Episode 29 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!

-I'm loving that bird.

-The aim?

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

-Yes!

-There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

-Don't I look handsome?

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

I'm going now.

This is the Antiques Road Trip!

# Yeah! #

We're back on the road for the fourth leg of our road trip

with dapper chaps and antiques experts

Thomas Plant and Charlie Ross.

No, no, Roscoe, this is rather beautiful, isn't it?

-It's absolutely gorgeous.

-Do you know where we are?

We must be very nearly in Wales.

After running his own auction house for 20 years,

Charlie's expertise lies in antique furniture and vintage cars,

not to mention an uncanny ability to charm everyone in his way.

-HE MIMICS TOMMY COPPER

-I'm looking for some bargains!

Thomas is also an auctioneer of considerable experience,

with a particular penchant for jewellery, silver and...hats.

I'll do the rest of the shop dressed as an American soldier.

Our pair of charming chappies began the road trip with £200 each.

-Three auctions later...a chasm is opening up between them.

-CHARLIE SOBS

-Do you remember how much you've got now?

-Oh, it's so boring, the whole money thing, isn't it?

Oh, how lovely to hear that.

-Do you want to give it to me, then?

-Yes, of course. CHARLIE LAUGHS

I'm very uncomfortable winning, to be honest with you.

How my heart bleeds!

Thomas is leading the field by quite a margin.

He starts this leg with a whopping £485.84.

Charlie, meanwhile, is somewhat of a straggler,

kicking off this leg with a rather limp £170.56.

But right now the sun is shining

and they have the joys of their 1971 Triumph Spitfire to nip about in.

This week's road trip is taking us

over 400 miles from Watchet in Somerset

up to Shropshire via North Wales

before looping back down to finish at an auction showdown

in Bedford, Bedfordshire.

Today, we're starting our journey in Church Stretton, Shropshire.

Then we'll skip back and forth over the English/Welsh border

before returning to Shropshire for an auction in Minsterley.

Sadly though, our poor experts

seem to have little idea of where they are.

-We're in Shropshire.

-I know we're in Shropshire,

but these hills, what are these hills called?

Er...they're called the Shropshire Hills, boys.

First stop is the charming small rural town of Church Stretton.

Back in 1214, King John granted it a market charter

and markets have been held here ever since.

Oh, there's a church here too, and a giant antiques centre.

-There we are.

-Thank you, my man.

-Oh.

-You wait in the car.

No, no, no, no! What's wrong?

-Didn't you like my driving?

-I was absolutely...terrified.

Not as scared as dealer Terry's probably feeling right now.

-Look out.

-Hello there.

-Hello there.

-Charlie is the name.

-I'm Terry.

-Hello. Thomas. Terry, yeah?

-Yeah.

-Pleased to meet you.

-May we have a look round?

-Yeah, carry on.

ALL LAUGH

This antiques market is enormous,

with three floors housing the wares of up to 60 dealers.

Surely there'll be something here to tempt the chaps.

Thomas is diving straight in,

weighed down by his extremely heavy pockets.

Having all this money, one feels quite uncomfortable.

Erm...what am I going to buy?!

Thomas' opponent, meanwhile, has the opposite problem.

Don't buy expensive things.

Keep...cheap.

So I could really go completely wrong from now on in

and then lose everything, which I've done before in the past, believe you me.

-I'm an old master at this.

-Thomas has never won a road trip.

And...I have no intention of this being his first.

Eagle-eyed Thomas has already spotted something he likes.

So this is a spelter figure... in the Art Deco style...

..of a dancer.

It has had a little bit of damage or cracking just here.

Spelter...which has been bronzed to make it look like bronze.

Such nice movement to her.

Yeah, I like that very much.

Spelter is an alloy including zinc

which was popular in the Art Deco period

as it was much cheaper to make than bronze.

The ticket price is £75. Best have a chat with Terry, eh?

-She's a nice figure.

-She is.

-She has been restored here though.

-Yeah.

-What...?

-What can I do?

-Yeah. I mean, I've got a figure in mind...

-because of the restoration.

-Yeah. I'll go and give 'em a ring.

The figure is owned by a dealer who's not in today.

-He doesn't look that hopeful.

-All right then. OK.

-What's the best?

-63.

-63?

-Yeah.

-Why the three?

-Cos that's what he wants.

TERRY LAUGHS

Not 60?

Erm...

I can do it for 60 for you, but I can't go any more.

-Yeah, I'll buy it for 60.

-OK.

-Thank you very much.

-Well done.

-One, two...

-Well, that's one purchase down for Thomas.

How's our Roscoe getting on?

Going round one of the biggest antique emporiums for miles around.

-HE SIGHS

-Nothing I'm looking at is doing it for me.

How about an early 20th-century

oak framed screen with cross-stitch tapestry, eh, Charlie?

I...quite like the peacock.

Faded a little bit I should imagine from where it was originally.

But it's priced at £30.

That's not a lot of money, £30.

Erm...one could probably think that it might be buyable for 20.

Hey! Keep your voice down!

-Someone's lurking!

-Roscoe!

-Sh!

-Roscoe, I've bought!

-Come on, let's go.

-I'm sorry, I can't be pushed into these things.

THOMAS LAUGHS

Just because you have found something.

I can't do with it when someone's so smug!

Why aren't you buying the cross-stitch Berlin Wall-work panel?

-Why am I not buying it?

-It's only £30.

-I know.

-Why don't you buy that?

Well...who says I haven't?

-I'll find Terry.

-HE HUMS

-Terry.

-How are you?

-Well, I'm having a marvellous time.

Upstairs is a cross-stitch panel.

I got in a right muddle, I was going round and round in circles.

Would it need a phone call to try and tweak it a bit?

-I can do it for 25. She won't go any more.

-She wouldn't?

-No.

-Not even if I blew her a kiss down the phone?

-No.

-No, that would probably make her go back to 30.

-THEY LAUGH

Oh, dear!

-There is no downside at 25 quid, is there?

-No.

-Put it there, guvnor.

Phew! Well done, Charlie. One item all sewn up.

Thomas would like to buy more here, but there's a problem.

It's another whole room!

A whole 'nother floor.

# I'm lost just like a dog without a bone. #

Where am I?

Hang on a minute, we're walking round in circles.

Oh, God!

I can't get out!

Meanwhile, Charlie's on a roll.

-He's found something else to perk him up.

-Cafe au lait. Hm.

A little very Art Deco looking, almost Christopher Dresser design.

-Yeah.

-Hot milk in one, coffee in the other and away you go.

Very, very nice. And I like the...

They are ebony, aren't they, those handles?

-I think they're very nice.

-Together they're priced at £40.

-Yeah.

-I think they'd probably make 30 quid at auction.

-Which is... I've got nowhere to go.

-No.

Is it a very nice amenable person that owns these?

-Are they lovely?

-I can do 'em for 30 quid for the pair,

-but that's as much as...

-Can you?

-Yeah.

Could you do me a gesture like...28?

I mean, that sounds really pathetic

and you can show me the door if you like,

-but it's just psychologically...

-28?

-Yeah.

-Right.

-Are you sure?

-Yeah.

-Fab. Thank you very much indeed.

-OK.

Sorry to be such a cheese-paring misery.

Two quid could be the difference at the end of the day,

-you never know in life.

-You never know.

Yes, every penny counts, especially when your opponent

is displaying an intimidating amount of intellectual prowess.

I have a very short concentration span,

it lasts for about a minute and...

Aye up, what's this?

I think...a pair of tribal carved spears.

They're not spears, they're...paddles.

You're right, they're African ceremonial paddles.

Like that.

£45 the pair.

I think I'd have them for 30.

-There he is!

-Lordy!

They're tripping over each other in this shop.

It can be another person.

-There we are.

-Very convincing.

Is he there? Is he hiding?

-I've seen him round the corner, you see.

-No, he's not hiding from you.

-Well, he might be.

-Because I saw him as I picked these up.

-Yeah.

-You trying to hide 'em?

-Yes. THEY LAUGH

-Do you think they'll take 30 for them?

-No.

-Oh, really?

-Yeah.

-Why not?

Cos they only come in two days ago.

-You wouldn't phone, Terry, just to ask?

-I'll try.

-Do you mind?

-No, I'll try.

-Do you mind?

They might do 'em a bit more, but not a lot.

They're good though, aren't they? They're good big things.

Yes, but will the deal come down on the price?

-35.

-Oh, really?

-Yes.

-Your lucky day.

-Lucky day?

-Yes.

I think I've got to have 'em for 35.

-I think they're cheaper at that, yeah.

-Yeah.

-Definitely.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

Both boys have managed to buy two items each in their first shop,

-but whilst they've been busy, the rain's arrived.

-Oh, no, look!

The car's got wet! We are going to get wet bottoms!

-Hood up!

-Hood up.

Poor old loves. Wet bottoms or not, the road trip moves on.

Our chaps are heading 31 miles west

just over the border into Wales to the town of Welshpool

where Thomas is dropping Charlie off for a spot more shopping.

Ohh! FE! Look!

Look at that! Fred Anderson!

Posh shop!

There's only one thing I'm going to need in this shop.

-What's that, some money?

-Your money!

-Go on, out you get! Come on!

-Thank you, dear. Have a nice visit.

-I will. Bye-bye.

HE SIGHS

This is a Roscoe sort of shop!

Thomas and his money meanwhile are heading north

and back into England, to the town of Oswestry.

Bizarrely, he's coming here to learn more about a very Welsh institution.

I'm looking forward to a lovely Welsh reception,

full of warmth, humour... and good singing.

MALE VOICE CHOIR SINGS

Ah, food for the soul!

Thomas's destination is the Welsh Guards Museum

and standing by to meet him is Stan Evans,

a veteran Welsh Guard himself.

-Thomas.

-Hello. Stan is it?

-Stan it is, yes. I'm the curator.

The Welsh Guards were formed not only to protect the Queen,

standing guard at Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace,

but also as an infantry regiment to go into the First World War.

They are the youngest of the guards regiments,

only coming into being in 1915,

and straightaway they had to design a uniform

with a badge to identify themselves.

Back into the battle of Agincourt,

the Welshmen, who had no uniforms whatsoever

were told that on the side of the battle there was a field of leeks.

"Wear a leek upon your chest and kill those that don't."

So it really is the oldest badge of uniform.

This is the uniform they would have worn,

the buttons would have been Welsh Guards buttons.

And here we see the leek in the situation it would have been in.

The Welsh Guards soon distinguished themselves,

earning 21 battle honours, shown on the colour,

and two Victoria crosses, one from each World War.

In the Second World War, one act of bravery

left behind a very different kind of memorial.

Corporal Winslade was an infantry section leader then

and he was responsible for an outpost.

And they were holding off the Germans

until the other companies could get to safety.

And they held for as long as they could

and, unfortunately, Corporal Winslade was shot through the chest

and the bullet entered his breast pocket.

And we can see here his paybook

and a photograph of his girlfriend and the bullet has penetrated both.

-Wow!

-Erm...and he was killed instantly.

During both World Wars and since

in all British conflicts including Iraq and Afghanistan,

the Welsh Guards have sustained many casualties,

but are well-known for their bravery and loyalty to their regiment.

Back in the UK they are most famous

for standing the guard at the royal palaces

wearing the iconic ceremonial uniform.

And it looks like they may have a new recruit!

-The red jacket.

-Oh, Thomas, you never miss a chance to dress up, do you?

Face round to me.

When you're getting dressed for duties you ask somebody, "Can you give me a pull round?"

-A pull round?

-This is a pull round.

-You stand there...

-Yeah.

-..and I do that.

Oh, lordy!

Does he look the part? Don't move, Thomas.

While his opponent stands guard, Charlie's back in Welshpool

feasting his eyes on the goods of shop owner Ian.

-Oh, goodness me! This room could have been designed for me, couldn't it?

-Well, I hope it could be.

Oh, dear, looks a bit out of your budget though, Charlie.

-So how long have you been here?

-We've been here just over 100 years.

Look out, here comes the sob story.

I have to say something straightaway, sir.

-Looking at your lovely objects, I've come here with a pathetic sort of hundred-odd quid of money.

-Yes.

-I haven't done well.

-And you could do with a change of luck?

-I could do with a bolster.

Or rather, something small that you can afford.

-More feminine.

-It is.

-Very, very nice.

-He's looking at you.

OK, so always too big.

-Those are quite interesting.

-The water buffalo?

-Yes.

-Aren't they lovely.

They're all right, but they're a bit out of the bracket.

-You're not going to sell those to me for 100 quid?

-No, I can't afford to.

-And they are a true pair, aren't they?

-They're a true pair.

The sort of thing that's, you know, saleable nowadays.

-Yes.

-I like those.

-Yeah.

-I'm going to do an exact sum in a minutes.

Canny Charlie's fallen for a pair of wooden Chinese water buffalo carved in the early 20th century,

but the ticket price on them is way over what he can afford, at £245.

-I've only got about 110 quid.

-You've got about 110 quid to spare.

-I can't buy those, can I?

-The buffalo cost 140.

I could probably charge you 155, but it's out of your bracket, unfortunately,

it's out of your bracket.

-Yeah. But I mean...

-Oh, crikey!

I'm...I'm thinking a little bit now.

I did buy with them a very nice mahogany tripod table for 200,

which I got 500 for.

There appears to be a glimmer of hope, and now Charlie spots something else.

He has had a leg off. Are you aware?

Oh, golly! Do you think I'll be lumbered with them now if I don't sell them to you?

-What did you say was your offer?

-110.

-110.

-Chancer!

£110... I will sell them to you.

-And I will wish you the very best of luck with them.

-Are you sure?

-I will wish you the very best of luck with them.

-You, sir, are a gentleman and a scholar!

-Ooh, you want money?

-I want my money.

-90. 100. And ten.

-And ten.

-Thank you very much.

-I've still got a fiver.

-Yeah, and I tell you what I'm going to do.

-What are you going to do?

I need those to be lucky for you to win.

-Yeah.

-That's for you and that's for luck towards the auction.

When I was selling the chickens and the cows and what have you,

we always used to give the biggest buyer of the day

-a bit of lucky money.

-Well, you're definitely my biggest buyer today.

-CHARLIE LAUGHS

-Charlie, you are a very lucky man indeed.

By Ian giving you back that £10,

you got the water buffalo for a snip at £100.

Ridiculous!

It's the end of the day and time for our experts to have a well-needed little lie down.

Sleep tight.

Day two, and our devilish duo are comparing the size of their wallets...again!

-I mean, you went shopping yesterday and you've still got over £400 left?

-Just under.

CHARLIE LAUGHS How much have you got left?

-I've got...£17.61, I think. Or £17.57.

-Wonderful! Wonderful!

-Or £17.56.

-You've really done well!

-I'm not sure about the pence.

Every penny helps, Charlie.

So to recap, Charlie has spent £153 on three items -

a cafe au lait set, a screen with cross-stitch needlework

and a pair of Chinese carved water buffalo.

That means he has £17.56 left in his coffers.

Thomas, on the other hand, has parted with £95

on an Art Deco figure and a pair of African ceremonial paddles.

Which still leaves him with a magnificent £390.84

to play to play about with.

Our chaps have motored back into Wales

and are heading for the large town of Wrexham.

Impoverished Charlie is dropping tycoon Thomas off at his next shop, hoping he'll spend big.

-Got all your money in your pocket?

-Yeah, and it's bulging. CHARLIE LAUGHS

-And buy something nice.

-Bye-bye.

Bryn-Y-Grog Emporium houses the wares of over 50 dealers

and one of them standing by to help Thomas.

-Good morning.

-Thomas?

-That's right.

-Hello, Thomas.

-It's Brian?

-Brian.

-I hope you find something to buy, I'm sure you will.

-I think I will.

-I'm sure I will. It looks massive!

-Massive it is, and with a healthy wallet

surely finding a treasure here should be no problem for our expert.

-They're proper antiques.

-So what's your tactics today, Thomas?

My tactics are to buy...quality.

Concentrate.

Don't buy a resin panel, which is what this is.

Don't spuff it all on one item.

Did you say spuff it?!

Retro Mysterons ray gun with light beams and...

And voice changer.

Roscoe, this is Plant, your merciless Mysteron!

How many children put their lips round there? Disgusting!

-Yuck!

-I'm going to start doing some buying now. I've had a good look.

What I'm looking at here is an onyx cigarette set.

I'm not really interested in the lighter, but there's just marvellous colours to it.

I think this is spelter, but it's quite well painted, actually.

It's got a bit of age to it.

It's the kind of thing which you buy for a tenner and it's going to make £25.

Yeah, it's not a bad looking thing. There's so much stuff!

So, that's a contender. Now, what's this with a ticket price of £38?

-It's a deed box.

-This deed box dates from the early 20th century

and would've been used to hold important documents

such as house deeds or bonds and other available items.

It would have been double-locked with two keys

and kept in a strong room in the bank or solicitors.

-38 quid. That's no money, it's quite good.

-Safe/deed box?

-Yeah, the deed box.

-Time to see if Brian can do a deal.

Do you know if they've got the keys?

-Er...no. Sorry, as is.

-As is?

-Yeah.

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

-Well, the paint's pleasant on it,

there's enough of the gilding left to decorate it quite nicely.

-Yeah, it's quite a good fun thing, a good decorative lot.

-Yeah.

I quite like that. That's quite good fun.

So, it's got £38 on it, how about £28?

5? 25?

-Yes, why not.

-We'll have that for sure.

-OK.

-At 25 that's great.

-We'll definitely have that. That's brilliant.

-A good deal indeed!

Now, what about that green onyx ashtray?

-I think that is delightful! Have a look at it.

-It's nice.

-Yeah, that's good. The pheasant's very good, isn't it?

-The pheasant's brilliant, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Would they mind if I just gave them a tenner for that?

-Oh, gosh, no.

-The quality.

-That's nice.

-Yeah.

And people can use it to put little cuff links in or something.

-Yeah. So we'll say £8 for that.

-Oh, perfect. Perfect. That's great.

-25 and eight so that's...

-£33.

-£33. Yeah.

Last of the big spenders, eh?

While Thomas has been shopping, Charlie is en route two miles west

to a rather large country house.

This is the longest drive up to a house I think I've ever been on.

I've been driving for hours!

But what a sight to greet one at the end.

Charlie's come to Erddig House,

widely recognised as one of Britain's finest historic houses

and now owned by the National Trust.

-Poised to show Charlie around is curator Graham Clark.

-Thank you.

Erddig House was inherited by the Yorke family

in the mid-18th century,

who continued to live here for the next 200 years.

But although the house appears to be steeped in all the trappings of the aristocracy,

there's an unusual story here of the family and servants who shared these rooms.

Cos this is all about the servants, really, isn't it?

-It is, yes.

-The history of the house?

-That's right.

And at the end of the room there we have a door to the servery,

which would have been the door for the servants to come in.

Although the Yorkes inherited the house,

they were not hugely wealthy and began losing money from the start.

As a result, they couldn't afford to pay their servants the usual going rate,

so instead they opted to pay them in kind,

in order to keep their loyalty, by treating them like family.

There weren't any back stairs that were segregated -

another feature of the house.

The servants rubbed up well against the family.

-So you'd bump into servants all the time.

-Yeah.

This is their version of the dining room, the servants hall.

You would have had your meals in here.

You'd have the butler at one end and the housekeeper at the other.

Heads of the respective staff.

And here we have portraits, oil paintings, of the servants.

Almost unheard of, isn't it?

The paintings were commissioned by Philip Yorke I

in the 1790s and it was he who also wrote the poems

included in the paintings about each of the servants.

Who have we got here?

This is dear old Jane Ebbrell who worked for 70 years for the Yorkes.

-70 years!

-No retirement age then.

But we know the Yorkes housed her in her own cottage

on the estate and gave her the lovely job title

of "spider-brusher" when her days as housekeeper was done.

She was still allowed on the estate but didn't have anything to do.

A really interesting character here is Thomas Rogers.

He was carpenter-joiner here.

He was saved from the press gang for the Napoleonic wars

by the squire, who paid a ransom...

-To keep his servant!

-..to keep him here.

I'd like to come in here and listen to the old conversation.

Philip Yorke's tradition of honouring the servants

was to continue in the family right up to the 20th century.

Here we are in the servant passage and we have the successors

to those early oil paintings with photographs of the servants.

This is a lovely, touching story.

It's Lucy Hitchman and Lucy was the nurse

and Ernest Jones was the groom. They met most days,

when they took the young lads for a pony trip around the garden.

-Inevitably, as these things happen, they fell in love.

-How exciting.

He was much below her station.

People advised them not to court, but they got married.

-With the family's blessing?

-Family's blessing.

Commemorated in verse. If I just finish off the poem,

"We trust the attachment here begun

"May last while life its course shall run."

But perhaps the most important photograph

we have at Erddig is this 1912 group photograph

of the principal servants, all holding a tool of their trade.

You'll see William Gittings has a saw. He's the carpenter.

The butler has a bottle of claret.

Most importantly, the family have put themselves

in the photograph behind their servants.

Wonderful. We've got the cook, here.

-Holding some sort of game bird.

-That's right. Brace of pheasants.

-Which will be prepared in the kitchen.

-Cooked up in the pot.

-Shall we?

-Marvellous.

A wonderful room, isn't it?

One of the largest rooms in the house, which shows its importance.

One has the sense of it being a very happy home.

The relationship between the family and the servants -

everybody must have got on.

It feels like a home, although it's enormous, it feels like a home.

And I want to meet the servants that were here and ask them

how they were treated. And hopefully get the right answer.

-Are you treated well here?

-All the time!

-Good!

-Thank you so much, Graham.

-Thank you to meet you.

-It's been wonderful.

What a fascinating visit for Charlie.

If only he was on equal footing with sparring partner Thomas Plant.

Our chaps have reconvened in the Spitfire and are now

journeying to Ruthin in Denbighshire where a shop awaits Charlie.

-I am going shopping and you're going shopping.

-I am going shopping.

And you've still got a lot of money. Still got a lot of money.

-I've got very, very little.

-I've got a lot of money

and I'll probably still have a lot by the time I've finished.

-Unless I see something amazing.

-Thomas! Go big!

Oh, will you stop banging on about the money?

Ah, the county town of Ruthin.

In the 15th century, a rebellion against King Henry IV

left the town ravaged and burnt to the ground,

but luckily for our experts, it rose from the ashes.

-Are you going to take this car on?

-Yes, I am.

-While I spend the rest of my money.

-You've done so well.

-I'll leave it ticking over for you, sir.

-Leave it ticking.

I've got profit to make.

HE GROANS

When's your coach getting here, sir? THEY LAUGH

Roscoe, you'll be fine.

Charlie, stop sulking.

While Thomas heads off, Charlie has a surprise in store.

Someone he knows from the antiques trade.

-Hello!

-It's you! How are you, Andy?

-Very well. Long time no see.

I didn't know you were here.

-Is this your establishment?

-It certainly is, yes.

We've finally come in off the road.

-Every time I see you, you're at a fair.

-That's right.

-I think I've spent money with you over the years.

-Once or twice.

-But not a lot!

-HE LAUGHS

-I've got a confession to make.

-You're skint?

This is what I've got left.

-HE GROANS

-£17.56.

I've got something that might interest you that's just come in.

-Unusual.

-You know I like a bit of unusual.

-Something very, very small.

-Is it delicate, Andy?

-No, it's not delicate.

-I wonder what it could be.

Before we find out, let's see where Thomas has got to.

He's heading through the beautiful Welsh countryside to his last shop

in Denbigh, handily called Denbighshire Antiques.

-Hello. Thomas.

-Nice to meet you.

-What's your name?

-Paul.

-You've got a lot here, haven't you?

-Yeah.

-I plan to spend a bit of money with you, if that's all right.

-Hope so.

Right. Are we going wild or playing sensible?

Roscoe wants me to buy furniture, cos it's quite expensive

and one could lose money on furniture.

So if I bought a bit of furniture, I think Roscoe would be dancing a jig.

Come on, Planter, get buying.

I've seen something I quite like.

This is a terracotta garden urn.

Obviously, it comes in bits. This lifts off, like that.

And that goes down like that. That's the base.

This is where the plant would go.

It should have been one of a pair, but look at these lovely petals here.

Probably 1920s.

What a thing for somebody's garden.

I don't know if it'll sell well, but it's got a chance.

Right time of year, I have to say. Right. Let's go and find Paul.

It has £110 on the ticket but let's face it, our Thomas can afford it.

I'm not a great expert in garden statuary.

-Is it something which you'd be prepared to do a deal on?

-Yeah.

-But not a million miles from where it is, to be honest.

-Oh, really?

-I see this at a figure.

-At?

-£70.

-I couldn't sell that at 70.

-What could you sell at?

-90 would be the money.

-Come on. What about 75?

Reluctantly, I'll take 80.

75. Cos you know I want to try and make a profit.

-I think you'll be making more of a profit than what I did.

-Oh, come on!

-You said this came to you well.

-It did.

-But I still feel you'd make more of a profit than what I did.

-Well...

75, and you've got a deal? You're a star. You're an absolute star.

I can't believe it!

Mr Cautious has finally splashed his cash. Well done!

Now, if you recall,

Andy was about to pick out something unusual for our Charlie.

-Have you still got your eyes closed?

-Yeah.

-There we are.

Open your eyes. Very, very unusual.

Isn't that wonderful?

It's a needle case.

-I would think round about... BOTH: 1920s.

-Spot on!

Looks like Thomas Plant. He has a hat, you know.

The needle case is made of celluloid, an early form of plastic,

that was often used instead of ivory because it was cheaper.

-We take that off and out comes the thread.

-Look at that!

-This isn't all, is it?

-This could be yours...

-Could it?

-..for a £10 note.

And you'd still have a fiver to spend.

-I'd still have £7.56 to spend.

-As much as that?

-Oh, Lord! Today is my lucky day!

-HE LAUGHS

-Thank you, Lord, for sending Andy! I shall have it, sir.

-Deal is set.

Never has shopping been made so easy. It's marvellous.

That went well, didn't it?

Can Andy help Charlie find anything for his remaining pennies?

-Where's your bargain basement bit? Do you have one?

-Not really.

I don't want an American nit comb! Do I need a nit comb?

-What about a stone gargoyley thingy?

-He's grotesque, isn't he?

-These things look quite cheap in here. £5 here and £6 there.

-Yes.

There's a pin cushion in the form of what looks like a pheasant, there.

There we go. A little pewter pin cushion.

Could we do this for seven quid?

I think you probably could cos it's priced up at four!

No, it's not, never!

That's the one with the broken leg.

The one without a broken leg hasn't got any price at all.

It's priceless, sir. I've got £7.56.

You've spent your money, sir.

That was the easiest shopping I've ever done in my life.

-Deal done, sir.

-Deal done, well, I'll give you my money.

That's a tenner for that, sir.

-And all I have in the world for this, sir.

-£7...

-56p.

-Jill, we'll be having egg and chips for tea tonight.

Yes, yes. And I won't be.

Ah, poor old Roscoe. So, with all our expert shopping done and dusted,

it's time to reconvene.

It's the moment to reveal all to each other, and Charlie's up first.

Oh, Roscoe!

Look at this!

You have bought a pair of Chinese carved

water buffalo with figures on.

Look at that. On the stands as well!

They could do £300.

-You could wipe me off...

-Thomas!

You could destroy me now! £100?

110 and he gave me £10 luck money back.

-So, £100? Those are really good.

-They're good, aren't they?

Oh, do I detect the green-eyed monster there, Thomas?

We saw that. How much was that?

-That was £25.

-Oh, Rosc! Profit, profit.

-And can I, what is this hideous ivorene...?

-Have a look at that.

-No, no, it's wonderful.

-Ah, and it comes off.

-It's a little necessaire.

-Oh, a little necessaire.

-Look.

-Oh, I love it!

That's divided them.

Excite me.

-CHARLIE SINGS

-# Dee-dee, dee-dee... #

-There we are.

-Oh, that's a good form.

-That's beautiful.

-That's a good form.

Good thing, isn't it? She's got a good look to her.

-May I handle her?

-Of course you can touch her.

Who's that modelled after?

I don't know. It's like a Lorenzl piece, yeah.

Has the foot been off?

It's got a crack on it, yeah, that's why it was only £60.

Are these spears or are they paddles?

(Paddles.) £35.

They don't look very old to me.

-I said they weren't, they're sort of 1920s.

-But they're fun.

That I love, the shape of that is fabulous. That's very good.

-Did you buy that for less than £100?

-Oh, yeah.

Oh, creepy, creepy boy.

-What was it, 75 notes?

-Exactly, £75!

-Yeah, but that's lovely.

And it's such a good saleable thing.

You did spend more than me, congratulations!

I told you I'd spend more than you!

All very cordial, but let's see what they really think.

I must say, this time, I'd rather have my lots than Thomas's.

There's a pair of water buffalo on Charlie's table

which are magnificent.

Very jealous. These could be the ones which he beats me with.

His figure after he thinks Lorenzl, Priest, whoever,

is nice, but that broken foot, I think, is relevant.

I can't stand that clown. I can't stand it.

I'd like to think I'm going to claw back 100 or so, and then

we'll be 2-2 going to the last one and that'll be quite exciting.

Thomas and Charlie kicked off this leg in Church Stretton, Shropshire,

then meandered back and forth over the English-Welsh border.

Now, they're returning to Shropshire

for an evening auction in Minsterley.

-Look at that, Roscoe!

-Oh, I feel like a condemned man already.

Oh, shut up! We've got the water buffalo, haven't we? Honestly!

Come on, get in!

The auction venue ce soir is Hendersons, a busy

and fast-growing family-run business owned by auctioneer Phil Griffiths.

So, what does he think of our experts' choices?

The terracotta garden urn is my favourite.

I think people are going to really like it.

Commercial, be nice to have a pair,

but, erm, yeah, I think, probably,

I can see that making 120 to 150.

The market in Chinese antiques at the moment is very good,

so I think probably they could be around 100 to 150.

Again, you know, they could even do a little bit better than that.

Charlie started this leg with £170.56,

and spent every single penny on five auction lots.

Thomas kicked off with £485.84,

and spent £203, also on five auction lots.

Now, where have those cheeky chappies got to?

Ay 'up!

I say, they look almost presentable.

What a good idea this was of yours!

Well, it's an evening auction, isn't it?

Are you modelling yourself on James Bond? You look dapper like Sean Connery.

"The name's Bond. Charlie Bond."

More like Basildon Bond!

Yeah, no time to waste.

The auction's about to begin,

and first up it's Charlie's cross-stitch panel.

What shall we say, £50-60? Start with 30. 30? 20. 20's bid.

-We've got 20, that's quite good for me.

-26? 28, 30 now.

-Oh!

All done at £30.

It's a well-needed profit for Charlie, albeit a small one.

How can I be excited? It's washed its face.

Thomas's deed box is up next.

What shall we say for it? 50 or 60?

-30, then. 30 is bid, 32, 35.

-Look at the lady in the front row.

Thomas, you're a genius! Look!

-50. At £50.

-She must be a Swallow.

-Thomas, I'm learning from a master.

-No further interest.

Are we all done with it at £50? Selling at 50, then.

An excellent profit for Thomas.

The boy can do no wrong.

-I actually am a bit in shock.

-It's phenomenal.

Don't be down-hearted, Charlie. It's the first of the two pheasants.

Now your pin-cushion.

-Starting with 10, 10 is bid. £10 bid. At 12, 14.

-Taking off!

£14 in the front row, at £14. Are we all done with this lot?

Selling, then, at 14.

Mr Auctioneer, you are the business!

An excellent profit, Charlie.

Seldom can a man have been so excited by £14.

It's Thomas's pheasant now. Will it fly as well?

Start me, 30? 30? 20, 20's bid.

-22. 25.

-I don't want to be greedy.

Those pheasants have done well, haven't they?

Another profit for Thomas.

Anyone for coffee?

-Start with £10, then.

-Ooh, 10!

10 is bid.

At £10 on the front row.

12, 14.

Come on, madam. Give the lady a nudge. Madam, cafe au lait!

-18, keep going, madam.

-Roscoe will give you a big kiss.

Go on, Roscoe will give you a kiss, there we are.

On the front row and selling at 22, all done.

Charlie's first loss,

especially after the auction house takes its commission.

Congratulations, madam, and thank you. From the bottom of my heart.

Now, will Thomas's paddles take him up the creek?

Starting with 30, 20, then. 20 is bid, 22, 25, 28.

At £30 in the doorway.

At £30, is there any further interest...?

-First loss of the day.

-£30. Are we all done at 30?

-That's your first loss of the day.

-It is, isn't it?

Yes, it is, but you're still winning by a country mile, Thomas.

My heart bleeds for you.

-It doesn't at all!

-It does, Thomas.

-Go away.

Charlie loved it, Thomas hated it.

What will the bidders think of the wee little needle case?

Start me at £10. 10 is bid, 12, 14, 16.

There's a man bidding round the corner going like the clappers!

-25.

-Look at that, Roscoe. 25.

30 now. 32. 34, 36.

-Thomas!

-Roscoe!

-You hated this, Thomas!

You're going to win, you're going to thrash me!

44.

46. At £46.

There is a God!

48. 50.

-I hate it!

-At £50, then.

-Is that all?

-I can't believe...!

A stonking profit for Charlie. There is hope yet.

-Put it there.

-It's renewed my faith in my, er...

I can't stand it! I can't stand it!

Thomas's garden urn is up next.

What will we say for this? I think perhaps £100 to start it.

50 to go, 50 is bid.

5, 60, 5, 70, 5, 80.

Getting better.

-90. At £90, 5.

-Oh, it's going well now.

-95.

-It's a good profit.

-Are we all done?

Sold, 95.

A tidy profit for Thomas.

-A working profit.

-Can't complain.

-No, better than not buying it.

Now it's Charlie's big hope.

He needs his water buffalo to make a large profit

to stand any chance of catching up with Thomas.

50 to go. 50 is bid.

5, 60, 5, 70, 5.

At £75. I've 80 now, 5.

At £85, 90, 5. 110.

110, 120.

At 130.

At 130, 140.

Getting there, getting there. We need a lot more than 140.

-Selling at 140.

-Oh, Roscoe, profit!

Oh, dear. It's a profit, but nowhere near what Charlie was hoping for.

I'm well chuffed.

I wanted £250 for those, Thomas.

Charlie's only chance is for Thomas to make a devastating loss

on the last lot of the day, his Art Deco figure.

-3,600.

-Start me at £100.

50 to go, 40 is bid. I have 45, 50. At £50 now.

The dealer, I know, is bidding for this.

70 now, 5. £80, 85 now, on the front row. 90 is bid.

That's 30 quid less 10, 15...

100, and 10.

Now you're going, now you're going.

-130.

-Good effort.

-130.

-Yes!

-Oh, God, Thomas! Thomas!

-That's a good profit.

Very sporting of you, Charlie. A resounding profit for Thomas.

-Well done, old bean.

-Well done.

Congratulations. We both made profits.

I think that's not bad, I think you've done jolly well.

I'm getting better. Another 15 legs, I'll have you.

So, Charlie started this leg with £170.56

and has made a profit of £39.36 after auction costs.

That leaves him with £209.92 to carry forward.

Thomas began this leg with £485.84 and made a slightly larger profit

of £67.60, meaning he beat Charlie yet again.

Our planter has £553.44 to spend on the last leg.

Phew!

Well done, Thomas. Where would Sir like to go this evening?

-Well, are you going to drive me?

-The casino?

-The casino!

Marvellous! Oh, well...

-You're back over that £200.

-Thank heaven for small mercies! It's dark!

-The night is yet young!

-Oh, stop talking in that way!

Next time on the Antiques Road Trip Thomas meets his match.

If you don't give me the money I'll show you the door.

And Charlie tries a new approach.

This is my lucky day!

Melt into my arms!