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 bin man.

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.

Yeah!

VO: As they hit the roads of our nation's capital, there seems an air of optimism about our duo Mark Stacey and Will Axon.

WILL: I'm gonna buy gold, silver, jewels, diamonds.

Yeah.

VO: Gregarious Mark has over 20 years' antiques experience tucked under his belt and he's not afraid to expand it.

Ooh, lovely.

Oh, I'll come back here again then!

VO: While jolly Will, not known for his prudence, has a clear strategy in mind.

Spend it Will, spend it!

VO: Having started the week on £200, an early setback for Mark has still left him under par.

Despite modest gains in recent auctions he has £195.10 to start this penultimate leg.

VO: Whereas Will's incredible performance at the last auction has sent him into the lead in the Road Trip and he has the bonanza budget of £325.86.

VO: In a flash of white lightning our chaps are cutting through the London commute in a classic 1963 Triumph TR4, hoping there will be no more bumps in the road ahead.

(ENGINE CRUNCHES) VO: Oh dear.

MARK: Was that you or the car?

WILL: I think it might've been me!

MARK: What did you have for breakfast?

VO: Charming.

VO: This week's road trip is whisking us through no less than four counties.

The boys started the week in Hastings, East Sussex, and will visit Kent, Surrey and Essex before finishing at an auction finale in the leafy London suburb of Ruislip.

Today we're kicking off in Crystal Palace in London then heading for Essex and an auction showdown in Southend-on-Sea.

VO: The area of Crystal Palace was named after a magnificent glass building of the same name.

Originally built in 1851 to house the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park, it was rebuilt in south London where it stood until its destruction by fire in 1936.

VO: The area is now recognized by the sixth tallest structure in London, the Crystal Palace transmitter.

MARK: This looks like it Will, antiques.

WILL: Antique warehouse, I like the sound of that.

MARK: Now are we shopping here together?

WILL: I think we are Mark.

MARK: Are we?

WILL: Is this place big enough for the both of us?

MARK: Oh I'm sure it is.

VO: The boys are starting out at Crystal Palace Antiques & Modern.

With four floors of treasure it's south London's largest antiques emporium.

VO: So, Will's starting right at the top to find out what treasures await.

Very nice.

Little cheeseboard there.

And if I tell you it's got a carved mouse on it, you're gonna know exactly who's made it, and Tim's gonna tell you all about it I'm sure.

VO: If you insist then.

The carved mouse is a trademark of Robert Thompson, the Mouseman.

Famous for his oak furnishings, Thompson featured the creature on almost every piece he made.

This cheeseboard is an early example of his work.

Will has offered £100.

Bear with me.

VO: So dealer Nick is making a phone call to the owner.

VO: And it looks like it's good news.

You gonna stick a "sold" sticker on it for me?

NICK: I am indeed, yes.

WILL: Well while you've got the cabinet open - cuz you know what I've done, I've bought it without even handling it.

NICK: You have, I was quite impressed.

Well, you know!

VO: He may be buying blind but deep down our canny expert knows the worth of this cracking little piece.

WILL: I'm still pleased with that, and at 100 quid it's worth a punt.

WILL: Lovely.

Stick a "sold" sticker on there.

WILL: Leave it in the cabinet as well just to antagonize Mark.

VO: While the new kid on the block is buying big, our veteran seems to be struggling to find anything to acquire.

Oh dear.

VO: Flush with success, Will's already on the scent of his next purchase.

WILL: That's quite sweet, isn't it?

I mean, it's of no great consequence, it's a little...

It's a little country house, little pen sketch, but what I love is this frame.

This birdseye maple.

You've got this lovely figuring.

I don't know, it just appeals.

Looks like it's been in that frame forever.

WILL: It's only 23 quid.

I could bear that in mind but I'll hang it up there.

VO: But while Will seems to be in the mood to part with his cash, Mark's run into a bit of a problem.

You see the things that are attracting my attention are already sold.

I mean, this is really nice.

Even small pieces like this breadboard sell for £150-200, but it says "sold".

VO: Lordy - just wait until he finds out who bought it.

Hah!

This caught my eye.

Obviously Art Deco, you can tell that just by looking at it, but this clock garniture, with this rather stylish looking woman perched atop this tree stump.

It's got a ticket here.

It's had a price on it and it's been reduced, so, I mean, I was almost tempted to make a cheeky offer of about £100, I don't know how Nick would feel about that.

I suspect he'd have to make a phone call.

VO: Well, why don't you ask him then?

He's right behind you.

She caught my eye.

NICK: Aha, I can see why, yeah.

WILL: This sort of triple clock garniture there.

NICK: Yes.

WILL: I've had a look at the price.

NICK: OK. Would you be able to make a phone call for me and see if they might be able to come down to nearer £100 for her?

NICK: £100.

VO: Crikey.

VO: You like to spend in hundreds, don't you?

Very best?

120?

VO: Will's taken over the negotiations to see if that really is owner Ian's very, very best.

Could we meet in the middle and say 110?

And it's gone and it's done and you've got a space on your mantlepiece to fill with more treasure?

110?

Yeah, will do, that's really kind of you mate, thanks very much.

Cheers.

VO: Hey big spender - that's nearly two thirds of your budget on your first two items.

Well, before we get to the office Nick, this was a little bit that caught my eye.

Sweet, isn't it?

NICK: It is, yes.

Em, let me have a quick look at it.

I mean I'd be inclined to offer you, say it could be £20 as a starting thing.

To round it off.

Yeah.

Well I think 15, you say 20, let's meet at 18?

I think we can do that.

will Yeah, let's do it, done.

NICK: OK?

Good work, OK.

So I've got to settle up for everything now.

Yes indeed.

Right, OK.

In the office?

Perfect.

VO: So while Will pays up, it looks like Mark's mood is as grey as the weather.

But maybe he'll cheer up on his next visit.

VO: His antiques search may have gone to the dogs but now he's making his way north into central London, to Piccadilly, to the oldest recognized kennel club in the world.

MARK: Hello.

LOUISA: Hello!

I'm Mark.

Hello, I'm Louisa.

Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

And who's this charming little fellow?

And this is Louis, and he's going to show you around the kennel club today.

MARK: Oh hello!

Oh, I think he's shivering, should we go in?

Yeah, come on then.

Come on Louis.

Oh, isn't he sweet?

LOUISA: That door!

VO: Oh - that's embarrassing!

From prize-winning pooches to lovable scruffy mongrels, Britain's always had a love affair with its four-legged friends.

And with an estimated 28,000 dogs competing each year at Crufts, it's not hard to see why a national body had to be set up to legislate in canine matters.

VO: The Kennel Club has its roots in dog shows that became popular in the mid-19th century and while initially dogs were only recognized by their kennel names, since its formation in 1873, the club has identified 211 distinct breeds of dogs.

VO: Louisa is showing Mark the club's art gallery, which displays Victorian and Edwardian canine art, a collection that includes hundreds of oil paintings, engravings and prints.

MARK: This room has a very Victorian feel to me, with all the pictures and the paneling.

LOUISA: Well it is very Victorian and the Victorians really loved their dogs, and Queen Victoria herself was a huge dog fan and owned a large number of dogs.

MARK: Really?

LOUISA: Yes, she had at least 28 breeds of dog.

MARK: I never knew Queen Victoria loved her dogs so much.

LOUISA: She didn't just have them in kennels at the time, she had lots of pets; there were her favorites.

MARK: That's quite early.

Victoria came to the throne in 1837, didn't she?

LOUISA: That's right, and she did own dogs before she was queen, so when she was princess she did have a large number of dogs then too.

MARK: And this book lists her various breeds, does it?

LOUISA: Yes, that's right, it does.

MARK: This would have been given to people as a gift, anybody that visited Windsor.

LOUISA: There's some quite exotic ones in here.

A lot of them would have been given to her by various people, other royalty from overseas, things like that.

LOUISA: Here we have something, Bedouin dogs.

MARK: Gosh, that sounds rather exotic.

LOUISA: It is, isn't it?

LOUISA: We also have in here a Hungarian sheepdog, which is something else that's unusual, we're not sure what breed that would be today, and as you can see that's January 1843, so again that's quite... That's very early.

And did she get involved with the Kennel Club as well when it was founded?

She did, yes.

She did show her dogs at Crufts, so she was involved in the dog showing world of the time, yes.

LOUISA: This medal here was given to Queen Victoria from the Pomeranian Club, awarded at the Kennel Club show in 1891 for her Pomeranian Windsor Marco.

MARK: Gosh.

LOUISA: And he won first in his class at that show.

MARK: How wonderful.

MARK: I suppose it's a bit like our current queen, who of course loves corgis.

MARK: And I suppose that's led to an increase in the interest and the ownership of corgis around the country.

VO: It's estimated today that there are approximately 10½ million dogs owned in the UK, accounting for over a third of all the nation's household pets, so dogs truly still are our best friends.

VO: But it's time for Mark to say his farewell to his new-found pal.

Bye bye Louis!

Bye bye!

Bye bye!

Look after yourself!

VO: Oh, bless him.

I want to take him home with me.

VO: Paws off, Mark - Louis looks quite happy where he is.

Who's a good doggy then?

Ruff!

VO: Meanwhile Will has decided to do a spot more shopping.

Well, one of them should.

He's travelled nine miles east to the suburb of Chislehurst, looking to spend some more in Wrattan Antique & Craft Mews.

WILL: They're quite nice, aren't they?

I've got one of these at home which we use and they're basically breadboards.

WILL: Does what it says on the tin, as it were.

VO: A tin of bread?

I've seen these for sale.

It's for kitchenalia dealers, special dealers.

What's not great about them is the color.

You know, with anything treen, wood, color is key.

They've got something about them and I've gone for a cheese board, haven't I, so why not go for three bread boards as well?

There might be a little sort of kitchenalia lot I could get together.

VO: Oh no.

Not another theme, surely.

It's time to get Graham and Maureen involved.

How much leeway?

Could you do all three... for 15 quid?

GRAHAM: Yes.

You could?

I will on this occasion, yes.

Hmm!

Hmm, have I just bought three breadboards?

VO: Yeah, that's generally how it works Will.

What can we chuck in to make it around 20?

WILL: What about a jelly mold?

VO: Oh lordy - he's quite out of control.

Quick, stop him, before he picks up the... WILL: And one of those.

What is it?

VO: It looks like a butter press without its mold to me.

I'll tell you what, chuck that in as well and we've got a deal, 20 quid.

I'm a hard man!

Oh, it's done!

Go on.

There we are.

VO: So Will's impromptu raid on Graham and Maureen's pantry has resulted in three breadboards, a jelly mold and a butter press, all for £20.

Top marks.

And look, it's even aesthetically pleasing stacked.

MAUREEN: Oh, it is, isn't it?

GRAHAM: Very nice.

Would you like a bag?

VO: As the day draws to a close, Will can sleep easy with four lots in the old bag but poor Mark remains empty-handed.

Ah well, sleep tight and nighty night.

VO: A new day has dawned for our intrepid duo, but has Mark's failure to buy made him a little paranoid?

MARK: We've just turned into Dead Man's Lane!

(LAUGHS) WILL: Oh dear, I hope that's not a premonition of what's to come!

VO: Let's hope not Mark.

You've got a lot of catching up to do.

VO: So far Mark has only visited one shop and he failed to find anything to buy, or that Will hadn't already bought.

He still has all of his £195.10 to part with.

VO: Whereas Will shopped till he dropped, spending big and picking up four lots for £248.

Crikey - and that still leaves him with £77.86 to spend today.

VO: The boys are heading into Essex to the village of Great Baddow, and with a population of 13,000 it's known for being one of the largest villages in the country.

MARK: Great Baddow or something like that?

will Yeah, that's right.

Antiques Centre.

MARK: Sounds like some sort of 70s rock group.

MARK: The Great Baddow!

WILL: The Great Baddow!

And the Baddettes!

MARK: And the Baddettes!

We could be the Baddettes.

WILL: We can be...!

VO: Sadettes, more like!

Now, this should be interesting: our sparring partners are heading to the same shop, Baddow Antiques.

VO: Let's hope Will leaves something for Mark to buy here.

Well I think you should go that way Will.

Yeah, alright.

MARK: See you later.

WILL: Ciao for now.

Oh, I love those glasses.

I bet that's not for sale.

Yeah.

Not for sale.

They're fab, aren't they?

That's quite interesting, isn't it?

I don't know, it just caught my eye, the shape of it.

One or two nibbles on the rim, so... on closer inspection probably not for me but... someone'll love it.

WILL: Again, another bit of art glass.

It's quite speccy, the art glass, it's a real up and coming market.

I suppose it's a vaseline glass.

No price on them of course.

That might be a theme for one of my items, a sort of art glass lot.

VO: Oh lordy.

Hello Ron.

VO: Struggling to make his first purchase, dealer Ron has pointed Mark in the direction of an Edwardian cutglass ship's decanter.

MARK: That's rather fun, isn't it?

What's this one?

It's a quarter decanter.

It's almost like a sort of small version of a ship's decanter, which would have sat like that so when it was...

It is, it is, that's it.

...rolling it wouldn't spill over unnecessarily.

RON: Yeah, it's a ship's decanter in miniature.

MARK: That's rather sweet though, actually.

MARK: I must admit I haven't seen one dinky like that for ages.

That might be a possibility actually Ron.

Can we reserve that for me?

RON: Yeah.

VO: Good heavens - at an asking price of £25, maybe you could consider letting go of those purse strings Mark.

Ron?

VO: Boy!

Ron's being run ragged today.

Will's found some more glass items for his - dare I say it - theme.

WILL: That was, that was what caught my eye.

Just the texture and the design about it.

You know, it's got something about it.

And it's actually got a funny little signature, which I don't know what that is, do you?

WILL: It looks like a little anchor and an H or... And I actually have another piece of glass with the identical mark.

WILL: Have you?

Em... And I'll tell you what, the other bit I quite liked... RON: Unfortunately it's damaged.

WILL: Is it?

It has a little neck crack.

WILL: Oh yeah.

So that might be quite... quite affordable with the crack in the handle.

Absolutely, yeah, absolutely.

But again just a good shape, isn't it?

VO: All this 1960s art glass is making me nostalgic - not.

Not quite sure what I'm doing here but let's go with the flow!

So this is the other bit, is it?

Yep.

OK, a little sort of... And remarkable it still has its lid.

RON: So... WILL: So we've, what have we got?

WILL: One, two, three, four, five pieces.

You've seen the program, I'm on a budget.

35 quid the lot.

30 quid?

32 and that is the death.

Go on, let's do it.

Let's do it, so it's a deal.

VO: And after Ron gave Will another pound off for luck, our dapper dealer has got the lot for just £31 and is all shopped out, so he can relax - or gloat.

Mr Stacey!

Mr Axon.

You're looking rather pleased with yourself.

Well, I'll be honest with you Mark, I've bought all my bits and bobs.

MARK: No!

Already?

Yeah.

I don't know if you're doing it to annoy me or not or trying to make me worried but I haven't bought a thing yet.

You haven't bought anything?

Not a thing.

What are you going to do Mark?

I don't know.

VO: No need to panic just yet, Mr Stacey.

How about that ship's decanter?

I'm sure there's a deal to be done there - if you can remember how to haggle.

I mean the fact that it's perfect...

Yes.

I know you don't like £25 but... and I know your position so I will say... money back, £18.

£18.

And I think you've got... Well I think we'll shake hands on it, shall we?

Thank you.

Alright.

Em, cuz you read my mind.

You're a very - I'm quite good at that!

You're a very canny dealer, Ron.

VO: See?

It wasn't that hard work, was it?

One lot down and with the clock ticking, Mark's got his skates on and has made a dash across the courtyard to see what dealer Steve has to offer.

Immediately, I'll tell you what I like about it immediately, is the shape.

STEVE: Yeah.

MARK: It's very Chinese, isn't it?

That baluster shape.

MARK: Do you know much about this though?

STEVE: Not at all.

MARK: Oh good - that's a positive sign.

Um... well you know it's damaged, don't you?

I do.

And I don't know if that's the right lid.

It's a little bit on the... the wobbly-jubbly side, doesn't it?

It doesn't look quite right to me.

But it is the same type of pattern with that little Dog of Fo on the top.

I mean, this is what we call Cantonese Famille Roseware.

VO: Famille Rose was introduced during the reign of Kangxi, possibly around 1720.

It used mainly pink or purple and remained popular throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.

How cheap could it be?

MARK: And I'm thinking really cheap here Steve.

I was thinking about 12.

Ohohoho!

Oh, they do say that people in Essex have a sense of humor, don't they?

I tell you what Steve, only because I'm in a bit of a rush and I like you - I'll take it off your hands for a fiver.

And then it gives me a little bit of a chance at auction, doesn't it?

Go on then.

Put it there quickly!

OK!

Oh, well I don't know what I've bought there but I know old Will Axon likes his Chinese, doesn't he?

And I don't mean takeaway.

VO: I think you've got a real bargain there Mark, damaged or not.

VO: Happy with his morning's work, Will's headed to the coast at Southend-on-Sea, where formerly one of the town's biggest employers became one of the nation's most popular makers of wireless radios.

(RADIO TUNING) VO: During its golden age, radio captured the hearts and minds of listeners up and down the country.

Radios were more than just boxes that transmitted sounds from far, far away - they came to be an important part of family life.

And Ecko Ltd, named after its founder Eric Kirkham Cole, produced one of the most revolutionary radio sets of its time.

Although the Ecko brand and factory are long gone from the area, a little part of their legacy can still be found.

VO: Will's meeting up with curator Ken Crowe at the Tickfield Centre, which houses a collection of some of these bygone classics.

Ooh blimey, look at all this!

It's like "Raiders of the Lost Ark" in here!

Ah, you must be Ken.

Hello Will, how are you?

I'm very well thank you.

Jolly good.

VO: The brand burst onto the scene in 1929 when they exhibited radios that no longer relied on battery power.

Cole's invention, the battery eliminator or transformer as we know it today, was a big step forward from the former two valve radio versions.

WILL: I'm assuming that the radios themselves were very expensive, am I right?

KEN: They were very expensive, especially when you get to the 1930s when you get radios costing, I don't know, 12, 14 guineas.

Ooh!

12, £14 and more.

Yeah.

Which is equivalent to something I suppose like three months' wages.

Wow, so it really was the preserve of the rich and the wealthy, yeah.

Very well to do, yeah.

VO: The product was a hit and with the orders came the need to rapidly expand the business.

Moving from a small premises in Leigh on Sea, the Ecko factory in Southend became one of the first purpose-built radio factories in the country.

VO: Keeping one step ahead of the competition, the company soon began to concentrate on the manufacture of mains powered radios and introduced Bakelite covers for its receivers.

VO: But then disaster struck in 1932 when the factory was devastated by a huge fire.

KEN: The fire destroyed all the following season's designs.

KEN: It was potentially disastrous for the firm; it could have completely finished the firm off.

KEN: And so after the fire, they in fact brought out last season's design - didn't sell.

WILL: Oh, so they had to rely on the designs that they already had and survived.

KEN: Yeah.

But no one wanted them?

KEN: No one wanted them.

VO: So in order to reignite the popularity of their radios, Ecko launched a competition which invited modernist designers to challenge the usual wooden box approach to domestic radio design.

VO: An entry by renowned architect Wells Coates was the outstanding winner.

Now Wells Coates' concept became the most popular wireless cabinet shape of all time.

VO: He was interested in form and function and wanted his design to follow the shape of the speaker.

KEN: As far as we understand it, this is the first round radio in the world.

This design?

KEN: Mmm.

AD65.

This is what the model was called.

WILL: You say that he wanted to make something that was, you know, only possible to be made in plastic, because again it's that whole modernist thing, isn't it?

WILL: Looking forward, new materials.

KEN: It is.

You know, why would you want to use wood?

WILL: That's, you know... KEN: That's right.

WILL: That's in the past, we're moving forward, we're using plastics and Bakelites and... amazing.

KEN: And it was this that saved Ecko.

WILL: Really?

This sold phenomenally well.

VO: And with plastics came the ability to introduce new colors too.

KEN: And of course what they did was think, 'well, now, we can make it in brown and black...' Yes.

'We've got plastic, we can make it in green, we can make it in ivory.'

Really?

'We can make it in lots of different colors.'

Didn't sell.

People didn't want ivory and green.

So what color did they want?

KEN: They wanted brown and black.

KEN: Because it matched the furniture.

WILL: Oh of course!

VO: The firm later became producers of televisions and car radios and at its height were employing 8,000 people across various sites.

VO: But after an unsuccessful merger and Cole's decision to retire in 1961, the factory closed just five years later, and by the early 1970s the brand had all but disappeared.

However, today Ecko radios, especially those in non-standard colors, have become extremely valuable collectors items, fetching up to thousands of pounds.

VO: Well, a fascinating visit for Will has come to an end.

It's time to catch up with old Stacey.

VO: Who, with two purchases to his name, has got a bit of catching up to do, so Mark's making the short journey south, hoping to put up a fight in Battlesbridge.

Today the village is best-known as a center for antiques, though its present appearance owes much to centuries of riverside industry.

But will the tide turn for Mark within the Battlesbridge Antique Center?

Quite fun, isn't it?

Oh Gosh, look at that!

A shelf.

Gosh, I really like this.

MARK: What I find is that wall bracket, probably part of a pair or more, made of pottery and then glazed to look like metal, but if you have a look at that it's like a suit of armor, and I think that's really nice, and more importantly, I think it's got some age.

I think we're looking at something here that was made probably around about 1900, 1890, 1900.

MARK: And I tell you what else is making me rather excited: it's only marked up at £30.

Ooh!

VO: But you just know he's not going to offer £30.

Yeah.

VO: He's asked Valerie to phone the owner with a bid of £20.

VALERIE: Okey dokey.

Oh, it's like being at a job interview.

VALERIE: Thank you very much.

MARK: Oh!

Please say yes.

Bye bye.

You're in luck.

MARK: Am I?

VALERIE: £20 will buy it.

We've got a deal.

Thank you so much, thanks for all your help.

Things are on the turn.

VO: Oh!

Looks like Mark's got his mojo back.

He's on a roll and has found this ornamental Japanese box with a blue glass liner.

I mean, what would it be estimated at auction?

Probably 20 or £30 as a decorative object.

MARK: If two people really like it, it might make 30 or more actually.

MARK: There's no price on it so I want to try and get it under £10 really cuz I've got to claw my way back here.

I think what I'll do, I'll go and see if the dealer's around and I'll come back and let you know what happens.

VO: And, after a quick negotiation with the camera shy dealer... Well good news.

You know I said I wanted to pay really sort of around £10ish for it?

I tried a sneaky £5 but the dealer was having none of it, so we compromised and settled on £8.

If I knew how to say "I'm very happy" in Japanese I would, but I can't so I won't.

VO: Well let's try "watashi wa ureshii desu" - I'm not just a pretty face, you know.

Now that's quite fun, isn't it?

Have you seen this before?

MARK: You might have done, cuz it's a sliding book rest.

Basically this is lacquered wood - quite cheaply done, actually.

MARK: Will had one of these previously and made a lot of money on it.

AUCTIONEER: £85 in the room, anybody else want to come in?

I can sell the lot?

Ooh!

The fact is it's only £12 as well.

No, I don't think this is going to make anywhere near the £85 that Will's made but if I could get that say for a fiver then even if it made sort of £15 or something would be quite a good profit margin.

MARK: Cuz we've got the dragon here chasing the pearl of wisdom.

Just like I am.

But I am chasing the pearl of profit.

VO: Oh!

How poetic!

But with another cheeky offer of £5, it's a wonder Val's not chasing you out of the shop.

I tried.

MARK: Thank you Valerie.

VALERIE: £8 was her best.

MARK: Oh well.

£8, what do I do?

MARK: The only thing I do like about it, it has the original paper label underneath which says "chun chan heng", which I know from my Chinese is, "please do not buy me".

Actually, it says, "please buy me".

I don't know why I'm even on the show because I'm too generous to a fault, but just for your cheeky line of saying "please buy me" I'm gonna say yes to £8.

VALERIE: Thank you.

And that dealer better buy you a gin and tonic!

I truly hope so too.

VO: Phew!

I think we all need a swift G&T after pulling your five lots out of the bag Mark.

VO: So with the shopping done, the boys meet up to reveal their lots.

I'm very disappointed in this Will.

I've had a really, really tough time buying things this time.

Oh, but hey, they don't look too bad to me.

No, I'm very disappointed, honestly.

But I suddenly found a couple of things that I'm really pleased with.

MARK: I love this - WILL: I was just going to say.

MARK: I love that.

It's pottery.

WILL: Is it?

And I just love the detail of this renaissance... WILL: I've never seen anything like it.

MARK: I've never seen anything like it.

WILL: It's stunning.

MARK: 20 quid.

WILL: I like that.

That is very different.

This is a bit of fun, Japanese box.

MARK: And that was eight quid.

WILL: Not a lot of money.

The Chinese vase - wrong top of course, there's a bit of damage on there.

Bit of Canton.

But it's late 19th century, early 20th century.

£5.

That's not a lot of money.

MARK: Not a lot of money.

VO: Go on Mark - show him your book slide.

MARK: I thought if you could do well on a book slide, I bought a book slide.

I know, I saw!

MARK: So I couldn't say no at £8.

It's not a lot of money.

And nicely decorated.

It's decorated, I mean, you know.

WILL: Exactly.

A little ship's decanter!

MARK: I've never seen a quarter decanter like that.

Tiny little one!

And it was £18.

WILL: 18.

MARK: 18.

Not a lot of money, is it?

VO: But what's Will hiding under his cover?

MARK: Is there something alive underneath there Will?

I know, it's moving, isn't it?

Have you got something physically alive because...

I'm gonna reveal it now.

I'm seeing a lot of, you know.

OK, cuz it's only a matter of time before it falls on the floor.

Oh my gosh!

Oh!

Oh my God.

I can't believe this.

VO: I think the word we're looking for is "wow".

MARK: Wow.

VO: There you are.

Because I saw that.

It's a pencil drawing.

WILL: I think it is.

Pen, maybe a bit of ink in there.

I mean, we haven't got time to... MARK: I love this.

VO: I wondered when he'd spot that Mouseman board.

That is wonderful.

WILL: I got it for 100.

MARK: Oh no, that's fine.

WILL: If I lose on that then I'm unlucky.

No, no, very unlucky.

I can't believe you will.

I've sold worse ones for £100.

This little lot... WILL: Look, I got three breadboards.

Look at that one!

MARK: Oh, that's sweet.

Oh, I've never seen that before.

I've never seen that.

With the mill.

WILL: I think that must be a wheat sheaf.

MARK: That's really unusual.

WILL: It is, isn't it?

There was a little jelly mold, I got him to chuck that in for me, but I didn't spend a lot, and the clock.

The clock garniture smelter, 1930s, French.

Pretty girls help sell things, don't they?

MARK: Oh they always sell things.

WILL: And I know you get them with animals on and things like that.

MARK: And it's nice to have the little sidepieces, the garnitures here.

WILL: I got it for 110.

VO: Ooh!

Sharp intake of breath.

WILL: And then this sort of lurtz type glass and... MARK: Oh yes, yes.

It's all cheap and cheerful.

WILL: I think, look at that, if we turned up at a fair with a table like this I reckon we'd have people flocking round us.

We'd sell out, we'd sell out and we'd be having a G&T with our profits in the bar right now.

Actually, that's not a bad idea Mark.

Shall we?

Come on.

Come on mate.

VO: But before you have that drink it's time to find out what they really think.

Listen, he stands a chance.

Just as much chance as I do.

You know what?

We're at the hands of the auctioneer now, you know.

Could be a flip of a coin.

MARK: The Mouseman breadboard is wonderful.

I mean, at £100, I think that's a steal.

Absolute steal.

VO: It's time to get back to Southend and head to today's auction.

VO: On the fourth leg of their road trip, our hardy hagglers have cut a dash across London and into Essex, starting in Crystal Palace and ending up in Southend-on-Sea for the auction.

WILL: Mark, remind me where we are today.

MARK: Well, do you know, I thought we were in Southend, but can you see the sea?

WILL: Not yet.

MARK: I can't.

Where is it Will?

VO: Huh!

Here it is.

Southend-on-Sea actually has seven glorious miles of sea front and all the fun of the fair.

MARK: Well, this looks like it I think Will.

WILL: Yep.

MARK: Oh look, and I'll just pull up outside here, shall I?

WILL: At a jaunty angle.

MARK: Oh-ho-ho no!

WILL: Look out!

MARK: Whoa!

How's that?

Perfect.

VO: Oh, don't worry about the parking bays boys; you just leave the car anywhere you like.

VO: Our experts are going head-to-head at Chalkwell Auction.

Established in the area for 25 years, it has grown to be an important saleroom in the south of England and on the Internet.

VO: Putting the boys under the hammer at today's auction is Trevor Cornforth.

My favorite item that I've seen, probably because I was aware of them when I was a kid, is the Mouseman cheese plate.

I think that's brilliant.

The other potential piece would have been the Chinese porcelain vase.

TREVOR: The Chinese is a very strong market at the moment.

The problem is that Chinese international buyers are only buying things that are perfect and sadly that isn't.

VO: Will Axon set out on this leg with a whopping £325.86 and forked out 279 big ones on his five lots.

VO: Mark Stacey began this leg with £195.10 and finally got round to spending a mere £59 of it, also on five lots.

VO: Hmm, those chairs are a bit fancy for you two.

Oh I say Will!

Now this is more like it!

Oh, I feel a bit like Posh and Becks!

Ooh!

I wonder which one is Posh and which one is Becks?

I think it depends on the day of the week!

Could be the Addams Family.

(BOTH SING ADAMS FAMILY THEME) Let's hope Thing doesn't come in and ruin our day!

VO: Eyes up Lurch - I mean Mark.

The Japanese casket with blue glass line is up first.

Will it fester or fly?

Start me at £10 on it?

10 to start, surely?

Any interest at £10?

Oh come on.

TREVOR: I've got a bid of 10 at the back, it's in the room at £10 now.

TREVOR: Any advance on 10?

We're in the room at £10.

TREVOR: That's an interesting little item.

TREVOR: At £10.

All finished?

15.

20?

TREVOR: 15 at the front with the lady then.

At £15 and selling for 15... 20 back in on the net.

MARK: Oh, 20 on the net!

TREVOR: I have 20 against you, are you out?

It's an internet bid now at £20, and at 25, fresh place, 25 on the left.

Oh, 25 now!

TREVOR: At 25, now I need 30.

TREVOR: Are we done at £25?

30 on the net.

35?

All done at 30 on the net then, I'm selling for 30.

Well done Mark.

What about that, Will?

VO: "Arigato," says Mr Stacey - that's a handsome markup to start with.

And it's Mark's next lot, the quarter sized ship's decanter.

It's bound to float someone's boat.

TREVOR: There you go, for an elegant lady to pretend she doesn't drink.

TREVOR: Start me at £20 on it, see what happens.

20 I'm bid straightaway, it's in the room at £20.

MARK: Ooh, I've got 20.

TREVOR: At 20 seated, here at £20.

It's a sweet piece.

TREVOR: 25, and 30, and 35?

40.

45?

TREVOR: 50.

45 on the front then, we're selling at £45.

All done at 45.

Oh, I'm happy with that Will.

You should be.

VO: You certainly should.

Another steady profit there.

Well Mark, my moment of truth is soon to arrive.

Oh, well I don't think you've got any problems, come on.

Oh, the tension!

Oh!

VO: It's Will's first lot.

Can this selection of kitchenalia serve up a profit?

TREVOR: I've got £20 bid.

20's bid.

TREVOR: 25 in the room.

I've got 25 seated, I need 30.

30 here, 35?

It's against you then at £30 on the internet.

TREVOR: We're at 35 and 40 now, at £40 on the internet.

Internet.

TREVOR: At £40, looking for 45.

At £40 at the moment, and we're selling.

Doubled your money.

£40, you're happy with that aren't you?

I'm happy with that, I'm happy with that.

VO: Well looks like you've got a profit on a platter there.

It's the Art Deco figural clock next, Will.

Start me at £30, let's give it a chance at 30.

TREVOR: 35, 40.

45, 50.

60?

£50 on my right, in the room at £50.

TREVOR: At £50, we're looking for 60.

TREVOR: I've got £50 bid on the clock set.

TREVOR: Must be worth more than that, surely?

TREVOR: 60 on the left.

70?

60 with the lady seated then.

It's in the room at £60 and we're selling at £60.

Oh gosh.

Well... VO: The clock failed to chime with the bidders.

Never mind, never mind.

I'm learning.

VO: You might be learning but you're not earning after that.

Let's see if Mark's Chinese book slide can be a bestseller.

TREVOR: Pretty little item, very practical, start me at £20 on it.

Nice little piece at £20 surely.

20 I'm bid, in the room at £20.

TREVOR: Surely that's not going to be it at £20?

TREVOR: Are you done at 20?

All finished?

Well, that's fine.

Well done Mark.

VO: After auction costs it's a modest profit, but a profit nevertheless.

It's the Chinese vase.

Which actually is there, and it looks rather nice on there actually, doesn't it?

WILL: Someone's given it a polish.

Start me at £50 on it, see what happens.

MARK: Oh yes, come on, let's have 50.

TREVOR: £50 to start, any interest at £50?

MARK: Come on!

TREVOR: Must see £50 surely.

Come on.

Start me at £20 then, I've got to start somewhere - I've got 50 came in at the last minute.

Oh, £50!

TREVOR: I've got a £50 bid now.

We're at £50 and I'm looking for 60.

MARK: Come on, you know you want it.

TREVOR: I have a bid of £50 at the moment; TREVOR: I'm looking for £60.

It's lovely!

WILL: Wonderful news for you, Mark.

Finished.

VO: Cor, you're in the pink Mark - a great price considering the lid's wrong.

Now, can Will get back on track with his next lot?

It's his maple framed drawing of a country house.

Start me at £20 on it.

TREVOR: £20 on the little drawing, it's very sweet.

TREVOR: £20 to start?

Have to see a start of £20.

OK, it's with me personally at £20 on this one.

VO: While unusual, it's not illegal for an auctioneer to bid on an item himself.

It's with me on the rostrum at £20.

Not my day today Mark.

I've got 25 on the net.

WILL: Oh!

MARK: That's alright.

TREVOR: I've got 25 and 30 with me.

It's at £30 at the moment.

TREVOR: I'm looking for 35.

Are we done at £30?

TREVOR: All done.

Thank you.

Well that's a fair price.

You were right.

VO: A picture perfect buy for our auctioneer.

He's made you a neat profit there Will.

How will the bidders react to Mark's biggest purchase?

At a costly £20, his pottery wall bracket is next under the hammer.

Start me at £20 on it, I'm starting you low, 20 I'm bid, it's in the room at £20.

TREVOR: At 20, and 25, and 30, and 35.

And 40.

£40 in the room at the moment.

Any advance on £40?

TREVOR: It's a room bid at the moment at £40.

Oh come on, it's a lovely thing.

TREVOR: Are we done at 40?

At £40.

At 45 and 50.

£50 seated.

Bit more, come on.

Bit more.

TREVOR: It's in the room at £50 and I am selling it.

50.

Oh that's alright Will.

VO: Alright for you Mark.

That's you done and you've not had any trouble making a profit today.

Now how will the bidding go on Will's lot of five glass items?

Nice little lot there.

Start me at £20 on it?

See where we go.

20 to start?

TREVOR: 20 I'm bid, it's in the room at £20.

At £20 here.

At £20, surely more than that.

And 25, and 30.

And £30 seated.

It's at £30.

Small loss.

TREVOR: It's against you now at £30.

All finished?

Do you know what?

I'm not surprised any more.

VO: Maybe you needed more luck money on that Will.

That's another loss I'm afraid.

It's Will's last lot - the Mouseman oak cheeseboard.

If that flies he could still win today's auction.

TREVOR: Start me £30 on it straight away.

TREVOR: 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60.

TREVOR: 60 seated in the room at the moment.

TREVOR: Any advance on £60?

We're at 60, 70.

80?

£70 on the internet at the moment.

TREVOR: Are you on the telephone on this one?

And it's 80 with me.

I'm bidding now personally at £80.

VO: Oh gosh, he's at it again!

I like this little piece so it's a current bid with me of £80 at the moment.

TREVOR: Any advance on 80?

90 in the room.

Ah, that sparked your interest!

90 back in the room.

I've got 90 against me now, in the room at £90.

I'm 90, looking for 100.

At £90, all finished.

Will, I'm sorry.

I think that was an absolute steal for somebody.

VO: That's the luck of the auction though, isn't it?

Or rather lack of it.

Hard cheese, old fruit.

It's worth £200-300 Mark.

I know that, you know that, I've sold them for 300 quid all day long in North Yorkshire.

That's what they're worth.

C'est la vie.

C'est la vie.

I would have bought it Will.

I would have done exactly the same.

Listen, you know, I know and Tim knows.

(HEAVENLY MUSIC) VO: (ECHOING) All I know is Mark's the winner of today's auction.

VO: So Will Axon's lead didn't last long.

He kicked off this leg with £325.86 but after auction costs made a shattering loss of £74 and starts next time with £251.86.

VO: Mark Stacey made an incredible comeback.

Starting this leg with £195.10, he earned a fantastic £100.90 after auction costs, giving him exactly £296 to play with on the last leg.

Will, ups and downs, ups and downs, ups and downs.

And the heavens are going to open.

Oh no!

Just my luck!

MARK: Come on, let's go!

It's hailing Mark!

Ai ai ai ai ai!

Honestly, it's your fault Will.

Come on.

Oh!

Oh, let's go Will.

Oh-ho!

VO: It's onwards and upwards.

Next time on the Antiques Road Trip: Mark Stacey finds an admirer.

DEALER: I like him!

MARK: I like you too!

I like him!

VO: While Will Axon has a bit of a wobble.

GUIDE: Start to nod - ooh!

(BELL RINGS) GUIDE: That's it, absolutely.

It works!

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