Episode 10 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.

-Going, going, gone.

-Yes!

-Hello.

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

-Yes!

-There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

I'm going to try and win.

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

-The sun shines on the brave, doesn't it?

-Exactly.

This is the Antiques Road Trip.

It's the fourth leg of our West Country experience,

tripping in a vintage Lancia with Tom Scott and Phil Serrell.

-Have you enjoyed it?

-What a brilliant trip it's been.

-It's been really good fun. You've been good company.

-It's been great.

I have to say, my affection for your company has waned over

the course of the last auction.

Oh, dear.

Dealer, Tom, is a Road Trip greenhorn,

who was very much the runner-up

until a magnificent French frame put him right back in the picture.

At £290.

Phil, an auctioneer and a seasoned roadrunner, has been here before.

This is Philip Serrell for the Antiques Road Trip.

He's certainly not bitter, though. Not much.

Phil began with £200 and he's increased that to £292.42.

Tom also set out with £200,

and he's so far amassed just a little bit more with £303.06.

Our trip begins at the far southwest corner of Britain,

at St Buryan, before wending its way around several counties

and never straying too far from the coast to reach Wareham in Dorset.

Today, we're starting out at Exeter in the county of Devon

and making for an auction over the border at Upwey in Dorset.

There's been a quay here since Roman times,

but in the 16th century, one of Britain's earliest canals

was constructed to carry goods to the river and the English Channel.

Nowadays, this nicely redeveloped area is more about leisure, though.

Here we go then, mate.

And shopping.

Funkles!

Let's see what we can find, mate.

-Morning.

-Hello, hello, hello.

We all right to have a bit of a dig and we'll give you a shout?

Thank you very much.

How much is the till? SHE LAUGHS

While Phil makes a bid for the till,

Tom has the rest of Funkles to choose from.

There's plenty of it too.

It's just a question of seeking out the quality.

I don't know where to look.

Tricky.

Phil's moved on but, because the dealer's not around,

all communication has to be via Carmen and the phone.

-And when they do get to talk...

-Hiya, Simon.

-..they're still a long way apart.

-Yeah, your maritime bucket.

-'40, I'll do that for.'

-And that's the best you can do on that one?

'It is really.'

Ah, a humidor.

This could appeal to the Havana cigar devotees of Dorset.

Are there any?

Ask him if there's any movement on this humidor at 70 quid.

OK. I'll let him know that. He said 55 is as low as he'll go.

I think I need to buy it at 40, so I think I'm going to have to leave it.

Oh, dear.

Sounds like Phil is getting a bit frustrated. What's Tom unearthed?

They're quite fun, aren't they?

This would have been a bit of artillery. It's a shell.

Pretty big old thing. Someone has stuck those on the sides.

They could be quite good - if we can get them cheap.

Now, let's hope Phil's found something.

-I wanted to look at that woodwind instrument thing.

-OK.

-I can't get into it.

-Can't get into it.

Can't get into it, haven't got the right key!

Oh, lordy.

This just isn't his day so far. But while the search goes on,

Tom's about to smuggle his jugs over to Carmen.

I'll just have a final quick...

Not pinching them.

-Right, let's go.

-Sneaky.

I think we've got to be quick cos Philip's just around the corner.

I've got Simon on the line.

Is he on the line?

-20 quid the pair.

-How about 15?

I'll hand him over to you.

Simon, I was wondering whether you might be able to help me

and nip me down to £15 for the pair.

-'Yeah, you take them, mate.'

-Lovely. Appreciate that.

-Deal. £15.

-Good!

One deal to Tom, but Phil has kept his powder dry.

I'll tell you what, I'm going to see what else I can find.

You really need to get that off your chest, mate.

So while Tom conceals his booty and departs,

Phil's staying in Exeter,

still searching for that elusive first bargain.

Hello.

-Hello, good morning, Phil.

-How are you? All right?

-I'm very well.

-Nice to see you.

-You too.

There must be something at this antiques centre for Phil.

The best place to start is with Norman himself.

This is my stall.

-Can I look at those, please?

-Of course you may.

Ah, Royal Worcester - but with a ticket price of £150 the pair.

As a Worcester man, he's got a soft spot for the stuff.

My office is 40 yards away from where they were made, probably.

They were modelled by Hadley.

Potter and artist James Hadley

has been described as probably the finest English modeller of all time.

His work can be very valuable but only if it's in pristine condition.

Unfortunately, the front is damaged. It's been restored.

Crudely, may I say. The other one is perfect.

If you see people going...

They're not trying to eat pots.

What they're trying to do is check for restoration.

If you bite a piece of restored porcelain

it's like biting into soap,

whereas if you bite a piece of un-restored porcelain,

it's actually really quite hard.

I'll have a think about that. Let's just see what else we can find first.

I think we'll be seeing more of those two.

There's some really interesting things in this place.

Really interesting things. Is it an ear trumpet? Hello?

So, what are you thinking, Phil?

You're thinking, you're concentrating, you're looking,

you're picking out little bits. Tell me what you honestly think.

I like him, I like him.

I think, that one... I won't say it's worthless.

-If I buy just one off you, I've got to buy the pair off you.

-Yeah.

I've got to try and buy them for around the 60 quid mark.

-I can't come down to that kind of figure.

-OK.

-Can I give you 70 quid for the two?

-Can you make it 80?

That's a big reduction.

It's a massive reduction, it's a massive reduction.

-Can you ease me another fiver into it?

-I can't, I can't, honest.

I'll have those off you. You're a gentleman and a scholar.

-You're welcome.

-I'm pleased with those. You've helped me.

-Thank you very, very much.

-It's a giveaway.

-It's your lucky day.

-I hope so!

Phil's first buy for £80, that's a relief.

He's a changed man all of a sudden.

But now it's time to leave Exeter,

heading east towards Clyst Honiton.

Then follow the signs.

-You must be John.

-I am.

-How are you?

-Not too bad.

-Good to see you.

-And you.

-Is that full of stuff?

-That's full of stuff.

-That's full of antiques?

-Yes.

It's a barn.

Well, if you're going to stock a huge range of quality furniture

and decorative items,

then a building like this makes perfect sense.

He was going at a hell of a lick

when he hit that corrugated iron, wasn't he?

But whether any of it will be within Phil's price range

seems highly unlikely.

That's a fair old thing, isn't it?

The two of them are £12,000. The one behind is bigger.

-So, they wouldn't come at 50 quid, would they?

-No, no.

-Now, what's he got there?

-These are wicked.

If you've got a cabinet and you want to fill it full of books,

that's what you buy to put in there. Are they books? No.

That's what they are.

-John?

-Hello.

-Are these book front things in here for sale?

They could be for sale, I guess.

The bigger ones, I'd charge you £15 for

-and £10 for the smaller ones.

-You can't do two of them for 15 quid?

I would be replacing them anyway and it would cost me

more than I'm selling them for.

I'll tell you what I'm going to do, I've made my mind up.

-I'm going to have that one.

-Ah, Voltaire, very Phil Serrell.

You've been really kind, and I think you've got a fantastic shop.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

-That's great, thank you.

You're a gentleman.

There can't be very many people who leave here

just £10 lighter in the wallet.

Tom, meanwhile, is motoring south,

making his way beside the River Exe to Lympstone, Exmouth,

where he'll visit a strange and wonderful house

-in the company of guide Kate.

-Hello.

-Hello there.

-Nice to meet you.

-I'm Tom.

-Welcome to A La Ronde.

It's actually not round.

16-sided in fact, which makes it a hexadecagon.

Makes for some interestingly shaped rooms too,

several with great views of the estuary below.

A La Ronde wasn't created by any grand designer though,

-but by two very well travelled spinster cousins.

-Beautiful room.

-It is.

-Who had the house built?

Jane and Mary Parminter.

They went on this grand tour about the late 1780s

and they really were very gutsy ladies.

For spinsters to go off on their own on the Continent -

and particularly as the French Revolution was occurring

-at the time, was absolutely amazing.

-Yeah, yeah.

The Parminters based their designs on Italian architecture,

and once they'd built A La Ronde,

they set about creating a highly individual decorating scheme

filled with many unusual mementos of their travels together.

The frieze is all made up from bird feathers.

The speckled ones, that's guinea fowl.

You can see peacock and the green is woodpecker.

-In the glue, they used quite a bit of cognac.

-Oh, that sounds good.

Feathers and brandy were certainly different but without doubt,

Jane and Mary's favourite material was the seashell. Thousands of them.

Tiny ones to create pictures for the walls

and other larger ones for a variety of uses.

The fireplace has never ever been used

because they were making their creations.

The home of the Parminters is now owned by the National Trust

and sadly only this portrait of Mary now survives.

Were they alive today,

the extraordinary cousins would probably be competing

for the Turner Prize,

as at the top of the house is their piece de resistance,

the shell gallery.

They wanted you to get the impression

that you were either coming into a cave or a grotto.

-You've got all this algae on the walls...

-I see.

..and then you've got the softness of the sea.

Then you've got the shells on the shore.

-Way up here. I see.

-Way up there.

Because it's so very fragile, access is now restricted.

Tom, however, has been permitted a special peek.

-There.

-Oh, yes. Look at that.

-Super.

-Amazing.

-Isn't it?

We're seeing the beginning of the actual gallery.

That's incredible, isn't it?

It's got to be tens of thousands of shells. It's really stunning.

But while Tom's been "A La Ronde",

Phil's just carried on shopping,

journeying from Clyst Honiton to Hele...

..where, on the site of an old cider factory

there's a very unusual retail opportunity.

Hiya, how are you?

You've got some cool stuff here, haven't you?

Yeah, quite something.

They even supply film and TV props out of all of this.

45,000 square feet of antiques, reclamation...

Just passing through.

..and collectables.

And how much is the drum?

-40 quid. There's two more up there.

-How much is that bigger one?

-50 quid.

I'll tell you what, that's going to take some putting back together,

-isn't it?

-Yeah, I didn't realise it was so badly damaged.

So, the price is coming down?

Yeah, I'll do it for 40 quid, the same as the other.

Are you sure, Phil?

It's a question of how the hell

it is ever going to fit back together again...

They're off to the office to negotiate.

-I said 40, didn't I?

-Yeah, but it's wrecked, isn't it?

I'll give you 20 quid

and I'll spend most of the night trying to put it back together again.

-Go on, then.

-All right? The drum is done. The drum's done,

-but I want to buy something else.

-I want you to buy something else.

I want to buy something else.

Now, I don't know about you,

but I think he's going to buy something else.

How much is this roller, then?

I'll do that for 80 quid for you.

I know you've been helpful to me,

-but I'm going to bid you nonetheless and notwithstanding.

-Go on, then.

50 quid.

-Don't be ridiculous.

-What?

-It did cost me more than that.

Don't you speak to me like that! HE CHUCKLES

-75 quid.

-I'll tell you what. This is my best shot here.

Right.

Oh, yeah?

Here you are. 60 quid.

Well, seeing as you said so many nice things about the place...

You're a gentlemen. Do you know what? I really like that.

-God knows what that is going to make.

-You'll do all right on that,

You think that's what, 1860?

-My mum made it last week.

-Did she?

Lordy, mine was more of a knitter.

Later, they'll be making for the auction in Upwey,

but our next stop is in the Dorset County town of Dorchester.

Lovely.

LILTING ORCHESTRAL MUSIC PLAYS

Dorchester is famous for its poets like Sir John Cowper Powys

and William Barnes,

but the town's favourite son is without doubt, Thomas Hardy.

Did Thomas Hardy write Tom Brown's Schooldays?

No, I mean, he wrote, whatsit, didn't he? Tom Jones.

Actually, he mostly wrote books without Tom in the title, Phil.

But he did base the Mayor of Casterbridge on his hometown.

-Morning.

-How are you, all right?

-All right, thank you.

I bought a table off you a couple of years back on a trip, didn't I?

-Made a fortune?

-No, wish I had done!

Just let the table go, Phil - start afresh!

He doesn't need to buy much at "De Danann", either,

so he can very much pick and choose.

-I think that's a Tunbridge ware sock darner.

-Yes, it's pretty, isn't it?

Yes, just a nice little thing. Is there a price on that?

Yeah, it's a fiver.

See, that could be a problem, because I'm used to getting, like,

20 or 30 quid off something.

If it's only a fiver, how am I going to get 20 quid off that?

-Well, I thought it might make up for the table.

-Ha-ha-ha!

It could be a very sensible buy. That, too, at a pinch...

It's a 19th century snuffbox.

Now, that, because there's no decoration, and a bit of damage,

it's not going to be a hugely sought-after thing.

But I think that's quite a nice little lot.

The ticket price is £30,

but I'm sure John would be willing to do a deal.

I like that.

It's just a marble column,

and, it's just a thing that's going to look decorative,

either to show off a good Parian bust

or piece of marble, or a pot or a bronze.

So let's put that down there.

Mm! Two nice little treen items, versus a big old lump.

What do YOU think?

It COULD be described as a jardiniere, or even a torchere,

and the ticket price is £175.

I think the death of it's, like, about a hundred quid.

-No, that wouldn't be any good for me.

-Wouldn't make any money?

-No.

See, there's a chunk off there, look.

I think that's just come down another fiver.

65 quid.

-I'll shake your hand now.

-Yeah, go on, then.

You're a gentleman. Thank you very much indeed.

That, plus his roller, must be some of Phil's heaviest purchases yet.

Laden down, his shopping's all done.

Elsewhere in Dorchester,

at the Curiosity Centre...

-Morning.

-Hi.

-I'm Tom.

-Hi. Martin. Nice to meet you.

-Come for a bit of a rummage, is that all right?

-Lots to see here.

The Curiosity Centre will require plenty of digging, though.

There's a lot of...vintage... There's a lot of painted...

sort of shabby chic, which I'm not after.

So we'll just try and narrow it down a little bit.

How about a strong box?

Might it be treasure?

-It's heavy enough...

-KEY SQUEAKS

That's a good bit... of weight in there...

I can't even lift the door!

If you spend long enough in Phil's company,

do you all end up buying like him, I wonder?

What's he got on here? £85.

I really like that.

Well, I'm sure Phil would approve. But now what's he come up with?

Have you seen this?

Oh, lordy.

That is a canoe. That's got to be bigger than Philip's, surely.

You mean - the one that lost him £70 on a previous Road Trip?

I like that a lot. Fantastic!

Just what is it about canoes, chaps?

I'm pretty sure that says £300.

Wonder if I can afford that?

Trouble is, this is probably going to

see me down the creek the wrong way, isn't it?

Yes. And I don't see a paddle, do you?

Time to consult Martin, or perhaps just seek help.

First thing, I'd like to have a look...

-at this.

-Ah, you found my strongbox.

-Yeah.

-Does it open? I can't get it open.

-Let's try.

-It might be me.

-I certainly had it open.

-Ah, there you go.

Ah, I was hoping the takings from last week would have been in there!

-It's had some use.

-Yeah, what has someone been putting in there,

apart from snails? What would we be looking at?

We could do something on that for you. Maybe...

-75.

-It's a bit steeper than I was hoping.

Come on, then, you know the game.

What I was going to do is make you a bid of...

-45...

-45?

-..which I know is really harsh.

You're welcome to drop this on my foot if you want!

It's a bit tight, Tom, but I tell you what,

-squeeze me another fiver...

-Yeah?

-..and it's yours.

-50?

-Yeah.

-Perfect.

-All right.

-I love that. Brilliant. Thank you very much.

-Deal.

Now for the flagship.

It's a highly unusual thing,

you won't find many of these in the auction houses.

No, and there's probably a good reason for that.

-Now, it is wildly out of my budget...

-Right.

..and I'm thinking about how awkward this must be for you, every night,

-dragging it back in.

-Ha-ha! I know where this is leading.

I'm looking at being really, really cheeky,

-and talking like 60 quid.

-60 quid's a little cheap.

-I know it is.

-A little cheap.

Do you want another fiver, like on the strongbox,

-is that

-what you mean? Well, compare the size of the strongbox

to the size of the boat, and maybe that increment would be about right!

What about 120, includes the box?

What about 130?

-125?

-Go for it. Deal.

-Brilliant.

-Well done.

-Thanks, Martin.

So, £75 for the canoe and £50 for the strongbox.

Does Upwey know what's coming?!

Tom's popping along the road,

heading for the same shop that his travelling companion graced earlier.

-Afternoon.

-Afternoon.

-How are you doing?

-All right, thank you.

-Do you mind if I have a rummage?

-No, have a look round,

-by all means.

-Down here?

-Down here, up the stairs as well.

Brilliant.

Now, Tom's still got plenty of cash,

and there's certainly enough to choose from...

Trouble is, Philip's been here this morning,

so he's probably bought everything.

Nonsense!

-BANGS HEAD

-Ouch!

How much are those?

-£20...

-The pair?

..each. They're quite nice. Quite sweet.

Just decorative. The cane's in not bad condition -

there's a few breaks here.

This could be ideal, especially with them being...

a pair.

Or are they a pair?

They're not quite a pair.

Let's see what John can do on those, then.

-You've got 40 for the two of them.

-Right.

Where can you be? Can you help me?

20.

That's very generous. Can I squeeze you a little more?

18.

-HE LAUGHS

-Perfect.

-OK!

-I'd love to take those.

That is brilliant, John - thank you very much for that.

Well, that was all very amicable!

That's what I wanted to find.

BELL RINGS

The ticket price on that is £65.

I don't think it's big enough for a ship's bell -

maybe a small boat, not sure.

Cor, he's getting very nautical today!

But then the auction at Upwey is just a few miles from the coast.

John - your bell...

It can be 40 quid.

-Can it?

-Mmm.

I think that's going to be too much for me.

35 - if that's any good. But that is...

That's getting better. Any way you can do 25?

Mm-mm. 30 quid - split the difference.

-OK.

-All right?

-30 quid. Deal.

-That's brilliant.

-Done.

And the bell tolls on this leg's shopping.

Hello?

Phil began with £292.42, and he spent £235 on five auction lots.

A pair of Worcester figures...

a large marble jardiniere...

a regimental drum...

a large granite garden roller...

and a set of false book fronts.

Whilst Tom started out with £303.06, and he spent £188,

also on five auction lots.

A cast-iron strongbox...

a 1930s rowboat...

a pair of converted artillery shells...

a brass bell...

and a set of cane stools.

But what did they really think of each other's bits and pieces?

Not a fan of the drum. I think that's a real...clanger.

I think the real danger is that Tom has possibly out-Serrelled Serrell.

He's gone and bought a canoe!

I'm quietly confident.

I think I might have rattled Phil a little bit, here.

After starting out in Devon at Exeter,

and heading over into Dorset,

this leg of our trip concludes at an auction in Upwey.

Upwey Station stars, as itself, in a Thomas Hardy poem

and the village also boasts its own wishing well,

which could be handy, because there's been a bit of an accident.

They're in for a shock. Stand by.

Agh! Busted!

-Oh, dear!

-That's not so hot, is it?

Happy days!

Yeah!

So, a roller which survived two world wars,

dating back to the early days of Queen Victoria, has been broken.

Because it's insured, though, the auctioneer's valuation

guarantees a minimum pay-out when it goes under the hammer.

So, how does Michael Keeble value it?

I believe it would have made £120, if not broken, in the auction.

Well, that'll help Phil overcome his disappointment, no doubt.

-Phil, what have you got coming up?

-It's my Worcester figures.

We're both a long way from home.

Remember, the one on the left's been restored,

but the other is in very good condition.

I've got three pre-commissioneds on this one.

I can start them at 80, 90, 100...

110, 120, 130, anywhere?

-Philip!

-130, anywhere?

-I was hoping...

-No interest?

130, 140 on the book, 150 anywhere?

-Look at you.

-Selling, then.

The dealer did say it was Phil's lucky day, though.

Tom's strongbox. No attempt to lift it, I see.

Gave it a bit of a clean-up. Got the dead snails out of it.

Lovely item, and two pre-bids on this. Take me in at £65.

-Is there 70 anywhere?

-Profit. Bit of profit.

-£70, anywhere?

Nope? Going at 65 to the pre-bidder, then.

That's just landed on my toe.

Still a profit, Tom.

And I cleaned it!

Now, for the canoe. This may not be plane sailing.

It's laying on the side wall, there.

Everyone's going to want this at home.

Well, no-one seems to want it here.

£20 for it, then.

-This is not looking good.

-None of you have got transport, have you?

£2 for it.

£2?!

Two's bid, three, four, five, six. Eight, ten,

12? £10 is bid.

12 anywhere?

Surely it's worth more than this.

£12 at the back. 15? 18?

-16?

-This is a struggle.

18? 20. 22. 25?

She only lives round the corner. It's easy for her. 25? 26?

It's £26 in the middle. 28, anywhere? I'm really struggling.

He's doing well, he's doing well for me.

£26, and selling, then.

Well done, Madam.

So, are we agreed, brothers? No more canoes!

I'd buy that every day.

You did!

I probably won't buy another one for quite a long time.

Time for Phil's column. Jardiniere, anyone?

Oh, here we go. You've got bids on the book.

-£20 is bid.

-Thanks(!)

Worth more, surely. 22, anywhere?

24, 26, 28?

£26 in the middle. 28, anywhere?

Is that it? Are we all done at £26? And selling, then.

That's made the same as my boat.

Yes. Big and awkward isn't good.

How will his old drum fare?

Nice thing, we can start this one in at £24.

-That's a relief. Out of jail on that.

-Yeah.

26, anywhere? 26, 28, 30?

£30 is with you, sir. 32, 35...

There's one bidding for it.

42, 45, 50, 55, 52?

52. 55? 52 at the back.

55 anywhere? Are we all done at 52? And selling, then.

To 414.

With that tiny profit, Phil's creeping ahead.

Can Tom's converted shells strike back?

A pair of World War II artillery shells.

I don't want anyone to know they're mine.

Nice things. Tenner for 'em?

£5 for them, then. Five is bid, six is bid 7, 8, 9, 10, 12?

£12 to the lady in the middle.

Come on, come on.

There's a pair of 'em. £14, anywhere?

Are we all done at 12? And selling, then.

14. 16. £14 with the lady. £16, anywhere?

Are we all done at 14, then?

And selling. To 184, thank you.

A bigger loss, after commission.

To be fair, that's probably where they should have sold at.

-What, for those?

-Raising 14 quid.

They'd probably have sold very well, there.

Now, for the roller. The auctioneer had quite a bit of interest,

but that was before it was broken.

Could be a different story now, though.

How can you break a granite roller?

Mind you, pairs always sell better than singles, don't they?

I can see what you did.

What can I say?

We'll give it a go. £20 for it?

Would've been a lot more if it wasn't broken.

Fiver for it, then.

-£2... This isn't going to sell, is it?

-Nope.

OK, we'll pass that one.

Phil, however, doubles his money

because the insurance pays

the auctioneer's valuation of £120.

Surely Tom's Weymouth Bell ought to earn a profit.

Perfect pub piece.

But then, I said that about my boat.

£20 for it?

Ten today, then, ten at the back.

12 anywhere? 12, there. 15?

18, 20, 22, 25,

28, 30. 32.

-Keep going.

-£30 at the back.

32, anywhere?

All done at 30. I'm selling, then. 264, thank you.

Another loss after commission, though. Oh, dear!

If I had the same opportunity, I'd go and buy the same rubbish again,

for the same money. That's what really worries me.

Phil's false books. Shame they're not Thomas Hardy.

£10 for 'em?

£8 with me, then, on the books.

£9 anywhere?

Amazingly expensive to buy these new.

-Anyone?

-They're expensive.

11 for these, sir. 12, anywhere?

At £12, anywhere? Are we all done at £11? And selling, then.

That was extremely cheap.

Just burnt more money.

It hasn't been a good day for either of them, has it?

Finally, those stools.

I can start these in at £12. £14 anywhere?

14? 16, 18, 20, 22?

-Yeah, rapid bidding.

-£20 on the bid with the pre-commissioneds, 22.

22 at the front.

24 anywhere? 24 anywhere?

Are we all done at 22?

And selling, then.

Well, at least it wasn't another loss, Tom.

Phil's the winner, though, thanks to the cash for his broken roller

and Tom's ship-sinking canoe purchase.

Tom began with £303.06.

After paying auction costs he made a loss of £59.26,

leaving him with £243.86 to spend next time.

While Phil started out with £292.42

and after paying auction costs, he made a profit of £51.18

so he has £343.60 and a lead of almost £100.

-Been a lovely old day, hasn't it?

-I'm glad you've had a nice time.

Yeah, I've had a super time. Would come here again!

Next time, I'll break everything!

-CHUCKLES:

-It's the final leg of our voyage.

We're starting out in the port of Southampton in Hampshire,

and heading to auction in Wareham in Dorset.

Known as the cruise capital of Europe,

Southampton has a bustling harbour.

There are also extensive remains of the city walls,

dating as far back as the 12th century.

Notably, the town was the departure point for the RMS Titanic

on her ill-fated maiden voyage.

Time for some shopping, though, I think.

Go on. Where are you going?

-I'm going this way.

-My shop's down here.

Go and spend some.

Get bold. See you later.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-You must be Don.

-Yes, I'm Don.

-Don, I'm Philip, how are you?

-Nice to meet you, Philip.

Welcome. Welcome to Cobwebs, old son.

There's a bit of a nautical flavour going on here...

This should appeal to Phil

because, although he's very much a landlubber,

he does have a soft spot for seafaring stuff -

and with £343.60 to spend, he's got plenty to choose from.

When I looked through the window,

you've got a parallel ruler in there.

Is it an old one or a new one?

It has a little bit of age to it.

-But...

-I've got a little bit of age but I ain't worth much, Don.

No.

This parallel ruler, for drawing lines on charts,

was actually invented as long ago as 1584.

You had your drawing board here and that gave you...

That's really cool, isn't it?

It is. That's why they're angled like this,

so they match up with meridians of longitude.

Don't start getting too technical, Don,

you're dealing with a country boy here.

Sorry, guv!

The ticket price on this navigator's tool is £58.

I think, at auction, that's going to make £30-£50, something like that.

Can we put that on the counter as a possibility?

-OK.

-If we can build up a little pile...

Cor, Phil and Don are getting on famously.

Tom, meanwhile, is floundering - 3-1 on his first road trip,

but he still has £243.80 to help him turn his luck around.

-Morning.

-Morning!

-I'm Tom.

-I'm James.

Do you mind if I have a bit of a rummage around?

-Yes, I'll come round with you.

-Point me in the right direction.

James certainly has plenty to choose from,

but Tom's just not steaming ahead.

Well, James, in amongst this lot,

what I'm trying to find are some safe, steady, general auction lots.

Well, what do you want me to say to that?!

I don't know really.

The trouble is, I've come in and I don't know what I want to buy.

Quite a nice piece, that one.

That's quite an acquired taste, though, isn't it?

Yeah.

Seems to be a bit of buyer's block here.

Price seems to be a bit of an issue too.

Is this a complete set, James?

Have you got the 24?

Yes, I believe so, yeah.

What have you got on your encyclopaedias?

200, the lot.

-200?!

-Yeah.

Oh, lordy. Back at Cobwebs, it's all hands on deck.

Oh, I like that.

-Is that a fid?

-No, that's a marlinespike.

Oh, for rope-making.

I think Phil's got a point, there,

because a fid does do a very similar job.

Plus, it's traditionally made from wood or bone.

If you can imagine the rope is like that, you put it in like that

-and it just opened it up.

-That's right.

That's what it did. And this is made out of lignum vitae, isn't it?

Lignum vitae, yes.

-It's a wood that doesn't float.

-That's quite true.

It's rock hard and they use this to make marine gears out of, don't they?

That's quite true. And the blocks.

-Yeah.

-Blocks and tackle.

The ticket price on this is £45.

Well, that might be another possibility.

I can sense a bit of a marine theme coming here.

-Can we put that on the counter?

-Yes.

Storming ahead! Can Tom match Phil's rate of knots in the buying stakes?

I'm completely flummoxed,

confused and I've no idea which way to turn, to be honest.

What I should be doing.

Well, we'll take that as a no, then.

James takes pity on Tom and lets him have a look in his storeroom too.

Welcome to Aladdin's cave.

Brilliant. Thank you very much.

Might anything in here suit?

I quite like those.

Yeah.

Go on, Tom, splash out. Who knows, it might be just Wareham's thing.

Well, I do quite like some of the bits and pieces, James,

but I think they're just going to be too pricey for me.

I think it might be time to head on.

Heavens.

Phil's still working on his maritime lot, I see.

What's the White Star Line crew muster card?

What would that be for?

This would be handed in

so that they could work out the vittles required.

-The food?

-The food.

So, R Kennedy...

this would have been his rations card almost, wouldn't it?

More or less, yes.

And how much would that be?

It's free, look, there's no price on it.

There is, it's written there - 23.

I'd like to buy the three bits for between 50 and 60 quid.

That's what I'd like to do.

-OK.

-What's the best you can do on it then?

Well, I'll say 60.

I'm going to shake your hand on that.

I like that, I really do. I like that a lot.

-Calm waters there, then.

-Cheers now. Bye-bye.

-Thank you.

-CAR HORN HONKS

-Oh, lordy.

-CAR HORN HONKS

-What?

-Come on.

Settle down, Tom.

-What's the matter?

-My plan's changed a bit, Phil.

You should be out spending all that money, what you doing here?

I tried but I failed, miserably.

I haven't spent a penny yet.

Probably your age, dear.

It's time to leave Southampton.

We're heading east to Fareham for Phil's next shop.

Tom's off, but Phil's about to doorstep his next dealer.

-Hi, how are you?

-Hello.

-Philip, how are you? Good to see you.

-Hello.

They tell me you trade in antiques.

We do. We do. We deal online but...

-I've come to buy off you.

-Hello.

-Where are we going?

-Come round here a sec.

Hello, this different.

Here we go.

And there it is - Aladdin's cave.

I wonder what treasures might lie in here.

-Can I have a look round?

-Help yourself.

"Help yourself," I like the sound of that.

Antiques Of Fareham mainly trades at fairs,

but Julia has especially opened up her stockroom to Phil.

Will he unearth some secrets?

Mm. The pressure's on.

I quite like this decanter.

It's a smart one, isn't it?

Yeah. Mappin & Webb decanter,

dated London 1914.

This year, isn't an antique -

-but next year it will be.

-Yeah.

If you want to be really picky, cos the definition of "antique"

is supposed to be when something's 100 years old.

That's Birmingham silver hallmark.

That's just quite a nice little thing, actually.

But I think the top's been ground down.

That might be a possibility, actually.

Mm, £58 on that one.

Phil's just not sure,

he's still hoping there may be hidden treasures.

I've never been shopping in a garage before.

Me neither, but he has picked up bargains in a pub

and a garden centre this trip, so who knows?

That's a chunky bit of silver, isn't it?

Can I have a look at that, please?

The price on this is a hefty £85.

Never mind the quality, feel the width.

-This is from Southampton Golf Club.

-Yeah.

-Good quality, that.

-Yeah.

-Let's go round the bend.

Erm...

I'd like to try and buy them, somewhere between 60 and 70 quid.

What's the best you can do?

-We paid a bit more than that.

-Did you?

-Yeah.

Go on, then.

-I can do that for 30.

-Yeah.

-50.

-That's 80.

-80.

-Erm...

-75.

I was going to ask you for 60.

70.

Go on, 65 and I'll have them.

-Yes, go on.

-Honestly?

-Yes, go on.

You're an angel. Thank you very much indeed.

The silver fox worked his magic on Julia there, which was quite a deal.

-Good luck to you.

-Steady on with all that kissing, Phil.

That's the best garage sale I've seen in a while.

Later, the boys will navigate their way back to Dorset

for the auction at Wareham,

but our next stop is Southsea.

There's Portsmouth Pier, or is that Southsea Pier?

-That's Portsmouth Pier.

-Is it? How do you know that, then?

-It says it on the front of it.

-That would be a clue!

It is confusing, chaps.

Southsea is only a mile from the city centre of Portsmouth itself

and is home to both the pier and this fine castle.

But no time for paddling - there's shopping to be done.

-Well, here we go.

-I'm that way.

-I'm this way.

-Good luck, matey.

-Talk to you later.

Tom's first shop, and the pressure is really on. Go, kid!

This looks perfect.

I can spend some cash in here.

After my performance yesterday I need two or three lots,

so wish me luck.

Parmiter Antiques is a family-run business

that's been trading here for 25 years

and owner Ian is a well-known figure in the local trade.

-Morning.

-Hello, Tom.

-How you doing?

-Welcome to Southsea.

-What a brilliant shop.

-Plenty to look at.

Yeah, I'm going to have a quick rummage and I'll give you a shout.

That's it. I hope you find something.

So do I. Empty-handed so far, Tom needs to get a bite.

Finally, he spies something.

Nice old yardstick.

Bit of brass at the end. That's quite nice.

It's in quite good condition as well.

That's nice. I like that.

Could this lot measure up for you, Tom?

That can be 25. Lovely bit of treen, isn't it, as well?

-How much better could that be?

-£20.

Could it be 15?

-Go on, then.

-Gets us started.

-All right, Tom.

Brilliant. Thank you.

Finally!

It might only be 36 inches of wood, but it's a start.

Phil's first port of call is Antiques Storehouse

in part of the world-famous Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

-Good morning.

-Andrew, Philip. How are you?

-You've got some stuff in here, haven't you?

-Yeah.

Owner Andrew specialises in militaria,

but will Phil be tempted to blow his cash on something unusual?

Doing daft and wacky is all very well...

but you can end up getting burned.

And I know Worcester porcelain.

There's a blushed ivy pot at £225.

Well, if you can get a bit of change out of the price,

we might be all right with that.

Worcester, eh?

Now, Phil's an expert in Worcester, so, dealer, beware.

Do you know? I can see Tom Scott on the horizon.

He's sinking, he's sinking fast.

Might be wishful thinking, that.

Phil doesn't want to scupper his own chances

and heads back to what he knows.

So a mark on the bottom, has it?

And that was made in...about 1902.

Spot on - 1902.

Oh, right. There you are, then. What will you do?

See those little dots there? They started putting the dots on them,

and they started in 1891,

and there's 11 dots there and 11 and 1891 is 1902.

So it's not rocket science.

-So, we've got the blushed ivory vase.

-Yeah.

What would the absolute best on that be?

Well, it cost me 140 - 141 just so I make a profit.

-Can I give you 140 for that?

-OK.

I tell you what, I'll buy it off you, shake your hand,

but I think I might lose money on that.

Then why did you buy it, you silly boy?

I wonder if the youngster is still on course.

What about the deal of the century?

-What's that?

-Staffordshire figures.

-£100 for the lot.

-For the lot?

-Yeah.

That's got to be worth putting in auction.

Ooh, I'm not so sure about that.

Staffordshire has fallen out of favour of late,

this could be risky, but there's a lot of them.

-Romeo and Ruliet.

-Brilliant.

-That's not old.

There's some good ones amongst it.

15. £15-£100.

That's a possibility.

-They could all go in one big lot, couldn't they?

-Yeah.

What about something like 60 quid?

-80?

-Meet in the middle? 70?

-Go on, then.

-Perfect.

-You'll do well with those.

-Deal. I think that'll be good.

Phew! Two lots in quick succession.

Can he make it three in a row?

-They're nice and heavy, aren't they?

-Sweet, aren't they?

They'd just make nice little wall lights, wouldn't they?

They're £40 the pair.

-So where are we? 85 quid, aren't we?

-Yeah.

Can we do 100 quid for the lot?

105 you've got a deal.

I'll take that. Brilliant. Thank you.

Giving you a chance.

That's brilliant. Appreciate it all. Thank you very much.

Well done, Tom, that's three good lots there.

Is he finally ploughing a true course, or will Phil set him adrift?

-Here he is. How are you?

-I'm all right!

You don't hang about, do you?

-I though it would be a good idea if we swapped shops.

-Let's do that.

-Spent all your money?

-Not all.

-I'm going to spend all mine.

-All right, mate. See you in a bit.

Phil has just £78.60 left in the coffers.

-Hello, how are you?

-I'm very well, Phil.

-We met years ago, didn't we?

-Yeah, we did.

-You've got some good things in here.

-Yeah, loads of old junk.

I love old junk.

I tell you what I'm seeing straightaway that I love -

-that light.

-Yeah, it's cool, isn't it?

How much are those?

-300.

-That's me gone.

Now that would be pushing the boat out.

Steady as she blows now!

Let me just have a whizz round

and I'm going to make instantaneous purchase here.

Oh, lordy. Brace yourselves for what Phil might buy in this cornucopia.

I think I know what I'm going to buy, and this is utter lunacy,

but these things are so cool.

That's a real trendy thing. I think that's wicked.

Has that always been on there like that?

No, I don't think so.

It's what they do, they make them up.

You see, this came from an art gallery.

How much is that one?

-100 quid.

-There is a problem with the price, right?

-Yeah, I thought there might be.

-This is all I've got.

-How much you got?

-78 and 60 pence.

Give me the 75.

Yeah.

And keep that for your lunch.

-I've got to buy something else, then, for £3.

-Oh, right!

I've bought that, then.

Cheeky.

What else have you got for £3.60?

I'll give you a bargain of the century.

Another one?

What's that, then?

Open it up.

Oh, blimey. I think we're in business here.

-Box of goodies.

-Box with contents.

-I'll not even look - £3.60.

You're a gentleman and a scholar. What a good chap.

-Thank you.

-Good luck.

Thanks for that.

Well, that would be fastest £78.60 spent in Road Trip history.

Well done, Phil.

Who knows what little treasures that box might hold, Pandora?

Back at the Storehouse,

it's Tom's turn to see what he can unearth in Andrew's vast emporium.

Afternoon. I'm Tom. How you doing?

-Do you mind if I have a dig around?

-Go on help yourself.

-It'll take you an hour or so, but...

-I'll start this way.

-Get your trainers on.

-I'll wind round. See you in a bit.

And with £138.80 still to spend, he's off.

There's loads and loads and loads of stuff.

This could take a while.

What we got here?

These are quite fun, aren't they?

These are big old beauties.

It's not such a nice colour now you can see it all.

They're possible, though.

Quite like those. Might come back to these.

Uh-oh!

This is Tom's last chance to take the wind out of Phil's sails,

and he's starting to flounder.

Come on, Tom, don't sink on the last lap!

You can do it!

Let's have another look at those two shades.

£90 each is going to be way too high, they need to be £90 a pair.

I'll go and see what he thinks of that.

I need to test the water, see where we are price-wise.

How are you fixed?

I can do a little bit of haggling.

If I was going to make you a bid on them,

I'm kind of thinking £80 for the pair.

For the pair. I couldn't do it.

They would have cost me more than that in the first place.

OK. I'll keep digging about.

This is just really difficult.

I have no idea what to buy at all.

Oh, dear. Is it time to signal for help?

Just bought a little Morse key, World War II.

Cost me a tenner, you can have it for £15.

I might need to. I like that. It's cool, isn't it?

-There you go.

-That's pretty cool, innit?

So I'm still thinking about those lampshades.

I tell you what, to stop me tripping over them, I'll do them 110.

-Really?

-If that helps.

-So you're looking at 110?

-Yeah.

-120 with this?

Easy come, easy go - OK. Done.

-Deal.

-OK.

-Thank you very much.

Phil's finally getting behind the wheel

and he's off to see one of Portsmouth's oldest residents

in a brand-new home.

The newly-opened £35 million

Mary Rose Museum is the latest addition

to the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard complex.

The 16th-century flagship sank on the 19th of July 1545,

during a battle with the French.

After returning from the depths over 30 years ago,

she finally has a state-of-the-art home,

where she'll be on open display

while continuing to be preserved for future generations.

Alex is one of the curators.

She was a very important ship of Henry VIII's reign.

She was built as soon as he came to the throne

and she sank just two years before he died,

so she actually epitomises the whole of his reign

where warfare at sea changed,

and she's the living community of 500 men

at a really important time in history.

Resting on a metal support in her new berth,

at over 100 feet in length,

the timber flagship is an impressive sight.

-Oh, that is just incredible, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-That's the Mary Rose.

-It is.

-The level of conservation here must be unbelievable.

-It's huge.

And it has been a lifetime's work, it is a generation.

It's been sprayed until two weeks ago - and we brought it up in 1982.

Behind that grey tubing,

which is actually the last phase of the conservation,

which will blow air over the timbers,

are all the seven gun ports that the big guns,

the main armament of the ship, would have gone through.

And we have the armament in this mirror image behind us.

How did she go down? How did she sink?

We're not sure, it's probably a combination of things.

But the best eye-witness accounts said she'd fired guns

from one side of the ship, and we think it's the starboard side,

and she turned to fire guns from the other side of the ship

and as she did, she sank,

she fell onto the side of the guns she'd just fired.

-Past the point of no return, almost.

-Past the point of no return.

Why that happened, we don't know.

Sounds like you've got a job for life.

The Mary Rose Trust has been painstakingly conserving

the tens of thousands of objects

brought up with the ship for decades now.

Protecting these precious artefacts is a laborious process,

requiring them to be washed, treated with preservatives

and freeze-dried to remove all remaining liquid.

Phil gets a rare peek behind the scenes

of this impressive operation.

-These are some of the 250 listed longbows.

-250?

And they are all, so far, of yew - and probably foreign, imported yew.

-Foreign? Why?

-We ran out of it.

-We ran out of it in the late Middle Ages.

-Look at that.

So, I'm holding a 500-year-old yew wood longbow.

This feels like you're holding something that's 20 or 30 years old

and you've got to stop and think...

-It's that old.

-..it's that old.

As the sun sets on the boys' trip,

let's remind ourselves of what they bought.

Phil Serrell started this final leg with £343.60,

spent every bean of it on five lots.

A golf trophy paired with a silver-mounted decanter...

a 1950s electric theatre light...

a collection of nautical memorabilia...

an oak box with jewellery inside...

and a Royal Worcester blush ivory vase.

Tom Scott started with £243.80, and spent all but £18.80,

also on five lots.

A pair of ship's wall lights...

a 1940s RAF Morse code key...

a collection of 15 Staffordshire figures...

a yardstick...

and a large pair of stained glass pendant lights.

But what do they really think of each other's lots?

I think the Staffordshire is going to make a profit.

I can't see how he can fail on that.

The Worcester's going to go well, it always does.

He knows his Worcester.

I think I'm going to struggle to catch him, for sure.

It's all down to the last auction now,

and I might be ahead at the minute, but I might not be at the end.

After starting out in Hampshire at sunny Southampton

and heading east to the Portsmouth area, this leg of our trip

doubles back to Dorset and concludes at an auction in Wareham.

An historic market town since the 16th century,

Wareham was originally a small Roman settlement,

although the current town was founded by the Saxons.

Auctioneers Cottees have been in business in Wareham

for over 100 years, specialising in Poole Pottery,

So, who will triumph in the end,

big spender Phil or new kid on the block Tom?

John Condie is in charge of deciding their fate.

First up is Phil's glass decanter

and golfing trophy with the silver details.

Oh, here we go. Here we go.

£50 for the two?

50? 30, then?

-Help.

-£30?

Thank you. £30 is bid at the back. £30.

£30 I got. £35 anywhere?

35? 35 bid. 40?

£40 bid.

45?

45. 50?

£50 I got at the back.

50.

I'll sell it for £50, then.

Last chance...

GAVEL BANGS

Uh-oh - that's a loss on the first lot.

# There may be trouble ahead... #

Next, Tom's pair of ship's lights. Will they shine at auction?

Start me at £20 for those. 20 for the lights?

-£20 I'm bid.

-Off to the races, mate.

£20 I got. 25, anybody else?

Get a fiver, surely.

Can't tempt you?

It's right at the back at 20 then...

-GAVEL BANGS

-£20.

They break even, but after costs, a small loss.

Do we need to man the lifeboats?

I wonder if they've ever had a dead heat in this competition?

It's time to signal for help - Tom's Morse key is up next.

Is this going to get me out of trouble?

Dee-dee-dee-dah-dah-dah.

It's a nice thing, start me at £20 for it.

20?

-Thank you.

-Look at that - doubled up.

20. 25 now make it.

25 on the net.

25. 30 bid.

30. £30 bid.

Should have bought more of these.

At £30, gentleman in the room...

-Anyone else?

-That's brilliant.

-GAVEL BANGS

-£30.

Tripled his money there.

It's Phil's turn in the spotlight.

-Is Wareham ready for this?

-Well, I've seen the light,

I'm just not sure everybody else has.

60?

£60 for it, surely?

50 then?

£40 bid. 40. 45.

50. 55.

60 if you like.

60 here. 60. 65.

70?

70 bid. 70. 75.

He's not going to give up this one, he's going to keep going.

80? £80 I've got.

80. 85.

90, sir?

90 bid. On my right.

He's just got me my money back, hasn't he?

I'm relieved about that at the minute.

£90, then, we're selling it...

-GAVEL BANGS

-£90.

A little brightness in the dark.

Phil makes a small profit there.

We've sold two lots each.

Two lots each and what, am I about 45, 50 quid ahead?

-About 50, yeah.

-It's getting on, isn't it?

-It is.

It's time for Tom's collection of Staffordshire figures.

Does anyone have a big enough mantelpiece to hold this lot?

What do you say then? £100 for the lot?

Oh, hello.

100? 80 then?

20.

-HE CHUCKLES

-Eh?

Where did that come from?

-20, John.

-£20 is bid.

£20 - there's no reserve.

£20. Who's going to take him on?

At 20. 5 on the net. 25.

£30 bid. 30.

£30 I got.

It's got a way to go.

35 now make it. 35 on the net.

40 bid.

-40 I've got.

-It's getting there.

-Yeah.

45 on the net.

45.

50 bid in the room.

50.

Centre of the room there, £50 then...

Anyone else?

GAVEL BANGS

Well, the buyer seems happy. I'm not sure about Tom, though.

Phil is creeping further ahead.

It's time for his maritime collection.

Will it prove seaworthy and make a profit?

I've got interest starting at £50.

-Hey.

-That's a result.

50.

55 now.

55. 60.

65. 70.

75. 80.

-It's going.

-85. 90.

£90 here. 90.

At £90 then...