Bargain Hunt: The Spotter's Guide to Antiques

by Karen Farrington

Bargain Hunt is a British institution, entertaining audiences for over 20 years, and encouraging us to look for diamonds in the rough at antique fairs and shops across the country.

A Bargain Hunt is more than just a quest for cash, though - from traveler's trunks and tea caddies to walking canes, coins and quirky costumes, each of the items chosen has their own story to tell, forming a small part of our collective social history. The Bargain Hunt Spotter's Guide to Antiques is packed with essential information from the Bargain Hunt experts on identifying quality across a range of antiques.

From makers' marks and tell-tale historical styles to details in foils and finials, this will be your one-stop guide to making good choices on your own bargain hunt - while also delving into the fascinating stories behind many of our favorite antiques. With a foreword from Eric Knowles and tips, advice, and stories throughout from each of the show's experts (including 'league tables' of best and worst finds), this is the essential companion to all your future Bargain Hunts!

320 pages, Hardcover

Published October 15, 2022

About the author

Karen Farrington is a former journalist who has contributed to numerous publications on military history. She has also written extensively on assassinations, natural disasters, & religion.

Reviews

[Gille Liath · Rating 1 out of 5]

My young daughter bought me this as a birthday present. And it was nice of her, it's not cheap in pocket money terms; it's just a shame that the book does not live up to her good intentions, but is just a cynical cash-in on the show's popularity. You can't get much more cynical than not even having the author's name on the cover, instead blazoning those of Natasha Raskin Sharp (who wrote the foreword) and Gyles Brandreth (Gawd help us!) who contributes a blurb praising not the book but the show. To a casual glance, it looks as though the former is the author.

It doesn't get any better when you look inside. Thinking of going to an antiques fair, for example? What suggestions do they have for you? :
'1. See if there's one near you'. Good advice!
'2. Dress for the weather'. It might be raining!...

...And so on. The whole thing is pitched somewhere between the bland and the downright inane, and apparently premised on our being excited to see comments from our favourite BH experts. But these are either too specific (ie about one particular item), or too general to be of any practical use. And even then, who knows whether they actually said the things attributed?

Its anecdotal, almost structureless layout makes it completely worthless as a 'guide' of any sort...not to mention the fact that it doesn't include any pictures!

In short, if you know your bargains, you will steer well clear of this.

[Chris Bullock · Rating 2 out of 5]

I watch the show all the time - it just coincides with us having lunch most days. There are some interesting facts in the book, but generally I was a little disappointed. The potential was there but it didn't deliver - it just seemed to be a summary of a selection of the shows, with little background. Much more could have been said about behind the scenes and the individuals involved. Although there were comments from most of the presenters, there was very little to grab you.

[Matthew Ogborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t really know too much about the TV show which, thankfully, doesn’t really matter when it comes to this book as it is chock full of really useful tips on how to spot antiques across a broad selection of areas. Added to that, the dealers and auctioneers give up-to-date helpful information on how to navigate auctions, fairs and shopping for bargains.