Episode 2 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'll be worthy winners...

-Sorry, sorry!

-..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!

SWING MUSIC PLAYS

On this third leg of the trip, it's all about North Wales

for Christina Trevanion and Thomas Plant.

# Bread of Heaven

-BOTH:

-# Feed me now or never more

# Never more. #

All right, all right, all right. That's enough of that.

Quite.

This trip started out in Ireland...

I think it's the most beautiful antique shop I've ever been into.

..with varying degrees of success.

-Just pulled it down and it locked.

-Now you've broken it.

They'll now finish their trip in Britain,

along with their 1962 Bedford van,

which was manufactured before it was compulsory to fit seatbelts.

Both our auctioneers began with £200.

After losing at both auctions so far, Thomas has just £136.94...

..meaning Christina has taken the lead and has £278.91.

So, you must be feeling like sort of Rockefeller there.

Ah, so flush.

-Can you lend me some money?

-Nope.

-Nope.

-Nope.

-SHE LAUGHS

After setting off from Cashel, in Tipperary,

and a roam around Ireland, they hopped across to North Wales.

From here they'll travel through England,

finishing up over 700 miles later in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

We begin in the picturesque town of Ruthin, in Denbighshire,

and head for auction in Colwyn Bay, Conwy.

Christina's first stop today is in a former cinema.

Oh, wow.

Oh, my goodness.

Onto something already?

There's an awful lot of stuff in here, isn't there? My gosh.

Oh, wow! Look at that!

It's a little salt and pepper cruet in the form of two gavels...

which is perfect!

Thomas and I are both auctioneers. That's amazing.

She's working fast this morning.

Best track down a Mr Andy Stow.

-Hello.

-Hello, Christina.

-Hello, my love.

Andy, I've already seen something I love.

Well, no, I don't love it. It's sort of, you know, OK.

Smoothly done, Christina.

So, what I saw, Andy, was this...

which I thought was a bit of fun.

That is fun!

So, you've obviously got salt and pepper

and you've got the stand for them to go on as well.

-Is there any maker's mark?

-No, I don't think so.

That's got a bit of corrosion on there from the salt,

so obviously...

But unfortunately, it's very rare

to find them without that corrosion, isn't it?

-Absolutely.

-Because of the very nature of salt itself.

They're priced at £35, so as we wait to hear back from the dealer,

Christina browses on.

Hey, I like this. What's this, Andy?

It's, in a sense, a dentist's chair, basically.

Really?

Well, it could be whatever you want it to be.

I was thinking it might be a barber's chair, in which case...

It is. It is actually a barber's chair.

As a dentist's chair, it's making me feel a bit nervous.

And what price have you got on it?

Well, I've got 230 on it.

-SHE LAUGHS

-You're joking.

For you, 150 quid.

Generous. One to think about, then.

There's word back on the gavel cruet set.

Right, OK. So, 25, potentially, on that.

Now, what about that chair?

£150.

-Or double the value and call it a tattooist's chair.

-A what?

-Tattooist.

-That's a brilliant idea!

It's a tattoo... Yeah. What about can we do £150...?

-I'll give you your £150 for this...

-Yeah.

..but I would like the salt and pepper as well.

-Go on.

-Oh, Andy. You're a legend. Thank you.

So, that's 25 for the cruet set and £125 for the dentist's

or barber's or tattooist's chair.

Thomas has headed north

to the former quarrying village of Penmaenmawr.

Lying on the edge of Snowdonia,

this pretty coastal settlement is home to Perry Higgins Antiques,

owned by Michael King.

-Hello. I'm Thomas.

-How do you do?

-Very well, thank you.

-Good.

This is amazing.

Indeed. Certainly a lot to see in this 15,000-square-foot showroom.

-It doesn't stop, does it?

-No.

I mean, it's room after room!

I'm seeing a few things. I quite like your stick stand.

-It's not dear.

-It's not dear?

-No, I don't think so.

How much is it?

-You've got a four and a two next to it.

-Yeah.

Couldn't be the other way around, could it?

No, but it's close. I'll do it at 30 quid.

25?

Hmm.

-26.

-£26.

Makes a deal, doesn't it?

I think in Wales they need stick stands

to put their umbrellas in...

-They certainly do.

-..with drip trays.

-Yeah.

That's awesome. Done.

-Can we go outside now?

-Yes.

At the back of the shop,

Michael also has an architectural salvage yard.

-I like these terracotta pots.

-Yeah.

-Were they a lot of money?

They cost me about 80 quid.

Have you got any sort of cheaper pots?

-What are those green ones there?

-Those are cheap, yeah.

-Yeah?

-These are concrete ones, are they?

-Yeah, they're concrete.

-Yeah.

How much is a pair of those?

I want about 35 quid each for them. I'll do 40 quid.

-Could you do them for 30?

-Oh!

-Have you got some money in there?!

-Honestly, I know I look like...

You must have some money in there. £32 and take them. Go on.

All right. You've got a deal. £32.

You're a star.

That's the pair of reconstituted green-painted planters

and an Art Nouveau umbrella stand for £58. Well done, Thomas.

Sticking with Thomas, he's made his way back up the coast

to the charming seaside town of Rhos-on-Sea.

Shawna Peters Antiques is Thomas' next stop, so it's stand by.

-Hello.

-Hi.

-I'm Thomas.

-How do you do?

-How do you do?

Thomas has some serious catching up to do on this trip.

What am I going to buy which is going to make me loads of money?

That is the million-dollar question.

Now what's that he's found?

That's pretty, isn't it?

Enamel flower set with some sort of paste-set jewels.

If you were a lady and you were out for an evening,

want to do more of your rouge, out this would come, wouldn't it?

-Yeah.

-Really pretty with that floral design.

-But it's just gilt metal.

-Faberge.

Well, I wish, with the sort of filigree around it.

It does look quite beautiful.

What's your very best on that one?

25.

Ooh. That's very good, isn't it?

-Could I offer to 20?

-SHE LAUGHS

-You just said that was good!

-HE LAUGHS

Truthfully, I've spent a little bit of money today

and then Christina's thrashing me and I need all the help I can get.

-Was that a nod?

-OK.

-OK?

-Yeah.

-Oh, you're a sweetheart.

-I know.

-Thank you very much.

Very generous, Shawna. Deal done at £20 for the Art Nouveau compact.

I'm pleased with what I bought today. Tomorrow is another day.

And on that note, night-night, antiquers.

Another day dawns in North Wales.

-Bore da, Thomas.

-Bore da, Christina.

-Oh, well done.

-Do you like the roll of the R?

Impressive.

The auction awaits in Colwyn Bay.

But, for now, Thomas is heading to the small village of Llanystumdwy.

Here we are. Enjoy.

-Good luck.

-Have fun.

-Bye!

-Bye!

Christina is charging further down the Llyn Peninsula

the market town of Pwllheli,

home to Christina's first shop of the day.

-Hello.

-Hello there. Hi. How are you?

-Rodney Adams, I assume.

-No, I'm John Adams. That's my father.

-Oh.

John and his father have three different units in the town.

Plenty of choice, Christina.

These are interesting.

Yes, they are. They've just come in.

They're a pair of little taper stick holders

on little onyx bases.

Those are quite fun.

"PHV and Co Made in England."

OK, so, probably about what, 1940s, 1950s?

Probably, yeah.

These candlesticks were designed to hold tapered candles.

Well, I like those. Can I go down in the cellar?

Yes.

Also leaving no stone unturned.

Oh, this is rather beautiful.

Locally-built ship in case, £40.

Yes, I'm actually selling it on behalf of somebody,

and that's what they want for it as a goodwill gesture.

All the rigging and so on is right, as it were.

OK. But it is quite bright, isn't it?

But it certainly looks like it's a galleon in full sail

-off the Welsh coast.

-Yeah.

-Let's take that one upstairs.

-OK.

She's even checking out John's other shop across the street.

That's nice.

-It is. It's a lovely thing, that.

-Hmm.

It's got quite a sort of naive feel about it, hasn't it?

It's a pipe rack. What's on that, John?

Uh...

it has to be 60 quid.

Oh, my goodness.

Is there a deal afoot?

-So, I like the taper sticks.

-Right.

-I like the ship.

-Right.

And I like this.

So, what can our sort of best prices be on these, John?

The taper sticks I can do for 30.

-I'm selling that on behalf of somebody.

-Right.

That thing, it has to be 40, which is sensibly priced.

OK. All right. And then the rack.

That can be 50.

So, can we negotiate on these, then?

What are you offering?

I would like to give you £50 for the ship and the tapers.

Put a fiver on top of that and then we'll have a deal on that.

-OK. 55.

-Deal it is.

-Deal it is. Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

-It's been a pleasure.

That's £55 for the silver-plated taper sticks

and the ship in the case.

In Llanystumdwy,

Thomas has come to the childhood home of a radical social reformer

who became one of the greatest statesman of the 20th century.

He not only laid the foundations for the welfare state we have today,

but is the man often credited

for winning the First World War for the Allies.

Thomas is here to meet curator Emrys Williams.

Good morning.

Bore da. Croeso.

David Lloyd George, Britain's only ever Welsh prime minister,

moved to this cottage as a baby.

After the death of his father, it was his uncle, Richard Lloyd,

who helped raise and educate the young David.

He instilled a set of values in his nephew

that would stand throughout his life,

in part by turning his cobbler's workshop

into a hotbed for debate.

-It was like a debating society.

-Oh, right. Yes.

And soon, Lloyd George became politically aware.

Ah. So, it gave him an education,

a work ethic and a passion for politics.

-Yes.

-Debates.

-Yes.

-What's fair, what's right.

-Yes.

-Interesting.

After training as a solicitor,

Lloyd George steered his passion for fairness into politics,

first as a Liberal MP and then as a member of the cabinet.

It was here he tackled social justice

as he'd always wanted.

He created the welfare state we take for granted today.

It was a revolutionary feat.

So, he became chancellor of the Exchequer.

-What did he do with that?

-Yes.

Well, the first thing he did in 1908

was to introduce the Old-Age Pensions bill.

-So, there wasn't an Old-Age Pensions bill before that.

-No.

And then Lloyd George in 1909

formulated his great People's Budget,

the budget he declared was to wage war against poverty,

-sickness and ill health.

-Mm-hm.

He also went on to introduce national insurance,

designed as a safety net for anyone who became unemployed

or needed cash for medical treatment.

It predated the NHS,

which wouldn't come to fruition for another 37 years.

Such forward thinking. How did he become prime minister?

The Great War broke out in 1914.

In 1915, there was a shell shortage

and the king created a new post.

Lloyd George became the first minister of munitions.

The scandal threatened to defeat the Allies,

but by building munitions factories across the country

and utilising a previously untapped female workforce,

Lloyd George rearmed the British forces

and solved the crisis within months.

He was then the obvious choice to take over as prime minister

in a Liberal-Conservative coalition in 1916.

What did he do to move the war forward for us?

He galvanised everybody.

"We are going to win."

But the problem was that military strategy

was in the hands of the generals.

Lloyd George's dynamic leadership boosted morale.

With his newly formed war cabinet,

he coordinated the Allies under one command

and helped orchestrate American involvement.

This proved to be a major turning point in history.

-The Americans came into the war.

-1917.

-Yes. And the war was won.

And Lloyd George is now regarded by historians

and biographers as the man who won the war.

He remained prime minister until resigning in 1922,

but continued to be an active political figure.

Lloyd George returned to Wales in 1944 and died a year later.

He will be remembered as one of the greatest social reformers

of his time and a revolutionary leader.

Meanwhile, Christina has motored the Bedford van north to Llandwrog.

Christina's next shop is based in a former RAF base.

Hello!

-Hi.

-Nice to meet you. Are you Mr Kill?

No. Martin Lewis, I am.

-It's a great name, though, isn't it?

-It's wonderful, isn't it?

-Yes.

-You sound like a bit of a secret agent.

-Assassins, yeah.

-Yeah, very possibly. Are you an assassin, Martin?

-No.

-No, you don't look like an assassin.

-No.

Yeah, well that's good to know, then.

And Martin's got something in mind for Christina.

Have a look at that.

-What do you think?

-How did I walk straight past that?

-So, that is an old wheelbarrow.

-It's for carrying slate.

So, you would've quarried your slate and put it on that,

stacked it up so it didn't slide off the front.

-That's right.

-You've got that guard on there as well.

-Yeah.

That's quite fun, isn't it?

-IT SQUEAKS

-It comes with the squeak.

-Does it?

-Yeah.

-A free squeak?

-It comes with a free squeak.

-How could a girl refuse?

-How much have you got on it?

-40.

IT SQUEAKS NOISILY Blimey, Christina.

-I do like it, but I don't like it for £40, I'm afraid.

-OK. Try me.

-I was sort of thinking £10 or £20, to be honest...

-Oh!

-I couldn't possibly take...

-..as a nice outside piece.

What would be your absolute death on it?

You can have it for 25.

-I'm a happy girl at that.

-I'll throw the squeak in.

You're too kind.

£25 for the slate barrow with added squeak.

Ha! Thomas meanwhile is back on the hunt.

He's headed to the stunning harbour resort of Barmouth

on Snowdonia's west coast

and to his final shop -

Fron House Antiques, run by Jamie Howard.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-I'm Thomas.

-Jamie.

Jamie sources his eclectic mix of items both locally and overseas.

What's Thomas onto?

You've got some lovely things here.

Oh, that's naughty, Jamie, your little erotic cheroot holder.

It's a little Stanhope, which is a lens,

and the lens has a print on the back,

and that print then gets magnified as you look through the lens.

It's titchy, but you place it up to your eye

and you fill your eye with the scene.

This one has somebody on the beach in not many clothes.

And it's a cheroot holder.

Ticket price is £58.

-How about 20?

-Can I offer you 15?

-How about 18?

-Perfect.

Swift business. Anything else?

What a cool thing.

It's quite decorative, isn't it?

A garden windmill.

Look at that.

I just like the visuality of it.

Could be a sort of gardening theme with your pair of planters, perhaps.

"Please shut the gate."

That's a heavy bit of stone there, isn't it?

I wonder if I could buy the stone and the windmill.

HE LAUGHS

Sort of garden lots, aren't they?

Time to bring back Jamie, eh?

You've got a few things down here I quite like.

-First of all, I like the windmill.

-It's quirky.

Could be Dutch. It's fun.

-It's not that old.

-No, it's not.

And just talk me through the stone.

-It's fun.

-I've got 40 quid left.

-40 quid left.

-And I want to spend 40 quid with you.

-OK.

So, 18 on the cheroot holder and 40 on these two?

-Yeah. Cos this will be a lot.

-We could have a deal at that.

-Could we?

-All right?

-Thank you very much.

-OK.

And with that, shopping is complete.

Let's take a gander at our experts' treasures.

Along with the stone, windmill and cheroot holder,

Thomas bought an enamel compact,

the garden planters and an Art Deco umbrella stand

all for £136.

Christina spent £230 on the chair...

A gavel cruet set,

a pair of taper sticks,

a ship in a box and a barrow with a squeak.

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

She's bought one dangerous item,

the big barber's-cum-tattooist's chair.

Three figures on it. A lot of money.

What I absolutely love is her cruets as gavels.

We're both auctioneers, we'll both love those.

I think Thomas has done exceptionally well.

I think the compact that he bought was particularly lovely.

He's been very clever. He's been very tactical.

If my chair bombs, which I slightly have a sad feeling that it might,

I think he might hold the stronger hand

in this little round here.

After kicking off from Ruthin,

Christina and Thomas are now headed towards their third auction

in Colwyn Bay.

-Oh, my goodness.

-I love it. I love it.

-Good parking, Thomas.

See? You know, I'm gifted. Natural. In you go.

John Rogers Jones will be manning the rostrum at this family-run auction room.

Let's see what the people of Colwyn Bay think of our experts' lots.

First up, Thomas's pair of planters.

Thomas Plant-er... Get it?

40 for the pair on stands.

Start me at a tenner then.

Tenner. That's a way to start.

£5 only. Eight over there.

Ten is here. 12 there. 15.

-Well done. Well done. This is better.

-18.

18. 18 and the hammer's up.

Still time to make that back, Thomas.

That's a good loss.

-That's half.

-That's a good loss.

-That's a good loss.

That's half the money gone.

Can Christina's slate barrow do any better?

Give me £50.

There's no justice if there's a bid of 50.

20 anywhere. Come on.

Look good in the front garden.

-A tenner.

-Yes, it would. Exactly.

Tenner I have. A tenner.

12. 15. 18.

-Oh, they're all over it now.

-20. 22.

25. 28.

30. 32.

35. New bidder.

Look at this. I don't believe it.

35 in the middle. 38 over there.

40. 42. 45, seated. 48, standing. 48. 50.

-Well done.

-50 on the left. I'm going to sell at 50 now.

That's really good.

-Oh, bravo. Magnificently done.

-Yeah, well done.

Well done, sir. Well done.

Christina's doubled her money.

Now it's back over to Thomas with his plinth and windmill.

Give me £40. 40.

Try me at 20 then.

-So heavy. It was so heavy.

-Eight, ten, 12.

See, now they're all over it.

15. 18. 20. 22. 25.

28. 28. 28.

All done?

Thanks for coming. Thanks for coming.

28.

Oh, Thomas.

-You're having a bad day.

-A bad day.

-It's OK. We're only two lots in.

-Two lots in.

-We'll be OK.

I've already sort of lost a load of money.

It's Christina's ship in a box up now.

Give me £50. £50.

Try me at 30. Five. Where's eight now?

-Fiver. £5.

-I have eight.

Ten behind. 12. 15.

Rightly so. It's worth more than that.

15 behind you. Where's 18?

18. 20.

-Oh, here we go.

-22.

-22.

-25.

-25. Moving on.

It's still a loss.

28.

Are we all done at 28?

Fair warning at 28.

A good buy for someone.

I'm disappointed for your loss.

Thanks, but...?

Disappointed, but I'm pleased it didn't make more

than my plinth and windmill.

Well, at least he's honest.

Maybe it'll be third time lucky for Thomas

with his Art Deco umbrella stand.

15. Where's 18 now? 18.

-He's got a commission price.

-Where's two now? £20.

22. 25. 28. 30.

-32.

-Thomas! I told you.

-35. 38.

-32.

-Yeah.

40, new bidder. £40. £40.

42. 45. 48.

48, I have. Final call at 48.

Finally, a profit for Thomas.

-Brilliant.

-It's OK.

-£20 profit!

-It's marginal.

Take the wins while you can, eh?

Next it's Christina's gavel cruet set.

Ten to start. Ten I have. 12, lady. 15. 15. 18. 20. 22.

22, the gent.

All done at 22?

-This is making me a bit...

-Oh, oh!

-Final call.

A small loss to help close the gap.

-Mine just isn't going well any more.

-No.

-Stop it.

-Yes!

-SHE LAUGHS

-Yes! Yes!

Next it's Thomas's enamel box.

A bit of interest in this. It starts with me at 25.

-Already profit. Straight away. I know.

-Thomas, that's wonderful.

-It's good, yeah.

-32 with you. 35 with me.

-40 sees me out. £40. Anyone?

-Might...

-Very savvy buyers.

-Go on.

-£40. Where's two now?

42. 42. 45. 48.

-48. Where's 50 now?

-Go on. Make 50. Make me a happy man.

The hammer's up at 48.

Final call.

-Yes!

-Well done.

-Yes!

-£28 profit.

-Yeah, all right, all right.

-That is fantastic.

An amazing profit for Thomas, doubling his money.

Now let's see if Christina's taper sticks can do the same.

I've got a bit of interest. Starting me at £20.

20. Is there two anywhere? 22. 25.

-Good. Look.

-28.

-30 with me.

-Double money.

-Double money.

-Mm.

£30. I am going to sell at £30.

Have you finished?

Anybody else?

The hammer's up.

-Doubled your money. Well done.

-Brilliant.

Well done indeed.

Now it's Thomas's final item, the Stanhope cheroot holder.

£50.

-Go on.

-It's fabulous.

-It's very rare.

Give me a tenner then. Ten.

12. 15.

18. 20. 22. 25.

-Instant profit.

-It is. It is profit.

25, lady. 28, new bidder.

30, seated. 32.

-Brilliant, Thomas.

-It's very good.

Final call at 32.

I'm now three profits in a row.

It could be just what Thomas needs.

But it all comes down to Christina's last item,

her biggest spend and riskiest buy -

the dentist or barber's or tattooist's chair.

Give me 100.

20 as a start.

-25 I have.

-20.

-25. 25.

30. 35. 40. 45. 50. 55. 60.

It's moving on. It's going to get to 100.

65. 70. 75. 80, new bidder.

New bidder. New bidder.

-90, new bidder.

-90, new bidder. New legs.

95, seated. 100 over there.

105.

You see 105? You can stop now. It's fine.

120 in front of me.

130 over there.

130. Are we all done at 130?

-We're going to sell.

-That's brilliant, Christina.

-140.

-140, standing.

-All done at 140?

She's back in the game with another profit.

I bought that thinking, "It's not going to make me a huge profit."

-You got most of your money back.

-"It's funky!"

But has Christina done enough?

-Come on. Let's go.

-Yeah.

Christina set off this leg with £278.91.

After paying auction costs, she's down £8.60,

so she's still hanging onto her overall lead with £270.31.

Thomas began with £136.94

and after auction costs, he made £6.68,

leaving him £143.62 in his kitty.

Thomas has his first win of the week. Hurrah!

With that, onto leg four with stylish antiques hotshots.

Christina and Thomas each raring to win.

-You have had your haircut!

-Yeah.

-When was that?

I don't know, a while ago.

-I feel terrible, I didn't notice.

-Thanks(!)

I don't know, Thomas! In this penultimate leg,

are starting off in Stratford-upon-Avon

and aiming for auction in the Cotswold town of Winchcombe.

Time to get Thomas' shopping under way.

-Bye, love.

-Bye-bye.

-Hello.

-Hi, Thomas, nice to see you. How are you doing?

-Nice to see you.

-What's your name?

-Richard.

-Richard.

-This is my wife, Zoe.

-Hello, Thomas.

And I'm Tim. So, now we all know each other,

let's get cracking.

What we've got here is a vintage bracelet.

Most unusual silver gilt bracelet.

Hallmarked from 1975.

Look at that rock here.

The matrix of the quartz.

It's got a replacement clasp on it, but it's £55.

If we can... Not a fiver, but a bit more than that.

OK, let's see what we can do, Thomas. Absolutely.

With over 40 dealers on display,

Richard is going to have to get on the phone.

-OK, Thomas.

-Richard.

-We have some news.

-Oh, yeah, what is the news?

-It's quite good.

-Oh, yeah?

-So, it' at 55. Usually, I'd stop around 50.

-Yeah, yeah.

-But we can go to 45.

-45... Do you think we could have this for 40?

-Could you do a pound or two more?

-Could we do 4...1?

-Go on, then, 41.

HE LAUGHS

You know, I hate even...odd numbers.

-Right, OK. Deal.

-Thank you.

That's one done. Anything else?

A letter opener with the clown on the top.

Some people don't like clowns. But this is very Deco in style.

Is it Deco? I think it is. It's got a nice...

It's been well rubbed and worn.

I don't think I've ever seen a paper knife like that.

It is quite a cool thing. I think I'm going to go for that.

If that can be the right sort of price, definitely.

See, I can put something else with it. You see?

It's only, you know, £22.

So what we have here is a brass Art Deco ink stand.

I love it.

Because in here is DR, 1922.

So it's engraved in here.

It has got a bit of a nick. It is a bit of a sizable nick.

But once you put it in, you can't see it.

So one would put one's letters there.

And the ink goes in there. And your pens rest on here.

What is the price of that?

-WHISPERS:

-£38...

Time to sweet talk Richard.

So these two...

You know, 38 and 22.

What does that come to?

-Well, so we're at 60.

-Yeah.

-Um...

-Can you do 52?

-I was more like thinking 39.

That's a bit too low.

Can we meet somewhere in the middle?

-HESITANTLY:

-45?

-Yeah, go on, we can work with 45.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, we can do that.

-45?

Thank you.

That's £86 for the paper knife, letter stand and bracelet.

Bye-bye.

Now, where's Christina?

Heading for her first shop in the village of Long Marston.

-Good morning.

-Good morning.

-Hello, are you a Laura?

-I am a Laura, yes.

Lovely to meet you, I'm Christina. This is rather magnificent.

-It goes on... Look, it goes on forever.

-It does go on forever, yes.

Almost daunting, isn't it?

You've just got to start searching, Christina.

I love that.

I sold one of these on Saturday, and it was for the Savoy.

It was for the Savoy Laundry Company.

It only made about £20, but it was wonderful. Look at that.

London Laundry, Coventry, Limited.

"Articles for dry cleaners to be parcelled separately, please. 1971."

A bit of vintage kit, really. I love that.

It doesn't have a price on it.

Which is a bit worrying.

Time to get Laura.

OK...

I'll find out for you.

I mean, really, I've sold one of those recently for £15, £20.

-So that is what I would want to be looking at...

-OK.

-..securing it for, at the most.

-Okey dokey.

-But if you can give them a buzz...

-Of course I will, I'll do that now.

Lovely, thank you.

-I may have a bit of good news for you.

-Oh.

-15.

-Have you done your best for me?

-I've done my best, course I have.

-Of course you have!

-Of course I have!

-£15... That's a deal at 15.

-Brilliant.

-Thank you, Laura.

-No problem.

Right, let's go. With my laundry.

And with that, Christina is up and running.

Back in the van, she's now motoring north to Henley-in-Arden,

where she's pulling up

at alliteration-loving Fabulous Finds. Ha!

Shop owner Caroline is on hand to show her around.

Oh, look! You have got some unusual things.

It feels like hunting for the Easter egg sometimes.

That's right. You never know what you're going to find.

You never know what you are going to find. Oh, that's nice.

OK, so we've got a little compact which looks to be base metal

rather than silver. So you'd put your powder in there.

And obviously, that would spin round.

You'd have your powder puff on top and the mirror on the top.

So you could just make sure that everything was in the right place.

And then the enamel on the top. It's very Art Deco, isn't it?

Very sort of 1930s, 1940s.

£95. OK, all right. Is there any sort of negotiation in that?

-Certainly there is, yes.

-Brilliant. Let's pop that back for now.

-OK.

I think that is a really charming thing.

That sounds promising.

-Look at these.

-Lovely French posters.

"Interdit aux cyclotouristes et cyclomotoristes."

Tres bien.

-Something about cyclists and motor...?

-Yes.

Interdit, so these are the things that you're not allowed to do.

So this would have been used as sort of an educational poster...

-That's right.

-..about road rules in France.

-Yes.

-I like that.

-How much is on that, Caroline?

-I've got 45 on that.

Another one to think about.

-Caroline, look at that!

-Isn't it wonderful?

That is a stunner.

Oh, my goodness! Oh, my goodness!

-Can you manage? There we go.

-Wow. Can I put that on top there?

-Yes, of course.

-Wow. Tell me it's by Coalbrookdale or Minton or...

-It's Minton.

-It's Minton!

-It is Minton, you see.

-Heaven!

I mean, just the colourway is fabulous, isn't it?

Minton started producing ceramics in Stoke

at the end of the 18th century.

This one dates from around 1900 and has a ticket price of £140.

-But £140 is quite steep for me.

-I could possibly do...

-I'm terribly poor.

-DEALER LAUGHS

-I can do better for you.

-You can?

-Yeah, I can, certainly.

She'll hold you to that, Caroline.

Oh, I love that. Is that copper?

It is copper, yeah. It's wonderful.

-Got a hole in it, hasn't it?

-Yes, unfortunately.

That's wonderful.

Ticket price is £100.

SHE GROANS

What would you do with that? Is that some sort of mixing, cooking...?

I think it probably was, yes.

But nowadays, people use them in the gardens, don't they?

That's what I was thinking, as a sort of...

-That's right, or a planter or anything like that.

-Yeah.

Shall we take this downstairs? I will carry it if...

-THEY LAUGH

-..if you can be flexible on price.

If you can't, then it's staying up here.

-No, no, I can be flexible on price.

-OK. All right, let's...

SHE GROANS

-Let's go. Watch these steps.

-Right.

Crikey, that's four items and a combined ticket price of £380.

Just how flexible can Caroline be?

So I am thinking £140 for the lot.

Talking about these three here, if I could do 110...

-And what about the compact?

-50.

Can we say 150 for the lot?

-Oh, you drive a hard bargain, don't you?

-I think I've met my match!

-My goodness, 150... Um...

-Go on.

-Go on, then. Go on.

-Brilliant. Thank you very much.

-You're welcome.

-That's brilliant.

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

Very generous, Caroline. Not bad for a day's shopping.

But time to put all that excitement to bed for one night.

So off you go.

And...nighty-night.

It's another day on the Road Trip

and our experts are up with the larks.

-It is quite foggy, isn't it?

-It's really foggy! And it's really early.

I know, it is immensely early in the morning.

Our pair have whizzed cross-country

and are heading for Steeple Bumpstead, in Essex.

What a lovely name!

-Now, I've been here before, Thomas.

-Have you?

-Yes.

Oh, this man is an absolute delight.

Well, I don't think it's open.

No, I'm sure... I remember Graham from last time, he's lovely.

-I don't think it's very open, though.

-It can't be closed, can it?

-I suppose it is quite early, isn't it?

-Quite early, Christina.

-I think it's...

-I think he...

-..closed.

Oh, well, I guess we'll just have to wait then.

SHE WHISTLES

Blimey.

-Thankfully, Graham is here to save us all.

-Oh, Graham!

And with the doors opened up, there is no stopping them

from diving straight in.

I've got lots of toys and things in here.

Quite an interesting box.

What is this? New...

new picture cubes.

British maker, always nice.

Take the lid off.

And these, on the top here,

are the guides as to what your picture was supposed to look like.

So cats, Katzen, gati, katten.

There. Half a... Oh, maybe that's the...

Is that the rear end of the donkey, do you think?

SHE LAUGHS

These are very worn, sadly, aren't they? But nonetheless wonderful.

But these...these blocks are really rather lovely.

And still, it looks like it has got all its pieces to it.

So you'd have to assemble these cubes to create your picture.

I'd say this is probably Victorian or Edwardian,

so we're probably looking at sort of 1880, 1910.

I love that.

Hm. Indeed.

But there is no ticket price. So how is Thomas getting on?

Graham, what has this goblet got to be?

The goblet and the dish, £60.

Is that your very best on that?

No, it could be 75, which is even better.

I was thinking that these could be 30 quid.

-What, each?

-No.

-Because that would make it 60.

-That's correct.

-It is a nice sort of goblet and dish.

-Yeah, they are sort of 19...

-probably early 20th century.

-Early 20th century.

Signed, I think, one is.

Just.

-And, yeah, they're Danish, of course.

-Let me...

Have a little think around and we'll see.

Yeah, I'll let you think about it, I'll think about it,

-and I'll walk around and see what else I can see.

-Yeah.

Good strategy. But Graham's work is not done yet.

I love your shop and I would like to buy something from you.

Kind of you to say.

I did see this, which is a really, obviously, lovely Victorian puzzle.

But I'm not under any pressure,

I don't necessarily have to buy anything, so I was thinking,

if it was cheap enough...

And I was sort of thinking maybe £10 to £15, really.

-Would that be a goer for you?

-No.

-I can do it at around 25.

-I mean, it has seen better days, has it not?

Oh, yes, it has been well played with. Go up another five...

I really can't. I mean, really, my maximum was ten.

I'll meet you in the middle at 15 and that's my absolute death on it.

-OK, yeah, we'll do that.

-Brilliant. £15, I'm a happy girl.

-I bet you are.

-Great. Thank you very much.

Christina lands the Victorian wooden puzzle for £15.

And just like that, her shopping is complete.

-Bye, Thomas!

-Bye-bye.

See you this afternoon.

Looks like you have got the run of the shop, Thomas.

Time for some more negotiating. Round two.

-Now, how about that goblet and dish?

-How about it?

-30 quid.

I'm terribly sorry, but I can't do it at that.

-Despite everything.

-Really?

Where could we go? And I can't do 40.

-And I don't really want to go over 35.

-Sorry, Thomas, I can't on those.

35.

You drive a very, very hard bargain, you really do.

-OK, I will do it at 35.

-You are a good man.

-I'm a silly man.

-You are not a silly man.

-But there we are.

The good news is, Graham's generous discount means

Thomas got his goblet and tray for £35.

The bad news is he has less than £23 left to shop with.

Unaware of Thomas's spending plight,

Christina is on her way to Duxford, where she is in for a treat.

Christina has the opportunity to witness an extraordinary

display of World War II aircraft as they commemorate

one of the most pivotal moments in British history -

the Battle of Britain.

In the summer of 1940, Hitler began an initial push before attempting

an invasion, which brought the war to the skies over Britain.

For three months, the RAF repelled relentless attacks from the Germans.

Their battles above the British countryside saved this country's

shores from Nazi invasion.

As the first airfield to take delivery of the Spitfire,

RAF Duxford played a crucial role during the Second World War.

Now, over the course of two days,

around 40,000 people will watch the breathtaking displays

showing the aerial prowess of these restored aircraft.

Esther Blaine is introducing Christina

to the most famous of all - the Spitfire.

-SHE GASPS

-The Spitfire!

-Absolutely.

The iconic fighter of the Second World War

in all the public's imagination.

I mean, I never thought that I would say that there is an

aeroplane that is beautiful, but it really is, isn't it?

When you watch it fly, it is so agile,

such a beautiful aircraft.

You can see why those young pilots absolutely loved flying in it.

Amazingly, there are still around 30 airworthy

Spitfires in existence around the UK.

One of the men lucky enough to fly these magnificent machines

is John Romain.

I am the director of the Aircraft Restoration Company,

which is based here at Duxford. We own a Blenheim,

which is flying in the show today.

-So I am flying that in the first slot.

-Right.

-And then we have also got a lovely Mark I Spitfire.

-Oh!

Which is now owned by the Imperial War Museum.

-Wow! Oh, my goodness.

-But it was a 1940s Duxford aeroplane.

-How wonderful.

-So it is very famous.

-Especially linked to Duxford.

-So what is it like to fly a Spitfire?

The first reaction is, of course, they are lovely.

But they actually are. I mean, they...

You sort of don't get in one, you put it on. It becomes part of you.

But as a flying machine, stunning. Absolutely stunning.

So when you are flying within that formation,

with all those Spitfires behind you,

do you think it will give you a real sense of what it was like?

Yeah, it will.

To look back and see those numbers of aeroplanes all around you

will really make you realise what those boys were doing.

The battle in the skies continued beyond the Battle of Britain

for fighter pilots of Hurricanes and Spitfires

and for others in long-range bombers.

A seat in a Lancaster bomber was one of the most dangerous places to be.

Some 55,000 aircrew died in raids over Europe.

The life expectancy of new aircrews was just two weeks.

One veteran of these bombing raids is gunner Don Chinnery.

I went in the early part of the war.

-And I toured all through the war.

-Mm-hm.

I'd done my tour of operations, which was 30,

that was your full tour.

And then you had six months' rest

and you went back for a second trip.

What was it like to be in a Lancaster?

-I would be back in tomorrow, if I could.

-Would you?

-Yeah.

What an amazing man.

These incredible aerial displays today commemorate

those heroic actions of air crewmembers like Don.

Esther, tell me, what is happening here?

It's all happening in the skies above us at the moment.

So the German Air Force fighters have flown into Duxford and

we now have a Spitfire and a Hurricane taking off

to repel the enemy. It's exactly as it would've been

-back in the Battle of Britain.

-I've got goose bumps.

-It's unbelievable.

-Absolutely, it's very emotional.

Really, I've got tears running down my face.

Well, understandable.

It's those very emotive moments that really bring it home

what it would have been like during the Battle of Britain.

Of course, you know, that would have been fairly

relentless from July to September, throughout 1940.

-Just makes you realise how special those young men were.

-Absolutely.

Look how close they are getting. I feel like I should be ducking.

It must have been very difficult to deal with emotionally.

-How wonderful!

-It's amazing. It's amazing.

And people watched these dogfights happening, didn't they?

-Over their very heads.

-Absolutely.

Actually, that's the bit that I wonder what it must have been like

to see those contrails in the sky and to think,

actually, those are our boys up there fighting.

It must've been a very, very emotional experience.

Whilst Christina continues to enjoy the airshow,

Thomas still has some shopping to do and is headed to Debden Barns.

Dealer Andy is on hand to help out.

-Hello, I'm Thomas.

-Hello.

Oh, that was good, wasn't it?

-What happened there?

-Hello, Thomas!

Are you into breaking things, Andy?

It's my main talent, actually.

I love that. Look at that.

It will never be the same again.

What can you find for your slender budget then, Tom?

These are our main cabinets for some silver and bits and pieces.

Yeah, well, my budget is really quite low.

-Do you want me to level with you?

-Yeah.

-I've got 22 quid and some...

-Oh!

-HE LAUGHS

-Sorry.

-Honestly. That's it.

Oh, dear.

The items inside may be a bit too rich for you, Thomas,

but will you be tempted by Andy's old stock

which currently resides in the back of his car?

I have been brought to the back of, um, Andy's vehicle.

And it is like a dusty...a dusty experience.

-Now, I used to do a little bit of jewellery.

-Did you?

-Yes.

Now, this is sort of like...

This is a Trifari.

-I know about Trifari.

-OK.

Trifari are one of the most famous houses of costume jewellery.

Yes, that's right.

And it is one of those things that I could've sold it

once for about 30 quid, but I didn't.

-I regretted it thereafter.

-What else have you got?

Well, there you are, you see, we've got nine carat gold.

-A little pearl in there.

-Very pretty.

-Silver ring.

-Look at you. Right, OK.

-Big clunky jewel.

-Oh, nice.

All right, what else are you going to pull out?

-This is like Mary Poppins' bag.

-Oh, yes. This.

You may know exactly what it is straightaway,

but nobody else can tell me.

Well, you have handed me a stoneware...

..vase.

-Tin-glazed earthenware.

-Yeah.

-In the Iznik style.

-Yes.

Iznik pottery was produced between the 15th and 17th centuries

in what is now Turkey. However, this is rather more modern.

-Probably Iranian.

-Right.

-Persian.

-Right.

-It is probably 1920s.

-Yes.

-That's what I thought.

-Peacocks. And it is just a bud vase.

-You put one budding flower in.

-That's it. I was going to say,

you're not going to get a lot of them, a big bunch of roses.

What a fun thing that is, isn't it? What a beautiful object.

-But you know my position.

-Yes.

-£22 and a couple of pennies.

-Yep.

The Trifarian stuff - the rings - I mean, they are just leftovers.

-This, it didn't cost me a lot.

-OK.

OK.

-So this could be my lucky day.

-Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Could I give you all my money for that vase

-and that bit of jewellery in there?

-HE GASPS LOUDLY

You are a good man.

That is a great deal.

£22.62 for the vase and the jewellery collection

of four rings and three necklaces.

Thomas is now all spent up.

So, with everyone's shopping all wrapped up,

Thomas is making the trip to join Christina at Duxford

for the climax of those astonishing aerial displays.

He just needs to find her.

Come on, Thomas, you don't want to miss something really special,

do you?

-You made it.

-I made it, Christina.

-Hello. Look.

You are just in time, look. Absolutely mind-blowing.

-Listen, everybody is quiet.

-Yeah.

-I've had a good look around.

-Have you?

-Yeah.

-Have you really?

-I really have.

-Have you bought anything?

No, I haven't bought anything! Here we go.

It is just so emotive, isn't it?

MOTORS ROAR

It's just that lovely noise, that fabulous noise.

And these planes are sort of over 75 years old.

-They really are national treasures, aren't they?

-They are.

As are the people who flew them.

Very well said, Christina.

What a sight to see, eh?

This incredible road trip is nearly at an end.

After starting out in Stratford-upon-Avon,

our duo have travelled from east to west and back again

to arrive at their final destination in Winchcombe.

Christina's lots for auction include

the 1970s laundry box,

an enamel compact,

a Minton jardiniere,

a French cycling poster,

a copper bowl

and a Victorian child's puzzle.

Thomas's offerings are a silver gilt bracelet,

a polished brass inkwell and letter tidy,

an Art Deco paper knife,

a Danish copper goblet and tray,

a tin-glazed vase and a collection of jewellery.

So what do they make of each other's items?

I adore that peacock vase.

I just think the colours in it are quite splendid.

And that little job lot of jewellery that he got... What did he pay?

£22.64 or something? Ridiculous.

Taxi for Trevanion!

The compact is great. The quality of it. The painting is brilliant.

She is sort of in my wake now because I beat her last time.

Am I going to beat her this time? I don't know.

All will be revealed at the auction in Gloucestershire.

A packed saleroom at Bespoke Auctions awaits.

-Let's rock and roll.

-Where are you?

-I'm here.

-Ladies first.

In charge is auctioneer Nicolas Granger,

assisted by a parrot, which is alive.

Oh, my goodness, right.

Woo, it's rather exciting. Did you see the parrot?

Oh, I love a parrot.

You'll be looking for more than pieces of eight for your first lot,

Thomas. It is your Art Deco paper knife.

Lovely. Good luck.

Starting at 15. 18. 20 now.

-That's really good.

-22 in the room. Thank you. Straight away on my left.

At 22 now. Looking for 25.

At 22 with you, madam, in the pink.

At £22, we're selling...

-22.

-Well done, Thomas.

-Done.

Nice little profit, too.

-That's all right. I'm pleased by that.

-Good.

Christina fell in love with the Victorian puzzle. Will the bidders?

Start the bidding here at 15. 18. £20 now.

Looking for 22.

-£20.

-20.

At 22 now, looking for 25.

-And five on my left, thank you.

-Oh!

-On my right. 25. And eight.

Would you like to go 28 now? And 30, sir, would you like to go?

Are you sure? That's once, twice, selling at £28...

That is everyone off to a good start.

It took a lot of persuading to get your hands on this goblet and tray,

Thomas. Let's hope it was worth it.

Start the bidding with me on the book at £40. 40 I've got.

Looking for 42. At 40 bid with me, a commission bid.

Looking for 42.

We're selling then at £40...

-Sold.

-Another £5 profit.

Small profit, but creeping forward.

Thanks for coming.

Time for Christina's laundry box.

It is a London Laundry Coventry laundry box.

Reminds me of my days in Savile Row.

Going to start the bidding with me, a commission bid, at £15.

-£15.

-Looking for £18 now. 15 bid.

At 18 now. In the room now with you, madam, at £18.

Looking for 20. Don't know what's inside it, have you had a look?

At £18, we're selling then.

-And sold, thank you very much.

-Sold. Done.

That just about holds its own.

Thanks. Just a bit out-of-the-way.

Thomas is still searching for the lot that will bring him

back into this road trip.

His inkwell is next.

We've got a bid here at 20. 22. Five. Eight. I've got 30.

32 on the net now. And five, madam? Thank you.

35. I'm looking for 38 now. And eight in the room now. 38.

And 40, madam. And two, sir.

-42. And five. Are you sure? Shakes the head.

-Don't shake the head.

One more. 45. With you, sir, at 45. Looking for 48 elsewhere now.

At 48 in the room then.

-Sir, at 48.

-One more.

-Looking for 50.

And 50 in the room, back of the room.

Looking for 55 elsewhere. I'm going to sell then. At £50 to the room...

-Yes!

-Well done. Well done.

That is a very decent profit.

Now, a very large copper bowl with several holes in it.

At £15, asking. 15 we have. I'm looking for £18.

-18...

-Something to wash your feet in at night, maybe.

At £15 we've got. Although it is not big enough to be a Jacuzzi.

15 we've got.

That is not making it any better. I've just lost a lot of money.

In the room at 20. Looking for 22 on the net. At 22.

And five, sir, would you like to go? 25 now. At 25.

And 28. Looking for 28. At 28. And 30 in the room, thank you.

With you at 30 now.

32 up here. Going once, twice...

At £32 for the footbath... And sold.

-Horrendous. He worked jolly hard.

-# There's a hole in my bucket

-# Christina, Christina... #

-Good auctioneering.

He certainly did his best. But it is still a loss, I'm afraid.

# There's a hole in my bucket Dear Thomas, dear Thomas

-# There's a hole in my bucket.. #

-There's a big hole!

# Dear Thomas, a hole. #

It is the first of Thomas's car-park purchases.

OK, we start the bidding at £15. And 18. Looking for 20 now.

-So you made a profit.

-Yeah, definitely. Straight away.

Looking for 22. Some dust on there, for nothing. 22 now.

Looking for 25. At £22.

Once, twice... At £22... And sold.

Almost doubling his money, that's a great result.

Well done, Thomas.

Christina's lagging behind a bit, and it is her enamel compact next.

-Who will start the bidding on that? At £40?

-No bids?

-£40.

-All the hands go up at £40. 42. 45. 48. 50.

-Oh, oh, oh!

What's going on?

55 at the back there, looking for 60.

-You can stop now.

-No, go on.

And 60. And five, sir?

-Christina, race away.

-70.

At £65...

Sold to the back of the room.

An excellent profit that brings it neck and neck.

Splendid.

You sounded immensely Welsh then.

-Oh, did I?

-SplenDID!

-Splendid.

Thomas loved this 1970s bracelet. Will it be a winner today?

Let's start the bidding, ladies and gentlemen, on that. At £15.

At 15. 18. Looking for 20. 20 bid on the net. Looking for 22.

Are you going to buy as well? You going to bid?

I'm going to lose all that money.

Looking for £28. At 25 on the net now. And eight. Looking for 30.

-At 28 then.

-He's trying hard.

At £28, we are selling. And sold. Thank you.

You see, that was a bad thing. I lost. Big loss.

Oh, the first loss of the day for Thomas.

-You've still got your Persian vase to go.

-Still got that to go.

That is going to make £2 million.

-£5 million, I'm thinking.

-Do you think?

Christina has her own ceramic offering.

It is her Minton jardiniere.

We'll start the bidding on that at £40. Looking for 40.

Looking for 40. At £30 I have now, at 30. At 32. And 35.

-It's moving up. We'll get there in the end.

-And 38. And 40, sir.

I'm asking 42. 42. And five, sir?

-And five with you.

-Hang on.

-It's so beautiful, look at it.

48. £48, thank you, on the net. 50 in the room now.

And five asking. 55?

-And 60, sir? Are you sure? Shakes his head.

-Go on, it's lovely.

Who's bidding?

Once, twice then. At £55 to the net. Sold.

And thank you.

A small loss, but Christina is still in the lead.

You were sort of going into this crescendo in Ireland and Wales.

I was. I was going almost stratospherically well.

And then suddenly we come here and it's...pooooom.

Thomas has high hopes for his Persian vase

bought out of the back of the car.

This is my final hope.

At 30. Now with me. 32. 32. And five. 35. And eight. And 40.

At 42 with you. I'm looking for 45.

-I think it's beautiful.

-I love it.

-I love that.

-On the internet, surely.

-Nothing online yet.

60 at the back. And five. 65.

-Nothing online? I'm quite...

-Do you catch...?