Episode 10 Celebrity Antiques Road Trip

Some of the nation's favourite celebrities...

Why have I got such expensive taste?

..one antiques expert each...

..and one big challenge - who can seek out and buy

the best antiques at the very best prices...

Answers on a postcard.

..and auction for a big profit further down the road?

I love them. I think they're beautiful.

Who will spot the good investment? Who will listen to advice?

-Do you like it?

-No, I think it's horrible.

And who will be the first to say, "Don't you know who I am?!"

Well done, us.

Time to put your pedal to the metal.

This is Celebrity Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

Ready to do battle across Britain today

in a stylish 1979 Triumph Spitfire are Eve Pollard and Edwina Currie,

two forthright female high flyers who fought on the frontline for equality.

Chocks away.

-Are you an antiques buff?

-First of all, I AM an antique, so I should...

Ha ha! Piloting the path ahead at a steady 20 miles an hour

is pioneering politician Edwina Currie

whose salmonella in eggs claims caused her cabinet career to crack.

As famous for the affairs of the heart as affairs of state,

she's sure to give us some MAJOR eggs-citement.

OK, Edwina, how keen are you to beat me?

Well, I want to make as much money as possible.

-And that implies -

-So, in a word, yes.

-I would hope so.

And in the co-pilot's seat is the first lady of Fleet Street, Lady Lloyd.

Sorry, I forgot to turn my phone off.

Or, as she's known to postmen, Eve Pollard, OBE.

The former newspaper editor is more than used to breaking up male monopolies.

The male world of journalism is still pretty male.

I mean, I think men let a few of us in,

and then they thought, "Oh, my gosh, they can do this job.

We don't want their tanks parked on our lawn."

And on their way to meet them in a tank - I mean, a classic 1960 Morris Minor Convertible -

are our antiques experts and veteran trippers,

the preppy Paul Laidlaw, and the dapper David Harper.

Can our no-nonsense dynamic dames

keep these kings of the road on the straight and narrow?

GRINDING

Did you go back for that gear box?

If you can't find it, grind it.

David Harper is an antiques expert and writer

who bought his first antique at the age of ten,

which is about the same time he started fancying the Conservative Junior Health Minister.

There was a time, I will admit,

many years ago, when I'd watch the news, and I wouldn't mind wrestling with Edwina Currie.

LAUGHS

-I've said it.

-Oh, crikey. Let's hope they're not paired together.

# You're my sex bomb

# And baby you can turn me on... #

His fellow expert auctioneer and Jerry Lewis lookalike Paul Laidlaw

is more likely to get hot under the collar about hearing our celebs are in a Spitfire

as he is an expert in militaria.

He's going to be disappointed when he finds out it's a car, not a plane.

With £400 each to spend, our gender-balanced teams

will be travelling from Knutsford up north, meandering through Cheshire, Merseyside and Lancashire,

before going up a gear and romping 200 miles across England

to the auction down south in Stansted.

But first, time to find out who's partnering who.

Oh, my Lord.

Steady on, Edwina. David's pulse won't take it.

-Hello.

-Hi.

You could probably hear us coming a mile away.

-You two do look very glamorous. Edwina, hello. David.

-Hello.

-Paul.

-Eve. Very nice to meet you, Paul.

I'm not sure David can be trusted with Edwina,

so thankfully he's been paired up with Eve.

Oh, lovely, OK.

You are my god, and I will listen to you for at least five minutes.

Oh, dear Lord.

We've got a five-minute walk, which is the time you've got to listen to me.

Five minutes to our shop.

As David and Eve head off on foot to see what Knutsford has to offer...

I was born in the Summer of Love.

..Edwina and Paul get first dibs on cars.

Being a military man, Paul chooses the Spitfire.

We're hoping it's not just the car that will be a Triumph.

It's not that funny, Paul.

With £400 burning a hole in their pockets,

David and Eve have hit the heart of Knutsford.

Don't they look nice?

Knutsford was first mentioned in the Doomsday Book in 1086

as Canutesford after King Canute

the Danish king of England.

Knutsford was also the model for Cranford, the Elizabeth Gaskell novel

dramatised by the BBC,

so bagging a bargain might be a bit of a drama for Eve and David.

-Hello. How do you do?

-How nice to see you.

-David.

-I'm David too. That makes life much easier for me.

-And how long have you had this?

-We've been here since '95.

-Oh, gosh, so a long time?

-Yeah.

At my first sight, there are so many things I want to look at.

-I'll let you lead the way.

-OK, I'll have a little look.

The wonderful thing about having an expert on hand

is to educate and guide you through potential purchases.

It's positively Chinese.

The lesson is let's look at the base.

Niente.

-Exactly. Was that Chinese?

-That was actually Italian, very bad.

Oops, but he's still keen to educate Eve some more.

We have Art Nouveau, Arts and Crafts,

Art Deco.

This is 1910, somewhere around there.

-Arts and Crafts.

-It's very beautiful.

You went straight into them because you've got a designer's eye.

-You have, you have.

-The fiver will be in the post.

-Thanks very much. Works every time.

Don't let him charm you, Eve. It's Edwina he really fancies.

The winning mark for me is that on the underside.

-Ah.

-It says Tudric.

It's a well-known brand of another, even more important and interesting and well-known brand.

-Which was?

-Liberty.

-Oh, right.

-So, £88, then.

-OK.

-Well, if you could get it for...£50?

The famous shop Liberty's of London has sold Arts and Crafts forever.

Its Regent Street store even had a recent exhibition on the movement, and its founder William Morris,

so this teaset should be a winner, but first they've got to hammer out a deal.

Can Eve get it for her target of £50?

Now, this is the first time I've done this, so I'm going to be really awful,

and say we wanted to offer you £40 for it.

£40? Oh, Eve, that was a low blow.

I'll tell you what I'll do - I'll give Kim a ring, and just... Let's just see.

-OK.

-Just give me a moment.

That didn't go down nearly as badly as I was expecting.

That's why I wanted YOU to do it.

Hello, Kim? Hello, Kim, this is David here from the antique shop in Knutsford.

Kim's the owner of the teaset, so David is giving her a call to see what price she'll sell it for.

Yes. Bye-bye.

Well, Kim very obligingly reduced the price to £60.

And because you're such a charming couple

I will...help you with this, and I'll go...

..to £50 for you.

Bingo. Eve's happy with her first successful haggle, but David reckons he can get it even lower than that.

But we're going into the murderous, ruthless environment that a saleroom is,

and we're going against Edwina Currie and Paul Laidlaw.

-Not Edwina and Paul?

-Yes.

Yes, Edwina and Paul.

We're not normally as awful as this.

But we need to stick to the £40, David...

to give us any sort of chance.

I'll have to sit down for a moment.

So will I.

So will I.

Take it with the complements of Knutsford Antiques.

Oh, you're so kind. Thank you so much.

Oh, what a kind man. So with more than 50 per cent off the ticket price

that's a great start, and David's spotted something else.

What about these Victorian dumb bells?

This is man-tique.

Thank you. This is mantique.

Bodybuilding started in the Victorian era,

and cast iron dumb bells like this

would have helped the macho man of the day

fill out their swimsuits.

These apparently were 1884.

1884...

-It says here.

-Dumb bells...

-There's a price here.

-It would have to be cheap.

-They're £58.

-Oh!

David would struggle to lift the skin off a mug of hot cocoa,

but can he use his brain rather than his brawn

to get a bargain?

£45. Absolute best.

What do you feel? I love them.

I love them. I think they're beautiful, and I think they are special.

We've never seen anything like it.

I mean, do we dare take the risk?

-Can we trim it a bit?

-£40.

-Brilliant.

Well done. Brilliant.

Thank you very much indeed. You're a very, very sweet man. I'd be here every day.

That's £40 each for the teaset and the dumb bells. Ding dong!

Well, I've learned so much already.

-Have you?

-I have.

-Have you been with somebody else?

SHE LAUGHS

-Ooh, what a noise. We have lift-off.

-Teamwork.

While Team Pollard has successfully changed into a unisex outfit,

who is going to be wearing the trousers in Team Currie?

Well, at the moment Edwina is definitely in the driving seat

as she and Paul drive 30 miles up the road from Knutsford

to Edwina's birthplace - Liverpool.

# I'm going down to Liverpool... #

Tell you what, it looks a lot prettier than when I was a child.

The trees are grown, and...

..they're all looking after the houses.

It's lovely.

One of Britain's great Victorian cities, Liverpool owed its wealth to transatlantic trade

in the 18th and 19th Centuries.

Products like cotton and tobacco all helped local businessmen become millionaires,

but in the 1960s Liverpool had an export of its own

that created four millionaires -

Beatlemania.

As another famous Scouse export, Edwina remembers the '60s

which means she probably wasn't really there.

I won a scholarship to Oxford.

And the day I won my scholarship, I went and sat in the bathroom,

and cried!

I've got my ticket to ride.

Anywhere in the world.

-The Beatles had become really famous.

-Of course.

And we wanted to do the same as them.

We wanted to travel the world.

Proud of our city, proud of being Scousers.

I've always been proud of being a Scouser.

It's going to be interesting, going into an antique shop in Liverpool,

because I've never done that before.

Well, there's a first time for everything, Edwina,

and with £400 to spend, your first time is going to be

in Wayne Colquhoun Antiques and Fine Arts

owned by none other than Wayne Colquhoun.

He spent ages thinking up that shop name.

-Hello.

-Wayne.

-Hello, Wayne.

Wayne. Good to see you. I'm Paul.

Wayne, yeah, just in case you missed it. His name is Wayne.

It's not long before an item catches Paul's well-trained eye.

A little Chatelaine notepad.

Yeah.

Waistband or belt hook...

The pad itself closed ingeniously. It springs open.

It's not in a precious medium. I think that's an anodised finish. Maybe silver-plated.

But what draws me to it, aside from novelty,

is the Jugendstil - the youth style aesthetic

which is, for my money, rather smart.

Just highlit with this pink and white enamelling.

-And it's all complete.

-Looks it to me.

I rather like that.

Secessionist and Jugendstil were the Austro-Hungarian and German versions

of Art Nouveau.

It was all the rage from the 1890s, when enamel metal items with floral details like these were produced,

but this one would be worth more than its £65 price tag

if it was made of silver.

I think I'd be...

There's a bit more in the shop on it, but I think...£55 would be a nice price

which would give you a chance to sell it at auction.

Possible that someone could actually just like that, you know.

Are you worried about the fact that it's not silver?

In Essex? Not sure.

Edwina's worried that tastes at the Essex auction might be more bling than those in Liverpool,

but then she spots something familiar.

Are those stays down there?

That's a corset. For goodness' sake, man, what ARE you doing?!

Where did you find this? I threw it away years ago.

Probably the same place you left these garters, Edwina.

These are actually quite interesting, because -

That's garters!

These are the old-fashioned garters that the flapper girls would have worn.

-Oh, my word.

-Look at the decoration on that. I think they've lost their elastic.

-How old are these?

-I think they're '20s and '30s.

They sort of go in an era where something like...

..a cigarette holder would be...

For my money, that's a pretty seductive little combination.

It's painting a picture that I shall treasure.

Moving swiftly on, the Roaring Twenties style from The Great Gatsby

might be worth a punt at the moment, thanks to the recent movie.

I could see the cigarette holder making £65 on its own.

Oh! Not in any auction I've been in!

I think in the spirit of a charity event,

I think I would be prepared to sell them for £35.

My eyebrows spoke volumes there.

That's a lot for a lot, and for just £35.

Edwina is still finding her feet in the world of antiques,

so she's left Paul to do the first deal, but what about the notebook?

I think we said £55, did we?

I think we said £45, and I'm thinking we could get a bit off.

I think we need even more than that.

Edwina is showing a bit of interest now, but it's left to Paul to close the deal.

On the way out the door. Another £35, and we shake hands, and...

-That's enough for dinner tonight.

-I'm going to do that.

-Yes!

-Wayne, pleasure.

Seems our grand dame of the dispatch box might be happier

at the backbenches when it comes to antiques.

With both lots secured for £70,

our pair are more than happy to see what other sights Liverpool can offer.

# On the road again

# Just can't wait to get on the road again... #

Back in Cheshire, David is finding out more about his trading and travelling partner,

the national institution that is Eve Pollard.

What drew you to journalism?

Women's pages were changing, and women's pages were educating women.

And then, once I was in, I was keen to get to the top

because I thought that's where the power lies.

The thing is, I do think women at that time, and maybe still,

have to work harder than men.

-But is it easier now for a woman...

-I don't think so.

I mean, I think the interesting thing is there are

very few dull, grey women who just hang on to their jobs.

And quite a few dull, grey men.

Eve didn't let those dull, grey men get the better of her,

so all I can say is, good luck, Edwina.

-Do I want to beat Edwina?

-Yes, that's the question.

-Oh, definitely.

-Do you?

-Fond as I am of our competitor,

I want to beat her fair and square.

OK, well, I feel the same about Paul.

Great pal of mine, love him to bits, but I want to thrash him.

-Is that me being too competitive?

-No.

So with the picturesque thought of thrashing Paul in mind,

Team Pollard are heading eight miles up the road to Hale.

Hale was formerly a farming village until the arrival of the railways

in the mid-19th Century, and now it's a haven for wealthy Mancunian commuters.

Eve and David are heading to Porcupine Antiques

owned by Val Martin.

I've heard she can be a bit prickly. Ha!

Hello. Nice to see you.

-Nice to see you.

-You're...?

-Eve.

Val doesn't seem to quite know who the celebrity is.

-I've seen you somewhere.

-Have you really?

-On TV, I think.

Yes, probably.

Val's a fan of Crimewatch, then...

It could have been Crimewatch, I don't know.

We've done that gag, David.

There's a lot of Rococo going on in Val's place.

The glass drop chandeliers, painted furniture

and the ornate mirrors are all inspired by the 18th Century style,

but some of these items are much more modern.

Now, Eve, what do you think about that wall light there?

-I like that.

-Because that's got a little bit of age.

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

-Can I...

Val, do you mind if I have a look?

That looks very sort of '50s, doesn't it?

-It's got... Yeah...

-Am I wrong?

No, I think you're right. I think I was hoping it was going to be earlier,

like '20s, but it isn't - you are absolutely right.

-It's very sexy.

-Absolutely.

She means the light, not you, David.

-Imagine that lit in the right -

-I'd rather have it turned off at my age.

HE LAUGHS

-It's glamour.

-It feels naughty.

-It does.

Naughty but nice.

The pair of lights are naughty, but nice. But what about Val?

100 quid.

That's nice, Val. But will David be naughty?

-I'm going to hand that back to you, then.

-Right.

But tell me what the absolute death is.

The absolute death...for you, and I wouldn't do this for anybody else,

is fifty quid.

So, they are very 19th Century in their style.

Never seen the 19th Century in their lives.

They look like they're bronze ormolu. They've never seen bronze ormolu.

They're tinny. Sorry, are you...

-I'm not.

-I agree, but they're nice.

They have a glamorous look.

And there's two of them.

Only you know, will they do all right at auction?

(WHISPERS) £25 each... He's got a gift.

Why are we whispering?

Can we go £35?

-I started off at £100.

-I know.

No, you're taking absolute liberties.

-Don't swear.

-I didn't.

But he does do it very nicely.

No, listen, £25 each. That's a snip.

-They're not expensive.

-No, they're not.

It looks like stalemate, until David produces his trump card.

Do you want us to beat Edwina Currie?

Oh, £42.50.

Ooh, it's getting underhand now.

I bet they won't tell Edwina about that later.

With their shopping for the day complete,

Edwina is taking Paul to discover the secrets of Liverpool's caverns.

No, not where the Beatles first played,

but the site of one of her native city's biggest mysteries,

and one, despite her growing up nearby, Edwina knows nothing about -

the Williamson Tunnels.

Taking them underground is Les Coe of the Friends of Williamson Tunnels Project.

-Hiya.

-My name's Les.

Welcome to Williamson's Tunnels.

Joseph Williamson was a wealthy local tobacco merchant

who meticulously built miles of tunnels under Liverpool's suburbs

between 1800 and 1840, but no-one knows quite why,

so our intrepid duo are about to find out for themselves

what lies below.

Goodbye, cruel world.

Holy Moses!

The most likely theory for building the tunnels

is that it was to provide work for unemployed soldiers returning from the Napoleonic Wars.

There are more fanciful theories about the tunnels, like they were used to hide contraband,

or that Williamson was preparing a shelter for the end of the world.

BUT there isn't enough evidence to support any of these stories.

It's like being inside somewhere in ancient Egypt.

Yes.

Do you know what? I have this nightmare

that there's going to be a grinding noise, and these walls are going to come closer,

and I'm going to have to run, and do an Indiana Jones,

and...

Oh, my word.

The tunnels vary in size and shape,

from four feet by six feet

to twenty-five high and twenty feet wide.

But no-one really knows either how many tunnels there are,

or where they go.

What do you make of the mentality of the man

that will take on what must have been some size of workforce,

and produced this that we don't understand?

Absolutely astonishing. You can't help but admire Mr Williamson.

They should pay him tribute, to take on people who were in desperate need

long before there was assistance to look after them, and put them to work here

in this astonishing enterprise.

After Williamson's death in 1840, the tunnels became neglected,

and were either filled in for safety reasons,

or were used as a dumping ground by the residents of the rapidly expanding city,

but 150 years later, amateur enthusiasts began to excavate,

and found a time capsule of discarded objects, and the mysterious tunnels

began to reveal some secrets about the city's past.

-I'm dying to see some of the material that you've uncovered.

-OK.

-We can arrange that.

-Lead on, MacDuff.

Thank you.

Edwina and David are off to another tunnel to meet Stephen,

who's going to show them just some of the hidden treasure,

and talk codswallop - literally.

Sir Hiram Codd's patent, from whence we get the term codswallop.

That's right. Yeah, yeah.

Hiram Codd was a soda salesman

who came up with a unique replacement for corks

for the newly fashionable soft drinks industry in the 19th Century.

The olive falls onto a rubber ring.

Gas pressure kept it in, ready for distribution straight off the machine.

You just press it down to...

-Get a special little cap...

-Use a plunger.

That's right, and give it a whack. Codswallop.

Mm, that's another story that's hard to prove.

But there's some other unusual finds down here.

It's a toy toilet!

Fantastic!

Everything from corkscrews to lighting fittings,

shovels...

I love the ironwork. Look at the quality.

This is... When we actually clean this up

we're going to actually black-lead it because it's such intricate work.

You know, it's top form.

All the finds we've got, we want to put them on display,

and it's our social history of Liverpool.

It really is.

I was born and grew up in this city, not a million miles from where we're standing now.

I never knew any of this was here.

It's absolutely fabulous.

Although Joseph Williamson's intentions might always remain secret,

his tunnels have provided some intriguing answers to questions about

how his fellow Liverpudlians have lived for the past 170 years.

It's a shame Team Currie can't buy any of the items down there.

They might have fetched a few quid.

Well, that is the end of the long first day of antique roadtripping.

Time for our teams to retire for the night.

That's all, folks.

Well, not really.

It's another day, and another dollar to be haggled over by our antique-hunting celebrities.

What did you buy?

I don't think I can tell you what, but I can tell you we bought three things.

So far, Eve and David have splashed out £122.50

on three items - the teaset,

the Victorian dumb bells, and the Rococo-style gilt wall lamps.

Do you want us to beat Edwina Currie?

£42.50.

That leaves a healthy £277.50 for the day ahead.

Edwina and Paul meanwhile handed over £70 for two lovely lots -

the Gatsby lot of cigarette holder, garters, and a stay...

That is a pretty seductive little combination.

..and the Art Nouveau Chatelaine notebook holder.

That leaves them with a stash of £330 to spend today.

But what did our experts think of their celebrity charges yesterday?

After spending a day with Eve Pollard,

I can tell you that she is pretty much

the model of the perfect woman.

Get off that fence, Harper.

You're wading in kind of heavy there!

She's highly intelligent, but doesn't make you feel stupid,

which is a bit of a worry, seriously.

She's interested, she's interesting.

She does interesting things. She is the perfect woman.

Wow! David has switched his romantic allegiances from Edwina to Eve,

but is this reciprocal?

I think David is a genius, and I'm thinking of fitting out a room at home

he can come and live in.

My word, this relationship has moved quickly.

I live near Church Street antiques, Portobello...

I mean, I can imagine taking him down there would be fabulous.

Oh, I see - Eve is more interested in shopping than settling down,

but what about Paul and Edwina?

-Well, Edwina and I...

-You're getting married?

Moving in.

Trump that, doughnut.

Mind you, who cares? We're both beautiful, and worth a lot of money.

Get ready to jump.

You loved that!

Stop flirting. It's time to swap partners, and hit the road

as both teams are heading to the same shop - the race is on.

Way!

So, after spending yesterday in Knutsford,

Liverpool and Hale, our two teams set off

from the lovely Greater Manchester town of Cheadle

for the also lovely town of Sale, just seven miles up the road.

How appropriate that our bargain buyers are heading for a town called Sale.

However, the town takes its name from Old English meaning "at the sallow tree".

It can trace its origins back to the 7th Century AD,

and has survived the Jacobite uprising, the Manchester Blitz,

and post-war planning,

but how will it cope with the arrival of Team Pollard and Team Currie?

First to try and get a sale in Sale

are Edwina and David, who are meeting Wayne Long of Manchester Antiques.

Wow!

Wow indeed.

Fantastic stuff here. Look.

-I'm Edwina, and you are?

-Wayne.

-Hello, Wayne.

-I'm Paul.

-Wayne.

Heavy on furniture. What are you like for smalls?

Smalls?! Is Paul trying to buy underwear? Again.

Shall we start at the top, work our way down?

Works for me. As good a plan as any.

There's an old man with a goose.

Rather sweet.

It is a goose, and yours will be cooked soon unless you find something to put your hands on.

It's a fine thing. It sits very well on that marquetry side cabinet.

It would sit well on a desk, it would sit well on the telephone table in the hall.

Does it do anything for you?

-Would I have it my house?

-Would you?

-Probably not.

Something's not quite right about that clock, if only I could put my finger on it...

It hasn't got any hands.

A clock without hands? What's next?

A chocolate teapot? An ashtray for a motorbike?

If that wasn't expensive, I think that's still got legs.

It might have legs, Paul, but it ain't got no hands.

-Oh, no, they're here!

-They'll have the best deal.

Outside, the enemy has landed.

-David Harper.

-Wayne.

-Eve Pollard.

Hello. Nice to see you, Wayne.

Wasting no time, Eve and David spot a little bit of what they fancy.

-That's rather pretty, isn't it?

-That's quite a pretty thing.

-What do you think of that?

-Lovely little boite.

And what was this for? Tea?

This, I think, is more of a games box.

Ah, yes, of course.

So, looking at the decoration, I think that's...

late 19th, early 20th Century, so let's say 1890.

-But look - it's rather beautiful.

-Do you like it?

I do think it's a beautiful object. Look at the little tigery things in the corner. Look.

-Excellent detail.

-Do you know what they are? That's a dragon.

It's a dragon. That's what you always see at Chinese New Year.

I handle and buy objects like this.

Fifty a month, probably, Chinese boxes.

-And what do you think of it?

-I think it's absolutely gorgeous.

Do you? I'm so glad you like it too.

It looks like Eve's eye for an item has got it right again.

Is it cheapy-cheapy?

The price is £375, but can be £290.

Ouch!

-A million miles away.

-A million miles.

Hundreds of pounds away, sadly.

Nothing to do with the box. It's to do with going into a saleroom.

Now, what's Edwina up to? Is she hoping to pick up some tips?

This is the bottom... This is the beginning of the Chinese market.

But it's proper antique.

60 quid. It would be...estimated £80, £120.

It could make a bit of money. But Wayne is...

I'll let you just look into Eve's eyes, and consider that.

Wayne stands no chance against the eyes of Eve.

How about £67.50?

-Nice complicated number.

-Is that with the wink, or...?

That's with the wink.

And with the saucy wink, the deal is done. Cheeky.

Where did you get those eyelashes from?

Now, that, Edwina, is how you make a deal.

It's the heart behind the eyes.

I'm going to take you out with me more often when I'm going buying for ME.

That's a terrible excuse for taking someone out, David.

You romantic fool.

Upstairs, Edwina and Paul are putting the world to rights.

-I like that.

-Ooh, good reaction.

-I like that.

-Good reaction.

We had one, we had a big one, at home.

-The two hemispheres are coming adrift.

-Yes.

What's this?

-Push it together.

-Not bad, and that may be a lead in

to negotiating a price.

Right, well...

But before they decide on the globe, Edwina is talking a load of old balsa.

It's quite nice, actually, with the palm trees.

It's still got all its pinnacles.

They're not even... They're only very slightly wonky.

-Somebody's looked after that.

-They have.

-That's an original top.

-It fits a treat.

When that goes, you're doomed.

What do you reckon? Let's say...1880s?

I'm entirely comfortable with that.

Could be as early as 1850.

But let's say comfortably third quarter of the 19th Century.

-Would anybody want to buy it, that's the question?

-If we said £80

I'd be saying we've got a purchase on our hands.

Back down below, Eve and David are still looking for an elusive final item.

-The harp.

-Yes.

-Isn't it beautiful?

-It is.

I think utterly delicious.

-But...

-It's ruined.

Let's see the maker...

-It's 1860.

-I love all this...

It's a lesson to say to people - if you've got stuff in old, wet, damp sheds

-take them out, clean them up...

-Please, please.

Because this thing, when it was new... Can you see that gold paint there?

That gilding? It was absolutely vibrant.

This is gesso on top of wood. It would have been a fortune, this, when it was new.

And if it was completely mint it would be worth a couple of thousand quid.

But to restore it, it's going to take a couple of thousand quid and more.

But I've seen these in that state sell for a few hundred pounds.

For what reason I've absolutely no idea at all.

The 19th Century harp is plucking at their heart strings,

but what does Wayne want for it?

They're £325. People will just want it for parts.

-Feet, or...

-OK.

-Nice try. I love it.

-I might put you on the job, though.

Oh, hello.

It's just as if you were both filming a programme about antiques.

Are you ever going to come down so we can go up?

-In a minute.

-In a minute? You've been up there for hours.

-What have you been doing upstairs?

-We've been spreading our germs up there.

So you can't go up there just yet.

What germs would they be, Edwina?

Don't answer that. Team Pollard must wait their turn while Edwina and Paul try to do a deal.

It's £140.

Ooh, that earns Wayne the silent treatment.

Can they do any better on the clock?

As a clock, movement might be skew-whiff, but decorative.

Decorative, and not expensive.

-It shouldn't be.

-I don't think it's expensive at all.

It's £35.

The globe. The Philips globe.

Yeah. There's damage on that.

Without the damage it would have been an awful lot more. That's £140.

Mm.

I think there's work needs to be done on your prices by a bit,

and I'm not cheeky, I'm not talking double digits, but I'm talking right on the cusp.

Paul's trying to do a deal on the globe, but Team Currie still can't decide if the temple is a better buy.

But Wayne's about to make them both a lot more attractive.

You could have either of the two things for £100.

-And now you have to make the decision.

-Right!

Great move, Wayne. Back at ya, Team Currie.

Is it going to be the globe or the temple for £100?

And the little decorative clock, you said £35?

£30.

So that would be £130 would give us two items.

Edwina has been quietly learning, though, and comes back with a classic move.

By including the earlier clock, can she get the price down?

£120.

That's £120 in your pocket which is good, isn't it?

-OK.

-We're done.

Gotcha. Edwina's sealed her first deal - £120 for the clock, and either the globe or the temple.

But who is doing the choosing?

I think the lady should pick.

Thanks, Wayne. It takes the pressure off.

Let's go for the flamboyant. We'll go for the Indian item.

That's what I would have gone for.

I bet you say that to all your buyers, Wayne.

But that's a neat bit of business for Paul and Edwina,

and they can now high-tail it out of there.

-Absolutely clear.

-I've got a perfect behind.

HE LAUGHS

Right, which way am I going when I come out of here, laddies?

Well, perhaps not.

With Team Currie out of the way, Team Pollard are going back to the harp.

Can they pull a few strings, and get a bargain?

If the harp can come to 50 quid, it's a bizarre, risky thing.

-I'm putting my life in your hands.

-I know, and I'm going to apologise -

There'll be sobbing if Edwina wins.

-I'll be heard across the nation.

-Don't, don't.

That's why we need... Do you really want us to be beaten by a politician?

Ooh, they're going for the anti-Currie vote again.

Most undemocratic.

-Look at Wayne. Wayne.

-You've got the money.

Can the harp be... Look into Eve's eyes. I'm going to ask you a question.

Eve's going for the magic stare. Will the eyes have it?

Look in there. Will you take...

Will you take £50 for the harp?

-How's that?

-A lot of people would pay not to!

Are we done? Yes!

The eyes to the right have won the vote.

Motion carried, and the harp sold for £50.

We will see whether we were right or mad.

Oh, I think we could be mad.

I'm saying nothing. I'll sit on the fence.

Wayne must be a Liberal, then.

From Sale, Eve and David travel six miles back up the road

to the other Victorian metropolis of northwest England,

Manchester,

a city famous for its tradition of political reform,

and in the early 20th Century the birthplace of the Suffragette movement.

A bit of a trailblazer herself,

Eve has brought David to the People's History Museum

to find out more about the ups and downs of the women who inspired her,

and how they used marketing and merchandising to get their message heard.

On hand to show them around is museum registrar Phil Dunn.

-Phil, David Harper.

-Pleased to meet you, David.

At the start of the 20th Century, women couldn't own property

unless they were married, had little access to education,

and few rights in the workplace.

But most importantly, they didn't have the universal right to vote.

The movement dubbed the Suffragettes believed in direct action to get women the vote.

The founder of the campaign was Manchester lass Emmeline Pankhurst.

As a layman, when was it founded, the Suffragette movement?

The Suffragette movement was founded in Manchester in 1903.

-'03.

-By the household of Mrs Pankhurst,

and her husband Richard Pankhurst in Nelson Street in south Manchester.

Her husband was involved as well?

-He was sympathetic.

-It's good to know that men are involved here.

-I want some credit.

-It's very good.

It wasn't you personally, David, but shortly after forming

the media-savvy Suffragettes soon picked up on the very modern technique

of merchandising their message.

This is the Pankasquith game,

again showing the commercial nous of the Suffragettes.

It was produced in 1909. It's obviously pro-Suffragette.

The term is a hybrid term combining the surname of Emily Pankhurst

and Asquith, who was the Liberal leader.

-The Prime Minister.

-The Liberal Prime Minister who personally opposed women's suffrage,

but he kind of washed his hands of it, said, "I'll leave the decision to the House of Commons."

They had an advantage in the fact that Sylvia Pankhurst was a very gifted artist.

These progressive designs on this Women's Social and Political Union saucer and cup

are designs by Sylvia Pankhurst.

She was influenced in her art and politics by the socialist Walter Crane,

himself a discipline of William Morris.

William Morris was a friend of the Pankhursts,

and also the father of the Arts and Crafts movement

which produced wonderful items like the Tudric teaset Eve and David bought yesterday.

It's odd, you know, because in all my time handling objects

I can honestly say I've never come across anything

ever related to the Suffragette movement.

-None of these cups, plates -

-But there are very, very famous posters.

It's no surprise that as a pioneer of women's issues in the media,

Eve loves the propaganda posters,

like this one from 1908 designed by Emily Ford.

This is the one I remember. It's an amazing poster.

There's a girl looking at the factory door,

and it says, "Factory Acts. Regulations for women."

And underneath, the caption says,

"They have a cheek. I've never been asked."

One of the things I have to say, how slowly all this moves.

About 40 years ago I gave birth to Claudia Winkleman,

and in my contract, nothing about maternity leave, nothing at all.

That's how much we've come on.

The poster is underscoring the fact that then, certainly, working class women were largely ignored.

Totally.

Like Eve, the Suffragettes knew the value of a good headline,

and would often choose prison over fines

to ensure publicity for the cause.

This was a certificate of recognition

or gratitude towards one of the many Suffragettes

who ended up in prison.

These certificates would be given in recognition of the sacrifices they made for the cause.

-These are badges of honour, then, aren't they?

-Correct.

Women finally got the equal vote in 1928,

the same year the former radical Emmeline Pankhurst died,

but not before she'd become a Tory.

A female Tory? I wonder how Edwina is getting on.

Well, she and Paul have travelled five miles through sunny Sale and Hulme to the outskirts of Manchester,

and Edwina is getting really fired up.

Am I right to feel quite pleased with...that.

I think that was a good shop.

If you are feeling pleased with that shop, that'll make two of us.

If I were a gambling man, I'd take a punt on turning a little profit.

It would really be great to win this.

Fighting talk, but they're running out of time,

so perhaps the shop in-situ might help them end their journey in style.

Classy joint. I like it.

Edwina's getting warmed up in the fireplace aisle.

We can't afford this!

Well, um, maybe we can.

Has Edwina got a secret stash up a chimney, someone?

Oh, it's a belter, isn't it?

How much would something like that go for?

£200 or £300.

Their chances of getting a bargain are rapidly going down the pan.

Paul thinks he might have found a bargain at £60,

and Laura Gaither is on hand to tell him more.

How are you doing?

They're a first for me, these candleholders.

-They're amazing!

-They're pretty interesting, aren't they?

These late '60s design gems are German candelabrum,

and they were designed by Fritz Nagel of the Bayerische Metall Fabrik,

or BMF Company.

It's all vorsprung durch technik to me, don't you know?

It seems like enough money, in all honesty, for...

for what I've got in front of me.

Have you got much margin to play with?

What are you thinking?

I am just going to kick off with...

a £30 offer.

With a what?

-£30.

-That is probably going to be a little too low.

The best I could probably do is £60.

Edwina, help me here.

£45.

Straight in with a killer. I think that would be it.

-Say yes, go on.

-Yes, OK.

I want to get to my garden.

Edwina's getting the hang of this now - straight in there to get the price down.

-But Paul's spotted something else.

-Did something else catch your eye?

-I saw your other set.

-I know. There's another set.

-Did you spot those in the window?

-Just as you sealed the deal...

For my money, they're dead to me now.

I prefer those.

-I think that that's fine.

-Wunderbar.

-That's right. OK.

Thank you. Magic. It is Laura, isn't it?

It's always important to know the names of the people who are taking your money, Paul.

-Compadre?

-Yes.

Compadre? Paul's language skills know no beginnings!

Well, with £45 paid for the £60 candleholders

it's adios, and auf wiedersehen to you.

I was slightly disappointed that we didn't spend all our money.

I feel that we kind of didn't fulfil our full potential.

Indeed.

BUT you can't buy it if it's not there.

Yes, Paul.

But if an antique falls in a forest, and there's no-one there,

does it make any noise, and are you about to hear the sound

of one hand clapping when you show Team Pollard your purchases?

Shall we put them out of their misery?

I think we should do that. Right.

We tried very hard to be a team, we did.

Ooh, look, they bought that.

-We saw that.

-This is a bit like your house, is it, Paul?

No, Paul's house is a bit bigger than that.

Well, it's very spottable in Carlisle, I'll give you that.

Do you like Granny's knickers?

Who doesn't?

Did I say that out loud...?

As I said, I wore those in 1942,

and General Eisenhower liked them then.

Do you remember how horrible those garments were?!

No, I don't, actually, but if you're telling me you used to wear them, I believe you.

Just about.

That's rather pretty Art Deco stuff, isn't it?

It's Art Nouveau, that one. Which is very nice, I must say.

I do think that's very pretty.

-Is it hallmarked?

-It's not.

Thank the Lord for that.

We didn't go to an Art Deco shop, did we?

I like the bit of pink in it. It's very pretty.

£40.

It was a tasty bargain.

£30?

-Yes.

-It's all right.

I mean, that is £30 to £50, £40 to £60.

Mind you, you've got to have a very small shopping list.

-Dare we reveal?

-I'm afraid we'll have to.

-Teamwork.

-Teamwork.

That's it, get your excuses in, David.

The first bit of the reveal. Do you want the second bit, or do you want to absorb that first?

What on earth could that be underneath there?

Is it a wardrobe?

No, it's a mint-condition harp.

Mint? As in, it's got a hole in the middle.

What in Heaven's name did you pay for that?

Give it a twang.

Angels play this.

Did someone shotgun it?

Someone get Paul an inhaler, quick. His asthma's playing up.

Take no notice of these two. They haven't got a clue.

They can't see a good quality item in good condition.

They're just jealous, David.

What would you like to talk about?

-What's this?

-I saw this. I saw this!

This I adore.

Look at the serpentine front.

Then you open it.

Delivers.

What was that clicking noise?

That was just my knee.

That's for probably your cards, or whatever.

-£67.

-Wonderful.

Wonderful.

Appealing to the hottest market in the world, arguably.

It's a great thing.

How did they manage to knock nearly £200 off the price?

It's time to reveal the eyes of Eve technique.

I'm just going to try it on Paul.

David, how can I help?

I can't go a bit less than...

You can just have it.

I can't believe it, I can't believe it!

But you weren't offering money, then.

That doesn't matter. If I want his jacket, I just go like this.

-That's it.

-It's amazing.

And that face will haunt me in my dreams.

I'll take a picture of it, and email it to you.

-Let battle commence.

-Lovely.

Edwina, thank you very much.

It's been great fun, hasn't it?

With the niceties over, let's find out what they really think.

I did like the Maharajah's sort of palace.

I know you're going to say it's in balsa wood, but it's very interior-decor attractive.

That is their best item, their best hope for profit.

It could make a couple of hundred quid.

Those wall lights, they can be tricky.

You've got to hack through your plaster to wire them,

you've got to get an electrician in.

Arguably, they're pretty naff.

Do you think their reaction on the harp was real?

Yes, I'm afraid I do think!

And listen, Paul, he's not entirely sure that it's wrong.

-He's just hoping, isn't he?

-Of course he is.

I would like the box, but I don't know that I'd rush to part with any of our purchases.

Not even the girdle?

Not even that sexy lot.

Would you swap all of their purchases for all of ours?

-Definitely not.

-Good.

With business all done for the day

oop north it's time to travel a whopping 200 miles

to Stansted in Essex.

We have got some good things. Nothing to worry about.

I suspect, however, in the other car,

do you reckon there's a wee bit more competition between these two ladies?

I think so.

I have a feeling our castle, our Indian temple...

wood thing, it's going to compete hard with your harp.

Whoever wins this today will be put on a pedestal, he's going to be a god.

I think your harp is in a terrible state.

The auction listing just says it's in need of restoration.

It's in need of a kiss of life, that harp.

If I were in charge of the auction, I wouldn't let your harp into the auction room.

It's full of woodworm. It'll infect everything in the room.

You and I... La la la la la la!

It's like another day at work.

Living the dream, brother, living the dream.

Yeah. I just hope it doesn't turn into some nightmare.

The ladies are also living the dream.

But at a somewhat sleepier pace.

This feels a little bit like the early days of motoring, you know.

Bobbing along on the turnpike road...

You've got an excellent memory, Edwina.

The only thing that tells you it isn't is the long queue of traffic behind!

Here they are. At last!

I've never complained about long legs...

Come on, you two. We've got an auction to do.

-Eve.

-Have you had a nice drive?

Lovely.

-Had a nice drive in the country?

-Lovely.

Oh, good grief, stop being such luvvies and just get in.

In, in, in. Never mind all this kissy-kissy thing.

We've got some antiques to sell.

Sworders Auctioneers have been in business since 1782,

which makes John Black our auctioneer a very youthful-looking 231-year-old.

He must moisturize.

Today he's wielding the hammer for the antiques and collectibles sale.

What are his thoughts on today's lots?

The Chatelaine enamelled notebook holder and pencil,

I think we've estimated that at between £50 and £100.

Games box - this is a lovely box. It's lacquer,

it's 19th Century, it's Chinese.

All the hallmarks of a good sale item.

I would have thought this is going to make £150, £200.

I think the harp is probably the most interesting item you've got today.

I mean, it should make between £200 and £300.

Good ones should make sort of over £1,000.

In good condition. But this hasn't got the strings, but a really good, interesting lot.

Oh. So the harp might not quite hit the bum notes we expected, then.

Both teams started the trip with £400.

Eve and David spent £240 on five auction lots.

Brilliant.

Team Currie spent a marginally smaller sum of £235,

and also bought five lots.

-It's good, isn't it?

-We're done.

Let's get this auction started.

We're up first.

Which one is it?

-The Tudric.

-What did you pay for it?

-£40.

-Good buy.

First up is the Tudric Arts and Crafts teaset. Anyone for a cuppa?

We start at £40 to bid.

If you wish. £30?

Any bids now at £30?

£30 I'm bid. £32, £35.

£38, £40. £45.

£50. £5.

£55 in the centre.

At £55. Selling to the lady in the room.

A solid start with a profit for Team Pollard,

but there's no time to put the kettle on.

Next up is Edwina's find -

the Gatsby lot of the stay, the cigarette holder, and the garters.

Here we go.

£20 to bid.

Any bids now at £20?

Cigarette holder. All very Great Gatsby.

'20s.

£20 to bid. £10 if you must.

Any bids now at £10? £12.

£15 now? £15.

At £15 only.

We're crashing and burning!

£18. £20.

£22, sir? £22.

£22. Gentleman's bid.

Say no more. £22.

A gentleman's bid?!

Well, there was nothing great about the Gatsby lot,

and it's a loss for Team Currie.

I should have modelled those things.

-If you'd have modelled them, they'd have made a lot more money.

-Yeah.

Onto 1170, we now have the unusual pair of Victorian cast iron exercising dumb bells.

Eve called them mantique, but is something that heavy bound to sink?

Any bids at £20? £20 I have now.

Thank you. At £20.

Any advance on £20?

Go on!

£22. £25.

£28 in the doorway. £28.

£30 anywhere else?

At £28...

In the doorway. I'm selling to you, sir, at £28.

Oh!

Too early. We're just...ahead of fashion.

Oh, dear. A heavy loss for Team Pollard.

Small but perfectly formed,

it's the Art Nouveau Chatelaine notebook holder that Paul spotted.

We can start the bidding straight in at £50.

£50 I'm bid.

Any advance on £50?

I'll take £5 to bid if you wish.

At £50. £55.

£60.

£65?

No? All done? Then I'll sell.

Well done, you.

It might not have been silver, Edwina,

but it's got you some gold today.

But all that glitters is not gold

in the case of these '50s Rococo-style gilt wall lights.

Where shall we start that lot? £30 for them.

-£20.

-What did you pay for this? £42.

At £20. Lady's bid.

Any advance on £22? £25.

£28, madam? £28. £30.

£32.

£35. £38.

£40. £5.

£50. £5.

£60.

£5.

£65.

£65...

That's all right, that's all right.

It's better than all right. It's a glittering profit.

It's time for Edwina and Paul's next item.

The clock with no hands. This should be interesting.

£50 to start if you wish.

£30 I'm bid.

Any advance on £30?

£32 I'll take if you wish, anywhere.

£30 only. Sell for £30.

In no time at all, it's a £10 profit.

BUT it still leaves them narrowly behind Team Pollard.

Enter the dragon. It's the Chinese lacquer box

that Eve's eyes secured the deal on.

We can start the bidding here at £80.

Any advance on £80?

I have on commission.

Any advance? £90. £100.

And £10. £120.

£130. £140.

£140 in the room.

Selling, make no mistake.

That's a good earner.

-You knew it was.

-It's a good earner.

Jeepers creepers, that's the power of Eve's peepers,

and the biggest profit so far.

That pushes her and David into a storming lead.

It's the German modular candles next.

£30. £20 I have now.

£20. £22.

£25.

£28. £30.

£32. £35.

£38. £40.

£45.

Gentleman's bid this time. £50.

£55.

£55.

£60.

At £60. £65.

Comes in again. At £65.

£70. £5.

£75, and I'll sell.

-Oh!

-Modern design delivered.

It's delivered Paul and Edwina ein klein profit.

I'm the only one here, between us and probably the whole room,

that really rates this harp.

Apparently not. The angel of the auction does too,

although I'm not sure she's entirely serious.

In need of a little bit of restoration.

Who'd like to start? £100 for this, the harp.

It's a lovely lot.

Breaking even would constitute a success for this lot, I reckon.

£50 I'm bid. Thank you.

It's not going to make a profit, is it?

-£55.

-It is...

£65? £65.

£70. £5.

£80.

£5.

£85, on the pillar now.

My word.

Heavens above!

People really will buy anything.

And that surprise profit puts Team Pollard into a commanding lead with only one lot left.

By my reckoning, Edwina and Paul's heavenly little temple needs to sell

for over £180 for them to win.

£80 I'm bid. £5.

£90.

£95. £100.

And £10. Your bid, sir, at £110.

£120.

£120. Lady's bid this time. £130. Thank you.

All done? £130.

I'm selling now, £130.

Yes!

Oh, dear - the sweet smell of success has turned out to be the dismal dome of doom.

Well done, guys.

-Great auction.

-Very, very close, wasn't it?

It was good fun.

Thanks, Edwina.

-Thank you very much.

-Well done.

Both teams started this trip with £400 in their hands.

After paying auction costs, Edwina and Paul walked away with a modest profit of £24.94,

giving them a grand total of...

But today's winners, on a wing and a prayer,

were Eve and David, who made a heavenly profit of £65.86,

and a winning total of...

Well done all round, folks.

All the profits our teams make will go to Children in Need.

Now it's time for the farewells.

Is David going to declare his undying love for Eve,

and is Paul going to give Edwina a hug?

It appears not.

-You've been marvellous. Thank you very much.

-It's been a pleasure.

-I wish you well.

-I wish you too.

Come, come, boys. Stop showing off to the girls.

Lucky we're women. We don't fight about things like that.

Not much.

Bye-bye.

Our road trip is over, but the battle of the sexes continues.

Cheerio until next time.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd