VOICEOVER (VO): It's the nation's favorite antiques experts...

I don't know what to do.

(HORN HONKS) VO: ..with £200 each, a classic car, and a goal - to scour Britain for antiques.

What a little diamond.

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

Back in the game.

Charlie!

VO: There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

Oh!

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

Oh!

VO: This is the Antiques Road Trip.

VO: Yeah.

VO: Today heralds the start of a shiny new road trip, with old hands Mark Stacey and Thomas Plant.

MARK: We're in Kent.

THOMAS: Yes.

The garden of England...

It is rather beautiful.

..and we're two orchids.

So it's a good way of starting, isn't it.

We're two what?

Orchids.

THOMAS: Orchids!?

MARK: Yes.

I've never been described as an orchid.

I may be a plant.

(LAUGHS) VO: Auctioneer Mark doesn't stand any nonsense.

Take a strong pill because I'm quite a hard negotiator.

I know.

You know that, don't you.

VO: Snapping at his heels is lovable auctioneer Thomas.

A man of many talents.

I used to be a championship fencer.

VO: Our road trip pals have packed their suitcases and have £200 each to spend.

They will zip about the country in the racy 1978 MGB GT.

(GEARS CRUNCHING) BOTH: Oh!

Oh dear, Thomas!

Watch the gears, Thomas.

Watch the reverse.

Oh no.

VO: I'm sure Thomas will get the knack.

VO: Mark and Thomas will be making a trip of over 500 miles from Sittingbourne, Kent and will wind all the way through the south east of England, through Norwich to finally land in Oakham in the East Midlands.

Today's journey begins in Sittingbourne, Kent and the auction will take place in Rye, East Sussex.

THOMAS: Right Mark, here you are.

MARK: Thomas, enjoy whatever you're doing next.

Enjoy your first shop.

Buy well, not to.

- Bye.

- Bye.

VO: Mark's gearing up to spend some money in his first shop of the day.

MARK: Nice to meet you, Richard.

Now tell me about this place.

Uh, Wild... From the outside, it doesn't look anything, so I'm hoping it's going to be better inside.

(RICHARD LAUGHS) VO: Charming as ever I see, Mark.

RICHARD: Wildwinds is 18 months old.

MARK: Oh gosh.

RICHARD: 12 of us here.

Am I gonna find a bargain?

That's for you to discover.

MARK: No.

Well, I'll have a look 'round.

Yes, you do that... And then I can negotiate with you, can I?

Yes, that's right.

Take a strong pill, because I'm quite a hard negotiator.

I know.

You know that, don't you?

VO: Gosh, not had your toast and marmalade this morning then, Mark?

After a good old rummage, Mark finds something rather nifty.

It could have been a conductor's baton or something like that.

It has a lovely little plaque.

I like things with dates on it.

It says Reverend Frank James, Christmas, 1896.

But it's priced at £120 and that's too much of a risk.

Lovely thing though.

VO: Hmmm.

He looks a bit like a mature Harry Potter.

Those eyes would put a spell on anyone.

MARK: It's quite an interesting thing.

It's a brass candle stick, but what is quite fun about it is that it has a little section here that you can pull out to keep your vestas, your matches in and you can strike them on here.

I haven't seen anything like that and I'm sure it's got a bit of age.

I might ask Richard about that.

VO: Brace yourself Richard.

I found a quirky little item, which I think is rather charming.

I mean, it's... it's got a story to tell and it's had a bit of a life like you and I.

The problem is I don't want to pay the ticket price.

Do you think they'd take a really ridiculous offer?

I suspect not.

Oh.

VO: This little item is owned by one of the 12 dealers here.

The ticket price is £28.

If they can let me have that for £10, I'd really love it.

So have a little word with them for me and I'm relying on you Mr Richard.

VO: Will they accept Mark's cheeky offer?

MARK: How did you get on?

Gwyneth says is, it's you.

I rather like Gwyneth.

I wonder if she's generous enough to negotiate over something else?

VO: Fuelled by Gwyneth's generosity, Mark has a go at the baton.

Now she might not be as happy about this, but that's quite fun, isn't it?

It is.

You know.

It's a nice piece.

Do you think you could find out what Gwyneth would let me have that for?

What's your best offer?

Well, she's not going to like it and she can beat me with it as long as she lets me have it for that price of course, but I've got to think of what the auctioneer will say.

I'll whisper it to you.

£40.

VO: Mark's offering £40, but it's priced at £120.

Stand by.

RICHARD: Gwyneth says that her best is £50.

I've gone quite off with this actually.

Do you think she might do 45?

Arise Sir Richard.

45 it is.

- Are you sure?

- Yes.

So that's 55 in total.

That's great.

I will shake your hand.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Mark.

VO: Did he cast a spell on Richard?

Lovely.

Thank you very much.

VO: Hmmm.

£10 for the Victorian brass chamber stick and a very generous deal of £45 for the magic wand.

I mean, the Victorian conductor's baton.

VO: Meanwhile young Thomas is motoring to his first shop, eight miles away in the charming town of Faversham.

This fine emporium is run by Ann and Conon.

Hello.

- ANN: Oh, hello.

- I'm Thomas.

ANN: How do you do?

THOMAS: An old, traditional antiques dealer.

Yes.

God, you're a rare breed, aren't you?

You're almost as rare as some of the antiques now.

VO: Hmm...not sure if that's a compliment.

THOMAS: Got some nice hat pins here.

ANN: Mmm.

THOMAS: Hat pins are funny things, aren't they?

I think they need to come back into fashion.

These are...are these ones by the great one, the great maker... ANN: Yes.

..Charles Horner of Chester.

VO: The changing fashions of the late 19th and 20th centuries saw a trend for more and more elaborate headgear and Charles Horner was the market leader in good quality hatpins for the masses.

Ladies of course could always defend themselves with one of those if they had a problem.

If they had an unsolicited advancement.

Run in.

Yes.

People wouldn't like to... THOMAS: No they wouldn't, would they?

VO: Well, laws were passed in 1908 to limit the length of hatpins due to concern that suffragettes would use them as weapons.

It almost looks like a giant humbug sweet, doesn't it?

I think a little collection of hat pins, you know, three of them in a lot, would be quite a nice lot to sell at auction.

Listen, we'll have a look at those...

Right.

...see what we can do price wise on those?

ANN: Right.

VO: The original combo ticket price is £141.

This is a Japanese bead.

Here.

ANN: It's got some age to it as well.

THOMAS: Oh, it's a Meiji, isn't it?

Meiji period, so about 1860s to 1900s.

Samurai were sort of banned from wearing their swords, so all the craftsmen had to make other things and that's the kind of thing they made.

Do you think £20 is a reasonable...

I think that's immensely fair.

Do you?

I do, I think it's really fair.

VO: Well you would say that, wouldn't you Thomas?

And then you've got these two little things?

VO: He's also uncovered an Arts and Crafts brooch and a little Celtic cross.

THOMAS: Could we do both of those for 15?

ANN: 15 for those and 20 for that one.

THOMAS: And what have you thought about these?

These are quite expensive though, aren't they?

ANN: They are quite dear.

What do you want to do?

100 for the three?

THOMAS: It's a lot of money to spend, £100.

Is there any chance that you would possibly, if I gave you £100 for the lot, that would be a deal?

ANN: Uh, no, I don't think so.

- No?

- No.

It's...I had to ask.

I'm only charging you £25 each and I do think that's... Yeah, yeah, yeah.

That's really cheap and £50 for the very traditional looking... THOMAS: Horner.

ANN: Horner.

THOMAS: £120 and you've got a deal.

ANN: No, I don't want it cause they're just so nice.

I say meet him halfway.

THOMAS: Yeah?

ANN: 125?

God, that's wonderful!

You're a star.

Thank you very much.

No, he is.

Well done, thank you, thank you for that.

That's really good.

That's brilliant.

Ah, I better give you some money.

ANN: OK. THOMAS: What have I done?

£125 within the first shop.

Thank you very much.

ANN: That's OK. Cheerio.

VO: Ann and Conon have been very generous, £90 for the collection of hatpins, £20 for the brooch and the Celtic cross and the Japanese bronze bead for £15.

A bold start for Thomas.

Mark is also in Faversham.

in Medway Antiques.

Hello.

CHRIS: Good afternoon.

I'm Mark.

Good to see you.

Nice to meet you.

VO: Chris is the owner of this fine establishment.

Well, I'm on the hunt for bargains.

I've gotta buy something to take to auction.

There's plenty of little bits and pieces to have a look at.

I've just sold this piece which is...

So you're in a...feeling in a very generous mood.

I am in a generous mood.

I like the sound of that.

Yes.

VO: Sounds promising, Mark.

MARK: Well I'll have a little look 'round if I can.

Yeah, you're very welcome.

That picture's really weird.

CHRIS: The wood is supposedly come out of a church in the north and I think it's one of the great and good of the church.

Is it for sale?

It's for sale.

Is it a lot of money?

No, it's very little money.

How...how much is very little?

I think I could let him go for £45.

Good lord!

It does sort of remind me of someone.

I was thinking of Thomas Plant.

MARK: I think it's rather fun actually.

VO: This painting is almost 400 years old but it could be a gamble because it's a small section salvaged from much larger work.

Or should I throw a figure at you and then you can ask me to leave?

OK. Don't look so upset.

I haven't said it yet.

What about 30?

40 would leave me a small profit.

Would it?

Yeah.

How would that do?

Do you know, I think I'll take a chance for 40.

- Yeah.

- I like him.

CHRIS: Excellent.

If it doesn't make a profit I can blame Thomas, cause I'm sure it's a long lost relative.

VO: Huh, enough Mark.

Now, give the man some money.

I'm quite pleased with that actually, I mean, why have I bought it?

Well, because I think it looks quirky.

It's interesting, it's got age to it, I mean, he does look like a puritan.

The face is so full of character and life.

VO: Well, hailing from the late 17th century, it's certainly steeped in history.

So, somewhere Chris, I've got the £40 here for you.

Excellent.

There we are.

Thank you again.

Thank you very much.

Wish me luck.

- Good luck with that.

- Thanks.

VO: I think you might need it.

Thomas meanwhile is back in the car and tootling 27 miles east to the seaside town of Ramsgate in Kent.

Its coastal location made it a vulnerable target during wartime so perhaps unsurprisingly it's home to the largest air-raid shelter in the UK, The Ramsgate Tunnels.

I had no idea Thomas' fan base was quite so huge.

Thomas is meeting volunteer guide Derek Smith to find out more about the tunnels that saved thousands of lives during World War II and over 75 years later, are once again open to the public.

Hi Derek, it's good to see you.

And it's good to see you, too.

You're gonna need one of these.

Oh, my own hard hat, with my name on top.

Oh, yes.

So, an air raid shelter in a tunnel.

- Yes.

- Here in Ramsgate.

Yep.

On the coast.

- Yep.

- Why?

It was built by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway, to serve the great big terminal station that was outside the entrance you've just come into.

VO: The Victorian railway tunnel was built here in 1863.

But as it closed in 1926 it was the perfect starting point for a massive underground shelter.

In the lead-up to World War II, local mayor Arthur Kempe headed a campaign to construct the ambitious new tunnel system that would provide shelter for what was to come.

The tunnels made up a system of over three miles and had a capacity for sheltering 60,000 people.

The plans were given the green light in 1939 and cost around £40,000 to construct, around £3 million in today's value.

There were 80 men working shifts, just using the basic tools and you can see from the way walls are, just the way that they run out of it really.

That's a real feat, isn't it?

It is, yeah, to do three and a quarter miles.

In the time, March to October.

Yeah, that's right.

And all the entrances of course as well.

There are 12 entrances.

VO: By June 1939 the first section of the tunnels was complete.

Three months later on 3 September, war was declared.

The tunnels were built to shelter the entire town, but little did Mayor Kempe realize how vital the tunnels would become.

DEREK: The German bombers dropped something like 500 bombs in five minutes on the town of Ramsgate, so it was the very, very first bombing that... civilian bombing raid.

You would expect hundreds of casualties, but in fact, 29 civilians and two service personnel were killed during that raid, because everyone else was down here.

VO: With 1200 homes left in ruins, local people not only used the tunnels as a makeshift shelter, they began to move in.

DEREK: At the end of 1940, the census said that there were 1000 people who were giving their permanent address as the Ramsgate Tunnels.

THOMAS: Any interesting stories?

I mean, I do like the little line that says on the permit that you use, to get underneath, it said, for sleeping purposes only.

Oh, right.

Do you think that might have been a bit of um... Well, we have did hear a rumor that there were a couple of children born in the tunnels.

I just wondered whether you'd like to look at one of the loos.

VO: Now there's an offer you don't get every day Thomas.

THOMAS: How many of these were there... DEREK: There were 500 individual loos, amongst, potentially 60,000 people, so it was probably best to go before you came down.

Who emptied them?

Well, there were two men who used to come 'round every morning from Margate.

Two men!

500 lavatories!

Yeah, yeah.

I think ensuite would not be quite the word you would use about these tunnels first thing in the morning.

VO: Well, it certainly wasn't the lap of luxury but over the four years, the tunnel's occupied living arrangements became ever more elaborate.

DEREK: They would start off with something like this.

The council donated the deck chairs, but the idea was that people would just come here and they would just use them as they were more comfortable than the benches.

But there was no privacy.

So what they did then was of course to look at this sort of thing, which is a bit more private.

THOMAS: Did they have post delivered here?

Yes they did.

Yeah, they had post delivered and newspapers and there were people set up businesses down here, a barber and all that sort of thing.

THOMAS: Did any families here, living in tunnels town, want to stay?

No, I don't think so.

I think everyone was quite pleased to get out.

I'd imagine there were no...there were no wannabe hobbits?

Oh no, no, no, no.

Not that we've ever found, anyway.

VO: The tunnels' legacy isn't just that they saved countless lives as their impact was seen across the entire country.

When Winston Churchill saw the devastation of the town he was moved to revisit national policy, rebuilding homes destroyed in the war.

From those dark days until the present, the "town below" lives on as an important chapter in British history.

Back together again, our couple of rascals are heading for a well earned rest.

The adventure continues tomorrow.

VO: It's a beautiful morning here in the county of Kent.

So Mark, you're driving me.

How's it going?

So far I haven't had to hold onto the front, cos I'm so scared and also, I'm not sort of using the pedals as my feet, you know, the break.

Are you worried when I drive you?

I was a bit nervous, a bit apprehensive.

VO: Not so with the shopping yesterday though.

Mark had a rare old time of it, he bought the Victorian Art Nouveau chamber stick, a Victorian baton, and a late 17th century oil painting.

He totted up a bill of £95, leaving him with a nice wodge of £105 to splash today.

Thomas went for a collection of hatpins, an Arts and Crafts brooch and Celtic cross, and a Japanese bronze bead.

He's still got £75 for the day ahead.

VO: Thomas is beginning his day in the village of Barham, in Kent.

(BELL RINGS) That's quite loud.

VO: Yes, it's meant to be, Thomas.

Honest.

WALLACE: Hi.

Yeah, Wallace, how are you?

On a day like this, it's perfect, Thomas.

THOMAS: So this is it, is it?

WALLACE: This is it.

THOMAS: This is the showroom.

VO: This fine establishment is family run and jam packed with curios.

That's quite a...that's a big one, isn't it?

I would love a big candelabra.

Now, what Mark doesn't know... VO: Woah, careful.

Is that I used to be a championship fencer.

VO: Really?

En guard Mark, maybe I can be a cut above you.

VO: Maybe you should concentrate on some shopping.

Quite nice decorative propeller, this.

Christian?

CHRISTIAN: Yes?

What do you know about this?

CHRISTIAN: I know it's a lot smaller than it used to be.

And I think it would be something that maybe you'd... ..put a clock face in it?

Yeah.

Hang it.

It would be a sort of decorative piece.

VO: Up-cycling wooden propellers like this one into decorative clocks is a bit of a trend so this could be a savvy buy.

What can you do on that?

I mean, you've got 95 on it...

Right...

So, you know, deal of the century, Christian.

Well, make me an offer.

Oh, I don't know, how does £30 grab you?

Oooh... £30.... That's a fair old whack-off.

It is, isn't it?

I know that.

What about £50?

Chocks away, at 42.

CHRISTIAN: Chocks away.

THOMAS: Chocks away.

Well done.

You're a good man.

VO: Oh, a smooth landing there for Thomas's fourth item.

There's 40.

Many thank yous.

And I've got, just here, £2.

A little gold one.

Many thanks.

A little gold one.

Yeah.

VO: A rather decorative airplane propeller for £42.

What will he buy next?

CHRISTIAN: Time to fly home.

THOMAS: Time...yeah.

VO: Mark meanwhile has travelled on, to the white cliffs of Dover.

Ready to be illuminated by the history of South Foreland Lighthouse.

A stunning landmark on the white cliffs, the lighthouse was built in the middle of the 19th century to warn mariners of shifting sands and guide them through the treacherous waters.

A place of innovation and science and the first ever lighthouse in the world to shine an electric light.

Curator Ellie Watson is Mark's guide.

Good morning, I'm Mark.

Hi there, good morning.

Hi, I'm Ellie, nice to meet you.

What a lovely morning for coming to look at the lighthouse.

I know.

It's incredible, isn't it?

Welcome to South Foreland.

Thank you, now why is there a lighthouse situated on this Foreland?

It's a very busy area of the coast.

The sunbank is particularly treacherous, so up to 2000 ships have actually been lost on the Goodwin sands.

For most of the time it's covered by sea and ships can run aground, yeah, exactly.

And what makes this lighthouse so special?

There's been a light on this site, probably since the 14th century.

Oh gosh, really?

Yes, um, with the first light that you would recognize as the lighthouse being built in about 1635.

MARK: That seems a good point to go in and learn more.

VO: The first lighthouses would have had constantly burning fires to shine onto the seas below.

ELLIE: Basically the first lighthouses were brick chimneys with the fire on top and it would have been someone's unlucky task to keep the fire going all night.

Oh.

In all weathers as well, of course?

Yes, all weathers.

Yeah, but... Cos there's no covering to it.

No, no cover, so it wouldn't have been the nicest job when there was a storm.

VO: The use of fires was both dangerous and unreliable so scientists set about trying to find another way.

Michael Faraday was one of the most influential scientists in the world.

In 1836 he was appointed scientific advisor for Trinity House, an official lighthouse authority.

MARK: It must have been such an exciting time then, learning all about radio waves and electricity.

Michael Faraday is a really interesting character.

He didn't actually have the most auspicious start in life.

Um, he wasn't um, from a very wealthy family.

It must have been difficult.

It was a long process to actually get the experiment to take place at all, and they originally set out two months and £400... Gosh, £400 is a lot of money in 1858.

Yes, exactly.

VO: 21 years before the world was to see Edison's lightbulb, Faraday was already experimenting on a monumental scale.

His groundbreaking work with generators made him the perfect person to bring electric light into practical use for the first time ever.

The beam emitted by South Foreland was a historic achievement.

It must have been quite an event locally, I mean the local villagers, the people from miles around.

ELLIE: It must have been awe-inspiring, really.

Lighthouse keepers on this side of the coast and across the channel in France were keeping logs on...on the light, what it was doing, how well they could see it, so it was a real collective effort this experiment.

It wasn't just Michael Faraday here, um, at the lighthouse on his own.

MARL: Wonderful.

VO: Groundbreaking though his work was, it was still 68 years before technology caught up, because it wasn't until 1926 that the majority of homes in the UK saw the benefit of mains electric light.

But even with the convenience of electricity a lighthouse keeper's job still required some elbow grease.

What is this fierce looking crank thing here?

ELLIE: This is the mechanism that turns the optic, so it's not actually the light that flashes.

The optic rotates around with the panes of glass, causing the flash.

So am I able to have a go at this?

Yes, you can do.

So which way do I turn it?

This way?

So you need to turn it clockwise.

Ah.

VO: Put your back into it, Mark.

MARK: They had to be quite fit, these lighthouse keepers.

ELLIE: Yes, exactly.

And no lighthouse has the same flash pattern for 100 miles.

And it's going now, isn't it?

Yeah, it's really going now.

That's wonderful, isn't it?

It's brilliant.

It's amazing.

Ellie, thank you so much.

It's been a wonderful visit.

I've learned so much.

ELLIE: Thank you, Mark.

VO: South Foreland Lighthouse, a great example of pioneering ingenuity and the views are breathtaking.

Not a bad life is it, Mark?

VO: Back together again, Mark and Thomas are snaking their way to sunny Sandgate, near Folkestone.

So we're going to share a shop today.

We are.

I am looking forward to that, Tom.

Are you?

Yeah, I am actually.

Well I haven't got any money really, to be spending.

VO: Indeed, £33 to be exact, compared to Mark's £105 big ones.

I will hopefully see things that you will be buying, at huge amounts of money and I'll just swoop in and do...they'll feel so good about taking money off you, that I'll get a real bargain on something.

VO: Hmmm...this could be interesting.

THOMAS: Well done.

MARK: We've got here.

THOMAS: We've got here.

First one in the shop gets first dibs.

Oh, ha ha.

I'm like a gazelle.

Oh you are wicked, Thomas!

Come on, Mark!

Oh, come on!

It's like dealing with an old man.

VO: Yeah, he is taking his time.

Well, Gabrielle, if I find anything, can I shout for you?

I think you can.

- Lovely.

- Yep.

See you in a moment.

OK. MARK: I don't mind being in a shop with Thomas, you know, because if I've sent him downstairs...cause I think he's very much downstairs sort of person, I'm more the upstairs.

VO: If you say so, Mark.

He tells me he's bought four items and spent nearly the entire budget and he wants to spend everything.

I've got £105 to spend and if I can't find anything I won't spend anything.

VO: But quickly Mark spots a little something.

Now, this is quite wacky, isn't it?

Really jazzy and colorful.

Poole pottery and they've marked it there with their dolphin mark in England.

And this is very 1970s, 80s.

VO: Only thing is, it doesn't have a ticket price.

Gabrielle, can I have a word with you?

I've got a limited budget as usual.

GABRIELLE: Right.

I did find this, this Poole Pottery vase, which does look a bit out of place amongst all these lovely pieces.

VO: You'd be doing Gabrielle a favor, wouldn't you?

Well, I can do it at £30?

Oh Gabrielle, you're breaking my heart, you're breaking my heart.

I think that's what it would make.

You love it?

I do like it, but I've got to be sensible, cos actually, it was very popular.

It isn't so popular these days.

It's gone a little bit off popular.

Who said that?

I'm saying it and I always tell the truth.

VO: I can see your nose growing, Mark.

GABRIELLE: Well, let's make it £25.

You're a lovely, lovely person.

No, no.

Don't be creepy.

Oh, I will.

I've gotta try.

I think 20.

Oh, get away, alright.

Are you sure?

Yeah, but only because you're a friend.

Can we?

VO: That Poole Pottery vase for £20 makes a total four items for Mark.

VO: How's Thomas getting on downstairs?

Hello.

Nice to meet you.

Would you be a better travelling companion than Mark?

Yeah, I think you would.

You just wouldn't answer back would you?

You wouldn't shout at me, you wouldn't have a go at me about my driving and you wouldn't moan, but thank you.

VO: The mind boggles.

What's he got his eye on now?

A riding crop.

It's quite a fun thing, really.

Maybe I could give Mark a good... Ow.

Thrashing.

Ow.

VO: Steady on.

- Hi, Warren.

- Hi there.

Uh, what do you know about this?

This has no price tag on.

Does it belong to you?

Is it free?

All these questions.

Well, this is actually used for turning our lights on and off when we can't reach them.

THOMAS: Oh really?

VO: Unusual, but practical.

Is it for sale?

I'm sure it is.

Is it expensive?

WARREN: I don't think so.

THOMAS: No?

No.

I don't think it is at all.

What could it be?

I haven't got very much money.

Oh that's...

Very, very poor.

How much do you want to spend?

For our...for our...baton for switching the lights on.

I mean, that's wonderful, you can't even make that up, that's a fabulous story.

I can see the switch now.

Well, there you go.

Yes and that's probably where these little dings have happened from.

WARREN: Probably.

Oh, dear.

Could I be cheeky and offer you a tenner for it?

20 is probably more what she'd like.

20, is it really?

Yeah.

You're going to say OK, well 15.

Yeah, OK, 15.

So...OK, so 15's fine.

OK. THOMAS: Deal, sir!

So £5 will be absolutely delightful.

I shall get you your change.

Thank you.

That's wonderful.

Fifth item done.

Over the moon.

VO: Thomas has got himself a 19th century riding crop-cum-light switcher for only £15.

So the pressure's off.

Thomas?

What are you doing?

Well, I'm simply imagining directing an international film, cos I am the international film director.

I can tell you what you're not.

You're looking very relaxed.

What's happening?

Well, I'm done.

MARK: You're done?

THOMAS: Yeah!

What do you mean you're done?

Well, I've bought all my items.

Five items!

And how much have you spent?

I've got the grand total of £18 left.

So you spent £182?

Oh yes.

Thomas.

That's not bad.

That's not bad, so I've got the rest of the day for me.

VO: Not so for Mark, though.

MARK: Oh, this is rather interesting.

It says a Napoleonic war period cannonball, 18 pounder.

Used in Bloomfield pattern cannon circa 1800, but it is priced up at £130.

Warren, is this yours?

WARREN: Yes it is, yes.

I have to say, I've never dreamt of buying a cannonball before, but you're sure it's Napoleonic?

Pretty much, the research that I, I've...done on it, yeah.

I think it's quirky.

I think if it was going into a sale on the internet then it would be actually quite a good buy because people would find it on the internet, but in a general sale it could just be lost.

VO: You're right, Mark.

As the action isn't online, this specialist item could be a risky buy.

What sort of price could it be?

It could be...it's 130, I could, yeah, 95.

Only because it's you.

I know that, I know that and it's very generous.

Well, if it helps, 90.

We couldn't get it to 80?

I think if you said 80 I'd be mad enough to have a go at it actually, just because I think it's interesting and its historical.

WARREN: OK.

So £80 then?

Oh gosh, I've got to go to...I can't believe this one.

I don't know how you've managed to do this, but you've managed to persuade me to part with all my money, except a fiver.

Well thank you, well hey.

Good.

So I've now spent more than Mr Plant.

Thank you very much.

Oh gosh.

Well, I hope I haven't shot myself.

VO: No, but you have blasted a hole in your budget.

The cannonball is Mark's fifth and final item, bought for £80.

He also has the Victorian chamberstick, the Victorian baton, the 19th century oil painting and the 1970s Poole Pottery vase.

In total he spent £195.

Bravo.

Thomas went for it, buying a huge bag of treasures, the collection of hatpins, the Arts and Crafts brooch and Celtic cross, the 19th century Japanese bronze bead, the airplane propeller and the riding crop.

Thomas managed to buy the lot for £182.

So, what do the boys make of each other's purchases?

He's bought the cannonball for £80 and I bought my hatpins for 90, so it's all about those two big buys.

I like the hatpins.

They're not really my sort of thing.

I mean, I think some of them are very decorative and I like enamelled ones.

But he's got a good name in there, Charles Horner, one of the best names.

90 quid.

That's a gamble, Thomas and I do like you when you take a gamble.

It's neck and neck.

I really can't call this one.

It all depends on how the ball does and how the pins do.

I think Thomas does have a bit of a whisker though.

He does have a bit of an edge on me.

I'm a little bit worried.

VO: Thomas and Mark are heading to their first auction of the trip in the fortified, hilltop town of Rye, in East Sussex.

Well Mark, auction day.

Rye!

"A" day is here!

"A" day is here.

MARK: "A" day in Rye.

It's been good fun, Tom and whatever happens, we'll carry on smiling.

Here we are, Thomas.

Thank you, Mark.

Yes, we are.

Can I just say something?

What?

Well, well driven again.

It was, wasn't it?

I was well driven apart from... MARK: Well driven, Tom.

THOMAS: Right, who can get out first?

I can't wait, can you?

Come on.

I think I probably can actually.

VO: Enthusiastic as usual, Mark.

Good morning ladies and gentleman.

Welcome to Rye Auction Galleries.

VO: Our Auctioneer today is Kevin Wall.

What does he think of Mark and Thomas's offerings?

The thing I do like in the auction room today, most of all would the...the...the, the early 1900s wooden propeller.

Shame that the tips have been clipped.

They do fetch very very good money when they're complete.

The oil on canvas portrait, we've had our art expert look at it.

She's gone through it.

She's not very keen on it, shall we say.

We think that could be the major flop of the day.

VO: Oh crikey.

Don't let Mark hear you.

Now quickly, take your seats.

The auction is about to begin.

OK. VO: First up is Thomas' 19th century riding crop.

Lot number 120.

This is it.

And I've got 12, 15, I've got 15, who's got 18?

Now.

15.

Have you covered your money?

I've covered my money.

18's with your sir, .... 18, 20, I've £20.

Oh no, no, only £20 £20.00 I've £20.

Do I see two?

At £20 and selling then.

It's a work in.

You've, you've done it.

You've got out of this.

There's a profit there, Thomas.

Very small.

A working profit.

VO: Nice start, Thomas.

A good profit from the get-go.

Next up, it's Mark's unusual little chamber stick.

Very quirky little item here.

Um, I've got conflicting bids and I've got to start them both at 22.

22 I'm bid.

I've doubled my money, so that's alright.

I have 25, 25, 28 sir?

28.

30?

Two.

35.

38.

Get in there.

38.

40.

I've 38 with a new bidder.

At 38, do I see 40 now?

At £38.

On.... Well done, Mark!

That's alright, isn't it?

Well done!

25?

I have 42 on my right.

Is he still going?

It's not bad, is it?

42?

THOMAS: Yes!

Well done you!

That's alright, isn't it?

£32 profit.

I'm so pleased!

VO: Cracking start, Mark.

More than doubled your money there.

I'm just hoping that might have saved me on some of the other ones.

So pleased!

Such a nice thing!

It's such a nice...

I'm so glad I found it.

VO: Can Mark's 1970s Poole Pottery vase put more winnings in the kitty?

£10 for it.

He can't go £10, Tom.

£10 I'm bid, £10.

Who's got 12 now?

At £10.

It's away at £10.

Do I see 12?

Oh, 12.

12 new bidder.

15.

I've £12 on my left with the young lady here.

At £12.

Do I see 15?

Oh no, Tom.

Oh Mark, that's terrible.

At £12.

You sure have finished.

Oh come on.

I feel like weeping for you.

Do you?

Go on then, weep.

(SNIFFLING) VO: Hang on, it's not that bad, fellas and it's still early days.

Next, Thomas's Japanese bronze bead.

Fortunately you can't see it very well... You can't, can you?

169.

It's 10 then.

Let's get going.

10 I've got, 12, 15, 18, 20, two.

That's more like it.

25.

22 is at the back.

At 22, with you, sir.

At 22.

Do I see 25?

At 22.

Don't miss it.

Any more?

At £22 and then we're all done.

That's it.

Are you sure?

At 22.

I am shocked at that, Thomas.

Why are you shocked?

Because it's worth 30, 40, £50.

It is, it is, but we are the general sale in Rye.

And as you say, it's a profit.

Not online and it's a profit.

It's a profit.

VO: That's the spirit, boys.

And a small profit for Thomas.

Next up, it's Mark's Victorian conductor's baton.

I'm hoping Tom, this might do alright.

I'm hoping.

20 we have, 20 here.

Two is it now?

MARK: Oh no.

It's very very cheap, this.

At 28, going to 30.

It's cheap, Tom.

It's cheap.

You all done?

You sure?

And finished at 28.

Mark.

I can't help but be a little disappointed there, Tom.

VO: Commiserations, Mark.

Not the best performance but it's not over yet.

Everything to play for with Thomas's Arts and Crafts brooch and the little Celtic cross.

Should be somewhere around about £50.

Oh my gosh, no, no.

No?

Tight lipped?

Start me at 20 then.

Let's get going.

22.

Oh, you've got 20.

25, 28.

25 is with me.

25.

Do I see 28 now?

At 25.

At 25.

It's Ruskin.

At 25.

At 25.

Do I see 28?

28.

New bidder.

At 28.

Do I see 30?

28 Good.

At £28.

I've got to sell it.

Well, it's a small profit.

Very small.

At £28.

You're making profits on everything.

Creeping.

You're...you're a creeper.

VO: No need to be personal.

It's Mark's late 17th century oil painting up next.

MARK: 30 to 40 is the estimate.

What you paid for... Somebody start me at £30.

Let's get it going.

30 for it.

Killed it.

Damn.

Silence.

Deathly silence.

Somebody start me at £10 then.

£10 I'm bid.

At £10 on my right.

At £10 this does seem very cheap.

At £10 on my right.

At £10.

You sure?

At £10.

15, 18, 20, two, 25.

At £25 and selling then.

I've only made one profit, Tom.

But it's a healthy one.

Yeah, but £32, but I lost... Oh yes, you've lost, yeah...

I just lost... how much did they sell it for?

£15 on that.

VO: Hm...

The losses are stacking up for Mark.

Maybe his last item, the cannonball will launch him back into the game.

Lot 232.

There it is.

A lump of old metal.

Here's the circa 1820 pound cannon ball.

There somebody start me at £50 for it.

Let's get going.

£50 to start.

Oh no.

£50.

Make a good doorstop.

Oh dear, we are coming down.

I'll take your £10 sir.

It's a bid.

I will take it.

Now we've got them going.

12, 15, 12 is there, 15 I have here, 18 sir, 18.

The bid is with you, sir, at 18.

Oh dear.

He's working.

He's working.

At 18.

Do I see 20 now?

At 18.

£18.

At £18 only.

At £18 we'll...

I knew it.

Absolutely terrible.

Why did I buy it then?

18 buys it.

Do you know, as soon as I bought it, I thought why did I do that?

Oh no.

VO: Ouch.

That's a heavy loss for Mark.

It's all resting on Thomas now.

The pricey hatpins are next.

I've got 30 to start.

30 with me.

At two.

35 is it.

35 is here.

35.

Do I see 38 now?

At 35.

A lot paid.

At £35.

Where's all the hatpin buyers this week?

At £35 on my right.

Have we all done and finished.

At 35... £65 loss.

That was a bargain.

That was a big loss.

That was a bargain for somebody.

VO: Great price for that buyer, but a big risk that didn't pay off, Thomas.

Can he recoup on his loss with the airplane propeller?

I can start the little ones.

We'll get the little ones out the way first.

At 25, 30, 35, 40, 75, 80, five and 90.

Five, 100.

Yes.

110 is with you, sir.

110.

I'm out with both of you, but you are leading with 110.

110.

Do I see 120?

At 110 on my right.

Go on.

Bit more, need to make some money back.

At 110, this is still very cheap.

At £110.

Have we all finished?

At £110.

Wow.

All sure?

And finished.

110 is...

Pleased about that.

I'm so utterly pleased for you, Tom.

I can't tell you how thrilled I am.

Well, that's very kind.

VO: Very sporting, Mark.

I'm going to keep buying cannon balls until one of them makes a profit.

VO: (HE CHUCKLES) Quite right.

A thrilling result for Thomas, but who will be the winner of leg one?

Let's work out the sums.

VO: Both chaps started this road trip adventure with £200 each.

After paying auction costs, Mark made a loss of £92.50, leaving him with £107.50 for the next leg.

VO: Thomas made a small loss of £5.70, which crowns him today's winner.

He has a lovely £194.30 to carry forward.

Thomas, congratulations.

Oh.

Now to the victor the spoils.

Oh I'm...

I shall drive.

I'm being driven.

I shall be your chauffeur, Thomas.

A man of your standing needs it.

Well, yeah, my limited means.

It's a lot less limited than mine, Thomas.

MARK: I lost £92.50.

It's a biggun'.

THOMAS: That is a biggun'.

VO: Until next time, chaps.

Cheerio.

Next time on Antiques Road Trip, Mark is a stickler for detail.

Oh, teatime.

No cake I noticed.

VO: And Thomas wows us with his expertise.

What do you think that looks like?

THOMAS: A bottom.

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