A RUTHIN bargain hunter struck lucky on BBC1’s top antique auction show.
Beci Ratcliffe and her son Frank Ratcliffe, filmed Bargain Hunt with host Tim Wonnacott and Anita Manning last month.
The family who own the Elysium Sustainable Style store in Ruthin, were given £300 and went to an Angelsey auction fair on October 15, where they bought three items totalling just £58.
“We got a bit of a talking to from Tim for not spending much money, but he apologised afterwards,” said Ms Ratcliffe.
The items included, a modern birds eye letter rack costing £20, a Dansk paper weight for £10 and a Murano Vase originally costing £60, but Ms Ratcliffe bargained the seller down to £28.
“I must be really good at bargaining, though everything we picked up we just got really cheap,” she said.
The family then travelled to Knutsford to auction all their items, which proved to be a task in it self.
“We arrived at the wrong travel lodge where we were staying over night, we got very lost and I broke my door handle, it was a difficult few days with a funeral the day before,” she added.
Each team on Bargain Hunt have an auction specialist, who buys an item with any money left over.
“Our specialist Anita bought a 10 inch statue of a boy wearing a walrus costume for £150, all the money we didn’t spend.
“It was so funny, I looked at the walrus and all the stress of the past few days just disappeared,” said Ms Ratcliffe.
The Red team decided not to auction the Walrus statue with Ms Manning’s consent.
“It was a nice piece but she spent too much on it and she clearly implied we shouldn’t use it either,” added Ms Ratcliffe.
In the history of the show, it has proved hard to make any profit, but the Ratcliffe family made a huge £55 profit overall, winning them the show.
“Not only did we win, we made a profit on every item, and won the golden gavel,” she said.
The golden gavel, is a small pin which is given to only a few who make a profit on each item they auction, and Mr Ratcliffe who is studying for his A Levels at Brynhyfryd school hasn’t taken his lapel pin off since he received it.
“We had a fantastic time, the crew were brilliant, they really looked after us, making sure we were very happy.
“Tim is very different off camera, he’s very quiet and reserved, he didn’t really talk much, though Anita is beautiful on and off camera, she’s so lovely,” said Ms Ratcliffe.
Ms Ratcliffe enjoyed herself so much, she exchanged numbers with the blue team who made a £2 profit and are already planning to go to another auction together.
“I have the bug now, and I’m going to go to more auctions,” she said.
* The Ratcliffe’s Bargain Hunt show will air in the new year.