Episode 6 Antiques Road Trip

-It's the nation's favourite antiques experts.

-What about that?

With £200 each, a classic car,

and a goal - to scour Britain for antiques.

Can I buy everything here?

The aim? To make the biggest profit at auction. But it's no mean feat.

Feeling a little SAW.

This is going to be an epic battle.

There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

So will it be the high road to glory or the slow road to disaster?

-The honeymoon is over.

-I'm sorry!

-This is the Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

On this Antiques Road Trip, it's wisdom versus youth,

with veteran Charlie Ross

and a brand-new star addition to the roster

in the shape of keen, young Natasha Raskin.

I cannot wait, Charlie. I cannot wait! We're so lucky, aren't we?

-We are very lucky.

-We are so lucky.

Soak up this week.

It'll be one of the most memorable weeks of your life.

You can say that again.

This may be Natasha's very first Road Trip,

but this fresh-faced lass comes with an august pedigree

in fine art auctioneering for one of Glasgow's top auction houses.

-Paintings are what I deal with in Glasgow generally.

-Paintings?

-And she's already a fan of the Trip.

-I've seen you many a time, Charlie.

-Have you?

-Oh, I know what I'm up against.

Her rival is Oxfordshire's Charlie Ross, a seasoned Road Trip old-timer

who knows this game like the back of his hand.

Let's get a pact going here from the outset. Let's both try and win.

And what do you normally do, Charlie?

Each of our experts begin this Road Trip with £200 to spend.

-£200 to spend.

-I just said that.

-Wonderful shops to go to.

-So I hear.

Today these two are driving a gleaming 1971 Triumph TR6.

-Beautiful.

-Superb. The driver?

-Your handling is excellent.

-Oh, my handling!

And it's not just the Road Trip young Natasha's new to.

It's also roads in general.

Now, are you looking forward to driving this car?

-I was hoping you wouldn't ask me that, Charlie.

-Why's that?

-I've been driving for about two months.

-How long?!

-Two months?

-Two months.

-Two months, yes.

-What? This should be interesting.

This week, Natasha and Charlie will journey from Falmouth

in Cornwall on an epic adventure of over 900 miles

to end up in Stansted Mountfitchet

in the county of Essex.

On today's show,

they're taking in all the glories of the coastal southwest

as they begin in Falmouth and end up at auction

in Ottery St Mary in Devon.

-Isn't it lovely here?

-It is amazing.

Lovely undulations.

-Oh, the undulations.

-Green vegetation.

Are you about to burst into poetry?

I wandered lonely as a cloud.

-Good morning, sir!

-Good morning.

Gosh, you two are chipper today.

-Where are we going?

-Falmouth!

Honestly, how many times?

-Falmouth.

-Falmouth.

Thank you. They're pulling up at the harbour.

-Right.

-OK.

-Your debut.

-Charlie, can you come with me?

-Are you nervous?

-I am nervous.

-Don't be nervous.

-Can we do it together?

-No, we can't do it together, because I'm going to beat you.

-Oh.

I don't even know how to get out!

-This is off to a good start then(!)

-Allow me, madam. Hold on.

-Cor, blimey.

-Who said chivalry is dead?

Oh, I don't know why you're laughing. I'll be driving you around soon.

Oh, look at this. Right, thank you so much. Thank you.

-Come on.

-Here we go!

They're heading off to their first shops.

And our new start Natasha is hurrying off

into High Street Antiques.

Her very first shop. Golly, how exciting. She's meeting dealer Sue.

Hi, Sue.

-Hello!

-Hi. Hello, I'm Natasha.

Nice to meet you, I'm Sue.

-I'm a bit nervous.

-Well, let's hope you find something good.

Oh, where to start? Where to start?

She'll need nerves of steel

and a magpie's eye to find her first bargain.

Looks lethal.

Don't really know where to start.

Up a creek without a paddle. SHE LAUGHS

Don't speak too soon, Natasha.

I like this. This has a touch of the old Joni Mitchell about it.

It's a stringed instrument known as a zither. Ticket price is £45.

Sort of, you know... Very mountain style. I love it. Very folky.

Oh, my goodness. Is this going to be my first purchase?

I don't know if I'm ready to make music...

Shall we ask Sue? Sue? Sue?

Sue, OK, I'm really attracted to this gorgeous zither.

-I'm not going to give you a demonstration...

-THEY LAUGH

I thought we were going to burst into songs.

# The hills are alive... #

Ahem. Let's not, eh?

-OK, so what do you think about it?

-Well, it's marked up at £45.

We can do a little bit on it.

And what's the very best price that you can do for it?

Er...

-The very best price would be £30.

-£30.

Well, I think it's got a go at that. If you're happy with 30?

-Absolutely.

-Sue, you are such a lady. Oh, my goodness.

Thank you so much. Done.

Oh, my goodness, my nerves are floating away!

With that decisive deal, she's in the game. Now don't HARP on, eh?

Now as it happens, Charlie's just next door in Roadshow Antiques.

-Come in, Charlie. Hello.

-Hello!

He's meeting dealer Chris, who just happens to be married to Sue

and speaking of which, Charlie's spotted something.

So these came from a cinema, obviously.

Did you buy them from a cinema here?

-Came out of the Grand Cinema in Falmouth, Charlie.

-Really?

-My wife and I used to court on those seats.

-HE LAUGHS

How lovely. But those aren't for sale, Charlie.

But soon enough,

he's spied an item with all the romance of the high seas.

Ooh, is that brass?

-Steel, I think.

-Steel it is.

Yeah. Big pair of ship's dividers.

It's a large pair of shipwright's dividers

used for marking shipbuilding timbers.

-American steel.

-American? Is it?

I'm pretty sure it's American, yeah.

I think that's a wonderful thing.

It's just a piece of history, isn't it?

Charlie's keen, so we know what's coming.

-There's no price tag on them.

-There's no price tag on, Charlie.

-Are they free?

-Oh, not quite free, no.

-I've been looking for close to 50 quid, Charlie.

-Have you?

I'm not surprised.

But I don't think somebody will pay that at auction for them. Will they?

That's my problem. I mean, we're by the sea.

I feel...that it's the sort of thing that ought to be bought down here.

-A bit of nauticalia.

-Oh, I like that word! Nauticalia.

Very nauticalia. Could they be bought for 20 quid?

-Because that's what I want to buy them for.

-Yes, go on, then.

I'll take 20 quid, Charlie.

He's navigated his first purchase very ably.

Ooh, that's a nice bag, look.

I have to reference one other thing in your shop.

And that is that fantastic rucksack.

I mean, it's not a thing of beauty, is it? But it must tell a story!

Nor are you, but somebody must love you, I'm sure.

CHARLIE LAUGHS

Well, I've come to the right place for the odd insult.

And deserving of that.

You said it.

But another pair of outdoorsy items are next to the unloved rucksack.

Aren't they lovely? They're beautifully made, aren't they?

Yes, they're very pretty. Little deer horns on the top.

They're two early 20th-century alpine walking sticks or crooks

with horn handles, ticketed at £28 each.

Attractive, but what would Chris take for them?

I'll give you 20 quid for the two, and you can keep the rucksack.

All right, then.

-Are you sure?

-Yes.

So another bargain in the bag.

He spent £40, so has 160 smackers left in his wallet.

Oh, but look who's on her way.

Charlie is literally next door.

I'm going to see what he's up to cos he's not going to get away

with getting something better than I have!

She's got the hang of this quickly.

You're going to need stamina when you're fighting with me, Chris.

Oh, dear.

-Charlie Ross, what are you up to?

-Oh, my goodness me!

-Hello! Surprise. Hello, I'm Tasha.

-Hi.

-Shall I stab you or shake your hand?

-Please shake my hand.

-Please don't stab me with your crook.

-I was swashbuckling.

I was buckling my swash.

Yes, that's enough of that.

I'll leave you to it. Chris, thank you very much indeed.

-Thank you very much.

-Lovely to see you.

It's young Natasha's turn to browse Chris' wares

and immediately her eye is drawn to something we've seen before.

I'm attracted to this rucksack...

Just because it's completely nuts and it's sitting right there.

-Charlie liked this as well, actually.

-Oh, did he?

Yeah. He was very keen.

Was he, Chris? Really?

Oh, rascal.

-I mean, certainly...

-But I've got £28 on it.

I mean, it's obviously in total disrepair.

But if the price were right, I mean, it's so quirky.

It could be quite fun at the auction.

-What sort of price were you thinking here?

-Oh, I'm thinking sub-ten.

-What about five quid?

-Five quid. I mean...

Oh, five quid.

What would someone actually spend on that in the auction?

But if Natasha can find something else she likes in here,

Chris might throw it into a bigger deal.

We might be able to get below a fiver then.

Oh, my goodness. Sub-five? That's a bit cheeky.

-Well, all you Scottish girls are cheeky.

-SHE LAUGHS

Don't you know it?

-OK, there is one other thing that I liked, and talking of cheeky...

-OK.

I clocked her over here. There's a bit of a saucy lassie in an etching.

I say!

This is the lassie I was talking about.

Is she not just gorgeous?

It's an early 20th-century French print,

a type of etching known as drypoint.

And depicting a comely young lady. Ooh la la!

And I love her because... A - she's in pretty great condition.

There's hardly any fading or anything there.

And a little bit racy.

Ticket price is £65,

but does Natasha have the je ne sais quoi to haggle a better deal?

-How about I make you an offer of 30 quid?

-What about 50?

£50.

Can we meet halfway at 40?

£39 for the drypoint and a pound for the knapsack.

OK, it's a deal.

One pound for the knapsack?

-That'll do.

-Have you lost your mind?

Or are you just looking to lose the knapsack?

-I'm just looking to lose the knapsack, I think.

-Well, it's a deal.

A terrific deal on the print of mademoiselle

and the knapsack thrown in for a paltry pound.

This ingenue's over her beginner's nerves

and is certainly gaining confidence.

Meanwhile, Charlie has snuck back to the car

and is up to a bit of mischief concerning his new-driver rival.

Hee hee hee! New driver?

"P" plates.

She's going to be livid when she sees this.

Well, safety first, I always say.

Now, as he's by the coast today, Charlie's keen to learn

a little more about Cornwall's seafaring history.

He's heading to King Charles the Martyr Church,

where he's going to spend the afternoon learning about

this area's past in the dread area of piracy on the high seas.

Oh, crumbs.

He's meeting Cornwall county archivist, David Thomas.

Stand by.

-David, it must be.

-It is, Charlie.

-Welcome to King Charles the Martyr Church.

-Thank you very much indeed.

Lead on.

In the church are historic documents which can shed light

on the area's rich 17th-century history in piracy.

Both on the side of the pirates and those who fell prey to them.

If you lived near the coast,

you could possibly be taken by pirates and ransomed,

or if you had connections with the seafaring industry

and had a relative who was on board a ship that was taken by pirates,

then again, you could actually be subject to a ransom

and they would not be released until they'd paid a certain sum of money.

And we've got an example to show you.

Well, Charlie, we've got the original first parish register

of King Charles the Martyr Parish Church going right back

to the 1660s, in fact 1663.

That tome is 350 years old?

Indeed it is.

And this is the first record book of the church

that we're standing in today.

The volume records a collection of money for the ransom

of a local man taken by North African pirates

and held in Algiers.

He'd been taken on board a ship

and we are told that £60 was required for his redemption

and his mother was so concerned that she actually wrote

to the Bishop of Exeter for a licence or permission

to collect for his redemption.

And the good people of Falmouth stumped up £17 and six shillings.

So they wanted him back quite badly?

But no records survive to tell us what became of him.

Must have been pretty terrifying here.

Always locking your front door.

Peeping over your shoulder.

Indeed.

But in the 1600s, the pirates didn't just hail from overseas.

-No, we had indigenous, West Country pirates.

-The bounders!

We've got a document on the table here which tells us

-about one of them.

-Really?

Henry Every, who was probably the most notorious pirate

at the end of the 17th century.

Not only in Britain, but possibly on the entire planet.

-Really?

-Indeed.

And he was a staunch English fellow?

He was a staunch English fellow who was born in Cattedown,

in Plymouth, in Devon.

He had a very short career in the mid-1690s as a big guy,

bad guy pirate.

And in one occasion in 1695,

he actually took a Mogul treasure ship,

which had at the prices then,

the value of £600,000 worth of treasure.

-Then?

-Then...

Which today translates into £52 million worth of treasure.

The ship was laden with the riches of the fabulously wealthy

Mogul emperor, who had ruled most of the Indian subcontinent.

It was among the biggest raids in this age of piracy.

But the pirate Every

and the treasure disappeared soon afterwards.

The letter which is on the table is a really fascinating document

because documents about Every just dry up after 1696,

the year after this famous treasure event.

-Ah!

-And this one actually... potentially could tell us something

about the fate of that actual treasure.

And it actually says, on his return from India,

he either landed or was shipwrecked near the Lizard Point -

which, of course, is Britain's most southerly point -

where he buried three chests or boxes full of treasure

in the sands of the seashore.

And then it goes on to describe the chests and their contents,

which was gold bars, gems, diamonds, emeralds, precious stones...

How exciting!

Indeed. It would be very nice to find the treasure.

Local legend has it that Henry Every's spoils

might still be under the sand.

-Has it ever been found?

-Not that we know of.

It's one of Cornwall's great mysteries.

Hmm.

It's time for Charlie to set sail,

but I think his visit's given him some ideas.

Ah-harrr, me hearties! I'll find this 52 million,

if it takes me all night.

METAL DETECTOR BUZZING

My word, me hearties! I've found a doubloon.

I've got a doubloon!

# Round, round, get around I get around... #

Meanwhile, Natasha -

who's only had her driving licence for two months - is back at the car.

Look out.

There we go. Oh, Rosco!

I'm going to show him. I'm going to show him. OK, here we go.

Wheel, stick, engine?

This does not fill me with confidence.

# I'm gettin' bugged driving up and down the same old strip... #

Careful now.

Yeah! Oops!

Hmm.

But "P" plates or not, she's soon in the swing of the open road.

Oh, I don't think I've ever felt so free.

This is unbelievable.

This afternoon,

Natasha is motoring to the Cornish village of Charlestown.

A very pretty little village and harbour,

where she's aiming for another shop.

