Episode 13 Antiques Road Trip

It's the nation's favourite antique experts.

What about that?

With £200 each, a classic car and a goal to scour Britain for antiques.

Can I buy everything here?

The aim - to make the biggest profit at auction.

But it's no mean feat.

Feeling a little sore.

This is going to be an epic battle.

There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

So, will it be the high road to glory or the slow road to disaster?

-The honeymoon is over.

-I'm sorry.

This is the Antiques Road Trip!

We're back on the road with two of our favourite auctioneers,

Mark Stacey and Charles Hanson.

They're halfway through their trip,

but so far their car has been causing nothing but grief.

-Foot on brake!

-I'm not on the brake!

Huh! So, we swapped the Austin Nash Metropolitan

for a 1973 convertible VW beetle.

To begin with, we've got leather seats.

I like the colour. My legs feel nice and stretched out.

We aim to please.

Auctioneer Mark Stacey is a sucker for ceramics,

and when he unearths a gem, by gad, he's going to get it.

I shall give you a cuddle,

because that might mean bigger discounts.

And eccentric auctioneer Charles Hanson

likes a good sing while he works.

-BOTH:

-# It's raining men... #

-CHARLES LAUGHS

# We'll be coming round the corner... #

# Driving along in my automobile... #

Oh, crikey.

Our two experts each kicked off with £200.

We're now two trips down and, on today's third leg,

the gap is widening, with over £95 between them.

Mark's scent bottle and rather random fruit and veg lot did well,

giving him £287.06 to spend today.

But the leader of the pack is Charles.

All of his items made big money,

banking him £382.30 for his next shopping spree.

We're rubbing along nicely, aren't we?

I think the road trip... It is very much just the two of us.

# Just the two of us

# It's you and I... #

MUSIC: Just The Two Of Us by Bill Withers

Here we go again.

# We can make it if we try

# Just the two of us

# Just the two of us... #

Our two connoisseurs of the collectable

have a mammoth mission to complete.

From the north of England, down through the east

then zigzagging down to the south,

up to the West Midlands, down, up, down,

and then up again, ending in Flintshire in Wales.

Leg three begins in Leominster in Herefordshire

and winds up in Itchen Stoke near Winchester.

The traditional town of Leominster,

dating back to the 7th century, is an antiques and curios dream.

This landscape for me is a magnet for unearthing fertile riches.

Charles, you've certainly unearthed a lot of riches.

You're £100 ahead of me.

You can happily find a good object, which can clear £100

and it can be game on again.

How very true.

Try and stay away from the knobbly, from the knick-knack.

-Buy with a Stacey-esque.

-Yep.

Charles, I can tell you now,

all your little pearls of wisdom are getting lodged up here, Charles.

I'm not sure I believe it.

Both of the chaps are starting in Leominster today.

But to spare Mark any more advice, they're splitting up.

Mark's first stop is Beech Antique Centre in the heart of the town.

What I'm looking for, really,

is something that I haven't seen before...

and might actually make a profit, you know?

They focus on buying and selling 17th and 18th century oak furniture,

so it might help Mark to stay away from the knobbly knick-knacks.

Good Lord! That's rather interesting.

Or not.

It's carved pine, I think.

But you've got a sort of cross

and a mallet and other implements, and even a little stepladder.

Made by Captain Hickman Flannery...

..July, 1897, and it's signed on the cork.

I think I love it.

It's certainly unusual.

It's perhaps South African with a mallet and ladder,

which could be mining tools.

Sally Hyam's been helping run the business here for six years,

so she's the only one Mark will need to win over to get a good deal.

Sally, I've found this ridiculous thing...

-Right.

-..and I think it's wonderful.

Could you let me have that at a really good price?

What does the ticket say?

Well, it says a very modest 38, but I'd like it...

What would you like it to be?

-Well, I'm going to be very cheeky...

-Go on, then.

-..as I often am.

I'd love to get it for £10. You bought it cheaply, didn't you?

-Yes. Oh, the eyes told it.

-A little bit more than ten.

11?

-12.

-£12?

Come here and give me a hug. I love it, I want it.

So, that's £12 - less than two thirds of the asking price -

for the late 19th century bottle containing carved wooden implements.

-Let me give you some money.

-I hope you do well with it.

I'm not sure he's taken Charles's advice on board,

but that may not be a bad thing.

Meanwhile, Charles is just round the corner at One Drapers Lane,

run by Jayne Richards.

-Good morning.

-Good morning.

-How are you?

-Very well, thank you.

Just two years old,

the shop's eight dealers specialise in all things retro and vintage.

But Charles wants to ensure that any cash

he splashes is going to pay off.

I'm going to call the auction house, find out what they're selling

on the day we're going to make sure what I buy is going to sell well.

My name's Charles and I was just wondering is it an antique sale?

Could it be...?

-'It is. It's a two-day fine art sale.'

-Goodness me.

I suppose what you're saying to me,

buy highbrow, buy heavyweight...

Thanks a lot. Thanks for your time. Bye-bye.

Wow!

So, we're buying for a big sale,

so I need to really buy big things and quite expensively.

Clever move, Mr Hanson. So, big and expensive is the plan.

Perfect as he's got almost £400 to play with.

Jayne, this is quite interesting.

Erm, Charles...? It's small print with a ticket price of £9.

It's quite early, isn't it?

By the boarding back, it's got to be pre-1900.

It's awfully stained and you can see here...

-It's essentially an engraving, isn't it?

-It is, yes.

-What's the very best on that, Jayne?

-I'll take £4.

It's just absolutely worn out, isn't it?

Would you take, for example the princely sum of 300 pence?

-Yes, you can have it for 300 pence.

-It sounds better, right?

I'm really chuffed, because it's a really early print.

I'll do some homework to determine how early this print is.

It seems like Charles's plan is already out of the window.

But he could be onto something with his early print for a paltry £3.

Thanks a lot, Jayne. I'm so grateful. Thanks a lot.

Thanks very much.

Next stop for Mark is just 14 miles south in Hereford

in the centre of Herefordshire.

This gorgeous market town

was once home to film director and voice of Yoda - Frank Oz.

Hopefully, the force will be strong for Mark at his next shop,

Hereford Antiques Centre.

And today Sandra Spratling is holding the fort.

-Hello.

-Hello, Mark.

-How are you?

-I'm fine, thank you.

Mark's spent just £12 of his £287 budget so far.

So much to look at. I love it.

And it looks as though he's now sticking to Charles's advice.

I found this little table.

It's mahogany, it's got this sort of demi-lune shape at the front

with a carrying box attached.

It's actually a butler's table - he puts the cutlery in here,

the plates on there, and he can carry it off to the kitchen.

The shape, primarily, is Georgian.

This is an Edwardian revival piece, so this was made around 1900, 1910.

It's priced up at £165,

but Mark's already spotted something else.

It's a portrait of a young gentleman.

Well, the first thing to say is it's an oil on board.

And that backing's later.

It's probably about...

..I suppose, 1850, 1860.

With two potential options, both owned by dealer Richard,

Mark needs to get on the phone for the best possible price.

Good afternoon, Richard. There's a little tray top table

and also you've got an oil painting of a young gentleman.

Oh, lovely. £90. And the painting?

120.

And I'm thinking about these, Richard,

and that's really generous of you.

Mark takes one last look around, but his mind is made up.

Sandra, I think I'm ready to make a decision.

Is there any chance I can do it for around 200?

So it's another call to dealer Richard

to try and get him down a bit further.

You had a word with Mark, I think he was interested in the picture

and tray top table, which comes to 210. Can you do 200?

Begging.

Please, please, please.

Please, please, please.

OK. Lovely. Thank you. Bye.

-Yes, he will, indeed.

-Oh, that's wonderful.

-Thank you so much, Sandra.

-That's all right.

20, 30...

He's bought both a 19th-century oil portrait for £120,

and the Edwardian butler's tray table for £80.

Just a few minutes away, Charles has reached the city's stunning

centre point, Hereford Cathedral.

It houses two of the most significant

documents in British history.

One was responsible for mapping out our understanding of the globe,

at the time, and the other for forming foundations of

not only English law, but legal systems around the world.

Charles is here to meet Canon Chris Pullin

to learn more about these precious relics.

Hello there, Charles.

I'm Chris Pullin, the Chancellor of Hereford Cathedral.

It's fantastic to be here. You just feel and ooze the history,

don't you, of this place?

Well, there's been a cathedral here since at least the 8th century.

And it's been demolished and rebuilt several times over the period.

What is standing from what era?

Principally, really, the 12th and 13th centuries.

That's the main bit that you'd be seeing.

It's wonderful. It really is special, isn't it?

But even more special is what the cathedral holds in its archives.

The Mappa Mundi, meaning "cloth of the world",

is a unique British work of art.

It's the largest surviving complete medieval map of Earth.

It not only records how 13th century scholars viewed the world

in geographical terms, but also anthropologically and theologically.

Chris, there's some things I see which are really quite magical.

I think this object goes beyond that. Please tell me about it.

It's made in about the year 1300.

A single calfskin.

The whole map revolves around Jerusalem.

It's a spiritual map as much as a geographical map.

The first thing to understand about it is that East is at the top.

-The UK is down there.

-It's putting it that way round, isn't it?

It's more of a pictorial encyclopaedia

than your typical world map,

and would have been mind-blowing to the everyday man at the time.

Its 500 drawings show towns, biblical events, the natural world

and people, all presided over by an image of Jesus Christ.

So, in the year 1300, what did this represent to the medieval man?

It represented all kinds of things.

It was a compendium of knowledge.

It's such a work of art, Chris. Do we know who decorated it?

Well, it was made by at least four people.

We can tell that from the way in which it's been brought together.

And the detail. I can see Glastonbury, for example,

-and Lincoln.

-Yes.

Looking at some of the castles and forts,

hence why...that's a reason you can date it so accurately?

It is, because it has on it Carnarvon and Conway,

-and we know that they were built in the 1280s.

-Right.

And Berwick is the key, because

-Berwick, 1296...

-Yes.

-..Edward I takes Berwick

and makes a fortified town. It's very prominent on the map here.

-Yes, yes. Would it have been more vibrant in its day?

-It would.

It would have been absolutely glowing with colour.

-The red of the Red Sea stands out...

-Yes.

-..and the red lettering,

-that's survived better than any other colour on the map.

-Yes.

-It's a map which has it all, really, isn't it?

-It does.

Everything's there.

Hereford Cathedral is also fortunate enough

to possess another priceless artefact.

The Magna Carta, meaning the Great Charter,

is one of the most momentous and celebrated documents,

not just in British history, but throughout the world.

This iconic text influenced both English common law

and the American Constitution.

I can't believe it.

We've gone back to 1300 and now we're going even further back,

to the year 1217.

Well, this has been at Hereford Cathedral

-since it arrived in 1217.

-Oh!

Cathedrals were places that copies of Magna Carta were sent to

because they were reckoned to be secure and neutral.

The original 1215 Magna Carta was dismissed very quickly

and was replaced in 1217 with this version -

one of only four in existence.

This peace treaty, issued by royalty,

set out the basis of our human rights.

What did it spell out to people?

Well, it meant all kinds of things

that, to us, would be irrelevant today.

But the really important things for us

are that people were not to be denied justice.

People couldn't be denied their liberty, or have their goods

seized or anything, except by lawful judgment of their peers.

This, to me, looking at it,

for its age is in super condition.

-It is in good condition?

-It is.

It's the best preserved 1217 Magna Carta.

I thrive on handling real history,

and to come here today to see objects which go so far back,

but which are in such good condition still, is really quite amazing.

I'm just so grateful to have had this chance to come and see you.

It's been a real pleasure, Charles.

Although laws have evolved,

the Magna Carta is accepted as the beginning of our legal system,

with three clauses still in effect 800 years after they were written.

And its legacy, standing for the rights and freedom

of individuals, can be seen across the world today.

On that note, with shopping done for the day,

it's time to call it. Night-night, fellas.

Good morning, one and all, and what a lovely morning for Mark

to take over the controls of the VW Beetle.

# Always look on the bright side of life...#

THEY WHISTLE AND HUM

Indeed.

The chaps are certainly in fine spirits, this morning.

Any strategies for today, Charles?

If I don't go big, and I don't play the game,

-I'd rather lose the whole lot...

-Absolutely.

..because it's our journey.

And I'd like you to lose the whole lot, so please do.

Despite planning to buy big and expensive,

Charles spent a miserly £3 on a 17th-century hand-engraved

apostle's print, leaving him with almost £380 to lavish today.

Mark did the opposite, picking up a 19th-century bottle

and Edwardian butler's tray table,

and a 19th-century oil portrait for £212,

giving him just over £75 left.

-BOTH:

-# The minute you walked in the joint

# I could see he was a man of distinction

# A real big spender

# Good looking So refined... #

# Hey, big spender... #

Our experts have already done some distance.

After launching from Leominster,

they are now in the suburbs of Birmingham, in Moseley.

Set over three floors,

Moseley Antiques Emporium pride themselves on buying

interesting stock, so it could be Charles's turn to spend big today.

Here we are, Charles. Good luck.

One big day of shopping, OK, give me a high-five. Come on! Let's go.

-See you later.

-See you later! Bye!

Owner Maurice Melding has been running the place for over 22 years.

-Good morning. How are you?

-All right, Maurice.

-Maurice?

-Yes.

-M-A-U-R-I-C-E?

-That's right.

-Not in a Morris Minor.

Good to clear that one up.

Now, all Charles needs to do is spend, spend, spend.

What I do quite like is this novelty item, here.

It's a playing card, uh...something.

There we are. And it's £25.

Maurice? What's the best on that, novelty value?

-Uh...25.

-15 quid?

-Yeah, go on.

-Thanks, chief. £15.

It's novelty, it's neat.

Just there is a hallmark that's marked Birmingham

from the year 1916, 1918.

So, in fact, what it is

is a George V silver and ebonized mounted playing game card counter.

I presume. £15, I'm over the moon.

Not exactly big and expensive, yet again.

-That's a nice box, isn't it?

-Yeah, lovely.

-That's pretty.

-No asking price - how much?

-I think there's one inside.

-49.

-Yeah, 49.

What we've got here is a really attractive stationery,

could have been a jewellery box. It's in mahogany with really rich colour.

I think the interior, sadly, is missing a shelf tier, isn't it?

-Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hence the price.

-It's decorative.

I think the quality is really good.

-Could be 1880. Could be 1890.

-Yeah, yeah.

I've just caught, in the corner of my eye,

together with this box.

Which is 29.

This box is wonderful

because this box was sent over in many a ten thousand...

-That's right, yeah.

-..to all our service men, troops,

during World War I and, at Christmas 1914,

given by our great Queen Mary,

of course, wife to George V,

was this tin.

And when it originally went over to the trenches,

or to the fields of France or Belgium,

-it would have had within...

-Cigarettes.

-And chocolate.

-Yes.

-If I said to you, Maurice, you've got to make money,

-£20?

-Oh, no.

-How much?

-Rock, rock bottom...

-Yep.

-..on both, it's going to be 35.

-On the two together?

-On the two.

-30?

-Go on, I'll do it.

-Are you sure?

-Yep.

-Look at me.

-Look at me, happy?

-Yes.

-For £30, I've bought these two.

-So thanks so much, Maurice.

-Thank you.

Looks like Charles has struck lucky here and he's still not done.

-That's quite sweet, isn't it?

-Yes.

-What's that, Chinese? Persian?

-Could be.

-Iranian?

-Yeah.

That's quite nice, just because it's quite well embossed.

That's quite nice as well. Little caddy spoon.

-Little caddy spoon, exactly.

-Is it silver?

-Yeah.

Wow.

In the late 18th century, when tea was a luxury,

the caddy spoon was a tea drinker's most important utensil.

It was used for measuring tea from the caddy into the pot.

First, the spoon's materials were rather pricey

but, as tea became cheaper, so did its accessories.

And this caddy spoon...

-is probably the same age as this little dish.

-1900? Definitely, yeah.

Give me a one-stop price...

-for the two together.

-Yeah, 20 quid.

£20, I'll take the two of them together.

And, finally, Charles is finished. For now, anyway.

He's landed himself with a George V games counter

a late 19th-century desk box,

a First World War Queen Mary box

and a turn-of-the-century caddy spoon and dish, all for just £65.

-That's me done. Thanks a lot.

-Thank you.

Meanwhile, Mark has made his way into Birmingham,

its name meaning, "home of the people".

But Birmingham also has been home

to some of our most innovative inventions.

From the first photocopier to the stand-alone stove.

Today, Mark is off to hear about the evolution of an everyday

object which revolutionised writing around the world.

The pen nib opened up writing to the poorer classes.

Women were crucial to this pioneering industry,

which advanced education and literacy in society.

And guide at The Pen Room, Larry Hanks,

is here to tell Mark more.

-Good morning. Larry, isn't it?

-Yes, good morning, Mark.

-How are you?

Nice to meet you.

The earliest forms of writing date back to 3,000 BC,

when ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians used reeds.

Around the 7th century, they were replaced by goose or swan feathers

called quills, which were popular until the 1800s.

I'm guessing, actually,

the population at large wouldn't have been using a quill pen?

No, they couldn't. They hadn't got the skills,

or they couldn't read or write. But if you want to have a go,

-we've got a quill pen here and some ink.

-Oh, God.

Now, writing with a quill, you've got to be very delicate.

-You don't have to put a lot of pressure on it.

-All right, so,

-you hold it.

-Dip it in and have a practice.

-Well, I'll try my name first, shall I?

-Yeah.

Gosh, it's like writing as a child.

-It doesn't hold quite so much ink as an ordinary nib.

-No,

well, that's terrible, isn't it?

I mean, that's pretty shocking.

Quills had to be sharpened every few lines,

so there was a need to create something easier to use.

It's difficult to pinpoint exactly who invented the pen nib,

and when, as various metal implements have been used

throughout history. But the first time steel pen nibs

were made in bulk was in Birmingham, in the 1820s.

There must be one person that came up with this brilliant idea

of a manufactured nib. Is that right?

It was John Mitchell and William Mitchell and Joseph Gillott,

came down from Sheffield in the early 1800s,

and they'd all seen that people were struggling to make pen nibs,

and they'd been very clever, you know, mechanically.

They worked out how they could do it on a hand pressing.

Within a relatively short period of time,

-that must have been quite a big business in those pen nibs.

-Oh, yes.

-In Birmingham, there was up to 7,000 people employed.

-Good Lord.

The majority of the workers were female,

as they had nimble hands and were cheap labour.

Like Mark, today, they used a number of hand presses,

pushing and pulling them to cut, pierce, stab,

shape and slit the steel to form the nib.

Would a woman have started the process there

and gone all the way down?

No, they sat at their own press.

And you were paid by the lot.

A minimum amount that a woman had to do in a day,

that varied from factory to factory.

It varied from 15,000 a day to 18,000 a day.

In order to fulfil strict quotas,

the factory enforced rules to ensure maximum production.

No talking, no singing, no wasting materials and no tardiness,

or pay was docked.

After a while, they realised that women could multitask,

they can talk and work,

so the workplace became a lot happier.

In the early days, they were fined if they were caught talking,

a ha'penny or a penny, and when they were earning...

the top woman worker was only earning 120p a week,

-you could say that was quite severe.

-Quite a lot of money, isn't it?

-Yes.

At its peak in the 19th century, there were more than 100 companies

making pens in Birmingham, producing up to 70% of the world's pen nibs.

There was a saying in Victorian times that,

wherever you were in the world, if there was a group of people

writing with steel nibs, three quarters of those people

-would be writing with one that was made in Birmingham.

-Wow.

That's a great achievement for Birmingham.

Ultimately, sales of steel nib pens declined.

The final nail in the coffin came

with the invention of the cheaper ballpoint pen

by Hungarian Laszlo Biro in 1938.

But there are still some who prefer traditional pens,

with calligraphers and animators favouring the more flexible,

versatile steel nib.

Larry, thank you so much. I found it fascinating.

Thank you for coming.

Charles, meanwhile, is bound for the village of Belbroughton,

in Northern Worcestershire.

It's home to the newly-opened Sims Vintage,

and Charles is here to meet owner Phil Sims.

-Hello.

-Hi, Charles.

-How are you?

-Charles, it is Charles!

-Yeah, I thought I recognised you.

-Get out of here! And your name is?

-Phil.

And Phil has something in the back

he thinks could warm Charles's cockles.

It's something a little bit different.

-It's a queen's muff warmer.

-It is.

We think of, obviously, the ladies who wore that...

-Is that right? The muff was worn...

-To keep the hands warm.

So, it was like one long sleeve. wasn't it?

-Yes, that's right.

-You put your hands in like that.

-Yes.

And this was almost a hot water bottle for the muff.

-I've never, ever, ever seen a muff warmer.

-No.

What's quite remarkable is the fact that...

it's in good condition. And your price is...?

-£75.

-Yes?

While Charles ponders the price,

he wants to see if he can spy anything else.

These are nice.

What's caught my eye with these...

field glasses, binoculars,

is the fact that the case is so attractive.

There's a case - slightly tired,

ripped back strap.

That's good quality, so you hope, within this

really nice quality case, will be a good pair of glasses.

And these are marked "Archer of London".

My only concern is they don't fit in the case.

Perhaps try them the other way round, then, Charles.

Unless they go in that way.

'Atta boy.

The amazing thing is they're only £5.

Phil specialises in antique photographs and postcards,

and has a collection Charles might be interested in for the auction

-just outside Winchester.

-These are great.

We've got a Winchester entrance, there, to the Cathedral close.

The Winchester Great Hall. These are wonderful, Phil.

-What's your best price?

-For 40 cards and the album?

-Yeah.

-£40.

-Really?

That's got to be good, hasn't it?

CLEARS THROAT AND WHISPERS

-£20?

-£30 would be really good.

-£25?

-Go on, then.

I'll buy these, and if I said to you, "How much is your muff warmer?"...

-Do me 45 and it could be yours.

-You shouldn't say that to me.

-Would you take 30 for it?

-No, I couldn't.

-No?

You wouldn't do 35?

I'll take the muff warmer. Thanks a lot.

£35, I just think it's really interesting.

Charles is notching up the purchases in this shop.

But, before he bids farewell, he has his eyes on one last item.

-The binoculars.

-What's the best price on these?

-It's

-£4. £4, that's your very, very best?

-They're £3.

-Oh, don't say that!

-A wonderful set.

-Are you sure?

-Yes.

£3, I'm going to say I'm going, going,

gone with my six slots for the auction.

Winchester, here I come.

Beware Winchester - Charles will be bringing an Edwardian

muff warmer, the early 20th-century binoculars and case

and a set of Winchester postcards, costing £63 altogether.

Not exactly a spending-lots-of-money as planned moment.

-That's fantastic.

-I'm so delighted.

-And thank you for your time, today.

-Thank you.

Out on the open road, Mark has made his way just a few miles

north to Halesowen in the West Midlands.

Halesowen was traditionally a nail making town,

making use of local coal resources.

Mark's heading into Yesterday's World,

on the hunt for his final items.

Well, this is cluttered with stuff, isn't it?

So, hopefully, amongst all this is something I can take to auction,

make a profit and finally be in the lead.

That's the spirit and with owner, Jean Dunn, on hand,

to help Mark spend some of his £75,

he wastes no time in seeking out potential options.

Could I look at those candlesticks?

We're going to Winchester, of course,

and Winchester's quite an old town.

These are a pair of...

They say bronze, and they've got quite a good weight to them.

They're medieval revival pieces, I think.

If we look at the gentleman and the lady,

they look very 14th, 15th century, don't they?

They're quite nicely cast.

Not the best in the world but it's nice to have a pair of them.

Indeed, Mark.

After a bit more rummaging about,

the candlesticks aren't the only thing to have caught his eye.

-To me, this is a letter opener, isn't it, Jean?

-Yes.

In the period, you would put that into the envelope,

slice it open cleanly.

Knives had been a common desk accessory for cutting paper

since the Regency period, but it was only when envelopes came into use

in the latter part of the 19th century

that the letter opener was born.

What sort of price would you be looking for?

Well, I haven't looked to see if there's any hallmarks on it yet.

I don't think it will be silver.

Usually, I get about a fiver for those.

I think it's quite nice, actually.

To me, it has all the hallmarks of the Art Nouveau period.

1890 to 1905, something like that.

Silver-plate, I think, and there's a little bit of wear on it,

but if you'd been around 110 years you'd have some wear on you.

I'll tell you what, I'm interested in this and maybe the candlesticks.

What's your lowest price on the candlesticks?

I could do you 45.

That would be 50 for the two?

If I had the letter opener? £50 for the two.

I think we've got a deal.

So, for £50, Mark has bagged himself

both the silver-plated Art Nouveau letter opener

and a pair of bronze candlesticks.

Thank you so much, it's lovely to meet you,

-and there's your £50.

-Thank you.

And that is Mark's shopping wrapped up with five fabulous lots.

As well as the silver-plated letter opener and bronze candlesticks,

Mark has a 19th-century bottle, the oil on board portrait,

and the Edwardian revival butler's tray table, all for £262.

Charles spent just under a third of his budget, buying low-cost

and spreading the risk.

His £131 secured him six hearty lots,

made up of the Edwardian muff warmer, the Queen Mary box

and binoculars, games counter, silver caddy spoon and dish,

the 17th-century print, the desk box and a set of Winchester postcards.

So, what do they think?

I love the mahogany box.

It's got a really good colour and it's in untouched condition.

Another clever buy, actually,

was the black-and-white postcards of old Winchester.

I distinctly remember him saying,

"Mark, I'm not buying any of these cheaper lots,

"I'm going big and bold."

Exactly how have you done that on these prices, Charles?

I really like the oil painting, I think it's charming.

Good job, Mark, big spend, hats off to you.

I love your Sheraton revival butler's stand,

I think it's superb. It was expensive.

Of course, that could be a clanger and make about £40.

Well, all will soon be revealed.

Our two road trip rivals began their journey 236 miles ago in Leominster

and now they're about to reach Itchen Stoke near Winchester.

-It's going to be an exciting day, Mark.

-I think so.

Hand on heart, with this auction, you found the gold nuggets.

You've won the last two auctions and you have that Midas touch.

You are...

-HE SINGS:

-# Goldfinger

# The man with the Midas touch

# A spider's touch... #

The small village of Itchen Stoke

is home to Andrew Smith & Son, auctioneers.

The family run business dates back to 1793

and is now located in a Grade II listed barn.

Well, this looks lovely.

I'm quite impressed, Mark. I'm actually quite daunted.

That sun is burning off the chill.

-No, Mark, I think it's a sign of quality, this saleroom.

-Is it?

-And you've bought quality.

-You've bought some items, as well.

Yes, but I feel you're here to win.

I feel the comeback is now on.

It starts now.

The guy with the gavel today is auctioneer Nicolas Jarrett

who has already appraised our experts' selection.

Slightly eclectic mix.

It's a good picture. I like the face.

I suppose my favourite is probably the table, actually.

I think it's a lovely piece.

The Queen Mary box and binoculars,

I think that's rather a good little man's lot.

The 17th century print, I don't love it, I have to say.

So, as Charles predicted, his items could be rather hit and miss,

giving Mark the chance to take the glory

with some of auctioneer Nicolas's potential picks.

But Charles is getting things going with his muff warmer.

I'm going to start you here with clear bids at £12. 12 I have.

15, can I say?

At £12. 15, 17, 20.

-At £20.

-Good man, thanks a lot.

22 now.

-On the internet, go on!

-25 I have on the net now.

27, do you mean, sir?

At 27, it's the gentleman's bid. All done?

At £27.

Yes, here!

Sorry, 30 I have. At £30.

-Came in at the last minute at 30.

-Thanks a lot.

-He's beaten all others at £30 to be done.

-Thank you, sir.

I lost £5.

A small loss for Charles.

Sometimes you buy the quirky and it goes wrong.

It does, Charles.

But Charles's next item is one of auctioneer Nicholas's picks,

the Queen Mary box and the cased binoculars.

I think the tin is worth £30 all day long.

I bought the tin and a World War I period pair of binoculars for £18.

-Oh, that's cheap.

-It is cheap.

-That's a good profit.

-It is cheap.

10 I have. 12, 15, 17, 20.

At £20, are we done?

£2 profit, Charles.

At least he's clawing a bit of money back.

-I'm frightened.

-If you're frightened, imagine how I feel.

They're taking this seriously.

Mark's first lot, the letter opener, only cost him a fiver,

so definitely has profit potential.

-£20, can I say?

-Come on.

20 I have.

22 on the net. 25, new bidder. 27.

It's going to fly.

At 30. 32?

-It should make a lot more than that.

-On the net at £32.

It's a good, positive start. It's a good start.

In fact, it's a great start with a substantial profit.

Now it's back to Charles with his silver selection.

20 I have on the net.

22, 25, 27...

Yes, 27. 30?

At £27 on the net. 30, new bidder.

Finished at 30.

And that's another loss for Charles.

It was a preserve spoon, a decanter and an Indian dish.

Charles isn't often stuck for words.

If Mark does well with his candlesticks,

he could be on the road to victory.

In my saleroom, I would put 80 to 120.

They could do really well, these are decorative. I hope they do well.

20 I have, thank you. 22? At £20.

We have a bid at £20. Anybody else in?

At £20, all done at £20?

Any gain I've made so far, I've just lost.

Don't be too smug, Charles, that's a £25 loss for Mark.

Next, it's Charles's print.

He's since found out it's a 17th-century hand engraved

apostles print, so at £3 it could be a steal,

even if auctioneer Nicholas wasn't keen.

-Sometimes, for three quid...

-Oh, you can't go wrong for £3.

..it's great to buy history on a budget.

£10, somewhere, surely, for this? £10?

Oh, I don't believe it.

£12. £14.

£15, all right.

-It's cheap, it's cheap.

-£17.

£20.

-It's so cheap!

-£22. £25.

-It's so cheap!

-Charles!

£27. £30.

-Yes, it's really cheap. Pay £60 for it.

-£32.

-It's so cheap.

-Done at £32.

It's a hard game, isn't it?

Well, it's certainly a funny old game and a great profit for Charles.

-Well done, £29 profit.

-Can't complain!

Next to go under the hammer is Mark's 19th-century bottle.

I have to start to declare bids at £22. £25, can I say now? No?

It's an unusual thing, I thought it'd do better than this.

£22 then, with me. At £22, and I'm selling at £22, all done.

GAVEL BANGS

That's a bargain. I'll tell you what, if I'd seen that for £22,

-I would have snapped it up. Wouldn't you?

-Ditto.

It's another profit in the bank for Mark.

Now it's over to Charles again, with his late 19th-century desk box.

-£10 I have. At £10. £12, can I say now?

-Oh, no, I'm in trouble.

-That's a cheap box, for a tenner, surely.

-It's a cheap box.

They're all in now, £12, £15.

-£18.

-It's a cheap box, Mark.

-£20.

-It's so cheap.

-£22. £25. £27.

£30. And two? £35.

-One more.

-£37.

£40.

And two. No? At £40 then, online at £40.

-At £40.

-£40?

-All finished at £40.

Thank you, that's very kind. That's good, isn't it?

-Well done, Charles, £25 profit.

-Put it there. Give me a high-five.

Yep, well done, 25 quid.

And that could mean Charles is back in the game.

Mark took a risk on his next item.

He spent big so needs to win big to stay in the race.

Auctioneer Nicholas thinks it could be a winner.

I would actually estimate it at two to three hundred.

-£50, thank you, at £50 I have...

-It's going up.

-At £50? On the net at £50.

-No, it's not, Charles. 50 quid on the net.

That's cheap. At £50 and five can I say now?

Yes, it's very cheap.

-Good portrait there for £50. Got a good smile.

-Ha, ha.

At £50. £50, and online at £50.

GAVEL BANGS

Disaster!

So I've just lost £70 on that.

CHARLES LAUGHS Oh, no.

No, it's really amusing.

I don't think Mark's finding his loss very funny.

But he could be having the last laugh

if Charles' final item, the Winchester postcards, bomb.

I have to start you here at £22.

Oh, God, you're close already, Charles.

£25, can I say? It's with me at £22. £25, can I say now?

-Come on!

-At £22.

-Oh, no.

-£22, then, I have here. At £22.

-Oh, I say.

-Clearly not.

At £22, going to sell.

And a third, albeit small, loss for Charles.

Last but not least, it's Mark's star buy, the butler's tray table.

If it does as well as he and the auctioneer Nicholas think,

Mark could finally beat Charles.

Can I just say one thing to you?

-Please do.

-You deserve some luck.

Well, I deserve it, but I don't think I'm going to get it.

£40 then. Surely, £40 for this?

It's not looking great for Mark.

Oh, don't be ridiculous. £20 I have. Is that as far as it's going?

£22, £25, £28.

£30? £28 here. £30.

And two. £35. £38?

£35, then, lady's bid here at £35.

All done at £35?

£38 on the net.

£40 due me. And two.

£45? £42 then.

-I think this is cheap, but I am selling at £42.

-I know it's cheap.

-Don't think it is.

-At £42, all done, at £42.

That's a whopping £38 loss, and a huge blow for Mark.

But some of these auction-goers snapped up some real bargains today.

Charles, you've done it again. Well done. I'm very pleased for you.

-Let's go to Stratford.

-Let's go to Stratford.

Mark began today's leg with £287.06.

After his three expensive lots lost money, as well as auction costs,

he's now down £125.88,

leaving him with £116.18 for the next stretch.

Charles was already ahead, with £382.30.

He's had a mixed day, but after auction costs he's still

made a profit of £11.68, so Charles is the winner again with £393.98.

You've done it again, Charles. You've done it again, well done.

I got lucky.

Well, I don't know what it was, Charles,

but I'm so devastated, I couldn't even possibly drive this car.

Look at me! Come here, give me a hug!

Aw, bless.

Next time, our experts get on like a house on fire.

But when it comes to shopping, Mark Stacey takes it very seriously...

HE SHOUTS

..and Charles Hanson psyches himself up for another auction battle.

You've got to be strong-armed in the auction!