Episode 10 Antiques Road Trip

The nation's favourite antiques experts,

-£200 each and one big challenge.

-Testing, testing!

Who can make the most money buying and selling antiques

as they scour the UK?

Do you want to sit down?

The aim is to trade up and hope each antique turns a profit.

It's not as easy as it sounds and there can only be one winner!

No! No, no. Don't listen! Don't listen!

So, will it be the highway to success or the B-road to bankruptcy?

-£30 isn't going to buy it, is it?

-I'm afraid not.

This is the Antiques Road Trip.

This week, two of our favourite antiques,

Charlie Ross and Mark Stacey, and their '65 Pagoda

are travelling from Bridgnorth in the Midlands to Wales,

then on to Chippenham in Wiltshire.

Along the way, they've discovered many a bargain...

I've already bought that chair. You can't have it, my friend.

Get it out of here!

..and endured many a crushing blow.

-You've lost a little bit.

-Yeah.

-Isn't that awful(!)

But now, they're about to take it to the limit one more time.

Charlie Ross is a respected auctioneer

and often donates his skills to charity.

Amongst his many successes, he can even boast a 15 million sale of Jimi Hendrix songs.

Thank you very much.

Bad luck.

Mind you, on this show, his returns are a little lower.

I reckon it's about £3 profit!

Meanwhile, Mark Stacey has a quarter of a century in the business,

having worked as an auctioneer, a dealer and a valuer.

Though, on this leg of the journey, what he really wants people to know is he's also from...Wales.

-We're fighting for the land of our fathers, here.

-Righty-o!

And something we're hearing...

let's see now... about every five minutes.

I'm sure that she's the sort of person that will support a fellow Welshman.

I do come from this part of the world, as you know.

Having arrived in Wales, today's leg of the journey

will take us from the market town of Cowbridge,

right through to the capital city, Cardiff.

Final destination, the Chippenham Auction Rooms,

for the boys' ultimate showdown.

-It's our last auction.

-I'm feeling rather sad.

-The end is in sight, isn't it?

-It is!

But let's recap.

They started the week with £200 each

and, so far, Mark has more than doubled his money,

giving him a total of £404.54 and, as we all know now, he's a Welshman in Wales.

Will he use this to his advantage?

-My father was a coal miner, you know.

-What do you think, boyo?

Charlie, on the other hand, is an Englishman trailing dangerously behind.

After a week of many lows, and the odd high,

he has just £286.80, so this leg is his last chance.

-Well, profit, that's the name of the game, Charlie.

-Absolutely!

Round five begins in Cowbridge,

a picture-skew little town in the Vale of Glamorgan,

which is built on the site of a Roman settlement,

dating back to the first century.

Remember, I'm part of the land of their fathers.

Today, Cowbridge is affectionately known as "The Bond Street of Wales".

But first, Charlie and Mark want to try their luck at the local car-boot sale.

I know how you like a boot fair.

Actually, I'm not a boot fair person.

-Oh, but it's your sort of quality.

-Oh! Now...!

Ooh! Only problem is, the real bargains were snapped up

about two hours ago, while our experts were fast asleep at the hotel.

Still, if anyone can spot an opportunity, it's you-know-who.

Oh, look, it's an original Vincent Van Gogh Sunflowers here in Cowbridge.

Can you believe it?

I reckon that's worth about £20 million.

If I can get that for about 50p,

I think I might have beaten Charlie Ross, don't you?(!)

And if you think that reeks of desperation,

take a look at Charlie in action.

-Oh, that's old!

-Yeah, take it.

-You can't get rid of it?

-No.

How much do you want for it? £1?

-£30.

-£30!

-Go on.

-Oh, come on!

Thanks to the Industrial Revolution, items such as this

could suddenly be mass produced so, throughout the 19th century,

the Victorian cast-iron fireplace became incredibly popular everywhere.

Lovely shell backplate!

Today, it's still popular, but is it worth £30?

That's absolutely extortionate, isn't it, madam?

Would you take a fiver for it?

-No!

-Are you sure?

-No.

I'm really quite interested in it.

Am I the first person to ask?

No, no. It's gone down in price.

-What did it start at?

-It started at £50.

Tell you what, I'll see you an hour later, it'll be a fiver.

Or, failing that...

-Would you take a tenner?

-I can't!

Come on, Charlie, give her another fiver.

-£15, yeah.

-£15, yes?

I'll have that!

Have you got a fiver for me? I'll pick it up later.

While Charlie's off to an interesting start,

Mark's forgotten the auction completely and is buying himself a little something.

Oh, some boxer shorts.

"An amusing Santa Surprise."

-Well, we all need a Santa Surprise at Christmas, don't we?

-Absolutely!

These fashionable knickers also come with their very own jungle bells.

Oh, the bells can be removed, apparently.

-How much are they?

-50p.

There we are. Well, I'll keep them for Christmas.

Moral of the story?

Thank you very much.

If Mark Stacey invites you to a Christmas soiree, run.

And if Charlie's doing the music, run even faster.

HE PLAYS TUNELESSLY

Sorry!

-Lovely!

-Works well, doesn't it?

-It does!

But while the pickings are slim in the final minutes

of the Cowbridge car-boot sale, Mark has managed to spot something with his name on it.

Where did you get them from?

They're just in the family, been handed down. What would they be made of?

These are just nickel. They're very light, you see.

There's not even...um, I don't think there's any silver content.

Medals often attract strong interest at auction but the big money

is for military medals, which can be linked back to a particular battle.

These, on the other hand, are simply ceremonial

and they're worth a lot less.

What were you hoping to get for them?

-£25?

-£25?!

-Yeah.

There's no harm in hoping, is there?

-Well, what do you reckon, then?

-Well, a lot less than that.

-£20.

-No! I said, "a lot less!"

Looking to do anything for a good price,

Mark starts as he means to go on.

Bearing in mind, I do have to beat that Englishman...

-Well, now you're talking. They'll come right down, now.

-Yes.

-A fiver for the three?

-Tenner.

-Eight. Cash.

-£9.50.

-£8.50, you've got a deal.

I'm not going to argue over 50p.

Three medals for £8.50.

Do you know, Charlie, I sniff a profit, there.

So, today, we've learned - A, it pays to be local,

and B, that it wasn't a good day to have a cheeky lie-in.

I did try knocking on your door but you were dead to the world.

I was, I was asleep. I'm now regretting it.

Yes, I know. The snoring kept me awake half the night!

And I was in the next room.

Right, then. Let's see how the boys fare on the high street.

Mark's first stop is the local antique centre

and, immediately, something special has caught his eye.

Well, I've found a lovely pair of pottery vases here.

I mean, they're Wedgwood type, with this jasper ware.

Jasper ware was first developed by Josiah Wedgwood in the 1770s,

taking thousands of trials to perfect.

Today, it's a classic and is still very much in production.

As for its name, this was inspired by the resemblance to the mineral, jasper,

an opaque form of quartz.

Now, judging by the imagery on these vases

and the direct references to Nelson, they commemorate

the Battle of Trafalgar and could be early 19th century.

I have a feeling that they're going to be beyond our budget

but they are charming.

So let's meet the Welshman's next opponent. They call him...John.

The lowest.

-Death! As David Harper would say.

-Death!

MOCK CHOKING

-My cost back, £145.

-DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS

£145?! Go easy, Mark, he's a pensioner!

It's a bit cheeky, really, of me, is to say...

-You can be as cheeky as you like. I will give you three answers.

-Yes?

"No", "Yes" and "Go away!"

Oh, well, I don't want the latter one!

Because I have to keep my end up, as it were...

That is why I have offered them to you at a wholesale, discounted price!

I know! I hate this! I hate this! I hate this!

I think, in John, Mark Stacey has finally found his match. This should be good!

Allow us senior citizens to make a little bit of profit!

Oh, no!

Otherwise we can't be here tomorrow when you come again!

I know! I can't compete with this.

-We'll be starved. We'll be in our coffins.

-Oh, no!

Well, if it's a sob story John wants, Mark wrote the book.

I think you'd agree with this, John, the market is not like it was.

If we were ten years ago, it would have been different,

because there would have been specialist buyers and collectors out there all the time.

The market for quality has never changed.

Tell you what, you have got a line for everything, John,

and I love you for it.

Here is an opportunity to double your money.

No! No, no. Don't listen, don't listen. Don't listen, Mark!

So, John's standing firm at £145

and Mark's final act of desperation starts now.

A fellow Welshman, you're a fellow Welshman, you cannot see me

lose against an Englishman.

So, I've got a sum of money in my hand, plus your business card

and I'll promise that I'll tell all my friends,

if they're ever coming to this part of the world, they have to go in and say,

to my new best friend, John, and have a look at your antiques centre.

Oh, gawd. Pass me a bucket.

-I'm afraid, unless it's £145...

-I've lost it.

-..you've lost it.

As for Charlie, he thinks he's found

a winning formula - buy silver, beat Stacey, which is why,

right now, he's clutching at this Art-Deco silver vase.

Bearing in mind what happened before when I bought a bit of silver,

I had a bit of luck.

At the last auction, it was the silver that wiped the smile

off Mark's face and, of course, gave Charlie his first win of the week.

-That's £55 profit.

-You are clawing it back, aren't you?

Are we due, therefore, a repeat performance?

Well, Charlie seems to think so.

It's a good, I should think, 14 inches high, so it's impressive.

It's got a pretty clear hallmark.

I can see it's Chester. People like collecting Chester.

But, don't be fooled.

It is solid silver but with lead in the base to make it more stable.

So, if you're using the scrap weight as an indication of value,

you might be paying too much.

It's got some damage, it's got a little bit of denting.

There's just one fly in the ointment, the price tag,

which reads 135.

Something Charlie's only too happy to ignore.

My brain's thinking, "60?"

May have cost him £100, of course.

And so, with never-ending supply of cheek...

Do you want to sit down?

..Charlie tries it on with the shop's owners, Sue and John.

Do you have carte blanche to kick me out of the shop

-if I make you a rude offer?

-I do.

-Would I be the first person you've ever kicked out of your shop?

-No.

I'm going to say I'd love to buy it for £60.

We can't, John, can we?

We can't possibly sell it for that.

I can hear the oracle speaking from the inside room, there.

Remember the scrap value of silver, it's...

I certainly wouldn't forget the scrap value, John.

Quite difficult to tell, though, because it's got a lump of lead in the bottom.

-Did you put the lead in the bottom?

-I hadn't seen that!

-CHARLIE LAUGHS

Would you take £60 for it?

Very, very best price today is going to have to be £70.

That's my very best price.

-Today's special offer is £70?

-It is.

-You happy with that in the back, John?

-Yes.

-In which case, I shall shake on it.

-Good!

-Thank you very much, indeed.

That's sweet of you. Wrap away!

While Charlie's obsessed with silver,

Mark's head over heels in love with those jasper ware vases

and has called the auctioneer in Chippenham for a second opinion.

He likes them, he thought the same as me, £200 to £300.

I don't think there's anything I need to worry about, do you?

So, it's a quickish call to John.

I really would like to buy the vases.

I'm just so passionate about them, I don't mind what happens.

And after one more hopeless attempt at negotiation...

And I can't tweak you down at all on that 145, John?

Mark agrees, pay what John's been asking for since the beginning,

145.

Thank you so much, John.

Take care.

Having gotten the better of one of our experts,

now let's see if John can make it two. Charlie Ross has just arrived at the antiques centre

and is about to try a little charm to get a good price on this Victorian sampler.

Anne Davis. Worked, age 16 years, 1882. Adam and Eve.

The oldest surviving English sampler was made by Jane Bostock in 1598

to celebrate the birth of her cousin, Alice.

What started as a tradition, carried out by grown women,

by the 18th century became an almost compulsory part of a young girl's education.

Today, samplers are highly collectable

but the early examples are, by far, the most valuable.

-Colours are still strong.

-Charlie likes what he sees.

As does John.

So, let the dance begin.

How much is said item, sir?

-It's £80.

-Is it?

-My £30 isn't going to buy it, is it?

-No.

-I'm afraid not.

-No. I'm not being rude, by the way.

Well, that's a matter of opinion.

I like it, I don't...I don't pretend not to like it.

I think, at auction, it would probably make £50 or £60.

So, if I pay £80 for it,

that old Stacey's going to really knock me into a cocked hat, isn't he?

I couldn't possibly comment. But if it's a help...

how about £95?

-It's gone up!

-Yes.

If I stay here another hour, it could go up to £120!

-Yes.

-You're supposed to be going the other way.

-Well, it's to encourage you.

-That didn't encourage me at all, it made me run for the door.

But it made you laugh, it made you think about it again.

You're lulling me into a false sense of security.

You will make a more realistic offer.

Charlie knows when he's been beaten and so starts begging.

-It's hard, isn't it? Would you take £50 from me, sir?

-Nope!

I will pay £60, if it's any good to you, sir.

-Come up a fiver and I'll do a deal with you.

-On £65?

-Yes, I'll do a deal.

-Oh, sir. Put your hand there.

Despite everything, then,

Charlie and Mark are still full of their usual bluster.

-I've had such a good day.

-Have you?

-Yeah.

-Should I be worried?

I think you should be very, very worried!

ENGINE STRUGGLES

-Oh, dear. It's just not their day.

-Boot it man, boot it!

ENGINE STRUGGLES

ENGINE ROARS

Get the revs up!

I could do a nice European tour with you in this, old chap.

It would be rather nice, wouldn't it?

With just one day left to outdo each other,

Charlie and Mark waste no time in getting this show on the road.

The next stop, the capital city of Cardiff.

There will be unlimited opportunities in Cardiff.

Perhaps a very good place for Mark to mention he's from Wales.

I do come from this part of the world, as you know.

You're so geographically well-read.

As for Mark's spending on this leg,

he's so far parted with £153.50, most of which was on one item,

those jasper ware vases, leaving him a sizable £251 in the kitty.

Charlie, meanwhile, has spent £150 on the fireplace,

the vase and the sampler,

which leaves the old charmer £136.80 still at his disposal.

-So, I'm right on your heels, Stacey.

-You're very close behind me, Charlie.

But, who knows?

A shopping spree in the capital could change everything.

Beside the many antique shops, it's also home to Cardiff Castle and its latest guest

is one Mr Mark Stacey, who's managed to get a free tour from Matthew, the curator.

-There's only one Cardiff Castle.

-Absolutely, absolutely.

During its 2,000 years of history, the castle has been a Roman garrison,

a Norman stronghold and the property of Henry VIII.

Then, in Victorian times, it was transformed into what only can be called a gothic fairytale

by its owner, the 3rd Marquess of Bute and his architect, William Burges.

Mark's first stop, the banqueting hall.

HE GASPS

It's quite spectacular, isn't it?

It's amazing. Look at those wonderful colours.

It's the biggest room we've got in Cardiff Castle

and it was actually created by knocking seven bedrooms into one,

just so Lord Bute, who owned the castle,

could have a, sort of, entertaining space for his visitors.

I think it's completely over the top.

-I could live here!

-You could?

-Yes.

-Right, OK, well.

In that case, Mark, you may want to inspect the rest of the house,

starting with the winter smoking room.

Oh, yes. I could come and have a cigarette here.

-No, you can't. We have a strict no-smoking policy!

-Not any more.

I'd be thrown in the tower, probably.

But in a smoking room in the 19th century, actually,

it wasn't just cigars and it wasn't just cigarettes or pipe tobacco.

-They smoked opium, as well.

-Of course they did, yes.

And with this being a room with many uses,

the architect designed the furniture accordingly.

This is a Burges piece. This is where you kept your wines and spirits and, can you see,

there are all different things there?

There are hops, barley, a vine leaf,

he's sticking out his tongue, he's had too much to drink,

and a beehive, representing mead.

And then there was more wine in there.

It's a big, sliding cellarette that would take 40 bottles of wine.

Then, when you wanted to smoke afterwards,

you have cigar drawers up here.

But all of this is nothing compared with the summer smoking room.

Oh, my good lord! That is amazing!

-I'm speechless, you know.

-Well, there's a first then.

Climbing out of the top of the column,

you've got two almost life-size figures of the North Winds.

But, again, the quality of it.

Completely over the top, Matthew, isn't it? Everywhere.

William Burges's friend, Oscar Wilde, said,

"If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing to excess."

-I think Burges really took it to heart.

-He certainly did.

Across town, Charlie is a man on a mission.

-Good afternoon.

-Though, by the look of things,

Louis is one shop owner who shouldn't be messed with!

A couple of feet of cold, British steel.

They don't like it up 'em!

THEY LAUGH

But, rather than steel, it's silver Charlie's once again pinning his hopes on.

Aren't they sweet. Knife rests.

If you went out for dinner, in a posh house like Mark Stacey's,

you'd probably have one of these to rest your knife.

Two or three centuries back, it wasn't uncommon

for the gentry to enjoy a meal of up to 12 courses

but only have one knife and fork per person.

Thus, the knife rest was created to save soiling the table.

By the late 19th century, they became more upmarket, looking like this.

They're silver, silver bases.

With very nice gadroon decoration around the edge

and mother-of-pearl rests coming out of them.

They're very high quality.

But are they the sort of thing the average person will be going for?

Probably not. It's something, like me, that just takes your eye.

-I like those.

-And so, Charlie scours the store for something else,

only to end up with an item even more obscure,

a set of 12 silver teaspoons with a golfing motif.

Now, I'm slightly concerned about the fact that these aren't in their original box

but there are plenty of people that like golf.

Quick peep at the hallmark.

I can see they're made by Walker & Hall, you don't get a better maker than that, do you?

That's right.

Walker & Hall were established in the mid-1800s

and went on to be one of the biggest manufacturers and retailers of silver

for more than 100 years, with branches as far afield as Cape Town and Australia.

Needless to say, they were renowned for quality

and most of their products, just like this set of teaspoons, were produced in Sheffield.

Would £50 buy those? Cash.

Unfortunately not. I could probably scrap them for more than that!

I'd hate you to do that.

-I'll tell you what I'll do...

-Yeah?

-..I'll give you a real good deal, I'll do them for £60.

5 x 12 = 60. I can't honestly say no, can I?

And so, with silver being his item du jour,

Mr Ross is going to take these and the knife rests as well.

-I'm going to spend £90 with you, if I may?

-That's good.

-In real cash.

What concerns me is I'm leaving you to go out with some money left!

Only a smidgen, don't worry.

-I'll buy Mark a drink on the way home.

-Oh, right.

If you believe that, you'll believe anything.

Actually, I think Mark may have started drinking already.

He's being strangely nostalgic.

I've just spotted this plate, which really takes me back

to when I was about five years old, just over.

The moon landing of 1969, the Apollo missions.

I remember, huddled around the television set with my family

and we were allowed to watch it live, happening.

It was an amazing time.

Like the vases Mark bought earlier,

this commemorative plate is also jasper ware,

this time, in the range's distinctive colour, Wedgwood Blue.

Still, it sounds like an emotional purchase to me, this.

Where's that old penny-pincher we all know and love?

If it's the right price, of course, my profit's going to skyrocket to the moon.

Ah, there he is.

Now, he's going to work his magic on Rita,

who's acting on behalf of the dealer.

I think it's a really wacky item.

-I've got to sell it at auction, you see. Try and make a profit.

-Right.

And it's marked up at £10 and there's a slight rim chip.

It's such a shame, isn't it?

Which, loosely translated, means Mark only wants to pay a fiver at the very most.

Now, you've kindly found out what the best price on this is for me, haven't you?

-Yes.

-What is that?

-£8.

-£8?!

-Cash.

-Cash?!

Did you hear this? £8 and she wants cash and it's got a chip and no fish.

-What shall I do?

-Buy it.

-Oh, you would say that.

While the dealer's nowhere to be found and Rita can't drop

the price any further, Mark still can't help himself.

If only I could phone her

and explain my plight and my dilemma to her.

I'm sure that she's the sort of person that will support a fellow Welshman,

trying to beat an Englishman on this competition, you see.

Now, he's out scurrying around another part of Cardiff,

-possibly, I don't know where, looking for bargains as well.

-Right.

I've got to put this into auction, pay all the commissions

and then still make a profit.

Does the profit go to me after all this hard work? No.

It's not fair, is it? It's not fair at all.

Get your hankies ready, here comes the big finish.

This is a stratospheric price we're talking here, madam.

You know, this could be the difference for me

winning the whole week or being shot down to Mars.

And you don't care, you're not giving me any help at all, are you? Thank you very much(!)

After much drama, Mark finally accepts reality.

-£8, you said?

-Thank you very much.

-£2 change, please.

Not far from this tragic display, on the outskirts of Cardiff,

is Saint Fagan's Natural History Museum,

which endeavours to keep traditional Welsh crafts alive.

Charlie has finished shopping and, with a little time to kill,

Emma is helping him to discover his inner Welshness,

through the very Welsh tradition of love spoons.

-Well, here's the case showing some of our love spoons.

-How wonderful!

Simply put, this is a tradition dating back at least 350 years,

whereby boy meets girl, girl likes boy,

boy carves girl a spoon to declare his love.

The more you loved somebody, the more carving you put into it.

I think it is, it shows how much affection would have been thought of towards the girl,

carving possibly her initials and the date

and some symbols which would have meant something to the carver.

So they're all unique.

The oldest surviving Welsh love spoon was carved in 1667,

though judging by its elaborate nature,

it's thought the tradition might go back even further than that.

It seems to me that there's a crown shape at the top.

Any history of royalty being given a love spoon?

Nowadays, you have commissions for spoons.

I think Elton John was given a spoon for his wedding.

Oh, was he?

Elton John's nearly royalty.

Charlie's tour also includes learning how to carve his very own love spoon. Watch out, ladies!

I'm probably trying to cut too much at a time, aren't I?

You seem to be able to get a nice scrolling shave each time you did it.

-Practice, see?

-Ah, I'm just chipping it all over the place.

But in true Ross style, he's delegating the real work to young Bob, here.

When will that be finished?

Um...

I don't know.

-Perhaps next week?

-I'll come back then.

Back in the city centre, it's Mark's turn to pit wits with Louis.

Come on, you must have got something lurking in your cupboards there

that you can do me something ultra-special on?

-Cheap and cheerful?

-Well, cheap and profitable, I'd like to call it.

Obviously a wink's as good as a nudge down here in Cardiff,

because what Louis' pulling out of the cabinet is a silver fruit stand,

made by the German company WMF.

What they're really well-known for is those wonderful sort of maidens.

You know, very Art Nouveau.

With a history dating back to the mid-1800s and a reputation for pioneering techniques

in both silver plating and finishing,

this is a name synonymous with quality.

Quite like it, because it's got that sort of star design there,

and I love the basket of fruits and things.

And, if that one had maidens on it,

it would be worth a few hundred pounds.

What ridiculously over-the-top price have you got on it now, then?

I don't think it's ridiculously over the top. £35.

£35? Now, you start thinking about what a very, very good price you could let me have that for.

Bearing in mind that we're on the same side, you know.

-We're fighting for the land of our fathers here.

-Righty-o.

-See how cheeky you can be.

-A tenner.

-No.

-That's far too cheeky.

-Oh, come on.

-It can't be THAT too cheeky, surely?

-It is.

-£12.

I think it cost me a little bit more than that.

£15 and I might make a couple of quid profit.

-£15?

-That is cheeky.

Actually, Louis, brace yourself. Mark's not done yet.

-Well, I'll tell you what.

-What?

-I'll do you a deal.

If I pay you £15 for it, can you supply me with a little Mark memento for my journey?

-I'll tell you what I'll do with you.

-Tell me.

-I've got a...

I'm moving away, now, because I'm worried that spear is going to come out.

Just to make you feel homesick...

-Wonderful.

-How appropriate, an old miner's lamp.

Did you know that Mark's from Wales?

Because my father was a coal miner, you know.

So I can have that to put into the auction and help me beat Charlie Ross?

-With my pleasure.

-Well, I think I've just dug a good profit up there.

Louis, you are a star. Thank you so much.

And now Mark's squeezed as much mileage as is humanly possible

out of being a Welshman, it's time for this week's final show-and-tell.

-Oh, I say.

-Tall.

-Tall.

-And silver.

-And silver.

-Chester.

-And Chester.

-Quite nice hallmarks.

-Yeah.

-How much did you pay for it?

-I paid £70.

-70, not 75?

-No, 70.

Do you think I've gone for silver because it did well last time?

-Yes, I think you have.

-Yes.

Bear in mind Mark thinks anything over a fiver is a small fortune.

Case in point, his medals.

-We settled on a compromise of £8.50.

-What, for all three?

-All three.

Oh, Mr Stacey. Yet again. You can't go wrong!

I mean, they're fun, aren't they? But they might make...

-They're worth a fiver each.

-You think so?

-Yeah, fiver each.

Put them away.

As for Charlie's next item, well, it's a bit of a curveball and it cost £15.

-Oh, good lord.

-What do you mean?

It's quite nice, isn't it?

Well, it's all right, and it wasn't much money.

It's got to make a bit at £15, hasn't it?

-I was hoping there'd be two people doing up the house who might get excited about it.

-Yeah.

-Shall I put it back where it came from?

-Please.

HE GRUNTS WITH EFFORT

I was rather pleased that you weren't horrified by that purchase.

No, I quite like it. I quite like it, actually, Charlie.

-Right, come on.

-I'm going to show you my next purchase.

-I just loved it.

-Yep.

-Because it celebrates the moon landing.

-Oh, right.

-By Wedgwood in 1969.

I remember, you know, as a five-year-old,

watching that on the television with my family.

-Look at them, playing golf on the moon.

-I think it's great fun.

-Yeah.

And it was only £8. So, you know...

-Can't go wrong. You've been playing safe, haven't you?

-Kind of.

-Yeah.

Meanwhile, Charlie's still taking chances, like his Victorian sampler for £65.

-Shall we put it the right way up?

-It might help.

Yes.

-It's not in good condition, Charlie.

-You can get the staining out.

It is late, though, Charlie.

Of course it's late but, you know, if it was an 18th-century one,

it would be worth way beyond my budget.

Well, I mean, it's a popular field but I wish you luck with it.

How terribly sincere(!)

Still, Mark's charming demeanour did get him

a great deal from Louis, the fruit stand for £15.

-I think there's a small profit in it.

-Yeah.

-Not a huge profit.

-No.

-I think there's a small profit in it.

-A working profit.

-A working profit.

-But did that come with something?

-Yes.

-They weakened.

-They kindly gave me...

-For nothing?!

-..the 1860s miner's lantern.

They've been asking £20-£30 for those.

Mind you, Charlie also did very well to pick up those silver knife rests.

Cleaned up and on a table, they look, I think, really quite stunning.

-I like the shape of them.

-And they were £75.

And I said, "I'm going to shoot you across the bows, I'll give you £30."

Oh, Charlie, you didn't get it for £30.

And he said, "I'll take it!"

I should have started at £20.

But just when Charlie is feeling quietly confident,

out come Mark's jasper ware vases,

which the auctioneer thinks could go for up to £300.

They're probably the best thing we've bought on tour.

-I think they are, actually.

-Oh!

-Careful.

They deserve to make a decent profit, in my opinion, but...

In my opinion, they deserve to make a thumping loss.

Of course.

Well, I've gone a bit ordinary at the end.

-Where's your imagination, man?

-What? In there.

And what ridiculous price did you get those?

-I offered him £50.

-That's a bit mean.

Well, it was, but he took £60.

-Well, it's a fiver a spoon, isn't it?

-Yeah. Must get half an ounce each.

-You know I'm quite good at selling silver by weight.

-Oh, well, yes.

-But, you know, Charlie, you're just a one-trick pony.

-Oh, no!

I'm so glad to see the boys are still pretending to be friends

but, going into their final auction, what do they really think?

Charlie's pulled out a few surprises again, I must admit.

The problem is, he's quite a traditionalist and he remembers things

that were really popular in the saleroom ten years ago.

I feel pretty confident about getting a profit

and getting fairly close up to Mark

but I've got to make up over £100, which is not going to be easy.

He could finish me off in one fell swoop with those vases.

If the vases make £300, I'm sunk.

Starting in Bridgnorth in the Midlands,

then buying and selling their way to Cardiff,

the boys have now arrived at their final destination,

Chippenham in Wiltshire.

Here we are, coming into Chippenham now.

"Historic market town"!

-It's our last auction.

-I'm feeling rather sad.

Charlie Ross and Mark Stacey will do battle one last time

in the general sale at the Chippenham auction rooms.

You've got the devil in you today, haven't you, Mr Ross? Eh?

-The end is in sight, isn't it?

-It is!

Well, Charlie, this is it.

The sun is out to greet my profits!

At the final sale, you think you are going to make some, do you?

It's a bit like the gunfight at the OK Corral, isn't it?

You know, I am over 100 bullets up on you.

Ah, but you can only go one way. Downwards!

-Up! Up!

-No, no, no.

-Upwards.

I'll leave you to go in the downward direction, Charlie.

You've got more experience at it.

Tensions are running high, a keen crowd has gathered

but before auctioneer Richard Edmonds calls lot number one...

Selling at 30...

..let's see how he rates the chances of our two contenders.

I think Charlie, overall, has got a better chance.

Mark has got the jasper ware vases, which are very nice.

But overall, Charlie may just do best because he's gone for silver,

which is very good at the moment. It's very good for sellers.

Mark started this leg of the journey with an impressive £404.54

and has gone on to spend £176.50 on five auction lots.

Thank you.

But Charlie's had a slightly more turbulent time of things.

He started tonight's leg with just £286.80 and is going out in a blaze of glory,

having spent £240 of it on his five items.

Time to see who's really in the money.

Let the auction begin!

First to go under the hammer is Mark's Wedgwood plate,

commemorating the Apollo moon landing.

Ah, here it is.

Let's hope the residents of Chippenham are keen on space travel.

And I've got two commission bids and I start at 10. 12. 15 bid.

At 15. Is there 18? At 18. 20. And 2. At 22. 25 anywhere?

At 22 standing, against the commission.

22. Is there 5 anywhere else?

I was told they had taste in Chippenham!

Well, they have. They're buying it for £22.

1045, thank you.

Not a bad result and, of course, Stacey's over the moon.

Oh, cleared a good tenner on that.

Next up, it's Mark's piece de resistance,

the jasper ware vases, which are already causing a bit of a buzz.

They're Chetham & Woolley, circa 1795 to 1820,

so four commission bids and I'm starting here, with me at 100.

10. 120. 130. 140. With me at 140 bid. Is there 150?

It's a great start, but the figure Mark's banking on is closer to 300.

I'll come to the phone now, 150 if you like? 150. 160.

170. 180. 190 takes me out, sir. 190. I am out.

Any profit? They cost 145?

200. Super things, these. At 190.

-At 190, on the telephone, then.

-Quite enough for me!

190, all done?

Yours, sir, on the telephone. 190.

Oh, dear. There's nothing worse than watching a grown man cry!

You're disappointed, aren't you?

But it does mean Charlie still has a fighting chance.

And here's his first lot...

Large-framed and glazed Victorian needlework sampler by Ann Davies.

..which seems to have attracted some very welcome attention.

And one, two, three commission bids and we'll start at 45,

looking for 50. 50. 5.

60, I'm out, George. At 60.

This surely isn't it?

-65, fresh place. 70. 75. 80. £75, then.

-Come on!

Back of the room, then. It sells, then, at 75.

670, thank you.

Oh, dear. Not a great start for Charlie's fightback.

He needs to do better if he's going to win!

That did considerably more than I thought it would.

Let's hope his Victorian fireplace does the trick.

-Would you hold my hand through this?

-No, I wouldn't.

Commission bid on this and I start with me at 10.

12. 15 bid. At 15. 18, anywhere? 18. 20. And 2. At 22.

Come on, 25, 30, 35, 40.

Oh, it's so cheap, sir.

-25 anywhere else?

-Come on, sir.

-Oh, Charlie.

253, thank you.

Well, I hate to be a merchant of doom,

but this isn't looking good, is it?

-I reckon it's about £3 profit!

-At £45.

And, as if to rub salt in Charlie's wounds, Mark's freebie is up next.

One miner's lamp, circa 1860.

-Don't you dare let this make £25.

-A couple of commission bids.

Lot of interest, I have three commission bids

and I start at 15, 18, 20 and 2 with me.

At 22. 25 now. At 22. 25. 28. 30. At £30, seated.

Commission's out at 30. 2 anywhere else, then?

£30, lady's bid. Selling at £30.

-The jammy old devil's done it again.

-They liked that!

-Don't care.

And with profits on the up,

Mark also has high hopes for his silver-plated fruit stand.

I start at 40. 5. 50. 5, anywhere?

At 50 bid, is there 5? At 50. At £50.

That's more than a working profit, isn't it? £50.

-At 50, then, it sells.

-That's all right.

-All done at 50?

I think I was lucky with that, Charlie.

That was a very good price for that.

Mark's lead is only getting bigger but this auction isn't over yet.

Charlie's wisely bought three separate pieces of silver,

which could be his salvation.

This is it, Charlie. Looks pretty, they've cleaned it.

-And I'm bid...

-Ooh!

-..50. 5. 60. 5. 70. 75. 80. 5.

80, here. At 80, is there 5 now?

At 80. On the commission at 80.

I'm not very good at this, am I?

80. £80, then. It goes and sells at 80.

Oh, my. It's a tragedy.

-Sorry.

-Have you a handkerchief?

Right, then. Let's say a quick prayer for the teaspoons

and hope that at least one of these people is a golfing nut.

Lot 470 is a cased set of 12 silver teaspoons.

-Right, here we go.

-Here we are.

30. 5. 40, anywhere?

At 35, looking for 40 now.

There's 12 of them!

At the back of the room at 40. 45, there, then.

Oh, for God's sake, how can you sell 12 silver spoons for £45?!

-Yours, sir. 45, thank you.

-Another loss.

Yes, I'm afraid it is, Charlie.

But if you can bear to soldier on,

your silver and pearl knife rests are up next.

I've got three commission bids.

I'm bid here 30, 5, 40, 5, 50 anywhere?

Ah, this could be it. Charlie Ross's rise from the ashes!

-Bucking the trend.

-£45, then.

All done at 45?

No, hang on. False alarm.

Nothing I can do now can wrest the victory from you.

So, even though the auction isn't quite over, Charlie is conceding defeat.

I've got something for you.

-What is this, you silly sausage?

-A medal. I'm going to pin it to you

for your superb performance.

-Well, I shall wear it with pride.

-I hope you will.

Speaking of medals, Mark's final lot looks set

to make him more money, which is why he looks like he's about to burst.

25. Is there 28? Is there 28? 28? There is.

-There's a bid over there.

-Is there 30? I saw the bid. Is there 30?

This is amazing.

28, I have. 30, I'm looking for. At £28.

This is the icing on that enormous cake.

You made a profit on every lot today?

-Um...have I?

-I think so.

-I think I probably have, actually.

-You have!

So, Mark Stacey has done it again.

But how does this affect the final tally?

Well, Charlie started the leg with £286.80 but, after commission,

actually made a loss of £20.06, leaving him with just £266.74.

Well, that was a bit high and low, wasn't it, Charlie?

Well, high for you and low for me!

Mark, meanwhile, started with £404.54

and made a profit of £87.11,

giving him the winning total of £491.65.

# The winner takes it all

# The loser's standing small... #

Well, what a week it's been. After coming third last year,

Mark has shown us this series, he'll do whatever it takes to be number one!

Will you get out?

-It's too late, Charlie.

-You've bought it?

-I've already bought that chair.

Even cheat a fellow Welshman.

-We're fighting for the land of our fathers here.

-Righty-o.

And while Charlie hasn't had such a good run with the actual antiques...

I'm not very good at this, am I?

-..and that's putting it mildly...

-That did more than I thought it would.

..this suave old gent certainly knows how to charm the ladies.

Absolute angel! Mwah! Mwah!

He can even charm old Stacey.

-They're probably the best thing we've bought on tour.

-I think they are.

-Oh!

-Careful.

So, as the week comes to an exciting close...

I couldn't do it without you, honestly.

..Mark Stacey couldn't kick Charles Hanson of the top

of our leader board and slots into second place,

while Charlie brings up the rear in fourth

but there are many more miles to go and antiques to buy.

-I think that's amazing, and do you know what?

-What?

-I couldn't have done it without you.

-You've been fabulous. Take me home!

-Back to the drawing board!

Next week, it's the turn of mighty James Lewis...

What on earth is that?

..and the lovely Kate Bliss.

-20?!

-20.

They'll be battling it out, scouring the highlands and lowlands of Scotland

for antiques to make them the biggest profit.

-Yes!

-Well done.

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