Episode 17 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.

They'll be worthy winners

-and valiant losers.

-Sorry! Sorry!

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!

What could be finer than a road trip through Ireland

with two titans of antiques?

So if you were an antique, what would you be?

I'd be like a beautiful golden enamel...

A beautiful bit of Edwardian jewellery.

What would you be?

-I think I'd be a pitchfork.

-Lordy.

Behind the wheel today is pitchfork enthusiast, auctioneer

and country lass Christina Trevanion.

Were you sporty at school?

Individual sports, a very keen fencer.

-You did fencing?!

-Fencing.

You did fencing at school?!

Oh, my God! I think you are the poshest person

-I've ever met in my life.

-Don't be ridiculous.

-You are.

Fencing isn't that posh.

Oh, yes, our favourite fencing auctioneer,

Thomas Plant is locked in a duel with his fellow road tripper.

On this road trip, our pair kicked off in Cashel in Tipperary

and are enjoying the delights of Ireland

before hopping across to North Wales, travelling around England

and will end up over 700 miles later in Stoke-on-Trent.

Today they begin in Prosperous...

HE LAUGHS

..in County Kildare, before making the journey over the water

and heading for auction in the Welsh town of Wrexham.

-What else did you do? Backgammon, chess?

-No, I swam, sailed.

-Sailed!

-Sailed!

Oh, my God!

Sailing would certainly explain the jacket covering your usual

elegant attire, Thomas.

Just like their schooldays, this fabulous Bedford van

is from another era, a time before seatbelts were compulsory.

Did you learn to dance when you were at school?

-Do I have to have this conversation with you?

-Yes!

We used to have dance classes at home in...

-In a ballroom!

-No!

In the main hall.

-And did the maids help?

-We didn't have staff...

Well...

No, we didn't have staff then.

There'll be some currency converting to do when they head to Wales later,

but they begin their road trip in Ireland with 285 euros each.

After their first trip to auction, Christina pulled in a small profit,

giving her just over 292 euros to splash today.

That's about £205.

And it's close so far, as Thomas lost a little,

leaving him with almost 281 euros in his pocket.

That works out at almost £198.

In the heart of County Kildare,

the rather confidently named Prosperous was given its title

in the hope that its 18th century cotton trade would follow suit.

Guess what?

-High-class furniture.

-Come on.

-Brilliant. Let's go.

-In you go.

-Hello.

-Hello, Thomas. How are you?

-Very well.

-Lovely to meet you.

Ger Nevin is my name. How are you? Christina, lovely to meet you.

-Sorry, what was your name?

-Ger Nevin is my name.

-Ger...?

-Ger.

Introductions over, it's time to get cracking.

Oh!

I'm a bit confused because these things have got lot numbers on them.

Am I in the right place?

Well, this establishment is a little different,

as it also operates as an auction house.

The items here are ready to go under the hammer,

but many of the sellers are happy to let them go presale

if the money's right.

Moorcroft.

Look at that, isn't that beautiful?

Modesty will get you everywhere, girl.

Kidney-shaped lacquer...

All these different boxes, it could be a little lot, really.

We've got a little horn snuff, with white metal ends.

That would be for cheroots, tobacco.

Probably 19th century.

A cigar case.

Sort of zinc-lined to keep that tobacco fresh.

A Japanese kidney-shaped little box,

slightly damaged but in the lacquer.

A souvenir ring box

and this Californian poppy brilliantine.

I think that is for tobacco as well.

It's a nice little lot. You know, it looks rather good.

Let's get Ger over.

-I'll try and set you off on a good deal.

-Could you?

How about 50 euro? They are surely worth 10 euro each.

Could we do a little bit better?

How about 40, then?

That seems very fair, doesn't it? That does seem fair. 40 euros.

-You're a good man.

-Deal.

-So that's my first deal.

-You're very welcome.

I'm going to carry on looking. First deal of the day.

How are things faring upstairs?

Beautiful, I love that.

That's a great picture. A wonderful rural scene.

You've got, obviously, bygone days.

The guy is driving his cattle down the road, leading his horse.

There's a little girl there, feeding her chickens.

It's just luminous, isn't it? It's wonderful. I like that a lot.

I suspect it'll have quite a high price tag on, I think.

That's one to consider, then.

How about Thomas?

This is like the bowl which keeps on giving.

Like a cornucopia, which, sort of, carries on.

(Oh, I love mother-of-pearl!)

Mother-of-pearl is carved shell.

The way you can tell if it's real mother-of-pearl is,

it's like a pearl...

A bit gritty against your teeth.

Can you see the way it shimmers?

These are obviously ends off handles or something.

But I love it.

This I think is a piece of agate. Well, it is a piece of agate.

If you get the light on this...

It's got a really grey

but, sort of, translucency to it.

It could be a salt dish for the centre of the table.

Then we've got a collection of Oriental soapstone.

These are scroll weights. So when you're laying out that Chinese

scroll you want to weigh it down so that it doesn't roll in on itself.

I might call over Ger and see what we've got here.

See if there's a price to be had.

Ger, can I have a chat with you?

-That's the little hidden gem.

-Is it a little hidden gem?

-Was I allowed to find this bowl?

-Of course you were.

-A bit naughty of me.

-Absolutely.

-So you've got the contents of the bowl.

-Yes, exactly.

-I mean, I like it.

-Yes.

It all depends on value-wise what you want to charge.

-Well, for you...

-Yeah.

-..I'm going to give you a good price.

-Do you think so?

Absolutely. Absolutely.

-If we said 55 euros for the lot.

-That's immensely fair.

-I don't think I can argue with that.

-No, I don't think you could.

I'm not going to argue with it. I am really not.

-Are you sure you're happy with that?

-Absolutely.

-55 euros.

-For you.

After that buying frenzy,

Thomas has landed the soapstone collection, some mother-of-pearl

handles and that lovely salt, and enough boxes to start a collection.

Christina best get a move on.

-Oh, look at that!

-SHE GASPS

It's a fantastic country house club fender with this leather top.

Brass based. Put that in front of your fire.

Can you imagine warming your back on the fire?

That's fabulous. Again, these are selling really well at the moment.

But there's no price tag.

Time to call on Ger.

Comfortable?

I'm feeling very confident,

which is always a bad thing.

Ah, fantastic.

I do really like that.

-So we have got the signature down there as well.

-Yes.

-So G.C. Barlow on that.

-Yes.

-So it's oil on board?

-Oil on board. Exactly, yes.

Ah, G.C. Barlow. Artist, exhibitor, Paris.

-So that's great that that label's still on there.

-Yes, yes.

-That's fantastic. Right, can we spin it over?

-Absolutely.

-And it's got its original frame, again.

-Mm-hm.

So how much is on that one?

-175.

-And what could you do me that for?

How about 120?

-120 on that one?

-Yes.

-OK.

That's definitely a potential.

Any more, Christina?

How much for your tatty club fender?

There's a good... This could be a deal for you.

220 euro.

That's nearly all my budget!

Well, how about 180?

-SHE SIGHS

-You've got to keep going.

I think it's well worth that. That's quite good value.

And how much did you want for the picture?

-120.

-Could you come down any more on this?

-What did you say on this? 180?

-180.

160.

Is there any, any, any, any, any chance you could do me

the picture and the fender for 200?

HE GASPS

You are such a convincing woman.

-Really?

-SHE LAUGHS

-Am I?

-You have a deal.

-I don't think many people would say that.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, deal.

-So 200 for the club fender and the picture?

-Deal.

-I'm a happy woman.

-That's good. I'm glad you are.

I love shopping in Ireland. It's amazing.

-Brilliant, thank you so much.

-You are more than welcome.

-Brilliant.

With that very generous deal, it's no wonder Christina's happy.

Time to wake Sleeping Beauty.

What are you doing?!

Get your feet off the bed! Wake up!

Thanks, Tina.

-Come on, we've got things to do.

-I've actually done quite well today.

-Oh, have you? Hang on a second...

-Yeah, I'm feeling quite...

-What?!

While Thomas goes in search of his next shop,

Christina has made the trip to Dublin.

From medieval castles to Georgian splendour,

Dublin has a vibrant and charismatic reputation.

Ireland's capital has been home to Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett,

and James Joyce, and Christina is on the trail of another literary great.

She's visiting Trinity College,

Ireland's premier seat of education, where archivist Jane Maxwell

is on hand to reveal the story of former student Jonathan Swift.

Known for his masterpiece Gulliver's Travels,

he became one of the greatest satirists in the world and

started a legacy that would change the face of literature in Ireland.

He's the chap that's famous for saying that the world was

founded, more or less.

Jane, this is just visually the most stunning place I think I've ever been.

-Isn't it lovely? It's wonderful.

-It really is, gorgeous...

-The old library.

-..it really is. So, was Swift ever here?

Not physically in this building, no. He predated this.

This is 300 years old. He was here in the 17th century.

-This is an 18th-century room.

-Right.

Erm, but, this library has the privilege of holding

the Jonathan Swift collection.

Born in Dublin in 1667,

Swift was sent to Trinity College in the city at the age of 14.

This is the register that records him arriving in Trinity College.

Oh, there he is!

Jonathan Swift.

Did he show any talent for being a writer when,

when he was this age, when he was here?

Certainly we don't have anything that he wrote at the time

and he got into disciplinary problems, you know?

-He was a naughty boy?

-He was a naughty boy, yeah. So...

I think I quite like him.

It ends up with... he gets his degree by special grace.

Despite a shaky academic career,

Swift began to build a reputation as a writer,

first working for former politician William Temple, then

as a clergyman, arguing the position of the church on political matters.

He becomes a political propagandist

and he is writing pamphlets left, right and centre.

That's what they did. That's how you waged war. You wrote.

-And you produced pamphlets?

-Endless pamphlets.

And because Swift's specific talent was satire

and if you can make people laugh, you have them half won over.

So, he made it... he made it really readable?

While satire has been around for centuries,

in this age of the Enlightenment, Swift was part

of a resurgence of the craft

which interrogated moral and political views.

Later in his life, Swift was to display his moral outrage

at the treatment of Ireland's poor

in one of the most famous satirical essays in the English language.

This is The Modest Proposal which everybody knows about

even if they're not entirely sure...

"A modest proposal for preventing the children of poor people from

"being a burden to their parents or the country and for making them

"beneficial to the public"?

-Yeah, they kind of liked long titles.

-It's snappy, isn't it?

This is a time when poor people were considered to be slightly less human.

So, he starts off in this tone of voice,

saying, "Yeah, we all know this is a problem" and then he just,

without as much as a blink of the eye he segues

seamlessly into a... "I think they should eat their children.

"I mean, if you fed a nice plump poor baby well, you know,

-"you could serve him up for dinner."

-What?

And then all of a sudden you realise

-he's making fun of you.

-Yeah.

-And your prejudices.

-Yeah.

And your biases, because for a moment you might have thought yeah, he's right...

-SHE GASPS

-Oops!

-Yeah, yeah.

That's what he did and he did it beautifully because he sucks you in.

You think he's writing a boring economic pamphlet.

With his wit and fearless approach, Swift towered over his predecessors.

As partisan politics emerged,

he used his satire to tackle this new complex political world.

Ah, so, here we have...

In 1726, he took his arguments to a wide audience,

creating what would become his best-known work.

-This is how we know Jonathan Swift, really, isn't it?

-Yes.

-His Gulliver's Travels.

-Yes.

But it says here, "Travels into several remote

"nations of the world in four parts by Lemuel Gulliver,

"first a surgeon and then a captain of several ships, volume 1..."

-It goes on and on and on.

-Yes, I know.

Well, at the very first page he's...

making a little fun of the tradition of writing travelogues.

-Right.

-Which were becoming very popular at the time.

-OK.

So, he gives the name Gulliver but also he gives a little background

to make it seem more like this is actually a genuine travelogue.

By presenting the book as Gulliver's own memoirs,

Swift distanced himself from a controversial tale

that criticised the politicians he felt had blocked his own career.

This is political satire again

because he goes to all of these countries and, erm,

he picks out individuals and characters whom

all of his readership know

who the contemporary politician is who he's making fun of.

Oh, it's not a children's book at all? It's actually political satire?

Yes. But now it's marketed as a children's book.

-I mean, you couldn't get more poles apart, really, could you?

-No.

Each group that Gulliver encounters represents a different

section of society, all afflicted by one type of prejudice or another.

Like the character of Flimnap, a wily politician

torn by jealousy, who is understood to be a thinly-veiled caricature

of Britain's first modern Prime Minister, Robert Walpole.

Scared of prosecution by those targeted in the book,

Swift's publisher used several different printers

and even changed sections of text,

the tale becoming an instant success.

It was immediately hugely popular.

Even people who said they didn't understand who the targets were

found it incredible.

And even people who didn't like Swift had to admit that

it was wonderful.

Swift's book gave readers an entirely different perspective on this

new age of politics and politicians.

Since its first release, Gulliver's Travels has never been

out of print and is heralded as a milestone in satirical literature.

Once he had an idea, he took it to its rational obvious conclusion

and he was prepared to go a step further than everybody else.

-Always...

-Stretching the boundaries?

-Absolutely.

Swift died in Dublin in 1745.

His pamphlets remain amongst the most important texts

held in the great library of Trinity College, and Gulliver's Travels

inspired readers and influenced writers for centuries to come.

Just over 15 miles back down the River Liffey,

Thomas is in the village of Straffan, in County Kildare.

Straffan Antiques is a family-run affair, managed by Eoin.

The jacket's off. He means business.

They're rather fun.

Very stylish.

Much like yourself, Tom.

Oh, so vain. Really!

These are good.

Look at these sweet little things.

Children's folding chairs.

They look great fun. Ow!

I'd take a seat, Thomas, if I were you. Ticket price is 480 euros.

-We've got a pair of them.

-A pair is unusual, yeah.

-It is unusual, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-And it looks like original upholstery on them.

-I think so.

Probably, um, maybe late 19th century,

-something like that.

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

What can you do those for?

Erm...we could do those about...maybe 220.

Oh, my gosh.

I don't think I've got 220.

I've only got 185 and I need some left for tomorrow.

So, I was looking at those as sort of 50 euros each, 100 euros.

-But if you can do it, you can't do it.

-Yeah.

I'll try and find something else.

Could do 150 on them.

I think 150 is a bit, a bit strong for me.

Could you meet me halfway somewhere?

-Could do 130?

-125, we've got a deal.

-Go on?

-Go on. 125.

-Yeah, good man.

A bold buy, Thomas.

Great discount but it doesn't leave you very much.

HE MOUTHS

(What have I done? What have I done?)

Heaven knows.

You won't make money on those.

Blissfully unaware of Thomas's big spending, Christina is

hotfooting through Dublin's streets in search of a bargain.

-Hello.

-Hey, how you doing?

-Very well, thank you. I'm Christina, nice to meet you.

-Alistair, how are you?

-Alistair? Do you mind if I have a quick look around?

-Yeah, sure.

If there's anything I like the look of,

-I'll come and give you a holler.

-OK.

-A holler, eh?

Owner Alistair has been running the shop, along with his mother,

for four years and they do a lot of their buying in French markets,

so the shop has a certain je ne sais quoi.

-You are feeling it?

-Oh.

That's quite cool, isn't it?

So, normally with British telephones you'll always get a series number

on the inside of the handle and usually a date as well

when they were registered.

This is a French example. 95 euros?

I haven't got that much left in my budget, have I? Never mind, move on.

So, that is quite cool, isn't it? Look at that. "The Royal Dragoon."

"Ales and prize medal beers," So, it's obviously an old pub sign, isn't it?

The Royal Dragoon.

Breweriana in advertising is really quite in vogue at the moment

but that's also really a very powerful, strong image.

It's 45 euros.

-I wonder what Alistair can do on that. Alistair?

-Yes.

Where are you, darling?

We picked this up at a French market about two months ago.

-Did you?

-I'm not sure how old it is but it's certainly nice, anyway.

It's a decorative thing, isn't it?

I hasn't got a huge amount of age to it, has it?

Yeah, probably about 1970s, I'd say, maybe.

-So, what would be your best price on that?

-20.

-It's quite fun, isn't it?

I do quite like that. There's something about the image which is really quite powerful,

-isn't it?

-Yeah.

-That horsey strutting off to war.

Is there any chance you could do that for 15?

-20 is quite cheap for it, as is...

-Is it? For a modern repro sign?

-For a bit of fun?

-It is hand-painted.

Go on, 15 euros.

-And you've got a sale.

-OK.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-It's a deal.

I shall take my Royal Dragoon and charge off into the sunset.

With 15 euros spent on an oldish pub sign, your sunset awaits

so nighty-night, you two.

Good morning, Dublin!

I love Ireland but I do spend a lot of money in Ireland.

-Join the club.

-You're telling me.

Thomas got off to a flying start yesterday,

grabbing a collection of boxes, a pair of mother-of-pearl handles,

an assortment of Oriental soapstone, an agate salt

and a pair of Edwardian chairs.

That leaves him with just 60 euros, 98 cents.

-I'll get your change.

-Thank you.

Christina was no slouch either.

She picked up an oil painting, a 19th-century fender

and a painted pub sign.

After all that, she has 77 euros, 16 cents for today's Irish adventure.

I have a renewed appreciation of Ireland now.

-I'm very sad that this is our last day here.

-Yeah.

-It's been like a little holiday.

-Yeah.

Later, they will be heading for auction in Wrexham

but for the rest of the day, Dublin beckons.

As Christina goes off in search of a place to spend her last few euros,

Thomas is headed to the cultural home of Irish sporting glory.

While Ireland can lay claim to many sporting stars of rugby,

football, snooker and golf,

the most widely-played and popular sports in the land

have a distinctly Irish flavour.

Thomas is meeting Micheal at the Gaelic Athletic Association's

Museum at Croke Park to discover the story of the man who turned

hurling and Gaelic football into a cultural phenomenon.

Nicky Rackard gets a ground pass,

pulls hard and the ball shakes the net.

Who are we standing in front of?

A man called Michael Cusack.

He was the visionary that instigated

the founding of the GAA, Gaelic Athletic Association,

I'm sure before the day is out we'll learn a little bit about him.

Born in 1847, Michael Cusack was a schoolteacher who worked

in Dublin. An athlete in his youth, he was evangelical about sport.

We'll go inside, yeah.

So, as Ireland emerged from long, hard years of famine,

Cusack became a part of a resurgence of spirit.

His desire was to use sport to regain a sense of national

and cultural identity.

He reached out to local leaders, asking them to support

the creation of a national sporting organisation.

Michael Cusack was the first person to say, why not have an association

dedicated to the preservation and cultivation of national pastimes,

-in Ireland? It was a good idea.

-It's a brilliant idea.

Across Europe, associations were being created.

Rugby and football were formalised into leagues,

their popularity increased across the continent,

but in Ireland, which was still under British rule,

Cusack was part of the newly-formed Gaelic Athletic Association

which governed a number of sports capturing the spirit of the nation.

Ireland embraced their own games, making Gaelic football and hurling

the most celebrated, played and watched sports in the country.

The Gaelic games are the national games,

they are by far the strongest sport in Ireland.

And it's still amateur today?

-Still amateur today and I think that is its main strength.

-Wow.

The emphasis is on the community, betterment of the community,

have a good football pitch, dressing rooms in every parish in Ireland.

Each team became an integral part of life in each community.

Gaelic football and hurling are energetic team games.

The ball can be struck at speeds around about 100mph,

giving it claim to be the fastest field sport in the world.

..and the cameramen scatter in all directions.

In 1913, the GAA purchased the land that would become Croke Park.

-And the spectators flooded in to watch the games.

-This is final day.

The Gaelic Games were first broadcast on TV in 1961, making players

instantly recognisable.

The popularity of one player was so great that it helped him

to become the most powerful man in the country.

I would say a person that captured the imagination of a lot of people

-was a man called Jack Lynch.

-Really?

-And what did he play?

-He played both.

Jack Lynch was one of the few players talented enough to win

titles in both hurling and Gaelic football.

Towards the end of his playing career, he entered political life.

His popularity was so great that he rose to the position of Taoiseach,

equivalent to Prime Minister,

serving two terms in the 1960s and '70s.

He was the most powerful man in the country,

and everywhere he went, he was recognised as a popular sportsman.

-He was popular at all levels.

-Was he?

He often stated he could go into a constituency

where people normally did not vote for his party,

-he'd be welcomed there as Jack the sportsman.

-Jack the sportsman.

He behaved like an ordinary man - no airs and graces about him.

-Popular all over the country.

-A man of the people?

And beyond it. A man of the people.

The popularity of the games continues to grow.

The 80,000 seats of Croke Park

are regularly filled by spectators of Gaelic games.

Matches are now broadcast globally,

and GAA teams can be found across the globe.

But on home turf, traditions are still maintained -

teams are still amateur and based in their communities.

All over Ireland, children grow up playing Gaelic football and hurling.

The ambition of every young person is, "Will I reach Croke Park?"

-As a player, not as a spectator.

-HE LAUGHS

Will I reach Croke Park? It's the ambition of everybody.

-On that hallowed turf.

-Yes, indeed.

Cusack helped to create a sporting phenomenon.

Gaelic football and hurling represented a unifying passion.

They have helped create a sense of cultural identity

and continue to grow in popularity.

It has been a real pleasure. It has been absolutely marvellous.

I have absolutely enjoyed myself.

Christina, meanwhile, is wandering

through Dublin's art and antiques quarter,

hoping to uncover something special.

-Hello.

-Hi, how are you doing?

-I'm all right, thanks. How are you?

-Good, thanks.

-What's your name?

-Alistan.

-Alistan. Great name.

-Alistan, you are very tall.

-I know.

-How tall are you?

-6'6", 6'7" on a good day.

-I think I should have worn my heels today.

This is pretty cool.

It is certainly eclectic. Mind your feet.

-So what have we got? Have we got the shop back here as well?

-Yeah.

We've got some nice teak furniture in here.

-Oh, I like your skeleton. How much is on him?

-He's about 500.

-Alistan, I have to be perfectly honest with you...

-Go on.

-..I do not have 500 euros. Steve the skeleton is not for me then, no?

-No.

No, a bit out of my price range.

Never mind, Steve.

What is on your storage jars?

-They're about 175.

-Are they?

-Yes.

They're nice, aren't they? Clean kitchenware, one pint.

I mean, they are very kitsch, aren't they?

-I like the typography on them.

-Yeah, that text on them is fab, isn't it?

It's cool, yes.

Also you get the TG green ones,

which are the blue-banded Cornishware ones

but I really like the fact that these are in green.

It's the colour of Ireland, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Very cool.

-It's true.

I'm a bit worried,

there is a little bit of damage around them, isn't there?

We can talk about price. I mean, what have you got in your mind?

Uh...

-Don't hate me.

-Go on.

-But I think I have 77 euros left.

-77 euros?

-Yeah.

-I tell you what, I could probably give you half the set.

-No!

-You can't split the set! What about...?

-OK...

You look like a really cool, mid-century guy,

I have got a really cool mid-century vehicle outside.

-OK, so we do a swap?

-No.

-OK.

-Hmm...

-OK, OK. I thought that was where this was going.

What about 77 euros and a ride in my van?

-What do you think?

-That sounds a bit...

-Does that sound like a deal?

-Do you know what? OK, OK.

-Yeah?

OK, as long as it is going to a good home,

I think it's going to go to a good home.

-Done.

-Happy?

-Yeah, I think so.

It's pretty cool, and it does go quite fast.

Here we go.

You will be amazed.

Hope on in, baby.

I hope someone is watching the shop.

Can you fit in my van?

OK, there are no straps.

-There are no straps?

-No, it's pre-straps. You will be fine.

-Are you ready for the ride of your life?

-Yes, let's go.

Second. Good gear change. Hold on tight.

Be careful with him, Christina.

There is just time for a quick run around the block.

-So I didn't terrify the life out of you?

-No, you didn't.

-Are you sure?

-No, not at all.

-Good.

Well, that's one way to get yourself a set of storage jars for 77 euros.

-You're an angel.

-So are you.

-Very, very pleased with my jars.

-Nice to meet you.

-Take care, see you again.

-See you.

Just a few paces down the street, Thomas is on the prowl.

-Hello, I'm Thomas.

-Thomas, how are you? Mervyn is my name.

You're very welcome, you're very welcome.

This looks fabulous. I'm going to have a really good look around.

-Yeah, good stuff.

-I will warn you...

Oh, yes. Stand by.

..there is not a huge budget,

but what there is is burning a hole in my pocket.

OK, we will try and help you spend it.

I don't think he needs much help.

The thing about these big, oval trays is that

once one's got one's gin and tonic on them, or drinks,

they are immensely heavy to lift up.

You've got to make sure one's butler has got the strength

to carry it around the room and serve the drinks.

It's just difficult.

You just can't get them these days.

Oh, if Christina could hear you now.

Look at that. That's quite a fun thing, that, isn't it?

-It's a cartridge filler, isn't it?

-That's right, yeah.

They were for filling one's guns cartridges, weren't they?

You clamp that onto the table. On it goes.

This is where your firing pin goes, on the top here.

You fill your beast as you wind it off with all the powder.

Then you fold it up into there.

This is when one used to make

one's own gun cartridges for shooting.

-It is quite an interesting thing, isn't it?

-Yeah, it's nice, yeah.

-I've not seen one like that before.

-Right, OK.

You called it Victorian. Yes, it is about that sort of level, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Yes. OK.

Ticket price is 185 euros.

Merv, I'm going to level with you.

I said I had some money burning a hole in my pocket.

I do, and it is going to have to be spent. There is 60 euros.

What can you do for 60 euros?

What can I do for 60 euros?

Well, you were looking at that.

That would relieve me of 60 euros, would it?

-It would.

-That would be it, done.

-Done and dusted.

That is really not a bad price. That has to be a purchase, really.

-Very good.

-Very fair. You have been immensely fair.

He has relieved me of all my money.

-Apart from a couple of cent.

-Right. You can throw that in if you want.

Well, I can probably throw that in, couldn't I, really?

So that generous deal makes it 60 euros, 98 cents.

That has cleaned Thomas out and ends this trip's shopping.

Thomas spent all of his 289 euros, 98 cents on the collection of boxes,

the 19th-century soapstone items,

an agate salt,

the mother-of-pearl handles,

the cartridge loader,

and a pair of children's chairs.

Christina only left herself with loose change,

as she spent 292 euros on a set of 1950s storage jars with coffee pot,

a 19th-century brass fender,

an oil painting of a rustic scene,

and a painted pub sign.

What do they think of each other's offerings?

I think actually he has been quite risky.

He has been quite plucky, and I like that.

I would happily swap probably most of my stuff,

to be perfectly honest, for that beautiful banded agate salt

that he bought, which I think is just an absolute stunner.

But I am not entirely sure

that I have a huge amount of faith in those chairs.

I really love her picture that she has bought.

I think it is delightful.

The item I don't like are all those jars,

but there is a lot there for your money.

It's going to be such a close-call thing.

After starting this leg in Prosperous, in County Kildare,

our experts have travelled via Dublin to the Welsh town of Wrexham.

I love Ireland. I miss it.

See, I feel at home - less than half an hour away from my house,

and I am a happy girl.

That is a very comfortable feeling to have.

Yeah, it is.

The largest urban area in North Wales, Wrexham,

was a renowned centre for the brewing trade

thanks to its natural underground water reserves.

Today, our pair are headed straight to Wingetts Auction House.

Wielding the gavel is John Lloyd. So, what does he make of our pair's lots?

It is an eclectic mix of items.

The collection, ten pieces of soapstone,

they are quite decorative.

Nothing exceptional, though. Sort of £30-£40 mark.

Club fender, nice bit of Victoriana.

The gentleman's-club look is very much in vogue at the moment.

I wouldn't be surprised if we get £100-£150 for that.

Now in Britain, the rest of the trip will be pounds.

So, with currency converted,

Christina has spent a total of £205.63 on four items,

while Thomas's six lots have set him back a total of £197.87.

We are back into pounds now. I feel slightly more comfortable.

Do you? I quite like the euro.

First up are Thomas' collection of boxes.

I've got £20 bid with me to go straight in.

20 bid, 5 bid, 30.

5, sir?

40. 5.

-£40 bid.

-Profit.

-That's good.

I'm out. Sold on the internet.

-Yes!

-Well done.

-Good job.

-Result!

-Yeah.

A cracking start for Thomas.

Will his luck keep going?

His cartridge loader is next.

I've got £15 bid. Straight in with me to go...

What did you spend on this?

40...

45, OK.

In the door at £20. I'll take 2 for it.

Now at 22 I'm bid. 24. 26?

24.

Next time.

That's a blow, but there's plenty left to go at, Thomas.

-So disappointed.

-It's OK, it's OK.

Do you think you'll cope?

It's all right. I'm going to lose loads of money today.

That's the spirit. It took Christina some clever negotiating

to get the storage jars,

but how will they fare?

We're on the internet, then, at £26.

28 bid. 30.

And 5, sir. 40.

God, making more.

-40, bid. 5, sir?

-Oh, go on, sir. They're lovely.

£40 we've got bid.

All finished at 40.

Perhaps the damage to the jars has hit your chances of a profit.

I think that's disappointing.

I don't mind taking a loss

-because I had such a lovely ride in the van with Alistan.

-Did you?

-Yeah.

Let's see if Thomas can get us back on track

with his mother-of-pearl handles.

I'll take £20 to start for them.

Nobody is going to bid.

-No bid for these?

-I can't believe that.

10, then?

£10 I've got. 12 I'm bid. 14.

16.

16, back in. 18.

20.

-They're out on the net at 18 bid.

-It's £18. 18.

That's good. £7 profit.

I was expecting three figures.

I was!

Well, you know what they say about expectations.

No, don't, don't...

Perhaps your hopes were a little high, but that's still a profit.

-Are you in a huff?

-No, of course not.

Well, at least you're not giving me the cold shoulder.

Actually, I think I prefer it when you give me the cold shoulder. Go away.

Next up, the club fender.

This cost Christina 120 euros, which comes out at just under £85.

Cheap.

I've got £100 straight in with me to start, then. 100. 110. 120. 130.

140. 150.

High-five? High-five?

-170. 180. 190. 200.

-£200 on the internet.

£200 on the internet.

-Get in there.

-£220 in the room.

-£220, the bid is in the room.

-This never happens to me.

220 bid.

-All done?

-GAVEL BANGS

Well done.

A superb profit for the fender gives Christina a healthy lead.

-I've got some catching up to do, Christina.

-No, you haven't.

-I have.

No, no.

Can the collection of Chinese soapstone perform as well for Thomas?

£10 I'm bid, starting.

12 I've got on the internet. 14 bid, 16.

See, it's going, it's going.

£18.

You're out on the internet.

-Thanks for coming.

-20, you're into a profit.

On the net.

Sadly, after auction costs, that's a small loss.

Next up, it's Christina's painted pub sign.

Ought to be £20 to start.

Oh, internet bid 15, that's good.

15, see - straight in, profit.

I'll take 16 if it helps you. 16 I am bid.

At £16 we're still on the net at £16. It'll take 18.

18 I've got. 20?

20 bid. 2.

24. 26. 28.

28 bid. 30. 2?

In the room at 30.

-That's good, isn't it?

-Again, high-five.

That's more of a medium-five.

Jealous.

Well jel.

Another good profit. Things are going very well for Christina.

I'm this green here - green with jealousy.

-That's pink.

-No, there's a green there.

-Oh, is there?

-Green with envy.

Thomas is playing catch-up and his agate salt is next.

£5 I've got to start.

It's in the door. I'll take 6, I'm bid 8.

6, internet. 8, internet. 10, internet.

See? Profit, profit, profit, profit.

14. 16.

18.

Goes on the internet.

-£18.

-What's that, £7 profit?

-Yeah, £7.

-That's good.

-It's OK.

A modest profit for Thomas.

Christina's oil painting is her final lot.

Maiden bid for this one at £30.

I'm only bid 30. 35 got, and I'm out.

At £35 the bid is in the room.

-It's cheap at 35.

-It'll wipe out all my profits.

No, I don't think so.

-Moving on.

-Quite rightly.

50?

All done?

Oh, go on.

-50 bid. 5?

-See? There you are.

Sold at 50.

A small loss, and it's not over yet.

You're not going to end up with a loss like me.

(Just ignore them and they'll go away.)

No, I can't. They're there...looking at me.

Thomas spent a huge 125 euros on those chairs,

which is around £90.

But will it pay off?

10 for them.

£10. Early bid on my right, standing. 12 bid. 14. 16.

18. 20. And 2?

24.

26.

It's getting there.

-It's getting there.

-40. And 2?

£42 I'm bid in the room, standing, at 42 bid.

I'll take 44 if you want.

It's standing.

Actually, that's like a body blow...

A hammer going through my body.

Well, someone's got a bargain,

picking up a beautiful pair of chairs for a great price.

Anyway, go on. Let's go and see how much money I've made.

-I think... No.

-It might take us a while.

To count it all?

You're so cruel.

So how have our pair fared?

Thomas, looking grim, spent every last penny of his £197.87.

After auction costs,

he's made a loss of £60.93,

leaving him a total of £136.94

to take on to the next leg.

Christina started with £205.75

and after auction costs

made a fantastic £73.17 profit.

So she has won the day with £278.91 and a substantial lead,

so well done, girl.

-My goodness.

-Well done.

I need a telescope to see where you are.

And you need a telescope to see where I am.

You might have to go and get the van

-because my pockets are weighing me down.

-Are they?

-Can I borrow some money?

-I'm not sure I can walk.

Can I borrow some money? You've, like, made hundreds.

Cheerio.

Next time, our experts' adventure continues.

We are in Wales, where it rains.

Christina calls for help.

Hello? Have you got any bargains for me?

And Thomas gets a bit cheeky.

This one has somebody in not many clothes.