Episode 11 Antiques Road Trip

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

-This is beautiful.

That's the way to do this.

With £200 each, a classic car, and a goal -

to scour for antiques.

-Joy.

-Hello.

The aim -

to make the biggest profit at auction. But it's no mean feat.

There will be worthy winners and valiant losers.

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

The handbrake's on.

This is Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah.

Today, we begin a brand-new adventure with Road Trip royalty.

It's queen of auctions Anita Manning

and king of doing a deal Philip Serrell.

Philip, are you quite excited because it's a new adventure

-and you're sitting beside a beautiful woman?

-I am indeedy.

I am indeedy.

Everywhere I go, people say to me, "What's that lovely Anita Manning like?"

-and do you know what I say to them?

-What do you say, darling?

-She is awful.

-Oh, no!

-Absolutely awful.

-I don't believe you!

-You work with her...

What a diva. What an absolute diva.

Don't listen to him, Anita.

One of Scotland's first female auctioneers, our Anita

is more of a smiling assassin when it comes to getting a discount.

I was kind of looking to pay about £20 on them.

Her rival on this journey is esteemed auctioneer Philip.

Full of fun and games.

Shame.

Starting this trip with £200 each, our expert pair will be

pootling around in a left-hand-drive 1966 Fiat 500.

Do you think I should get out and push? Do you?

It might go faster.

I think... I'm not sure whether you drive this or wear it.

They are snug in there, aren't they?

This Road Trip kicks off in Windermere in the Lake District

and travels over 1,200 miles around the north of England,

crossing the border into Scotland, before heading south again

and ending their trip in Crooklands, Cumbria.

This leg will kick off in Windermere

and finish up at auction in Cleveleys, near Blackpool.

Philip's arrived at Courtyard Cottage Antiques.

How are you?

-Hello.

-We've met before, haven't we?

-We have, yes.

-I've seen you're selling your shop.

-We are.

-Now, my budget's £200.

-I don't suppose...? No?

-No, you're a little short. I'm sorry.

Story of my life, that.

-I'm going to have a look round and I'll catch you in a minute.

-OK.

Nice try, Philip. Best find something a bit more in your budget, eh?

Let's get a closer look at those horns.

-How much are these, Jean?

-65.

-65.

-They're just a cow's horn, aren't they?

-Yes.

So it's just a by-product of what it is.

-There's no actual hunting gone on just for these.

-No.

What I'm trying to say is, they're not a trophy, are they?

-They are not.

-Right.

65...

-Look at this. Look at it.

-JEAN LAUGHS

Philip's putting the dusty cow horns aside as a possibility.

And it looks like a small leather-topped children's stool

has also caught Philip's eye.

Ticket price is £45.

How much can you do the two for?

-I'll be really generous.

-Oh, hark at this.

-£60 for the two.

-50 quid for the two.

I agree with you at £50.

-You sure?

-Yes.

-I want you to be happy.

-I'm happy.

Go on. I'll shake you by the hand, my love. Thank you very much.

Philip's kicked off his Road Trip with two generous deals,

securing the cow horns for £25 and another 25 for the stool.

He's so bullish. Ha!

Anita has made her way to Kendal...

Her first shop of this trip is the Antiques Emporium.

-Hello, there.

-Hello. I'm Anita.

-Hi, I'm Chris.

With a wide range of antiques, collectables and vintage pieces,

there's bound to be something to suit Anita's taste here.

Cabinets always fascinate me. I'm always drawn to the cabinets.

First to spark Anita's interest

are a yellow-metal amethyst-set bar brooch and an Art Deco clip.

This style is 1930s.

Maybe...between '20s and '40s.

And I think it might be a wee bit more modern than that.

I think that it's a replica, rather than a period one.

It's not absolutely right, but at the same time, it's a nice thing.

It's a nice piece.

Chris has headed off to phone the dealer to see

if there's any movement on the ticket price of £42.

-The very best I can do is £32.

-32?

-Mm-hmm.

Do you think they would go to 30?

-Go on. You've twisted my arm.

-I don't want to twist your arm.

-Oh.

-You've sweet-talked me into it. We'll do 30 for you.

-Thank you very much.

That's great, that's terrific.

Anita's not stopping there.

She's spotted something else in the cabinets.

I'm intrigued by this little plaque at the back.

Joan of Arc.

-Could I have a wee look at it, please?

-Certainly.

This is a copper plaque that's been plated with white metal

and there's probably a bit of age to it,

but neither Chris nor the dealer know anything more.

Is Anita willing to risk purchasing this mysterious lot?

The ticket price is £22.

There's a little bit of leeway on it.

We can do £18 for it, and that's his bottom line.

-That's his bottom line?

-Yes.

-I'm tempted.

Like, my heart's saying yes, but my head's saying,

is somebody else going to be as fascinated as me?

-It just needs somebody interested on the day, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, I'm going to go for it.

-OK, lovely.

-Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

That's the commemorative Joan of Arc plaque and the brooch

and Art Deco pin bought for £48.

Philip is now joining Anita in Kendal.

He's come to Sleddall Hall Antiques Centre,

housed in a 17th-century manor house.

Philip's being looked after today by dealer Andrew.

-I tell you what, I love that, Andrew.

-That's amazing.

You've got a handcrafted pub game there, skittles.

-Somebody's made this who goes to the pub, haven't they?

-Absolutely.

All you've got is a bit of stained hardboard here.

-Or plywood, isn't it?

-It is plywood.

It was probably made in the '50s, just post-war.

-I would say post-war.

-Just post-war.

Well, have a go, then.

Oh, here we go.

-There we go.

-Are you ready for this?

-I'm ready for this.

-How many?

I'd say you'll get five.

There you are, four.

Oh, so close.

So, what's the ticket price on that, Andrew?

We've got a ticket price of £80.

-And there's some movement in price on that?

-We can always negotiate.

-OK.

-Knock it down a bit. Sounds like the skittles are in the running.

Anything else?

Andrew, this is fantastic, isn't it?

That's a wonderful example of polished fossils, isn't it?

I would think this is several million years in age.

Really ancient.

-And how much is that?

-We've got a ticket price on that of £75.

I quite like that. I do think that's quite a...

..fun thing, and I'm willing to bet that it would be the oldest thing

-in the auction.

-I would imagine it would be.

It's probably one of the oldest things in the shop.

-It's not as old as you and me, is it?

-Not quite!

The slab of Mesozoic-era fossils

and that pub skittles game

have a combined ticket price of £155.

-The fossil's going to make £40-£60.

-Yes.

Realistically, I think I can give £30-£35 for them.

For me, the game is £20-£25 worth.

So you're wanting to pay...

60 quid for the two. Well, £55, £60 for the two.

Call it £65 and we'll have a deal for you at that.

-So what we're talking about is £35 for the fossils.

-Correct.

-And £30 for the game.

-Correct.

-You're happy with that?

-Yes.

I will shake you by the hand.

-Thank you very much, I'd better give you some money now!

-Yes, please.

A very generous discount, and a great deal done. Marvellous!

Anita is still in Kendal and has travelled five minutes

down the road to the Museum of Lakeland Life and Industry

at Abbot Hall.

She's come to find out about the mysterious author behind one

of the most famous children's novels of all time, Swallows And Amazons.

Arthur Ransome had a lifelong love affair with the Lake District

but also spent many, many years in Bolshevik Russia,

and rumours still persist that he may have been a spy.

Here to tell Anita all about this fascinating man

is Geraint Lewis from the Arthur Ransome Trust.

We associate Arthur Ransome with the Lakes.

-How did this association start? Was he born here?

-He wasn't, no.

He was born in Leeds.

When he was just born, his father carried Arthur Ransome up to the top

of the Old Man of Coniston as a sort of welcome to the area.

Arthur Ransome just developed that love from his earliest beginnings,

from childhood holidays at Coniston Water.

I suppose he carried this area in his heart with him.

He did in his heart, and quite literally as well, because

he carried a little rock throughout his life wherever he travelled.

I love that idea, of carrying a bit of this wonderful area with him

throughout his travels.

Ransome had a passion for writing from an early age, and in 1902,

aged 18, he moved to London, where he mixed with the artistic scene

and started publishing his work to great acclaim.

But an interest in folklore

led Ransome to St Petersburg in Russia.

Did he do any work over there, apart from his writing at that point?

Initially he was interested in the writing, but of course in 1914

the war began and an opportunity came up by accident, really,

for him to become a war correspondent for the Daily News.

That is the perfect job for him, telling stories.

In 1917, the Russian Revolution happened,

so he was excellently placed to become a political journalist,

reporting on the rapidly evolving politics of Russia.

It must have been a very scary time to be in Russia at that point.

I think so.

He was one of a few Westerners, really, who were in Russia

through that kind of period.

That made him of interest to the Bolshevik and British governments,

because he was one of the very few people who could actually

give first-hand knowledge of what the other side was thinking,

and what their mind-set was.

Are you telling me that he was a spy?

It's difficult to say,

but we do know that he was recruited by MI6 in 1919

when he was in Stockholm

and the evidence suggests that they helped to persuade,

or encourage, the Russian government to let him back into Russia.

For two reasons.

One, because he wanted to write a history of the Russian Revolution,

which the Bolshevik government was very keen on his doing,

but also so the British government could get a report from him of

what was going on in a country which at the time they knew nothing about.

Rumours persisted about Ransome's sympathy for the Bolsheviks,

as he mixed with many of the leading Communists,

including Lenin and Trotsky.

Within this elite circle, he got to know one person particularly well.

He married Evgenia Shelepina, who was Trotsky's secretary, in 1924.

He moved straight back to Britain after that

and they went to live at Low Ludderburn, near Windermere.

So he came back, he brought his Russian bride to live in the Lakes.

It was a far cry from the turbulent world of post-war Russia,

and it was in this calm and remote landscape that Ransome

conceived the idea for his children's novel Swallows And Amazons.

What inspired him to write this book?

It was two inspirations, really.

One was his own childhood in and around Coniston Water,

and memories of that.

Those were really reignited in 1928

when he spent a lot of time with the daughter and grandchildren

of WG Collingwood, and between them acquired two dinghies, which they

spent a lot of time sailing in during the time they were there,

and that I think reignited his thoughts, and eventually

led to the creative inspiration for Swallows And Amazons.

Swallows And Amazons was to be the first in a series of 12 novels

that Ransome wrote about the outdoor adventures

enjoyed by two families of children.

Everyone has heard of Swallows And Amazons,

and Arthur Ransome must have been one of the most popular

children's authors of all time.

Yes, I think that's true.

And I think one of the most respected as well.

After a life full of intrigue and adventure, Arthur Ransome

died in June 1967 and was buried in his beloved Lake District.

His children's novels remain in print today,

and have sold millions of copies worldwide.

It's been a busy old day for our experts,

who are back together again for some well-earned rest.

So, nighty-night.

It's the next morning, and, hello, what's going on here, then?

-Philip?

-What?

-What are we going to do?

I don't know.

Looks like the car has finally packed in.

Our experts will have to think of a new mode of transport.

There she goes.

There's a couple of gee-gees up there.

No, I don't like horses.

I think we should retitle the programme.

What about The Great Antiques Walk?

Let's go for it.

I think it's a bit optimistic to think you can walk the whole way,

you two.

Or should I say skip?

So, Anita has walked, and been driven,

to her first stop of the day, in Cullingworth, West Yorkshire,

home to Antiques at the Mill.

-Hi, I'm Anita.

-How are you? How do you do?

-It's lovely to be here.

What a fabulous place.

This is the type of object

that Phil Serrell would be immediately drawn to.

A big old broken rustic piece

of what some people might call junk,

but it's an interesting looking thing and it has age about it.

It's had a wee bit of repair.

So, it says on the ticket that there is a rustic rake and shovel.

So we've got a rake as well.

-There we go.

-OK.

So, no great quality, but probably

late-19th, early 20th-century stuff.

She sounds keen, so it's time to phone dealer Paul.

Ticket price is £50.

I was kind of looking to pay about £20 on them.

Well... You don't get if you don't ask.

25? Could you take 25?

You are an absolute darling! An absolute darling at 25.

I'm really delighted. OK, bye-bye. Bye.

-25.

-You got a really good deal there. Well done.

I was chatting him up.

Smooth talking, Anita.

And she's not done yet.

This little sewing box here would be from the 1950s.

The top opens out.

So that we can see all the little compartments for threads

and needles and scissors and so on,

and it's decorated with this

quite crazy Fablon material here.

Cheap, but stylish.

I quite like that.

And I think that it might be appealing.

Ticket price is £60,

but Anita has asked Steve to contact the dealer with a cheeky bid of £30.

-Any luck?

-Right...

Because it's such a popular item, he knows he can shift that,

so 30 is a bit low.

He will shift it at 40.

How does that sound?

-Let's go for that, thank you very much. I'm delighted.

-Fantastic.

Yeah, I bet!

That's the 1950s sewing box

and the rustic rake and shovel for a canny £65 total.

With the car still being fixed,

Anita is using her initiative.

Oh, this is great. I feel like the queen of the road!

I'll look after him and I'll be careful.

All right, see you later.

Bye!

Thank you, kind driver.

OK, darling, we're off. Forward, Macduff!

And you're a lot better-looking than Phil Serrell.

Hey, cheeky!

A lorry and a car ride later and Anita has arrived in Hebden Bridge.

She's here to visit Caldene Antiques Centre.

There's certainly plenty of choice.

That looks like Anita's sort of thing, a 1940s lady's watch,

possibly gold.

-Can I have a wee look outside?

-Course you can.

-I want to try and find hallmarks.

-See if there's any hallmarks.

I'm going to have a look at this watch,

which is from the 1930s or 1940s.

It's marked up at £22.

Now, if that is gold, that's not a lot of money because,

although the watch might not be working,

there would be interest from people who buy gold.

But I like the colour.

I like the colour of the watch case and I think that might be gold.

If I just open it gently, remove the mechanism...

..and then I am looking in here for the hallmark.

And that tells us that it is...

..nine carat gold.

So that's a good buy at £22.

Great spot, even better if she could get it for less.

Time to check with Carol.

Watch out, Carol.

Is there any movement on that price?

I'll have a look for you.

Have a wee look.

-Are they both out of the same cabinet?

-Mm-hm.

-We could do that one for £20.

-You could do it for £20.

Could you do it for £18?

-Yes, take 18.

-Yes, 18.

-You can do it for 18. That's fine, that's fine.

-That's great. Well, I'm very pleased.

-OK, my love.

So that's a nine carat gold cased lady's wristwatch for only £18.

Well done.

Philip is also heading towards Hebden Bridge.

It's a lovely part of the world, isn't it?

He's hitched a ride with Roy and his grandson George.

This is fantastic. Really, really kind of you.

Roy is a man of few words.

A tractor, though,

not surprising as Philip hails from generations of farmers.

And PE teachers.

Thank you very, very much.

And dropped off right at the door of his final shop. Lucky devil.

Right, down to business at Hebden Bridge Antiques.

-Peter, how are you?

-Nice to meet you.

-That was some entrance, that was.

-Well, you know, travelling in style.

You're welcome to have a look around.

That's quite nice.

Very often, these have had an armorial or something here.

-Yes. Quite often they do, yes.

-That has been polished out, hasn't it?

But it's got some nice gilding to the interior.

This is a helmet-shaped cream jug.

Chester hallmarks.

This is a Georgian design that's been copied 100 or 80 years later.

What's the price ticket? £80!

Um... What can you do it for?

For me, it's got to come in under £30, otherwise I can't look at it.

Why don't we try £45?

-That's not under £30, is it?

-No.

For me to buy it, it's got to come under £30, really, I think.

£35?

That's still got to make £40 for me to stand still with it.

I could go to £25 for it, if that's any good to you.

If it isn't it doesn't matter, but I could give that for it.

How about pushing it slightly and go £28?

Go on, then, you're a gentleman. Thank you very much indeed.

With that very generous deal, both our experts are all bought up.

Philip spent a total of £143 on five lots -

the cow horns,

the children's stool,

the bar skittles,

the slab of fossils

and the Georgian-style cream jug.

Anita spent a little less, shelling out £131

on her five lots,

buying the brooch with the Art Deco clip,

the commemorative plaque,

the rustic rake and shovel,

the 1950s sewing box

and the vintage lady's wristwatch.

So, what do they make of each other's lots?

I love Phil's items, they are so Phil.

Anita has bought some really good Anita lots.

But she has also bought a couple of Phil Serrell lots.

The rake and the fork... I mean, that's Serrell country, Manning.

What are you doing?

After starting in Windermere, our experts are now en route

to their very first auction of the trip in Cleveleys, near Blackpool.

Let's hope their now-fixed car makes it.

Do you know, the thing is, our road trip is like a rollercoaster.

ANITA LAUGHS

The "Auction Sale Big Dipper".

We've had the highs, we've got the lows to come now.

Well, don't worry, Phil, as you've made it safely to the auction house.

OK, my old fossil, are you ready for this?

I'm going to find a fossil, I think. In we go, then, happy days.

-Here we go.

-Presiding over today's proceedings

is auctioneer Shaun Smythe.

Get comfortable, everyone.

-Whoa. Packed room, isn't it?

-Yeah, it's busy.

-It's good.

-Absolutely.

First up is Philip's child's stool. Will it prove to be a crowd-pleaser?

-Do you need me to hold your hand?

-£20 for this. 10. 10 I have. 12.

-14, 16, 18.

-Yes!

-20.

At £20 at the back. 22.

-ANITA GASPS

-24. 26.

At £26 on the front row. 28 anywhere? At £26.

-26, are we all finished? At £26...

-Why are you cheering for me?

-Because I love you.

-Can't argue with that, really, can you?

There was a little love in the room for Philip's stool, too.

Will there be any left over for Anita's commemorative

Joan of Arc plaque?

Just a little question here. Is Joan of Arc big in Blackpool?

-We'll see in a minute.

-So, for this one, £30.

20 I have. 22. At £22.

24 anywhere? 24. 26. 28.

At £28 on the staircase. 30.

32. 34.

-She IS big in Blackpool.

-36, 38.

-She's very big in Blackpool.

-40.

-It is getting bigger by the minute.

-£38 on the second row. 40.

42. 44.

At £44, are we all done at 44?

-Yes!

-It's put me firmly in my place, hasn't it?

Indeed. That's a storming start for Anita.

-I wonder if it will be lady's day today.

-Oh, do shut up.

Now, now, no need to be bitter.

Let's see if your pub skittles game will prove popular.

£50 for this. 40.

Come on, 30 I have, 32. At £32. 34 anywhere?

34. 36. 38. 40. 42.

At £42 at the back. 44 anywhere?

At £42 for the skittles game, then.

£42. 44 anywhere? Are we all finished at £42?

-Are you happy?

-Moderately.

Surely you can crack a bit of a smile over that result.

If you're in Liverpool, you're a Liverpudlian.

If you're in Blackpool, are you a Blackpudlian?

-I think I've lost her.

-Sometimes I worry about you, Phil.

Right, next up it's Anita's Serrell-like lot,

the rustic rake and shovel.

-£40 for this. £30.

-Yes!

-20 I have.

22. 24, £24 at the back. £24.

-Yes!

-26 anywhere? At £24 at the back of the room.

26. 28. 30.

-At £30 at the back.

-£30.

-30, then. Are we all done at £30? 32 anywhere?

-All done at 30. All finished.

-Yes!

That's another profit for Anita. Great stuff.

-Philip is playing catch-up with his cow horns next.

-At £10, then, now.

At 10. 12, at £12. 14. 16.

18. 20. £20 on the front row. 22 anywhere?

At £20 for the cow horns. Are we all done at 20? All finished?

ANITA LAUGHS

Ah, that will take the sting out of that loss.

Next up it's Anita's great find, the gold wristwatch.

£40, 30 I have.

32, 34, 36. At £36. 38 anywhere?

At £36, then, now.

36, are we all finished?

At £36, all done at 36?

Another marvellous profit for our Lady Manning.

And she's up again with that lot that Philip rubbished,

her 1950s sewing box.

For me, that's got that sort of November 5th look.

-Bonfire?

-Yeah.

Very popular, these. What can I say for this one? £40, or 30 I have?

-32. 34. At £34. 36 at the back.

-ANITA LAUGHS

-At £36. 38.

-Come on!

-40.

-42. 44.

-I don't believe it, I just do not believe it.

-Firewood is making profit.

-£55 on my right.

-60 anywhere?

-Absolute...

-My flabber is completely gasted.

-£65.

-60. At £60...

-ANITA LAUGHS

At £60, are we all done at £60? All done.

Look at that, she's done it again!

Oh, Philip, this is not your day, is it?

Can you redeem yourself with your slab of fossils?

20. Well, 20 I have. 22.

At £22. 24 anywhere? At £22. 24, 26.

28. 30. 32.

At £32, the gentleman sat down on the second row.

-34 anywhere?

-Come on!

-At £32, then, now.

At 32. Are we all finished at 32?

For the last time.

I think you've bought the right things for this room

and I don't think I have.

Do you know, I think you've hit the nail on the head there, Phil.

It's Anita's last lot now.

Can she continue her run of profits with her brooch and Art Deco clip?

£30 for those. 20. 10 I have. 12, 14. At £14.

16 on the stairs. 18.

20, 22, 24, 26, 28.

30. 32. 34. 36.

38. At £38. 40 anywhere? 40.

At £40, then. £40 at the back of the room.

Have we all finished at 40?

40 is good enough for me.

THEY LAUGH

I'll say so. Anita ends on a high.

I think for you to win, your cream jug will have to get £3,000.

SHE LAUGHS

Hey, it's unlikely, but stranger things have happened.

50. 40 I have.

-At £40. 42. 44.

-And you're away, you're away.

-44. 46. 46. At £46.

-Come on, come on!

At £46. All finished at 46? 48.

50. So £50 at the back, then.

At 50, then. Are we all done at 50? All done.

Might just have clawed me back to what I started with.

A great result to end on, so well done.

-Go on, then.

-Cup of tea?

-Why not? Arsenic.

Before you have tea, let's work out the final figures.

Philip started this leg with £200.

Unfortunately, he made a small loss of £3.60 after auction costs,

leaving him with £196.40.

Anita also began with £200.

She made an impressive profit of £42.43 after auction costs,

which means she's today's auction winner

and goes into the next leg with £242.43. Well done, girl.

And with one auction under their belt, our lovely pair are back

in the little Fiat 500.

CLANKING

Oops, she's sounding a bit poorly.

The beginning of our next buy leg.

-Aye, I can hardly wait(!)

-SHE LAUGHS

-Are you not raring to go?

-I've got some catching up to do, haven't I?

-You completely drilled me yesterday.

-I know.

Anita and Philip's second leg begins in Barnard Castle, County Durham,

and ends at auction in Driffield in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

And mischief is in the air because both Anita and Philip are sharing

this fine establishment, so stand by.

Opened six years ago,

Mission Hall is located in the heart of the town's antiques district.

Dale Robson is the man to meet.

-Hi.

-Hiya.

-I'm Anita. And this is Philip Serrell.

-Hello, Philip.

Let's follow Anita first, shall we? Because it looks like something's

already taken her fancy.

I rather like this little inkwell and pen tray.

It's in the Art Nouveau style.

Decorated and embossed with flowers.

And owner Dale is on hand to open the cabinet.

-It is made of...some sort of base metal, I would imagine.

-Britannia metal.

Britannia metal. I think it would be something for a lady's writing desk.

-Oh, it is very pretty, yes.

-It is pretty. "Orphea."

Don't know anything about it,

but I like to see something which has a maker's name on it.

-Yes, it is nice to see.

-Puts it in a certain place.

There's 26 on it. Which I think is not too bad.

-Very reasonable.

-It is very reasonable.

-You might not need a discount.

-I might not need a discount.

-I might not.

-SHE LAUGHS

Could it be bought sort of somewhere between 15 and 18?

-I could do it for 20.

-You could do it for 20?

I'm going to go for that. I like it. Thank you very much.

-Thank you very much.

-You haven't been suckered in already, have you?

-Succumbed to the Manning charm.

-Och, away and buy one of your big...

Have you found anything big and crazy yet?

Yes, and here it is.

HE LAUGHS

Ha-ha. Behave, Phil.

He's on to something, though, look.

-Dale, I've just seen these, look.

-Oh, right.

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

-Yes.

-And they are measures, aren't they?

-Yeah.

Got a half pint and a pint. You can have the half, I'll have the pint.

What could be the best on those, do you think?

-They are 40 quid, the two, currently.

-Maybe 30 quid.

-Could they be 20 quid?

-They couldn't be 20, no.

-Dale just said that with no hint of compassion.

-No.

One to think about, then.

Whatever you do, don't let that Anita Manning anywhere near them.

I'll do my best.

Speak of the little devil.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a lovely pen to go with my little

inkwell and pen holder?

And I have noticed a Conway Stewart fountain pen here.

And pens are very collectable in today's market.

So I'm going to have a look at that. It is £35, a wee bit dear...

-Anita, Anita, Anita.

-What is it?

-Could you just do me a favour?

-What?

-Just hold that a second for me.

-Oh, for heaven's sake!

Hold it, hold it. Thank you very much.

SHE LAUGHS

Cheeky boy!

Fortunately, he knows it's a dummy. What else has he found?

How much are those little shells there?

Country-made military chest of drawers.

£80.

-How much movement is there on price on that?

-£80.

-They would have to be about 70. Maybe 65.

-Can you come any lower?

-I can't really do any lower on those.

-50 quid is my limit on that.

I couldn't do it for 50.

Could you do £80 for them all? The belt, the two bell tankards and that?

-Yes, we could do that.

-OK, I need to have a think.

-Mm-hm.

Good idea.

Anita has been pawing over the fountain pen.

-Dale has certainly been busy today.

-The condition is good.

This wonderful mottled effect, that's what the buyers like.

-It is a nice, bright colour.

-It is marked at 35.

But what I'd like to be paying, really, is round about £20.

I mean, I could maybe go to about 25.

Could you go to 22?

I don't think I can do 22, no.

-Could you go to 23?

-SHE LAUGHS

-23?

-Let's go for 23.

-23.

-Oh, thank you very much.

Anita is making herself a little theme there.

Meanwhile, it looks like Phil has made a decision. Wow.

-Dale.

-Hello.

I think you've been more than fair with me. So these two for 80, yeah?

-Yes, we can do that.

-And that is a handshake because you, sir,

-have been an absolute gentleman.

-Thank you.

-I'll be back.

-You've got some really lovely things.

-Thanks for the business.

Now, how is Anita getting on?

A bronze that I like in here...

is this fantastic stylised cat.

Now, this is...

It has a modernist look about it.

But it could be from the 1920s or 1930s.

There is no foundry. There is no maker's name.

But I think that that is wonderful.

Dale?!

-This one has got 68 on it.

-Right.

I mean, that one would be about 60.

-Is there any other movement on it?

-It would have to be that £60.

60. Let's just go for that. Thank you very much. I'm delighted.

That's a good thing.

Philip's travelled towards Durham,

a stunning city known for its Norman castle and cathedral

and just outside the city is the town of Bishop Auckland,

once home to a unique seat of power that was

pivotal in the history of England and Scotland.

Philip's meeting Chris Ferguson to hear more.

-Chris, how are you?

-Very nice to meet you.

-Good to see you as well.

-So this is Auckland Castle?

-It is indeed.

You're very welcome to join us here.

In the 11th century, County Durham became a bloody battleground.

William the Conqueror was defending north-east

England from the King of Scotland at a time

when the border between the two countries was ever changing.

To cement his authority in the area,

William granted the Bishop of Durham unprecedented powers.

He was to be responsible for protecting England's

interests in the north, and given the title of Prince Bishop.

They could raise their own army, they had their own taxes,

-they had their own mint, they had their own legal system.

-You think of a bishop today

and he's very much an ecclesiastical figure, isn't he?

But in those days, they were wealthy men...

Yeah, I mean, all the way through from the medieval period right the way through to the 19th century,

bishops are wealthy men, they're diplomats, they're military leaders.

They're... They're corrupt, some of them.

Some of them are quite into gambling, wine, women and song.

There were 53 Prince Bishops in total.

The first was William Walker in 1075 and the last,

William Van Mildert, served until 1836.

Auckland Castle was the centre of all this power.

After the King,

they were, like, second most important people in the land.

They are the second most powerful people in the country,

often standing up to the King, rebelling, some of them.

And really trying to promote their own authority and power.

This unparalleled rule included control over local agriculture

and mining.

These were taxed and the money was used in whatever way

they saw fit, to fund a life of luxury, control territory or

create a grand palace, fit for the King of the North.

They are really competing with the King,

so this building is built with two great halls,

it's built with a double-storey chapel

and those things are copying, out-competing what the King's

building at Westminster or at Windsor.

This is a palace complex to compete with royalty.

Over the centuries, the Prince Bishops were

involved in thwarting the Scots' attempts to invade northern England.

In the 13th century, the notorious Prince Bishop Bek helped defeat

William Wallace, leaving Scotland in the hands of the King of England.

At times, Prince Bishops chose to side with whoever was most

powerful, even if that meant allegiance with

the Scots against the English King who had appointed them.

Do you ever get a state where the Bishop tried to

-sort of outflank or outrank the King?

-They do.

At times, they try to sort of have this idea of an independent

buffer state of Durham, between England and Scotland,

so Durham at that time being Durham, Northumberland, Cumbria, is

a buffer state between the warring kingdoms of England and Scotland.

After the Union of the Crowns in the 17th century,

the role of Prince Bishop became less about military dominance

and more about maintaining local law and order,

often enjoying the perks of their position.

I know that you look at, in my world, sort of old oil paintings

of bishops and you can see they were having a bit of a ball, really.

Large cigars, wine, fine wines, brandy...

Especially if you look at the 18th-century Bishops, they are feasting all the time.

They are having huge banquets and this building,

what is now the chapel, were built as banqueting halls to entertain in.

The reign of the Prince Bishops continued until the 1830s,

when it was replaced with the

Bishop of Durham in the traditional

religious role that continues today.

But without this extraordinary position set

up as a stronghold for English royalty,

the borders of England and Scotland could now be very different.

Anita has also made her way to Bishop Auckland.

She's heading for Antiques On The Green, run by Alistair Donaldson.

Wow!

That's the kind of thing that Phil Serrell would love.

He would love that.

Huge big bellows.

She's not wrong there.

Now, what do we have here?

Oh! Ho-ho!

I wonder if I could give Phil Serrell a hammering with that!

Or beat out a profit from it.

I like that!

It's £65, which is quite a lot of money.

But it's a good item and it's a fun item.

Alistair! You're needed!

I usually buy lovely, gentle...

-Brooches.

-..feminine items.

-Yes.

-But my eye was drawn to this big hammer.

-Right.

Can you tell me, Alistair, what on earth this is used for?

-To be frank, I don't actually know what it would have been used for.

-Right.

But it's wood, obviously, so you could hit metal, like brass, with it and it wouldn't damage it.

Obviously, we've got a massive chunk out there, but that's its history.

-I like that.

-Oh, it's great.

I'm an auctioneer, and if this came in to my auction,

I would estimate that round about £20.

HE SUCKS HIS TEETH

It might get more than that, I don't know,

because who knows the price of a big hammer?

Well, if it's Mr Serrell that you're trying to beat up, then I don't think

I've got any option, really, than allowing you to have that for £20.

-I think we'll do a deal.

-Is that all right? Put your hand there. Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

A very generous discount lands Anita the rather large

-early-20th-century hammer.

-OK, put it over my shoulder.

Yeah, watch out, Mr Serrell.

And on that note, it's probably best to call it a day. So, nighty-night!

What a glorious morning!

Do you know, I have to say, if I was going to buy a classic car,

-I'm not sure that I would buy one of these.

-Ah, stop moaning!

-It's a lovely wee thing!

-Well said, Anita!

They're heading for the magnificent spa town of Harrogate.

First to shop this morning is Phil.

Montpellier Muse Antique Market has been trading for over 25 years.

-Dealer David Wallace is looking after Phil today.

-Hi, Phil.

-I'm Philip.

-How are you doing?

-David, is it?

-David.

So what's going to appeal to you in here?

-Can I perhaps have a look at these...

-You can indeed.

..snuff boxes, please?

So this is a papier-mache snuff box and...

it's got this little miniature on the cover here.

It's priced at £25, but David says he can do it for 18.

For me, the golden age of papier-mache

is from about 1850 to 1880.

Um...

But the problem is this damage here cos you can't really repair

papier-mache.

-Can you do that for 15 quid?

-I'll stick my neck out and say yes.

You're a gentleman. Go on, I'll take that. Thank you very much indeed.

-My pleasure.

-I'd better give you some money now, hadn't I?

So, that's £15 for the 19th-century papier-mache snuff box.

Anita's hot on Phil's heels in Harrogate, heading just

south of the town to Crimple Hall Antiques to meet Phil Cannell.

-Hi, Anita.

-Hello.

-How are you? Nice to meet you.

This antiques and vintage showroom has over 50 stalls and cabinets.

Hoping that I have a nose for a bargain!

I see what you did there, Anita.

What has drawn me to this little piece, it's a Japanese piece,

not a Chinese piece, is the quality of the painting.

Look at those wonderful peacocks.

I really, really like this little piece and I see...

..that the foot has been off. And it's been stuck on again.

Which is a great shame and it is a 19th-century piece.

Tempted with the quality, but I'm put off by the damage.

-It will all depend on how much I can get it for.

-Phil's your man!

-She's got 75 on it.

-Right, OK.

Erm... So maybe she hasn't noticed the foot and when you speak to her,

-you can maybe say to her that it's damaged.

-Yeah, yeah. That's absolutely fine.

I'd be liking to buy that for £30. See what you can do.

-I'll have a word with her.

-OK.

This Kutani pot is named after the small village in western Japan

where this style of decoration has been made on ceramics

since the mid-17th century.

-How did we get on, Phil?

-She needs a little bit more.

-A wee bit more?

-A wee bit more.

-Uh-huh.

-35.

-Oh, I think I've got to go for it.

-I think you have.

-That's great.

-Good, deal done.

-I'm delighted with that. Can I pay you?

So, that's £35 for the Kutani koro and cover.

Back in Harrogate, Phil has ventured into a fine art gallery.

He's got just over £100 to spend.

That won't get him anything from the gallery, but fortunately Gary has a cellar.

Well, you know they say "buying blind..." Hell's bells!

What is he up to?

These are things that are not for us, really.

There you are, you see?

-Horse.

-That's modern.

-That might go, mightn't it?

-Beautifully framed that.

And this is painted, what? Within the last 50 years?

Yes, that's painted in the last five years.

I've got to pay commission at auction.

If they estimate that at 40 to 60 quid...

Which is probably what they'd estimate it at...

I'm going to give you 30 quid for it.

-Done?

-Done.

-You're a gentleman, I'd better get you some money out.

That's £30 for the equestrian painting in an early-19th-century style.

Let's stick with Phil - he's made his way west to Skipton

and the local antique centre.

There are 30 dealers on over three floors, so best get hunting.

A good Georgian bureau used to be six, eight, nine, perhaps £1,000.

This one is as rustic as they come.

Always have a look where the lock is

because people are forever losing the keys.

So they then have to cut a piece out to get into it.

This pine and oak bureau is priced at £100

and is owned by dealer Steve Pickering.

Go, Steve!

I think it's got quite a look.

If it was an ordinary oak one, I wouldn't have got anywhere near it. But I think the bottom line for me

is that at auction is going to make 60 to 90 quid.

-Is 50 quid any good to you?

-No.

-OK.

-Can you do 55 on it?

-No.

-What can you do?

-70 quid.

-I can't give you 70 quid for it.

-You can't?

-No, I can't.

-But I can give you 60 quid. Have a deal with me.

-I'll take your money.

You're a gentleman. Thank you very much.

So that's £60 for the late-Georgian pine and oak Yorkshire bureau.

Wow! And that's shopping done.

Let's take a gander at their goodies.

Along with the bureau, Phil bought a pair of bell metal tankards,

a miniature chest of drawers, a papier-mache snuff box

and a horse painting for £185.

Anita splashed out £158 on a bronze cat,

a fountain pen,

an Art Nouveau inkwell, a large early 20th century hammer

and a Japanese koro and cover. Thoughts, please.

He deserves to double his money on that bureau,

but in today's market, he probably won't.

There are certain things in life that come along

and you just don't understand them.

A £60 bronze cat? I don't understand it!

Barnard Castle in County Durham was the departure point on this leg

and now, Phil and Anita are nearing the auction in Driffield,

in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

How are you going to do today?

-Well, I kind of think you might have the advantage on me today.

-Ha-ha-ha!

You heard it here first, folks!

Well, we'll soon find out about that.

This looks a really good sale, doesn't it?

-Look at this.

-Yeah! Are you excited? Oh, another adventure!

-Slightly nervous.

-Who is going to win this time?

-Get in there, you!

Dee, Atkinson & Harrison were established in 1885

and regularly hold sales of antiques, art and furniture.

Our gavel basher today is Graham Paddison. Let the auction commence.

Starting with Anita's inkwell and pen tray.

-What's it worth? £30 for it.

-This is mine.

30 bid at the corner. 30 bid. £30 bid. At 30.

35. 40.

5. 50.

5. 55 then...

Bid seated here. All done and finished, 55.

What an incredible start! Anita's almost tripled her money.

-I'm happy.

-I should think you should be.

-Are you happy for me?

-No!

He's hiding it well, though(!)

Next up, it's Phil's pair of bell metal tankards.

£30 for them.

30. £20 to start then and off we go. 20 bid in the middle here, at 20.

£20 bid, at 20. £20 bid, at 20.

At £20.

Seems very cheap to me.

But at £20... We're going to sell it. Down it goes.

-2! That's the way. 25.

-Last minute.

-28, sir.

-Yes, yes.

28. 30. 5.

At 35. Bid's third row here.

At 35, then.

Everybody finally down, I think.

-At £35.

-BANGS GAVEL

A decent profit for Phil to start, too.

Gets your heart going.

Nearly stopped it! I don't know about getting it going!

SHE CHUCKLES

Back to Anita now, with her rather large hammer.

£30 for it.

30 for the wooden mallet here. 30 bid. This side at 30.

5. 40. 5. 50.

5. 60. 5. 70.

-5. 80. 5. 90.

-I'm getting absolutely trounced here!

£90, then.

All done. Finished. Bid's at the front. £90.

BANGS GAVEL

That's over four times what she paid for it!

Amazing!

I think I might go and quietly hang myself somewhere.

It's Phil's chance now to score big with his tiny

-chest of drawers.

-£50 for it.

-Come on.

-50.

40 bid, this corner, bid at 40. At £40, bid at 40. At 40.

At 45 at the front.

50. 5. 60.

5. 70. £70.

In the corner. All done and finished.

-At £70.

-BANGS GAVEL

Another solid profit for Philip.

-I think it's got the right price for today in this saleroom.

-Mmm.

And you made a profit.

So I don't want to hear any m-m-moaning.

Philip?! Moan?! Ha(!)

We're sticking with Phil now for his 19th-century papier-mache snuff box.

£40 for it.

-40 bid.

-40 straight in.

At £40, the bid standing this side.

45. 50. 5. 60.

At £60. All done. Selling. Away it goes. £60.

BANGS GAVEL

Phil's quadrupled his money on that one.

-That was a wee smile playing on your lovely face.

-Nah, it's trapped wind.

Keep that to yourself.

Next, it's Anita's Japanese Kutani koro and cover.

It's got a damaged foot, but will that put anyone off?

£30 for it.

30. Nice quality here. 20, then. 20 bid at the back.

At 20. £20. 25. 30.

Oh, dear. You stopped quickly. At 30 bid.

35, fresh bidder. 40.

5. 50? 45.

At £45. 50, fresh bidder.

At 50, lady's bid now. Both gentlemen out.

50. At £50, then. All done and finished.

-Goes away at £50.

-BANGS GAVEL

Another good profit for Anita.

-I think it deserved it.

-I'm just really pleased for you(!)

-Ha-ha(!)

We can tell that(!)

Now it's Phil's priciest purchase, the pine and oak bureau.

This could make all the difference to today's victor.

100. £50 to start. Come on. A lot of age to it.

£50.

< 20.

Ouch.

A £20 bid. At 20. At 20. At £20.

-At £20. Take a fiver if you like.

-Have a laugh now.

-That should be funny.

-5, do I see anywhere?

At £20, then. All done and finished. Away. Can't do any better than £20.

BANGS GAVEL Not the result Phil was after.

Do you think that's worth £20?

It's firewood, it's worth £20.

That's a handcrafted period antique bureau.

Back with Anita now. It's her Modernist bronze cat.

And auctioneer John Atkinson's taken over the rostrum.

20. £20 bid. 5. 25.

At £25 bid. 30.

5. 40.

Selling away. Going then at £40.

That loss gives Phil a chance to close the gap.

I would never be one to wish ill on anybody.

-But in this instance...

-I've made you very happy.

Needs must when the devil drives.

Could Anita's final item, the Conway Stewart fountain pen,

help her stay in the lead?

£30. 30. 20.

10. 10, I'm bid, at 10. 15.

20. 5. 30.

-5.

-I think that's top price for that.

£35.

-A good strong profit.

-Would you just do me a favour?

-Yeah.

-Would you just wipe that smile off your face?

-SHE CHUCKLES

But Phil's final item, the equestrian painting,

could make all the difference.

£70. 70. 50, then.

-30. £30. Bid at 30, bid.

-I'll settle for that.

-£30.

-I'm happy.

-50 on the net.

At £50, bid of £50. At £50 bid.

Selling away.

Oh, it's gone, has it?

The internet bidder has disappeared.

Oh, Phil! So has everybody else!

That's the story of my day! I've even lost my internet bidder!

Selling away. Going at £35.

So close, but it's still a small profit.

In the end, it's OK cos you made a little bit of profit.

-Can we go now?

-Uh-huh.

Philip began with £196.40.

After paying auction costs, he lost £4.60,

so has £191.80 to spend next time.

GAVEL BANGS

Anita started with £242.43.

After costs, she made a profit of £64.63,

cementing her lead with £307.06.

So, go girl!

All that effort and I think I'm back where I started!

Don't worry. It was a bit of a roller-coaster today, wasn't it?

-Yeah, you just get in and roller-coaster me out of here.

-Yeah.

-But very good fun anyway.

-Yeah, terrific(!)

Ha-ha. Till the next time, road-trippers.