Playing for Pride

The sky blue 1971 camper van is zooming around Cheshire and Merseyside. At the wheel is auctioneer Charles Hanson. His co-pilot is dealer with pizazz Roo Irvine. With a sum of £400 each, our antiques amigos are vying against each other in this best of five.

One of them is leading the way, whilst the other is desperately playing catch-up. Excitement abounds as pottery-loving Charles finds a Yixing earthenware teapot in Northwich, a hopefully early pochette and a late-Victorian masonic mallet in Frodsham, and a beautiful art deco figure in Liverpool. Roo dips into her love for sparkly jewellery and scoops up an emerald and diamond ring in Northwich, a couple of ladies pocket watches in Birkenhead and then falls in love with an unusual ruby, glass and silver vesta case. After bundles of small treasures, she opts for a large sculptural gramophone.

In amongst all the joyous revelry of buying, Roo stops off in the city of Liverpool to learn about an extraordinary Georgian miniaturist who took the fashionable art world by storm in the early 19th century. Sarah Biffin was born without arms and did not allow her disability to define her. Roo discovers her inspirational story.

We conclude with an auction in Bristol. Who will grab the win?