Episode 21 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.

What do you think?

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

-There will be worthy winners and valiant losers.

-What have I done?!

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

-Put your back into it!

-Shut up, James!

This is the Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

It's a brand-new week, and we're hitting the road

with a pair of thoroughly dashing gents and antiques experts,

Thomas Plant and James Lewis.

If anyone wasn't sure that I was a country bumpkin and a bit slow before...

James, I don't think you're slow at all. I think you're quite sharp.

Thomas Plant is an auctioneer with a passion for all things shiny -

jewellery, watches and silver.

I am like a pig in the proverbial when it comes to things like that.

James Lewis is also an auctioneer who began his antiques career

at the age of six by bidding on a birdcage for his budgie.

Now, however, he's more fond of ducks.

GABBLES LIKE DONALD DUCK

Yes...

Our affable duo begin their adventure with £200 each

and are travelling in this gorgeous little 1953 Morris Minor.

It's fresh, James! We have the mustiness of the Morris Minor.

It was the Morris Minor? I thought it was you! I thought it was the suit.

Really? Oh! Oh! Oh, James, that's so uncalled for!

Thomas and James will be travelling over 800 miles,

looping their way from Largs on the Scottish West Coast

up to the Highlands, down to the Lowlands and back again,

eventually finishing in the country's capital city of Edinburgh.

Today, we're starting off our mammoth journey in Largs,

crossing over the East Coast,

before heading back to the auction showdown in Glasgow.

With such a distance to travel,

it's reassuring to know our chaps know exactly where they are.

James, here we are, foothills of the Highlands.

-Or are we actually in the Highlands?

-Not yet, no.

-The foothills, aren't we?

-The Lowlands.

-The Lowlands, absolutely.

Oh, dear. I hope they've got a map.

Our first stop of the day is Largs, Ayrshire,

a seaside town famous for invasions,

firstly by the Vikings, who brought war and pillage,

and then by the Italians, who brought ice cream and antique dealers.

-Can you see it?

-That's it!

-Blue sign.

-Brilliant.

This is where battle commences.

Narducci's is a huge family-run emporium stacked with fabulous furniture

and all manner of collectables.

So there's plenty here for our boys to feast their eyes on,

although not everything's for sale.

Luckily, owner Franco is on hand to help,

and Thomas has a watertight strategy.

I have no idea what I'm going to be doing

when it comes to today's buying experience.

Just concentrate, think, but don't be too cautious.

Yes, be bold, be brave.

James, meanwhile, is drawn immediately to something familiar.

Any resemblance to me is merely coincidental.

I just have a little bit of catching up to do on the hair. Twins!

You said it, James.

Now, what's this Thomas has spotted with a ticket price of £65?

James sounds like he's well ensconced,

getting things in and out of the cabinet.

I'm just going to take my time. I might ask about that.

Don't leave it, Thomas.

Too late! James has spotted it too.

It's quite interesting.

The market in Chinese things is booming at the moment.

Under Chairman Mao, people in China

were not allowed to retain anything from their imperial past,

so things were destroyed, things were buried in gardens.

Now China's opened up to the West

and at the head of every successful Chinese business

is a very wealthy Chinese businessmen

who's wanting to buy back his own heritage, so this sort of thing,

although it's not great quality, it's very fashionable.

It all depends on price. He'll know all that, anyway. Franco!

Can't believe it. Not quick enough.

Yep, you have to be decisive in this game, Thomas, if you recall.

-I like this. Do you mind if I offer you a cheeky one?

-Be cheeky.

-I was thinking around 45, £50.

-That's very cheeky.

-I know.

-That's very cheeky.

-I know. I know.

-And you'll be totally justified in saying no.

-Try me again.

I was thinking that it could easily make 70 or 80 at the auction.

Then less commission. 55?

£60, there you are.

I think the 60 is very fair, but I think it will still show me a loss.

-The very best I could do is 55.

-OK.

-Does that help you?

-Yeah. OK, we'll take that. Thank you.

So, with one purchase already snatched from his grasp,

Thomas's only option is to get his act together.

CLATTERING

Oops! Not sure Franco approves.

Oh dear, Thomas. This is only day one!

I could listen to James droning on and just drift off to sleep.

Has he finished yet?

No, he hasn't, and whilst you're snoozing,

James has sniffed out a couple of perfume bottles.

-How much are they?

-£60 a pair.

-£60 for the two. They're not a pair.

-Yeah.

-That's unusual, isn't it?

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

-Do that one for 35.

-What would be your best on these two?

How do you see them?

I see that at 25.

And I think that would make 20 at auction.

So I think they'd make 45, so 30?

-I can't really do them for 30. £35, how's that?

-32?

-33?

-Oh, go on!

It was painful enough saying 32,

because I knew you were being fair anyway.

No pressure, Thomas, but James has already bought three items.

Time for a light bulb moment.

It's a good piece of Deco - an original lamp, a hoop dancer.

It just needs a clean, really.

The really good ones would have been in bronze, and this is in spelter,

and the chroming is slightly damaged,

but, look, it's definitely 1920s.

Lovely sort of nubile young thing, dancing between a hoop.

It's rather good.

But, obviously, cos it's not a great quality one,

the definition isn't there in the face,

and I expect that to be reflected, really, in the price.

Let's see if Franco agrees.

-That's a bit of fun. How much is that?

-£65.

-65.

-What would you do if I was really interested in it?

-55.

-I was at round about 30.

-Couldn't, honestly. You're halving it.

No, I was thinking before you said 60,

I was thinking I'd be happy to pay about £30.

-Can't do it for £30.

-What can you do?

-To you, 40.

-40.

-And that's a cheap wee lamp.

-It's quite fun. I quite like it.

-35?

-Can't, honestly.

-You can't?

-I've come from 65.

I know you have, I know you have.

You need to come up a wee bit to meet me.

There's profit left in that.

The thing is, I was thinking, because Glasgow's quite a cool city,

and it's full of cosmopolitan people, that is a lovely object.

-Go on.

-Thank you.

Phew! Thank goodness that. Something's in the bag at last.

He may be three purchases up, but James is clearly not done yet,

and now he's found something else to tickle his fancy.

These are probably made in India, turn of the century,

almost certainly for the Western market.

There was a great fashion, actually, in Glasgow, for copying this style

at the turn of the century, around 1870 to 1910. How much are they?

£15.

Would you take a tenner for them?

I'll take 12.

Go on, then.

I'm not going to haggle you any more than that.

No flies on our James today. So, just to recap,

he's hoovered up two perfume bottles,

a carved wooden Chinese figure

and the little silver-coloured jug and bowl, all for £100.

Nice work, James.

-100. Thank you very much.

-Thank you for your business.

Thomas is not going to be outdone.

He's on the hunt for something else. Something Chinese.

POT RINGS

Looks like a bronze pot. Could be brass. It's Chinese.

It's the myth of two dragons,

here, fighting over this flaming pearl, the eternal pearl,

but it's Chinese and it's very nice quality.

It's a good thing, that.

-I quite like it. Franco?

-Aha.

-£28, if it's any good?

-28.

-28.

-Can we do a deal at 20?

-25?

22?

On you go. £22. I'll go for that.

Good deal. Thank you. And I've just noticed these here.

-Have these sold?

-They're just in as well!

-Just in as well?

They're bamboo. They're decorative, they're big.

I'd say they are 1900s, wouldn't you?

I wouldn't say they're ancient. What have those got to be?

-£40 a pair.

-They are the flavour, aren't they?

They're very decorative. You've not had these long?

Just in. I got them in yesterday.

They smell like they've just come in, don't they?

-Foosty.

-Musty, yeah. "Foosty"?

-Foosty.

"Foosty"! That's what my in-laws say, cos they're from Scotland.

Would you do those, if I gave you 50 for the lot?

No. No. 60. I can do £60. Wee package for you.

-So, bought that for 22, quite happy. 35.

-Go on.

-Is that all right?

-That's OK.

Excellent work. So, Thomas has bought a Chinese bronze bowl,

a pair of Oriental bamboo vases and an Art Deco lamp, all for £97.

-I shall get your change before you leave.

-Thank you very much.

Our boys are all shopped out in Largs,

and I'm now back in the old Minor

heading for the next destination, Kilbirnie.

-That is stunning!

-I've never actually seen a loch,

so I'm really looking forward to it.

-No!

-No, I haven't seen one! I'm very excited!

And you still haven't seen one, Thomas.

THAT'S the sea.

They're off to Kilbirnie,

where James is stopping off for a bit of shopping.

-Here's your next destination, James.

-Thank you very much. Thank you!

-Have great fun.

-Don't forget to pick me up!

-No, I won't.

While Thomas is heading 90 miles east

to Bridge of Weir in Renfrewshire and a rather unusual village.

I'm getting a vibe of church - Faith Avenue.

Here we are.

Quarrier's Village was built in the late 19th century

and was made up of 43 houses, a fire station,

a hospital and church, amongst other facilities.

But this was no ordinary village.

It was built entirely for orphaned children

and was the brainchild of one man, William Quarrier.

-Hello.

-Welcome to Quarrier's Village.

Showing Thomas round is Josie Bell,

who works for the charity that still exists today.

William Quarrier and his family recognised the need to look after

the destitute children in Glasgow, principally,

although we got children from all over Britain.

The village was designed to be a self-contained community,

with up to 30 orphans a time living in each house,

many having lost their parents from common illnesses,

like TB, or accidents at Glasgow's shipyards.

William Quarrier, and other wealthy industrialists,

financed the whole project.

Did he come from a very rich family, or did he make all his own money?

He made all his own money.

His father had died when William was three,

and when William was six, he went out to work.

-Six?!

-Six. And he earned a shilling a week.

William was a fully-fledged shoemaker by the age of 12

and went on to make a fortune in his trade,

but he never forgot his humble roots

and swore never to walk past a hungry child.

Would you like to come in? This is the drapery.

And the children would come in here at least once a year

to be fully outfitted.

Wonderful quality boot, isn't it?

Having that made to fit me would cost a small fortune.

You don't get shoes like that on your high street.

It's such an amazing thing that he gave so much energy, time,

to all these poor people,

and to make them all individuals as well.

At its height, the village was home to 1,500 orphans,

from infants through to 12-year-olds.

Children were taken off the streets and came to live in the houses within a family structure.

They were clothed, shoed, educated and taught a trade,

but a sixth of all Quarrier's children also became migrants.

-He sent nearly 8,000 children to Canada.

-Because there were too many?

Quarrier said you couldn't have a front door to bring children in

if you didn't have a back door for children to leave.

So there would be roughly 200 children leaving the village

every year to go to Canada as child migrants.

In the 130 years since William Quarrier set at the institution,

society's attitudes towards child welfare have changed considerably.

The relatively harsh treatment of some children in the early days,

and more recently the emergence of serious welfare issues with some individuals

have meant Quarrier's has radically changed the way

it currently looks after children, adults and families.

You think, "God, you know, what would happen if both my wife and I

"were not on this earthly planet?"

And it's a sobering thought that there's a man,

many years ago, who did the right thing.

What a moving visit for Thomas. But now it's time for him to head off.

Back in Kilbirnie, James is having a good nose about The Stirrup Cup.

It's full of antiques, curios and vintage goods,

but is there anything here to attract our James?

It's a very pretty shop with lots of nice things,

but it's very much aimed at the tourist market,

so it's not easy to find something and then buy it to put in auction.

I'm struggling somewhat.

Now, the Road Trip has visited this shop before,

and owner Greta is determined that James doesn't leave empty-handed,

so she's nipped next door to her house

to fetch something rather unusual.

Now, I always think these look very pornographic,

as you can probably imagine.

Funnily enough, this curious object is actually a Coco de Mer,

the largest seed in the entire plant kingdom.

This could be the deal of a lifetime for James,

as the polished ones are the rarest,

some fetching several thousand pounds.

-The Coco de Mer, how much could that be?

-30.

-30?!

-£30.

Will they appreciate it at auction? £30.

-It depends how much the Glasgow people know.

-Yeah, that's it.

Because they are highly collectable now.

The Seychelles island they're from,

there's only one Seychelles island that they're from now.

The trees are extinct on the other...

Not allowed to export them, either.

No. They're not allowed to export them, that's right.

So it's got to be an old one, hasn't it?

There are sanctions on them.

I like it, but it's just whether or not it's the right sale forum.

As this is a giant nut, and I am a giant nut...

..I think I should have it. If the price is right.

Will you take 20 for it?

-25.

-Oh!

-22, and you've got a deal.

-Och, 25!

-Go on, then.

-I hate haggling. Go on. 25.

-Thank you very much.

James, how could you haggle her down?

Now, is there anything else while you're here,

like the painting perhaps?

That picture's not bad.

But it could just be a talented amateur.

It's an oil on board, painted turn of the century.

It's quite nicely done with cottages and figures in there.

It might be worth a punt at 25.

James phones his auction house for a bit of background information.

It's J, it could be Gilmuir.

Yeah, that's the right period.

15 by 12, exactly the same size.

OK. Thank you very much.

A friend of mine has looked it up on Art Sales.

There are Gilmours, James Gilmour listed

as a marine artist painting little rocky coves,

that's what he is best known for. It's...

I should buy it, really.

£25.

I'm not going to haggle. I'm not going to knock you down.

£25, you've got a deal. Thank you.

So, James now has a Coco de Mer and a painting all for £50. What a deal!

-Thank you. Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

And it looks like the painting might be a bargain, too.

We're seeing James Gilmour oils and watercolours of this size

making 150, 170, 140, 190.

So, yeah, great, pleased with that.

James has high hopes for his purchases - I bet he does -

but right now, it's feet-up time for our experts. Night-night.

Day two in bonnie Scotland, and James is behind the steering wheel.

My feet are too big for the pedals.

Your feet are too big for the pedals?

My everything is too big for everything in this car!

So far, Thomas has spent £97 on three items -

an Art Deco lamp,

a pair of Oriental bamboo sleeve vases,

and a Chinese bronze bowl,

leaving him with a chunky £103 still to spend.

-Go on.

-Thank you.

James, meanwhile, has spent £150 on five items -

a large Coco de Mer,

an oil painting,

a milk jug with basin,

a pair of glass perfume bottles

and a large Chinese carving.

That leaves him with £50 to play with.

That looks a lot better, doesn't it?

Thomas and James have left the West Coast behind

and are heading for the Scottish capital city of Edinburgh.

With over £100 burning a hole in his pocket,

Thomas heads straight for the shops.

-I'm Thomas.

-I'm Terri.

-Terri, nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you too.

Cabaret Antiques is brimming with all kind of curios and collectables.

But, most of all, it's stacked to the rafters

with what Thomas loves more than anything.

I absolutely adore jewellery. That is my most favourite thing.

I'm like a pig in the proverbial when it comes to things like that.

Is there anything here to fall in love with?

This is something I got yesterday, which I think you'll like.

Ooh!

That's amethyst and silver.

-It is marked 800.

-800.

-It's going to be German, absolutely.

That's not £800, but the Continental Silver Mark

and shows that it was made in Germany.

It's in the Art Nouveau style,

which in Germany was called Jugendstil,

meaning "young style".

120 to you.

Ooh! I don't have enough money to spend on that.

That's a pity.

But it is lovely.

It is that sort of gorgeous Art Nouveau design -

beautiful little stones

and then this lovely little drop coming down here.

But at 120, that's your final, is it?

I've spent a lot on it. 100.

That's it. That's it.

-It is lovely.

-It is, it is.

-It's a huge risk.

-No, it's not!

-What do you mean, "No, it's not?"

No, it's not. It's quality! Quality!

-It is super.

-Yeah.

Leave it there and it'll sort of glint at me and shine.

Well... Oh, God.

It is good.

Yes, it's good, but at that price?

Best to focus on something else,

like a pair of binoculars, for instance.

They're rather fun, aren't they? They're field glasses.

-With the compass on.

-With the compass, yeah.

I've got, "Bakery, fresh fruit and veg, fresh meat and fish,

"beer and wine". The supermarket over the road.

-30 quid to you.

-If I buy that brooch...

If you buy the brooch at 100, you get those for 20, so that's 120...

I can't afford those at 20.

Oh, well. Forget it then.

Let's not fall out yet. There's no need. Please.

You can have that and as I can't remember what I paid for this,

you can have that as your lucky penny. And that's it.

100 for the two.

Is that it? 100? Is that it?

-You couldn't do two figures?

-No.

-You sure?

-Yes.

-You promise?

-Absolutely. Shake.

-Please.

-No. Come on, I've been very good to you.

-You have been really good. You have been.

-Yes.

-This is such a high-risk game.

-Oh, no. Come on. That's how you win.

That's how you win - you take risks.

I know, but that's also how you lose.

-Are you sure you can't do any more?

-No.

-Really?

-Yes. Come on.

Would you take a fiver off?

-No.

-Go on.

-No.

-Go on.

No, no, no, no, no, no.

No, come on, come on. No, no, no. I don't care. No, no.

Come on. Fair's fair.

I've been sucked in by you, Terri.

-Thank you very much.

-OK.

-That's very kind.

Thomas has decided to spend £100 on the amethyst brooch

and gets the pair of field glasses for free.

It's painful. Is it painful?

HE SIGHS

Thank you.

What have I done?! I've spent all my money.

Now, now, you've still got £3 left.

We've done the deal now. It's too late!

Nice work, Terri.

While Thomas heads off to his next shop with his remaining pennies,

James is up the road,

bracing himself for a rather uncomfortable appointment.

Hello, I'm James. Good to see you.

Hello, I'm Chris Henry. I'm the Director Of Heritage

here at Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

The Surgeons' Hall was developed as a teaching museum

for medical students and was initially set up in 1505,

after the Pope decided to permit the human body to be dissected.

Oh, my goodness. You've got some strange bits and pieces in here!

Many of the exhibits have been donated

and Chris is taking James to see one man's particular obsession.

If anyone out there is a bit squeamish about the dentist's

I suggest you go and make a cup of tea.

Here we are. This is the dental collection.

All things dental.

I'm sure you're cringing already.

THEY LAUGH

Nervously going to start feeling my mouth.

50 years ago, Menzies Campbell - not the MP, but a dental historian -

donated his unique collection of teeth

and dental instruments to the museum.

And it's got to be one of the most comprehensive dental collections in the UK,

if not the world.

Not a cheap thing to be doing in the 20th century.

Dentists' equipment, surgeons' equipment

has always been sought after.

Campbell's collection includes examples

of some of the earliest dental work,

including a replica of some ancient dentures.

Oh, gosh, look at those!

What you can see is the two extra teeth

have been wired together at the base,

along with the teeth that still remain within the jaw.

-So that would be 600...?

-Yes, 700 BC. Something like that.

-700 BC.

-Yeah.

Dentists had to rely on natural materials to make dentures.

Elephant ivory was used, but gave people very bad breath.

Then hippopotamus ivory.

It was more resilient and did not yellow quite as badly.

Later, dentures took an ever more macabre twist.

The more shocking thing, in a way,

is the fact that human teeth were also used for dentures.

We've got an example here, in which has the front set is human teeth.

There's a concept in the 19th century, known as Waterloo Teeth.

The teeth were taken from casualties at the Battle of Waterloo.

-I have to say, I don't really fancy it.

-No, I can't say I would.

I think I'd prefer mine to be hippo teeth. I think.

The development of dental instruments was equally innovative.

Most dental drills were pretty poor because they were hand-driven,

so you couldn't get enough speed up.

But the great breakthrough came in 1864,

when Harrington invented the clockwork drill,

which is this item here.

It was a wind-up drill effectively.

You had a key, you stuck it in here, wound it up.

You could get two minutes of drilling.

That's quite a weight.

Yeah. But it was a huge improvement on what had gone before.

This is an amazing collection,

but, I have to say, one that's slightly...uneasy.

-But thank you very much. Thank you.

-You're welcome.

-Really enjoyed it.

Ouch!

While James recovers from a fascinating -

albeit unsettling - museum, Thomas is determined to spend his last £3.

Hello.

Perhaps husband-and-wife team Robert and Valerie can help.

How little do you have?

Literally, I've got pounds.

-Under five pounds.

-My goodness me!

I'm looking for a deal beyond all deals.

Luckily, Thomas does have a plan.

-I have just bought some field glasses.

-Right.

But I was thinking it would be nice to slip a hip flask in there.

This pair are very accommodating

and happen to have rather a nice hip flask to show Thomas.

You'd have to be good at haggling.

That shouldn't be a problem.

Lovely.

It's got the pewter cup with it,

which you just pull off and then you unscrew this.

So you fill it with your whisky. In it goes. Then down it.

You said I've got to be good at negotiating.

-Mm-hm.

-If I put down what I have left, and it's very menial...

Right, go on.

That's all I've got.

-Three British pounds.

-Are you sure?

-I promise you.

-We don't want to turn you upside down.

-You can turn me upside down.

Would you do me a favour?

-Do you promise never to come back?

-I promise to come back loads.

-With money.

-With proper money.

-OK, you've got a deal, Thomas.

That's very kind of you.

Thomas, I think you are the luckiest man I know.

Spent up!

With every penny dispatched with,

it's time to meet up with James and leave Edinburgh behind.

-Are you ready for some shopping?

-Definitely.

-MECHANICAL WHEEZING

-Have you killed the car?!

-Get out and push, Thomas.

-I can't believe it. Come on.

-Go on, then.

THOMAS GROANS

-Put your back into it!

-Shut up, James!

-Harder!

-What do you mean, "harder"?

-Have you turned it all the way round?

-Yes.

-We're going to go down the hill.

-Are we? I see.

I'm not going to push UP the hill, am I?

-Why is it always me?

-What do you mean, "always you"?

It's the first time!

-Car in gear?

-Yep.

-Clutch in?

-Yep.

-OK.

-Ready?

Yep.

ENGINE STARTS

-Come back.

-Bye!

JAMES SNIGGERS

I don't believe he's done that.

James has decided to pick Thomas up after all.

They're heading 20 miles towards the East Lothian coast

and the settlement of Fenton Barns.

Here we are, look, Scottish Antique Centre. No, sorry, "Archery."

God, I really do need glasses, don't I?

Thomas is all spent up.

But James still has £50 to splash about,

so perhaps this small emporium might have something tasty on offer.

-I'm James. Hi.

-Nice to meet you.

It looks promising.

There are plenty of small collectables here.

It's just about finding the right one.

This is a little Victorian...locket.

On one side, we've got a hinged compartment that we open up,

and there it's got a glazed compartment in the centre there,

which was probably for a lock of hair.

I don't think it's gold. Um...

It's probably gold plate or it could, at a push, be Pinchbeck,

which was invented by a Doctor Pinchbeck.

It's a metal that looks like gold, feels like gold,

but just isn't gold.

Owner Helen has priced the locket at £35, but James won't pay that.

Look, what about 30?

How about that for an absolute knockdown giveaway price?

It's sweet but just unfashionable.

Would you take 25 for it, then?

-SHE GASPS

-28.

-I'm not going to knock you down.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

That's both experts shopped out.

Thanks very much. Thank you. Bye-bye.

So now it's time for them to reveal all to one another.

-Let's have a look. I can't wait.

-Here we go, here we go.

Don't knock anything over.

The first thing I want to pick up... is-is this.

-It's fab, isn't it?

-Oh!

I haven't sold one for YEARS.

-This is a really nice one.

-Yeah.

-What did you pay for this?

-£25.

-You didn't pay £25(?)

-I did.

-For a Coco de Mer, £25?

-Yeah.

-I'm a little bit jealous.

-What do you think it's worth?

-£200-£300.

-Do you?

-They are. They're so valuable.

-Oh, OK.

You've done very well there.

Don't play coy, James, you know it's a good 'un.

Does Thomas think his oil painting is another winner?

Good colours, nice and strong there. A bit of nicotine staining,

so, cleaned up, it would look rather good, wouldn't it?

-25 quid.

-That is brilliant.

-I was pleased with that.

-I bet you are.

Here's something Thomas recognises.

Did you pick it up?

-I picked it up and then thought I'd ask about that later on.

-OK.

By the time I came back, you'd bought it.

-Sorry.

-It's all right.

-£55.

-I have learnt a lesson. If I pick something up...

-Buy it.

-..buy it.

Too late now, Thomas. You've made your bed.

So, now, what will James think of Thomas's offerings?

-There we are. It doesn't look very decorative compared to yours.

-OK.

Yes, I saw those from a distance. They're lovely big ones aren't they?

-Good size, aren't they?

-Yes, great size.

Naturally carved. Lovely.

-How much were they?

-£35.

-Oh!

There is a definite profit in those.

Very charitable, James. What about Thomas's lamp?

-Little Art Deco lamp. Sweet.

-She's lovely. She's lovely.

-She would polish up nicely.

-She would. I am going to leave her.

I'm not going to touch her. I'll leave it and let someone else have the excitement.

-How much was that?

-Hoop dancer, £40.

That's cheap. That's really stylish for £40, isn't it?

Tell me about this.

-So what you've got here is...

-Is it amethyst?

Yes, an amethyst here. Marked 800.

It's continental. Marked on the clasp.

It's just dead right.

-Yeah.

-It is stylish. It's a stylish object.

-I love them.

I think you've done really well. And it's been fun.

Far too cordial for my liking.

Go on, then, what did they really think?

I don't think he has got anything that is going to storm through

and make huge profits.

The brooch, I don't know, I'm not a massive costume jewellery person.

I know it's amethyst, but it doesn't do anything for me.

But he knows his jewellery,

so fingers crossed that'll do well for him.

That Coco de Mer is so nice.

I have always wanted one.

I think they're amazing things.

So 25 quid - how does he do it?!

It's been a fruitful first leg,

beginning on the West Coast, in Largs,

travelling all the way to the East Coast via Edinburgh,

and now back again to our auction venue for today, Glasgow.

-Nervous?

-The pressure is on.

-Come on.

-Today's theatre of dreams is McTear's.

There is plenty here to attract the Glaswegian buyers.

Well, maybe not everything.

What does auctioneer Hamish Wilson make of our experts' choices?

I've been quite impressed by what they've brought along today.

The most unusual thing is the binoculars with the compass on top.

A lot of militaria interest through in the general sale,

lots of people, and I think that will do well.

The Coco de Mer is intriguing.

In Glasgow, we call them the "bum nut".

And they can make up to £200.

So, potentially, there's money to made in the Coco de Mer nut.

Our experts began this journey with £200 each.

Thomas has spent every single penny on a total of five auction lots.

You've done the deal now and it's too late!

James has spent a little less -

a total of £178, also on five auction lots.

-25.

-Go on then. I hate haggling.

Hold tight, chaps. We're off.

-How are you feeling?

-Jittery.

-Me too.

First up is James's Chinese figure, the one Thomas missed out on.

At £30 here. £30, do I see five?

40, 45, at 45, any advance on 45?

50 is bid there. At £50, any advance on 50?

At £50, five is now bid. At 55, £60.

£60 is bid. Do you want to bid five, sir?

65, 70 is bid now.

At £70, any advance on 70?

Well done. Making money.

£70, last call on 70.

70.

-You would have earned a little bit, wouldn't you?

-Two quid.

-£2?

-Yes.

Not quite the stoking profit James was hoping for,

but a profit nevertheless.

There we go. It' better than a loss, isn't it?

Continuing the Chinese theme, it's Thomas's bronze bowl.

I'll start it low at 30, do I see five?

-At £30, five is bid there.

-Straight through.

40, 45, sir?

50, at 55, 60, 65.

Any further bids at 65? 70, new bidder.

75 now. At £75 are we all done?

80, new bidder.

-Coo!

-Fresh!

80, are we all done? At £80...

Well done. Well done. Well done.

That did well. A good start for Thomas.

-Pat myself on the back.

-Well done. Lean forward.

Thank you, James. Thank you.

Can James make up some ground with his gold-coloured pendant?

At £18, do I see 20? 20 is bid there and five with me.

At 25, do I see 30?

At 25, do I see 30? £30 is bid now.

At 35 against you now. And 40 is bid.

At £40, do I see five?

I thought I was... I'm dead on.

Are we all done then? £40.

-I'm pleased with that.

-I bet you are.

Yes, a solid profit, even after the auction house

takes its well-earned commission.

You'll be walking out of there buoyed.

I am buoyed with my, so far, eight quid.

Thomas's bamboo sleeve vases are up next.

-£10 only.

-Don't start at £10.

At £10, do I see 12 now? At £10, 12, 15.

18, 20 and five.

At 25. Did someone else want to come in?

-Come on! Go on, they're worth that.

-At £25, are we all done?

At £25. Selling, then, on £25.

I kept thinking I was going to get told off by the auctioneer.

That's, I think, very cheap.

Oh, dear. Yeah, that's a loss for Thomas.

Moving swiftly on, James's painting by Gilmour.

He has high hopes for this one.

-This time, I'm bid £30.

-Straight in.

Five is bid. 40 with me, sir.

It'll be fine. It's creeping up slowly.

45, 50 now. 55?

£50 is bid. At 55, new bidder.

-The hammer's not fallen.

-£55!

Finished at £55.

No!

God, that's dreadful!

It's James's turn to be disappointed,

although he has made a profit.

-Sweet smell of profit all the way.

-I suppose so.

That was worth 100 quid more. But there we are.

It's still anyone's game and Thomas's Art Deco lamp is next.

-At 35, 35.

-It's going to go. Go on.

-£40, at £40.

Five now, 50, at 50, 55.

Do I see 60? 60 is bid now.

65, new bidder. 65, 70, 75.

£75, are we all done then on £75?

-80, new bidder.

-Go on, go on.

On the telephone then at 80. Are we all sure now?

£80 is bid. Last call on £80.

-Brilliant.

-That makes it up a bit.

-Happier now!

An excellent profit for Thomas. He's back in the lead.

-Brilliant! Brilliant!

-Oh!

Up next is a job lot for James.

He's combined his silver metalware with two perfume bottles.

-I'm bid 40 here, at £40.

-Straight in.

£40, five now. At 45 and 50 against you.

55 and 60 against you.

65 and 70 against you.

It's going to reach more than I thought.

75, 80 against you.

85, at £85. There is the bid at 85.

Any advance on £85?

Yes, sitting there.

At £85, 90 now.

95, 100 is bid.

-110...

-Don't cry out.

Any advance on 110? At £110, are we all done?

-At £110.

-It did well. Yes!

-How much?

-110.

-I missed that because of the bear hug.

The bear has done well. James has moved ahead.

I'm pleased with that. That's a good result.

Thomas has also combined lots.

He's put his freebie binoculars together with the hip flask.

I'm bid £20, at 20 only.

-We're in straight profit.

-25, do I see 30?

30, 35, and 40.

Five, sir? Go on.

-Go on!

-Go on!

At 45, do I see 50? Thank you. At 50, any advance on 50?

One more, sir? At £50, does anyone else want to come in?

-It's the hip flask.

-Profit.

-It's the hip flask which did it.

-Yes.

An excellent profit there. Thomas is edging his way back.

Well done, well done.

-Yes, I'm pleased about that. REALLY pleased.

-240.

James's last lot of the day, his Coco de Mer,

or as they say in Glasgow, "bum nut".

This time, interest here, I'm going to start the bidding here at £85.

90 is bid.

100, 110, 120, 130, new bidder. I'm out.

-140...

-He paid £25 for this.

-Told you.

-170, 180.

-Told you.

190, £200 is bid.

220 now, 240, 260. Any further bids?

-Go on, go on.

-At 260, 280.

-Can you believe this?

-300.

-Told you.

-At £300, £300.

-Well done.

In the corner there at 300. Are we all done then?

£300, last call on 300.

Good Lord.

-Yes!

-Well done. Well done.

What about that? A stonking profit of £275 for James.

For a seed.

Fantastico! Brilliant!

It all hangs on Thomas's amethyst brooch now.

Bought for £100.

At £15, do I see 18?

At £15, do I see 18? 18 is bid there, 20 with me, sir.

-Uh-oh.

-25.

-Oh, my God.

-Not looking good.

At 25, do I see 30?

Come on. Over there.

30, thank you. At 30, any advance on 30?

Oh, my God.

You're not stopping me pointing them out when it's your thing! Oh, no!

£30, are we all done?

Ouch!

Big hole. Big hole.

Yep, disaster for Thomas.

I've learnt my lesson there. I've learnt my little lesson.

Both our experts started this leg with £200.

After paying auction costs, Thomas has made a small profit of £17.30.

That leaves him with a respectable £217.30 to carry forwards.

But James is today's super trouper.

His Coco de Mer shot his profit up to £293.50.

Which means he takes forward a delectable £493.50

to spend next time.

-Well done, James.

-Thank you.

-You must be feeling cock-a-hoop?

-It's all luck. Come on, let's go.

-Are you excited?

-Yes.

Next time on the Antiques Road Trip, Thomas falls in love...

Thank you. Brilliant. That's fine. It's fine.

..and James decides to dress up.

HE ROARS

Scary.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd