Pestle and Mortar, Sideboard, Meditation Mat

Nigel Havers welcomes five more sellers to the Bidding Room, where they try to sell items to professional dealers who are on the lookout for interesting pieces, with help from expert Simon Bower.

First in today is keen traveller Deborah, with a meditation mat handwoven by a group of Tibetan monks. She got the rug in 2000, when she was living and working as a nurse and midwife in Australia and the monks were travelling the country doing tonal-chanting. Whilst the rug has sat on Debra’s meditation altar ever since, she has decided that now is the time to send it to its next home.

Next into the room is Susan, with a giant wooden pestle and mortar that has spent over a decade in her mother’s Chinese furniture shop. Susan has been told it’s at least 80 years old – and Simon agrees – but as Susan hopes for a high price for this unique piece, will she be able to spice things up enough to get the money she wants?

Our third guest is local magician Jim, accompanied by his faithful dog Honey. They’ve been before with a magic trick, and this time they’ve brought a collection of educational vinyl to help learn French. With vinyl collector Jacqui in the room, Jim may be on to a good deal, but will the value of his unique collection be lost in translation?

Angela is our fourth guest, with a decorative mirrored side cabinet she thinks is from the arts and crafts era. Simon confirms it’s a 19th-century piece by highly regarded Manchester-based furniture maker James Lamb. But despite its quality, decorative hand-painted pieces like this one have fallen out of fashion and dropped in value, so will Angela decide to take it home and enjoy it for a few more years?

Last through the doors is diver Gerry, with a collection of gold and silver stick pins he found whilst diving in the river Ouse. He took the haul to the local police, but everything was returned to him unclaimed. The pieces date from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Will Gerry’s story convince the dealers to take the plunge on his precious haul?

The dealers today are Ian, Melissa, Jon, Jacqui, JB and Vikki.