Episode 5 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!

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

There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

You mean lot!

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

There's always another auction on.

This is the Antiques Road Trip.

We've got two auctioneers called Mark

battling to be crowned king of the road trip.

Mark Hales is a West Country ceramics specialist who's relatively new to the road trip

and keen to make his mark, as it were!

I never panic. It's not in my nature.

Mark Stacey, a veteran road-tripper from Brighton,

is determined to show the whippersnapper how it's done.

I'll have to start hunting before he finds all the bargains.

Mark Hales has £174.56 to play with on this leg.

He'll be hoping to increase that pot by the end of the show.

Mark Stacey has £154.16 in his wallet.

He'll need to do some canny buying.

They're hitting the road in a spiffing 1968 Triumph Spitfire.

In it, they'll cover over 300 miles,

all the way from Finedon, Northamptonshire,

to Colchester in Essex.

Along the way, they'll pilot their bright red beauty

through several English counties.

Crikey!

On this leg, they're driving about 100 miles

from Oakham in Rutland to Downham Market in Norfolk.

-We have to find something.

-That is the challenge of the Road Trip.

What I want to try and do is buy the right items.

That would certainly help!

Rutland is the smallest of the historic English counties

and Oakham is its bijou, yet picturesque county town.

-A very good bit of parking, Mark.

-Thank you very much.

You can walk to the kerb from there!

Having arrived in Oakham, the boys are going their separate ways.

Mark Hales is heading for his first shop.

The proprietor of the shop, Tom Scott, is on hand to greet him.

-Lovely shop.

-Thank you very much.

Very nice items here.

This rather interesting rope maker's gauge. Isn't that nice?

-It's a pretty little piece.

-It is, isn't it?

Henry Bannister and Co Ltd, Rope Works, Cowes, Isle of Wight.

I like that. That's lovely.

This ingenious gauge or calliper would have been used by rope makers

to measure the girth and therefore strength of rope and cordage,

for the purpose of safety and pricing.

1910, 1920. Is that right?

-Yeah.

-How much is it, though?

-It's 25.

-Is it?

-Bit scary.

-We could do something there for you.

Right. I might as well know what the bottom line is.

-£17.50.

-£17.50.

-Absolute best.

Mark's tempted by the rope maker's gauge,

but he's going to think on it.

Mark Stacey isn't hitting the shops quite yet.

He's calmly saving his pennies

and has ambled off for a visit to nearby Oakham Castle.

Norman era Oakham is one of the finest examples

of 12th Century domestic architecture in England.

The Great Hall is all that remains of the Medieval castle,

but it houses a completely unique collection

that tells the story of its centuries-old history.

Mark's meeting Jane Williams from Rutland County Museum.

She's going to show him around.

-I'm Mark.

-Hello, I'm Jane.

-Nice to meet you, Jane. Well...

I wasn't expecting to see this.

-What are all these... Are they horseshoes?

-They're horseshoes.

They're presentation horseshoes

that have all been given to the lord of the manor.

For centuries, every peer of the realm who visited Oakham for the first time,

had gifted the castle a horseshoe.

The 230 that hang in the Great Hall commemorate the visits

of monarchs and nobility from the Wars of the Roses to the present day.

Crikey!

The oldest one we have at the moment is the Edward IV,

which was given in 1470.

The one that looks actually less glitzy.

-Yes.

-Strange, isn't it?

-Originally, it would have been very glitzy.

-Really?

-Yes.

But how did the tradition of giving horseshoes spring up in the first place?

A clue lies in the name of the family

for whom the castle was built back in the 12th century - de Ferrers.

It's a Norman French name.

They came from Normandy with William the Conqueror,

and their name, loosely translated, means "to clad with iron".

-As you would shoe a horse with iron.

-Of course.

The original de Ferrers who came with William the Conqueror was in charge of the horse.

-He was master of the horse.

-Again, that's another...

-So you've got another...

-That's another strong link.

-Equine connections.

Mystery solved.

And you've got the present Queen,

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II below 1967.

Tell me about that one.

It's quite special because the Queen's had a racing plate

from her race horse, Oriel, put in the middle.

So that was quite a nice little touch

because we don't have many real horseshoes.

There's one final unique thing about this collection of horseshoes

and old eagle-eyes Mark has spotted it.

It's strange to me, because I'm used to having the horseshoes the other way up.

That's how we tend to hang a horseshoe in England.

We say the other way up, you keep your luck in.

In Rutland, the locals say that if you have it that way up,

the Devil will build a nest inside.

And so they always hang their horseshoes this way.

I wonder where that came from.

Oakham's collection is certainly unusual.

Jane, thank you so much for your time and showing me round.

I've learnt an awful lot and I'll come back again for a longer visit some time.

-Bye-bye.

-Pleasure.

Meanwhile, Mark Hales is still shopping.

He's headed on to a different branch of the same shop he was in earlier.

He's been browsing for a while

and hasn't made a decision on his first item yet.

I never panic. It's not in my nature.

Erm... A little bit flustered though!

I'm glad you've made that important distinction, Mark.

I like that rocker.

Dark stained, 19th century.

Sit in front of the Aga in that, can't you?

And just rock yourself to sleep on a Sunday afternoon

with your Sunday papers and your pot of tea and perhaps later on,

you can start thinking about crumpets and things like that.

Yeah, that's a crumpet chair, isn't it?

And what could be more British than a, erm...crumpet chair, Mark?

Peter co-owns the shop with stepson, Tom. Can he cut Mark a tasty deal?

-Do you know off the top of your head? Is it a bargain?

-45.

-45?

Looks like Mark's going to try and shave a bit off that price.

-35. And I'll have a go. Country auction.

-I know.

-Country rocker.

-We'll split it. 40.

-£40.

-It's got to be...

-Got to be a profit in that, hasn't there?

-Got to be.

£40, mate. Well done.

Let's have a look.

Now, he's spied some more intriguing items.

Lovely old bucket. Make a super jardiniere, wouldn't it?

A bit sad, actually, because buckets were made to be used, weren't they?

What else have we got here?

Nice Victorian tools. Lovely old chisels, look.

Boxwood handle, tool steel. You can't buy this steel any more.

It's wonderful.

Lovely rebate plane by Griffiths of Norwich.

Remember the rope maker's gauge

from the other branch of this shop he visited earlier?

Well, he's got an idea.

I wonder if we can put that with that. That's two tools.

And the rope maker's instrument we saw in the shop.

-Peter, are you there? Oh, you are. I love tools.

-They're nice, aren't they?

So I'm thinking, bucket, the plane and the rope maker's gauge.

-That's a good tool lot. It's an interesting lot.

-Nice lot.

The ticket price of these three items combined is £75.

So will Peter move on the price?

What am I thinking? I'm thinking 15. 15 is 30. A tenner.

-40, the three.

-We're going to do the same thing, because I was going to say 50 the three.

-So I'll meet you in the middle again.

-What's that?

-45.

-Can we throw a chisel in with a boxwood handle?

-Yeah, OK.

-A little bit of damage there.

-It's got a split ferrule.

-45. Chuck that in as well. It's another little novelty piece.

-Sure.

Thank you, Peter.

What a deal! £45 for the gauge, plane, bucket and chisel.

Let's hope Mark Stacey can do as well in his shop.

He's travelling the 20 miles from Oakham to Grantham, Lincolnshire.

Mark Stacey does need to get his shopping started.

He's heading towards Notions Antiques,

where proprietor Sharon is on hand to help.

Lovely to meet you, Sharon.

What's that item Mark's spotted?

It's a little trivet.

"Trivet, Isle of Man", it says. Oh, I see.

I saw, when I first looked at it, the English rose,

the Irish clover and the thistles.

But if you look in the centre, it's got the Isle of Man legs.

But I think the Isle of Man connection is quite nice, actually.

And it's only got £14 on it.

So if I could get that for a fiver, or something.

On the way downstairs to see Sharon, Mark's stumbled upon something else.

Can you guess what it is?

It's actually a conservatory seat.

-Sharon, there's no price on the little blue and white conservatory seat.

-No.

-What about £30?

-Oh, gosh, no.

-Has that frightened you?

I just love window seats and I love blue and white.

I think that's a bit nicer than some you see, isn't it?

I like the little handles and you've got the bit on the side.

And I just love the delicate birds. Now, those, do you know... Oh!

Ha ha! What a good catch!

My goodness! Well caught!

I need a round of applause. I caught it!

Let's see that in action replay.

Look! Reactions like coiled steel spring! Look!

Anyway, enough daring heroics. You're here to find some items, remember?

What's that you've got, Mark?

This is a Victorian milkmaid's yoke.

Now, that's more interesting, isn't it,

because I presume if you were a Victorian milkmaid...

Which you're not.

..it's the sort of thing

you would have put over your shoulder, like that,

and I presume they must have held it somehow

and then, of course, you'd have your pails of milk, going along.

That's got the sort of rustic charm about it, doesn't it?

I think you'd better get upstairs and start charming Sharon.

So, Mark's trying to do a deal on the three items he likes.

The total ticket price for them is £76.

What's Sharon's rock-bottom price though?

-What about £55 then, for the three lots?

-Oh, it's tempting, isn't it?

Could we go to £50?

-I don't think so. 52.

-Oh!

£52.

Can't we do 50? Am I being really awful?

-Yes.

-I am being awful?!

-No, go on, I'll do 50.

-Thank you.

Ah, friends again,

and Mark's bargaining's got him £26 off the list price.

Mark Hales is back on the road

and heading south to Uppingham in Rutland.

Uppingham is a scenic antique-hunter's paradise

as well as home to Uppingham Public School,

alma mater to national treasure, Stephen Fry.

That's quite interesting.

He's on his way to the marvellous Junk And Disorderly.

Let's hope owner Peter can help him make some sober choices.

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

-Absolutely.

And it's not long until he's spotted something.

You've got a Pelham Puppet. They're great fun, aren't they?

British-made Pelham Puppets have been delighting children

and collectors alike since the 1940s.

The rarer styles of puppet are highly sought-after

and can attract significant sums.

The one Mark has happened upon there is a skeleton.

It's in its original box. I wonder if it's...

The age-old question - within my budget?

How much is it, Peter? What do you think?

The ticket price on it is 59.

It's the sort of thing I'd want to buy for £25.

-I couldn't come down as far as 25.

-That's fair enough.

-What's your bottom line?

-35, I can do for you.

-35. Tempting. I like that.

I'm going to give that some thought.

Now, it looks like ceramics expert Mark

has finally found some pottery he likes.

Isn't that pretty? 1860s, copper lustre. It's in good condition.

Nice little sparrow-beak jug.

A nice little pedestal bowl to go with it.

They're in good order. No cracks or chips.

£4.50 and £5.50.

That's a nice little lot. A useful lot.

I think we'll go and ask Peter how much these can be.

The jug and bowl combined come to £10.

-Peter.

-Hello.

-I found these upstairs.

-Aren't they lovely?

-Yes. Very nice. A bit of lustreware.

-That's 4.50 and that's 5.50.

-OK.

If you're thinking about your Pelham Puppet and these,

if we said £40 for the pair, so you're talking £5 for these two.

-Wow! You can't say fairer than that. That's lovely.

-Excellent.

-That will do. Thank you, Peter.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-That's wonderful.

So another great deal.

£25 off the combined ticket price of the jug, bowl and Pelham Puppet.

Thank you, Peter, indeed!

Back in the Spitfire, Mark Stacey is heading to Stamford for a shopping spree.

I think it's a charming town. It's got everything you could ask for.

Indeed! He stops off at Stuart Porter Antiques,

with delightful young Sophie here to assist.

What will Mark spend his remaining £94.16 on?

I've found this really funny bottle. What do you think of that?

Green glass embossed with these chimpanzees or monkeys.

And what can you lose on a fiver?

Well, you could lose a fiver.

But don't let that stop you.

-Cash all right?

-Yeah, cash is fine.

For once Mark pays the ticket price.

Monkey bottle purchased, and he's off to the next shop.

He hops back in the car

and heads towards Market Deeping, Lincolnshire.

The Deepings are a group of villages bordering the River Welland.

The largest, Market Deeping, is known for its historic stone buildings.

In the local antiques centre, he is meeting dealer, Ken Slater.

-Have you got plenty of money with you?

-Absolutely not.

-Oh!

Not quite true, Mark. You've actually got £90 left.

You're not planning to plead poverty to Ken later, are you?

Oh, now, what's this? It looks like an old...well bucket.

Mind you, how old, I don't know.

But that could be a lucky wishing-well thing for me, you see.

I could put that down the well and come up with barrels of profit.

On the other hand, I could sink without trace.

Mark's thinking it might make a rustic job lot with his milkmaid's yoke.

I didn't look at the price.

No good news on the ticket, I take it, Mr Stacey?

The well bucket is marked at £32.50.

Let's see if Mark can wish that price down to size.

-This is yours, isn't it?

-It is.

-You're going to hate me.

-Oh, yes, here we go.

Can I just tell you now, you've got every right to say no and "could you leave the shop?"

At this rate you will be thrown out of every shop in England, Mark.

-I'm going to have to try to get it for about a tenner.

-No, ease it up, £12.50?

Kenneth, honestly, you are a charming man.

I just have to be ruthless with myself.

I want to spend money but I'm so terrified of this auction.

-And I know people are going to hate me for doing this.

-OK.

-Are you sure?

-I'll do it for 10.

-Are you sure? You're happy about that?

-Yeah. Yeah.

-Thank you very much, Ken.

Another cunning job lot assembled thanks to

Mr Stacey's barefaced cheek. Or is it cheeks?

The boys have reunited and are travelling to Long Sutton,

a pretty Lincolnshire village.

It's their last chance to shop before the auction.

Local church St Mary's boasts a spire from the 13th century.

Mark Hales is first to arrive in Long Sutton Antiques And Crafts Centre.

He seems chipper - probably because he's shaken off his opponent.

I've got £49 left. That's not a lot of money.

But...we can find something, can't we, for £49, in a place like this?

I should hope so.

What the heck?!

Ah, here's something.

What a lovely pietre dure Italian marble plaque.

It would have been inset into a bit of furniture.

Top of a box, anything you wanted to do. Isn't that lovely quality?

All the polished hard stones. Pietre dure.

Now, I'm not quite sure what that means.

But I know a man who will know what it means.

Indeed you do, Mark.

Pietre dure, roughly translated, means hard stones.

It's the name given to the technique of creating images

from the inlay of highly-polished hard stones.

You're welcome!

Ah, look who's arrived - the opposition.

Well, I'd better get my skates on, I think, because Mark is already here.

So I'll have to start hunting before he finds all the bargains.

Careful with that, Mark!

Well, that's quite fun, isn't it? A moulded glass bottle.

1960s, apparently. £9.50.

Would that go with my wine bottle, I wonder?

Meanwhile, upstairs, Mark Hales is hoping for to secure

the pietre dure for a gem of a deal from shop owner Jimmy.

The ticket price is £88.

A good price, that. But I mean, I'm telling you the truth, I've got £49.

Will it buy? Did you buy it well? Will it buy or not?

It'll buy. It'll buy, yeah. It's a nice quality thing

-and I think you'll do well with it.

-Yeah. I think I'd better buy then.

-Thank you, Jimmy.

-You're welcome.

-It's really nice.

You've got me out of a bit of a pickle. You've helped me along. Thank you.

And with that, Mark Hales has spent all but 56p of his budget.

Good work! Mark Stacey is still downstairs

and he's spotted yet more glass.

I quite like this. There's no price on it.

It's Mdina Glass from the island of Malta.

It's just a little sculptural figure -

probably of a seahorse,

if you look at the head.

And it's nicely done.

It's signed on the base, Mdina. There's no price on it.

But, you know, if that was not very much,

again, like a fiver or something, maybe I could put it with the monkey.

So we'd have a monkey and a seahorse. I'm sure there's a play there!

Anyway, can Mark get a deal?

-A tenner.

-How much?

-A tenner?

-How much?

Ten pounds for a seahorse who can't swim?!

Can dealer David do any better than that for the tenacious Mr Stacey?

-Seven pounds.

-Oh! Can I think about it? Can I put it back in my pocket?

Hmm, don't forget that's there, will you, Mark?

Can he add another item to the deal, maybe?

I'm thinking of putting it with my monkey bottle.

-The seahorse and that strange-looking monstrosity there.

-OK.

And he's got £9.50 on that.

But of course, you know what I want to pay for it, don't you?

-About half that.

-Can we do them for a fiver each?

-Thank you very much.

-So, Mark buys the pocketed seahorse

and the blue glass bottle for a fiver each. Deal!

The shop's about to close. And Mark still has £79.16 left in his wallet.

He's right up to the wire.

But now dealer Jimmy has something which intrigues him.

-Oh, it's one of those...

-One of them.

-Gosh!

-You see plenty of them.

-You do.

-But you do not see them with a card table and a pattern as well.

-No, you don't.

-Good Lord!

-Let's see what price we've got.

-I don't want to look. I can't look!

I'm allergic!

-I've got 95 on it.

-Gosh!

It's a foldaway card table, patterned in an Islamic style.

-But seriously, what is the one-time offer you can do on it?

-55.

Ah! Actually, that's very tempting.

Can I be very cheeky?

You? Mark? Cheeky? Huh, never(!)

Cos I like even numbers. Could we do 40?

You're an angel.

Angel?! Mark's bargained Jimmy down to £40.

At the last possible second, Mark makes a big buy.

-Thank you so much.

-And that ends the shopping.

Mark Hales started with £174.56 and has spent all

but 56p on a job lot of tools,

a rocking chair, a retro Pelham puppet,

a mid-19th century bowl and jug,

and a pietra dura plaque.

Mark Stacey began this leg with £154.16

and has assembled a late 19th-century Oriental garden seat,

a 1920s card table,

a cast iron and brass trivet,

a Victorian dairy maid's yoke and pail,

and an assorted mix of quirky glass at a cost of £115.

So, what do they think of each other's buys?

I think Mark might be a little bit unlucky.

He certainly hasn't been as brave as I've been.

He's got money left over, over £30.

I really did expect him to spend every penny.

I really do think that my quality has been a lot higher.

Well, well.

I do like to be honest about these things.

It is a game, it is a competition,

-but I don't believe in blustering for the sake of it.

-Mmm.

The winner of this challenge is going to be difficult to call.

I suspect Mark will do it,

because I think the tools and things are interesting.

The boys have travelled over 100 miles

from Oakham in Rutland

to Downham Market in Norfolk.

Known as the gateway to the Fens,

Downham Market was noted during the mediaeval period for its horse fair.

Well done, we're here, Mark.

Lovely sunny day.

Barry L Hawkins Auctioneers

are a long-established Downham Market saleroom.

Auctioneer Barry has a background in fast-paced livestock sales,

so try to keep up.

First up is Mark Stacey's ceramic garden seat.

36 on the book, 38,

40, 42,

45, 50,

60.

60 on the book.

62, 65 against you there.

The book has it at 65.

Are you done with it? Quickly at 65.

What a start! A stonking profit to Mr Stacey.

-Well done.

-£65.

-It's a fabulous price.

Next, the unusual Islamic card table.

15 I've got on the book. 18, 20.

25, 30, 35, 40, the book has it at 40.

Come on.

At £40 on the book. Are you done with it quickly? At £40.

A-ha! It hasn't set the saleroom alight.

Well, it could have been worse, I suppose.

Mark Hales' first lot now.

20, 22.

20 will start it.

28, 30. On the book, 35.

40, 45.

The book has it at 45.

-50, try one more.

-Small profit?

52. Are you done with it? Quickly at 52.

A small profit indeed, but a profit nevertheless.

-He worked hard for that.

-It's a £12 profit.

-After commission it's a small profit.

-A profit is a profit.

Another lot for Mark Hales.

I'm going to start at a tenner.

Ten, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22.

Oh, no. They're just stopping.

28 on the book.

Are you done with it? Quickly at 28.

A disappointing loss.

-It's not much of a loss.

-No.

Indeed, but it means Mr Hales is trailing behind his rival.

One of Mark Stacey's now.

I've got two bids on the books, so away we come.

I'm going to start six on the book.

Six, eight, ten,

12, 14.

I'm going 20, 22,

inside of 22. No?

22 the bid is, 22. 22 all done, quickly at 22.

Another £12 profit for Mr Stacey.

He's still in the lead.

22 quid, that's up 12.

Even after commission there's a little bit of profit left over.

And now Mark Hales' job lot of tools.

At 15, 18, 20.

Have a look at this, 25.

30, 35, 40.

The book has it at 40.

Come on. It's got to be more than that.

At 45.

Are you done with it? Quickly at £45.

Oh, dear.

-It's bearable.

-It is bearable.

Next up, Mark Stacey's rustic pairing.

Two together, very interesting bits and pieces.

£30, £40. A tenner?

A fiver? 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20,

22, 25, 28,

30, 32, 35.

At 38. All done very quickly at 38.

It hasn't exactly captured the saleroom.

-Oh, that's very disappointing.

-Yes.

A quick change of room and another chance for Mr Hales.

Unusual bits and pieces. 30, £40.

A tenner will do.

10 I got, seated there, 12, 15,

18, 20, 22,

25 seated in the middle.

-It's pretty good.

-Good price.

Quickly at 25.

This puts him back in the game,

but the lead is still with the other side.

You must be pleased with that.

I am. £20 profit. That's a good price for that.

Next up, Mark Stacey's monkey bottle, seahorse and 1960s glass.

£20? A tenner?

Come on.

A fiver, somebody, quickly.

5, 6.

8, 10, 12, 15,

18, 20, 22, 25,

25, 28, the book has it at 28.

30, I'm bid 32, at 32,

the book has it that 32. Are you done with it quickly?

At 32.

The glassware menagerie has done him proud.

I think I'm all right with that, actually. £17 profit.

-Fantastic.

-I'm quite happy with that.

Finally, it's Mark Hales' pietra dura plaque.

It's his last chance to steal the lead from the opposition.

I'm going to start 40.

On the book at 40, 45, 50, 55,

-60, 65.

-More, more.

80, 90.

At £90.

I'm nearly happy, that's better.

At 110, against you there. Quickly at 110.

On the very last lot, a stunning sale for Mr Hales.

Yes. Yes.

I'll have what he's having.

A nail-biting finish brings Mark Hales the standout sale of the day.

So, at the end of the auction, Mark Stacey made the most profit.

He began this leg with £154.16.

He then made a very nice profit of £46.54

and starts the next leg with £200.70.

However, it's not quite enough to catch Mark Hales,

who now has the most in his wallet.

He started today's show with £174.56

and after paying auction costs

made a respectable £39.20 profit,

giving him £213.76 to carry forward -

and maybe buy some more pietra dura, eh?

-Barry was a star, wasn't he?

-He was absolutely wonderful.

-Lots and lots of enthusiasm.

-He knew his crowd.

And he got something from nothing, didn't he?

He certainly did with your lot!

-Oh, do behave.

-Are you in?

-Onwards, let's get buying.

-Buying.

Indeed, our two experts called Mark are back on the road

competing for the Road Trip laurel.

They're on the road in a great British classic -

the nippy Mark 3 1968 Triumph Spitfire.

Our remarkable pair of Marks will travel

nearly 300 miles from Finedon in Northamptonshire

through several counties of gorgeous eastern England

to Colchester in Essex.

On this leg, they're driving from Risby in Suffolk

through Cambridgeshire and Norfolk to the auction

in the pretty market town of Diss.

Can't "dis" that, can you?!

The leafy streets of Risby still speak of its storied mediaeval history.

Parts of the parish church of St Giles

date back from the Anglo-Saxon and Norman periods.

Our two Marks are getting on their marks to invade a pair of local antique shops -

-Listen, this is amazing!

-Big!

Two barns, lots of money, plenty of time.

-Yes.

-You go that way and I'll go this way. It's a long walk from here.

-So, I'm going to the smaller one, am I?

-Yes. See you later. Happy hunting!

Thank goodness that's sorted.

So Mark Stacey heads for Risby Barn Antiques Centre to spend some time with the owner.

Nice to meet you, Richard.

He has around £200 in his wallet.

What have we got here?

This is fun.

This is a lamp which has a Chinese vase as its central piece,

but the Chinese vase has been absolutely smashed.

It's riveted and cracked, but somebody has mounted it.

This was mounted probably at the end of the 19th century.

Even though the vase is smashed, it is still quite a decorative piece.

They've already reduced it from 160 to 100.

But don't you think that looks quite decorative? I do.

Mark's been doing some research and has discovered

that their auction at Diss is a specialist art and antiques sale.

As luck would have it, Richard has something that might fit the bill.

-I've never seen something like that.

-Oh, gosh - that's sweet, isn't it?

Undo it, and be very careful because there are bits inside.

-Does it undo like that?

-Yes, it untwists.

Oh, gosh. A little pair of dice.

It's a miniature ivory egg containing two miniscule dice.

While it's illegal to deal in modern ivory items, things made of ivory

that date from before 1947, like this object, can be traded.

On the ticket, it's £55.

It's almost like a little bronze fly on there which has got

little decoration on his wings and a little red face.

Richard's made a phone call to the dealers

who are selling the ivory egg and the cracked lamp.

What kind of deal can Mark strike?

This little egg... I've had a quick word with him.

And he will...

-Rock bottom's going to be £30.

-£30.

OK, well that's a reasonable price, actually.

And what about that battered old lamp?

Well, they would be quite pleased to see the back of it.

-They can't give it away.

-No, I don't expect that.

But they have actually said their rock-bottom today,

as a special offer to you, because they knew it was you!

There we are - how about that? - was £50.

£50 does seem reasonable, doesn't it?

Do you know what? I'm going to go for it, because I like them.

Meanwhile, Mark Hales is next door in Past and Present,

trying to spend his £213.76.

There are some very nice things here, and some very reasonable prices.

Nice mahogany-veneered sewing box. I rather like that, and it has a use.

And I do like anything that is useful. Isn't that lovely?

I rather like that. Nice colour.

He's going to go and speak to dealer Joe.

There's a bit of a gap on the top there.

Nice thing, though. Original condition. Never been touched.

-It's lovely, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-I like that because it's got a use.

-Can I get a profit on it? What's the price?

-Well, the asking price is £80.

-Is it?

-Which isn't...

-No, it's not silly.

It's a very, very fair retail price.

I think I just want to buy it as cheaply as I can.

-Where are you trying to be on it?

-£40? Give me a profit, wouldn't it?

-£40 is going to show you a profit - must show you a profit.

-I think so.

Thank you, Joe. I'll have that. Thank you very much indeed. That's wonderful.

And I've started. Joe, you've got the ball rolling.

On the other side of the shop,

some candlesticks in the Arts and Crafts style have some appeal.

They're great! Good fun, aren't they?

-See, it's not my specialist subject, but I love it!

-Yep!

Items in the Arts and Crafts style, which flourished

in the late 19th century, are today highly sought-after.

Candlesticks like these, with copper and wrought metal,

are in the manner of WAS Benson, the premier maker of the period.

I really, really like those. Come on, get me really tempted.

-Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't.

-Retail on those was £95.

That's what I'd want for them if I had them. Fair enough.

-Where would you...?

-£45?

-I could put them in at £50, but that would be it.

-£50?

-Well, we'll have those, Joe.

-Seems to be your number.

-We'll have those, mate.

Thank you. £40 and £50 I've spent. That's brilliant. Thank you, Joe.

The first two lots in the bag. He's on a roll - a Swiss roll!

# Rollin', rollin', rollin' Though the streams are swollen... #

Now, the two Marks are swapping shops.

Let's hope they can be as successful on the second round.

Mark's having a browse,

but can he spot anything the other Mark's missed?

Now, Mark's spotted something. It's a stained-glass panel.

-Can Joe shed some light?

-Came in yesterday.

-It's made by a guy in Somerset - John Yeo.

-So it's quite modern?

-Yes, contemporary.

-And there's a crack there, is there? OK.

-I mean you've got £45 on that.

-If I cut that to the bone, it's £25.

-£25?

-Yep.

OK, let's do it. Are you happy with that?

No, that's OK. It shows me a small profit.

Then let's do that, because I think, even if it doesn't make a profit, it's a very interesting item.

-Yeah, it's a nice thing - quality item.

-It is.

Mark Hales is browsing in the other shop

and he's found something dear to his ceramic-loving heart.

There's an early Staffordshire group

of the Welsh tailor's wife at the back.

It was made by a potter called Obadiah Sherratt in about 1815-1820.

Staffordshire figures are earthenware pottery pieces

made in Britain between the late 18th and the mid-20th centuries.

That one's damaged. They often are - it's very soft pottery.

But it is restorable and it's got £45 on it and that's a good price.

-Richard, could I have a look at something in the cabinet?

-Yep.

Thank you very much indeed.

Unfortunately, we've got an ear missing.

We've got her whole arm missing and we've got one little...

One little baby missing, made up there. What a shame!

The tail's broken off as well. Oh, a lot of damage!

-I'm talking it down now, aren't I?

-Do you know...

-You're doing your best!

-Yeah. But I've got to ask.

-I need to phone the dealer.

-Tell them about all the damage.

Tell them I like it, but I'd only have a go

if it's £15, because I could come a cropper with it.

Staffordshire pieces can be highly collectable,

but the damage will make it less desirable to a specialist.

-Oh, Richard - any luck?

-I'm not expecting luck, but you know... She couldn't go £15.

-No.

But she said she would let it go for what she paid for it - £20.

Well, you know, that's really decent of her. I think we'll have a go at that. Thank you, Richard.

Marvellous.

Ceramics expert Mark makes a specialist buy, and on they roll!

# Move 'em on, get 'em up Get 'em up, move 'em on

# Move 'em on, get 'em up, Rawhide. #

They're back on the road and head north

to King's Lynn in Norfolk from Risby.

The port was a vital centre of England's medieval sea trade.

It became known as Lynn Regis - King's Lynn -

during the reign of Henry VIII.

The boys have gone their separate ways

and Mark Hales is heading towards the Granary Antiques Centre.

-where he's meeting dealer Patrick.

-Hello, Mark.

Tiara stand - I like that.

Ah.

A Desert Rat sketch book. How lovely. Now, I've sold one of these.

Quite a long time ago. But I can't remember how much I sold it for!

But look at this! Isn't it lovely?

Written and illustrated on the spot in full colour by Clifford Saber.

Clifford Saber was an American volunteer

to the British army in World War II.

He served as an ambulance driver in the North African campaign.

It's just caught my eye because it's World War II

and militaria's very strong at the moment.

-Patrick, isn't that lovely?

-It is.

First edition, and it's in very good order.

That's lovely. I do like that.

The ticket price is £55.

-Is there any possibility it can be £25?

-No.

Does that work for you? That's too less. All right. That's fair enough.

-So what's your very bottom line on it?

-Well, I'm asking £50.

-The very best I would take is £35.

-Yes.

See, I think that's a jolly good buy. Let's not mess about.

-£35, Patrick.

-Excellent.

-Thank you.

-You've got a good buy, there.

-Thank you. I hope so. Bye-bye, Patrick.

And with that quality buy,

the boys get back in the Spitfire, raring to go.

We're still in Norfolk, though, aren't we?

Yes, we're in Norfolk and we're quite near to the sea.

-Oh, are we?

-Yes, indeed.

-Of course you are! Ha!

They're heading for the coastal town of Sheringham

where Mark Hales is keen to visit the town's Fishermen's Heritage Centre.

Sheringham's long history as a fishing town means

the local people have always had a powerful connection to the sea,

and a respect for its dangers.

Mark's here to meet John, from the Sheringham Society,

who's going to introduce him to one of the town's celebrated heroines.

Oh, my word! This is huge!

-I'm Mark.

-Hello, Mark. I'm John.

-How d'you do, John?

-Have you ever seen anything like this before?

This is huge!

This lifeboat, the Henry Ramey Upcher, or HRU,

was named after the family that donated it to the town.

It was a private lifeboat, one operated by the townspeople rather than the RNLI.

Built by local shipbuilder Lewis "Buffalo" Emery in 1894,

the boat was an essential lifeline

for the mariners of the Norfolk coast.

Is this a particularly treacherous part of the coast?

It is a treacherous part of the coast,

and way back in the 1890s there was a huge amount of sea traffic

because the sea was used to carry cargo to a lot greater extent

than it is today, and the boats that were carrying that cargo,

most of them, they'd have been wooden sailing boats,

totally at the mercy of the elements.

Extraordinarily, the boat would be taken out in treacherous conditions

powered by only brave men at her oars.

-If you want to get a feel of it, let's climb in.

-Oh, yes please!

The lifeboat would have taken a crew of 28 men

with 16 of them rowing her through the sea.

-Is this an oar here?

-That is an oar.

-Let me feel the weight of that.

-That weighs about 22 pounds.

-John, I'm already uncomfortable.

You know... Frankly, I don't think I would have been much help.

I think I'd better stick to auctioneering! That is so heavy!

Who manned these boats? Who were these men?

The men who manned this boats were the local fishermen of Sheringham.

They were risking their lives to save other people.

Over her working life, the HRU rescued 202 people,

leaving an incredible legacy.

This went on right until the 1930s.

In 1935 the RNLI acquired a motorised lifeboat,

and obviously a motorised lifeboat is going to be much easier to use.

That was when this boat was no longer required.

But there was a huge amount of affection for this boat.

The fishermen loved this boat

and so they wanted to keep it.

And she continues to keep the stories of the brave men of Sheringham alive today.

-Thank you so much, John.

-You're welcome.

What a wonderful, wonderful boat and what a wonderful story.

Meanwhile, Mark Stacey still has a princely £95.70 burning a hole in his pocket,

so he's heading for the town of Holt.

Holt sits at the crossroads of two ancient byways.

Its name derives from the Anglo-Saxon word for copse or woodland grove.

Mark's on his way to Mews Antiques

where an eager welcoming committee awaits.

Good morning. Oh! A trio of lovelies! How are you? I'm Mark.

-Nice to meet you. This is Diane.

-Hello, Diane.

-And this is Kim.

-Kim, nice to meet you. And you are?

-My name's David.

-David.

With his magpie eye for shiny objects,

Mark's spotted a right pair of silver spoons.

And where did you get these from, Diane, if you don't mind me asking?

-They came from a private home.

-Oh, did it?

-Yes.

They've got little family initials there, a B and a K.

Well, that's got a date on it. 1820 on that one.

And the other one is 1870.

Do you mind if I take them outside, if I promise not to do a runner?

-Not at all.

-Thank you.

-I'm watching you, Stacey!

These are quite nice spoons. This is what you'd call a serving spoon.

This is more like a basting spoon for basting your meats.

They're both solid silver. This one is indeed...Victorian.

We've got Victoria's head on there.

We've got a gothic M, hallmarked for London.

The nice thing is they're in good condition.

They're nice items, but together they're priced at up at £113.

Now I don't have £113. Oh, the decisions of it all, honestly!

I know, it's all such a trial, dear!

Right, D-D! Diane and David.

I know you're sharing these, aren't you? I do quite like them.

The question is, how much can I get them for?

-The best we could do them for would be £80.

-£80. It is tempting.

Would you take £75 for them, then?

-Yes.

-We've got a deal and a little kiss I think.

I won't kiss you, David, but shake your hand. Thank you very much.

In unison, the deal with D and D is done.

Back in the car, our two experts

are now heading for the city of Norwich.

Norfolk's county town has seen plenty of tumult over its long history.

In the year 1004, it was sacked by Sweyn Forkbeard, King of Denmark,

who later ousted King Ethelred the Unready.

With under £70 left, is Mark Hales ready for Treasure Chest Antiques Centre.

-Pleased to meet you.

-Would it be OK if I had a look around?

-Please do.

-I'm looking for antiques.

-By Jove! I think he's finally got it.

A striking item in the corner catches Mark's eye.

What are these scales all about here? Aren't they wonderful?

-Merchant traveller's scales.

-Really nice. What sort of price are they?

-He's got £110.

-Has he?

-And what sort of date?

-I think he said 1940s.

They look '40s. And nice oak stands and the brass trays.

D'you know, I think they're such fun, aren't they?

I wonder if he'd sell those for as little as £68.76,

which is to the penny what I have left.

D'you think we could ask him, just for the hell of it? He might have bought them really well.

-I'll just give him a ring and see if it's OK.

-I'd be grateful.

-He says for you, the best he could do is £85.

-Oh! I haven't got £85.

-He hasn't got £85.

-I genuinely haven't.

It's the last money I've got and I desperately want to beat my competitor.

-What's the best for you?

-I've got exactly £68.76 left.

-Deal done, sir. £65.

-Thank you!

-Hurrah!

-I've bought some scales!

-Easily pleased!

Spent up to the very last penny, Mark. Well done!

-See you again soon.

-Bye!

A ten-minute walk away, Mark Stacey's at Elm Hill Collectables

and meeting dealer Paul.

Hi. I'm Mark.

Mark's now down to the very last of his cash.

I've got £20.70.

-And 70p?

-And that 70p is going to be my clincher this week, I think, actually.

Hope springs eternal, Mark.

Well, I've spotted three little miniature plates down there

and I used to like collecting these sorts of things.

-That's lovely.

-These small plates are called creamware.

I mean there's a little dinner plate and then two little meat platters.

They're quite nice cos they've got this little feathered edging there.

And these would have been made for a child to put in their doll's house.

Creamware was an earthenware pottery first made in the 1740s.

I think they're rather sweet, actually.

You've got them marked up at £28. What would you take for them?

I'll take your £20.70 so I can clean you out totally.

-Well, let's do it. £20.70.

-No problem.

Well, blow me down!

Both Marks have managed to blow their entire budgets.

So, the shopping's definitely over.

Mark Hales spent his £213.76 on some Arts and Crafts candlesticks,

a 1920s sewing box,

a rare but damaged Staffordshire figure,

a World War II first edition and brass and oak scales.

Whereas Mark Stacey splashed his £200.70 on a miniature ivory egg,

a stained-glass panel, a lamp adapted from a Chinese vase,

three 18th-century creamware miniature plates

and two silver basting spoons.

Now, what do our experts think of each other's swag?

Really, really well this time.

I don't like the clobbered Chinese vase.

The creamware plates - to die for. You just don't see them any more.

I think we both bought very well

and I think we're going to have a very exciting auction

and I think we're going to make up for a lot of lost time.

You cannot pin him down.

He definitely has the eye for the unusual.

I mean, who would have thought he'd find that

fabulous set of scales in their original box for £68?

On top of that, a pair of Arts and Crafts copper and brass candlesticks.

You know, every turn, that man pulls something out of the bag.

-I've got to keep on my toes.

-Hm!

Our pair of Marks have taken the scenic route

through lovely East Anglia from Risby in Suffolk to Diss in Norfolk.

The weekly market in picturesque Diss dates further back than most.

It was first granted a charter by Richard the Lionheart in the 12th century.

Let's hope our lion-hearted lads

can take a leaf from his book as they prepare to do battle.

Here we are, Mark, at the auction. Let the excitement begin!

The Diss auction rooms have been central to the town for over a century and a half.

This busy sale room hosts over 70 auctions per annum.

Fresh-faced auctioneer and valuer Edward Smith is in the rostrum.

Take it away, Edward!

First up we have Mark Stacey's stained glass panel.

Can he see his way clear to a profit?

50. 50 is bid. Where's the 5? 5?

60. 5. 70. 5. 80. Shakes his head.

Come on! Bit more!

We are selling here for £80.

And they're out of the gate.

It's better than nothing, isn't it?

What do you mean better than...? That was a jolly good start!

Oh, indeed! Do cheer up, Mark.

Now, Mark Hales's candlesticks.

20's bid, 20's bid. Who's a 2?

It's a start here at 20. 2.

-It's ridiculous.

-8. 30.

30 is bid, 30 is bid. Is there 2? We're staying here at £30.

It seems that the Arts and Crafts style is not to this crowd's taste.

What a shame.

To be honest, that was very disappointing. I'm sorry for you, actually.

Now, Mark Stacey's bonny-but-battered lamp.

Who wants this for 30? 30 is bid. Is there 2?

It is a low start for it.

-Come on.

-32. 35. 38. 40.

42. 45. 48. 50.

-50 is bid.

-Come on. A bit more.

-50 is bid. Is there 5?

We waltz away at the £50. Are we all done?

Oh, you mean lot!

A mean lot - in every sense!

It's a small loss with the commission. That's fine.

-Well, it's hardly good, is it, Mark?

-Hah! Temper, temper!

-Mark Hales next.

-I have interest. I have to start in at the £30.

-Come on!

-32, 35, 38.

And 40, 42, 45.

48 and 50.

5. 60. 5.

-70.

-That's better.

-80. 5.

90. 5.

95 is standing. 95 I have. Is there 100? 100 - new bidder.

110. 120. 130. 140. 150.

-And it's flying!

-150 is bid. 150 I have.

Is there 60? We're still at £150.

What a profit. Let's hear it for the Desert Rats.

-Yes!

-Well, I was right to be worried, Mark. I was right to be worried, wasn't I?

D'you know, I was so happy then, I nearly kissed you.

There's no need to get over-familiar.

But that has put Mark Hales in a spectacular lead.

But can he repeat the trick with his sewing box?

£20. 20 is bid. Who's the 2?

22. 25. 28. We sell away at £28.

Sadly, that sale was not stitched up.

I'm sorry, I like all your other things, but I didn't like that.

Oh, now you tell us!

Right, one for you, Mark Stacey.

The miniature creamware plates.

20 I have. Who wants 2?

It is a start here at 20. 2.

5. 8. 30. 2. 5. 8. 40.

2. 5. 8. 50. D'you want one more?

It's 50 bid, 50 bid. Is there 5?

-Come on, one more!

-£50, then. Is there 5?

-Be nice!

-Are we done?

The miniscule plates serve up a substantial profit.

-I'm pleased with that.

-Well done, Mark. Good.

-No, that's not bad.

-That's respectable, yes.

-Ana Mark Stacey's upped his game.

Now, the outsize scales for Mr Hales.

Who wants these for £50?

£30's a start. Who's a 2? 32. 35. 38.

40. 42.

It's not looking very good.

Is there 50? We're selling all the time at £48. Are we done?

With that, Mark Hales's lead now hangs in the balance.

I'm surprised, Mark. I don't know what to say.

I'm really surprised by that.

I would have happily paid £120, £130 all day long for them.

Can his Staffordshire figure secure his win

or will the damage be the death of it?

I'm just going to start in here just at the £15 for this one. 15 I have.

Who's 18? It is the £15. 18. 20. 2. 5. 8. 30. 30 is bid.

-Little bit more. Little bit more, please.

-All done?

Not a loss.

Well, it's a profit.

I have to say, £30 for half a figure's not bad!

So it's all down to Mark Stacey's last two lots.

First, will the silver spoons augur wealth?

65 I have. Where's 70?

-It is here at 65.

-It's OK.

-75.

80. 5. 90. 5. 100. 110.

120. 130. 140 I have. Is there 50?

We're selling for £140. Are we all done?

Oh, precious metal indeed!

Mark Stacey has suddenly stolen the lead.

Well done, well done. We thought that, though, didn't we?

-Well, there's £65 profit.

-That was good.

And finally, the miniature ivory egg.

Can this confirm Mark Stacey's victory?

I have interest on the sheet. I have to start in here at the £40.

-I'm in profit.

-There you go.

42. 5. 8. 50. 5. 60.

-Good!

-5. 70. 5. 80. 5.

Keep going, why don't you?

Is there 90? We'll sell here for £85. Are we all done?

The mini egg turns out to be a lucky charm.

And Mark Stacey has stolen triumph at the very last second.

£85!

Well done. Very good price. Well done, Mark!

-It was the top price, £85 for that.

-Very good.

Mark Hales started this leg with £213.76.

After paying auction costs, he pocketed

a modest profit of £20.76, leaving him with £234.52 to carry forward.

Mark Stacey began this leg with £200.70.

After making a smashing profit of £131.40,

he now has a generous £332.10 to be going along with.

-You're not too disappointed, are you?

-No, I think best forgotten.

Can't win them all. But yes, I was disappointed.

-Worse things happen at sea.

-They do.

-And there's always another auction, Mark.

-Sail on, chaps! Sail on.