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

This is beautiful.

That's the way to do this.

VO: With £200 each, a classic car and a goal to scour for antiques.

Joy.

Hello.

VO: The aim - to make the biggest profit at auction.

But it's no mean feat.

(LAUGHS) (GAVEL) VO: There will be worthy winners and valiant losers.

Sorry, sorry!

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

The handbrake's on.

VO: This is Antiques Road Trip!

Yeah.

This week we've been on a road trip with two stylish antiques hotshots.

You HAVE had your hair cut.

CHRISTINA (CT): Yeah.

THOMAS (TP): When was that?

A while ago.

I feel terrible, I didn't notice.

Thanks.

But you always look so well turned out.

Whoa!

(LAUGHS) Sorry.

What were you doing there?

You distracted me by talking about my hair!

VO: Yes, behind the wheel is debonair auctioneer Christina Trevanion.

Elegant but always willing to fight for a bargain.

Hello?

Have you got any bargains for me?

VO: Her rival is jewelry expert, dashing, dapper and cheeky chappy Thomas Plant.

This one has somebody in not many clothes.

VO: Our duo set off on this road trip with £200 each.

As this penultimate leg gets under way Christina is in the lead with £270.31 to spend.

But Thomas has his sights on a comeback.

He has £143.62 to shop with.

TP: The sun's gonna come out, the jumper's gonna come off.

Oh thank God.

I know you don't like the jumper, but... You are resembling a rather middle aged geography teacher this morning.

I feel that is quite harsh!

VO: Mm.

Poor Thomas!

They've been clocking up the miles though, in their Bedford van, which dates from a time before seat belts were compulsory.

Starting off in Cashel, Tipperary, they had a good gad about Ireland before hopping across to North Wales.

They're now whizzing around England before ending up over 700 miles later in Stoke-on-Trent.

In this penultimate leg, our pair are starting off in Stratford-upon-Avon and aiming for auction in the Cotswold town of Winchcombe.

VO: Time to get Thomas's shopping under way.

Bye then.

Bye bye.

Hello.

Hi Thomas.

Nice to see you.

How you doing?

Nice to see you.

What's your name?

DEALER: Richard.

Richard Biggs.

TP: Richard.

And this is my wife Zoe.

TP: Hello.

ZOE: Hi, Thomas.

VO: And I'm Tim.

So now we all know each other, let's get cracking.

One is not finding this easy.

The competition is tough.

She's a fierce oppo... ..and relentless in her quest for thrashing me.

VO: Blimey!

Better focus then.

TP: So, what we've got here is a vintage bracelet.

"Most unusual silver gilt bracelet, hallmarked from 1975."

Look at that rock here, the sort of matrix of the quartz.

It's got a replacement clasp on it.

It's got a look.

I like the fact that the links are quite textured.

So, it's silver, which has been gilded.

And in the olden days it was mercury gilded, to give it this gold look.

But it's £55.

If we can... We can do... Not a fiver, but a bit more than that.

Yeah.

OK. Let's... Let's see what we can do, Thomas.

See what we'll...

Absolutely.

VO: With over 40 dealers on display, Richard is going to have to get on the phone.

OK, Thomas.

TP: Oh, Richard.

DEALER: We have some news.

TP: Oh yeah?

What's the news?

DEALER: It's quite good.

TP: Oh yeah?

DEALER: So, it's at 55.

Usually I'd stop around 50.

TP: Yeah, yeah.

DEALER: But we can go to 45.

45.

Do you think we could have this for 40?

Could you do a pound or two more?

Could we do 41?

DEALER: Go on then, 41.

TP: Oh for God's sake!

DEALER: (LAUGHS) You know, it's just that I hate even... odd numbers.

Right, OK. Deal.

Thank you.

VO: That's one done, anything else?

A letter opener with the clown on the top.

Some people don't like clowns but this is, erm, very deco in style.

Is it deco?

I think it is.

It's got a nice...

It's been well rubbed and worn.

I don't think I've ever seen a paper knife like that.

That's quite a cool thing.

I think I'm gonna go for that.

If that can be a right sort of price.

Definitely.

You see, and I can put something else with it, you see.

It's only... You know, £22.

So what we have here is a brass art-deco inkstand.

I love it because in here is "DR 1922".

So, it's engraved in here.

It has got a bit of a nick.

It's a bit of a sizable nick.

But once you put it in you can't see it.

So, one would put one's letters there... ..and the ink goes in there and your pens rest on here.

Just to prove it to you.

Like that.

Doesn't that look good?

What's the price of that?

£38.

VO: Time to sweet-talk Richard.

So, these two, you know, 38 and 22... What does that come to?

Well, so we're at 60.

Yeah?

Erm... can you do 52?

I was more like thinking 39.

That's... That's a bit too low.

Can we meet somewhere in the middle?

45?

Yeah, go on.

We can work with 45.

TP: Yeah?

DEALER: Yep.

We can do that.

TP: 45?

DEALER: Yeah.

VO: That's £86 for the paperknife, letter stand, and bracelet.

TP: Bye bye.

VO: Now where's Christina?

Heading for her first shop in the village of Long Marston.

Good morning.

LAURA: Good morning.

Hello.

Are you a Laura?

I am a Laura, yes.

Laura, lovely to meet you.

I'm Christina.

Hello, Christina.

This is rather magnificent.

Look, it goes on forever.

It does go on forever, yes.

VO: Almost daunting isn't it?

You've just got to start searching, Christina.

And walking.

On... and on.

Having a nice time, are we?

CT: Oh look.

VO: Little read.

I probably really ought to start doing some more shopping, hadn't I?

VO: I'd say so.

That's quite Thomas actually.

I can see him wearing that.

It's all his colors.

It's very this season, look, very... Lovely crushed berry colors there.

That's very Thomas Plant.

VO: We'll leave that one there.

I love that.

I sold one of these on Saturday and it was for the Savoy.

It was for the Savoy Laundry Company.

I think it only made about £20 but it was wonderful.

Look at that "London Laundry (Coventry) Ltd. "Articles for dry cleaning to be parceled separately please.

"1971."

I mean, it's a bit of vintage kitsch really, but isn't it wonderful that something that was designed to be so totally just disposable...

It wasn't really made to last particularly long.

It's only made of sort of stiffened card, but it's so iconic of its time now.

That sort of typography, that lettering.

I love that.

It doesn't have a price on it, which is a bit worrying.

VO: Time to get Laura.

OK.

I'll find out for you.

I mean really, I've sold one of those recently CT: for 15, £20.

LAURA: Yeah?

So, that's what I would want to be looking at... OK. ..securing it for at the most.

At the very, very most.

But if you can give him a buzz that would be fab.

Of course I will.

I'll do that now, alright?

Lovely.

Thank you.

I may have a bit of good news for you.

CT: Oh.

LAURA: 15.

Have you done your best for me?

I've done my best.

Of course I have!

CT: Of course you have!

LAURA: Course I have.

(THEY LAUGH) £15.

That's a deal at £15.

LAURA: Brilliant.

CT: Thank you, Laura.

That's alright, no problem.

Right.

Let's go.

With my laundry.

VO: And with that, Christina is up and running.

Thomas has made his way to Worcester, where, rising gracefully above the banks of the River Severn, is Worcester Cathedral.

He's here to learn the story of King John I.

For centuries he has held the reputation of being the evil tyrant who plunged the country into civil war.

There has been a place of worship on this site since the seventh century, but it gained its prominence as the final resting place of this controversial monarch.

When he took the throne, King John also inherited great territory in Europe.

However, this was all but lost after he sparked war with France soon after his coronation.

Taxes soared to fund his fighting overseas and the king enforced them mercilessly.

The rich and influential barons were forced into rebellion.

They seized London and forced the king to the negotiating table.

King John's tyranny had created such unrest across the country that the Magna Carta was drawn up to restrict his power.

This document would later inspire democracy, and was created to halt the actions of a tyrant king.

In 1216, just a year after signing the Magna Carta, the king became gravely ill.

In his final days he became desperate to save his reputation in the eyes of both men and God.

He requested that he be buried in Worcester Cathedral which already held the shrine of Saint Wulfstan.

John had been a driving force in making this former Bishop of Worcester a saint and hoped this decision would aid his immortal soul.

Archivist Dr David Morrison is showing Thomas the remarkable artifacts held within the cathedral that reveal the king's last ditch attempts to save his legacy.

DAVID: Probably the most important item in terms of this king is his will.

And that is the earliest medieval royal will left in the UK as an original.

So, this is an original?

DAVID: The original document.

TP: I am holding... DAVID: From 1216.

TP: ..a 1216 document.

Do you think he actually wrote this or he got a scribe to write it?

He got a scribe to write it but he probably dictated it.

Dictated it.

Because it starts "I, John", rather than, rather than some formal greeting.

So he is obviously speaking on his deathbed.

I am holding a real piece of history.

It is.

It is very special.

What does it say?

He's basically most concerned with ensuring his son's inheritance to the throne.

And then his other big concern is for his soul, his going to heaven, so he wants money to be given to Jerusalem and money given to the poor and at the bottom of the world there are all his I suppose what we would call nowadays executors.

These are all his key supporters who will make sure that when he dies his son will inherit the throne.

VO: It is short and rather less stately than you might expect, suggesting that it was written in haste, in John's attempt to protect his son and his own soul in his final moments.

TP: 16 lines?

DAVID: 16 lines.

16 lines.

Quite a lot of them are made up of people's names.

DAVID: Yep.

16 or so lines to... Yeah.

..set his kingdom straight.

Kingdom?

A kingdom straight?

Yeah.

You're right, isn't it?

It's a kingdom straight.

And he knew he was dying.

That's real history.

VO: After his death, the tomb was placed directly in front of the high altar.

With this prominent position, the monks hoped to give the king the best chance of reaching heaven but also aimed to convince John's son, King Henry III, to allow the tomb to remain in Worcester.

The tomb is the earliest royal effigy in England.

Having it here secured the future of the cathedral and allowed the monks to create the majestic gothic building we see today.

But the tomb has not remained completely undisturbed.

In 1797 it was opened to record details of what remained inside and unbelievably, various artifacts were removed.

They found some interesting items.

They included the front part of one of his shoes.

That is extraordinary, isn't it?

So a fragment of his shoe?

And then we have a fragment of his shroud, or perhaps his coronation robe.

That's amazing, isn't it?

VO: These artifacts show the human hopes and fears of a monarch on his deathbed and Thomas is very lucky to be so close to them.

And then we have got what is thought to be his thumb bone.

Can I touch it?

Certainly.

Gosh, a royal thumb bone.

VO: History may remember him as a tyrant, but the famous document that resulted from his actions became the foundation of our modern democracy, and his burial within these walls allowed the grand monument of Worcester Cathedral to flourish.

Christina has now toddled north to Henley-in-Arden, where she is pulling up at alliteration-loving Fabulous Finds.

Ha!

Shop owner Caroline is on hand to show her round.

Wander round with me, Caroline.

Oh, look.

Oh, you have got some unusual things.

It sort of feels like hunting for the Easter egg sometimes.

That's right.

You never know what you're gonna find.

Exactly.

You never know what you're gonna find.

Ooh, that's nice.

OK, so we've got a little compact which looks to be base metal, rather than silver.

So, you'd put your powder in there... ..and obviously that would spin round.

You'd have your powder puff on the top with a mirror in the top.

I know.

So pretty, isn't it?

Just to make sure that everything was in the right place.

And then the enamel on the top.

It's very art deco, isn't it, very sort of 1930s, 1940s?

CT: £95.

OK. Alright.

DEALER: Yes.

Is there any sort of negotiation in that?

Certainly there is, yes.

Brilliant.

OK, let's pop that back for now.

DEALER: OK. CT: Cuz I think that's a really charming thing.

VO: That sounds promising!

Thomas made a good profit on his compact at the last auction.

Look at these.

Lovely French posters.

"Interdit aux cyclotouristes et cyclomotoristes."

DEALER: Tres bien.

CT: Something about cyclists and motor...

Yes.

"Interdit," so these are the things that you are not allowed to do.

So this would've been used as sort of an educational poster?

DEALER: That's right.

CT: About road rules in France.

DEALER: Yes.

CT: I like that.

How much is on that, Caroline?

Erm, I've got 45 on that.

VO: Another one to think about.

Caroline, look at that.

DEALER: Isn't it wonderful?

CT: That is a stunner.

Oh, my goodness!

Oh, my goodness!

Can you manage?

There we go.

Wow!

Can I put that onto there?

Yes, of course.

Wow!

Tell me it's by Coalbrookdale or Minton or... DEALER: It's Minton.

CT: It's Minton?

It is Minton, you see.

Heaven!

I mean just the colorway is fabulous, isn't it?

VO: Minton started producing ceramics in Stoke at the end of the 18th century.

This one dates from around 1900 and has a ticket price of £140.

There's a chip to the foot rim there but that almost looks like it's probably from the kiln.

Oh, I love it.

Pfft.

OK.

But £140 is quite steep.

DEALER: I can possibly do better.

CT: I'm terribly poor.

I...

I can do better for you, obviously.

CT: You can?

DEALER: Yeah, I can, DEALER: I can certainly.

CT: OK, alright.

VO: She'll hold you to that, Caroline.

Oh, I love that.

Is that copper?

It is copper, yeah.

It's wonderful.

Got a hole in it, hasn't it?

DEALER: Yes, unfortunately.

CT: That's wonderful.

VO: Ticket price is £100.

Ooh!

What would you do with that?

Is that some sort of mixing, cooking...

I think it probably was, yes.

But nowadays people use them in the gardens, don't they?

That's what I was thinking as a fish, sort of fish type... That's right.

Or a planter or anything like that.

Yeah.

Shall we take this downstairs?

I will carry it... (THEY LAUGH) ..if you can be flexible on price.

If you can't, then it's staying up here.

No, no.

I can be flexible on price for you.

OK, alright.

Let's... Let's take that downstairs.

OK. Let's go.

DEALER: Watch these steps.

CT: Right.

VO: Crikey, that's four items and a combined ticket price of £380.

Just how flexible can Caroline be?

So, I'm thinking £140 for the lot.

Talking about these three here.

If I could do 110... CT: And what about the compact?

DEALER: Mmm, 50.

Can we say 150 for the lot?

Ooh, you drive a hard bargain, don't you?

But I think I've met my match.

(THEY LAUGH) My goodness, 150.

Erm... Go on.

Go on then.

Go on.

(LAUGHS) Brilliant.

CT: Thank you very much.

DEALER: No, you're welcome.

DEALER: Good luck.

CT: That's brilliant.

Thank you.

VO: Very generous, Caroline.

Not bad for a day's shopping but time to put all that excitement to bed for one night.

So off you go you two.

And nighty night.

VO: It's another day on the road trip and our experts are up with the larks.

It is quite foggy, isn't it?

It's really foggy.

I think it's... CT: And it's really early.

TP: I know.

It's immensely early in the morning.

VO: Christina shopped up a storm yesterday, grabbing five items.

The laundry box, compact, jardiniere, cycling poster, and copper bowl.

That lot set her back £165.

In his bid to make up ground, Thomas picked up a silver gilt bracelet, an art-deco paperknife, and a polished brass inkwell.

He shelled out a total of £86, so has £57.62 for today's shopping.

CT: Now look, I think we're coming up to a T junction here, geography teacher, is it left or right?

Erm I think... You've got that jumper on again.

I'm gonna have to surgically remove that jumper from you.

It's cold.

VO: In order to kick off their jaunt today, our pair have whizzed cross country and are headed for Steeple Bumpstead in Essex.

Ah.

Now, I've been here before, Thomas.

Have you?

Yes.

Oh, this man is an absolute delight.

Right.

I don't think it's very open.

What, no, I'm sure.

I remember Graham from last time.

He was lovely.

I don't think it's very open though.

Well it can't be closed, can it?

I suppose it is quite early, isn't it?

Quite early, Christina.

I think it's... CT: Well, I think he... TP: It's closed.

VO: Oh well.

I guess we'll just have to wait then.

I spy with my little eye something beginning with...

"Buh."

Bin.

TP: No.

CT: Bumpstead Antiques?

No, not Bumpstead Antiques.

Oh.

No, go on, give me a clue.

Ah... bird.

(THEY LAUGH) VO: Oh blimey!

Thankfully Graham is here to save us all.

TP: Oh, morning.

CT: Oh, Graham.

VO: And with the doors opened up, there's no stopping them from diving straight in.

Got lots of toys and things in here.

We've got a novelty moneybox there.

There are collectors for novelty moneyboxes, but that one looks like it's been repainted.

Quite an interesting box.

What's this?

What's this?

"New... "New Picture Cubes."

British make, always nice.

Take the lid off and then these on the top here are the guides as to what your picture was supposed to look like, so we've got "cats, katzen, gatti, katten" there.

Half a... Oh maybe that's the... Is that the rear end of the donkey, do you think?

(LAUGHS) So these are very worn, sadly, aren't they?

But nonetheless wonderful.

But these, these blocks are really rather lovely.

And it still looks like it's got all its pieces to it.

So, you'd have to assemble these cubes to create your picture.

So, I'd say this is probably Victorian or Edwardian, so probably looking at sort of 1880, 1910.

Love that.

VO: Mm.

Indeed!

But there's no ticket price.

So how is Thomas getting on?

TP: Graham, what's this goblet got to be?

The goblet and the, er, dish, £60.

Is that your very best on that?

No, it could be 75, which is even better.

I was thinking that these could be 30 quid.

What, each?

No.

Cuz that would make it 60.

That's correct.

It's a nice sort of goblet and dish.

Yeah, they're sort of 19... probably early 20th century.

TP: Early 20th century.

Um... DEALER: Signed, I think one is.

Joost?

And, er, yeah.

And they're Danish, of course.

Let me... Have a think around and we'll see... Yeah, and I'll let you think about it and I'll think about it and I'll walk around and see what else I can see.

Yeah.

VO: Good strategy.

But... Graham's work is not done yet.

I love, love your shop and I would like to buy something from you.

Anything you've seen?

Well I did see this which is a really, obviously, lovely Victorian puzzle.

But I'm not under any pressure.

I don't necessarily have to buy anything, so I was thinking if it was cheap enough, and I was sort of thinking maybe £10-15 really... Would that be... Would that be a goer for you?

Er, no.

I can do it at around 25.

I mean it has seen better days, has it not, my darling?

Oh yes.

It's been well played with.

Go up another five.

I really can't.

I mean really, my maximum was 10.

I'll meet you in the middle at 15 and then that's my absolute death on it.

Er... OK, yep, we'll do that.

CT: Brilliant.

Well £15.

DEALER: 15.

CT: I'm a happy girl.

DEALER: You've...

I bet you are.

Great.

Thank you, Graham.

VO: Christina lands the Victorian wooden puzzle for £15 and just like that her shopping is complete.

CT: Bye Thomas.

TP: Bye bye.

See you this afternoon.

VO: Looks like you've got the run of the shop, Thomas.

How are you bearing up?

I've got a hot flush.

VO: Too young for that.

Anyway, time for some more negotiating.

Round two!

How about that goblet and dish?

How about it?

30 quid?

I'm terribly, terribly sorry, but I can't do it at that.

Despite everything.

Really?

Where could we go?

And I can't do 40.

And I don't really want to go over 35.

Sorry, Thomas, I can't... can't on those.

35?

You drive a very, very hard bargain, you really do, but OK, I'll do it at 35.

You're a good man!

I'm a silly man.

You're not a silly man.

But there we are.

VO: The good news is Graham's generous discount means Thomas got his goblet and tray for £35.

The bad news is he has less than £23 left to shop with.

Unaware of Thomas's spending plight, Christina is on her way to Duxford, where she is in for a treat.

Christina has the opportunity to witness an extraordinary display of World War II aircraft as they commemorate one of the most pivotal moments in British history - the Battle of Britain.

VO: In the summer of 1940, Hitler began an initial push before attempting an invasion which brought the war to the skies over Britain.

For three months the RAF repelled relentless attacks from the Germans.

Their battles above the British countryside saved this country's shores from Nazi invasion.

As the first airfield to take delivery of the Spitfire, RAF Duxford played a crucial role during the Second World War.

And now, over the course of two days, around 40,000 people will watch the breathtaking displays showing the aerial prowess of these restored aircraft.

Esther Blaine is introducing Christina to the most famous of all, the Spitfire.

Oh!

The Spitfire.

Absolutely.

The iconic fighter of the Second World War, in all the public's imagination.

I never thought that I would say that there is an airplane that is beautiful, but it really is, isn't it?

ESTHER: When you watch it fly, it is so agile.

Such a beautiful aircraft.

You can see why those young pilots absolutely loved flying in it.

VO: Amazingly, there are still around 30 airworthy Spitfires in existence around the UK.

One of the men lucky enough to fly these magnificent machines is John Romain.

I'm the director of the Aircraft Restoration Company which is based here at Duxford.

We own a Blenheim, which is flying in the show today, I'm flying that in the first slot.

CT: Right.

And then we've also got a lovely Mark I Spitfire.

CT: Oh.

Wow!

JOHN: Which is now owned by the Imperial War Museum.

Oh, my goodness.

But it was a 1940s Duxford airplane.

CT: Oh wonderful.

JOHN: So it's very famous, especially linked to Duxford.

So, what is it like to fly a Spitfire?

The first reaction is of course they are lovely.

But they actually are.

I mean, they... You sort of don't get in one, you put it on.

It becomes part of you.

But as a flying machine - stunning, absolutely stunning.

So, when you're flying in that formation, with all those Spitfires behind you, do you think it will give you a real sense of what it was like?

Yeah, it will.

To look back and see those numbers of airplanes all around you, will really make you realize what those boys were doing.

VO: The battle in the skies continued beyond the Battle of Britain for fighter pilots of Hurricanes and Spitfires, and for others in long-range bombers.

A seat in a Lancaster bomber was one of the most dangerous places to be.

Some 55,000 air crew died in raids over Europe.

The life expectancy of new air crews was just two weeks.

One veteran of these bombing raids is Gunner Don Chinnery.

I went in in the early part of the war... ..and I served all through the war.

CT: Mm-hm.

I done my tour of operations, which was 30, that was your full tour.

And then you had six months' rest.

And you went back for a second troop.

What was it like to be in a Lancaster?

I would be back tomorrow if I could.

CT: Would you?

DON: Yeah.

VO: What an amazing man.

These incredible aerial displays today commemorate those heroic actions of air crew members like Don.

Esther, tell me what is happening here.

So, it's all happening in the skies above us at the moment.

So, the German air force fighters have flown into Duxford and we now have a Spitfire and a Hurricane taking off to repel the enemy.

It's exactly as it would have been back in the Battle of Britain.

CT: I've got goosebumps.

It's unbelievable.

ESTHER: Absolutely.

It's very emotional.

Really.

I've got tears running down my face.

Well, understandable.

It's erm...

It's those very emotive moments that really bring it home what it would have been like during the Battle of Britain and of course that would have been fairly relentless.

From July to September, throughout 1940.

Just makes you realize how special those young men were.

Absolutely.

Right, look how close they are getting.

I feel like I ought to be ducking.

(THEY CHUCKLE) Must have been very difficult to deal with emotionally.

CT: Wonderful!

ESTHER: Amazing.

It's amazing.

CT: And people, I mean, people watched these dogfights happening, didn't they?

Over their very heads.

Absolutely.

And actually that is the bit that I wonder what it must have been like to see those contrails in the sky and to think actually, "Those are our boys up there fighting."

It must have been a very, very emotional experience.

VO: Whilst Christina continues to enjoy the airshow, Thomas still has some shopping to do and has headed for Debden Barns.

Dealer Andy is on hand to help out.

Hello.

I'm Thomas.

ANDY: Hello.

(CLATTERING) Oh, that was good, wasn't it?

What happened there?

Hello, Thomas.

Are you into breaking things, Andy?

It's my main... my main talent actually.

I love that, look at that.

It'll never be the same again.

VO: What can you find for your slender budget then, Tom?

These are our main sort of cabinets.

OK. Silver and bits and...

Bits and pieces.

Yeah, well, my budget is really quite low.

Do you want me to level with you?

Yeah.

I've got 22 quid and some... (LAUGHS) Sorry.

Honestly.

That's it.

VO: You ever been laughed out of a shop before, Thomas?

I have some stuff which really has got left behind.

I have one very intriguing piece.

TP: OK. ANDY: In fact I've got a couple of very intriguing pieces.

I'm intrigued.

I'm getting more intrigued.

VO: The items inside may be a bit too rich for you, Thomas, but will you be tempted by Andy's old stock, which currently resides in the back of his car?

I've been brought to the back of, um, Andy's vehicle.

And, erm, it's like a, a dusty... A dusty experience.

Now...

I used to do a little bit of jewelry.

TP: Did you?

ANDY: Yes.

Now, this is sort of like...

This is a Trifari.

TP: Tri...

I know about Trifari.

ANDY: You know about Trifari?

Yeah, Trifari are one of the most famous houses of costume jewelry.

Yes, that's right.

It was... And I've, I've...

It's one of those things, I could've sold it once for about 30 quid, but I didn't and I regretted it thereafter.

Piece of Trifari.

What else have you got kicking...?

Well, there you are, you see...

I've got nine-karat gold... Little pearl in there.

Very pretty.

Silver ring.

Look at you.

Right, OK, OK, OK. ANDY: Big clunky job.

TP: Oh, nice.

Nice those.

Alright, alright, what else are you gonna pull out?

This is like Mary Poppins's bag.

Oh, yes.

This... You may know exactly what it is straightaway, but nobody else can tell me.

Well, you've handed me a stoneware... ..vase.

Tin glaze earthenware.

Yeah?

TP: In the Iznik style.

ANDY: Yes.

VO: Iznik pottery was produced between the 15th and 17th centuries in what is now Turkey.

However this is rather more modern.

Probably Iranian.

Right.

TP: Persian.

ANDY: Right.

And it's probably 1920s.

ANDY: Yes, that's what I thought.

TP: Peacocks.

And it's just... just a bud vase.

You put one budding flower in.

That's it.

I was gonna say you're not gonna get a lot.

TP: No, you'll not get... ANDY: Big bunch of roses.

What a fun thing that is.

What a beautiful object.

TP: But you know my position.

ANDY: Yes.

£22 and a couple of pennies.

Yep.

The Trifari and stuff, the rings, I mean they're just leftovers.

This, it didn't cost me a lot.

OK. OK.

So this could be my lucky day.

Once in a lifetime opportunity.

Could I give you all my money for that vase and that bit of jewelry in there?

ANDY: (GASPS DRAMATICALLY) You're a good man.

VO: That's a great deal!

£22.62 for the vase and the jewelry collection of four rings and three necklaces.

Thomas is now all spent up.

VO: So with everyone's shopping all wrapped up, Thomas is making the trip to join Christina at Duxford for the climax of those astonishing aerial displays.

He just needs to find her!

Air Cadet Plant seems to have been distracted.

He never misses an opportunity to dress up!

I don't think I could even get in a cockpit right now, let alone climb up the ladder.

You know, you see all of these different aspects around the shops we go to, the museums we see.

To actually try it on, it actually, yeah, brings it home.

It's very sobering.

VO: Come on Thomas, you don't want to miss something really special, do you?

You made it.

I made it, Christina.

Well done.

You're just in time.

Look.

Absolutely mind-blowing.

If you listen, everybody's quiet.

Yeah.

TP: I've had a good look round.

CT: Have you?

TP: Yeah.

CT: Have you really?

Mm, I really have.

CT: Have you bought anything?

TP: No I haven't.

CT: Have you been dressing up?

Erm... maybe a little.

(THEY LAUGH) TP: Here we go.

It's just so emotive, isn't it?

It's just that lovely noise.

It's that fabulous noise.

And these planes are sort of over 75 years old.

CT: They really are national treasures, aren't they?

They are.

As are the people that flew them.

Very well said, Christina.

VO: What a sight to see, eh?

This incredible road trip is nearly at an end.

After starting out in Stratford-upon-Avon, our duo have traveled from east to west and back again to arrive at their final destination in Winchcombe.

Christina's lots for auction include the 1970s laundry box, an enamel compact, a Minton jardiniere... ..a French cycling poster, a copper bowl... ..and a Victorian child's puzzle.

VO: Thomas's offerings are a silver gilt bracelet, a polished brass inkwell and letter tidy... ..an art-deco paperknife, a Danish copper goblet and tray, a tin glazed stoneware vase, and a collection of jewelry.

So what do they make of each other's items?

I adore that peacock vase.

I just think the colors in it are quite splendid.

And the little job lot of jewelry that he got, and what did he pay - £22.64 or something?

Ridiculous!

Taxi for Trevanion.

The compact is great.

The quality of it, the painting is brilliant.

She's sort of in my wake now, cuz I beat her last time.

Am I going to beat her this time?

I don't know.

VO: All will be revealed at the auction in Gloucestershire.

It's very good to see you looking so jolly in these clothes this morning.

Well, I'm... No jumper, thank the lord!

D'you know, the sun is out.

It's shining.

You've dressed your trousers to match the van.

I like it.

You know, I thought about my outfit because you were so harsh last time, I was... Was I?

Yes, you were.

Oh, I didn't mean to be.

You know, "Oh you look like a geography teacher!"

VO: Phil Serrell was a geography teacher.

Anyway a packed saleroom at Bespoke Auctions awaits!

Come on.

OK. Let's rock and roll.

TP: Where are you?

CT: I'm here.

TP: Ladies first.

VO: In charge today is auctioneer Nicholas Grainger, assisted by a parrot, called Polly, maybe.

The bracelet is silver gilt.

Now, it's a shame it's not gold because silver jewelry is valued on the metal value and content.

Quite a nice piece.

See what happens.

The enamel compact is most probably my favorite.

The Yoshi enamel is in wonderful condition.

I think that'll do quite well.

VO: Thomas spent all of his £143.62 on six items.

Christina also gathered up six lots for a total of £180.

Goodness.

Right.

Ooh, it's quite exciting.

You seen the parrot?

TP: Oh, I love a parrot.

VO: You'll be looking for more than pieces of eight for your first lot, Thomas.

It's your art-deco paperknife.

Lovely.

Good luck.

Starting at 15, 18, 20 now.

That's really good.

22 in the room, thank you, straightaway.

On my left there at 22.

Now looking for 25.

At 22.

With you madam, in the pink at £22.

We're selling.

22.

CT: Well done, Thomas.

TP: Done.

VO: Nice little profit too.

That's alright.

TP: Pleased about that.

CT: Good.

VO: Christina fell in love with the Victorian puzzle.

Will the bidders?

Start the bidding here at 15, 18, £20 now.

Looking for 22.

CT: £20.

TP: 22.

At 22 now, looking for 25.

And five, on my left, thank you, on my right.

25, and eight would you like to go?

28 now.

And 30 sir, would you like to go?

Are you sure?

That's once, twice, selling at £28.

VO: That's everyone off to a good start.

Straight out of the blocks.

Straight up.

I think he's gonna... Straight out of the blocks.

Oh, God!

VO: Oh dear.

It took a lot of persuading to get your hands on this goblet and tray, Thomas - let's hope it was worth it.

Starting the bidding with me on the book at £40.

40 I've got.

Looking for 42.

At 40 bid, with me.

A commission bid.

Looking for 42.

So, we're selling then at £40.

Sold.

Another £5 profit.

VO: Small profit but creeping forward.

Thanks for coming.

VO: Time for Christina's laundry box.

It's a vintage London Laundry (Coventry) laundry box.

Reminds me of my days in Savile Row.

Got to start the bidding with me, a commission bid at £15.

TP: £15?

NICHOLAS: Looking for £18 now.

15 bid.

At 18 now, in the room now.

With you, madam, at £18.

Looking for 20.

You don't know what's inside it.

Have you had a look?

At £18.

We're selling then.

And sold.

Thank you very much.

Done.

VO: That just about holds its own.

Anxious bit out of the way.

VO: Thomas is still searching for the lot that will bring him back into this road trip.

His inkwell is next.

We've got a bid here at 20.

22.

Five, eight.

I've got 30.

32 on the net now.

And five, madam?

We'll take it, thank you.

At 35.

I'm looking for 38 now.

And eight in the room now.

38, and 40 madam, and two, sir.

42 and five?

Are you sure.

Shakes the head.

Don't shake the head.

One more.

45.

With you, sir, at 45.

Looking for 48 elsewhere now.

At 48 in the room then, sir, at 48.

TP: One more.

NICHOLAS: Looking for 50.

And 50 in the room, back of the room.

Looking for 55 elsewhere.

I'm gonna sell, then, at £50 to the room.

Yes!

Well done.

Well done.

VO: That's a very decent profit.

Thomas, you might make it over £200 at this rate.

TP: I might.

CT: You might.

Well I've got high hopes for my Persian vase.

Stranger things have happened.

VO: Now, a very large copper bowl with several holes in it.

At £15 asking.

15 we have and looking for £18.

Something to wash your feet in the night, maybe.

At £15 we've got.

Although it's not big enough to be a jacuzzi.

At 15 we've got.

That's not making it any better.

I've just lost a lot of money.

On the net.

In the room at £20.

Looking for 22 on the net.

At 22.

And five, sir, would you like to go?

25 now, at 25.

And 28, looking for 28.

And 28 and £30 in the room.

Thank you.

With you at 30 now.

At 32, up here.

Going once, twice.

At £32 for the foot bath.

Oh.

Horrendous.

# There's a hole in my bucket TP: # Christina, Christina.

# CT: He worked jolly hard.

Good auctioneering.

VO: He certainly did his best but it's still a loss I'm afraid.

# There's a hole in my bucket # Dear Thomas, dear Thomas... # TP: A big hole in your... CT: # There's a hole # In my bucket # Dear Thomas, a hole.

# VO: It's the first of Thomas's car-park purchases.

OK, we'll start the bidding at £15 and 18, looking for 20 now.

So you made a profit.

Yeah, definitely, of course.

CT: Straightaway.

NICHOLAS: Looking for 22.

There's some dust on there, that comes for nothing.

22 now.

Looking for 25.

At £22.

Once, twice.

At £22.

And sold.

VO: Almost doubling his money.

That's a great result.

Well done, Thomas.

VO: Christina's lagging behind a bit and it's her enamel compact next.

Who'll start the bidding on that, ladies and gentlemen, NICHOLAS: at £40?

CT: No bids.

TP: £40.

NICHOLAS: All the hands go up.

At £40.

42, 45, 48, 50.

CT: Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.

TP: 50.

What's going on?

55 at the back there.

Looking for 60.

You can stop now.

No, go on.

Keep...

It's lovely.

And 60.

And five sir?

Christina, race away.

70?

At £65.

Sold to the back of the room.

VO: An excellent profit that brings it neck and neck.

CT: Splendid.

TP: Splen... You sounded immensely Welsh then.

Oh, did I?

TP: Splen-DID.

CT: Splen-DID.

VO: Thomas loved this 1970s bracelet - will it be a winner today?

Let's start the bidding, ladies and gentlemen, on that at £15, at 15, 18, looking for 20 now.

At 20 bid, on the net.

Looking for 22.

TP: Are you gonna bid?

CT: No.

I'm gonna lose all that money.

Looking for £28.

At 25 on the net now.

And eight.

Looking for 30.

At £28.

He's trying hard.

At £28.

We're selling.

And sold.

Thank you.

You see, that was a bad thing.

I lost.

Big loss.

VO: Oh!

The first loss of the day for Thomas.

You've still got your Persian vase to go.

Still got that to go.

That is gonna make £2 million.

TP: Five million, I'm thinking.

CT: D'you think?

VO: Christina has her own ceramic offering.

It's her Minton jardiniere.

Who'll start the bidding on that at £40?

Looking for 40.

Looking for 40.

At £30 I have now, at 30.

At 32.

And 35.

It's moving up.

At 38?

We'll get there in the end.

And 38.

And 40 sir.

I'm asking 42.

42.

And five sir?

And five with you.

TP: Hang on.

CT: It's so beautiful.

CT: Look at it.

NICHOLAS: 48?

At £48, thank you.

On the net.

And 50 in the room now.

And five asking.

55?

And 60, sir?

You sure?

Shakes his head.

Oh, go on, it's lovely.

Who's bidding?

Once, twice, then.

At £55 to the net.

Sold, and thank you.

VO: A small loss but Christina's still in the lead.

You were sort of getting to this crescendo in Ireland and Wales.

I was.

I was going almost stratospherically well.

And then suddenly we come here and it's... boom!

VO: Thomas has high hopes for his Persian vase bought out the back of the car.

This is my final hope.

Mm.

At 30, at 30 now, with me.

32, 32, and five, 35.

And eight, and 40.

At 42, with you, and looking for 45.

I think it's beautiful.

I love it.

I love that.

On the internet.

Surely we should be in the...

Nothing online yet?

60 at the back.

And five, 65.

And looking for £70.

Nothing online?

I'm quite... Do you catch...?

Fair warning then at £65.

VO: That's over 500% profit.

VO: Well done Thomas.

Jolly well done, Thomas.

That's fantastic.

Thank you very much.

VO: Their final lot of the day is Christina's French cycling poster.

At 15 in the room straightaway now, looking for £18.

At 15 there, have we got 18 elsewhere?

At 18 at the back there, at 18.

£20 back with you sir.

At £20.

We're looking for 22 elsewhere.

Going to have to sell at 20 then.

CT: No!

NICHOLAS: At £20.

NICHOLAS: To a good home then.

(GAVEL) CT: I want to go back to Ireland.

(THEY CHUCKLE) VO: Zut alors!

After costs that's a small loss.

Have I beaten you again?

Have I beaten you again?

VO: Time to find out, Thomas.

Christina started with £270.31 and after auction costs she made a tiny loss - poor love - of £1.24.

Leaving her with a £269.07, but still looking gorgeous.

Thomas spent all of his £143.62 and made a very nice profit after costs of £42.52, giving him his second auction victory in a row.

He now has a total of £186.14 but Christina holds on to the lead for the decisive next leg.

It's...

It's a great result.

Two auctions each.

Oh, I don't like this.

This is making me feel quite uncomfortable.

Well, you never know, Christina.

I might catch you up at the last auction.

Yeah, you might.

VO: Cheerio!

Next time, Christina and Thomas face their final leg.

I cannot believe it.

It's gone so quickly.

VO: Christina pulls out all the stocks.

We could get Thomas in there.

VO: But Thomas isn't going down without a fight.

That's so cool.

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