Episode 11 Antiques Road Trip

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

-What a job.

-..with £200 each...

-Are you with me?

-..a classic car...

-Buckle up.

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

Oh, sorry.

The aim, to make the biggest profit at auction.

But it's no mean feat.

-There will be worthy winners...

-Yes!

-..and valiant losers.

So, will it be the high road to glory, or the slow road to disaster?

Have a good trip!

This is the Antiques Road Trip!

Yeah!

Look lively, we're off on an antiquing expedition in Lincolnshire

with swashbuckling auctioneer Paul Laidlaw

and glamorous dealer Margie Cooper.

-But which is which?

-I don't know much about it.

-Airfields - Lincs, East Coast.

-Yeah.

-I've got to bring the war up.

Fabulous cathedral.

Oh, don't, you're not going to start with all this war stuff, I hope.

-Come on!

-Cripes.

My tactic is... But you won't, I'm sure this won't upset you.

I will just be hovering behind, ready to snatch.

-Is that the best you can do? I'll take it!

-Don't you dare! Don't you dare.

The fight is on.

Our pair are all set for their thrilling escapade.

Each have £200 in their pockets and they have the super,

lovely Morris Minor 1000 convertible to pad around town and city.

Quintessentially English, isn't it?

Yeah, it's a great car, absolutely great car.

And it's a nice one, no roof.

You are observant, Paul.

Our pair's road trip kicks off in Hemswell Cliff in Lincolnshire.

They'll gallop around Yorkshire,

take a spin around the Midlands

before concluding in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

Today, our cheeky chumsters are headed for the village

of Hemswell Cliff in North Lincolnshire,

and will auction in the North Yorkshire town of Harrogate. Lovely.

I reckon...

..we may end up in the same shop this morning.

-Sniffing around.

-I'm talking about militaria.

Oh, no!

Please!

You're not still buying that old rubbish, are you?

What?

Crumbs!

This is going to be interesting.

-There is a sign.

-Yeah.

Yeah, right.

-What does that say?

-We've got, like, four centres.

-Thataway then, eh?

-Shall we divide and conquer?

-Definitely.

-I'll just abandon you by the roadside.

Charming. Once part of RAF Hemswell, home of the Lancaster bomber,

this is now the site for Europe's largest antiques centre.

Let's begin with Paul in his Martin Bell suit.

This is the cool corner.

You can see that.

Buying on trend.

Gramophone horn converted to a ceiling light shade.

-HE CHUCKLES

-This is where it's at at the moment,

from a popular interior design point of view.

Sadly, however, prices are bang on trend as well.

I see no profits here.

So I'm off.

Where's our lovely Margie, then?

Noddy.

That's happy memories.

I'm the Noddy era.

I love Noddy. Absolutely adored him, still like him.

Oi, less nostalgia.

How about some buying?

What's Paul found, the old fox?

HE MUTTERS

Two questions.

Is it bronze and is it old?

Now, just because you spy that little treasure in the cabinet and

it's dark chocolate brown,

don't assume for a moment it's necessarily metallic bronze.

What do we look for? We look for that.

That coppery hue.

That is bronze.

First box ticked, good news.

It's priced at £35.

But is it old?

Now, I'd like it to date to the late 19th or early 20th century.

And if it does... Do you know what, I think it does,

I think you could put it under the umbrella of the animalia school.

And this is

a group of sculptors that's focusing on a very naturalistic depiction

of animals and wildlife.

Let's find manager Penny.

How you doing, Penny?

-Good, thank you.

-Wee fox, £35.

-Yeah...

-It's nice, isn't it?

-Yeah, he is.

Will there be a wee bit of slack, or not?

Yeah, I think so. 1240...

I think he'll be all right with straight 30.

Sounds all right to me. Can I leave that with you?

Yeah, of course you can.

One item bought, but still more to see.

How's Margie getting on?

That's...that's an old gardener's watering can.

Ten pints in there.

Gosh, would you believe that, ten pints in there?

That's got a really good old look about it, hasn't it?

About 80 years old, I would think.

And look.

£12.

I wonder, if the people of Harrogate would like that

and give me a small profit?

That's one to think about.

I'll put that down there.

I've just put that down and I've spotted this Victorian teapot.

Looks the sort that you'd put over a witch's cauldron.

Which my husband would say, "Perfect for you!"

Cheeky devil!

How good is that, gosh!

That's well over, that must be about 120 years old.

It's impossible to damage it, that's why it's survived.

That's ticketed at £20.

Looks Japanese to me.

Yeah, I think I'm going to go for these two.

They could either go together or I could sell them separately.

But, you know, I just feel they're going to make a profit.

Do you think I'm mad?

-No comment.

-Let's go.

-CLUNK

-Ooh!

Oh, Lord! I thought you said they were impossible to damage?

-CLUNK

-Ooh!

-Oh, no! For goodness' sake!

OK, Esme's here to help. Esme, over to you.

Would these be your choices?

-I don't think so.

-Very unusual.

Very diplomatic, Esme. Mind the spout.

The best price we can do on this watering can is £10.

-I thought you might say that.

-And this one has to be 18.

And nothing for two together?

-No, sorry.

-So it's 28?

-Yes, please.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-Thank you very much.

The Victorian watering can for £10 and the Victorian kettle -

looks Japanese - for 18.

-Oh, looks very good in here.

-Whoa, whoa, whoa!

Hi!

Are you familiar with the concept of trespassing?

-I thought you were...

-I am allowed to go where I want to.

I was told.

How's it going?

-All right.

-You shopping, buying?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Bought a couple of bits.

-Are you finished?

-Mind your... What is this, an interrogation?

You come in here, you trespass, you interrogate me.

I'm going now. Because I don't want to spoil your chances.

I've secured mine.

Oh, you've secured your future profitability.

-See you, darling.

-See you later.

-Bye!

Cheerio, darling Margie!

Now, what's next for Paul?

This is worth...I have tried these in the past.

That just looks like a slightly comical...

..copper and brass...

..jug.

I can tell you who designed it.

That was designed by WAS Benson,

perhaps the most prolific and certainly one of the most important

English designers of the tail end of the 19th century.

William Arthur Smith Benson is credited as a genius of the Arts and Crafts movement.

Prove it, Laidlaw, prove that's the work of the great WAS Benson.

Well, if you know what you're looking for and where to look,

it says there, Benson's patent on the handle.

It's small, it's hardly visible, it's polished.

But that's what it is.

And this is one of a series of his patent hot water jugs.

Whole series of these.

And it's lined, it has an enamelled vessel within,

but it was an insulated jug.

It just kept... It's like a Thermos, wasn't it?

But when you know the background to that, the importance of the man,

does that not talk to you and does it not seem cheap at £15?

Looks plenty.

Let's find Penny to chat cash.

Penny, I'm back. I won't keep you.

I'm interested in that. See what we can do on the price?

£13 sound all right?

It's going to have to be all right.

-Yeah.

-It's all right.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, we're going to take a punt.

Success for Paul. The rather lovely WAS Benson copper hot water jug

and the animalia bronze fox for a total of £43.

Good stuff.

Meanwhile, Margie has made her way to the North Lincolnshire town

of Barton-upon-Humber.

It's back to school for Margie.

She's going to learn about one of the most important schools in the world,

set up by a founding father of modern-day education, Samuel Wilderspin.

Margie's meeting with John French to find out more.

Hello, you must be John.

You must be Margie.

-That's right.

-Welcome to the Barton Wilderspin National School.

-Thank you very much.

-Can I show you around?

Built in 1844 and still wonderfully complete,

this former church school is unique

as it's the only surviving Wilderspin school and playground.

So, John, who was Samuel Wilderspin?

He was born in 1791 in Hornsey, London.

-Really?

-His father taught him initially and he couldn't understand

why children on their way to whatever schools there were

in those days - Sunday schools or dame schools - cried.

And eventually, his father had to send him to school

and he learnt why these children were so unhappy.

They were caned, for instance,

-for not knowing what they hadn't been taught.

-Oh!

As a young man Samuel became a teacher, and in 1818

found employment at England's first infant school in Westminster.

From this, he managed a second infant school in Spitalfields, in London.

A curriculum hadn't been established,

so Samuel experimented with ideas of his own.

It was a very poor area.

And when Wilderspin and his wife went to this place,

they found a room full of children, probably 200 little tots,

and they were all crying for their mother.

And he said, well, what can we do?

He couldn't quieten them down.

So he took his wife's hat,

put it on a stick and went down on all fours and he went into this room

and the children were quiet.

And he realised that that you have to attract,

gain the children's attention.

He didn't believe in corporal punishment at all.

The cane was completely banned in his schools.

He believed in love.

That was his method of getting over to children.

And he also realised the importance of play.

In the early 19th century,

Wilderspin helped set up the Infant School Society, that

believed that poor children should be given the principles of virtue

and kept from a life of crime.

For the next 20 years, until 1844, he toured the country, helping

found infant schools, and he actually helped promote and found

hundreds, probably 2,000 infant schools in this country.

Wilderspin then moved to Barton

and created his model school, which he helped design and equip.

He taught here with his wife and daughter, and used it as a base

for his promotion of enlightened education throughout Britain.

Children all over the world have Samuel Wilderspin to thank for playtime.

He was a pioneer of the playground, and believed that schools

should be a place of education and fun.

This is the gallery, one of Wilderspin's inventions,

and he realised that children had to be in a position

to see and be seen.

And this would accommodate 150 children.

The lower steps are only six inches high -

-they're for the young children, the really young ones.

-Little legs.

Little legs, that's right.

And what are these?

These are the lesson posts, the teaching posts.

The lesson posts here.

And the children would gather round and be taught in small groups.

So where are all the desks?

There weren't any desks in here.

-Yeah.

-The children would be encouraged to sit in the gallery

or the benches around the wall there.

-Yeah.

-Or they would be gathering around the lesson posts,

the teaching posts here.

So his ideas, Samuel's ideas have been beneficial to us all?

Very much so, yes.

In most schools, in fact, all schools,

Wilderspin's ideas are there, really.

The basis for modern teaching lies with Wilderspin.

Now, how's Paul in the Morris?

It is a competition. Ain't no bones about it.

But I find it hard, you don't want to hear this,

but I'm going to find it hard to see it as such

because I love Margie to bits.

I think we're just

two happy-go-lucky antiques-y types

in a quaint car...having fun.

Let's see if you feel the same at the end of the week.

Paul's journeyed his way to the Lincolnshire town of Gainsborough.

Pilgrims Antiques Centre has been in business for over 30 years.

Paul has £157 left to spend in here.

-Hello, there.

-Afternoon.

Afternoon it is, how are you?

-Fine, thank you.

-I'm Paul.

-I'm Michael.

This is a sweet little Georgian single-compartment caddy.

Caddies commonly had two compartments or three.

You could have green tea, gunpowder tea,

an aperture for a mixing bowl.

This, one variety of tea.

And I think its near cubic nature lends it charm.

And it's priced at £35.

Quite cubic. Anything else?

-That's all right.

-Yes, it's better than you think, that one.

-Isn't it?

-It gets better.

-Really?

-I'll let you discover it.

These Victorian leather-bound portable desks,

jewellery caskets, whatever,

I adore, but they're always too worn for me to live with.

But you've got the one that was looked after.

-Exactly.

-It's a portable writing box.

So stationery, I assume, in the drop-down lid.

Hinge intact, never the case.

Now, does that self support if I drop?

-It does, yeah.

-Pen tray.

Are these portable inkwells?

-They are.

-With a sprung lid.

Wow!

-What?

-Look at that, he's getting excited.

The price on that is £30.

25.

Right, OK. And the wee caddy, was it, it is 30 on there, 30...

-I can't quite remember.

-Give me a little bit, I'll be two ticks.

That tea caddy from earlier is still a hot contender.

35 on the wee Georgian caddy.

Right. That can be 30, round it off, 30.

Michael, I'm not a fool.

Michael, thank you very much indeed.

-You're welcome.

-Right, I'm going to settle my debt.

That last purchase from Paul concludes today's shopping.

I think this car suits our style.

It does. A bit cosy, though.

Don't like it?

Not much room for my legs.

Yours look a bit, it's a funny angle.

Get some rest, you two. Nighty-night.

Good morning, campers!

Ready for another fun-filled day?

How did you sleep, Margie?

Very well, very well, I'm a very, very good sleeper.

-This is good.

-Yeah.

I'm not exactly a calm person but I sleep well, which amazes me.

You'd think I'd be up all night worrying about you.

Another day in paradise with this pair.

Paul's been working like a trooper.

He has the animalia bronze fox, the Arts and Crafts hot water jug,

the George III tea caddy

and the Victorian leather-bound stationery box.

This is my kind of material.

Leaving him £102 for the day ahead.

Margie has the Victorian watering can and the Victorian kettle.

Do you think I'm mad?

She has £172 left to spend.

-What did you buy?

-I'm not telling you.

-How much did you spend?

-28 quid.

-On two things?

-Yes. 28 quid.

-Are you coming over all canny and shrewd?

Lovely Margie is dropping her Road Trip pal at his first shop

of the day in the West Yorkshire town of Ossett.

Spa Farm Antiques.

Here we are, that looks very nice to me.

Doesn't that look amazing, Margie?

Oh, I love that architectural stuff.

Can you smell that? Coffee and cakes.

-Don't!

-Cheers, Margie.

-Bye!

Spa Farm Antiques does look rather wonderful.

Hi, Paul. So lovely to meet you.

How are you?

I'm good, I'm good to be back.

-I know.

-It was a few years ago.

-You were, and it's really nice to see you again.

-It really is.

He's definitely patrolling the premises.

Now, what's this?

That's a Second World War...

..or pre-Second World War RAF officer's cap.

They're quite glamorous things,

because one thinks of what this chap may have seen.

There's some initials there.

GHW, 1845. That clearly isn't a date, that must be a service number.

It's lacking a patent leather chinstrap, there's a problem.

And priced at £45.

A quandary.

Never buy anything you'd have to apologise for.

Sorry, it doesn't have a chinstrap.

Oh, blimey.

Let's leave him to it and check in with our Margie now.

Not too sure about yesterday's purchases,

but I've really got to shape up today...

..because you really can't trust Paul Laidlaw.

You know, when I leave him like I've just done, going into the shop,

you know that you've really got to be on your mettle,

otherwise he's going to beat you.

We're accompanying Margie to the West Yorkshire town of Huddersfield.

Serendipity Antiques is next for Margie to have a good old rummage.

So you must be Sam.

-Good morning.

-Good morning.

Plenty to look at here.

-Thank you.

-Going to take me ages.

-It might do.

-And are you around if I want you?

Yeah, if you need any help, just give me a shout.

We've got three floors, and you just wander around.

And watch the haunted room upstairs.

-Haunted room?

-Yeah.

Ooh-ooh!

As long as it's a friendly ghost, she'll be all right.

Margie's got £172 weighing down her blazer pockets

and that's a lot of brass.

This is the haunted, the haunted room.

It's quite small.

Can you feel atmosphere? Is there anybody there?

I shouldn't laugh, because I don't disbelieve,

but I'm not sure I believe either, so I'm going.

I don't blame you.

Now, what's this?

Ah!

There's Royal Dux porcelain there which looks very attractive.

You can tell by the colours, the lovely greens and creams.

And there should be a lozenge mark underneath.

And there it is.

This raised triangle of clay is one of the most distinctive marks

found on porcelain.

Just having a look at it. Yeah, we've got a bit of a flaw here.

That's the trouble with porcelain,

you've really got to keep your eye out.

It doesn't have a price tag.

Where's dealer Sam? Sam?

If it was perfect, I'd be looking around about the £300 mark.

Good pieces of Royal Dux are...

and it's a centrepiece.

Yeah, but it's damaged.

It's only the tail.

OK. Because it's damaged, I'd...

..be prepared to let it go for...

..60 quid.

So, is 60 your final word?

Because I really like it.

Well, I've got 40 quid in it.

I'd let you have it for 50, that honestly would be...

-We'll have it for 50.

-Lovely.

-Thanks, Sam.

-You're welcome.

-Nice work, Margie.

While she browses on, let's return to Paul over in Ossett.

There we have, apparently, old binoculars, £5.

They look pretty standard...

..prismatic field glasses.

But it's all about the markings there.

And that says Dienstglas 6 x 30.

A serial number and then DDX.

Dienstglas, German,

Third Reich, Wehrmacht issue binoculars.

Second World War.

This is right up Paul's boulevard.

Look at what else I've got in my hand. Ta-dah!

We've got the RAF versus arguably the Luftwaffe here

because these could have been carried by a Luftwaffe chap.

And together, don't they make an interesting lot in auction?

You get a lot for your bucks now.

-You with me?

-Yes, sir.

Walk this way.

Achtung, pet.

Time to chat with that lovely Judith.

-Hello, there.

-Hi, how you doing?

-I found stuff.

-Have you?

-I've found stuff.

-Amazing.

Um...

-Amazing but with a problem.

-Right.

-It ain't the price.

-OK.

They're meant to have a patent leather chinstrap.

And then you've got an old set of binoculars

which you cannae argue with the price over.

Can you do me a deal on the two of them?

What were you thinking?

Keep that as it is, because it's cheap enough, I think.

Yeah, yeah. Well, a long way off that.

Is 25 too far away for reality?

I think so. I think I'd rather take 30 for that.

And I think that at that price is absolutely fabulous.

Why don't you and I agree that that's absolutely fabulous

-and I give you the money?

-That sounds good.

Yeah. Definitely.

There we have it.

He sniffed out some militaria in the guise of the World War II RAF cap,

and the German Wehrmacht binoculars for total of £35.

Back to Margie in Huddersfield.

Oh, look.

It's a toddy ladle, a Georgian toddy ladle.

And that has survived roughly,

just roughly - there's some hallmarks in the middle there...

That's late 18th century, so that's 220 years old.

It's got a twisted horn handle and it's for scooping out mulled wine,

you know, toddy, putting into your glass.

Every Georgian house of some note would have one.

Ladles date back to the Romans, but it wasn't until the 18th century

that a companion to the newly-created soup tureen was needed.

And then, in turn, a small ladle for punch or hot toddy.

Oh, Sam?

How much are we talking about, Sam?

Georgian toddy spoon?

Yeah.

Um... Good condition, £60.

-Yeah.

-Well, it's not in good condition, there's a few...

-A little split.

-Yeah.

Can I come back at you?

Will you be offended?

No, I'll never be offended, you're a very charming lady,

I'll never be offended.

So, how about 45?

Yeah, that'll be all right, that'll be all right.

Our Margie doesn't hang about.

I'll put it with your other items, Margie.

While you're passing that shelf, I've actually seen some pens.

-Can I just have a quick look?

-Yeah, course you can.

Could that be a trio-buy in the offing?

-You mean these?

-Yeah, yeah, yeah, I do, actually.

Well, they're on the £20 shelf.

£20 shelf, I like it.

-Parker 45. Original in its box.

-And we've got these here, which are,

what's that one?

-Has it got a name?

-They've only just come in but this is...

-That's an old one.

-Yeah, it's early Edwardian, I think it's Serpentine,

it's a pen...propelling pencil.

-Oh, that's nice.

-You've got a Parker pen there,

with a 14 carat nib.

That's two boxes of pens priced at £20 each.

So, how much are we saying for the lot, then?

A little parcel.

And then I'm going now.

£30 for the two?

Yeah, that should be all right, shouldn't it?

Thank you.

And that swift purchase gives her three lovely lots for a total

of £125.

The town of Pontefract in West Yorkshire

is where Paul's next headed. He's come to learn about

the favourite sweetie namesake of the town, the Pontefract cake.

But there's an intriguing link to modern-day democracy too.

-Hi, is it Dave?

-Hi, yes, Dave.

-Welcome.

-Good to see you.

Dave Evans, curator of the Pontefract Museum,

is going to enlighten us further.

What's its origin, how far back does this sweet or foodstuff go?

Well, as far as we know,

liquorice goes back thousands of years

and it starts out as a medicine,

particularly good for stomach upsets and chest problems.

It's widely believed that liquorice arrived in Pontefract either from

Crusaders returning from their campaigns

or with 14th-century Dominican monks who settled

at Pontefract Priory.

So it's not native to the British Isles?

Liquorice itself isn't, no.

It grows in most places around the world, but

we're right on the northern extreme here of where you can grow it.

And what part of the plant's the good bit?

Surprisingly, it's the root that's used to make the liquorice.

It grows very deep and that's why Pontefract is so successful

in growing it, because it has very deep, rich, well-drained soil

so the roots grow down four, six feet,

and then you leave them to grow for about five years,

then dig the root up.

Pontefract guarded the growing of liquorice,

and laws passed forbidding anyone else from growing the herb.

By 1700, Pontefract is growing lots of it,

particularly around the castle area.

In 1760, local apothecary George Dunhill was

the first to add sugar and create a sweetie that could be chewed.

Dunhill's discovery made Pontefract liquorice world-famous.

Most of the fields in the area were involved, and by the end

of the 19th century, around 100 tons of liquorice was being produced.

When the sweets really take off in the middle to late-19th century,

production runs away ahead of what Pontefract can cope with,

and they start importing it, mainly from Spain and Turkey.

Quite why they were called cakes is lost in time,

but since the 17th century, Pontefract cakes featured

the local castle stamped into every sweetie to signify quality.

This stamp would go on to play a critical part

in a political first too.

OK, what have we here?

Well, this is a ballot box that was used in the first

British Parliamentary election held by secret ballot,

which was a by-election here in Pontefract in August, 1872.

And its connection to liquorice is that they closed the boxes,

locked them and needed to seal them,

and they needed to seal them with something that was common

across all five polling stations.

So they used wax and the Pontefract cake stamps

from the local company Wilkinson's.

What a survivor.

And what a history. So we've gone from medieval medicine to Georgian

sweets to Victorian politics all by virtue of this little sweet.

-Right.

-Amazing.

Well, it's been fascinating and I'd love to cap it all off with a sweet.

Do you fancy going and getting some?

Yeah, we just happen to have a few here.

As if by magic!

-You like these things?

-Yes, in moderation.

Well, one for you and one for me.

-Cheers, Dave.

-Cheers.

Let's leave them to chomp on their sweeties.

Margie is off to the village of Dodworth in South Yorkshire.

I'm hoping that this shop's going to be good.

Quite exciting, really.

You never know what you're turning up to.

Margie's visiting Locked In Time,

with £47 burning a hole in her pocket.

-Hi, David.

-Hello, Margie, all right?

-Lovely shop.

-Yes, thank you.

Right.

What's ripe for Margie in here, then?

Gosh.

Keep your food warm.

It's 25 quid.

Cover a meat dish.

A good Edwardian house would have these of all different sizes

to keep the food warm when it's coming from the kitchen.

That's really nice, it's called a key pattern.

Very old pattern. It's called a key pattern.

You've got all that lovely engraving.

Still a useful item.

You know the problem? Who wants to clean it?

And who wants to use it? It's lost its use.

Moving on, then.

I've just found these.

And these are rather nice brass church sticks.

Don't they look lovely?

I mean, they're in every church that you go into.

A good age, they'll be mid-Victorian.

And alongside are these little brass candlesticks with the pushers

that push the candle out, there.

And they are probably earlier, Georgian, they're probably late Georgian.

Not worth a lot of money but if I can buy them cheaply

I could put them maybe with one of the things I bought yesterday,

like maybe the kettle or something.

They don't sport a price, though.

Let's see if David is up for a deal.

So, running out of time, running out of money.

So, how much?

I'd say about £35.

Yeah, you're near.

-I'm near, am I?

-25?

Yeah, I think that's not too bad.

Is that all right? Sure? Absolutely sure?

Blimey, Margie doesn't waste her time.

Those candlesticks are the final purchase of this first leg.

So now let's cadge a lift with our chirpy Road Trippers.

Harrogate, here we come!

Feeling good?

Yes. Feeling good, optimistic.

-What?

-Optimistic.

I don't want optimism from the opposite camp, Margie,

I want despondency.

No, that comes after.

Oh, blimey. Time, I think, now for a bit of shuteye.

Get set, it's auction day.

And we're in the heart of Yorkshire, the Victorian spa town of Harrogate

to be precise. A proper tea and bun destination.

-Excited?

-Yeah.

-Nervous?

Yeah, always nervous, auction day, and you don't help.

Thompsons Auctioneers is hosting today's showdown.

-It's big enough.

-It is, plenty to see.

-Are you going for a mooch?

-I am.

-Which way are you going?

-See you later.

Let's have a refresher on how our Road Trip buddies have fared.

Margie's spent £178 on five lots.

Paul, well, he's been a bit more frugal, spending £133,

also on five auction lots.

Now for the verdict on one another's buys.

Margie has gone and bought brass candlesticks and a watering can.

She's crazy, yeah?

Surely, madness.

On the contrary.

Shrewd. For me, these steal the show.

Belting pair, ecclesiastical brass candlesticks, and frankly,

I think they're worth more than the £35 she paid for the lot.

Well, this is a typical Paul Laidlaw lot, isn't it?

Which puts you into a quandary and slightly worried.

To me, it's just an officer's cap

from World War II. But I think these might be

the things that's going to make the lot expensive.

Military, obviously, World War II.

Absolutely not a clue.

£35.

Going to be a worry, I think.

It's a general sale today.

What does auctioneer Kate Higgins make of Paul and Margie's purchases?

Go on, Kate, spill the beans.

The retro Parker pen, there's a pencil and three other pens.

We find a lot of people do collect fountain pens and what have you,

we do have other lots in the sale today.

I expect it to probably do £40 or £50.

The RAF peaked cap by Burberry and the binoculars,

it's one of my favourite lots in this week's sale.

I think you get a collector on that, it should do £80-£100.

Right! Let's take our seats.

Oh, they are comfortable.

They are very comfortable.

-Well, there's nowhere to hide now, Margie.

-Absolutely.

Let's get jolly well started, then.

Paul's George III tea caddy is up first.

Here we go, come on.

I am 25 bid, 30 now.

30, five.

40. 40 with the lady, five anywhere else?

Lady's bid here.

-It's lean.

-Yeah, yeah, yeah.

On my right, now, at 45. 50 anywhere?

I shall sell at 45.

-Well done.

-It's a profit.

-You're in.

-It's a start.

Certainly is, Paul. Long may the good fortune continue.

I'd be liking more than that, though, I don't mind telling you.

How greedy am I?

I couldn't possibly comment.

Margie's Victorian watering can

and brass candlesticks combo lot is next.

Commission starts at 25, 30 now.

With me here at 25, 30, five, 40 in the room.

45, 50. 55, 60.

60 here, gentleman's bid here is 60, do I see five?

I shall sell at 60.

-That's OK.

-Happy days, Margie.

Well done, Margie. That result places you ahead of Paul.

Two profits in two lots.

Gosh. We're on a roll, Margie.

Here's hoping. Time for Paul's Arts and Crafts copper jug.

I am ten bid, 15 now.

15 we have, do I see 20?

Do we see 20, five?

Somebody's picked up on it.

30, five.

40. Your bid, sir, at 45.

-Take it.

-In the room at £40.

I shall sell at 40.

That's very, very good.

Marvellous result.

You're firmly back in the lead, Paul.

And that was my weak lot.

You did well to spot the name because you could hardly see it.

He's not just a pretty face, Margie.

Let's see how your Georgian silver toddy ladle fares.

Commission starts at 25, 30 now.

30, five, 40.

Standing at 40. Five. 45 seated now.

-Oh, please.

-You're out.

-Oh, no!

-50, five.

55, still with you sir, 60 now?

I shall sell at 55.

8565.

Wee profit.

Someone's got a real bargain there.

On the other hand...

It's not over yet, mate.

I'm counting no chickens.

You certainly can't in this game.

Paul's Victorian leather-bound stationery box is next to go.

There's lots of boxes in the world, aren't there?

Steady, Margie, steady.

Stationary box, £10.

Ten for it, ten, 15, 20, five, 30, five,

40. Five.

-50.

-We're safe.

-Standing bid at 50.

-It's still cheap.

-Gentleman's bid here at £50,

I shall sell in the room at 50.

I think that's a gift.

-It's a profit but it's too cheap.

-Yeah.

Great result, Paul.

Are you going to do that with your moustache when you're pleased?

Be contemplative.

Mmm!

Oh, blimey.

Margie's propelling pencil and golden nibbed fountain pen are next.

Commission starts at 60, do I see 65?

It's too much, £15 too much, you said.

On commission at £60, I shall sell at 60.

11445.

Well done, Margie.

You've overtaken big beardy.

Hey, we're doing well today, aren't we?

It's the auctioneer's favourite,

Paul's RAF cap and Wehrmacht binoculars.

-Watch out.

-Here we go, come on.

Oh, I can't look.

Commission starts at 75.

Yes!

With me here at 75, do I see...

Oh, it's all on commission.

On commission, I shall sell at 75.

I'll take it, though, yeah.

Yeah, that's fair enough.

Your expertise has paid off, Paul - nice finds.

Oh, we are doing all right, aren't we?

Oh, my word, we're doing all right.

Swimmingly.

Margie's Victorian kettle is next to go.

I think it's a nice kettle.

I hope somebody else does.

On commission at 20, do I see five?

25 we have, 30 now.

In the room, I shall sell at 25.

It's not a lot.

Come on, Margie, it's still a profit.

I'm happy.

And that's all that counts, Margie.

Paul's bronze animalia fox is next.

Commission starts at 60, five now.

-You're right.

-With me here at 60, do I see five?

On commission at £60, I shall sell at 60.

-That's good. Double your money.

-I'll take it.

This auctioneer doesn't hang about.

Well done again, Paul.

-I'll take it!

-You've done very well with that.

Nine out of nine lots making profits.

Well done indeed. But can Margie's last lot,

the damaged Royal Dux figurine,

make it a clean sweep?

£20. 20 for it.

20 we have, do I see five?

25. 30.

Nope, on my right at 30, five anywhere else?

In the room at £30.

I shall sell at 30.

You scared me then.

Well, that is a blow.

The first and only loss of the day.

Bad luck, Margie.

Margie, four profits!

-Four profits.

-And you've got five.

I know, but if I could give one of them back, I would.

Oh, you little liar.

You little liar.

He jests, Margie.

Will you take me for a coffee?

Of course, with my profits, I'll buy you a bun as well.

Come on.

Who will be triumphant at the first auction, then?

Let's work out the numbers.

Margie began with £200, and after all saleroom costs,

made a profit of £10.60.

She begins the second leg with...

Paul also kicked things off with £200

and he has soared into the lead

with a profit of £88.40.

Paul claims the first leg and has a delightful £288.40 for next time.

-Well.

-All right?

-Not bad.

-Yeah, better than all right - nine out of ten.

-Yeah.

-Yes?

-Yes.

-Going to do more of this?

-Yeah, could do.

-Shall we, then?

-Yeah. See you tomorrow.

Can't wait, Road Trippers.

Next time on the Antiques Road Trip, Margie's on the warpath.

I think of the Civil War when I go to York.

Oh, here we go.

Paul believes in sprinting furniture.

That little chair could run off.

Margie's employing fearless bargaining.

I'm going to offer £38.

While Paul is Mr Wind-up Merchant.

-Have you not bought anything?

-Not yet.

-You're joking.

I've been through the door five minutes and I've got something.

You're a little liar.