Episode 2 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!

-I've fallen in love with a brick!

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

There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

I feel antiqued out!

Will it be the high road to glory or the slow road to disaster?

-GEARS CRUNCH

-Charlie!

-Sorry!

This is the Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

This week, we're with the dashing duo of the antiques world.

Auctioneer, antiques expert and all-round good guy Charles Hanson

had a shaky start...

I don't believe it! You conquered me today!

..but has fought hard to take back the lead.

LAUGHTER Thank you very much.

Hot on his heels is jewellery expert Christina Trevanion.

She may be a Road Tip rookie...

-As it's my first Road Trip...!

-HE LAUGHS

..but she's got one thing on her mind.

-I NEED a bargain!

-Need a bargain!

And she's going to great lengths to get what she wants.

-That's it. The gloves are off, baby!

-LAUGHS

Charles started with £200

and after two trips to auction has made some impressive profits,

giving him £391.96p to spend today.

Also kicking off with £200,

Christina's seen a steady return on her purchases,

clocking up a respectable budget of £229.20p.

Their worthy steed for the journey

is this beautifully preserved 1969 Morris Minor.

Sorry.

-CHRISTINA LAUGHS

-What happened?

Yet another car suffers at the hands of Hanson!

My knob's come off. Sorry. CHRISTINA LAUGHS

-Do you want me to screw it back on?

-Could you screw my knob on, please?

Oh, try to behave, Charles!

The route for the week takes our intrepid road trippers

from Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire over peak and dale

to their final destination of Cobridge in Staffordshire,

covering approximately 600 miles.

On this part of the journey,

they'll kick off their shopping in Liverpool

and work their way up to the auction in Lytham St Annes in Lancashire.

Liverpool's wealth was in part due

to the city handling 40% of the world's trade

by the early 19th century.

Can our duo cash in on this rich heritage?

They're off to a great start(!)

-The car's rolling off.

-Is it? Sorry! Handbrake!

Or maybe not.

-See you later.

-Bye.

With no sign of putting the brakes on,

Charles is starting in pole position.

But can his first shop of the trip

and owner Trevor help him stay there?

I'll go for a walk around, if that's OK.

-I'm on a bit of a thrill chase today.

-Good.

-To keep myself in the lead.

-Well, bright and optimistic is good.

I'll be back in a second.

I'm trying to impress Christina.

A man is always underdressed without a waistcoat.

Quite the gentleman, isn't he?

That could be Christina on this cigarette card.

Cheeky boy!

It's a wonderful shop! There's everything here.

But is there anything you like, Charles?

What I quite like is down here.

It's marked Ruskin.

What has caught my eye is it's priced at...

WHISPERS: ..£55!

And that's really cheap. The problem is, it says "cracked".

If it wasn't cracked, it could be worth £300 or £400.

Well, Charles, that's quite a find.

-Trevor?

-Yeah.

-I couldn't look in your cabinet?

-You're welcome.

I just noticed on this shelf down here a nice Ruskin bowl.

Yes, it has a crack in it.

-Has a crack.

-It's incredibly thin.

-Is it?

-Yeah.

-You're circa 1920, aren't you, with this?

-I'm sure.

It's Ruskin copying the great Chinese master potters

in their flambe and other glazes.

Trevor, what's your best price on that?

-Charles...

-Trevor.

-..you're a nice guy.

-Yes, mate!

-You don't give any nasty pressure.

-No.

-£30.

-Trevor, you say 30. I'm always one to come back.

I think one's got to negotiate and make a counter offer.

-Would you take £25?

-I would, Charles.

-Would you really, Trevor?

-Yes.

-Because it's just got to go?

-No.

Because it's as sunny as you are!

Ha ha! He's a jolly fellow!

I'm really excited.

What Trevor doesn't realise

is that on the bottom it's dated 1917.

It's also not cracked. Um...

And I think it's really nice. I think it's worth £100.

Hanson! Off and running!

Well, Charles, that might make you a pretty packet at auction,

so Christina's got some serious catching up to do.

-Thanks very much, Trevor. Good to see you again.

-Good luck.

Her first shop was once a stable

built to serve one of the world's first train stations.

With so much history packed in, she'll have to work hard

to find the right piece for profit in this place.

I'm looking for one thing - possibly one or two things -

which are going to make me big money.

"Needle" and "haystack"... springs to mind.

It'll be fine.

This labyrinth of antiques

is putting our girl in a bit of a spin.

-I just want to tidy it all up!

-LAUGHS

With so much choice,

Christina's turning to the auction house for divine inspiration.

..ceramics and Chinese.

So, really, we're looking for jewellery and silver,

ceramics and Chinese?

Bye, bye.

It's very much "smalls".

In that case, furniture's out.

-BREATHES IN

-No pressure(!)

Armed with that advice, there'll be no more horsing about.

It looks almost Picasso in inspiration, doesn't it?

It's quite lovely. I like that.

Quite a nice shape, very displayable.

It's the kind of thing that my granny would have loved,

and is coming back into vogue now.

Christina's first find is an Italian art pottery jug.

Now she's on a roll.

So, these would have been carpet bowls,

or ARE carpet bowls.

You would have played...

your carpet bowls inside as a game.

Like you play crown green balls now.

You really want to make sure that they've got no chips to the glaze.

These haven't, as far as I can see.

And they're nice decorative things, nice colour.

Together, they make quite a nice little display.

They're marked up at £6 each.

At last, she's bowled over,

but can she strike a deal with owner Paul?

Paul, what's your thoughts on...

..a jug and some carpet bowls?

-£20 the lot.

-That sounds like quite a lot of money.

-That's cheap.

-No?

-I had hours of fun with them bowls.

Oh, he's a lot of fun.

I was thinking more like a tenner.

-We're in 2013.

-I know.

-The war's over!

-I'll take 15 quid for them.

-I'm still at a tenner.

-Go on.

-They're cheap at 15.

-Go on. A tenner. I need the head start!

-Split the difference at 12?

-Yeah. Go on.

-Yeah? Do me at 12?

-Yeah.

Brilliant. You're a star. Thank you very much.

She knows how to get what she wants.

With deal at £12,

it's time to hit the road once more

and make the short journey towards Prescot.

Sitting on the edge of town is our next stop, Knowsley Hall,

a 2,500-acre estate.

And all this beautiful countryside is inspiring our eager experts

to stage an impromptu rescue attempt.

-LAMB BLEATS

-Go on, Charlie!

-Come on!

-Go on, Charlie! Go on!

You shoo him back here, I'll catch him.

Oh, no. Come on!

-Well done!

-Come on.

-Yay!

-There you go.

What a hero he is!

Now, hurry along, Charles, cos Christina has an important date.

-Have fun.

-Bye.

-Bye.

The current resident of Knowsley Hall

is the 19th Earl of Derby.

His family's history is closely connected to the history of Britain

and includes a Prime Minister, a champion of William Shakespeare

and close ties to the royal family stretching back to Richard III.

Despite all that, it's the family's passion for horse racing

that's arguably been their biggest contribution to British life.

They created their namesake, the Derby,

the best-known horse race in the world.

GALLOPING HOOVES

-You must be Lord Derby.

-Hi there.

-I'm Lord Derby, nice to meet you.

-Thank you so much for having us.

Your house is absolutely stunning.

I'm very proud to be part of a long lineage here.

The family have lived here for 600 years.

-There's obviously been a link with horses.

-A huge link with horses.

Going way, way back, pre-Civil War.

Here at Knowsley in the park, there was a racecourse.

-This is the park of this house?

-This is the park.

That tower which was a lookout for the racecourse is still there.

It shows that that family link with racing goes on a long way.

It was the 12th Earl of Derby who started the Epsom Oaks in 1779,

and then the Derby a year later,

marking the beginning of the sport as we know it today.

The naming of the Derby was at a dinner party at Epsom,

and a toss of a coin between Sir Charles Bunbury and Lord Derby.

Derby won the toss, but Diomed, Sir Charles Bunbury's horse,

-won the first running of the race.

-That's very diplomatic!

It took another nine years till Derby could win it.

The family have had great success across the generations,

right up to today, with Lord Derby's own champion horse,

Ouija Board.

And of course, their name has gone beyond horse racing

and has spread into other sporting events.

It really has flourished

into all these wonderful international events!

It's spread out into all these international events.

We've gone beyond racing.

We've got donkey derbies and demolition derbies...

What a sporting legacy to uphold!

Quite a sporting legacy! Quite a family history!

I'm very proud to be part of such an illustrious and long family history.

With Christina otherwise engaged,

Charles is trotting round the countryside on his own...

HORN HONKS

..en route to Wigan in Greater Manchester

one of the first towns in the country to feature a railway.

George Orwell also brought fame to the town

with his book The Road To Wigan Pier,

largely concerned with England's working poor.

Today, however, the area is the centre

of a large regeneration project.

Can our Charles turn rags to riches at his next stop, JW Antiques?

He's certainly keeping his eyes peeled for a bargain!

I'm short-sighted.

Looking good, Charles!

No, it's not very good. I can't see a thing.

When it comes to afternoon tea, you might take a seat...

"How are you, darling?" "How are you?"

Oh, Charles! First, it's an imaginary friend.

Now a tea party on the floor!

We've got some chips on the rims over there.

We've got a nice set of three milk down to cream jugs

and a small jug for in between,

and that lovely condiment set - just gorgeous and so complete.

This Art Deco tea and coffee set dates from the 1930s

and has a price tag of £80

for the lot.

What's he up to now?

He's picking up items by the bucket-load, with the help of John.

The reason I quite like this bucket is because clearly it has some age.

It's quite rustic. It's coopered.

Which is this iron or... Yeah, it is, cast-iron binding.

I think it's pine, isn't it?

That's just quite a nice bucket.

If I said to you, John, what sort of value on this bucket,

what would you tell me? What's it worth?

To a poor man from Derbyshire, John, looking to earn a buck at auction.

Let the man think, Charles!

-45.

-OK.

-I'll give it some thought.

-No problem.

-He's saying...

That man over there is saying how much?

-'£25!'

-£25. Do you know him?

-Yeah.

-Oh, I know him, yeah.

-Good man. I'll give it some thought!

Oh, boss Will says £25.

There's no stopping you now, Charles,

as he's spotted another piece.

I like this. This is of Newcastle on Tyne,

and they're flowering out in a great Deco style.

It's called the crocus pattern.

It's quite nice, it's not in bad condition.

Charles is adding this crocus pattern pottery bowl

to the items on his wish list,

already featuring the 18th-century peat bucket

and the coffee and tea set.

Right, boys. Prepare yourselves. Hanson's ready to deal.

-I think you said the best on the bucket was 20.

-Yeah.

Actually, Charles, it was 25, but who's counting?

-What's the best on the bowl?

-That is the best.

-20?

-Yeah.

What's the best price, John, on that big coffee set?

I would value that at between 50 and 80 at auction.

I want to buy it for about £40, but you've got your margins.

-If you want it for 50, you can have it.

-Yeah...

-And you'll make money on it.

-Yeah. It's tempting.

If I said to you I'm going to buy the peat bucket for 20, 20 for that,

and rather than paying 50 for that big set...

..would you accept 40? You would?

Thank you, John. I'll take the whole lot.

Chancer Charles wins again

and is walking away with the coffee and tea set for £40,

the pottery bowl for £20 and the bucket also for £20.

Bargains all round!

But can Christina do even better?

she's been making her way

to the small town of Bretherton.

With a recorded history going back over 800 years,

perhaps Bretherton's biggest claim to fame is its association

with the father of British astronomy, Jeremiah Horrocks.

The perfect place for Christina to reach for the stars

with her remaining £217.20p.

-Hello!

-Hello, Christina. It's lovely to see you.

-What's your name?

-Aiden.

-Nice to meet you, Aiden.

-Thank you so much for having us.

-You're welcome.

This looks wonderful! How exciting.

I wonder what we can tempt you with. We want you to make a profit.

Ah, excellent, Christina, a partner in crime, eh?

-Jewellery here.

-And silver there, brilliant.

I'm not an expert on me jewellery.

Well, Aiden, luckily our girl is - so move aside.

That's nice, that little pepper.

This Edwardian silver pepperette has caught Christina's eye.

Nice Birmingham hallmark.

-I can see it's already got a blue glass liner...

-Which is nice.

-..which really helps.

-And original.

-And it's some original pepper!

-Yep. SHE LAUGHS

-It just screams Art Nouveau, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

-So...

-What's it got on it?

-You've got £80 on that.

-£80?

-I know you like a bargain, don't you?

-I NEED a bargain.

You need a bargain!

How's 40?

Half price? He's trying hard, Christina.

-That's a big drop.

-Wow! That is a big drop! Incredibly kind.

-We want you to make a profit!

-Thank you.

-Eh?

Huh! Team Christina all the way!

-Ooh, those buttons are nice.

-They are nice, those.

Yeah. Oh, Chester as well. Those are lovely.

Great you've got the original box and there's still six.

-You've got a good eye, haven't you?

-I try!

-Yeah!

-Not so far, I'm losing!

No, you're picking nice pieces.

The case of six Edwardian silver buttons dates from 1903

and are priced at £125.

I would look at those and I would say 80 to 120 at auction.

-Right. So...

-Can you do something like 75...?

-Oooh!

-I know you're pretty!

-Go on.

-It's that smile you've got, isn't it?

Good job not all my customers have got smiles or I'd be broke!

CHRISTINA LAUGHS Go on, then. We want you to win.

-Brilliant. Can we do it at 75?

-75.

-Oh, my...

-I'm in shock.

-I don't know how much money I've got.

-I'm spending too much money!

-I hope you've run out!

Yeah, I think I might have done.

Relax, Christina. There's still £102.20p in your kitty.

So, can Aiden tempt you with yet more goodies?

-I should be looking at this!

-Yeah, £3.

Everything that I'm buying for £1 makes me most profit.

-It's ridiculous.

-How about that for a bargain?

Oh, he's cute. Dogs.

-It's got to be the right price, though.

-Right price...

-It's not silver.

-Going off that, you can't lose at £1, can you?

-£1? Are you serious?

-£1.

-Aiden, it's a deal. Thank you.

-It's only cos you're smiling!

-Brilliant, thank you.

-I'm a sucker for a smile.

-I'll take it.

-You're welcome.

-Fantastic. You're a star!

A silver-plated dog for a £1 note?

You'd have to be barking mad to say no, Christina.

Added to the buttons and the pepperette,

she's walking away with a silver haul.

-Shall we call it 115?

-How much is it?

-116.

-Go on, then!

She's done it again!

-Thank you very much.

-Mwah!

Ah! What a gentleman!

And a kiss to seal the deal.

'Back on the road together, and Charles is turning on the charm.

-You've got the X factor.

-Oh, don't be daft.

You have! You've got those eyelashes...

-If I've got the X factor, what have you got?

-It's a good question.

What have I got?

-You have natural talent.

-Thank you very much. You can come again.

Don't encourage him, Christina.

They're making the short journey to the village of Eccleston,

home to Olympic gold cyclist extraordinaire,

Sir Bradley Wiggins.

And two old weaving mills -

one of which is now being converted

into an Aladdin's cave of antiques and collectables.

Let's get shopping.

-Which way are you going?

-That way.

-OK. See you later.

Good luck.

And they're off, scouring their final shop of the day.

Ah!

This man is almost a lookalike for Charlie Ross!

Charlie, would you mind? Thanks, mate. You're a good man.

How rude!

-SHE WOLF WHISTLES

-Oh, my!

SHE LAUGHS

He's going to get so lost! Think I ought to give him a map?

Not a bad idea, girl.

With the clock ticking, Charles is feeling the pressure.

-Any bargains in there?

-I don't know.

I feel antiqued out! It's just huge.

After an hour of searching,

Charles makes a last mad dash for a final purchase

in Antico, across the road.

Ah, hello.

-Sir, Charles Hanson. Your name is?

-Darren.

-Hi, Darren.

-Can I wander round?

-Course you can.

-Lovely. I'm going to be really quick.

Meanwhile, already armed with five lots,

Christina decides to ditch shopping

for an altogether more relaxing experience.

Enjoy this sunshine!

Time's running out, Charles.

I'm struggling here.

-There's a nice little wall stand that I bought this morning.

-Oh, yes?

Darren, that's quite nice, actually.

Has he finally found his last lot in this late Victorian wall rack?

What I love about this is the turning.

Walnut and ebonised on mahogany shelf tiers.

-It is - what, 1880?

-Yeah.

1870. And you'll tell me, Charles, it's how much?

45 to you.

-You wouldn't take 30 for it?

-No.

-In cash.

-No.

-Darren look at me.

-No, it's got to be £40.

-For me?

-No less?

-No. £40.

I'll take it. Go on. Sold.

£40, that's my fifth item.

I'm happy.

At last, he's walking away with the wall rack.

And the shopping is all done.

Charles started this leg in the lead with £391.96p.

He's parted with £145 and is offering up five lots. -

a peat bucket,

a crocus-pattern bowl,

a Ruskin stoneware bowl,

an Art Deco tea and coffee service

and a walnut wall rack.

Christina began with £229.20p and also has five items,

at a cost of £127

for a silver-plated dog,

six Edwardian silver buttons,

a silver pepperette,

four porcelain carpet bowls

and an Italian art pottery jug.

So, what do they think of each other's wares?

I have to be honest, I think he's bought some pretty things...

..but I don't think there's anything that's going to completely run away

and make a fortune.

The bucket's nice...

but it's a bucket, isn't it?

Yes, I would swap some of my items for hers,

but I'm still very content to sit pretty.

And, Christina - watch, girl, and learn.

Ooh! That's fighting talk, Charles.

It doesn't look like it's letting up on the road, either.

They're heading to auction

in the seaside resort of Lytham St Annes near Blackpool.

Consisting of two neighbours,

the 19th-century planned town of St Annes

and its older counterpart Lytham,

this area has been a popular holiday destination since Victorian times.

They're going to Gerrards auctioneers and valuers,

where today's auction is in the room, over the phone and online,

Jonathan Cook's got the gavel in his grasp.

First up is Christina and her silver-plated dog.

£20 on the net. Any advance on 20?

-£20!

-Where'd that come from?

Any advance on 20 in the room? 22 on the net.

24. 26.

-Well done. I don't believe this.

-All finished at £28...?

-Brilliant!

-Yay!

That profit will keep you out of the doghouse for a while, Christina.

Can Charles also rack up a profit with his first lot of the day?

Bids there at £28.

At 28. 30. £32? On the net at 32.

34. 36.

At £36 on the net. Any advance in the room? At £36...

Do sit still, Charles.

-..At 40, £40.

-Calm down!

42 on the phone! At £42, then. Sell away at 42...

After all the time he took to find it,

his £2 profit will be wiped out by auction house costs.

Shame.

Back to Christina.

Will her horsey Italian jug see her galloping into profit?

£10 on the net. £10 on the internet. Any advance in the room...?

-They don't like my jug.

-It's a profit.

-They don't like my jug.

-It's a profit, though, isn't it?

-You're just warming up still.

-OK. I'd better warm up quickly.

Indeed, Christina,

as most of that small profit will be eaten up in costs.

Charles again, now,

with his late 18th-century pine peat bucket.

£25. 26. At 26. 30.

-£30. Five. 40.

-See?

-Keep going.

Five. 50. £50. Any advance on 50?

There's a bucket-load of profit there for you, Charles. Well done.

Can Christina follow suit with the Art Nouveau silver buttons?

£28. £30. 32.

34. 36. 38. 40.

42. 44. 46.

£46 on the net. 48. 50.

Five. 60. Five.

At £65. Any advance in the room?

-Come on!

-£65.

Ah! It's a blow, with a £10 loss.

Staying with silver,

can her pepperette sprinkle her with profit?

Starting off at 28. 30. 32. 34. 36.

-Brilliant.

-At £36. 38. 40.

-You're in profit.

-At £40. 42. 44...

A lot of interest here, Christina.

..Five. 60. Five. 70. 75.

-80. Five.

-Oh!

One more! Go 88.

88?

£88. 90.

Thank you anyway, madam.

£90, are we all sure?

£51 profit on the pepperette!

That's not to be sneezed at! Ha!

Over to Charles and his crocus pattern pottery bowl.

-£10. Any advance on ten?

-A tenner!

-It's lovely, in perfect condition.

-£12. 14 on the net.

-Keep going.

-14. 16.

-18. 20.

-Oh, yes!

Sell away at 20...

-It's one of mine. Thanks.

-No-one would have guessed(!)

It may be in perfect condition, but it's breaking even.

No profits here, Charles.

Next is Charles' tea and coffee set, circa 1930.

£50 bid on the net. 55.

-Go on.

-60. Five.

-70. 75.

-Keep going, boy.

-£80 on the net.

-Keep going.

-It's going to sell. £80...

Cor! He's doubled his money with that lot.

Will Christina's carpet bowls help her roll into bigger profits?

Tenner at the back. £10. Gent's bid at ten.

At £10. Any advance on ten?

12 on the net. 14.

No further interest.

-No interest at all...

-Get on with it!

-Are we all sure?

-Bring that gavel down!

Another £9 in the bank, Christina.

Last up is Charles, with his Ruskin stoneware bowl.

Can he capitalise on its good condition?

-Nice thing this.

-It IS a good thing.

-Start it off at £100.

£100. 110. 120...

Go on, boy! We're riding!

..140. 150.

-160.

-Keep going, boy.

-£170, all finished...?

It's a cracker! £145 profit. Wow!

-That is absolutely phenomenal.

-Can't believe it.

-I'm over the moon.

-Well done.

-Thank you!

You are out of this world, Charles, with two auction wins in a row.

Well done.

Christina Trevanion started with £229.20p.

After auction costs, she's made a profit of £42.74p,

which makes her total for the next round...

But, having started with £391.96p,

Charles Hanson has made a hefty profit, of £151.84p after costs,

increasing his lead and giving him £543.80p

to flash on the next leg.

-Shall I drive?

-Yes, why not?

You've made such a phenomenal profit. I'm slightly in shock still.

-I literally cannot believe it.

-I love Lytham!

-I bet you do.

Long live Lytham.

-Let's go. On to Leeds.

-Off we go.

HORN HONKS

On this leg they kick off in Leeds, Yorkshire,

before heading north for auction in Penrith in Cumbria.

-Madam.

-Thank you very much.

-Your driver will depart.

-See you later.

-Go for it.

-Bye.

Having lost the last auction,

Christina's determined to get on the front foot

and spend some of her £271.94p.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-I'm Christina.

-I'm Pete.

-Pete, nice to meet you, Pete.

-Nice to meet you, Christina.

-This looks very exciting.

Lots of furniture, I see.

More besides...

Show me your empire.

-Bit more furniture.

-Bit more furniture in here.

This could be quite a task.

I've only got £271 to spend.

I need to come up with something really golden.

Oh, Lordy!

The search goes on.

It's amazing what you can come up with.

Oh! There's a big spider in there!

Ooooh! I don't like spiders.

Maybe it's time to consult Pete.

There's this dressing table.

-It's got this sort of tambour...

-Yes, they're little tambour...

..tops.

Ooh!

Ow!

They're vicious!

I don't think we're seeing it at its best.

So what's that sort of money?

45.

45 quid.

It's a big lump.

That's what concerns me. It's a big bit of furniture.

Not many people could accommodate it in their homes...

but there's something about it that I just quite like.

And what would that be, Christina?

£20?

-35.

-Come on, Pete.

30.

-Oh, go on, 20, it gives me a fighting...

-25 and that's, that's...

It gives me a fighting chance at £20.

-OK, 20. It's done.

-Yeah?

-OK, yeah.

-Pete, you're a legend. Thank you.

It's either going to be brilliant or it's going to bomb spectacularly,

and I think it's probably going to be the latter!

Possibly, but isn't it staggering

that you can pick up a substantial piece of furniture for just £20?

Now, here's Charles, feeling confident with £543.80p to his name.

-How are you?

-Fine.

-I'm Charles Hanson.

-I'm John.

-Good to see you, John.

-Welcome to our emporium.

He may be looking to score here at Swiss Cottage,

but in this game it's all about responding

to whatever life delivers.

Is there anything here, John, that's quite quirky,

that's quite different, that's quite...radical?

Bull's head, if you want quirky.

Golly!

It's an old one, isn't it, the bull's head.

Tell me where it came from?

A butcher's, one of the old-style butcher's.

He's a bit tired, isn't he? He's been a bit moth-eaten.

-But it's got a big price, hasn't it? 350.

-It's a big price, yes.

-Yeah.

What's the very best, John, if our horns were locked at 350?

-300 we'd come down...

-That's the very best, is it?

-Yes.

I would just be taking too much of a gamble at £300. I'll leave it.

Never mind! There's plenty more wildlife to be spotted around here.

And they're nice up there.

These red leaping deer capture the Art Deco, and that's really nice.

This is a vase that goes with it.

And there we are. They're made by Crown Devon.

And Crown Devon were a really forward-thinking

Art Deco manufacturer.

They're all been priced individually. It's just a lovely ensemble.

£175, and actually I would want the whole lot going together

as one bundle of Art Deco joy.

-Hi, John.

-Hiya.

What would be your best price for the famous five?

-110.

-110.

The only concern is if it's a general sale

and it's a real bric-a-brac affair...

-It's all there.

-They might get lost.

I'm going to think about it. £110 is a really good offer,

but I need to be really sure about it.

Hang on! He's off.

Charles is having his usual trouble, though, getting started, it seems.

Christina, meanwhile, has left town with Morris.

Whoo!

Motoring from Leeds over to Shipley...

and the historic Victorian village of Saltaire.

She's not here for the World Heritage site, though...

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Hi.

-Are you Malcolm?

-I am, yes.

-Hi, Malcolm.

-Nice to meet you.

I'm Christina, very nice to meet you.

-Nice to see you.

-This is amazing.

-Oh, yes. It's a treasure trove.

Malcolm's establishment on the third floor of an old textile mill

has a bit of everything.

Not that that always helps!

Mr Bond, I've been expecting you.

I love that! Look at that! How cool is that?

Chrome Deco aeroplane cruet. That's awesome.

Practical too.

-You're looking at this?

-Yes, please.

I think it's quite fun.

I mean, I think it's terrible.

It's obviously in very bad condition and not worth that at all.

Oh, that ploy!

So the ticket price is...

-£68.

-Right.

I'll have to ring him, but I can normally work up to 10%.

-So that's £6.80.

-But I'd...

-That's £60-ish.

-Well, I'd say £60.

But I can always ring and see if I can squeeze a bit more out.

That would be amazing.

-Especially as a lot of the chrome is peeling on there.

-Yeah.

-But it's an unusual thing, isn't it?

-No!

-I see them every day!

-Do you? Oh, right.

Get me another one, then!

-Right, I'll go and ask.

-Thank you.

-I'll come back.

But I think it looks very Art Deco. It's also got a registered number

on the back there which is a good sign.

But it's just a bit of fun, isn't it?

He's back.

-Can't get hold of him.

-Oh!

-So...

-Oh?

I will...

I'll do it at...

Yes?

..56.

Mmm.

-56? That's your absolute maximum?

-It is.

Because what I'm doing is taking the commission off.

-I'm asking for blood, aren't I?

-You are.

And I can't give you it.

-You can ask your mother.

-Is there any leverage on about £50?

I'm prepared to let it go at 50, but that's the best I can do.

OK. So £50.

(I like it.)

-(Why not have it?) What are you whispering for?

-(I don't know!)

Oh, go on, then! £50.

-All right, lovely.

-Brilliant. Thank you very much.

-You're welcome.

Let's go for it.

But while Christina's been busy buying,

Charles has headed for the centre of Leeds,

where, down on the waterfront, further along the River Aire,

is a museum dedicated to arms and armour.

-And you must be...

-I'm Karen.

-Karen. Charles Hanson.

Lovely to meet you, Charles.

Welcome to the Armouries.

This impressive building displays the National Collection.

It all started out in the Tower of London,

but the huge space here can display over 8,500 objects

and Charles is in for a behind-the-scenes treat.

The museum has items like this lobster-tail helmet

from the Civil War,

but Charles is here to see the much fancier tournament sword.

These were the jousts that began in the Middle Ages

and soon became a highly dangerous spectator sport.

Henry VIII was very keen, but so were other European monarchs.

This one here is one of the jewels of our collection.

This armour here's got a breastplate, a back plate,

a neck plate and full articulating arm defences.

-You can see how you can move.

-Yeah.

-What age is this?

-Precisely,

-and you don't often get a chance to say that, 1591.

-It's not! It's not!

Sophia, Electress of Saxony, wants to give her husband Christian

the best Christmas present ever,

and she orders him a suite of 12 of these.

It was a way of showing yourself.

I actually think that's why Henry VIII was so well-known

as a physical presence, was because he showed himself at tournaments.

King Henry became so enthusiastic about jousting

that he hired German craftsmen

to create his own armoury in Greenwich,

making plate of increasing thickness.

I feel fairly underdressed, I feel quite open to damage.

You need some extra bits.

This is to protect your face.

Because this is the most vulnerable area,

this is the area you're going to be hit.

I'm jousting in what year, in this?

You're jousting in about the 1580s, 1590s.

-In England?

-In England.

-So this is an English-made jousting outfit?

-English-made jousting outfit.

-I feel very humble to wear this.

And for sir's tootsies?

These are the steel feet of Henry VIII.

-Worn by Henry VIII?

-Worn by Henry VIII.

-I can't believe it.

-You can flex it.

It's just amazing.

So, essentially, Karen, they were worn like that, were they?

Yeah. Absolutely.

-So I'm actually walking...

-You're walking in Henry VIII's footsteps.

That's just incredible.

But these shoes are by no means the only items of armour

that once belonged to Henry here.

There's a complete suit, for example,

made for the young king at a very famous joust.

Well, here we are in the Tournament Gallery

and I'm going to show you an armour for Henry VIII

made for him when he was a young man, still in his 20s.

It was made for him to wear at the Field of Cloth of Gold tournament.

-Gosh!

-A magnificent tournament

that was held between himself and King Francis I of France in 1520.

It became the byword for luxury and extravagance.

He is almost invincible. He was Henry VIII, he was invincible.

And I'm thinking, how can I prod him? Where can I take a hit?

You're never going to get into this armour, I can tell you.

Every single plate locks into every other.

It does however weight 94 lbs, so it's very heavy.

I've got to be Christina's knight in shining armour,

and seeing Henry VIII, King Henry from 1520, what are your tips for me?

I think you've got everything it needs,

because I can see you've got a chivalrous nature.

I think Karen's got a bit of a soft spot for our Charles!

Later they're making for the auction in Penrith,

but our next stop is Skipton.

This historic market town is famous for its castle and mills,

although it's a lesser-known fact

that Skipton was also the site of prisoner of war camps

during both World Wars.

Nowadays, one of those is a caravan park.

Wash House Antiques. It's tiny!

-It looks packed to the rafters.

-They say small is beautiful, don't they?

Exactly.

-So what we can do is we can go with a hop...

-A skip...ton!

..a skip and a jump! See you later.

Now, Charles, Skipton has little to do with skipping.

-Good morning.

-Good morning, Charles.

-How are you?

-Fine, thank you.

-What a wonderful shop you have.

-Thank you.

I'm Charles and you're the lady in tweed.

-Samantha.

-Hi, Samantha. Good to see you.

-Hello.

I think the tweed has definitely put him in the mood,

plus of course the contents of Samantha's fine little shop.

-That's a nice gavel, isn't it?

-Yes.

As an auctioneer,

you always want to sell objects with a gavel that's tactile,

and this is light, has a lovely feel,

and it's probably what, 1920s?

-I'll have to think about that.

-That would do the job.

-It could be going, going, gone if the price is right.

-All right.

That's a nice box as well, isn't it?

I think that's a really beautiful box.

It has got a little issue

-in that it's missing a little bit of the foot there.

-Yeah.

I love this box because the detail is so good,

and furthermore it has a lovely feel, has a nice mellow colour,

and it's just a pretty box.

Circa 1880. How much is that?

-It could be very reasonable.

-Yeah.

-If I were to say £15...

-£15. Food for thought.

He's giving the shop a thorough examination!

In the corner over there is a really nice oil lamp, the one with the...

is it a ram's horn?

-Right. It's actually a Victorian put-together.

-A made-up.

-And it's actually an electric lamp now.

-Oh, is it?

Obviously for the purpose of auction we would have to have it PAT tested.

-Yes.

-Check the leccy.

It's a bit of a drama queen by appearance.

What would it cost me to buy?

If I were to say 35...

What I might do is come back to you

-with an offer for maybe two, three or even four items.

-Right.

Come on, Charles, let's see the colour of your cash!

Now, what about your travelling companion?

My name's Christina.

-I'm June.

-June. Nice to meet you, June.

-Hi. And you are...

-Melanie.

-Melanie. And you're my ladies for today.

-We are.

Lots of choice, but with very few dealers around,

she'll need all the advice that Melanie and June can supply.

I have dealings with this dealer.

-I know exactly what she'll do in the end.

-OK, brilliant.

OK, that's great.

Ah, now, that could be handy.

Well, I think we might go for a bit of a group lot.

Nice picture frame.

-That's quite nice, isn't it?

-Yeah, yeah.

-That's London 1984.

£55 on that.

Well, that's quite nice, isn't it?

That's nice with the patterned glass.

We've got D&F which is Deakin and Francis, and then Birmingham

-and...1919.

-Yes.

The toilet jar is £50.

-What about the scent bottle?

-That's rather nice.

This is fast work!

That's got a nice star-cut base

which you would expect of a slightly better quality piece.

-But it stands nicely, doesn't it?

-Yeah, it does.

The scent bottle is £35.

If we were to hypothetically say this group,

what do you think on that?

We'll say £90.

I'm thinking more probably along the region of maybe £70 for the group.

Well, go to 80. 80's my best offer.

-80?

-Yeah.

-I will go for that 80, because I think that's very fair.

It's very fair of you. Thank you very much. Grand. Thank you.

Speedy!

Now, the last time we saw Charles he had quite a heap of stuff too.

Any news?

The last item I'm going to sort of remark upon are the two birds.

Tell me about them.

I've had these some time, but I seem to recollect when I bought it

that the lady said it was a Russian one...

Da!

-It's quite sweet, isn't it?

-Whether it is...

Now, this one, I'm sure, is a modern one.

-That one, I think has some age.

-Yeah, this is quite a quirky toy.

But who knows? He might just fly away at auction.

There doesn't seem to be a key for the clockwork.

Though, fortunately, Charles can supply all the energy required.

What am I worth? A fiver? A fiver?

Silly boy! Now, any danger of a deal?

If I bought our four items, could you work a price out for me?

-Looking at the individual prices, it would be totting up to £90.

-Right.

I could trim it down to 50.

I would love to really buy the group for about £40.

The big oil lamp would be £20, the gavel and the box, 15,

and then the two birds would be £5.

I think we can end it at that, then.

-Are you sure?

-Yes.

-Can I raise my gavel?

-Yes.

-Going, going...

-Gone.

Sold! £40.

Thank you very much.

Just as I go and say au revoir...

Aye-aye?

That bookcase over there, Globe-Wernicke, early 20th century...

and it appears to be in good condition...

-It is, it is in good condition.

-Could it be a goer?

Hang on! This is turning into quite an outing!

I think it's a real popular item.

I think it's one of those pieces of furniture

that's really in at the moment.

Globe-Wernicke, founded in the USA during the late 19th century,

patented the expanding bookcase,

whereby units of different depth and height could be fitted together.

They're now highly collectable.

What's your rock-bottom price?

-I think for that I would have to stick with £100.

-£100?

The very, very best I could do would be 95.

I definitely couldn't move below that.

I think at £95 I shall say...

I'll take it. Thank you very much.

I'm over the moon.

That is impressive, Charles!

So after yesterday's drought, now the flood.

Back at the Antique Centre,

Christina's finally got hold of a dealer.

What about some photographs from the Beeching era?

-Are they railway photographs?

-Yeah.

They came out of a clearance I did from an ex-train driver

just after Beeching,

which was the time a lot of the railway stations disappeared.

So there's a good little bit of history from the mid-'60s.

-All the lovely old signal boxes...

-All abandoned.

..and things like that. And quite a few stations.

-Gosh! It is a very specialist market, though, isn't it?

-It is.

-If you found that right market...

-Yeah.

-What have you got on these, then?

-Asking sort of 38 for the whole lot.

I'm just concerned that they could be the kind of thing

that makes a couple of quid at auction

-or they could make quite a lot of money.

-Yeah.

I would be happy to get these in the sort of £15-20 region.

I think they're fascinating, but I don't know how many other people

will think they're fascinating.

Yeah. There's lots of chaps love this sort of stuff.

You'll be fine, honestly!

Seb's got a point, Christina.

Give me £26 and we have a deal.

-Shall we go 25?

-Yeah, let's go 25, then.

-Yeah?

-OK?

-OK, 25.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-I think those are quite interesting.

-Yeah, they're good fun.

Completely not what I would usually buy,

-but maybe that's where I've been going wrong!

-Yes.

These do seem to be a bit of a bargain.

Remember, she's still got about £100 left.

Now, anything else?

What are those prints over there?

-Those look very Art Deco.

-Fashion prints, yeah.

-1940s.

-They're rather lovely, aren't they?

-Yeah, original frames as well.

I think they've got a lot of style

with these sort of slightly demure colours,

but that's what ladies were going for, slightly higher hemlines.

I mean, this Art Deco look is very trendy at the moment.

But this price... Is that £18 for the two or each?

Each at the moment.

What about...? You're going to hate me.

What about £15 the pair?

-The pair?

-Yes.

-15's too low.

-OK. What's your absolute, absolute minimum?

I'm thinking sort of 24.

-24 for the pair?

-For the pair - that's the pair.

And the frames, of course, as well as the prints.

-Well, I would hope that you'd throw the frames in!

-You know!

What about £20 for the pair?

I'm going to let you have them for 20, OK?

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

-OK. All done.

-You're a star. Thank you.

-Thank you. £20. Lovely.

Well done, Skipton. Quite a haul for them both,

that explains the very good mood in the Morris, I presume.

Whee!

They're now motoring south and west across the Lancashire border

from Skipton to Burnley.

The market town of Burnley

became one of Lancashire's most prominent mill towns

during the industrial age of the 18th and 19th centuries,

growing into a major centre for engineering

and one of the world's largest manufacturers of cotton cloth.

Looks like this establishment works on a fairly industrial scale too.

Off you go, then, Charles. Good luck.

He's still got an awful lot of cash to spend at Karlen Antiques.

So what will take his fancy, eh?

Retro pottery?

Come over here, Sharon.

-This is quite nice.

-Yeah.

Look at that for a design.

-That to me...is it Midwinter?

-It is.

-It is Midwinter...

-And it's cheap.

Is it cheap? Oh, Sharon - you're talking my language, Sharon.

-Are these little soup bowls or...?

-They're soup bowls, I would say.

-We'll put those up there.

-They look quite sweet.

Yeah, they do look sweet. Is it the '50s or '60s?

I think probably more like '60s. But it doesn't matter?

You know, if you're a swinger and you like the '60s, that's fine, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-If I said to you, what's the very best on that little ensemble,

-what would you tell me?

-Only because it's you

-and I know you need to make money...

-Sharon! I'm in need.

-We're talking £10.

-Oh, my God, Sharon! Don't do that to me, Sharon!

I like your little doll here. That's quite nice.

-Dream baby, that one is.

-Yeah.

-I used to make those...

-How much could she be?

What is she on for? 22.

£12.

She can't help herself.

He'll find it difficult to spend much here.

What about this hat, sweetheart?

This is very '60s.

-It is, isn't it?

-It is, isn't it?

The right lady...it's very Audrey Hepburn, do you not think?

Can you put it on for me? I can't model it.

I just don't think I'll do it justice!

Oh, I say! No, you do.

-That pretty young lady!

-It's got to go. How much is it?

-£5.

-£5.

Is he buying ALL of it?

What's the best price on the whole lot?

20 for all the lot there. I think that's a real bargain.

Can you see the little glass dish there with the bull's-eye?

-Oh, yes, that one there.

-You can throw that in.

I just can't say no to you!

I just can't say no!

You know, if that's OK with you, I'm going to say yes.

-Yes, well, I'm really happy! Let's shake on it quickly!

-Are you sure?

That's done. Thank you very much. Give us a kiss. Thank you.

So Charles is now done shopping with almost £400 still in his pocket.

Christina began with £271.94p,

and she spent £195 on five auction lots -

an Art Deco cruet set in the form of a plane,

a pair of Art Deco stylish fashion plates,

a collection of railway-related photographs,

a selection of silverwares

and a retro dressing table.

Whilst Charles started out £543.80p,

he has spent just £158 on five lots -

a 19th-century oil lamp,

a mahogany jewellery box paired with an Edwardian gavel,

an oak bookcase cabinet,

clockwork birds

and an interesting lot of retro pottery, a doll

and a pink ladies' hat.

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

Mine were quite cheap.

Christina's bought quality, but they've come at expense.

I love the bookcase.

I love the lamp. I think those are really quirky.

Look at the ducks!

I have a feeling I'm going to be out for a duck. Again!

After starting out in Yorkshire, at Leeds,

before heading over to Lancashire,

this leg of our trip concludes

at an auction in the Cumbrian town of Penrith.

Penrith is blessed with a large number of wells

and the town's good fortune

was once marked by pagan-inspired well-dressing ceremonies during May.

-That looks perfect.

-There we are.

They're at Penrith Farmers' & Kidds',

where at least ten delightful lots are just waiting to be snapped up

under the stewardship of auctioneer Tom Sargent.

It's Christina's birthday as well,

so let's hope that that is a good omen.

Now, you two, attention, please.

There's an auction under way. Charles' birds go first.

-Clockwork toys.

-One's Russian. Come on!

I've £10 on commission. £10, the bid's with me.

10. 12. 15.

-18. 20.

-Keep going!

-£20 bid. At 20.

-They're there, look.

-Keep going.

20 bid. 22. 25.

Good lad! Keep going.

Selling at £25. 350.

Well, those certainly grabbed the worm!

What will Penrith make of his next very mixed lot, though?

Absolutely a perfect lot for this market, isn't it?

It's a general sale. You want general items.

-You'll do really well on this.

-Look at me.

No, you will.

Armand Marseille doll and the other bits and pieces with that as well.

Oh, it suits you.

£10 bid. £10. 12.

15. 18. 20.

-22. 22 bid.

-Keep going.

-At 22.

-Cheap.

22. At 22.

22. Selling at £22.

3085.

Oh, a tiny loss after commission.

You've got to ride it.

I'm disappointed. I've fallen off.

Now for his box and gavel.

The auctioneer's been casting admiring glances at that one!

And £10 bid.

Come on! Keep going!

10. 12. 15. 15 bid.

18. 20.

-Good lad!

-Go on, you could do with a new gavel!

-Keep going!

-One more.

-20 I've got.

22.

25. Still with me, 25.

25 and the lady's got it at 25.

That late spurt has got him a profit.

-That's a £10 profit.

-Exactly.

-I can't grumble.

That is properly in the money, isn't it?

Now for Charles' curious lamp,

£3 dearer thanks to its PAT test.

There we are. 20 bid. £20 bid. At 20.

25. 25 bid.

-25. 30.

-There's more hands! There's more hands! Come on!

At 50 bid.

At 50 bid. At 55. 60. 60 bid.

At 60. 60 bid for that one.

-More, more!

-One more!

At 60.

-That's OK. I'm over the moon.

-Well done.

And so you should be - that lit up the room, didn't it?

Christina's turn now.

You just need one item to take off, to ignite, to inspire...

So will her little silver collection be that very lot?

Various bids. I've £40 bid.

£40 bid for the lot. At 40. 45. 50.

55. 60.

60 bid. 65.

-Keep going!

-65. Now with 65.

65, all done. Selling now at 65.

621.

Oh, dear! That's out for a duck, I'd say!

Minus 15!

It's my birthday!

-# It's my party...

-And I'll cry if I want to! #

Now for her salt and pepper aeroplane.

There we are. £10 bid.

10 for the cruet. 10 bid.

-Some more, some more!

-Any more? 10 for that. 10 bid.

-More, surely?

-12 for the cruet.

-12 for the cruet, then. Selling then.

-It's iconic!

-Ah!

Selling at 12.

Oh, dear, never mind, Christina.

Your fashion plates are up next.

At £10 bid. 12. 15. 18. 20.

-22 I'm after. 22 over on the right.

-You're in profit.

£22. 25. 28.

£28 bid.

28, all right. Selling at 28.

Well done, partner.

She'll never catch him up at this rate!

-It's a mixed day, isn't it?

-A mixed day.

-Do you know, I would...?

-It really is a mixed day.

Let's just hope all those railway buffs the dealer talked about

have been poring over these.

I have 55 bid.

Brilliant!

55. 60. 65.

70. 75.

80. 85.

90. 95.

100. 105.

110. 115.

130. 140. 150.

-Oh, my God!

-160 I have.

-Obviously, they're incredibly valuable!

170. 180.

190. 200.

-At 200.

-It's your birthday!

£200 the bid.

At 200 selling, at £200.

Great stuff, Christina!

The comeback starts here!

Give us a hug, give us a hug!

Lot 651.

That's amazing!

This was the not-so-big-spending Charles' greatest investment.

I've 50 bid.

-Keep going.

-55. 60.

65. 70.

Got to be 100, isn't it?

£85 bid. 90.

-£90 the bid.

-Cheap. One more.

-Come on, come on, come on.

At £90...

Lost a fiver.

Yeah, and even more after commission.

That's life!

You win some, you lose some.

Despite the cheap price, Christina's dressing table

looks a lot riskier.

-What's it going to make, really?

-A fiver.

-Oh, come on!

-A fiver.

Why'd you buy it, then? Why'd you buy it?

-Cos it was a punt.

-I've £10 bid.

-10 for the dressing table. At 10.

-That's it!

10 for dressing table, then. 10 bid.

-10 for the dressing table.

-The mirror's worth that!

At £10.

It doubled our expectations!

-Yeah.

-It doubled up!

Someone's got quite a bargain there!

But thanks to her photographs, Christina is the victor today.