Episode 12 Celebrity Antiques Road Trip

-The nation's favourite celebrities...

-Oh!

-Just want to touch base.

-..paired up with an expert...

-Boo!

-..and a classic car.

No hands!

Their mission? To scour Britain for antiques.

My office, now!

The aim? To make the biggest profit at auction.

But it's no easy ride.

-Oh!

-Who will find a hidden gem?

TOOT!

-Like that.

-Who will take the biggest risk?

This could end in disaster.

Will anybody follow expert advice?

But I love this.

Why would you buy something you're not going to use?

There will be worthy winners and valiant losers.

No, I don't want to shake hands.

Put your pedal to the metal.

Hang on, let me get out of first gear.

This is the Celebrity Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

Today, we're in Hampshire,

in the company of an English cricketing legend

and his comedy sidekick.

-Indicate!

-Why?

I like the lights.

OK, I'll indicate.

So that's going right.

Yes, it's renowned batsman David Gower

and TV presenter Nick Hancock.

These two sporting nuts appear together

in the TV panel show They Think It's All Over,

and have remained firm friends ever since.

David Gower's nickname, of course,

was Started Brightly Then Chased A Wide One To Third Slipper.

-Was that easy to say?

-No.

Nick started out as a stand-up comedian before turning his hand to

presenting on TV and radio.

Whilst David scored over 8,000 Test match runs in his career,

one of the highest scores by an English player.

The elegant batsman is behind the wheel of a 1965 Ford Anglia.

It's bringing back some memories, too.

This vintage gem...

-Yeah?

-..is what my father drove across Africa in 1963.

He put it on a boat, crossed the equator with it,

took it back to Kent, and then, many, many years later,

I got to the age of 17, learned to drive badly...

Really? This same car?

This car did all that stuff, survived all that.

And it took me about five weeks to put into a hedge in Leicestershire.

It didn't survive that.

Let's hope you have better luck with this one.

Helping the gents on their intrepid antiques adventure,

in this 1960s Sunbeam Tiger,

are seasoned auctioneers Charlie Ross and Phil Serrell.

So how's your cricket terminology, Roscoe?

-Absolutely spot-on.

-What about your googlies? Are they all right?

My googlies... You know what a googly is?

-Absolutely, yeah.

-What is a googly?

-An off break...

-Yes?

-..bowled with a leg break action.

Oh! Do you know? It's something I've never had in my armoury,

-a googly.

-No, no.

-I bowl leg breaks, like this.

But I've never been able to bowl a googly.

You and me both, chief.

Presumably, you're going to work with David?

I've got to, cos he's left-handed and I'm left-handed.

-Oh, right, OK.

-We can put on a lot of runs together.

David Gower is just a complete legend of the game.

He was certainly one of his generation's greatest batsmen.

-Yeah.

-And he could well have been

-one of the greatest lefties of all-time, really.

-Yeah.

Nick... I mean, I'm just worried what I'm going to talk to him about.

Because he was a Cambridge University boy, wasn't he?

-He's a bit brighter than you.

-A bit?!

HE LAUGHS

Don't be so hard on yourself!

TIM LAUGHS

Starting out from the cathedral city of Salisbury,

our celebrities and experts will take a dignified drive

around Hampshire before heading south to the coast,

then in a north-easterly direction for an auction in Sidcup.

Oh! What is this!

Harry Potter.

Hello. Good morning.

It's been so long.

-Oh, G... This is...

-Hang on...

-How are you?

Hello, hello, hello.

I'm glad to be out of there, I have to say.

Does he drive like he bats?

-Yes, yes.

-Nick, good to see you.

-Hello, Mr Ross.

-How are you?

-Very good to you, how are you?

We chatted in the car,

and Charlie said it was going to be

the talented left-handers against us.

-Am I with you?

-Oh, yeah, you're driving.

-Am I?

-Yeah. Jump in.

-Oh.

-Jump in.

-Can I see your licence?

Last one to the shop is a sissy.

With £400 to spend, our teams better get cracking.

-Oh, I like that.

-That was cool, wasn't it?

-Nice technique.

The technique is trying to put the seat belt on!

Bye, chaps!

Now, I know, Nick, that you are an...

You got an avid interest in sport, haven't you?

-Oh, yes.

-So does that transform into collecting sports memorabilia and

-stuff?

-I have. I mean, that whole sporting memorabilia thing,

I'll be led by you, but I think

you need a specialist knowledge.

You're not going to happen upon these top, top things for no money.

So what's going to float your boat?

Well, I'm approaching this, Phil, that...

Basically, I'm going to be led by you because I know nothing

-and you know...

-Nothing.

-Well, I've heard something.

No, no, not much, mate. Really.

-CHARLIE:

-What about antiques?

Are you an antique lover, or...?

No, no, I'm not a great expert.

I've collected bits of furniture over the years.

-Have you?

-And I like things like...

What I do collect is a bit of art, sculpture.

-Yes?

-But from modern artists.

Yes. Are you naturally competitive?

-Well, naturally yes, but not at all costs.

-No.

-PHIL:

-And what about

-His Lordship,

-Lord Gower?

Well, do you know, I think the big problem for David is not going to be

the fine objects, because he lives his life amongst fine objects.

-Yes.

-The problem for him is going to be shopping.

Because I don't think he's ever done it.

-What, he has someone do it for him?

-He has a man

that goes and does his shopping.

-Well, he's got one today.

-That's true.

-Roscoe.

-He has.

We're sharing the first shopping destination.

Both teams' cars are pointed to that cathedral city,

and Salisbury Antiques Market. So let the game commence.

-How are you?

-We thought we'd lost you.

With more than 15 dealers over three floors, there's plenty on offer.

How competitive are you?

Do you want to win?

It would be nice to win.

I'd like to buy some nice things.

Best get looking, then.

Now, where are David and Charlie?

No.

No.

You'll get a much better sound if you hold it up.

Steady on.

Service!

Do you think this would be me?

Oh, God, that's like a smoking jacket, isn't it?

It's more Henry Blofeld than you, I would have thought.

But...

That is very smart.

Do you think if somebody saw David Gower walking up and down

a saleroom in that, they would be forced to bid?

Hello, what's going on here?

Pathetic hiding.

Oh, it...it's... Sorry. It's childish, isn't it?

-It is.

-Yeah, let's do it.

Hiding things from the opposition isn't quite cricket, gents.

Charlie's lost his celebrity, but what's he found?

Feels quite interesting.

A model of the Queen Mary.

-David.

-Yeah?

-Have a look at this.

This is, I would think, about 1950s.

Original boxed model...of the Queen Mary.

All 12 decks removable?

Well, that's what intrigued me.

Two little nuts on the top here.

And it reveals each of the decks, which I think's quite interesting.

First class, which you'd be in.

Does it reveal what's been going on below decks?

I just think it's an interesting thing, and then...

-Oh, no.

-Just gone down in value.

-Gower.

-Excuse me...

I'll get it, then. I'll see if I can...

-I think it's an interesting object.

-Don't lose the bits.

I think it's a really interesting, educational...

-Which way were the whatsits facing?

-The funnels go to the back.

That's it. Sloping backwards.

-Well, it's fun, isn't it?

-I just think it's a fun object,

and something that people would buy.

-At a price.

-Well...

-You know?

-Chad Valley Company Limited.

Yeah, yeah, good maker.

Original, with instructions, original box.

Yeah?

Good paintwork.

You know, it's in good order.

British brand Chad Valley started making toys

in the early 19th century

from its factory in the West Midlands -

unsurprisingly, in a valley near a stream called the Chad.

-What's it worth?

-40 quid?

Do you know, that's exactly what I thought.

You're a past master of value.

A lucky early guess?

No, no, I think that's a very accurate.

Yes, I would think an estimate in a saleroom

would be 30 to 50, 40 to 60.

Right. Shall I go and have a word with whoever's in charge of having a

-word with?

-It's something that I think's got a bit of mileage.

-Right, OK, let's have a look.

-Stand by, Rose.

Hi, just want to see if we can...

-..negotiate on this. We found this.

-Well, what's the price on it?

Probably hidden, that. I think it says 30 quid.

Maybe I've misread that.

£60.

Well, I'm allowed to take off 10%.

So if I... If I'm pushing it, I'm going to say £50 for cash.

If YOU'RE pushing it?

What if I was pushing it?

-Well, what are you suggesting?

-Well, I reckon...

I mean, my initial thought was about 40 quid.

So I would have started... I'm going to be honest with you and say,

I was thinking of 40 quid, I was good to start with 30.

And we have checked the screws, they do work.

We admit that. The screws to work, but not this one at the back.

-So there's no propulsion.

-What about 45?

40? Go on, just do 40.

40 would be lovely.

-OK.

-Sure?

-How charming.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

First purchase of the road trip,

a Chad Valley Queen Mary model with a key chart, in its original box,

for £40.

Now, what are the other two up to?

See, Nick, I love these.

Look. See, this is the Oxford University...

Oh, and Cambridge University relay teams, 1935.

They are relay teams. But the thing for me is that's 1935.

Four years later, outbreak of war.

-Yeah.

-Do you know, they all look like fighter pilots, don't they?

-Yeah.

-I know is that haircuts and everything. But it's just...

You can imagine them all being involved somehow.

-Is there a Hancock?

-Yeah, there is a Hancock.

In the middle of it somewhere, there you are.

I really like that.

Dealer Pete? You're needed.

Um, well, I could...

I could make a phone call, see what the best is.

You've got a picture, and it's Oxford University,

with £45 on it,

and we were wondering what the very best price would be.

Philip. Oh, right. She wants to speak to you.

-Is that all right?

-Oh, yeah, of course it is.

-There you go.

-Absolutely right. Hotline, this.

Hello. This is the relay team of Oxford and Cambridge.

The one that we like is £20 or £25 worth for us.

All right, my love. So 25 just for the one?

OK, bye.

She's been more than generous.

What I suggest that we do, Pete, is that, if you don't mind,

if you could hold that for us...

-OK.

-Certainly until the other team have left the building!

Don't worry, they're busy with some serious browsing.

-You've got enough, haven't you?

-Do you need a hat?

-It's hot out there.

-Are you thinking more of this sort of thing?

DAVID LAUGHS

-Perfect.

-You think that's the hat I should be having?

-Is it expensive?

-For nine quid,

I will buy that hat personally for you.

You won't! That will keep the sun off.

As long as you promise to walk around Salisbury in that.

-I promise to walk around Salisbury in it.

-Right. Done, deal.

Mr Gower.

A gentleman!

What a gentleman.

And with nothing else to tempt them, David and Charlie head off.

I must say, I'm quite pleased with my present.

DAVID LAUGHS

But have Nick and Phil made a decision?

We're probably going to go with the photograph,

which I think you kept for us.

And...

Tempted as we were, that might be it.

So there's £30 there.

-OK, thank you.

-Lovely.

-There you go.

-And we'll take the picture

-if we may.

-Shall I be the porter?

-Yeah, you be the... Yeah.

-I'll be the porter.

-There you go.

-Thank you very much indeed. Cheers, thank you.

-We've left ourselves with some work to do.

-Absolutely.

Don't worry, chaps. That's 1-1 so far. You're not out yet.

You might even have some time for some countryside pursuits.

Nick's presented many programmes over the years,

from Great Railway Journeys to Fishing All Over The World,

A particular past time that is his passion.

So why particular fishing?

Don't know. I like to be out and about,

you get to see some beautiful parts of the country.

But I just quite like mucking around in rivers.

So you are trout and salmon fishermen?

Well, I do... I do other fishing as well.

But I really enjoy that cos I love rivers.

They're heading to Sutton Scotney and the banks of the River Test

to learn about a man who led the way for a new type of fishing,

and one that became globally popular.

I'm looking forward to this.

-Yes. Not as much as I am!

-Really?

-Yeah.

-Are you up for this?

Oh, I'm so up for doing some fishing.

Let's go. I want to go fishing!

-Come on, Mr Hancock.

-I'm coming, I'm coming, I'm coming.

-I'm desperate to come. Let's go.

-This is a man excited.

-Let's go, let's go.

Fly fishing was first recorded in 3000 BC by the Macedonians.

The sport has been richly chronicled over the centuries,

but it was one man, Frederic Halford,

and his 19th-century book that has

had the greatest influence on fly

fishing around the world.

To find out how Halford's new

approach changed fishing forever,

they're meeting fly-fishing coach Simon Cooper,

who has been wading in these waters for 40 years.

-Simon.

-Nick, good to see you.

-How are you?

-Philip. Hello, good to see you.

-Good to see you.

You look the part, don't you?

-Well, you know.

-It was at this very spot that Halford put pen to paper.

These are famously chalk streams, and chalk streams...

Why are they special, particularly?

They're very special because the water actually comes out

of the chalk aquifers, so it's always gin clear,

it's always 51 degrees.

I like the analogy already!

THEY LAUGH

You can drink it if you like, it won't have any effect.

And it's just perfect for fly fishing and brown trout.

So you're casting to a specific fish.

And brown trout are territorial,

so you know they're likely to stay there.

Exactly. Yes.

I mean, if you're a brown trout, you'll be born,

and live and die within 50 yards.

-Really?

-Oh, yeah, they're very slothful.

But you, surely...

-I could be a brown trout?

-You were born,

lived and will probably die within 50 miles.

Before Halford's book,

anglers fished with a wet fly fishing technique,

where the fly sits under the water.

So how exactly did Halford change fishing?

Up to then, fishing was a fairly random affair.

You were just sort of putting something on the water and hoping

that there was a fish in the vicinity

and it would actually come and grab your fly.

But what Halford was doing,

his belief was that you should identify a fish that was right

and coming to the surface to take a fly,

then identify what particular insect it was taking,

tie an imitation of that insect on the end of your fly line,

cast it to the fish, and then catch it.

Entomologist Halford devoted his life to the development

of a definitive series of flies.

He spent hours comparing his fake flies to preserved naturals,

compiling 33 illustrations to publish in his book.

So the basic message of the book is "match the hatch"?

Yeah. I mean, that's the perfect phrase to describe what we're doing.

Today, height of the mayfly season, Duffer's fortnight.

-What does that mean?

-I'll just tell you.

Duffer's fortnight means, if you can't catch a fish this fortnight,

cos the mayfly are everywhere, you are a duffer.

Good luck. Good luck to me!

So this is what we're going to be fishing with.

This is the mayfly. There actually are insects flying around today...

-Yeah.

-That look just like that.

There's one, I can see one. See, there, next to the tree.

Look, itty bitty bug.

So can these old duffers actually catch anything?

-And all you need to do is just up and fall.

-And down.

-OK.

-Up and down. That's it.

-OK, I'll take over.

Just let that one just drift for a moment, and now try again.

Up and down.

-That's good.

-Not really, but...

-Move down, see if you can get this boy here.

-Right, don't cast for the minute.

Doing really well. Phil's doing really well.

Woohoo! Nice cast, well done.

-He's patronising you.

-I know.

Can you see the fish moving under it?

No, I can't even see the fly, let alone the fish.

If he falls in, I've got to sit next to him in that car for the next day.

-Lordy.

-How are you getting on, Nick?

I've got my trousers wet, I've frightened a lot of fish,

and I haven't done it properly.

Halford's dry fly approach did provoke controversy

with the traditional fishing set,

with wet subsurface fly fishing being more popular from the 1930s.

But there's no denying Halford's techniques continue to have huge

influence over the sport today.

I'm just wondering if Simon's got a spare pair of trousers anywhere.

I mean, one of the things...

If you can't enjoy fishing when you haven't caught,

you shouldn't really be fishing, should you?

And that's very lucky for me, cos that's generally the case.

I bet Halford never did this.

He'd be turning in his grave.

We'll leave Nick and Phil messing about on the river.

-Where are the other two?

-This is a competition between you and Nick.

-Oh, yes.

-You know, we're here to, I'm going to say, help and advise,

but damn that. You buy what you want.

It'll be interesting to see what we find.

I mean, we've got £400, and my view is let's spend.

They've headed into the North Wessex Downs,

and the village of Pewsey.

It's a rather splendid premises.

Their next shopping destination has a very Eastern feel.

ASIAN-INSPIRED MUSIC PLAYS

Does this bringing back memories of tours of yesteryear?

The only thing I ever brought back from anywhere was rugs.

-Oh, right.

-They're very easy to fold up, put in cricket bags.

You got rid of all the cricket kit, brought back your rugs.

Textile printing block.

OK.

Do you think they come free with the basket? Oh, no, they don't.

THEY CHUCKLE

-£48.

-Just need a few white...

A few white T-shirts, you can set up a business.

What a good idea.

Fabulous pictures.

Look at this man.

What's this?

Nice, but not Indian.

-Mr Gower.

-Mr Ross.

Come here. Instantly.

-Si!

-English.

Antique. Plate camera.

1870. Oh.

This is the sort of things they used to take photographs

of the old touring teams with, before your time. Right.

Go on, take it.

We have a large flash.

-London maker. Box.

-Right.

Lens. Hope to find a signature on the lens.

What do we need on a lens? Name. We need a name.

-Oh, name, OK.

-There we are.

-Do you know what you're doing?

Delmar. I don't know the name Delmar, but London maker,

and it's got a number on it.

-So from that number, you would be able to date it.

-Right.

1870 or whatever.

Brilliant. Cos it looks... Actually, if it's that old,

-it does look in...

-It's in remarkable condition.

It's in very good condition, yeah.

It's in fabulous condition. That, I assume, is its original box.

That brass banding on there, fabulous.

I'm extremely excited about this.

What's it worth?

I wouldn't... I would have absolutely no experience.

I'll tell you, this wheel thing works.

-I mean, if you split that up, as a valuation...

-Yeah.

..the box itself must be 50 to 80 quid.

The lens must beat 40 to 60 quid.

This box, the holding box, must be worth 50 quid.

Got to be...

I would think, 200 to £300 worth.

That's one possible,

though likely to cost them more than half their budget.

-Anything else?

-What are you looking at over there?

-Oh, there is just this...

-What is it?

-Trinket item.

This, this is a tiffin box or lunchbox.

Tiffin carriers, or dabbas, are tiered lunchboxes,

which first became popular in colonial India around the 1880s.

So that is in the same sort of vain...

Keep your chapatis warm.

Yeah.

-How much?

-Well, on the ticket, £75.

Time for a spot of bartering, methinks.

Richard!

Richard, he quite likes your chapatti box.

-What we really like is this camera.

-I love...

Well, it's... I walked in here, and of course

it's different to everything else here because it's English.

But it did come from India.

Did it? Well, do you know, I said that to David.

I said, I wondered if those wonderful pictures on the wall

of those fabulous Maharaja sort of people was taken with one of these.

Well, obviously somebody quite wealthy in India bought it.

You bought it in India?

-Mm.

-How fascinating!

Do you know what I'm asking for it?

-No.

-No, you'll have to tell us.

-I've got 340 on it.

-340?

-I'm just pulling back on your joystick.

-175...

If you could do 210, we might have a deal.

210? 210 and we're done.

-Well done.

-Are you...? Are you happy with that, Richard?

-I'm happy.

-Are you sure?

-Yeah.

Cos I think that's well worth the money.

-Thank you.

-Yeah, it's a beautiful thing.

-Well worth the money.

The 19th-century plate camera has cost this pair well

over half their starting budget.

But is that £75 chapatti box still a contender?

I quite like these things. I spent a lot of time in India over the years,

but we need to come down, because...

Well, we've done the deal on the camera.

-Yeah.

-So I am going to be quite generous.

What about we start talking in the region of £45?

45...

Tell you what, 25, and, whatever I can find in my pocket, for change,

you can have the change. OK, what have we got?

OK, here we are. So that adds up to...

£1.50, 70, 90, a couple of quid's worth.

So that's 27 quid. You know you want to.

-Go on, go on.

-27. Done.

-Good man.

-Thanks, David.

Thank you. OK, so, I'll give you that. Another couple of those...

-Yeah.

-And we're done.

-And we're done.

-Mr Gower...

-Good, eh? Good deal.

A very generous discount sees them leave with the brass chapatti

box for £27

and the camera for £210.

Snap that!

-CHARLIE GROANS

-Carry on, Mr Gower!

-Quick, quick, come on.

-And so ends a very successful first day

of shopping for David and Charlie.

-Mind your back.

-Yes, it's fine for you.

-Come on!

-I think old Jeeves there needs a bit of a rest, don't you?

-Bless his heart.

-Sorry, Mr Gower, sir.

-Sorry, sir.

-Nighty-night.

MUSIC: Good Morning by Nacio Herb Brown, Arthur Freed

What's the mood with our celebrities today?

-How was your first day?

-I felt very timid.

-I suddenly...

-That's not you.

In my case, Charlie found something with...

"Hang on, have a look at this, this is interesting."

And he'd go, "Ah, fantastic!"

You know, it helps, someone with the practised eye.

And did our experts enjoy their company yesterday?

-How did you get on, Roscoe?

-It was wonderful.

-Was it?

Absolutely wonderful.

Driving around the countryside and shopping with one of the legends

of the game. One of my heroes of all time!

Do you know? That's what Gower said to me!

THEY LAUGH

Well, one of the highlights for me yesterday was seeing Hancock in the

middle of a river, with his trousers still on.

-You went fishing, didn't you?

-Barefoot, no wellies,

no socks, no shoes,

trousers on, up to his thighs in water.

Well, let's hope today goes swimmingly. Ha-ha!

David and Charlie are well on their way,

with three items in the old bag.

The Chad Valley model of the Queen Mary,

the 19th-century camera,

and the chapatti box, as you do...

..leaving them £123 to spend today.

While Nick and Phil have only bought one thing so far,

the 1955 framed photograph

of the Oxford and Cambridge University relay teams.

-Is there a Hancock on there?

-Yeah, there is a Hancock. There you are.

Which means that they have a whopping £375 still to spend.

Cheers, thank you.

KLAXON HONKS

Look, look!

Look at that!

I bet this is the first time a Ford Anglia has ever been seen

-in front of this house.

-And the last!

-Oh, bravo!

-Well done!

Marvellous.

David's very keen to get off, he's left the engine running.

Shall we set off?

We've got a lot of items to get, so we need to go.

We've done our shopping.

I'd like to say good luck, but don't feel like it.

Really?

-OK, we'll get on with it.

-Someone's had their porridge this morning.

The truth is, Mr Ross,

you've been under surveillance for quite some time.

CHARLIE LAUGHS

Bye!

-OK, old boy, good luck.

-And they're off.

So, there's something deep inside me that's intimidated by Roscoe and by

Gower, and I think it's because they're posh.

-And there's one other thing as well.

-What's that?

-Ability.

-Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

-Yeah, yeah.

Posh and better than us.

Yeah. And that sort of...

Yeah, you're right, intimidating.

-Anyway...

-Do you not feel that we're the plucky outsiders?

Yeah, well, no-one expects us to win, so it'll be nice if we do.

-Least of all us!

-Yeah, well, what's...?

Better to travel in expectation than arrive in disappointment.

-Yes, yes.

-This morning,

David and Charlie will start their shopping

in Hampshire's largest city,

Southampton.

We've got to buy two more things, David.

-Right, OK.

-We've got 123 quid left.

-Yeah.

-And we're going to a shop that specialises in nautical things.

-Right.

-Yeah, the next port of call is Cobwebs.

-Pull her in here, Gower.

-I'll do me best.

-Right, OK.

-After you, Gower.

-Thank you.

-I wouldn't want to do the Monte Carlo Rally in that,

really.

-Good morning. Peter?

-Good morning.

It's time to divide and conquer.

-David...

-Ross.

I've found an old radio.

Bakelite.

It's German manufactured.

This 1950s radio was made by the German factory Graetz,

who, after the Second World War,

specialised in making radios and televisions.

But it's in a real Art Deco style.

-I love it!

-Right, if we take one of those off...

-Yeah.

-..on the assumption one of those is superfluous.

-Yeah.

Mind you, I might get a good price for you.

Thank you very much!

Cheap at half the price!

£35.

Peter, is there much flexibility in this?

There's a bit of flexibility.

Yeah, I've got it here!

CHARLIE LAUGHS

I could probably do it for 30.

The thing is, I've got the cash.

-Oh, OK.

-And when I say that, there's not much of it.

THEY LAUGH

Can we just nudge it down a little bit, please?

-25.

-25?

-£10 discount? Very kind, grazie.

Yes, we could. I think that's very...

OK, thank you very much indeed.

That's one purchase done and dusted.

But something caught David's eye earlier.

-I'm assuming it is a navigational light.

-It is, yeah.

-From...

-It's quite heavy.

It's copper, it's 1930s, it still has its original burner inside.

-It's in a lovely condition.

-What I also like about it is the motto,

or whatever it is. "Not under command."

-Is that very appropriate?

-That rings a bell with me, that's for sure.

I'd like to... I've always tried to be not under command.

What are we looking at?

Oh, look, I've already reduced it, £145.

Yeah, that was a misprint.

With £25 spent on the radio,

David has just £98 left in his pocket.

-95.

-95?

-And that is it.

-Is it?

Yep.

Well, that's generous.

-Not even to 90?

-No.

-Or 85?

-No.

-95.

-95.

-95.

-Thank you, David.

-What a successful visit!

A Bakelite radio,

and the 1930s lantern,

for a total of £120.

-Fantastic.

-Thank you.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-Nice to have met you.

-Thank you.

Thank you for entertaining us with your wonderful shop.

And we're off to make a profit.

Good.

Good work, team.

Car's over here.

Meanwhile, Nick and Phil are in the New Forest,

and on the way to the town of Lyndhurst.

We've sort of set our stall out to try and avoid traditional antiques,

-haven't we?

-Yes.

-With our one lot that we've bought.

Yes, £25. We've got £375 left.

And I'm thinking we just offer 375 quid for the first thing we see.

That's one way of doing it.

They're off to Lyndhurst Antiques Centre.

-Focus.

-Focused, I'm focused.

-Hello.

-Hi.

-Hello.

-Hi, I'm Nick.

Hi, Nick. I'm Jan.

Nice to meet you, Jan.

-And who is this?

-Harry.

-Harry, how are you?

-Hello, Nick.

Welcome to Lyndhurst.

Jason has been trading from here for five years

and has accumulated a varied stock.

So what will take Nick and Phil's fancy?

Nick, have a look at these, look.

How the world has changed!

That's a marrow scoop.

Is that vegetable marrow?

No, no. Bone marrow. Bone marrow.

You would use that for scooping out the marrow out of the spine.

Our Georgian forefathers made bits of silver

-so you could eat this stuff.

-Yeah.

-Bonkers, isn't it?

-It is.

Moving on.

We said about cricket bats, didn't we?

-Yeah.

-Ohhh!

Look at this. It's a David Gower Gray-Nicolls bat.

And how much do they want us...

-Are they going to pay us to take it away, are they?

-29 quid!

What impresses me more than anything is

-the signature is joined up writing.

-Yes.

-Yes, someone must have done it for him actually.

-Yeah.

-Perhaps he had a man to do it.

-I think we should buy it.

Yeah, I do. Because I think that'll do...

-Let's see.

-Do you know what?

I think this...

You're thinking it's going to make less than the purchase price,

-don't you?

-Oh, yes.

I'm kind of thinking that with him in the auction, it might make more.

Time for a bit of haggling.

Now, we've seen this rather lovely bat.

You've got it marked up for £29.

-That is correct.

-What's the best you could do?

Well, how about I said...

..£22, Nick?

Because it has David Gower's name on it,

and I respect and, let's face it, love that man...

..it's marked up at 29...

-..I'm going to give you 30.

-What are you doing?

-Giving 30...on the grounds that...

-Has he seen this programme?

Shake my hand.

I will do, I will do!

-What are you doing?

-Look, the more money we pay for it,

the more respect we have for David,

but also the more it will lose,

and the more that will knock his confidence.

-I like that a lot.

-Thank you very much.

-You've got to say you choose it.

-Oh, great. Thanks very much.

-Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

-Thanks for coming.

-Thank you, thank you, thank you.

HE BARKS

Well, at least they bought something.

That's all right, isn't it?

While Nick and Phil make their way to their last shop,

David and Charlie are done with buying,

and are en route to Portsmouth.

You've got a bit of a naval connection somewhere in the family.

My uncle John, he was commanding during the Second World War.

He was off the beaches for D-Day.

Conscription, National Service...

A bit of a charmed life, really.

Oh, yes.

A significant naval port for centuries,

Portsmouth has the world's oldest drydock,

where there's currently a warship with a fascinating story to tell.

David and Charlie are here to learn about HMS Warrior,

and how in the mid-19th century,

the modern world of engineering developed

this new terror of the seas.

The ultimate demonstration of Britain's industrial might

and naval power.

Shipwright Bob Daubeney knows the story.

-Good afternoon.

-Good afternoon.

Commissioned in 1859 to counter the French battleship La Gloire,

HMS Warrior was the brainchild of the first Lord of the Admiralty,

Sir John Somerset Packington.

She was the most powerful,

heaviest built battleship of her time when she was launched.

You'll see she has masts and funnels.

She's in that transition between sail and steam.

The early days of power.

She was capable of 17.5 knots with a mix of steam and sail.

She could get 14.5 knots with just steam.

She could get a good 13 knots with just the sail.

With France seen as a real threat,

the British Navy were determined to make

a stronger, faster, more powerfully armed ship

that was superior to the French vessel.

What was the comparison between La Gloire, the French ship,

and Warrior, then? In terms of size, efficiency, capacity?

We were a good two thirds bigger than La Gloire,

so the English decided, let's make an iron one,

we will put similar armour on the outside,

we'll add a bit of teak in between, 18 inches,

to act as a shock absorber.

So she was so strong,

so sturdy,

nothing would touch it in its day.

So we were concerned at the time that the French

might be invading at any time?

It was Napoleon III was playing up a bit.

-LAUGHTER

-I like that version.

And there's always this niggle between the two of us, isn't there?

Warrior was the embodiment of the Industrial Revolution at sea.

La Gloire had been a crushing blow to national pride,

a wake-up call to the British Navy,

and a reminder that the French threat was still alive and well.

So, the Admiralty upped the ante.

Warrior was fitted with artillery bigger and more powerful

than any other warship ever built.

-All aboard!

-If you'd would like to come this way...

-Yep.

Walk this way.

So, here we have one of the Armstrong 110 pounders.

One of the most powerful weapons of its day.

You've also got rifled barrels,

so the projectile that's fired spins,

and has much greater accuracy.

-Yeah.

-How many of these on board?

We've got ten of these. Eight down below,

two on the upper deck.

This is the bow chaser, there's a stern chaser.

If you are chasing, or being followed.

She can fire from four different positions.

-Gosh!

-The enemy just haven't got a chance.

-They haven't!

-This will shoot 2.5 miles?

2.5 miles.

Though on the upper deck,

because you can get a much greater trajectory,

it's possible it would have gone further.

Despite all the technology available at the time,

-wasn't there a bit of a problem, I hear, with the launching?

-Yes.

You've got to be looking at one of the coldest winters on record

in 1860.

And when she was actually supposed to launch,

she was frozen to the slipway.

They had fore-thought of this.

They'd lit braziers below, just doesn't generate that much heat.

So when they'd actually got everything free,

they brought in hydraulic rams to try and push her down the slipway.

They even got all of the men on board.

If you look at the width of her,

they were running from one side to the other,

all in time with each other

to get a rocking motion just to try and break her free,

so she would slide down the slipway, and out into the Thames.

And they succeeded.

Go on, Gower. Go on, Gower.

Come on. One more!

LAUGHTER

He's going to run four! Unheard of!

We haven't shifted yet!

Britain had yet again established its naval supremacy.

No other ship in the world could compete,

but Warrior never fired a shot in anger.

She acted as the ultimate deterrent,

and that's why she was for a time the supreme ship of the seas,

and a supreme demonstration of Britain's industrial power.

Back in the Sunbeam,

Nick and Phil are motoring their way to Southsea,

to splash the last of their cash.

They're heading to Parmeters,

a shop which prides itself on stocking weird and unusual antiques.

-Ian, where are you?

-Should suit these two, then.

-Welcome to Southsea.

-How are you, mate? All right?

-How are you?

-This is Nick.

Good to see you. How are you?

With £345 left to spend,

they'd better get a shifty on.

I reckon we need a plan, here.

-Perhaps a bit of silver or something.

-Yes.

How does it work?

I always find it's best to take your glasses off.

Yeah, what a fine idea. Yeah.

Hold it right close to the thing.

-Oh, yeah, I've got it.

-Got it?

Yeah.

It's Birmingham.

Yeah. Brummage-ham.

-Anchor?

-HE JABBERS IN "BRUMMIE"

Got to focus here.

-I know, I know.

-All about profit, this, it's all about profit.

Is there any profit in these Regency-style cornice pieces?

I know that somebody would have a place for these.

And would really know what to do with them.

And I like them because there doesn't seem to be much damage.

Quite the expert now, aren't you, Nick?

You know, you could use it...

You could use it above windows, as a pelmet.

You could use it as a mantelpiece.

You could use it...

on the floor. You know, you could use it to frame something.

I think they were made as a pelmet for a bed.

-OK.

-Ticket price on those is £120.

They're one possible.

Anything else?

-This.

-Oh, another reel.

I quite like... You've obviously got... That's nice...

100... Get my glasses out. And have a proper look at it.

-That's an Allcock.

-Lovely.

And it's got...

I'm seeing if it's got silk line on it or not.

It's the original... Yeah.

That's definitely a possible.

I'm going to have to calm down. I'm getting overexcited.

Like a child in a toy shop.

Something else has caught Nick's eye.

These are good.

-What's that?

-Ship heads.

-Oh, yeah, yeah.

-One there,

-and I think there's one behind you actually.

-Oh, yeah.

In times gone by,

figureheads embodied the spirit of a ship,

and were originally believed to placate the gods of the sea,

and ensure a safe passage.

They're from a hotel in Bournemouth.

-And how much are they?

-A lot of money.

500 each.

Some things are better just to look at aren't they, really?

Well, we'll think about it.

Keep thinking then.

Who's that on the shelf?

Is that Sir Thomas More?

-I think it could be.

-I think it is Sir Thomas More.

It's made of plaster with a bronze resin over the top.

OK.

I don't know whether Sir Thomas More is a big name in Sidcup.

But, you know, we can find out.

Asking price for this bust of Sir Thomas More

is £120.

He served as a key counsellor to Henry VIII,

and was famously beheaded,

for refusing to accept the King as head of the Church of England.

Time to make some decisions.

I really like, which I know are very expensive,

the two plaster ship-head-type decorative things.

I'd like you to tell us what the price is for the ship's head

that's not a ship's head, the bed frame that's not a bed frame...

-It's a cornice, Phil.

-..and the bust.

So, what's the absolute finish on those, then?

-How much have you got?

-Ah!

We have 345 English pounds.

Which I think is on the way,

but with a fair wind from your good self,

-we might get there.

-I could do 340 quid and leave you with a fiver

to spend in the pub.

-For...

-All three items.

Ian has been incredibly kind.

That's the ship's figurehead for £165.

The Sir Thomas More bust for £110.

And the decorative Regency cornice for £65.

I promise you there's 340 there.

-You can count it if you want.

-Marvellous, I believe you.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank YOU very much.

Bye-bye.

I think we swam the Channel there, I really do.

But Nick isn't finished shopping just yet.

What is he up to?

No good, by the looks of it.

This is not an antiques shop.

I don't know where Hancock's got to.

Spent the fiver.

It's nice here, I quite like it.

-Phil, I spent the fiver.

-What have you bought?

I did a deal. I have bought...

LAUGHTER

-And what we are going to do...

-A beach cricket set.

A beach cricket set. And what we do is take the bat out,

put Gower's bat in it,

cheap and nasty to go with the rest of the set.

-So we're all spent up!

-That's ideal.

Come on, matey.

Right, time for our teams to reunite.

But will they be bowled over with each other's buys?

Would you like to see what we've bought?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We can't wait.

There we go.

Oh, my...!

Hang on, there's as a bonus extra.

OK. Right. This is called a ra-d-io.

-Thanks very much.

-Wireless.

Navigation light. It's genuine, it's 1930.

Can I ask you some money questions?

Like, how much was that?

25.

That's OK.

How much was that?

Well, that goes with that and that and that.

-£210.

-210.

That's a good buy. That's a very good buy.

Everything's the same colour!

It is this year's colour.

We've bought on colour, haven't we?

Because I'm easily impressed,

very superficial.

Do you want to see some proper things?

-Yes, yes, I would love to.

-Step this way.

I'm losing confidence in it now.

I must admit I'm beginning to worry a bit.

I'll go around the front and do it.

I've got to tell you, some of the things we bought

-we don't know what they are.

-Right.

David will be able to tell you.

Are we ready? Three, two, one, go.

I think we know what those are.

We will leave it to the end.

This is a bust of Sir Thomas Moore, maybe.

It's got the same hat.

Yeah, that's why we're going for it.

But the thing about this is if you push the head back,

the Batcave opens,

-so that's quite good.

-LAUGHTER

And talking of bats, what we have got here is a cheap, nasty,

unpleasant beach cricket set,

with a relevant sort of a bat.

-The David Gower Gray-Nicolls...

-No!

I think we should show it in its full glory, don't you?

Oh...

It could be a fake.

Oh, we're never going to get it out.

There it is.

Look at that.

Oh!

-It's lovely.

-And do you know what makes it so rare?

It's unsigned. Yeah.

LAUGHTER

And look at that.

This is our figurehead, Charlie.

She's splendid. Where did you find her?

-How much is she worth?

-She was...

Have a guess how much she was.

I think she was, um...

£165.

Come on.

And not only has he seen it before, he's cheating!

No, what did it cost?

I promise you I haven't got a clue what it cost.

£165.

-It didn't!

-LAUGHTER

Mr Gower. Did it really?

Yes, it cost £165.

He knows these things, he's an expert.

I think you have done well, chaps.

Good luck, see you at the auction.

All good, all good.

Why did you let me buy it?

Bye-bye. Gower!

Come on.

Behind the backs of their rivals,

they will spill the beans.

What do you think?

Apart from losing confidence in ours...

..I'm sure their stuff is good.

You got very excited about the camera, didn't you?

I think that it's all about that camera.

If it's on the net,

and people pick up on that,

that could make them a serious profit.

I'm quite encouraged.

Their lady I thought it's a sort of complete...

-That's a quirk.

-It looked like wood I have, to say, from a distance.

Yeah. So, who knows?

Who's going to buy it?

-Not me.

-I wouldn't change anything we've got.

No.

I wouldn't! What else were we going to buy?

No, no, I'm very happy with what we've bought.

Which would you rather have? Our lot or their lot?

Of course, ours.

-Of course, ours.

-Good man.

-Are we going to win?

-It's in the bag!

After starting in Salisbury,

our teams have shopped

all around Hampshire,

and now our sporting chaps,

David and Nick,

are motoring towards Sidcup

for the grand finale.

Have you ever been to Sidcup before?

I have, I've been to Sidcup many, many times.

How memorable was it last time?

It was... Well, I think today is going to be very much

the most exciting time I've been to Sidcup.

Here's hoping, Nick.

Where are they? Do you think they will be late?

They're touring this wonderful metropolis.

Here they come. LOW RUMBLING

Oh, listen.

There they are.

Greetings.

Shall we go and open the doors?

Yes, I might as well.

See if you keep the handle on.

Lord Gower, sir.

On this trip, Charlie and David spent £397 on five auction lots.

Come on in!

Nick and Phil also bought five lots,

and spent every last penny of their £400.

The man with the gavel is Alex Jenkins.

What does he make of everyone's lots?

The camera and lens is a fine item.

It is a good-looking thing even as an aesthetic in the corner.

It's got all the equipment, it's the most complete set I've seen

in a long time, very nice, should do good.

The ship's head is a great looking lot.

It got attention as soon as it came into the auction.

Lovely, big statement piece,

conversation piece, and it is what everyone wants.

It'll go into a nice design, go into retail.

I think that's going to be the surprise hit of the auction.

Right, time for the auction,

which has buyers online, on the phone, and in the room.

Just going to check my pulse.

-Quite exciting.

-Is there one?

There hasn't been for a long time.

First up is David's chapati box.

Hungry?

Starts on the book here with me at £16.

18, we need, now.

£16. 18's there, 20, 22's yours, 24 now.

22 in the room, 24 we need.

Looking for 24.

At £22 and selling...

Not a great start to the proceedings.

Well, you lost money.

That's a certain KORMA about that, isn't there?

-LAUGHTER

-Dearie me.

Next up, Nick's Regency-inspired cornice.

Start them at 30.

£30 in. There we go, 32, 34, 36.

-Here we go, here we go.

-36 it is.

At £36. Anywhere else now?

Should be!

65?

-At £36...

-No!

Gower.

Oh, don't celebrate someone else's failure!

No. Not very sporting, Mr Ross.

It's not enough to succeed.

Your friends have to fail.

It is one of those, isn't it?

Let's see if David and Charlie's German radio can do any better.

22's here, £24 we're looking for.

26, 28's yours.

There it is.

-£3 up.

-At £28, 30 we need.

At £28, all done?

At 28...

And they're off the mark.

Gosh!

Could've been worse.

Can Nick and Phil's Oxbridge photo get them started?

£8 for it. £8 there, £9 needed.

Nine's in, ten.

Ten? It's overpriced.

14 it is, at £14.

Any more? All done at 14?

Out for a googly.

Bad luck, chaps.

David, in cricketing terms, how would you think this is going?

We are probably...

..40-4 at the moment.

-Yeah.

-If we're lucky.

Can a navigation lamp light up the score

for David and Charlie?

Starts in straight at £80.

-85 we need now.

-Not bad, not bad.

£80 I have, 85 we need, 85 it is, 90, 95.

Hang on, it costs 95!

100 it is.

At 100 on the book, 110 we need.

Just another tenner.

Profit, profit, profit.

110 is in, I am out.

At 110 in the room, 120 we want.

At 110, selling at 110.

Another win puts team Gower in the lead.

Well done, Dave.

This is going to be very, very close.

Let's see how Nick and Phil's Sir Thomas Moore bust will do.

£60 on this one, 60 I have.

-65 we need now.

-Ooh!

65 on the phone, 70.

70.

-75.

-It is coming, it is coming.

75's in, 80.

Yes...

75 it is, £80 we need.

At £75 and selling at 75...

Do you know for one minute,

-I thought we were going to make a profit there?

-Well, it's a pattern!

Another loss. They'll be back in the pavilion soon.

You know you said 40-4?

I think we just lost another few wickets.

-Just lost a couple more there.

-Yeah.

David's Queen Mary model is next to go.

-It starts in at...

-Yes?

-How much was it?

-40.

..£35. 38 we need.

38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50.

55, 60.

55 it is, on my right.

At £55, all done?

Selling at 55...

That's a respectable return.

-Profit.

-It is profit.

-Well done.

-It is profit, well done, mate.

Well done.

Next up, the cricket set.

Hang on, Gower's batting for the wrong team!

-Shall we start with two?

-LAUGHTER

That's hundred.

One?

-50p?

-We have got the 50p.

Moving up to five.

Five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

He's got 12. 14.

15, 15 is a nice number.

15, have we got 15?

15 it is, 18 is in.

See, the ladies are going now.

18's there, 20 at the back.

22.

22, he is in.

HE BANGS THE CRICKET GAVEL

Oh, we've got more!

24. We've got more!

-24.

-You just sold it!

LAUGHTER

26, 28.

Are there no phone bids on this?