Episode 4 Antiques Road Trip

It is the nation's favourite antiques experts with ?200 each...

I love that.

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

Yippee!

I want pieces that could fly.

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

There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

Hello, ladies.

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

But there's nobody bidding.

This is the Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

We're out on the road with antique aficionados

Mark Stacey and Paul Laidlaw.

That horrible word strategy comes up, but again I haven't

got one, actually, cos the one I used on the first occasion

didn't work, so I think I'll give up on them.

Antiques dealer Mark Stacey is a bit of a joker.

You know, I don't think Paul is very happy about being in this show.

No. I mean, look, he's furious.

Auctioneer Paul Laidlaw simply fizzes with energy.

I want pieces that could fly, and that is a good feeling.

Loving it!

From his original ?200, Mark Stacey has a paltry ?186.46

rattling around in his back pocket.

And just ahead by a nose is Paul Laidlaw.

He managed to add just under a tenner to his ?200 kitty,

giving him ?209.92 to spend.

The 1967 Sunbeam Alpine GT is the chaps' vehicle of choice,

and sometimes she ain't as smooth as she could be.

RATTLING

That doesn't sound good, does it?

Mark and Paul will, one way or another,

travel over 300 miles from Sabden, Lancashire,

to Bridgwater, in Somerset.

And on this leg, we begin our shopping

mission in the village of Holywell Green, West Yorkshire.

And we'll auction in Cobridge, in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

The boys are sharing their first shop, Barnyard Antiques.

Come on, stop gassing, we need to get in there.

Time is ticking.

Here's a tip, boys -

you're selling at a general auction that specialises in ceramics.

So, first to have a go is the ever-youthful Mark Stacey.

I have found this model of a collie dog.

You know, it's pottery.

Capstone pottery, and I've never heard of them.

It's priced at ?15.

So, if we can get it for five or something,

that might be a possibility.

Well, Paul is also thinking ceramics.

Purports to be late 19th century

Austrian, Viennese porcelain.

Of its period.

A classical form to the urn,

but the prominent feature is a scantily-clad maiden.

But we turn it upside down and, yes,

we see the triangular pad mark

associated with Royal Dux.

But...at auction...

Price...?60.

And dealer Richard arrives to talk money.

Well, I'm just going to beg you, cos I don't want to waste your time.

I'll make you an offer and you can say, "No, it'll never happen."

I need to buy them for 20 quid.

It needs to be more than that. I'd go to 40 quid. Nah.

I'll keep looking.

And it's not long before something else takes his eye.

Two vintage fishing reels.

Technically, they are centre pinned Nottingham wheels.

They could have been made anywhere, but they're decorative.

They're priced at 18 for the two.

If I could get those for a single-digit sum...

It's a big ask, but not a horrendous one.

I'm going to give that a go.

Are they ever going to be 20 quid? I'll take 30 for them.

If I give you the 30 quid for them...

..can they be a pittance?

I could have 40 quid, I'd have to leave it at that.

Deal? You're a good man, good man.

So, ?30 for the pair of the vases and ten pounds

for the fishing reels. It's a great start, Paul.

Finally, Mark gets a chance to speak with Richard.

It's this. Oh, Lassie! Yeah.

I mean, you haven't got much on it anyway, but I think the price

that you've got on it, it's going to make that in the auction.

I've got to pay a fiver for it, Richard.

I've got to, that's all I can pay for it.

Make it eight quid.

I tell you what, just could we go to seven?

OK, I've been fair with you both, then.

Lovely. Are you sure?

Seems Paul wants to spend, spend, spend

because he's found something else.

Riding crop? Yeah. For sale?

For a reasonable offer, yeah.

Can I have a look. Did it just come in?

Well, just one of my stalls, really.

I was going to do a bit more research on them before...

Quite right, too. Swaine and Adeney.

Swaine and Adeney were established in 1750

and were an exclusive London-based company

specialising in equestrian and leather goods.

Because they're relatively modern, late 20th century,

they are, um...they're usable.

Can I just make you an offer? Yeah. 40 quid.

You need to come a little bit more.

I'll give you 50 quid. I think I've done well with you before.

And I think I'll have to stick at 60 quid.

Meet me in the middle, fiver, 55. All right. Good man.

The first shop of this leg has proved a mixed bag.

While Paul has splashed ?95,

Mark's spent just ?7.

They're back on the road

and Paul's dropping Mark off five miles away in Sowerby Bridge.

Mark's visiting Bridge Antiques.

He's only spent ?7,

so will he spend more of the folding stuff in here?

This is very vintage. This is very 1970s.

So, punch bowl, ladle and glasses.

So, you could make your fruit cocktail punch in there

and then you come over with your glass, lift it up.

And pour it, either side actually, there's a little lip on both sides.

No price, we might ask about that.

So, over to Stan to talk business.

Stan's holding the fort for the owner today.

Do you know how much the punch set is? The punch set is ?40.

?40, mmm...

Quite a fun set.

I have no idea what it would make in the saleroom.

Stan phones the owner to get the best price.

OK, very well, bye-bye.

Yeah, so we'll do it for 20. My God!

What have I done? I need a cocktail.

You could say he's as pleased as punch with that buy.

I'm happy!

Keen to keep his lucky streak going,

Mark heads to the small town of Holmfirth, in West Yorkshire.

The town and the surrounding countryside

is the setting of the popular TV series Last Of The Summer Wine.

Hopefully, Mark won't bump into Nora Batty.

Hello. Hi, I'm Rachel. Nice to meet you, Rachel. Nice to meet you.

Darling, you and I are going to get on.

Nice wiggle, Mark, if you like that sort of thing.

Right, what have we got in here?

Those are quite sweet, aren't they?

Little heart-shaped silver boxes for her lady to put her pills,

or something like that in in her bag.

But there's a little bit of a problem with them.

When there's...

When you polish silver like this, it's quite thin.

And if you're over-vigorous with the silver polish, you can actually

wear the pattern away, and there's a little bit of wear on these two.

But they are only priced at ?40 for the pair,

which is good because they're a cute shape, aren't they?

What could be the lowest on those?

Um...I've got 40 on them,

they can be ?30.

30. We couldn't get down to 25?

Go on, then, 25. Are you sure? Yeah, that's it.

I mean, that's what they're worth about. Thank you.

Paul and Mark have reunited and left Holmfirth,

now they're travelling to the town of Oldham, in Greater Manchester.

During the Industrial Revolution, Oldham was the most

productive cotton-spinning mill town in the world.

Cheers. See you later, Paul. Bye.

Mark is very kindly dropping Paul off at his next shop,

but it's no ordinary shop.

RJ O'Brien Son is a huge warehouse selling to both trade

and the public.

Whoa! Hello there, hi. Morning. Paul Laidlaw. Ronan O'Brien.

Ronan, you're the man with the name!

And this is it? This is it. Expansive.

Goodness, away to shop, I hope.

Blimey, I think we might be here for some time.

Ah. Hummel.

Utterly distinctive modelling and decoration.

Now, is it Hummel or a looky-likey?

Hummel. That's the name, that's what they're looking for.

The Hummel figurines are based on the drawings

of German nun Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel.

The figurines became popular souvenirs with American GIs

stationed in Germany after World War II.

I hate it, that would give me nightmares.

But...

..that's a seller.

I'm going to pop that down there.

I think I love this.

I'm looking at a tea set.

I like the form, OK?

Let me show you the form first of all, OK?

I'm going to shock you folks. Cos you're going to go, "What?"

What do you see there?

Are they swastikas?

You're thinking, "Oh, my word, it's German."

And that's arguably an offensive symbol.

Not so in this context.

We're not looking at a swastika, no, rule that out.

We're looking at a hooked cross.

Before the Third Reich claimed the swastika, it was an ancient

symbol of good luck in many cultures around the world.

It's certainly got 'wow' on its side.

I really, really rate that.

And he's not finished yet.

I've never seen one of these.

What's inside?

What I would call a trio, which is a cup, saucer and tea plate.

In isolation, what's it worth?

Five to ten pounds would be a good result.

In its box, I think it is transformed.

Worth ?20, ?30.

?40 if you really like it.

Paul now has three things on his shopping list.

But will owner Ronan deliver?

Can I have, please, the Hummel lamp, the trio, the tea for not quite six?

Yes. Tenner a pop and be cheeky and say...

I spotted that wee punter on the way past. Yep. You throw him in?

Yeah, of course we will. Gentleman. No problem. Thanks.

The Hummel figurine is a cheeky freebie,

that's another big Laidlaw swoop, as he scoops four items for ?30.

Mark, meanwhile has travelled north to Ramsbottom,

in the Borough of Bury, 16 miles away.

And he is ready for a rummage in Memory's Antiques.

Hello, ladies.

ALL: Hello. How are we all?

We are all very well, thank you, and you?

I'm very well. Good. I think.

I'm Mavis. Hello, Mavis, I'm Mark.

Now, this is rather nice.

This little box looks like tortoiseshell

but it's actually plastic, otherwise known as faux.

It's a little ladies' dressing table set.

These are silver gilt.

So, a little powder pot, a little pill jar there,

little nail file and cuticle thing.

And I love little boxes, I love little outiles.

This one is Edwardian, I think.

It is probably going to be looking at the mark, early 1900s.

1905, 1908, so an antique item.

Paul WILL be impressed, won't he?

An antique, from me!

LID SQUEAKS

That's saying, "Buy me, buy me, buy me."

Oh, that's rather interesting.

This is a jug, maybe from a set of three.

I love this sort of octagonal shape. It is copper lustre.

And then they have applied these little panels on so they

cut the panels out and then apply them on and fire them.

Now, date. This is a genuine antique, I mean, a real antique.

Cos the date on this would be something like 1850, 1860.

So, we're looking at something that is 160 years old.

But completely out of fashion.

And today this is priced up at...

..?8. I think that is an amazing value.

Time to talk money with Mavis.

The jug is priced at a modest ?8,

but I would love to get it, if possible, for ?5.

I think that would be fine. Is that all right? Yes, that's fine.

Let's count that as sold.

I'm going to have that one.

This little box is charming.

The manicure box belongs to another dealer,

so Mavis had a word with them about the price.

She thinks she'd let it go at 60.

60. Is that any use to you?

Is there any chance we could get nearer 50?

If that was at all possible. I think she'll be happy with 50.

Are you sure? Yes, I'm sure she would.

Because, honestly, I don't know what it's going to do.

She'd be happy with 50. Are you sure? Yes.

Then, Mavis, you have done a wonderful job for me.

Thank you so much. You're welcome.

With his shopping done, Mark heads ten miles south to Rochdale.

Oh, wow.

Mark is visiting Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum.

Housed in a former fire engine workshop,

the museum was opened in 1983 to the public.

The collection tells the story of the proud achievements

and development of the Greater Manchester Fire Brigades.

Mark is meeting with Bob Bonner, retired fireman

and volunteer at the museum.

Hello, I'm Mark. Hello. Welcome to the Fire Service Museum, I'm Bob.

The early 1800s hailed the beginning of the municipal fire service.

Prior to this,

fire services were only available to those who could afford insurance.

In the 1860s, Alfred Tozer arrived from London

to organise the fire service in Manchester

and developed one of the finest in the country.

As a result, thousands of lives have been saved.

Tozer began a dynasty of fire chiefs that continues to this day.

In the early days, firemen had to work

with some pretty primitive equipment.

We are going to have a look now

at what the earliest kind of fire engines looked like,

which were known as manual fire pumps. The clue is in the name.

They were manually operated by firefighters

and willing volunteers who would help them.

Inside the cart, is a fire pump, an iron fire pump.

The whole thing is just a wooden cart, as you say,

and the bottom part of it is known as a cistern, so that holds water.

It must be filled first before the fire engine will do anything.

So, water's poured into there from buckets

and sat inside the bottom of the fire engine is this fire pump...

Oh, right. ..which is then worked by the mechanism. You grab that end.

So the firemen and the helpers would be pumping furiously like this. Yep.

And then something will be plugged onto this.

The hose pipe would be connected to the outwards and as we pump,

the water goes up the hose, back to the firefighter at the end.

Lovely, that's my exercise for the day.

Who needs a gym? You just buy a fire pump.

Mark has spotted a pretty intriguing piece of wood.

What on earth is a mahogany door doing in the middle of this?

Isn't that a beautiful door? Very, very fond of that.

There is a very good reason why a door would be that shape.

Because behind that door is a hole in the floor.

Passing through the hole in the floor is the sliding pole.

So this is the way the firemen got from upstairs to downstairs

when there was a fire call.

So this is... This would've been completely open?

Completely open, you'd be looking down now onto the roof

of a fire engine.

You heard the bell and you just went instinctively.

You don't jump, you grip it and slide. Grip it and slide.

This looks like I'm pole dancing.

And down you go.

And down you go. But how tall would this...?

This particular pole was in this building,

which was four storeys high.

Oh. Most of them go down from one floor to the next floor. Wow.

Thank you very much for coming. You have been very entertaining.

Lovely. Nice to meet you. Nice to have met you.

Well, that looked fun didn't it?

Now both boys have finished their shopping,

so let's remind ourselves of what they bought.

Paul began this leg with ?209.92 and spent ?125 on five auction lots.

They are a pair of Art Nouveau vases,

two Victorian fishing reels

a whip and a hunting crop,

a Hummer Goebel lamp with a Hummel figure,

and a coronation commemorative cup, saucer and tea plate,

paired with a 1920s tea set.

Mark, meanwhile, started this leg with ?186.46

and spent a total of ?107 also on five lots.

A 1950s Staffordshire pottery dog,

a 1970s glass punch set,

two heart-shaped silver pill boxes,

a 19th century copper lustred jug,

and an Edwardian manicure box.

Wow.

So what do the chaps think of each other's purchases?

Who is going to win? Please, make it be me.

The jug, that's landfill, isn't it?

It is got a whopping great, big crack in it!

Please let it be me!

It's been an exciting second leg, travelling from Holywell Green

via Sowerby Bridge, Holmfirth, Oldham, Ramsbottom,

Rochdale, to Cobridge, in Stoke-on-Trent,

the venue of today's auction.

Are you ready? Is this a crash and burn or...fortunes made?

This is it, come on, let's get in, shall we?

ASH Auctions has been established

since 1994 and hold weekly general sales.

Oh, where are they?

Ah, there they are. And auctioneer Lee Sherratt is poised to begin.

First up, it's Mark's retro-style punch bowl set.

Big enough to drown your sorrows in, that.

Yeah, it is, I might need to.

20? Bid me somebody. Start me off. ?15 for it.

?15. Oh, no!

Ten I'm bid. Ten on the right-hand side at ten.

At ten. At 12 on the phone. 14.

14. 16. 16. 18? 18. 18.

Right-hand side, against you on the phone again. 20.

At two. At 22. 22. 24, is it now?

At four. At six. At six.

26 is bid in the room. Against you on the phone, eight. At 30.

At 30 bid now. Two on the phone.

It's in the room, it's going to be sold.

At ?30, once... Two. 32. 34. At 34. 34.

Once, twice...

?34. Good result. That is a ?14 profit.

Get in!

Well, who would've thought it? A nice profit from the get-go, Mark.

MARK SIGHS

It's going well.

Don't relax too soon,

Mark, it is your 19th-century jug next.

Ten pounds. Come on, it's worth ten. Ten pounds.

Ten on bid. Ten pounds. At ten. Ten pound bid.

Down here at ten pounds. Come on, keep going. At ten pounds. At 12.

Sell it for ten, first maiden bid.

I've doubled my money, I can't really argue with that.

So far, so good, Mark.

It's Paul's two Victorian fishing reels next.

Can he reel in a corker of a profit?

Shall we say ?20 for two fishing reels there?

Who's going to bid me? Come on, only ten. Ten on bid.

We're off at ten pounds. Where? All over the place. 12 on bid.

14. 16. 18.

20. Come on. Valued at ?20.

Two. At 22. 24.

26. 28. 30. 32. 34.

36. 38. 40. 42.

44. 46. 48.

48. 50.

?50. At ?50 on the second row for the fishing reels, then.

At ?50.

I can't believe it, Paul.

I'll do that all day long. Relief!

Well, he certainly did. Great start, Paul.

I'm just going to go home.

Oh, come on, Mark, it's early days.

It's Paul again with the Hummel lamp and figurine.

15 I'm bid on the front row. At ?15, 16.

We're off again at 16. 18 I'm bid.

At 20 bid now. Two.

22. 24. 26.

28 on the front row. 30. ?30.

Against you on the phone, 32, is it now? 32. 34.

36? 36. 38?

Is it 40 on the phone? 40 I'm bid.

42? 44. 46.

Are you saying no? At ?44.

Anybody else? Selling on the phone at ?44.

Another hefty profit for Paul. Good steady work, Mr Laidlaw.

Paul is on again with these Royal Dux-style vases.

Come on, where are we going to start? Give me ?30.

?30. 35. 40. 45.

50 fresh money. 55. 60.

60 bid. 65.

At 65. 70. 70, yes or no?

70. 75. Keep going, show your money. At ?70.

?70, on the right-hand side at ?70.

At ?70, sells, then, at 70 for the pair.

What a lovely pair, as they say,

and even better, it is yet another sizable profit for Paul.

?70 is quite a lot for those. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Now, Mark, can your pottery doggie help you claim some lovely profit?

On the front row, at ten. 12 all over the place. 12 on bid against you. 14 if you want it.

14 bid. 16 if you want it. 16 on bid. 18.

18 on bid now. Is it 20, yes or no? 18 in the front row.

20. Fresh money. At ?20. 22? 24. 24 bid. 24. 26.

26 on bid. 28. 28 bid. 30.

?30 now. 32. 32. 34.

34. 36. That's all right. Decent, yeah.

Are we all finished?

Well, Lassie really did come home with a profit.

It's definitely game on between these two chaps.

Get in, well done!

We are back with Paul.

He has combined the 1920s tea set

and the King Edward VIII coronation collection into one china lot.

Unusual decoration on this, ladies and gentlemen.

Unusual decoration, that's where it is.

Come on, let's start the bidding. Ten pounds the lot.

Unusual lot here. Ten I'm bid. 12 I'm bid.

14. 16. 18. 20. 22.

?20 I'm bid. At ?20. Where's two?

At ?20.

Oh, dear, not the figure you were hoping for, Paul.

It's Mark's pretty faux tortoiseshell manicure box next.

Come on, it needs to be sold. ?20 to get on.

?20, we're off. 20 bid now. 25. 25 on the right.

Decent bid increments as well.

40. 40 bid. 45.

In the room it goes, no mistake. At ?40.

Mark's not wearing a happy face for that result.

I mean, that was a steal for 40. Yeah.

It's Paul's last lot of the day, the exclusive riding crop and whip.

40. 45? 45. 50? 50.

55. 60. 65 there. Bethany's bidding. 70.

Oh, and we have a very keen young lady bidding here.

I bet she's got a horse.

100 on Glenn's phone. 105.

She's still there at 105.

110. With you at 110.

115. 120, is it, yes or no?

120, is it, yes or no? 120, yes.

125 in the room.

125 is bid. 130?

At 130. It's on Glenn at five. At 135.

At 140 bid. At 145.

At 145. Is it 150? At 150.

150. She's still there. At 155.

At 155 against Glenn's phone. 160.

160. 165. 165. 170. 165. 170.

The phone is now out. At 165, it is with you, Bethany, at 165.

At 165 once.

165 twice.

A third and final time at ?165.

?165. 482.

Put your hands together, ladies and gents, to the little bidder.

My goodness, Paul, the biggest profit of the day

so far, thanks to the determined young lady.

Giddy-up!

I'll buy you a drink, you'll be better tomorrow morning.

Yes, well...

I might need a bottle.

Don't lose heart, Mark, you have one last item left.

It is the pair of pillboxes.

I hope that I might not need to take a pill after the sales.

What shall we say for the two of those?

35. On commission, straight off at ?35.

Oh, it was ?50 profit.

At ?35. Can I see 40? ?40 bid. 45. I'm out.

?40 sitting in the front row, at ?40. Can I see five for the two?

At ?40, I'm going to sell then.

At ?40. Oh, well. That went over all right.

It's not the biggie profit he needed,

but it's better than nothing.

Jolly well done. Thanks. Let's have a wee drinky on me.

Come on. Let's have a wee drink on you.

Mark started with ?186.46

and, after paying auction costs,

made a small profit of ?24.20,

leaving him with a respectable ?210.66 to carry forward.

But there is no stopping Paul.

He began with ?209.92 and after costs,

made a bumper ?161.18 profit.

So that leaves him with a delightful ?371.10 to spend next time.

And that makes him this leg's winner. Well done, Paulus.

Cheers, buddy. Can I say it? Ye of little faith, but it delivered.

For you.

Never fear, Mark.

There's still time to catch up, mate.

Paul and Mark are travelling over 300 miles from Sabden, Lancashire,

to Bridgwater in Somerset.

On this leg, they're beginning in the county town of Stafford,

and will auction 30 miles away in the town of Nantwich,

in Cheshire.

Stafford has a rich history

and is home to the largest timber-framed town house

in the country. But back to present day.

Our antique hunters are ready to spend, spend, spend.

Mark's first shop is just around the corner.

He has ?210.66 to spend.

Assistant Maureen is on duty today.

What a lovely little shop you've got here. It's gorgeous, isn't it?

I love it. Curiosity Shop. It really is, actually.

I don't know where to look first.

This looks quite interesting, doesn't it?

Because when you look at something like this,

what's the first thing that comes to mind?

You've got a sort of Eastern style,

all this very busy chasing with foliage.

This is almost certainly silver-plate.

Now, there's three pieces to this.

You've got the teapot, the rather big sugar bowl,

again with the same sort of decoration,

and you've got a charming little cream jug.

Again, the same decoration.

It's actually made in England for the Indian market.

We're probably looking at something that was made in about 1860.

The only problem is, again, the price.

?150.

The owner isn't here,

so Mark gets on the telephone to find out the very best price.

Could we do it for 50, please?

Oh, please, 50.

OK, listen, I'm not going to argue over a fiver.

Honestly, Stuart, that's very kind of you.

If you are happy to let it go for 55.

Listen, thank you so much. Bye-bye, Stuart.

?55, Mark?! You're a very lucky boy.

Paul and his ?371.10, meanwhile,

are heading to Browse Antiques, also in Stafford.

Hello. Hello. How are you doing? I'm Paul. Hello, Paul, Hugh.

Pleased to meet you. This is your emporium? This is it, yep.

Come and have a wander around.

Oh, what have you got there then?

A carved meerschaum pipe.

It is actually probably a cigarette pipe.

Meerschaum is a soft white mineral,

often used to make highly decorative smoking pipes.

We have what I think

is a rather little charming 17th century tavern scene.

OK, bank that.

Paul definitely has an eye for the unusual,

and now he has found a real little rarity.

We have a little silver cylinder,

this cockerel finial, I don't know what he's doing there.

We've got this little knob here that clearly turns this carousel

and they appear to be cocktail recipes.

Now, if I turn this, do these just like...?

Look at... Oh!

Oh, please!

Oh, I love a gadget.

Bank that. What a hoot.

Well, that's a good couple of items rooted out,

maybe he'll start buying soon.

Oh, hang onto your hats, Paul has that glint in his eye again.

We see a little enamelled white metal brooch.

I like that very much.

Could this be Tut-mania?

What, Tut-mania?

Howard Carter, 1922 I think, has uncovered Tutankhamen's tomb.

And there was a huge revival and interest in such,

and we get all of these Egyptianate

Tut-mania influenced pieces.

And we have a little look

and we see two cracking little initials - we see CH.

CH is Charles Horner, famed for his enamelled silver work,

his Art Nouveau silver work, small silver brooches, hat pins and so on.

That's a name to conjure with.

Have we made a Road Trip discovery?

Ten pounds?!

We have also got a big smile on our face.

Right, let's keep going.

But before he begins negotiations,

he wants to have a nosy in the back storeroom.

He's just such good fun.

We know the pe... we know the origin. Chinese.

We know the period - it's going to be inter-war.

In carved hardwood.

But we have carved bone and horn eyes and a full set of dentures here.

Look at his smiling face.

We have the problem that it is lighting and lighting can frighten.

You know I am passionate about it,

But the end user at auction can worry. They go,

"Who am I going to get to wire that?

"Will I get a socket to fit? Does a modern bulb go in it?

"Is it safe?"

And this a hurdle you would overcome at auction, so ignore my enthusiasm.

This is cold, rational... This is business.

Um... Is there money in it?

We'll see. It starts at 75. That's a lot of money.

Right. He's certainly picked out enough. Let's get buying Paul, eh?

Hugh, how are you doing? Fine.

Sort anything out? Uh, yeah.

I mean, there are things I'm interested in.

Cheeky Paul asked for a combo price for the laughing Buddha,

the pipe, the cocktail menu and the brooch.

150, that sounds like a good price.

And the brooch is in there?

If you do it at 150, the brooch is in today.

Lovely work. Thank you. Yep. Excellent.

?150? That's almost a quarter off the combined ticket price

of ?195. Who's laughing now then, Buddha?

Paul's shopping spree continues

He's planning to splash his cash in Windmill Antiques.

Our savvy Scot has already bought four items and he's hungry for more.

Ian? Hi, Paul. Yes, how are you? How are you doing?

Nice to meet you. Good to see you.

Is that a travelling pipe? It is, isn't it?

Yeah, I've seen them.

They're mad, aren't they? It all disappears into itself.

How totally insane.

Is that...? That's not dear, is it? What's the price on that?

Out of interest. Tenner. I'm going to put it back, but it's...

To be honest with you, I've already bought a pipe.

And that's why it resonates. I knew what it was.

In this treasure trove, it is not long before he finds something else.

Sugar tongs. Modelled as a wishbone.

Delightful. Good fun.

Decent set of assay marks.

What's on those? ?20 to you, Paul.

20 quid on the sugar tongs isn't expensive

but you know I'm going to... bid you on it.

HE LAUGHS

That was a given. Right, yeah.

So what am I really going to pay for them before I shake your hand,

wish you well and bid you adieu?

?15. As a goodwill gesture. I'm going to do it. Cheers, man.

Thanks very much.

I'll get you some money. One last parting shot.

We looked at your wee travelling combination, your pipe thing.

It is missing its... It is lacking that.

Take a couple quid for it? Parting shot? I don't see why not.

You can put it with the others. Exactly.

It all grist to the mill. Thank you.

We keep doing this. I know. We're on a roll.

Crikey Moses, with a total of six items, Paul's going to

combine the small travel pipe with the meerschaum pipe

and the silver sugar tongs with the silver broach. Got it?

Time to hook back up with Mark, and they boys are raring to go,

even though the heavens have descended.

Cheshire.

Footballers' wives territory. Absolutely.

We don't fit into that category.

I don't think, anyway. Are you a WAG?

THEY LAUGH

Ha, ha.

Mark and Paul have travelled to the village of Walgherton,

in Cheshire.

They're heading for Dagfields, a mecca for antique lovers.

There are six giant antiques emporia, with over 200 dealers.

Don't abandon, come on.

You've got to at least give it a try, Mark.

It's not over till it's over.

It's not over, but it is over if you can't get out of the car. It is.

That is a problem.

Stay.

Come on, dearie, it's not that bad.

Mark is first to get stuck in.

We'll have a little mooch in here, I think.

Hello, good morning. I'm Mark. Pleased to meet you, Mark, I'm Jeff.

Nice to meet you, Jeff.

This is your shop, is it? It is, yes.

What will tickle his fancy in here then?

This is rather interesting. We've got...

This is certainly 19th century.

What I think we've got is four 19th century coloured aquatints

or something like that in a later frame.

But then somebody has drawn and water coloured all these

wonderful birds and decoration around them.

And the colours are still quite vibrant on it.

And there's a cockatoo which doesn't look very happy, she's squawking.

Then there is a hummingbird and various other birds.

It's rather fun, though.

It is priced up at ?49.

Which actually is reasonable for all that work, I have to say.

And he's spied something else.

It is a banister-shaped vase with gilt decoration, cobalt blue.

No factory marks.

It feels as though it has a little bit of age, though, I don't know.

Painted with a windmill scene.

So it might be somebody who has just bought a blank and painted it.

There's no hanging about with this Mark.

He is going to strike up a negotiation.

Do you think, Jeff, that I would get this for a tenner?

How about 15?

?15...

Tell me about this vase over here.

I mean, I don't suppose we could say the two for ?15?

Um... Oh. Oh, the pain is growing.

Um, yes, seeing it's you. Are you sure? Yes, I am sure.

What a chancer!

Let's catch up with Paul.

Although he has four lots, he just can't help having a good nosy about.

The old pro.

Check this out.

1920s, 1930s, we see a vogue for pewter tea sets, OK?

What they tend to look like is pretty dull, olde English, yeah?

Just dreary.

And, of course, they oxidise to that pewter, that flat pewter grey,

but in this instance, you've got this geometric form,

you've got compressed forms,

I love that to bits!

And look at the price tag.

?22.

I'm going to have a word, but I need a give-away price.

I'm going to ask... ?22, we'll see what happens.

Philip is calling the dealer of the tea set to find out

if Paul's bid of ?15 is acceptable.

OK, Mark, thank you.

He says for you, sir, he'll do it.

Because you are one of his favourite, he says.

THEY LAUGH

He is now one of mine.

Maybe Mr Laidlaw needs to calm his jets.

Seven items and a total of five auction lots.

Back together again, the Road Trip wheels are on the move once more.

Mark's being dropped off in Leek in Staffordshire.

Did you know that former five-times world professional darts champion

Eric Bristow lives here?

Not a lot of people do.

Anyway, Mark is hoping to score a bull's-eye

and take the lead from Paul.

He is going for a mooch around in Christopher Mudd Design.

I'm Mark. Dealer Natalie is manning the shop today.

This is the sort of thing that Paul Laidlaw would like, you know.

A pair of vases in brass.

But they are made of old shell cases.

And it's known as trench art.

The soldiers in the trenches,

when there were long periods of non-hostility,

they would take these spent shells

and use whatever primitive tools they had to sort of, in this case,

planish the actual shaft of this with the little dots.

And actually beat out that pattern and then shape the top.

I mean, these are not terribly rare, but they are...

they're great fun and really collectible.

And I really like them because I think it just shows you that,

you know, in amongst all that, um,

carnage of the Great War,

life in the trenches must have been absolute hell.

The soldiers had to keep themselves busy

and they turned out, you know, actually,

wonderful pieces of art like that.

And these are priced up at ?48 the pair, which is not very much.

I love the thought of something that was causing such destruction has

now been turned into, you know, a pair of lovely vases to use at home.

Mark is on a mission to find out the very best price from Natalie.

If I buy them, I have got to get them at a very cheeky price. Yes.

OK. You can say no, of course.

There is no obligation on your part, all right?

I'm just trying it on a bit here.

If I buy them, I need to get them for about ?10 for the pair.

That's quite low. It is quite low, I know. 12? We could do 12.

I'm not going to argue, that's fine. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Natalie. You're welcome.

And on that bombshell, let's catch up with Paul.

Paul has travelled three miles away to the large village of Cheddleton,

in the Staffordshire moorlands.

He is visiting the unique Cheddleton Flint Mill, a site once

highly important to the potteries industry in nearby Stoke-on-Trent.

Good for the soul.

In the late 18th century,

when pottery making was reigning supreme in the UK,

Josiah Wedgwood was a pioneer of a type of English earthenware

called creamware.

It was discovered that the baked flint produced by the mills

was an excellent ingredient to provide durability and strength,

therefore allowing a cheaper alternative to expensive porcelain.

At the peak of the pottery boom,

there were dozens of flint mills in and around Stoke-on-Trent.

The Cheddleton Flint Mill Preservation Trust

was formed in 1967 to save the site from dereliction and ruin.

Since then, the mill has undergone substantial renovation

and is open to the public.

Paul is meeting with Treasurer Helen Outram to find out more.

You've got two water wheels here. Two, yes, we have.

And I believe that is unique.

In Britain, at any rate, yes.

So, where does the whole process begin on site?

It begins by the canal.

So, the flint came in by narrow boat from the South East of England,

Kent or Suffolk, or even from the coast of France.

And was unloaded by the crane.

Put into the kilns.

It was layered - a layer of coal, a layer of flint,

a layer of coal, a layer of flint until it was full.

Then they set fire to it and it burned for two days.

Then it was unloaded from the bottom of the kiln

and loaded onto little trucks and it used to come right across here.

And then it's ground in the mills. Right.

This one is about 1800. The other one is earlier. Right.

And this is the rest of the plateway, see?

Oh, I see, yeah, yeah.

And then it did actually turn into here, as well.

That's cool. Yeah.

Inside the mill, Helen has some examples of flint before

and after baking.

I see a couple of pebbles. That's right.

Now, that's the raw flint, which is almost black. Yeah.

And then after it's been calcined, it becomes white.

It's like something you'd rake out the bottom of your hearth.

That's right, and much easier to grind. I see.

The heart of the mill is upstairs.

So, here is the grinding pan. Wow.

And the flints go into the grinding pan.

So, what is the end product, Helen?

The end product is a milky liquid

which is actually a suspension of silica particles in water.

And when it's to the right consistency, it is run off

down the trench there and goes down into the wash tub,

which is on the floor below.

Once washed, the liquid would be baked in the drying kiln.

The finished product would be clay-like blocks,

which would then be transported to The Potteries to be

used for the manufacture of creamware.

Helen, that's a fascinating tale.

Thank you very much for letting me come here today

on such a glorious afternoon.

Lovely to meet you. A real pleasure. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Thank you.

While Paul has been discovering the lost worlds of the flint mill,

Mark Stacey is still in Leek, visiting P Antiques,

his final shop of the day.

Hello, Jo, nice to meet you.

Mark is meeting with proprietor and dealer Jo.

And, as usual, Mark likes to get to the heart

of the dealer's fresh, unsorted stock.

Oh, now what are these, Jo, covered in dust?

There's something I've had for a while.

We think they're Austrian silver,

but we can't really find the hallmark. Oh, is it?

I don't know where you can see. Probably go out there.

Yeah, go outside.

They are in good shape, aren't they? They are nice.

They need a little bit of work on the bottom.

They're all there, aren't they?

I think they're quite nice.

Sort of early 20th century, I would've thought.

They have a slightly classical look, but in a 20th century style,

haven't they? Yeah. They are filled silver, as you know.

How much are they, Jo?

If you don't beat me down, they're ?20 for the pair.

20 for the pair.

He's going to say, "Oh..." I'm not allowed to beat you down then?

That's not fair. Go on, then, try.

If I said ?10, you are going to come back at me and say... 15.

?15. And I am going to say, "Jo, I'll take them."

Thank you very much indeed.

And with that, the boys' shopping is concluded.

So let's refresh our grey matter as to what they bought.

Mark kicked off this leg with ?210.66 and spent only ?97

on five auction lots.

They are a silver-plated tea set,

a signed late 19th century vase,

a painted photograph frame,

a pair of trench art shell cases,

and a pair of silver table candlesticks

Paul, meanwhile, began with ?371.10 and parted with ?182 for five lots.

He bought a carved figure of a Buddha,

a 1930s silver-plated cocktail recipe menu set,

a pair of pipes,

a 1920s pewter tea service

and an Egyptian revival silver brooch,

paired with a pair of Victorian silver sugar tongs.

So, what do our experts think of each others' items?

HE GROANS

If Stacey had a hat, he's got a rabbit in the hat.

Where did he get the candlesticks from?

Ah!

Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear.

I shan't think Mr Laidlaw is very happy with me, do you?

Let's get back on the road and head to auction.

It has been a competitive third leg,

starting in Stafford via Walgherton,

Leek, Cheddleton,

with the final destination of Nantwich on the horizon.

Here we are, Paul. Looking good. The auction room.

Sun shining on the righteous yet again. Absolutely.

Story of my life! Of course, Paul.

Peter Wilson Auctioneers have been established

in the town for many years and are renowned for their gallery

and fine arts sales.

Not only do we have a packed saleroom,

but we also have an audience live on the web.

And auctioneer Rob Stone is raring to go.

First up, it's Mark's 19th-century vase.

He thinks it could do pretty well.

Who will give me ten to start this off? Ten anywhere?

Do I hear it? ?10 surely.

Lovely decorative vase for somebody at ten.

At ?10 only. Oh, come on.

15. The internet like it.

At ?15 bid. At 15. 20 is it now?

?15 on the internet. At 15.

20 is it now? ?15, bid's on the internet.

?15 only then.

Take hold of your money. It's a profit, isn't it?

Not the profit you were expecting, though, Mark,

but, yes, it is still a profit.

Next up, it's Paul's laughing Buddha.

Let's hope the smile attracts a nice big profit.

I've got ?50 bid for this. Oh, 50 straight in. 55 is it now?

?50 on bid.

55. 60 on commission.

65. 70. 75. 80.

85. 90. 95.

I'm liking it a lot more now.

110. 120. 130?

120 is here.

130? 130.

I'm liking it a lot more now!

Anywhere else, at 130 bid? Where's the net? Come on.

I like this very much. At ?130, bid is there.

At 130 and going to be sold at 130.

Paul definitely enjoyed that result.

Not so sure about Mark, though.

Quite ridiculous.

HE LAUGHS

Now, maybe Mark's unusual 19th-century decorative frame

with photographs will claw back some winnings.

I've got ?30. 30 straight in.

35. 40 is it now? 35, bid at 35.

40. 45. 50 now. 50 bid.

And they're off. Yeah, that's going to do you.

Come on, a little bit more. Come on, internet.

50, it's your bid at 50.

At ?50, had its chance, ?50 then and being sold at 50...

Well, that was a great buy, Mark, with a wonderful slice of profit.

Over to Paul and that rare little cocktail carousel.

?50 bid, straightaway at 50.

55 is it now? At ?50, and bid at 50.

And five now do I hear?

55 there. 60. 65.

65 is it now? 65. 65. 65 there.

65, the bid is there now. 70.

Multiple bidding on the internet at 70.

At 70. 75. 80.

It's all the internet. It is now on the internet, 85.

?80 we have. 85. 90 again on the internet.

90 you are bidding. ?85 on bid.

Is that 90? 90 bid now. At 90.

At ?90 only, any more bids?

It's a lovely thing. At ?90 only then.

Put the hammer down. Put the hammer down!

OK, OK.

Yet another sizable profit for Paul.

This is all going very well.

It's Paul again with the silver lot of sugar tongs

and the Egyptian brooch.

?50 bid straightaway.

At 50. I bid at 50. And five now do I hear? 55.

60 on commission. 65? 65.

70. 75? 70 with me on commission.

75, fresh bidder. 75.

80 is it now? 75, your bid at 75.

Going to be sold at ?75 then.

Oh! Well, that's ?50, Paul.

The bidders of Nantwich are loving Paul's lots.

It is yet another chunk of profit.

There, there, Mark. It is your turn next with the Indian tea set.

It should make a ?100, but...

At ?30. ?30 bid down here.

At ?30. I have... 35 is it now?

At 35. 35. 40 now. 40 bid.

45. It's good value at 45.

At 40, the bid is here. At ?40. At 45. Anybody else

for a cup of tea? At ?40. The bid is here ?40.

I can't believe it, Paul.

45. 50 now? Are you sure?

45, the bid is there at 45, going to be sold at 45.

Bid's there at ?45. Going away at ?45 then.

I just don't understand it.

I don't understand that. I don't understand it, Paul, honestly.

I'm not understanding.

Sadly, it didn't make ?100.

That is your first loss of the day, though.

Over to Paul with the charming pipe duo lot next.

At ?50 on bid.

55? 55. 60. 65.

70 is with me. 75 now.

At ?70, the bid is with me at ?70.

At 75 on the internet. 80 here.

85 now. 85. 90.

95 on the internet, at 95.

95, your bid on the internet at 95.

110. Multiple bidding on the internet. 110 now. 110.

120 is there? 120. 130 now.

130 bid. 140 is there?

140 bid. 150 now. 150 do we hear?

150. 150 bid. 160. Multiple bidding on the internet. 160.

160. 170 now. Bid at 180 now.

Bid at 180. At 190 we have now.

At 190. Finished up on the internet? ?200, make it a nice round figure?

200 bid now. At 200.

The bid is there a ?200

and will be sold at ?200 on the internet.

Multiple bidding.

Congratulations, Paul. Yes. Congratulations.

If I smoked, I'd open a big fat cigar.

What a cracking profit, Paul! That is the best result so far.

It is Mark next with the trench art shell cases.

Straightaway ?30 for these. ?30.

35 anywhere now? 35 there. At 35.

40 with me. 45 now.

45, your bid at 45.

At 50, fresh bidder. Oh, 50. Doing well.

60 now. 60 bid. 65?

At ?65, bid there. At 65...

That was a good break, Mark. That was a very good price.

It was indeed. Thankfully.

That was a great buy, Mark.

Next, it's Paul with the 1920s pewter tea set.

?20 to start it off, please. At 20. 20 anywhere now?

20 bid straightaway.

Hand went up like a demon there. ?20 straightaway.

At ?20. 25 is it now? Disappointing.

What great value for money this is at 20. And five? 25.

30 bid. 35 now.

35, just one more. 35?

At 30, being sold at ?30 then.

Not one of your best results today, though, Paul,

but every penny counts.

You know, you have doubled your money, there is no shame in that.

Yeah.

Now for the final lot of the day,

it's Mark's pair of silver candlesticks

that he managed to buy for a song.

I've got ?80 bid for them straightaway. ?80.

85 is it now? ?80 on bid.

85 now. What value for money. Come on, now.

There's no bidding! There's the net.

85. 90. 95 on the internet. 95.

At 95. 100 anywhere else?

It is going to be the net. But there's nobody bidding!

Super value for money at ?95. And going to be sold at 95.

I mean, this is just unbelievable.

It had to be the damage. It's unbelievable.

Go on, Mark, it is an ?80 profit.

Great results, but not enough to beat Paul.

Congratulations. Cheers, man. The drinks AGAIN are on you.

Mark started this leg with ?210.66,

and after paying auction cost, made a profit of ?124.40.

Mark has ?335.06 to carry forward.

Paul, meanwhile, started with ?371.10

and after auction costs,

made a bumper profit of ?248.50

That makes him the winner of this leg

with a whopping ?619.60 to take forward.

Well done, Paul.

Well, Paul, congratulations again. Yes.

I think I'll drive this time. Yeah, good.

You can bask in your own glory.

Home, Jeeves. Onwards and downwards, Paul.