Episode 1 Antiques Road Trip

The nation's favourite antiques experts.

One big challenge.

Who can make the most profit buying and selling antiques as they drive around the UK?

-£6.

-£5.

-Done.

Is that your very best you can do?

By the end of their trip they should have made some big money.

But it's not as easy as it sounds.

And only one will be crowned champion at the final auction in London.

This is the Antiques Road Trip.

In this final week, the antiques experts are Mark Stacey and James Braxton.

Mark Stacey hails from Wales and has his own valuation business on the English south coast.

Perfect! Yup, perfect.

James Braxton is a graduate of the Inchbald School of Design and now a seasoned auctioneer.

It's a road trip, it's fun. I'm a gambling man so let's get it on!

And he's brought his own beautiful old car along this week.

James and Mark started the week with £250 each.

James' strategy has been risky.

Big spending hasn't really worked, earning him the grand profit so far of £2.25.

But astonishingly, he's kept in the lead.

After yesterday's show, he has £252.25.

Well, all our lovely hard work really hasn't put us very far ahead,

if you call £2 a massive amount.

Mark's been going for small, cheap items and that hasn't worked either.

Mark made big profits on yesterday's show, but is still down on his original £250.

He's got £236.74 to start today's show.

What I'm really trying to do today is buy sensibly but buy cheap.

This week, the boys have been pootling round

the southeast of England and in today's show

they're leaving Tring, in Hertfordshire,

ending up at auction in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.

Wendover is the first stop.

Wendover in Buckinghamshire is a pretty commuter town, or village, as it's known locally.

Wendover was once part-owned by Anne Boleyn before her unfortunate encounter

with an antique cutting device, or sword, as it's known locally.

Well, we finally made it, James.

Through wind, rain and hail, we got here.

Apparently there's two levels.

I think I'll take downstairs.

Ah, wise choice. I'll go upstairs.

See you later.

Today, it's round three for Mark and James.

People like collecting perfume bottles and this is rather a sweet one.

It's a clear body with a frosted glass stopper with this little butterfly motif.

I was rather hoping that it was going to be signed Lalique on the bottom, but it's not, unfortunately.

They're asking £35, which is quite a lot of money.

Mark is still looking for cheap, but James has been going crazy

so far this week, spending big and not making much profit.

I'm not going to make that mistake, I'm going to bank some of my money

and I'm going to spend, max today, about £30 on every item.

Oh, this is the rude box! This was produced in... I went to school very near Reading

and Huntley & Palmers, the biscuit manufacturers, metal box...

Founded in 1822, Huntley & Palmer was once Britain's most famous and popular biscuit company

but they're better known in the antiques world for their decorative tins.

A rather disinfected designer working, young chap, was fired, for

some misdemeanour so he decided in the Christmas box this year

that he would add various things and you'll see there's a pair of dogs copulating in the hedgerow there.

When Huntley & Palmer discovered the hidden figures,

the tins were instantly withdrawn and very few made it to the shops.

So these rude tins are rare and relatively valuable.

I see it's priced at £70 but it falls outside my buying profile for today.

Now this is quite nice.

This is a little Royal Dux porcelain figure of a child kneeling and she's obviously praying here,

as she's just about to go to bed but I quite like this cheeky bottom shot on the back.

Royal Dux was founded in 1860, in what is now the Czech Republic.

These Bohemian figurines became popular after the Second World War and are very collectable today.

Some can fetch hundreds of pounds at auction and that's at the bottom end(!)

It's probably 1950s and it's only marked up at £22.

If we could get that for £15 or something, I think there's probably a profit in that.

Can I just look at the cufflinks?

The gold cufflinks. So, generally, how much are all these ones at?

£65.

They're nicely engine turned as well.

Engine turning is a method of engraving on metal surfaces by machine, rather than by hand,

allowing intricate and precise patterning.

James wants to check scrap prices and calls a dealer.

Rather nice standard, chain-link cufflinks, 1939, engine turned.

It's all down to weight though.

They're not terribly heavy. Around about £40 at auction, but the acid test is the trade will pay £4 a gram.

Right, just pop them on, the weighers.

They're coming in at seven grams.

If this were merely a lump of gold, by James' calculation of £4 per gram, he'd get a rock bottom £28.

The engine turning and design should add more value.

Would you do £35?

It's really squeezing me very hard.

I can make a little bit on it, so I'll do them at £35.

Good. Let's do it. Thank you very much indeed, Claudia.

-Goodbye!

-Good work, James.

Although that's £5 over the strict limit you set yourself for today.

And now Mark must get to the bottom of his situation.

Really, I was hoping to try and get her for about £15.

Really? I'm not sure the dealer will do that.

Well, could you give her a ring and find out?

Yes, I will. You have a figure of a child which you have 22 on,

I wondered if you could do a bit better than just the usual.

Oh, you'll do 15?

Perfect, perfect.

-Thank you so much again.

-Very nice to have met you.

Success for both our experts.

The day couldn't get any better!

Come on, Mark!

Well, you've been so long in there with your purchase, that we've managed to gather a ticket, anyway.

-Stop moaning, come on, we've got places to go to.

-A nice souvenir of Wendover.

On to the lovely village of Woburn in Buckinghamshire

and Mark's hoping a fellow Welshman might give him a bargain.

-Hello, I'm Mark.

-Hello, Mark. I'm Elfyn.

Nice to meet you, Elfyn. Now whereabouts in Wales are you from?

Um, South Wales, Newport.

But it's a very long time ago.

Me too, you know, I'm from near Swansea.

You know, will you take pity on me as I'm bedraggled and soaking wet from our car trip this morning

-and show me any possibilities of something, which is a bargain price?

-So you want to go that route?

I do. Yes!

And you want something quirky?

Quirky, cheap and guaranteed to make me a profit.

Apart from yourself of course, Elfyn.

If you're looking at quirky things, something like that.

A bagatelle game.

Yes, I'm not sure I'm looking at that quirky.

Bagatelle is a French ancestor of bar billiards.

-And this early 20th century brand of kumbakatel is apparently collectable.

-That could be £20.

Oh, well, let's think about that.

A sort of silly idea.

Yes, I see where you're coming from.

I think we're thinking along the same lines here.

Can we just open it up?

I promise I won't steal anything.

-Now, what is this?

-It's a sugar bowl.

This Sheffield silver sugar bowl was made in 1903 by Zachariah Barraclough & Sons

and has the pretty fluted edges popular at the turn of the 20th century.

£56 is not overly priced.

How would £40 help you?

-Oh, £30 would be better for me.

-30 is half price. You can't do half price.

-Yes, you can.

-35.

Oh, go on, please! It's so wet and I'm miserable.

I'm fairly confident Mark is currently engaged in what is normally referred to as "begging".

Please, please, please.

-Go on!

-Oh, go on!

Elfyn, you're a star.

-Yes, thank you very much. I shall get told off by my wife now.

-Thank you, Elfyn.

Looks like Mark's bargain might have put Elvin in the doghouse.

A few streets away James, who loves fine art, furniture and wines,

has come to see a wacky group of over 400 antique corkscrews.

Years ago, corkscrews was used in medical bottles, perfumes.

Cos you often see that in travelling toilet cases, don't you?

You get a little sleeve that has tiny little corkscrews which must have been for perfume bottles.

-Yes. Ladies.

-Here's quite a fun one.

A concertina, telescopic one there, and just funny little stirrup-like corkscrews here.

Oh, can I do it? Bend it round,

so it's safe. It's quite a clever design.

What would the butler have reached for?

If they'd obviously used to store the wines in the cellar, they'd sometimes be a bit dusty.

Now these brushes were there to take the dust off before you put the corkscrew on.

So there we are, over the top so we've regressed the thing, screw it in.

In it goes, and then the same action draws it out. Very clever.

-Amazing, isn't it?

-You can imagine some mad engineer thinking,

"Why is my butler taking so long to open that wine?"

Corkscrews are often credited as being an English invention.

The first patented design was by the Reverend Henshall in 1795,

which was still being produced well into the 20th century.

This is a lever type.

So this goes into the bottle as you're turning it through and then

to lift it out, you were to put this over and obviously you lift it up.

Yeah, that's very good.

Stranger still, are screw-in champagne taps for siphoning off a quick snifter.

-So it's...

-A champagne corkscrew.

Because, very much in the early 19th century, champagne was regarded as medicinal.

Yes, it was.

So you would draw off a glass of champagne.

They didn't want to drink the whole bottle.

So that's 19th century and it's only £28 at retail.

For a bottle of champagne, you can have the tap.

Now thoroughly unwound, and wishing there was an accompanying champagne collection,

James goes to meet Mark for the remains of the day.

Right. Home, James.

It's running well at the moment.

Morning has broken and, for once, Mark is leading the spending spree,

with James lagging behind, as another day of tough bargaining awaits them.

-The sun is shining on us.

-Good.

So let's hope we find some bargains. I need some bargains.

Fingers crossed, James.

So far, James has bought just one item - the gold cufflinks.

He's got £217.25 left.

Mark's had a better start, with two items bought, and has £191.24 left.

I'm feeling the pressure, Mark. I am.

Are you? I'm loving it, James, carry on!

Next the boys hit Weedon, in Buckinghamshire.

In the 13th century, Weedon locals were fined by

the Lord of the Manor if their animals strayed onto his land.

Nowadays, they'll let anyone roam around the village or trample through their antique shops.

-Good luck.

-Hope you find nothing in there.

Bargains are over here!

James heads across the road, looking for those little, odd cheap items

that he might just get for next to nothing.

This is nice Art Deco. It's got some damage to the patina surface.

There we are.

It's a good size as well, isn't it?

-How did you know I was seven and one eighth?

-I'm very good at measuring things.

Huh. Big head!

But Mark has got into the serious business of browsing.

Oh, that's very good. What's that?

A little elephant cup, it could be a shaving mug.

Continental I would have thought. Late Victorian/Edwardian again.

Rather nice sort of pastel colours.

Yeah, that's rather fun that.

£85.

Well, it's a bargain if the five was missing.

James found nothing of interest across the road.

Now, risking confrontation with another Alpha Antiques Expert,

James cautiously enters the same shop as Mark.

Barry, can I trouble you for some cabinets?

You can.

I like the sort of lighthouse peppers here. Oh, London club.

And just nice, solid plated fellows, aren't they?

That's lovely. I've always liked little matchbox holders.

It's marked sterling, possibly American.

Hello, hello, hello. What's going on here?

-Am I caught in the act, Mark?

-You're caught in the act.

You're thieving from my venue.

I like to come to fresh ground so get out!

How dare you!

Clearly marking his territory, James sends Mark packing.

Get out!

What I'm going to do, I've seen some items here, I'm going to walk around,

just make sure I haven't missed anything and put a package to Barry.

Just a great object, isn't it?

It's well done, isn't it? It's turned wood and then very well painted.

Yes. Fabulous! When I saw that, I thought, "That's definitely lapis."

Yes, it's very well done.

Lapis lazuli is a beautiful, rare and expensive blue stone.

This wonderful piece is actually made of wood

but uses faux, or false painting, a decorative technique, to make it look like the precious stone.

It was often used by artists in the Art Deco period.

That's quite nice. Good tray.

£24. Oh, that's quite stylish.

Chamber stick.

Oh, it's fun, isn't it? £65! Horrid!

But it's got integrity, it's got a sense of humour. Look at that claw.

You know, time is moving on.

I'm a slightly worried man.

I only have one item from Wendover.

I'm hoping to do slightly better in Weedon and I need to, so I'm going to do battle with Barry and John.

Across the road, Mark is looking for those little bargains that James failed to spot.

Well, I like this actually, based on a sort of very old idea of

a milking stool but it's got this rather nice Art Nouveau top on it.

It's got a couple of chips on it here

but these rather nice turned legs.

It's priced up quite reasonably at £22

but I just wonder if I could get it a bit cheaper because of the damage.

Henry, I really like this.

Unfortunately, it has got a little bit of damage on it.

The very best we can do on this is £18.

-£18.

-Normally it would be sort of 21, but we can do it for you for 18.

-Well, I think we've got a deal. Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

Mark has done very well and pulled off a gold top deal on milking that stool.

Back with James, and his six favourite items are laid out.

What I want to do is sort of buy a package.

-Yes...

-He's got the London Club salt and pepper shakers, the Art Deco matchbox cover,

the Indian hardwood tea tray, the chamber stick, the faux lapis lazuli and a silver tiara.

What will he go for?

There are items here that are 29, 29, that's 24.

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

These items have a combined asking price of £297, way more than James has left.

He's only got £217.25.

Surely he's not thinking of buying the lot anyway?

195.

The lot.

-For the lot?

-Mm.

-James?

Everything all right?

I'm not going to make that mistake.

I'm going to bank some of my money...

James?!

Isn't that funny? You've slightly taken the wind out of my sails there.

You know, it's a road trip, it's fun, I'm a gambling man,

so let's get it on!

It's going to be great, I can't wait to see Mark's face when we do the reveal.

JAMES LAUGHS

What, later tonight?

No, I think there may be a small tantrum.

Well, let's see.

Well, I've got a bag full of goodies, James.

Anyway, I've been busy at work. That's for you.

-Oh, James you're a gent.

-Pleasure.

Chin-chin. Well, look my first purchase.

It's a little figure of a girl praying.

It's Royal Dux and look at that for a little cheeky pose.

THEY LAUGH

-That's fun!

-And I got it for a very cheeky price of £15.

-£15?

-One. Five. James.

Oh, James very nice.

-There we go, have a look.

-Engine turned, not very heavy though.

If I was putting those in for auction, I would have said £30 to £50.

-Ah, 35.

-It's a nice little silver sugar bowl.

Priced originally at...

55, 60?

£56. Spot on, Mr Braxton.

Thank you.

But I got it for 30.

No! You naughty little fellow.

And now we get to James' bumper package deal. Cue tantrum!

It's all in this box here, I'm just going to start, here, so

just a really nice, Indian sort of carved...

Just get on with it.

Oh, good God.

-You've bought half the shop!

-Where's the smile?

I'm getting very unhappy here.

Why? You were smiling so happily.

What do you think? Do you like it?

You haven't got the hair to go with it unfortunately, James.

No, it doesn't look good on somebody so bald, does it?

I quite like that. It was quite nice.

Yep. OK. This is getting ridiculous now.

Right. A pair of silver, London club, rather nice. I like those.

I want you to guess the price at the end of this.

Oh, that's nice. Silver.

Is that it now?

That's it now.

-So you bought this, all as one item.

-Guess how much?

-150.

-£195.

-No.

-Yeah.

-For all of it?

For all of it. So £32.50 for each item.

-You've taken a gamble again.

-I've taken a gamble again.

Not that rather sweet little Art Nouveau stool?

It was priced at £22.

No!

-And they gave it to me for £18. I love it.

-You love it.

-I think there's a chance there.

So that's everything finally revealed and now... Hang on a minute!

I just saw something that I adored in that shop,

which was this charming little knitting pin case.

Mark, you kept that one quiet!

It's a lovely 1930s knitting needle case, which the shop in Weedon secretly gave him for free.

They only had it up for £6.

They kindly gave it to me as a memento of my trip to Weedon.

Oh, you sneaky, sneaky fellow!

So I pulled another one out of the bag!

Mark's reaction was quite interesting because whenever

someone sort of doesn't greet your items with the same enthusiasm,

it sows a seed of doubt, and Mark certainly sowed a slight seed of doubt.

If that painted, fake, malachite bowl

doesn't make its money, the rest of it is very mediocre in my opinion but who knows?

Well, the shopping's done.

W W W dot,

Wendover, Woburn and Weedon

have been plundered for bargains

and the antiques have been sent to Abingdon for the auction.

The boys roll into Mallams on auction day.

They've been banging the gavel here since 1788, with over 200 years of antiques expertise.

Well, here we are at the auction, James.

That's a nice civilised start to the day.

-Yeah. Very nicely laid out.

-They specialise in fine arts

and decorative items so it looks like James and Mark might have bought quite wisely for once.

Henry Cooke, the auctioneer, has a few thoughts on James and Mark's lots.

-It's smart.

-Would you have it in your hallway?

No, it's not quite my style.

Do you think the damage will hold it back or not?

It probably will. And plywood isn't so easy to...

-All right, steady on.

-Difficult to laminate.

-It's a nice little stool and we've had a bit of interest.

-£30 to £50. I only paid 18 for it.

Starting this leg with £236.74,

Mark stuck to his strategy and cautiously spent just £63 on three items.

James started with £252.25 and completely blew

his strategy of spending small by spending a massive £230.

More than he planned, but with seven items to show for it.

Get it on!

Fingers are twitching, stomachs are churning, there's a scent of expectation in the air.

The auction is about to begin.

JAMES EXHALES

Deep breaths.

First up is Mark's freebie, so no great gamble here,

but Mark needs every penny he can get to catch up with James.

£10 for it? £10 anywhere?

Anyone want? £10.

It's not one of the celebrity lots at all. Pass on that. Lot 124.

That's probably why the needle case was free.

Pair of 9ct gold chain cufflinks.

James got these cufflinks at nearly scrap price.

Will their design add extra value and profit?

30 I have, 35, 40, 45, 50 now, 50 with the lady,

any advance on £50 and selling?

£50 only.

Not bad, James. Not bad at all.

And definitely worth the risk.

Next up, Mark's cheeky item.

-Will his prayers be answered for a large profit?

-£20 anywhere for it?

10 then?

10 I have, well done, madam, brave lady. £10. Anybody else want to bid?

£10. This is ridiculous.

It's really not going Mark's way today and he needs to beat James.

Still ahead, James wants his pretty tiara to work its magic.

Let's hope there's someone in the room with a little princess at home.

I've got high hopes for this one.

£20 for this, finished at £20 for a tiara, 10 then, anyone?

£10 only. No? Pass on that.

A-ha!

Revenge is sweet for Mark as James gets a no sale, too.

How can you laugh at another's mis...?

THEY LAUGH

OK, but try not to enjoy it too much, Mark!

-What happened, James?

-Don't know.

Just all over in a trice!

Now Mark needs a sweet deal on this sugar bowl.

£30 for this anywhere? 30 I have. 35. 40. 45. 50. 55. 60.

Nope, 60 here and selling for £60.

Oh, that's double, actually. That's up £30.

An excellent result. Double money for Mr Stacey!

Most of James' bumper package deal is still to sell.

Surely one of them must make a big profit.

Indian carved hardwood, two-handled tray.

£20 anywhere? Finish at £20.

20 I have. With £20 and selling...

-£20.

-An Art Deco sterling silver match box. £20 anywhere?

10 I have, any advance on £10?

It just gets worse.

Lot 59.

A pair of novelty silver-plated, milk churn salt and pepper shakers.

22, 25, 28, £28 and selling.

Down £4.50. That's not too bad.

Lot 65 an arts and crafts, copper and brass chamber stick.

30 here, anyone else want to bid? £30 here and selling.

So down £2.50 on that, James.

So it's all on the lapis lazuli.

This has to be the package deal from hell.

James needs magic from the lapis tazza or he's is in serious trouble.

It's make or break this one, you know.

It's got to make in excess of their top estimate of £150.

-For you to break even.

-For me to break even.

£50 for it anywhere? Finish at £50, 40 then?

-40 surely, 30, 30 I have.

-Keep going, keep going.

40, £40.

Disaster.

-But it's up though, James.

-Disaster, so I've made a loss.

Plus the commission. So I'm absolutely out.

Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear.

James's great bargain buys have not brought him profit at auction.

It's now all Mark's to play for.

Finally, the Art Nouveau stool that Mark got such a great deal on.

Little bit of damage, but as you viewed it.

Yeah, thanks, Henry.

Really sell it.

20 I have. 30, 35, 40?

Nope, 40 there, 45, 50, 55, 60. Any advance on £60?

That's not bad, actually, £60.

And now we have a new, heavyweight champion of the day.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr Mark Stacey has just tripled his money on that stool!

My strategy, Mark, did not work.

No, but I mean it was an interesting strategy, James.

No, at the end of the day, James, you proved again what a unique character you are.

True enough. James started with £252.25,

boldly spent £230 and made a loss, after commission, of £52.00.

He starts the next leg seriously down on £166.47.

Mark started with £236.74,

spent £63 and made a good profit, after commission, of £67.

He's ahead for the first time with £279.07.

Go, Mark!

Well done, Mark. Well done.

And you're down a lot, I think.

I think I am down quite a bit.

Oh, but we can claw back.

Yes, we can claw back.

Let's go to the city of dreaming spires.

What, lost millions again?

I know. Come on, Inspector Morse. Get me to Oxford.

-Started with millions.

-Ended up with nothing.

In the next instalment of the Antiques Road Trip, James runs out of fuel.

It's called petrol!

Mark runs out of ideas.

I don't know what to do.

And they both run out of small talk.

# You don't have to say you love me,

# Just be close at hand! #

THEY LAUGH

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd