Episode 7 Antiques Road Trip

It's the nation's favourite antiques experts.

I don't know what to do!

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

What an old diamond.

The aim, to make the biggest profit at auction, but it's no mean feat.

Back in the game! Charlie!

There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

SHE GASPS

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

Oh!

This is the Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

Today we're motoring across North East England

with our delightful duo,

jolly David Harper and his Scottish pal, Anita Manning.

We're going north, Anita, we're going north! ANITA LAUGHS

-Isn't that the pleasure of this trip?

-I know.

-Isn't it?

Seeing all these different landscapes.

Buying a load of old iron as well whilst doing it.

-Look, an iron bridge!

-An iron bridge!

-Great! Don't you love it?

I could flog that dead easy.

He probably could as well, for dealer David's got a knack

of finding the golden dust in a bit of old rust.

It is fabulous.

And do you know what, Tony? I am desperate to buy it if it's cheap.

His partner in crime, auctioneer Anita,

has decades of antiquing under her belt,

though she's not one to blow her own trumpet.

SHE BLOWS BRASS INSTRUMENT

Hah!

Anita and David are still eating up the miles, though,

in this positively delectable 1965 Morris Minor convertible.

Our two expert treasure hunters started the trip with £200.

Anita now has £318.65 to spend.

David, meanwhile, has taken the lead with £385.86 for this leg.

David and Anita are travelling over 700 miles

from Ramsbottom, Lancashire, snaking their way up through Yorkshire,

all the way to bonny Scotland and the town of Paisley.

Our journey commences today in Chester-le-Street, County Durham,

ending up at an auction in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Anita is dropping David off at his first shop of the day.

Now she's tootling just 20 miles south

to the village of St Helen Auckland,

where she's catching up with her old pal, Yvonne.

-Yvonne!

-Oh, Anita, lovely to see you.

Lovely to be back to this wonderful treasure chest.

They really are happy to be reunited.

Anita soon spots something she likes.

-Can I see your scent bottle?

-You can indeed.

-Is the top silver?

Yes, hallmarked.

-Right. I love these things.

-I do.

-I love them as well.

There's no damage on the cut crystal.

And we've got that nice quality polished base.

The only thing that I'm worried about in that, Yvonne, is...

-..the fact that we don't have the stopper.

-I know, I know.

The missing stopper will reduce the value,

but I dare say Anita will use that to her advantage.

Ticket price is £60.

What's the very best you can do on that, Yvonne?

-To you, the very, very...

-The very, very best.

And taking into consideration

that we've got that very important part missing.

Yeah. What about £45?

-What I'm looking at is round about the £30.

-Mmm. If we said £35.

-£35?

-Would that be...? Yeah.

-Let's go for that.

-Yeah.

-That's great.

-Excellent.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you, Anita.

Generous discount of nearly 50% off.

David, meanwhile, is starting his morning in Chester-le-Street,

where he's meeting dealer Colin.

It's just an Aladdin's cave. It's an adventure.

Soon enough, David's eye is drawn to a Mouseman cheeseboard.

It's very simple stuff, isn't it?

But aged oak and they store the oak outside the factory premises

-for 10 or 14 years, I believe, until it's just right to be cut.

-Right.

And then they cut it and they use that tool - is it an adze?

You know, the che-che - that, almost like a medieval tool,

so the surfaces are never perfectly flat, are they?

And the old mouse there.

Each Mouseman piece has a mouse carved on it,

which slightly varies depending on which craftsman was doing the work.

The company was founded by Robert Thompson in the early 20th century

and is still running today.

OK, what about that baby there?

-Is that Mousey?

-Yep, same again.

-Let's have a look.

-There we go.

OK, so this is a different animal altogether, isn't it?

This is the cow stool. Tripod with that facetted leg, all hand-cut.

When you look closely at these things, people would criticise them

because they're just off-centre and a little bit rough in places.

-It's cos it's handmade, isn't it?

-Yeah.

They are different, aren't they?

This one's got more of a domed back, a bit fatter.

The combined ticket price of the two items is £210.

-I'd stand a chance if that was £160 for the pair.

-How much?

-£160.

I cannot.

-Go on, try a bit harder.

-I'll try a bit harder.

£170 and I'm done.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

Well, that's a very generous discount.

It works out at £110 for the stool and £60 for the cheeseboard.

Back with Anita and she's found something a little bit festive.

Another thing that I was looking at, which I thought was quite fun...

-Yes.

-These old Christmas card printing blocks.

-Yeah.

-I thought they were good.

-They're really nice, aren't they?

-Uh-huh.

-What I kind of like about them is, they're kind of soppy.

-Yeah.

-You know, that kind of old-fashioned Merry Christmas type of thing.

-Yeah.

And I think it's the type of thing

that people could have good fun with.

-Yeah.

-You know, they could make their own vintage Christmas cards.

-Mmm-hmm.

-Are these throwaway dead...dead cheap?

The printing blocks are priced at £22.

-I'll do them at £20 for the lot.

-For the lot?

-Could you do them all for a tenner?

-Oh, Anita!

-ANITA LAUGHS

-That is so hard.

They're just daft things and I like them.

I tell you what I'll do, I'll do them for £15.

-You'll do them for £15?

-Yeah.

-Let's go for it.

-Yeah.

Another cracking buy, but there's still time for one more item.

Er, I think it's German.

It's a continental Art Nouveau porcelain mantle clock

with a ticket price of £48.

I don't like it.

Nor do I.

-Do you not?

-I don't know why.

I do!

-I mean, how much do you not like it?

-A lot!

A lot!

-CHUCKLING:

-She's right.

No prizes in guessing where THIS conversation's going.

Why don't you give it a throwaway price,

-so that I can take this out of your life for ever.

-Yeah, for ever.

It definitely won't be coming back?

It won't be coming back, it won't be coming back.

-I'm going to give you a one-off price...

-A one-off price?

..today, which is a tenner.

-Wonderful!

-YVONNE LAUGHS

Boys, you're coming home with me!

Well, they're going to auction.

Put it there.

-I've got three items and I'm delighted with them all.

-Excellent.

I'm not surprised.

Anita's bought three cracking pieces for just £60.

David, meanwhile, has spotted something a bit unusual.

What on earth is that?

-Can I dive in there?

-You can.

-Is that a...?

-There you are.

-It's a cigarette lighter.

-It's a what?!

-It's a what?

-A cigarette lighter.

Oh, I see.

Why on earth do you make a bike...? It's a novelty cigarette lighter.

-Yeah.

-Replica of a...

It reminds me of my ten-speed racer when I was a young boy.

Not long ago. Ticket price for this fun little piece is £25.

You've got wheels that turn, brakes that work... That's ridiculous!

A chain that... I can't believe that's a funct...

You could get on that and ride off! THEY LAUGH

-Is it cheap?

-Yeah, it's cheap.

-Well, I think £20, and that is cheap for that.

-£20?

-Will you take £15?

-Yeah.

Thank you very much. Marvellous! Purchase number three.

You're brilliant.

Marvellous indeed.

That's one shop down and three items in the bag for £185.

Anita is now travelling over 25 miles east

to the coastal town of Hartlepool.

In the 19th century, Hartlepool was an important ship-building port.

Sadly, this industry caused the town to be the target

of a horrific attack by the German navy

at the beginning of the First World War.

Anita is here to learn more

about this momentous day from curator Mark.

Do you know, it's so peaceful here today,

but I believe at the beginning of the First World War,

really a lot happened.

Yeah, if you were standing here 100 years ago,

all hell was breaking loose around you,

as shells from three German warships

bombarded the town of Hartlepool and West Hartlepool.

On 16th December, 1914,

the war, that was seemingly being fought hundreds of miles away,

came to the doorsteps of the working-class people of Hartlepool.

This shock attack was the first of its kind on British soil

and claimed the lives of 130 people.

Over 500 more were injured. Wow.

Local people had absolutely no idea.

They're sitting eating their breakfasts in the houses behind us,

going to school, getting ready to go to work

and then, suddenly, the shells start coming

and the sound of thunder out to sea.

Huge German 11-inch shells start falling on the town in huge numbers.

-Something like 1,500 shells in about 40 minutes.

-Out there?

Yes, from just behind us here, out in the sea here,

coming in from the mist.

No public warnings of the attack came until it was too late.

The few Royal Navy ships from Hartlepool responded to the attack,

but were vastly outnumbered.

By the time more help arrived, the Germans had scooted.

Scarborough and Whitby were also hit

but Hartlepool suffered the most damage.

Inside Hartlepool Maritime Museum, Mark has some interesting artefacts,

including some shrapnel from the attack, to show Anita.

These are travelling at hundreds and hundreds of miles an hour -

in some cases, faster than the speed of sound.

So you can imagine, when the shells are exploding, there's no warning

and it just takes a building and turns it into matchsticks.

The devastation to the town was unimaginable,

as people's everyday lives were suddenly turned upside down

by the onslaught.

So, this is the bombardment clock from Collingwood Road,

where a family hear the shells...

The shells are coming down, so they run out into the street

and a shell hits the back of their house and completely demolishes it.

The family discovered the shrapnel-riddled alarm clock

in the rubble of the house.

It had stopped at the exact time the bombardment started.

But look closely. Where's the alarm clock made?

-"Made in Germany." Oh!

-It's a German import.

It sounds like a day out of hell.

But tell me about the ordinary man, the ordinary woman,

the ordinary family on that terrible morning.

People thought that the Germans were invading

and went either to find out what was going on or went to try to get help.

A lot of the people who were killed and wounded

were injured by shells exploding,

hitting the streets and being outside.

People panicked

and collected their families and their worldly possessions

and tried to run off into the countryside.

These were the first German attacks of this magnitude to strike the UK

and, as such, resulted in the first civilian and military casualties

of the First World War on British soil.

Mark, you have painted me a terrifying picture

of what happened to Hartlepool on that fateful morning.

But what effect did it have on the people of Hartlepool?

Anger and fear to start with.

And then they turned their anger over

into wanting to do something about it. What do you do?

So, you join the army, you go to work in the munitions factories,

making shells in buildings like the one we're standing in now.

The events of that day changed the lives

of the people of Hartlepool forever.

Ultimately, though, the community rallied together.

22,000 people volunteered for the Armed Forces.

Even more impressive, they raised the modern equivalent

of over half a billion pounds for the war effort -

an incredible figure for such a small working-class community.

Over 800 buildings were damaged during the attack

and it took over a decade to restore Hartlepool to its former glory.

David is now heading south to Darlington,

a town said to be the birthplace

of the world's first public steam-powered railway.

He's hot to shop, with just over £200 to spend.

-Hello, Tony.

-Hello.

-Good to see you.

-And again.

Very good to see... I'm loving those glasses!

After a quick mooch downstairs,

Tony's got an item he thinks David will like the look of upstairs.

-Now then. It's a little bit industrial up here.

-Oh.

-Um, be careful, it's fairly heavy.

-Oh, yeah.

And watch those trousers as well.

Why, what's it going to do? Grab them?

It'll be fairly rusty.

It's an early 20th-century cast-iron hay grabber

and, more importantly for David, a good chunk of metal.

Oh, there's the mechanism. There's your gear thing, switch that.

-Yeah, that's it.

-Oh, I see, I see. So, that goes onto the hay?

-Yeah.

-It grabs it...

-Grabs it.

-Locks in...

-Locks in.

-And then lifts the hay bale.

-That's right.

And that's your supports there, all for your chains

and the thing just goes up, away, and then down again...

I hope you followed that.

I mean, it is fabulous and do you know what, Tony?

-I am desperate to buy it if it's cheap.

-I tell you what we'll do...

A tenner. £10.

10 quid. Thank you very much. That is not worth negotiating over.

That's a bargain and Anita Manning is going to be so jealous

because she loves all my bits of any old iron.

Mm, we'll see, David.

But with that, another day's shopping is in the bag.

So, night-night.

MUSIC: I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside

A new day and time for a trip to the seaside.

Anita and David have travelled to the seaside town of Whitby.

I'm looking forward to shopping.

-Yeah, bye.

-Bye.

And so she should be, as her first shop of the day is The Bazaar,

packed full of interesting artefacts to get excited over.

There to help her is dealer Frank.

I quite like that.

It's part of a tea set, Royal Crown Derby,

in that wonderful imari pattern.

There seem to be some flaws though.

The item is priced at £150.

So, what was you thinking of offering?

-I'd be looking for round about £50.

-Pounds.

I tell you what. I could have a deal.

How about £70? Would that be any good?

-£70?

-Yeah.

-Could you come to maybe £60 on it?

-Yeah, I'll have a deal with you. £60.

-At £60?

-Yeah.

-That's wonderful. Thank you very much.

-OK.

That's wonderful, thank you.

That's an amazing discount.

So, for £60, Anita is now the proud owner of a Derby part-tea set.

David has travelled inland to the village of Sleights

in the Esk Valley.

He's visiting Eskdale Antiques, where he's meeting owner Philip.

He's still got just over £190 left to spend

and a whole host of interesting objects to choose here.

Little papier-mache 19th-century snuffbox here.

Now, these things can be very ordinary, can't they,

and bought for a few pounds?

Sorry, who were you talking to, David?

But I love this because of the doggy on there.

What's all this about? What do you know about this one?

Ah, Philip, hello!

Nice little scene on the front - dog carrying its prey back, I think.

Yeah, rabbit there, "To be delivered immediately" to its master.

-I love snuffboxes.

-Right.

It's priced at £45.

-I can do £25 on that.

-£25.

Can we go £20?

-Yeah, we can do £20.

-Shall we do it?

-That's fair, yeah.

-Phil, thank you.

David spent £20 on a collectable 19th-century snuffbox.

Anita is on her way, 20 miles down the coast,

to another popular seaside resort, Scarborough.

She's got just under £200 to spend

at Scarborough Antiques and Collectors Centre. There she goes.

-Hi. I'm Anita.

-Pleased to meet you. I'm Matt.

Lovely. Lovely to be here.

The shop is brimming with Anita's Achilles heel - jewellery.

Is this the bargain box?

Yeah, I suppose that's where we've put a lot of the reduced ones, yeah.

Yeah, like music to your ears, eh, Anita?

The brooches, silver and gold,

-aren't worn as much as they used to be, so...

-Yeah.

-When they do come in, we'd rather not scrap them.

-I know, I know.

-Nice wee lot, here, of four.

-Yeah.

We've got the little blister pearl here and I like those.

We've got this, it's a blue...

-It's not a sapphire. I think it's just a blue gemstone here.

-Right.

Little gold one with the flower...

..and this pearlised stone here.

-Four of them, all nine-carat gold, in the bargain-basement box.

-Yeah.

The combined ticket price for the four brooches is £80.

I'd be looking to pay...

..£35-40 as a wee group, taking all four of them,

-so it's a kind of quick sale on four.

-Right, I see.

-I could do them for £50, Anita.

-£50? Could you take it to £40?

-Could you take it to £40?

-I...I think I could do £45 for you.

You could do £45 on that? I think I'll go for that. That's lovely.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you very much, Matt, that's wonderful.

And with that, our experts are all shopped out.

David spent £215 on five items.

The 19th-century snuffbox...

A Mouseman cheeseboard and milking stool...

A vintage racing bike lighter...

And a 20th-century cast-iron hay grabber - as you do.

Anita has spent £165.

She bought some assorted printing blocks...

A cut-crystal scent bottle...

An Art Nouveau porcelain clock...

A late 19th-century Derby part-tea set...

And four gold brooches.

What do they think of each other's purchases?

The little bar brooches - they're not my cup of tea

but she knows these things inside out.

I love David's Mouseman items.

The little cheeseboard is a sweetie

and the stool - isn't that such a delight?

Our jubilant duo are heading over 70 miles north

to an auction in Newcastle.

-Good luck.

-DAVID LAUGHS

There we go.

And you can leap out...now.

OK. Well done, David, well done.

Our auction today is taking place at Thomas Miller Auctioneers

and wielding the all-important gavel this morning is Guy Macklam.

The auction's about to commence.

Those two are unusually silent.

Could it be jitters?

-Are you nervous?

-I am nervous.

-Good, I like that.

-You like that?

-Yeah.

First up, David's 19th-century snuffbox.

20 is bid for it. Any advance on 20?

-Come on.

-30. 35. 40. 45.

Yes, good boy!

At £45. Down here, £50.

At £50. To the lady at £50.

Looking for some more here. At £50, all done.

-All finished at £50.

-GAVEL BANGS

-That's good. That's good.

-Good start.

-Are you happy?

-No. Not yet. ANITA WHEEZES

You should be. 150% profit. It's a great start!

Next, it's Anita's numerical printing and greeting card blocks.

-Here we go. Keep your fingers crossed.

-I will.

I'm bid £10. Madam, thank you. Any advance on £10?

Go down the King's Road, wouldn't buy you a block.

12 bid. 15. Oh, come along. 15 offered.

-Right in front of me. Selling at 15.

-Oh.

It's yours, madam, at £15. All done. Are we quite sure?

Wouldn't buy you a block, I'm telling you. 15, right in front.

-Going at £15, all done.

-GAVEL BANGS

Not a bad result.

Time for David's cast-iron hay grabber.

Anyway, let's hope the scrap dealers are here today.

£10 for it or are we going to pass?

-Oh, we've got it. 10 bid.

-£10?

-Come on!

At 10 at the back of the room, sir. Your money and it's away.

-All finished at 10.

-Oh!

-Back of the room, an offer at 10.

All finished at £10. Selling at £10.

-I can't believe it!

-I can.

-GAVEL BANGS

They've got no style. THEY LAUGH

So, a loss after auction costs and no sympathy from Anita.

-I loved you for buying that...

-Thank you.

-..piece of rubbish.

THEY LAUGH

Charming! Time, if you pardon the pun,

for Anita's Art Nouveau mantle clock.

10 is bid. Any advance on only 10?

12, 15, 17, 20.

-Come on!

-Ooh...

-20? No.

Right-hand side, at £20.

Are we finished? Think we are. Selling at 20. At 22. Not quite.

-Yes!

-Oh!

-At 25 on the right, standing at 25. You're out, madam.

-I've got 25. 27.

-Yes!

-Hello.

-27 seated. All finished at 27.

-All done. Sell for £27.

-GAVEL BANGS

Oh, well done. Well done.

Well done, indeed.

That's a decent profit.

Next up is the first of David's Mouseman pieces.

How will his cheeseboard fare this morning?

Is your heart beating?

10 bid. 15, 20, 25. At £25. Any advance on £25?

-30, 35, 40, 45...

-Come on, come on.

£45 against you, sir. It's got to go.

50 bid. At £50.

Looking for another 5. At 50 at the back then. Selling at 50.

-55.

-Yes, good, good, good.

55 at the back. 60.

And again, sir. At 65.

-At 65.

-We're climbing now.

-Hold on.

Hammer's up. At £65.

No! GAVEL BANGS

-Ooh!

-Oh...

-£65.

It's still a profit for David, but less than expected.

Next, Anita's cut-glass scent bottle with the silver embossed top.

20 is bid. Any advance at 20?

-25, 30, 35.

-Oh.

40, 45, 50.

And again, sir. £50 to a lady at the back.

At £50. 55, 60.

At 60 in the distance then.

Going away at £60. Gents are out.

Selling here to a lady at £60, all done.

-GAVEL BANGS Nice one.

-Yeah.

A great profit, despite the missing stopper.

David loves his vintage bicycle lighter, but will anyone else?

10 bid. Any advance on only 10?

At 10, 12, 15, 17.

At 17 for the lot then. Nearer me then, at 17.

-All finished at 17. You have it, sir.

-No!

All finished at 17. 20 bid. Not quite. 22? 22.

At 22 to a gent then. Quite sure at 22? Going to sell it to you, sir.

-Hammer's up at £22.

-Oh!

GAVEL BANGS Ooh...

I thought someone else was going to come in then.

Sadly not. But every little helps, as they say.

Will Anita's collection of four gold brooches do any better?

-50 start. Any advance on 50?

-Oh, my gosh.

-60. 70, 80, 90.

-Yes!

-Seriously...

-100.

-And 10. 120. 125.

-Yes!

-130.

-Yes!

-At £130, lady at the back.

-Amazing.

£130. All out over this side.

Looking for another £5. Selling at 130. You have it, madam.

-Selling away now, at £130.

-GAVEL BANGS

-Yes!

-£130.

That's a great profit for Anita and her beloved brooches.

She's nearly tripled her money.

-I'm pleased at that.

-That's amazing. That is the best of the day so far.

Up next, it's David's Mouseman milking stool.

He spent a fair whack on this.

Let's hope it does better than the cheeseboard.

-You know I'm going to hold your hand, don't you?

-Oh...

Hold my hand.

Start me at £100 to go. 100 bid.

-£100!

-Come on.

-Any advance at £100? At £100 for the lot.

120, 140. At £140.

-Come on!

-Any advance for the stool? At £140.

Looking for 160. Take a half, 150 bid.

-Come on.

-Accepted. 150 offered.

-Come on!

-At £150. Another £10 anywhere else?

-Go on!

-At £150.

-160 bid. New buyer.

-Oh, yes!

At £160. Yours in the middle of the room, sir, at £160.

Selling away then, in the middle of the room at £160.

GAVEL BANGS

-Well, that's all right. It's all right.

-Got my heart beating.

-I know!

Yours?! I'm surprised I'm still sat down.

I thought I'd be on the floor by now!

That profit has put David back in the game.

Maybe Anita does have the magic touch after all.

Anita's biggest buy, and perhaps biggest gamble,

was her slightly damaged tea set.

Listen, very best of luck with this one.

-10 bid. 15, 20, 25. At £25.

-There's still a long way to go.

Come along. 25 offered. 30. 35. 40.

At £40. Are you bidding, sir? 45.

-Come on.

-50. 55, 60, 65, 70.

-Gone, hasn't it?

-Yeah.

-80. No, it's £80, corner-right has it.

Any advance on £80 for the lot?

-Quite sure?

-That's a lot of money for that.

-It is a bit.

-Selling at £80.

-GAVEL BANGS

-That's very good.

-Ah.

-That's a good, healthy profit.

-I'm happy enough with that.

-Yeah.

And so she should be...

-Phew!

-Massive profit, massive profit.

It was a bit nail-biting at times.

I think we need to lie down.

-Separately, of course!

-Of course!

-Go on, you go.

Well, if you can remain vertical for now, chaps,

the results are as follows...

David started this leg with £385.86.

Today, he's made a solid profit of £36.74,

meaning he carries forward £422.60.

Nice cheesy grin, David, thank you.

Anita, meanwhile, emerges victorious.

She started with £318.65.

After auction costs, she has made an incredible profit of £90.84.

So, although she's still trailing slightly behind David overall,

with £409.49, she has won the day.

That was exciting, David. Oh, thank you.

-You know what, you deserve that.

-What a gentleman.

-You deserve it.

You are my hero, Anita. Ready?

-Yeah.

-Strap yourself in.

ENGINE PURRS

Get ready for another adventure, eh?

Yes, indeedy.

A new day dawns on the penultimate leg for our distinguished duo.

Oh, Anita, does it get any more beautiful than this? Seriously!

It becomes more and more beautiful the further north you go.

Listen, we are not in Scotland yet. This is Northumberland.

-It is glorious!

-It's marvellous.

Today's journey commences in Powburn, in Northumberland.

And ends in Scotland, at an auction in the village of Kinbuck,

near Dunblane.

David and Anita are at Hedgeley Services this morning,

in Powburn, shopping at two neighbouring establishments.

If you need any help, David, give me a shout.

OK, put the kettle on. ANITA CHUCKLES

He is visiting Hedgeley Antiques Centre.

And David is such a fan of Oriental artefacts,

it doesn't take him long to find something right up his street.

It is a wooden writing slope.

South Chinese, Cantonese, probably during our Victorian period.

It folds down, no doubt.

Satinwood finish to the interior.

Black velvet, which is probably original. It's an absolute stonker.

And I need Jane.

Yeah, don't we all? Its ticket price is £95.

Is Jane prepared to do a deal?

Right, Jane.

I'm going to talk to you about this dreadful Chinese writing slope.

-Yeah...

-I hate it!

-Right.

-Yes.

-What could it be? I would love to pay 30.

Um...

50?

40. SHE GASPS

Um... Hm...

Um...

Can we do somewhere in the middle, 45?

-I could not say no to that.

-Excellent.

Cor, David was quick off the mark there!

Anita is in the Village Tea Room & Emporium next door

and has also found a couple of items she is keen on.

Dealer Beryl is on hand to assist.

-What I'm seeing here...

-Yes?

..are the perfect accompaniments to the Antiques Road Trip.

I have my picnic set for when we stop by the side of a wee loch

and have a lovely picnic.

And we have a picnic gramophone

where we could have a dance.

I can see where this is going!

MUSIC: The Road To Dundee by Calum Kennedy

-My first boyfriend used to sing that to me.

-Did he?

-That's true.

-I hope he's not watching.

-THEY LAUGH

-He'd see a big difference.

-I know!

# To Dundee... #

That...

That was wonderful. But you are better looking than David Harper.

I think that is a compliment.

But is she actually going to buy anything?

The gramophone is £55 and the picnic set, 38.

The picnic set isn't of the finest quality.

We don't have the container for the champagne.

But it is quite nice and it has got a lovely period,

vintage look about it.

Wind-up gramophones are always great fun.

I'm going to have another look around, but I might just go for them.

Holiday time!

While Anita mulls it over, David has found another interesting object.

Pretty naff kind of early 20th century,

maybe 1930s, even '40s, ashtray.

But I'm interested in actually what's underneath the glass base.

And it is described as a glass and jade ashtray.

There is your Jade.

On the bottom.

Hardly detailed at all, but actually, that is a good sign

because with jade being a hard stone,

it is incredibly difficult to carve.

Green jade is the most common type of jadeite, but there

are various colours such as

lavender, red, yellow, black and white.

It is priced at £6.50. So another one to think about.

Now back with Anita. What's she up to now? Sight going?

I've come outside to have a closer look at this wee posy holder.

It was in a cabinet.

It would've had two glass tubes

coming out of these funnels here.

Now, it's priced at £10.

If I can find a hallmark, if it is silver,

at £10, it is a bargain!

The £10 ticket price suggests the item has been

valued as silver-plated.

A hallmark would mean it is silver and therefore more valuable.

Oh, yes.

People often miss it.

It is almost indiscernible.

But it is there.

This could be a real find.

Anita is also still interested in the picnic hamper

and the gramophone. But is Beryl The Peril willing to negotiate?

Now, if I am buying three things,

I was wondering if I could have a deal.

-Right.

-On the three things.

Their combined ticket price is £103.

But what I'd like to pay for the ensemble...

is between £45 and £55.

For the ensemble.

Using a French word isn't going to make that offer any less cheeky,

Anita. Merci.

How about 60?

-60 for the three?

-For the three pieces.

-Let's go for it.

-I think you'll be all right.

-I think I am fine.

And I love the items.

That is nearly a 50% discount,

working out at 30 for the gramophone,

20 for the picnic set and 10 for the silver flower holder.

Tres bien, Anita, cherie!

-Shall I include that Road To Dundee for you?

-Oh, yes!

-Oh, yes.

-You can play that at the auction.

-We can play that.

-I can kid on he was one of my old boyfriends.

-Yeah.

BERYL LAUGHS

MUSIC: The Road To Dundee by Calum Kennedy

David, meanwhile, unsuspecting of being dumped for Calum Kennedy,

is in shopping heaven.

One of my biggest weaknesses in life is cars.

Now this thing dates way back to the early days of the car.

It's a brass horn made for a vintage car, early 20th century -

I don't know, probably Edwardian.

Something like that.

With its, I think, original little rubber squeezer...

It feels really dry. And brittle.

There is quite a bit of damage on the rubber,

but David seems undeterred.

Perhaps because it is priced at just £10.

Now then.

-We have...an ashtray with a bit of old jade.

-Right.

And a bit of old iron/brass. THEY LAUGH

-OK.

-Once part of a vintage car. I want them both very desperately.

That's right, David, keep your cards close to your chest(!)

The combined ticket price of the two items is £16.50.

-Well, what about rounding it to 15?

-I am absolutely delighted.

-Excellent.

-Thank you. THEY LAUGH

Three things on my account very quickly!

Very quickly indeed.

That's £6.50 for the ashtray and £8.50 for the car horn.

Along with the Chinese writing slope,

that brings David's spend here to £60.

While he's on a roll, David's headed to Berwick-upon-Tweed,

where Berwick Antiques Centre awaits.

-Steve, David Harper.

-Pleased to meet you.

Great to meet you. What a day, what a place.

There's plenty to rummage through...

Ha! What's he found?

See, I absolutely love that.

Have you any idea what you think this could be?

So it's bronze.

Fantastically detailed. It is obviously Oriental.

It's made mainly for a female, even though it is very heavy.

And it is, you may be surprised to hear...

..a mirror.

That's it.

The bronze would be highly polished, and that is your reflective mirror.

Mirrors today form part of our everyday lives,

but historically, they were rare and expensive commodities.

And the bronze mirror is not the only thing to catch David's eye.

So what have we got there? We have got a mahogany Georgian-style chair.

I love the tapestry seat.

That is not period, I don't think, but it has got age.

But is it actually a Georgian chair?

The biggest telltale, really, for a period chair

are the internal blocks.

So, we have the hand-cut, rounded blocks that keep the chair together.

So I can tell you, categorically,

that this chair is a period George III chair

made in about 1770 from solid mahogany.

What is it worth?

£24.

£24...

for a period Georgian mahogany chair

is absolutely bonkers.

Beyond belief.

I have got to buy that chair.

That would be dealer Stephen's cue.

I mean, to be honest with you,

I priced it because I wasn't sure about it.

If you think it is the genuine article, I think it is

probably worth more than £25, but I'll do it for 20.

Well, and I obviously get a massive cup of coffee.

-You can have a mug.

-Do I get a bit of cake as well?

-A slice of cake.

-Perfect. Done deal.

Thank you very much, Steve, you are a delight.

Pushing your luck a bit there, David.

And there's still one more item to discuss.

Well, this actually came out of The Hermitage at Hexham, which,

this is two old ladies that had lived in this house

for about 100 years.

It was a family house.

So that is its provenance.

It probably is from that sort of an era, so...

I think it has got a great history,

and I totally believe it.

It makes me feel confident that I could describe it

as early 20th century.

Its ticket price is £140. Much more than David would like to pay.

I would want that to owe me...

£40 or £50.

To stand a chance of it taking off.

£70 and I can do a deal.

Let's see if it polishes up all right.

And if it does, I'll have it for 60, how is that?

-OK.

-Whoa!

Time for a bit of spit and polish.

Are you ready to see yourself...

-No, thanks.

-..reflected

in a Japanese bronze geisha girl's mirror?

-Are you ready for it?

-I'm ready.

You are going to look stunning!

-That would be a first.

-THEY LAUGH

TINKLING

Absolutely gorgeous!

-It wasn't a mirror before.

-I think you've got a bargain.

Now it is a mirror.

-Well done.

-£60. Thank you very much.

David's spent a total of £80 on two items in this centre

and got his free cake and coffee.

Not a bad way to make a living.

And that marks the end of a day's rip-roaring adventure

from our daring duo.

Nighty-night.

Back together and on the road again.

David and Anita have crossed the border and are headed for Duns.

OK, a little antiques centre, both of us together.

David and Anita are sharing the shop floor this morning.

And straight away, David has bumped into dealer John...

who might have something to go with his Chinese writing box.

-Right, David, just come through.

-Right, OK.

-I think...

-This is the one I was thinking of.

-OK, let's have a look.

-That's a nice little one.

-OK.

-So, we have a little probably early 20th century...

-The old charmer!

SHE WHEEZES

He doesn't just chat up the birds, he chats up the guys as well.

Listen, honestly, take no notice of her, John.

-How are you doing, darling?

-Not so bad.

Well, I was doing all right until you said something.

Anyway, back to the inkwell. Its ticket price is £8.

How much is it to me? Is it a pound or two?

Well, normally, we don't really do much of a discount below ten,

but we could do four with that...

He is a right charmer.

-Three to you.

-It's getting better! It's getting better!

-I'll just pause a bit longer.

-Shouldn't buy something for £3.

-Two then.

-Oh!

-£2! £2.

Do you know what? I can't say no to that. Thank you very much.

So another item in the old bag for David,

leaving John free to give his full attention to Anita.

-There's a wee snuffbox in here.

-Oh, yeah, that is lovely, that.

-Which I liked.

-Yes, it is nice.

It's like a hardwood, almost a rosewood.

But what I like about it is the little horseshoes

-and the little whip there.

-Yeah, the little crop.

-I think that is quite nice.

-Yeah, it is.

-Is there a very, very,

very good deal that you could do me

-on that little snuffbox?

-I'm sure I could do something.

-I am used to these Glaswegian persuasive powers.

-Oh, right!

-My wife is from Glasgow.

-Oh, right!

Wise man. Its ticket price is £45.

I am looking for it in the region of kind of 18...£18.

Oooh, 18. I don't know if I could do 18...

I was thinking 28.

Could you come to 20?

-I think we could, yes.

-Could you do that?

-Yes, to give you help.

-That's lovely.

-That's lovely, thank you.

-Thank you very much.

-There we go.

-I like that. It's a nice, wee thing.

-Yes.

-Nice, wee thing. All we need is a snuff-taking horseman.

It might happen, Anita.

So for just £20, John has come through again

with a cracking discount.

And that is Anita's fourth item done and dusted.

David has travelled 30 miles north to Dunbar,

a seaside town on the southeast coast of Scotland.

Dunbar is the birthplace of one of the founding fathers

of the environmental movement -

world-renowned conservationist John Muir.

In his autobiography, he describes with great affection

his childhood pursuits, here, in the 1840s.

It is not hard to see how this spectacular coastline

and beautiful countryside inspired his passion in nature.

To find out more about this remarkable man,

David is taking a stroll along a stretch of land

named in his honour with Jo Moulin,

museum officer of John Muir's Birthplace.

-David, welcome to Dunbar.

-Well, thank you very much.

My gosh, what a view!

This is perfect for exploring John Muir's playgrounds.

He spent the first ten years of his life in Dunbar.

You can see, can't you, that this

environment would also stimulate an amazing imagination?

Oh, the imagination, but also his passion for the nature

and wildlife around him.

Him and his boyhood friends

would talk about the birds' nests that they could find.

And they would have competitions to see who knew the most birds,

who knew the most nests...

Another major influence in John Muir's life

was his grandfather, who not only taught him about nature

but also helped to educate him.

His grandfather taught him his letters and numbers

from walks on the high street, and they would go down the street

looking at the shop signs and the numbers on the clock tower

at the townhouse. And that is how he learned his first numbers

and letters, before he went off to school at the age of three.

John's education, however, ended abruptly, aged ten,

when his father decided to move to Wisconsin, in America,

where he was forced to work on the family farm.

John was set to the plough. His life was hard work and labour.

But he still had this passion to learn.

But Father was a devout, religious man, and Father

believed the only book you should have in the house was the Bible.

Self-educated, John eventually gained a place at university,

where his gift for inventions resulted in him procuring employment

in factories.

While he was working in one of those factories,

he had an accident that was to change the course of his life.

He was...

He was using a file to tension a belt and it slipped

and pierced his eye.

Blinded for several weeks, this accident made him

re-evaluate his life.

He decided to devote his time

to exploring nature rather than the man-made creations

he had been focusing on.

He set off on 1,000-mile walk from Indiana to the Gulf of Mexico,

by the wildest, leafiest route that he could find.

After this epic journey,

he travelled to the West Coast, where he fell in love with

the Sierra Nevada and Yosemite and became devoted to protecting it.

His ability to see how everything in the universe is hitched together.

He could see that if you clear felled forest on a steep slope,

you would then have problems with soil stability.

You'd get erosion, which would have an impact on water quality

further downstream, which would have a knock-on effect elsewhere.

-Somebody way ahead of his time.

-Oh, definitely.

John became famous in the States through his writing.

In 1890, he wrote two articles, published in Century Magazine,

pushing for National Park status for Yosemite.

And that same year, it was granted.

He realised very early on that what was crucially important was to make other people,

or help other people,

become as passionate about wild places as he was.

In 1892, he founded the Sierra Club,

the world's largest grassroot environmental organisation,

of which he was president for life.

His passion was so contagious that in 1903,

fellow nature lover President Roosevelt wrote to him,

requesting a camping trip in Yosemite.

John and the president set out on a camping trip with no other support.

No security, no media, none of the things you would expect today

of a presidential visit.

And they went off.

John took him into the backcountry of Yosemite

to experience it first-hand.

As a result of that camping trip,

there was a bill passed that put in place the protection

that was needed for Yosemite National Park.

-Quite a seal of approval there.

-Oh, definitely.

Whilst Yellowstone was in fact the first national park, the bill

Roosevelt went on to pass afforded Yosemite even greater protection.

National parks now exist all over the world, with 15 in the UK.

Hard to believe that from such humble but beautiful origins,

came perhaps the greatest pioneering conservationist of modern times.

Anita has made her way to the beautiful riverside town

of Jedburgh,

where Mary Queen of Scots resided in 1566.

She has got just under £330 left to spend

and is meeting dealer Mary in Bygone Days Antiques.

The sun is shining, so why are you eyeing up some snowshoes, old girl?

I can't stop looking at these snowshoes.

THEY LAUGH

Because they are so quirky. They are so quirky.

-A wee bit of damage on them.

-Yes, on the toe.

An old attached ticket says, "Snowshoe Club, Montreal, 1889."

It's certainly a change from Anita's normal choice of jewellery.

Oh, careful! Oh.

It is beginning to be tempting. They're a wee bit quirky.

That's why I'm drawn to them. And who knows the price of them?

Mary, probably. Ticket price is £100.

-Could I make you a daft offer?

-Oh, you can try me.

Could these be bought for £25?

Is Mary going to throw her out of the shop?

OK then, yeah.

-Are you going to go for it?

-I will, yes.

-Thank you very much.

Yeah, crikey! Mary is obviously feeling generous.

For just a quarter of their original price,

Anita is now the proud owner of a pair of Victorian snowshoes.

This now joins her gramophone with record, vintage picnic set,

silver flower holder and treen snuffbox.

She spent just £105.

David has erred on the frugal side,

spending just £142.

For this, he has bought a 19th-century lacquer writing slope

with inkwell now...

A jade 20th-century ashtray...

A motorcar horn...

A George III mahogany chair...

And a Japanese bronze mirror.

Oh, I say, fantastic!

If you say so, David.

It is the end of another shopping spree. But what are their thoughts?

The highest profit, I think,

is probably going to come from the old silver epergne.

Very late 19th century.

It is missing its glass bits, but for a tenner,

she is going to make some money.

Ashtrays are not popular.

Smoking is not PC.

So, that type of item isn't great in this market.

But the addition of the -

some people call it jade - that might attract people to it.

It is that all-important auction day.

And this morning, we are in the village of Kinbuck,

just four miles north

of the Scottish cathedral town of Dunblane.

But sadly, due to a family emergency,

David will be missing today's auction.

David isn't with us today.

But I will be rooting for his items, cheering them on,

but not too much cos I want to win.

Yes!

Today's auction is taking place at Robertsons Auctioneers,

and our auctioneer today is Struan Robertson.

Let the auction commence!

First up, it is Anita's gramophone with record.

Now, this is a really nice piece here.

You've even got the record there,

you can go straight out into the grass and have a wee listen. OK?

And if you really want, OK, take Jamie with it.

And Jamie can serenade you as you are sitting, having your picnic,

listening to your music, OK?

-£30. 30 bid.

-(He started at 30, that's good.)

34. 36. 38. 40.

-45. 50.

-(Yes!)

Advance on 50? 55. 60.

Advance on 60? Advance on £60?

All out on 60, then.

That is good, £60. I'm happy with that.

That's the sweet, sweet sound of a profit. Bravo, Anita.

Next, it is David's 20th-century brass car horn.

£15. £10, not dropping. Come on, £10.

10, we've started. He is in profit already.

Advance on 10? 12. 14. 16.

18. Advance on 18? Still cheap, guys.

Advance on 18?

All out on 18, then.

£18, that is not bad.

I am sure David would be pleased.

Not sure he will be. But he has doubled his money there.

Will Anita's vintage picnic set fair any better, though?

Now, if you bought the picnic gramophone earlier, OK,

what a lovely wee accompaniment.

OK? And again, you'll have Jamie with you.

He'll sing along and he'll actually feed you grapes as well, OK?

So you have got all that there, OK?

25 then. £25. £25.

-25 bid.

-26. 28. 30.

32. £32. Advance on 32?

34. 36.

£36. Advance on 36? Still cheap. 38.

£38. 40. Advance on 40? Next is 5.

Advance on 45? 50. Advance on 50?

Advance on £50? Advance on 50?

Keep that open there, Jamie. Keep enticing her. Advance on 50?

Advance on £50? Jamie is worth it. All out on 50 then.

£50, that is not bad.

It is no picnic making profits at auction.

That is another good buy for Anita, though.

Now for something with significantly more age -

David's George III mahogany chair.

And I'll start the bidding off at 30. Advance on 30?

-In at 30.

-Advance on 30? Advance on £30?

All out on 30 then. Last chance at 30...

Maiden bid at £30. That is not too bad at all.

Quite right.

Who says brown furniture is not that popular at the moment?

Cos that is actually quite a decent profit.

Next up is Anita's silver flower holder.

That's my best item and I am really interested

to see how far it will go.

I am hoping for great things on this little one.

And I'll start the bidding off at 80. Advance on 80.

-Yes!

-85. 90. 95.

One. 110 with you.

Advance on 110? Advance on £110?

All out on 110, then.

-Last chance on 110.

-110! 120!

-120.

Advance on 120? 130.

Advance on 130? Advance on £130?

-140.

-140.

Advance on 140? Advance on £140?

All out at 140, then.

140! What a result!

Yes! That's an amazing profit and a great find. Well done, Anita.

Lesson there - look for the hallmarks.

They can be underneath a piece of embossed work.

Will David's jade based ashtray do as well?

He paid very little for it.

It is going to do well.

10, I'm not dropping. Come on, guys. It has got to be worth that.

-10 bid. An advance on 10?

-10, it's started.

Come on, guys, bid.

-Advance on 10? 12. £12. 14. 14.

-It's climbing.

Advance on 14? Advance on £14? All out on 14, then.

Another small profit there. David needs a big win to catch up.

Next, it is Anita's treen snuffbox.

-25 starts it then. 25 bid.

-25! 25.

30. 32. £32.

-34.

-We are in profit.

-Advance on 34?

Advance on £34? All out on 34, then.

I am happy enough with that. £34.

If you're happy, then I'm happy too, Anita.

I am soaring ahead at the moment.

But David has his two best items to go.

Speaking of which, it is David's writing box with the inkwell.

-50 bid.

-50 bid! 50.

-Advance on £50?

55. 60.

65. 70. £70. Advance on 70?

Advance on £70? All out on 70, then.

Not a bad profit.

Not bad indeed. David will be sad to be missing the excitement.

Time for Anita's snowshoes.

I'll start the bidding off then at £20.

Advance on 20? 22. 24. 26.

-There is a wee bit of interest in there.

-30.

£30. 32. 34.

£34. An advance on 34?

Advance on £34? Still cheap, guys.

Nice gear at £34.

All out on 34, then.

That is good enough, I am happy with that.

Anita's having a great day today.

David's biggest spend and most quirky item -

his Japanese bronze mirror - is up next. Stand by.

This could be a flyer.

£40.

£30, then. Come on. £30, guys. 30 bid. Advance on 30?

32. 34. 36. 38. 40.

45. Advance on 45? 50.

-Yes. Come on.

-Advance on 50? Advance on £50?

Advance on 50? All out on 50, then?

Oh, £50. Didn't quite make it.

In fact, you could call it a sad reflection.

He'd be disappointed with that.

Better luck next time. Onwards and upwards.

David started today with £422.60.

He has made a small profit of £7.24 after auction costs.

He takes forward £429.84.

Anita, however, has had a great auction today.

She started with £409.49 and after costs,

she made a profit of £155.76, meaning she takes

the lead from David with £565.25 to spend on their final adventure.

Safe home, Anita. And hurry back, David!