VOICEOVER (VO): It's the nation's favorite antiques experts, with £200 each, a classic car, and a goal - to scour Britain for antiques.

Going, going...gone.

Yes!

I think I've fallen in love with a brick!

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

Yes!

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

I feel antiqued out.

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

(GEARS CRUNCH) CHRISTINA: Charlie!

CHARLES: Sorry about that.

VO: This is the Antiques Road Trip.

VO: Yeah!

VO: This week has seen a bright new star hit the road.

As the head of jewelry, in an established auction house, Christina Trevanion knows the importance of protecting your valuables.

Go away, go away!

VO: And having won the last leg...

I don't believe it.

VO: ..she's going to great lengths to stay on top.

As it's my first road trip... VO: Cheeky.

Also vying for victory is road trip regular, auctioneer Charles Hanson.

And after defeat last time, he's gearing up for a fight.

Christina, I'm ready for Birkenhead.

VO: (LAUGHS) Their chariot taking them into battle is this rather fetching 1969 Morris Minor.

Yeah, let's get to a shop Christina.

I'm mad for it.

I'm mad for it!

VO: Woooah!

He's excited!

New girl Christina began this trip with a bang, pushing her starting budget of £200 up to £203.50.

(LAUGHS) Charles also started with £200 but ended the day at a loss and has £172.20 to spend today.

The route for the week takes our intrepid road trippers from Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire over peak and dale to their final destination of Cobridge in Staffordshire, covering approximately 600 miles.

On this leg they'll travel from Manchester, making their way to auction in Birkenhead on the Wirral.

The world's first industrialized city, Manchester is today famed for its music, sport and culture.

But, you know, Manchester has so much to offer.

It does.

You know, its diverse culture, you've got hip, funky antique shops and you've got the traditional Victoriana.

Yeah.

VO: Onward chaps, to our first stop of the day.

OK.

I'll race you in!

BOTH: (GIGGLE) VO: Just like children.

Mark you, Charles has got some catching up to do.

The Levenshulme Antiques Village has 20 individual shops to explore, so happy hunting.

Wow!

I must stay focused.

Not here for shopping, am I?

VO: No, you're not Christina.

Ooh!

What do you think?

Think it suits me?

VO: Oh, smokin'.

And I'm happy to see she's not taking this competition sitting down.

That's really nice, I like that.

That's quite fun.

It's a good sturdy, a good sturdy thing.

VO: She's smitten.

Ticket price £25, but is shop owner Sally willing to deal?

Erm, I saw this chair, it sort of caught my eye.

I really quite liked it.

Do you know anything about it?

Any history behind it?

I think it's an artist's chair, because it's got this little seat where you'd keep your paintbrushes and paint.

Is there any flexibility on the price?

I was thinking at auction it would probably make maybe £15 and I need to make a profit against that pesky Charlie Hanson.

Righty-ho.

What's your thoughts?

Well, I could do it for 15.

It's a deal!

Thank you, Sally.

SALLY: Deal!

Thank you!

CHRISTINA: You're a star.

VO: Christina's off the mark, but Charles needs help and puts in a sneaky call to the auctioneer.

My great passion, James, is often buy big, buy monumental, buy furniture, and I like buying it.

Don't buy furniture.

OK. Don't touch it.

Thanks very much.

See you in Birkenhead.

VO: The auctioneer's top tip - don't buy furniture.

That's easy advice to follow, Charles.

Or maybe not.

And what's this?

Christina's also getting the inside scoop from the auction house.

Silver, lots of silver.

Charles has already been on the phone.

VO: Watch out, Charles, she's onto you.

Have you got something to tell me?

No.

No, like what?

VO: Don't lie, Carlos.

Have you been making any phone calls?

I may have phoned a friend!

No, I gave the auctioneer a call... Oh did you!

..in Birkenhead, yeah.

Were you going to...

Were you going to tell me about this phone call?

No, this is, well, you know...

It's playback time, you know?

I'm trying to get myself back in, you know.

Charlie Hanson!

I know!

Right, that's it, the gloves are off, baby.

VO: Feisty, eh?

Having already bought furniture, Christina's seeking out something a little different, and Barry's shop might be just the place.

My goodness there's a lot of stuff here.

Yeah, I'll say!

And clever Christina's spotted some silverware.

I'm trying to put together a lot of silver plate that is going to do well at the auction.

And I think Barry might be my man.

VO: While Christina gathers her riches, Charles just can't tear himself away from furniture.

# Put your money on me... # VO: No, no, no, Charles, come on.

Everything here is furniture.

VO: It's because it's a furniture shop.

Just follow Christina's lead.

Sneaky boy.

Don't you dare, keep... CHARLES: Is it for sale?

CHRISTINA: Yeah!

Go away, go away!

Barry's my mate now.

Yeah.

How, how are you, mate!

How are you, mate!

All falling apart very, very swiftly.

I'll leave you to it, ladies first.

I'm ever so sorry, Barry, I'll let you do a deal with Christina first, OK?

My pleasure.

I like the plate by the way.

Get out!

VO: Barry's got them fighting over him now.

Well, he is a man with some bright ideas.

I'm thinking that's quite cool at the moment, isn't it?

VO: Christina's interest has been sparked by this pair of enameled industrial downlighters, but can she get them for the right price?

So those are marked up at... 50.

For the pair?

BARRY: No.

CHRISTINA: Yeah!

BARRY: No, that's each.

CHRISTINA: Go on, Barry!

And you can have them for 30 each.

But I think we would sell them as a pair, you see.

I would want to put them in as a pair.

Right.

Give me 50 quid the pair.

50 quid the pair.

Go on, Barry.

You're a man.

Thank you very much, I like those.

And then let's go and have a look at the silver plate.

VO: Can he do her another deal with a silver lining?

£20 for that one.

20 for that one.

Oh, Barry, what?

Fiver each for those.

What's that one got on it?

BARRY: £3.

CHRISTINA: £3 on that one.

I think the bowl is probably more saleable... Yeah.

..than the basket.

What about... 20 for that?

VO: Oh!

He's happy with that.

I think.

OK. 20 quid.

Thank you ever so, ever so much.

Thanking you.

You're a star.

Thank you!

Off I trot!

There you go.

VO: Cor, she's one happy customer.

Walking away with a job lot - the silver-plated pedestal rose bowl, a pair of trumpet vases, nut dishes, and Barry's thrown in an early 20th century silver napkin ring, all for £20 - good going Christina.

Crikey.

Right Charles - you're up.

Look at the planes.

Look at the flag.

Look at the horns.

I could be flying here.

Barry, is this all for sale outside here as well?

BARRY: Everything, yeah.

CHARLES: Everything.

I quite like this man down here.

He's tired.

Yeah.

He's a bit discolored.

VO: He's a gnome, Charles.

Where'd he come from?

Did your father make him, you say?

Father-in-law made him, yeah.

CHARLES: Really?

BARRY: Yeah.

Going back to what, the 1930s?

No, probably '50s.

'50s.

Erm, there's also one more down there Barry as well.

Yep.

Another garden gnome.

If I bought the two together Barry, what's your best price?

£10 the pair.

CHARLES: £10 the pair.

BARRY: Yeah, there you go.

If I said to you a fiver for the two together... No.

No, you've got to pay a tenner the pair.

Meet me halfway, £8.

No, I'm not meeting anywhere - tenner the pair.

Get out of here!

VO: I think Barry prefers Christina, and I don't blame him.

So if I bought the two Barry, the best price between mates would be...?

£10.

Not a penny less.

Not a penny less.

Thanks, mate!

VO: Hm, stalemate.

And after some consultation... Yeah, it's talking to you now.

VO: Charles buys one gnome for £5.

OK, Chris.

Yeah, I know, it's you and me now mate.

OK, we'll ditch Christina.

OK, Chris, happy?

Yeah, we're off.

See you later.

Thanking you.

VO: A talking gnome called Chris?

I think he's losing it that boy.

With that he's off to his next shop.

Meanwhile Christina's heading for a history lesson - by foot.

The Manchester Jewish Museum is the only one of its kind in Britain outside London and can be found in a former synagogue.

The museum tells the story of Manchester's Jewish community.

Having been popular with traders since the 1740s, the city's cotton trade soon attracted Jewish entrepreneurs who left a lasting legacy in Manchester and further afield.

And Christina's come to hear all about it from curator Alexandra Grime.

This is beautiful!

It is, it is.

Just breathtaking, isn't it?

It was built in 1874, the building.

1874?

Yeah, it was originally a synagogue, as you can probably tell.

Yeah.

And the community moved out in 1982 and it became this museum.

VO: The synagogue would have been a place of worship for the Sephardi Jews and is built in the style of their Spanish and Portuguese ancestors.

You can see on this column here, they've done some paint scraping and found what the columns used to look like.

Very ornate, isn't it?

It is.

You can see some of the gilding and the...

It would have been beautiful and they did a stencil from that and they recreated what it would have looked like on that column over there.

So very glitzy really.

Very glitzy and glam.

Very glitzy.

VO: Towards the end of the 18th century, families from places like Corfu and Syria came to settle in the city.

As the population grew they built up communities, places of worship and their businesses, particularly in the clothing industry, and they went from strength to strength.

One really interesting guy is called Benjamin Hyam and what he's doing is selling ready-made garments, proper suits, much more affordable, people can afford the suits, and it really, really catches on, this ready-made rather than tailored items.

OK, oh gosh, so this is the start of the high street shop?

Absolutely.

By 1851 he opens a shop like this.

This is his shop?

This is his shop, and he has very important visitors.

Charles Dickens mentions this shop as does Benjamin Disraeli.

They're visitors when they're in town.

I never would have had Disraeli as a man with a suit off the rack!

Wow!

VO: In the decades preceding World War I, the population in Manchester increased as Jews fled persecution.

Fearing a backlash, the established community tried to anglicize the new arrivals, opening schools to teach English and introducing them to some good old British staples.

Erm, they have clubs aimed at organizing their recreation so they'd play in brass bands and they're playing cricket and things like that.

Brass bands?

Yes!

A good old Lancashire tradition!

Brilliant!

I love it!

Which is why this item is so fantastic.

This is actually a washboard, brought over in 1910, and you can see it's very worn and that's because it was never used as a washboard in Manchester, Leon actually used it as a cricket bat when he was here.

Brilliant.

I love it.

Which I think's such a great story, he's come over from Eastern Europe and he's made his washboard into a cricket bat.

That's very resourceful!

I like that!

Can't get a better example of anglicization than that.

Alex, thank you so much for having us today.

It's been an absolute pleasure, I've learnt an awful lot.

Thank you for coming.

VO: With only a gnome called Chris to his name, Charles is hitting the shops again, this time in Sale.

A thriving commuter town in Greater Manchester, Sale boasts the 250-year-old Bridgewater Canal.

At its peak, the canal carried more than three million tons of traffic, much of it fueling the Industrial Revolution.

Today it carries a lighter load of ducks and leisure barges.

I'm on a mission to outdo Christina.

My strategy is to really play big and that's the way I am, and I'm just going to go for it.

VO: With a strategy in place, Charles is pinning his hopes on the Manchester Antiques Company and owner John Long.

Hello.

How are you?

Fine.

Long time no see.

CHARLES: I'll go for a wander.

JOHN: Right.

Thanks, John.

VO: This could spell disaster for Charles.

He's in a room full of furniture, but can he resist?

A tenner.

I mean, this is a tenner and it's just a lovely little luggage stand.

It's Victorian, and if it could talk, what could it tell you?

# Put your money on me... # VO: Oh, really Charles - there's no telling you old fruit.

The fact is I've been told in Birkenhead, in no uncertain terms by James, the auctioneer, don't buy furniture, so maybe you wave it goodbye.

So long.

VO: By Jove, I think he's got it at last.

That's a very nice unframed oil on canvas, a portrait of a gentleman with his telescope with a sailing vessel in the background.

How much would that be, John, if I asked you a price?

£75.

God.

OK.

I'll give it some thought.

VO: With his nemesis Christina in the lead, Charles has a fight on his hands, and spots the perfect piece to take into battle.

Maybe if I turned up to reveal my wares wearing this... ..she might take note of me.

VO: Oh yeah.

This replica 15th century suit of armor would have been made in the early 20th century for educational, or theatrical purposes.

Crikey, is young Charles arming himself for war?

He looks the part.

Christina, I'm ready for Birkenhead.

VO: Or perhaps pistols at dawn.

This is the time of William IV, George IV.

It's a dueling type pistol and it's 180 years old, and you can see that because its handle here is just about to fall off but in a... Oops, it has fallen off actually.

VO: (LAUGHS) Silly boy.

Oh, dear me.

Well, that's just great, isn't it?

I might have to buy it now just regardless.

It is pretty tired, but the reason I like it is it's in its original condition.

It would never, it could never be fired now, and it's purely a relic, and it could be cheap.

And that's it really, it could be cheap.

VO: He's gone gun-ho in this place, with three items in his sights - the canvas, circa 1820, the coaching pistol and the armor, all belong to John's son Wayne.

So can our Carlos cut a deal over the phone with our John, Wayne's son?

Wayne, it's Charles Hanson.

If you don't make an offer Wayne you never know, and I've got 167 and 20p.

There's no way you could do me a deal for all three, is there?

Wayne wants you.

I'm hoping son and fatherly love can do me a deal.

You better win, he said.

Huh?

You better win!

Is that a deal?

It's a deal, yeah!

VO: It's victory for chancer Charles.

I've got 167 and 20 pence.

Yes.

Could you leave me a pound?

Make it 166.20?

Just for tomorrow, cuz I've got to go into Cheshire tomorrow with a pound.

VO: Now, that's pushing it.

I'll pay you my entire budget for a pound change.

OK. CHARLES: Going... JOHN: Going... CHARLES: Going... JOHN: Gone.

Sold!

Thanks John.

Come here, John!

Come here John!

Thanks John!

VO: It's enough to melt a heart of steel, this.

But wait, there's more!

Crikey me - these aren't part of the armor are they John?

Yes!

Are they part of the... part of the suit of armor?

They are part of the suit of armor.

Are they really?

They came with the collection?

They did, yes.

Really?

Well, that's a bonus.

And as you say, en garde... Oh, my goodness.

Hey, John, that's bigger than mine!

BOTH: (LAUGH) VO: Boys will be boys.

I think you'd best be off.

And having reached the end of day one, it's time to wind down and recharge, ready for more antique antics tomorrow.

Night-night you two.

VO: It's a new day and a new opportunity to brag about yesterday's purchases.

I had an amazing day yesterday.

Have you spent everything?

I had such...

I barely slept last night, I was just so excited.

The sun's shining, it's going to be a good day today.

VO: Gosh, they're chipper this morning.

Yesterday Christina parted with £85 and bought three items.

The swivel artist's chair, a silver napkin ring along with her collection of silver-plated wares... ..and a pair of industrial down-lighters, which means she has £118.50 to spend today.

VO: Charles, meanwhile, has spent £171.20 on four lots - the gnome he's called Chris, an oil painting... ..the 15th century style suit of armor and the early 19th century coaching pistol, leaving him with one lonely £1 to see him through the day.

VO: First destination of the day is the market town of Knutsford.

Recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, Knutsford is perhaps best known as the home of 19th-century Cranford novelist Elizabeth Gaskell.

CHARLES: Bye.

CHRISTINA: Bye.

VO: With Christina heading to the shops, Charles is heading back in time at nearby Tatton Park, a beautifully preserved mansion set within 1,000 acres of parkland.

And perhaps its most intriguing former resident was the highly educated, very talented, some might say "it girl" of her generation, Elizabeth Egerton.

Good morning.

How are you?

I'm fine thank you.

Good morning, good to see you.

Now I'm hoping you might be Elizabeth?

No, I'm Caroline Schofield, the House And Collections Manager at Tatton.

And I'm here today, not to, I suppose, learn about the house itself, but more about a young lady called Elizabeth?

That's right.

And her husband who was...?

Wilbraham.

Tell me about them.

Well Elizabeth and Wilbraham lived at Tatton Park in the early 19th century and when they came here the house was partly redeveloped.

Wilbraham had inherited from his father William.

Yes.

So they completed the house as it is today.

Well they really were an "it" and fashionable couple who were leading taste at Tatton in that late 18th century.

Elizabeth had been educated in London so she was a very knowledgeable and cultured young lady.

Yes.

But at the same time, the house they developed was very much a family home.

Yes.

They went on to have eight children together.

Yes.

And live here very happily I think.

Yes.

She sounds quite a catch.

What a great catch!

Yeah.

VO: Elizabeth and her husband not only completed the house, but also furnished it in the latest style and built up the estate's impressive collection of literature.

Here's a little treat, something I wanted to show you.

This is a first edition copy of Pride And Prejudice.

Oh, golly!

Which is signed Elizabeth Egerton and was bought for her to read here at Tatton.

And this is a first edition from the year..?

Yeah.

1813.

God.

It is a pleasure to just, you know, see some of her writings.

"Come Darcy," said he.

"I must have you dance.

"I hate to see you standing about by yourself "in this stupid manner.

"You had much better dance."

I like to dance.

CAROLINE: Yeah.

CHARLES: I like music as well.

VO: First a reading and now he's after a dance!

Well, there's only one place for it, Charles.

So this is the music room, and then here you've got a manuscript book.

Elizabeth kept, in fact, had a number of manuscript books bound, where she has copied down music, probably from pieces that friends may have had or that family members may have had, and they're sharing pieces of music between them and copying the notation down so that they can play, then play the music themselves.

So she's obviously quite an accomplished singer and pianoforte, or keyboard player.

And seeing how this whole setting sits, obviously you've got this wonderful room with these two big doors.

This is a music room and maybe through there could have been an area where you could just have a little, little dance.

VO: Huh!

Oh, do behave Charles.

CHARLES: So if I go next door... CAROLINE: Yeah?

You tinkle the ivories and I'll listen, OK, and maybe a little dance.

VO: With Charles dancing the afternoon away with his Elizabeth, Christina's having a ball all of her own.

What fun.

Her first shop of the day is on the smallest street in Cheshire, and is the aptly named Knutsford Antiques Centre.

With three floors to explore, can this jewelry expert find a hidden diamond in the rough?

My daughter would love that.

Decoy duck, fantastic.

VO: The duck may fall foul of her affections, but soon her cup runneth over.

Oh, that's lovely.

It's Charlie, look!

Charlie and me dancing.

That's got to be Charlie, hasn't it?

VO: As well as Charles getting his groove on, this 19th century Staffordshire polychrome mug is decorated with couples dancing a jig.

Ticket price £35.

It's got a little crack there which would be a bit of a concern.

VO: A cracking piece indeed.

It's never going to make me a fortune but it's just a great print.

You can really sense that sort of, that you're in the middle of a dance, that enthusiasm and vibrance.

I mean, they're having a great time, aren't they?

It's a proper shindig there.

I like that very much.

VO: If you're buying that mug, then best seek out manager Gordon.

These little chappies caught my eye.

Yep.

I thought they were quite fun.

Now Gordon... Yeah?

Bearing in mind it's cracked... VO: Oh, I see what she did there.

What's your thoughts on..?

Cuz it's marked up at £35.

VO: Here she goes.

I need to be able to make a profit on it at auction, and at auction I can see it fetching about 20 quid.

So...

So what do you want to pay for it?

Ten.

No way.

No way, I'm sorry.

VO: Don't take him for a mug.

What's your absolute best?

I thought round about 30.

CHRISTINA: 30?

GORDON: Yeah.

Can you come down any more?

Perhaps 28, that's your limit.

Is absolutely that it?

Yeah.

What about 25?

No, I couldn't take that much off.

Go on.

Cash then.

Cash, oh yeah, of course!

Alright, I'll do it for 25.

Oh, you're a legend.

Thank you very much then.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

VO: She's good at this bargaining lark, you know, and now with four lots she's catching up with Charles and hitting the road.

VO: But this time our delightful duo are heading to nearby Congleton.

BOTH: # Take your heart away # And play the game together.

# VO: Don't give up the day jobs, you two.

Sitting at the foothills of the Pennines, and surrounded by beautiful countryside, this is a popular historic market town.

Clutching his last pound, Charles is dropped off... CHRISTINA: Bye!

CHARLES: Bye.

VO: ..to fend for himself at the Victoria Mill Arts Centre.

It's a really nice antiques center.

There's so much stuff here, but I've only got £1.

That's £3.

But it's really awful.

It sounds better, 100 pence.

It's not £1, 100 pence.

VO: Huh!

What a cunning bit of PR, eh?

But will it be enough to convince store owner Jeff?

It's quite nice, isn't it?

It is a nice little bit of - It's garish.

That's right.

To some people it's unsightly.

But it catches the age, doesn't it?

VO: This stylish art deco vase is circa 1930.

Problem is it's also circa £15.

Is that 1,500 pence, isn't it?

That's £15.

£15.

To you Charles, a tenner.

£10, yeah, well we're close.

No blemishes, no chips.

It's 1,000 pence.

And I love it.

Somewhere in my pocket I've got that.

And that is my entire budget gone.

But it's priced at £15 and all I have is that.

One solid £1.

And it's in good condition.

Would you, sir, actually take £1 for it?

Normally no, of course.

Yeah.

But this is exceptional, so yes, I will.

You're happy for me to have that vase for £1?

JEFF: Certainly, yes.

CHARLES: Really?

It's a no brainer.

I'm going to flick you the £1, shake your hand, say, "Here's that £1", up it goes, that's yours.

Thank you very much.

That's mine.

A pleasure.

And I'm absolutely overjoyed.

VO: Thrilling, eh?

It has "great deal" written all over it, but just to be sure...

I'm going to wander around these stallholders and just find out what they think of my vase for £1 and just see how much of a bargain it really is.

How are you?

I'm fine, thank you.

That's mine in there.

Oh, is it?

Do you like my vase by the way?

I do, I love it.

Do you really love it?

Do you like my vase by the way?

SELLER: I do.

CHARLES: Do you?

Why do you like it?

It's just its art deco style.

Yeah.

What's it worth at auction?

40 quid, 45.

£40, gee, thanks mate.

Maybe 40?

There we go, do you hear that?

£40.

I can't go wrong!

£40?

There we go, fantastic.

You're my friend as well!

You're my friend as well!

£40 all day long.

Thanks mate.

Or I'll eat me hat.

Or he'll eat his hat.

Thank you very much.

VO: With Charles now penniless, it's over to Christina.

And she's making her way from Congleton to Wheelock.

Ah, Wheelock.

Here we are.

VO: We know that, Christina.

Named after the River Wheelock, this little village is surrounded by countryside.

The question is, can Christina up her game and charm Richard in Hidden Treasures into giving her a bargain?

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

Hi, Christina.

What have we got Richard that's a bit fresh, that I can, that's going to make me a fortune that I can beat Charlie Hanson with?

Come on.

Hit me with it.

VO: Careful Christina, there's a brick in there.

What's the brick?

Uh, that's the royal wedding of Charles and Diana.

It's one of a run of bricks that was used for a prison that they actually laid down the foundations for!

A royal wedding prison brick.

Royal wedding brick, yeah.

How much is on that?

Er, £22.

Yeah, I think that might be a little bit risky.

VO: The brick's no building block to profit, but can Christina see money in this early 20th century till?

Ticket price £25.

This is quite a sophisticated one, because the ones I've seen in the past haven't got a till roll with them, so you would have just had your cashier's drawer and it's still got... See the workings in the top of it as well, so I'm quite pleased, I think it's quite fun.

VO: She likes it!

As it's my first road trip... VO: Can Richard resist her persuasive charms?

..£25 sounds like an awful lot of money.

Does it?

Oh... Go on, what's your best price?

20.

For a newbie.

Any less?

I'll do it for 15.

CHRISTINA: Really?

RICHARD: Yeah.

£15.

Go on, you've got yourself a deal.

I like that.

OK.

Brilliant.

VO: Ka-ching!

A deal at £15 for the pine till.

Right Christina, are we off?

I think I've fallen in love with a brick.

VO: You've done what?

No, I can't, I can't buy a brick, that's stupid.

£5 and it's yours.

£1.

I'll give you £1 for the brick.

Go on.

I'll do it for £1 but it's such a risk, I'm going to lose, I'm going to lose money on it.

Since it's your first series, go on then.

Really?!

Oh no!

I'll do £1.

I can't believe I just bought a brick!

VO: She's only gone and bought a brick.

Thanks very much.

Thank you.

Oh, God.

Oh God, I'm never going to live this down!

VO: Let's hope she's laying some foundations for a decent profit with that purchase.

And with everyone all shopped out, Christina joins Charles back in Congleton to get a measure of the competition.

So first and foremost Christina, I'm playing catch up, and I might just catch you with this lot.

Ohhhh!

Oooh!

(LAUGHS) What is that?!

He's called Chris.

He's your mate, Chris.

And he's my mate Chris, OK?

What's he holding?

Well I was going to put a couple of flowers in there for you but I forgot!

OK, it's been a long day!

Over here is my great man who is looking out to sea, seeing the clipper ship and holding his telescope.

He was in the shop for many years, they haven't sold him so I bought him for £40.

CHRISTINA: Well done.

CHARLES: Yeah.

Oh, my goodness!

Oh, wow!

There we go.

My friend here, Christophle, is ready for battle.

He's awe... Oh, I'm very jealous.

He's awesome!

Isn't he amazing?

CHRISTINA: I love that.

CHARLES: Thanks.

And a sword and everything.

Finally, a real knight in shining armor.

You can, pfft - I want him!

Yeah, OK, thanks!

You hear that?

It's a replica sword, it's blunt and importantly, once again, being a replica, it's part of the whole attire and it's an educational aid and obviously they've all belonged together when they were made originally.

It's brilliant.

And he's wonderful, isn't he?

He cost me £116.20.

CHRISTINA: Really?

CHARLES: Yeah.

I'm nervous.

Well, I told you, I'm back!

VO: Charles has amassed a strong arsenal, can Christina follow suit?

Oh, my goodness me!

The auctioneer, he was very upbeat about silver plate and you've got a lovely, lovely array there of pierced, cast silver plate.

Yeah.

And... CHRISTINA: ..silver.

CHARLES: Is it silver?

Yeah, it is silver.

Oh wow!

That's heavy as well.

Well, exactly.

It is heavy, that's lovely quality.

CHARLES: Look at me.

CHRISTINA: Yeah?

CHARLES: I reckon that cost... CHRISTINA: Yeah.

..£32.

Hm.

Well, 20.

Oh, that's cheap.

That's really cheap.

I thought especially with that napkin ring.

Alone.

Yeah.

Now you bought a brick.

VO: That's what I said!

It's a very special brick.

OK, let me guess - Coronation Street.

No, it's a royal wedding, 1981, the year I was born.

Oh, fabulous.

Very special year.

Charles and Diana, C D. Yes.

Brick.

I would say that brick probably cost you £20?

Oh, close.

CHARLES: How much?

CHRISTINA: £1 Oh, it didn't!

£1?

Yeah.

And my pound lots do well.

Oh, you didn't buy that for £1.

So I have high hopes for my brick.

My career is ended, I bought a brick.

No, well done.

At the moment Charlie, I'm bricking it.

Oh!

Should she be so worried Charles?

You're an old hand at this lark - come on, be brave.

Christina's bought some really steady items and Christina is my steady Eddie and I'm convinced with her £1 brick, with her other items, she'll make profits all round but I'm not in to just be steady, I'm in to really impress Christina and go all out or to say, "Christina, at least I tried."

I'm surprised at how mediocre Charlie's stuff was.

I really thought he'd go a bit wacky, and then he revealed his literally knight in shining armor, which I think is going to absolutely annihilate me.

He's going to go tripping off into the sunset with a huge great big profit after the knight in shining armor.

I'm very jealous.

If I was a gambling man, I'd say, "Hanson, you're odds-on favorite to take the auction "and to take the mantle of being in the lead."

VO: Well, there's only one way to find out so onwards and upwards to the auction in Birkenhead.

If you saw me, you know, dressed in the saleroom today in that suit of armor, what would you think that body is worth?

I would think it's got to be better than how you're dressed as you currently are!

Oh, thanks!

VO: The town of Birkenhead runs along the bank of the River Mersey and has boasted a ferry service for over 800 years, when Benedictine monks would have gone back and forth to Liverpool - rowing.

Good luck partner.

Good luck.

Auction number two.

Auction number two, let's go.

VO: Our daring duo are going into battle in today's general sale at Kruger Gibbons.

They both got advice at the start so what does auctioneer James Gibbon think now?

Have they bought good lots or not?

Look at his 'tache!

I think the gnome has to be my favorite lot.

It's silly and it's quirky.

They're fun, and very British.

I think some of the things will fly and I think some of them are going to die.

But that's part of the game.

That's all the fun of the day and let's face it, the buyers will decide today.

VO: Christina started this leg in the lead with £203.50.

She splashed out £126 on five lots and still has £77.50 in cash.

Just like last time, Charles has spent his entire £172.20 budget and has come armed with five lots.

Over to the first of today's two auctioneers, mustachioed James Gibbon.

Let battle commence!

VO: First up is Christina, but will it be treasure, or travesty?

I'll start at 10.

£10?

10 I have.

12 I have.

He's got 12.

14.

16.

My heart!

16, new bidder at the back.

Come on!

18, the lady's come back in again.

1,800 pence.

20 by the door.

A good price.

She's back again, 22.

I'm selling it ladies and gentlemen, £22.

It's a rollercoaster.

VO: Ow!

More of a travesty actually, as that £2 profit will be wiped out after auction house costs.

Another one now for Christina, the 19th century Staffordshire mug.

Can auctioneer Adrian Kruger help jig her into a profit?

Start me on this one please someone at £15.

Come on!

Ten to start.

Thank you Tina.

You've got 1,000 pence!

12 I have.

Oh!

14 I have.

16.

Come on.

18.

20.

Ooh!

22?

20 I have, £20 it is.

Breaking even.

Well done.

Charlie, I paid £25 for it.

Oh, did you?

I thought it was 20!

Oh, I'm sorry.

VO: Oh, do pay attention Charles.

It's going downhill for our girl with her second loss of the day.

Can Charles do any better?

He's certainly all fired up.

£10 I have.

I have 12.

14.

16.

18.

20.

22.

Oh, Hanson!

Oh, yeah!

30.

32.

34.

36.

38.

See, you buy history and you live the dream.

Do they realize the handle's falling off?

Ssshh!

£44 I have.

Well done, Charlie, that's brilliant.

I'm selling at 44.

Thank you very much, very good, thank you sir.

What did you give for it Charles?

A tenner.

A tenner.

Oh, well, that's a good profit then!

Thank you mate, thanks mate, thanks mate!

VO: Even he's impressed, and with that Charles is off.

Can trusted friend Chris do any better for him?

Start me off at £10 on the garden gnome please?

Ten I've got, thank you.

Yes!

£10!

..a lady of class and distinction.

12, thank you.

12.

Are we going 14?

14.

16.

18.

20.

They're all over it Charlie.

They are, like a rash!

22.

24.

26.

Keep going Chris.

28.

30.

32.

£32.

I'm selling at 32.

Thank you, madam.

Well done you!

VO: £27 profit there Charles.

Now that's "gnome" joke!

Back to Christina now.

She's trying to build her profits, brick by brick.

Who'll start me on this one please at £10?

£10 anywhere?

Come on!

Five to start, thank you.

Take it, yeah, I'll take it at five!

Six I have.

Seven I have.

How could you do that?

£8.

£9.

Here we go.

£11 I have.

12?

Genius.

£12 I have to the lady on our left.

All finished at 12?

VO: Who'd have guessed that, eh?

Profit at last and from an old brick, no less.

Now for Charles' £1 offering, the art deco vase.

Very, very stylish, lovely piece.

Why didn't he do this with my last piece?!

On commission at £10.

Yes!

£10!

Ooh, well done!

£10 I have.

12 I have.

14 I have.

16.

16 with the gentleman in the middle, 16 I have, do I see 18?

18 I have.

20?

20.

It's selling at 20.

Good man!

22 I have.

£22 I have.

All finished then at £22?

VO: I say Charles, that's a flowery profit.

Christina's combined her swivel chair and pine till, hoping it'll make her a pretty packet - huh!

And I'm straight in with a commission bid at £30.

Yes!

Yes!

You've done it!

JAMES: 32.

CHRISTINA: Yeah!

I can go 34.

36, I'm out.

It's in the room at £36.

I'm selling at 36.

Are we all done?

36, ladies and gentlemen.

VO: So close but her profit will again be eaten up by costs.

Can Charles do any better with his maritime canvas?

Anchors away!

A lot of interest in this on commission.

VO: Commission bids, eh?

This could get interesting.

And I can go 30, 35, 40, 50, 60...

Here we go!

ADRIAN: 70.

CHARLES: Hanson, you're rolling!

90.

100.

VO: I say, it's flying.

£160 I have.

Oh, Hanson!

£160 I have on commission.

Oh, my God!

Are we all done at £160?

Looks like we are.

£120 profit.

I am going to go home now.

Put it there, put it there!

VO: So childish.

So that's plain sailing into hefty profits, Charles.

Full steam ahead old boy.

Christina's got one lot left, but can they light up her life?

I have commission bids on these.

Ooh!

And I can start them with me at 50, 52, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80.

Well done!

85.

£90 I have on commission.

Brilliant, brilliant.

£90 I have on commission.

All done at £95 on commission.

Aw, thank you darling.

No, well done.

VO: It's good, but with Charles already in the lead and with one lot to go, looks like she's lost this battle.

So is Charles charging towards victory?

Commission bids again I have on this, and I can start it with me at 100, 110, £120 I have on commission.

Great, we're off and running.

See?

Perfect.

120 I have.

125.

I go 130.

135 and it's in the room.

140 I have.

Keep going!

150 I have.

Come on!

160.

170.

180.

190.

Brilliant.

Oh, God!

I'm running!

Keep going, come on!

Are we all finished and done at 220?

We are.

Well done Charlie, well done.

Thank you, thank you!

Thank you, thank you very much!

VO: Soak up that applause, Charles, you deserve it.

And with that, the new girl loses her lead.

VO: Christina Trevanion started this leg with £203.50.

After auction costs she's made a profit of £25.70, which makes her total for the next round £229.20.

VO: But with everything to prove Charles Hanson began with a reduced £172.20 and has made a magnificent profit of £219.76 after costs.

This gives him a head start, with a whopping £391.96 to spend next time.

I really can't believe it.

No, well no, quite seriously, I can't either!

And now you drive me home, don't you?

Nope.

You can drive.

CHARLES: Why?

CHRISTINA: I'll let you.

Really?

Are you sure?

CHRISTINA: Just this once.

CHARLES: Are you happy?

Just this once.

The day gets better and better and better.

Honestly.

VO: On the next leg of the Antiques Road Trip... ..Christina proves she's got to grips with life on the road.

Ooh, my goodness!

VO: And Charles runs into an old friend.

This man is almost a lookalike for Charlie Ross!

You're a good man, bean.

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