Episode 19 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?

I don't mean to drive a hard bargain.

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

But it's not as easy as it sounds, and there can only be one winner.

Punching the air!

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

I'm going to be like Rocky, come from behind.

This is the Antiques Road Trip.

We're racing through the week and still on the road with antiques

-experts James Braxton and Thomas Plant.

-This is motoring.

You're amongst the elements. And what about the Indian head massage?

Well, that is lovely.

-Massages the follicles.

-Promotes growth, which we need.

Auctioneer, James Braxton, has a serious eye for great

furniture and design as well as a keen eye on his reputation...

My success has brought responsibilities.

Thomas Plant knows an awful lot about jewellery,

and he's a great negotiator, but gets the occasional telling off.

£12.50?

No, 15. I said no arguing!

James and Thomas each began the week with their £200 starter packs,

and both lost money with great style on yesterday's show.

-So, highlights... There's no highlights!

-One profit.

-One profit?

-One profit of £2.

Yesterday's slump notwithstanding, James is making a pretty good start to the week.

From his original £200 he now has a thoroughly healthy £374.96.

I'm not going to move up the table by making 30 quid at the next auction.

-I've got to make 200 quid.

-It's been rotten luck for Thomas so far.

He buys really nice items and they keep selling for next to nothing.

But at least he's not bitter!

-So how do you feel about the last auction?

-Disappointing.

I really did really badly by buying antiques.

That's where I went wrong!

From his £200, Thomas has slipped backwards to a mildly worrying £184.50.

There's no point in changing strategy because I've tried that and it went wrong.

So, I'm just going to carry on as I see fit.

This week's Road Trip takes in the treasures of North East England,

from Berwick Upon Tweed to Driffield.

And on today's show, James and Thomas are leaving Bedale,

North Yorkshire, heading for an auction in Baildon, West Yorkshire.

First stop, Whitby.

I made quite a big loss, but hey, you know, I'm just going to play it cool, relax, how much worse can it get?

Well, considerably worse.

Sucking the life blood from a new town, our experts have found their

way to gorgeous, atmospheric Whitby, once home to novelist Bram Stoker in the early 19th century,

and birthplace to his fictional Count Dracula.

The real Dracula was born in Transylvania, obviously.

-Whitby, Thomas.

-Yes, I love being by the coast...

-It's glorious, isn't it?

It just sort of fills you with optimism, hope.

A new future, a new world.

Yes, and interestingly my forbears came from Scarborough, so further down the coast.

-They were captains, sea captains.

-So we're doing a Braxton magical mystery tour, are we?

Very interesting! So, are you going to spend some money?

Yeah, I really want to spend some money. Let's get on it. Come on.

Time to get going. Time to get spending.

Time to hit the antiques shops...

-Hello, I'm James.

-Hello, I'm Frank.

-Nice to meet you. Mind if I look around?

-No, have a look.

Clearly no need to ask, James.

Well done for getting stuck in straight away.

Stag's horn handle, plated pewter, with a very sort of Art Deco ribbed top, very unusual.

Bit bashed - it's had some use...

Frank, I like the look of those lions.

These blue meanies are guardian lions.

Large, imposing versions carved of stone were put outside imperial palaces, around the time of the

ancient Han Dynasty, to ward off invaders, evil spirits

and flying ninja assassins. OK, I made up the last one!

Well, I just think they're very stylish, very sculptural, aren't they? I love the blue.

So, they must have just had some bashes, mighty bash there and a mighty bash there.

I suppose they're a pair though, aren't they?

They must be, mustn't they?

Generally, lions like this come in pairs, the male holding a ball and the female with a cub.

Would you take 50 for them, Frank?

I never thought I'd sell them, I was thinking about 120.

-Oh, you're a tough man.

-You need to be tough when James is in town!

What about 60 then, Frank, with the damage and all?

-What about 70?

-70...

Will you meet me halfway, 65, Frank?

-OK.

-65, go on.

Well, done, thank you.

Strange choice, James. These Lions are a bit damaged and, well, on the peculiar side.

But, then no-one's perfect... Thomas Plant, for example!

I'm going to be quite relaxed about it and I'm going to try and let the items find me, not me find the items.

So I'll go and have a good look.

Really, Thomas? It sounds like you're creating a

recipe for disaster before you've even looked at any antiques!

That said, you're nearly £200 behind James.

So if your system works for you, then carry on.

This is a pencil case.

Look at that, you put your pens in there and then

you can put other pens and pencils in there, in the base, as well.

And the whole thing folds in on itself like this, and there is meant to be a little brass handle,

but that's no longer with us.

Clearly. Thomas seems to have pens on the brain and I'm not surprised.

His small clutch from Alston, two auctions ago, is the

only lot to have actually turned him in a decent profit so far.

It's quite sweet though, but it's not all there, so I think I might pass on that.

Not the only thing that's not all there!

Meanwhile, James is keeping a very close eye on any future investments...

I tell you what I've been doing very well with, I've been doing very well with copper.

Unbelievably, James is looking at yet another big metal pot.

Like a gentleman rag and bone man, James has gone not-quite 'any old iron?'

but certainly 'any great big lumps of old copper

'he can get his hands on.'

And I don't think it's just the scrap value he has in mind, even though copper prices are sky high.

James just loves the decorative, country house appeal of metalwork.

You should always look for this, want a nice flat bottom.

This more rounded bottom, as desirable in a lady, but not necessarily in a pan.

Speak for yourself, James!

Or maybe just keep your comments for a more appropriate hour.

-How much is on there?

-£30.

You can have it cheaper than that, if you want it.

No, I'm going to resist you there, Frank.

Give us 25 for it.

25? I'm not sure I want to even buy it, that's the problem!

Oh, James! You're playing really hard to get, here.

Come on, Mr B, you know you really want it. It's brass!

It's a really good one, the weight, and the handle's lovely, you see.

It's just been eroded by wear.

I don't know, I can see you're keen to sell this, Frank.

15 and you've got a deal.

-15?

-OK. 15 then.

See, there we are. I came in here a poor man and...

How much are you giving me for this?

-15.

-You've just given me 25.

Oh, dear, give me £10 back then. Blimey, I'm losing my head as well.

-You've taken my brain.

-Oh, James!

Buying antiques you're not really sure you want, and you give Frank an extra tenner.

Come on, wakey, wakey, sunshine!

Why I bought the preserve pan only, I think only Frank knows, you know.

I think there's a touch of Open All Hours about this shop,

and I've bought the most appalling, appalling preserve pan.

But made of bell metal - who knows.

There's still time for James to get back on his game.

Let's hope Thomas is shopping with more caution.

-Hello, I'm Thomas.

-Hi, Phil Smith.

-Hi Phil, nice to meet you.

-Anything that you've bought for a song which you're willing to let go?

-I don't know.

Depends what you fancy.

This is quite good fun, isn't it? With the clown and the dogs.

With the dogs, circa 1900.

With a lot of advertising, particularly, condition's always

crucial to collectors and the condition is exceptional on those.

I love the Dalmatian. He's great, isn't he?

Derby dog biscuits.

So do you reckon this came from the factory where the dog biscuits were made?

Yes, I think so, yes.

The factory had a famous owner actually, it was Edwin Mosley?

Oh, really, the blackshirt, Oswald Mosley, was it?

Yes, he was the son as far as I know.

How interesting! So it seems that the Greensmith's

factory was owned by the father of Oswald Mosley, the British fascist leader from the 1920s and '30s.

Although I'm sure these biscuits were intended for pooches of all political persuasions!

You've got £68 on there, this is not a reproduction.

Well, I put that on because a lot of people look at it and

think that it is a reproduction, because the condition's so good.

-What's the very best on that.

-I can do 55 on that.

No more? £30?

-I can't do it, I'm sorry.

-No, you couldn't go any lower?

OK, if you make me an offer I'll consider it, make it a bit better than the last one.

Do you think I was quite harsh?

-I think maybe you were.

-40?

Go on then.

-40? You'll do it for me?

-I'll do it at 40 quid.

It looks lovely.

I'm really pleased that I've bought it.

It's £40, yes, it's a risk but I think at this stage I've got to play that game.

There's a lot of dog lovers out there so hopefully they'll go for this.

Fingers crossed, Thomas, and well done for letting an interesting prospect find you.

James is still feeling panned from his preserve pan blunder,

so has gone searching for inspiration.

Whitby is a beautiful but mysterious town.

Not just the birthplace of Count Dracula, but also home to some

strange devices which once changed the world.

-Hello, Tony.

-How do you do?

-Hello. James.

-Nice to meet you.

-Now take me to your lab.

Tony is the passionate creator of Whitby's fantastic Museum of Victorian Science.

Whilst working in aeronautical engineering,

Tony began renovating these peculiar electronic instruments purely for the love of it.

Today, he has a fine collection in a cosy, packed museum.

Tony, what an amazing room.

Well, it's taken 30-odd years of collecting to put it together.

How can you ease me into this fabulous display of items?

What do you want to show me first?

This is the Wimshurst machine, amazing that two plastic wheels or glass in the days when it was

invented in 1877, they go in opposite directions

and they produce endless volts and you just turn on....

I can see you're being very...

oh, goodness me!

That's why you're being careful.

I'm not touching any part of it with my hand because...

-That's quite a thump, isn't it?

-Shocking.

James Wimshurst made important refinements to these electrostatic

generators in the 1850s and so they have since taken his name.

These Victorian, demonstration instruments are certainly not mere

curiosities, but led to innovations and inventions in use today.

They're also desirable to specialist collectors.

19th century Wimshurst machines can make thousands of pounds at auction.

So how many volts would be charging through that?

Well, at it's maximum, getting on for 100,000 volts.

So our domestic supply is what 240 volts?

Er, yes, but this is a different thing, it's static, it's lightning.

Nature's electricity and um...

it hurts, but it won't kill you.

Careful, James.

A shock here could make your hair stand on end. Both of them!

Actually, Tony does very well to display his works and keep safe in this fairly compact space.

-Working in cramped...

-I have no space.

-Shall I hold something?

-Well, I'll put those on there.

-Do you want me to?

-Is there room on there?

-You've got space for one.

-That needs to go away safely.

-Oh, dear.

Shall we do the cathode rays then?

A chap called Sir William Crookes was investigating cathode rays. That is high voltage in a tube.

They didn't know what it was, so he had his glass blower make a thing like this up.

Switches on the cathode rays and there's a cathode ray shooting across the screen.

He applies a magnet to see if it would have an effect and it pulls it down.

But interestingly if you turn the magnet round, will it push it away?

-There it does.

-A cathode ray tube contains a

vacuum, creating simple line images

when an electron beam hits a phosphorescent surface. Got it?

Following on with that, his famous Maltese cross.

I've got three lights here, the top brass one and

the left and the right, so that's it.

So we'll set these up to see if these cathode rays could penetrate metal.

-There, you see the cross, it's not penetrating the metal.

-I see.

These tubes are the founding blocks of what would become the television set.

In 1897, the German physicist, Karl Braun,

developed his Oscilloscope,

another tube capable of producing patterns of light

so that more complex transmitted pictures were possible.

Sadly, these brave men of science

did not live to see their primary innovations

develop into the TV sets you're watching now.

We must always look to the past to see the future.

Exactly. I couldn't have put it better!

Now James needs to look to the future and think about buying some antiques that he actually wants.

However, he's too late for any more shopping today.

Anyone feeling peckish? Yum yum.

Very, very good chips and very good fish, I must say.

Mmm. You can't beat a pickled egg.

I've bought two items today

and I've spent the most amount of money I've...

-Really?

-Yup, over £50.

-So game's on!

-Game's on.

Game on, indeed!

But as the sun sets over this picturesque harbour and beautiful town,

our experts must push off with their fish suppers to bed.

Toodle-oo.

Dawn breaks, spilling sunlight everywhere,

and finds our boys already out on the road, mustard-keen for some more antiques action.

Obviously, you've been doing very well, rich fame.

Yeah, but I have come unstuck.

Oh, yeah, but still.

I'm treading in plant territory now.

So far, James Braxton of East Sussex has spent £80 on two items.

The two lions and the brass preserve pan.

James has £294.96 to flash in the pan today.

I'm doing very well with base metals and I know in this fourth leg I've got to play a larger game.

Thomas Plant, on the other hand, has spent just 40 British pounds

on one solitary item, the dog biscuit advertising board.

Thomas has £144.50 to wave in people's faces.

So, let's get cracking.

I've done so badly in that last auction that my luck has got to change.

Whitby is now a strange dream, half remembered,

as our experts head 21 miles south-west

to lovely, lovely Pickering.

However, for a much-needed break from each other,

James takes his time in his vintage car, whilst Thomas has decided to take the train.

Last one to Pickering's a big sissy!

I'm really excited, because a steam train's going to come by any second

and it goes straight to Pickering and there's some antiques shops there.

I'm looking forward to my train journey.

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway is one of the oldest in Britain,

engineered in 1836 by railway superstar, George Stephenson,

originally as a horse-drawn line.

Steam power was introduced by the other great man of British railways,

George Hudson, when he acquired the line in 1845.

Thank you, steam.

This will be a real treat for me, I think. A real treat on this train.

As Tank-Engine Thomas chuffs his way south-east, under steam power,

James' sometimes reliable motor has amazingly won the race.

Gosh. Brownie points to James Braxton.

Now, can he use his advantage to get the drop on the Pickering shops?

Here we go.

Time is off the essence today, so James' antiques hunt needs to ignite.

It's a little ashtray. Classic design and this looks Art Deco but it's '50s.

1955.

This propeller ash tray was made in Birmingham in 1955, although it has a classic 1930s, Art Deco look.

World War Two really interrupted everything, not just trade and manufacturing,

but the progress of modern design.

So many items from the 1950s looked no different from the pre-war era.

First of all of, Britain has a very Art Deco look,

so it was really only '50s that everything started going again.

They took off where they left off.

Still smouldering, James moves on to a handsome

silver match box, a possible companion piece to the ash tray.

Music trades convention.

Buxton, 1913.

There's the striker. Rather fun - it's a spring loaded top,

which is unusual. I suppose sprung so the matches didn't fall out.

This is very much like a cigar match.

You'd have to hunt high and low to find one and when you've found one, they'd be safety matches.

If that was £30, I might have a go at it, but it's 110!

The Deco smoking items have failed to catch on with James,

but he's still got much to say about his shopping so far.

He just loves to blow his own hooter.

Meanwhile, old slow coach, Thomas, has finally arrived in town.

Oh, that was great, great fun.

Thomas Plant feels pretty chuffed with himself today.

Oh! And now he's here, Thomas won't waste any time hitting the shops.

-Oh, for crying out loud, this is a Museum!

-Hello.

Good morning, Thomas. I'm Gordon Clitheroe, curator of Beck Isle.

Pickering's Beck Isle Museum is the brain child

of passionate local enthusiasts like Gordon.

This lovingly curated collection began in 1967 with a simple,

noble mission statement - to preserve, record

and provide access to the heritage, history and cultural life of the Pickering and District area.

We're going into the Blacksmith shop and you'll see John the blacksmith hard at work.

You'll see he's making some hooks for a harness.

It's mesmerising, really, watching the metal being bent and forged.

It's quite exhausting seeing somebody work so hard.

-It's a craft.

-Pickering once had a very busy local printing firm

or two, producing local papers, posters and advertisements.

Beck Isle Museum acquired this fabulous old press when the company closed in 1970.

-This is Mike and Derek.

-Hello, I won't shake your hand

because it looks like it could be quite inky. Is that right?

Mike and Derek are local enthusiasts who volunteer their time to keep

the press going, providing posters for local schools and events.

Both had worked in newspapers and printing, so are seasoned masters of ink and font.

There are a 155,000 different type faces.

Every type's for a specific purpose originally.

You see the Victorian Christmas Fayre poster?

-Yeah.

-Well, to me that's the wrong type for Victorian.

That's the type that you would use for, "Wanted - Billy the Kid." It's the wrong type.

The Columbian Press was invented in the United States, hence the enormous eagle,

by George E. Clymer, in the early 19th century.

His innovation was the ease and speed of printing

an entire newspaper page or poster in one single press.

It was designed to be worked by 12 to 14-year-old children.

I'd rather be on here than down the pits.

I would, or up a chimney.

-I wouldn't fit up a chimney, actually.

-Nor would I!

We'll give you a quick print if you would like and see what it looks like.

Look at that.

BBC Antiques Road Trip. That's brilliant, isn't it? Chaps, can I take that away with me?

Of course you can. You're welcome.

How very kind. Although I think a Wanted poster would be more apt for you, Thomas!

And now you're wanted back on the shopping trip.

Why not join James for a final gunfight at the OK Antiques Centre?

Where's that Thomas?

Thomas, come on! I'm itching to get in here. I've drawn a blank.

Really? So we're going to fight over what's in here.

We definitely are. We'll have to do separate courses and arm wrestle for the end.

Go on, you go in. Age before beauty.

Time is of the essence now, chaps.

And you must do whatever it takes to win.

Hello? I need help.

I need to beat Braxton. Can you give me some tips?

It's Mark Stacey, he beat him last year!

And he's not doing too badly with you this year, Thomas.

Get shopping!

Look at you!

This is what auctioneers will be wearing in 2011.

-I think I look...

-Irresistible.

-Irresistible.

-It is lovely.

-Does it sort of frame my round face?

Do you know, politeness precludes me from saying that.

However, I am perfectly happy to tell you, "Yes, Thomas,

"it does! Positively oriental." Now, time is pushing on.

James and Thomas, you both need to find some items for auction.

I've seen something already and there's a significance about what I have seen.

It's this necklace. It's costume jewellery and if I buy it,

I will tell you why I've bought it, but I won't let on right now.

How exciting, Thomas. I'm all ears!

1930's silver Hungarian, £65.

What could you do that for me for?

For this dealer, I can do that for 58.

58. OK, so they go down as 58. Is there anything more they would do?

A phone call or...?

Well, I'll push it a little bit more to 55.

We don't really phone the dealers.

You wouldn't go as low as 50?

Shall I try her?

-Do you mind?

-No problem at all.

OK. There's three colours in there, aren't there?

You've got the green, the mauve,

and the white of the mother of pearl. Those colours are the colours

of the Suffragettes. It's a Suffragette pendant.

What started as a covert mission,

finished with the desired effect, ie votes for women.

The original members of the Women's Social and Political Union

chose these colours as a kind of secret code

to signal like-minded campaigners that they were part of the cause.

You'd wear that as a mark as a woman, to say, I am a supporter of the Suffragettes.

Almost like wearing a badge. But you didn't want everybody to know.

It wasn't the right thing to tell people that you were a Suffragette.

The term Suffragette was coined by The Daily Mail newspaper,

originally in a derogatory sense, describing militant women.

As is often the way, progressive campaigners reclaimed the word and

the movement gathered momentum and popularity

through to the early 1900s.

Now, what's it worth? Well, it's worth 80 to 120 quid

to any Suffragette collector, definitely.

So, we'll put it over there.

Whilst Thomas awaits a vote on his offer, James has spotted something

-rather familiar for £58, something shiny.

-Isn't that lovely?

So, this is all solid copper.

Sorry, James, just to be absolutely crystal clear, exactly what metal is that tray forged from?

It's solid copper. There's a lot of copper there.

Ah, yes, copper.

Copper?

I'm sure I've heard copper mentioned somewhere before.

That's a great item. I like that. It has integrity.

It's Indian, all done with little nails, hammered out,

and a sort of lotus leaf edge here.

Benares brass tray.

Actually, James, it's copper.

Benares is a pilgrimage site in India,

believed to be the home of Hindu god, Shiva.

It's also famed for its metal wares.

So perhaps a future holiday destination for our James!

Benares has centuries' old trade guilds and a recently established school

to nurture and pass on the fine artisan skills

involved in creating these metal items.

They're great occasional tables, coffee tables.

The weight of a small dog, that is.

Tina, can you work a bit of magic for me?

HE LAUGHS

I'll try!

Found in a corner.

I've always had a passion for Indian stuff. This Benares brass tray...

What is that? Mr B. Can you offer him £30 for it?

Try your best, Tina, you're looking nervous. Anxious.

-I can do it at 40.

-40?

Fabulous, isn't it? It's a fabulous piece of copper.

-What about 35?

-No. Straight 40.

No middle ground at all? Tina, thank you very much, indeed. Thank you.

Well, I think you've got just about enough metalwork now, James.

If your lots don't sell, at least you could melt it all down

and maybe rewire Tony's Victorian Science Museum!

Meanwhile, Thomas has moved on from the Suffragette movement to...

scantily clad women. Lovely.

This is the way the Victorians could view ladies. It's quite interesting.

You couldn't just look at them naked full stop. I mean, that wasn't allowed, really.

So what they did, they put them in these sort of pseudo classical scenes.

She's a very shapely, pretty girl and, you know, slightly falling off,

so your Victorian could look at that

in the knowledge that it was OK. It's a classical scene, it's historic.

OK, so that's how the Victorians looked at women.

What about 21st century antiques experts?

Here is a little figure of a lady in stockings, a bit saucy.

There I was buying a piece of Suffragette, now I'm buying a bit of porn!

As the buttoned-up Victorian era passed into the Edwardian and roaring '20s,

a market developed for naughty novelties and ceramics of women

in revealing outfits, like this saucy little number.

Erotic figurines are rare and highly collectable and expensive,

but this one, however, is not erotic. Just sexy.

So on here, she's got £25.

What would they do that for?

Usually it's 10% but I'll do it for 20.

Do you reckon she'd go a bit lower?

Well, I've been generous.

Yeah, but I've got to beat James.

I've gotta beat James!

Well, it seems that women's rights can go out of the window when Thomas sees a good investment.

It's all about the bottom line for Thomas!

Really? Brilliant, thank you very much.

I think he'll jump at that. OK.

-£12.

-Get in there!

Get in there, indeed!

And lucky Thomas also got his Suffragette necklace for £50.

It seems all the dealers of Pickering want to help him beat James!

I knew it would find me. I knew they would find me.

Well, Thomas certainly feels that his tactics have paid off, but we won't know till auction.

Now, James, Thomas, come with me, it's Show and Tell time.

On the tee is Mr Braxton.

Da-da-da da!

OK, we've got a dog, a fu or a temple dog, Chinese.

Unfortunately they're not Chinese.

I was going to say they're not Chinese. They're continental, aren't they?

I think so, but they're a lovely colour.

-So crucial, crucial, payment, how much?

-65.

-I don't think that's too bad.

-I don't know. It's in the lap of the gods, that one.

So this is my first purchase.

I thought this was a rather fun thing.

-It's for Greensmiths Derby Dog biscuits and I like the sort of dogs leaping through.

-Little pug, is it?

-Little puggy wug.

-How much?

£40, what do you think?

-Yeah.

-Well, what's wrong with it?

Why are you laughing?

I think it's all right - £40, nice bit of printed cardboard.

That should stay.

Very supportive, James.

Now, have you got anything for Thomas to laugh at?

I'm rather embarrassed about this, I really am.

40/30, I though it had a bit of age but when I bought it, I regretted it immediately.

So how much did you pay for it?

15. I don't think there's anything really wrong with paying £15 for a preserve pan.

If you're a jam maker, it's what you want.

It's a piece of jewellery.

And you paid...

£30 for that.

I paid a bit more for it actually. I paid 50.

You paid £50 for that.

Yeah, but there's a reason I paid £50 for that.

-Can you think about that reason?

-It isn't marcasite, it's diamond?

No, not diamonds, no, no, no. It's the colours.

-Now do these colours mean anything to you?

-No.

Those are the colours of the Suffragettes.

-Suffragettes, is it?

-Yeah.

Very good.

I always like something that you find and you find a whole new market for.

-You're adding your knowledge and value to that.

-Trying to.

You're making me worried now, Thomas.

What are you doing? Oh, oh, what a surprise!

James has bought some copper!

I know! Unbelievable, isn't it?

In fact really I'm not an auctioneer, I'm a scrap metal dealer.

There we are,

look at that, that is a Benares tray.

I quite like Benares trays. I think one should have one in every house.

I imagine on there you should have hummus, few stuffed vine leaves.

Yeah, nice mint tea glasses there.

Yeah, quite like that. £40 there definitely. What did you pay for it? 30?

-40.

-You paid scrap.

-Show me your last thing.

-OK, I've gone from one extreme to the other.

From the Suffragettes.

To a sort of dancing girl.

Well, it's a little naked lady.

So there she is in her stockings.

Who can resist a woman in stockings?

How much did you pay for that? Fiver?

No, a bit more than that, it was 12.

You know people like them and in a funny sort of way, sex sells.

Well, quite possibly, but we're not going to that sort of auction!

The preserve pan, I mean I think that's just a joke, to be honest with you.

Oh, surprise, he's bought some copper. Well, you know change the record.

Lovely Benares copper tray, very fashionable, I like it.

I think I'll do well with it at £40.

And then his dogs. Buying damaged ceramics - it's professional suicide, damaged.

My other items look a bit weak and fragile and I think, Thomas, the balance of power has shifted.

Don't give up hope just yet, James.

Auctions can do strange and surprising things.

Time will tell whether power is truly shifting.

Auction day is finally upon us and it's been an amazing journey from wonderful Whitby,

to pretty Pickering, ending up in Baildon for an auction showdown.

The town awaits the arrival of our boys.

So talk me through this Thomas, the cardboard advertising...

Don't mock the cardboard. The proof will be in the eating of the pudding, won't it?

Baildon's Halfway Auctions has an unusual setting,

not quite inside a pub, but attached to the side of one.

Auctioneer Andrew McLaughlin has possibly shunned a good game of darts

to tell us about James and Thomas's swag bag of treats.

Rather nice little piece, the bathing belle, German piece,

perhaps anything from £10 to £30.

The copper tray's very nice, very heavy but the base is damaged and repaired, repaired not very well.

The Suffragette pendant.

Gold ones you would expect to sell in excess of £200.

With this, we're hoping we'll generate some interest between £40 and £60.

The dog biscuit sign, that could go from anything from £20 to £200.

It depends who's there on the night.

Left, left, left. Well done, Thomas.

Very good, very good.

Right brace yourself - let's get in there.

James started this leg of the road trip with £374.96 and spent £120 on three items.

Thomas took his £184.50 and spent £102, also on three items.

With their hopeful investments up for sale, our boys need a bit of luck

and something a whole lot more successful than the Auction Horror of Bedale on yesterday's show.

Oh, my winning luck has disappeared.

So, finish your drinks, phones off, sit back and away we go.

First up are James' Chinese lions from Whitby.

Roaaargh!

I don't want to look.

Be a man. How much did you pay for them?

A lot of money, Thomas. £65.

-Both whacked as well.

-Both whacked as well.

Well, let's hope the auctioneer doesn't draw attention to it!

-Slight damage to both pieces.

-Ooh!

So where do we start? £50, there they are 40 anywhere, 30 will do, 20 anywhere?

Come on, surely, start me at £10.

No interest?

-£5.

-Don't sell it for that.

£5 we say, six, eight, ten,

12, 14? This is for nothing for the pair at £14.

Nothing, go on, keep going.

The lions have clearly not fulfilled their promise

and that's a poor start for James.

Time for something saucy.

Thomas' figurine is next to reveal all.

I think I've bought a wrong 'un,

I really do. I was under pressure. I didn't look at it properly.

I think you could be the winner on this one,

I think you're looking good.

100 is the art deco German porcelain bathing belle, a nude wearing black stockings.

Yeah, we all love black stockings.

Speak for yourself.

There's nothing wrong with a nice twin-set and pearls.

£10, are we, at ten get me started, six I'm bid, seven I'm bid,

eight I'm bid, nine now,

10 I'm bid, 11 we're there.

They seem to like you, Thomas.

At 12, I'm selling at 12.

Come on, one more, one more.

Slightly better, but that's a loss after commission.

Still, someone got a cheeky bargain here today!

Now. James Braxton, man of "metal", has done it again and brought another big lump to auction.

Can he continue his rag and bone run?

£20 anywhere?

15, start me a tenner, £10 then, £5 I'm bid, six, seven, eight.

Oh, they're obviously jam makers.

12 I'm bid, selling to you, sir at £12.

James' auction machinery is rusting up.

£12. Thomas, I'm going to hand over the baton to you.

Thank you. Do I get the pen?

Is that the baton, the pen?

I can feel another crisis point coming on. Can you?

What our boys need to get back on track is a man's best friend.

And here he is.

Vintage advertising boards are often highly sought after, so paws crossed!

I'm yet to be convinced. It looks very handsome, I give you that.

-Handsome.

-£50 to get me going?

50 start me surely at 50? 40? 30?

10 I'm bid to start, do we have 12 anywhere?

12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 25, 28,

30, at 32, 35, 38, 40, at £40.

Well, that could have gone worse,

but it's still not anything you could call a real profit.

Copper again, everyone!

With a bit of damage.

Well, if this makes under £40, I'm weeping.

I'm hoping there might be a metal Mickey in the audience.

Lovely piece - where are we going to start?

I have a commission bid - is it worth £50 to anybody?

40 anywhere, 30?

20 then to start.

It's like tumbleweed.

10 I'm bid, 12 on commission, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24.

At £24 all finished, on commission.

My word, another wounding blow for James.

The bidders of Baildon are certainly getting some good deals!

So all that work is going to disappear.

It's not going well for our chaps.

Maybe Thomas' so-called Suffragette pendant will save the day.

It's got design, style, history,

and it did cost Thomas £50!

The drama, drama's killing me.

I can start with my commission bid here of £30.

Do I have 32 anywhere? 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 46, 46.

-I'm bid 48.

-A few more.

£46 are we finished at £46?

This is a cheap lot at £46.

So, Thomas is suffering now.

On the other hand,

someone, somewhere, some time will wear it with pride.

Thomas, you deserved more for that.

A disappointing auction for our experts.

And this special, beautiful moment is appropriately finished off

damply, with a dose of British rainfall.

James started today's ordeal with £374.96,

and after paying commission, made a wounding loss of £78.81.

But still has a fairly healthy £296.15 to help wipe away the tears.

Thomas started this fiasco with £184.50 and made yet another loss of £21.27.

He's still sliding down the snake of chance, with only £163.23 to maybe help him back up the ladder.

Pretty disappointing, really.

It was a disappointing auction for me, I'm afraid, you know.

Along the road trip occasionally you get hurdles,

but on this particular hurdle, not only did I trip over it, but I fell flat on my face.

So good thing James, the car's working so we've got

to think about a positive note, the old vehicle is doing well.

The vehicle's doing very well but on a slightly negative note, you'll notice that it's raining.

I would not like to moan!

Well, never let bad weather or auction disaster dampen your spirits.

Our experts must be getting used to some disappointment by now, especially Thomas!

Next time on the Antiques Road Trip, James and Thomas head for their

dramatic, final auction in Driffield, North Humberside.

Thomas lays his cards on the table.

I don't want any change left. This is all or nothing.

This is go hard or go home!

James lays down the law.

Time's up, leave the building!

And they both need a bit of a lie down!

That's not very fair, is it?

20 anywhere? £20.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

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