Episode 20 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.

This is the Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

This week, we have the ultimate battle of the Marks.

Mark Stacey is a dealer and auctioneer from Brighton

whose sharp eye and sharper wit make him a formidable road tripper.

I don't want to force you, honestly. It's not in my nature, but...

While Mark Hales is an auctioneer and ceramics expert from sunny Devon

who hopes his chutzpah might just carry the day.

He who dares wins, John.

Although they both suffered losses in the disastrous first leg.

-We've entered a new phase of the competition - who can lose the most?

-Yeah.

Both boys have now managed to turn tidy profits.

-I think I'm the cat that's got the cream.

-You are.

Both Marks started this week with a cool £200.

Mark Stacey has managed to grow that seed money into a bountiful £511.64. Pretty good.

While Mark Hales has traded his original £200 up to a respectable £305.28.

Today, our twosome are paired with a stunning '60s chick -

the sinuous 1968 Triumph Spitfire.

This week sees the two Marks journey through eastern lands

from Finedon in Northamptonshire 300 miles through five English counties

to Colchester in Essex.

On this last leg of their epic road trip,

they begin in Clare in Suffolk, heading for their final auction in Colchester.

-A nice little Georgian town again, isn't it?

-Very pretty.

During the medieval period, the small town of Clare prospered from the cloth industry.

Today, its large range of listed buildings makes it an attractive place to start the day's buying.

Right then, here we are.

-Jolly good.

-You're very keen, Mark.

-I am very keen.

I can't wait for this.

You're positively bouncing, Mark.

-I'm popping in that one, I think.

-OK, I'm off this way. Be lucky.

-I'll catch up with you later.

-Don't catch up with me too soon.

-Oh, I will.

-Bye!

Mark Stacey is heading off towards FD Salter Antiques where David rules the roost.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-I'm Mark.

-Hello. David.

-Nice to meet you, David. Lovely little shop.

-Thank you.

Let's hope Mark is in luck as he hunts for his first item.

Now, there's something that might be Mark's cup of tea.

It's quite pretty, isn't it?

Quite a sweet little thing. It's a little, um...

pewter...embossed tea caddy.

Almost Arts and Crafts in a way.

The 19th century Arts and Crafts movement reacted against the manufacturing changes

brought on by the Industrial Revolution

and harked back to the styles and craftsmanship of previous centuries.

I'll see what David says price-wise. We might be lucky.

-What I did find, David, was this little tea caddy.

-Yeah.

-Embossed with pewter, I suppose.

-I would say it was pewter, yes.

-It's obviously got a bit of age because it's got that lovely patina on there.

-It has, yes.

But there was no price on it, David.

-Do I need to sit down?

-No, it's not too bad at all. It can be £35 to you.

That's actually not too bad, is it?

We couldn't get to 30?

-I don't want to push you too much.

-I can't, I'm afraid.

-OK.

I've not bought anything like this before.

-I'm going to buy it for 35.

-Lovely.

-That's very kind of you. Thank you very much. Wish me luck.

-I do, yes.

-If it does well, I'll have a cup of tea with you.

-Fair enough.

Ripping! Mark Stacey's first buy is in hand.

Meanwhile, Mark Hales is a couple of minutes away

and heading into Clare Antiques & Interiors,

but his morning isn't going quite so swimmingly.

I'm having a "blonde" moment.

Steady on now. Don't be colourist!

What to do, what to do?

What to buy?

That, Mark, is the question.

I keep seeing bits and pieces that I can buy for £15, they might make £25. It's not what I'm after.

I'm trying to buy something with considerable profit in it.

-And I'm not dreaming. It happens. I've done it before. I can do it again.

-Indeed you have.

-Yes, yes! I'm going to hug Mark Stacey.

-Oh, my God!

While Mark Hales pulls himself together,

the competitive Mark Stacey is nearby and has just spotted another shop he's keen to have a gander at -

Market Hill Antiques.

This looks rather interesting, actually.

-Hello there.

-Morning, sir.

-I'm Mark.

-Robin.

-Nice to meet you.

As ever, Mark's eagle eye is hunting for a bargain. Watch out, Robin.

-We're realistically priced.

-Are you? Well, that's a word I like.

But I prefer "very" in front of it.

LAUGHTER I can fully understand that.

And a good thing too.

Mark's on fire today. He's just spotted a pair of Georgian lead tobacco boxes.

There's one with the Prince of Wales feathers here. They are 1720s?

Yeah. They're probably Scottish. They had the main tobacco import from Virginia and places like that.

The Scottish port of Glasgow dominated the 18th century tobacco trade with the American colonies

and many great fortunes were built on the weed.

-I've never bought one before. They really are early 18th century?

-Yeah. I'll do you a deal on the pair.

What are we looking at if I took the two of them?

-I'll do you "buy one, get one free".

-OK.

-Do you want to look at the price now?

-No.

-185.

-Oh, my God!

I'm always open to an offer.

I don't want to be reckless and jeopardise my hard-earned winnings.

£120, they've got to make a profit for the pair?

I mean, it does seem reasonable, but I do like round figures, you see.

-150 then?

-No, 100. That's what I was thinking.

-110 the pair.

-You can't do them for 100? Shake on 100?

-Go on.

-What have I done?

-Spent £100, sir.

-I can't go back now, can I?

-No, we shook on it.

-We have.

-Sweating, sir?

-I am sweating. I've never bought anything like this before. I'm really worried.

Where are you going, Mark? Get back here!

That's more like it.

And Robin gets his cash, finally,

and another buy is in the bag despite the tomfoolery.

Mark Hales, though, still hasn't found anything in the other shop.

It's all going wrong for me today. I've just got to...

So he's taking a break from the stresses of buying.

I hope I haven't missed anything. It's so easy to miss things.

Right, onward.

Onward.

And he's driving the 32 miles to Maldon in Essex.

The town's history is tied to the Blackwater Estuary on which it sits.

Traditional Thames sailing barges,

which once carried cargoes through the waterways of eastern England, can still be glimpsed.

Today, Mark is visiting the town's Combined Military Services Museum

and meeting museum historian Clive.

-Good afternoon, sir.

-Good afternoon, sir.

-I'm Mark.

-I'm Clive.

-Hello, Clive.

The museum's collection illustrates the proud history of Britain's armed forces -

weapons, uniforms and other equipment displayed here from all branches of the military,

ancient and modern.

The museum is owned by a private collector of militaria.

Some of the most interesting pieces relate to espionage and covert operations in the 20th century.

Clive's going to show Mark one of them.

-Now, what have we here?

-This is a suitcase radio.

It was the type of thing issued to Special Operations Executive operatives in the Second World War.

Both men and women. And they used it to communicate back to the UK.

The Special Operations Executive, or SOE,

was a secret British army unit convened during World War Two

to engage in covert reconnaissance and sabotage behind enemy lines.

Way in advance of its time in terms of communications. You can pick it up, carry it

and the obvious disguise for it was a suitcase, hence "suitcase radios".

The men and women of the SOE risked their lives

to send information vital to the war effort back to Britain.

-They were brave.

-They were indeed. Very much so.

You can put the headphones on and have a tap on the Morse key.

Oh, lovely. Right, now, what's SOS?

-Dot-dot-dot, dash-dash-dash, dot-dot-dot.

-That's it.

-I've done it. I've sent a message.

Now, is that a gun in Clive's pocket?

I've got something else here that you might find of interest, craftily concealed about my person.

-This...

-That's a gun.

It's a Luger, a standard German Second World War pistol.

But this one is rather special and this weapon, along with another one,

-was prepared for an assassination attempt on Hitler in 1944.

-That actual Luger?

Yeah. They decided not to carry on with the operation because it was considered

that Hitler was doing so much damage to the German war effort by himself that it was best to leave him alive.

Yes. It sort of makes sense in retrospect, doesn't it?

That gun would have been used, had the operation gone ahead. I'm having trouble getting my head round this.

That actual pistol, basically, could have changed history.

-It could have changed the history of the world. Can I have a go?

-Certainly.

-As it were.

Like all of the firearms here, the Luger has been deactivated, thank goodness, so it can't fire

and there's no chance of Mark doing himself a mischief.

It's almost as if it was made for me.

Oh, yes, Mark, you do look the part.

'GUNFIRE'

"JAMES BOND" THEME MUSIC

Now Clive has some other super spy gadgets to show Mark.

This room is packed full of items thought to have been used in espionage during the Cold War.

Much of the collection was amassed by two real-life British agents,

the husband and wife spy team Peter and Prue Mason

who used many of these specially designed items in the field.

Here are some particular artefacts that I thought you might find interesting.

I think Clive might be Essex's answer to Q.

I won't tell you what they are. I want you to think James Bond.

-My goodness me!

-See if you can see what's different about these shoes.

Apart from the fact they're very sexy patent leather.

-Each to their own, Clive.

-Now, now!

Oh, oh, here we go. If I pull that out... Oh, nasty.

-There you go.

-That's for doing his nails, isn't it?

The shoes contain a concealed blade,

just like the shoes worn by arch-villainess Rosa Klebb in Bond film From Russia With Love.

Typical James Bond scenario. All you've got to do is flick that out.

-Flick that out with your other foot or wiggling about.

-Yeah, or on a chair.

-Cut your ropes.

Quick bit of kung fu or whatever and out the building. Don't forget the young lady.

Daniel Craig is quaking in his Italian leather brogues, I'm sure.

Just pick up that cigarette there.

That's heavy.

-It's a gun.

-Of course it is. How obvious! Of course it's a gun(!)

-It's a single-shot pistol.

-Is it really?

-To fire it, you have to twist that.

All you would do is twist it and that would...

-Fire a bullet out of the end.

-This is Boy's Own stuff. This is straight out of books.

The museum holds all manner of secrets, but the rest of them are for Mark's eyes only.

I shouldn't really show you this, but we do have one or two items...

Mark Stacey, though, is back in Clare, Suffolk,

and has popped into the shop that gave Mark Hales such gyp earlier.

Can his eagle eye spot anything his rival missed?

I see this little box here. It's got Ollivant & Botsford on it.

Ollivant & Botsford were jewellers, silversmiths and watchmakers.

Shall we open the box? Come on, let's open the box.

Oh, goody, let's!

-It could be a winner. Can I have a look at this, sir?

-Sure.

Dealer Jim will get it out of the case. Drum roll, please!

Let's hope it's as exciting as it looks.

Oh.

Well, that was an anti-climax.

Whatever was in there...

Issued by the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, 19th of September, 1917.

The box used to contain a deck watch used for naval navigation.

The number on the box's lid uniquely identifies it

and ties it to these records held in the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.

They confirm the box's provenance and tell the story of its working life.

It was acquired by the Royal Observatory in the 1890s

and was issued to many Royal Navy vessels before being retired in 1922.

It's just an intriguing little thing, but £40...

Is the deal negotiable, do you think?

-He could certainly do something on that price.

-What do you think he'd take?

-I know he'd do 35 on it.

-Do you think he would come down to 30?

-I'd have to call him.

-Would you mind doing that?

-He'll do £30 for it.

-I've got to have it for £30.

Thank you very much indeed.

Marvellous. And Mark Stacey sails off to his next shop.

He's travelling the 39 miles to the small Essex village of Rettendon.

A compact, but charming destination.

Its church, All Saints, dates from the 13th century.

He's strolling off into Rettendon Antiques.

Is there anything he might risk his hard-earned on?

There is this fire screen.

The centre piece is made out of beaten copper and I quite like these very stylish roses.

They're almost like Tudor roses.

It's got £55 on it.

We know you regard that as the very loosest of jumping-off points, Mark.

-Best see what you can strike up with the lovely proprietor Elaine.

-Elaine!

Sorry, Elaine. I found this and dare I say what I want to pay for it?

I mean, it's got 55 on it. What do you think the lowest will be on that?

-I could do it for £20.

-£20.

It doesn't sound too bad, does it?

-I think it's very reasonable.

-You would, Elaine.

-Yes.

-You would.

Hmm, this Essex girl is no pushover.

-You don't think we could get it lower than that?

-£20, I think, is a good price.

-Is it?

-Yes.

-Do you want to hear what my good price is...? No.

-Do I?

LAUGHTER I'm not sure!

-Oh, you're getting far too good at this.

-She is, isn't she?

We couldn't tweak it under a bit for good luck?

I don't want to force you, honestly. It's not in my nature, but...

Who will break the silent battle of wills?

-You're a very good saleswoman, you know.

-I think it's worth the £20.

-Go on, I'll take it for 20.

-Have we got a deal?

-We have.

There's something you don't see every day. Mark is outdone at his own game.

Elaine gets her £20 and Mark gets his fire screen.

And with that highly irregular occurrence, the curtain falls on our first day.

Night-night, chaps.

But they can't stay off the road for long.

The morning sun greets them back in the Spit and raring to go.

Do you know, the sun's shining, Mark. It's a beautiful day.

I'm on the up. Lady Luck is going to shine on me today.

So far, Mark Stacey has spent £185 on four lots -

the box for the naval deck watch,

the lead tobacco boxes,

the pewter tea caddy

and the Arts and Crafts fire screen,

while Mark Hales has yet to make a purchase

and so has spent nothing whatsoever.

But all is optimism as they head for the first shop of the day.

There's lots of time left. I'm only a tad behind.

It's not over until the last auction. That's what I think. You're only as good as your next purchase.

They're driving to the Essex village of Battlesbridge

through which the River Crouch flows

along its stately way.

This morning's a two-hander

as our haggling heroes go to war in the same place...

..Battlesbridge Antiques Centre.

This complex of shops holds over 80 dealers, so there should be plenty for everyone.

-This looks good.

-Are you feeling happier now?

-Yeah. This is great.

They're heading off in different directions.

-You're keen.

-I want to get in there.

-Don't worry about me.

-Good morning, sir.

-Good morning.

-I'm Mark.

-My name's John.

With no buys yet, Mark is going to have to work fast.

Already I've seen a lovely Wemyss jardiniere. Is it in good condition? Let's have a quick look.

225. That's too much for me.

Wemyss Ware is a type of decorative pottery originally produced

in Ceres, Fife, from around the 1880s to the 1930s.

It was decorated by a chap called Nekola and this is all hand-painted.

Several patterns. Lots of different flowers, plants.

Very nice. Now, what can you get the blooming price down to?

-I'm in a bit of a pickle, John.

-OK.

-I'm up against Mark Stacey. He's in front.

-We don't want that.

-The pressure's on.

-Bit of a nightmare.

-What are we going to do?

-I don't know.

-Have you seen anything in particular?

-I love you already. "What are WE going to do?"

-Can I show you a Wemyss jardiniere? You've got 225 on it. I want to buy it for 150.

-OK.

-What's it got to be?

The absolute best to you has got to be £175.

-Bottom line?

-That's the absolute best.

-OK, let's have a go.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you, John.

-I'll get this wrapped up for you.

-Brilliant.

Yeah... He who dares wins, John.

Oh, yeah, Del Boy. Oh, yeah.

Bye!

Meanwhile, Mark Stacey is outside.

Well, I've just spotted something which is completely barking mad -

a pair of cast-iron... what only can be described really as castle hinges.

It's almost like a fleur-de-lys design.

These would have gone on to a moat bridge or something.

Or a very, very old wooden door.

And I don't know if I'm crazy or very wise in trying to buy them.

On the ticket is £125.

I must be having a funny five minutes. I'm getting a hot flush about these. It's really quite mad.

-Oh, settle down, dear.

-What would be your best price?

-I'd go to 75.

-75.

-That would be my best price.

-You couldn't go to 70 for me?

-I'll go to 70.

I must be mad, but I'll have them for £70. Thank you very much.

Aha! A buy fit for a king.

Across the way, Mark Hales is really starting to feel the pressure.

He's still only bought one item. I think it might be getting to him.

Morning.

Cheerful chappies, aren't they?

I'm just looking for anything old that will just hit me.

At the rate I'm going, I should be knocked out.

You'd think I would buy something!

Oh, Mark, do settle down. Have you found anything yet?

-I'm "a frayed knot"!

-After all that flim-flam, he's back where he started in John's shop.

-Oh, dear.

-Oh, now that's nice.

That is me all over.

Lovely Georgian stoneware tankard.

Markings on it. In good order.

Imagine a couple of pints of porter in that.

It's brown-glaze stoneware.

Made all over the place, actually. Derbyshire, Nottingham.

We have to be a little bit careful. They did reproduce a lot of this.

But not with this sort of banding and turning. It's good. £35.

Let's see what we can get it for. ..I know what you're going to say. It's got £35 on it.

-I want it for 25.

-I can sell it for 30.

-Oh, blimey. Can't you do 28?

-30.

-Right. Let's have a go. I love it.

-Thank you very much. I'll get that packed up for you.

-Thank you.

Aha! Ceramics maestro Mark is back in familiar territory.

Maybe his luck's about to change.

Meanwhile, Mark Stacey is still outside and boxing clever.

The dealer's just brought this out of the back of his van and, basically, it's a box.

Have I bought any boxes so far?

Listen, you've bought four of the flaming things!

-It's a Victorian ladies jewellery box in walnut.

-Mark's thinking it might make a job lot

with his pewter tea caddy. The ticket price is £35. Best speak to dealer Colin. Col?

-Any way we can get it for 25?

-30?

-It will have to be 25, I'm afraid. I paid so much for the tea caddy.

-Go on, then.

-Are you sure? 25? Lovely, thank you.

-I'll quickly pay you before you change your mind.

-Yes!

Capital!

And with that it's time to bid Battlesbridge a fond adieu.

Mark Stacey has bought up to the hilt, so he's heading off to Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex,

where he's going to pay a playful visit to the House on the Hill Toy Museum,

where he's meeting owner Alan.

-Hello, Alan.

-Hi, Mark. Welcome to the toy museum.

Oh, thank you. That's amazing. Lovely weather. I'm hoping to learn a lot today.

-Largest toy museum in the world.

-Alan has run it since 1990

when he turned his magnificent private collection of toys into this huge public exhibition.

We're coming into the tin-plate area.

Alan started his collection at 14.

Today it spans all types of toy from board games to dolls and from ancient toys to modern,

but it's the tin toys of his WWII childhood that are his first and greatest love.

-Here we have a toy in its original box.

-Wow.

-A Rolls Royce, actually.

I bought that many years ago.

-I paid, actually, £600 for it.

-Did you really?

Today it's worth about £1,500.

-And the chauffeur's inside.

-Yeah.

-I think that's amazing, actually.

-And a real find from that era. How rare is it to find one in this condition?

-Extremely rare.

Because they played with them.

And Alan has another cabinet full of WWII period toys nearby.

Right, Mark, this is what we call our Home Front display.

It's war toys depicting everything from WWII.

As you can see, the toy manufacturers started producing all the toys in camouflage.

A lot of the toymakers were German, mainly Jewish, and they fled Germany in the early '30s, came to England

and set up manufacturing units here - Spears Games, Mettoy, etc.

And so these are all basically based on their knowledge and skill.

-And then after the war the Americans got the Japanese to produce toys, robots etc.

-I remember the robots.

And that kickstarted the Japanese economy.

-They started producing robots and space toys.

-Have you got some? I'm sure you have.

-Come over here.

-I've got loads of them.

-Oh, wow, Alan!

-These are fantastic.

-This is our robot and space cabinet. Mainly from Japan.

As a child of the 1960s, this is Mark's era.

It's bringing back memories.

Here I've got an early Japanese clockwork toy. You can wind it up.

-Oh, wow.

-And all the planets go round.

-There was that fascination

-with scifi. You get those B movies from the '50s.

-Exactly. And UFOs were being seen everywhere.

-And it wasn't long before men on the Moon in 1969.

-Exactly.

I do remember as a child I loved all the space television.

-Captain Scarlet and Thunderbirds.

-We've got the original Gerry Anderson car here.

From the TV series Investigator. That was the original prop.

Gerry Anderson was the creator who devised puppet series Thunderbirds

and Captain Scarlet amongst other.

-I was in love with Lady Penelope.

-Were you? Ever go out with her?

-No, we never met.

-No!

-She was a bit short for me.

A bit wooden!

Oh, Alan, that's been fantastic. A real trip down memory lane.

-Thank you very much.

-Great pleasure.

F.A.B.!

To the Spitfire and away!

Meanwhile, Mark Hales has travelled the nine miles to Debden, Essex,

where he has one final chance to shop.

Leafy Debden in the Uttlesford area of Essex is rural tranquillity itself.

In recent years, it's been twinned with the Nepalese village of Tang Ting.

Not a lot of people know that. Let's hope Mark can look forward to similar co-operation

-as he heads to Debden Antiques.

-My last shop of the entire trip!

-Ohh! I have to buy one or two items here.

-Indeed you do. Hopefully,

fresh-faced dealer James can be of some assistance.

-Would it be OK if I look around?

-Sure.

-Thank you very much.

225. Way out of my league.

Hmm.

-Leave well alone.

-It's crunch time.

-James...

-Yes?

-Help.

-Oh, Mark.

OK!

-Lovely.

-Help, James.

-Right.

Look, this is my last hour. I've got about £100 left.

Have you anything you can recommend that I might find attractive?

-Well...

-I've got to buy it, sell it and take the auctioneer's commission off it.

-Yes, I feel for you.

-Ah, bless you, James.

-A large, hand-painted vintage ship's nameboard from the vessel...

-Organs?!

-Oh, lordy!

-Ogano.

-Thank you.

On the ticket, £245.

I've got £100 and 28p.

And...and what I want, James, right, cos I know you're on my wavelength,

is something big and showy. It's all a gamble. £100.28.

-You can have that for £100.

-I'd better take it.

-And I do want the 28p.

-I don't blame you!

Look, 20, 40, 60, 80, 90,

-5, 100.

-And 28p.

-28p.

-James, you got me out of a pickle.

-That's all right. I'm sure it will do OK.

And now you can get it off the wall.

-OK...

-Marvellous. Mark has three lots, at last.

They've repaired to the rustic environs of Stansted Mountfitchet Castle to unveil their purchases.

Looks like they've got some company, too. Let's see if we can quack this, shall we?

-Mark, it's our very last reveal.

-I know.

-How are you feeling?

-A little bit sad about it.

-Shall I show you?

-Yes, please.

-Are you ready?

-Oh, my goodness, me!

-Now...

-Wow!

-What do you think?

-I love it!

-This I think is great.

-Arts and Crafts copper.

-English Tudor roses. Nice wrought iron base, not been cleaned.

Yes, we know YOU like it, but what does Mark Hales think?

-Wonderful.

-Good, good.

-What are these magnificent...

-What have I done, Mark?

-They're castle door hinges.

-They certainly are!

-I love them.

-Super in the average kitchen(!)

-Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.

-This is an interesting find.

It does have a Royal Observatory, Greenwich, mark. September, 1917.

-I just thought it was a beautiful little box.

-And military is up.

-How much? £25?

-30.

-Mark, I can't wait any longer. Please, show me all.

-Ah, yes.

I've been terribly brave. All my money is gone.

-Every penny.

-Really?

-OK?

What was that look, Mark?

Oh, I like that.

-Ogano. The name of the ship?

-Yep.

I love it. It's really good.

-1920s, I think.

-How much did you pay for that?

-£100 and 28p!

What about Mark Hales' pretty but pricey jardiniere?

-I don't need to look under here, but I will. It's Wemyss.

-Yes.

-I've always loved Wemyss.

-It actually cost me £175.

-Oh, that's a fair chunk.

-And I was thinking 200-300 at auction, hopefully.

-You must do.

-And the tankard?

-That's my favourite thing.

-GR. So that's George...the Third.

-It's a lovely Georgian tankard.

-I love it.

£30. It's going to be an interesting auction!

All very civilised, chaps, but when their rival's back is turned, do the gloves come off?

The Ogano ship sign. It's a pastiche, of course. Someone's put the portholes on.

Are they the originals? Possibly. 100 quid? Might be a small profit.

The Wemyss is very speculative. It's an interesting lot. I love Wemyss.

175 quid is not bad. Looking forward to the auction,

but I've said this before. It ain't over until the auctioneer puts his gavel down.

A lot of objects there. Good for him. I thought he was pretty brave.

Forget about the hinges. There's bits off, half of one is missing.

The two boxes he's put together, they are very nice. I like those a lot.

The military box. Beautiful mahogany box. Lovely.

Anything could happen at auction. I'm in with a chance.

On this epic road trip,

the two Marks have travelled nearly 300 miles through East Anglia.

On this leg, they started in Clare, Suffolk.

They're heading now for their final showdown in Colchester, Essex.

The town has housed a military garrison since as far back as the Roman period

and was an important city in Ancient Britain.

Let's hope our Marks can harness a bit of that warrior spirit as they head for their last auction.

A venerable Colchester institution, Reeman Dansie Auctioneers have been established here since 1881.

Our very final chance.

-The last auction.

-The last dance, the last tango. The last everything.

-Anything could happen.

-And it probably will. Shall we go and find out what's happening?

Auctioneer James Grinter will be wielding the fateful gavel today.

But before he takes to the stage, what does he think of our boys' buys?

The ship's nameboard, sadly, I think we'll probably struggle with that.

It's not very old. It's not very decorative. And it hasn't got very much quality.

The tobacco boxes are very stylish, but will there be collectors there?

My least favourite lots are the pair of iron hinges.

Mark Stacey started this leg with £511.64.

He spent £280 exactly and has assembled five lots for his lucre.

Mark Hales, meanwhile, has spent his entire cash pot,

a grand total of £305.28, but he's only assembled three lots for his trouble.

Anything could happen as our pair ready themselves for the final showdown. Look comfy, don't they?

-Without further ado, I will start I will start.

-Oh, this is it.

First up, Mark Stacey's pair of lead tobacco boxes.

Will they set the saleroom alight or simply smoulder?

£40 to start me. 40? 40 I have.

40. I haven't lost everything!

£42 down there. 42. 44. 46. 48.

-50. 5. 60. 5.

-Come on, a bit more.

All done at £65.

So a less than stellar start for Mark Stacey.

-Thank goodness - a loss!

-Charming(!)

It's boxes, boxes everywhere as Mark Stacey's next lot takes the stage.

£40 to start me. 40 I have now.

40. 42. 44.

46. 48. 50.

55. 60.

-Well, I've got my money back.

-Any advance?

All done now at £60. All done?

They held their value, but that's a loss after the auction house's commission.

Is it Mark Hales' chance to catch up?

-I thought there might be a £20, £30 profit.

-I thought they'd make 120 in a sale like this.

So Mark Hales' first lot now as his Wemyss jardiniere meets the saleroom.

What do you say to start me? £100?

-£100 I have down here now. At £100.

-Come on.

-110.

120. 130. 140. 150.

-160. 170.

-Good.

-180.

-That's my money back.

At £190 bid. 190. 200?

I'm going to sell. All done at 190.

A profit, but not the one he'd hoped for.

He'll still need a flyer to catch up.

-I've got to laugh.

-You made a £15 profit, Mark.

Enough of the sighing, boys.

Maybe Mark Stacey's Arts and Crafts fire screen will ignite the saleroom's interest.

30? £30 to start me somewhere. £30.

32. 34. 36.

38. 40.

At 40. 42. 44. 46. 48.

50. At £50. Gentleman at the back.

-That's good.

-It's good.

At £50.

-Another modest profit.

-Well done, Mark, yes.

Add that to the coffers.

One now for Mark Hales as his antique tankard is up.

-£30 to start me. 30 I have.

-Show me a profit.

At £30. Do I have 32? £30 is bid.

-32 anywhere?

-No.

At £30. All done.

NOT what he hoped for.

-Oh, dear. Story of my life.

-Don't despair.

You've still got the Ogano ship sign.

Indeed he does!

But the next lot hinges on what the punters make of Mark Stacey's...hinges.

-These weren't my favourite at all.

-I really regret buying these.

-I can't look.

-Don't give him 30.

-Oh, no...

-Please don't.

-32.

34. 36. 38.

40. 2. 44. 46.

-48. 50.

-No!

55. 60.

-65. 70.

-Are we having a snooze?

-You're going to wake up in a moment.

-95. 100. At £100. Going to sell.

All done. At £100.

An unexpected triumph for Mark Stacey. Lovely.

I'm really not as unhinged as I thought I was.

Don't know about that! But this certainly widens Mark Stacey's lead.

-#

-We're in the money...

-#

Right. After that stunner from Mark Stacey,

the ship's sign would really have to have the wind in its sails if it's to redeem Mark Hales.

£30 for it. 30 I have down here.

At 32. Make it 34?

34. 36. 38.

40 I have. Another place.

-42.

-It's climbing very slowly.

44. 46. 48. 50. At £50.

Against you. 55? 55.

-60. 65.

-Fresh bidder.

-70.

Oh. Clawing its way. Clawing its way.

85. 90.

95.

At £95. In the far corner at 95.

I'm going to sell. Against you all at 95.

It fails to sail, sadly, for Mark Hales.

Finally now, Mark Stacey's intriguing mahogany deck watch box. Minus the watch.

Might it sail off into the sunset?

I have two commissions with me. I go straight in at £100 with me.

-At 100. 110.

-Gosh!

-120. 130. 140.

150. 160. 170. 180.

-At £180. Still with me. 190.

-Well done, Mark.

At 200 on the book now.

200 against you on the internet. At £200. It's going to be sold.

All done at £200?

Mark Stacey, you look quite flabbergasted.

-Well done.

-That lot certainly went tick-tock.

A stonking profit for Mark Stacey and his victory is decisive.

-I don't know what to say.

-Fantastic.

Attack of the vapours, Mark? So a run of bad luck for Mark Hales

and an absolute flyer on the deck watch box mean Mark Stacey is the king of this road trip!

-Very well done, Mark.

-Thank you.

-You did really well.

Mark Hales started this final leg with £305.28.

After auction costs, he made an unfortunate loss of £46.98

and finishes the road trip with £258.30.

Bad luck.

Mark Stacey began with £511.64

and with the help of that deck watch made a terrific £109.50 profit today

giving him a victorious total of £621.14.

All the money our boys have made will go to Children In Need.

-Well, Mark, what an auction that was.

-Yes. You did terribly well.

-Highs and lows.

-Highs and lows.

-But we had some good results throughout the week.

-We certainly did.

But having said that, it's not just about the profit. It's about the fun, Mark.

-Yeah, lots of fun along the way.

-We've had that.

Well, this has certainly been a week of trenchant competition

and high drama for our two remarkable Marks.

# Sun is shining in the sky

# There ain't a cloud in sight

# It's stopped raining Everybody's... #

-They've experienced joy...

-Yes!

-..and pain!

-That hurts.

-There have been frustrations...

-How very dare you!

-..and revelations.

-I'm looking for...antiques.

-But it's never been predictable.

-Oh!

-And they've always been friends in the end.

-I nearly kissed you.

Onwards!

Next week on Antiques Road Trip: we're with two dashing gents on the hunt for a bargain.

-We've got Thomas Plant, who is always calm under pressure.

-What have I done?!

-And James finds his long-lost twin.

-Any resemblance to me is merely coincidental.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd