Episode 5 Antiques Road Trip

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

-I love that.

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

-Yippee!

-It's a good job I like you.

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

-There will be worthy winners and valiant losers.

-I'm getting wet!

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

-How much did you make?

-About a couple of quid.

This is the Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

Experts Philip Serrell and Thomas Plant are back on the open road for the final leg of an epic road trip,

whizzing along in their oh, so retro 1975 Triumph Stag,

as they reflect on their fortunes so far.

I've worked it out. I think I've earned about 4p an hour. I've done rather well(!)

Yeah, I've probably only gone up to 40p an hour, but we've ebbed and flowed, ebbed and flowed.

Sadly, Philip has ebbed a bit more than he's flowed. Even with almost 30 years' experience,

he can still make a boo-boo with a canoe.

-I did tell you 50 quid? That's a big "ouch", isn't it?

-A big "ouch".

-And who could forget his vaulting horse fiasco?

-£30...

-No.

Ouch!

Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch!

Not that our Thomas has done any better.

Ouch! Ouch!

They are more alike than they realise, like a pair of psychic twins, separated by only £50.

-AS TOMMY COOPER:

-Not like that. It's like that.

Wrong sort of hat.

From his initial £200, Philip now has £204.68 to spend on today's shopping.

Thomas has really grown his £200 which means that he starts today with £252.20.

Well done, boy. The route for the week takes our intrepid road trippers across land and sea

from Samlesbury in Lancashire to the Isle of Man

and back to the final destination of Greenwich, almost 700 miles away.

Wow! But today's trip begins in Risby before ending up at auction in Greenwich.

Founded around the 10th century, Risby is a picturesque Suffolk village,

home to St Giles' Church, a flint construction notable for its East Anglian round tower.

Rather conveniently, it's also home to the Risby Barn Antique Centre, giving Philip a case of deja vu.

Thomas, it's all coming back to me. I've been here before.

-You've been everywhere, Philip.

-I've been here before.

-That could give him an unfair advantage.

-That could give me an unfair advantage.

-Told you so.

-Why?

-Because I should know what's in each place, but I can't remember.

-You can't remember what you had for breakfast!

-Where do you want to go?

-I'll go over there.

-I'll look in here.

-See you later.

-Worst of luck.

-Best of luck.

Isn't he sweet, Thomas? The centre has several antique emporiums.

Philip has bagged Risby Barn Antiques, housing 34 dealers and run by owner Richard Martin.

No, that's not him. That is.

-Good to see you again.

-Last time I was here, I tried to buy a pulpit, didn't I?

-You did indeed.

-You hadn't got the money with you.

-No, I never have. And it's got no better!

Enough of the sob stories, Philip. Just get on with it!

I like that lot.

You've got it down as a "sycamore powder container".

-Do you know what it does?

-Powdering your wig?

No, it's called a finger carrot.

In the 19th century, ladies had long gloves.

You put talcum powder in there, then you put that down the finger of the glove

and you shake talcum powder into it,

then because they're very tight leather, the lady can pull the glove on easier.

It's a finger carrot. At auction, it's 40 to 60 quid, so I've got to get it for 35 quid or thereabouts.

-Can we put that by?

-Yes.

-We'll see where we can go.

A finger carrot, eh? Gosh! At £70, you'll need to dig deep for that one.

Don't stop there, Phil. What else have you found? Something nutty?

Those are 1750s, brass hazelnut crackers.

And when I started in this game, these would have been probably...

Fairly new?

Between £100 and £150.

And now you can't sell 'em. They're like 15 quid.

-Yeah.

-And it's just... You've got £28 on. It's just a complete nonsense, isn't it?

You've got these which are brass

and you've got those which are cut steel.

-What can you do on the finger carrot? Can you do me 35 quid?

-I was hoping to squeeze you for 40 on it.

I think the auction estimate for that is £40 to £60. If it makes 40, I've got to pay commission.

The commission for that is seven quid. These things have got to be between £5 and £10 each.

OK, 35 on the finger...

I'd give you 40 quid for the two.

OK, special offer for today.

40 quid for the two, but I don't know which one I want.

-Have a little think.

-I'll continue to look round. Thank you. You've been very good to me.

-No problem.

That is a lovely old thing.

But...

The hinge is broken. It's 85 quid.

That wants to be £30.

This is like... It's not leather at all, is it? It's cardboard.

Yes, it's from the sort of 1920s when they started to move away from leather.

What's the very, very, very best on that?

You'll want it for a fiver probably, knowing you.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, but I don't want to insult you.

I see that as another 40 to 60 quid.

-I was going to come out and say 50.

-Can I think about that as well?

-Yes, certainly.

Thomas, meanwhile, has been rooting round in one of the other nearby antiques shops, Past And Present.

It looks like it's got a few nicks.

Yeah, a few little nicks here from being dropped.

A stunning piece of glass.

The purity of the glass is just so good.

It's by Kosta Boda.

They had a coding system on the base of each vase.

LH and you've got 1444 over 2 something.

But the most important thing in all of that is the L and the H. That stands for Vicke Lindstrand.

Lindstrand was a seminal designer for Kosta Boda,

a company that has been producing glass in Sweden since 1742.

It's quite frankly the best glass in the world, if you want my honest opinion.

Good for you, Thomas. It looks like he's found his first item. Philip is going for the hat-trick.

I definitely want that because I love that

and out of these two little nutcrackers, I think those are the nicest.

Can you do...80 quid the lot?

-OK, we'll go with that.

-You're a gentleman. I'll get some money out.

Dust your wallet off! Not a bad start for the day.

That's the finger carrot for £35, the faux leather trunk for £40 and the nutcrackers for a fiver,

but if you want to get ahead, Philip, you'd better get a hat.

I wonder what Tom's up to? You can never trust him.

You're a fine one to talk. Ooh!

It sounds really wrong what I'm about to say, but I fancy buying a bit of flesh today.

Grow up, Thomas! At £165, she's a lady of class and distinction.

Really wrong, but a Deco figure, you know, a Deco figure.

"Depose" which is good, so it's period.

She's a nice figure. Hopefully, it can be a good price.

Time to call in proprietor Joe Aldridge to see

if there's a deal to be done on the Kosta Boda vase and the Art Deco figure.

I'll do you that at 120. No real damage which is unusual.

-I like the Boda. What can the Boda be?

-I'll sell you that for £40.

We can't sort of do 120 for the two?

-That's painful.

-I know it's painful, but it's only a question. You can say "yay" or "nay".

That... I could do you the two for 150.

And you've got two quality items.

So, between 120 and 150, is there a figure we could meet at like 130?

Do me 140 then, but that's it.

-135?

-140.

Look, this started off at 165!

140, you've got a deal. Good man. You've been a really good man. That's brilliant.

That's the vase and the Art Deco figure in the bag. Let's hope they're well wrapped, baby.

Nearby, Philip has found the 2 Tinkers antique shop, run by dealer Karen Funston.

And it doesn't take too long for him to find his next purchase, a butcher's block, don't you know?

-What do you reckon?

-I think they're lovely and I want to buy one off you. Which sells worst?

Well, I would say the small one.

-Sells worst?

-Sells worst, yeah.

-Because you can make those into coffee tables?

-Yeah.

-Right.

OK... But I've got to be mean.

Nothing new there then!

I'll give you 15 quid for it.

25.

I'll give you 20 quid and that's me finished, honest.

-OK.

-20 quid?

-20 quid. Deal.

-Oh, you're an angel. Thank you so much.

I'd better get some money out. Oh, Lord!

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you very much indeed. What the hell am I going to do with that?

You could take it to auction. I think that's the idea!

Thomas!

-How are you getting on?

-All right.

-Having fun?

-I've spent some money.

-Real money?

-Yeah.

-Three figures.

-£1.80?

-Don't be so naughty. What have you been buying?

-I can tell you now that I think your lot will make probably 300 to 500.

-No.

-It will.

-I can tell you now that the things you've bought will make 1,000...

-I'm going.

And he's gone. From Risby, our experts just about fall into Bury St Edmunds some four miles away

where Thomas is off to make a show of himself.

Lovingly restored in 2005 at a cost of £5.3 million,

the Theatre Royal is one of the finest and oldest surviving examples of a Georgian theatre to be found.

Thomas has come along to meet Julia Salmon.

-Welcome to the Theatre Royal. I'm Julia, a Heritage Guide.

-Brilliant.

Would you like to come through to see the auditorium or to have a look here?

-No, let's look at the auditorium. That's all about the theatre.

-OK. Come this way.

The theatre was built in 1819 by renowned designer, William Wilkins.

Back then, it would only have been open at certain times of the year

which meant tickets would have been at a premium and the actors played to packed houses.

Quite literally.

Wow, Julia! It's quite small, isn't it?

It's a very intimate theatre. When it was built originally, it was for 780 people.

-Seven hundred...?

-And eighty.

-In this space?

-Yeah.

-It already feels cramped with me and you.

-You'd have been shoulder to shoulder, sort of head space only.

-Stinky?

-Very stinky.

-Oh!

-And very smoky.

People's personal hygiene was not wonderful at that time, even as a member of the upper classes.

Ah, yes, the roar of the grease paint, the smell of the crowd. Is that the right way round?

Paint me a picture, Julia, of 1819, 1820,

the theatre, best night, what was performed, what went on?

The thing about the audiences coming to the theatre

was it was, certainly for the lower classes and even the middle classes, quite expensive.

It would have cost you a shilling for a seat upstairs, two shillings in that middle area

or four shillings for a seat in here.

A shilling was about equivalent to £50. That was a phenomenal outlay, so they really expected value for money.

If you were in the gallery upstairs and you didn't like what you saw,

you brought along your rotten vegetables and fruit and tankards of ale and they did throw them.

They did shout out and they were very bawdy as an audience.

The theatre has a long-standing tradition of performing new works.

In 1892, it staged the world premiere of Charley's Aunt by Brandon Thomas.

Here's another Thomas making his stage debut. Where did I put my rotten tomatoes?

Follow me through the acting door here...

onto the forestage.

-The forestage?

-Yes, the forestage is very specifically Georgian.

So your forestage is your bit in front of this archway. It's all this bit forwards.

Very involved, aren't you, with your audience?

-Oh, yes.

-Very intimate. You could really get into them and sort of...

-You get feedback. There's no doubt about that.

-I bet you do.

If it's going well, you get all of that lovely response.

If it's going badly, you can see the whites of their eyes

and you can get hit nicely by things being lobbed from the gallery.

-I admire the simplicity of what I'm looking at in front of me.

-Hmm.

It is very Regency. It's very ordered and restrained in its look.

Most theatres you go to are so glitzy, but this is rather lovely.

Even down to the colour scheme, it's also very deliberate.

That's been restored back to its original setting, so he was thinking again of the Greek amphitheatre

where you've got the mock stone-coloured archways and pillars.

Imagine you're in Sicily and you've got the open sky. He did a Suffolk sky, which is why we need a ceiling.

You couldn't have an open-air Greek theatre, but that was the sense he wanted to create.

So it's very much one of those places where you can kind of taste and feel it. That was the idea.

-I think this has renewed my interest.

-Jolly good.

-Thank you very much.

-You're very welcome.

-I've enjoyed myself and I've felt honoured to be on the stage.

-You're very welcome.

I could get used to this.

As Thomas contemplates a career in the theatre,

the lights go down on Act One of today's road trip. Night-night, chaps.

A brand-new morning finds our experts hitting the trail for one final day of shopping,

signalling an end to Thomas and Philip's travelling bromance. Boo-hoo!

-Philip, will you miss me?

-Yeah, I will, Thomas, like haemorrhoids.

I knew you'd come out with something caustic.

Caustic? Just disgusting! So far, Philip Serrell has spent £100 on four items - the butcher's block,

the faux leather trunk and the finger carrot which he's paired with the nutcrackers,

leaving him with £104.68 for the day ahead.

Thomas Plant, on the other hand, has spent £140 on two lots -

the rare Art Deco figure and the Kosta Boda glass vase,

leaving him with £112.20 to play with.

In order to continue their spending spree, our experts are heading west from Bury St Edmunds to Cambridge.

Famous university town and administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire,

the city of Cambridge lies on the River Cam

and if our boys are taking a punt, there's no better place to do it.

Thomas's first shop is the Cambridge Antiques Centre run by Stephen Hunt

-where it's straight down to business.

-These are fun. These are mother-of-pearl.

And they're gaming counters. They're Chinese.

They become really, really valuable when, say, for example, these ones here,

the centre has the monogram of the family who have had them commissioned.

Chinese gaming counters arrived in the UK in the 18th century.

They were used in a variety of card games, each design denoting a different value, like poker chips.

What have these gaming counters got to be?

On a wet and windy day, um, £20?

-Quite rich. I was sort of...

-Oh, it's not rich.

-Well, it is, it is.

-If I can be helpful...

Going below £10, is that going to be crucifying them?

-I think so.

-Can we say 10?

-I think I'd like to settle on 10.

-10?

-Yeah. That would be good, yes.

It's a good start, but he's also got his beady eye on something else.

This is a leather telescope, possibly military, naval,

with the leather, this brown sort of leather.

And it does actually work. I can actually see the chimney pots over there, if not a bit dirty.

As we're selling in Greenwich near the Naval College,

it is the thing to buy.

Aye-aye, Captain Thomas. If only you had the treasure map to go with it. Whoa! What do you know?

"Hanno explores the west coast of Africa.

"Eric the Red discovers Greenland in 984."

-Oh, so these are all the trips.

-Yeah.

So this is proving that the world wasn't discovered by Christopher Columbus.

-That's quite a nice travel map. It's rather lovely.

-Good fun.

Yeah.

I really like The Great Discoveries.

OK.

And I really like the telescope.

-Right. They would go together nicely.

-They look really nice together.

-OK.

I was looking for about 35 on the telescope

and 25 on The Great Discoveries.

Yeah, I haven't got that, to be candid.

-Really cheeky...

-Yeah.

-Can I give you 20 for the telescope and the picture?

That's really cheeky, Tom.

-Yes, it'll save me cleaning it.

-£30.

-Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

Elsewhere in Cambridge, Philip is still shopping, but why on earth is he going into an off-licence?

What's the old codger up to?

-I'd better introduce myself. I'm Philip.

-I'm James.

-Good to see you.

-I'd like a malt whisky.

-We've got about 350 whiskies.

-What's the dearest?

-The dearest is about 215, but we have had them over 300, 400...

-For a bottle of Scotch?

-Yeah.

-That'd be a really expensive hangover.

-It would be.

I see where he's going with this. A good whisky can be an investment, often increasing in value with age.

-Probably my favourite malt.

-Right.

They produce their standard 10-year-olds

in the smallest distillery on mainland Scotland in Pitlochry.

Three people work there. One chap's called Ramsbottom.

I'm not sure whether he still works there, but we love saying that.

They take their normal 10-year-old and pop it into a different cask for different vintages

and in this case, it's spent time in a Sauternes cask, which is a sweet wine from Bordeaux.

Is it going to come to between 25 and 30 quid?

Probably not. I could see what I could do on it, but we're probably talking more around the 40 mark.

-You can't do 32 quid?

-35 would be the lowest I could go.

-It's giving you my staff discount.

-Does that mean I can work here?

-25%.

If you worked here, you'd get that.

You'd be looking at 37.50, so I'm doing you a favour in giving you another 2.50 off.

-35 quid.

-35 quid I can do.

At 12 years old, it's an antique of sorts. It's spiritual, warming, a liquid asset.

Thomas has also gone off-piste. He's in the Campkins Camera Centre. Oh, dear!

-Thomas.

-Hi. Robin.

We're filming the Antiques Road Trip which means I've got to buy things and then sell them at auction

and I've noticed you have quite a few vintage cameras.

-What would you recommend?

-Lubitel.

-Lubitel.

-We have it modestly priced at £80.

It's a piece of Cold War history.

It was far easier to just take something from the West, copy it. It was just cheaper.

-What date is this? 1960s?

-Well, the first two digits would tell us the year.

-Right, OK.

Not always reliable, but '84, a good year.

The beauty of this is although it's very pretty to look at, it's something usable

because this takes a film called 120 which is actually an available film.

This is an awkward question for a shop, but what can be done on that price? Anything?

Let's try £70.

OK, £70.

That's a good discount. That's a good 10%.

Would you be happy and meet me at 60?

65.

65...

-You've got a deal.

-Excellent.

-It's a real pleasure. Thank you.

Let's hope he doesn't regret that snap decision. Ha!

With almost £70 still to spend, Philip's next port of call is the Cambridge Antiques Centre

where Thomas bought the mother-of-pearl gaming counters

and as usual, he's starting with a sob story. Here we go.

-I'm £50 behind Thomas at the moment.

-I know.

Have you got any fresh stock in?

I've got some stuff down here which I brought in this morning and I haven't unpacked yet.

You can have a browse through that.

I can't remember what's in there.

Glassware, you've got lots of glassware.

-Isn't that just a bit of fun?

-Peter Pan.

-Yeah.

-"The boy who never grew up." I've been accused of that.

-Me too.

Yeah, but do you believe in fairies?

-Oh, yeah.

-That's nice.

That shape, I would say it's about 1820.

-Really?

-I would think that's probably continental, hand-painted and not worth a great deal of money.

It rarely is when YOU'RE shopping.

It's like all this Wedgwood and Goss as well. Interesting.

That's really sweet.

-It's not the pots that interest me. These.

-Oh, the little fish.

-I think they're quite fun.

That's exactly what Thomas thought. Great minds, eh?

-I think the whole lot's worth a tenner.

-Oh, Philip.

-What about £15 the lot?

-No, I think it's too much.

I think they'll sell for 15-25 quid.

-I think you'll get a bit more than that.

-That's what every dealer has said to me.

-Oh, crikey.

There was a man who sold me a canoe and another man who sold me a vaulting horse

-and they were all going to do wonderfully well.

-And they didn't.

Oh, diddums!

-£12 the lot.

-Go on.

-Are you interested in the coffee can?

Moderately, but not specifically.

Well...

-I'd like you to have that.

-Are you sure?

-And all of it for...£15.

-Throw in the Peter Pan one for 15 quid.

-Done.

-You're a gent.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-Have I been done?

-You haven't.

Those old heartstrings will be worn out with all Philip's pulling.

-Thank you very much.

-You're welcome.

-See you soon.

-Bye!

The last shop of the day is The Hive, run by Bill Deadman. Thomas has just £17.20 to spend.

That's quite decorative. A nice plant pot with enamel.

I don't know how old it is. Persian or Indian?

-I'd have thought Indian.

-A lot of work has gone into that.

-I wonder if there's profit in it. What can this one be?

-22?

-I haven't got that.

-How far apart on it are we, then?

-About two metres.

-I'm looking at sort of half that.

-And a bit more. Obviously...

-No, I can't.

-Not half as in 22, but as in 12.

-I've only got a bit more than that.

-What is he gibbering on about?

-How does 18 sound?

-15 for this.

-Go on, then. Deal done.

-A scholar. A star.

£15.

-That's it. That's my buying done.

-OK.

-For this year. Done. Kaput.

Or is it? You can almost hear the cogs turning as our Thomas attempts some mental arithmetic.

Sums were never his strong point.

I think I've got £2 left.

What can I find you for £2, then?

-The nutcrackers.

-A nice pair.

-Same idea as Philip.

-I've got £2.20.

-You're not going to get nothing for 20p. So you'll give me a drink?

-I'll give you 20p.

Oh, he's all heart. One out, one in and Philip is on the lookout for another whisky-related item

to add a bit of vintage to that modern bottle of Scotch.

I have a very mean budget. Can I buy these for about a fiver?

-That's the one I'd like.

-No, you're not going to buy that, I'm afraid.

That's got no trade on it as well, but...

-I'll do it for six.

-Can you do that one for six?

-No.

-What's the best you can do?

-12.

-It's unusual. Really unusual.

-Yeah, but they're both plated and they're not the main item.

See those, that's just a pressed-out bit of plate, isn't it?

-It is, but...

-That one's lovely. I like that one.

-But I don't think I can get down to your price.

-That's a no-no.

-It is really.

-How about £4?

-I'll give you two quid.

-Three. That's it.

-Go on. You're a gentleman.

And you're a bandit. Having finished his looting in Cambridge,

-Philip is galloping off to Luton for a trip back in time.

-# Oh, the Deadwood stage... #

The Stockwood Discovery Centre is home to the Mossman carriage collection,

the largest private collection of horse-drawn vehicles in the UK. Philip meets Philippa Backer.

-Hi. Philip.

-Hello there. Nice to meet you. Welcome to the Mossman collection.

Born in 1908, George Mossman was a local man. A butcher by trade,

he collected, restored and constructed carriages for 50 years.

His incredible passion has provided a lasting legacy for all to see.

-This is just an awesome collection.

-It is spectacular, yes.

What we have here is a good variety of examples of horse-drawn vehicles

from your trade vehicles such as the baker's van,

right through to grand coaches.

-How many carriages have you got?

-We've got about 60 on display.

-And they were all his?

-About 54 came from George Mossman. We had a few already.

-My granddad had a carriage business.

-Oh, really?

-Yep.

He just felt the motor car was coming in, so no one was ever going to use horse-drawn vehicles.

-And so he burnt them all.

-It's almost opposite to George Mossman, who realised they were disappearing

-and decided to rescue them.

-Mr Mossman was a bit more astute!

Indeed he was. Mossman provided carriages for the Queen's Coronation procession in 1953,

but they weren't just for the nobility. At the turn of the last century, carriages were commonplace.

-That's for ladies. It dates from when?

-This is late 1800s.

-Why is that for ladies and that for gentlemen?

-They're quite different.

-If you have a look at this one, it has a low-slung body.

-I know how it feels!

It would be easier for a lady to get in and out of it in a graceful way.

It also had a lower centre of gravity so it was a safer ride.

Inside, there's plenty of room for the lady's voluminous dress, which she'd have worn.

So that's the lady's. And this is the gentleman's. It's more racy.

This is called the spider phaeton. This is a more speedy vehicle.

It was quite well-known for making sharp turns,

which meant it was more likely to tip up. It was quite dangerous. It had a reputation.

But that made it more attractive.

From the butcher, the baker and even the undertaker,

everyone relied on horsepower. A case of only foals and hearses!

-That's the Rolls Royce, isn't it?

-Yeah. You'd have been wealthy to afford that hearse.

-And this one here, that presumably is like the Ford Focus.

-Yeah.

-If you'd a bit less money, you'd still get a roof.

-That's pulled by a horse as well.

And round here is a pushbike. Or the funereal equivalent.

-If you really didn't have very much money at all...

-Pulled by hand.

-..you had this bier.

I think you've got such a good job.

-Me, too.

-I want your job.

No time for that now, Philip. It's back to your own day job.

-With all shopping completed, our experts reunite to show and tell for the last time.

-I spent it all.

Literally, every penny. I've taken a risk. I've done a canoe

-and a vaulting horse...

-All in one go?

-All on one horse.

-Let's have a look.

-And I think I've really dropped one.

-Really?

-This was £100!

-That was a weak moment, Tom.

-I think she's beautiful. A really good buy.

-Philip's not so sure.

-In London, she could sell well.

-Stop rubbing it!

-I think your telescopes will do well. How much were your game counters?

-They were 10.

-And your nutcrackers?

-£2.20.

-Right, are you ready?

-Ready.

-Concentrate.

-I don't understand.

-Concentrate really hard.

-I don't believe it!

-Snap.

-Where did you buy them from?

-I guess the same man as you.

-Stephen?

-Yes.

-He was having a joke.

-He's a good man. He's sold us both a profit.

-I think he has.

-How much was this?

-20 quid. It wants treating.

-You've done what you said you wouldn't.

-Buy a butcher's block?

-Buy for £20.

It's your turn to buy a canoe and a vaulting horse

and there she is.

-Roles reversed!

-I do hope so. I might make a profit then.

-What are you doing? I thought we were friends.

-We are.

-No, no, no...

-There's a bit of tension building!

He's done what he said he wouldn't do. He's played it safe. I've risked everything!

Tables reversed, roles reversed. But I want to make the profit.

This will be really interesting. Thomas has done the lot and put £165 into his top two lots.

The worse that can happen to me is that I might break even. With luck, I might make £50-£100.

I can see this being really tight.

There's only one way to settle this and find out who is victorious. Off to the auction we go.

From Luton, our experts embark on the final 40 miles to the sale room in Greenwich, south-east London,

home of Greenwich Mean Time, the Cutty Sark and Greenwich Auctions,

where our experts will go head to head for one last time.

The auctioneer today is Rob Dodd and having had a look,

he's got some breaking news on Thomas's rare Art Deco lady.

When the courier brought the items in, we noticed the lady hadn't been particularly wrapped very well.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to put her under the hammer.

I'd forgotten how beautiful she was.

"Was" being the operative word.

-Look at her!

-Thomas is also in bits.

-The poor thing.

-She's armless.

-That's probably the highest grade plaster of Paris I've ever seen!

Have you seen that? It was like a garden gnome!

-And...? And...?

-It's an upmarket garden gnome.

20th century, beautiful. Signed, French Art Deco figure.

-It's wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.

-Deluded.

-It's a one-off.

-Well, the rare Art Deco figure has just become a lot rarer.

Never mind, Thomas. She'll be covered by insurance. Poor thing.

Thomas started this leg of the Road Trip with £252.20.

And he's spent it all on six lots, including the damaged figure.

So he's quite literally going for broke in order to win.

Philip, on the other hand, started with £204.68

and has also bought six lots costing a slightly more cautious £153,

leaving him with £51.68 cash in hand.

Come on, boys. It's time to get this sale underway with the very excitable auctioneer, Rob.

-Oh, my!

-Doesn't he clatter that?

-He hits it down!

Philip has a lot at stake on the vintage butcher's block.

-Start with a bid with me of £25 on that.

-Oh, profit.

30 with me. Looking for 32. 32. 35. 38.

-£40. 42 I need.

-Well, that's all right, Phil.

50. Take 52 if I have to.

52. 5 with me. Looking for 60. 5 with me.

Phil, what is going on?!

Are you all done? £70 on the telephone. I'm out. Looking for 75.

This is cheap. Are we all done? Last time. On the telephone at £70!

-The butcher's block turns out to be a prime cut, delivering a meaty profit.

-I better just go now.

-We're neck and neck now.

-Yeah, all right.

-Aren't we?

-All right!

-We are.

First up for Thomas is the mother of pearl gaming counters and silver-plated nutcrackers.

-Stunning lot.

-What a great lot.

-Yeah.

-£8.

They're worth a lot more. 10. 12.

I've got 12. Are we all done?

At £12 only.

-£12. 20p down from there.

-Are you? Oh, that's sad(!)

An unlucky roll of the dice on the gaming counters with a 20p loss.

Next up for Philip is the faux leather trunk.

£30 only on that. Looking for 32.

5. 8. 40 with me. 42. I'm out.

Looking for 45 anywhere. 45. 48. 50 I want. £50.

And 2. I'll take 52. 5 I need.

52 there. 55.

Looking for 58. Are we all done? At £55 on that trunk.

-Better than nothing.

-Where are we now? Who's winning?

-You are winning.

-Really?

-Yes.

Packing a tidy profit, the trunk turns out to be not too shabby.

Another of Philip's items now is the finger carrot and the brass hazelnut crackers.

-It's got to start with a bid with me at a paltry £10.

-Ouch.

12. 15. 18. 22. I'm out.

Looking for 25 on these. 25. 28. £30.

£30 there. Looking for 32. Are we all done at 30? They're worth more than that.

-Last time at £30.

-That was an ouch.

-That WAS an ouch. Ow.

-The sale room fails to go nuts for the crackers, resulting in a loss for Philip.

The Kosta Boda vase is up next for Thomas.

£15 only for the Boda vase. Looking for 18.

20 with me. Looking for 22. 25.

28. I'm out. 30 I want.

I've got 28. £30 there. 32 I need, sir. £30 there.

-Looking for 32. Are we all done?

-Ouch. That's an ouch.

-£30 on the vase.

-Ouch.

-Ouch indeed!

-That's another loss for Thomas.

-I don't mind who wins or loses.

-Really?

-No, it doesn't matter.

-It's all about the winning.

-It's taking part.

Talking of which, it's the straight from cask 12-year-old whisky and the silver-plated label next.

Got to start with me at a paltry £15 only.

Looking for 18. 20. 2. 5. 30.

I'm out. 32 I need. 32.

-34.

-Doing well.

-38.

£40. 42 there. Looking for 44. Are we all done? 44 with the voice.

Looking for 46. DOG BARKS

-The dog wants it now.

-Have they let my ex-wife in?

46. 48. £50 I need.

£50 I've got.

Take 2. 52. 4 I want.

54.

No? £54 at the back of the room. Looking for 56. Are we all done?

56. He's back. Looking for 58.

Yes! 58 down the back. Looking for 60. Are we all done?

At £58.

-Well done.

-That's a bit of a fluke result.

I'm pleased with it, though. Really pleased.

Cheers, Philip. And a dram fine profit.

-Back to Thomas now, though, for his Lubitel camera.

-£10 only.

Looking for 12. I'll be back. 12. 15. 18. I'm out.

£20. 22. You're coming in? 22.

Looking for 25. 5. Looking for 28. Looking for £30.

£30. Looking for 32. I've got 30. Are we all done?

At only £30 on the camera.

-Ouch!

-What did that cost you?

-Go away.

A negative result on the camera and another loss for Thomas.

Now more mother of pearl gaming counters, this time for Philip.

Lot 115. Another really good, stunning lot.

-Bid's with me at £8.

-8.

Looking for a tenner. 12.

-15. I'm out. Looking for 18. I've got 15.

-Sorry, Thomas.

-18 there in front.

-Are you sure they weren't mixed up?

-At £18.

-The luck... The luck of Philip.

That's made my week. I don't care what happens now.

It may be a small profit, but it's better than the loss Thomas made.

Arr! Shiver me timbers! Can he gain any ground with his early map and brass telescope?

Got to start with a bid with me of £20 only.

Looking for 22. 22. 25. 8 I need.

You don't have to think about it. 28. £30. 32 I want.

32. I'm out. Looking for 35. 35 there. 38 I need.

Are we all done at 35? 38, new place. £40.

42 I need. Yes, 42. 45.

48 I want. I've got 45 in front.

Are we all done at 45? The last time. At £45!

-That's made what it should.

-Definitely, definitely.

The competition could still go either way.

-If I win by less than six quid, I'm going to gain no satisfaction from it at all.

-Oh, yeah.

Philip's final lot is the coffee can and the Peter Pan coffee cup. Will it need fairy dust to fly?

This is a really, really good lot.

I mean, this is exceptional.

They sniff these things out.

Someone is getting their leg pulled.

The bid's with me on these, seriously, at £5.

I'll take 6. You know we can't do 50p in this auction room.

6. Here we go. This is more like it.

7. 8, madam? You can't pull out. You started it.

I'll take 9 there. You need to come back. 10. 11.

Go 12. Go 12. It's a pound.

£13 there. Looking for 14. 14 there. New place in the room.

With you, sir.

-Very, very good.

-At 15... £16 in time!

This is getting serious. 17 I need.

I've got 16. Are we all done? Are you sure?

I'd have bought more if I'd known!

Looking for 19. Are we all done? Are you sure? £19! Looking for £20.

-Are we all done this time?

-How do you do it?

-At £19 on two cups!

Give him a round of applause!

-No justice.

-Clap your hands if you believe in Philip. Go on, Tinkerbell, give us a smile.

-I'm going to go home.

-You should.

Thomas's last item is the brass and enamel-footed bowl.

£12 on this. Looking for 15. 18.

19 there. £20 there. Looking for 21.

Are you sure? ..21 there! Looking for 22.

I've got £21. Looking for 22.

Madam, great. 22 there. Looking for 23. Last time.

At £22 with a smile!

Thomas makes a small comeback on his last lot, but what about his smashed figure?

I don't want to be picky here, but your insurance claim could swing this one way or the other.

No, it's not going to. I've lost money on my insurance claim.

I reckon it would have made £200.

Sadly, Thomas, we'll never know.

The insurance pay out valued the figure at £120, giving Thomas a final £20 profit,

but will it be enough to tip the scales?

Thomas started the show with £252.20.

After auction costs, he's made a loss of £39.82,

giving him a grand total for this Road Trip of £212.38.

Philip, however, began with £204.68

and, after costs, he's made a profit of £52,

taking his overall total to £256.68, with all profits going to Children In Need.

Which means that, after a nail-biting last auction,

Philip wins the day and this Road Trip. Congratulations, old bean.

-Philip...

-Don't feel bad about it.

-Feeling bad about what?

You lulled me into that false sense of security. You played it safe and you've beaten me by all of...

-Do you know what I think it was? I've beaten you by...

-£30?

-..the cost of the camera.

-I know!

So it was that camera wot done it.

Never mind, Thomas. Here's a few snapshots from your Road Trip and the great week.

-Come on, let's go.

-Let's go.

The daftest, dangerous, most stupid lot ever.

-Poor thing!

-I'll give him a run for his money.

-It's been a rollercoaster, including boats...

HORN SOUNDS

-..trams...

-WHISTLE BLOWS

-I do like the whistle!

-..and automobiles.

-In your own time.

-It's not working!

-I'm getting wet!

-..What ARE you doing?

Pretending to be a Catholic priest.

-Nice baps.

-I like a good pair of baps.

BLEEP

Thomas!

Are we going the right way?

Next week on the Antiques Road Trip, we're with a brand new pair of experts.

The enthusiastic Mark Stacey.

-Would you like to have a go?

-No.

-And the raring-to-go Paul Laidlaw.

-Loving it!

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd