Episode 2 Antiques Road Trip

The nation's favourite antiques experts, £200 each and one big challenge...

-I'm here to declare war.

-Why?

Who can make the most money buying and selling antiques as they scour the UK?

-15 quid.

-No.

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

But it's not as easy as you might think, and things don't always go to plan.

Push!

So will they race off with a huge profit or come to a grinding halt?

I'm going to go for it.

This is the Antiques Road Trip.

The road trip is wending its way through Scotland in high summer with Mark Stacey and Anita Manning.

-Welcome to British summertime.

-Well, it's always Mediterranean climate in Scotland, Mark.

Yes, I can see, Anita. My castanets are frozen.

Mark, Anita and their wee Morris have taken the high road, the low road and even a few wrong roads...

It's right turn.

..and now they're getting very close to the border.

-So just over that hill is England.

-I'm sure there's been a few battles around here over the years.

Mark is a valuer and a dealer who loves to splash out now and again.

-I daren't ask you for a discount on four, dare I?.

-No, you wouldn't.

-Although that can get him into trouble.

-I can't believe it.

-While Anita, an auctioneer, is both the queen of canny...

-£22?

-It's too much.

-..and a mother with a shoulder to cry on.

-I clearly know absolutely nothing.

-Well, as long as you admit it.

They began with £200 each and have already made a major profit.

Mark goes into today with £327.44 to spend,

while Anita has sneaked ahead on £378.06.

Oh, dear. I knew this was going to be a bad day.

This road trip is travelling from the Cairngorms via charming Edinburgh and Durham

to Thirsk in North Yorkshire. Today's leg starts out at Melrose in the Scottish Borders

and heads for auction in Sunderland.

What's your strategy today?

I'm not quite sure, Mark. I think I'm going to remain a little canny.

I do think you ought to try less of this canniness, Anita. You need to risk sometimes, you know.

So, with that thought, our duo hit the streets of Melrose to try for a bargain.

Anita's arrived at Whole Lot Antiques - ha! - where there are indeed quite a few objects

gathered under one roof, but no dealers present.

So enquiries must be directed through the shopkeeper Pat Glass.

This is a seal, and this part here would be used

to stamp the wax to seal your letters

just for extra confidentiality.

I'm not sure of the age of it. Do you know anything?

All that we can tell you is what the dealer actually puts on the ticket.

Unfortunately the only thing on the ticket is a price of £52.

But Pat may be a little bit flexible.

I could do that for 30.

I'm really looking to get that for around £20.

-I can give her a ring and find out what the best price would be.

-OK, uh huh.

So while Pat makes the call, Anita steps outside, not to nick it but to take a closer look.

I'm still not absolutely sure if it's a modern replica. It really is touch and go.

Anita, we have had good news. I've had the dealer on the phone and she'll take 25.

Right. I think we should just go for it.

Elsewhere in Melrose, Mark is exploring his first shop, Michael Vee Design.

-Hello, Enid.

-Hi.

-I love your shop.

-Thank you.

-I love it.

I mean, it's just really what the market's going for now, a mixture of the new and the old.

-Well, I might have something.

-Oh, wow. Gosh, Enid.

First of all, we've got some sort of insignia with a lion's head. Now, that could be anything.

We've got a long chain, so it's going to hang like that, isn't it?

-And then what happens when you open it?

-Well, it's a whistle.

-Gosh.

I bet it still works.

HIGH-PITCHED TOOT

-It does.

-Absolutely. Police, fire brigade...

Do you know, I think it is some sort of commander's, for ceremonial purposes.

-Yeah.

-So whether it's when they're on parade and you've got your finery on,

you've got all your silver buttons polished up and things.

How close do you think we could get to 80?

Oh, a bit more than that, no, definitely a bit more than that.

-How much more?

-Well...

-Putting you on the spot a bit.

-Putting me on the spot. 120?

-Can we meet in the middle, Enid, and say 100?

-110.

-I'm a hard woman.

-You are a hard woman! 105.

-OK.

-And a kiss.

-Absolutely.

Lovely. Despite having sealed her deal, Anita is still wholly occupied at the lot down the road.

I keep seeing lovely things. It's a wee bit small.

Sometimes I like having things like that just to sort of lie on my dressing table, you know.

Even though you couldn't wear it, yes.

And at £15, it may be worth it just as an ornament.

-I mean, can it be done for 10?

-Oh, I'm sure we could do that for 10. There we go.

So, Anita has spent a mere £35 on an amber seal and a jade bracelet,

while her rival has already blown a packet on a whistle.

-£105 there, Enid.

-Oh, never mind.

Tell you what I'll do - five pounds back for a luck penny.

That's so kind of you.

I'm sure it all helps.

Well, I'm absolutely thrilled with that, but it's just a hop, skip and a jump to my next shop.

Steady, old boy. Hopefully the best things in this shop aren't hidden under the dog.

That's a pretty little brooch. "H Samuel, largest watchmaker and jewellers in the world," it says.

"Market Street, Manchester, and London, Glasgow and Cardiff," no less.

And all principal cities.

That is a charming little art nouveau brooch,

probably in gold, set with a little bit of turquoise.

It's a beautiful thing.

-It'll be out of my price range, I'm sure, but I love the box.

-Yes.

-Go on, hit me with it.

-70.

-70.

I don't often buy jewellery.

-Well, would 50 help you?

-It would help me a lot.

-But I couldn't do any better.

-You couldn't go lower than 50?

-No.

Not 45?

-Go on, then.

-Go on what?

-45.

Thank you.

When Anita was here earlier, there were a lot of antiques to choose from.

Now there are a few less. But still quite enough for Mark.

This might be a good sign. This has been in here so long in the window

that it's faded the price ticket. This is sometimes called Satsuma ware

after the region in Japan it comes from. You can see here it's got a signature

and then that little mark there is the mon for the prince of Satsuma.

So that shows it's come from that area.

Satsuma earthenware originated in Japan in the late 16th century and is still produced today.

It's usually brightly enamelled.

I think I read that as 28.

-Are you able to negotiate on behalf of the dealer?

-I could do it for £20.

I'm going to take that, Pat.

So, while Mark oversees the wrapping of another potential bargain...

That's lovely, Pat. Thank you.

..Anita drives a few short miles to Abbotsford

To visit the home of the great poet and novelist Sir Walter Scott.

He was the first English language author to have a successful international career as a writer

in his lifetime for romantic novels like the Lady of the Lake and Ivanhoe.

And Anita is here to meet Jason Dyer, of the charity that safeguards the estate.

-Hi, Jason.

-Hi, Anita. Welcome to Abbotsford and the home of Sir Walter Scott.

Tell me when this building was built. It's in the Scottish baronial style.

It is, and it's the first in the Scottish baronial style.

So Sir Walter Scott started building in 1811 and he completed the house in 1824.

This is the study, so this is where Scott actually wrote many of his later novels.

And this is?

And this is his original desk where he wrote those novels,

so it really is the beating heart of the house, if you like.

And in the desk his spectacles are still there,

his Thomas Coutts cheque-book that he would've used is still there, so quite incredible.

And also his indexing system that he used for the various books around the shelf.

There are 2,000 books normally in the study,

and these were books he was working on right up until his death.

So it has an incredible atmosphere, this room.

Not only did Sir Walter Scott virtually invent the historical novel,

but he was also a great collector of historical objects.

People would send him significant artefacts from all over the world,

which inspired both novels and non-fiction like his biography of Napoleon.

According to the museum, the wood in this chair grew at the place

where Scottish rebel leader William Wallace was captured,

and the timber in this box came from the Spanish Armada.

OK, Anita, so this is just a few of the items that Scott was collecting.

-Quite an incredible array in this case here.

-This is intriguing me.

"A piece of oat cake found in the pocket of a Highlander on the field of Culloden."

Yes, incredible if that is what it is, actually, that it survived all this time.

Quite often Sir Walter did want to prove that what he was collecting is what it was meant to be,

but sometimes you have grey areas around some objects.

-He liked doing the detective work.

-He did, yes.

Scott's incredible collection at Abbotsford

also includes several famous locks of hair,

as well as some precious possessions that have rarely been handled.

What about this crucifix here?

Yes, the crucifix is an important object in the case.

It's believed to be the crucifix that Mary, Queen of Scots took to her execution.

We'd like to think if Sir Walter Scott's done the detective work,

that is what it is, and if it is then it really is something that's been held by history.

One of the central features in this case is the blotting book that belonged to Napoleon.

-Is it possible to have a look?

-Of course it is, yes.

I am going to have to ask you to put some gloves on, I'm afraid, so we can handle these.

-I have never looked inside before.

-So it's an adventure for both of us!

There is this letter here, which again I've never actually looked at before,

so it'll be quite interesting to see if we can make out what it says.

It says, "This sealing case was left by Napoleon on his writing table in the Palace of the Elysee

"in 1815." As he was obviously making his escape, he left this behind.

Do you want me to open it to see if we find any other surprises inside?

We have got what looks like some letters.

And this one does seem to say something about Napoleon

and it is some of his hair.

It's wonderful!

'I take the liberty of sending you some of Napoleon's hair.'

So that is amazing.

-So this is a find of really some significance?

-I think so, yes.

We just didn't know it was there. That's quite incredible.

Amazing.

I mean, Scott would have a wide circle of influential friends

throughout Europe

and they would know about his passion for collecting.

-Definitely.

-And they would send him perhaps this type of thing?

-Indeed.

He had a whole series of people who went out and collected for him.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

-We did it together.

-We did indeed, yes.

I wonder if the significance of what Anita has found has sunk in yet?

I mean, anyone can discover the odd bargain, but the emperor's hair?

(FRENCH ACCENT) Incredible!

The very next day in fact,

Jason invited Anita to return for an update on their incredible find.

The flurry of e-mails I've had back from various different people

all saying it's an exciting find and, for some of them, because

they've seen it referenced in his letters, even more powerful to them

because then it matches up an object in the collection to something

that's mentioned in his letters

that they've never been able to find before.

Did this really happen? Now we really know for certain that it did.

-The provenance is there.

-Yes.

And what is incredible, when you look at that lock of hair,

when you compare it to the other locks of hair we've got in the case,

they're all bleached white by the sun,

-yet this, you see the actual colour of Napoleon's hair.

-What a story!

Indeed! And a real first for the road trip too.

Bravo!

Back on the road

and our trippers are taking the easy way out of the borders.

Mark, the second day of our third leg.

And there's just a conversation between us.

-Are we secret?

-Are we secret? Tell me what you bought.

-No.

Well, strictly hush-hush,

but Anita's spent just £35 on two wee things

including a jade bracelet

so she now has £343.60.

-Bye bye.

-Thanks now. Bye bye.

While Mark lavished £165 on three items.

Not least, a very collectable whistle,

leaving him with just £162.44.

Today's minor excursion is from Melrose to Sunderland,

calling in first at Kelso.

-Look up there. There's something for you there, Anita.

-What's that?

-Retirement apartments.

-Watch it!

THEY LAUGH

-Melrose Abbey, that's fabulous.

-Melrose Abbey?

-Uh-huh.

-We're in Kelso.

-Oh, Kelso Abbey.

I think we'll nip to those apartments sooner than I thought(!)

And you've got a lovely market to go and explore.

There will be hundreds of bargains in that market

and I'll buy one for you.

I look forward to seeing it, Anita.

-A Rolls-Royce spanner.

-An old spanner. This man's better than me.

-Would this work in a Morris Minor?

-Nah.

I quite like this piece here.

The wee jockey. We would put this into a decanter.

Birmingham hallmark.

But the date letter's a wee bit obscured,

but I think we're maybe thinking about '20s, '30s.

I would be estimating it around about £20.

-I think you'll make a lot more money than £20 for it.

-Do you think so?

-But you're selling it to me.

-Yeah, yeah.

-You're a good salesman.

-Since I would like you to win the competition...

-Oh, wow!

-20?

-I would be prepared to sell it to you for £20.

-Give me a kiss.

Thank you. £20. I hope this little jockey gallops past the post.

-We're looking forward to first place again.

-Thanks very much. Thank you.

I'm always interested in fountain pens

and I also like to see a nine-carat gold nib.

There's three here

and we've got two quite plain ones

and this quite jazzy affair here.

What kind of price can you do on the three?

-£22?

-Uh-huh, that's too much.

-20?

-Still too much on them.

-Can I make you an offer?

-Certainly.

-Could you do those for 12?

-Yes, all right.

-Could you do them for 12?

-Uh-huh.

-That would be great.

No sooner has Anita pocketed her pens,

then she's accosted by a tall, dark stranger.

-Sorry to interrupt.

-Hi.

-Are you looking for stuff for your competition?

-Yes.

My car's parked just around the corner

and I've got an item you might be interested in.

-Lead on. I'm intrigued.

-All right.

You know what that is straight away.

-Is that a lovely piece of Carlton Ware?

-No, it's not.

-Is it Crown Devon? OK.

-With a lid.

Oh, that's a lovely bit.

Crown Devon originated in a pottery in Stoke-on-Trent,

which used to be called the Railway Works

until it was reinvented in 1912.

-Still got the original label on it.

-Label on the bottom, yeah.

What price are you looking for on it? Tell me your minimum.

-No, you tell me...

-No, tell me your minimum.

-30?

-30.

And I'm sure you'd make a profit on that, even with the nick.

-OK, let's do it. It's a deal.

-Super.

-Lovely, thank you very much.

Thank you.

Anita's really made the most of her market experience,

while Mark has left Kelso far behind,

as the road trip takes him 22 miles south-west to Hawick.

Antiques Centre. Ah, now, this is it.

They've even got a vintage car which is better than ours.

Might come in handy if the Morris has an off-day too.

But there are plenty of smaller, less mobile items

on display as well.

This is a very sweet little Victorian miniature frame,

I suppose for maybe a lady to put on her dressing table,

with a photograph of her loved one on.

It's very highly decorated with these, sort of, flowering scrolls.

It's a little ram's head here, and it's a very pretty little object.

Something that I think would be highly collectable these days.

And it does look in good condition. Mind you, the price is 48.

It's rather charming.

While Gail goes to blow up a storm with the dealer,

Mark gets the scent of another possible purchase.

Well, now that's a bargain.

I couldn't possibly.

I couldn't, could I?

Come over here.

Sorry. Follow me.

I've brought you into this quiet room,

because you know how Anita is always going on about her beautiful pieces

of Murano glass, and they've never got any labels or anything on them.

Well, here we have a glass vase by Murano

with not a label but two labels.

And it's got a price label, and it's priced at £4.

Murano glass was produced originally

on the Adriatic island of the same name.

The glassmakers were allegedly encouraged to move there

from nearby Venice because of Medieval 'ealth and safety concerns.

News that the dealer will take a very reasonable £28

for the silver frame prompts Mark to go for a deal.

Listen, I'm going to go for this at 28,

and I daren't ask you for a discount on four, dare I?

-No, you wouldn't.

-Wouldn't I?

-Yes, you would, but no.

-You're not getting one.

-Well, I think that's fair enough.

Mark's in the frame and the shopping is over.

Now, auction day looms heavy on the horizon.

Mark courageously spent £197 on five auction lots.

The silver easel frame,

the Murano glass vase.

The Victorian cased whistle with the lion-head buckle.

WHISTLES

The art nouveau brooch and the Satsuma vase.

Anita, meantime spent exactly £100 less, £97, also on five lots.

The Crown Devon jar, the fountain pen set,

the silver bottle stopper,

the jade bracelet, and the cut glass desk seal.

What do they have two say about each other's proud purchases?

The brooch, 45, a bit dear, but the gold is high just now

so you might just get away with that.

She brought out that little seal. In my mind it's a reproduction. The glass is too clear.

-The silver is too clear.

-He bought glass, it had no quality at all.

Absolutely no quality.

After starting out in the Borders at Melrose this

leg of our trip will be decided in Sunderland at the auctioneers Boldon Auction Galleries.

-Are you nervous?

-No, I am excited.

-And so you should be.

-You never know.

-It's not over until the end of the sale.

-Until the fat lady sings.

That's not you Anita, is it?

Wearsiders and Tynesiders have gathered to get a good look at the lots.

Giles Hodges, the man with the hammer has his own views on what

Mark and Anita are selling.

There is a pretty little jade bangle.

Anything oriental, Chinese, flavour of the month at the moment.

My favourite by far is the Victorian silver whistle. I think it's lovely.

I'm hoping it will make 200 to 300.

We'll see where we are that when we are on the rostrum.

-The proof of the pudding.

-Excitement mounts.

-Yes.

-All right, Anita(!)

-Yes!

First, Mark's Victorian frame.

I'm bid 15 to start it. Straight in at 15, 18, 20, 22, 25, 28,

30, 32, 35, 38, 40, 45,

45 we're upstairs right.

-I thought more than that.

-Make no mistake at 45.

That's a bit disappointing.

Especially after commission.

45 is a profit at the end of the day. £17.

Anita's Crown Devon jar.

40 straight in. 40, 45, 50, 55, at £55.

Anybody else feel free. At £55 and all done.

That was very good.

Actually almost twice what she paid.

Next Mark's Murano. Was it a bargain?

£5 bid for it somebody.

Fiver and away. A couple of pounds to start with.

£2 bid on the front, 4, 6, £6. At six pounds.

Front row at six. At £6. All done? At £6.

Definitely not what Mark had hoped for.

-£6 for that!

-That's all it was worth.

-Next the fountain pens from Kelso market.

-20 to start.

At £20 for the three. Two anybody now? 22 the lady has bid. At £22.

25, yes or no? All done at £22.

-785...

-That's a nice £10 profit, Anita.

Well done.

Less commission, of course.

Mark's art nouveau gold brooch next.

I have two commission bids. We start at £55. 60, £55. 60 anybody?

At £55, last chance. At 55, commission bid.

-That was a very good price.

-That was not too bad.

Thanks in part to a late discount from the dealer.

-You are lucky to get out of that one.

-Really?

-Yes.

Next the little silver jockey stopper.

I am bid 15 to start it, at £15.

18 anybody? At 15, 18, 20, 2, At £22 the bid's upstairs.

25, 25.

Once costs are deducted she's just got her money back.

-I'm surprised at that.

-Mm hm.

Now Anita's jade bracelet.

I've got two bids and 30 starts me.

35, 40, 45, 50, 55.

I'm out. £55,

60 anybody? £55 and we're away at 55.

-Well.

-Yes.

-Well, over five times what it cost.

-Well done Anita.

You got an eye for picking these bids.

-Don't be jealous. Next, Mark's Satsuma vase.

-£45.

-£45.

-50, 55, 60, the bid's

upstairs at 60. Anybody else left?

All done at 60.

-Good. Good.

-I'm pleased with that.

-So you should be.

I was thinking 40 and 50. 60 is above my expectations.

-It made its price.

-I'm pleased.

Now the amber desk seal.

Will the bidders give it the stamp of approval?

Commission bid straight in at £5 to start with.

5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20

£20 the bid's upstairs. £20. All done? At 20.

It could've been worse.

Sadly after auction costs it will be.

At least he got to 20. Well done, auctioneer.

-Now for the once forgotten whistle.

-I'm bid 100 to start it.

-Oh gosh.

-120, 140, 160, 180, 200, 220,

240, 260, 280.

At 280, £280 for the last time, at 280.

-That's good.

-Yes.

That real treasure has put Mark back in the lead.

In a fine sale it might have made a bit more

-but I'm thrilled with that. I'm pleased with that.

-I'm happy you're happy.

-Thank you.

We're all happy.

A good day in Tyne And Wear and especially for Mark Stacey.

Mark began with £327.44 and made £168.72 after auction costs.

So he has £496.16 to make merry with.

Anita started this round with £378.60

and made £48.14 after auction costs leaving her

with £426.74 for the road ahead.

-Mark, that's our third auction over.

-Absolutely.

-There was one each and now you're on top.

-I'm on top.

-2-1 to me. It's like a tennis match.

-Uh-huh.

-Just promise me one thing.

Keep buying small things and making small profits.

I'll be really happy. Leave the big profits to me, all right?

-We'll see what happens next time.

-Later on Mark gets cheeky.

-I love cheeky offers.

-Do you like cheeky offers?

-I do.

Anita gets sentimental.

-# I belong to Glasgow Dear old Glasgow town.

-#

And the little Morris has a minor mishap.

That's coming up later, but first Anita Manning Mark Stacey and the little Morris Minor

they call Bluebell are heading from Scotland to Yorkshire

-You've got to roll your Rs.

-What do you mean by Rs?

Anita from Glasgow was Scotland's first female auctioneer

and she likes to keep prices low.

What have you got for 20 pence?

While Mark, a dealer from Brighton, is happy to enlist help from on high.

Please, please, huge profits.

But unfortunately there's been a cruel twist of fate.

Broken down Bluebell is now convalescing in the garage

and our experts are stranded on the road trip.

Poor wee Bluebell.

-The radiator's gone.

-Do you know when that water was spouting out of

-the grill it looked as if she was crying.

-I know.

-And the shop's just up the road.

-Come on.

-Let's go.

Mark and Anita began with £200 each

and have already added a handsome sum.

Mark goes into today just ahead with £496.16 to spend

while Anita has £426.74.

This road trip travels from the Cairngorms via the charming

cities of Edinburgh and Durham,

to Thirsk in North Yorkshire.

This leg begins in St Helens, Bishop Auckland, County Durham,

and heads, Bluebell permitting, for auction in Darlington.

This is exciting. Another treasure trove.

-A hoard.

-First shop is something different.

A peculiar pile where bargains can be found amongst bric-a-brac.

But which, dear experts, is which?

What on earth is that?

It's a little brooch, believe it or not.

It is made of little paw of an animal.

Anita soon grabs Yvonne for demonstration of the finest

in low fidelity.

-We wind it up from here.

-I Belong To Glasgow.

I don't believe that. I do not believe that!

# I belong to Glasgow Dear old Glasgow town

# There's nothing the matter with Glasgow

# Cos it's going round and round

# If I get a couple of pints on a Saturday

# Glasgow belongs to me. #

THEY LAUGH

-And we've got a radio here as well.

-That's the Bush one.

-Bakelite.

They always take a few minutes to warm up.

The radio is priced at £58 and the gramophone at £45,

but perhaps, if Anita promises not to start singing again,

she might get that down.

-I could be interested in both of these things.

-Right.

For £35 - is that possible?

-If you was to say to me 50 for the two...

-50 for the two.

Could you bring it to 40? What about 45 and then we're like...

-We're like nearly there.

-Yes.

-See in this game every pound counts.

-It does, it really does.

-Could we half it again?

-42.

-Could we go 42?

-That'll be all right.

-Could we do that?

-We'll do that.

That's so kind, that's great.

Next door, Mark's got sporting goods in his sights.

This is a sort of shoulder of mutton.

A gun case.

You open it here and then you put your shotgun and things in there.

Not that I know about these things

because I'm not a member of the hunting and shooting brigade.

Then you, I guess, put it over your shoulder, something like that,

so when you go hunting it's out of the way

and when you're ready to shoot whatever it is you're going to shoot

you can get your gun out.

I don't like the price. It's marked up at £68.

But whilst he's pondering that unusual target,

something a little more traditional comes into view.

This is a Chinese vase.

It's called cinnabar lacquer

which is the red lacquer cut out with this black design.

It does actually give quite a dramatic effect.

I'm looking to see the delicacy of the carving.

-It's quite a dramatic vase. Yvonne, I like this vase.

-Yes.

-It's a shame it's not 19th century! You've got 65 on it.

-Yeah.

What sort of movement could you do on that?

I could do 45 on it.

45, that does help me a bit.

I could maybe do you a bit better price on the gun case.

If I got 45 for that, then you give me 40 for that,

how does that sound?

It sounds reasonable-ish.

Can I be terribly cheeky, Yvonne, without offending you?

-Never take offence.

-Thank you.

I just wonder if we could do the pair for 75.

-Yeah, all right, Mark.

-Are you sure?

-You've got to have a chance as well.

-Are you sure?

-Yeah, that's fine, Mark.

-Give me a kiss.

-Ah, thank you.

This is a lovely little Cloisonne buckle.

I love Cloisonne ware.

The patterns are made by little wire sections made up

and filled with coloured, glazed enamels.

They make this wonderful pattern.

It's not a silver back, which I would love to see.

It's a brass back,

but I worry slightly that it's not a useful object.

After a quick shuffle through the cabinet...

I've found a little bronze which I think is charming.

It's quite nicely modelled and I like the patina,

which is the surface of the bronze.

I think it's probably from the 1930s. He's sweet, isn't he?

I need to be getting him for about 30 quid.

So, £39 less than he is priced at

and the label on the buckle says £29.

Yvonne, I'm thinking him round about 40.

I'd be looking to say in the region of £10 on the Cloisonne.

That could be 40.

Could you go 12 on that so we are doing 52 on the two items?

-All right.

-Shall we go for it?

-We'll go for it. I

-love these items.

-Yeah.

That's what I do, I buy things that I like.

Yeah.

Anita seems to be making great strides today

and Mark's no slouch either with yet another Oriental find.

This is quite interesting.

This is not complete, it should have a cover on it.

It has got a hair crack but it's a piece of Chinese porcelain.

It's typically decorated in a palette known as Imari.

The use of these iron reds and blues and a bit of gilding.

No great shakes, really,

but it is 18th-century and I was just thinking it's priced at 22,

but I might if she will put it in with the cinnabar lacquer.

They're both Chinese, so there's a link there.

And, you know, two birds are better than one. No.

What is that expression? Two heads are better than one, but that doesn't fit, does it?

I'm getting all confused.

Yvonne, I was going to make you a terribly cheeky offer on it.

Go on, Mark, I love cheeky offers.

-Do you like cheeky offers?

-I do, I do.

SHE LAUGHS

I'm going to offer you... You won't slap me, will you?

I've got to hear it first, go on.

-A fiver.

-Argh!

-A fiver, and I'll put it in with the Chinese vase.

-That's shocking, isn't it?

-It is shocking. Aren't I awful?

Let me examine this, let me have a look at this.

-Where's this damage...

-You see, look.

Yes, it is, actually.

It would have had a nice cover with a dog of Fo finial or something.

Do you know what? I've never noticed that before.

I'm being very cheeky with you, Yvonne,

and you have every right to slap me and say, "Go away."

-Oh, go on.

-Are you sure?

-Yeah.

SHE LAUGHS

-Love our kisses.

-We do love our kisses

and...I think that makes a nice addition to the lot.

While Mark's schmoozing threatens to nab him the entire stock...

-Thanks, Mark.

-My change in my pot.

-Good luck.

-Thank you very much, Yvonne.

..Anita has sensibly called a cab to take her to the next shop,

and is travelling from St Helen Auckland to Cleadon.

Anita soon finds herself amongst a mix of antiques,

gifts and bright-eyed cats.

This is Griselda Hill.

Griselda Hill pottery bought over the name of Wemyss and the patterns of Wemyss.

Wemyss was that wonderful Fife pottery of Robert Heron and Sons.

This is quite typical of Wemyss Ware, with these wonderful, wonderful cabbage roses.

If this was an early 20th-century Wemyss cat,

it would be worth thousands of pounds.

But people love it, and no wonder.

But the big Wemyss cat is £195, well outside her budget. Time to get a move on, Anita.

This is also Wemyss Ware, and at £42, a bit more realistic.

I'd love to buy a piece, but I don't know

if I can make a profit on it, but I would like to buy it.

The profit's the thing.

Because they're still being produced,

they're not going to reach high prices in auction.

-Would it be possible to buy that for, say, 20?

-Go on, then.

-Will we do it?

-Yes. Go on.

Meanwhile, the competition has also hailed a cab,

possibly driven by one of Mark's legion of loyal fans.

-You look very familiar.

-They always say that.

He probably thinks I'm David Barby.

I wonder if I'll get away with saying, "Is that your very lowest fare?"

Cheeky. I don't know.

Mark's travelling from St Helen's Auckland to Stanley, to visit Beamish.

This open-air museum is a specially created village,

made up of authentic buildings, hand-picked from the surrounding area,

to help tell the story of the North East, from Georgian to Edwardian times.

Look at that.

The village is described as a living museum that the public can experience first-hand.

It's the original Beamish colliery which dominates the landscape.

-Well, dressed like that, you have to be Richard.

-Hello.

-I'm Mark.

-Hello, Mark.

-Very nice to meet you.

-Welcome to Beamish.

Behind the scenes at Beamish is a vast archive of material

which can't be displayed in the village,

and Mark is here to find a few of the treasures they hold.

What we've pulled out for you here is a really special collection,

relating to a huge mining disaster just a mile up the road at Stanley.

This shows all the men and boys who died in the mine.

168 people lost their lives in a huge explosion.

Between 150 and 200,000 people turned up to the funeral in Stanley.

There were 15,000 people at the top while they were rescuing the people,

because it was this huge spectacle, huge disaster,

and people waiting to hear the news of their brother and their son.

-And their loved ones.

-And their children.

There were children aged 13 down the mine that were killed.

Well, Richard, I'm from South Wales, another great mining area.

We've had our own shares of disasters in the past.

I'm from a family of miners - my father and a lot of his brothers were miners.

I remember as a child going up to the pits,

and it was a very scary place, very scary indeed, even in the 1970s.

I remember my father telling me that his brother was killed in a mining accident,

so it was very, very hard work. Very hard work.

Mining sure was a tough business, but there's a strong tradition

of the men creating works of art in their short, precious spare time.

-This is miners' folk art?

-Folk art made by the range at night.

Tell me about this, because this is really quite weird, isn't it? Is this wood in there?

It's dropped in in the shape of a cross, it's called God In A Bottle.

God In A Bottle?

It would sit on the mantelpiece or in the corner of the room,

and was thought to have slightly mysterious, magical qualities.

It is something rather eerie about it, isn't it?

It is a bit like a ship at the bottom of the ocean,

the bits and pieces floating around.

Or, alternatively, you could maybe say it's Damien Hirst.

-A Damien Hirst, a very early one.

-A very early one.

I do love all this.

This is old Player cigarette cards,

-and they've got all the faces going so neatly around.

-Beautifully inlaid.

When I look at an item like that, I think of who made it

and how they would smile and laugh, if we were stood here now

in the middle of a museum.

I can't imagine what they would be calling us.

It would be hilarious, wouldn't it?

Now, for sheer authenticity, that cab beats everything,

but it may take some time to get back to the hotel. Bye, Mark.

Oh, Anita, look.

Anita and Mark are heartened by a temporary replacement

to their much-loved Morris Minor.

Yesterday, Mark bought three items for £80, including a leather gun case.

It's a man bag. You could keep a nice bottle of gin in there.

Anita bought five items at a cost of £114, and had a sing-along.

# I belong to Glasgow

# Dear old Glasgow town. #

But has it made them happy?

-Smile, Mark.

-Smile, Anita. Smile!

-Smile, Mark.

-Smile, Anita.

Leaving Stanley far behind,

the road trip is heading for a place known as Willington.

Hello, there, how are you doing?

-Hello, I'm Mark.

-Morning.

-Nice to meet you.

Haggis Antiques feels a bit like a museum,

with reminders of local life gone by

and plenty of quirky pieces to catch the eye.

I think this is a darning mushroom,

and it's the sort of thing that a lady would have used to darn socks,

and the sock would have gone over there, and you can make repairs.

Of course, we throw them away these days.

Normally, these are very plain, but actually, this one is quite nice.

It's got all the geometric inlay in it.

It will probably date to the Edwardian period.

It's got a nice feel, it's been well worn.

Now, what's this?

I just wonder whether maybe a whaler, out on the seas for many months,

has found some of the floating shale or something,

and has decided to use a bit of old brassware that they found

and make some sort of water-carrying vessel.

I think that's rather intriguing.

You've got £30 on the liquid carrier.

-Yes.

-I was rather hoping we could get the two of them for 15 quid.

-Oh, £15.

-Is that too cheeky?

-Yes. I'm thinking those for you...

erm...would be 25.

-Could we do a round figure of 20?

-I think we could, yes.

-Are you sure?

-Yes, I think we could.

-Let me shake your hand.

-Smashing.

Actually, could I just have a look at the little coin in the envelope?

-You certainly can, yes.

-This is probably a full sovereign.

The weight just doesn't feel the right balance to me in my hand.

-Yeah.

-It feels too thin.

I wouldn't like to sell you that, to say that it was a gold coin.

No, I don't think it is gold.

I honestly think it is some sort of token.

But I think you could probably have a nice little punt at that,

because it would attract people who are interested in gold at the moment,

-and might know a little bit more than I do.

-Yes.

-So I think for you to have a little bit of fun with it, how about a £10 note?

-Oh, gosh.

It is tempting, isn't it? It is tempting.

-Do you know, I am going to do that.

-Yeah?

-Ten quid.

-Smashing.

-I'm just going to have a bit of fun.

-Best of luck with it.

Reunited, our experts are heading for the day's final shopping opportunity.

That was a little draft, I'll put the window up.

Hello.

Mark has already had a full day, but he just can't resist one more shop.

Let us hope that we might be able to find something I want to buy.

Hi.

Across the street, Anita still has lots of cash and plenty to choose from.

Works perfect.

And then, she's rather tempted by a picture, or two.

This is a chalk drawing

of a charming little boy, I would imagine.

He's very sweet.

Well-executed.

It's obviously a pair.

We do have an artist's signature on this one.

I like those.

For the two items, there's a current asking price of £140,

but maybe not for long.

I would put an estimate of £50-£80 on the pair.

I would have thought £120.

I couldn't sell them for less than £120.

£120? Could you come down a bit more, to £100?

If you could come down to £100, I feel I might have a chance,

and I would be willing to take that chance on it.

-Go on. I'll let you off.

-Aw, thank you!

I realise you've got strong competition.

Speaking of which, how is Mark getting on?

This is a little bottle cooler.

It's a nice little think, actually.

It's very crisply engraved.

What they've done here is put a little bit of hot glass on there.

Then they've teased it out with a tong,

to make that lovely little delicate scroll.

But what I do like is the lovely engraving on the glass here.

This is priced up at £25, which is not a lot of money,

but if I was putting it into sale, I'd put it in at £20-£30.

It might be worth a risk. I like the quality of it.

Sadly, the shopkeeper's a bit shy.

So we'll just eavesdrop. I wonder what he looks like.

Do you think £18 is the very least you would take?

Are you sure if I can't tweak you down just one more pound?

Maybe £17?

-SHOPKEEPER:

-Go on. You've said all the right things.

Right. After some hard negotiation, and sweet-talking,

I've bought it for £17, and I've got my £3 change.

I'm going to get out of here pretty sharpish.

Mark's quick getaway should take him on to the auction soon.

On this leg, Mark spent £127 on five lots.

The Chinese lacquer vase, with the Imari pot.

The mutton gun case.

The darning mushroom,

with maritime gourd nut.

The Georgian sovereign, and the Victorian wine cooler.

Whilst Anita has spent a daring £214,

also on five lots.

The bronze bust,

the Victorian cloisonne buckle,

the Wemyss jam pot,

the pastel portraits,

and the gramophone, with records.

Plus the Bakelite Bush radio.

And with all that great loot,

Anita and Mark must surely

have impressed each other.

Those pair of paintings - are YOU scared?

I'm very scared.

The coin, I'm just not sure about.

He's not sure either, but he's taken a punt.

I'm going to call it "a sovereign with a question mark".

And we'll let the auctioneer decide what he thinks.

With Barnard Castle behind them,

Anita and Mark head east, to Darlington.

Thomas Watson auction house awaits them.

Are you leading me astray again?

I think I'm going up a No Entry sign.

Guess what?! Bluebell is back!

Still no sat nav, though.

"Darlo" folk have crowded in

to soak up the lots, including Mark's misplaced vase.

But what does auctioneer Peter Robinson

think about what Mark and Anita have entered,

and especially that coin?

I'm not sure what it is, to be quite frank.

It's definitely a gold coin, and it's definitely of a period.

It's not a fake.

Today, we will leave that to the bidders.

Time for the nerves to jangle.

I'm getting butterflies.

Mark's Chinese lot,

together again.

-£15, for the two pieces together.

-Oh, no.

£20, £25, £30, £35. £40.

It's going up.

£35, second row, I have.

At £35, £40, £45.

At £40. Gentleman has it upstairs now.

HAMMER BANGS

£40. That's down £10, Anita.

And down a bit more, after commission.

I've got to now claw that back somehow.

Next, Anita's bronze bust.

At £20.

£25, can I have?

£25, I'm bid.

£30 for it?

At £25. It's on the net at £25. Nobody in the room?

£30, I have. Thank you.

At £30, bid. £30.

At £35, anywhere for it?

At £30, going to the net

at £30.

Being sold. £35, thank you. At £35.

-Nobody loved him.

-Well,

-I

-loved him.

Next, Mark's leather gun case.

£30.

At £30.

The gun case.

£35.

The internet's into this one.

At £35 for the leather gun case.

A nice furnishing item.

£40 for it. £40.

£50.

£45, back of the room.

That's up £15.

Disappointed.

Not exactly a flying start for either of them.

Onward, and downward.

I hope not.

Next, Anita's Victorian enamel buckle.

At £15, £20, can we say?

£20 is better.

£20, I have. £25?

£30. £35 is the next bid...

£35, or higher.

£40, sir? At £35, unusual lot. Cloisonne buckle.

£40, I have now. £45.

-£50, sir.

-Come on!

£50 bid in the room.

£50.

-That's good.

-That's a good result.

I'm happy enough with that.

I think that was its value, don't you, Anita?

Next, Mark's favourites.

The darning mushroom,

and the maritime gourd.

At £15, the two together.

£20 upstairs. £25. £30, £35.

£30 upstairs, in the balcony,

for the two pieces together.

In the balcony at £30 for the two together.

GAVEL BANGS

Well, Anita...

It's still profit, it's still profit.

But not much after commission.

I'm not terribly optimistic about the rest of it now, Anita.

Anita's cabbage rose jam pot.

At £30.

At £30. £35.

£35. £40.

£45.

£50. £55. £60.

At £55. Bid's on my right, beside me.

At £55...

Are we all finished now? Being sold at £55. All done.

-You must be pleased with that.

-I'm happy enough with that.

The star of the show, so far.

There is quality in the decoration.

Now for Mark's "sovereign with a question mark".

Is it, or isn't it?

It is slightly larger than a sovereign,

but it is a gold, 1826...

At £50?

At £60, £70, £80,

£90, £100.

-£100. £150.

-£150.

£160.

-£170.

-Yes!

£180.

-£190!

-£190.

£200.

Bid's on the net, at £200.

Being sold not for £220. You're out in the room.

Bid's with the net at £220. All done.

I'm absolutely staggered, Anita.

Whatever it was, someone wanted it badly.

You are a jammy bisom!

I wonder where I've learned that from (?)

SHE LAUGHS

I wonder(!)

Now, who will adopt these two adorable scraps?

I have £40.

Well, it's a start.

At £45.

At £50. £55.

£60, £65, £70, £75.

£80, £85.

£90. Lady in the balcony, at £90 for the pair.

Are we all finished?

At £90. All done.

GAVEL BANGS

It could have been worse, Anita.

It sure could, but an even bigger loss, I'm afraid, after commission.

Now Mark's last buy.

The Victorian wine cooler.

£30. At £30. £35

-£40.

-Oh, £40. £45.

£50, £55?

At £50, in the far corner, under the balcony.

'At £50, the wine glass cooler,

'being sold at £50 for the lot.

'Selling at £50. All done.

-GAVEL BANGS

-Well done!

That surprised me, Anita.

Now, anyone for a good old sing-along?

£30, bid.

At £35 now.

At £5, £40.

£50, £55. £60.

£60, at the back, now. £65. £70.

£70. All finished now.

At £70, for the two together.

-GAVEL BANGS

-Yes!

-That's good, Anita.

Dare I say, a "sound" return?!

I'm happy enough with that.

That's a reasonable profit.

It's not a "record" profit, though, is it?

SHE LAUGHS

Mark began with £496.16.

And made £188.70, after auction costs.

So he now has £684.86.

to splash about.

Anita started with £476.74,

and made £32 after auction costs,

leaving her with £458.74

to stage a fightback.

So, a good result for both of us, Mark.

And a very good result for you.

I'm very pleased. I'm very confident, Anita. Three-one.

-You just got lucky.

-What, three times?!

SHE LAUGHS And off we go.

Next time, on the Antiques Road Trip...

Anita, will you marry me? SHE LAUGHS

Will Anita's direct bargaining technique work out?

You've told me they are rubbish.

And will Mark's wish be granted?

Stop the road trip, I want to get off.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd