Episode 14 Antiques Road Trip

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

-I don't know what to do.

-HONK

..with £200 each, a classic car and a goal -

to scour Britain for antiques.

What a little diamond.

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

-Back in the game.

-HE LAUGHS

-Charlie.

-There will 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 is the second helping of our Road Trip escapade

with auctioneers Mark Stacey and Thomas Plant.

-I don't think I'm a Superman.

-No, no.

I think you are more like an overweight Lois Lane.

HE CHUCKLES

That is so harsh.

If I'm an overweight Lois Lane,

-God only knows what that makes you.

-Oh, don't. Don't.

Oh, they love one another really.

Mark is having a go at a spot of clairvoyance.

If only I could say, "Mirror, Mirror on the wall,

"who's going to make the greatest profit of them all?"

Thomas dazzles us with his encyclopaedic knowledge of antiques.

This looks like, almost like, a female bottom.

Do you know, he's right.

And they are putting their foot down in this racy little number,

the 1978 MGB GT. I had one of those.

Our Road Trip buddies started off with £200,

but their first auction saw Mark make a big loss

on the dreaded cannonball.

This leaves him with £107.50 for the second leg.

But Thomas has edged ahead with a much smaller loss,

so has a lovely wodge of £194.30.

Mark and Thomas will be making a trip of over 500 miles

from Sittingbourne, Kent

and will wind all the way along the South East and East Anglia

through Norwich and finally land

in Oakham in the East Midlands.

Today's journey begins in the village of Otford, in Kent,

and the auction will take place

in Paddock Wood, also in Kent.

Our Road Trip pals are sticking together for the first

-shop of the day.

-After you.

-Oh, no. Age before beauty.

-Oh, thank you.

-Did you just say what I thought you said?

-I did. I did.

Well, you know, I've always been told.

-Hello!

-Hello.

This is my colleague, Thomas, who is competing against me.

-So, we mustn't be too nice to him because he's leading.

-OK.

We're going to have a look around and then we'll come back

and have a word. Is that all right?

-Yeah, that's fine. Lovely.

-Thank you.

Right, Mark, you got bit of catching up to do today.

Got any ideas, mate?

This is rather attractive, actually.

There's only one period, date this could have been made.

Probably around about 1900, 1905,

but I love these sinuous lines.

Art Nouveau is one of the first modern styles of the 20th century

and takes inspiration from the natural world.

The ticket price is £28.

I think I might be a bit cheeky. I'll go and find Jackie.

-Time to talk money, eh?

-Oh, Jackie.

I'm doing very well. I've been in here five minutes

-and I've already found this dish.

-Right.

I'm in a real predicament, Jackie.

I've had my first auction

-and I shot myself in the foot with a cannonball.

-Yes.

So, I'm going to be terribly mean to start off with

-and she's going to tell me to get out of the shop.

-Yes, give me a

-price. Probably will.

-I would love to buy it for ten pounds.

-Ooh!

Oh.

Ask her what she would be comfortable with. Thank you.

All right, then.

What are you doing, Mark?

Dealer Wendy is just downstairs.

-Mark wants the best price on this.

-Best price on this.

He's made an offer, which I daren't tell you at the moment,

but he is offering ten.

-Oh, no.

-THEY LAUGH

Um, 15?

-18.

-Right. I'll go and see what he says and that really is...?

-It is, really.

-It's got to have 18.

-Oh, Jackie, hello.

-You're not going to be happy.

Oh, I'm not? No.

-18.

-18. Oh, gosh.

-And I tried. I really tried.

She's been really generous, isn't she? I mean, look...

-HE WHISPERS:

-..it's not a lot of money, is it, really?

And she has been very kind to me, actually.

-Jackie, thank you.

-OK.

-Let's call that sold, all right?

-OK. That's lovely.

And I'll carry on browsing.

-I'll take it downstairs for you.

-Thanks so much. I do appreciate it.

Now, what about Thomas?

What do you think that looks like?

-Erm...

-A bottom.

-Yes.

And it is called a coco de mer.

The sea pod from the Seychelles.

It's almost like a female bottom, if you can imagine.

They are quite sensual.

There's the bottom and the legs, etc.

You get them in different sizes.

This one has been made into a tray, a cutlery tray with a handle here.

It would have all been covered.

And it's been designed... And it's a tourist piece.

This two-lobed form is the largest seed in the plant kingdom

and is said to possess aphrodisiac powers.

Could be my first purchase of this leg.

Thomas is sure this piece is late 19th or early 20th century.

Ticket price is £65.

-Hi, Berryl?

-Yes.

-I found this.

Let me see who it belongs to.

Now, how much can young Tom get it for?

I'd like to ask if it's possible to buy it for 40.

because of the cracks. If it wasn't cracked,

-I haven't got a problem.

-Yeah, so you are talking about...

-40 quid.

-40.

After a quick call to the dealer, Berryl has a price for Thomas.

What do you think you can do?

-Shall I just go and ask him?

-Yes.

Would you meet them at 50?

-45.

-What about 45?

-Go on, then.

-Is that all right?

Thank you, Barry. Thank you.

-Cheerio.

-Love you, Barry.

-45.

-Brilliant.

What a charmer! The first purchase of leg two for Thomas.

-There's 45.

-Thank you. Thanks for coming.

-Thank you very much.

The fascinating coco de mer polished nut.

Great.

Mark is 15 miles away in the village of Wateringbury,

near Maidstone, in Kent.

Where Memories Meet is Mark's second shop of the day.

Joseph is the proprietor here.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-I'm Mark.

-Hi, I'm Joseph. How are you?

-Nice to meet you, Joseph.

-Nice to meet you.

I thought I was going to an antique shop. It looks more like a cafe.

Yeah, we try to mix it all up, really.

I'm not sure whether to order a cream tea

or try and look for some china.

I'm...I'm confused. Utterly confused.

What's new(?)

The antiques are downstairs, Mark.

This is an extending book rack,

so you can have your books there,

but then as your collection of books expands,

you can stretch this out. It is a good, decorative thing.

I love the carving and I quite like Indian items.

I'm not even going to look at the price of that.

I'm going to put that as a possibility.

It just goes to show

there are purchases to be made amongst the cakes and pots of tea.

And look! He has found something else.

But it's like a sort of pedestal comport.

You've got a sort of metal base with a dolphin

and then a sort of domed pedestal.

Little flower head inside.

A comport is simply a footed bowl or plate.

And it has taken Mark's fancy.

Sounds like it's about time to talk money to me.

Oh! Joseph.

Oh.

Wow. Can see you found a couple of pieces.

Well, I have and I've had a jolly good look round.

-You've got some fascinating objects.

-Wow, fantastic.

-I'm going to tell you what I'm going to try to achieve.

-OK.

OK. I had a very difficult first auction.

I lost quite a lot of money.

FEIGNS CRYING: I've heard this story before.

But I have found two items, but I've got to be terribly mean with you.

-Mm-hm.

-I haven't looked at the prices,

so I don't know what they are.

-They could be thousands, for all I know.

-Doubt it.

But I need to buy the two of them for £20...

for me to get a profit at auction.

The original price on the book slide is £25

and the comport is £26.

Do you think you are going to win?

I...I would like to think so, yes.

And I think these might help me achieve that.

Well, if you think you are going to win,

I'm happy to sell them to you at that price.

Joseph, you are a star.

Certainly in a generous mood.

£20 for the book slide and the comport!

-Thank you, Joseph. Good luck.

-Yeah. Perfect.

Ha! Well done, Mark. You now have three lovely lots.

Reunited once more, our lovable duo are off for a rest.

Nighty-night.

The heavens have descended, but it isn't dampening the spirits

of our Mark and Thomas. Oh, no.

I have not bought a cannonball.

HE LAUGHS

You're going to have to buy something spherical.

-But I'm with you. You're slightly spherical.

-Mark...

THEY LAUGH

I am not at all slightly spherical.

Ha-ha! No, you are a fine figure of a man!

Thomas and Mark are starting their morning

in the village of Chart Sutton, in Kent.

And funnily enough, this shop is called Chart Sutton Antiques.

Ha-ha! Let's hope they behave in here.

-Oh! What are you doing?!

-Oh, hello.

Handbrake! Oh, God.

I tell you, you're never driving again!

-Look at you!

-Oh, stop moaning and get in!

They should come with a health and safety warning, those two.

-Hello. I'm Mark.

-How nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you too.

-Hello, I'm Thomas.

-Hello, Thomas. I'm Trevor.

-Hi, Trevor.

-Nice to meet you both.

-So, you're looking for some bargains?

-I am looking for some

-bargains.

-Well, you won't find them in here.

No. Let's go, then. Let's go.

Off to a good start, chaps.

Now, if they could just get along in such close quarters, we'll be fine.

There's a lot to choose from here and Mark has spotted something.

This is charming,

but this is really nice cos it's modelled as a lady's shoe.

At least it's not another lady's bottom. Ha!

But sadly, the end of the foot is missing there,

which is a real shame, actually. Priced up at £20.

-I mean, that's quite cheap.

-Lovely. Ooh!

Look, he is onto something else now.

This is a...what I would call a cigarette box,

but I like the inscription.

"Presented to Lieut. FC Rogers by his brother officers

"on the occasion of his marriage, July 18, 1934."

That is priced up at £48, which is quite a lot of money.

But, I mean, it is a nice presentational piece

and I like that, actually.

Trevor is on hand to assist and luckily Robin,

the owner of the cigarette box, is also here.

I think it is beautifully done and I love the presentation.

It is a piece of history.

Maybe we should take advantage of the owner being present

if we're going to negotiate a price.

-The owner is heading to his local pub, so...

-Oh, is he?

Yes. Better make this quick then, Mark.

I think this could be quite interesting.

Of course, I don't want to push you.

-Not much.

-Not much anyway.

But I really could do with a little bit of a leg up, if I can.

Do you want me to give you some money to take it away?

-Would you mind?

-LAUGHTER

You're very good.

Look, I'm going to be terribly mean

and then you can come back to me, all right?

What about 20 quid?

-No way, sir!

-Oh, come on.

-No, no, no.

-What do you think?

-I'll go down to £40.

Oh, no, I can't do it for £40.

Could we possibly do it for £30? And I will shake the hand.

I think you'd take my hand off as well if we did that.

I wouldn't ask if I wasn't so desperate.

£32. And you have really, really done well in that.

-£32. Thank you, it's very nice of you.

-Good luck to you.

With an original ticket price of £48,

Mark has got another generous deal for the very stylish cigarette box.

Now, what about that little fruit knife?

Can that be terribly, terribly, terribly cheap?

It depends what terribly cheap is, really, doesn't it?

Starting point I'm going to suggest to you is a fiver.

-THEY LAUGH

-£12.

-£12...

I think if we can say ten, I'll have it.

Because then I think it might make 20 at auction.

-Can we split the difference and do 11?

-No, we cannot. Over a pound.

-HE LAUGHS

-For goodness' sake.

-I mean, I know times is 'ard, but...

-Times IS 'ard!

..you know, it is much 'arder for me.

-Oh, go on, say a tenner.

-Tenner.

-Are you sure?

-It's yours.

-Happy?

-Happy.

-Thank you very much.

-No problems at all.

Cor, more generous deals for Mark.

The cigarette box and the little knife

now give him a total of five items.

But how is that Thomas getting on?

That looks quite fun. That is 19th-century.

I bet you that is a vesta case.

So, a match strike. It's just really unusual.

Wouldn't mind looking at that.

Trevor's services are required once more.

It is just this creel here.

It is quite sweet, that, isn't it?

This little vesta box dates from the 19th century

and is priced at eight pounds.

-If that's going to be a fiver, that would be fabulous.

-OK.

Well, we could...I'm sure we could do something, Thomas.

I'm sure we can do something.

That creel is more Mark's budget. But it's dead sweet.

You've got the actual...

It's well-modelled, it's in brass, it's 19th-century.

It appeals to two different types of collectors.

And fishing is the most popular pastime in this country.

Online, it would look brilliant if they photograph it well.

-This could be a winner, Thomas.

-Can I talk about that creel?

-Yes, of course.

-Do you think it could be...

-It can be five pounds.

-Can it?

-Yes, it can.

-That is a definitely buy.

-Good.

-Thank you very much.

-Lovely.

-I'll give you a fiver, if that's all right.

-OK.

-OK. Thank you.

-That was quick.

Although, with two items,

Thomas is still lagging behind his rival on the buying stakes.

Mark, meanwhile,

has finished shopping

and is heading for two miles north

to the historic town of Rochester.

I am so looking forward to seeing the castle.

I believe it is quite historical.

It is. Mark is visiting Rochester Castle,

one of the best preserved Norman fortifications in Europe.

It is here that the most famous siege

in medieval history took place,

a battle that would ultimately decide

whether the Crown of England would stand or fall.

Mark is meeting with education officer Jeremy Clarke

to find out more about this bloodthirsty tale.

-Hello.

-Hello, Mark. I'm Jeremy.

-Nice to meet you, Jeremy.

-Welcome to Rochester Castle.

-Shall we go in?

-Let's go in.

-Why not?

In 1215, this castle was central to King John's struggle

to retain power in the country.

He was famously unpopular for raising taxes

and harshly exploiting his feudal rights.

This bred deep discontent with the ruling barons.

They decided to take action.

Jeremy, why have we arrived at this part of the castle?

This is the best place for us to pick up the story of 1215,

the 800th anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta.

The Magna Carta was first drafted by the Archbishop of Canterbury

in 1215 to make peace between King John and the rebel barons.

Amongst the many conditions, it promised access to swift justice.

Neither side stood by their commitments.

Battle preparations began immediately.

Anyone who's heading for the interior of Britain

is probably going to end up going through Rochester

-and across Rochester Bridge.

-Gosh.

So, the barons tried to anticipate what is going to happen

by holding the bridge, holding the castle

and preventing John getting anywhere near London.

King John was determined to hang onto his land and his crown.

-John moves very quickly and he is at Rochester within three days.

-Gosh.

And sieges were complicated in the Middle Ages,

but a large part of them was negotiation.

You didn't want to lose men yourself.

You wanted, if possible, to gain your objectives

-without any bloodshed...

-Yes.

-..or as little as possible.

-But John turns up and he attacks.

-Straight away?

-Straight away.

A bloody civil war began with the barons holed up inside

and King John and his men outside trying to blast the walls down.

He seems to have been initially successful

in bringing down the outer walls,

but his siege engines failed to make any impression on this keep.

So, he changes his plan.

They attempt to undermine a corner of the tower.

Very quickly, King John's men chipped away at the keep,

pickaxing their way deeper and deeper

and replacing stones with wooden pit props.

-John sent a writ, an order, for the fat of 40 pigs...

-Gosh.

..of the sort...the least good for eating.

So, that is the fattiest of fatty pigs.

The soldiers would then get hold of the pork fat

and push it into the hole, round the pit props, grease everywhere

so that when they set fire to it, it burned really fiercely,

which would crack and collapse the pit props,

and this entire quarter of Rochester Castle keep

came crashing to the ground.

Uh! With the King's men inside,

the barons retreated behind the safety of a second thick wall.

But the siege soon came to an end when all provisions ran out.

John does actually have to starve them out.

-They're reduced to eating their horses.

-Ugh.

After two months of stallion and chips, the barons surrendered.

King John's advisers dissuaded him from killing all the survivors,

who were instead imprisoned.

Gosh.

-What a very splendid view up here, Jeremy.

-It is wonderful, isn't it?

So...King John has won Rochester Castle back.

Things go badly for him after that.

Um...he loses the Crown Jewels

attempting to cross The Wash in East Anglia,

contracts dysentery and dies soon after.

But curiously, the tide turns back in favour of the Crown.

With the tyrant king now dead

and the crown handed to John's nine-year-old son,

the Magna Carta was reinstated by the rebel barons in 1217.

It became the foundation for future government and, as such,

remains a powerful symbol of liberty around the world.

Thomas has travelled 15 miles north to the town of Strood

and he has still got a bit to buy.

Cottage Style Antiques is Thomas's last shop,

and he has got just over £144 to spend.

-Hello, Bill.

-Hello, Thomas.

-Nice to see you.

-And you.

-God, you've got a lot of stuff in here.

-I know. It's loaded.

-HE LAUGHS

-It is loaded, isn't it?!

There is certainly a lot to choose from here.

Two little Poole pots, hand-painted.

These are very Deco, with this dash design to the rim.

They are definitely a possible purchase.

These little Poole pottery salts

date from the 1930s and are a fiver each.

You may hate it, you may love it,

but this is real West German Pottery.

Looks like lava dripping down a column.

Hm, I'm feeling sick.

The Fat Lava style of West German Pottery

is still very much in its infancy as a collectable,

but some pieces can command hundreds, even thousands of pounds.

This one, though, has a ticket price of £20.

So, that definitely could be a purchase.

And these two little salts.

And they're different sizes, but I think if I bought them,

I think it would quite annoy Mark.

Which I'd quite enjoy.

I just hope it doesn't end in tears.

So, this is a walking cane. I think it is probably horn from a goat.

In the 19th century, these sticks were sometimes used

as sort of rent sticks, and that means over 100 years ago,

you'd knock on your tenant's door - knock, knock, knock -

and got your rent and if they got angry with you or if you got...

Yes, they were used as sort of persuaders, I would say, to pay up.

Yeah. Rent sticks were often used in the 18th and 19th centuries

by tyrant landlords as weapons against tardy tenants.

I think this is certainly one which would be good.

It is of beautiful shape and form.

It has got a ticket price of £48, so let the haggling commence.

-What could it be?

-£38.

£38. Can it be £28?

-I'll let you have it for £30. How's that?

-£30.

-So, that would be...

-That's ever so fair.

-That IS ever so fair, isn't it?

-Ever so fair.

What about the Poole salts and the West German vase?

-They've got £30 on them, haven't they?

-Yeah.

And I suppose you want them for next to nothing.

Not necessarily, but I want to give you something for them.

That is good of you, Thomas. Gosh.

-What about £20?

-Perfect. OK.

-£50 for the lot, you've got a deal.

-Yep.

-Yeah?

Well, that completes Thomas's shopping.

He has a total of five items, including the coco de mer tray,

the vesta fishing creel, the Fat Lava vase,

the pair of Poole pottery salts and the 19th-century rent stick.

Thomas was thrifty with his cash, spending just £100,

but what a variety of stuff.

Mark worked with extreme caution. He also bought five items.

The silver-plated dish, the book slide,

the continental comport, the fruit knife

and the silver cigarette box, spending a cautious £80.

But what do they think of each other's bag of treasures?

I love that coco de mer basket.

I think it's wonderful.

He's bought a lovely Art Nouveau tray for £18.

I think that is a great-looking thing and I really, really like it.

He really needs to do well this time,

so if he beats me and he does well, I don't mind.

I think he's going to walk away with another auction here,

and I'm not happy.

No, you're not!

Our Road Trip rascals are heading to

their second auction 19 miles away

in the rural town of Paddock Wood

near Tonbridge in Kent.

The auction is being held at Hop Farm Auctions,

a rather beautiful setting, fellas.

-Watch the plant pots!

-I'm watching the plant pot.

I thought you'd be used to that plant.

Great, come on, hurry up. Turn the engine off.

-HORN BEEPS

-Oh! Hello.

-Are you announcing yourself?

-I've announced that I'm here.

It is all fun and games for now. Huh!

Our auctioneer today is Alexander Jenkins.

All quiet! The auction is about to begin.

First up is Thomas's Fat Lava vase.

Ten pounds anywhere? Ten pounds?

Five. Five pounds, surely.

Six behind you, seven. Eight, nine, ten.

Nine pounds there, ten.

12, 14, 16...

-Ooh, you're in profit.

-..18.

Go on.

-18 is there. 20.

-20.

-22.

Have another one. 20 is here. 22 anywhere?

£22 in the room.

And selling at 22.

-I take my hat off to you. You made a profit.

-Well, I knew it would.

Oh, did you? Of course, you did, Thomas.

Of course he did! Good profit to start us off with, though.

Next up is Thomas's fascinating carved coco de mer tray.

44, 46, 48, 50.

50 is there. 52 anywhere?

Oh, the hands fly up. 52...

Let's just call 60. £60, 70.

-80, 90...

-Told you.

..110, 120. 120 anywhere?

110 I have got here. 120, 130.

-140, 150...

-I told you.

-160.

Come on, now, stop pursing your lips. Get that bid out. 160?

160 is there. 170?

-Well done.

-170's there.

170, it is going. Last chance.

170 it is.

-Well done.

-Thank you. Yeah, it's pulled well.

I'm not even sure

-I want to stay for my lots now...

-THOMAS LAUGHS

TIM CHUCKLES Excellent result.

Thomas has quite the lead now.

It is Mark's first lot of the day, the carved book slide.

Start it off at 30.

£30 for it, £30 for the book slide. Quite right too.

-£30 has tripled my money, anyway.

-That's brilliant.

£32 anywhere? 32, 34, 36,

38, 40, 42,

44, 46.

Go on! 48, 50.

£48 here. £48...

-That is really good, isn't it?

-I'm pleased with that.

-48.

-Do you know, that is not a bad price.

Thank you so much, Joseph. I am so pleased I went to that cafe.

At last, all smiles from Mark.

Good return on your ten-pound spend.

Back to Thomas. It is the 19th-century rent stick next.

£20 for it. Come along, 20.

£20 anywhere? 20 I've got, thank you.

22 anywhere. Should be. 22 anywhere?

-£20 in front.

-That's a shame.

At 20 I sell, then.

Thomas's first loss. But he is still out in front.

Next up, it is Mark's continental comport,

another one of his tenner buys.

Starts off here with me at £20.

-Do I see 22?

-Oh, my God. You've doubled your money.

£22 anywhere? 22? £20 I have. 22?

Come along. 22 anywhere?

-I know you shouldn't complain...

-Come on.

-£20.

-I doubled my money, Thomas.

Congratulations.

He's happy with that.

Now Mark again,

with the slightly dearer £18 silver-plated Art Nouveau tray.

And we have auctioneer Paul at the rostrum now.

Start me at 20. £20.

Oh, no. Come on.

Ten pounds, then. Silver plate.

Ten I'm bid at the back, 12 I'm bid, 14.

16, 18 at the back, 20 online if you want.

Come on, 20. 22.

22, 24 online.

-That's a little bit of a shame.

-£22 is a shame.

-It should be £30, shouldn't it?

-Yeah.

Oh, that is disappointing.

-I am...feel a bit let down.

-I thought that might do a bit better.

Hey, it is still a profit, Mark.

Next up are Thomas's Poole pottery salts.

Eight pounds. Anyone at eight pounds?

Start me at five pounds, I'm bid. Six anywhere else? Five pounds.

One bid takes it at five pounds.

Seven pounds I'm bid on my left.

Last time, 1090.

All done at seven pounds.

A small profit for Thomas there.

Can Mark's elegant little fruit knife help him catch his rival?

£20 for the fruit knife. Got to have 20.

-Come on.

-20 pounds.

-Go on.

Ten pounds is there, 12.

12, 14, 16, 18, 20.

-Oh, there you are.

-At £20.

£20 online.

Small, incy-wincy profit. Those low punches, back in the ring again.

-Back in the ring.

-You're dancing around.

But still not getting anywhere.

Come on, Mark! You've doubled your money with that little knife.

It's Thomas's fishing creel vesta box next.

Another nice little thing.

£30. 30 online, is there 32?

32. I knew you were waiting, sir.

34. Online if you want.

36. 36 I'm bid. 36, 38?

38, 40 online if you want.

40, 42. 42 I'm bid, 44?

-Oh, it's good.

-That's good.

-Yeah.

At £42. One more, 1040, if you want.

-44, 46.

-44.

-That is a good price.

-That is a good price.

-And it's worth that.

-Oh, it's lovely.

-That's a beautiful vase.

-Yeah.

At £44, last time at 44.

Amazing profit built on a five-pound stake.

It's the last item, a last chance for Mark -

the elegant silver cigarette box.

£100 for the silver box. Anyone at £100?

-£80, anyone at 80?

-Oh, come on.

Silver box there for £80.

£80.

Start me at 50, then. Anyone at £50?

I'm bid. 55, 60, 65.

70 anywhere? At 65.

-Well, there we are, Thomas. That was my last chance.

-Doubled your money.

Well, I made £33 on it, which is good.

Thank goodness for that. Great profit.

Who will be the jubilant winner of the second leg?

Let's work out the maths.

Mark started this leg with £107.50.

After auction costs are deducted, he has totted up a profit of £63.50,

so Mark's grand total for next time is £171.

Cheer up!

Thomas began with £194.30 and, after auction costs,

made an excellent profit of £150.66,

so he is the triumphant winner of this leg,

carrying £309.96 into the next leg.

And continuing with Mark and Thomas,

we begin the third leg of the road trip.

-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.

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

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

-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.

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.

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.

And Mark'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 for 15, so it's not a bad start.

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'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.

-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 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?

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

Thomas, you have two lovely lots for auction.

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.

Mark and Thomas are heading south to the very charming

village of Blackmore.

-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.

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.

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 ground-breaking 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 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.

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 box

and a big fat porker.

Right, let's have a look.

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

For the 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.

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 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's 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.

And he's spied something.

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.

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 of one another's buys?

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?

After their trip around Essex and Suffolk,

our road trippers are heading north to the village of Willingham

in Cambridgeshire.

Today's auction is being held at 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

£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.

Mark started off this leg 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, Mark.

-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!