Episode 9 Antiques Road Trip

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

a classic car...

We're going round.

..and a goal to scour Britain for antiques.

I want to spend lots of money.

The aim, to make the biggest profit at auction -

but it's no mean feat.

Oh, no!

-There'll be worthy winners...

-Yes!

-We've done it.

..and valiant losers.

You are kidding me, oh...

So will it be the high road to glory,

or the slow road to disaster?

-What am I doing?

-You've got a deal.

This is the Antiques Road Trip!

Yeah...

Welcome to the glorious dawn of our fourth leg,

with auctioneer Paul Laidlaw and dealer Margie Cooper,

newly arrived in Wales.

Look at that, come on! Is this the Bristol Channel, or is this...?

-It is the Bristol Channel.

-This is as good as Cornwall.

Which was where their vintage Alfa Romeo set out from,

hundreds of miles ago.

They've since had plenty of fun but precious few profits -

until the last auction, that is.

Fantastic!

When Margie's shrewd acquisition of some Scottish brooches

rather eclipsed Paul's trademark militaria, for once.

If I see another brooch... MARGIE CHUCKLES

-..in your grubby mitts.

-Excuse me!

-I'm being bombarded with boring old military bits.

-Oh!

That fetch tons of money!

I get enough of boring military when I'm at home, thanks very much.

I'll be blowed if I'm having it in this car, Margie.

They both set out with £200 and Margie

so far increased that to a very respectable £333.78.

While Paul amassed a lead of over £100

with £451.64 to his name.

Perhaps a semblance of home advantage, eh?

You are in the car on a road trip with a Celt.

Right...

So we've got Celts in Cornwall, Wales, Scotland, Ireland...

-Cheshire.

-Oh, no, not in Cheshire. We don't have Celts in Cheshire.

Our trip starts close to England's most westerly point at St Buryan

and heads both north and east.

We then take a roundabout trip through Wales

before arriving at Newent in Gloucestershire.

Today we begin just outside Cardiff, at Penarth,

and end up at a Carmarthenshire auction at Llandeilo.

Just around the corner from Cardiff Bay, Penarth was a popular

Victorian resort known as The Garden By The Sea.

Its fine pier dates from 1895 and, just two years later,

the British impressionist Alfred Sisley honeymooned here

after tying the knot at a Cardiff registry office.

He painted half a dozen oils during his stay, too.

Margie Cooper...

-So you're off to your shop.

-I'm off to make my fortune.

-Wish me luck.

-No.

Bye!

-Good morning, how are you?

-Very well, good to see you. I'm Paul.

-I'm Gitty.

-Gitty, it is a pleasure.

Gitty that!

This little island of antiques is just the sort of shop to

get our Paul excited and mischievous.

I would love to buy a brooch and make money in the next auction,

given Margie's great success in the last with such.

But rest assured, she's out there looking for militaria,

no two ways about it.

Eh, I don't think so, Paul.

Just like that Ruskin brooch is not for you. This is more like it.

We've got this illuminated, hand-painted document

and we have various scrolls and legends.

"Dominica Heroes," it says at the top and at the bottom another scroll,

"Presented by HRH The Prince Of Wales November 1887."

Poignant stuff. Fantastic history.

What on earth was going on in Dominica?

Dominica 1805

refers to the principal battle honour of the 46th South Devonshire,

which was merged into the Duke of Cornwall's light infantry in 1881.

What do you know about your Duke Of Cornwall's...

I don't know much about it at all. It came out of a local house.

It's a pretty thing - is it dear? Have you got high hopes for it?

-Or is it reasonably priced?

-It's 85.

-Oh, yeah...

He's clearly intrigued, but for £85 not yet convinced.

The rummage goes on.

-Dare I ask what's in the basement, then?

-Everything and anything.

There is furniture, pictures, pottery, porcelain...

You name it, it's down there.

What red-blooded antiques expert could ever resist a trip to a dark cellar, eh?

Holy Moses, yeah!

It could be where the treasure's buried, after all.

I've only got so long to spend here.

WHISPERS: If this is anything to judge by,

the last guy was here a very long time.

I hope it was worth his while.

Paul Laidlaw, antique hunter - a bit like Indiana Jones in tweed.

Well, well, well...

Is it made up by a wood turner with no great talent?

Is it someone's O-level woodwork gone horribly wrong?

Or is it something out of Africa?

I need it to be old, and not just tourist fodder.

20th-century tourist fodder. What am I looking for?

That's a shrinkage crack.

A hallmark of some age.

Patina - it's certainly treacly,

but I've got a killer for you, here.

Look at that.

That's old baize cloth.

Yeah? Not modern felt, old baize.

I postulate this was taken home in the late Victorian era,

or early 20th century, and someone thought,

"I don't want it scratching my polished wooden floors"

and they tacked on some green baize.

I assure you, that's not modern.

That'll be 100-year-old.

Bingo!

It's period ethnographica.

Now we're in business.

Well, it was worth all the cobwebs, then.

He's not finished yet.

1950s, Susie Cooper.

A coffee service.

What's not to like. Sweet!

Burslem-born Susie Cooper OBE

was one of the most important women in British pottery.

Her motto was "elegance combined with utility".

I see a price tag. I do, don't I?

Is this going to be cheap? It's £125.

She's got 1930s, do you think it is prewar? I'd like it to be.

It's too much money. Oh, hopes built up and dashed.

I think it's worth £40 to £80 at auction.

All I can do is ask the question.

-Are you still alive down there?

-PAUL LAUGHS

Time to emerge, blinking, into the daylight to talk to Gitty.

Can I ask you about this? I thought I'd found something.

I thought, surely if it's down here it's incomplete, or it's broken,

but you've got a Susie Cooper complete coffee for six there.

I can't find the coffee pot, at the moment.

A coffee set with no pot! That's why it was down there, then.

-You think that's prewar?

-Oh, yes, it is because, I mean,

-it's got a prewar number.

-Yeah.

-They were all hand-painted.

-You see, Gitty, you're selling it to me.

-I know.

-You're a bad woman.

-What's the price on it?

-125.

-125.

-PAUL CLEARS HIS THROAT

Well, how about if I let you have the lot for 60?

It's a hell of a discount.

-Well...

-But I'm going to say can you make me 30?

Sorry. That's pushing, pushing your luck a bit.

Forgive me that.

That's all right.

How about 45?

-How's about this?

-Mm.

-40, which is the compromise, but there's a "but" here.

-But...

-You see this mystery wooden African stool, whatever it is...

-Yeah.

-Throw that in with it.

-Why not?

Basement prices, eh?

He's got the ethnographica for next to nought.

But what about the mysterious militaria?

You have got to buy my picture.

You're not going out without that!

PAUL LAUGHS

In theory, it is dead easy to sell me that.

But, at the end of the day, unless you get

the Duke of Cornwall's light infantry collector,

no-one else is going to care.

Down in Cornwall, it's a flyer.

Anywhere else...

Yeah, Llandeilo, in this case.

It's a strange thing to sell in South Wales.

-I'd pay 20 quid for that.

-No, I can't do 20 on that.

-I'll do 40 but I won't do 20.

-Yeah.

Hang on, this isn't over yet. We're only having a ceasefire.

-You know you've got me, don't you?

-Yeah.

-I'm like a little fish, a little hook in there.

-I'm reeling you in.

I will gamble on it at 30 quid, if you can sell it for that.

-That's fine. I'll sell it for 30.

-Gitty, we've bought three things.

Marvellous, that's what I like to see!

I told you I'd thin this place out.

That's £70 for three auction lots.

While Paul was doing his bit of cellar-clearing,

Margie's headed north.

Manoeuvring her motor from Penarth to Tongwynlais...

..and a fantasy castle in the woods.

Croeso Castell Coch.

-What does that mean?

-Welcome to Castell Coch.

Thank you, I wish I could respond. But I can't.

-My word! What a place!

-It is.

Castell Coch, with its three great towers,

topped by conical roofs,

was created by the fabulously wealthy John Crichton-Stuart,

3rd Marquess of Bute, and his architect William Burges.

The Marquess's father helped turn nearby Cardiff into a major port,

exporting iron and coal, but by 1871, his son was dreaming

of Britain's pre-industrial past.

How old is it?

-Many people think this is a sort of Victorian fantasy.

-Yeah.

But there's the substantial ruins of an important medieval castle,

and, if you look at the tower behind us, the Well Tower,

you can see there is a distinct change in colour in the stonework.

What's below is from the 12th/13th century

-and what's above is from the middle of the 19th century.

-Right.

The whole castle is based around a motte-and-bailey

and towers were added through the 12/13th centuries.

It was an important little castle in the Lordship of Glamorgan.

What's that red thing there?

That's what they call a brattish

and it's part of the Victorian recreation.

It's following the Middle Ages and it's a structure to allow people

to drop missiles on anyone trying to get through the drawbridge.

The Marquess of Bute and William Burges, they loved this sort of thing.

They loved playing at the Middle Ages.

This whole castle is a bit of fun.

The castle was to be an occasional country retreat

but no expense was spared as both patron

and architect set about creating a sort of medieval utopia.

The Marquess had a scholarly fascination with the period

and Burges, like his contemporary, William Morris,

favoured traditional craftsmanship over mass production.

We're in the banqueting hall.

-This is the main eating room, the table's in front of us.

-Yeah.

And this is the only room that was completed

while William Burges was alive. He died in 1881.

Oh, so he never saw it finished.

He never saw all the building finished,

but he saw this room finished.

And it's in his favourite Victorian Gothic revival style.

And it draws upon influences from France or the work that Pugin

had been doing in the Houses of Parliament, for example.

This is intended to be 13th-century

Gothic architecture and decoration.

And despite Burges's death, the work at the castle

continued for another ten years,

with Lady Bute's bedroom amongst the most fabulous interiors.

But most agree that the octagonal drawing-room

is the castle's masterpiece.

Oh, my goodness me!

So many different styles and...

Oh, it's beautiful!

It's a sort of allegory of the world.

We are standing on the green grass of the field,

we are surrounded by the flowers of the field in this nice panelling.

And then we can see the animals, these are Aesop's Fables.

And then you look higher and you see the birds of the air

and then the stars in the firmament

and finally the sun in the top of the room.

-But as we look this way towards the fireplace...

-Yes.

..we begin to recognise our own role in the firmament

because these are the three Fates.

You've got childhood, the prime of life and old age.

And the three Fates are spinning the thread of life.

And ultimately, the one on the right cuts that thread and our life ends.

Not only did Burges fail to see his work completed,

but sadly, the Marquess also passed away just a few years later in 1900.

From the early 20th century, it was hardly used at all, if ever.

And during the war, it was requisitioned,

so the Army were living here.

-I'm told they used to have dances in this room.

-Oh, no!

-In the war.

And then, just after the war,

the Marquess's son had to pay... There had to be death duties paid

and he sold up his estates, most of his estates here in South Wales.

Thankfully, Castell Coch is now owned by the Welsh people.

So we can all appreciate what was once the Marquess's country retreat.

But if you prefer a fantasy des-res in the heart of the city,

then back in Cardiff you can visit another Bute castle,

also given the Victorian high Gothic treatment by William Burges.

Or, like Paul, you can just pop into the antique centre.

Ha-ha!

Folks. Margie after a bad auction.

Margie trying to solve her problems.

Margie now, after a good result.

Well, there's something concrete for you.

-Hello there.

-Hello, good afternoon.

-You look in charge behind there.

-I certainly am.

-Are you Sue?

-I am Sue, yes. Hi.

Lovely to see you, I'm Paul.

-Nice to meet you.

-Are you all right?

-Fine, thank you.

Welcome to the Pumping Station. Amazing, isn't it?

A structure, astonishing!

It looks like you've managed to fill it.

Oh, yes, we're very full.

Yes, this grade-II listed piece of Victorian industrial architecture

seems really quite replete.

Paul can afford to take his time and be choosy here.

He's had a good morning, after all.

God, that is cheap. I don't know if I want it, but it's cheap.

RAF souvenir.

Some guy serving in occupied Germany

in 1948, with the RAF.

How's that? 15 quid.

It's a gift.

But it's not for me.

Margie's arrived and she may feel a little differently.

She's never been a fan of the giant antique centre.

She prefers the personal touch.

I do hate it when the dealers aren't here.

It's very difficult.

And it's a bit late in the day too.

So just getting her hands on some of the stock could be a problem.

You always want to go places you can't go, don't you?

Breathe, Margie. Something will turn up. Just don't worry about Paul.

He's in here somewhere, isn't he?

-WHIP CRACKS

-Yeah!

Lordy! He certainly is. And he seems to be interested in something.

We have a clock garniture here. A figural clock garniture.

We have the clock surmounted by this figure here...

in chains. And what's he doing?

Surely he's trying to break his chains.

Precisely the same figure is one of

the flanking elements of the garniture.

The other one, this chap here, lost his chains.

Looks like he's launching a brick.

Is he breaking down the walls that make him captive?

Surely they represent liberty from slavery.

The origin, I think, is German.

I think it's under the influence of the Jugendstil movement,

the "youth style" movement,

that comes about in Austria in the very late 19th century.

Jugendstil was the artistic equivalent of Art Nouveau

in German-speaking and Scandinavian countries.

It's unusual and I like unusual. It's complete and the condition is good.

Is it treasure? No, because it's a bit black, it's a bit unsettling,

-the whole slavery thing.

-And the clock doesn't work.

Price?

What do we have here? The trio, £97.

If you want it, it's no money.

If you want to sell it at auction, it's way too much money.

Margie, meanwhile, is also looking into something.

It's just an attractive gilt mirror, isn't it?

With that nice bit of hand-painting there.

Gilded gadrooning, bet it's early 20th century.

I think that's quite attractive.

-Not the price, though, is it?

-£75.

Right, let's put it back.

There's only one way to find out if it can be any cheaper, Margie.

I quite like that. I just thought it attracted me,

so maybe it would attract somebody else.

I will give the tenant a ring and see if I can do anything better.

-See how much they want.

-Normally, they do tell us 10% on it.

And no more.

I think Margie will be after

a slightly bigger reduction than that, Sue.

You've got it marked up for 75,

but the lady wondered whether you'd be able to move any more on it.

Back to Paul's clock. Adrian is trying to get him a deal on it.

I want to pay 40 quid for them. And I know that's brutal...

-55.

-Nah.

49 is the absolute best, is it?

49 is so close I can smell a deal.

45 and I'll buy them.

Say 45 and he'll buy them.

Yes, he'll do it.

-Tell him he's a good man.

-Tell him he's a good man.

Another deal for Paul. But no such luck with Margie's mirror.

The dealer's best price was £55

and that was still a little high for her.

It's very nice, but 55 is a gamble, isn't it?

I think I'm going to say no to that.

Time's up and Margie's funds remain untapped.

Not that she seems too bothered about that.

Do you like the country or the seaside?

Er...both, but the seaside first.

-Yourself?

-No, country.

-Really?

-Yes.

Isn't that funny?

Well, we never thought they were like peas in a pod, did we?

Sweet dreams.

Next day, Margie's feeling curious

about what her fellow tripper has been up to.

-How's it going for you?

-Not bad.

I have bought a handful of things.

I'm still shopping, but I don't feel under pressure. Yourself?

Gulp! Margie didn't get a single thing yesterday.

It's my nervous whistle.

SHE WHISTLES

Which means she has lots to buy and £333.78p to buy it with.

Whilst Paul has set off at his usual storming pace

with this Susie Cooper coffee set,

the clock garniture

an African stool,

and a piece of militaria, all snapped up.

I'm reeling you in.

These cost £115,

leaving him with over £336 still in his wallet.

No wonder he's happy to be driving Miss Margie.

I've got this man, I think he's Pict or a Celt or something.

Don't understand a word he says, but he gets from A to B.

Later, they'll be landing up at an auction in Llandeilo.

But our next stop is in Carmarthen.

Now, many of you will no doubt recall that this road trip started

in Cornwall and visited Tintagel where some say King Arthur was born.

Well, Carmarthen was allegedly the birthplace of Merlin -

in a cave, of course.

-There you go, Margie.

-Right, have a great day.

Shop till you drop, Margie.

One legend on record as coming from Carmarthen though,

is Nicky Stevens,

singer in Eurovision winners Brotherhood of Man.

So, is Margie feeling under pressure to...

# Buy, buy, baby, buy, buy? #

I'm sort of getting an old hand now at this Road Trip.

But if I'd been in this position on my first Road Trip,

I think you'd probably have had to stretcher me in.

Sage words, Margie.

And this looks just the place to break that duck.

-Hiya.

-Hello.

-Good morning.

-Hello, good morning.

-Margie.

-Viv.

-Hi, Viv.

-So you're going to be my helper.

-I am indeed.

-Right, so what goes on in here?

-We've got 40 dealers altogether.

40? Right.

-So you've got jurisdiction to maybe deal a bit?

-We have indeed, yes.

Everything is negotiable. OK? Everything is negotiable.

Just what Margie needed to hear, I'm sure.

Sounds like those two are already in tune.

A conductor's baton.

Ah, teeny-weeny Worcester.

It's got three handles, which are sometimes called a tyg, T-Y-G.

Then you've got a little two-handled mug.

Sweet, hand-painted.

It's like a loving couple really.

£48 each.

First chance now for a bit of that promised negotiability.

-How much are the pair of those?

-I can do the pair for 40 for you.

-As good as her word.

-The pair for 40.

-Yes.

-Delightful.

-They are, they're immaculate.

-I've got to say yes to those.

-OK.

-Thanks very much, Viv.

-That's all right.

Off and running, Margie. Or should that be marching?

Oh, look at my soldier.

I've been with my soldier boy all week.

It's Paul Laidlaw, this, isn't it?

I'd just love to buy it for a laugh.

-Or a wind-up.

-He looks a bit younger than Paul, doesn't he?

Keeps better time, too.

Trouble is it's £95. Tinplate mechanical toy by Marx.

Marx was a very successful American toy manufacturer.

Founder Louis Marx was known as the Henry Ford of toys.

-How much could this be?

-£70.

70? Ugh!

This time, Viv needs to call the dealer.

70 is too expensive.

It needs to be cheaper.

Right, I've spoken to the dealer, 65 is his best on it.

-He's selling on behalf of someone else.

-I really fancy him.

I can't see me losing on that.

I think he approves.

I just think he's OK for 65, I really do.

Oh, yes, I've got to have him. Go on, I'll have you.

-I'll have him.

-Brilliant, lovely.

So, with Margie busy loosening the purse strings,

where's our other little soldier got to?

Driving from Carmarthen down to Tenby, that's where.

The town's Welsh name translates as "little fortress of the fish"

and Tenby's strategic position on Britain's western coast meant

it was an important settlement long before it became a seaside resort.

But Paul's in no position to pull up a deck chair just yet.

Not with shopping still to do.

-Mr Bull, I presume.

-How you do?

-I'm Paul.

-Hi, Paul.

Johnny to his friends, Paul. Nice shop too.

Worth your usual close inspection.

I've got my eye on you, Cooper.

Yesterday, there was no coffee pot. What is it today, I wonder?

We're missing the sugar basin, aren't we?

Maybe not. There's sure to be something else.

Perhaps another clock, Paul.

Certainly quite a bit bigger than the last one.

This is rather a smart grandmother clock, we'd call it.

Which is a short longcase clock.

Brass-faced with a silver chapter.

It's in the style of the mid 18th century.

However, I think it was probably made in the 1920s.

And it's priced at £150.

Very reasonable indeed.

However, the movement is faulty.

Just like yesterday's, then.

What on earth am I doing thinking about spending

so much money on a broken clock?

Johnny? Step into my office.

You'll have seen me play with your...

-With the clock, yes.

-What are you like with prices?

Are you a man I can haggle with?

-Well, you can haggle with me so far and then...

-Fair enough.

What have I got on the ticket on the clock?

-One-and-a-half on that.

-125.

125.

I need to pay...

100 for it.

I'll sell you the clock for 105.

Gosh, that's not bad!

Time to take five minutes. Not that our clock will be much use for that.

I want the clock. But it is a gamble.

If I'm right, I might be able to get it sort of working.

If I can, then not only will I buy it, I'll be happy about buying it.

Now, then.

What do you think of that, eh?

We've got a working timepiece.

Well, we have to hand it to you, Paul.

Let's hope the price doesn't go up again.

-She's a goer.

-I'm impressed.

-You've got a deal, so thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

So, Paul is the proud owner of a working clock for £105.

How about Carmarthen?

Has Margie continued her fine start to the day?

I've seen something in here if it could be reasonable.

-Sounds promising.

-Isn't that cute?

Yeah. A little Art Nouveau job.

You've got copper and brass,

a lovely, typical...1900?

Absolutely lovely.

It's just got a right feel about it.

For use with miniature cups, perhaps?

We think it's a calling card tray.

-Your butler would come along and introduce it on that.

-You could do.

-What's he up to?

-It's a woman, she supposed to be milking the cow,

the cow isn't coming up to her and he's just sneaking up behind.

What are we getting into here?

The ticket price is £32,

but I'm sure Margie will be keen on a reduction.

That's got to be cheap and cheerful.

I think Viv's got the message, Margie.

I can do 15.

-I was really thinking about 10 quid.

-Go on, then.

I know what I bought it for. You can have it for £10.

Oh, Viv, you're too good to me.

She certainly is.

But having splashed out over £100 on four items,

Margie's still on the hunt for more.

I like this. I think it's a pastel.

I think it says here 01. Could that be 1901?

That is a really good sketch of a horse.

And he's such a toff, look.

That guy's just got attitude.

He loves himself.

Looks in the style of Cecil Aldin,

a British illustrator who often worked in pastels

and was very fond of rural scenes.

Oh, crikey! It's over 100 quid.

I'm not risking that.

This could be Viv's greatest challenge yet.

-Have you got a minute, Viv, darling?

-Yes.

I've just spotted this.

Yes, lovely, there's a lot of interest in that. It's just come in.

-It's lovely.

-Has it just come in?

-Yes, not long.

-Oh, God!

-There is some room in that.

-Is there?

-We can go down quite a bit.

What are you thinking of? Where do you need to be?

Please don't ask her that.

-I can be round about 50.

-Yeah.

If you shake my hand at 40, I'll have it.

-Yeah, go on. Go on, go on, you've done well.

-I can't look.

No, 40, it's yours.

Wow, another whopping discount!

All they've got to do now is get it off the wall.

Ah, well done!

-Plan B, if you hold that.

-Yes.

-It should be. Hang on.

-Ah!

We've just got one problem here. You want to swap? There we go.

That was some shop, Margie. Five buys.

Now, time to pay up.

So, how much do I owe you?

I don't know. I don't know, I haven't got a clue.

I'm not surprised after that flurry of activity.

It was £155, actually.

But will her little haul get Margie back in the game?

It's all down to the auction now.

I'm not blaming me. Blame the auction.

Hey, what could possibly go wrong?

But in Tenby, Paul has also finished shopping.

You could say he's clocked off, in fact.

So he's headed to the Norman castle

and Wales's oldest independent museum to find out about

the inventor of a little something it's hard to imagine doing without.

-Hello, is it Sue?

-It is.

-Lovely to see you.

-Very nice to meet you.

Overlooking the Victorian fort on St Catherine's Island,

the castle is the best place to appreciate

what during the late Middle Ages was the biggest port in Wales.

Henry Tudor sheltered here during the Wars of the Roses,

but Tenby's cleverest offspring

was undoubtedly the mathematician Robert Recorde.

He was born in Tenby around 1510, 1512,

we can't be absolutely certain of the date. His father

was the mayor of Tenby and probably a merchant, so Robert would

have grown up with the transactions

-going on between different merchants.

-I see, yes.

That maybe is what sparked off his interest in mathematics.

Young Robert left for Oxford University to study mathematics

and medicine aged 15, and within a few years,

he was both a doctor and an author.

And then he wrote his first book about mathematics

in 1543.

-OK.

-He was the first person to write a book about mathematics

-in English.

-Really?

-Yes.

Up until then, books for learned people, mathematical books,

all those sorts of things had been written in either Greek or Latin.

That work, Arithmetic, or The Ground Of Arts, was so successful that it

remained in print for over 150 years and was reprinted about 45 times.

In this book, he explains in very simple terms

mathematics to a complete amateur.

Recorde had cleverly answered a great need,

because in the 16th century, whilst British trade was booming,

maths was known only to a fortunate few.

Presumably, the businessman buying this book and studying it

and learning it had an advantage over his competitors?

Absolutely right. And when you think that

different commodities had different measurements...

So beer came in a firkin,

a kilderk or a "barrell"

and it contains 9, 18 or 36 gallons.

Herrings... A butte, a barrell, a bar, a firkin, and so on and so on.

You had to be pretty good at maths to be able to deal with all of this

when you're trading, so this was a really important step forward.

But Recorde, who was to become controller of the Royal Mint,

didn't stop there,

introducing algebra into British mathematics and devising new ways

of using the square root, and in The Whetstone Of Wit, he made perhaps

his most lasting contribution - the equals sign.

Howbeit for easy alteration of equations

and to avoid the tedious repetition of these words, "is equal to".

You can tell how fed up he was!

"I will use a pair of parallels, thus: =

"Because no two things can be more equal.

"And now mark these numbers."

And that's the very first use of the equals sign.

-There you have it, longer than we use today...

-Yes, very long.

It wasn't universally adopted immediately, because other people

were writing, don't forget, and using other different symbols.

-Yeah.

-But it's such an easy thing and such a natural thing that it

became the universal symbol for equality.

Unfortunately, Tenby's brilliant mind didn't live to an old age,

because after being sued for defamation by a political enemy,

Robert Recorde died at a debtors' prison in 1558.

I did more than my fair share of maths at university.

But I had no idea that this Welshman,

this man of Tenby came up with the equals sign.

I'll tell you what, next time I'm doing some homework with the bairns,

I'll do my bit and spread his name.

Now, without too much complicated arithmetic,

let's see the sum of what our two have bought.

Paul has acquired an African stool,

a grandMOTHER clock,

some militaria, a coffee set

and a clock garniture for £220.

While Margie has a clockwork toy,

some miniature mugs,

a little tray

and a picture for £155.

Margie is looking good again, looking strong.

Two Worcester hand-enamelled miniatures.

Yesterday's news! Dull, but profitable.

He's bought a grandmother clock

and he's managed to get it working! That could be a bit of a worry.

The tray - nasty.

£10 paid, but if there's any justice in the world, that's a struggle.

He's £100 ahead, which is not that much, really.

But I think I'd put money on Paul Laidlaw!

Oh, Margie!

After starting out

in South Glamorgan at Penarth,

this leg of the road trip concludes at an auction

in Carmarthenshire, in Llandeilo.

-Can you hear that noise? Can you hear that?

-What?

Sounds like a clock ticking!

On the western edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park, Llandeilo

is named after St Teilo, who was a contemporary of St David.

For almost 800 years, they hosted an annual fair in the churchyard here.

-Another auction house.

-They say there's an amazing clock in the sale!

Hang on, your clock doesn't seem to have got the good people

at Jones and Llewelyn into too much of a lather just yet,

and the auction's not online, either!

Listen carefully to what auctioneer Michael Jones makes of it all.

I think the clock is a bit messy, it's been worked on.

It's in bits, actually!

-IN STRONG WELSH ACCENT

-Lovely cups I'd use myself.

Might get £20 for it if you're lucky. I wouldn't want in the room.

If they think they're going to make a profit, they'll be lucky.

Crikey(!)

What's more, they seem to be having a bit of difficulty with his accent.

When he's talking to the people who are bidding, he talks in Welsh.

-Have you sussed that?

-I thought it was all Welsh!

There's English in there as well?

Of course there is, Paul(!)

You just have to pay attention.

-What's up first?

-Drummer boy.

-Duh-duh-duuuh!

Margie's little soldier leads the charge.

I go straight in, a bid of £20, I've got, 20, I've got. £20, I've got.

Any advance on £20? 22, 24 now on my left.

24, 26 back here. 28.

-28 I've got. 30.

-I'm having a job to understand.

-Don't worry, Margie, it's all bad.

-Any advance on £30? 32.

Back in at the last second. 34 back here. Selling at £34, then.

A shocking start, but our two don't seem to have quite got it yet.

What did it make? Excuse me...

-Yes?

-What did Lot 170 make?

I bought it.

-YOU bought it? He BOUGHT it!

-For how much?

-34 quid!

Hopefully, they'll be a bit more on the ball from now on.

My tray is next.

Paul hates it, but that's no reason for it not to make a fine profit.

-£10 bid I've got.

-It's got a tenner straightaway.

-12 now, 14 is there.

14 you've got, 16, 18. Selling at £18, all done?

Cheap enough, selling at £18, all done. Sold.

-18 it is.

-You've got to be happy with that, holy Moses!

Goodness gracious, I'm sure she is!

Just wait till your lots come up!

I'm worried now. I'm the guy that went in heavy.

Paul's coffee set without the pot, there.

I've got a few bids here, 15, £20 I've got. 22 now, any advance on 22?

-No!

-All done?

-Too cheap.

-22 it is, then, selling at £22, 24.

26 back there. 26, I've got. Go for it, don't be daft!

Go for it, don't be daft!

28 it is.

Selling at £28, then.

Close, but no cigar!

No, a bigger loss after auction costs, though.

The lucky winner just needs a pot, now.

Time for Paul's bit of Jugendstil.

-Lovely man.

-It's standout.

Very handsome man.

I've got 35, 40, 45, I've got. 45 I'm bid.

Cheap enough.

Don't know about cheap enough. Too cheap.

55, here, that gentleman there. Any advance on 55?

It's cheap. Selling at £55, then - all done?

It's a profit, love. Chuck!

Barely, Margie.

Now, if you don't exactly fancy a full cup of tea,

Margie's Worcester tyg will do the trick.

You're going to make money on these, aren't you?

Did I say that with sufficient menace?

-£10 on it.

-Oh, God.

12 here, 14, 16 here. 18 I've got. 20?

Book is at £20.

22, 24, 26, I'm out. 26 I've got.

Any advance on £26? Selling at £26.

Another little disappointment.

-Can her loving cup do any better, though?

-I've got 10, £15 I've got.

15, 17, 19, 20. 22. 24 is there.

26. 26 is out. Any more?

Both gone for 26 quid!

-£26 then, 126.

-Oh, well.

Hey-ho!

So, neither of Margie's cups runneth over.

Just be grateful you didn't spend £105 on something!

Oh, dear.

If we were in Cornwall, or at least online,

I'd have high hopes for Paul's militaria.

-This is the best thing in the saleroom.

-Don't be cocky!

I'm desperate!

Nice little thing there.

£10 start it? Anyone £10.

What is happening?

12 here. 14 behind you. Nice one.

-You're loving it!

-I'm not! Honest!

All done, selling at £14? £16.

This is insane.

16 it is.

That's ridiculous.

A rare reverse for Paul's stock in trade.

But a bargain for someone!

We're taking a bit of a hammering here, aren't we?

That's preposterous.

Margie's picture.

Paul was a bit worried about this.

Straight in, I've got a bid of £40.

-Straight in.

-40, 45.

I've got 50 back here. 55, 60 here. 65, I'm out.

65 I've got. Any advance on 65?

-Go on!

-All done?

-That's pretty healthy.

-20 quid?

Don't knock it, Margie - it could be the profit of the day.

Margie, the leg's gone. It's off.

I'm not surprised, Paul.

Your clock suddenly looks like an even bigger gamble.

Where are we starting?

100 quid? 50, then? No. £20?

-Where do you want to start? £20, I've got.

-He's got 20 quid.

He's got 20 quid.

-Any advance on £20? No? £20 it is.

-No!

£20. 25. 30 now.

You're kidding me. It's the price of a mantel clock!

It's the price of a mantel clock!

£30, 35. 35 now.

40 now. £40 I've got.

You're getting there, you're getting there.

All done? £40. 45. 45 there.

Bid! Bid! Bid, people!

-What?

-I think you lost money there!

Calm down, Paul.

-You'll snap a mainspring.

-Aww, there's no justice there.

-Margie!

-Margie!

-You've gone a bit pink!

But that gigantic loss means Margie is firmly in the lead.

Margie, Margie, Margie, I'm losing it! I'm losing it!

Maybe your African stool might pull you out!

Yes, that can't fail, surely?

I've got five, £10 on that.

£10 bid I've got, 15 now. Selling at £15? All done. 20.

20 now. 25. 25 I've got.

Still cheap, but I'll take it.

Selling at £25 then, all done. Selling at 25, last chance. 27.

Just! 27, 29.

31. 33.

-Give it another hour, he could make 50 quid!

-£33 and all done.

Not exactly a big finish, but at least it's a profit for Paul.

-Not enough to beat Margie, who will be the winner today.

-Margie!

What?!

Paul began with £451.64

and after paying auction costs,

he made a loss of £74.86,

leaving him with £376.78 to spend next time.

Whilst Margie, who started out with £333.78,

made, after paying auction costs, a loss of £16.42.

She now has £317.36

and is less than £60 behind.

Congratulations are in order. Hang on, I'm going to put these on,

because I don't want others to see that I've been crying!

Have I won an auction? Have I?

Will you stop going on about winning this auction?!

I'm going through hell in here!

Next on the Antiques Road Trip...

how to make toast.

Look at this! I could do this all day, I'm in my element.

-Pun intended!

-And how not to make a bean.

-Crumbs!

-I've dropped it.