Episode 4 Antiques Road Trip

It's the nation's favourite antiques experts with £200 each,

a classic car and a goal - to scour Britain for antiques.

That hurts.

Have I got it the right way up?

The aim? To make the biggest profit at auction, but it's no mean feat.

There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

I look like the Mad Hatter.

So, will it be the high road to glory or the slow road to disaster?

I'm only here to be Anita Manning's chauffeur.

This is the Antiques Road Trip!

Yeah!

We join Anita Manning and Philip Serrell in a 1965 Sunbeam Alpine,

racking up the mileage across the North of England.

Auctioneer Phil, from Worcester, is a man who likes to buy big.

How much is the tractor?

Anita, from Glasgow,

also an auctioneer, sometimes forgets to buy at all.

BONG!

She is bonkers, honestly. Completely bonkers.

Phil started this road trip with £200

and has built that up to a handsome £475.86.

Anita also began with £200

and has turned that into an only slightly less impressive £406.74.

I don't want to do boring antiques,

I want to go and buy something really daft.

This road trip started out

in Ford in the far North of England,

ventured into Scotland,

before winding its way southwards

and will conclude at Harrogate in Yorkshire.

This leg takes our pair of experts

from Eccleston in Lancashire

across the Pennines

to the grand finale in Harrogate.

Eccleston sits on the River Yarrow,

is one of the boroughs of St Helens and was once home to their rugby league team.

Hoping for conversions of bargains into profits,

our two experts both start their shopping together.

-Here we are, eventually.

-This place looks massive, doesn't it?

Phil and Anita's first stop is Bygone Times in Eccleston...

-Good luck.

-And to you.

-Not too much.

..a collection of individual stalls housed in an old weaving mill

that used to make parachutes during the Second World War. Chocks away!

The trouble with a place like this is that it's absolutely massive.

Anita has beaten a path to this big boy.

Philip thinks I make a lot of noise.

With that big drum, I could make a lot more noise!

It must appeal to her BASS instincts. Ticket price, £58.

I'm no expert on percussion, but I'd say that's working.

That's great fun, isn't it?

Come on, Phil, time to start buying.

I think that's a really nice thing.

That's a scribe for marking out mortise and tenon joints

when you're making a piece of furniture.

It's in rosewood and brass.

You look at the calibre of that and the workmanship in that.

I think this man's got some cheap things.

That's lovely, isn't it?

I just think that's a really lovely thing.

And what happens is that should move

and then this thing here moves up and down there.

And then you mark the piece of timber like that.

This is a Stanley spirit level, isn't it?

So this was made in 1896 and it's American, so...

I never knew that. So, Stanley tools must have originated in America.

At the other side of this huge complex, Anita is getting into her

rhythm, haggling down the phone with the absent owner of the bass drum.

Can you bring that down to about 30 quid?

Oh, that sounds great.

Now, what I want to do is to, um,

to buy the wee music stand as well, you've got that in at £6.50.

Could I buy that at £5?

The lot for 30? Oh, you are a darling.

Phil's thinking of making up a job lot of tools.

Can I have a look at that thing there, please?

Which is a... What the hell is that?

It's a Ward Payne mortise lock chisel.

That's a serious...

Can I have a look at that as well, please?

And that's a mortise chisel. So presumably, that would have...

You'd have gouged the wood out with that, that you'd marked,

so there's a bit of a connection between the two, isn't there?

How much is that?

That's £19. What else have we got?

19 and 9 is... How much is 19 and 9?

You should have bought a slide rule, Phil.

28 and 12.

That's, sort of, 40 quid, isn't it?

Inner sanctum. Come on, in we go.

Time for some tough talking, best done in the secrecy of the staff room.

20 squid. You can't do any better than that? 20 squid.

25?

You're doing this job well, aren't you? Go on, 20 quid.

-Go on, then. It's a deal.

-You're a gentleman. Thank you very much.

Great, Phil is up and running

and Anita's money is obviously burning a hole in her pocket.

-Is that modern, is that new?

-It will be, yeah.

Do you like that type of stuff? I see it's got a sort of retro feel.

I like it, but I wouldn't have it in my house.

I wouldn't have it in my shed, even for a mere £12 asking price.

I like it because it's so in-your-face.

It's a thing that somebody will either love or hate.

But it's a got bit of fun about it.

You know, it's looking back to the 1960s.

-Can you do me a deal on it?

-We can do it for six.

-You can do it for six?

-Yes.

-That's a deal. Thank you very, very much. Thank you.

-Do you think I'll make a profit on that?

-No!

THEY LAUGH

Now, what's Phil messing about with?

Well, this is a wool-winder and you're in the wool area

and mills are prevalent.

This is an old mill. I just think this is just a real cool thing.

Like an old married couple, Phil and Anita are starting to think with one mind,

because on the other side of this huge emporium...

And this is a wool-winder.

And I think that this would be a nice thing

to buy in this building.

I think it must be Victorian. It's £175, which is a lot of money,

but I want to spend some money.

Phil decides that his wool-winder is worth a punt.

So it's off to the front desk

to see if there's any give on the £30 ticket price.

-Now, watch my lips, Paul. 25 quid. Go on, have a deal.

-Go on, then.

Good man! Right, I've got to get polishing now.

Have you got any Brasso and a duster, please?

Anita also wants to get a good price for her wool-winder.

The dealer isn't around, so she must negotiate with Emma,

one of the assistants at the centre.

I can take 10% off that without contacting them.

Right, OK. It's at 175.

10% off, that's taking me to about 160.

Would I be able to buy that for, say...

..130?

-Yeah, I'll do it.

-You'll do that?

-Yeah. No problem.

-You're a wonderful Lancashire lass.

-No problem.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

Two antiques experts, two wool-winders.

There's the robust, down-to-earth model,

and the classy, elegant, but more expensive end of the market.

-Did you have a nice time?

-I had a really good time.

-Good, wasn't it?

-Clearly you did well.

-I enjoyed it, I enjoyed it.

Tell me a woman that doesn't enjoy shopping.

Huh! Anita has decided to go shopping on her own

and drops Phil off, as he wants a wander.

In the meanwhile, she drives herself

an hour East, from Eccleston to Darwen.

Anita has already bought three items

and is hoping to find a couple more in this Aladdin's Cave.

This is very, very interesting.

-Oh, it's lovely to see you.

-Nice to meet you, lovely.

This is fabulous. This is like an adventure playground.

There is stuff everywhere.

Everywhere!

If that's a watercolour, it's a nice watercolour.

On the other hand, if it's a print, a copy of the original painting,

it won't be worth nearly as much.

Shop owner Stephen can give us some background on the artist.

He lives in the same village as me. Adrian Rigby.

-He's quite well known.

-Is this a watercolour or a print?

I think so. I think it's a watercolour, yeah.

I'm not sure. To be absolutely 100% sure, you'd need to have it out.

Yeah, I know.

-How much is it?

-£80.

£80? For what might be a print? Be careful, Anita.

There's so much stuff here. I'm going to leave that there.

Shop owner Stephen can sense Anita is keen on the bird

and comes up with an intriguing offer.

A former colleague who actually bought this,

he remembers he bought it from a charity shop.

He thinks it's definitely a watercolour and he said

if you buy it, he'll donate half back to the charity.

-No pressure there.

-That sounds great.

There's another thing I fancied. Something completely different.

I looked at this wee darling here.

It's got a lovely, naive quality.

-The horse has a twinkle in its eye.

-Yeah.

I quite like that as well. Is that very expensive?

-No, he's buyable, I think.

-He's buyable.

-I think it is.

-But you don't know how much money I've got left!

-No, I don't.

-85.

-85.

-Yeah.

-Doesn't cost a lot to feed.

-Doesn't cost a lot to feed!

-It doesn't, no.

If I bought the two of them together,

could I be in the region of 100 quid?

-GASPS

-Is that sore?

-Very sore!

-Is it?

-Is it lethally sore?

-Almost.

-Is it?

-Almost.

165 and you've offered 100.

So what about we split the difference at 135?

What about 125?

-Done.

-You are a darling. Thank you so much.

So, Anita has now spent £291 on five lots

and is nicely positioned for the auction in Harrogate.

Anita is meeting up with Phil

and the pair head off from Darwen to Haslingden.

-This looks rather nice, Philip.

-It's lovely, isn't it?

-Oh! Oh!

-SHE LAUGHS

As Anita has finished her shopping,

she has just come along for the ride, and to annoy Phil.

He, on the other hand, only has a couple of auction lots,

so he needs to get cracking,

with £430.86 burning a hole in his pocket.

Phil Serrell is under pressure and that's exactly where I like him to be.

That's an interesting thing. What on earth is it?

Maybe shop owner Peter can help him out.

-What do you think that is?

-We've had several ideas,

but the one that we're settling on, we think it's a viscosity tester.

Viscosity is the stickiness of liquid, for want of a better word, isn't it?

So you actually put the oil on, put the block on,

and then raise the gradient until, obviously, you get the movement

to give you the viscosity of that liquid.

I think you've got a very vivid imagination, sir.

Phil's found another item that's just the ticket.

It's a ticket collector's thingy, look,

off a bus or a train or something.

Oh, I think we've got to have a look at that.

How could you possibly live your life without having...?

"Any more fares?" I think those are fun as well.

Those carpet bowls, we'd better have a look at those.

Phil lines up his three potential buys at the front desk.

Time to start bargaining.

Right, we've got a real sporting lot here, haven't we?

-That looks like you've got a price on for £28.

-Yes.

-That was priced up at how much?

-45.

-Right, that's 45. And that's 42.

-Well, individually, I mean, that could be 15.

-OK.

-That's going to have to be in the region of £30.

-OK.

-And these, again, in the region of £30.

-Right.

I'm going to pass on that. I think it's too much of a gamble at auction.

OK, so now we're down to two items.

The carpet bowls and the mystery slope.

I'm going to definitely buy that, cos I think it's lunacy.

I mean, how can you sell what you don't even know what it is?

So, can I give you 30 quid for the two?

No. No, I can't do that.

-If you do 35 for the two, I'll have the two.

-I can do 40 for the two.

OK. Put that one over there. What's the best on that one?

-15.

-OK.

-I'm going to buy that. I'm definitely going to buy that. I'll have just that, thank you.

-OK.

It looks like Phil is walking away with just one item.

Although the last minute arrival of the owner of the ticket machine could change things.

I would give you a tenner for it, but I wouldn't give you any more.

Give us 15 quid and we'll call it right.

12 quid and I'll give you a first-class ticket. Go on, then.

You're a gent. Oh, hold on. Oh, look, it's broken now, look.

-You've bought it now!

-You're a gentleman. Thank you very much.

Deal done, and Phil wastes no time in hitting the road.

He takes Anita on a no-expense-spared,

chauffeur-driven trip from Haslingden to Burnley.

Our duo couldn't really visit Lancashire

without at least one trip to a cotton mill.

And what a mill this is.

Queen's Street Mill operated from 1895 until 1982,

and once housed over 1,000 working looms.

Anita is meeting up with Conrad Varley.

-Hello, Anita.

-Hello.

-Welcome to Queen's Street Mill.

-Oh, thank you very much.

I've been so excited about coming here because this is the last working mill.

The last working mill, as such, in the world.

I mean, at one period there was 100 mills of this size producing plain calico.

So, at one period, there was more looms than people that actually lived in Burnley.

By 1982, calico production on such a scale was no longer financially viable,

and Queen's Street became a working museum.

Over 300 working looms are preserved in the weaving shed.

For once, Anita is not the loudest thing in the room.

Shame Phil's not here to see it.

What a noise!

You used to have to work in this eight hours per day.

-How did they communicate?

-Well, the method was called meemowing.

-Meemowing?

-Yes. That was sort of like reading people's lips.

I would have said, "Hello, Anita."

-And I would say back, "Hello, Conrad."

-You've got it.

These looms are still powered by the factory's huge tandem compound steam engine.

The steam for that engine comes from the boilers, lovingly tended by boiler man Terry.

It's a Lancashire boiler. It's 30 foot long.

It's eight foot in diameter.

And, as you can see, the working level of water is water from there, right down to the base.

And we are, in fact, boiling 5,000 gallons of water.

So there's plenty of cups of tea or plenty of water for showers.

What we have...

-is that.

-Wow!

SHE CHUCKLES

One man would actually run both boilers in his day.

If you just have a look at the coal there, that was a morning's work.

There's three tonne of coal there, approximately.

He went through six tonne of coal per day, one man, all on his own.

Do you think if anybody can shovel coal, I could have a wee shot?

-Oh, yes, certainly. We've got some gloves here.

-All right.

SHE LAUGHS

-What we'll do is we just go through.

-Uh-huh.

-Right.

-Small bit.

-Uh-huh.

And try and swing.

Right.

Just a wee drop. Right.

Hey!

You've done it before.

That's the life of a Lancashire boiler man.

As Anita struggles to build up a head of steam,

Phil is in much the same position.

Needing to buy and buy quickly

for the auction in Harrogate,

he's heading to Whalley.

This large village is famous for the Whalley Arches,

a 48-span viaduct that crosses the Ribble Valley.

It dates from 1850.

Phil will be hoping that Whalley has other old items of interest,

as he still needs to fill his swag bag for the auction.

So a quick hello to owner Philip Davies and he's up and running.

How much is that? There's no price on it.

I quite like those. How much are they?

What about all these corkscrews? And how much is that one?

I say, Phil, steady on.

Finally Phil sees sense and calls in a little local knowledge.

Right, I'm going to need your help.

I'm thinking that I need to go down somewhere between the 20 and 40 quid route.

I don't know. Is there anything you would suggest to me?

The owner points Phil in the direction of a four-piece cruet collection.

-Are these old figures, these?

-1900, 1920s.

They're continental, aren't they?

Either that or Scottish, you know, Portobello.

Colourful little characters from Scotland? I'd have thought you'd had enough of them, Phil!

-And how much are those?

-They can be £10 each.

I think I quite like those two. There's a salt and a pepper.

-Can I give you 15 quid for those two?

-No, they're 20.

Go on, then. I'll have those two off you.

-There we are.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-Thank you, Philip.

Just across the road is a shop that Phil simply couldn't resist.

The shop is called Country Furniture

but that doesn't really do it justice.

How much is the tractor?

This is a shop that will appeal to Philip's penchant for the big bits of stuff.

Those are lovely. Those are hitching posts for horses.

So you'd have those outside your, sort of, country house,

and you just hitch up to them.

Phil's favourite items are those that take at least three people to lift.

These cast iron beauties are either hitching posts or stable ends,

used as decoration in construction of riding stables.

They have a ticket price of £100 the pair.

I'm definitely going to have these, right? Definitely. I think they're great fun.

You'll have to be quick, Phil.

Looks like there's another interested party.

I'd like to try and buy them for 80 or 100 quid the two.

Phil has to pay the full 100 for the horses

but that could still be a good each-way bet.

He hands over the cash to the very shy shop owner and the deal is done.

Phil's hoping these two will be cast iron certainties at the auction.

And that wraps up the shopping.

Anita began with £406.74

and she spent a total of £291

on an Adrian C Rigby watercolour,

a 19th-century wool-winder,

a 1930s child's rocking horse,

a 1950s bass drum

and a retro-style lamp.

It's great when you buy things that you love.

Phil started out with £475.86

and spent £192

on a bus ticket machine,

a pair of Edinburgh salt and pepper pots,

an 1895 Stanley spirit level,

together with a mortise scribe, two chisels and an engineer's slope,

a pair of early 20th-century pitching posts

and an 1867 wool-winder.

You never know when a stretcher might come in useful.

Interesting items.

But what do our experts think of each other's purchases?

Well, I'm seriously underwhelmed by Philip's items.

I think they're all right, but they're just all right.

BUT he has been redeemed

by buying those wonderful cast iron horse posts. I really like them.

They might be the thing to get him out of a hole.

I like her watercolour, I think that's a good thing.

And the old whirligig, the wool-winder, I love that to bits,

so, you know, it'll be an interesting one, this.

After starting out

in Eccleston in Lancashire,

our pair will end up in Harrogate,

soon to be On-Sea

if this rain keeps up!

I don't care if I'm never, ever, ever

sitting in this car, ever, ever, ever again.

-I love this little car.

-You love it? Well, you're more than welcome.

OK, Serrell.

-That's just fantastic(!)

-Stop moaning.

-Shut up.

Phil and Anita have entered their items into a general sale at Thompsons Auctions in Harrogate.

It's all about winning, this.

First, the ticket machine. Will this prove to be a first-class bargain?

I have to start on commission here at £38. 40 anywhere?

It is with me at 38. Do I see 40? It seems cheap at 38. 40. 42. 45.

-45?

-That's ridiculous.

48 with me. One more, you might be lucky.

50, thank you. At £50.

-£50!

-It's good value at 50.

All done, I'm going to sell at £50.

Well done, you big chancer!

Who says you can't make money out of public transport?

It's not about winning, as long as I do,

it's just about taking part. All right?

Second up today are Phil's salt and pepper pots.

Start here with me on commission at £18. 20 anywhere?

Bid is with me at 18. Do I see 20? 20, 22 and 25.

25 in the room. At £25. At 25, any advance on 25?

I haven't lost any money on those. I'm happy with that.

£25, I'm going to sell at £25.

It's what they deserved. A nice wee pair. You haven't lost money.

Phil salts away a £5 profit on the cruet set.

It's your tools and that slopey-dopey thing.

They've got "engineer's slope", not slopey-dopey.

-No, I thought engineer's slope.

-It's a dopey that's bought the slopey.

It's Phil's tools up next, sold as a combined lot of five.

Starting on commission at £28. 30, 32 and 35.

In the room at 35, 38, 40, 42, 45.

-You're in profit, Phil.

-50, 52, 55.

55, sir? 55, 58, 60, 62.

Go on, you beauty.

65, 68. Are you sure?

Smile.

65 at the back. 68, new bidder.

70, 72, 75,

78, 80, 82.

No, 80 at the back. At £80, at 80.

Are we all done? I'm going to sell at £80.

-I'm pleased with that.

-That's a great result.

Just the right tools for the job.

Phil more than doubles his money.

-Stop smiling.

-Stop poking me, please.

-Stop smiling!

It's a shift change of the auctioneers.

Kate Higgins takes over to try and sell the first of the two wool-winders.

This is Anita's classy model.

She's high hopes of making big money with this.

Start the bidding at 50. 55 anywhere?

55 in the room.

60 anywhere else? Gentleman's bid here at 55.

Do I see 60? In the room at £55.

Selling now at £55. 278.

I bombed. I bombed.

Ouch. That hurts.

Anita's wool-winder winds up losing her £75.

What's the state of play at the minute?

It's too complicated. I'm too depressed to even count my money.

Phil's cheaper lot is up now in the big battle of the wool-winders.

Start the bidding at 100.

110 anywhere?

On commission at 100. Do I see 110? 110, 120.

No, still on commission at 120.

130 now.

Have they got the right wool-winder?

On commission at £120.

I'm just absolutely flabbergasted.

No, it's not a wind-up. Phil's wool-winder wins.

Actually, I'll tell you what, you've got to laugh, haven't you?

So my wool-winder, my grotty little wool-winder,

has made double what yours has made.

Maybe this will drum up some much needed profit for Anita.

Start me at £20. 10 anywhere?

I've just...

15 with the lady. 20 anywhere else? Lady's bid here at 15. 20 now.

In the room at £15. Selling now on my left at £15.

You're having a good sort of day, really, aren't you, so far?

Anita is looking well and truly beaten.

I think this is the one that I've got to put all the money on.

-Is it?

-Hi-ho, Silver. Let's hope he gets away.

Maybe the rocking horse will be a better bet.

His name is Silver. Start me at £50. 20 anywhere? £20, surely.

20 we have. Do I see 25?

Gentleman's bid here at 20. Five anywhere?

In the room here at 20. Are we finished? 25.

25? Oh!

40 here. 45 anywhere else? Seated bid at £40. Are we finished?

Selling in the room at £40.

Oh, Philip!

Silver trails in at the back of the field

and that's another loss for Anita.

That was the one that I was counting on.

-So I'm going to struggle here.

-That's sad(!)

It's going to have to be green lamp to the rescue.

Standard lamp with lime green shade, £10.

10 anywhere? £5? Five do we have?

Oh, five!

Five at the back of the room. Do I see eight?

In the room at £5. Selling now at £5.

-Has everything just dived?

-Everything has not just dived.

It has sunk to the bottom.

Look on the bright side. At least you won't have to take it home!

-Are you ecstatic?

-No, I'm not. I'm getting very anxious about my bloomin' horse posts.

Back to Phil now and the hitching posts.

Start me at £50. £50 surely?

50 we have. 60 anywhere? Gentleman's bid here at 50.

60, 70, 80, 90. On my right here at 90.

It's a result, I think.

In the room at £90. Selling, gentleman's bid at £90.

I know that in the right place, I think those are £200-£400's worth.

Ah, you won't be the first punter to lose a tenner on the horses.

My last lot is coming up, my very nice watercolour.

And it's a good subject and I really like it.

This really has to fly if Anita is going to catch Phil.

Signed Adrian C Rigby, watercolour of an eagle,

and 40 bid. 45 now.

On commission at 40, do I see 45?

With me now at £40. Are we finished?

45 in the room. 50 anywhere else?

(Come on!)

Gentleman's bid at £45.

That's every single one.

The eagle has failed and Anita's last hope has gone.

Come on.

Oh, dear. Anita lost money on every lot.

She started this leg with £406.74

and after auction costs has lost £159.80,

leaving her with a total of £246.94.

Phil fared a bit better. Starting with £475.86,

he has made a profit of £107.30,

giving him a total of £583.16.

That makes Phil Serrell the winner. All the profits our experts make will be donated to Children In Need.

Well, Phil, I really thought I had a chance of catching you up on that one.

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter who wins or loses, does it?

Ha-ha! Trust Phil to be a gracious winner.

And as we wave them goodbye,

we wave hello to another duelling duo,

Mark Stacey and Mark Hales.

Two Marks in one car. Just "Mark" what I say, eh?

Is it true, two Marks are better than one?

-Absolutely right.

-If you say so.

Veteran Road Tripper Mark Stacey is an auctioneer and valuer from Brighton.

He's a smart operator whose wits are as sharp as his tongue.

-Mark.

-Yes.

-You couldn't give me a hand, could you?

Could I give you a hand?

You asked for a hand!

Ceramics expert Mark Hales runs a Devon auction house.

He's a relative newcomer

with just one previous Road Trip under his belt.

So, could this upstart be hunting victory?

-I've got to beat Mark over there, haven't I?

-Definitely.

-It's the name of the game.

-He must be beaten.

The Marks both start this leg with £200 to spend on antiques,

which they will later sell at auction, aiming to make a tidy profit.

Our boys are driving a dashingly red

1968 Triumph Spitfire MK3.

That's two Marks in a MK3.

Oh, good grief!

I'm not terribly good on cars, but I do like the colour red.

-It's a lovely red, isn't it?

-I think we could have a hoot in it.

Sexy red.

Now, don't get carried away!

This week's epic journey sees the two Marks drive nearly 300 miles,

from Finedon in Northamptonshire,

through Norwich to East Anglia,

to Colchester in Essex.

On this leg, they're heading for auction

in Stamford, Lincolnshire.

The pretty village of Finedon in Northamptonshire effortlessly

combines the ancient and the modern.

Right.

Oh, I'm itching to get started, aren't you?

-The thrill of the chase. This is it.

-Oh, gosh!

Not as young as you used to be, are you, chaps?

-I'm glad to be out of that thing!

-I nearly had to ask you to help me out, then!

I wouldn't have, I would have left you in there.

More chance of me finding the bargains.

First, Mark Hales is scouting out Affleck Bridge Antiques.

Robert Cheney is on hand to give him a warm welcome.

-Hello, Robert, how do you do?

-All right, thank you.

-Would it be all right if I have a browse?

-Yes, carry on.

-Thank you very much indeed.

Does he have a master plan, other than just rubbing his hands?

Well, no plan as such, just keep looking, keep looking,

don't lose my cool.

I am a little bit nervous, I'm always nervous

until I've got that first buy out of the way.

The mallet, Robert,

-is it a presentation piece?

-Yeah.

It IS a presentation mallet, made for the builder

of Chelmsford School in 1906 and crafted from ebony.

Mark's convinced it may be of interest to a particular buyer.

-Builders love to collect things, don't they, Robert?

-They do, yes.

Builders, if you have 20 collectors in a room, I'm sorry,

but probably 12 of them would be builders. Isn't that right?

The ticket price is £65, can Mark haggle it down?

Can I buy it for £35? Because that would give me a profit, won't it?

-It would, but it wouldn't give us one.

-£40.

-Just.

-Because if I bought that for £40,

-I reckon I've got a profit in that, I really do.

-That would be, yeah.

As long as those collecting builders spot it,

I think it could do well.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-£40 for the mallet?

-That's it, yeah.

Thank you, Robert, we'll have the mallet, thank you very much indeed.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, YES! We've started.

Meanwhile, Mark Stacey is next door

in MC Chapman Antiques, with proprietor, Mike.

This Road Tripper is a formidable competitor

but what does he make of his new rival?

I think Mark's going to be very tough competition, actually,

I think he jabbers a lot, because we've only just met,

and he might be a little bit nervous, but I think he has a good eye.

Huh! Looks like he's not the only one!

That's rather pretty as well, isn't it? It's a little...

-I THINK it's continental silver.

-I think so.

There's some sort of mark on the bottom. I haven't got my eye glasses with me.

What he's fiddling with here is a miniature white metal

continental candleholder, list price, £22. And now,

he's spied something else, too.

-This is a rather unusual thing as well, isn't it?

-Yeah.

What do you think it is?

-Pin tray?

-Yeah, mother-of-pearl?

Quite a big piece as well, mounted in a sort of...

-Almost an Arts & Crafts...

-It has actually,

I can't see any marks on, but it feels silver.

It feels silver, doesn't it, yeah.

On the ticket, £55. Mark Stacey is an absolute magpie this morning.

He's found yet another shiny object.

My eyes are wandering and I'm seeing things I didn't see before.

And it's just...oops!

It's just good to have a look at things, because you never know,

you might just find that extra something, you know?

It's a little... You could call it a sort of compote,

or a tazza, I suppose.

A tazza is a shallow cup or vase, usually on a decorative pedestal.

1882, so it dates it to the late 19th century.

-How much is that, Mike?

-£45.

-£45.

In the other room, Mark's alighted on something else he likes.

-There's no stopping him!

-Gosh! That's rather nice.

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

-Just lovely quality.

-It's lovely quality.

What we have here is a 19th-century cribbage board.

This is all mother-of-pearl here

and you've got... Is this rosewood?

-If you got that made today, how much would it cost?

-Well, yeah.

£300 or £400, at least?

Right, I've got to make some decisions, Mike, haven't I?

Let's have a little look at what we've got.

We've got that bit, which I quite like.

That, which I like, this, which I like, and that, which I like.

Four bits already, isn't it?

The ticket price for all four items combined is £172,

so what can masterful Mark get shaved off that hefty lump sum?

-£145...so far, is that right, Mike?

-Yeah.

I've really pretty much given you...

The best on the lot, so I can't twist your arm?

-You can twist my arm for another fiver off.

-I must be absolutely mad,

but your charm has beguiled me

-and I'm going to buy them, thank you very much.

-Thank you.

He's managed to negotiate £32 off,

so that's £140 for all four items.

-Good work!

-I'll be quite honest,

I've got my whole budget here.

So, the easiest thing to do is just to take £60 away

and give you the rest, actually!

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you again.

How's he feeling after his buying bonanza?

I've been in a few awkward positions in my life

but I've never been in this position before

of having bought four items and spent most of my budget

in the very, very first shop.

Meanwhile, Mark Hales is now in Mike's shop.

It's been a boon for Mr Stacey,

will Mark Hales hit the jackpot, too?

He wastes no time and heads upstairs for a good rummage.

Happy as a king!

Lovely!

It's a coloured 19th-century print,

Pears print, Pears soap

and it's always been a favourite painting of mine. Mike!

The print is of a painting by 19th-century artist William Collins.

I'll help you with a fiver, I'll do you it for 20 quid.

You know, that's what I was thinking of.

Yes! Yes, I've got to have a go, haven't I? I've got to have a go!

Another buy for Mark Hales.

Actually, I'm as happy as a king.

I'll do the jokes! Thank you, Mark.

Time for the lads to leave Finedon

and head 21 miles south to Northampton.

This large market town boasts some fine architecture.

The Grade II listed Northampton Guildhall was opened in 1864.

But it's the local museum Mark's heading for.

Northampton has been the life and soul

of the British shoe-making industry for centuries.

He's come to meet Rebecca,

who will walk him through the extensive collection of footwear.

Shoemaking in the area is a proud tradition

that survives today.

Even the local football team is known as the Cobblers.

Rebecca and Mark are kicking off in a room

that explains the traditional shoe-manufacturing process

which has employed generations of local workers.

So, in here we've got the shoe machinery

and we start as well with the first, with the last.

-The last?

-It's just really, usually,

a wooden foot-shaped sort of block

that the shoe is then moulded and made round.

There were over 200 individual processes

involved in the traditional manufacture of shoes.

This room describes

how each of them added up to an natty pair of brogues.

As a special treat, Rebecca has agreed to show Mark

behind-the-scenes at the museum. This is the backstage area

where some of their rarest items are stored.

This is where everything that's not on display is kept,

-including the 11,000 pairs of shoes.

-11,000 pairs of shoes, right.

Promise me, you won't tell my wife!

So, we have a few prime examples on the table here.

So, I think maybe you ought to pop a pair of gloves on

and uncover what lies in these boxes.

-Right, yes.

-This is one of our very earliest shoes in the collection,

-it's an Egyptian sandal sole.

-Right.

It's from 300 BC, actually.

It's difficult to believe that's 300 years BC.

Next, Rebecca's got a surprise for Mark -

a pair of shoes worn by a special lady on her very special day.

-It's not going to jump out at me, is it?

-No.

-No.

It's not going to be the smelly pair?

-These are probably one of our most popular pairs.

-Really?

-Yes.

-They really...

-Oh, goodness me!

19th-century?

-Yes, they're Queen Victoria's wedding shoes.

-Wow!

Just look at the size of the young Queen's feet, how delicate.

They are. They are about a 3½. And incredibly narrow.

-Could I possibly pick one up?

-Yes, you can.

If I'm very, very careful. Could you hold that for me?

I mean, I have to hold... my hand's shaking...

I have to hold Queen Victoria's...

Oh, look at that!

That's it - made by shoemakers to the Queen and the Royal Family,

Gundry & Sons, in London.

I think that's a bit of a special moment, don't you?

Isn't that fabulous?

If you think of all the prints and paintings that you see of Victoria

on her wedding day, and these are the actual shoes she was wearing.

-Rebecca, it's been absolutely fascinating.

-Great.

I mean that, thank you. I really have enjoyed myself, so, so much.

-Thank you very much for having me.

-You're welcome.

-Thank you.

Just down the road, Mark Stacey is continuing his shopping extravaganza.

He's heading for Northampton's largest retailer

of antique and vintage goods and proprietor, Gilly Burgess.

-Hello.

-I'm Mark.

-Hello there, I'm Gilly.

-Nice to meet you, Gilly.

-Gosh, it's a lot bigger on the inside!

-Size isn't everything!

It's not long before Mark's spotted something -

an Italian silver candlestick with a familiar motif.

Thank you, my love.

I bought this cherub candlestick this morning and I was just thinking

that if in the sale there was a cherub lover there...

-It would complement it.

-It might complement it.

Sounds like it's time to strike a deal, Mark,

but after your big spend this morning,

what can you afford to offer?

The candlestick is silver, after all.

Do you think they would take £5 for it?

LAUGHTER

I think that's a no, then, is it?

-Jog on!

-I think that's a no, is it?

-For your cheek, you can have it for £5.

-Give me a kiss.

-On one condition.

-Oh, no! What's the condition?

This comes with another cheeky bottom.

-Does it?

-It's part of a pair.

-Oh, yes?

And if you will consent to take this other cheeky bottom with you

and have it as part of your...

-You can have that for £5.

-What's the other cheeky bottom?

-I'll go and fetch it.

-(What's going on here?)

Do I look a cheeky bottom type of person? Don't answer that.

Oh, I can't look. Shall I cover my eyes?

-This week's objet d'art.

-Is it really cheeky?

-It's very cheeky.

-Can I look?

-You can look.

LAUGHTER

If you can shift that, I'll eat my hat.

Cos I can't shift it.

-Is that or is that not...

-The vilest thing you've ever seen.

-Yes!

Words fail me.

So, Mark's bagged himself a silver candlestick for a fiver

and a cheeky bonus.

Looking pleased with himself, Mark Stacey joins Mark Hales

and they get back on the road.

The boys head 10 miles west

from Northampton to Weedon Bec.

Heart of the shires. Oh, looks quite big.

They're aiming for Shires Antiques,

hoping to find their next round of bargains.

I'm not sure that I want to share this shop with you.

-Do you not like sharing, Mark?

-I do with some people, Mark.

Both Marks are competing on the same turf.

Old hand Mark Stacey is as gracious as ever.

You stick down... Don't you dare follow me!

Lawrence and Alison Spencer will be helping them.

Mark Stacey has £55 remaining.

That's quite interesting, isn't it?

Little sort of silver quality...

unmarked silver-plated wine funnel.

You'd serve your wine through this

in the days when there was often a lot of sediment.

That's right.

You'd use this to pour through and the wine would pour out.

I've got £55 left.

Is it worth having a little word with him?

I'll quite happily give him a ring.

That wine funnel was marked up at £85,

so he's going to need a substantial reduction.

On the other side of the shop,

Mark Hales has found some picture frames that take his interest.

He's got £140 left to spend.

Alison's on hand to help.

Not my subject at all,

but there's two of them here and it says,

"Northumberland Fusiliers" and "York and Lancashire Regiment."

-Militaria. Militaria's quite saleable, isn't it?

-Very.

Price on the ticket is £70.

Without messing about, if I could buy the two for £45, I'll buy them.

-Tell him I'm desperate.

-Oh, dear!

-I'm not really that desperate.

You shouldn't admit things like that.

And now we've got an answer from the dealer

selling Mark Stacey's wine funnel.

It's your lucky day, she's accepted your offer.

And there's an answer for Mark Hales too.

55 is her very best.

-That's her bottom line, is it?

-It is, yes.

-I think I'd better buy, then, hadn't I?

-Yeah.

-I think I'd better buy them at £55, thank you very much.

-You're welcome.

Not quite the deal he wanted, unlike adversary Mark Stacey,

who's bagged yet another item.

It seems Mr Hales has some work to do.

They're in the car again

and heading the ten miles back towards Northampton.

Mark Hales is in Old Bakehouse Antiques with Linda Grant.

Thank you very much. Would it be all right

-if I have a jolly good look around?

-Of course.

It seems he's spotted some 1970s retro chairs

which just might turn a tidy profit.

-Far out, man.

-Blonde Ercol.

-Yeah, they're all Ercol.

I'm not very knowledgeable in retro but, you know,

these have been quite popular.

Founded in 1920, Ercol is a great British furniture manufacturer

still going strong in Buckinghamshire.

Their vintage designs from the 20th century

are popular with retro furniture enthusiasts.

I've sold these in my auction room in Devon

and I've sold them for £10 each, and I've sold them for £25 each.

It just depends who's there on the day and what's happening.

I can do a deal on those. You can have the four at £10 each.

-That's 40, isn't it?

-Correct.

I'm not being mean or anything, I've got to ask anyway,

don't be insulted, but I was thinking if I could get those for 30...

-I mean, they take up space.

-35.

-Oh, you're a hard woman.

You've got profit, we've got profit.

I can't say fairer than that. Fine, thank you.

Thank you, Linda, I've bought those, that's wonderful.

Bye!

Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear. What have I done?

Retro chair man. Right.

Have faith, Mark.

He now heads 30 miles in a north-easterly direction

as he has more shopping to do

in the ancient market town of Oundle.

With £50 left to spend, he's heading towards Green Man Antiques.

-Hi.

-Hi!

-I'm Mark.

-I'm Vicky, nice to meet you.

Hello, Vicky, how do you do?

-Would it be all right if I had a browse?

-Please do.

Fabulous!

With shopping time running out,

Mark's resorting to an unusual shopping tactic.

What springs to mind that's £50?

A couple of barometers, wood-framed barometers.

These. I didn't look at these.

I could do the two of those for 46, but that is my absolute final.

That's jolly reasonable, they're ever so good.

They are beautiful.

-And they're useable, aren't they?

-They are, yes.

That's the beauty of things like this.

You hang them on the wall and use them.

They're 19th century, aren't they, Vicky?

They're 19th century and they're sort of... 1870s.

-Yes.

-That sort of period.

They should be snatched from the shop, shouldn't they?

-They should, before I change my mind.

-Oh, bless your heart.

-That was very good.

-That's you told, Mark.

Better hand over the cash and get out of there - quick.

Right, that's good news, isn't it? That's good news. I've done it.

I spent all my money. Well, £4 left.

Marvellous. So, that's the shopping sewn up.

Mark Hales started with £200

and has spent £196 on a set of 1970s Ercol chairs,

two barometers, one with thermometer,

a Pears soap advert, circa 1912,

and an early 20th-century stonemason's mallet

and a pair of photograph frames.

Mark Stacey started with £200

and has spent it all on a 20th-century pottery vase,

a cribbage board,

a late 19th-century plated bronze tazza,

two cherub candleholders,

a silver and mother-of-pearl pin dish

and an early 19th-century Sheffield plated wine funnel.

So, what do our experts think of each other's purchases?

There's a lot of silver content there, so it could be scrapped,

so the value's there.

He can't go wrong. He's played it very, very, safely.

I'm very pleased with the items I've bought

and if there's any justice in the world

they will do reasonably well, but Mark has surprised me.

There's one or two things there that might sell very well.

It's too close to call.

On this leg of the road trip our two Marks have travelled

from Finedon, Northamptonshire

to end up at auction in Stamford, Lincolnshire.

Stamford's proud past stretches right back to the Anglo-Saxon period.

It's justly celebrated for its pretty, historic streets.

-Well, here we are in Stamford.

-Beautiful, sunny Stamford.

A little bit of old England, isn't it?

They're on their way to Batemans Auctioneers and Valuers.

This family business is run by two generations of Batemans.

Auctioneer David Palmer will be wielding the gavel.

So, who will be victorious in the first all-Mark showdown?

On your Marks! Oh, sorry.

First up, Mark Hales's groovy Ercol chairs.

Rather attractive design there. Put them in £20. 20 I'm bid.

20, 22, 25, 28.

At 28 now, I'll take 30. 30, 2, 32.

You in again? 35.

Goes then seated at 35... 38 net.

38, 40. In the room at 40.

50 in the room. Net, you out? 55.

At 55. Done then, at 55.

They sell on the net at 55. They are proper chairs!

At 55. Is that a 60?

-It is 60.

-Oh, put the hammer down!

-In the room at 60.

-No, keep going, please!

Take a five if you want.

Nobody else at 60?

Great start, and not one to be sniffed at.

-It's terribly brave of me.

-Was it?

-That's the first bit of Ercol I've bought in my life.

-Was it?

-Oh, yes!

I'm quite proud of myself, actually.

Next, Mark Hales's pair of 19th-century barometers.

But has he gauged the pressure of the saleroom correctly?

These are the most fashionable and sought-after of all barometers.

Put them in at, what, 20 quid? 20 I'm bid. Straight down the front.

Yes, thank you. 20, two. Here at 22.

25? 25.

In the room at 25.

-With you, sir, at 25. At £25.

-That's not good at all.

-Done and finished, then, at 25.

-Oh!

Oh, dear. A loss of £21.

It was almost like a BOGOF, that. Buy one, get one free.

Good of you to point that out, Mark.

Now, Mark Hales's print of Happy As A King is up,

but will it put a smile on the punters' faces?

£10?

-Five anywhere?

-It's a pretty picture, isn't it?

-A fiver...

Oh, dear, someone's looking glum. And it's not even his lot!

For the Pears print. Five I am bid, thank you, sir. At five only.

And I sell it then at £5.

At a fiver, six.

Do you want seven? Seven.

Eight, nine, ten. Ten down here.

It goes at ten, and I sell at ten.

All done at £10.

Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear. Another loss.

You do know the nature of the game is to buy things

-and then hopefully make a profit, Mark?

-Oh!

It's not to buy something

and then sell it for half of what you paid for it.

Profit, I remember that!

So, let's see if you can do any better, Mark Stacey.

Here comes your inlaid cribbage board.

I am not hopeful for this one, actually.

But I do like it and I think it looks nice up there.

And they are popular.

Ten for it? Straight in at £10.

Ten I'm bid.

With the lady at ten, take two now.

12, 15, 18, 20,

22, 25, 28,

30.

32, 35, 38.

At 38, I sell in the seats at £38.

I sell at 38.

Not so bright now, Mark Stacey. A £7 loss for you too.

Well, that's one thing on my list now, no more cribbage boards!

THEY CHUCKLE

We're going to have a very long list of things not to buy.

Let's see if Mark Stacey can redeem himself with his bronze tazza.

Put it in at £30.

-30 to start.

-Come on!

30 I'm bid.

At 30 now, I sell standing at 30, right at the back at 30.

Take a two anywhere? It goes then at £30.

In the blue at 30, the maiden bid of 30.

-Sell, then, at £30.

-Can you believe that?

-Bid if you want it!

-So it's not just me, then, is it?

-30.

-£30.

-Right at the back, 30.

Nothing on the net? 32.

Do you want 35? 35. In the room at 35.

-Every little helps.

-In the room at 35.

At 35, I sell with the sporting gent there at 35. Here at 38, 40?

I'm getting too carried away here!

-For God's sake, I think that's plenty, don't you?

-I sell at 40.

It holds its value

but there's still a loss after the auction house has taken commission.

I think we'll both have to chalk this down to experience today, Mark.

We've got an awful lot of lots to go yet.

It's not looking useful, it's not looking good.

Another lot for Mark Hales now.

Can he turn this around with his ebony presentation mallet?

Let's start at £30. £30 for it?

30 I'm bid. With the lady at 30.

And I sell at £30.

35. With the lady now at 35. 38.

At 38, sell then.

This is possibly the worst day of my life.

-You are all out in front.

-Oh, Mark!

At 38, I sell on the net, then, at 38.

-You're out in the room at 38.

-Oh!

It seems the builders Mark hoped might buy the mallet

have not materialised. Another loss.

-Poor Mike!

-I have to say, Mark,

that you're not having a good day, and it's not fair.

Next, Mark Stacey's cunningly combined

his two cherub candlesticks into one lot.

Will it be enough to pull him out of this quagmire?

£20 the two? Straight in, £20?

-Come on!

-20? They're worth that, a tenner each.

-Come on!

-20 quid. 20 I'm bid down here.

-With the lady at 20, I'll take two.

-Good, I've got my money back.

Sell, then, at £20. 25. You in again, 28?

28. At 28.

-Internet bidding?

-In the room at 28.

A bit more.

A modest profit. Rejoice!

Is this the turnaround?

I mean, I'm happy with a profit, at last.

So fingers crossed anyway, I'm on my way uphill.

We'll see, as his wine funnel goes under the hammer.

Straight in, 20 quid? Decant your wine. 20 I'm bid.

-At the back at 20. Take a two now.

-What did it cost?

-55.

Sell then, 22 on the net. 25 in the room.

28. 30, £30.

Back standing at 30.

It goes, then, at £30. All done at 30.

No! No turnaround there!

I think it's...

-I think we've entered a new phase of the competition, don't you?

-Yes.

-It's who can lose the most.

-Yes.

Oh, come on, boys, cheer up. It's not that bad.

Next, Mark Hales and his regimental picture frames.

£20 for them? 20? Put the appropriate photographs in them.

-Don't start at 20.

-£20?

Oh! 22. Net at 22. Do you want 25?

25. In the room, 25. 28.

-That's ridiculous.

-At £28 now. Here at £28.

-Come on.

-On the net at £28.

-It should be £120.

-30 in the room.

-32.

You in again? 35? 35.

35, it's in the room. 38.

40 now.

38, 40, 45. The net at 45.

-45, there's two people on the net.

-55.

-It's going on.

-It should do.

-65.

-At 70. At 75.

-It's creeping up.

It goes, then, at 75. No-one else at 75?

MARK SIGHS

A £20 profit will have to do.

-It's such a shame, Mark.

-Well, you can't win them all!

Surely Mark Stacey's lovely little Arts & Crafts

pin tray can tease this tough crowd.

A tenner for it? £10, the dish? 10?

At ten I am bid now, and I sell, then, at £10.

It goes at ten. Take two.

12 behind you. 15 in front. 15.

18, 20? £20.

In front at £20. With the gent there at £20. I sell at 20.

All done at 20?

Another lot nosedives.

We can't have it our way every auction, can we?

It was a tricky day, wasn't it?

Well, never mind, boys. Here comes

that vase that the dealer just wanted to get rid of.

-This is seriously cool.

-Fabulous piece.

This in my opinion is the best bit in the sale.

Come on, I want everybody bidding.

It is so cool. 20 quid for it?

Straight in, £20.

-22 I've got on the net.

-Oh!

-On the net at 22.

-Come on!

25, at 25, down here at 25.

Is that it? In the room now at 25. Anybody else?

28? 30. 32.

Well, blow me!

-At 32.

-Come on! One more!

Goes, then, at £32 now. All done? At 32? Nobody else?

Come on!

Yes!

Well, would you believe it?

I think that was the most marvellous price.

Sadly, though, no champagne for either of our experts.

But, at the end of the auction, it's still a close call.

Mark Stacey started today with £200 but after auction costs,

he made a loss of £45.84,

leaving him a slimline £154.16.

Mark Hales also started with £200 and after auction fees,

he made a loss of £25.44,

giving him a healthy £174.56 to play with.

Well, Mark, not our finest hour, I think.

No, no, but it could have been worse.

It could have been a lot worse,

so, we have got at least some money to carry forward.

Money? Oh, yes, I remember that, Mark!

-So, put it down to bitter experience.

-Yes.

-And I'm not bitter.

-Oh, really?!