it is ever.

What that is is a big impressive figure.

I've gotta decide if he's old or not.

This will either be an expensive mistake or a proper profit.

- [Narrator] It's an impressive thing either way.

And fancying the punt, Mike makes a bid on the statue.

- That's my price.

- Oh, I see something over there that I like.

- [Narrator] On the stairs, David's found the fire screen that Simon has already bid on.

- I quite like that.

Stick that right in front of Simon.

I think it's just lovely.

I like it.

I've made an offer for it.

I want it a lot.

- [Narrator] We'll find out if David gets it later.

But nothing will leave this house without a fight.

- Bid on that.

- [Narrator] Both Simon and Mike add their bids to the pewter tray, and David and Simon make it a hat trick of bids on the Archibald Knox chamber stick.

- What a nice classic thing.

Like that.

- Hello, Mike.

- [Narrator] In the lounge, Simon has spotted that impressive silver statue that Mike bid on earlier.

- I'm not sure about this one.

I think it's worth a bid, but I wonder just how much the homeowners think that's worth.

- [Narrator] Despite his doubts, the silver figurine gets a second bid.

And it's not the only statue that's up for grabs today.

- This is something that I should understand.

What I'm looking for at the back here is a signature, and of course it's there.

Groish numbered FL, and then it's got what I was looking for.

It's got the ramp here Goldscheider.

It's made of terracotta.

It's been painted Goldscheider, the company from Austria.

And made these figures up to about 1930 or so.

Specialized in art nouveau ladies like this.

So what I've got to try and do is figure out what I would pay for that against competition.

- [Narrator] Well, don't think about it for too long, Mike, because time is running out.

David makes it a full house on the silver statue.

- [David] Down it goes.

- [Narrator] And the figure of the water carrier also gets all three dealers bidding.

- Well, that's my bid for the Goldie.

I'll stick that there.

- [Narrator] And in the dying seconds, Mike spots the fire screen.

It's just a shame he doesn't like peacocks.

- We'll have a go, but we won't be taking it home.

Leave it to the other two.

They deserve a little bit of battle.

- [Narrator] That's not very nice, Mike.

- [Mike] Only joking.

(dramatic music) - [Narrator] The secret dealers have been like kids let loose in a candy shop in Tony and Helena's house.

It is rammed with a serious collection of classic early 20th century art nouveau pieces, and the dealers have gone mad for it.

- These people have collected art nouveau in the biggest way.

- There's a lot of quite large statutory in here, which I like.

So could be having a good day, really.

- There's lots of things I'd like to own.

It's just a price thing for me.

- [Narrator] It's not just a price thing for you, Simon.

Homeowners Tony and Helena won't be letting anything go for a song.

- Everything's up for sale, obviously at the right price.

- [Narrator] Time to find out how much of the dealer's cash is up for grabs.

- Tony and Helena, thank you very much for allowing us to rummage through your home today.

And we could be spending this amount of money with you.

- Wow.

- That's nice.

- 9,183 pounds.

- That sounds good.

- [Narrator] If Tony and Helena accept all the dealers top offers, they could be walking away with over 9,000 pounds.

- I didn't think it would be as much as that.

So let's hope we get somewhere near it.

- [Narrator] Fingers crossed, Tony.

First up is the Goldscheider terracotta figure.

All three dealers wanted to get their hands on this, but it's one of Tony's favorite possessions.

- The Goldscheider figure I love, but if it's the right price, then we'll let it go.

- It's a nice thing.

I'd like to buy it.

- Love it.

It's me though.

- What can you tell us about this?

- We bought it with a mirror, and we sold the mirror and it covered the cost, the buying of the two items.

- Well, well done you.

I mean, that's a feat that a lot of dealers can't perform, let alone a private.

- Often.

- Often, absolutely.

- [Mike] Well done.

- If you like, I'll open the bidding on this one.

475 pounds.

Nope, that was it?

I'm out.

- Oh dear.

My offer is 600 pounds.

- No.

- You're out.

- Oh.

- [Narrator] 790 Pounds.

- No.

- No, nowhere near.

- Nowhere near?

- [Tony] No.

- [Dealer] Let's look at what the valuer says.

- [Narrator] The valuer says that Mike has made a stomping bid, but Tony was hoping for more.

So how high will the dealers have to go?

- Can you better your offer?

- I can't, so.

I mean, we've gotta better Mike's offer at the moment cause he's in front.

And so I'm out.

- I'm definitely out.

- You know, something which is sentimental is always a problem, but I have got a method of drawing things out of people.

It's called keep on tempting.

Well, I'm at this situation, 790.

I mean, the lead's up slightly.

- What are you prepared to go to?

- 850.

- You're not prepared to go to nine?

- Well, I would be and I could do, but I'd rather 850.

- [Narrator] It's attempting offer from Mike, but will it be enough?

(tense music) - Let's split the difference then and we've got a deal.

875, Tony, right now.

- Thank you very much.

- Cheers.

- Thank you.

- I would've like a bit more, but we were glad really to get rid of it because it's gonna get knocked over sooner or later, and it's gonna get broken.

- There's only one way to sum it up, yahoo!

- [Narrator] It looks like Mike's happy to splash the cash today.

And with this highly desirable early 20th century Archibald Knox candle holder up next, that could be bad news for the other dealers.

- When a thing is undoubtedly Archibald Knox, it will make a premium.

- I've got three or four clients that would love it.

It's all down to the pounds, shillings, and pence.

(upbeat music) - So tell me how that came into your collection.

- I know somebody that had got a store, and they invited me to their house.

- [Mike] Oh, you lucky person.

- [Helena] I know.

- I tried doing that.

Going around dealer's homes can be quite profitable sometimes.

- Well, Helena and Tony, we all like it.

So shall I go first?

- [Helena] Yep.

- My offer is 185.

(tense music) That was a no.

Look at that.

- Definitely a no.

- [Simon] 320.

(tense music) - And as normal, following better.

150 pounds.

(tense music) A cheeky little bid just to see how these people were.

I'll go to 480.

(tense music) - 480 from 150.

- Correct.

- It's a bit of a jump, isn't it?

- I did one of me famous jumping bids.

That has sometimes the effect of stunning people.

- Mike again who's just from nowhere suddenly jumped in with a huge bid.

You're either in or out.

Well, I'm out.

Thanks, Mike.

- Consider yourself stunned, Simon.

(tense music) - I'm out.

- I think that's enough money.

I'm out.

- 480.

- Don't even have to look there.

(tense music) - [Narrator] Mike's shop tactics are bad news for the other dealers, but extremely good news for Tony and Helena.

(tense music) - Yes?

- Think so.

- Yes, okay.

- Thank you very much, my dear.

Thank you.

- [Tony] Very pleased.

That was a good price.

- [Helena] Yeah.

- And it was used very recently when we had a power cut.

So it's even got a use.

- This is the Mike Melody show, and there is a bit of that going on.

I think he's very keen to be seen to be the buyer.

- At the end of the day, this is my money I'm spending, and I've gotta sort of bite my lip and not get carried away because I don't wanna pay too much for anything.

- [Narrator] Crikey, things are really hotting up now.

But it didn't all go Mike's way.

The doubts about the age of the metal statue didn't stop him from making a whopping bid.

- So if I offered you three grand for it, 3000 pounds, you won't take it?

- No.

- Well, I'll offer you 3000.

- [Narrator] Despite offering three times the top valuation, he failed to seal the deal.

- Tony, sorry.

No deal.

Thank you.

- [Narrator] Sentimental attachments stopped this buying juggernaut in his tracks.

- There's a phrase that comes to mind, sick as a parrot.

- [Narrator] But it wasn't long before Mike started hoovering up again.

And his ever expanding personal collection of art nouveau now includes this WMF pewter centerpiece bought for 385 pounds.

This 1905 copper lantern bought for 225, and his spending spree continued.

- 175.

You like that, Mike?

- You do like that, don't you?

- [Narrator] With his impressive bid for the early 20th century art nouveau tray, you must be pleased so far, Mike.

- Oh, I'm dead happy.

- [Narrator] Mike has been wiping the floor with the other dealers in this house.

Now it's the peacock copper fire screen that all three dealers bid on.

- I really like the little fire screen.

I'd like to buy it.

- I want it a lot.

It's a beautiful item.

- [Narrator] But Mike thinks it has an unlucky design.

- I do genuinely think peacocks are unlucky.

I'll leave the price on it, but I don't wanna copy it.

- [Narrator] Could Mike's superstition about peacocks finally be his undoing?

- [Mike] You do know they're not good luck.

- Well, I do.

- [Simon] That's a bit of an old wives' tale now though, isn't it?

- [Helena] Yeah.

- [Mike] Could be.

- I actually like this, and I'm now concerned that I may have been a bit mean.

140.

(soft music) - Well, I'm determined not to buy a peacock, 105.

Well, I like peacock, 190.

- [David] Oh, shall we have a look?

- [Helena] Oh.

- [Narrator] The dealers have got a long way to go if they want to buy this item.

(tense music) - 195.

- Hey, don't drop it on me.

- We won't do that.

- 210 pounds for your screen.

- You're not getting there.

- 250.

(tense music) - Bit better.

- 280.

- 290.

- 300.

(tense music) - [Narrator] Mike has bought everything that has been sold so far.

Simon has matched the top valuation for the peacock fire screen, but Mike and David are not out of the running yet.

(tense music) - 310 pounds for your fire screen.

- Well, I've got a bid him now.

Anyone got a bid?

- You should do it.

(indistinct) change the rules.

- [Mike] 320.

- 330.

- 380.

- 390.

(tense music) - 400 pounds.

- Pass.

I'm out.

I'm out.

- What do you think?

- [Narrator] Has David finally cracked it?

- You take it?

- Yeah.

- [David] We have a deal.

- Good deal.

- That's wonderful.

Thank you very much.

Tony, Helena, thank you.

- We didn't use it, so that was a good fair price.

- Got the fire screen.

- [Narrator] So David has finally broken magic Mike's spell, and Simon also managed to finally getting in on the act.

He bought a 1905 art nouveau pewter compote for 340 pounds.

And a collection of twenties and thirties nine karat gold jewelry for 145 pounds.

Phew, close shave, boys.

- Hey.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] the dealers have certainly battled hard in Tony and Helena's house, but just how much will they be handing over?

- We have managed to spend with you today 5,218 pounds.

- Oh, that that's lovely.

- Yeah, I'll take it.

- [David] Now Tony.

- [Tony] Thank you.

- [David] You get that.

- I get the change, do I?

Thank you.

And we've enjoyed having you.

You've been super, all of you.

- [Narrator] David was steamrolled by Mike in our first house, and now he's been thrown into the lioness's den as he takes on secret dealers Alison and Karen in our second house.

- Us girls, Alison and I, we are up to the job with those boys.

- I'll have a go at anything, particularly if it shows me a profit.

- [Narrator] The battle lines between the dealers are drawn, and there's sure to be a showdown with homeowner Dave who will be no pushover.

- I like bartering.

I am a master of bartering.

- [Narrator] Dave's vast and varied collection includes many items these dealers will find mouthwatering.

Such as this 1903 silver and mother of pearl child's rattle.

And a huge amount of antique and collectible toys.

The star items being these Hornby and scratch built trains, dating from the 1930s onwards.

- The reason I collect and I like toys is because as a child, I was very limited on what I had.

And some years, I had nothing.

So I think it stems from that.

- [Narrator] One things for sure, the secret dealers are gonna be in for a lot of fun.

So time to let them play.

- Where are we today?

- We're here again, we're in a house.

My goodness gracious.

It's full!

There's not a conceivable space without something on it.

- Oh my goodness, look at this room.

How scary is this?

This is collector mania.

- [Narrator] There's certainly a lot to get through, Karen.

Downstairs, Allison has stumbled across a 1950s Carlton Ware Guinness lamp.

- Toucan toucan.

It's got little toucan.

Now, what I'm looking here for is restoration.

The tail.

Always dodgy.

Not in this one.

I'm surprised, I expect the tail to be a bit iffy.

Well, this looks all good to go.

- [Narrator] Allison is satisfied.

All is in order and she's underway.

It's a shame that can't be said for the other two.

They seem overwhelmed with the sheer volume of collectibles in this house.

- I just don't know where to start.

It's too much.

I just don't know where to start.

- Lot of toys.

It's just amazing.

I've never seen so much stuff in a house.

- [Narrator] And the stuff is everywhere.

- Pot lids.

- [Narrator] Now Allison has spotted a collection of Pratt wear pot lids.

And if you want to get your hands dirty, she has a useful tip for all you budding pot ware with collectors out there.

- You can literally go and find them in rubbish dumps all over the country.

They used to be purchased little pottery pots, all decorated with gentlemen's relish inside, which I've never had gentlemen's relish, but nearly all of them are restored.

So had a bit of transfer on, and then they're hand colored in.

- Hi, Allison.

How are you?

- I'm really good.

I haven't even got upstairs yet.

- Haven't you?

- No.

Now am I might not right, David, that you could go to any rubbish dump in the country and find a pot lid.

- I have no idea.

- Well, they were just given out for free, pots of gentlemen's relish.

- They were.

They were often made by a firm called Pratt.

- [Allison] Yes.

- Pratt Wear.

Behind you, there's some quite unusually shaped ones.

- [Allison] They are.

I was going to go onto that.

- [David] They're quite nice aren't they?

Make an offer for those.

- [Narrator] Luckily for these two, they don't have to go foraging through any rubbish.

And that's two bids on the pot lids.

And David has also discovered that toucan lamp.

- This was the famous advertising emblem for Guinness.

There's an offer for the toucan.

- [Narrator] That's two bids for the old bird.

Upstairs, Karen has unearthed a silver mounted set of glove and shoe implements from 1906.

- It's a very clean set.

All matching, all immaculate.

Very, very nice silver.

Loving it.

These these are particularly lovely, aren't they?

Look at this pair of glove stretches.

These were a very important item in their day.

I mean, a lot of the ladies particularly would wear kid gloves in Edward in Victorian times, and they put them in and sort of stretched the fingers so that they fitted like a glove.

- [Narrator] The silver glove stretching set gets its first bid.

(upbeat music) Now, if there's one thing to get our Allison excited, it's vintage toys.

♪ I'm Popeye the sailor man ♪ ♪ I live in a caravan ♪ - In this house, there must be something for everybody.

Don't look here.

I said you can't look here, all right?

It captures everybody's childhood.

I told you not to go and build a house of straw, didn't I?

It is fun.

It is a great house.

- [Narrator] There's more child's play upstairs too.

Karen has found the silver and mother of pearl baby's rattle.

- These are very early.

You're looking sort of early to mid 19th century.

Sometimes they're coral, other times they're mother of pearl, which is what this one is.

You got the piece there and the teeth are there.

- I suppose in one respect, it's a bit sad to see it go if it goes.

At the same time, somebody might enjoy it more than I have.

It's only been in a drawer.

- We have got some of the bells missing, but I still think it's a good item.

Proper antique.

- [Narrator] With the shake of a rattle, Karen's on a roll.

She also leaves a bid on the toucan lamp, and makes it a hatchet of bids on the pot lids.

(upbeat music) With time running out, everybody's in full steam.

Even Allison's back on track.

Well, sort of.

- [Allison] This is easy, mama.

- [Narrator] She can't resist playing with her rattle before placing a bid.

And both she and David add their bids to the silver glove stretching kit.

- I think they're quite nice, actually.

So let's compete for those.

- Upstairs, Karen has discovered a collection of trains, but they come with a heavy price tag.

- Oh my goodness me.

Have you just seen what I've seen?

There's a 450 pound label on that train.

This collection must have cost the fortune.

These are quite old, these.

Sort of I would imagine around the forties.

I'm just gonna put a bid at the risk of being shouted out of this house.

Just in case they wanna sell 'em, you never know.

There we go.

Don't be doing it.

That's when I come a cropper.

- [Narrator] We'll find out later, Karen.

In the next room, David's found the rattle.

- [David] It's quite sweet.

I mean, it's almost certainly about 1890.

So I'll make an offer for that.

- [Narrator] With the bids raining down, there is sure to be some fierce battles for these items.

- [Karen] There we go.

- [Narrator] And both David and Allison are eyeing up those trains that Karen bid on earlier.

- Do you like trains, Alison?

- I like steam trains.

With them, though, it's a condition that's so important.

- It's all to do with that, isn't it?

So should we have a go at the trains?

Right.

- It's like guns at dawn.

- [Narrator] And with a dramatic final face off, all the bids are in.

- [Allison] On top.

(tense music) - [Narrator] The secret dealers have been running riot in Dave's collectible crammed house.

- You couldn't help but lose yourself in this house.

There was so much to look at.

- [Narrator] They have scattered their bid cards everywhere, and they're ready to face each other and homeowner Dave in a battle for his most prized possessions.

- In one of the boxes as a fab set, gloves stretching and boot hooks, everything.

I'm going to be bidding hard for that.

- What's not like?

There's a definite market out there for pretty little bits like that.

Particularly with the box.

- [Narrator] Dave is ready to sell.

- Once you get rid of all these items, 'cause I want the children to have the money, and I don't want to have the trouble of trying to get rid of it themselves 'cause they don't want it.

- [Narrator] But only for the right price.

- I'll be a soft touch on some things, but quite a hard touch on other items.

- [Narrator] So just how much money could he be making today?

- In here is the amount you could make today if you accepted our highest offers.

- 3,640.

Good.

- [Narrator] To stand any chance of pocketing that cash, he'll first have to sell some of his precious items.

(upbeat music) First up, it's the silver mother of Pearl child's rattle from 1903 that all three dealers have bid on.

- What a little find?

And such a nice one too of it's kind.

Yeah, I love that.

- I really want it.

What can you tell us about it?

- I had it given me.

- Given to you, as a baby?

- No, it was a gift.

- Oh, all right.

- No, no, no, but I like stories where it's all nice and everything's in a circle.

- There was an old fella lived across the road from a (indistinct), and I used to take what the hospital allowed from that.

And they gave it to me.

- Oh, that's a lovely story.

Anyway, I've offered you 125 pounds.

(tense music) - Oh.

70.

- Wow, there you go.

I'm your girl.

145 pounds.

(tense music) - [Narrator] Allison's bid is strong.

Can the other dealers compete?

- It's a very nice rattle.

I would've liked it not to have had all its bells missing or a lot of them missing.

So on that basis, I'll count myself out.

- Right.

- But little girls, David, you up for it?

- I am, I am, I am.

- [Karen] Brace yourself.

- I'm braced.

- 170.

- 175.

(tense music) - 180.

- 185.

(David laughs) - 190.

- 190?

God, you're going it today, aren't you, girl?

There is no doubt about it.

Our Karen carries buckets of charm around.

And when she was batting her eyelids at me, I couldn't bid against her, and I should have done.

I think I shall bail out, David.

- She could feel the tension is the best way of putting it.

- This is business.

(tense music) - Thank you, Alison.

The hand's out.

We're like, not a fight!

- And a fair handshake too.

That's what I like.

(upbeat music) - That rattle was an absolute shock.

I had no idea what it was worth such money.

- 190 pounds for that rattle with five bells missing?

Good luck, Karen.

- Really, it's too much.

I'll get a profit.

- [Narrator] We'll see about that later.

Next, it's the silver mounted encased glove and shoe implements from 1906.

This also got all three dealers excited.

- I want it because I'll be able to sell it.

- Definitely something I'd like to try and buy.

I'm going to be bidding hard for that.

- Nice.

I mean, what's not like?

Tell me, how did you acquire that.

- (indistinct) dealer.

And my problem is if a buy one of anything, I cannot stop.

I have to boy lots of them.

- Well, I'll open this.

If you like my offer for your box of bits and pieces it's 85 pounds.

Okay.

- And my offer is 65 pounds.

(tense music) - Piggy in the middle.

My offer is 75 pounds- - [David] How about that?

How about that?

(tense music) - [Narrator] The bids have come in low, but Dave can see they all want this.

Time to let them fight it out amongst themselves.

(tense music) - I'll offer 90.

- I squeeze a five at 95.

- I really think that's enough money for these.

(tense music) I'll do an Alison, 96.

- And I really will do an Alison, 100.

- No.

(tense music) - I think that was a good bet, and I'm out.

(tense music) - You gonna take my money, David?

You are, aren't you?

I have very good Chinese and Japanese clients who just love anything like this because it's so Jane Austen.

- I was very happy with that.

I was surprised at that amount, to be honest.

- [Narrator] Dave is certainly in a selling mood today.

He wasn't particularly attached to the pot lids.

- I only bought them a few weeks ago.

- 80 pounds.

- [Narrator] And it was Allison's mid estimate bid that sealed the deal.

- Right in the middle.

That's a relief, isn't it?

We got a deal.

- [Narrator] But Dave had the last laugh.

- [Allison] What did you pay for them?

- 45 Pounds.

- That is seriously impressive.

- He's a little monkey.

He keeps making profit out of us.

- [Narrator] And the cash keeps rolling in for homeowner Dave who also sold this Victorian brass and walnut ink stand to Karen for 90 pounds.

And David also gets in on the act with this 1950s Carlton Ware Guinness toucan lump.

- 120 Pounds.

I can see you're gonna be delighted to take my money, aren't you?

- Absolutely.

- [Narrator] Not exactly fine art, but it's a start.

Hey, David?

- I'm very happy to take it home.

- [Narrator] Finally, all three dealers loved the look of Dave's 1930s train collection, but it's been with him for a very long time.

- I've collected them over many years.

They're quite collectible.

I'm looking forward to see how much I'll get for those.

- Where does the passion for the toys come from?

- When I was growing up as a child, toys was very, very limited.

Some Christmases, we got none.

And I think that's the passion just grew from there.

- Well, I'll have a stab.

My offer to you, David, is 810 pounds.

- My offer is not nearly as good.

It's 490 pounds.

(tense music) - Now I'm seeing from your (indistinct), 550.

(tense music) - [Narrator] Karen is currently the only serious contender for Dave's trains.

But surely he'll want more money for them.

(tense music) - I will try another 10 pounds, 820.

(indistinct) - I'm not gonna go anymore.

I think that will see me out, to be honest.

- Well, I'm still quite bullish with my beard.

I'm confident about it.

I'll go 830.

(tense music) - I think because of my probably lack of knowledge that my mind is telling me to drop out.

(tense music) - Big decision.

- I will.

I will drop out.

- No, he's out.

He's out like a razor.

What have I done?

(upbeat music) - I was very happy to let her go at that 'cause I've had them a long, long time.

- She's very shrewd, Karen.

So it's unlikely she's made a mistake.

- Well, if you think, there's nine engines, 830, less than a one each can't be bad.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] So Dave had a great day today, but how much money did he make?

- We have spent with you the grand sum of 2,425 pounds.

- Thank you very much.

May God bless you all.

- [Narrator] What a great result for Dave.

The secret dealers have spent over 7,500 pounds of their own money today.

So have they managed to turn any of it into profit yet?

David was pleased to beat the girls to the toucan lamp.

- I'm very happy to take it home.

- [Narrator] And flew away with a decent profit.

But he hasn't been able to find a buyer yet for the peacock fire screen.

Maybe peacocks do bring bad luck after all.

And Karen fought off Alison for the Victorian silver rattle.

- 190.

- 190?

God, you're going it today, aren't you, girl?

- [Narrator] And she found an eager collector to buy it off her for a tidy 230 pounds.

But the trains she fought out almost a grand for.

- What have I done?

- [Narrator] Are still shunted in the sidings waiting for a buyer.

- Can't win them all.

- [Narrator] Allison was chuffed to bits when she bought the three 19th century pot lids for 80 quid.

- I'm really pleased I got those.

- But her joy was short-lived.

She just can't shift them.

The 1920s and thirties jewelry that Simon bought for 145 pounds has netted him a comfy profit.

But it was Mike who outspent all of the other dealers today.

The terracotta figurine still remains unsold, but he made 45 pounds on the art nouveau two handle tray.

And another 50 pounds on the liberty candlestick.

- This is the Mike Melody show.

- There's only one way to sum it up, yahoo!

(dramatic music) (dramatic music continues) (dramatic music fades)