-This must be Sail Loft Emporium. You must be Richard.

-Hello, Natasha.

Very nice to see you.

How charming.

(There's a lot to choose from around here.)

Why are you whispering? Do speak up.

But soon enough,

she's found something with a little local flavour.

-What do you want to know about this one?

-This is it.

Well, first of all, what I DO know is I absolutely love it.

Very rustic and organic.

It's a 16-piece tea set made by Cornish pottery

Knight's of Tintagel, probably dating from the 1970s.

It's a full set.

You've got the coffee pot, you've got the hot water. Milk, sugar...

-We've got it all.

-And the six mugs and saucers as well.

I think there's an absolutely gorgeous appeal.

I love the way these cups have a sort of a waistline on them.

Ticket price is £20,

but Natasha already knows better than to dive in there.

It's going to be very cheeky. I'm going to go half price.

-I'm going to offer you ten.

-Oof!

-Erm...

-Careful.

Ten? I would probably go down to 15.

I feel really mean. What if I said 12?

-You're being really mean.

-SHE LAUGHS

I'm more than happy with 12.

-Are you sure?

-I'm...

Hold on... Yes.

-I'm sure.

-Oh, goodness. What are you like?

Shall we do the right thing and shake on it?

-OK.

-OK. Shall we kiss on it?

Congratulations. Why not?

Steady on!

I feel like this is a real welcome to Cornwall.

I'll say.

So, Natasha's got another fine deal on the tea set.

And with that,

it's the end of their first day on the jolly old Road Trip.

Night-night, you two.

The next morning, not even the soggy weather

can dampen the spirits of this chipper pair.

This is amazing. This is amazing.

It's fantastic. Now tell me, how was your first day yesterday?

Oh, it was really great.

I really enjoyed it. Didn't you?

So far, Natasha's spent £82 on four lots.

The zither,

the rucksack,

the tea set

and the saucy print,

leaving her £118 for the day ahead.

While her canny competitor Charlie has spent only £40 on two items -

the pair of alpine walking sticks

and the maritime dividers.

So he still boasts a budget of £160.

Westward, ho!

Hang on. You're going eastwards, Charlie.

Today, they're driving towards Plymouth in Devon.

Good Lord! Plymouth!

There you go.

A city steeped in the noble history of seafaring.

They're kicking off the day's buying at two adjacent shops

on a well-appointed courtyard.

Ideal.

I can't get out!

Oh, do come along now, Natasha!

Charlie's diving into 27 New Street, a vast complex of different dealers,

though sadly many of them appear to be closed this morning.

But that won't stop old Rosco. Oh, no.

Oh, I can see an antique. Look!

A davenport desk from 1830, 1840?

I'd buy it if it was ever so cheap.

It's quite difficult to read a label at four yards when you're my age.

But we might ask downstairs.

Dealer Anton has the keys to the unit.

Lead the way!

And will let Charlie inspect the desk.

It's marked up at £95, but unfortunately,

it's not in tiptop order.

-The worst bit, if you come round here...

-Is the split.

..is that split. It's such a restoration project. It's a problem.

It all depends how much it's cost.

So Charlie's going to ring Becky, the dealer who owns it.

Well, well, Anton. The moment of truth.

It's ringing, which is half the battle.

Good morning.

I would pay 40 quid for it and take a chance

and I honestly think it would make 50 or 60 quid at auction.

40 quid. It's not a lot of money

and you don't have to feel badgered into taking it.

Lovely. That's really sweet of you.

The lovely Becky accepts his offer of £40.

And there's one more thing in here

that's caught Charlie's twinkling peepers.

There is a box in here which I've seen.

And it's got an inlay, a marquetry inlaid scene on the top of it.

And the thing that particularly attracted me to it,

is the fact that it's seven quid.

Anton to the rescue once more.

Come on, Anton!

Fly down those stairs.

Bring me the key.

Show me the way to paradise.

Now this was the box.

It's a wooden cigar box in the Art Deco style

and is indeed ticketed at £7.

-If you'd like to make a reasonable offer.

-£3, Anton.

-Call it five.

-How about four, Anton? Meet me in the middle.

Don't say yes if you don't want to. You sure?

-Happy?

-I'm happy.

Anton, £4 is coming your way.

Meanwhile, Natasha is next door in Parade Antiques,

which is presided over by dealer John.

-Hello. You must be John.

-I am.

-Hello, I'm Tasha. How are you?

-Pleased to meet you.

Charming.

So, she's had a look in the shop,

but John's also got some items in storage that he'll let her see.

Store room. Oh, my goodness. Where are we going?

-Private, no access.

-Careful.

No access to Charlie Ross.

No entrance, Charlie. This is for me only. Oh, my goodness.

-This is unbelievable.

-Nice objects. Here we are.

Look, Cupid flying above me.

Planes. All sorts going on. This is great, I love this.

It's a chair fashioned in the shape of a barrel.

It probably dates from the 1970s.

Oh, hello! I definitely want that if we go that way.

-I don't want this one, I want that one.

-OK, fair enough.

I definitely dates from the 1970s.

But since it's in storage, there's no ticket price.

-Best price? Er...I'll do it for 40.

-£40. OK.

£40, £40, will that make that in the auction? Ooh, £35?

-35.

-35. Let's go for that, because I love it.

Deal done on the barrel chair for £35.

There was one thing I was going to ask you,

seeing as we are in a storeroom full of mad treasures.

I bought a rucksack yesterday for a pound.

And I thought, if I buy something for a pound,

it's kind of going to make a profit. So it's not very fair to Charlie.

I'm not sure you're quite in the cut-throat spirit

of this competition, Natasha.

So I'd like to put something inside of it

which means it cost more for the lot.

All right, well, if you're mountaineering,

you need something for when you get to the top of the mountain.

-So what about a flag?

-A flag?

-To claim, stake your claim?

-Yeah.

-Look, there's one there.

-Oh, right there?

Oh, my... Oh, look at this. So a flag for my rucksack.

Yes, I quite like that. Right, OK, so what do we think?

-Make it another pound?

-Two pounds.

What if I offer you three?

Erm...

Let's do it. Three quid a flag.

Despite that rather avant-garde haggling, she gets the chair

and flag for £38 all in, meaning she's spent £120 total.

And look who it is.

-Oh, John.

-You enjoyed that, did you?

I did. That was so great. Thank you so much.

-What is going on here?!

-SHE SCREAMS

-A voyeur!

-Get away.

No such luck, Natasha.

It's Charlie's turn to have a gander at John's weird and wonderful stock.

I do buy the odd tunic. There's a tunic.

-It's Edwardian, I would have said.

-Yeah.

The actual tunic is Victorian, but the buttons are King's Crown.

It's a British Army captain's tunic,

bearing the label of Harman and Co, Calcutta and Rangoon.

There's no ticket price on it.

-Are they Royal Artillery?

-Royal Artillery, yes.

Isn't it lovely to see one with all its buttons?

Probably my size, isn't it?

-I'm sure it...

-Shall I have a go?

Very dashing, Charlie.

Is it...? I mean, is it devilish cheap?

Is it... Is it sort of Rosco buyable cheap?

I'll do it for 30 or 40 quid to you.

Cos it's only just come in.

-Would a £20 note buy it from you?

-No. 30.

-Would it not? Go on... For an old soldier like me?

-30 is it.

That's the death.

-That is the death.

-But you look so smart in it.

It might be the death of me, sir.

30 quid. I think that's fab.

John sticks to his guns,

but Charlie's got the Royal Artillery tunic

for a reasonable £30, meaning he's spent £114 so far.

Long way up, sir, and short way down.

Now, Natasha's already bought all of her items.

So she's going to spend the afternoon

visiting a unique Plymouth collection.

Bob Carter's passionate about all things nautical,

and has built a wonderful collection of maritime items that forms

what might be the smallest museum in the world.

-Oh, hello.

-Hi, Bob?

-Hello.

-Hello, I'm Tasha. How are you?

Oh, yes.

-You've come to look at the shed?

-I have.

Oh, yes. And it's all in his shed.

So it's all things maritime that you're obsessed with?

All things, yes. It started from my grandfather.

Bob inherited some of his huge collection

of historic maritime items from his grandfather

and has built on it himself.

Some of the most fascinating

relate to the biggest naval battle of them all, Trafalgar.

-Follow me.

-Straight ahead?

-Straight ahead.

-Oh, my goodness.

What am I letting myself in for here?

He's taking Natasha to have a look at his impressive stash.

It's somewhere in there, I'm sure.

This is the shed. Well, this is definitely a shed.

Oh, yeah. It don't look like a shed.

-This is a maritime museum.

-Our little shed's in here, look.

-A portal to another time zone!

-That is correct. You can go in first.

-Oh, really?

-Yep.

Thank you so much. Oh, my goodness.

-Wow! Bob, this is unbelievable!

-This is it.

And here are Bob's star items.

In here, look, we've got a hat from the Battle of Trafalgar.

-From the actual Battle of Trafalgar?

-From the battle, yeah.

And I think there's only three in the country.

Will you let me try on that hat?

You can try that hat on, certainly.

-Unbelievable! From what? 1805?

-Yep.

Battle of Trafalgar.

The early 19th century battle, in which Admiral Nelson's forces

were triumphant, is the most iconic British naval victory.

What do you think? Oh!

-How do I look?

-A sailor wore that hat.

OK. Oh, my goodness. Let's put it back.

But what's it resting on top of, Bob?

-What on Earth is this?

-That's a powder pack from the same period.

-OK, so also from Trafalgar?

-Yeah.

-So basically these arrived, filled with gunpowder.

-Yeah.

It was all in there

and that would go down to the men to go into the cannons.

And here's the man himself.

-Look.

-Young Nelson, before he had his eye out.

-Young... Gosh, he's rather handsome...

-Yeah.

..that young Lord Nelson. He's rather dashing.

You've taken a shine, Natasha.

But Bob's got another surprise up his sleeve.

Go in there.

-Oh, get away. There cannot be more!

-Yes. Go in there.

-No, I can't.

-Yes. Go in.

Bob, where are you taking me?

Calm down, Natasha.

Are you kidding?

How can this be any smaller and yet twice as big?

I cannot believe it gets bigger.

In Bob's other grotto of naval wonders, there's something

that must have been a welcome sight to many a sailor -

a barrel from which sailors' rum rations were dispensed.

Gives you an idea of what they would do on the ship.

And every week give out rations.

Look at that.

-Oh, that's absolutely brilliant.

-And you see the hats.

So which one are you?

Oh, you are cheeky, Natasha.

-No.

-You weren't there?

Not quite that old.

But the rum barrel's nice, isn't it?

Bob, do you ever just think to yourself,

-I was born in the wrong age?

-Certainly.

-I would have loved to have been born then.

-Really?

Do you think you would have been right into that battle?

Well, they call me a pirate now.

-So...

-Well, you would have been an officer.

-Or do you think you're more of a pirate?

-I shouldn't think so.

Actually, Bob is known as the "West Country Pirate" to his friends

and he's got a fitting item.

-So show me something really piratey.

-Well, funnily enough...

-My piece of eight.

-Ooh!

Look at that. My lucky little thing.

-A genuine piece of eight.

-Yeah. I carry that with me. It's silver.

In the 16th and 17th century, pieces of eight silver coins,

issued by the Spanish crown, became the world's first global currency.

Why are they called pieces of eight?

Just because it's a piece and marked with an eight?

And they used to tear bits off.

Indeed.

They were coins worth eight reales - the Spanish currency of the time -

and as Bob says, could be cut into smaller pieces to make change.

Bob's collection is truly unique

and Bob himself is a fitting custodian of our naval history.

I think that this is the most interesting, strange collection.

-Quite clearly, it is your passion.

-Yeah.

-Your absolute passion.

-Yeah.

It's my little collection.

But now it's time for Natasha to up-anchor.

And Charlie's motored on

to the town of Ashburton in Devon...

where he's aiming for one final shop - Etcetera Etcetera -

and meeting dealer Robert.

-Hello.

-Hello, Charlie, how are you?

-Robert?

-Yes, indeed.

-Nice to see you.

-Nice to meet you.

Charlie already has five items,

but he still can't resist the clarion call of the bargain...

PLAYS BUGLE

..if he can spy one.

With the young Natasha hot on his heels,

Charlie's looking out for one last lot for the auction.

-You got anything you think I ought to look at?

-A little box over here.

-It's a little snuff box.

-Why, sweet. Fabulous colour.

-Yeah. It's really nice, yeah.

-Oh, look inside. Tortoiseshell.

It's an early 19th-century snuff box with a tortoiseshell interior.

Although it's illegal to trade in modern tortoiseshell,

items manufactured before 1947 can be bought and sold.

-How much is that?

-Well...

-Give my a clue.

-We've got £35 on the label.

That's not over the top, is it? Is there much scope in that?

Can that be bought for 20 quid or would you kick me out of your shop?

-I think I'd ease you out gently for £20.

-CHARLIE LAUGHS

What we'll do is, we can do it for 25.

-But that's...

-That's the death, as they say in this business.

But at that price, Charlie can't resist.

I'll have that. Thank you very much indeed.

And he's all bought up as well.

So, it's time to review their hauls.

Natasha bought the zither, the print of the comely lady,

the rucksack with accompanying Union flag,

the Tintagel tea set

and the barrel chair.

She spent £120 exactly.

While Charlie bought the alpine walking sticks,

the maritime dividers,

the 19th-century davenport,

the military tunic

and the wooden cigar box,

paired in a lot with the snuff box, for the princely sum of £139.

So, what do they make of each other's lots?

Well, I think Charlie's bought really well,

so I'm a little bit scared of his, erm, maritime items.

He's got those steel charts and I think that they could be real goers.

Equally, I'm a little bit worried about his captain's tunic.

I don't think there's anything that's going to flop,

but Charlie would tell you himself,

that davenport is a little bit battered and bruised.

So I think that he might be struggling there.

I'm quite happy with what I've bought.

Of course, the proof is in the pudding.

So Natasha's cautiously optimistic.

But what did Charlie make of the new girl's items?

The rucksack I've seen before, and frankly needs burning.

Tintagel pottery... I suppose that's commercial, isn't it?

What a lot for the money. 12 quid? Good buy.

Not as in goodbye, good buy!

But the drypoint etching,

that French limited edition drypoint etching,

is something else.

I think that's really good. What a charming, charming lot.

Hmm. So this game is anyone's for the taking.

On this Road Trip,

Natasha and Charlie have motored

all the way from Falmouth in Cornwall,

to their auction here

in Ottery St Mary, in Devon.

An ancient town which sits prettily on the banks of the River Otter.

And, oh, the new driver Natasha's taking the wheel this morning,

so that's brave of you, Charlie.

OK? Off we go.

You're an absolute natural.

-Hello!

-Hi. Oh, look at the dog! No, I shouldn't look.

No. But how is Natasha feeling about her very first auction?

I'm nervous about the auction.

Are you going to end up with more than you started with?

-Oh, Charlie.

-That's the key.

-I don't know.

-I think you will.

-What about you?

-I think you'll just come out on top.

Yay!

So with some bolstering words from the old-stager Charlie,

they've made it safely to the auction house.

-Terra firma.

-I can't get out.

Oh, Charlie. Do you need a hand? No.

Look at you go.

-Do you want to take my arm?

-We made it. Take your arm? Give me your hand!

Come on. Let's prance into this.

-Oh, romantic!

-Yes.

Ottery Auction Rooms will be playing host to them today,

led by auctioneer David Sumner.

Before the off, what does he make of their lots?

Overall, I thought they bought some interesting items.

For me, the military tunic is the best item

because it ticks all the boxes.

It's Victorian, absolutely love that.

The drypoint print is a bit of an unknown entity.

It does tick the vintage box, so the drypoint could be the surprise.

Thank you, David.

Natasha's very first auction is about to begin

and they're accepting bids from the internet as well, so good luck.

First up, it's Natasha's rucksack and the Union flag.

Charlie wasn't keen, but what will the crowd have to say?

£20, then? Must be worth £20.

-20 I'm bid. Thank you. 20 I'm bid.

-£20?!

£22 for this lot? 22?

£22 for this lot? Moving to the internet, any interest at 22?

-No...

-£22 for this lot.

Selling at £20 then.

That's your bid. Number please? 192.

-Thank you very much.

-Yay!

-Well done, madam.

-Thank you!

She's made a substantial profit.

And the new girl's off to a very stirring start.

That's one of the great debuts.

One for our seasoned pro now, as Charlie's maritime dividers are up.

Someone start me away at £10?

£10? £10 I'm bid. 12 we need. 12? 12.

15? 18. 20.

-22.

-Yes, yes, yes.

28, 30. Not at 30. Looking for £30.

Let's move to the internet on this one. £30.

Any interest at £30 on the internet?

No, the old internet's not having a go.

No interest? I'm selling at £28 then. Number 53.

Thank you very much.

Even if the internet wasn't biting,

he still rakes in an £8 profit before costs.

-Get you!

-It's profit.

-Yes!

-A slim one.

Next, it's Natasha's Tintagel pottery tea set.

Can she repeat the trick?

£10? Come on, it must be worth £10.

-Thank you, ten I'm bid.

-Yeah, yeah, yeah.

12. 15? Yeah?

-Yay!

-15. 18. Not at 18. I'm looking for £18 for this lot.

£18 anywhere? £18. Let's move to the internet. Any interest at £18?

-Come on, internet.

-Is there somebody in Tintagel somewhere?

That's 698. Thank you very much.

Another little profit. Just her cup of tea.

-£15.

-I wouldn't get too excited.

It cost 12.

Getting worried, old-timer?

Now it's Charlie's pair of alpine walking sticks.

-£20? £20 I'm bid.

-Straight in.

-Straight in at £20.

£22 for this lot? £22?

-Yep, do I hear 22?

-Yes, yes.

22. 25. 28.

30. 32. 35.

-35. 38. Not at 38. Let's move to the internet.

-35 is a profit.

-He's moving.

-So we've got 35 in the room.

I'm looking for £38 for this lot.

£38 anywhere? I'm selling at £35 then.

That's your bid, 493.

He was a mountaineer. You could tell. Look at him.

He looked like Chris Bonington.

He did. And they climb to victory.

-I'm catching you up now.

-No, you're winning, surely?

Charlie is narrowly in the lead, but Natasha's zither -

her very first Road Trip purchase - is next to meet the room.

Can that put her back on top?

Who'll start me away at £5? £5? £5 on the internet.

Six, £6 for this lot? Thank you. Six, seven? Internet seven?

Looking for £7 for this lot.

Seven. Eight. Nine.

-Oh, it's going like the clappers.

-Oh...

Nine, ten, eleven?

Why does he look so excited? He looks surprised at 12. Oh, no.

In the room at 12? Looking for £12 for this lot.

It's moving along steadily on the internet. Jumping up.

We're at £15 on the internet.

£15. Come along, any more interest here?

-Cor, the internet's going spare.

-Yes.

I'm going to open it up back to the room now. £16.

It's £17 now on the internet.

This is without doubt a world record for a zither.

£18 for this lot? £18?

£18, good job for the internet.

I'm selling at £17 to the internet then.

Tell you what,

that is the highest price ever paid in Ottery St Mary for a zither.

But sadly not as much as Natasha paid for it in Falmouth. Hard luck.

Nobody else in the world could have got £17 for that.

Up now is Charlie's job lot of cigar box and snuff box.

-£20? £20? £10.

-Charlie, don't worry.

Thank you, 10. 12. 15. 18.

20. 22. 25. 28.

Not at 28. I'm looking for £28.

28. 30.

32. 35? 38.

Not at 38. I'm looking for £38. Let's move to the internet.

£38 for this lot.

£38 anywhere?

No interest on the internet. I'm selling at 35 then.

That's your bid, number 53. Thank you very much.

She bought another one of your things.

No, she's only bought one of my things.

No, she bought your steel chart dividers.

-She did?

-Yeah.

Oh, it's my mother!

Pfft. It certainly is not, Charlie.

But that is another nice profit.

Bit of kitsch now, as Natasha's barrel chair is up.

-£30. 30 I'm bid.

-Straight in. Straight in.

£32 for this lot? Thank you, 32.

-35.

-Yes.

-38?

-Yes.

40? 42?

42, 45. 48? Out at 48. Looking for 48. Let's move to the internet.

£48 for this lot.

-Please.

-£48 anywhere in the room? 48 anywhere?

I'm selling at 45 then,

to my right.

-Yay!

-Well done.

Well done indeed. That's another nice little earner for her.

Now Charlie's 19th-century davenport is a bit of a fixer-upper,

but will somebody else see its potential?

£30?

£30? £30? £30 I'm bid. 32, will you?

Oh, we've got £30.

32? 32, 35?

38. 40. 42.

42?

45. 48?

Out at 48. Let's move to the internet. £48.

-£48?

-Come on.

£48? I'm selling at £45. That's your bid.

I would call that a serious result.

Indeed. Another winner.

We're almost on the final straight now,

as Natasha's framed print winks to the room.

Who'll start me away at £30?

£30? £20 then? Must be worth £20.

That's sad. That's sad.

£10? £10, thank you.

-A flurry of hands. 10, 12, 15.

-Here we go.

18, 20, 22.

25, 28, 30.

Keep going, come on.

35.

Not at 35.

Looking for £35.

No, where's the internet? Where's the internet? That's sad.

Let's move to the internet.

£32 for this lot. £32, I'm looking for 35.

That's really sad.

-Any interest on the internet at 35?

-Can I bid to help it along?

I'm selling at 32 then.

That's 698.

Natasha, you all right, girl?

Oh, dear. It's a loss, albeit a small one.

That should have made £100!

Last of all, it's Charlie's Victorian military tunic.

Does it spell victory for Rosco?

£80 then? £80 I'm bid. 85, will you? 85?

85, thank you. 85. 90.

95?

Ooh, madam!

Blimey.

95. 100?

Not at 100.

100, 100!

Back onto the internet. It's running along now.

Let's leave it with the internet for a bit.

What happened to your tears?

110?

Tears of joy!

120 on the internet now.

Any more on the internet? I'm going to open it back up to the sale room.

125? 125. 130, internet.

130. 135?

-That's £100 more than I paid for it.

-SHE GIGGLES

140. 145? Out at 145.

Oh, he's out.

Do I see fresh blood? At 145? Anywhere in the room.

(Fresh blood he's looking for.)

-145 for this lot.

-I've got hot blood.

I'm going to sell to the internet for £140.

Again, nice lot, this. Last chance. I'm selling at 140 then,

to the internet.

Yeah, come on!

How good is that?

You are a good sport, Natasha.

And that absolutely romped away, making Charlie today's victor.

Natasha started this trip with £200.

After auction costs, she made a small loss of £14.22,

and ends today with £185.78.

While Charlie also began with £200, he made a lovely profit of £93.06,

and ends today, oddly enough, with £293.06.

And to celebrate his win, they've got themselves some lovely cake.

-Lady's cakes, aren't they good?

-They are amazing. What did you get?

Apart from cake all over your face.

Cake or no, time to hit the road.

Seatbelt, madam.

Don't eat my cake!

I can't help it. It's all over me.

Careful.

Don't drive off while I'm holding this cake!

Charlie!

Oh, mind your cake! Mind you cake!

-SHE SCREAMS

-Mind your cake!

Honestly!

Onto the next leg.

Next time on the Antiques Road Trip,

Natasha goes on the offensive...

That is chic.

..while Charlie stoops to conquer.

I'm prepared to do absolutely anything to do a deal.

Hello, Steve. Yeah, Charlie's on his knees.