Episode 8 Antiques Road Trip

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

I don't know what to do. HORN HONKS

..with £200 each, a classic car

and a goal to scour Britain for antiques.

What a little diamond!

The aim? To make the biggest profit at auction,

but it's no mean feat.

Back in the game. THEY LAUGH

There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

SHE GASPS

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

Oh!

This is the Antiques Roadtrip.

Yeah.

Today, our well-read experts are on the road to a literary destination.

Dorchester. It's Thomas Hardy country.

I actually studied Hardy at school in English literature.

I had to do the Mayor Of Casterbridge which, of course,

-is all set in and around the Dorchester area.

-Really?

Yes, for Raj, Charles and their Triumph Herald,

the only way really is Wessex. Ha!

-Gorgeous.

-Isn't it gorgeous?

-It is, it's absolutely...

You're not bad yourself either.

THEY LAUGH

Derby dandy Charles Hanson is an auctioneer

and a runaway Roadtrip champion.

-Round three.

-BELL RINGS

Then there's Raj Bisram.

Auctioneer and poker player. I wouldn't say he's cheap but...

I'm beginning to think that everything I buy is a fiver.

Raj, from Kent,

has so far turned his £200 stake into a very respectable £363.04

While Charles, who began with the same sum,

has already managed to double it, with £411.04 to spend today.

But it's not all about profit. There is the car to think of too.

-Shall we give it a name?

-Yet, I think so.

Let's call it Bella.

-Bella is a perfect name for our car.

-Bella?

-Ciao, Bella.

-OK.

-Which means hi in Italian.

Si, si.

Our journey starts out at Corsham in Wiltshire

and takes in most of the southwest of England before ending up,

around 900 miles later, in Crewkerne in Somerset.

But today we begin in the Dorset town of Dorchester

and head west towards an auction in Somerset, at Bridgwater.

Now, much as I'm sure Raj would like just to hang out in the town where

Thomas Hardy spent most of his life,

he is also desperate to beat Charles.

So the antique centre it is. Relax.

You don't have to park the bus.

-Look at that.

-It's huge.

Just park next to it.

Handbrake is on.

Always a good idea, that.

-Morning, sir.

-Good morning.

-How are you?

-I'm very well, thank you.

-Your name is?

-Martin.

-I've been here before, haven't I?

-You have.

-Meet my colleague Raj.

-Hello.

-Good to see you.

-Nice to meet you too.

-Nice big place you've got here.

-It is.

-Thank you.

-Is this all fresh stuff?

-A lot of it.

-All fresh.

-Yeah, he's into fresh.

-Is he?

I don't mind if it's a bit old. THEY LAUGH

Well, whatever takes your fancy.

Martin can negotiate on behalf of the several dealers who own

all these items.

I quite like...

There is a lovely little pot lid on the bottom shelf down here.

"St James' Clipper Ship - Sovereign of the Seas."

It could be new, it could be 1980s.

If it's an early one with a maritime interest,

it could be ripe for auction.

-Martin?

-Yes.

Hang on...

-I just wonder, you've got a little pot lid over here.

-Uh-huh.

Ooh, Raj!

I wonder how much it is.

The best on it is 32.

Naughty.

-OK.

-I'll be with you in a sec.

That's Raj!

Yes.

He's everywhere.

The real Martin.

Would you mind? Thanks a lot.

It's not overly old, but on the back here, you'll see it reads,

"English porcelain, Staffordshire."

And this would probably be from the 1960s.

The other thing I liked was this fork here.

Almost what appears to be a bread fork, or perhaps a toasting fork.

Or pickles.

-It almost looks to be like 17th century.

-Sure.

I don't think it is.

-We've got here for example the old...

-I would say needlework.

-Needlework, exactly.

-You find some really odd pieces made in bone.

You never know quite what they are for.

The ticket price is ten pounds.

What could it be, five pounds?

-No, I think it's worth a little bit more than that.

-Yeah.

-Two pound apiece.

-Two, four, six, eight.

Would you do the group for six pounds?

Call it seven and I will shake your hand.

For seven pounds...

Well, I'm off and running.

-Worth a go.

-Yeah, worth a go.

That didn't take too long.

Trousers up. I'm off.

Now, where has that Raj got to?

-I keep being drawn to this area.

-Right.

-There is a few things.

A nice little nest of drawers.

They are either called collectors' drawers or spice drawers.

This one is late 19th century. They are very, very useful.

Very, very saleable.

Because of the little tabs on it, and it's French,

it looks like it might even be an apothecary one.

It's priced at £175. You see, if that could be about 50 or £60...

Are we way too off?

-Unlikely. Highly unlikely.

-Yeah?

£100 best price.

Yeah, it's not quite enough, is it?

I wonder whether, if I put a few things together in this section,

-we could then renegotiate with them?

-We can have a go.

Yeah, we can have a go. There are a few things down here.

-There is the three antique brass spoons.

-Right, yeah.

-These three, I quite like those.

-They are nice.

-Yeah.

-They are a bit different.

-Sure.

-And also, I quite like the Dalton beaker.

I was just checking to see if the rim is silver.

And it looks like it is.

So that would be one, two, three different lots in this section.

OK, so ticket price would be 175, 36 on the spoons, 59 on the beaker.

All right, leave it with me and let me see what I can do for you.

Would you?

It looks like he's about to spend a serious amount of money.

Mainly so he can get his mitts on those drawers.

Good news?

The three pieces - 150.

Very best I could do, I'm afraid.

Can I ask you to go back to them one more time then, OK?

150 and will they throw that in as well?

-The wooden bowl?

-Yeah. The wooden ball as well.

It's very rustic. I can see this in a Somerset farmhouse, full of fruit.

-It's got £22 on it.

-Give me a minute.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

Hang on, chaps. Look who's here.

Sorry, guys. Sorry.

Yeah, give them a moment, Charles. I think a deal is in sight at last.

Give me another fiver and we're done. 155.

155.

-We have a deal.

-Excellent.

-We got there, thank you.

-Well done.

He's being spied on, and he knows it.

Are we agreed on £350?

-Yeah?

-350 would be fantastic.

-I've spent all my money.

If I don't make £1,000 on this, I should give up my job.

He's just spent 360. I don't know what on.

But that's one, you know, mean spend. That's frightening.

Wow!

He's fibbing, Charles.

-You know, sometimes when you eavesdrop, it doesn't pay off.

-No.

-No.

-No.

That'll teach you, Charles.

Now it's his turn in that corner. Anything left?

Wow.

Goodness me, there is some really good things over here.

I love these early sticks.

What I love about these sticks and their reeded, tapered form

is the fact that they will date to around 1760.

What I love about them

is that tactile quality of handling something that is 250 years old.

And we haven't got the one, we've got the pair.

And I love them even more because you, today, can buy a good

pair of mid-18th-century gilded brass candlesticks for £30.

Hey, Martin.

-Hi, Charles.

-I love these candlesticks.

-Right.

How much could they be for the pair?

£30. We could probably squeeze to 25, Charles.

They are really nice. Yeah. I think they are charming.

You wouldn't do 20, would you?

20...

-Go on, why not. The sun is shining today.

-Good man.

Tell me, Martin. This big wooden dish here, has it got some age?

I don't think it's got a massive amount of age.

Oh, dear. Come on, Martin, speak up.

It's sold, Charles, unfortunately. You've just missed out on it.

Oh, no! Charles, I'd like to step in here at this point.

Highly embarrassing.

Who bought it? I love it. Did you really buy it?

-Yeah.

-Put it there. Really?

-Yeah.

-Make an offer, make an offer.

-It's gorgeous.

-I'll make a small profit on it.

-Get out of here.

Yeah, let's get out of here. £27 in total, sir.

But that's enough shopping for a while.

Time to travel south to Dorset's Jurassic Coast

on the Isle of Portland.

Look at that view! Wow!

Where Charles has come to Portland Bill, the southernmost

tip of Dorset, to visit the disused Old Higher Lighthouse.

-How do I get up?

-Through the door there.

Although the lighthouse has now been closed for over a century...

Crikey. It's a bit steep.

Fran Lockyer, the current owner,

can tell Charles about a controversial earlier resident -

Marie Stopes.

-Pleased to meet you. Do have a seat.

-What an amazing landscape you have.

It is, isn't it?

The Jurassic Coast, with its incredible fossils, was the

reason that Marie Stopes - a leading paleobotanist - came here in 1923.

But her name is justly famed worldwide for her

work in a different field. Family planning.

How did it all begin?

How did she get into the whole subject of birth control?

She worried about women having to have

so many children that were unplanned. And she was very keen to alter that.

So she went into contraception.

She gained popularity, in the first instance, with the books she wrote.

She wanted them to be cheap so the poorest people could buy them.

And that brought her fame

until, of course, the Catholic Church got involved.

They didn't like what she was doing one little bit.

Stopes' book, Married Love, and the sequel, Wise Parenthood,

published around the end of the First World War,

reflected her belief that there should be equality in marriage.

Those caused quite a furore but sold well

and were soon reprinted several times.

Emotion came into it. Caring came into it.

-How to look after your partner.

-Married Love.

-Yeah.

-That's an interesting title, isn't it?

-Yeah.

But what's so amazing is the fact that she herself was so naive.

Originally.

Her first marriage was never consummated and she had it annulled.

So really, she had no experience of her own at all,

just this overwhelming desire to help women with huge families.

Together with her second husband,

Stopes opened Britain's very first family planning clinic in 1921.

Run by midwives and doctors,

the London clinic offered free advice on contraception.

Even going back to 1900,

what contraception was there in the Victorian times?

Nothing at all?

LAUGHING: You'd be surprised.

Back in Egyptian times, there was natural sponge.

That would have been used. Lemon juice. Balloons, children's balloons.

All manner of strange things.

The Mothers' Clinic was soon followed by other Stopes clinics,

which opened in the '30s and '40s, against sizeable opposition.

By which time, Marie Stopes had come here to recover after

defeat at the lengthy libel trial to protect her reputation.

She spent every penny defending this right. It didn't work against her.

-No.

-Because the women realised that there was something there for them.

And they just flocked to the clinics.

Away from the headlines, Stopes restored the old lighthouse

and amongst all fossils,

soon rediscovered her love of palaeontology.

And then she decided that the island should have its own museum.

-Of fossils?

-That's right, yes.

And she donated this lovely old cottage which was called

-Avis's Cottage, because it's in Thomas Hardy's book.

-Wowee.

It was a lovely museum. For the size of the island, it's fantastic.

-Is it far away?

-No, a couple of miles.

-Can I give you a ride?

-In the car.

-In the Herald.

-Will I freeze to death?

Marie Stopes became the first curator of the Portland Museum

in 1930.

Let's go to this museum.

Once a rising star of the study of fossil plants

and the author of influential works, Stopes donated

several of the artefacts here, including a megalosaurus toe bone.

Knowing a bit about antiques of course, we know of Portland stone.

And I can see around me now some wonderful carved Portland stone.

Even the floor we are standing on.

Obviously, through the quarrying, a lot of the fossils got exposed.

You've gotten the ammonites, there is a nice one down there.

I think what she wanted to do was bring to the attention of local

people what they were actually sitting on.

The museum part of it and the palaeontology and all that,

has never made any headlines or anything.

-It's always been the birth control.

-Yes.

And really, this needs to be brought out

because she was a pioneer in this as well.

Yeah, what an amazing lady she was.

And what an amazing legacy she left Portland.

Meanwhile, in another part of Portland,

right next to Chesil Beach, Raj is still combing.

-Hello there.

-Hello.

-I'm Raj. And you are?

-I'm Pete. Pleased to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

-Nice little shop you've got here.

-Thank you very much.

Pete has certainly got quite a collection crammed in here.

Although it's hard to see beyond the Triumph and the Beezer.

-That's a lovely old Triumph, isn't it?

-Yeah, it's a 1958 3TA.

-Is it running?

-There is a problem with the clutch at the moment.

Which I just haven't had time to look at.

-But, yeah, the engine does run.

-Not that I can afford it,

but how much would something like that go for?

In this sort of condition, you are looking around about the 2,000 mark.

I've seen something else. A pinball machine.

Ah, Charlie's Angels, bless 'em.

I'm sure they would be big in Bridgwater.

-How much have you got on it?

-On that one, I've got 350 on it.

-That's not a bad price.

-No.

But I need something with a nice big profit in it.

Point me in the right direction. What have you got?

We've got a lovely old garden plough here.

Fantastic. What's the best on it, Pete?

I think I've got about 70 on it, but the best I could do on it,

I should think, is about 35.

Not much of a gardener, I fear.

-I keep looking at that sign.

-The Firestone?

-Yeah. Is it a heavy one?

-No, it's not heavy. But it is original.

How much could it be?

30. I can't do masses off it, but I can certainly do it for 25.

My fear is on this, Pete, it's too gone.

The paintwork here is very, very flaky.

The motoring signs that do fetch the money

are always usually in good condition.

Yes, yeah, but in this condition, you can see it is original.

I think, for the moment, I'm just going to put it down, if that's OK.

Feels final to me.

What's he got down there?

This is a 19th-century mahogany writing slope.

And it's something that is incredibly out of fashion today. Hm.

But it's in not bad condition.

It's got a little bit of veneer missing on the front here.

£30 Pete's got on it.

It's about what it's worth.

Table a bid, Raj?

It's pretty run of the mill, but at the right price,

you know, there might be a small profit.

What's the best you can do on it?

-I can do 25.

-Oh! You're a hard man, aren't you?

You're a hard man.

25. I was hoping you were going to say more like 15.

You know what I'm going to say now.

-You're going to say 20, aren't you?

-Yes.

There is going to be a small profit in it,

but nowhere near enough for me to catch up.

Will you take 18?

Go on, then.

We have a deal.

Hey! We got there.

Another flying start for the new boy.

Now, time to get back to Bella, the Herald.

It's a coastal car, it's a coastal route,

and it almost feels like sitting on a towel.

Buonanotte, Bella.

Today's lesson is in history.

In what year did Queen Victoria die?

-1901.

-1901.

In what year did Brian Clough take over Derby County?

I think it was 19... Oh, dear.

..69?

Was it that early?

1967, actually. Know your answers, Raj.

Fortunately, he was much more sure footed with his shopping yesterday,

picking up some spoons, a wooden bowl, a beaker,

a writing slope and some spice drawers for £173.

-We have a deal.

-Excellent.

Leaving almost £200 in his wallet.

While Charles managed only some candlesticks

and some bone implements for £27.

Trousers up, I'm off.

So he still has just shy of £400 to spend today.

What year was the French Revolution?

THEY LAUGH

Later, they will be making for an auction in Somerset, at Bridgwater.

But their next stop is back in Dorchester.

-Here we go.

-Just by the front door. Thanks a lot.

-Have a great day's buying.

-I hope so.

-Yeah.

-I need to.

In your own time, Charles.

I can't open the door, Raj.

-There we go. I'm out!

-Fantastic.

-I'm free.

-Good luck.

-See you later.

-Goodbye.

-Hello, sir. How are you?

-John Burton.

-John, Charles Hanson.

Good to see you.

So, John, what I'm looking for are things which are market fresh.

-I'm hoping I can be first on.

-We've just had a new lot come in.

-Have you?

-Yeah, we cleared a big attic.

Lots and lots of boxes that haven't been touched since '52.

-Tell me they're not wrapped in 1952 paper?

-Yeah, yeah.

-So nobody has seen it. Not for the last 50 years.

-Wonderful!

That news has definitely perked him up.

There we go. It's a bit cheeky.

I wonder how long it'll take him to pick up the scent.

That's a really good box. It says "Sorrento. Souvenir."

And if you were visiting Sorrento back in the 1890s,

you may have picked up this box.

What puts me off is the fact we've got this split here.

But it is 120 years old. Is it priced?

Yes, it is. £50. Could be a mental note for later.

Right up his street. As is that.

On one Roadtrip, I was very lucky to try on Henry VIII's

armour at the armoury in Leeds.

This is quite similar, but, of course, it's later.

This is probably mid-20th century. But it's decorative.

-And it's complete. And I might just give John a quick call. John.

-Yeah.

May I just have a quick word with you? Tell me about your treasure.

I don't really know much about it, if you want the truth.

-It came out of an attic. It was in a big box.

-Hold on. From that attic?

From the attic, yeah.

Sniffed it out.

It's complete with what appears to be a bit of an ashtray sword.

It's not all quite in true historical context, but even so...

Tell me, John, does much more come with this?

-Just those leggings over there.

-Another pair of leggings.

-Can I just bring them over?

-Yeah.

-Did this all come from the same?

-Yeah, yeah. All from the same.

Goodness me! Aren't they wonderful!

Could the mannequin come with the lot as well, John?

Yeah. Yeah.

Can I ask you how much it could be?

-As it's you, 40 quid.

-Don't say that!

Let me go for a walk on, and what I may just do is make you

an offer if I get a bundle of bits and pieces together.

OK, all right.

Now for the cabinet.

These are nice.

If there is a section of the market today which I think is really

performing well, it's collectors' sections.

And the market also is particularly strong for fountain pens.

This one is a vintage Conway Stewart pen of the 1950s. A bit plain.

They are reflective in terms of artistic

quality for the decades they represent.

And you've got here a really almost rich lapis lazuli

and metallic oxide fountain pen here.

Which is beautifully mounted there with a 14 carat gold nib.

John, tell me, these fountain pens, where do they come from?

-The attic.

-They didn't.

-They did.

-Out the same attic?

The same attic.

That motherlode again, eh?

There is eight pens in total. To an old mate...

That could be £60.

-Look at me.

-£60.

-Look at me, how much?

-40.

-Why did I say that?! £40. £40! OK.

Highly excited. Is there still more?

Goodness me, John. This is a dirty buckle.

-There you go.

-Brilliant.

If I just rub this hallmark, I think we'll see what might be

lurking. There is a date letter, which is an X. So this was made...

I'll test you. It was made three years before Queen Victoria died.

What year?

Now, who was paying attention earlier?

18...

-I don't know. '97.

-'98.

Unlucky, John.

-Often we call these nurses.

-Yeah, nurses.

It's quite a masculine buckle. More for a man, isn't it, really?

-Would your wife wear that?

-Probably. Although she is very feminine.

-I'm pleased to hear it.

-THEY LAUGH

And the best price on that, John, would be how much?

45.

Blimey, if he buys all this, it will match Raj's efforts yesterday.

Just when I came over here before, this here is a phonograph,

which is the forerunner to the record player.

Within these rolls here, you've got records which can be played.

He, John. I've just seen this Edison Standard phonograph.

-It is missing its horn, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Thomas Edison was also partly instrumental in evolving

-telephone communications.

-Yeah.

Yeah, the man who once said genius was 1% inspiration

and 99% perspiration was responsible for thousands of patents.

Including this one in 1877. Now, when did Victoria die?

That lifts up like that. Look at that! Look at that.

-Look at the handle inside.

-Under there. Oh, yes, yes, yes!

-Obviously, John, the rolls would come with the phonograph.

-Yeah.

-How much could it be?

-£80.

It's just the condition. We are lacking the horn and...

-I could do it for less.

-Could you? What's the best price on that?

-60.

-OK, so what's the plan then, Charles?

I do like the knight in shining armour. I think it's not bad

and it's a great statement piece for a saleroom.

I do like the pens I saw earlier on. I like the buckle.

I like the phonograph. I like the box. I like everything.

Come on, Hanson, play it safe. But at the same time, go wild.

Good grief.

I don't know whether you perhaps want to get a pen

and paper out and then we can do some maths.

-How much?

-240.

-Yeah.

Time for Charles to have a turn.

-So that's actually...

-220.

-220.

180.

Getting better. A bit more?

-170.

-Oh, don't! Ah! You wouldn't meet me halfway at 160, would you?

-Yeah, go on.

-Are you sure?

-Yeah.

-Sold. 160.

-Thanks a lot.

So, he got them all.

And now has the tricky task of sorting them into lots.

Now, while Charles heads for a lie down, Raj has headed east,

making his way to the village of Tolpuddle,

where the courage of six farm workers changed the world.

-Oh, Nigel.

-Hello, Raj.

-Nice to meet you.

-Welcome to Tolpuddle.

Thank you very much.

The story began on this very spot in the 1830s when some labourers,

who had just endured several cuts to their already pitiful wage,

met under the ancient sycamore to form a union.

They just didn't know how to survive. Trade unions were lawful.

Had just been made lawful. And that was the way forward.

But we'd have to do it secretly.

If the employer found out too soon, he could pick us off.

So they took an oath of solidarity, of secrecy with one another.

Who actually led them?

George Loveless was the main character.

He was a Methodist lay preacher, farm worker,

taught himself to read and write, clearly a clever man, good speaker.

And he has been seen as the leader of this union.

It must have been a movement throughout the village.

We think that hundreds of people would have been involved,

even though only six were arrested.

The local landowners, led by Squire Frampton, were desperate to

put an end to the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers.

They were told by the Home Secretary that

although trade unions were now lawful,

an obscure act designed to combat naval mutinies might be invoked.

If Frampton could catch them taking a secret oath, then

he could arrest them, and that's what happened. They were arrested.

Marched into Dorchester.

Put on trial. And it was a trumped-up charge.

They were sentenced to the harshest punishment

of seven years transportation in Australia.

Why Australia, why not here?

It was Britain's dumping ground.

Many, particularly poor people, who were caught stealing a handkerchief

or poaching were dispatched to what would have been a life sentence.

Cos very few people could ever afford to come back.

So James Brine, James Hammett, Thomas Stanfield

and his son John, George Loveless, and his brother James were taken in

chains from Dorchester to the prison hulks in Portsmouth Harbour.

They were kept in dreadful conditions.

And the poor conditions made George Loveless ill.

He eventually was transported later.

And as he left in chains, he handed a relative a piece of paper. And

on it, was written the famous poem that we still recite about liberty.

"God is our guide

"No swords we draw

"We kindle not war's battle fires

"By reason, union, justice, law

"We claim the birthright of our sires."

And the famous section at the end.

"We raise the watchword Liberty

"We will, we will, we will be free!"

But that's not the end of the story,

because George Loveless was heard. And when the men were still

on their long voyage, the public were responding to their fate.

The word got out and the fledgling trade unions right

around the country realised this was a challenge to their very existence.

Even before they had got going.

And within days, people started organising

meetings in Huddersfield, petitions from Cheltenham.

And within weeks, they planned this huge protest,

the like of which they had never seen before.

Their peaceful march through London, one of the first of its kind,

concluding with the delivery

of an 800,000-strong petition to Parliament.

-So many people for six farm workers?

-Well, quite.

In the days where there was no Twitter or Facebook,

how they actually managed to all get there

and marshal such a large number of people is astonishing.

And you can understand why it really did frighten the government.

And it didn't stop there.

No, because while voluntary donations supported

the martyrs' families, legal and political challenges were pursued.

And after a few years, the government relented -

first pardoning the martyrs and then bringing them home.

They must have come back as heroes.

They arrived in Plymouth, in triumph.

And unions recreated this grand march.

They became symbols of the right of people to form a union

and the freedom to organise people at work.

Now, where has Raj's rival got to?

Somerset, that's where.

Taking a route north and west to Crewkerne,

the delightful town that's mostly built with the gorgeous

Hamstone of nearby Ham Hill.

-Hello, sir.

-Afternoon.

-How are you doing?

-Fine, thanks.

-You are Charles, yes?

-Hanson, the name's Hanson, yeah. Charles.

-And your name is?

-Anthony Bucke.

-What a fantastic centre you've got here.

-Thank you.

It is certainly big. Almost 100 traders.

I need more eyes.

But Charles doesn't really need an awful lot more.

Careful! Oh, God.

Now walk away. Slowly.

There must be plenty squirreled away in here.

What really excites me is this dish down here.

This little, octagonal dish is hand-painted in blue.

But actually, it's also gilt outlined. It's not minging.

OK, it might be because it's broken.

But in fact, this is Ming. This is true Ming porcelain.

Made pre-1644. And it could be yours for 500 pence.

Astonishing. Almost 400 years old.

And next door, for just a few more pounds...

We've got some English Staffordshire porcelain circa 1820.

Some Chinese Qianlong cups from circa 1780.

Some small Kangxi Chinese dishes from 1700.

And then, almost rolling home, we have a Derby dish here.

Pre-1795. For £12 each.

And what I'm really tempted to do is grab him.

And almost make a bundle of joy and put the Ming plates with the

two Kangxi dishes and the three Qianlong period cups,

and then maybe put the Derby dish in there as well.

And just see if I can acquire this wonderful lot

for a right old good price.

And if I can do, I think this little lot here has real Eastern promise.

So is that including East Midlands promise? Ha!

Time to have a word with Anthony.

-I've been digging. Anthony, take a seat.

-What have you got here?

This ensemble just oozes probably 300 years of history.

Five, two 12s are 24, 45... That's £50, isn't it? Yeah.

I mean, £40?

Yeah, I mean, I was hoping £25.

-Mm. That's like 50%.

-Look at me.

-50%. Look at you?!

HE LAUGHS

30 quid and it's yours.

-Yes.

-I'm OK. I'll take them. Thank you so much.

Thank you very much.

He did rather well with a similar assortment last time.

-Excellent. Seals the deal.

-Thank you so much.

-OK.

Providing he can get this to auction more or less intact.

Steady, Charles.

Meanwhile, back in Dorset, Raj - with just under £200 to spend -

takes our trip to beautiful Bridport.

-Hello there.

-Hi.

-Hi, I'm Raj.

-Hi, Raj. I'm Bill.

-Hello, Bill. Nice to meet you. And?

-Hello. I'm Frances.

-Hello, Frances.

-Pleased to meet you.

-What a lovely little shop you have here.

-Thank you.

Very, very pretty.

Our man splashed out yesterday,

so I reckon he might be a wee bit cautious here.

Kitchenalia, eh?

Not bowled over. Ho-ho. Who writes this?

I've seen a brass ladle over there.

Oh, yes.

It's a 19th-century English brass ladle. Used for serving soup, sauces.

It might even have been locally made. A lot of the local forges made them.

And if I can get this at the right price,

this will go with my other spoons. I do like this, Bill.

It's quite nice. It's got copper rivets.

-It's nicely made.

-Yeah, it is nicely made.

-What's the best you could do on that?

-The best I can do?

-Um, I'll do that for a fiver for you.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-Are you happy with that?

-Yeah, I'm happy with that.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-Great. Thank you.

Swift, Raj. Anything else catch your eye?

I know they're not very old. These Regency-style wall brackets.

But I do like them. They are saleable.

That sort of very, very decorative item,

there's always a market for them, at the right price.

-Yes, there is.

-There's £35 on the ticket.

-For the pair.

-For the pair.

-Mm-hmm.

-What could you do them for?

-Oh, I think we could do them for 15.

-15?

-Yes.

-You need some help, don't you?

-I do need some help.

-Believe you me, I need lots of help.

-Right. Right.

-And you're happy with that?

-I'm very happy.

Let's shake hands on it. Thank you very much indeed.

Five pounds for the ladle. And 15 for the brackets.

-Right, yes.

-£20.

-Yes.

I've just remembered, actually, I know you said you've got spoons.

We've got another spoon that you might be interested in.

Didn't cost us much and I could throw it in for a couple of quid.

-You sure?

-Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.

-You sure you're happy with that?

-I'm happy with that.

I think it would go nicely with the others.

-I'm not going to say no to that. Thank you very much.

-You're welcome.

So, £22 for another little pile.

But now we really must bring all the shopping to an end

and take a look at what's been bought.

Charles parted with £217 for a phonograph,

some porcelain,

some implements,

candlesticks,

a wooden box,

some fountain pens,

a buckle,

and a mannequin in armour.

While Raj spend £195 on some spoons and some ladles,

a writing slope,

a beaker,

a wooden bowl,

some spice drawers and some wall brackets.

So, what do they make of each other's items? Be honest.

I love the spice drawers.

I think they might make £100 on a really good day.

The knight's costume. What do I call him?

Sir Charles Hanson?

I just hope he gets knocked off his horse on this one.

I'm seeing more of a heavy spend by Raj,

and that will make the competition bubble and become quite volatile.

Would I rather have Charles' items or mine?

I'll stick with mine any day of the week.

After setting off from Dorchester in Dorset, our experts are now heading

for an auction on the edge of the Somerset Levels, at Bridgwater.

Are we not far from Cheddar Gorge?

Can you smell cheese?

Is that cheese? THEY LAUGH

No! Ha!

Welcome to Bridgwater, the port on the River Parrett

that's always been the industrial heart of Somerset.

At Tamlyns, established in 1878, business is brisk.

But what does the auctioneer, Claire Rawle, make of our lots?

The mannequin with the knight's outfit on,

paired with the Victorian silver belt buckle. Very, very bizarre.

Haven't seen anyone trying it on yet.

So, is Bridgwater ready?

There's a wave of enthusiasm. Can you feel it in the air?

Yes.

Good answer, Raj.

Especially as your repro Georgian brackets are first.

-These I have to start at £30.

-Very good.

£30. Do I see two anywhere?

-At 30. All quiet in the room. At 30.

-Come on!

At 30. Come along. 32.

35 with me. Can't lose them for that, can you?

38? They're worth it. They're ever so pretty.

You absolutely sure?

They're going to sell here with me then at £35.

That's very good. Well played.

Yes, doubled your money and more.

Now for Charles' combination lot of implements and box.

I'll start this one away at £30. Here at £30.

-Do I see two anywhere?

-That's good. Come on.

-At £30 now. Two. At 32.

-Come on.

-35? 35.

-That's good.

-38.

-Go on.

Oh, go on. Treat yourself, Jed.

At £38. Bid at 38. Now 40.

£40 I have. Fresh bidder at 40.

Are you sure? At 40. I have straight ahead here.

At £40. It's going to be then. You all done?

40 it is.

Another decent profit.

Followed by the tureen they both wanted, but Raj came away with.

I have to start this straight in at £12.

£12. Do I see 15 anywhere?

At 15 at the back of the room.

-At 15. At £15.

-Oh, no. More.

And 18. 20.

22. 25.

28.

-You sure? At £28 here.

-It's worth more than that.

-At £28.

-Profit. Put it there.

At 28, it's going to be. You all done?

-It's profit. High five.

-No, no! No way.

Yes, another profit served up.

Time for a bit of Victorian high fidelity.

I reckon it's worth at least £30.

That makes a loss cos it cost me 40.

Well, fingers crossed.

£50 straight in please. £50. 50?

-No interest.

-Start me somewhere. Thank you. 50 I have.

-Great.

-At £50.

-Let's go.

Do I see five anywhere? Five?

60, either of you?

-60.

-Go on!

-It's a profit.

-65.

-Go on!

70, surely?

Don't miss it for... 70.

At £70.

-At £70.

-It's playing sweet music in Somerset.

-Gosh, it worked well for you.

-That's great.

With its horn, it might have done even better.

What will they make of Raj's Doulton?

20 surely to start me. 20? 20, surely.

-Come on!

-Who is going to start me?

-Five.

Five?!

-No, come on.

-Eight. At eight pounds. Ten.

-12. It's moving now.

-15?

Are you sure? I've got 15, 18. 20.

At £20 then. At 20. All done?

It's going to sell then at £20.

Thank you, sir.

What a bargain. You got a bargain there.

Now for Charles' slightly chipped porcelain pile.

Featuring a bit of Ming.

£20 straight in for it. 20?

OK. How about ten pounds straight in?

-Frightening, isn't it?

-Surely ten?

Ten I have from the hand at the back. Ten pounds. At 12.

-Hold tight.

-15. 18.

20. 22.

25. 28.

No? At £28. At 28. Now 30.

Yes, over there.

It works. Every time you ask for one more, someone puts their hands up.

-£30 it is then.

-Get it down. Get it down.

Well done, Mr Hanson. THEY LAUGH

After auction costs, it actually results in a bit of a loss.

Now, Raj's writing slope.

20 anywhere? Surely!

Come on, Bridgwater. You have a certain honour to keep up here.

Nobody? Where are you going to start me, then? Ten pounds.

-Oh, everyone wants it now. He was first. Ten. 12.

-15. Here we go. 18.

-Roll on.

-20.

-22. Oh, my goodness me.

25.

-At £25.

-One more, one more. I haven't finished yet.

-Fresh bidder.

-Thank you.

-At 28. Are you all done now?

It's going to sell at £28.

-£28.

-Good for you.

-Yeah.

We've still only had one loss so far.

But Raj is not going to catch Charles at this rate.

Even though he is having second thoughts about these.

I may have made a mistake with these pens.

You think the writing is on the wall?

-And I start straight in. I've got £55.

-Wow.

At 55. Do I see 60 anywhere? Bids with me here at 55.

-Come on, let's go.

-At 55 for the fountain pens.

-60. 65? No.

-Go on!

No? Bids here with me still. Are you all sure in the room?

It's going to sell it here at £65.

-Gordon Bennett!

-Well done. High five.

-Thanks a lot.

Thanks a lot.

No need to worry there, was there?

Now, can Raj's spoons plus his bargain ladles scoop up a profit?

£20. Nice early brass spoons. £20?

They are going to bomb. They are going to bomb.

Ten?

Ten surely somewhere! Ten pounds. Ten pounds I have.

At ten pounds. For the nice, early spoons. 12. 15.

At 15... Are you sure? That was short and sweet.

-18.

-The ladles...

-20.

-At £20.

-It's profit, isn't it?

-Oh, stop it. You and your profit.

All done? It's going to sell then at £20.

Is that a profit?

No, it's definitely a loss.

-What happened?

-I'm not sure.

-Look at me.

-I can't look at you. I can't.

Don't blame you.

Next, it's Charles' slightly odd lot of candlesticks and fork.

Not sure why.

Ten pounds anywhere for them?

-Thank you, ten I have. At ten pounds. Do I see 12 anywhere?

-Uh-oh.

And 12.

15. 18.

20.

-One more, go on.

-At 22. Fresh bidder.

-I made a loss.

-That's good. You've done well.

At 25 right at the back of the room.

-You're out not. You're all sure?

-You've done well.

-25 it's going to be.

-It's not bad.

-Uh! That's OK.

-Not bad.

Yep, they just made it.

But if Raj is going to catch him,

those spice drawers will have to make a pile.

I've got a bid of £20 on them. 22. 25. 28.

-Here they go. Listen.

-30. 32, 35, 38.

-40. 42. 45. 48.

-CHARLES COUNTS ALONG

-50. Five. 60. Five. 70.

-CHARLES COUNTS ALONG

You have put me off.

Shush, Charles!

-70. Five. 80. Five. 90. Five.

-Wow.

100. 110. 120.

-130. 130 here.

-That's amazing.

I've got £130. 140. 150.

-160.

-Oh, my goodness me.

170 there. At £170. Are you all done? Are you all sure?

-One more, one more.

-170...

Wow!

Goodness me!

Quite a double.

-That's massive!

-Yep.

Back in the game!

THEY LAUGH

Raj could win this auction.

It all comes down to Charles' final lot.

Mannequin, armour and belt buckle.

Start me straight in at £30, please. 30 anywhere?

Surely! Thank you, 30 I have. 32.

35. You are away, you're away.

38. 40. 42.

45. 48.

50.

55? No. At 55. Still the gentleman at 55.

-60. Fresh bidder.

-There you go. Stop worrying.

70. 75.

-80.

-Two more!

85. 90.

-95.

-Oh!

-Go on. Don't miss it for five.

At 100. See, it's done the trick. At 100.

It's going to sell at £100.

Good profit to end the day.

-After you.

-After you.

-Go on.

-No, no, after you.

THEY LAUGH

Just too polite. Raj started out with £363.04

and made, after paying auction costs, a profit of £51.82,

leaving him with £414.86 to spend next time.

Well done.

Charles began with £411.04.

After paying auction costs, he made a profit of £53.60.

So, clock this, he won by £1.78 and still leads over all. Ha!

-Fantastic!

-Will our Herald hark?

-ENGINE STARTS

-Yes, she will.

-Here we go.

-Here we go, Bella.

RAJ LAUGHS

-After you.

-Go on, after you.

Next time on Antiques Roadtrip, the boys hit the road again,

using their heads to hunt for bargains...

What do you think?

..and hidden treasures.

It's exciting. It's like land ahoy, or antiques ahoy.

They are everywhere.