The damage is killing me inside.

Let's talk a little bit more.

The more I have to talk, the more I go up.

So we're not allowed to go inside, is that correct?

We got a deal.

And you lied and cheated your way in.

Welcome to First Monday Trade Days in Canton, Texas, where the tradition of buying and selling all kinds of goods has lasted over 100 years, when vendors arrived to sell their wares up until the Monday when this East Texas courthouse was in session.

Some Texas craftsmen still make their goods on-site, and they do so with deft hands.

Drawing out's a basic maneuver.

We're going to make that just drawn out to a point.

WALBERG: As comfortable with a hammer and anvil as their 19th-century counterparts were with a six-shooter and rifle.

It's like a good hot cup of coffee.

(Western music playing) WALBERG: Our market warriors will be taking aim at these Texas dealers and each other for the most gut-wrenching bottom lines this market is willing to surrender.

Our pickers come armed with eagle eyes, agile hands, quick minds, and the one weapon no picker should be without: the hardware to research the right buys for bidders in Virginia.

The moment of truth is upon us, so get ready.

Three of these warriors are about to bite the dust.

♪ ♪ "Whether at a flea market in Canton, Texas or Canton, Ohio, "the key to good picking "is being able to tell the difference "between the real thing and a repro.

As you see here, there's real and there's repro."

Get the difference?

Hey, when it comes to real cowboys, we're all repros, bro.

"Well, partner, grab your cash from your cowboy neighbor "and get ready to put your eagle eyes to work, because we're about to go hunting for the real deal today."

Cool.

WALBERG: Here are the rules for today's competition.

There are two rounds of buying.

Each picker gets $1,000.

Looks like $1,000.

Get 'er done.

WALBERG: Pickers have one hour to complete the first round.

The round one target item must be one item only, unless what they're buying is being sold as a set or a pair.

The target item will be chosen by Ken Farmer of Ken Farmer Auctions in Radford, Virginia, where all of our pickers' items will be sold.

Ken is also an appraiser on Antiques Roadshow.

I'd like for you to look for some 19th-century things.

Of course that means before 1900, but more importantly, it means things that are unique, collectable from that time period.

There's a lot of good art-- maybe not by a particularly known artist, but things that are nice and decorative.

There's Victoriana, silver, high-style porcelains, clocks, bronzes and some of the furniture.

I know this is a big category and there's a lot of challenges in it, but I really look forward to seeing what y'all come up with and send into our auction.

That's pretty wide open.

No repros!

Make sure it's old.

(laughs) Let's go.

WALBERG: Game time will be kept by this French striking clock.

Pickers have one hour to find their target item, starting now.

All right, let's do it.

Off we go.

(laughing) KEVIN: So I did my research on Ken Farmer Auction House, and it looks like I'm going to head toward maybe a small piece of furniture today, something 19th century-- that's our target item-- and something that's hopefully from that Virginia/ Pennsylvania area.

It seems to do really well over there.

WALBERG: Buying 19th-century furniture helped Kevin the last time he shopped at this Canton flea market, when two wooden chests made strong profits at a Los Angeles auction.

Americana seemed an unlikely choice for Southern California, but Kevin's counterintuitive strategy paid off and he won the game.

This time, with the auction set in Virginia, Americana seems like a much safer bet.

Will it be as profitable?

Excuse me.

Is this you?

Yeah.

What is it?

It's an optical cabinet.

An optician's.

I'm guessing there would have been a rack in here to hold frames, or maybe lenses.

What time frame, you think?

Uh, '40s, '50s.

WALBERG: Even if being post-19th century wasn't a target assignment deal breaker, needing the dealer to explain what it is should tell John that many potential bidders also won't know what it is.

That would make this cabinet a tough sell at auction.

I could do $120 on it if you guys are interested.

Yeah, but it's not old enough.

But thank you, that's cool.

BOB: I love old tools.

You know anything about that, what it is?

A lot of people back in the old days, because they didn't have hardware stores, would make stuff like that.

Yeah, it's for cutting small molding in a short space, you know.

Do you find there are a lot of folks who collect old tools?

I've got tons of it at the house, yeah, but the value of it ain't worth as much as it used to because a lot of this stuff has come out of the woodwork over the years.

Well, now there's so much of it out there, the value... and a lot of young people don't care about this stuff like the older people do.

The market gets a little more saturated.

Yeah, like wood planes that used to bring $500, you're lucky to get $100 for them now.

Wow.

So... Good morning!

Good morning, how you doing today?

Good, how are y'all?

Wonderful.

Are these real sterling?

No, honey, they're silver plate.

WALBERG: Pickers who take pride in knowing silver may have waited the extra few seconds it would have taken to answer that question for themselves, but Miller knows she needs to move fast because she's in a target round time crunch.

Can I look at the painting in the back of the truck?

Yes, I am holding that back because I have a friend who is an antiques dealer in San Francisco, so he asked me to hold it back... Oh, no.

until he could be able to get it... ascertain what it was worth for me.

Come on, why don't I come and help tell you what it's worth?

Okay.

WALBERG: While most buyers would hear what Anita just said as a cue to move on, Miller hears it as a cue to move in.

She's not about to pass up this opportunity.

Looking here on the back, it's clearly got the artist's name.

Okay Anita, would you work with me if I find some info right here?

Absolutely.

We're going to turn it back here in the truck and I'm going to do some research.

How you doing?

What do you know about this guy?

I don't know really much about it at all.

I know it was out of New York in 1860.

How do you know that it's 1860?

I've been doing this so long.

Of course.

Just at a glance, I can tell.

How do you know it's New York?

The name, right here.

And what are you asking for something like this?

That one I want $160 for.

On better days, that would have been a $300 piece.

The other one's known as a bell jar.

It's a rare piece.

It's made by the same company.

You'll notice on the back, there's a kiln burn for when it was set too close to another pot.

You see you have it ripped a bit.

WALBERG: The dealer suggests the bell shape may make it the more valuable of the two despite the kiln burn, but Bob finds the other one more attractive.

I love the ornamentation on this one, though.

This one is cool, but it's just got sort of the underscore.

Now if I look up this name on the Internet, I'll be able to find that it's...

Yes.

Yeah, because that's my challenge today is to find something 19th century.

S-h-e-r-b-u-r-n-e. Technology is wonderful.

It helps just for information.

Numbers and prices are all over the board, but just for information, this is really, really helpful.

Well, with what y'all are doing all over the country, what it's priced here will be different.

Like, if that was in that area, it would bring more money up there than it will down here because people recognize it and collect it.

I'm buying for Virginia.

That's getting better, that's getting closer.

Exactly.

Look at that!

WALBERG: Finding a near-perfect match online has unintended consequences.

Bob sets out to confirm this piece is 19th century and to research comparable prices, but finding this similar decoration distracts him, and he ends up doing neither.

The numbers on the crocks, what do they mean, exactly?

Well, they're actually the gallonage of what each one of them is.

The bell jar is a three-gallon.

It's not incised into it, where this one's actually marked, pressed into it.

How about best price on this, knowing that I need to make money and I know you have to make money?

I've got to have at least $150 for it.

Hmm... And I'm thinking in order for me to make money, I've got to buy it for $100.

WALBERG: The serious look on Bob's face helps make the bottom line he mentioned sound more convincing.

Since he lacks any research to support that price, he's really just winging it.

I really wish I could do that for you.

Yeah.

I just can't go there.

Can we maybe meet in the middle somewhere?

Yeah, I'd do it for a hundred and a quarter.

I feel like $120 sounds so much better.

Can we do that?

Yeah.

All right, $120.

WALBERG: Had he kept researching online, Bob might have learned how big a role regionalism plays when selling these items.

Pleasure doing business with you, thank you so much.

WALBERG: The dealer told Bob the best place to auction this New York-made crock was in New York, but with a little more research, Bob might have heard that as a warning.

Also accessible on the Internet was a photo and lot description of the same exact piece, a listing from the online auction at which the dealer bought it less than two weeks earlier.

The price was $81.52, and while the markup is fair and to be expected, the listing would have given Bob a reliable indication of what this piece stands to make at auction.

What can you tell me about the lanterns?

Any particular railroad, or... ?

Well, this one's MK&T-- Missouri, Kansas and Texas.

What sort of time frame are we looking at?

They quit making these in 1920, the tall ones, this style.

So would you think these were from the 1890s?

They're a little bit older.

When you get much past that, they had brass tops on them.

Okay.

So there's a very good chance these are from the late 19th century.

Right.

What kind of money are we looking at?

What about the red one?

That one would be $80.

A little high for me, 80 bucks.

Could we do $50?

Nope.

I collect these and I have to sell a few to buy more.

How long have you been collecting lanterns like this?

About 15 years.

Wow.

Now this is a Dietz Vista.

Dietz Vista is not a very popular lantern, with the blue globe, but I'm still at about $100 on it.

Yeah.

This one I don't like, this one I do.

(laughing) So that's how you price it.

I'm not smart enough to make a living at it.

I do this for fun.

Please explain the colors to us, because I know the red probably is a stop lantern or a warning lantern.

The blue was also stop.

Oh, really?

It was a work crew stop, and nobody could pick it up except that work crew.

The red, I think any engineer could pick it up.

The yellow was just caution, and clear was just what they used for light.

To luminate, yeah.

Every day, I'm learning something doing this.

This is incredible.

All right, so you said you could do $100 on this and $60 on that.

Let me think for a few minutes, if I may.

I don't charge for thinking.

He's right, red is popular and blue is rare.

You don't see blue.

My instincts are telling me 100 bucks for the blue one, might make a quarter on it, you know, $125, $130.

It's in a little bit better shape than this one.

It's certainly the time frame, it's the kind of thing that sells, and I think I'm just talking myself into it, I really do.

WALBERG: Not only is John trying to talk himself into it, he's doing it in Bruno speak.

The dealer never said the blue globe was rare.

Let's rewind the clock and listen to what he did say.

Dietz Vista is not a very popular lantern.

WALBERG: John is actually talking himself into buying the less popular of the two lanterns.

Let's talk a little bit more.

The more I have to talk, the more I go up.

(laughing) You're working nice with me, and I really appreciate it.

Can you do $80 on this?

I paid $120 for it when I bought it, but I didn't realize that this blue wasn't a popular one, so yeah, I'll take $80.

Take $80?

Cool, thank you.

WALBERG: Remember, dealer Darrel Nivens has been collecting railroad lanterns for over 15 years, and just in case John misheard him the first time, he gives John a second chance to hear him say this blue lantern isn't popular.

"Not popular" isn't the same as "rare."

But John, you hear what you want to hear, don't you?

Here you are.

JOHN: I got a superb deal on this.

Started at $100 with his offer, got it for $80, and he allowed that he spent $120 for it.

I'm happy, he's happy, gives him some cash to buy some more lanterns, and I'm going to get back in time and not get penalized.

Even better.

How are you?

Is this your booth?

Yes, sir.

What's your name?

Brian.

Hi, Brian, I'm going to take a look around.

I have to buy something from the 19th century.

BRIAN: We've got plenty of those.

These are some early pieces.

Let me take a look.

What are you asking for a pair like this?

We had $195 on the pair.

Yeah?

I wish I knew more about them as far as the actual origin and the age, but I feel certain they're pre-20th century.

WALBERG: Kevin knows quite a lot about Asian art, but he was keeping quiet for a reason.

He first wanted to find out how much the dealer knows.

I kind of specialize in Asian antiques a little, but not a lot of this type of stuff.

Wooden figures are not my specialty.

Japanese, probably.

Do you think?

I don't know, they look like samurais to me.

Yeah, I was thinking possibly Chinese.

They could possibly be.

I'm looking for certain aspects to tell me they're Chinese, and I'm seeing, like, sort of a little ruyi-type thing here, which is like a lingzhi mushroom.

There's another form of a ruyi right here, and that's a specific design aspect in Chinese that you'll never usually see in Japanese.

ANITA: Sometimes it's really hard to find information on one particular artist.

Okay.

Hold on, let me go...

It's gotta be the time period, too.

Oh heck!

I'm really in trouble.

Okay, I just see Franz Decker.

I don't think this matches his work.

You know what?

I don't think I have time to keep researching this.

Where is my blacklight?

Let's get in the dark and really see what this bad boy has.

Oh!

Anita, you know what I like about this?

When you take a painting out of its frame and you look at the back of this, I see the nice old nails back here.

Yes.

You can see the old varnish.

Yeah.

Okay, Anita, let's look at this with the blacklight.

Thank you for letting me get in your truck.

No problem.

Looks like there was some inpainting right here.

Do you see the way that this shows up very dark and purple?

Right.

So somebody did some work right here.

You'd think that there was a big chip.

Normally, you see a big chip over the generations and somebody tries to paint it themselves.

See, I'm getting an education from you, too.

Oh, I love it when you see those portraits where they didn't like the way an ancestor looked and they'd try to change it.

Oh, they'd give him more hair.

You're a good Texas lady, Anita.

Thank you.

Okay, I've got to get the frame, too.

That's part of the deal.

Here you go.

I think it's a nice landscape, but I don't think the detail is there.

A skilled hand would have more detail within the trees, within the people.

Would you take $150?

I could do that for you.

You'd do $150?

That's a deal.

Okay, yeah.

WALBERG: With not much time left in this round, Miller is the third picker to buy a target item.

(Western showdown playing) Oh, oh!

Uh-oh, showdown!

What have we got?

I'll show you mine if you show me yours.

Nope!

(laughing) Keep on walking, cowboy.

What have we got there, cowgirl?

Ladies first.

MILLER: Nope, I insist!

Age before beauty!

(laughing) (chuckling) Whoo!

Aha.

Oh, you going camping?

It's for railroads, baby, you know that.

No Kevin?

Is he gonna blow it?

Hah!

He's got four minutes.

What would be your absolute best on a pair of these figures like this?

Honestly, I think if I were at 150 bucks, I think there's a lot of room for profit on that.

130 bucks?

$130?

How about 140 bucks, and I'll... $140?

Yeah, I'll definitely buy these lacquer pieces at 140 bucks.

Okay.

KEVIN: Brian had some really cool things in his booth, and I'm definitely going to check him out later on.

That's the type of guy I want to do business with.

And he's not expensive; he's very reasonable.

All right, there's our rendezvous.

Yo, Kevin!

All right, Kevin!

You're cutting it close, bro.

I'm in by the time.

Is he gonna make it?

He made it!

I made it.

WALBERG: The four pickers will now assess all the items to determine if they fulfill the target round assignment: 19th century.

Pickers can reject any item for whatever reason they choose.

Wrong or right, majority rules.

What did you get?

This is a pair of 19th-century Chinese lacquered figures, still with some of the original gold on them.

They really are interesting.

Look at all the intricate work there.

They're beauties.

But how do you think Chinese is going to sell at Ken Farmer's auction house?

Chinese is the hottest thing going right now anywhere at any auction.

Sounds like you got a deal.

For the money, I couldn't go wrong with these, I'll be honest with you.

I give it a big thumbs up.

Yeah, way to go.

Beautiful.

All right, my turn.

Ken Farmer, one of the things they specialize in is railroadiana, especially lanterns.

That's right.

Now, to find an interesting lantern was pretty cool to do up here.

I've only seen blue in pictures; I've never come across the blue.

In 1900, Dietz switched from base metal to copper and brass, so I know it's pre-1900, puts it into the 19th century, probably like 1880.

WALBERG: I missed the part when the dealer said the year 1900 was when they switched from base metal to copper and brass.

Let's hear that again.

So would you think these were from the 1890s?

They're a little bit older.

When you get much past that, they had brass tops on them.

Okay.

WALBERG: I guess I didn't miss that part, because it seems John is making that up.

Well, that's some good bluffing to avoid a target round penalty, John.

Don't worry, your secret's safe with me.

JOHN: And it's in good condition.

It is in great condition.

Yeah, it's very cool.

What do you think, Miller May?

I like it.

Did I make it?

Thumbs up.

Thumbs up, cool.

Keep going?

You're up.

Ooh, I saw you looking at that.

Yeah.

Nice choice.

I have to say, I fell in love with this guy right here.

It's perfect for Virginia.

I thought this has Virginia written all over it.

Thumbs up?

Definitely a 19th-century piece.

All right, guys, we're doing it across the board, let's keep going.

Come on, Miller, show us what you got, let's see.

Okay, look out.

Let's put the frame right down.

So you can see this in the frame.

Wow.

It's a nice late 19th-century scene.

It's signed right here, "F.

Decker."

Any track record?

You know, I haven't had time to fully research it, but I found a couple and the clock was ticking.

You can see the nice, old nails.

It's got a lot of age there.

And this should do really well.

Very good.

Did I meet the challenge?

You did.

WALBERG: You've seen the clock, now let's hear more about it.

What we have here is a French striking clock with brass hands.

It's also been etched out, and so it's painted gold in the numerals.

Down on the bottom, we have what they call lion's feet.

On top here, we have an urn.

The movement inside is unmarked, so we actually don't know who the manufacturer is.

In the early part of the 1900s, a lot of these big department stores would buy so many of these clocks that they could have anything they wanted to written on the dials.

This one says "Philadelphia," and a lot of times, people will see that and think that the clock itself was made here in America, but in reality it was just these department stores were able to sell them throughout the United States.

Clocks like this generally sell between $3,000 and $5,000.

WALBERG: The pickers are on their way to meet dealer Jerry Fears, who's a 17-year-veteran at Canton and specializes in primitives.

Howdy, sir.

Howdy.

Pretty special thing you got right here, isn't it?

Yes, it is.

It's probably an old post office window out of probably '30s, '40s, back in that period.

We found out they came into being in Gravelly, Arkansas.

No kidding.

Looks like it's in great shape, too.

It's got all the original finish.

JOHN: Normally we see the old oak post boxes.

Yeah, yeah.

You don't see the metal ones very often.

Yeah, that's a rare part of it.

Isn't it neat?

JOHN: So what is our challenge?

Yeah, what is our challenge today?

The easiest ZIP Code to remember is 12345.

Can you tell me what state this is in?

Yes!

Do you know?

I know everything.

(laughing) Oh, Miller... She memorized all the ZIP Codes as a little girl.

Hey!

It was lonely down there in South Carolina.

So who's gonna go first, who wants to be first?

Go ahead, Miller.

I'll go.

Oh good, I want time to think.

Okay, leave me alone, men.

All right.

Don't listen in!

Not at all.

What state starts with one?

I can think of a number of states that start with one.

(whispering): New York.

Okay.

All right, I'm gonna go.

Okay, Jerry.

I'm gonna say New York.

Okay.

Who's next?

Off we go.

You know what you're doing?

I haven't a clue what I'm doing.

All right.

All right, Jerry.

You're just joining.

I'm just gonna join them in.

I think Connecticut.

Okay.

Thank you.

All right.

I'm just going to take a guess and say Indiana.

Oh, all right.

Okay, folks, and the correct answer was New York.

Yes!

Really?

JOHN: Really?

What did we win?

You won $50 profit at auction.

Yes!

Cool!

Congrats.

Congrats.

Oh well, we fail.

We both are New Yorkers, we should get this.

Thanks for the $50.

All right, let's get shopping, guys.

Thank you, Jerry!

You're welcome.

Bye!

Come back and buy something from me sometime.

WALBERG: Our pickers are about to start round two: Shop 'til You Stop.

It's an untimed round in which pickers can buy one or two items, but no more than that.

Good luck, everybody!

Time to roll!

Come on, come on.

Get out of my way.

Dah, dah, dah... Bruno, here's another little lantern you might like.

There you go.

Is that good for you, for your camping trip?

WALBERG: It's not often one of his opponents is able to turn the tables on John and get a dig in on him.

When opportunity knocks, they'll take it.

Gotta go!

Hey, I heard if we take a left here we could find Mission oak furniture.

Yeah, why don't you do that?

WALBERG: It's usually John who's the one teasing his opponents, sometimes like an older brother taunting his younger siblings.

Still haven't found anything, have you?

No, we're looking for something good.

I wonder if somebody else got all the good stuff.

Maybe!

(laughing) You haven't found any Mission yet?

Yeah, why?

I found lots and lots.

Where is it?

You think I'm gonna tell you?

WALBERG: Or sometimes like a younger brother just wanting to know what his other siblings are up to.

Hi, Miller!

What have you got there, Miller, a lamp?

Hey, man!

Hey buddy, how are you?

This is cool.

Yeah, right?

What are you finding here?

(husky voice): A little love action.

A little love action, indeed.

WALBERG: John likes to ambush his opponents, and he has the extra time to do it because he often sets out at a flea market to find a specific item he has in mind instead of just letting that item find him.

I'm definitely going to look for advertising as well as Americana.

WALBERG: That means John is usually done while his opponents are still scouring the market.

I've already found some things and brought them back.

I'm on a second tour.

Nice.

WALBERG: This time in Canton is no exception.

I would love to do clocks.

Clocks always sell well.

To find an interesting clock, I need something that's a little bit different.

Better if it has some advertising on it and to find something in the 19th century.

If I could find that, that would be golden.

Looking inside here, I'm seeing timepieces.

What kind of time period are we looking at here?

To me, it looks like it's probably 19-teens into the early '20s.

No, no, no, it's 1890.

Really?

Yeah, 1880, 1890.

The beveled glass, the lead glass were real, real popular between 1850 and 1900.

This one also, you see.

Oh, the bevel and the lead, yeah.

Now, this is hand-carved.

It's probably 1860s, '70s.

It's also German-made.

I'm going to be very honest with you: I am obligated to buy something for resale.

Okay.

So now...

This probably would be best.

$375...

I'll say $225.

I was thinking $200.

Can you do a deuce?

I'll do that.

If you can do a deuce, we might be able to... Yeah, I'll do that.

...do something on that, yeah.

The other one I do like, I must say, is this one over here.

This one right here, I've got $75 in it, it's what I paid for it.

I can let you have it for $125.

Do $100 even?

Yeah, what the heck, I'll do $100 even.

You do $100 on that and you're saying $200 on that, what would you do for the two of them?

Uh...

I'll tell you what I'll do: I'll give both of them to you for $300.

(laughing) How about that?

That's what we just said.

That's what we just said!

$250?

$300, that's it.

Let's do $275, you know you want to.

I can't do that.

I gotta get three, I really do.

Let's see, you're getting both of them for less than the price I got on that one!

I know, I'm just being a wise guy.

You should feel ashamed of yourself, asking me...

I do!

I do feel ashamed of myself, but it won't stop me from negotiating.

Pay me the $300 and you'll sleep better tonight.

I'll pay you the $300, deal.

$300 for the two clocks.

It was fun arguing with you.

I love it.

$100... Count me out again.

(laughing) $300.

I appreciate it.

I appreciate it too, my friend, seriously.

And I hope you double your money.

I'd love to double my money.

Clocks are always money in the bank if you get the right clock at the right price and it's in the right condition.

Where's the silver?

WALBERG: Out of someone else's mouth, this might sound like a holdup.

But this is the question on the tip of Miller's tongue whenever she lands in a new place to buy antiques.

Silver plate over copper.

Right.

If it were sterling, it'd be worth a lot more.

Oh yes, ma'am.

WALBERG: Being able to appreciate and assess silver has created some golden opportunities for Miller.

It helped her win the bonus round at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

You are so close.

You almost nailed it.

Yay!

WALBERG: And the bonus round in Burlington, Kentucky.

You two got it correct.

Yay!

I knew it.

WALBERG: You might say Miller grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth.

MILLER: I grew up with antiques, surrounded by antiques, and my grandmother was always pointing out to me the difference between silver and silver plate.

It's always been my passion and my love.

This is a julep cup?

They are, they're mint juleps.

Can we test some juleps, too?

You sure can!

WALBERG: Miller starts out the Shop 'til You Stop round knowing her destination of choice is off-limits, because some dealers inside this antiques center asked that cameras be banned because they didn't want any negotiations videotaped.

This doesn't sit well with Miller.

MILLER: Inside the antique center, there were a lot of nice antiques, an unusual variety of items, I saw a lot of great jewelry, and outside, I was seeing a lot of collectible and new items.

WALBERG: Miller seems to have no choice but to head out in a different direction.

You know, I've seen these that used to open.

You'd pull the lion and then there was a secret compartment.

That's where people would hide their silver.

This is a reproduction piece.

This used to be a shelf, and you'd pull this.

They'd hide their silver in here.

WALBERG: All this talk of silver gets Miller stirred up again about being banned from the antique center.

She comes up with a new plan: if she can find one dealer willing to negotiate on camera, she can leave her camera crew outside, have them film the exchange through the glass door entrance and thereby not break any rules.

Hi, how are you?

Beautiful things.

Oh, these are neat, the corn on the cob ears.

Tell me about these, are they sterling?

They are sterling.

And they're marked?

They're marked.

WALBERG: Leave it to Miller not only to find a willing dealer, but a willing silver dealer at that.

Okay, what'd you pay, $75?

Eight of them, $75.

Would you take $60?

I would take $60.

Oh, wonderful!

You got a deal.

All right.

Great.

Thank you so much.

I appreciate that.

You're welcome.

Okay, I'll see you.

Yes!

MILLER: I was the only picker today, I think, that went into the antiques center, so I have a huge advantage above my competitors, and I found a real gem inside.

It's a set of eight sterling corn-on-the-cob ears.

I think they're going to do very well in Virginia.

Southerners love silver.

I was very careful at choosing something that was not overpriced.

Right now, the meltdown value of silver is very high, so this was really tricky to do.

So we're not allowed to go inside, is that correct?

CAMERAMAN: That's right.

BOB: Okay.

WALBERG: Bob Richter is a quick study, perhaps quicker than any of the other pickers.

But then, as an interior designer, Bob had more to learn than his opponents.

The Eames chair back there with the cowhide on it?

DEALER: Original chair, new cowhide.

Beautiful.

Look at the beautiful age inside here.

DEALER: Oh, it's gorgeous.

And the handles are beautiful, too.

As a designer, I have to go to things that I think are beautiful, and I just think on a woman with a black turtleneck or something, this would be incredible.

I think this is art.

I'm not sure that this would have a ton of value, but decoratively it's fantastic, and I think both framed anywhere, like in a guest bathroom, would be really, really cool.

WALBERG: We invite you to witness the inner turmoil that is Bob Richter as the interior designer takes on the picker in an all-or-nothing battle for auction profits.

All right, Bob Richter.

You will make the right decision.

Gotta go get it.

Get it done, let's go.

Game boards are really popular.

At one time, this was probably meant for marbles, and it's probably a game of backgammon or Parcheesi or something like that.

(record scratches) WALBERG: Okay, let's stop right there.

You can't fault Bob for not knowing what a Parcheesi or backgammon board looks like.

That also means, of course, he doesn't know that this game board is actually for Chinese checkers.

What he does know for sure is that he doesn't have any clue what this is, so why is it even in consideration?

Hmm, it's because this picker has a powerful alter ego.

Nowadays, they're considered folk art, and I see them all the time hung on a wall.

It's really beautiful.

They're asking $79.

I feel like if I paid $40, I'd be okay.

Hey, how are you?

Good.

How are you doing?

BOB: Good.

One of the things that I saw was this guy here.

Yeah.

It looks like maybe a Parcheesi board or something like that?

I don't know what it is.

Does it say right here?

I don't have my glasses.

Well, it says "black-painted diamond game board."

Okay.

WALBERG: Even though the dealer also doesn't know what this game board is, that doesn't seem to make a difference.

It almost looks handmade.

Well, I think it is handmade.

There are a lot of game boards that were handmade and are collectible.

It's just I have to buy at a really low price in order to sell it, that's kind of what I'm doing.

What have I got, $79?

Yeah.

I'll sell it for, like, 50 bucks.

If I could get it for $35, I could make money on it.

Man, I can't do $35.

$45?

$35?

What do you think?

Give me 40 bucks and we'll be done.

You got yourself a deal.

That'll work.

40 bucks.

All right.

All right-- thank you.

Pleasure doing business with you.

Pleasure.

I'm gonna see what else you have.

Who knows, I might strike gold again.

I'm guessing it was a medicine cabinet or something like that.

The hits just keep coming with this guy's stuff.

This was made in a time where people didn't throw things away.

It's funny, recycling is not a new concept.

And I love that this was an old crate that someone turned into a shelf.

That's beautiful.

That's why I like going to flea markets.

You want one-of-a-kind objects?

This is a one-of-a-kind object.

I also see that this gentleman's asking $125 for it.

I feel like I could probably get it for well under $100.

Hey, Pat.

You know, I really am supposed to be all over this market, but I can't get out of your area.

Oh, good.

What do you know about this?

It's a great piece.

I'm pretty much around 100 bucks on this.

All right, I'm going to ponder.

Hey, Pat.

I really love this, I think it's so special.

I guess my concern is that it's a little too high for me to make a profit on it, so I'm wondering if we could do something like closer to...

If I could get it for 60 bucks, I know I can make a profit on it.

Yeah, I... man.

Can we do that?

Because I got this?

Sure.

All right, I really appreciate it, thank you.

I'm on a tight budget and gotta make some money, and I really appreciate it.

Okay, thanks a lot-- I appreciate it, too.

Thank you so much.

Thanks for coming.

Come back out.

Oh, you know I will.

I spent $100 today in my second half of the shopping, and I have to say, I'm feeling really good.

My strategy is spend as little as possible, buy awesome stuff and make money.

The auction market is all across the board, and I bought two cool things.

I know I'm going to make money on each one.

KEVIN: It's Chinese, it's super hot, and it's a really rare piece, and it was 50 bucks.

That's where I'm headed right now.

WALBERG: What's Kevin talking about?

Let's rewind the clock back to the target round and find out.

How much are you asking for a piece like this, piece of cloisonn?

WALBERG: No grass or Texas brush grows under Kevin's feet, and he's always on the prowl for a good buy.

Even during the target round, Kevin is thinking ahead to what he'll buy in Shop 'til You Stop.

Brian!

You having second thoughts?

No, no!

I came to see you again-- actually I wanted to talk to you about one of the pieces you had over here.

All right.

I was thinking about this.

It's really cool.

The damage is killing me inside, you know?

I understand.

And you think that's approximately 200 years old?

Probably right around there, yeah.

I was wondering what would be your best on it, being in the shape it's in like this?

How about 45 bucks on it?

Would 40 bucks do it?

I could do 40 bucks.

I bought it right, so I don't mind passing on a deal.

And I'm letting it fly at no reserve, so whatever it brings, it brings.

Selling it through an auction house, we're going to see what it does.

All right, Brian, thank you very much, I appreciate it.

Thanks for making a deal with me.

KEVIN: I knocked it out really quick, and I still have plenty of time to go find my second item.

I really don't have anything specific I'm looking for.

I'm looking for something I can make money on.

WALBERG: What he's looking for may not be as specific as clocks were for John Bruno, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what he'll be on the lookout for.

Kevin's almost like a long-time player of the board game Risk, with a tried and true strategy for conquering the world.

Is his plan to conquer North America, South America, Australia, Europe?

Not Kevin.

His plan of attack, as always, is to conquer Asia.

Can you see that mark right there?

It's a Chinese mark.

Japanese mixed metal.

That's 19th-century Japanese, Meiji period.

This is a piece that I would actually love to put in my own little collection, so...

This platter right here.

It's Chinese, yeah, rose medallion, about 1860.

It's an early Japanese hibachi from the 19th century.

It's got all the drawers and it's got unbelievable, beautiful wood on it.

This would normally have a cover on top, because the inside is copper here where the coals would go, but what they do is they put a piece of glass so you can use it as sort of a vitrine coffee table today.

Very little ornamentation.

The wood and the simple design speaks for itself.

And the legs, just so simple and they slightly flared out at the bottom, slight little cant to the side.

Just beautiful, simple, sexy-- in my opinion-- legs.

WALBERG: Hey, Kev, we're still talking about furniture, right?

I'm gonna see if I can make a deal.

Can I make you an offer on it, see if you want to make it walk away?

Okay, make me an offer.

I'm gonna offer you a buck and a quarter for it as is.

It'll walk away.

It'll walk away for 125 bucks?

$125, sold.

Sold, cool, excellent.

That was simple.

I should have went for $100, huh?

No, no, wouldn't have gone $100.

I appreciate it.

KEVIN: Here I am in the middle of Texas-- wagon wheels, longhorns, the whole thing.

Who knew I would actually go three for three with three Asian items in the middle of Texas?

Just unbelievable.

My favorite thing to buy.

I'm ecstatic.

WALBERG: Now it's on to Ken Farmer Auctions in Radford, Virginia, where all of the items will be sold.

Bidders are filing in to preview our pickers' lots, plus scores of others being sold at auction.

Watching the auction behind the scenes will be all four of our pickers.

Let's review all the items and what the pickers spent.

John's lots are comprised of a Dietz Vesta railroad lantern, a German wall clock with original key and a second German wall clock.

Miller's lots include an F. Decker European landscape and eight sterling silver corn holders.

Bob's lots consist of a stoneware crock, a Chinese checkers game board, and a folk art wall cabinet.

Here are Kevin's lots: a pair of Chinese carved figures, a Japanese kiri wood hibachi and a Chinese cloisonn censer.

Kevin, you've got this whole Asian thing going, huh?

That's a big risk, taking that to Virginia.

Yeah, I know.

They don't really have a strong Asian market there.

I think you can take a decent piece of Asian and put it in any market, and if they're online and they're out there showing their stuff to the world, it's going to get into the right hands.

I think I kept it pretty economical, too, to get some pretty neat Asian things, so keep the prices low and the profits high-- that's what you want to do.

Oh, is that the trick?

That's what I'm doing wrong!

Yeah, this is not groundbreaking information.

John, take a note.

Note to self; there you go.

Guys, I don't know about you, but I was also challenged because we were not allowed to film in the area that had the most antiques, so... Oh, that's right.

The big place where we could go to get antiques... Yeah, no cameras.

Guys, they said they did not want camera crews in there.

They did not say they did not want us in there.

So you snuck in without a camera.

The camera crew didn't go with me.

So you didn't take the crew in.

Exactly, I went by myself.

You use every little angle every time, don't you?

She's pretty sly, guys, you better be careful.

It's called smart.

WALBERG: Here's the moment we've been waiting for.

Remember, as the winners of the bonus round, Kevin and Miller both start off $50 in the black.

All right, here we go.

This is eight sterling corn sticks.

Say that fast three times, Steve.

Sterling corn sticks, sterling corn sticks, sterling corn sticks.

Who doesn't like sweet corn in the summer?

I've got $80, who'll go $90?

There you go, you're already up.

Already made your money.

Anybody else want in?

Anybody want $90?

That's for the set, not each, correct?

Right.

(laughing) And $80, get $90?

I'm gonna sell it for $80.

You got $20 there, Mill.

20 bucks, okay.

Okay.

There you go.

It's a cloisonn censer.

Ten-dollar bid to start.

Five-dollar bid for it?

Oh, that ain't good.

Ooh.

KEVIN: Nobody understands it.

How about I give you five bucks?

BOB: Holy man.

Five, now ten.

Ten, bid $15, give me $15?

KEVIN: That isn't good.

Now $20, now $25, now $30.

Anybody got $35?

$35, now $40.

Now $45, now $50, now $60.

$60, now $70.

That was a long way to go to get there.

Sold, $60.

All right.

It didn't look too good at the beginning, but it came out okay.

Stoneware crock.

$70 bid to start out.

Anybody?

$60, who wants it, anybody interested?

$60, now $70.

Anybody for $70?

$70, bid $80.

JOHN: Look at this.

MILLER: It's okay.

$80, now $90, $90, now $100.

It just takes them a minute to get off their hands.

Yeah.

They're going.

Now $100, now $110.

At $100.

Anybody give me $110?

Sold at $100.

Ooh.

(exhales) JOHN: Wow.

Got a railroad lantern.

That's a nice one.

Who'll give $50 to start?

How about $40?

Give $30 for it?

Oh, man!

$40, $50, $60, $70... $80, $90.

At $80, bid $90.

Nobody else wants in?

Ah, come on.

At $80, bid $90.

$90, now $100.

Nobody, get $100?

$90, get $100?

$100...?

Sold, $90.

I thought that would have done better.

We got a tiebreaker here going on.

Look out.

Watch out.

I'm surprised your censer did that well, Kevin.

Am I getting harassed for making $20 again, is that what's happening?

That's what's happening.

He did make $20.

Am I getting harassed for making 50% on my money?

I don't get it.

Let's go to the next round.

I'm making some money this time, let's go.

Let's see.

Japanese hibachi.

This should be interesting.

How much on that?

Who'll give $100 to start?

Anybody give $100?

They sell for a lot more than that, ladies and gentlemen.

Who'll give $50 to start it out?

At $50 now, $60 where?

At $60, now $70, $80.

$80, anybody 80 dollar bills?

I got $70, $80, now $90?

$90, now $100?

$90, get $100?

Oh, come on.

Last call, you want $100 on it, sir?

Sold, $90.

Oh!

That was terrible.

German wall clock, nice beveled glass in that one.

Who'll give $50 to start out.

$60, now $70.

Now $80... Now $90.

Now $100.

(giggling) At $90, bid $100.

That was a C note, by the way.

$90, get $100?

Come on.

Sold for 90 bucks, then.

Oh, man.

Number 913.

Really neat little folk art cabinet here, folks.

Oh, that is cool.

That's nice, Bob.

Thanks.

How much on that?

Who'll give $50 to start out?

Get a nice sculptural piece for that.

$50?

Anybody give me $50?

$40 for it, then.

$40, now $50.

At $40... Come on.

Nobody else wants in?

At $40, anybody for $50?

Sold, $40.

I'm shocked.

Maybe it's because it's a recessed economy, people just don't have room for just trinkets.

Well, it's a wall cabinet, but... JOHN: Wow.

Chinese checkers board.

All righty, how much on that?

Who'll give ten dollar bills to start out?

$15, where?

At ten.

Anybody gonna bid $15?

Anybody else want in?

$15... $15... Sold, $15.

I don't think it looked rustic enough.

42's a German wall clock.

At $100, anybody for $100?

$50 for it, then.

Anybody interested?

Thank you, sir.

$50, $60, $70 back to you, sir.

$70, bid $80.

$80, now $90.

You're loving it.

I've...

Anybody get $90?

Sold, $80.

Give him condolences.

Tick tock.

All righty, got a nice European landscape here.

Who'll give 200 dollar bills to start them out?

At $100, anybody got 100 dollar bills?

$100 now, thank you, sir, now $125.

Now $150, now $175.

Yes!

Now we're talking.

I need $250 to go.

At $225, anybody got $250?

Sold, $225, to 955.

That's a good profit.

You made 50% of your money.

Pretty good.

It is a pair of carved Chinese figures.

At $50, anybody $50?

I got $50 in the crowd, I need $60 to go.

Anybody else want in?

Oh, my God.

Seems like a good deal on that, folks.

50 dollar bills, last call, $60.

Sold, $50, to 930.

Miller won!

KEVIN: Congratulations, Miller.

Congratulations, Miller.

Thank you!

You kicked butt on this one.

And you lied and cheated your way into that... No, you snuck in and you got what you wanted, so I've got to take my hat off to you.

Look, you've got to be savvy and sly today, and you've got to think about every angle.

This is Market Warriors, not Market Wallflowers.

I had to do everything I can to win.

Miller only had two items this week, I couldn't believe it, and she pulled ahead with the two items.

I feel like I took a beating this week.

John, I think the reason that your clocks may be somewhat of a disappointment is the fact that those are not rare.

These are the kind of clocks that people would have bought who were accumulators and not collectors.

Bob, the reason your Chinese checker board didn't do well is because it's not very old.

It's made on plywood, and it looks like they spraypainted the outside, the board part of it, with enamel paint.

They must have been working on the car and then they sprayed the edge of this right after that.

It just doesn't have age, and it's not the kind of thing that a folk art person would really pay very much for.

Kevin, I don't think the hibachi did as well as you hoped it would.

As I was looking at it, I'm thinking, "It's too big to be a decorative object that you're just going to move around anywhere in your house."

I don't agree with that.

It makes a perfect end table.

You know what, you've got to find that piece where they're going to say, "I can't live without it."

And I think it's not the hibachi.

I don't think any one of us have come up with one of them yet.

NASA ANNOUNCER: German clock.

My father was a clock collector, and I just want to kind of pass that on to my children as well.

I would say the face of the clock I purchased today is identical to the one my father has as well, so... Brought back memories of my childhood when I saw this one.

Sold, $80, number 942.

I feel like I got a pretty good price for the clock.

This is the start of my collection.

I do have three children.

My wife will probably limit how many clocks I'm allowed to purchase.

I hope to enjoy this clock and this purchase with my family, my children.

I bought a Chinese cloisonn censer.

Though I think it's my first Chinese piece, I thought it was pretty, you know, the colors, the little wires in there, it was nice.

Sold, $60 to number 943.

I was kind of in the mood, but $60, such a deal.

How could you go wrong with $60?

Can't even get a tank of gas for $60.

I might give it to my mom so she can put potpourri in it.

Hi, Mom!