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!

WILL: How do I look?

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'm going to become a binman.

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

I like it when you're chasing me!

VO: This is the Antiques Road Trip.

VO: Yeah!

VO: Jostling for pole position on the second leg of this week's Road Trip are intrepid master antiquarians Mark Stacey and Will Axon.

WILL: I had a horrible nightmare last night.

MARK: No, what?

WILL: I dreamt that we went to an auction with lots of treasure... MARK: Yeah.

WILL: And we bombed, were robbed and came home with nothing.

MARK: That wasn't a nightmare Will, it happened.

WILL: I was afraid you were gonna say that.

VO: With over 25 years' experience in the antiques trade, and a veteran of the Trip, Mark Stacey still hasn't quite got the hang of this show.

I've seen a fridge freezer I quite like!

VO: While Newmarket born auctioneer Will Axon does not want to suffer a repeat of the first auction debacle, so has arranged some extra protection.

How do I look?

VO: Both Mark and Will started the week on £200 and bombed at the first auction.

Mark lost £82.50, so starts today's trolley dash for treasure with £117.50.

VO: Will's losses amounted to a budget slashing £101.60, so he starts today's antique adventure with only £98.40.

VO: Mark and Will are kings of the road in this little white pearl.

It's a 1963 Triumph TR4, but last time it was a little less than reliable.

WILL: Hang on, hang on, hang on, I'm going to try and coast it into this space.

VO: Let's hope she behaves herself today.

WILL: Come on, please make it.

MARK: Go on.

Otherwise you'll have to get out and push, Will.

VO: Our travelling antiquarians are cruising through no less than five counties.

They started the week in East Sussex and will visit Kent, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire before ending up at an auction in the London suburb of Ruislip.

On this leg they'll start in Bilsington and end up at an auction not far away in Sandwich, but clocking up some 80 odd miles in between.

WILL: See, I've got to change my tactics, I think.

I've been a bit soft.

MARK: Have you?

WILL: On the dealers I think, yeah.

MARK: I thought it was just you didn't buy very nice things.

VO: They are deep in the countryside in Kent near a little village called Bilsington, and Mark's dropping Will off at the first shop.

VO: It's time for Will to put his new tough guy tactic into play as he kicks off his bargain blitz at The Barn At Bilsington.

VO: Watch out Gabrielle, he means business.

WILL: I'm going to get straight to the point, and say to you my budget is even more limited than it was in the first instance.

Right.

Well, give me an idea as to what your budget is and maybe I'll point you in a direction.

WILL: I was looking to maybe buy a couple of items for £50.

VO: Crikey!

That went down like a lead balloon.

Gabrielle specializes in French country furniture, though you could be mistaken for thinking you were in her lavishly decorated home, complete with a fire in the hearth to get you warmed up and in the buying mood.

WILL: But anyway, there's business to be done.

Let's have a rummage.

VO: See, it works a treat.

That's quite nice, isn't it?

Sort of bone rather than ivory, and you've got this sort of penwork.

It's almost got a sort of Indian feel about it.

Oh, Gabrielle's glasses in there, and a little nail file.

That's what they're used for - a handy little box for knick knacks.

No price ticket on it.

That might be one to mention.

VO: These decorative little boxes are just the kind of thing that could fly at auction.

Hm.

Nice Chinese blue and white vase.

WILL: Got a mark underneath.

Always be slightly suspicious of the Chinese marks.

I believe that's the Kangxi mark.

VO: This pretty blue and white painted vase is 19th century Kangxi.

VO: The production of Kangxi ended in 1722, but the style was copied into the 1800s.

We've got what I would call a sort of star crack to the body, and that has spread somewhat.

VO: Well it's no Ming dynasty, so can Will stick to his new macho technique and get it within budget?

WILL: I found this upstairs.

Yes.

Which is interesting.

Mm hm.

But quite badly damaged.

Can you see that?

Yes.

That nasty crack.

Well, it's got age to it.

It has.

Erm, going to have met with some problems in its life, hasn't it?

VO: Haven't we all, dear?

WILL: Can we say £40?

And five.

Well if I find something else, and round it up to 50?

You've got a quite sweet little box next door.

GABRIELLE: Yeah.

That's more.

That's got to be 25.

VO: So £45 for the vase and £25 for the box is £70, but how much does Will dare to offer?

Could I have both for 60?

That seems fair.

To who?

To you to or to me?

To both of us!

GABRIELLE: Fair enough.

Fair enough.

Can we do that?

GABRIELLE: Yeah.

WILL: Oh, I'm thrilled.

GABRIELLE: Good.

WILL: Thanks very much, OK.

Pleasure.

VO: Ding ding, round one to Will.

He's struck a good bargain but £60 is over half his starting budget so he only has £38.40 for the rest of this leg.

Pretty risky, this.

VO: Meanwhile Mark's put his pedal to the metal and gone nearly eight miles southeast to a place called Appledore.

VO: Not in Devon.

It's a village known to generations of children as the setting for A A Milne's famous poem "The Knight Whose Armor Didn't Squeak".

(CAR DOOR CREAKS) VO: Oh.

Mark's festival of fun is about to commence at The Old Forge, where he's already forging an alliance with storekeeper Jenny.

Look out, Jenny.

Jenny, I've a really good feeling we're going to do some business here today.

You have, and I've got you a cup of tea, cuz you must be frozen.

I'm frozen, I know we're going to get on.

VO: You old charmer, you.

Thank you, Jenny.

JENNY: It's a pleasure.

MARK: This is the sort of thing I think might sell quite well, I mean it's a real little... MARK: I'll lift it up, it's quite heavy, I should imagine.

Ooh, yes, it is.

I mean, how would you describe that?

VO: Cheap?

Concrete?

Doorstep?

I could go on.

You see, I think these are quite cheeky.

And painted in a nicer color, I think that could be quite a fun item.

MARK: It's a bit much at the moment, £22.

And it just says "doggy".

But I think he's rather...she's rather sweet, look, there's a little bow there, you can see a little bow.

VO: I think you're barking up the wrong tree here.

It's ruff ruff ruff!

VO: Like a moth to a flame, Mark's alighted on an outrageous vintage 1970s lamp that is frankly camper than knickers.

MARK: I think it's green and brown onyx, I think.

I suppose it is, yeah.

Um, with these sort of gilt metal or brass mounts with a sort of caryatids on the base there.

JENNY: Yes.

And this outrageous shade!

JENNY: Everybody comments on it, I have to say.

You could almost get away with that at Ascot, at ladies' day.

But I mean, I think to me, it sort of screams the 1970s.

I don't know about you.

I think it probably is, yeah.

"Abigail's Party" and all that sort of thing.

VO: There's no ticket price on the lamp, so let the tussle begin.

What would be your bargain price if I took it?

MARK: Cuz you want to get rid of it, it doesn't fit in with your theme at all here.

VO: What?

Retro chic?

Mm...35.

VO: Oh lordy.

JENNY: What were you thinking?

Oh, I might have to have a sit down, Jenny.

Um... Oh dear.

JENNY: What were you thinking?

The old ticker's going now, palpitations.

VO: Am-dram, eat your heart out.

MARK: But if I could get that...for somewhere near £20, or in between 20 and 30... JENNY: What about 25?

MARK: Oh Jenny, I've got to have it for £25, I mean...

Absolutely.

At the end of the day, the shade's worth that, isn't it?

JENNY: Yeah.

VO: So, first deal of the day in the bag, but what about that concrete terrier?

VO: Graham - the little doggy's owner - has arrived, so now they can have a pet talk.

I mean, what could you do it for?

It's marked at 22, I think, isn't it?

GRAHAM: Well, we would really like to you to win... MARK: Ooh!

So let's say... Um... GRAHAM: 15?

How's that, Mark?

Ideally I'd like to get it for a tenner or so.

VO: Cheaper, Mark?

You don't say.

MARK: I mean, if it's not possible... Go 12.

Go 12 and we're there, then.

We'd like you to come back and maybe spend a little more money with us, some other stuff.

MARK: I would like to come back as well, I would like to spend more money, and I would like to win, which is why I need it for 10.

I'll let you have it for 10, if it'll help.

Thank you so much, Graham, you are a star.

GRAHAM: Yeah, yeah.

You're very welcome.

VO: Mark's pleased at himself for scoring a couple of tasty treasures and is now scooting over to Hythe, around 17 miles eastwards.

VO: He's visiting St Leonard's Church.

MUSIC: "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" by J S Bach VO: At first glance St Leonard's is like any other church; but below there's a crypt with a rather gruesome secret.

VO: This kind of history is really not for the faint hearted and some viewers may be shocked by what you are about to see.

VO: Mike Pearson is the man in the know.

MIKE: So this is the entrance to the crypt, which is underneath the chancel, the main chancel of the church.

MARK: I'm not sure I'm ready for this.

MIKE: Well, it is quite frightening when you first open it.

MARK: Is it?

MIKE: Yes.

("TOCCATA AND FUGUE" CONTINUES) (DOORS CREAK) It gives you the heebie-jeebies, Mike, doesn't it?

MIKE: It does, it's very frightening to start off with but then you can see what's here and how impressive it is with the skulls and the bones particularly in this main stack.

VO: The remains of about 2,000 bodies are collected here but no one knows exactly why.

Past historians argued bones were placed in the crypt after removal from the graveyard when the church chancel was extended in the 13th century.

VO: And as other cemeteries nearby became full, remains were dug up and placed here to make way for new graves.

VO: This practice in itself was not unusual in England but the bones were usually dispersed, making this a rare collection.

It's quite staggering, it looks...

I don't know.

It's weird seeing all these human beings piled up like this, isn't it?

MIKE: Yes.

VO: The bones were stacked this way in the early 20th century to preserve them.

MARK: Do you think they all died peacefully?

Well, the original theories were that they were warriors slain in battle but because researchers recently have studied the skulls, they found that there were slightly more females than males and there was an absence of wounds generally so they're not warriors at all.

VO: Although the skulls and bones belong to people long since passed away, they still tell a story of the lifestyle that they lived.

They did have a hard life and for example, in terms of the teeth, here is an example of teeth where the teeth are very worn, and that is because of the coarse diet.

MARK: Oh, right.

But they do not have holes.

So that shows there was an absence of sugar, but it does explain how hard, although it's a hard life, the teeth were preserved, compared with modern day teeth.

VO: Researchers have been studying and cataloguing the remains, and alas not everyone died peacefully of natural causes.

MIKE: That's called sharp force trauma.

MARK: That looks pretty bad.

MIKE: So in actual fact a sharp implement has been driven through the skull.

Now whether that was in warfare or just a fight, we don't know.

MARK: And this probably killed whoever this was.

And this probably would have killed, although the way that has healed means that...

He lived for some time after?

He lived for a little bit afterwards, which must have been horrendous.

MARK: Yes, it must have been so painful.

MIKE: Very painful.

MARK: Gosh.

It's very macabre, isn't it?

MIKE: Yes.

VO: Cause of death, diet and disease are some of the many things that have been discovered from recent research, but the question of why they were all collected here is still an open case.

It's so strange, Mike, it's very uncomfortable, holding a skull from a dead person.

MIKE: It is when you first do it, I think you do get used to it, but yes, I can well understand how you feel that way.

Well, it was a person at some stage, they lived a life.

And we have to recognize that everyone in this room was a person.

MARK: Exactly, exactly.

MIKE: And... MARK: But it's fascinating, it tells us so much about the past, doesn't it?

MIKE: Yes, it does.

So that we have glimpses of how they lived and what they suffered from.

Thank you, Mike.

I wasn't expecting to be holding a skull today, but it's been absolutely fascinating, thank you so much.

It's a pleasure, thank you very much.

VO: Gosh.

Keeping his mind firmly on the competition is Will, who's made his own way 10 miles northeast from The Barn in Bilsington to another barn in Bethersden.

VO: His crusade for curiosities continues.

Hello there.

TONY: Hello there.

WILL: You must be Tony.

TONY: That's me.

Lovely, nice to meet you.

I'm Will.

And you.

VO: Will's spotted a couple of decorative vases he wants to take a closer look at.

WILL: I like those in a way.

And being damaged doesn't put me off that much, because I've already bought a damaged item today, so that might be my theme!

VO: Oh lordy, not another theme.

They've got sort of a Whitefriars sort of look about them, haven't they?

Textured sort of bark finish, I would say.

WILL: No marks, ground pontil.

VO: Whitefriars were Britain's longest running and most productive glass house.

Their glass always reflected the fashion of the day, but these are lookee-likies.

WILL: And what's she got on the ticket there?

WILL: Nine.

TONY: £9 for two vases.

Well, that's well within my budget.

I'll tell you what, can I put those to one side for the moment?

VO: He's interested, but he's browsing on, and he's drawn to another set of vases just along the way.

These are quite interesting.

Old shell cases, from maybe the First or Second World War, that have then been tooled, or worked, into a pair of vases.

WILL: Generally called trench art, for obvious reasons, but what interests me is that there's no price ticket on them.

Shall we go and ask Tony?

To be honest with you, I think they're gonna be out of my budget, but let's go and ask him anyway.

VO: Yeah, let's, and remember - you're a lean mean negotiating machine.

Can they be very affordable?

I'll try my best - Deborah?

As I flutter my eyelids.

They're yours.

WILL: Are they?

TONY: Mm.

Oh, Deborah, face to face.

VO: Ah, the boyish charm offensive.

You can tell me where to stick 'em... Go for it.

..but would I be able to buy those for a tenner?

WILL: That would really help me out.

OK. Yeah?

Oh, it's working, it's working.

VO: Blimey, it is too!

WILL: I'm going to have those.

And I think I'm going to go for those two glass vases at nine quid.

Fine.

And I'm not even going to knock you down on the nine quid, how's that?

Wonderful.

VO: How very kind of you, Will.

And with that, Will's bagged himself a veritable feast of vases and it's time to pack up and ship out.

VO: Another dazzling day of dealing is at an end.

Time to rest up for the night.

Sleep well.

VO: What-ho, men!

A brave new dawn on this leg of the trip.

Time to get up and at 'em.

I am admiring you, you're taking this with, you know...with determination and British spirit and steel, aren't you?

Exactly.

Stiff upper lip in the face of adversity.

Well, and we are in adversity at the moment.

Well, actually not, we're in Kent.

(BOTH LAUGH) VO: So far on this leg, happy shopper Will has spent £79 on not one, not two or three but five vases - oh, and a carved bone box.

He only has £19.40 left to splurge.

VO: Whereas Mark collected only two items of treasure: A camp-tastic lamp and a concrete terrier totaling £35, and so he has £82.50 to squander appropriately.

VO: The chaps are heading from Kent back into East Sussex.

They're on their way back to historic Hastings.

There was a battle here once, don't you know.

MARK: 1066 was another battle.

WILL: That's right.

MARK: It's not as big as our battle, though.

WILL: Not quite as epic.

MARK: No.

VO: Hastings is one of the confederations of Cinque Ports - a historic series of coastal towns in Kent and Sussex originally formed for the purposes of the military and trade.

They're in King's Road, where Mark's continuing his treasure hunt.

See you later.

WILL: Good luck with your shopping.

Thank you.

Take it easy, don't spend it all!

MARK: I will!

WILL: Good work, Mark.

Good work.

CHARLES: Hi.

MARK: Hi, I'm Mark.

CHARLES: Hi, I'm Charles.

MARK: Charles, nice to meet you, Charles.

VO: Oh, stop horsing around and get on with it, Mark.

This is a little Chinese export ware bowl and cover.

MARK: Decorated with these little Chinese mons, you've got a dragon, an eagle and these little peonies and flowers.

Painted in sort of what's generally referred to as Imari colors.

These iron reds, golds and blues.

VO: This early 20th century Imari bowl and cover have a ticket price of £25.

Having had a thorough look round, he's hatched a new plan.

I've made an executive decision: I'm going to go off-piste.

VO: Quelle surprise!

Mark's off to explore the rest of Kings Road and is leaving the Chinese bowl with Charles for safe keeping.

MARK: If you can have a little think about the very best price, and I don't want to in any way influence you, but about 10 would be lovely.

And I'll be back later to have a word with you.

Excellent.

MARK: Alright?

VO: Subtle as a brick.

VO: A couple of doors down, and Mark's already drawn to a cheeky turquoise vase.

MARK: I really like this, the dealer's got it out of the cabinet for me, it's Chinese, I love the color, that bright turquoise glaze, but I mean this immortal sitting on this water bottle, or wine bottle, or sake bottle.

MARK: He looks as if he's actually drunk the contents!

ANDY: I think you may be right there.

VO: Sake is Japanese, not Chinese, Mark.

MARK: Cuz he's got a rather lovely expression on his face.

VO: There's no ticket on this jug but Andy the dealer is offering it for a knockdown price of £15, which Mark cannot refuse.

Do you know, I think I'm going to have it for 15.

Thanks very much, Andy.

MARK: I love it, I think it's great, it's just so... it's making me smile.

VO: And with that natty little purchase it's time to hotfoot it back to Kings Road Antiques, where Charles is waiting expectantly to complete the deal.

MARK: Charles, hello.

CHARLES: Hi.

I'm back again.

VO: Like a bad penny.

The Chinese bowl had a ticket price of £25, but Mark wants it for a tenner, and he's not ready to settle.

CHARLES: You're going to squeeze me, aren't you?

Yeah, I am, I'm sorry.

CHARLES: You're going to squeeze.

I'm, I've got to, cuz I'm so short of cash.

I'll do anything...within reason.

Well, a good squeeze sounds about right.

Can you?

I think we could do 10 for it.

Are you sure?

Are you happy with that?

Um...

I'm not squeezing you too much?

No, gentle enough.

Shake my hand then.

Thanks very much, Charles.

Haha!

VO: Mission accomplished!

Two more items for auction for the princely sum of £25.

Is there no stopping this man?

VO: This is Will's final opportunity to load up on swag, so he's snuck into Hastings Antique Center where he's about to regale Robb with his tale of woe.

As the viewers at home know, I got wiped out at the first auction.

I'm on like half me money.

Right.

Bought a few things yesterday, and I'm going to tell you straight out that I've got just under 20 quid in my pocket.

Is that all you've got?

That is all I've got.

That is all the money I've got.

Yeah, that's not good news.

It isn't good news.

VO: He's taken that well - not!

I've bought a couple of glass vases that I think are sort of Whitefriars type, so I'm thinking maybe another bit of colored glass or art glass?

I've got some Whitefriars, if you want some more Whitefriars.

At that sort of money?

VO: Not likely!

There's a couple of Whitefriars pieces here.

Look at this, we're straight into... Straight into business.

And this is nice, cuz it's got the original label on it.

Oh, that is nice.

ROBB: So that's a nice thing.

VO: Very nice!

ROBB: They would be nice for 30.

And you'd get a profit.

VO: He's only got £19.40, Robb!

I'm, you know, appealing to your good nature, Robb.

ROBB: I know.

WILL: What do you reckon?

You know I'm gonna let you have 'em for £19.40.

WILL: Both of them?

ROBB: Yeah.

Oh, man!

Today is just getting better and better, Robb, you're a star, man.

You're a star.

VO: What a jammy so and so.

Another handsome deal struck, and he's all spent out.

VO: While Will's been blowing his budget Mark's popped off on his own to Rye, also one of the confederations of Cinque Ports, 12 miles northeast.

VO: It's his final push for plunder as he drops into Wishbarn Antiques, where all your dreams come true - well, maybe.

Hello.

I'm Mark.

Mark, hello, I'm Robert, how do you do?

Nice to meet you.

Very small on the outside, but it goes back forever.

MARK: It's like the Tardis!

ROBERT: It is, yes.

VO: Perhaps you'll find something to... (DALEK VOICE ) Exterminate!

VO: ..your competition.

MARK: Will keeps saying he's going to spend all his money, so I feel obligated to try and match him, because if I don't, it looks like I'm game playing.

And I don't like game playing, I'm just an ordinary boy from the valleys, really.

VO: Oh, here he goes!

Mark's homed in on a pair of Victorian papier mache folding shelves with a ticket price of £28.

MARK: They're hand painted with these sort of ship scenes, and then there's this little sort of amboyna shell or shell motifs written.

And then they hang on the wall like that.

I think those are rather fine, actually.

MARK: But I quite like them because they're that sort of marine subject, and I keep thinking that the saleroom is on the coast.

VO: Mark's putting the shelves aside with Robert, while he takes his time finding something else to float his boat.

Mark's so drawn to highly decorative little pieces, and today is no different.

Isn't this charming?

I mean, it's a little chamberstick.

MARK: This is something that you'd have used in Georgian and Victorian times, and you would have had a little candle in here, so it would have sat on your bedside cabinet, and obviously the drips would have fallen into the little leaf design.

VO: It's Staffordshire porcelain and priced at £16.

The ticket says circa 1900, but I think it's a little bit earlier, so this could be a bargain worth keeping an eye on.

MARK: They've even sort of molded some little berries there and hand painted them again in the reds and the greens.

VO: He's hooked, so it's time to do some business.

The papier mache shelves and chamberstick have a combined ticket price of £44.

Is Robert in the mood for a deal?

He's being ably assisted by his daughter, Frances.

What if I said £35 for the two?

That's not bad, is it?

ROBERT: It's a substantial reduction, I would say, yes.

MARK: Well, substantial, well.

We are in a very tight economy here, Robert.

ROBERT: We are.

I'm sure you'll see a substantial return on your investment.

Right, I want that in writing.

Do you know, I think I'm going to have a go at that you know, Robert, thank you so much.

Excellent, Mark, thank you.

VO: Kerching!

A pretty hefty discount, I think we can all agree.

Job's a good 'un, Mark.

That concludes his splash of cash for this leg.

VO: Will too has made it to Rye to visit a remarkable old building.

VO: Ypres Tower, or Wipers Tower as it's known locally, was originally built for defense against invasion from the French, who burnt Rye to the ground on several occasions.

VO: The tower was one of the few buildings left standing, and its history spans over 750 years.

Will's dropping in for a chat with Jo, who has all the info.

VO: The tower looks much as it would have when it was built and has served the town as a fort, private dwelling, court hall, mortuary and prison.

Wow.

JO: 1249, it was built as a castle.

JO: By 1262 we know it was actually being used as a prison cuz we had two couples here charged with murder.

In the king's prison at Rye, which I think is really quite nice.

VO: Oh, lovely!

The castle became a private house in 1430 when a man called John de Ypres bought it, hence the name.

VO: Around 60 years later it once again became a prison and remained so until 1892.

VO: Among the prisoners who languished in Wipers Tower awaiting punishment were smugglers.

Smuggling in the area began in the 13th century when Edward I introduced a tax on wool exports.

JO: This is a huge wool producing area so you would tax wool and then the money was used to raise his armies.

Of course as soon as you put a tax on something somebody wants to avoid it, so they started to smuggle wool out.

VO: In 1661 the export of wool was forbidden, and smuggling became rampant.

Wool would go out and luxuries would come in.

Smugglers became large, highly organized groups.

What's this fascinating object?

Well that's very rare.

It is a smuggler's lantern, and if you can imagine you had an oil lamp in that end, and this would be pointing out to sea and the only light that could come out of here to your ship that was coming across from France.

Of course, so if any nosy parker was down the shore from you...

They couldn't see anything at all.

VO: If captured, smugglers could find themselves in Wipers Tower awaiting trial or punishment by burning.

Men, women and children were imprisoned together.

So this is one of the cells is it?

JO: Yes, it wouldn't have been very pleasant, I'm sure there were quite a lot of creatures in the straw.

WILL: Oh, don't.

JO: And several people and also of course one pot.

Oh, for doing the business.

Yes.

And how many people would have been in a cell like this?

I would think probably maximum six or seven.

Six or seven?!

VO: Of course, no prison is complete without its own infamous inmate story.

JO: John Breeds, he was a butcher and he had been accused by the townsfolk of giving short measure in his meat.

So he went to court and was fined by the mayor.

JO: He bore a grudge, and eventually decided he would get his own back.

JO: He stabbed who he thought was the mayor but it turned out to be the deputy mayor... Oh no!

..instead, so he killed the wrong man.

JO: He was arrested and brought in here, he was tried and who should be chairman of the bench but the man who was the intended victim, James Lamb.

I think the cards were stacked against him somewhat.

JO: So he was convicted and sentenced to death.

VO: Once dead, his body was placed in a cage and swung above the marshes for 70 years.

VO: Women of Rye stole his bones, boiled them and drank the infusion to aid rheumatism - eugh!

VO: What's left of his skull still resides in Rye.

And with that happy tale told it's time for Will to take his leave.

VO: The spending extravaganza is completed, and it's time for the grand unveiling.

WILL: Ready?

MARK: Yes.

You're gonna like this.

Am I?

Ooh!

VO: Wait for it, wait for it.

Well, William.

Is that the first time you've been speechless?

I'm not speechless, I've got plenty to say, Will.

Erm... What do you think?

MARK: Well, talk me through it.

WILL: Two Whitefriars vases, one with original paper label.

Yes, which is nice.

Nice shape.

They're good, aren't they?

Those are very good.

VO: And very nice.

They were £19.40.

So you spent everything?

I spent out again.

And well, the shells I'm not terribly keen on.

WILL: A bit of trench art.

MARK: Well, they say trench art, but there we are.

And... Two Whitefriars type vases.

"Type", yes, I'm glad you added the word type, it's quite important to add that.

Lovely texture, bark finish.

MARK: Well, if you say so.

WILL: How much do you think they were?

MARK: I have no idea.

WILL: £9.

MARK: For the pair?

WILL: Yeah.

Well, I... Do you know.

I think your best buy is this.

WILL: Do you?

I think that's absolutely wonderful.

VO: Not all doom and gloom, then.

MARK: Now, do you want to see mine?

WILL: Yeah, I do.

I'm dying to see what you've bought.

MARK: Because look.

WILL: Oh, I'm loving the dog.

Hey look, you've done alright.

And a bit of Oriental as well.

Well, because I fell in love with him and I thought... WILL: He's actually really nicely modelled.

MARK: I think he's quite nice, he's a little... You know, and people love dogs.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And the garden's coming up, you know, so I thought that was OK.

I like him.

This is very you.

It's lovely, isn't it?

This is very you.

Well, the dealer, I thought was...

I got it wrong, I think, cuz he said it was circa 1900, and I think it's nearer sort of 1840, actually.

WILL: I think it's a bit earlier, especially with this... That's right, Staffordshire, hand painted.

WILL: Perfect condition.

MARK: £10.

WILL: Good work.

I mean, it's alright, isn't it?

Good work.

These I like cuz I thought, well, we're going near the coast.

And... WILL: Nicely painted.

Yeah, with a little candle in those they'd burn rather nicely.

Perfect.

Good decorator's lot.

That's my other lot.

WILL: The lamp in..?

MARK: Yes.

WILL: I spotted that as we came in, I thought it was part of the decor!

Oh!

Well, I'm tricking you, you see.

This is my fifth lot.

Cuz I thought it was so OTT.

And it's nice, it's nice quality.

Well I thought, you know, this sort of stuff is coming back you know, this retro stuff.

How much did that cost you?

25 quid.

Oh, it's nothing.

It's not, is it?

It's nothing!

VO: No, it is something, it's £25!

I don't know what's going to happen, Will.

We're at the mercy of the auction again.

It can't go worse than last time, can it?

Well, I tell you the only thing I'm bringing to the auction with me is a packet of tissues.

VO: It could all end in tears, but whose?

Well, this is all very civilized but now it's time to spill the beans.

I am a little worried actually because when you looked at my little selection, it's all a bit tame, isn't it?

He's gone for it, he's gone out there and bought things that he likes.

He did go a bit quiet didn't he?

When I revealed my lots, which might be a good thing.

Maybe got him running scared a bit.

I think my dog might surprise us, you know.

The dog, I mean, that's a bit of a garden center lot isn't it, really?

But did you see his face when he saw my lamp?

I surprised him with that.

VO: The chaps are hungry for a fight, and they're going to just the right place.

The auction is in Sandwich.

VO: On the second leg of their Road Trip these two daredevils have done a round trip from Kent, popping into East Sussex, then back to Kent, starting in Bilsington, ending in Sandwich for the auction.

What's a cat's cradle.

VO: Sandwich, with its many medieval buildings, landed the first captive elephant in 1255, which was taken on foot to London Tower Zoo as a gift from the French king to Henry VI.

MARK: How is that, Will?

WILL: Perfect, Mark.

Perfect.

WILL: Well, here we are.

Sunny Sandwich.

MARK: Sunny Sandwich.

Are you hungry?

I am a bit peckish, actually.

VO: Oh come on, chaps.

You're making a meal of that joke!

VO: Pettmans Sandwich Auction has been established for over 50 years.

Originally selling cattle and furniture, it now specializes in fine art, antiques and collector's items.

The man at the helm of today's auction is the lovely Kevin Hall.

Will seems to have done really well.

KEVIN: He's bought an Indian bone pen box which looks really nice, so that should do well.

KEVIN: Then we've got the gilt and onyx standard lamp and it's the sort of thing that will either do really badly or just take off.

VO: Mark Stacey set out on this leg with £117.50 and forked out £95 on six items for his five lots.

VO: Our William Axon began this leg with a lowly £98.40 but made every penny count on eight items that comprise five lots.

VO: Time for the gladiators of antiquity to enter the ring.

It's a good crowd in here.

Yeah, it is, isn't it?

I like a general sale with plenty of people.

Absolutely.

VO: Can Mark's folding shelves with marine scenes make waves with today's crowd?

£10 I have, any advance... Oh, no.

KEVIN: ..on 10?

Looking for 12.

12.

14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, KEVIN: 30, 32, 32 with you.

Any advance at £32?

MARK: It needs to be a bit more.

KEVIN: 34 WILL: Fresh bidder.

34 with you.

Any advance on £34 now?

Selling for £34.

Oh well, there's a profit, Will, but not much.

VO: Profit nonetheless.

But this is how their first auction started, so let's hope it picks up.

Now Mark with a couple of crackers - his turquoise jug and the Imari bowl which he's combined as one lot.

KEVIN: £10 I have.

Oh, come on.

KEVIN: Any advance on 10?

Looking for 12.

12, 14, 16, 18, 20, KEVIN: 22, 24, 26, 28, KEVIN: 30, 32, 34, 36, 38?

36 with you.

KEVIN: Any advance on £36 now?

Selling for £36.

VO: Not the perfect pairing, but not a loss.

Oh, well.

I'm feeling for you, Mark.

VO: Will's first lot.

Hopefully someone will shell out plenty for this pair of trench art vases.

£10 I have, any advance on 10, looking for 12.

14... You're in profit.

Oh, Will.

20?

18 at the back, any advance on 18?

20, 22, and four, 26, 28, 30?

KEVIN: 28 with you madam.

I'd like to hit 30.

Good profit, though.

Selling for £28.

That's still a good profit, Will.

Thank you, Mark.

VO: Well those hit the spot, and Will is off and running.

No, I think that's good.

Thank you, yeah.

I'm really pleased for you!

VO: Sincere as always, Mark?

Can Will's luck hold out with his Chinese vase?

KEVIN: £40 I have, any advance... Oh, he's got 40.

42.

42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 55, KEVIN: 60, £60 with you.

KEVIN: Any advance on £60 now?

Selling for £60.

That's 50% profit!

Yeah.

Good, thank you.

VO: Two lots each, and Will's in the lead.

Can Mark's 70s lamp light up a profit for him?

KEVIN: £40 I have.

MARK: Oh, £40!

KEVIN: 42.

42, 44, 46, 48, 50... Go on, Mark Stacey!

KEVIN: 65, 70, 75?

£70 with you.

KEVIN: Any advance on £70 now?

KEVIN: Are you all done at £70?

Selling for £70.

MARK: Oh, I'm happy with that.

WILL: He can't believe it!

Oh!

£70!

VO: He's cashing in on the kitsch.

Mark now takes the lead.

Oh!

I don't feel so bad now.

VO: Let's hope that there are some fans of Whitefriars glass in the crowd.

First up are Will's genuine pair.

£10 I have, any advance on 10?

Looking for 12.

KEVIN: Are you all done at 10?

12, 14, 16... £14 with you.

KEVIN: 16, 18, 20, 22, 22?

KEVIN: 20 with you, any advance on £20 now?

Selling for £20.

VO: 60p?!

It cost more in petrol to get them here.

Doesn't bode well for the other pair coming up later.

It's the reconstituted stone dog next - will it fetch Mark any cash?

£10 I have, any advance on 10?

Looking for 12.

Are you all done at 10?

Oh no, come on.

£12 with you.

Any advance on £12?

Oh no!

KEVIN: Are you all done at £12?

Selling for £12.

Oh, that's so disappointing.

At least he's gone to a good home.

VO: I can't say I'm surprised.

Still, Mark remains ahead.

My poor little dog!

If I'd known he was only going to make that, I would have kept him.

Aw!

VO: Will's Whitefriars style vases are next.

Can they do better than the Real McCoy?

A little big of damage on one, but don't tell anyone.

Oh, there's a bit of damage on that one.

Shh!

£10 I have, any advance on 10?

KEVIN: Looking for 12.

12...

Thank you.

14, 16, 18, 20...two, 24, 24 with you.

WILL: Keep going.

MARK: Ooh!

KEVIN: £24 now.

26, 28.

KEVIN: 26 with you, any advance on £26 now?

Selling for £26.

I mean, that's good, Will.

Profit, it's profit.

I mean, that's a big profit on £9.

VO: Crikey!

Even better than the real thing.

Will's catching up on Mark.

I mean, at this rate by Friday, we might have got our money back.

VO: This is his final lot - the carved bone box.

Can his good fortune continue?

£10 I have, any advance on 10?

Looking for 12.

12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, KEVIN: 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36... Look out!

KEVIN: ..38... 38 with you, any advance on £38 now?

Selling for 3... 40, 42.

Don't lose it now, madam.

Selling for £42.

VO: That's carved him another tiny profit and put him back in the lead, but there's not much in it.

You should be pleased with that.

I am very pleased today.

You more than doubled your money there.

Yeah.

VO: Could there be light at the end of the tunnel for Mark with his Victorian chamberstick?

Here we go.

This is it.

Go on.

£50 I have.

Any advance on 50?

Looking for 55.

£50 I have.

The master strikes again.

KEVIN: Selling for £50.

Oh, I'm happy with that, Will!

I tell you what, we're back in... We're back up there.

We're creeping up.

I'm still chasing you though.

I'm still chasing you!

I like that, I like it when you're chasing me!

VO: A tremendous tussle from the two titans of treasure, and another win for Mr Stacey.

Thank you, Sandwich!

Come on, then.

VO: Will Axon leapt forth on this leg with £98.40 and spent the lot.

After auction costs he made £45.92, and starts next time with £144.32.

VO: Springing into shopping mode, Mark spent £95 of his £117.50 starting budget, and after costs, made £70.64, giving him £188.14 to play with on the next leg.

Will, are you smiling?

Yeah, I think so Mark, but you know, you've done it again, mate.

That last lot of the day.

MARK: We crept up, I'm just under 200 now, Will.

WILL: I think I'm just under 150.

Listen, we're on a roll.

We can do this, you know.

We can end the week where we started.

Come on!

Brothers unite!

VO: Best foot forward, chaps.

VO: Next time on the Antiques Road Trip: new boy Will Axon has plenty to cheer...

I think we may have hit a minor jackpot here.

VO: Mark Stacey considers a new career.

I'm going to become a binman.

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