Episode 13 Antiques Road Trip

The nation's favourite antique experts,

£200 each and one big challenge.

Well, duck, do I buy you or don't I?

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

Look at the colour.

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

But it's not as easy as it looks and dreams of glory can end in tatters.

Thank you.

So will it be the fast lane to success or the slow road to bankruptcy?

Bad luck for Thomas, £50 down.

This is the Antiques Road Trip.

All this week, we're out on the road with the cheeky boys,

Thomas Plant and Mark Hales.

It's not the winning or losing, it's all about the taking part.

It's all about the taking part and Mark winning.

Oh, yes. Thomas Plant is a veteran road tripper

who seems to be feeling a tad threatened by Mark.

Don't buy too well.

Promise me?

Thomas, are you rattled?

And it seems newbie Mark Hales is really getting on old Thomas's nerves.

Because you were talking to me, that was the problem, you were talking to me.

Are you trying to infer that I talk too much?

Thomas made some nifty deals in the Republic of Ireland

and was triumphant victor on the day.

You're going to have rather a lot to spend in Wales, aren't you?

Mark, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky,

but his quirky, so-called spy camera and RAF matchbox made him a tidy profit.

I'm proud of myself, because I'm not a cameraman, am I?

From his original £200,

Mark is hanging on in there with £278.15.

Thomas, on the other hand,

is racing ahead with a whopping £507.84.

The boys are whizzing about the countryside in the delightful 1967 Sunbeam Alpine,

as they battle it out on the third leg of the journey.

This week, Thomas and Mark will travel all the way from

Portrush, Northern Ireland,

and will notch up a whopping 460 miles

all the way to the beautiful village

of Pontrilas, in South Herefordshire.

And on today's show they are leaving Portlaoise,

in the Republic of Ireland,

and heading for their third auction of the week

at Froncysyllte, in North Wales.

First pin in the map though is Ironbridge, in Shropshire.

Ironbridge takes its name from the mighty bridge

built in the heart of the town in 1779.

It was the first of its kind

and symbolises the dawn of the industrial age.

So what will the boys get up to this time around?

Mark and Thomas are in high spirits,

as they approach their first shop of the day.

-Are you excited?

-I'm up for this, Thomas.

Hang on, why don't you wait here?

Just give me 20 minutes.

No, that ain't going to happen.

I can never get out of this car.

Come on, Thomas.

Mark, I need to go to the back, and you can stay in the front.

We're sharing this shop, so none...

-All right, Thomas.

-..of you being naughty. I'm going down the back.

No bumping into me, all right?

The boys have been let loose in Curio Antiques.

It's a family business owned by Simon Willcock.

Mark's been in the business for 34 years and he's a ceramics specialist.

As usual, Mark's raring to go,

and before you know it, he's called on the assistance of shop owner Simon.

-The spaniels?

-Yeah, lovely, aren't they?

-Here we are, sir.

They are very nice.

I don't believe there is any damage or restoration,

they all seem to be in good order.

These are very, very, very Mark.

He's talking about himself, you know.

These are what Mark's known for.

These are Staffordshire pottery dogs.

This particular pair are very clean, nicely modelled,

lovely gilt collars, soft English gilding.

Circa 1850, and...

what's nice is that these dogs came in six different sizes

and these are size number five.

Size number five is harder to find than size number one.

Quite often, you will have a little bit of difference in heights,

but they're OK.

I think they've lived together all their life.

I wonder how much they could be, Simon?

You're probably looking at around... 75 quid

would be the best price on them.

I have to be in with a chance, they just have to be very cheap.

-That's fair enough.

-Have you got a little book you can look at?

-Just a little book.

-Let me have a quick look for you.

I'll see the reference number.

I know what it's like when things come in sometimes,

-and sometimes, they come in and they can be moved along.

-Yeah.

Have a look for me. I'd be really grateful.

-I'll have a quick look for you.

-Thank you, Simon.

Fingers crossed, indeed. He really likes this little pair.

Mark, the best price on these would be 55.

It's tempting.

-There's profit in that, there's got to be.

-You'd think so, wouldn't you?

-You would.

-I'm being very, very cautious. 45.

-I'd have a chance, wouldn't I?

-Mark, I like you.

-I'd take them, if I could.

-You can have them for 45.

-Thanks, Simon.

-You can have them for 45, as a deal.

-Thank you, mate, good for you.

-Would you like me to take them out for you?

-Yes, please.

Ah, he was after them all along.

That's the first buy of the day.

Meanwhile, what's that naughty Thomas Plant getting up to?

He really loves getting into all those nooks and crannies.

He's on his hands and knees, look.

Brace yourselves, I think he's found something.

What it is, it's Victorian opaque glass

and it's in a Chinoiserie style.

It's about 1860s, 1870s.

It's in marvellous condition.

It's a good showy thing, isn't it? It's a delightful vase.

Good thing, but it all depends what it's going to be.

Personally, I think it's worth £30. I'll ask.

-Simon, is this one of yours?

-It's not mine, no, it's my mum's.

The price it's in at is 85.

Right...

The best price, to you, would be 55.

55 is a bit rich for me, I was going to offer you 40.

I think you should take 40, it's a good price.

I could do 50.

No, 40 is what I've got, what I'd like to offer.

Go on. Yeah?

-Deal?

-Yes, deal.

-Thank you very much.

Thank you.

I'd better give you some money.

This always hurts, this.

Thank you very much.

I'm going to leave it there, I'll be back to pick it up. Wish me the best.

-All the best.

-Thank you.

-Great stuff, Tom, all the best.

-Thank you, bye-bye.

-Bye-bye.

Thomas, where have you been?

-Well, you know.

-You're smiling, Thomas.

-In the loo.

-Yes, that's what I said.

It's funny, I said that earlier. In the loo.

Did you lose some cash?

-A little bit of cash, I lost.

-Right.

-Not too much.

A bit cautious?

Erm, no, not really.

So where are we going now?

Ah, it's pretty good, I've started.

Lots of things I could have bought, but £5 or £10 profit.

I'm looking for more, Thomas.

Are you? Oh, gosh.

I'm looking for more, Thomas, whilst you drive happily over...

I think it was an old lady, actually, Thomas.

A plant pot.

Oh, dear, Thomas.

Perhaps Mark needs to drop you off at the nearest optician,

or garden centre!

-Is it all right?

-It's fine. Thank you... Sorry.

He can't drive anything.

He was brought up on a farm.

He's only good in tractors.

You were talking to me, that was the problem.

-You were talking to me.

-Are you trying to infer that I talk too much, Thomas?

-Yes, yes.

-We are going to buy some more antiques.

Now, come on, Thomas, easy does it there.

Less arguing and keep your eyes on the road.

And the Road Trip moves swiftly on.

Plant pot safely removed from the back wheel.

Anyway, next stop is Broseley,

just a couple of miles down the road.

Thomas is going to visit the town's clay pipe museum.

-Lovely.

-Very nice.

Clay tobacco pipe museum. You treat her well.

-Treat her well.

-Oh...

This handbrake's not too good.

Don't buy too well. You promise me?

-Thomas, are you rattled?

-No, I'm not rattled.

You did spend a long time in that shop, just a little bit rattled?

-I spent a long time because you were faffing on, asking about different things.

-Rubbish.

-Nonsense.

-Get in, before I slam this door on your leg.

Five, four, three, two... Oh, there you are, look.

-My poor baby, what have you done to her?

-Nothing.

What have you done to her?

Stop your carrying on, boys.

It looks like it's a good idea they're having a breather from one another.

Call it a trial separation.

Now, Broseley was a major centre

for clay pipe making for several hundred years.

They were making pipes here as far back as 1613,

and in the mid-Victorian era, the three pipe factories in Broseley

were producing as many as six million clay pipes a year.

-Stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

-Hello.

-Hello, I'm Thomas.

Pleased to meet you, Thomas, I'm Rex, Rex Key.

Welcome to Broseley Pipeworks Museum.

It's the only Victorian pipeworks there is left in the country.

Rex has lived in Broseley for over 40 years

and is something of a clay pipe enthusiast.

This factory was set up in the 1880s,

and in use up until the late 1950s,

when clay pipesmoking went out of fashion

and cigarettes took over.

And who was working in the factory?

At its peak, in the 1880s, 1890s, between 30 and 35 people

would be working here.

30 and 35?

They'd all be women, women and young girls.

Girls from the age of about 12 would work here in the factory.

Women and young girls. Why no men?

The men would be employed in the heavy industry,

in the iron foundries in the area.

In the coal mines and on the river.

What about the guys sorting this stuff?

They did have two or three men at the factory here,

but most of them were women.

The life of a clay pipe would be about ten days,

and it could be said that they were the start of the throwaway disposable culture

that we know and hate today.

The workers here would make up to 600 or 700 pipes a day.

That works out at roughly one every 54 seconds.

In the 1870s, a clay pipe would cost you a farthing.

The art of pipesmoking is the oldest method of tobacco consumption

and was regarded as a sophisticated form of smoking.

Time to have a go at clay pipemaking, Thomas.

Come on in, Thomas, we'll make a clay pipemaker of you.

Oh, very exciting.

So we have Thomas Plant from Bristol.

Special talents include looking for antiques and reversing cars into plant pots, Planter.

-The idea is to make one of those, a half church warden.

-Right.

You need to break off a lump of clay

and roll it into roughly the shape of a pipe,

with a lump at the one end that's going to form the bowl.

Keep on rolling.

Longer and longer stem.

You're getting off to a good start.

-Thread this wire down the stem to make the hole.

-This here?

-Yes, that's right.

-How do you make it true?

That's the skill, that's the practice.

Take your time now.

I've already done it on this, already. Oh, no.

Nearly there.

And again, there.

Put the clay into the one half of the mould.

Like that, yeah?

Yes, indeed. Put the two halves

of the mould together.

-On there.

-Now, squeeze the two halves

of the mould together in the device.

-Like that?

-Yes, turn the handle

to squeeze the two halves together.

Keep squeezing, keep squeezing.

-Go on.

-Oh, yes.

Oil this stopper with some more oil.

Don't forget, these ladies did this in 54 seconds.

Yeah, all right, all right. All right, Rex.

Don't make me feel any worse than I do already.

Bring down the gin press,

so that the stopper forms the bowl

at the end of the pipe.

Push the gin press away now.

Get your knife and trim off the excess clay, in that knife slot.

Now, you carefully push the wire the last little bit,

so the wire goes fully into the mould,

just long enough to break through into the bowl,

so you've got your hole all the way through,

which is vital, of course.

-Da-da-da!

-Now you can carefully remove the wire.

Oh God, this is so difficult.

It is quite tricky.

I'm going to break the pipe.

Pull.

Oh, my God, it's going to break.

-Oh, no, what a shame!

-It broke.

Just shows how tricky it can be.

God, it is tricky, isn't it?

So you are ready now to make your next pipe,

-and when you've made another 699...

-I can go home?

-You can go home.

What do you think about marks out of ten?

Well, Thomas, as you are a newcomer to it, you've made an effort,

-I think you showed promise, I'll be generous and give you three out of ten.

-Three?!

-Is that all I get?

-For a first attempt, it's a valiant effort.

Right, we will leave Thomas to make the rest of his daily 699 batch

and catch up with Mark.

He's back behind the wheel of his beloved Sunbeam Alpine.

Mark's travelling just under 17 miles

to the historic market town of Shrewsbury.

Set amidst glorious countryside, near to the Welsh border,

the town has a mediaeval past and boasts over 600 listed buildings.

Mark's next shop on the list is Mansers Antiques.

The shop now is owned by Mark Manser

and the business was established, in the mid-40s, by his dad

Gordon Manser, who I knew very, very well in the old days.

Now, our Mark's looking focused and relaxed,

whilst he has a good butchers round and about.

-Mark, hi.

-Hi.

Can I just ask you, could I possibly have a look at the blue jasper jugs?

-Yeah.

-They look rather nice.

-0K.

Carefully, carefully. That's it.

-Thank you.

-Lovely.

-I think one's slightly bigger than the other.

-Ah. Oh, yes.

-They are not sort of a matched pair.

-Right.

We've got two single... It does say a pair here.

Ooh, maybe I could adjust the price a little bit, then?

We could do something.

You've got £40 on those.

I'm not into all this big, silly, hard haggle nonsense...

What are you going to say?

You think of a number and I'll see if it works for me.

They are two single jugs, they are not a pair, are they?

They're not a pair, no.

Shall we say...

..£20?

-£20, for the two?

-For the two.

-I'm not going to argue with that. That's a tenner each, isn't it?

-Yeah.

What are they going to fetch in the rooms?

Oh, they are nice quality, those, I think that...

-I might double up?

-I think so.

In Wales, does they want blue jasper in Wales?

Do they not want you blue jasper in Wales?

-I think you're just about to find out.

-That's a really good deal.

-Thank you for that. No, I'll take them.

-0K.

-For that sort of money, I'll always have a go.

-Lovely.

Thank you very much indeed.

Let me shake your hand on that, then, it seals the deal.

0K, thank you very much.

Nice little bargain there, Mark, but tell us more about them.

I'm rather pleased with these, they're good clean examples.

Blue jasperware with white applied figures,

classical subjects, but they are not a pair.

They're different sizes.

So it's more likely they were two of a graduated set

of three different sizes.

They're very good examples.

They're not going to set the world alight, but I'm very pleased anyway.

I think there are a jolly good buy for the money.

-I've got to pay you, haven't I?

-Oh, yes, please.

-There you go.

-Thank you very much.

-£20.

-Lovely. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Deal done, Mark,

looks like you're going for the less is more approach.

As Mark drives off into the sunset,

it signals the end of our first day of shopping.

What japes will they get up to tomorrow?

Well, they're up and at it,

rejuvenated after a good night's kip.

So far, Thomas has spent £40 on one lot,

the Victorian opaque glass vase.

This leaves him a huge amount of £467.84 for the day ahead.

Mark, meanwhile, has totted up a total of £65 on two lots.

The pair of Staffordshire spaniels

and the 19th-century jasperware jugs.

This gives him a total of £213.15 to spend as he wishes.

Mark and Thomas have travelled over 40 miles

to delightful Leominster

in Herefordshire.

Leominster is a bustling market town, dating back to the 7th century,

and boasts some delightful architecture.

We're starting off with Thomas in Minster House Antiques Centre.

-Hello.

-Good morning.

-Good morning.

-I'm Thomas.

-Hello.

-Hello, what's your name?

-It's Jeremy.

-Jeremy, very nice to meet you.

-This looks nice.

-We've got five floors and the garden, so please look around.

Oh, I will, I'll have a good look.

Thomas is rather a rich man at the moment.

He's got a large wad weighing down his wallet.

Just think of all the things he could buy.

The world's his oyster.

It could be something really special.

Or not.

What a bit of kitsch.

I think this is absolutely ghastly.

I mean, it is just something which is, it's so lustrous,

it's just so in your face, but people love fishing.

Probably 1930s, that's what I think.

I think it's hilarious. It's a good thing

and I'm trying to sell to the right market.

And because we are going to another country sale, it's a bit of fun.

So what will he get for this little beauty?

-Ah.

-It's a love or hate job.

Now, Jeremy, £39 is on it

and there's a little nick on the tail, just there.

-What do you reckon?

-Well, I mean, usually, we're guided by ten percent.

I know, I know.

But £28, I'm afraid.

-Yeah, definitely, I'm going to go for it. It's worth it.

-Yeah.

-It's worth every penny.

-Yeah, I think so too.

-Because it is so...

-It's so horrid that it will probably do really well.

It's so horrid!

It's so horrid, but it's lovely.

Well, there's one deal hooked.

But he's not finished yet.

He's happened upon a rather lovely lady.

Wow. I can't not look at her, can I?

An interesting carved figure in wood,

of a naked female.

-That's rather nice.

-Easy, tiger.

That's rather attractive.

I think that's a carved student piece, from the 1930s.

The proportions are correct, the shoulders, the legs, the body, the head,

even her bottom is rather delightful.

The whole thing is beautiful, I like it.

Well, that's a definite ask.

Let's have a look at this. It's nice.

I've been dreaming about a musical box. Push button for three seconds.

Of course, they always sound better when you put them back.

Beautiful, and this looks like Sorrento ware, which is

inlaid tessellated little cubes to make this beautiful pattern on the top

in olive wood.

It's probably dateline

late 19th, early 20th century.

It's marked Swiss there, the clockwork movement is Swiss.

I mean, yeah, it's in a good original condition.

The box is just a little bit damaged, just down here,

but it's not that major.

It's a split just there.

I just feel that's going to help me get some money off.

-Jeremy.

-Ah.

My lady...

and this sweet thing here.

Yes.

-The lady, you've got 32 on.

-OK.

-This, the music box, you've got 88 on.

-Right.

I could offer you...

£70.

80.

Go on, Jeremy, give me 70.

I can't, I can't.

Halfway?

75, go on, then.

-Definitely, 75.

-Good, OK.

I love those two.

That was rather busy, Thomas.

Three items in just the space of a morning.

Mark is just a hop, skip and a jump away

and has popped into Leominster Antique Market.

Gavin Smith is one of the dealers here.

There are about 18 dealers all under one roof.

Mark's off to explore,

and hopefully, he'll come up with a right little gem.

There's not a lot of time,

so he searches and searches...

until something finally takes his eye.

This is rather nice. I do like bowls.

It's spirally fluted all the way round.

Pretty decoration.

Flower sprays.

Several hairlines.

What I like is the fact that we have a date here of 1857.

Now, 34 years in ceramics and if there's one thing I've learnt,

it's that always buy anything with a date on.

People love porcelain with a date on.

I like porcelain with a date on.

It becomes a reference piece. Now, here comes the good part.

It says no trade here. No trade.

Not even a pound off, nothing,

but we don't mind, do we?

Because it's £9.

So we're going to go and see Gavin and we're going to buy this.

OK.

So no trade means no haggling.

-Hello, Gavin.

-Hi.

-Hi, look, I've found this, it's absolutely lovely.

-Right.

-I really like this.

Quite a bit of damage, quite a lot of stress cracks.

-Is that NT, is that no trade?

-It means no trade.

Absolutely no, I can't squeeze a pound off it, or something?

-Do you know who it belongs to?

-It belongs to a lady called Judith.

I don't like to be mean, but...

-No.

-Every penny counts, doesn't it?

-It does.

-Do you think she'd knock a pound off?

I'll give her a ring and ask her.

Let me get this right, Mark, we're phoning the owner

to try and get £1 off?

The call will cost more than a quid.

Judith, you have a large bowl here,

you have £9 on it, what would be your very best on it?

I'm sure that will be fine. Thanks, bye-bye.

-A fiver?

-£7.

-Lovely. Even better, that's really nice.

-£7.

You know, I'd love that at home for £7.

-It's nice, isn't it?

-It really is nice. Thank you very much, Gavin.

Thank you.

Crikey, a whole £2 off.

Last of the big spenders, eh, Mark?!

Thomas has travelled north

to the ancient town of Welshpool,

in Powys.

He's visiting Lamp Lite Antiques, owned by Heather.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-I'm Thomas.

-Pleased to meet you, Thomas.

-What's your name?

-Heather.

-Heather? would you mind if I have a look around?

-No, not at all.

-Well, I'll have a look.

And as usual, he's getting his hands on everything.

What's this he's found now?

They're little finger bowls, but they could be used for sort of...

They're dessert bowls probably, ice bowls now.

They're from a hotel. The C&A would stand for a hotel,

I would have thought.

They're good things, they're 1930s.

Very art deco in style.

They're for ice cream.

The reason why they are called hotel plate is because they are very thick, thick copper and plated,

in a heavy silver plate.

They are quite sweet and are very decorative.

The ticket price is £10.

-Fiver?

-Fiver, yeah.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-Go on. Yes, £5.

-Thank you very much.

And as quick as a flash, he's spent a whole £5.

He's certainly hanging on to his big wad of cash.

Mark has commandeered

the Sunbeam Alpine once again

and has travelled from Leominster

to Newtown in Powys.

What could be nicer, on a day like this,

to sit in a 1967 Sunbeam Alpine

and just soak up the view?

Purring along the country lanes. Wonderful.

# It's wonderful

# It's marvellous

# You should care for me... #

Mark is visiting the Robert Owen Memorial Museum,

in the centre of Newtown.

Robert Owen was born in the town and became a successful industrialist.

-Hello, you must be Pat.

-I am, and you're Mark?

-That's right.

-Would you like to come in and see our museum?

-I would love to.

-You're welcome.

-Really love to. Very, very interested.

During his lifetime, he endeavoured to improve the health,

education, wellbeing and rights of the working class.

He was an entrepreneur that wanted to make a difference.

Pat's going to tell us more.

Come on, Pat, don't be shy.

1791, he went to the biggest factory in Manchester

and got a job as the manager.

This was called the Chorlton Twist Company.

But one thing was concerning him about Manchester,

looking round factories that he didn't work in,

-was how badly the children were treated.

-Yes.

And he felt that because they were treated almost like animals,

with no consideration of long days, they didn't grow properly,

they were intellectually stunted and they were unhappy,

wild children, really.

Very disciplined in the factory,

-but very wild as soon as they got outside.

-Yes.

He decided to focus on making money, which he was quite willing to do,

but what he wanted to do was to show that

you could have a factory which was well run,

which was good quality,

but which was fair and which treated the children like decent human beings.

Robert purchased a large cotton mill at New Lanark on the River Clyde.

It was here that he introduced

a series of social and educational reforms,

designed to improve the quality of life for his workforce.

1815, he built this school.

And it was called The Institute For The Formation Of Character.

He thought if he made it a really nice school,

he would form nice human beings.

He was the first person who said that

it should be the right of every child in the country to be educated.

-Isn't that wonderful?

-Yeah, he was a tremendously enlightened man.

Robert Owen introduced a rather wonderful incentive

for the benefit of the child worker.

So from the age of ten, they would work limited hours,

and every day, there would be a silent monitor used

to decide whether they had had a good day or a bad day.

Now, what's this all about the silent monitor?

If you look on here...

-You start with the black side, that's you've had a bad day.

-Right.

Blue, so-so, but not very good.

Yellow, quite good,

but white for excellent.

-Right, so it's white you wanted.

-That's the white you wanted.

-How many of these were there?

-Every child would have one.

Every child, on the loom or the weaving machine?

-It would probably be a spinning machine or a weaving machine.

-Yes.

Just over here is the real thing.

Ah.

That is exciting.

-That's a real one?

-200 years old.

-From New Lanark?

-Yes.

Isn't that fantastic?

And after a good day, he'd slip in with some nice sweets from the shop

and give all the white-faced monitors a nice little present.

Such an early period in the Industrial Revolution, everything happening,

he stood still and made sure his workforce were treated...

-Yes.

-That is wonderful.

New Lanark became internationally famous,

as a result of Robert Owen's pioneering work in social reform.

It's time for Mark to get a move on, though

and meet up with Thomas to have a look at one another's purchases.

First day buying. There it is.

It's a beautiful opaline vase, 19th century.

Very, very nice.

Aesthetic style, and you can see the story of Cupid taunting the geisha.

Yeah. The quality's there, it's in good condition.

A large decorative item and an antique item.

And an antique. Absolutely.

Next, it's Mark's Staffordshire dogs.

-What have we here?

-A pair of dogs.

Yes, Thomas. Now, you'll know all about these.

Staffordshire dogs.

It won't stop me telling you about them.

Crisp, sharp modelling. Look at the gilt collars, they're not rubbed.

I would rather they'd been brown, brown are more saleable than black.

-Really?

-How much did I pay for them?

-Er, £40.

-Very good, £45.

-Well done, I like those.

-I like them too. They're clean.

-They're very clean.

-I should hope so too, they're house trained.

-This is today.

-Goodness me.

I kind of fell in love with her.

-Isn't she beautiful?

-It's a well-modelled sculpture.

-A fine figure of a woman.

-A fine figure of a woman.

Steady, boys.

-I paid 25.

-Very good, Thomas, very good indeed.

-It's a pretty object.

You've got a good eye. I like that.

So, Mark, what is your second item?

Look at that, a bit of jasperware.

Jasperware has gone down and down and down and down and down.

However, these are in superb condition.

I like the Cupids, I actually really like the quality of them.

Pretty things. Really nice. Did you pay £60 for them?

No, I paid 20.

20, that's brilliant. They're really nice, really nice.

Thank you, Thomas.

-I think you like them more than I do.

-I do like them.

-I'm really delighted.

-Thomas is rather taken with the jugs.

Goodness me. Now, that, I do like. That's lovely.

It doesn't finish there, though.

Oh!

Oh, my goodness, yes.

GENTLE TUNE

I'm bowled over with this one. Absolutely bowled over.

Love the casket, love the fact that it's olive wood.

-A lovely little musical box.

-If that doubles its money...

Well, if it doesn't, I think we should both retire.

Well done, Thomas, well done. I think that was a jolly good buy.

Gosh, the chaps are really quite impressing one another.

Porcelain, Thomas, a bit of porcelain.

Hang on a minute, it's whacked.

A little bit, there are a few stress flaws, etc.

OK, but just look at the quality there. It's not bad.

The Grapes, Newchapel, 1857.

I've just counted one, two, three, four, five...

But they are just hairlines, Thomas.

Hairlines, oh, they're pretty major.

Look, if you saw that in a shop

and you were able to buy it for £7,

you couldn't leave it there, could you, Thomas? All right?

You didn't pay £7 for it?!

-I paid £7, yes.

-Take it away.

And I felt terribly, terribly mean, because there was £9 on the ticket,

and I wasn't going to ask, but it was like automatic pilot, you know.

Don't tell him any more, Mark.

Three bits of pottery, there you are, you've spent nothing.

-This is a bit of horrible...

-Goodness me, Thomas.

-..hideousness.

-Goodness me, Thomas.

-Absolutely dreadful.

I have to say, honestly, Thomas, that's possibly one of the worst ceramic items

I've ever laid eyes on.

-That is absolutely awful. Is it a pike?

-It is a pike.

-Is it continental?

-It's Dutch, it's marked Holland.

It's Dutch? It gets worse, doesn't it?

It does get worse.

You get a full figure for 28 quid, there.

So that's that item, and that was me done, really,

until I went to another shop,

which was just a real sort of flippant thing.

Oh, yes.

And I just thought, when one is having a soiree,

one needs nice, lovely, decorative bowls.

-They are very nice, actually.

-For nuts.

-Silver plated, with the Superman emblem.

Well, it's not Superman, it's C&A. I went there and it was a lovely shop.

-And they were £10?

-No, it was less.

-Had to be bought, then.

-How much were they?

-They were a fiver.

-A fiver?

-Yeah.

Had to be bought. I think tomorrow will be very interesting.

Having seen each other's purchases, what do our chaps really think?

I don't think Mark really rates my fish.

I think Mark, if he was doing this now, Mark would say,

"Thomas's fish is extraordinary, why did he buy it?

"Why did he buy it?" But again, I am so disappointed in his very cautious buying.

72 quid, wow, what's that all about?

Thomas bought some very interesting things, actually.

Some very, very interesting things.

Actually, I liked all of them.

I can see why he bought them.

I do like them, although the fish,

I think the fish cost too much money.

It's been an interesting third leg,

with the boys battling it out

from Ironbridge, Shropshire,

via Broseley, Shrewsbury,

Leominster, Welshpool,

Newtown, and finally,

to the village of Froncysyllte,

North Wales.

Froncysyllte is a pretty village in Wrexham

and stands on the banks of the River Dee at the Llangollen Canal.

Cooper Barrington is an antiques and fine art auction house,

located in a former chapel,

and has been established since the middle of 2010.

-Come on, then.

-OK. OK.

-Faffing on.

-You are, honestly.

-Thomas, today, I am going to win.

-Are you now?

-Yes, I am.

-You've only spent £72.

-You won't let that go, will you?

No, I won't let that go.

Taking to the rostrum today is auctioneer Peter Worthington,

who has a few thoughts to share about the chaps' offerings.

Out of all the things we've got in, my own favourite would be

the little musical box, I think that's quite pretty.

Its size is a little bit against it, it is very, very small.

I'm a little bit dubious about the bowl with the hairline cracks.

I think that might take a bit of a dive, but only time will tell.

There's nothing like an auction room to make a fool of an auctioneer.

Quite right.

Mark Hales started today's show with £278.15

and spent a paltry £72 on three auction lots.

Thomas Plant, bless him,

began with £507.84

and has spent £148 on five lots.

Let the auction commence!

First up, Thomas is hoping for a profit

with the Victorian glass vase.

We have £20 and away, £20 to start me.

20, ten and off.

ten, five, six, eight... £8, £10.

£10, 12, 14, 16 anywhere now?

£14.

Even though you are a competitor, I have to say, that was a travesty.

-It's life, isn't it?

-I suppose so.

That's the spirit, Thomas, keep positive.

It's Mark's jugs next.

Best not to think about them.

He bought them for a song, but will they be fruitful?

£20, I'm bid.

20, 22, five, 28, 30 now.

At 30, any more?

At £30, the hammer will fall now at £30.

-I hate to say it, Thomas, but I told you so.

-Good profit.

-Well, I said so.

-I'm happy, I didn't lose.

-You didn't lose.

-I said so.

Let's be thankful for small mercies, Mark. Move on, quickly.

Next up is Thomas's delightful little musical box.

Go on, Pandora, open it.

20 I'm bid, at 20, 20 and five, and 30,

and five, and 40, and five,

45, 50, and five, and again,

at 50 and five, 55, you're just in time.

At 55, any more now at £55?

At 55.

-Goodness me.

-£5 profit.

It wasn't even my lot and I'm disappointed.

It's a profit now, but it won't be after deducting auction costs.

Next, it's another pair from Mark,

this time, his Staffordshire dogs.

Was he taking a chance here?

20, I'm bid.

I'll take five, five, 25, 30, 30.

-Come on.

-35, 40, 40,

five, 45.

-For nothing at this price, they should be this each.

-Oh.

-Did you hear the auctioneer? They're for nothing.

-Any more now?

He's right, they're for nothing.

I wrote down £55

is what they'd sell for,

and they sold for £10 less,

which I think, for you, was jolly lucky, because they started at 20.

Well, they didn't make you a juicy profit, Mark.

Let's hope things get better.

It is Thomas's set of art deco bowls next.

Just cross your fingers.

Five I've got, £6.

£6, £8, £10, £10. The lady's bid.

At £10, any more at £10?

That doubled its money, and I knew it would double its money.

I knew they would.

Yes, keep telling yourself that, Thomas,

if it makes you feel any better.

It's Thomas again,

maybe his 1930s lady carving

will bring him some much-needed profit.

£20 to start, 20, ten, ten I've got.

£12, 14, at 14, 16, 16, 18, 18,

20 now, at 18, any more?

-No.

-At £18.

-That's another loss. Well done, me.

-Another day, another loss.

Oh, dear, it's not Thomas's day today. Nor hers.

It's Mark's turn next, with his porcelain pedestal bowl.

£20 I'm bid, 22, 24,

at 24, 24, at £24,

is there any more now? 24.

-£24 for a broken bowl.

-I wanted more, just a little bit more.

Not much more.

Don't moan, Mark, it's your best effort yet.

Finally, it's Thomas's very large

and, ahem, interesting pottery pike.

Right, where are we with him? £20, £20 straight in.

£20 I'm bid. At £20.

-Go on, more.

-No.

More, more, more.

£20, any more now? 20.

£20, ludicrous, isn't it, when you think a dated English porcelain...

-Will you shut up?

-..bowl can only fetch £24?

And a bit of 20th-century tat...

-Will you please shut up?

-..fetches 20.

They are a right pair of bickering moaning Minnies, these two.

He may have played it safe, but today's winner is Mark Hales.

Thomas Plant started with £507.84

and made a loss of £52.06.

Thomas is today's loser,

but he still has a tremendous £455.78 to take forward.

Cheer up.

Mark Hales is today's clear winner

and started the show with £278.15.

After paying auction costs, he made a minute profit of £9.18.

He has a respectable £287.33

to carry forward to the next leg.

-Bad luck for Thomas, £50 down.

-Not a lot, Thomas.

-Still just over £400 in the kitty.

-Yes.

-You've got about 280.

-And the score is, two-one!

-Yeah.

-Two-one!

Next time, on the Antiques Road Trip, Mark gets disciplined.

You're going to stand in the corner for 20 minutes like that.

Thomas rules out a career change.

If I was a porter in a railway station, I don't think I would be a good one.

And someone's in the money.

£90 profit. Come on, you must.

I'm pleased, of course I'm pleased.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd