NARRATOR: It's the nation's favorite antiques experts-- Yeah.
Super cool.
How about that?
NARRATOR: --behind the wheel of a classic car and a goal to scour Britain for antiques.
The aim-- to make the biggest profit at auction, but it's no mean feat.
There'll be worthy winners-- Yes.
NARRATOR: --and valiant losers.
Blast it.
NARRATOR: Will it be the high road to glory or the slow road to disaster?
Oh my.
Something's wrong with the car.
NARRATOR: This is the "Antiques Road Trip."
[THEME MUSIC] What a gas, eh?
Strap yourselves in, folks.
It's another trip of wonder in the open top Triumph.
Today we're in the Scottish borders with antiques besties Anita Manning and Paul Laidlaw.
The world thinks of Scotland in the highlands, but, you know what, this is gorgeous.
These are the debatable lands, of course, aren't they?
Well, the borders have always been wild.
And I'm continuing that tradition.
Yes.
A bit of a wild guy yourself.
NARRATOR: Our jovial rivals are heading towards the midpoint of their road trip.
If you don't behave yourself, I'll put you in the back.
NARRATOR: And the competition is hotting up.
Last time, Anita increased her piggy to 259 pounds and 22 pennies.
But Paul was the auction champ.
Oh yes.
He has over 385 pounds to spend this time.
I'll tell you what though, it's coming up trumps, the Triumph, is it not?
Oh.
Do you think you're going to be triumphant and beat me this time?
Hey, I am counting no chickens.
Of course I'm not.
I'm up against Anita Manning for goodness sake who has a certain form.
NARRATOR: Right.
Let's get this party started.
Anita and Paul's adventure started in the Trossachs.
Love saying that word.
They'll zip around the Southern reaches of Scotland, traverse England's northern counties, and head to a final auction in Newcastle upon Tyne.
On this leg, they're pointed towards auction in Crooklands in Cumbria, but the shopping starts in the Scottish borders and Kelso.
Yes.
This historic market town situated where the river Teviot meets the Tweed.
With Paul dropped off, Anita's made her way to Kelso Antique Center.
It has eight dealers, a dozen or so cabinets, and a dizzying assortment of treasures, not forgetting dealer Tom, who's on hand to help.
This is a traditional ladle.
I absolutely love them.
And I use them at home all the time.
They're a wonderful thing.
And I love that marvelous sweep down there.
This would almost certainly have been in the house of a well-to-do-- Oh yes.
--family but-- Not the top bracket.
No.
I think it's lovely.
NARRATOR: Ticket price?
29 pounds.
Cheap, because it's silver plate, not silver.
One to ponder on.
Anything else?
Go on, ladel it out.
This is the tiniest propelling pencil that I've seen for a long time.
Turquoise here and this little-- it's amethyst glass rather than amethyst.
I quite fancy that.
NARRATOR: Victorian with dinky charm.
It's 75 pounds.
Can Anita resist?
ANITA MANNING: But if I could put it back just now-- DEALER TOM: Yeah, surely.
ANITA MANNING: --and keep on looking.
NARRATOR: OK, another possible.
Meanwhile, Paul's hopped across the border into England and Northumberland, ending up in Wooler.
He's visiting Border's Architectural Antiques, established on St George's Day, nearly 30 years ago.
With a wide variety of reclaimed and salvaged items, what will catch Paul's eye?
Where's he going, then?
Ah, the fire screen!
That's about as high Victorian as we're going to find today, (LAUGHING) I suspect.
You've got a lot of wrought iron there.
Hand wrought iron.
You've also got some copper in there.
This thing is not doing itself proud at the moment because it's sat about for 150 years gathering dust, one way or another.
Would I be interested in taking this to auction?
Well, yes, I would, because most of the fire screens that we see are, frankly, dull as dishwater.
I think it's worth asking the price on that.
NARRATOR: Where's dealer Gordon, then?
What?
It's a standout piece-- It is.
--if you've got the Victorian hearth for it.
What would buy that?
45 pounds.
I'll offer you 40, and I don't mind if you don't want to sell it at that.
DEALER GORDON: I'll concede 45.
Oh, well, we need to keep talking.
NARRATOR: Someone's playing hard to get.
Let's catch up with Ms. Manning back in Scotland in Kelso.
ANITA MANNING: Oh, what a lovely box.
Look at these little button feet.
Swan neck handles.
The wear on it.
It's lived a life.
I wish I could find out what was inside.
I can't get the key to unlock it.
Oops!
I've got it.
What treasures are inside?
Dust!
NARRATOR: It's 45 pounds.
Any chance of a discount?
Time to talk money with Tom.
This is priced at 45 pounds.
I could do it for 35.
Could you go to 30?
[SIGHS] I'll make it 30.
There you go.
30.
That's absolutely lovely.
[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Now, what about the ladle and the propelling pencil?
See, on the little pencil?
Oh yes, yes.
What did I have on it?
ANITA MANNING: Seven five.
DEALER TOM: Seven five.
Could it be 50?
All right.
Seeing it's you, I'll make it 50.
OK, well that's great.
I mean, I do love it.
Good.
NARRATOR: Jolly good.
Anita's decided to leave the ladle but dishes out 80 pounds for the wooden box and the propelling pencil.
She's off to a flying start.
DEALER TOM: There you go.
Thank you.
ANITA MANNING: Bye, Tom.
DEALER TOM: Bye bye.
NARRATOR: She has just short of 180 pounds left to spend.
Bravo!
[UPBEAT PIANO MUSIC PLAYING] Now, how are Paul and Gordon getting on back in England, in Wooler?
Two sweetheart brooches.
I like, because of what they are, and I don't like, because of their youth.
[SLOW TEMPO JAZZ MUSIC] NARRATOR: A sweetheart brooch, depicting regimental insignia, were commonly given to loved ones by servicemen going off to battle.
These two are post second World War.
75 pounds on the pair of those.
Is there a reduced price for the pair?
Price for the pair, 50.
And the price individually?
Is 30 pounds each.
If I take one at 30 quid, give me that screen for 40.
[CHEERFUL MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: He's a cheeky one!
Are we doing it?
We'll do it.
Thank you very much!
Here's an interesting combination, right?
NARRATOR: Perfect.
Paul has his first two items as a result.
Sir, it's been a pleasure.
Of course!
Lead on, and I shall bid you adieu.
[SLOW JAZZ PLAYING] NARRATOR: Now, where's Anita at?
Well, first show-- two items bought.
I'm quite pleased.
That was the plan.
NARRATOR: There's a plan?
That's a first.
Ha!
Anita's steered towards Hawick.
The largest of the border towns, Hawick has a history that stretches back almost one and a half thousand years to the days of the Angles.
Today, however, it's very much a Scot who's come to town.
Anita's visiting Borthwick Trading Antiques, which is jam-packed with fine furniture.
Our expert has nearly 180 pounds to spend, but what will take her fancy?
Oh!
That's nice.
My favorite period of furniture and objects is the art nouveau period, and that was towards the end of the 1800s and the beginning of the 1900s.
And I've spotted a most beautiful piece.
This is a little music cabinet.
It's mahogany.
It's inlaid with decoration, which shows flowers.
We can see the same sort of motif on the doors.
It's almost like dreamlike plants.
And if we look inside, we can see velvet-lined trees where you would lay your music.
And all this adds up to this most beautiful piece.
This is priced up at four and a half thousand pounds.
It's too dear for my budget.
NARRATOR: Best downsize, methinks.
Perhaps something smaller?
I love inlay and I love marquetry-- Dutch marquetry.
And what we've got here is a beautiful little stationary box with marquetry, which is showing us flowers, leaves, and a couple of lovebirds.
It's very, very, very pretty.
NARRATOR: Ticket price for pretty-- 120 pounds.
Nice item.
ANITA MANNING: If we open it up, we see compartments for stationery and so on.
So it's a lovely wee box.
Notice here on this side, we have some missing pieces of veneer.
But there's a little note, a little envelope here, which said, "Tiny bits for the marquetry box."
So somebody could do a little repair job on it.
NARRATOR: That's handy.
Anything else here?
There is also an interesting Georgian knife box here, which I rather like.
Now this knife box has been a little neglected.
But a little clean could probably bring it up.
[UP-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: This is priced at 65 pounds.
What are you thinking, Anita?
If I put the knife box with the marquetry box, Morris might be able to give me a really smart deal.
NARRATOR: Oh, she's a clever clogs, isn't she?
Total price for both things-- 185 pounds.
Haggle coming!
Morris, gird your loins!
I found two lovely little antique pieces here.
Both of them have got condition issues.
If I bought the two of them together, would you sell them to me for 100 pounds?
Um.
NARRATOR: Take your time, Morris.
OK. You've got a deal.
Aw, put it there.
That's lovely.
Thank you very, very much.
[UP-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Fantastic!
That's another two lots in the bag.
Oh, she's on fire today!
30 pounds for the knife box and 70 pounds for the marquetry box.
I think I've got a bargain!
NARRATOR: Well, time will tell, girl!
Paul, meanwhile, has given his shopping a body swerve to visit Melrose.
[SLOW-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING] Many of us are well-versed with rugby.
Two halves of 40 minutes with teams of 13 or 15 players.
But in Melrose, a shortened version was born that some argue kicks the union and league forms into touch-- rugby sevens.
Fast-paced and exciting, it has teams of seven players and seven-minute halves.
And it was dreamed up by a local young butcher's apprentice in 1883.
Good morning [INAUDIBLE].
Good morning, nice to see you.
NARRATOR: Here to tell Paul the fascinating story is legendary international rugby player, coach, and borders man, Jim Telfer.
So Jim, the international sport of rugby sevens hails from here, Melrose?
Yeah, it's attributed to a chap called Ned Haig, who was a butcher's apprentice up the road.
And him and his boss, David Sanderson, came up with the idea of playing an abbreviated game.
[UP-TEMPO PIANO PLAYING] NARRATOR: Melrose Rugby Club was founded in the 1870s, but within a few years, they were strapped for cash.
Young butcher Ned and his boss organized a fundraising sports tournament, inviting several local clubs to play a shorter, knockout version of rugby union.
So who won the first competition?
JIM TELFER: Well, Melrose won it, naturally.
NARRATOR: It went to extra time of seven minutes each way, but it wasn't without controversy.
Melrose scored a try before the seven minutes was up, and they picked up the ball, walked off the field, and said, we'd won the tournament.
And so they claimed the cup.
They didn't let on it was sudden death at the off.
Oh, no, they didn't.
I suppose if they hadn't scored first, they might have played the whole time.
But they walked off the pitch.
NARRATOR: The bold-faced Melrose team, captained by Butcher Davy Sanderson, set a sudden death precedent that some tournament still use today.
And was there a trophy?
JIM TELFER: Yeah, there was a trophy-- a very expensive trophy, because the ladies of Melrose saved up to give them the cup, a beautiful little cup.
And there's only three cups since 1883.
But none of the cups leave the ground, the cabinet, because they're so valuable.
And with the history of rugby players and cups-- you know, kicking them around and so on-- then we make sure that there's a replica given out to them.
I can show you, if you want.
They're in a cabinet.
And you know, you won't get your hands on them, because they're all wired up, you know.
[FOLK FIDDLE MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Well, it must be a very special occasion.
They've made an exception for Paul.
PAUL LAIDLAW: This literally is the Holy Grail to rugby seven.
It's the first time I've ever seen it out of the cabinet, so you'd better not take it away.
NARRATOR: Ned Haig's game was a real success.
By the 1920s, all the borders clubs had rugby sevens teams.
And today, it's an international Olympic sport that for decades, Jim has been at the very heart of.
I've been all over the world.
I mean, I think I've been on rugby tours to New Zealand seven times.
And I've been in Australia, about the same in South Africa.
It's unbelievable what you can do as a rugby player nowadays.
But I was lucky I became a coach as well.
I coached Melrose, I coached Scotland, and of course, the Lions twice.
So rugby has given me some great pleasure.
Jim, several times you said you were lucky there.
I suspect the boys and men you coached were as lucky.
And I feel lucky I bumped into you today and, and learned what I've learned.
[BAND MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: But what better way to learn about the sport than to play it?
And what if your coach was Jim Telfer himself?
Now, wouldn't that be something?
Use two hands, Paul-- PAUL LAIDLAW: Right.
--when you're passing the ball.
PAUL LAIDLAW: OK. JIM TELFER: That's good.
That's improvement.
[YELLS] NARRATOR: Melrose are the current Scottish champions and Rugby World Cup Sevens Trophy is named the Melrose Cup-- meaning the legacy of the butcher's apprentice in this very quiet borders town lives on.
[SLOW-TEMPO JAZZ PLAYING] Right.
With Paul shower-fresh, and all the shopping done for today, I'd say it's time to reunite in the Triumph.
So, Paul, a heavy day?
PAUL LAIDLAW: Get us somewhere where I can rest these tired old battered and bruised bones.
Will you be looking for a wee rub down tonight?
Is that an offer, then?
Oops!
I mean, we're close and all, but-- NARRATOR: Hey, good lord.
Nighty night!
[MUSIC PLAYING] Good morning!
The sun's shining and I'm in the jolliest of moods.
What's the "bants" in the Triumph?
Modern speak for banter.
I had a great day yesterday.
It was absolutely wonderful.
(SARCASTICALLY) Oh, that's lovely to hear.
I bought some wonderful things.
(SARCASTICALLY) Oh, great.
NARRATOR: Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.
Yesterday, Paul bought a fire screen and a sweetheart brooch.
Give me that screen for 40.
NARRATOR: He still has 321 pounds and 46 pence in his wallet.
Anita, meanwhile, bought a knife tray, a stationery box, a propelling pencil, and a wooden box.
Oh, what a lovely wee box!
NARRATOR: Aw!
She has 79 pounds and 22 pence left to spend.
I've been Mrs Scattercash.
No!
No, seriously?
Is that making you happy?
Oh, the sun is shining and you're saying all the right things.
All is well with the world, Anita!
NARRATOR: With Anita dropped off, Paul's first pit stop of the day is Innerleithen in the Tweed Valley.
What a braw morning!
Anita is off doing what Anita does.
I'm going to take the chariot, my bulging wallet, and my enthusiasm, off on a gallivanting of the borders, looking for treasure to compound my victories against the heart beating.
I need the money!
NARRATOR: Paul's popping into ABK Antiques, with over 321 pounds in his kitty.
But what will he spy?
Something big, maybe?
Far away, away?
Maybe wooden-- small-- big-- tiny-- shiny?
I do enjoy stumbling across items I've not seen before, ever.
It's a fob watch.
Anything you associate with an RCS.
But it's way more than that.
Look at the, look at the elements of this piece.
The suspender is modeled as a set of wings, either side of the shield.
That is a representation of a US Army Air Force pilot's qualification badge.
The watch case proper, for my money, is modeled after what you might call a Tommy helmet.
Yeah.
It was worn First and Second World War.
It's set on a V. That is V for "victory," folks.
Yes!
We're dating this to the Second World War, are we not?
We've got the flags of the United States, France, and of course, dear, old, blighty Great Britain.
And then we turn it over, and there you have a watch face.
I adore it, and I suspect it's a rare little beastie.
NARRATOR: The ticket price is 15 pounds AF, or as found, because the watch movement doesn't work.
But that doesn't matter.
That's one possible.
Come on, Paul, what else can you uncover?
Time to get dealer Bryan involved, I think, because-- ahoy there!
What's that?
PAUL LAIDLAW: Tell you what I do like-- your wee silver boat, for want of a better term.
DEALER BRYAN: Yes, I'd say a sailing ship from Malta, I believe.
Beautifully done.
Of course, this is, it's funny that silversmiths the world over have a penchant for making miniature vessels.
This could be a Shanghai silversmith-- this would be a junk.
But I like this one more than I do most.
I think that's a lovely-- all articulated.
There's your little rudder.
Away you go, and you've a little mark here, and there is a cross there.
NARRATOR: This Maltese boat bears hallmarks of continental 800 rather than the purer 925 sterling silver, and dates to the 1920s.
It's a nice find.
Your label's marked 75 pounds.
I don't know that they're the easiest sell, though.
Can you discount that much or not?
DEALER BRYAN: What would you be happy with it for?
Well, I don't think I'm taking the Mickey at 50.
I was thinking 60 when I was going to give you a discount.
Split it at 55.
Yeah, split it at 55.
OK. OK. PAUL LAIDLAW: You're an absolute gentleman.
NARRATOR: The deal is sealed and Paul also buys the military fob watch for 15 pounds, which is a bargain.
And now, has four auction lots and just over 245 pounds in his wallet.
[SLOW-TEMPO JAZZ PLAYING] And he's got time for one more shop.
Could this day get any better?
I think not.
Now where's Anita, then?
Well, she's made her way to the royal and ancient borough of Selkirk.
She's visiting Bowhill House, a Georgian mansion and the family seat of the Buccleuch nobility.
But it's also home to a rare breed of terrier, one with a quite interesting history-- the Dandie Dinmont.
Here to meet Anita is Lucy, and her owner, Callum Flanders.
Tell me about the features peculiar to this breed.
Well, the Dandie Dinmont has a long back.
It has short front legs.
Big, beautiful, topknot, which is fantastic.
Oh, I love that silky-- And beautiful, big eyes, which you can't resist looking into.
You can never be angry if you look into their eyes.
So, what sort of jobs did the Dandies do?
Well, the Dandie was bred to control vermin on the farms and the estates round about in the Scottish borders.
And they were prolific at it.
So that's what made them very popular in their days.
So what sort of-- rats?
Rats, mice, foxes, you know, otters, badgers-- things like that.
Things that they never do anything like that nowadays.
[SLOW TEMPO CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: The Dandie's keen sense of smell and powerful jaw and neck made them perfect for the job, and they were highly sought after by landowners, farmers, gamekeepers, and even poachers, in the borders and north of England.
You could name your price for a Dandie Dinmont in the 1800s-- they were that popular.
The Duke of Northumberland actually offered a farm in exchange for one dog.
ANITA MANNING: For one dog?
CALLUM FLANDERS: For one dog.
They were that popular.
NARRATOR: And in Bowhill House hangs an 18th century Gainsborough painting of the Duke of Buccleuch with his much-prized Dandie.
An archive kept here reveals another prestigious owner of the dogs, and in turn, the origins of their unusual name.
CALLUM FLANDERS: It's the history of the Dandie Dinmonts and their family trees.
Here is Old Ginger.
Old Ginger's father was Old Pepper here at Bowhill, and his mother was Vixen.
And if you look further back there, you'll see Vixen's family belonged to Sir Walter Scott.
NARRATOR: Sir Walter Scott was a blockbuster novelist in the early 1800s.
His book, "Guy Mannering," featured a farmer called Dandie Dinmont who owned small terriers.
After the book was published, the dogs were named after him.
Ha!
The novel's success raised the breed's profile and popularity.
Even Queen Victoria had to have one!
But do they still have the hunter's instinct?
You see, Anita, she's in there, she's hunting around, sniffing around, seeing what she can find.
Just hunting for-- ANITA MANNING: She's looking for a rabbit hole.
CALLUM FLANDERS: She's looking for something like that.
They'll get trained on what to find.
If you train them to look after, for, for a vermin, they'll get the scent of the vermin and they'll know where they are.
And they'll be persistent to get it.
They've got the short legs for digging with, if they have to dig into the ground, to dig into the ground to find them.
ANITA MANNING: I wonder if going into the ground would mess up that lovely hairstyle we've got?
Ah, unfortunately it does.
It does.
And now available for digging your garden.
NARRATOR: Today, Dandies are kept as pets and show dogs but their numbers have drastically declined, and they are an endangered breed.
Last year, only 123 puppies were born.
[UP-TEMPO HORN MUSIC] Oh, there are more, hi!
NARRATOR: But the Caledonian Dandie Dinmont Terrier Club, and others like it, are doing what they can to keep the breed going.
Oh, oh my goodness!
Callum!
Yeah, look at them all.
What is it, a herd of Dandies?
Yeah, it's a pack of Dandies!
A pack of Dandies!
CALLUM FLANDERS: Look at them all!
Mustard and pepper dogs.
Two different colors there.
Two different colors there.
So you can see there are quite a lot-- and they're all very, very friendly dogs, full of character.
Very lovable.
They're a great wee dog.
NARRATOR: They certainly are.
Smile, everybody's looking!
NARRATOR: But with more antiques to sniff out, I don't know how Anita's going to tear herself away.
[TRIUMPHANT CLASSICAL MUSIC CRESCENDOES] [UP-TEMPO JAZZ PLAYING] Paul, meanwhile, has traveled to the village of Wiston in South Lanarkshire.
Anita will be heading that way, too, but our man's on the move and on a mission.
PAUL LAIDLAW: There's two things this morning.
Two things yesterday.
Then were going to bump into Anita at the final shop of the day.
Nice, double-edged-- it was A, fantastic.
Anita-- good crack.
But on the other hand, Anita-- competition.
And that, I do not.
NARRATOR: The pleasingly-named Sunnyside Antiques is the destination.
Paul has just over 250 pounds to burn and is first to arrive.
Very elegant.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING] What's that?
NARRATOR: You tell me, boss.
That is a highly distinctive snuff-- mull.
NARRATOR: Yep, sure is.
Nice one, too.
It is made of cow horn, beautifully worked, terminating in this little scroll, this tight little scroll.
NARRATOR: Snuff, of course, is powdered tobacco inhaled through the nose in pinches.
Achoo!
Once a fairly widespread, if harmful, practice, it's not commonplace today.
This Georgian holder, or mull, has a typical Scottish design.
A few years ago, you would need 200 or 300 pounds to buy one of these.
I kid you not.
They were a desirable, a covetable object.
But like so many period collectibles, they've fallen in value just a wee bit.
Mark?
DEALER MARK: Paul?
PAUL LAIDLAW: I love these things.
DEALER MARK: Mm-hmm.
PAUL LAIDLAW: No price?
I think the best I could really do on it would be 65.
I couldn't get as low as 50.
Historically, that is a bargain price, though, isn't it?
Because if you'd told me a few years ago-- [LAUGHS] I think it's a fair price.
But you're not going to do it for 50.
I can't, honestly, Paul.
65?
Mm-hmm.
Well, do you know what?
This Scot wants to buy this mull.
So I'm going to give you 65 pounds of that.
Thank you very much.
PAUL LAIDLAW: Fantastic.
[SLOW-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Great snuff-- I mean, stuff.
Ha!
Now, look who's here.
What are you laughing about?
NARRATOR: Minnie the Minx in a bonnet!
Paul!
Oh, hi!
Hi!
How long have you been looking now?
I've been hiding about here for about an hour!
You've not!
- I have!
- Oh, please.
You have not been here an hour!
Waiting to come in!
Well, look-- ANITA MANNING: Have you finished?
I'm done.
That is all yours to play with!
Have you spent all your money?
In fairness, 20 quid is not a lot of money to spend on five things, but-- Five good things!
Get out of my road!
See you later!
NARRATOR: What nonsense!
I love it.
Now back to work-- Anita, at least.
What are those, then?
Hames?
James?
Horse hames.
So they would fit-- Horse-- Hames.
H-A--- --M-E-S. And what are horse hames?
Well, they would be attached to the side of the horse so you could put a harness on the horse, and you could pull a plow behind the horse-- say, a Clydesdale.
That's my understanding.
Well, I quite like the fact that they're big.
And there's chains on them.
They're a piece of equine history.
Oh, I'm so tempted.
What is the very best price that you can do on that?
The very best would be 45.
45 pounds?
I think I'll take a chance.
DEALER MARK: All right, thank you.
ANITA MANNING: Let's go for it.
DEALER MARK: Wonderful.
NARRATOR: Fantastic.
The horse hames have found a home, and Anita's finished her shopping - Thank you very much.
- Thank you.
It's been a pleasure.
DEALER MARK: Bye bye.
NARRATOR: And with Paul's shopping done, too, that can only mean one thing-- PAUL LAIDLAW: Come on!
NARRATOR: --auction awaits!
Are you going to set the heather alight with your purchases?
Of course!
How about you?
PAUL LAIDLAW: Don't know, but we'll soon see.
Come on!
[ANITA LAUGHING] NARRATOR: Time for some shut-eye.
[UP-TEMPO JAZZ PLAYING] Wake up, everyone!
It's auction day!
Our hard-working heroes have skedaddled around the border and are now in England, at Crooklands, just a few miles south of Kendal, in Cumbria.
1818 Auctioneers enter their third century of the business and online bids all add to the atmosphere.
Well, Paul, lead along!
Auction number three!
- Halfway house!
- Halfway house!
Going to turn that corner?
I don't know!
NARRATOR: Anything could happen.
Thank you.
NARRATOR: Anita splashed 225 pounds on five auction lots, including that tiny propelling pencil.
Now, I like this and I suspect others will, too, because early writing implements are hot.
The unknown quantity is, what's it made of?
If it's gold plate, the price tag of 50 pounds was too much.
If it's unmarked gold, it wasn't enough.
Regardless, I think it's a little joy, don't you?
NARRATOR: Yes, I do.
Now Paul spent 205 pounds, also on five lots.
What's Anita got to say?
A 19th century snuff mull?
This is traditional fare in the sale rooms.
I like these but this one is a fairly ordinary one.
I prefer to see the ones with more ornate mounts, silver mounts.
Might be a bit tricky, this one.
[FAST-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Auctioneer Bill Nelson has had a gander at their goodies, too.
Thoughts?
The miniature case-- it's nice, it's a nice piece of wood.
It's not going to fly.
But it will sell.
The sweetheart brooch watch is just original.
It's gorgeous.
The Allied flag is on there the little Tommy helmet.
That could fly.
I think it's beautiful.
NARRATOR: Right, peeps-- that's modern speak for people-- grab a seat!
It's auction time!
PAUL LAIDLAW: Your thrown awaits, madam.
ANITA MANNING: Yes!
I think these chairs are lovely.
If you're going to do it, do it in style.
You can be the king and I can be the queen.
NARRATOR: Shush, now, Your Majesties.
It's time to get selling!
First up, Anita's wooden box.
AUCTIONEER: 20 pounds for the little case.
20 pound-- thank you, 20 pound, bid at 20, at 20, at 20, at 20 pound bid.
20.
Good and well in the [INAUDIBLE].. --22.
5, 8, 30, 32, are you sure?
At-- Ah, go on!
32 pounds, at 32, 32, 32, at 32 pounds and selling-- 35.
- Yes!
AUCTIONEER: 38.
Show big!
38, 38, 38, 38, one more on the internet at 38, at 38, at 38 pounds and I sell at 38 pounds.
NARRATOR: Great start.
Well done.
It's a profit.
I think the buyer is going to be happy.
NARRATOR: Next up-- Paul's fire screen.
Will it be hot or not?
[FAST-PACED CLASSICAL MUSIC] 20 pounds for a start.
20 pound!
I have 15 bid, at 15, at 15, 18, 20, 20 pounds and bid at 20, at 22 pounds and bid at 22, at 22, at 22, 22 pounds and bid at 22, at 22, at 22, at 22 pounds, 5, 25-- [ANITA GASPS] --25, at 25 pounds and bid at 25, at 25, at 25 pounds and I sell at 25 pounds.
NARRATOR: Chin up, Paul, early days yet.
It's sore.
It's painful.
You feel like everybody's looking at you.
NARRATOR: Anita's propelling pencil is next.
Can this teeny thing make big money?
20 pound and bid at 20 at 20 with me at 22, 5, 25, 25, 28, 30, 32, 35, 38, 40, 42, 45, 48, 50.
It's only money.
At 50, at 50, at 50 pound and bid at 50 at 50 at 50, at 50 pound and bid at 5 and 60-- Yes!
And 5 and 70, at 70 pounds, at 70 pounds-- Yes!
At 70 pounds, at 70 pound, bid at 70, at 70, at 70 pounds, it's 70 pounds and selling at 70 pound!
NARRATOR: It's propelled itself straight into profit!
Brilliant!
He who dares, wins!
NARRATOR: Now, who will fall for Paul's sweetheart brooch?
And a 30 pound bid online at 30-- 30 online?
At 30 pounds 2, 32-- We are into profit now, Paul.
--32, 32, at 32 in the room at 32 pound and bid at 32, 32, 35, 38, 40, 2, at 42 pound and I sell at 42 pounds.
NARRATOR: A modest profit, but he's still behind.
I thought it would have done more than that.
[LAUGHS] NARRATOR: Next under the gavel-- Anita's stationery box.
And a lovely little thing this is.
And 48 pound and bid at 48, 48, at 48, at 48 and 50.
At 50 pound and bid at 50, at 50-- Internet in this round, yeah?
At 50, at 50, at 50 pounds, at 50 pounds-- He's trying hard.
Selling at 50 pound.
NARRATOR: Oh dear.
That's her first loss.
I should have stuck to 20th century.
NARRATOR: Time now for Paul's military fob watch.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING] 20 pound.
20 pound for a start.
20 bid.
Thank you, online.
Do you think it's going to make it into profit, darling?
22, 22, 5, 25, 25, 25, wears me military men when I want them?
28, at 28, at 28, 30, bid a 30-pound bid, at 30, 30 pounds-- You've doubled your money.
It's now in the zone of when I would [INAUDIBLE].. 30, 2, 32, 32, 32-- Is it just in the room?
Bid in the room at 32, 32, at 32 pounds.
At 32 pounds and selling at 32 pound.
NARRATOR: Great result!
And pushes Paul into the lead.
More than 100% profit.
Yeah, no, no, now I feel it's all right.
That's all right.
NARRATOR: Next, how will Anita's knife tray fare?
Wish me luck, Paul.
Good luck, Anita!
15, then.
15 pound.
Thank you, 15 pound and bid at 15, at 15, at 15, 15 pounds and bid at 18.
18 pound, 20, at 20, at 2, 22, 5, 25, 25, 25, 25-- Come on!
AUCTIONEER: At 25 pound and bid at 25, in the room at 25 pound, at 25 pound and bid at 25, and selling at 25 pound.
NARRATOR: Never mind, chum.
Look on the bright side.
Well, it could have been a lot worse.
NARRATOR: Next, Paul's silver boat.
Plain sailing to a profit?
In Malta?
30 pound.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING] That's 30 pound-- [INAUDIBLE] Lucky bid.
AUCTIONEER: 32, 32, at 32 pound and bid at 32, 32, 32, 5, 35, 38, 38, 38, at 42 pound and bid at 42, 42, 42, at 42 pound and bid at 42-- The same.
Should have been the same.
It wasn't.
At 42 pound and selling at 42 pound.
NARRATOR: Another loss!
What a shame.
It's like the Titanic.
Hard luck.
Going south.
NARRATOR: Hm.
Anita's final lot is next-- the horse hames.
10 pound bid at 10, at 10, at 10 pound, at 10-- Oh, he started at 10!
12, 15, 18, 20, 22, 25, 28-- Yes!
At 28 pounds and bid at 28, at 28, 30, at 30 pound and bid at 32, 32, 35, 35, 38, 38, 40.
At 40 pound and bid at 40, at 40, 42-- Keep on going!
Keep on going!
42, 45, 48, 50, at 50 pound and bid at 50, 55, 55-- Yeah!
--55, at 55 pounds and selling at 55 pound.
NARRATOR: Phew!
Well done that woman, eh?
Thank you!
NARRATOR: It's Paul's last lot now-- the snuff mull.
And it's a lovely-looking thing.
Where are we going to start on that?
50 pound to start me?
50, 50 pound.
50 pounds.
I hate these pregnant pauses!
AUCTIONEER: 30, then.
Start me at 30.
Thank you.
30 pound and bid at 30, at 30, at 30, at 30 pound and bid at 30 pound and 2, 32, 32, 5, 8, 38, 38, 40, 42, 42, 45, 45, at 45 pound and bid at 45, 45, 45, 45, at 45 pound and bid at 45, 45, 45, at 45-- Oh, he's going to drop it.
At 45, at 45 pound, and selling at 45 pound.
[GAVEL BANGS] NARRATOR: One word-- ouch!
Let's go and drown our sorrows in a nice, strong, cup of tea.
Let's go.
Come on.
NARRATOR: Before you brew up, let's do the math.
Lady Luck wasn't on Paul's side today.
After selling costs, he lost just over 50 pounds.
But his piggy bank is still packing some pork.
He has just over 330 pounds to spend next time.
Anita is today's queen of the auction.
She lost the least-- almost 30 pounds after fees.
So we'll take just a smidge under 230 pounds on to the next trip.
I have a feeling this competitive pair will bounce back, just you see.
Get yourself a [INAUDIBLE].
Thank you, Paul.
Well, that was a bit of a roller coaster.
Well, I felt the down.
There's not so many of the ups.
But my horse hames galloped away!
[SLOW-TEMPO JAZZ PLAYING]