Episode 23 Antiques Road Trip

-It's the nation's favourite antiques experts.

-I don't know what to do.

SHE SOUNDS HORN

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 will be worthy winners... and valiant losers.

Oh!

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

-Oh!

-This is the Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

It's another day out on the road trip for our old pals Mark Stacey

-and Thomas Plant.

-If we were in a

-film...

-Yes.

-..what would our theme tune be?

Oh, gosh, that's a tricky one, isn't it?

I'd think we'd be like Thelma and Louise.

THOMAS LAUGHS

Well, hold on to your headscarves then, boys,

because this competition is hotting up.

I've woken up this morning with a steely determination

to find, sniff out those profits and bargains

and wipe that smug little smile off your chops.

I am never smug.

Antiques dealer Mark is always putting a smile on people's faces.

This has always been my problem, I'm too generous.

Whilst auctioneer Thomas is always on the lookout for new tactics.

-HE BLOWS THE WHISTLE

-Yes, that works. Maybe I will be able to call Mark.

HE BLOWS THE WHISTLE

HE CHUCKLES

And they're travelling the country in style in this delightful

1978 MGB GT.

-I had one of those.

-I have to say, Mark, you are driving it very well.

I have been driving a lot longer than you.

Well, I know you have because you are a lot older than me.

-Do you remember starting it by hand? Cranking it.

-I never had a hand-crank.

Both Mark and Thomas started the road trip with £200.

After a disastrous start, Mark managed to claw back some cash

at yesterday's auction and has £171 for the third leg.

Thomas remains in the lead with a hefty £309.96 to play with.

The boys' trip will cover over 500 miles from Sittingbourne, Kent,

winding along the south-east of England through Norwich

and finally to Oakham, and the East Midlands.

Today's leg begins in the town Halstead, in Essex,

and the auction will take place in Willingham, in Cambridgeshire.

The name Halstead comes from the Old English word "hald",

which means safe place or refuge.

-Mark's first shop of the trip is Halstead Antiques Centre.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-I'm Mark.

-I'm James.

Mark has trailed behind Thomas in the past two auctions

and has a lot of catching up to do.

-Are they negotiable, the dealers?

-Yes.

-Can you do me a good deal?

-Probably not, but I can do you a deal.

I don't like the sound of that. I need all the help I can get.

I'll be back. That's a warning.

It's a bit early in the day to be making threats.

Let me just remind you of the dire situation I'm in.

I am £100-and-odd behind Thomas Plant.

I've got to find things that are going to give me substantial profits.

Doesn't have to be old, might have to be decorative, but they've

got to give me substantial profits to help me catch up.

Well, get on with it, then.

This is quite charming.

This is a little pig. Pigs are very popular.

Lots and lots of people collect piggy items.

And I do sometimes often nastily refer to Thomas as a little porker.

So... Doesn't that look like Thomas, do you think?

Definitely.

We'll have a little think about him, I think.

Come on, little piggy, get to market.

Now then, what's this he's found?

Oh, that's quite interesting, isn't it?

It is quite fun. We've got two columns here.

This has got a Corinthian mound to it, and it has got this

sort of globe at the top, which represents the earth.

And then you've got another one here,

but this is representing the heavens.

These globe columns are a central part of the iconography

of the Freemasons and were used to decorate their lodges.

Masonic items often do very well at auction.

So this could be a good find.

They are priced at £14 each.

Yes, £14.

-James...

-Have you found something, then?

-I have.

I found those rather... I think they are very decorative, actually.

I think they are rather nice, actually.

I need to get things as inexpensively as possible.

Because I'm behind Mr Plant,

which I don't like.

-I don't like Thomas Plant being on top.

-You have my sympathy.

-Exactly.

How about ten each?

You see, I thought you might say that. What about 15 for the pair?

As I think they might make about 40 or £50 in the saleroom.

-And that would help you, wouldn't it?

-Oh, it would help me hugely.

-OK, 15.

-Ah! James, thank you.

So Mark's on top of the world with this pair of globe columns for £15.

But he's not finished yet.

Now, that's a very decorative piece.

You can tell exactly what period it comes from.

It could only be one period, and that is the Art Deco movement.

I mean, this is priced up at...

£35. You get a lot for your money, don't you?

You get a lot of colour and pattern and original design for 35 quid.

I mean, I have just noticed...which might explain the price.

There is a crack running into that body there,

and I think that will make a big difference.

Oh, do you know, I'm so disappointed I've found that crack because I love

this piece, but it does have a big, a big bearing on the price.

Yeah, better ask James.

James, I really fell in love with this.

But I've found a nasty crack in it, I'm afraid.

-Could you have a word with the dealer because...

-Yeah.

..unfortunately, it has put me off it, but I do love the shape.

Do you want to just try 20 as a throwaway?

And then I can see whether it fits into my plan or not?

Hi, Sally, it's James at Halstead Antiques Centre.

Got a customer who has seen your phoenix ware pot.

And they were wondering if you could actually go down to 20.

(Please, please.)

-Even if I told you the customer was Mark Stacey?

-Name-dropping, are we?

She likes you very much, she's a great fan

and therefore she will do the 20.

James, wonderful. I'm thrilled with that.

And of course, I'm a huge, huge fan of Sally's,

-whoever she is.

-HE CHUCKLES

She's the woman that just sold you the vase for £20.

Along with the globe columns, it's not a bad start.

This leg is beginning much better than the other two legs.

Thomas, I hope it is going well for you.

Let's see, shall we?

Thomas is 13 miles away in the village of Cavendish, in Suffolk.

And his first shop is Cavendish Antiques.

-Hello.

-Hi, there.

-I'm Thomas.

-Nice to see you. I'm Jackie.

-Jackie, this is like a tearoom.

It is indeed, yes. All sorts, cakes, soups, light lunches.

-Wonderful.

-Whatever you like.

-He likes antiques, Jackie.

-What goes on upstairs?

-More antiques upstairs.

-No tea up there?

-No tea up there.

-What does better, teas or antiques?

-Hopefully antiques.

-You bring them in with a cup of tea.

-Sometimes teas.

-Yeah. Well, I'm going to have a look upstairs and down here.

-Right.

Give us a shout if you need any help up there and I'll come up.

That's really kind of you, Jackie, thank you very much.

Move away from the cakes, Thomas.

There's a lot of pressure.

There's a tremendous amount of pressure on me to continue...

buying well.

And...

..making sure that I still beat Mark.

Ooo! There's that competitive streak.

What's this?

That's caught my eye. You've got a little silver pillbox.

Little enamel decoration there of a leaping stag with his antlers.

So the way this is done, it's almost...

We call at guilloche enamel, it's engine turned.

That means that the underside has been engraved.

Guilloche is a decorative engraving term where a precise

and repetitive pattern is mechanically applied.

This early 1900s piece has a price tag of £95.

Enamel is almost like a glass substance,

so when it cracks, it shatters, and it is so difficult to repair.

That's why I'm so intent on looking at the...

..quality of the enamel,

making sure that it is in good condition. But it is dead sweet.

-Good looking object, that.

-I think he likes it.

Time to speak to co-owner Graham.

What's your best offer on that?

Got 95 on it, will do you 75.

The thing is, at £75, there's no profit in it.

-There's a small profit in it for us.

-Small profit in it for you.

-So that's one winner.

-Steady on, Graham, he's up against Mark Stacey, not you.

-I've got a figure in mind less than that.

-That doesn't surprise me.

I think, at auction, that's £50 worth.

-Yeah, I can't do it for 50.

-What can you do it for?

I don't mind meeting you halfway and go down 65.

What about 60, then?

-Not at 60.

-Are you sure?

-Well, depending on what else you're buying.

Oh, you drive a hard bargain, Graham.

But don't worry, Thomas, Jackie has got a few potential items for you.

-That is pretty.

-The jewellery is nice.

-The jewellery is nice.

A little pretty brooch here. Art Nouveau in style.

There's £18 on the ticket.

-What can that be?

-What about 12?

-£12.

-Yes.

-I think that's fair enough.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

And where can we be with the box now?

-As you've done that, I'll go down to 60 for you.

-Will you?

-I will.

-That's very generous. So, 72?

-Yeah.

After that generous discount, give yourself a pat on the back,

Thomas, you have two lovely lots for auction.

Meanwhile, Mark has travelled to Castle Hedingham,

in Essex, for a visit to... Ha!

..Hedingham Castle.

This castle has been home to the same family for over 800 years,

the de Veres.

A family that once had a great reputation for its military

prowess, and one that has left a unique mark on England's history.

But there's one de Vere who stands out from the crowd,

a military hero whose boldness helped put a king on the throne,

but ultimately almost destroyed him and his family's wealth.

Mark is meeting a de Vere descendant, Jason Lindsay, to find out more.

-Hello, I'm Mark.

-Mark, very good to meet you. Jason Lindsay.

-This is amazing. This must be Norman.

-It is indeed.

This is the best preserved Norman castle in England, and has been

in the de Vere family since 1140.

Wow...

It really is well preserved, isn't it?

It can tell us a lot of stories,

there must be some notable earls in your family.

Well, they are rather an incredible bunch.

I mean, 550 years they lasted, 20 generations.

Hedingham was once home to John de Vere, the 13th Earl of Oxford,

who lived during the 15th century

when England was embroiled in a bloody civil war.

The Wars of the Roses tore the country apart, as two rival

dynasties, the Lancastrians and the Yorks, fought for the English crown.

This was also a tragic time for John de Vere,

whose family suffered at the hands of the Yorkist King Edward VII.

Basically, he had been locked up for many years. Tragically, his father

and his older brother had been taken of to the Tower of London and been beheaded.

-Oh!

-And his son was beheaded earlier, four days before so that

the father could have his pain, and they were accused of treason.

So off came their heads.

With his family in turmoil, John staged a dramatic escape

and took up the fight for the Lancastrians. At this point,

the country had been warring for three decades.

When it all came to a head at the Battle of Bosworth, John de Vere

was a commander for the future King Henry VII.

There was a vanguard

and they managed to cut two armies in half, and he helped swing

the battle, definitely, and it's stated in all the history books.

And, as a result, when he was, Henry was crowned,

the Earl of Oxford was returned all of his hereditary titles,

all his lands, all his castles, he was hugely powerful.

Having played a key role in helping secure

the throne for Henry Tudor, John de Vere used his new-found wealth

to host a lavish, week-long banquet attended by the King.

It was an extremely expensive thing to do.

And there must have been hundreds and hundreds of people with Henry,

-his courtiers and his...

-The whole entourage.

-..cooks..

So the castle had to be in an absolute...

It's probably its best condition it's ever been in.

But the celebrations were to have a sour ending.

When Henry, after this great, sumptuous feasting and everything, left,

they went from the castle down to the village.

John de Vere lined all his men down the drive, two deep, and they were

all wearing the livery of the Earl of Oxford.

And Henry felt threatened because he had banned all his barons from

displaying livery, because it was basically showing a private army.

-Yes, exactly.

-And it just shows how insecure he was in his position.

Confronted by what he saw as a potentially threatening army,

it's said the King imposed a massive fine on the Earl,

the equivalent of millions of pounds today.

Some notable historians basically say that was

the beginning of the decline of the de Veres, the earls of Oxford.

Despite this, John de Vere remained loyal to the King for the rest of his life.

But it's his victory on the battlefield which helped

stabilise a country in turmoil

and establish a royal dynasty that ruled for over a century.

That is his lasting legacy.

Speaking of epic battles, our pair are back together again

and heading for a well deserved night's rest.

Bye-bye, you two. So sweet.

Morning has broken in the county of Essex,

and Mark and Thomas are back on the road.

-We are in my home county of Essex.

-I know, you are an Essex boy, aren't you?

-I am an Essex boy.

But we have everything in Essex. We've got

coasts with amusements.

And we've got beautiful countryside, we've got something for everyone.

And beautiful people.

Flattery will get you everywhere, Thomas.

Before we get started with today's shenanigans,

let's take a look at the shopping trip so far.

Playing a thrifty game, Mark has bagged himself

a couple of bargains - the rather unusual pair of globe columns

and the Art Deco vase, spending £35, leaving him with £136.

Thomas Plant notched up two lovely buys,

spending £72 on the dainty silver pill box

and the pretty Art Nouveau brooch, giving him £237.96 for the day ahead.

Mark and Thomas are heading south to the very charming

village of Blackmore.

The trouble is, you know, Thomas, I'm still £130 behind you.

I know. I know. I've got to make a boo-boo for you to catch up.

And you've got to spend some money. You're just playing Planty tactics.

-Yes.

-It won't be entertaining.

-There we are, Thomas.

-There we are.

-Thank you so much.

-Get out!

-Get out!

-Come on, boys! Play nice!

HE LAUGHS

-Mark's first shop today is Megarrys Antiques.

-Hello.

-Morning, Mark.

-How are you?

-I'm fine. I'm Judy Wood.

-Nice to meet you, Judy.

You've got a treasure trove here.

Oh, gosh! Well...

Lots of china.

I think this is going to be fun because I'm going to have to

look in every nook and cranny to see what's here.

There's so much to see.

Which is good and bad in equal measures.

Cos like always, the clock is ticking.

And time waits for no man.

Feeling the pressure, Mark?

What's this? Ooh. I can't get it out.

It's quite interesting, isn't it?

It's a frame, obviously you can see that, and it's glazed and probably

would have had a sort of religious picture in there to begin with.

It's got four sort of cast gilded brass plaques here,

which are almost like a sort of Celtic religious theme.

Let's turn it and see what the back is like.

Ah, now this is interesting.

On the front it says 16, but on the back, it says 8.75.

I think we might have a word with Judy about this.

I'd forgotten completely that it was there.

You see, this is music to my ears cos you don't really want it.

-I've noticed something quite odd.

-Mm-hm.

On the front, it's got £16, but then on the back,

it's got the price stickered as 8.75.

Well, naturally, I want to go nearer the 8.75.

That's what I paid for it.

Mystery solved.

Judy left the original price tag on. Oh, Judy!

Well, how close can we get to 8.75?

-How about 8.75?

-I think that would suit me down to the ground.

-Thank you. Very much indeed. I've got to pay you.

-Yes, please.

And I've decided, there's £10, just give me

a pound change cos I think you need to earn a bit of profit. You see?

This has always been my problem, I'm too generous.

-Thank you so much.

-There you are.

-Lovely to meet you.

-And you.

Don't blow that 25p all at once, Judy.

At a bargain £9, Mark has his third item for auction.

Meanwhile, our Thomas is motoring on to Chelmsford.

In the late 19th century,

Chelmsford was a hotbed of innovative industry, attracting engineers and

inventors from all over, who carried out pioneering work that would

change Chelmsford and the world forever.

Thomas is visiting Sandford Mill, part of Chelmsford Museum,

to learn about the town's history

and one of the inventors that helped put it on the map.

-Hello, I'm Thomas.

-Welcome, Thomas.

Showing him round is curator Nick Wickenden.

Chelmsford at the time was like the Silicon Valley of its day.

There was electrical engineering going on here already,

with Colonel Crompton and the Christys.

There was Hoffman's, which were ball bearings.

Joining these pioneers was Guglielmo Marconi.

he began developing wireless radio whilst growing up in Italy

and with the British government investing in new technology,

he brought his idea to Chelmsford in 1898.

He found out that there was an old silk factory, which was empty,

and so it was perfect for him to set up the first radio

factory in the world in this former silk factory.

Marconi continued his groundbreaking work,

developing and manufacturing wireless technology in his Chelmsford factory.

In 1912, he opened the world's first purpose-built radio factory,

the Marconi Works, at New Street, becoming one of Chelmsford's

biggest employers and making his mark on the town.

It's dominated by two aerials, 450ft high,

and that really dominates Chelmsford's

landscape in the centre of the town for at least a generation.

Although Marconi had proved that signals could be sent

wirelessly over long distances, at the start of the 20th century,

the technology was still in its infancy.

It wasn't until after the First World War that those experiments

into entertainment broadcasts started in Chelmsford.

In 1920, Dame Nellie Melba, a famous Australian opera singer, performed

a concert at the factory that was transmitted over the wireless.

This was a major turning point and demand for radios in the home grew.

And who is listening to this at this time?

People who have wireless sets are basically by now all

round the world and not just Britain, not just Chelmsford,

it's literally all round the world.

But Chelmsford was to play another vital role, as it was here,

from an old World War I hut on the outskirts of town that the

world's first regular entertainment broadcast started in 1922.

They were led by Marconi engineer Peter Eckersley.

Eckersley's a bit of a comedian.

He starts telling jokes, they bring him a piano from the local pub...

-This is the actual piano.

-Really?

And they bring in singers, little concerts, little sketches.

And the people who are listening to this on their radio sets at home

absolutely love it

and they actually then get a licence from the British Post Office

and it's effectively the first broadcasting

station in the world that is purely for entertainment

and Eckersley really becomes the first disc jockey, if you like.

Soon, others recognised the chance to transmit their own shows

and there were 20 applications to broadcast.

A decision was made to form a single company,

responsible for broadcasting in Britain.

Yes, you guessed it, the good old BBC was born.

Marconi remained very much at the heart of Chelmsford,

with the company moving in to areas like radar

and television equipment before finally closing its doors in 2006.

But as the birthplace of the wireless

and the foundation of entertainment broadcasting,

Chelmsford has secured its rightful place in the history books

and Marconi's legacy lives on throughout the town.

Meanwhile, Mark is moving on to Gosfield for his last shop

at Gosfield Shopping Village, and Glen is on hand to assist.

Hello, Glen.

-Hello.

-Good afternoon. Welcome to Gosfield.

-Nice to see you.

This is good fun, isn't it?

Well, there's plenty to take a good look at.

-Let's take a look at the plenty to look at, shall we, first?

-This way.

With over 100 dealers, Mark should have no problem in shelling

out some of that £127 he's got left.

I'm going to try and stick to my tactics, you know,

of buying interesting, good items, as cheaply as possible,

which have as wide a range of profit as possible

because I am trailing Thomas and there's one thing we've learnt this

week and that's Mr Plant is rather good at finding profitable items.

And I'm not terribly happy with him for that.

Well, profit is the name of the game, Mark.

I like that little box there.

It's a small, I would have thought, a small snuff box.

And it dates to the sort of 1830s, 1840s, so it's a proper antique.

You are allowed to sell tortoiseshell

if the work of art you are handling was produced before 1947.

Well, this is 100 years before that, so we're well into the antique realm.

That's something I'm going to keep in my mind.

That's quite interesting, there.

That vase. I mean, it looks VERY stylised.

I mean, you can see this is Art Nouveau,

so 1910-ish, that sort of period.

But you see, I'm going off-piste again, this is priced at £165.

Please, stop me! Don't let me buy it!

OK, we'll remember that.

And to add to your woes, Mark, the competition's arrived.

Look out!

This is the first cabinet I want to look into.

There's some interesting objects in here, good, solid antiques.

And I wouldn't mind looking... There's a pen set,

like a desk set, which looks really lovely.

With, er, a really lovely price tag. At £58.

Peter is on hand to assist.

It's a good-looking lot, that.

I don't want to pay that, though.

-I'm sure... If you find some other things...?

-You never know.

Can I have a look at the rest of it?

This is really nice coramandel... Lovely vesta.

This is in the form of a drum, isn't it?

Vestas appeared around the 1830s,

designed to carry matches.

This particular model is made of coromandel wood

and has £60 on the ticket.

There's two items there which I'm relatively interested in.

-LAUGHING:

-I'll keep in my mind.

-So... So, could you take those to the desk...

-Uh-huh.

-..and see what we could do on those?

-Yes, of course.

-While I carry on looking?

-Yes.

-Is that all right?

-Yes, no problem.

While Tom carries on looking, let's check on Mr Stacey.

There's one thing I've noticed here, actually,

I was looking at the little seated pig yesterday, and didn't buy it.

But here, they've got a very big, fat, juicy, succulent pig.

It's actually a pincushion.

And he's loads of fun, actually, he looks like he's got a fun face.

I don't think it's terribly old, but it's only £22.

The price of pork has just gone down.

Oink. Oink.

And there's an interesting spoon, here.

It simply says "Arts and Crafts spoon. £22."

It's all hand-beaten and hand-shaped.

I can't believe it's silver, for £22.

But it's worth a look, I think.

Better have a word with Glenn.

-You're a very naughty man.

-What have you found?

Well, I found so much I could fill cabinets here

with the amount of stuff that I've found. But I have found the vase,

an interesting spoon, a lovely little Regency tortoiseshell box

and a big fat porker.

But I've got to try

and make choices about what I'm going to put in the auction.

Right, let's have a look.

We've got the vase, best price we could do there would be 80.

For these spoon, ten. For the snuffbox, 40.

And the pig, ten on that one.

The pig, at £10, is a no-brainer really, isn't it?

I mean, that at auction could do really well.

The vase I love because it sums up to me a very subtle

Art Nouveau form that the Americans surpassed themselves in.

I want to take a bit of a risk. I've been very...

restrained so far.

If I try to buy those two, Glenn, to put forward as my last two items,

-could I possibly get those two in for £60?

-60?

-I think I could meet you halfway, there.

-£55?

-At 75.

Oh, my God, that's not halfway, is it?

If we could say 70, I'll have a go.

-OK, I'll give you the next two for 70.

-Are we there?

-Yes.

-Lovely.

Let shake on 70, shall we? Thank you.

What have I done?

You've taken a bit of a gamble on that vase, Mark!

That's what you've done.

But, you have five items for auction and well done.

Meanwhile, Thomas is still on the hunt.

I feel there's this last-minute last-item buy.

It could be... You know, the wrong thing to do, buying at speed,

buying at haste and not really giving it careful consideration.

Not finding a real...

..bargain.

Here comes trouble...

-Thomas.

-THOMAS SIGHS

-How are you doing?

-Fine.

-Time's running out, Thomas.

-I know. Have you purchased?

-I'm all done.

-You're all done?

-I'm all done.

-Well, I suggest you go away!

-But my strategy's gone out of the window.

-Have you spent?

-I've spent a lot of money.

-No, you haven't.

-I have, honestly.

-Have you?

-Look, there's wonderful cabinets here of quality items.

-Mm-hm.

-You've got huge amount of money left, Tom.

-Yes...

-Then get spending it.

Well, I'm going to spend SOME.

Now, I'll be so disappointed if you've been tactical.

Turn around and off you go.

-No, no...

-I'll be really disappointed if...

-There's more spending,

-there's more spending going on, I promise.

-Promise?

-I promise.

Don't make promises you can't keep, Thomas. Naughty.

This last bit is such a panic.

I mean, there's...

Thing is, you've got to think about auctions and what's

going to sell well at auction.

This is what caught my eye and it's a sort of

double whistle-cum-compass.

£28 on the ticket, but does it work?

-SHRILL WHISTLE

-Yes, that works.

-So maybe I'll be able to call Mark.

-WHISTLING SOUND

HE LAUGHS

Well, it's got someone's attention.

Look at these, cigar cutters in silver.

Gosh! You put your cigar in the end, you snip it.

They're in solid silver and they're probably 1920s.

Oh, they're just simply wonderful, aren't they?

For the man who has everything.

Priced at £45.

Thomas also has his eye on the writing set and the vesta.

All four items have a combined ticket price of £191.

-What can be done on all of these?

-SHE SIGHS

-177.

-177?

-That's a lot of money.

-It's the first step, 177.

-Yeah, no, I wouldn't be happy with that.

-I know.

How much are you prepared...?

-I know this is really going to push it...

-Uh-huh.

-Really push it...

-Uh-uh.

But I'm at round about £110.

That's where I am. 110?

You're going to do it for me, 110... Really?

Deal. Thank you very much.

£110.

So, that means 40 for the matchbox, 30 for the desk set,

£15 for the scout's compass-whistle

and £25 for the cigar cutters.

He's cleaned up. Well done, Thomas.

That's four items! Mark's going to go mad, I've bought four items.

That's six in total! He's going to go bonkers.

Thomas has spent £182. As well as his latest purchases,

he's also picked up the pillbox and the brooch.

Despite starting out with thrifty intentions,

Mark threw caution to the wind and bought five items.

The piggy pin-cushion, the globe columns,

the bronze vase, the frame and the Art Deco vase.

Spending a grand total of £114.

Quite a haul for them both.

But what do they think one of another's buys?

One of the best items Thomas has bought,

and one of his most expensive, is the little Art Deco pillbox.

Beautifully enamelled and very collectable, but £60?

That's quite a lot of money.

He's bought this fabulous sterling silver and bronze vase.

This could be a bit too subtle for auction, but somebody out there

will spot the quality, and hopefully, he'll make a good profit on it.

I'm really looking forward to this auction,

because I've bought very well and I think Thomas has bought reasonably well,

but he's bought a Scout's whistle. Honestly, what next?

He's used his eye, he's used his knowledge.

And I am in fear of him racing ahead while I slightly lag behind.

After their trip around Essex and Suffolk,

our road trippers are heading north to the village of Willingham

in Cambridgeshire, for auction.

-Are you excited? For auction day?

-I am! Auction day... Yeah, I am excited.

-I think you've bought immensely well.

-Do you think so?

-Yes, I do!

I'm a little bit jealous. I've had to be very cunning.

-I am...

-In awe.

-In awe of Mr Mark Stacey.

-Well, so you should be, Tom.

You've bought so well. It's only taken you three legs to get this far.

THEY LAUGH

Ha-ha-ha, you are cheeky, Thomas.

Today's auction is being held and Willingham Auctions.

-Look at you, you're already dying to get out.

-I am.

It's like Auction Village.

-It's like Starsky & Hutch, isn't it?

-More like Laurel & Hardy. Ha!

Our auctioneer today is Stephen Drake.

What does he think of Mark and Thomas's purchases?

The bronze vase is very nice, actually.

It's got a tiny bit of oxidisation on it, but it's really nice.

Nice, small, well made, good quality.

I'm probably going to put my foot in it, but a scout's whistle,

is a bit...

I mean, there are whistle collectors out there

and I'm hoping that they're going to turn up today, basically.

Come on, boys, the auction is just about to start.

First up is Mark's piggy pin cushion.

Decorative little lot, stick pins in pigs.

We'll start at £10 on this lot.

-£10 bid.

-Oh, this isn't looking good.

18, 20, £25 bid on the lot at 25.

25, 30.

5.

-40, 5.

-It's going on, you see?

£45 bid.

45 bid. Are we all done? Selling, then, at 45.

-That's not bad on a tenner, is it?

-No, on a little piggy.

Oink, oink.

He'll be happy with pork chops tonight.

The £10 piggy has paid off for Mark.

Next up, Thomas's silver cigar cutters.

Interest in this.

We'll start at £40 on this lot.

-£40 straight in.

-£40 bid on the lot at 40. £45 bid.

In the room at 45. 50.

5.

60. 5.

-£65 bid.

-£65.

-70.

£75 bid. 80. 5.

£85 bid.

-That's awesome.

-At 85.

90. If you want to bid, be quick on the internet.

90, that was quick.

It wasn't quick, he gave him about half an hour to make his mind up.

-I don't care.

-Selling, then, at £90.

-That's not bad, is it?

-I'm rubbing my hands with glee.

-I think it's over for me already.

-Don't be so ridiculous!

Great result for Thomas, putting him in a strong lead.

But let's not light the cigars just yet.

It's Thomas's pill box next.

£50 bid. Nice little pot at 50, 5, 60, 5...

-There we are.

-..80, 5,

90, 5,

100,

-110.

-Good, brilliant.

-£110 bid.

-Gosh, that's a jolly good profit

-and you weren't expecting that.

-No.

Well done, 130.

140.

You're not going to give up now, are you?

Good man.

Lady's bid at 140.

Are we all done now? Selling, then, at 140.

-That's brilliant.

-That's £80 profit.

That's brilliant.

Well, I think you've done very well.

-I think I have.

-I wasn't expecting that.

-No, nor was I!

I thought you might get 20 quid out of it.

You're on a roll, Thomas.

Up next are Mark's globe columns. Can their association with the Masons

spark some interest?

-Start at £75 on this lot.

-That's all right.

-£75 bid.

85, 90.

£90 bid.

95, £95 bid.

-That's all right.

-Get in there, look at the profit on that!

£100 bid on the Masonic columns, at 100, are we done?

Selling, then, at £100.

-That's all right.

-Brilliant!

-£85 profit.

-Superb.

-Pleased with that.

Gosh!

An amazing profit - this could really help Mark.

Back to Thomas now with his desk writing set.

Start at 25 on this lot. £25 bid.

25, 30.

£30 bid. £30 bid on the lot at 30.

35, £35 bid.

If you want to bid, be quick.

£35 bid and selling, then, at 35.

What did you pay for that?

£30, I think.

So £5 profit.

Not quite as good a result.

Can Mark's bargain frame put him in the winning picture?

-£10 on this lot. £10 bid.

-£1 profit.

12, 15,

18.

£18 bid, and 20.

-£20 bid, and 5. £25 bid.

-Come on, a bit more.

-Oh, no, it's going well...

-..forwarded to sixth.

-Have they?

Are we done now? I shall sell, then, at £25.

-£16 profit.

-I think that's brilliant.

-16 quid profit.

That's more than double back.

Well done.

It's Thomas's Art Nouveau brooch next.

Bit of interest in this. We'll start at a tenner on this one.

-That should make a lot more than that.

-..18, 20, 25, 30,

-35...

-That's good.

£40 bid on the lot at 40.

-£40 bid.

-It's not expensive for what it is.

I think it's charming.

I think it's lovely.

Are there any further bids? Selling, then, in the room, £40.

Brilliant.

More of those.

That turned out to be a good little find.

Next up is Mark's bronze vase.

The auctioneer has high hopes for this.

Start at £80 on this lot, 80 bid.

So £20 in profit.

85. 85, got to go 90.

95, I'm out now.

95, I'm comforted I've made a profit.

Are there any further bids?

I shall sell in the room, then, at 95.

100.

-5?

-105.

-Broken that three-figure...

-110 against you now.

115. £115 bid.

-Creeping.

-Still in the room.

120 against you.

120. It's on the internet at 120.

Selling, then, at 120.

I was concerned at that, cos I didn't know the factory.

-It looks very Tiffany to me.

-It did!

It has that look,

so it's obviously from that period.

-Doubled its...

-I'm pleased with that, I'm happy.

-Well done, you!

What a gamble! He's doubled his cash!

But is it enough to put him in the lead?

Back to Thomas and his vesta is the next lot.

£20 bid. Bid's with me at £20. 25, 30.

35, got to go 40.

-One more, I'll take it. 45.

-Oh, there's a profit.

-Yeah, yeah.

-A very small profit, though.

-Are we done now?

Selling in the room, then, at 45.

I am surprised at that.

I thought that would have done better.

Same here, but it's yesterday's antiques, isn't it?

Turn that frown upside down.

It's still a profit.

Thomas, again, now, with his scout whistle.

The auctioneer and Mark aren't fans,

but will the bidders be?

£10 bid on the scouts' whistle, ever popular at £10.

£10 bid? £10 bid on the whistle at 10.

12, £15 bid.

18, just what you want, madam, at 18.

£18 bid.

£18.

Selling, then, in front, lady's bid at £18.

Well done - you've made a profit on that.

-That was great. Reminded me of my schoolboy days.

-Yes.

You know, yomping through the moors.

-You managed to navigate yourself to a profit.

-I did, I did.

Very, very cautiously, but it happened.

It's a profit, albeit a small one.

It's our lads' last lot of the day,

Mark's cracked Art Deco vase.

£20 bid. Bid's with me at 20.

-£20 bid.

-£20.

-He's killed it by saying that.

-25.

-At 25.

£30 bid. Decorative little lot at 30 and selling, now, in front at £30.

-Well done, madam.

-Well done, Mark.

Another good profit.

Come on, you can buy me a cup of tea.

-Why me?

-Cos you've got more money.

Great auction, chaps.

Now, let's do the maths.

Thomas started off this leg of the trip with £309.96 in his pocket.

After auction costs, he made a profit of £119.76,

giving him a hefty £429.72 to carry forward.

But today is Mark's day.

Starting off with £171, after auction costs,

he's notched up a profit of £148.40, winning this leg of the trip.

He has an impressive £319.40 to take forward. Well done.

-You've beaten me!

-But you're still £110 ahead, Thomas.

Oh, yes, but this is where - as I say, you were on the ropes -

-the fight-back starts here for Mark.

-Absolutely, it's started, my friend.

Be afraid!

-Be very afraid!

-I'm quaking!

Best we leave them before it all kicks off. He-he, bye for now!

Next time on Antiques Road Trip,

Mark's having a crisis of confidence...

What am I doing here?

..while Thomas keeps his eye on the ball.

Maybe I can look into the crystal ball

and see how Mark's fortunes turn out.