Episode 16 Antiques Road Trip

It's the nation's favourite antiques experts.

That's cracking.

-With £200 each...

-Wonderful.

..a classic car and a goal - to scour Britain for antiques.

-That's exactly what I'm talking about.

-I'm all over a shiver.

The aim?

To make the biggest profit at auction, but it's no mean feat.

-No-brainer.

-Going, going, gone.

There will be worthy winners and valiant losers.

-So will it be the high road to glory?

-Push!

-Or the slow road to disaster?

-How awfully, awfully nice.

This is Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

Hip, hip, hooray!

We're off on a new adventure

with veteran antique-er Paul Laidlaw,

and look!

There's a new girl in town, auctioneer, Claire Rawle.

Do you have specialisms that could be my downfall in this game?

Well, I do hope so.

-I do hope so.

-HE LAUGHS

Hey, you'd better watch her, Paul.

Claire's been in the antiques business for over 30 years.

She started as a child.

So what is your taste?

I suppose, very eclectic. Very eclectic.

I love collectors' items, so that covers quite a vast field, really.

-Anything from sort of ephemera to militaria and...

-What? What?

-Yeah, I love militaria.

-Get off my manor!

-Yeah, yeah.

-HE LAUGHS

-Medals, particularly.

-Love medals, love medals and their history.

-Is it getting hot in here?

-Is it getting warmer?

-SHE LAUGHS

Ha! This should be an interesting Road Trip.

Each of our rascals have £200 in their pocket.

They're scooting about town in a fruity 1968 TVR Tuscan.

-I think getting out's going to be the interesting bit.

-Yeah.

You twist your bottom round and you put your legs out,

and then you stand up.

Knees together, dear, don't show any knicker.

THEY LAUGH

Must remember that.

Paul and Claire will set off from Wooler in Northumberland.

They'll take in the sights of the north-east, traversing through

Yorkshire to finally land in the

town of Stamford in Lincolnshire.

Our adventure begins today in the Northumberland town of Wooler.

And we will auction later,

in Darlington in County Durham.

How lovely.

So, come on, Paul, you're a really experienced road tripper.

So what tips have you got for me, then?

HE LAUGHS

What should I be looking out for, eh?

Like I would tell you, Claire.

-Aw!

-I'm smiling, I'm being all nice, but I'm a terminator.

I'm a machine.

Play nicely, Paul.

They've arrived in the town of Wooler.

Famous early visitors included Daniel Defoe and Sir Walter Scott.

But today it's Claire's turn.

-Well, then. It begins.

-Absolutely. This is it.

-The moment we've been waiting for.

-Good luck! Enjoy!

-Looks... Well, it's pretty enough.

-It's all right, isn't it?

-Fingers crossed.

-All right.

-Absolutely.

-I'll see you later, yeah?

Thank you for the lift. I'll try and get out.

-Now, remember that class we were talking about.

-Legs together, yes.

-Oh! Bye, then.

-See you later, Claire.

Beautiful exit, Claire. We'll catch up with Paul later.

But this is Claire's first chance to demonstrate her buying prowess.

Will she be a lioness or a mouse in

Evergreen Antiques and Collectables.

Stand by.

-Hi.

-Hello, Mark.

-Yes, nice to meet you.

-Hello, I'm Claire.

-Hiya, Claire. Nice to meet you.

-Yeah, yes.

Mark's got a fair bit of stock crammed into this tiny shop.

What can Claire find?

Oops. What's lurking in there?

Men's hairbrushes. Don't think so.

Never a popular thing to sell second-hand,

-other people's hairbrushes.

-I quite agree. Eugh!

Unless they've got silver on them or something.

It's a feeling that you're not quite sure where they've been.

Well, we know she doesn't like gentlemen's grooming products.

So while Claire continues her browse,

Paul's got his foot down in the TVR.

Now, any thoughts about your new Road Trip partner?

Dish the dirt.

The only surprise was the bombshell about her,

"Well, I like collectors' items. I like, for instance, militaria."

What?! What?! That's my patch. Don't go there!

Looks like we've got a battle on our hands here.

Now, how's Claire getting on?

I was looking for the unusual, something different. Oh! OK.

Hey, look at these!

Wow! Imagine having to...

Cor, you'd have to be quite tall for that as well.

SHE LAUGHS

I quite like those. Pair of old wooden crutches.

Well, they're certainly different,

and appear to have been handcrafted in the 19th century.

But is there a deal to be done?

-Mark...

-Hi.

There's a couple of...

-There's a pair of old wooden crutches out the back, there...

-Yes.

-..which I quite like.

-Yes.

I mean, I've got a price in my mind that's

a lot less then you've got, because you've got them marked up at 75.

So I'm wondering, you know, it's a bit cheeky of me to come down a lot.

What sort of price did you have in mind?

I'm a long, long way away from you and I don't want to offend

-you by saying the price, but I'm...

-Not easily offended.

OK, well, I was hoping for about £20, £30, you see. Yeah.

-You're getting close to offending.

-Yeah, yeah, I thought I would.

Cos I'm thinking in my own mind, probably at auction,

you know, it's one of those things that it could just catch the

-imagination and go, or it'll just fall flat on its face.

-Yes.

-Could you go nearer to 45?

-No, I think, I mean...

Could we just go just over the 30?

If we go to 35, I'll give you them for that. Unusual.

When was the last time you've seen a pair?

SHE LAUGHS

Doesn't always make them make money, though, does it? Really?

You wouldn't think of 32?

-Yeah, I'll do them for 32 for you.

-32, OK, 32 it is, then.

-OK.

-Better give you some money, I guess.

-Yes, yes. It's always nice.

Yeah, yeah. Ooh, my hands are cold. I can't part with them. Here we go.

I've got no change. Is that OK?

THEY LAUGH

Where have I heard that before?

-He's not kidding, you know.

-Oh, no!

-I'm short of change myself.

I've got £7.20. Would you be happy

for that as change? And I owe you 80p.

-Oh, OK, OK. What's that? Luck money up here, is it?

-Yes.

-That's one for luck.

-OK.

-Thank you very much.

-Thanks, Mark. Pleasure to meet you.

-Thank you very much.

Bagful of... Right.

One down.

Lack of change means the final price for today's first buy on the

Road Trip is £32.80.

Meanwhile, Paul has travelled south to the village of Powburn,

which nestles at the foot of the Cheviot Hills.

What can he rustle up in here?

Mischief is in the air. How do you think Miss Claire's getting on?

Do you know what? She'll be under some pressure.

Because this is where it starts.

What we buy today sets us up for the rest of the event, doesn't it?

If you strike gold now, you've got the big bucks.

You might steal a lead, so you're in the comfort zone.

It's all good from now on.

Move backwards, then siege mentality sets in.

You lose your confidence, mojo out the window.

Blimey, you're making ME nervous, Paul.

And he's got something!

I've found something I love!

But I'm not sure.

Check out two of the most unusual -

condiments, shall we call them?

A salt and pepper -

that I've ever seen.

The bodies, they are shells.

But it frustrates me.

If these were silver, undeniably silver,

the price tag of £22 would, in my opinion, be a gift,

because I think they are great fun.

Yeah.

He's tracked down owner, Beryl,

to find out about his next item of choice.

-What a piece of glass!

-Hm.

And no doubt that would have sat, resplendent,

behind the bar of some fantastic Victorian inn or hotel.

Beautiful thing.

You can dispense me with my whisky out of that any time you like.

Yes, yes, you could get drunk on that.

Whisky was extremely popular in the 19th century. And remains so.

The spirit would be poured into large,

elaborate cut-glass dispensers that complemented the fine

interiors of a Victorian public house.

During its life, it's taken a few knocks there.

You know, that is a splendid, splendid thing, um,

but that's what worries me there.

-Yeah.

-How cheap, cheap, cheap could that be?

The ticket price is £120.

Well, I could do... Well, £40, how about that?

How's about 30 quid?

And I'll buy something else.

SHE LAUGHS

-You'll buy something else.

-Well, let me get something else.

-Go on, then.

Can I do that? I'm going to put something in front, there,

-and see if we can do a deal.

-OK.

-Hang on in there, Beryl.

-I knew you'd go for those.

-Really? Tell me why.

-Just because they're different.

-They are, aren't they?

-They're fantastic.

-Yes.

-If you and I agree, I shouldn't be saying this,

but I think they're absolutely magic.

-Yes, I do.

-So there you go, two purchases.

What about 50?

What about 45 quid?

-Go on, then. Being as it's you.

-Wonderful.

-Yes.

That was slightly awkward there. We were going to have a wee snog.

-Did you notice that?

-SHE LAUGHS

Why don't we do it on the cheek? Isn't that a nice way to do it?

You were wonderful. Thank you for everything.

-I better settle my debts.

-Awkward kisses over, then?

-Get your money out, Paul.

-There you go.

-Thank you very much.

-I bid you adieu.

-Paul's achieved a very generous deal, there.

£15 for the salt and pepper pots

and £30 for the whopper of a whisky dispenser.

Back to Claire. She is hot on Paul's heels.

The village of Powburn

is her next shopping destination too.

Hedgeley Antiques, watch out.

Claire's looking to spend some cash.

With over ten dealers here, there should be lots to choose from.

There's a picture of Paul up there.

SHE LAUGHS

Well, he's actually visited here before on the Road Trip.

Old hand that he is.

Gets everywhere.

She's quick to spot something.

Golf clubs.

These are types that you do see quite a few of.

But having the hickory shafts makes them much more interesting.

I mean, but, you know, these are...

Well, they date from sort of time of the First World War, really.

So they're asking between £12 and £14 for each of those.

What I'd really like to do is get all four for £12.

Pull all those out.

Right, see if I can do a deal. Brian!

-Are you there?

-Watch yourself, Brian.

-Golf clubs.

-Oh, right.

-So, I know they're marked up at £12, £14 each...

-Right.

..I was hoping I could do a deal on these.

I'm going to be really cheeky and say £12 for the four.

£12 for the four?!

THEY LAUGH

You call that cheeky?

£12 for the four.

You know, they've got a little bit of wear here and there.

Yeah. 14.

14.

-Excellent.

-OK, 14.

-Thank you very much. Thank you.

Wow, very generous of you, Brian. £14 for the lot.

And Claire's not finished yet.

There are some interesting things in here.

There's a little...little brooch at the back there.

A little dog sitting on, like, a sailing boat. Quite unusual.

And I just noticed out of the corner of my eye the most

horrendous brooch here which is a spider.

And I really don't like spiders. Eugh. Now that I've seen that.

SHE LAUGHS

I'm with you there, Claire.

Now, let's get Brian back over to look at the little doggy brooch.

-Which one is it?

-It's that one at the back there.

-Is it all right if I just grab it?

-Just help yourself.

Right, OK. So when your eyes don't focus as well as they used to,

you need to carry one of these around with you, jeweller's loupe.

Have a better look

just to see the finish of it.

More importantly, on the front, I just think that's just unusual.

That's quite sweet.

It's not made of any precious metal, looks fairly...

Doesn't look terribly old. So it all comes down to price now.

-So...

-What's on it?

-It's got £14 on it.

-Right.

Um, but I'd really quite like to buy it for about six.

Right. OK, six.

-Six, excellent.

-OK?

-Thank you very much.

Thank you.

-And she's going for another brooch.

-It's five pounds.

It's only sort of white metal, just sort of presta.

I don't know whether... If I could get it for a pound.

HE LAUGHS

It would go nicely with my little dog.

It would look very nice for a pound, wouldn't it?

-If you say so, yes.

-Well, it would for a pound.

-Yes, I'm sure it would.

I don't want to pay five pounds for it, yeah. Yeah. Yeah?

-OK.

-Yeah, excellent.

Blimey, the bird brooch for a pound?

Just when we think it's all over...

Do you have good sales for militaria round here?

-Is it, sort of, quite popular?

-Yes, it is, well, militaria in general,

-you know, generally does all right.

-Uh-oh. Watch out, Paul!

Oh, this is rather nice, isn't it? This trench periscope.

Trench periscope. 1917, um, marked, so it's a nice thing.

Because, of course, it would have been... Well,

-it was used as a trench periscope...

-That's right.

So rather than stick your head up above the parapet, stick that up.

It's not so bad if that gets shot,

it's not so good if your head gets shot.

And then, of course, you look through here and you've got the lens

-up the top so you can see...

-That's right.

-It keeps your head below the parapet.

-Yes, yes.

You can check out what the enemy are doing,

what's happening in no man's land.

You see, if you get that, you can wind up Paul Laidlaw.

SHE LAUGHS

-You can say I bought a trench telescope for...

-For £20.

Yes, you could. And wouldn't that really wind him up?

That would really wind him up, wouldn't it? Yes, yes.

But, unfortunately, I'm not going to sell it for £20.

You're not going to sell it to me for that, are you?

THEY LAUGH

The ticket price is £140. Yikes!

I tell you what. 50 quid.

-Need to go a bit below that, though.

-What?! Below 50?!

-Yeah.

-30.

-30?! I'll split it with you. 40.

-That's a death.

-35. Be better, death.

Go on.

HE SIGHS

Probably just to see the look on Paul's face, 35.

SHE LAUGHS

OK, you're on.

Blimey, that was spur of the moment!

Yeah, I wasn't expecting to buy that. Isn't it funny how it goes?

Yeah, you can wander round and round and then you suddenly just

see something, pick it up and think,

"OK, I could do something with that."

-So thank you very much indeed, Brian.

-It's a pleasure.

-I shall look forward to coming back again.

-Now you've got to pay me.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, I'd forgotten about that.

She's a one, isn't she? What a gaggle of goodies.

The dog and bird brooches for seven pounds,

£14 for the golf clubs, and the officer's trench periscope for £35.

Paul's travelled south to the town of Morpeth.

He's having a breather from shopping to find out about

a sporting Mecca that happened right here

in this small town in Northumberland.

# Can you jump?

# Or can you wrestle?

# Can you tug-of-war?

# Or maybe want a wager or a bet?

# Well this is what the working man's been waiting for

# And the Morpeth Olympics are as good as it can get. #

We're all familiar with the international Olympic games.

But over 140 years ago,

before there was even a sniff of the famous global extravaganza,

people would come in their thousands to watch everything from

wrestling to pole vaulting at the Morpeth Olympics.

Paul is meeting with local historian Kim Bibby-Wilson to hear more.

It wasn't like the modern Olympics, an amateur meeting, it was

for professional working-class sportsmen and the spectators

were out as well with the working-class people who came

for a good day out, and they had something like 15,000 people

at the heyday on the site,

watching the games that were going on.

And the prize money was quite substantial because the local

businesses sponsored it, in order to bring people into the town.

Quickly, the annual Morpeth Olympics became one of the top events

in the UK sporting calendar.

Kim has some rare footage from the 1950s.

Oh, very grand. Look at that. Look at the colour.

Oh, that's a big site...

-It is a really big site.

-..and a big crowd.

-It is, yeah.

If you get to the top of the hill, you can see down,

just how big an arena it was and such an amphitheatre for the

spectators to be able to see what was going on.

-And we're somewhere here.

-Yes.

-Very good.

And they're pole vaulting as well. Oh, I see.

And for all the world, it looks like your pole vaulters have got

-a hard landing ahead of them there.

-Oh, yes, yes, yes.

This wasn't a well-appointed sports field.

And the wrestlers, head to toe in their...

Yes, it's the sort of Cumberland and Westmorland style of

wrestling, a bit like the Ancient Greek wrestling,

although we tended to use legs and the lower part of the body as well,

so it's a bit more vicious.

You can see that they've got the long trousers and the tops,

and they've got the Superman pants on the outside.

HE LAUGHS

Quite right too. It's fantastic stuff.

And this brings to life the site.

I can now picture the crowds on the rise there,

and I can hear the cheering.

The Morpeth Olympics offered lucrative cash prizes for winners.

Sports funding at this time was scarce,

so athletes flocked in their droves.

Morpeth Town Hall holds some artefacts from the games.

So we've got these fantastic posters

dating all the way back to 1914.

They tell you a little bit about how

the prize money went up over the years.

So I think, on this one,

it's a £20 prize for the 110 Yards Foot Handicap and

by 1930, it's gone up to £100, so that the prize money's gone up.

And they were claiming back in 1914, "Great increase in the prize money,"

so this was the lure for people to take part.

It's a draw, isn't it, clearly? All about the money.

After the heyday of thousands attending the event,

by 1958, figures had dwindled to a mere 800.

How does it peter out?

It's a combination of circumstances, really.

The prize money couldn't match what

professionals were getting elsewhere.

The social spectator sport became less popular as leisure habits

changed and people had other means of entertaining themselves.

So what is the legacy of the Morpeth Olympics?

The ordinary man could rise to great heights through his efforts

and be applauded for his efforts.

And if there was some money in it, you know, so much the better.

But it was part of that legacy which means that we still have

people valuing the trophies that their ancestors won.

# Well this is what the working man's been waiting for

# And the Morpeth Olympics is as good as it can get. #

After all that talk of exercise, it's time for a nice lie down.

Nighty-night!

# Good morning world It's a brand-new day... #

Good morning, you two.

Claire's in command of the TVR Tuscan as our pair get set

for another day of high jinks.

The temptation to go racing off down this road is

-a bit overwhelming at the moment!

-Really? I'll need to brace myself!

Let's hope not!

Let's have a refresher of their shopping trip thus far.

Claire has four lots - the 19th-century crutches,

the combo brooches lot,

four golf clubs and a World War I trench periscope. As you do.

This gives Claire £111.20 for the day ahead.

As for Paul, he has two lots,

comprising the silver mounted salt and pepper pots

and a great big whisky dispenser.

He has £155 to spend today.

Paul has made his way to the leafy suburb of Jesmond

in Newcastle upon Tyne.

And he's in for a spot of Gallic loveliness,

in Antiquites Francaises.

-Hello, there. Is it Babette?

-Yes, it is!

Pleased to meet you, Paul, I've seen you on the television

so many times, it's nice to meet you in person.

-With the Scots and the French, it's the Auld Alliance!

-Yes!

-Let's hope it remains amicable!

-Oh, yes, absolutely.

Can he find some of his beloved militaria in here?

No, he's stepping out of his comfort zone with this little beauty.

The wee tin plate doll's pram.

-Yes.

-That's a sweetie as well!

-It is really sweet.

-That's got to be 1930s, hasn't it?

-It has, I would say, yes, 1930s,

-or just after the war, I would say.

-But charming little thing.

That is priced at...

..65.

-I could come down to 50.

-50, OK.

So, not so much slack in that one.

Maybe 48. 48 could be OK.

The Celtic charm is working, Paul!

But some more scouting is needed.

The shop's amazing, isn't it? The shop's amazing.

An interior designer's dream, is it not?

Is it for me?

I don't know.

Downstairs, Paul is ready to try and spend some of his cash.

The wee doll's pram...

Babette's offer was £48.

Pitching at 35, is that too far?

It's a little...

-Right, no, it's fine, absolutely, 35...

-Are you sure?

-Absolutely fine.

-OK?

-Babette, thank you very much.

-Thank you very much.

Just goes to show, Paul can always find something to buy.

The very kind Babette has generously sold the little pram for £35. Aww!

Is that pram very small, or is that man really big?

Hey, I do the jokes round here! It's very funny, though.

Claire, meanwhile, has motored to the city of Newcastle upon Tyne.

She's off to a fascinating exhibition

at the Great North Museum.

In the early 20th century,

a young woman from the North East town of Washington became

a feisty Brit who helped shape the creation of modern-day Iraq -

linguist, archaeologist, writer and British spy Gertrude Bell

was a force to be reckoned with.

A forgotten heroine who became one of the most powerful women

in the last throes of the British Empire.

Claire's meeting with Andrew Parkin to find out more.

She was a very remarkable woman for her time.

Yeah, the more I find out about Gertrude Bell,

the more admiration I have for her.

She was incredibly intelligent,

she had a phenomenal gift for languages,

and just about everything she turned her hand to, she was successful at.

Oxford University-educated,

Gertrude's family wealth allowed her to develop a taste for travel,

in particular, desert adventures across the Middle East.

What do you think it was about the Middle East that drew her?

What was the attraction there,

rather than other parts of the world?

I think, as a linguist,

she relished getting to grips with the languages of the Middle East.

In 1914, a fearless Gertrude was the first woman to cross

the uncharted Arabian Desert, riding solo by camel for 1,500 miles. Wow!

For a woman to be accepted by a lot of the tribal leaders

who she spoke to and met was remarkable, really.

I suspect they hadn't met a European woman.

The Arab leaders treated her as an equal,

so she would go into their tents, sit down with them,

drink coffee with them, Gertrude smoked cigarettes,

they'd probably smoke their pipes, and discuss the affairs of the day.

During World War I, Bell worked for the Red Cross in France,

before being recruited by British intelligence to work for

their Arab bureau in Cairo.

Her knowledge of languages and of local leaders

made her an incredible asset.

Lawrence of Arabia was also recruited to the Arab bureau

in Cairo, so he was actually her colleague there, and they worked

together for the British during their campaigns in the Middle East.

After the war, Winston Churchill headed a series of meetings at

a conference in Cairo, to redraw the map of the Middle East.

Gertrude was the only female present and helped to set the borders

of the new Arab nation of Iraq.

And what about this image behind you? I love the look of that.

This is a fantastic photograph.

This is taken at the time of the Cairo conference.

Churchill wanted to be photographed riding a camel

in front of the pyramids.

Here we have Churchill with a rather fetching pair of goggles on.

Gertrude Bell is next to him, and this is TE Lawrence.

And someone visiting the exhibition pointed out that the only camel

that daren't move is the one Gertrude Bell is riding,

and she's clearly a person who knows how to ride a camel.

Apparently, Churchill kept falling off his,

which I think is why this man is standing next to him here.

Do you know, I have really enjoyed learning about her.

I think she was an extraordinary lady.

Thank you so much, this is a wonderful exhibition.

This brave and influential woman from Tyne & Wear,

who was the driving force behind the creation of modern-day Iraq,

died in Baghdad in 1926, aged just 57.

Meanwhile, Paul has travelled west to the historic town of Hexham.

Once the haunt of marauding Vikings,

it's Paul's turn to take over the town. Ha! Well, not really.

He's here to shop, actually.

Ashbourne House Antiques, owned by Beryl, is his last shop of the day.

He's been here before, don't you know!

-Beryl!

-Hello again!

-How are you?

-Fine, thank you.

-It's good to see you!

-Right.

-Brilliant!

What's changed, what's fresh?

Um, not a lot!

Better get to it, then, Paul.

Ah, something's caught his eye.

May I have a look at the little North African or

Middle Eastern cruet set?

Oh, yes, that's interesting.

That's great, thanks very much.

I think that's got a date on.

Let me tell you where this is from.

The period we can guess at without looking further.

There was a vogue for such wares

from the First World War certainly into the 1920s.

Ah, but, on the base,

there is a clue to its origin. It all becomes clear now.

Engraved, "Iran, 1946," so just the end of the Second World War.

I like that very much.

And the price tag says...

£59. Anything on that?

OK, 40 on the cruet.

-OK.

-Now, that can't be bad.

If I was taking it home, I'd think it was a gift!

Oh, right, be careful then!

So, that's a deal of £40 for the cruet set.

But is there anything else that might tempt Paul?

Now, that, we thought, was for signalling.

-OK.

-I don't know whether you've seen one of those.

It's either an electric miner's lamp,

which is a possibility...

But I've had miner's lamp collectors looking at it,

and they didn't seem to think...

In that case, it might just be my preferred option of

a diver's lantern. The whole point in this is it's waterproof.

It's an interesting lantern, that.

With a ticket price of £95.

What can that be, then?

-Is that something you can...

-Oh, I could make that half.

Um...

20 quid?

So it's got to be worth 30.

I should be on your side, shouldn't I?

We both seem to be haggling with me!

Well, you've got a fair bit off that. Come on, now.

-Cheers.

-Ha-ha!

-It's always good fun, is it no'?

-It is!

Ha-ha! That's how you do it.

And after all that, Paul has paid up £40 for the Iranian cruet set

and £30 for the unusual waterproof lantern.

Claire has followed Paul to the town of Hexham.

She has over £100 left to splash, and her last emporium of the day

is Malcolm Eglin antiques, owned by Malcolm. Obviously.

Oh, I say!

Gosh, wasn't expecting this. Isn't it lovely?

It's like an Aladdin's cave!

Full of treasure. One hopes!

Let's have a little look.

I do like all this country furniture, really do.

So tactile, you just want to get hold of it and...rub it!

If you say so, Claire.

Right, OK, I'm just going to go trundling in the back here.

I've spotted something I quite like.

Go on, get stuck in, girl!

Okey dokey. Leather suitcase.

Now, these were made in the days when you had servants

or porters for the station,

because by the time that's got clothes in it, it weighs a tonne!

And it's got the remains of a label on it, I always like to see that.

You can imagine it's been travelling all over the world.

It's rather exciting. Now, the thing is that luggage has become...

It's become quite fashionable. People don't use it, obviously.

You wouldn't.

But they tend to stack it up, either in bedrooms or sitting rooms.

I actually quite like that. Can't actually see a price on it.

Might have to go and ask Malcolm about this one.

Yoo-hoo, Malcolm!

-I spotted, round the corner here, a leather suitcase.

-Yeah, sure.

But I can't find a price on it.

Could you go to £20 for it?

We'd love you to win and spoil Paul's day,

so if that's any good to you at all?

Actually, that's a very, very fair price,

because that was about what I was thinking for it.

-So, £20.

-Absolutely, no problem.

-OK, fine. Better shake on that.

I expect you'd like some money, wouldn't you?

Well, that would be good, yes!

£20 for an early 20th-century leather suitcase? Not bad, Claire.

And that completes our shopping spree.

That suitcase means newbie Claire has five lots,

including the 19th-century clutches,

the unusual animal brooches,

the golf clubs

and the World War I trench periscope.

Claire has spent a total of £108.80.

Paul was his usual methodical self and also bought five lots -

the salt-and-pepper pots,

the huge whisky dispenser,

the doll's pram, the waterproof lantern,

and the Iranian silver cruet set.

Confidently spending £150.

Now, let's get to the nitty-gritty.

What do they think of one another's buys?

OK. An interesting offering, diverse, but, um,

all the time that I'm talking, there is only one word in my mind,

and it's periscope!

I love the spirit urn, that glass item.

It's a shame about the damage, but do you know,

that's a really showy piece. I think that's his best bit.

I am in a world of pain!

I think Paul might be a bit jealous of my periscope.

Just a tad.

Our Road Trip rascals are heading to their first auction

in Darlington in County Durham.

This is it, Claire. First auction, oh!

It's going to be a new experience. Yeah, yeah!

So fingers crossed it goes all right, anyway.

Good luck!

The auction is being held at Thomas Watson Auctioneers.

Our auctioneer today is Peter Robinson.

Thoughts, please, about our pair's lots.

Large 19th-century glass whisky dispenser -

I mean, pieces like this do make a big presence

if you stick it on your sideboard in your dining room.

The World War I periscope, which is a really nice item,

it's my favourite, and it certainly does work, because I've tried it.

This is exciting! The auction is about to begin.

-I wish you luck, Claire.

-Really?

-In moderation... Yeah, really!

Ha! How generous of you, Paul.

First up, Claire's brooches.

15, 20. 25 I'm bid.

At £25 for the two brooches.

At £25. 30 I'm bid. 30, sir.

At £30, on my right, 35, 40, 45. I'm bid in the room at £45.

On my right. Out on the internet at £45 for the two pieces,

selling at £45.

GAVEL BANGS

I never expected that!

Hey, remarkable result there, Claire.

She is sailing high from the get-go.

-OK, no pressure!

-So far, so good.

Let's see how your little doll's pram fares.

25 on the net, at 25, the doll's pram, at £25. 30 bid.

At £30, in the balcony, at £30.

35, 40, 40 in the balcony, still, at £40.

The bid's at 40. 45, thank you. 50, sir. Sure?

Being sold now at £45 for the lot. All done?

-£45.

-Well, it didn't move backwards,

but it doesn't counter your brooch assault!

A decent profit, but not enough to take on the might of our new girl.

Now, how will she fare with her golf clubs?

£20 to start me, for the vintage golf clubs, 20 to start. 15?

-15, 20, 25, internet bidding.

-That's all right.

-It'll do.

Four in the lot. Four golf clubs. At £25. 30 in the balcony. At £30.

35, another bid, anywhere? Being sold, then, at £30.

-That's all right.

-Oh, that's better than all right!

-That's doubled your money.

-I'm pleased with it.

Nice one, Claire, another great profit to add to the kitty.

Paul loved his salt and pepper pots.

Can they help him climb into the lead?

£20. 25, 30 I'm bid. At £30, 35?

I'll take that. It's all right.

Thank you, madam, 35 bid.

At £35 in the saleroom. 40 now?

At £35, the lady's bid at £35.

Being sold, then, at £35.

Back in the game, maybe. That's all right.

Paul is creeping up behind you, Claire!

It's Claire's turn now with the vintage suitcase.

£20. 25, 25?

-At £25.

-We're there.

-Small profit.

35, 40, 40 in the balcony.

At £40 for the vintage suitcase.

At £40, the bid's in the balcony at £40. Is it 45 anywhere?

Being sold... 45, thank you.

Oh, excellent! I love the internet.

£45, being sold, now, at £45, to the internet bidder.

Hey, Claire knows what she's doing. Another lovely profit.

There's a long way to go yet!

THEY CHUCKLE

Claire is still out in the lead,

but Paul's sizeable spirit dispenser is next.

£30 for the large piece of Victorian glass.

It's all right, you've got some here.

-Internet.

-40, 45, at £45 in the room here. 50, 55, sir?

-At £50, £50...

-No, it's not enough.

60, 60 bid.

OK, I'm crying on the inside!

£60, 65, 70, Colin? At £65, on the internet bid, at £65.

70, another internet bidder.

Oh, it's slowly creeping!

£70 for the whisky dispenser, being sold, internet bidder.

75, quickly, please...

Oh, my word!

£75, can we have 80?

£75, being sold, then, this time, at £75, internet bidder.

-Well, that's fair enough.

-That's all right. Are you pleased with that?

We are probably even Stevens now.

Not quite, Paul. You're just behind.

But a substantial profit, nevertheless.

What about Claire's interesting choice of a pair of crutches?

They really caught my eye.

I thought they were something really different.

£20, can we have, to start for the pair?

15? £15. £15, 20, 25, internet bidder.

-£25 for the pair of crutches.

-Go on a bit more, please, please!

£25, going to be sold at £25, are we all finished at £25?

Being sold at £25.

-Oh, OK.

-Limped home. You can afford that, Claire Rawle!

Actually, she can't.

This means Paul takes the lead by a smidge.

It's Paul's lantern next. Lovely thing.

I suspect people that know what it is and care are rarer

than the lamp itself!

This could be my problem.

£50, 185, at 50. At £50, at £50.

I'll take that, it's not a loss.

£50, all finished at £50 this time?

All done at £50.

-Short and sweet.

-I'll take that.

-Bit of profit.

-Came out of nowhere!

Striding into the lead here, Paul.

And it's Paul's again, with the silver Iranian cruet set.

£20 to start, at £20 for the silver cruet.

At 25, 30 bid, 35 I have.

Oh, it's going all right.

40 bid, 45 I have, at £45. 50, 55.

-60, 65.

-Just about.

-No!

-That'll do me.

70 anywhere? £70 bid now.

I'm liking it more by the minute!

£75, at £75 for the silver cruet. All done?

I will take that, Claire. It may lessen the damage!

Hey, sitting comfortably in the lead, Paul.

Do you know what, it's all going to come down...

It's all about the periscope.

Indeed it is, Paul. It's the one he's been dreading.

Do you think if I went over there and started jumping up and down

-on the periscope, that would help?

-Um, no.

Commission bids here, we've got 35 to start us off, low start.

35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 bid.

60 bid. 60 bid, in the room is the bid, at 60... 65, 70.

-£90 I have here.

-Oh, that's better.

-What just happened?

I blacked out for a second!

At £90, against the internet at £90, 95, 100.

That's what I said!

At £100 now, the internet bidder. 110, thank you.

Make it stop, Mummy, please make the man stop!

In the room at 110, internet bidder at £110 for the periscope.

Selling it at £110.

-All finished?

-GAVEL BANGS

-Excellent.

-What we said!

-OK, 110, that's good.

I'm feeling your pain, Paul.

That's a whopper of a profit, Claire, well done.

You owe me tea and sympathy, I think!

Not too much sympathy.

-Right...

-Come on, then.

-Lead the way.

Who will reign supreme for the first leg?

Let's work out the numbers.

Paul started leg one with £200,

and after auction costs made a profit of £79.60.

Paul's grand total to carry forward is £279.60.

Clare also began with £200

and blasted veteran Laidlaw from the top spot

with an excellent profit of £100.30.

Our Road Trip new girl takes the lead for leg one

and has a sizeable £300.30 for the next leg.

I've got to give it to you, Claire, it's yours.

Not a lot in it, though.

-No.

-No more periscopes, right?

Cheerio, chaps.

Next time on Antiques Road Trip, Paul's hungry for a bargain...

Chomping at the bit, Alan!

..and Claire talks to the animals.

What do you think, mate?

"Meow!"