Episode 7 Antiques Road Trip

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The nation's favourite antiques 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?

I must be mad.

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.

What am I going to do?

So, will it be the fast lane to success

or the slow road to bankruptcy?

I should have just kept my money in my pocket.

This is the Antiques Road Trip!

This week we're in a red 1960s MG with Mark Stacey and Margie Cooper.

Are you in second gear?

Margie is a dealer and a Road Trip newbie.

Still finding her feet but learning fast.

I didn't dare say ten, I'm not hard enough.

While Mark Stacey, also a dealer, has been here before

and it shows...kind of.

You are a star. Thank you so much.

Took half my hand away there!

But after the last auction, where they both lost money,

neither is happy.

It's not going according to plan, is it?

-Well, not really, I'm very disappointed.

-Me too, we're down, Margie!

Absolutely trounced we were!

And it looks like things may be about to get even tougher.

-I've heard...

-Yeah.

-..on the grapevine,

it's not quite a normal auction.

Hmm, Mark Stacey began with £200 and has just £191.06 left.

He doesn't look happy.

Not happy.

While Margie Cooper, who also began the £200,

leads by just 80p with £191.86 to spend today.

This weeks journey began at Chilham, in Kent,

and traverses southern England to the West Country

and a decider in Torquay.

Today's shows starts out at Rochester

and heads for an auction in Colchester, Essex.

Just about everywhere you look in Rochester there is a fortification.

-Oh, now, here's the castle on your left.

-Oh, yes?

It was a big naval base, wasn't it?

Its Roman name translates as, "stronghold by the bridge,"

and the town has always had great strategic importance.

Thanks to a position near the confluence of the Thames and the Medway

but before they start phase two of their campaign,

Margie and Mark need to do some homework.

Do you think it would be a good idea to actually call the auctioneer?

That's a good idea.

Just see what kind of things are going to be the sale.

-Yeah, do that, go on.

-Well, stay here

cos you might have a few questions as well.

I gather, we're coming to your sale soon

but it's a bit of a specialist sale, isn't it?

-What sort of pieces are going to be in that sale?

-Yeah.

-The second day has an automobilia section.

-Yeah.

-Yes.

-Great!

Coins and medallions.

I don't think we'll be buying fur coats. It's not quite PC.

Militaria, oh, it's getting better!

I might as well go home now!

MARGIE LAUGHS

-And...?

-Oh, no!

And miscellaneous.

Well, Margie will fit into that! Bye for now, bye.

-Oh, my goodness!

-Well, that went well.

Erm, I haven't got a clue, Margie.

-I know nothing about any of these sections!

-I know, old coins, militaria.

-I don't know.

We're stuffed!

Right, so they're both out of their comfort zones.

This should be interesting!

Trying to buy something that'll go down a storm with the collectors.

Like militaria for example, or toys, and if all else fails,

say little prayer. Bless you!

Arms and militaria, I mean, it's all very specialist.

That's not good news, no. Can you see my shoulders drooping!

From the stress!

My mind is so confused by the sale but we're going to

cos it is all the items I never look at.

Now, that looks like it might blow them away, a gunpowder flask.

-Looks quite nice. It's an American one, US.

-Or useless.

But when you know nothing else, how do you address the dealer?

I'm in desperation and I haven't got a clue.

Ah, pleading ignorance, good start!

You've got 55 on it. If I decide to have a go at it...? Yeah.

No, you wouldn't take 30 quid for it? OK.

Right, well, thank you very much indeed for your help. OK, bye-bye.

-No...whoops!

-Steady on!

-I don't think that's a very good idea really.

-CLANGING AND CLATTERING

-Oh!

And calm down, dear! Ah, that looks a bit more like it.

It almost looks like some sort of bomb casing.

It's got that funny little bulb in there which am almost sure is impossible to replace.

And it does say on here, "Oldham Lantern, 220 volts,"

and then on the bottom we've got, "Admiralty".

So, it is actually to do with the Navy.

£75.

Well, I have no idea.

You see, if I was looking at that, I would've thought, at auction,

that was going to be worth 25 or £30.

-Are these medals yours?

-They are, yes.

-Can we get these out?

I really, I think these are works of art, these. Don't you?

-All this lovely enamelling. They put a lot into them.

-They do.

Gilded silver.

These are medals for, erm...Oddfellows

-That's a funny old...

-I don't know much about the Oddfellows.

-It's a bit like, is it still going?

-It's a club, sort of thing.

-Is it a secret club? Like Masonic.

-Well, men's, sort of, yes.

The Oddfellows are not the Masons

but one of Britain's oldest friendly societies.

A forerunner of trade unions where people banded together

to protect themselves against hard times.

Nowadays they mostly raise money for charities.

So, what's the whole lots, then? What are you asking for the whole lot?

-100.

-Well, I can't afford that. So, 65 wouldn't buy...?

-Not all of them!

-Wouldn't buy...?

-Three.

-Would it buy three of them?

-Yes.

Right, so that one is 20 and that one is 22.

So, that's 44 and that one is 30. So, that's 74.

-So, what's the actual death on that?

-What did I say?

-Can't you remember!

THEY LAUGH

-I'm not telling you!

-It's just this age thing.

Yeah, I know.

-So, would you sell.

-50.

-50.

-What was you thinking?

-40.

-Go on then.

Oh, bless you!

Meanwhile, Mark's gone one step further

and got himself some proper militaria.

We've got a full set of medals here, which are obviously continental.

These look to be Belgian, I think.

The real difficulty with these

is I know nothing at all about any of them.

These could be worth 50 quid or they could be worth £300.

They're priced at 150 and they're pretty impressive to me

but, you see, they could be everyday medals in Belgium.

Actually, they include an Order of Leopold I, with swords,

the Croix de Guerre, with palm leaf,

a Military Cross and a Resistance Medal.

I've spotted your group of Belgian war medals.

I mean, you've got 150 on the main group of medals.

I mean, what sort of price could you let them go for, Bob?

..Oh, that's too much from me, Bob, I think.

I don't want to push you too much, Bob, because you're a specialist in this area

and you know your market.

110.

Yes.

You can't do them for 100, I suppose?

Because I think I'd have a gamble at 100, to be honest with you.

I don't know anything about them but I'd take a risk.

All right, lovely, I'll pay 100 for them. Thank you very much, Bob.

Well, I've agreed to buy them for £100.

I must be mad because I know nothing about them.

Gwen, shoot me!

While Mark shells out £100 for five Belgian honours...

-Thank you, Gwen.

-Thank you.

-See you again.

..Margie has grabbed the keys

to see a bit more of the countryside around these parts.

Travelling from Rochester to Higham.

Much of this bit of Kent

was immortalised in the novels of Charles Dickens.

Especially higher Marsh,

where Pip bumped into Magwitch in Great Expectations.

And on the street with a splendidly Dickensian name,

Margie's come to visit Gad's Hill Place,

where he wrote many of his famous works.

For several years the house has been a school

but the writer's great, great, great granddaughter,

part of a campaign to open Gad's Hill to the public,

will show Margie around.

-Hello, are you Marion Dickens?

-I am.

-I'm Margie Cooper.

-Margie, nice to meet you.

-And you too.

-Come in!

In his happy childhood, in Kent,

he had often walked past it with his father

and they'd always admired it and it was one of their favourite places that they came to walk past

and his father famously said to him,

"Well, if you were to be very persevering

"and work very hard, maybe, one day, you could live in it."

And, of course, that was just this impossible dream and indeed,

And indeed, in 1856, when it came on the market, when he had the money,

he jumped, I think he sent his agent down the next day

and he was absolutely determined to buy it.

By 1856, works like Oliver Twist,

David Copperfield and A Christmas Carol

had already made Dickens Britain's most successful living author.

So this is his study?

Oh, wow.

It's great, isn't it?

Yeah, lovely to be in here. So, have you read all his books?

I knew you were going to ask me that!

MARGIE LAUGHS

Um, no.

I love Bleak House

but I absolutely adore Great Expectations,

which he wrote here.

Dickens died here aged just 58,

causing the British public to buy thousands of copies

of this poignant engraving -

his desk and chair, just as the great man had left them.

He was really one of the most famous and most loved men of his age

because everybody read his books.

He went into a shop. There was a woman in front of him

-who was saying, "Have you got the next instalment of Nicholas Nickleby?"

-Yeah.

He was thinking, "Well, no, because I haven't actually written it yet.

"I've just come to buy the paper!"

Gads Hill was sold when Dickens died

and, later, badly damaged during the war.

But original features like this fine conservatory

are now being restored to their 1870 condition.

He built it on this end of the house

because it had this wonderful view

down over his favourite Kentish farmland,

all the way down to Rochester and the river

and the places that he loved best.

Although THAT view isn't quite what it was,

one little room that the writer knew well has survived intact...

You must go and have a look in here. I'll let you go in.

-..despite constant use.

-Charles Dickens' lavatory.

-The great man sat on there.

-It still works.

-Does it?

-Yeah, I have sat on it many times.

-Have you?

THEY GIGGLE

Dickens did his writing at the end of the garden

and had a tunnel especially built to get there.

He came out of his house

thinking about his books,

ignoring the busy road above him.

Um...

-Through his tunnel...

-Yeah?

-which is still...

it was terribly well built.

Although the little Swiss chalet he wrote in

is no longer on the other side,

the walk in the shadows can put you in a suitably Dickensian mood.

A lot of cobwebs, it's a bit spooky.

-These cobwebs remind me of Ms Havisham's dining rooms.

-Of course!

-And her cobwebby old wedding dress.

-How sad was that?

Well, she was bitter.

Well, you would be, though, wouldn't you?

I know. And she taught Estella to hate men.

While Margie departs with expectations nicely satisfied,

Mark has remained

in Rochester to seek out a few old curiosities himself.

SHOP BELL

When I walk into a shop like this, which is filled to the gunwales,

and everything is dusty,

your immediate thought, it says,

"There's going to be some right royal bargains here."

# We got you here selling rag and bone

# Bring out your junk and we'll give it a home... #

An interesting array of girds.

# Come on, come on, come on and give it to me

# Yeah

Oh, my God.

# Come on, come on, come on and give it to me. #

I wonder sometimes who on earth comes and buys all of it.

Or whether if I come in a year's time,

it'll be the same lamps hanging up there

and the same bits of metal around the roof rotting away.

-Not if someone else buys it first, Mark.

-It's an old...

gramophone horn.

Is it a saleable item? I don't know.

I don't know whether these are common or rare,

but it must slot into the gramophone through a tube or something,

to let you get... What would we call it today? Surround sound.

-Oh, well, maybe next year, then.

-What on earth is this?

It's got pinholes so it went up against a wall, like that.

On the thing, it says "An early snooker cue holder."

Actually, for a snooker collector or someone who's got

a billiards room at home, that might be quite fun.

I mean, how much is something like that worth?

Don't know, Mark. Why not ask Bill?

-Hello.

-Hello. I'm sure he'll have some thoughts on it.

I'll shake your hand, it's dusty, but I'm sure yours are as well.

-You haven't taken all the dust off?

-Well...

-You have.

-Is this really a snooker cue holder?

-Yep.

I'm thinking it's Edwardian, or something like that,

but I've never bought one before, I have no idea the value of them.

But I think £45 is too much for my needs. How negotiable are you?

35.

It's £10 off, isn't it?

See, if I was putting that into auction, I'd put 20-£30 on it.

-I'd probably buy it, then.

-Ah, but you would.

I just don't know how rare these are.

And what about your handcuffs in the window?

-Are they old ones?

-Yeah.

Real, genuine, with the key, you can use them on your mate,

your mum, your wife, your mate's wife, anybody.

-Steady on, this is a daytime programme.

-Oh, yeah.

-They're not Houdini's, are they?

-No, no, they're mine.

I think they're rather fun, but, again, you see,

I can't see who's going to buy them.

-£45 again, that's your magic number today.

-Yes.

-Everything's 45?

-So you don't want them for 30 quid?

-I don't, no.

I mean, I just think they're quite fun

but there might be thousands of them around.

How many do you get in a week?

First pair I've had in 27 years.

-I don't believe it.

-Straight up.

-I don't believe it.

-Straight up.

Bill, you're not telling me the truth.

I might have to put these on and cart you to the nearest to nick.

-Would I lie to you?

-Yes, you would!

HE LAUGHS

Now, is this another of Bill's dusty bargains?

Now, what's this?

Some people do collect these sort of things, these pipe racks,

and you'll never guess the price.

-In a million years.

-£45?

-It says 45.

-Thought so.

Why am I picking up everything that's got £45 on it today?

Let's see what Bill says.

-It HAS got a nasty bit of damage there.

-Yes, that's why it's 45.

Here we go.

Bill, I've got to get that

-a lot cheaper if I buy it because it's very plain.

-It's with the pipes.

Yeah, but the pipes aren't smokeable and they don't go with it

and I think somebody who buys that might be a gentleman pipe smoker,

actually, who just fancies that for his snooker room.

-You see where I'm going?

-Yes, I see. Yes.

Are you following me?

Yeah, you could be buying quite a bit today.

MARK LAUGHS

Now, steady on.

50's pretty good on those two, isn't it?

-That's pretty good.

-Let's make it a bit better, please, Bill. Sorry.

Can we say 40 for the two?

40? That's less than half price!

-But they have been here a while, Bill.

-That's just come in...

No, I'm lying, I've had that quite a while.

And this has been up on the wall for quite a while, Bill, come on.

And what about those?

They will sell for 60 quid in auction.

I don't know if they will, Bill, honestly.

I'll tell you what, 80 quid

-and we have got a deal.

-For the three?

Yes. That's... half price.

If I were doing just those two, Bill,

what would be the very lowest price on those two?

Well, there's 90 on them, isn't there? 50 will be...

-that's nearly half.

-I know, I know.

Oh, Bill, Bill, Bill. I don't know what to do.

If I said 70...

for all three, would you...?

I can't afford to pay more than £60. £20 each, I'm sorry. I can't.

-I can't do that.

-OK.

-I can only do 70, so...

-we will have to part as friends.

-As friends. Thank you very much.

Then, just when it looks like the deal is dead,

Mark finds something else to throw in.

These are quite interesting. What does it say here?

Mapograph.

South America.

It's like a printing disk...

of some sort.

So you presumably dip this in ink and then you roll it out

and it gives you the outline of South America.

And there's others from other continents and countries.

Quite fun, aren't they, and I wanted something different.

He's going to go mad with me.

Bill, have you got the handle that should go on there?

-At that price? No.

-There's no price on the bag!

£2 each.

-Oh, that's too much, Bill.

-You said that without even thinking!

Well, I've got to say that, haven't I, really. £2 each?

-So, how many are there, do you know?

-Eight, with the one you've got.

15 quid.

So, if I bought these, and this

and this, what would they come to?

60 quid.

60 quid. So, that would be 20, 40...

-oh, gosh.

-What?

-Is that too much?

-A little bit.

-Gosh.

A little bit, Bill. Could we shake on 50, because you don't want these.

-They're only cluttering up the shop.

-They're lovely.

The school were going to have them.

They'll clutter, they've got computers now, Bill.

They've got computers with everything on them.

They wouldn't want these. The kids wouldn't know what to do with them.

They'd only throw them at each other.

-Meet me halfway. 55. I've been so generous.

-William. William!

You know you want to, Bill. Don't fight it.

50 quid? You'd have to...

Yeah. All right.

You ARE a star. Thank you so much.

Took half my hand away.

MARK LAUGHS

-WHISTLES

-Good job Margie's driving -

Mark might need a good old lie down after that.

Day two and Margie and Mark have ventured into Essex,

fully prepared to buy yet more stuff they know absolutely nothing about.

-I think we'll have a good time.

-I'm sure we are.

Provided we buy the right things, dear. Fur coats.

Yesterday, Margie bought just one lot,

a set of three Oddfellows medals for £40.

What did I say?

Can't you remember?

Meanwhile, Mark also acquired medals,

Belgian ones, plus a few other interesting items.

Total cost, £150,

leaving him with just over £40 to spend today.

I must be mad because I know nothing about them.

The two are heading for that auction in Colchester,

but their first stop in Essex is the village of Blackmore.

Despite apparently being named after a local swamp,

Blackmore is a very nice place indeed.

In fact, on several occasions,

it's been voted best kept village in the county.

Oh, this looks pretty. Lovely, what a lovely shop.

Let's go in and...

have a look around.

Hello?

-Hello.

-Oh, hello.

-Height, I'm Margie Cooper.

-I'm Judy Wood. Nice to meet you.

A quick look around confirms

that Jericho Cottage is really quite traditional.

-There's some nice things. I'm enjoying myself.

-Yes.

But how would any of it go down at a collectors' sale?

Is that, I wonder, the nearest thing to a fur coat they have here?

These boxes fascinate me.

You see loads of these

and they're made from porcupine quills.

I mean, where did they get all the porcupines from?

That's £38 but it's got a lot of this inlay missing,

so not really interested, but...

yeah, they fascinate me.

Hang on, the shopkeeper's coming up with something.

They're ARP cycle lamps,

cos in the Blitz you weren't allowed to have light.

Air raid precaution wardens needed to see

during the blackout of World War II

and these little hoods stopped the light shining upwards

and giving them away.

-They're actually 12 each.

-£12 each, right.

Judy's supplied the tip-off, but the lamps belong to someone else.

Can you reduce them for me or...? Because I don't know what I'm doing.

It's supposed to be cheap.

Like 15 quid?

Yeah.

Would that be all right? OK. That's very kind.

I'll leave the money here.

All right, yeah. Good luck and thank you.

-He's agreed 15, the two?

-Yes.

-That went well.

-Has Judy got anything else up her sleeve?

-Not really.

My husband's got a garage out there, probably,

but he's not likely to have anything much... Oh, yes he has!

THE LADIES LAUGH

Tell you what, they make all sorts of money, they do.

-And it's got proper shell top.

-Yeah.

That would go in the back of a car?

On the side of the running board of the early cars.

So, how much could that be to me?

-It wants a little bit of a clean up, perhaps.

-Right.

-A fiver.

-Oh.

-I think you could make a profit.

-Oh, that's great.

Bundle that with that.

-So 20 for the three?

-Yeah, sounds OK to me.

-Oh, that's all right.

Yeah, great stuff.

Automobilia and militaria boxes ticked,

Margie still has plenty of cash left.

Time for one last peak.

That's quite nice. Look at that.

Horse's hoof.

It's a bit gruesome, but they're quite...

I quite like these.

Some dearly beloved pony's been turned into a little box.

Taking the hoof of a favourite steed and creating a snuffbox

or inkwell was especially popular with the Victorians,

although when it was done to one of the Duke of Wellington's horses,

he wasn't at all pleased.

BELL DINGS

Love those. I've got one of those in my hall.

BELL DINGS

Great? Hotel bell.

"Edwardian Bell" here.

I suppose you could have it in the house if you wanted

to call one of your servants.

BELL DINGS

Yeah, I rather like this. I could get used to doing that.

-Judy, you around?

-Yeah.

What are you looking at?

-Well, I'm looking at these two. I always quite liked those.

-Yeah.

They're nice, aren't they?

That would've been a table snuff, I would've thought.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Somebody's favourite horse.

-And then these, which I love.

-I do. I've got one upstairs...

-I've got one too.

-..from childhood!

The person who brought those in

-has given me a certain amount of discretion.

-Right.

So although they're not mine,

I've got a certain amount of discretion.

-Right, so that's 36.

-Yeah, well,

the bottom line on that I'm supposed to be paying him is 24.

-Right. And the bottom line on that?

-On that is 18.

Which comes to 42.

While Margie ponders that sum, the dealer is consulted.

Any chance of a bigger discount?

-You're in luck, Margie.

-Oh!

-He actually says you can have them both for 35.

-Brilliant.

-Thank you so much.

-That's all right.

-I think I've got a real chance.

I love that.

So, Margie is now the proud owner of a pony hoof, a bell,

two ARP lamps, and a petrol can.

-Bye!

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

-Take that, collectors of Colchester.

But while Margie's been grabbing all that,

Mark's taken a ride.

Travelling from Blackmore to Ingatestone.

Where, believe it or not, he is visiting Ingatestone Hall.

This 16th century manor house

was founded by Sir William Peter, Lord-Lieutenant of Essex

and one of Queen Elizabeth I's most trusted ministers.

-Hello, Lord Peter.

-Hello. Good morning.

-Very nice to meet you.

Very nice to see you.

John Peter is the 18th Baron and the family still lives here.

I suppose I should point out Sir William Peter,

who was the founder of the family fortunes.

He was Secretary of State

to four Tudor monarchs in succession, without a break.

Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary and then Elizabeth.

He has been called the first civil servant.

He wasn't trying to grind his own axe,

which was a rather unusual thing in 1561.

The Hall and lands were surrendered to Henry VIII

during the suppression of the monasteries,

and when Sir William set up home here,

he demolished the old house and built anew.

Slightly ironic,

considering the faith of Sir William and the dynasty that he established.

We've always been a Catholic family, so during the...

..16th and 17th century, Catholic priests did shelter here.

And this is, quite possibly, one of the hiding places they used.

Gosh, it's tiny, isn't it?

One of the most well-known ones who sheltered here, John Payne,

was subsequently betrayed by a servant from here,

who'd sort of recognised him

and, in the meanwhile, had become a professional

betrayer of Catholic priests

-and earned quite a good living from it.

-I'm sure!

Ingatestone Hall is one of the few properties in Britain

to have not one but two priests' holes.

And there are several other reminders of the Peters' faith.

There's all sorts of knickknacks, if you like,

objets trouves, and a lot of them we don't really know much about.

We just discovered them in a drawer.

For instance, this is a rather interesting piece.

It's described as "A clock of the Passion,"

but beyond that, it's a bit of a mystery

as to actually what it is.

Immediately, you can see it's absolutely beautifully made.

And then you open it up,

there are these extraordinary carvings.

Oh, good heavens!

Instantly, when you look at this shape,

you think of an 18th-century fob watch,

-gentleman's fob watch.

-Quite so.

If it was that,

and you were trying NOT to show your religious leanings,

then you'd think you'd have something innocuous on the front,

-something quiet.

-Absolutely, yes.

And only you would know that next to you,

whenever you felt the need to use it

was something very important to you.

-But this is blatantly saying this is what it is.

-Absolutely.

And this was surely not found in a box.

Well, yes, just in a drawer, sort of thing, with a label attached,

saying, "Clock of the Passion."

-But...

-It never happens to me at home.

THEY LAUGH

How Mark's managed to drag himself away from all those goodies,

we'll never know.

Dedication, I suppose,

and the fact that he desperately wants to win at that auction.

Picking up Margie to drive from Ingatestone to Battlesbridge,

this is a huge place and it closes soon.

How will our two cope?

SIGHS

I'm not that keen on these kind of centres.

-There's a lot of reproduction.

-Not well, it seems.

It's a naval hat from HMS Pembroke.

This is ridiculous now because I'm just finding things

because they remind me of something. And Pembroke is in Wales,

and I had a cousin who lived in Pembroke.

But who on earth wants to buy an HMS Pembroke sailor's hat?

Nothing there, nothing there. No, no.

Art deco style but it's brand-new.

SHE TAPS ON THE TABLE

There's nothing here.

It's all modern. Oh dear. Feeling depressed.

A bit of silver. Oh, dear.

This is getting to be a disaster, isn't it?

SHE SIGHS

A bit of a moaner today.

I'm panicking now.

I've not much time.

You'll have to find something.

Will I? Can you not point me in the direction? I'm overfaced.

I've been looking!

Mark doesn't have much time either.

But then, with just over £40 left, perhaps he won't need much.

This is quite fun.

The only reason that I actually quite like this is...

because it says 1964 and I was born in 1964.

I'm guessing it's a sort of trade sample of cards

that you could have bought.

I don't know who on earth would want them. But then I don't know

who on earth would want to buy the other things I've bought.

£15. That's a possibility then.

-Is this yours, Sheila?

-Yes.

You've got £15 on it. It seems an awful lot to me.

-Is it a lot of money?

-I gave a lot of money for it.

-Did you?!

-Yes.

-Very, very best price would be 12.

-£12? You've been so sweet to me.

Because it's the same age as I am, very young, I shall take it for £12.

There's less than half-an-hour left...

I'm losing the will to live here.

-..but Margie might have something there.

-Small advertising box.

Nice, isn't it? I'm just scared that they're not right.

They look as though they're right but maybe they're not.

"Kosher seafood." That's interesting, isn't it? Monty Goldberg.

-Are these repro things?

-Yes.

-They are, aren't they?

-Definitely.

I knew there was something fishy about those boxes(!)

I'm sure there's a profit in them but I daren't risk it.

I'm supposed to be buying antiques.

Ah well. It looks like Margie's not going to spend her money today.

Let's have a look at what they have managed to collect.

I've bought things I don't understand at all.

-Shall I show you my first?

-You kick off.

-It's a wall mounted snooker-cue holder.

-Really?!

Every home needs one(!)

-Well, every snooker player home needs one.

-That's a nice thing.

-I thought it was quite a nifty little thing.

-So, tell me how much.

-£20.

-That's OK, isn't it?

-Is it?

-I don't know.

-I've never seen one before.

I never want to see one again.

Margie, show us your medals, love.

Oh, those are nice! Are they Masonic?

-No, they're not Masonic.

-No?

-They are what we call Oddfellows.

-It was fellows from an odd assortment of trades.

-Oh, right.

-Oddfellows.

They're gilded silver and I paid...

How much?

40 for the three.

That doesn't sound too bad.

One for the pipe collectors...

I don't know why I bought this...

-Nor do I.

-..but it's a little ebony pipe.

-Clay pipes!

I thought, it's quite a fun object. Silver mounted with a shield.

Perfect for a collectors' sale.

-£20, I paid.

-That's all right. So what are you hoping for?

I thought it might make 40 or 50 on a good day.

I don't think it'll make 50.

-Don't you?

-No.

-That was militaria.

-Wait a minute.

-Oh, a pair?

Yes and...

Ta da.

-Shell Oil.

-A can...

-with a brass...

-How lovely.

-What do you think? Not what I would normally buy.

-Really?!

-No.

-And what did you pay for this one lot?

-What do you think?

I don't know. 20 quid?

Spot on.

How will Margie greet this one?

Oh, my goodness!

-Do you know...

-I saw that in there.

-..I was so desperate.

That is all right.

-The thing is, I was born in 1964...

-Oh my goodness. You're a babe!

..and I thought, not a mark on it.

It's obviously a sort of tradesman's sample. I just thought it was great.

-So what is it? A rep's sample?

-Look at this one.

"Happy birthday. Wet paint."

SHE LAUGHS

Then he's got it all on his back!

So this is a representative's book?

A wrapped up elephant, "Don't tell me you've already got one."

I think they're so of their time.

She said she paid a tenner so she let me have them for 12.

-That's fine.

-It's got to make £20 or £30.

That's your best one up to now, isn't it?

-Dingdong.

-This is my last lot.

-Is it?

-Not terribly old.

-No, I don't like that one.

-No?

We could have done with the name of the horse on there,

which always makes it really nice. Or the pony. It's a pony.

-So probably, a pit pony.

-I like those. Do you find them a bit mawkish?

-It's quite interesting.

-I wonder what they did with the other three.

-Would have been an inkwell originally.

Well, yes. You could still put a little glass liner in there.

-Yes, and there's a lovely little shoe on here.

-30 quid?

-35.

I'm not impressed with the amount of money you've spent, Margie.

It's my reckoning you've spent 70 - I'm talking -

-40, 75, £95?

-Yes.

-On four items?

-Yeah.

But I didn't plan to do that, I came here ready to spend

and couldn't find anything.

-Well, trot off with that one.

-So, I'm finished.

I'm not going to throw you all of my items,

cos there's eight pieces in this item.

I'm just going to show you one as a representative sample.

-There's a set of eight of these, and they're mapographs.

-Right.

This one is England and Wales.

I think you would have dipped them in ink and rolled them out.

-And who would use those?

-I don't know.

-Who would want them?

-Well...

-I don't know.

-I've never seen one.

I've never seen one, I have no idea about them,

but I bought them, £10.

-LAUGHING:

-So you've gone for medals, as well?

Oh, they're nice, aren't they?

They're Belgian.

I thought they'd go lovely on a jacket.

-They're in very good condition.

-They are.

-It's funny we've both gone for medally things.

-It is,

but I've gone for a lot more money than you have - £100.

Will it be V for victory?

Now, what do they really think?

It's quite funny that he's bought medals, too,

for the militaria thing, and he's paid quite a lot.

I thought there must be a profit in them,

but now I'm not sure how popular Belgian medals will be.

I like the hoof, I like those,

I think he thought it was a bit gruesome.

I suppose other people might think so, too.

I don't think it's gruesome at all.

After starting out at Rochester in Kent,

this leg of the trip will conclude at Colchester in Essex.

Although the mood in the camp - don't laugh, Mark -

is distinctly fragile.

I suppose we can't do any worse than last time.

Oh, I think we can.

SHE LAUGHS

Well done, Marjorie, here we are.

Let go and see all our quality items, shall we? Mine, anyway.

CAR HORN Oh, hello!

Was that a commission bid?

This car will be the death of me.

Margie has spent £95 on three lots, including some Oddfellows medals,

a petrol can and a pony hoof.

And what will be will be.

-Yeah.

-Thank you.

-Good luck.

While Mark's blown £162 on five lots, including a pipe rack,

several greetings cards and some more medals.

I must be mad, cos I know nothing about them.

So, while the collectors size it all up, let's hear the thoughts

of auctioneer James Grinter on what Margie and Mark have come up with.

Yes, the cue holder.

It's a good-quality thing,

but whether or not we'll get a queue of people wanting it,

we'll have to wait and see.

The ARP signal lamps and the Shell petrol can,

if I had some petrol in that can I'd be pouring it over

and setting it fire to the whole lot.

Not very interesting, are they?!

Oh dear!

Good luck, everyone.

-You're the first one.

-I know, the weakest lot.

With your horse's hoof - will it go clippity-clop or cloppity-clip?

Under starters orders then.

And they're off!

£20 to start me, ladies entertainment.

£20 to start me somewhere.

Come on.

10, then. £10, I have down there...

-It's worse more than this, Margie.

-12, 14, on the internet at 14.

16 at £16 bid? Against you, at 16.

At £16, all done then at £16.

Oh, Margie.

Oh, for goodness sake.

A loss of £19 - even bigger after commission.

You've got plenty more star items to come.

Next, Mark's dusty snooker cue rack.

-10 to start me...

-Nobody's bidding.

-10 I have had £10, at £10 only.

-No.

At £10 only, it's going to be sold, all done at £10.

Down £10!

Well, at least it's less of a loss.

Could we make a loss on every lot? Shall we go for it?

Careful, Mark, your pipe rack's no cert.

£20, the pipe holder.

Oh, this is silly.

15, then.

£15, ladies and gentlemen.

-15 I have.

-15.

Maiden bid of £15, at £15 in the room.

-Oh, come on.

-16, 18...

At £18, 20, at £20, 22 on the internet, £22 bid now,

22 against you, 24, 26...

-At £26 on the internet...

-Oh, no!

All done at £26.

£6 profit?

Barely enough to put in your pipe and smoke it.

Tell you what, that could be the biggest profit today for us!

Now Margie's Oddfellows.

£30, start me.

-30 I have down here...

-30 in.

32, 34, at 34 in the room now.

-Come on, a bit more.

-On the internet, 36, 38,

At £38 down here now.

In the room, 40, 42, at £42 in the room...

-£2.

-It's going up.

At £44 on the internet now. All done now at £44.

Well, it's a profit.

Hardly, after commission.

-Oh, don't they look lovely on the screen?

-Yeah.

Now for Mark's geography lesson.

30?

-20 I have.

-We've got 20, I've doubled my money.

-At £20 only...

-Come on, internet.

...22, 24, 26, 28.

At £28 bid, 30 anywhere?

Come on, a bit more.

All done at £28.

-They said 40-60.

-Yes, well they haven't.

Come on, Mark, it's a profit.

Be grateful.

The book from the year that Mark was born.

And I start the bidding at £40.

Ooh!

At £40, do we have 42? 42.

44...

Oh, well done.

Still with me at £44, are you all done?

-Pleased with that.

-What did you pay, 15?

-12.

That's put Mark into the lead.

-That's fantastic.

-I'm pleased with that.

I might send myself a card for that saying, "Well done, Mark."

Oh, no, time for Mark's medals now.

He paid £100 for those.

120...

130, 140...

..150, 160, at 160 on the internet now, 160.

170 anywhere else? 170.

170 is bid on the internet now, 170.

At £170, all done at 170.

-Oh, well done.

-Pleased with that.

So they really were worth something after all.

I was so worried.

Ah - the stuff the auctioneer was so rude about,

and Margie's last chance to win.

-£20.

-Oh, come on.

£20 for them. 10, then.

£20 I have on the internet.

£20 is bid on the internet, at £20.

Any advance? I'm going to sell them, all done at £20.

Told you it was a good buy, that petrol can.

I tell you what, having that brass cap made all the difference.

That result means that Mark carries the day.

I think we've given it our best shot.

Well, you've done really well. I give it my best shot and lost.

Margie Cooper began with £191.86,

and made a loss of £29.40 after auction costs.

So, she has £162.42 to spend tomorrow.

Oh dear, love, cheer up.

Mark Stacey began with £191.06,

and made a profit of £65.96 after auction costs.

So, he now has £257.02 to spend tomorrow.

So, the lead changes again.

This is shaping up to be an exciting contest.

-Goodbye to Reeman Dansie.

-Buh-bye.

-See ya!

Join us tomorrow, when Mark revisits his very first antiques shop.

Just think, from a couple of shelves I've ended up where I am now.

And the pressure builds for Margie.

What am I going to do? What am I going to do?

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd