NARRATOR: It's the nation's favorite antiques experts with 200 pounds each-- I want something shiny.

NARRATOR: --a classic car-- [CAR HONKS] --and a go to scour Britain for antiques.

I like a rummage.

I can't resist.

NARRATOR: The aim, to make the biggest profit at auction-- [BELL RINGS] NARRATOR: --but it's no mean feat.

Why do I always do this to myself?

NARRATOR: They'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

Come on, stick them up.

NARRATOR: So will it be the high road to glory-- Onwards and upwards!

NARRATOR: --or the slow road to disaster.

Take me home.

NARRATOR: This is "Antiques Road Trip".

[THEME SONG] MAN: Yeah.

NARRATOR: Time flies when you're having rip-roaring fun.

It's the fourth outing of the road trip for Mark Stacey and Christina Trevanion.

I'm like Samson, my strength is gone.

Oh, my, does that make me Delilah?

My hair has been cut out--up.

And why, why, why Delilah?

You do sing.

You're singing.

NARRATOR: Not necessarily a good thing.

[CHUCKLES] Dealer, Mark, began his career at a prestigious London auction house, don't you know, same as me.

And auctioneer, Christina, is a hot to trot specialist in jewelry and silver.

(SINGING) Mamma Mia.

(SINGING) Here we go again.

BOTH: (SINGING) My, my-- (SINGING) Just how much I miss you.

(SINGING) How can I resist you?

Oh.

Well, I know the words, at least.

(SINGING) Mamma Mia.

[CHUCKLES] NARRATOR: Mhm, more's the pity.

From her original 200 pounds, Christina has 294 pounds and 60 pence safely stashed in her sparkly purse.

Excellent work.

Mark also started out with 200 pounds.

He's are currently death by a teeny whisker.

He has 309 pounds and 30 pounds.

This is proving to be a close run race.

And look, we've an upgraded version of their classic car, a plush Alfa Romeo Spider, dead flash.

Maybe we should call it Maroon Five, the car.

That's a pop group, isn't it?

Yeah, who was the singer of Maroon Five?

You asking me?

I stopped at ABBA.

[LAUGHS] Didn't it?

NARRATOR: Do you know something?

I think she's amused.

Christina and Mark began in West Sussex, God's country, jollied their way North as far as Merseyside and have auctioned in Cheshire and Gloucestershire.

They will conclude the adventure in Bolton, Greater Manchester.

Today, the West Midlands town of Brierley Hill is our first stop, and we'll auction in Heaton Mersey in Stockport.

This morning, our pair of antiquers will share a shop.

Hope it's big enough, best behavior, please, girls and boys.

But it's like a big fire engine, doesn't it?

Does it?

Alter-- oh, it's a wedding dress.

Oh, Christina, will you?

We can get married.

NARRATOR: Let's do some shopping first, shall we?

Woo!

Hello Oh, hello.

Hi, Christina.

Hi, I'm Tony.

Tony, nice to meet you, Tony.

Hi, I'm mark, Tony.

Nice to see you.

NARRATOR: Niceties concluded, we should be able to keep out of each other's way in here.

Oh, my God, that's huge.

Oh, gosh, it' is big.

Oh, fantastic.

Oh, my goodness.

Slightly cooler in here, isn't it?

Yeah, it is, isn't it?

It's wonderful.

I think I might go down that way.

- OK, crack on.

- See you later.

See you later.

Thank you, Tony.

NARRATOR: Leaving Christina with Tony, so standby.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: That's pretty cool.

What's that?

TONY: It's a Chinese dragon and it's still in working order.

Can we get it down?

Of course, we can.

Of course, we can.

Do you wanna sit down?

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Yeah, please.

TONY: I get take it down.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Well, actually, what's the price tag on it?

Um, it's-- 'Cause I've limited funds.

He's got 300 pounds on it.

Oh.

Do you want me to give him a ring first before-- I haven't got 300 pounds.

TONY: I understand.

I'll give him a ring, then.

- All right.

TONY: OK. - Awesome.

All right.

Thanks, Tony.

Do you know, I kind of said that this time I would go not wild and wacky and a bit crazy.

But how often do you see a Chinese dragon for sale?

NARRATOR: Not often.

Be really quite cool.

Oh, here we comes, here he comes.

I've just spoke to him and he says the least he'll go to is 150.

- Really?

- Yeah.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Half price?

TONY: Half price, yes.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Oh.

NARRATOR: Now for a better look at this oriental treasure.

Oh, God, I love a workshop.

Can I come and have a rummage?

Of course, of course.

Oh, look.

He's even better from here, actually.

It looks a little bit dusty though, Tony.

TONY: I'll clean them off.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: [CHUCKLES] No, original dust, leave it like that.

So this is his body here?

TONY: Yeah, that's the body.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: OK, that's interesting.

Ooh, that's lovely.

Uh-huh.

It's in a bad stance to repair, but-- CHRISTINA TREVANION: That is gorgeous.

So it's in a bad stance, but where is it-- where is it-- oh, I see.

It needs restitching there.

It needs the handle stitching back together.

Oh, I see.

So is that why it's up here?

TONY: Yeah, this is the workshop area.

I like that.

I really like that.

OK, all right.

What do you think?

TONY: OK NARRATOR: Let's leave Christina to nosy in Tony's man cave.

What's Mark up to?

Now this looks unusual.

MARK STACEY: That's a weird picture, isn't it?

I mean, that could be me and Christina.

And for once, I'm speaking and she's crying.

NARRATOR: Cheeky.

MARK STACEY: It's a really weird picture.

I mean, it looks like from, the style of it and from the frame, it's probably painted in the '60s or something.

And it has got what might be initials.

I mean, I don't know-- dead if I take it off the wall and see if there's anything underneath.

Shall I have a go?

NARRATOR: Yeah.

I'll try.

Don't tell anybody if I break it at all.

NARRATOR: Mom's the word.

Oh, it's quite heavy, actually.

It's stuck on something.

[GROANS] Oh, gosh.

Whoever's selling it, clearly, doesn't know much about it either because the ticket just as 100 pounds.

NARRATOR: Well, it appears to be in the style of the northern school.

And works by popular artists in the North attract big money, but this is no Larry.

If is a right art, it could be worth more than 100 pounds.

If it's not, it isn't.

But I don't know.

It-- it just rather attracts me.

NARRATOR: We'll leave Mark to ruminate then.

Let's get back to the man cave.

What's that?

TONY: We had it out of a barn.

It's a display trolley.

They used it for weddings and for fetes and things in a local village.

And they was gonna break it up and put it on a bonfire.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: What?

TONY: I said, no.

I say's, I'll find a use for that and we brought it in here.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: That looks like an old sort of market traders barrel, doesn't it?

TONY: Yeah.

NARRATOR: When in one piece, a barrel looks a bit like this.

The style harks back to Victorian street markets.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: What have you got on that?

TONY: 45.

I've got the top.

It's here.

Oh, you've got the top.

Right, OK. And that sort of matches-- except it's got a great distress look about it, hasn't it?

And that sort of matches, obviously, the base there.

And how much have you got on your bag?

TONY: Eh, 30.

If you just look really, really carefully on the top there, I mean, that says, L-F-T, lieutenant, lieutenant.

TONY: Yeah.

That's a British flight, isn't it?

NARRATOR: This could be a real find.

Fans of military would certainly be attracted to this rare Second World War RAF flight Lieutenant holdall.

Now back to Mark.

Has he made his mind up?

I see he's managed to nab Tony from Christina's clutches.

Now I don't know why, but I rather like this picture.

I like things that are original and haven't been touched with.

And this hasn't been touched.

I'm not terribly keen on the price of 100 pounds, I have to tell you because I don't know the artist.

Well, you know, it could be worth thousands.

It could be worth 10 quid.

NARRATOR: Tony kindly calls the vendor for their best price.

Where's your socks, Mark?

MARK STACEY: Ah, Tony, you have news.

Yes, yes.

MARK STACEY: Then what's the best price they can do?

The best he can do is 80.

MARK STACEY: 80 pounds?

MARK STACEY: Gosh, is not a good buy, do you think?

TONY: I think so, yes.

Yes.

Well, you are slightly biased, of course.

TONY: Well, there is that.

Well, I think, I really like it, I say.

So I think I'm gonna buy it for 80 pounds.

TONY: OK. Because I think it's got a chance.

There we are.

That's 80 pounds, then.

OK, thank you.

- Thank you very much, Tony.

- OK, thank you.

See you shortly.

NARRATOR: Well, paintings are always a tricky area.

This looks like a case of Mark backing a dealer's hunch.

One deal down for him, and well done.

Christina is still interested in a gaggle of goodies up the stairs.

She any closer to buying something?

Do you think I'd be a good Chinese dragon?

NARRATOR: Lucky, Moses, that's scary.

Yeah, you would.

I'm not sure I would.

I think he's got an eye missing.

NARRATOR: Ah right.

TONY: Well, it looks like it.

He's a one eye dragon.

Well-- oh.

Maybe that's lucky.

NARRATOR: You just made a hole in the roof.

[CHUCKLES] The dragon is the highlight of the Chinese New Year celebrations.

It's believed a longer costume will bring greater luck.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: If you take that.

TONY: OK. NARRATOR: Gosh, what a fantastic thing.

Oh, my goodness.

NARRATOR: This one must be very lucky.

Enormous.

I mean, that's a long dragon, isn't it?

TONY: It is, it is.

Proper street dragon, isn't it?

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Yeah.

And you could just see him moving and-- oh, it's awesome.

OK, so we were saying-- 150.

OK, all right, 150 pounds for the dragon.

How much for the bag?

TONY: 20, yeah.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: And then how much did we say for the-- TONY: 45.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Really?

CHRISTINA TREVANION: What do think?

Gone.

30.

NARRATOR: That's a grand total of 200 pounds.

Christina, it's decision time.

Can we say, 180 for the lot?

- Go on, then, yeah.

- Yeah?

- Yeah, yeah.

- Are you happy at that?

Yes, I am.

More than happy, yeah.

- 108 pounds.

- OK, yeah.

It's a deal.

OK, thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

My goodness, I just got a dragon.

NARRATOR: That you have, blimey.

150 for the dragon, 20 pounds for the World War II holdall and 10 pounds for the display barrel.

Are you having a rest?

NARRATOR: You deserve a sit down after that, love.

MARK STACEY: Have you bought much?

Yeah.

MARK STACEY: Have you?

- Yeah.

- You haven't been spending any?

Yeah.

Well, I said I wasn't gonna buy quirky.

I wasn't gonna buy weird.

I wasn't gonna buy wacky and I wasn't gonna spend much money.

Did you say that?

- Yeah.

- And you have?

Yeah.

MARK STACEY: Oh, well done.

I've done every single one.

[LAUGHS] NARRATOR: Crumbs.

That's the shopping finished in here.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Bye.

NARRATOR: While Christina sports her new headgear-- what a player, hey?

Let's jump in the Spider with Mark.

[ENGINE REVVING] Oops, gosh.

Would help me if I got the right gear.

Mind you, it's nice to have this car.

I love the color and leather seats.

They're spoiling us.

NARRATOR: We certainly are.

Marx traveled to the city of Birmingham.

Victorian mourning jewelry is something we regularly come across on the road trip.

So Mark is going to find out why death with such a lavish affair in the 19th century.

Newman Brothers were one of the many companies cashing in on the pomp and ceremony of a grand Victorian sendoff.

Now a time capsule museum, Mark is meeting with collections manager of the coffin works, Sarah Hayes.

First up is the stamp room.

This heart of the building closely resembles its Victorian past.

You can smell the history.

MARK STACEY: Wow, this is amazing.

Now the stamp room, I presume, it was doing the little bits on the coffin, the nameplates and things.

Is that right?

SARAH HAYES: Exactly, so the breastplate, the ornaments.

Anything decorative that was metal was made in here, but then went on the outside of the coffin.

MARK STACEY: But I mean, looking around here, this would have all been expensive, wouldn't it?

SARAH HAYES: Very expensive, so you're looking at-- they were suppliers, Newman Brothers, to the top end of the market.

MARK STACEY: Right.

SARAH HAYES: Middle class, upper class, funerals.

They, eventually, started to branch out and produce tin plate, lower end products, to sort of more working class people.

But, yeah, you get everything here.

NARRATOR: You certainly do.

Cornelius, the resident drop stamper, is going to operate the mighty 19th century drop forge.

It's a tribute to the early Victorian engineers.

Each of these hammers has done well over a million blow's each, and they would do it again easily.

[CREAKING] Ooh, God.

Cover your ears.

MARK STACEY: And people were working on this?

SARAH HAYES: Yeah, 12 hours a day.

Cornelius said 7 o'clock in the morning, 7 o'clock in the evening.

[CREAKING GETS LOUDER FOLLOWED BY METAL THUMPING] No, they just got on with it.

Here you go.

MARK STACEY: Thank you, Cornelius.

And there it is, R-I-P. SARAH HAYES: Very appropriate.

The Victorian funeral was an expensive thing.

It was part of the ritual of society, wasn't it?

SARAH HAYES: The middle and upper classes, it was, for them, to show, look at my wealth.

I was important in life.

I'm also important in death.

But for your lower class people, your working class people, it was the fear of being erased from society and having a pauper's funeral that drove them forward.

Actually, quite a few people must have got into quite severe debt doing all this.

Yeah, and that's why the burial clubs came about.

Because you'd put a penny in a week, you pay for your family and you, you'd go into debt for it almost.

So you had a good funeral at the end of it, but you might leave your family without any money.

So it made no sense, but it was this obsession with a good death.

In some of the upper class funerals, I mean, there was quite a lot of pomp, wasn't it?

Lots of mourners and things.

SARAH HAYES: Oh, yes.

What did they get up to, do you know?

Well, if you were a solicitor, you'd have four horses pulling the cortege, the funeral hearse.

You'd have feathers atop the bridles on the horses.

You'd have mourners or mutes behind.

So people paid to grieve on your behalf.

NARRATOR: One floor up and the warehouse used to be full of workers boxing all the finished products.

Wow, and they're all full, unwrapped?

SARAH HAYES: All full, yeah, and unwrapped.

On here, my favorite piece which really demonstrates almost the demise of the Victorian funeral and changing attitudes, is that this is a Victorian breast plate.

It's big.

You can see it's big.

They like their bling.

You name would go on here-- who you were, when you died.

The most important part, actually, on the coffin, goes on the top.

Yes.

But look today, this is a nameplate.

It does the same thing.

Yeah.

But we fear death, today, so much so that it's small and we don't want to embrace it as the Victorians did.

In the Victorian period, there was a uniform for the living when they were in mourning as well.

MARK STACEY: Yes, there was.

So we know Queen Victoria.

We do.

I mean, she-- she started all that, and she put the death of Prince Albert in 1861.

SARAH HAYES: She did and she never came out of mourning, did she?

MARK STACEY: No, she didn't.

She liked her black and-- black and white.

I think, actually, a lot of people, after a while, got a bit fed up of it and started adding colors to the black.

NARRATOR: But over 100 years old, the Newman Brothers Factory illustrates Victorian Britain's macabre obsession with death, and that providing a funeral of the utmost extravagance was the ultimate wish of both the rich and the poor.

Meanwhile, Christina has traveled to the town of Solihull in the West Midlands.

Let's have a nose in here.

Looks lovely.

Mhm.

PAUL: Hello.

- Hello.

PAUL: Hi, Christina.

How are you?

Very well, thank you.

Who are you?

- Paul.

- Paul, Paul Barrows.

Very nice to meet you, Paul.

Lovely to meet you too.

My goodness, this is small, but perfectly formed little shop.

Isn't it?

NARRATOR: Well, you could say that.

Let's see what she can root out.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Oh, that's cute.

That's really cute.

PAUL: Silver-plated rather than silver.

But it's got marks on it.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: It's actually quite misleading, isn't it?

Because you would think that it is silver.

PAUL: Yeah.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: But AJ said it's by people called, um, A & J Zimmerman.

Oh, yes.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: So Birmingham makers who made silver as well, and registered the same mark.

NARRATOR: Founded by Arthur and John Zimmerman in 1889, this well-known Birmingham silversmith specialized in small items of silver and plate.

This could be a goody.

Tick if you like your [INAUDIBLE] egg.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: How much is that?

25.

I really like that.

I'm really like that.

That's great fun.

PAUL: Good.

Love that, OK. Add that to my pile.

[CHUCKLES] CHRISTINA TREVANION: Well, maybe we could start a pile.

Get it started.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Yeah.

Brilliant.

NARRATOR: Now she's started, there's no stopping the girl.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: And what's that?

Ooh, your telephone.

Because you've got a bit of a pile of stuff going on underneath there.

What's-- what's going on there?

This is my laziness of not putting things out.

Oh.

But it's, ah-- it just really rewiring really and putting back to good use.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Mhm, so is it for sale?

NARRATOR: Paul's priced it at 10 pounds.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: The reason that I am actually really quite liking this is because my Granny used to have one in green.

PAUL: Mhm.

It reminds me of being a child sitting on the stairs at my Granny's house.

And Granny always used to answer the phone, [INAUDIBLE] I'm three double nine one.

And you'd say, hello, Granny.

She went, hello, love.

[LAUGHTER] NARRATOR: You might get into trouble with your Grammy for that, Christina.

What could you do me for?

A black telephone and an egg cup, for the two, best price, very best price.

30.

OK, brilliant.

30 pounds.

Done.

I'm a happy bunny.

NARRATOR: 20 pounds for the Edwardian egg cup and 10 pounds for the vintage telephone.

Christina is certainly buying for Britain today.

I think it's time for a rest, don't you?

So nightie, night.

What a glorious warming.

Up and ready to rock and roll for another day in paradise.

I'll be Parker to your Lady Penelope.

[LAUGHS] Yes, milady.

Bring around the Spider.

It doesn't have quite special effect either.

[INAUDIBLE],, bring around the [INAUDIBLE]..

Yes, mi'lady.

NARRATOR: They're in another world, those two.

Let's remind ourselves of what they bought thus far.

Christina has traveled down the wacky route once more.

She has the Chinese dragon costume, the Second World War holdall, the display barrel, the Edwardian egg cup and the vintage telephone.

She's quite a spending machine.

Hi.

She has 84 pounds and 60 pence left to spend.

Mark is the yin to Christina's yang.

Our current leader has only one item, the 1960s painting, which means his wallet overfloweth.

He's got 229 pounds and 30 pence for the day ahead, and that's a lot.

MARK STACEY: [INAUDIBLE].

[ENGINE REVVING] Oh, have you tried putting it in gear?

Uh-huh.

You just need to be smooth with the handling of the gear stick.

Yeah, all right.

Who's driving, Mr. Backseat?

NARRATOR: You tell him, Christina.

Next up for Mark is the Warwickshire town of Henley-in-Arden.

And good mate that she is, Christina's dropping him off.

Oh, this looks lovely.

Hey, this does look good.

Oh, I like that sign there.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: What's that?

MARK STACEY: No customers beyond this point.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: [LAUGHS] I'll be straight in there.

I'm excited about this.

Yeah.

Can I come too?

Um, in a word, no.

Oh, fine.

Thanks.

So kind.

NARRATOR: Charming.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: [INAUDIBLE],, have a good day.

- Have fun.

- Bye Bye.

NARRATOR: The vintage barn is certainly vintage.

Looks like a tin shed to me.

Hello, I'm Mark.

Hello, I'm Sarah.

This is a lovely spot.

It's great to be here.

SARAH: Thank you very much.

How long have you been here?

Just over two years now.

Fantastic.

Hello, I'm Mark.

It's great.

NARRATOR: And manages to gain permission to enter the out of bounds area.

Wow, this is great, isn't it?

I mean, this is a sort of place where the dealers will have unrestored things, and maybe things they've just bought and they have no chance to put in the shop yet.

These are for your garden, if I just bring one out.

You can stick it in.

It's a sunflower.

They're made of horseshoes.

I don't think they're terribly old.

But I like the fact that somebody, you know, used something you would normally throw away and created a bit of fun really.

You can see those in a child's garden or something.

Makes me smile, I quite like them.

But are they worth 20 pounds each?

NARRATOR: We do like to see you smile, Mark.

He's got a lot of buying to do.

Ah, lucky charm, hey, Mark?

Oh.

That's rather fun.

It is quite cool.

It's difficult to date these sort of things.

I mean, it could be made as little as you 20 years ago or something.

What I quite like is, looking at the quality aspect, whoever has made this, has put little wooden dowels in there.

And you can see there are different color wood.

So that to me, that is a little sign of quality.

But as we're going to a sort of general sale, which has a sort of Interior and vintage bias, that actually could be quite a nice item.

The other thing, actually, it's priced quite reasonably, 25 pounds.

So if we could get a bit off that, I think that might be something for the auction.

NARRATOR: Stand by, Sarah.

Here comes, Mark.

Now Sarah, what do you think the best price would be for me?

I could do it for 20.

I think you've got a deal.

Can you keep that to one side?

Yes, certainly.

Because I'm still looking, but that's a sale for 20 pounds.

- OK. - All right?

Thank you.

Thank you.

NARRATOR: While Mark continues his quest for buying goodies, Christina has traveled to the village of Hatton in Warwickshire.

The Staples Antique Center opened 15 years ago and is home to a gaggle of dealers selling their wares.

Christina still has 84 pounds and 60 pence left to spend.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: This is an interesting little vignette over here.

Look at these.

I've got a bit of a thing about telephones at the moment, and I bought a telephone yesterday.

But look at this.

How unbelievably, dreadfully kitsch is that?

I love it.

Oh, my God, I love it.

I mean, that's kind of 1960s, 1970s gone crazy.

29 pounds, I'd have that.

I think that's amazing.

NARRATOR: Bob's in command today.

Watch out, here she comes.

Bob's the job.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Hi, Bob.

- Hi.

You found something?

Well, I think so.

I'm not entirely sure.

Do you know anything about this?

Well, um, it looks as though it's been-- CHRISTINA TREVANION: It's been rewired, hasn't it?

BOB: Rewired, so in theory that should work.

Would you have that at home?

Probably not me, no.

It's quite kitsch, isn't it?

BOB: Yeah.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Yeah.

[CHUCKLES] BOB: It is, yeah, yeah.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Now tell me.

It's got 29 pounds on it.

What could be your best price?

BOB: What about 20?

Mhm, it needs to be better than that.

BOB: 15.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Is that you're very bad?

That would have to be my very best, yeah.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: OK. 15 pounds, Bob.

BOB: Lovely.

You've got a deal.

BOB: OK. CHRISTINA TREVANION: Thank you very much.

BOB: Thank you.

- How exciting!

My Lady Penelope phone.

[LAUGHTER] Right, Bob, there we go.

NARRATOR: She's certainly tickled pink with that buy.

Back to Mark, still in Henley-in-Arden, and Steve's got something interesting.

Here we go.

MARK STACEY: Ooh, wow, gosh.

STEVE: There's more.

MARK STACEY: Oh, there's more.

Where did these come from?

SARAH: They came from a house clearance in Birmingham.

MARK STACEY: Wow.

And they were in the garden on top of a cat's grave.

MARK STACEY: These are referred to as sort of green men, aren't they?

These sort of masks.

Yet, I've seen them on sort of name plates, walk ins.

So it's a sort of old pagan type God of the woods or something, if I remember rightly.

NARRATOR: The green man motif has been around for centuries and is found in the architecture of churches all over the world.

If Mark's hunch is right, this could be a lucky find.

Would I be lucky with the price there?

Make me an offer.

MARK STACEY: Oh, gosh.

I think for that, I'd want to pay about 40 pounds.

What do you think?

I think you go to 50.

MARK STACEY: Well, I still quite like those sunflowers, you see, that I saw earlier on.

STEVE: Mm-hmm MARK STACEY: I mean, they just rather quirky.

If I did 50 on this-- SARAH: Yes.

MARK STACEY: --could I be really cheeky with the sunflowers and say a tenner each and 40 pounds for the four?

What do you think?

I think so.

I think we could do that.

MARK STACEY: Can we do that?

- I think so.

MARK STACEY: Are you sure?

SARAH: Yes, I'm OK with that.

So we've got a deal?

So I bought this, the truck and the sunflowers.

How much is that in total?

90, 110?

Yes.

Is that right?

NARRATOR: Thank you, Sarah and Steve.

Mark's got the wooden van for 20 pounds, the metal sunflowers for 40 and the unusual green man stone mask for 50 pounds.

It's not just Christina who's buying wacky.

The West Midlands town of Solihull is where Christina is bound once more.

Well, if my geography serves me right, and it doesn't very often, but it might today, but I think around here is one of the birthplaces of a very, very special member of my family.

So it would be very remiss of me not to pop in and see if there's anyone about.

NARRATOR: Who could this much loved member of Christina's family be?

Well, Gilbert, the Series 1 Rover, of course, brought by Christina's grandfather in 1951.

Gilbert is still very much alive and revving to this day.

Oh, look at Christina as a little one.

What a sweetheart, hey.

It makes sense, therefore, that Christina visits the site where this beloved star of British engineering was created and developed.

Christina is meeting with retired engineer, Roger Crathorne, to find out why this design trailblazer remained a firm favorite for over six decades.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Well, I'm actually in complete heaven.

I have to be perfectly honest with you, Roger.

I mean, I've been a Land Rover driver all my life, all my life.

What is it about the Series 1 that has made it such a British icon?

Well, I think it shoot to British icon because of what happened immediately after the Second World War.

Maurice Wilks had a very successful business with his brother, Spencer Wilks, before the war, manufacturing saloon cars.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Mhm.

ROGER CRATHORNE: The problem was there wasn't enough material available to start production up again building Rover saloon cars.

NARRATOR: In 1947, Maurice conceived the idea of a ground breaking four-wheel-drive vehicle that used the surplus aircraft aluminum that was readily available.

Maurice's US Army Jeep was the inspiration for the prototype design.

ROGER CRATHORNE: He was saying to his brother, look, this is rusting away.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Yeah.

Some of the mechanical parts need replacing.

I can't get these spare parts.

Wouldn't it be a good idea if we, the Rover Company, made a four-wheel-drive version of this vehicle?

So how did they go about developing the actual design of the Land Rover?

Well, initially, Maurice was having discussions on the beach at Anglesey at Redruth Bay with his brother, Spencer.

And he actually sketched with a stick in the sand and said, look, this is what we could do.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Really?

Is that-- honestly, is that what he did?

Absolutely, yeah.

NARRATOR: The need was for this design to help rebuild not only the flagging motor industry, but also the country.

The prototypes were sent on a special expedition.

ROGER CRATHORNE: There was an initiative from the government to say that farming needed to get back into action quite quickly.

In fact, the Rover Company sent several of its pre-production vehicles out to Kenya to help with this farming initiative.

NARRATOR: The East African mission was a great success.

With a workforce of 4,000, Rover was well set to exploit the demand for this radical new vehicle.

ROGER CRATHORNE: It was the low center of gravity.

It was the aluminum body that made you a success.

But there are other things like a four speed gearbox, permanent four-wheel-drive when it was first launched.

NARRATOR: In 1948, the Series 1 Land Rover was launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show.

ROGER CRATHORNE: It was very quickly, after that show, that quite a few of the militaries around the world took a lot of interest, including the British MOD who ordered just under 2000 vehicles initially.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Good order to get.

And this vehicle, we're leaning on now, is one of those vehicles that they ordered, which really quickly went into military service.

But it was interesting that not only were the military using the vehicles, the farmers quickly started to use them.

And once the farmers wives realized it was quite a comfortable vehicle to drive around in as well as the farmer himself, it very quickly became a leisure vehicle.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Yeah.

ROGER CRATHORNE: And as we all know, Land Rovers are great tow vehicles.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Yeah.

And of course, towing caravans, boats and trailers became the norm.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Funny you should say about towing things because I'm a very proud owner of a series 1, 1951-- CHRISTINA TREVANION: Yes.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: --called Gilbert.

This is the first photograph that we've got of him.

And this-- the Land Rover was bought for my Granny who's still around.

Granny is now 106, and my grandfather bought our dear Gilbert for her when they first were on the farm.

ROGER CRATHORNE: That's fabulous that you're had it in the family that long.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Yeah.

NARRATOR: And that's Christina's daddy and grandfather sitting beside Gilbert.

From a sketch in the sand, this beloved 4 by 4 has sustained global success and renown.

An iconic brand loved even by our Darling queen a testament to Maurice Wilk design brilliance.

In the Meanwhile, Mark, has traveled to the village of Balsall Common.

Oh, he's enjoying himself.

There are over 20 dealers selling in antiques in an old barn.

Mark should be spoiled for choice here.

Gosh, what are those?

There is a press cards and they're French, I think.

But there's quite a little collection of them and they're all of classical subjects.

And I mean, they were dated sort of early part of the 20th century, I suppose.

Almost like a sort of decorative wallpaper, I suppose.

You could have mount them on the wall.

NARRATOR: Well, I suppose so.

They imitate the style of classical marble reliefs and might create interest at auction.

Diane is the lady in charge.

Let's talk dough.

I found this rather fun, French sort of press cardboard panels.

I mean, they're probably what, about 1900 or so?

I would have thought.

DIANE: I think so, yeah.

MARK STACEY: Now they're prized up at eight pounds each or seven for 50 pounds.

DIANE: Right.

What are you thinking of?

Well, I was thinking about 30 because they are a little bit worn in places, but I do love them.

What about if I said 35?

That's five pounds a piece.

That's a really good discount.

It is a good discount, isn't it?

35 pounds.

Shall we shake on it?

DIANE: Yep.

35 pounds, thank you very much, indeed.

DIANE: OK, thank you.

MARK STACEY: I like those.

And me.

I love them.

Bought-- I bought them from France.

Brought them back from France.

I think they're lovely.

MARK STACEY: They are lovely.

- Yeah.

They are lovely.

NARRATOR: Mark, just stick your own accent, that would be lovely.

Mark adds the collection of French panels to the rest of his antiques booty, the oil painting, the wooden van, the large sunflowers and the green man stone mask, which makes five lots.

Mark has spent 225 pounds exactly.

Christina also has a total of five lots, the Chinese dragon costume, the Second World War holdall, the display barrel, the lot of vintage telephones and the Edwardian egg cup.

And would you believe it, Christina has also spent 225 pounds on the nose.

Right then, my old loves, thoughts on one another's collections?

It's cool a little bit, playful, hasn't he?

He's brought toys.

He's bought stuff for the garden.

He's bought fun things.

He's got his mojo back.

He's being Christina'ed.

How can I call it politely, this sort of car thing, the display thing?

It's quite nice.

I mean, it's quirky.

And in the right sale, you know, quirky sells very well.

I have to be honest, I think the sun may have got to his head slightly.

Those horseshoe sunflowers are interesting, an interesting choice.

Do they have any antique merit?

No.

MARK STACEY: I adore that Chinese parade dragon.

But 150 pounds, I'm not sure.

I've never seen one.

And it's one of those things where will he find another one?

So it could well surprise us at the auction.

NARRATOR: The Heaton Mersey suburb of Stockport is our auction destination.

So you are looking great, like you're on a sort of school trip.

Well, you're looking very, yes.

What does that mean?

Well, I don't know.

But when I first saw you this morning, [INAUDIBLE].. [LAUGHS] You look-- you look very, very 9:00 to 5:00.

(SINGING) Working 9:00 to 5:00, what a way to make a living.

NARRATOR: He's very jolly this morning.

Right, come on in, Christina.

Let the-- Right.

--the excitement begin.

Let the excitement begin.

Are you excited?

I'm very excited, very excited.

Although, I am actually very nervous about my dragon.

NARRATOR: Founded in 1826, Capes Dunn are hosting our road trippers auction today.

Commander of the cell room is Caroline Lane.

What do you think of the colorful selection from Christina and Mark?

The dragon costume is really interesting and fun.

It's great and vibrant, different, interesting piece.

I think the star lot is probably going to be the stone gargoyle mask-- natural, aging, weathering, which the buyers always like.

So I think, hopefully, that should do really well today.

NARRATOR: Thanks, Caroline.

The auction is about to begin and we're live for internet bidding also.

MARK STACEY: Oh!

Oh.

Sorry, that's what you call making an entrance.

It is, isn't it?

[CHUCKLES] I don't trust you.

We're here, Christina, and everybody knows it.

[LAUGHS] NARRATOR: I think that happens wherever you go, Mark.

First up, it's your '60s oil painting.

Bids at me at 20.

25, thank you.

At 25 pounds on bid now.

At 25 pounds for the painting.

Oh, my God.

CAROLINE LANE: Anymore?

- Gosh.

CAROLINE LANE: At 25 pounds, I'm bid.

If you're all sure, I'm selling at 25.

I think I'll just go home.

[INAUDIBLE] news.

[CHUCKLES] NARRATOR: A thumping blow for Marks gamble buy.

Bad luck.

Anyway, it's a good start of the day, isn't it?

And I think it can only get better.

NARRATOR: Well, blimey, it's a big dragon now.

Will it bring great fortune?

Good luck.

And who will bid me 20 pounds for this?

20 pounds on bid.

Thank you, sir.

At 20 pounds on bid now.

And 5, 30.

Here we go.

And 5, 40.

At 40 pounds standing.

And 5, new place, 50.

Here we are.

And 5, 60.

(WHISPERING) It's got a long way to go.

CAROLINE LANE: 5, 70.

At 70 pounds?

And the maiden bidder at 70 and 5, 80.

And 5, 90.

And 5, 100, 110, 120, 130.

It is, I-- I told you not to worry.

CAROLINE LANE: 160.

Yep.

160 pounds now.

Any more, if you're all sure?

I'm selling at 161 pounds.

It could a lot worse.

It could have been a lot worse.

Who bought it?

I don't know, but I hate them.

[LAUGHS] CAROLINE LANE: [INAUDIBLE] at 5 pounds.

NARRATOR: [CHUCKLES] Just ignore him, Christina.

Your risky purchase gave you a small something back.

I'm thrilled for you.

[LAUGHS] NARRATOR: Mark's weighty little van is next.

And the bid is with me at 20 pounds now.

Oh, well, I've got my money back.

CAROLINE LANE: Bid to me at 20 pounds.

If you're all sure, the bid is with me at 20, 25 now, 30 with me.

With me still, and I'm selling at 30.

Ta-da.

It's a small profit, isn't it?

NARRATOR: It is, and you need all you can get to challenge Christina.

I wouldn't say it roared into profit, but it sort of spluttered.

[LAUGHTER] NARRATOR: The very interesting Second World War holdall from Christina is next.

I have a bid with me at just 10 pounds now.

Bid at me at just 10.

15 now, right at the back at 15 pounds.

At 59 bid and 20, 5, 30.

Here we go.

CAROLINE LANE: And 5.

At 35 standing right at the back, at 35 now.

Come on, it's worth more than this.

CAROLINE LANE: The bid's at 35 pounds.

Any more?

If you're all sure, I'm selling at 35.

Come on.

NARRATOR: It didn't quite take off, but Christina is being consistent with steady profits.

Well done.

It's a profit, you know.

It's a profit.

I'll take it, I'll take it.

NARRATOR: You've got to in this game.

Mark's horseshoe sunflowers are next.

They make me smile, literally.

They really make me smile.

An interested 10.

10, I have, thank you, sir.

It's a 10 pounds on bid.

12, 15, 18.

At 18 pounds, I'm bid.

Look at her smile.

[INAUDIBLE].

[CHUCKLES] CAROLINE LANE: Any advance?

If you're all sure, I'm selling at 18.

NARRATOR: Oh-oh, I don't think they'll make Mark smile now.

[LAUGHS] I love those glasses.

I just-- I just keep thinking of you as the news reader.

[LAUGHS] And the news today.

NARRATOR: She'd be good.

Oh, breaking news, Christina's telephones are next.

10 pounds for these.

10, I have, thank you.

15, at 15 pounds with a gentleman now.

At 15 pounds, I'm bid.

20 now.

And 5, 30.

At 30 pounds, I have.

The bids at 30 now.

[INAUDIBLE].

Ha-ha-ha!

What did I say?

CAROLINE LANE: I'm selling at 30.

NARRATOR: A teeny, tiny profit, but still keeping you very much in the lead, Christina.

Honestly, it's this much between us.

It's a hair's breadth.

It's a hair's breadth.

NARRATOR: Yeah, right.

It's the cardboard panels from Mark next.

And the bid is with me at 40 pounds now.

Bid's at me at 40.

Bid's at me at 40 pounds.

Come on.

At 40 pounds, I'm bid.

And 5, 50.

Bid's at me still at 50 pounds.

How many are there?

Seven.

CAROLINE LANE: With me at 50.

If you're all sure, I'm selling to the absentee bidder at 15.

Come on.

Come on, come on, come on.

NARRATOR: Not quite what you wanted, Mark, but you need all the profit you can get.

Well done, you.

So at least I haven't made a loss on them.

NARRATOR: Christina's silver plated egg cup is next.

Bid is a me at just 5 pounds.

I know it's silver plated.

Any advance for the silver plated-- thank you, sir.

10 pounds on bid.

At 10 in the room now.

10 pounds for the egg cup.

Put the gavel down, dear.

CAROLINE LANE: Any advance?

[CHUCKLES] Put that gavel down.

If we're all sure, I'm selling it at just 10.

MARK STACEY: Put the gavel down.

CHRISTINA TREVANION: Yay.

- 15 now.

- Yay.

CAROLINE LANE: 20.

MARK STACEY: Put the gavel down.

I'm selling at 20.

NARRATOR: Despite a break even, you are still very much in the lead, Christina.

Oh, it broke even.

Ah.

Not a double yoker, then?

It wasn't a double yoker.

Oh, sadly.

NARRATOR: I think just hard-boiled.

It's Christina's barrel next, the one that was destined for the bonfire.

I think plywood is making a comeback.

[LAUGHS] Any interest at 30 I have?

Thank you, sir.

Wow, 20 pounds profit.

20 pounds profit.

CAROLINE LANE: 40, and 5, 50.

There we go.

CAROLINE LANE: And 5, 60, and 5, 70.

And 5, 80, and 5, 90.

And 5, 100, 110.

Good, Lord.

CAROLINE LANE: 120, 130.

130 pounds, I bid.

Why?

I don't have no idea.

I've no idea.

CAROLINE LANE: A 130 pounds.

any more?

If you're all sure, I'm selling at 130.

Like, can I go?

No, just stay here and hold my hand.

[LAUGHS] NARRATOR: My goodness, Christina, what a whopper of a profit.

Well done.

Well, I'm flabbergasted.

Absolutely, flabbergasted.

NARRATOR: You know anyone.

Mark's green man stone mask is the final lot.

Can he bring some much needed luck?

You got positive thinking, the [INAUDIBLE] positive thought.

I'm hoping maybe the internet might be down there.

I have interest and the bid is with me at 50 pounds.

Bid's at me at 50.

[INAUDIBLE].

See?

5, 60.

A and I'm out now at 65 pounds.

And 70, 5, 80, 5, 90, 5, 100, and 10.

120, 130, All right, you can stop now.

CAROLINE LANE: 150, 160.

Come on.

CAROLINE LANE: 170, 180, 190, 200 and 20, 240.

Thank you.

Any one on 240 on bid.

240 pounds for the gargoyle.

Anymore?

260.

[LAUGHS] 260, we'll be back in.

Go on, one more.

I feel I may as well go now.

At 260 pounds.

If we're all sure I'm selling at 260.

[EXHALES DEEPLY] Yay!

Look at that smile.

Back again.

I think I might have covered my losses.

[LAUGHS] NARRATOR: My goodness, what a way to end.

A truly magnificent result, Mark.

[LAUGHS] It's been great, you know.

Come here.

Oh.

NARRATOR: Gosh, he's all happy now.

Let's tot up the sums, hey.

Christina began with 294 pounds and 60 pence.

After all auction costs, she's made a profit of 82 pounds and 50 pence.

Christina carries forward 377 pounds and 10 pence for next time.

Mark set off with 309 pounds and 30 pence and has a profit of 89 pounds and 6 pence.

Mark has clinched victory, just.

He has 398 pounds and 36 pence for the final road trip.

Wow, wee.

What happened?

[CHUCKLES] What just happened?

[CONTINUES CHUCKLING] Go.

Wee!

NARRATOR: Onwards and upwards, road trippers.

[THEME SONG]