Episode 30 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?

-It's very good!

-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!

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

-Do you think I'd believe that?

-This is the Antiques Road Trip!

# Yeah! #

# I'm a road runner, honey

# Beep, beep #

-Today concludes the epic tour of David Harper...

-Come on, baby!

..and David Barby, affable but ambitious.

-My last chance to win!

-You want to get rid of me, don't you? I'm hurt!

Not at all! I shall suffer withdrawal symptoms!

THEY LAUGH

Don't believe a word of it.

Each man is desperate to win

and competition this week has been fierce.

-I think it's amazing...that they can reproduce things like this.

-Stop it!

David B was in the lead, but yesterday David H sneaked ahead by a mere £13.

-You're smiling.

-I'm trying not to.

-I wish you wouldn't.

So expect some tough negotiating, as like a penalty shootout,

today's events decide all.

-One of us, by the end of today, will be a winner.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-And one of us...

-Is going to be fired!

THEY LAUGH

They began with £200 each

and David B starts today with £655.59 to spend.

The other David has just a little bit more,

with £668.64.

This week, we're travelling in a Triumph TR3 through Ireland, north and south,

and then across Wales.

The winner will be crowned at an auction in Llanelli.

But we start out in England, at Hereford.

DREAMY MUSIC

Famous for cattle and cider,

Hereford is also the birthplace of several actors,

including Beryl Reid, the great David Garrick,

and allegedly Nell Gwyn.

Composer Edward Elgar was a resident

and wrote several of his most famous works here.

This is a very well-dressed Edwardian gentleman.

-This is Elgar.

-Is it Elgar.

-He's got a little notepad. They're the musical scores.

-I see!

-Getting inspiration from this wonderful building.

-As you would.

-Which way do we go? Over there? OK. Come on, let's go shopping!

-Oh!

I love antique centres. There's always lots of stock. That's what I like.

But as with most antique centres, the choice can be a little overwhelming.

It's one of these occasions when there's just too much to look at. You get bedazzled.

In amongst all these goods, David Harper has spotted something small and brown. Rubber gloves?!

I've never handled anything quite like this,

described as a "treen carved Brazil nut shell".

That's exactly what it is. "Treen" meaning any small piece of hand-carved wood.

For £28, you can have that on your side table.

-But, Richard...

-Yes?

What do you think...of that?

-Have you seen anything quite like it before?

-No, I haven't.

-No.

-It is quite interesting.

-It is. So the Brazil nuts are on the inside?

This is like the husk. That's how it grows, I believe.

What could that be for me?

-Erm, we could do that for £20 for you.

-20.

-Yes.

20 quid...

-I think I'm going to have to have it, don't you?

-Yes?

-Good man. Thank you very much.

Elsewhere, David Barby is less decisive. He knows what he likes,

but will it sell at auction?

Richard, I noticed that as I've been wandering around.

-What's the demand for it? Not high?

-Not high, I would say.

Ohh!

I've been through every single teapot and each one has a slight fault.

A bit of restoration, yes.

Look sharp, here comes a fellow tripper!

-Ooh!

-They just can't bear to be apart!

-We've been together on many occasions.

-No, we haven't.

-Yes, we have.

We're on our honeymoon.

You've made every moment worthwhile!

-We'll be getting divorced soon.

-That big sacrifice I made!

-Have you finished downstairs now?

-All done. Bought the lot. Nothing for you.

Well, hardly.

But at £185, this standish inkstand is a bit pricey.

I think... It's not flavour of the month,

but it's quirky enough, because it's tall, to be of interest.

-But they've gone off the boil.

-Yes.

So it's got to be at a very reasonable figure.

OK.

-I'll try!

-HE LAUGHS

-Go on, Richard, you tell him all that.

-Hello.

This is quite nice. It's late Victorian.

It's the sort of thing that a gentleman would have on his desk.

The pens would rest either side.

That would be for red ink, the other would be for blue ink.

And it could be taken from one room to another.

You'd put nibs in there, maybe sealing wax in that one,

and then you'd have envelopes.

At auction, that would sell for somewhere in the region of £80-90.

So it's got to be at a fairly reasonable price.

OK. Thank you.

125.

I think I'm going to bomb on it.

Step aside, Richard. Let's see the master at work.

I'm concerned if I buy it at the figure that you mentioned,

I don't stand a chance at auction.

Well, I was hoping round about 80.

That is very, very encouraging.

Would you split the difference at 90, sir?

I'm actually on my knees. Yes.

OK, they're going to film me going on my knees now.

So I'm on my knees and will be filmed!

£90. OK. You've got a deal. Thank you very much. Bye-bye.

And that is how the master does it.

So while David and inkstand part to see more of historic Hereford...

-Can I have a look at that little lacquered box there?

-..other David tries his skills.

-It's a tea caddy...

-Yes.

-..which is quite nice.

How old do you think this one is?

-18...80?

-It's got to be, hasn't it?

It's got that pagoda top, which is very Chinese, isn't it?

Inlaid with mother-of-pearl, which is gorgeous.

-Let's have a look at the caddy box.

-Let's get hold of that.

So that should slide, shouldn't it?

-Can you smell anything?

-It smells beautiful. Smell that.

-No. I still can't smell anything.

-For goodness, sake! Really?

-No. I can't, really.

-Can you smell my aftershave?

-Slightly.

-Poo!

-I poured loads on! I'm covered in aftershave!

-That's enough of that, thank you.

What's that going to sell for? Is it £30?

-I doubt it very much.

-No?

-I doubt it.

-Is it 20, then?

-No.

-Oh.

-No. No.

Er, it's got to be, I don't know,

-85?

-Ohh! Really?

-Mm.

-Really?

-Mm.

Could it be 40?

50 and you've got a deal.

I'll make it 45. And I'll buy you a cup of tea.

-You're a hard man!

-A lovely cup of tea!

I'll make it myself. I'll mix it and blend it and everything.

-OK.

-Marvellous. You're an absolutely dreamboat. Thank you very much.

-That's a beautiful...

-It is a beautiful piece.

I'm not sure you'll ever get that cuppa!

But while David H has been getting keen on that caddy, giving it a sniff,

poor old David B's had a drama. He's been involved in an accident!

You should've seen the other guy!

It's nothing like that! I tripped! I tripped!

I fell over a step no bigger than that

and wham! straight into one of those garden benches!

It split my eye just down there and my eyelid just down there.

Marvellous staff! Marvellous staff!

They patched it up and made it look rather attractive, rather like a sort of mosaic.

It looks rather nice, doesn't it?

I don't know about that. At least there may be a sympathy discount.

Luckily, his sparring partner is on hand

to give him a slightly bumpy ride and a bit of sympathy...

-Watch your speed, David!

-Thank you, David!

..travelling from Hereford to Merthyr Tydfil.

The town today is a very different place

from when it was the first industrial town of Wales.

Then its coal, iron ore, limestone and water

meant Merthyr made much of the iron and steel

that fuelled industrial Britain.

David is here to visit Cyfarthfa Castle,

the former home of an iron magnate and now the Museum of Merthyr.

-Hello, Scott. David Barby.

-Hi!

What a superb place. You're curator here?

That's right. I've been here for 11 years.

-Welcome to Cyfarthfa Castle.

-Thank you.

Is the museum devoted to one particular family,

-the Crawshay family?

-That's right, indeed.

The first member of the family, Richard Crawshay,

saw the potential of the Cyfarthfa Ironworks

and built it up to be the biggest ironworks in the world.

At the time of his death in 1810, he was worth £1.5 million,

-which in today's money is between three and four billion pounds!

-Goodness me!

Which puts him in the same league as Bill Gates.

When Richard died, his grandson William took over the works

and used some of that enormous wealth

to build the family's mock castle in the 1820s.

His son, Robert Thompson Crawshay,

decided that iron and steel just weren't enough. He needed a hobby.

He established this brass band amongst the workers.

He bought them all their instruments,

which were the very finest of their type.

And he also cheated by buying in professional musicians from the north of England

and giving them nominal jobs in the ironworks

just so they could be part of his band.

-Was there great competition at that time?

-There was.

And the resentment amongst the genuine worker bands in the area was such

that they'd go to huge lengths to sabotage Cyfarthfa at performance!

But it wasn't just music that upset the workers.

Theirs was an unhappy lot and they soon began to organise and fight for their rights.

This little box is a symbol of their struggle.

Merthyr Tydfil developed an extremely active Labour movement.

And in 1870, the grocer named William Gould

decided that there should be a device to ensure that elections were conducted freely and fairly,

hence, he had this ballot box developed.

It's quite a simple concept.

Each candidate had their own separate box

and each voter was given one token.

The idea was, you took your token, placed it in the top,

it would count the vote on the front and there was no danger of interference.

So, it's registering 119?

-That's right.

-That means the tokens are still inside.

It does rattle when we move it, so we guess there's probably a few tokens in there!

-You've never looked inside, have you?

-A bit too dangerous to open up!

I love the garden.

Meanwhile, chauffeur David Harper has headed off

through the Brecon Beacons,

making his way from Merthyr to Trecastle.

-CAR WHISTLES

-Not sure about that fan belt, David!

The shop includes the mysterious Kingdom of Rust,

and there's plenty here that you won't find in the usual antiques outlet.

-Hello, I'm David.

-I'm Margaret.

-Hello, Margaret. Lovely to meet you.

-And you.

-This looks nice.

-I hope there's something you'll be interested in.

I'm sure there will be, Margaret! Given time...

A nice set of hubcaps, for example, to hang on the wall.

Or some other bits of motoring paraphernalia.

Is that a book or a tin I see before me?

Now, there's a bargain. That is a very cheap thing. £5.

Probably in an auction will make...

..I don't know,

10, 20, 30, 40 pounds, depending on who's there.

But it probably won't be enough to beat Barby,

so today, I'll just have to leave that alone.

Tucked away behind the wardrobe, opportunity lurks.

These... You grab that one.

Let me grab that one.

I would imagine, then, that these things,

-they're obviously copper plates for printing, aren't they?

-They are.

How many have you got? About 15.

Margaret, I think these are probably from a metal manufacturer

who's created a catalogue, circa 1880.

What have we got there? It's some kind of range.

But look at the plate. It's so beautifully done.

-I've just seen something really quite important there.

-Right.

I don't know whether it'll make a difference to the price.

Can you read backwards?

I've got a job reading forwards, let alone backwards!

Look at that there. If you were to print that...

"Coalbrookdale".

-Wonderful.

-One of the best manufacturers

-of mainly cast-ironwares.

-Absolutely.

-Hold that, Margaret.

-You grip fast, Margaret.

-What else have we got here? It's a footman, isn't it?

-It is.

That's the kind of thing, in 1880, you would put in front of the fire

and you'd put your slippers on. How much are they?

-They're cheap.

-Are they?

-Very cheap for what they are.

How much each could they be?

Well, they should be about £8 each.

-No, they shouldn't!

-They should! Absolutely! Look at the quality -

Er, hello! It's says £4 each.

-You asked how much

-should

-they be!

-Oh, right! OK!

Hey, she's good. She's very good.

They are unique.

Do them for £2 each

and I'll have every single one you can throw at me.

-Don't tempt her.

-Every one, I'll have.

-No!

I mean, that's... It'd break my heart.

-CLANG!

-Whoops!

Margaret, I think... Was that you that dropped that or was it me?

It's definitely you, so they're worth £3 each now!

-She's good, isn't she?

-I'll give you £2 each, all done.

-Margaret, take my money.

-I can't!

-Take my money.

-I can't. I can't! No!

-DRAMATIC MUSIC

-I'll meet you halfway.

-Stick to your guns, Margaret.

Don't do it, Margaret!

This is really painful, you know that? It's grieving me to have to do this.

-It's great fun, you know it is.

-I know. Well...

It's what we get out of bed on a morning for. Come on!

It doesn't make any difference whether it's £2.50 or £250,000, it's the same feeling.

We love it!

-No!

-Marvellous. Marvellous.

As the proud owner of some old blocks,

his colleague has also moved on,

making his way from Merthyr to Brecon...

..a traditional mid-Wales market town,

which also has a not-so-traditional jazz festival

and some antique shops.

-Hello?

-Hello?

-Hello!

-Hello!

Don't let my appearance shock you. I'm David Barby.

-Hi. I'm Martha.

-Hello, Martha.

-Do you know what I'm here for?

-Yes!

-To get bargains!

Have a look around, if your eye allows you, that is.

I noticed in the window,

you've got a little sort of, erm, pink heart resting on some tiles.

-What are the tiles?

-I can get them out of the window if you want to have a look at them.

-Yes. How much are they?

-They're £6 each.

-Oh!

-Oh, no!

-I've come over all faint!

-Could I have a look at them, please?

-Of course.

-Thank you.

-Where do these come from?

-Are they off an old wash stand or maybe a fire surround?

-Yes. How much are they?

-£6 each.

Ooh! Come on! What's the very best you can do?

-The very, very best?

-Make me an offer.

HE SIGHS

-£2 each.

-Ooh!

-How many are you going to take?

-The lot.

-The lot.

-OK.

-£2.

-£4 each.

Two pounds! Two pounds!

-£4 each. That's 24, down from 36.

-Let's split the difference.

-£3 each. Please.

-No, 20, the lot.

-18.

-Oh, no!

-18. I'm going to buy something else!

-Are you?

-Yes!

If you buy something else, I may consider it.

OK, right.

Now, where's your penny section? SHE LAUGHS

Me bargain section?!

Why I like these, when I got married,

we had a collection of Victorian tiles.

And these are tube-lined Art Nouveau tiles.

There's no make on the back of them at all,

which is a bit disappointing, I would've liked to have seen a manufacturer's mark,

but all this is tube-lined here, rather like Moorcroft,

then in-filled with colour and glazes.

Those are quite nice. I like that.

JOLLY MUSIC

If David is going to have Martha's tiles, he's got to get something else in his basket.

-Martha, how much is this old snout head?

-You're one to talk!

395.

That's an unusual sum. Three pounds 95.

SHE LAUGHS

Right, thank you. It's a no-go.

There was a designer for Midwinter Pottery called Jessie Tait,

and she moved over to Meakin,

and this is one of her designs from the 1950s.

I think that's quite good. That's £22. That's quite a lot.

The, erm, Meakin...

-..coffee set...

-Mm.

22 on that.

-What did we agree on the tiles? 20?

-No, 18.

-18.

35 on the lot?

-Is that the very best you can do?

-Yes, it is.

I think that's a good little bundle. Don't you?

HE SIGHS

All right, £30 and that's it. I can't do any more.

-Go on then.

-£30.

-30.

-Martha, the coffee pot's chipped!

-Oh, no!

-Yes.

That's why it was priced cheap.

-Do you see it there?

-Yes, I can see it.

1960s... £22. Oh, no!

-It's chipped.

-I know, but you've knocked me so far down.

-It's priced accordingly.

-It's chipped.

-I said 28 originally and you said no.

-OK.

-Do you want it for 28 then?

-Yes, please.

-Right!

So he's got that coffee set for a tenner.

-There we are!

-Thank you very much!

Now, do go and rest that eye, David. The one that will shut.

Day two and our two travellers approach the end of their odyssey,

one of them a little battered and bruised.

-How's the big shiner, David?

-Well, I tried to coordinate my jacket with it!

That's the joy of green.

Yesterday, the Davids each bought three items,

with David Harper spending £102.50 on a carved nut, a tea caddy

and 15 engraving plates.

It'll break my heart!

While David Barby punched above his weight

with £118 on a 1950s coffee set, some Art Nouveau tiles

and an inkstand.

I'm on my knees!

They're heading for that auction in Llanelli, beginning in Brecon,

where David Harper makes his way to the barracks

to see the South Wales Borderers Museum.

-Bill.

-David.

-David Harper. Nice to meet you.

The regiment, which has been based in the town for over 120 years, has a fascinating history.

But it will be forever associated with just one word - Zulu.

This was the Anglo-Zulu War.

-My goodness me. There's some colour in here, isn't there?

-It certainly is.

The British invasion of Zululand in 1879

would be forgotten today were it not the Battle of Rorke's Drift,

where a tiny number of South Wales Borderers

defended a mission station against massive Zulu forces.

There's bravery all around here.

I mean, thousands and thousands of Zulus fighting with the knobkerries and the shields.

-One or two rifles.

-Yes.

-But that's it.

The British underestimated the bravery of the Zulu.

They were the elite of the Zulu Army.

They jogged 15 miles to Rorke's Drift,

they swam the Buffalo River and then fought for eight hours.

That's the mark of a Zulu.

A much larger British force was defeated in the battle before Rorke's Drift,

but as anyone who's seen the movie starring Michael Caine and Stanley Baker will know,

it was the way the Welsh regiment bravely marshalled their resources that saved them.

What I've got here, this is the Mark II Martini-Henry.

This is a real one from the period of the Zulu War.

-I fixed a 22-inch bayonet on it.

-Nice.

-The weight is about 8.5 pounds.

-Yes.

The thing you notice first is the long reach with the bayonet.

-It is a long reach.

-Yes, absolutely.

-Keep them at bay.

-It's a single-shot weapon and it's cocked by pulling this handle down.

-I know it.

-A single round goes into the breach.

-Lock it.

You then pull the trigger and it fires. There is no safety catch.

After eight hours of battle, the Zulu forces withdrew,

honouring the Borderers in song.

A record number of Victoria Crosses were awarded, with seven going to the 24th.

Although those on show are copies, David Harper is about to have a treat.

You are kidding, surely?

These are two of the actual Victoria Crosses.

-Oh, no. Bill, please.

-If I could ask you just to hold...

That's Henry Hook's Victoria Cross.

-You're joking?

-Which is the man on the right there.

-Made famous in the film.

-Indeed, by James Booth, who played him.

And this is Bromhead's Victoria Cross,

-which is the Michael Caine character.

-You are joking?

You're probably looking at over one million pounds there, in terms of value.

My goodness me! I've never handled anything

-quite as emotional and powerful as two Victoria Crosses.

-Indeed.

My goodness me!

It's an amazing, amazing feeling to hold those two.

Now, what about our own brave little soldier,

forcing on...

..blindly.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-David Barby.

-Tim Nelson.

-Hello, Tim.

David Barby has decided that as he's in Wales,

and has spent more time there than anyone else this week in A&E, he's going to buy something Welsh.

-There's a little salt box.

-That's nice. How much is that?

-Well, it's marked up at £120.

-Ooh!

-But I could do that for £90.

-That's what I like to hear.

-Was that made in Central Wales?

-Probably Carmarthenshire.

That would mount on the wall, preferably close to the fire,

and the salt would go in there,

and if you had a cauldron or a cooking range close to the fire, you'd take the salt out,

put it in your cooking to flavour it and it would keep dry.

The other thing I like, this little concession all the way along here, we call that chip carving.

I like that. I like that immensely.

-We're selling at...

-Where are you going?

-"Cllanelli".

-TIM'S PRONUNCIATION: Cllanethli.

-Is it... It's on the coast!

-Yes.

-Is it "Cllanethli"?

-Cllanethli.

-That's a possibility.

-Righto.

-That's a possibility.

-And what is that? Is that a chopping block?

-I think it's a chopping block.

-That's not particularly old, is it?

-I think it probably is, yes.

It's got a nice iron bar band round it.

I could do that for you for £90, that one.

It's a chopping block of some description.

-Can I just have a look underneath it?

-Yes, of course.

-And the legs look to be made of ash. The whole thing could be made of ash, couldn't it?

-Yes.

Is that the very best you can do? What happens if I took two pieces?

I couldn't do a great deal. But, er...

I'd do 160 for the two.

Right. What else have you got that is quirky?

-Let's have a look.

-You can have a look.

-I'm looking for that wow factor.

-Yes.

-I like the stool, actually.

-The stool's nice.

-What's the price on that?

-That's 55.

Why 55?

Why not? It just came into my head at the time!

THEY LAUGH

-I think that's quite high, actually.

-Do you?

-Yes.

-That's another possibility.

-Yes?

-Ohh!

Once more around the block...

It's such a weighty piece.

That means if somebody sat at it, it's not going to move.

And I love this sort of worn air,

and you can see the chop marks all the way across the top where it's been used.

Right.

-Tim! Can you believe I've made up my mind?

-Yes?

-I'm going for the salt box.

-Yes.

-And I'm going for the...

-..chopping block!

-Righto.

-And that was at 160.

-Yes. For the two, yes. Yes.

-I'm going to say something to you.

-Yes?

Could you just knock it down to 150? Please?

-OK.

-150.

-Yes.

Thank you very much. I hope I made the right choice.

So whilst one David staggers off, the other one nips in.

Now it's David Harper's turn to see what he can unearth.

Something stunning or sloppy seconds? We'll see.

-That carving on the wall...

-That's sold.

-Is it?

-Mm.

Then guess what. The shopkeeper says he has something David might be interested in.

-Now then. That's Aesthetic Movement, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Let me have a look at that material.

-Could be a bit of mileage in that.

-That's original material, isn't it?

-Yes.

-That's a lovely thing.

-So that is Japanese inspired. 1880?

-Yes, probably.

-No marks on it.

-No.

-Oh. There is something there, actually.

-Is there?

-Mm.

-That's good. What kind of money?

-£50.

-Is it?

-Yes.

-It couldn't be 30, Tim?

-No. 50 is the absolute...

-Is that the death?

-It is.

-Did Barby look at this?

-He did.

-Did he really?

-Yes.

-What did he say about it?

-He liked it very much.

Not enough to buy it, though.

-Just treat me a bit, Tim. Give me a chance.

-45.

-40, I'll have it.

-No. I can't. 45, it's a deal.

At this stage of the game, every fiver counts, I promise you.

-Go on, then. 40 quid.

-Good man! Top man! Thank you very much!

Barby didn't spot these bottles, though.

-Are these Welsh?

-Probably not, no.

They're obviously just fruitwood, or...

What's that there? It smells like an ointment Barby should put in his eye.

-It's TCP.

-It does smell like that, doesn't it?

-Does that say "chloroform"?

-Yes. You could use that on him, as well.

-We could sedate him, couldn't we?

-TIM LAUGHS

I daren't smell that too much. I might faint!

-Amazing. Where do these come from?

-They came out of a house of a chap whose father was a country GP.

They're lovely. What sort of money? Are they cheap?

-It depends what you call cheap.

-I call cheap very cheap. What do you call cheap?

-I would want... How many is there? Six of them.

-Yes.

I would want £45.

-£45?

-For the six.

How about a fiver each? That's 30.

-TIM SIGHS

-Ooh!

I'll split the difference, but that would be the death on them. 35.

-35. I have to have them.

-Righto.

Thank you very much. Marvellous. I absolutely love them.

Marvellous.

So, just what bacon have they brought home from Brecon?

The first object I bought was when we were at the same shop. Do you remember?

-OK. So late Victorian, Edwardian maybe?

-I think it's about 1880.

I don't know if I should guess how much you paid,

because sometimes I offend you, don't I?

-You tell me.

-I paid £90.

-I think it's quite good.

I was going to say 100 quid and I thought you would get angry!

-Oh, that's nice.

-David H's little treen item.

It's one of these carved nuts. From Africa?

-Well, it's a Brazil nut. Where do they come from?

-Brazil!

-OBJECT RATTLES

-It's got a sound to it.

It's tactile.

-Do you think it might be a musical instrument?

-It could be!

-You do it so well! It's got to be.

-It's got rhythm.

-You've got rhythm.

-Yes!

-I like that.

-It's a lovely, lovely...

-How much did you pay, £10?

-No, 20. I was pleased to pay 20.

David Barby's favourites...

This is your period, isn't it?

-Again, the Aesthetic Movement?

-Art Nouveau.

Well, period. 1890.

-No, no, no. These are Art Nouveau.

-That's 1890.

You're looking at round about 1900 to 1905.

They are of that period, you think, in style -

-I think? I know.

-OK, well, I'm happy for that.

How much were they?

-How much would you pay for one?

-Gosh!

I know I can buy an Edwardian wash stand with the tiles for £30.

So a couple of pounds apiece.

-I paid £3 each for the tiles.

-All right.

-The fragrant tea caddy...

-Oh, that is nice.

It's a sweet little tea caddy.

-Oh, I like to see the individual boxes.

-Yes.

Have a smell of that, David.

-Can you smell it?

-Yes. Lapsang?

-Ooh! It could well be.

-Oh, yes. How much did you pay for that? About £40?

-Bang on. £45.

-I can see a profit in that.

-A little -

-I like that immensely.

-Good.

For those who prefer coffee...

-Is it Midwinter?

-Ah, very, very clever.

Very close.

-Yes.

-Meakin.

-But you've got the same artist.

-Jessie Tait.

-OK. OK.

-She worked for Midwinter.

Retro-chic vintage look is now, if you get the right market.

But nobody uses coffee pots now!

-But wouldn't coffee taste nicer if you did?

-No.

The blocks that broke Margaret's heart and nearly her foot...

These are fascinating. Absolutely fascinating.

How much did I pay? I got 15 of them.

I would think that you paid probably £2-3 per...

Yes! Absolutely. So frustrating! Right in the middle. £2.50.

What will David H make of this?

-That's quite sweet, isn't it? Is it a salt box?

-Yes.

-Er, Welsh?

-Yes.

-That's the thing, isn't it?

-It's an indigenous Welsh piece.

-I like it.

-What I like about it

-is this chip carving all the way round.

-Very much.

And that is unusual to find, except on Welsh furniture.

It's not a cheap item. Go on, tell me.

-I paid under £100 for it.

-That's good.

-I paid 75.

-That's very good. It's a very lovely thing.

-That's your nicest item.

-Careful, David. It's an antique, you know?

-Ahh! Oh, that's nice.

-Isn't that lovely? Have a smell.

Put that on your eye, it might improve it.

This is the best. The nicest colour, the nicest bottle shape.

-That is lovely.

-It is absolutely gorgeous. And on the interior, look at that.

Oh, that's what you expect to find.

It's just... I love it. I truly love it.

-Can I look?

-Yes.

-OK, David, feast your eyes...

-Ooh, I say!

I thought this was you.

Feel the weight.

-Wow. It's a baby, that, isn't it?

-It's ash.

This would've had a padded leather section,

-which would be retained by a band.

-There is evidence of nails there.

And it would've been used for tin or for pewter.

Now, what will David make of the stool that he turned down?

Lovely.

I saw that original material, from 1870/80,

and I thought, "David Barby. Aesthetic Movement."

It's so you, I can't believe that you didn't buy it!

David, I think you've got your killer diller.

It could be the killer diller. How much did I pay for it?

-I think you paid 50.

-I paid 40. He was sticking on 50 and I got it for 40.

That's an absolutely delicious thing and I love it!

The highlight was the stool.

It was the one that I rejected and I'm wondering whether I've made the right choice.

He fancies that in a big way and, I've got to say,

that thing really could fly.

It is absolutely just right. I love it to death!

I wish I'd have bought it now. What have I done?

After starting out in England at Hereford,

the final leg of our road trip will be decided in Wales

at Llanelli.

-I hope you fare well.

-How are you feeling?

-Apprehensive.

-Happy?

-I'm always happy with you.

-I'm always happy with you. That's why I feel slightly sad.

-Why?

Sad that our journey is coming to an end.

-This is it!

-I feel that.

-The finale.

-I'm going to miss you.

-I shall miss you, as well. Waking up to breakfast with you...

-It's marvellous.

-Evening meal... BOTH: Yes.

David Harper has spent £177.50 on five lots.

-Take my money.

-I can't!

David Barby, also with five lots, has spent £268.

-You're a hard woman!

-You're a pretty hard man!

-Ooh!

So while the Llanelli crowds gather,

let's find out what auctioneer Andrew Williams thinks.

The salt box should do well, also the work block.

It's a really nice colour and it's an unusual piece. Those'll be the two best items.

The least favourite, I suppose it would be the engraving plates.

David Barby's items will stand the best chance of reaching the highest prices.

They're slightly more unusual.

Now, come on, Davids. Just £13 between them.

I feel more nervous today than any of our previous auctions.

I think because this is it... Here we go. You're on.

What will they think of David Barby's proper Welsh antique?

At 50 for the salt box. At 50. £50.

-It should make a bit more.

-55. 60?

At 60. And five.

-70.

-Ooh.

-At £70. And five?

All done, then, at £70? 70.

An even bigger loss after commission.

It's not the end of the world.

Now the David Harper medicine collection.

£20. At 20. Five. At 25. 30. Five.

And 40. At 45.

Back of the room at 45. 50 now?

-At £45.

-Get in!

The hard bargaining pays off.

£10, minus commission. So it's a tiny profit.

Vintage coffee set, anyone?

At 10. Pretty coffee set at 10. £10. 15.

At 15. 20? At 20 for the coffee set.

At 20. Going to sell it, then, at £20 for the set.

20.

Twice what David B paid.

-I'm quite pleased about that.

-Good.

David Harper's treen now. Nutty or nice?

10, I'm bid. At 10. Back of the room at 10.

Unusual piece. 15.

-20.

-Oh.

-Five. At 25?

Is it 30 now? At £25.

-Oh, God!

-You've made a profit.

-A tiny profit!

Tinier still after commission.

David Barby's tube-lined tiles...

10, I'm bid. 15. 20. Five. 30.

Five. Is that a bid? 40. Five.

50. And five. 60. Five?

70. Five. 80.

At £80.

Lady's bid, back of the room then, at 80 for the tiles.

210.

Those tiles have put David Barby back into the lead.

Well done! Well done!

-What did you pay for those?

-Er, 18.

Good margin!

Now, who can small the lapsang souchong?

30, I'm bid. At 30. £30. At 30.

Five. 40.

And five. At £45 for the tea caddy? No more? 45.

A loss after commission.

How much did you pay for it?

-Was it 40?

-45, actually, David.

David B's half-price inkstand...

I'm bid 50 and 60 to start. Rostrum bids.

£60. 70. At 70. 80, rostrum bid here with us. 90.

100. At £100. At 100.

And ten, is it? At £100. And ten.

At 110. At 120.

At £120.

His biggest spend, too.

-That lead looks firm.

-120. That was good.

-Will these make an impression?!

-10, I'm bid. Back of the room.

15. At £15.

At 15. 20. Centre of the room at 20.

-£20 for the copper plates?

-Come on!

-20.

-It's slipping away for David Harper.

Horrified!

Bids on the old block or just chips?

40, I'm bid. At £40. At 40.

50. At £50. 60?

70. 80. At 80?

-Unusual piece. At £80.

-Rare!

-At 80.

-Going to sell. 90. At 90. 100.

-Ohh!

-Last call at £100 for the block.

-Sorry!

-100.

-DAVID HARPER CLAPS

Ooh, sorry!

Another solid profit for David Barby.

-David, give me your hand!

-That's good!

This stool has got to sell for more than £80

if David Harper is going to grab the lead back.

20, I'm bid. Back of the room at 20. £20.

At 20 for the stool. At £20. And five, is it? At £20?

-Last call.

-No!

-25. At 25. At 25. Is it 30?

-Go on!

-All done at £25. 25.

That's it. I think David B has it.

Well played, David Barby, the victor this week.

How sweet!

David Harper started this round with £668.64

and made a loss of £46.30 after auction costs,

leaving him with £622.34.

While David Barby began with £655.59

and made a profit of £51.80 after action costs.

He's finished with a grand total of £707.39.

Somebody had to win. It's a nice change for it to be me and not you!

I'm not bothered.

It's been the most wonderful, magical journey. It really has.

-It has for me. And to celebrate, I've got something fizzy.

-Whay-hey!

Disgusting! And so concludes the tale of two Davids!

Only one winner. No, of course not!

-They're both champs!

-Come on, baby!

# And here we are

# We're the princes of the universe

# Here we belong

-# Fighting for survival!

-Ohh!

# We've come to be The rulers of you all... #

-Is that for sale?

-No.

Another satisfied customer!

-David, you are

-the

-champion and you're my hero.

Ohh! Sounds like a cue for a song!

MUSIC: "Me and My Chauffeur Blues" by Memphis Minnie

The wind is in your hair! Look at that!

# Wants to see my chauffeur

# Wants to see my chauffeur

# I wants him to drive me

# I wants him to drive me downtown...

Ooh, David, you're getting all fired up here!

-I'm doing 15 miles an hour.

-Come on, baby!

# Since he drives so easy...

One last time, eh?

Yes! I want to hear that throbbing engine for the last time!

-Hold on, Barby!

-Yes!

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

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