Episode 19 Antiques Road Trip

It's the nation's favourite antique 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 is no mean feat.

HE LAUGHS

There will 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!

This week, we've been on a road trip with two stylish

antiques hotshots.

-You have had your haircut!

-Yeah.

-When was this?

I don't know, a while ago.

-I feel terrible, I didn't notice.

-Thanks(!)

Well, you always look so well turned out.

-SHE LAUGHS

-Whoa! Sorry!

What were you doing there?

You distracted me by talking about my hair.

Yes, behind the wheel is debonair auctioneer Christina Trevanion -

elegant but always willing to fight for a bargain.

Hello. Have you got any bargains for me?

Her rival is jewellery expert

dashing, dapper and cheeky chappy Thomas Plant.

This one has somebody in not many clothes.

Our duo set off on this road trip with £200 each.

As this penultimate leg gets underway,

Christina is in the lead

with £270.31 to spend.

But Thomas has his sights on a comeback.

He has £143.62 to shop with.

-The sun will come out, the jumper will come off.

-Oh, thank God!

I know you don't like the jumper...

You are resembling a middle-aged geography teacher this morning.

I feel that is quite harsh.

Hm. Poor Thomas. They've been clocking up the miles, though,

in their Bedford van,

which dates from a time before seatbelts were compulsory.

Starting off in Cashel, Tipperary, they had a good gad about Ireland

before hopping across to North Wales,

then are whizzing around England before ending up,

over 700 miles later, in Stoke-on-Trent.

In this penultimate leg,

our pair are starting off in Stratford-upon-Avon

and aiming for auction in the Cotswold town of Winchcombe.

Time to get Thomas's shopping underway.

-Bye, love!

-Bye-bye.

-Hello.

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

-Nice to see you.

-What is your name?

-Richard.

-Richard.

-This is my wife, Zoe.

-Hello, Thomas.

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

let's get cracking.

One is not finding this easy. The competition is tough.

She is a fierce oppo...

..and relentless in her quest for thrashing me.

Blimey! Better focus then.

So 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. It has got a look...

I like the fact that the links are quite textured.

So it is silver, which has been gilded.

And in the olden days,

it was mercury gilded to give it its good look.

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 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 was 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.

Just to prove it to you...

Like that.

Doesn't that look good? What is the price on 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 is 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 is £86 for the paper knife, letter stand and bracelet.

-Bye-bye.

-Now, where is Christina?

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

-Good morning.

-Good morning.

-Hello, are you Laura?

-I am 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.

And walking.

On.

And on.

-Having a nice time, are we?

-Oh, look.

-A little read?

I probably really ought to start doing some more shopping, hadn't I?

I'd say so.

That is quite Thomas, actually. I can see him wearing that.

It's all his colours. It is very this season.

Look, very...lovely crushed berry colours there.

That is very Thomas Plant.

We'll leave that one there.

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. But...

Isn't it wonderful it was something designed to be so totally

just disposable? It wasn't really made to last particularly long.

It is only made of stiffened card,

but it is so iconic of its time now -

that sort of typography, that lettering... I love that.

It doesn't have a price on it. Which is a bit worrying.

Time to get Laura.

OK...

I will 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 at, at the most.

-Okey dokey.

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

-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.

Thomas has made his way to Worcester,

where rising gracefully above the banks of the River Severn

is Worcester Cathedral.

He's here to learn the story of King John I.

For centuries, he has held a reputation of being the evil tyrant

who plunged the country into civil war.

There has been a place of worship on this site

since the seventh century, but it gained its prominence as the final

resting place of this controversial monarch.

When he took the throne,

King John also inherited great territory in Europe.

However, this was all

but lost after he sparked war with France soon after his coronation.

Taxes soared to fund his fighting overseas,

and the king enforced them mercilessly.

The rich and the influential barons were forced into rebellion.

They seized London and forced the king to the negotiating table.

King John's tyranny created such unrest across the country

that the Magna Carta was drawn up to restrict his power.

This document would later inspire democracy

and was created to halt the actions of a tyrant king.

In 1260, just a year after signing the Magna Carta,

the king became gravely ill.

In his final days, he became desperate to

save his reputation in the eyes of both men and God.

He requested that he be buried in Worcester Cathedral,

which already held the shrine of St Wulfstan.

John had been a driving force in making this former bishop

of Worcester a saint

and hoped this decision would aid his immortal soul.

Archivist Dr David Morrison is showing Thomas the remarkable

artefacts held within the cathedral

that reveal the king's last-ditch attempts to save his legacy.

Probably the most important item, in terms of this king, is his will.

And that is the earliest medieval royal will left in the UK

as an original.

-So this is an original...?

-The original document...

-I am holding...

-..from 1216.

-..a 1216 document.

Do you think he actually wrote this or he got a scribe to write it?

-He got a scribe to write it, but he probably dictated it.

-Dictated it.

Because it starts, "I, John..."

rather than some formal greeting.

So he is obviously speaking on his deathbed.

-I'm holding a real piece of history.

-It is. It is very special.

What does it say?

He is basically most concerned

with ensuring his son's inheritance to the throne.

And then his other big concern is for his soul, his going to heaven.

So he wants money to be given to Jerusalem

and money given to the poor.

And at the bottom of the will are all his...what I would suppose

we would call nowadays executors.

These are all his key supporters who will make sure that

when he dies, his son will inherit the throne.

It is short and rather less stately than you might expect,

suggesting that it was written in haste in John's attempt to

protect his son and his own soul in his final moments.

-16 lines.

-16 lines.

-16 lines.

-Quite a lot of them are made up of people's names.

-Yep.

-16 lines to...

-Yeah.

-..set his kingdom straight.

-A kingdom!

-A kingdom straight!

-Yeah.

-You're right. Isn't it?

It's a KINGDOM straight.

He knew he was dying. That's real history.

After his death, the tomb was placed directly in front of the high altar.

With this prominent position,

the monks hoped to give the king the best chance of reaching heaven

but also aimed to convince John's son, King Henry III,

to allow the tomb to remain in Worcester.

The tomb is the earliest royal effigy in England.

Having it here secured the future of the cathedral and allowed

the monks to create the majestic Gothic building we see today.

But the tomb has not remained completely undisturbed.

In 1797, it was opened to record details of what remained inside.

And unbelievably, various artefacts were removed.

They found some interesting items

that included the front part of one of his shoes.

It's extraordinary, isn't it? It's a fragment of his shoe.

And then we have a fragment of his shroud,

-or perhaps his coronation robe.

-That's amazing, isn't it?

These artefacts show the human hopes

and fears of a monarch on his deathbed.

And Thomas is very lucky to be so close to them.

And then we have got what is thought to be his thumb bone.

-Can I touch it?

-Certainly.

Gosh, a royal thumb bone.

History may remember him as a tyrant, but the famous document that

resulted from his actions became the foundation of our modern democracy.

And his burial within these walls

allowed the grand monument

of Worcester Cathedral to flourish.

Christina has now toddled north to Henley-in-Arden,

where she is pulling up

at alliteration-loving Fabulous Finds. Ha!

Shop owner Caroline is on hand to show her around.

Wander around with me, Caroline. 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 are going to find.

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

OK, so we have 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.

-OK, well, let's pop that back for now.

-OK.

I think that is a really charming thing.

That sounds promising.

Thomas made a good profit on his compact at the last auction.

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.

There is a chip to the foot there,

but that almost looks like it's probably from the kiln.

I love it.

-OK. 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, you two. 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.

Christina shopped up a storm yesterday, grabbing five items -

the laundry box,

compact,

jardiniere,

cycling poster

and copper bowl.

That lot set her back £165.

In his bid to make up ground,

Thomas picked up a silver gilt bracelet,

an Art Deco paper knife

and a polished brass inkwell.

He shelled out a total of £86, so has £57.62 for today's shopping.

Now, look, I think we are coming up to a T-junction here,

-Geography Teacher. Is it left or right?

-Um... I think...

You have got that jumper on again!

I'm going to have to surgically remove that jumper from you.

It's cold!

In order to kick off their jaunt today, our pair have whizzed

cross-country and are headed for Steeple Bumpstead, in Essex.

-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

I spy with my little eye something beginning with...B.

-Bin.

-No.

-Bumpstead Antiques.

-No, not Bumpstead Antiques.

-Oh.

-Go on, give me a clue.

-Bird.

SHE LAUGHS

Oh, 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.

We've got a novelty money box there.

There are collectors for novelty money boxes,

but that one looks like it has been repainted.

A quite interesting box.

What is this? New...

new picture cubes.

British maker, always nice.

Take the lid off.

And on 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.

How are you bearing up?

Got a hot flash.

Too young for that.

Anyway, 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

airplane 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 airplane.

-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 airplanes 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.

Have you ever been laughed out of a shop before, Thomas?

I have some stuff which really got left behind.

I have one very intriguing piece.

In fact, a couple of very intriguing pieces.

OK, I'm intrigued. I'm getting more intrigued.

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.

Air Cadet Plant seems to have been distracted.

He never misses an opportunity to dress up.

I don't think I could even get in a cockpit right now,

let alone climb up the ladder.

You know, you see all of these different

aspects around the shops we go to, the museums we see.

To actually try it on, it actually brings it home. It is very sobering.

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!

-Have you been dressing up?

-Um... Maybe a little.

-THEY LAUGH

Here we go.

It is just so emotive, isn't it?

AIRPLANE 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.

It is very good to see you looking so jollily clothed this morning.

-Well...

-No jumper, thank the Lord.

Do you know, the sun is out. It's shining.

You dressed your trousers to match the van, I like it.

You know, I thought about my outfit because you were so harsh last time.

-Was I?

-Yes.

-Oh, I didn't mean to be.

You know, "Oh, you look like a geography teacher."

Phil Serrell was a geography teacher.

Anyway, a packed saleroom at Bespoke Auctions awaits.

-Come on.

-OK.

-Let's

-rock and roll. Where are you?

-I'm here.

-Ladies first.

In charge of today is auctioneer Nicolas Granger,

assisted by a parrot.

Called Polly, maybe.

The bracelet is silver gilt.

Now, it's a shame it's not gold because silver jewellery is

valued on the metal value and content. Quite a nice piece.

See what happens.

The enamel compact is most probably my favourite.

The guilloche enamel is in wonderful condition.

I think that will do quite well.

Thomas spent all of his £143.62 on six items.

Christina also gathered up six lots for a total of £180.

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.

-Straight out of the box!

-Great start.

-Ha! Straight out of the box!

-Did you get...?

-Oh, God!

Oh, dear.

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.

-Thomas, you might make it over £200 at this rate.

-I might!

-You might.

-Well, I've got high hopes for my vase.

-Stranger things have happened.

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 a 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 a 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...?

Fair warning then. At £65.

That's over 500% profit.

Well done, Thomas.

-Jolly well done, Thomas, that's fantastic.

-Thank you very much.

Their final lot of the day is Christina's French cycling poster.

At 50 in the room. Straight away now. Looking for £18.

At 15 now. Have I got 18 elsewhere? At 18 at the back there. At 18.

£20 back with you, sir. At £20.

We are looking for 22 elsewhere.

-Going to have to sell at 20 then.

-No!

To a good home then...

-I want to go back to Ireland.

-THEY LAUGH

Zut alors! After costs, that is a small loss.

Have I beaten you again? Have I beaten you again?

Time to find out, Thomas.

Christina started with £270.31.

And after auction costs, she made a tiny loss, poor love,

of £1.24, leaving her with £269.07.

But still looking gorgeous.

Thomas spent all of his £143.62 and made a very nice profit

after costs of £42.52, giving him his second auction victory in a row.

He now has a total of £186.14.

But Christina holds on to the lead for the decisive next leg.

-It's a great result - two auctions each.

-Oh, I don't like this.

This is making me feel quite uncomfortable.

You never know, Christina, I might catch up at the last auction.

I know, you might.

Cheerio.

Next time, Christina and Thomas face their final leg.

I cannot believe it has gone so quickly.

Christina pulls out all the stocks.

We could get Thomas in there.

But Thomas isn't going down without a fight.

HE PLAYS XYLOPHONE

That's so cool!