Episode 7 Antiques Road Trip

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

This is beautiful.

That's the way to do this.

..with £200 each, a classic car

and a goal to scour for antiques.

-Joy.

-Hello!

The aim - to make the biggest profit at auction,

but it's no mean feat.

There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

Sorry, sorry, sorry.

So, will it be the high road to glory

or the slow road to disaster?

The handbrake's on.

This is Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

Today sees auctioneers James Braxton

and Charlie Ross midway through their road trip.

-We've got the sun on our backs, we are going to do well today.

-Yeah.

I mean, look at this.

-English countryside...

-Sheep!

-Oh, sheep.

-Sheep!

-Sheep.

-Sheep!

He's rather excitable.

Charlie is as charming as ever.

-I'd quite like to go away with that.

-Yes.

-On holiday.

-Yeah.

-They're lovely.

-Would you come with me?

-Of course.

And James is a patriotic soul.

Well, I am very pleased with my Queen's shield.

I think I can be a loyal citizen.

They're navigating their road trip in a 1961 Ford Zephyr,

a car made before seatbelts were legally required.

-I think I put it into reverse.

-JAMES LAUGHS

Whoops-a-daisy!

Our Road Trip pals started off with £200 each.

After their second auction, Charlie is lagging somewhere behind James

with a kitty of £148.76 for the day ahead.

James is in pole position after the terrific result

with the two Doulton vases.

He has a stuffed wallet of £433.50 to spend today.

Their trip began in the Lincolnshire town of Boston

and meanders through Norfolk and Cambridgeshire,

up to Leicestershire, before heading south

and finishing in the Surrey town of Cobham.

Today's leg

sets off from Shenton, in Leicestershire,

and will head to auction in the village

of Bourne End, Buckinghamshire.

Both chaps will be sharing a shop

at Whitemoors Antiques Centre.

Here we are.

Charlie's first out of the traps.

There are 40 different dealers here.

-Aha! You look like the boss to me.

-I am the boss.

-Are you?

-Yeah.

-I'm Charlie.

-Lovely to meet you, Charlie. Portia.

-Portia!

-That's a very racy name.

-Very racy.

Right. You've got work to do, Charlie.

Oh, vintage luggage.

Didn't they make luggage well?

Look at that.

An Edwardian piece of luggage.

It's got its original brass studs on the bottom.

There's quite a demand for vintage luggage these days.

Look at the stitching.

And it's got really rather a lovely patination.

And what I like is when they've got original labels on them.

It's £50.

I could see that making £40 or £50 at auction.

Portia!

-Hi, you all right?

-Yeah, I've seen something I quite like.

-I love old luggage.

-Beautiful, isn't it?

-Oh, no, it's awful.

-SHE LAUGHS

-No, it's gorgeous!

-No, it is lovely. What chance have we got?

-I think I'll have to ring the tenant and see.

-Could you do that?

I will do that for you.

-Ring that tenant.

-One second.

-Tell him I'm a really nice chap.

-I will do.

Figures crossed, Charlie.

Portia's got some news.

-Charles, I've just spoken to the tenant.

-What have you done?

-Have you done better than 45?

-She'd be happy to take 27.

-27?!

-Yes.

What an odd figure.

I think that's well worth the money. I'm not even going to try

and beat her down to 25. I'm going to say £27 is really generous.

What about James?

With over £400 to spend,

is he going to go all out or exercise some prudence?

Mind your head.

-Good morning, James.

-Hello, hello.

-Welcome to Whitemoors.

-Hello, nice to meet you. And your name is?

-Robert.

-Robert.

What wonders can you spot in here, then, James?

This sort of leaps out at me here.

-That is a very '50s look.

-Isn't that great?

The retro thing is in at the moment.

I like the figurine. She is a very shapely lady, isn't she?

And it has that nice sort of pull,

that eggshell finish to the glaze, doesn't it? Where...?

-So, who's made this?

-It is West German.

-Made in West Germany.

And the pattern is called Jamaica.

-That's right.

-Just what we need, something exotic and warm, isn't it?

-On a cold day.

-THEY LAUGH

I definitely need it. That would... She would be a lovely tonic.

She'd lose your cold in a hurry, wouldn't she?

Crumbs!

West German pottery is a brand-new field of collecting

and is proving to be very popular at auction.

Now, what could you do on that, Rob?

The absolute best to you, James...

-Don't...

-..because I want you to win.

Don't...don't put yourself down.

-I won't. £12.

-£12.

It is in good order. It is bright, it has been looked after.

It has been slightly treasured. I think that is very handsome.

What about eight on that, Rob?

-Oh...

-You know how these auctioneers work.

Oh, here we go.

Yeah, you know, they all start in ten, five and everything.

And, you know, if you're going to have a chance of it,

a little profit, you need...

-Ten.

-Ten?

-To give me a little bit.

Ten. I am liking your start. Rob, put it there.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-You're welcome.

A quick and efficient purchase from James.

£10 for the 1950s West German vase.

Charlie has journeyed east to the historic village of Kibworth.

This large, family-owned antiques centre has over 60 dealers.

That's...early Victorian. It's...

Or even William IV rosewood over-mantle mirror.

Now, you can see that the mirror is not in great condition.

But frankly, when you look like me,

it's quite good having a mirror like that, to be perfectly honest.

He's hard on himself.

It's 150-plus years old.

160, 170 years old.

And I could get away with putting a new mirror in there.

And it's £25.

If that could be really cheap...

..I would buy it because it's a genuine antique.

Let's go and see what we can do.

Time to track down the lady in charge, the lovely Sally.

-Turn right. It used to be a mirror.

-Used to be a mirror.

Well, it looks like it. Can you see?

I have to say that the owner...

Can you hold that end?

-I can.

-Well done.

The owner does admit...

-Cos it says antique tarnished mirror.

-Very tarnished.

-It certainly is. Look at us in there.

-Absolutely.

You can't really see us.

-The fairest of them all.

-CHARLIE LAUGHS

-And I want to give a tenner for it.

-SHE GASPS

-HE IMITATES HER GASP

-I can feel your heart

-miss a beat there.

-It's missing lots of beats.

We can make a phone call.

-Would you mind?

-We can do that.

-That's sweet of you.

Tell her Charlie's desperate, would you?

And a bit of a chancer.

-Are you smiling?

-I am smiling a little bit.

I've spoken to the dealer,

she says that she is quite happy to come down to £15 for you.

-I can't ask for more than that, can I, really?

-No, not really.

-I was being very cheeky at ten. Put it there.

-OK.

-May I give you one of...those?

-Thank you.

That's really kind of you.

James, meanwhile, has travelled 24 miles to the city of Leicester.

So far, he has spent a tenner.

Come on, James, get spending.

What's that you've found?

Quite a crude tribal stool, this.

Not the finest carve,

but it's carved from the solid, from the trunk.

And they're useful.

They make great occasional tables.

They're just the right height for sitting beside a sofa or something.

And they have a look, don't they?

What about the price?

I noticed this when I walked in, Mark.

-Yes.

-Not the finest one, but...

It's not the most detailed carving, but crudities can be sometimes...

-interesting.

-Yeah, naive charm, isn't it?

-Yeah.

So it's carved out of the solid.

I think it would've been one piece, definitely.

-You can't see any joins or anything.

-And does this come from...?

Where do you think it comes from?

Probably...African origin, somewhere around there.

What sort of money do you have on that, Mark?

Um, I've got 55 on that one.

55...

Would it be too cheeky to say 25 on that?

-Could you make it 30?

-30?

-Mm-hm.

-You've gone and got yourself a deal, Mark.

-OK, lovely.

Thank you, I'll take that.

James is attracted to the exotic today.

The tribal stool for £30 is his second item.

Anyway, I'm pleased with it

and I'm off with it. Thank you, bye.

He doesn't hang about much.

Charlie has travelled south to the town of Northampton.

It's the home of British shoemaking

and even the local football team have the nickname The Cobblers.

And it's here, at Northampton Town Football Club,

that Charlie is heading to find out more about a pioneer,

not just in sport, but also in British history.

Charlie is meeting with author Phil Vasili.

-Charlie, hiya.

-Hello, Phil.

-How are you?

-Very well indeed, thank you.

Welcome to Northampton Football Club.

Walter Tull was one of the first black professional footballers

who played right here, at Northampton Town Football Club.

He was also the first black officer to lead troops into battle

in the First World War.

Phil is the biographer of Walter's sensational story.

This is very appropriate,

we are in the engine room of Northampton Town FC.

We can see the pitch, we can see the stands.

And where better to start?

We've got this wonderful archive here.

Yeah, it's a great place to start

because Walter was very happy here, by all accounts.

Walter was born in Folkestone, at the end of the 19th century.

His father was a carpenter from Barbados and worked

as a ship's joiner until he settled in England in 1876

and married a local girl.

Tragically, by the age of nine,

Walter had lost both his parents to ill health and was sent,

along with his brother, to an orphanage and Bethnal Green.

-When he went to the orphanage, they had a football team...

-Right.

..and they played in a... They played competitive games.

And somebody spotted him

-round about this time as being particularly talented.

-Yeah.

Well, you could see in the photo, Charlie, that he's in the middle

-and he's got the ball at his feet...

-He has.

..which usually signifies that he has got respect

and he's one of the better players.

In 1908, Walter was signed by amateur club Clapton FC.

Within the year, he turned professional

when he was signed by Tottenham Hotspur.

It was here that Walter experienced a horrible display

of spectator racism.

Spurs, for him, wasn't a great source of happiness, was it?

-It was wonderful that Spurs signed him.

-Yes.

And, you know, to be signed as a black player

is unusual at the time.

And Spurs have to be commended for that.

However, Walter got a lot of abuse when he was playing

and in one particular match,

in September of 1909 at Bristol,

it was so bad that one of the newspapers headlined

the abuse that Walter got.

And in the report,

the journalist said that Walter was a model for all white men

who play football, because of the way he withstood the abuse.

I think that was the strength of Walter,

-that he did his talking as a footballer, with his feet.

-Yeah.

A year later, Northampton Town

was thrilled to snap up the talented Walter.

But soon, the dark clouds of war loomed, in 1914.

Walter was one of the first to enlist in the British Army.

It wasn't until November 1915

that Walter went to France,

his battalion went to France.

-Hm.

-And they saw action almost immediately

in around the Festubert-Givenchy region.

Walter's cool-headed leadership

ensured that he rose through the ranks quickly.

So he saw action -

and I think I'm right in saying - was he recommended for an MC?

As far as we know, Walter was the first black officer

to lead white troops into battle in the Army.

And he was commended for his bravery

and commended for bringing back his party without injury.

That's when he was recommended for the Military Cross,

which he never actually received.

He embodied a legal contradiction.

As a black soldier, he shouldn't have been an officer

according to the manual of military law.

So if they gave him his Military Cross, it was almost like

they were admitting that they'd created

-this illegal precedent.

-Yeah.

-They were giving a rubber stamp to breaking the law, really.

-Yeah.

Sadly, tragedy struck.

On 25th March, 1918, Second Lieutenant Tull

was killed in action at the German spring offensive on the Somme.

He was 29 years old.

He was certainly a very remarkable black Briton

who achieved a great deal in his short life.

I mean, we are here at a club that's...

-The road that leads into the stadium is called Walter Tull Way.

-Yeah.

We've got the memorial stone detailing his achievements.

I think it has been absolutely fascinating -

an extraordinary tale of a remarkable man.

Thank you, Charlie.

The odds were stacked against Walter, but he succeeded

as a star on the football field and a hero on the battlefield.

It's the end of a long day, so time for a bit of a rest. Nighty-night.

Cor, it's absolutely tipping it down this morning.

This weather, very good for the leather upper, I would say.

You need a leather upper.

A good brogue is always the best option.

Anyway, James is in Northampton

to have a go at spending some of his money.

Although he's rich in profits, he's only spent £40 so far.

Oh, nice hat!

-Hello. James.

-Hello, I'm Sonia.

-Hello, Sonia. Very nice to meet you.

Maybe Sonia will persuade James

to part with some cash.

There's some nice things amongst here. I love this!

This is very theatrical, isn't it?

Great for a sort of baronial hall, isn't it?

It is.

Baron Braxton has a certain ring to it.

Really good.

Love that.

Right, like that.

So, the shield...

It's on the list.

The shield is priced up at £40

and could have been made for the Queen's Silver Jubilee.

I like this. A modest woodcut.

But what I like about this is it's very much in its contemporary frame.

It has a good look. Does it have a date on it?

It's evocative of a period, isn't it? 1920s.

The Untidy Corner.

It's got a personal inscription on it. And it is a wood block print.

Very much used early illustrations for newspapers

and book illustrations. Artists really loved it.

I like that. It's got style.

Another one on the list.

The wood block print has a ticket price of £10.

Now, to find Sonia to talk money.

These are my two items, Sonia.

I love this shield. Isn't that fun?

So that's the shield.

You don't have to do me a special price on the wood block print.

-I'm very happy to pay your ticket price.

-OK.

-But could I get a price on the shield?

-What have we got on that?

I think... What have we got? We've got £40.

-What price did you have in mind?

-Oh!

-See if we can meet in the middle.

Oh, if you're going to meet in the middle, 20 quid.

SHE LAUGHS

-SHE SIGHS

-25?

25, you've got yourself a deal, Sonia.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-Lovely.

I am very pleased with my Queen's shield.

I think I can be a loyal citizen.

-You'll have to find a sword now to go with it.

-I will!

Charlie is also in Northampton.

This looks interesting, Charlie.

Our man is having a look around The Old Bakehouse Antiques.

There are over 60 dealers here.

Blimey, he's like a dog let off the lead.

Look at that old projector.

With its original box.

"Specto film projector.

"Wood box and accessories. Bulb not working."

Well, you can get a bulb these days for something like that.

In the mid-1930s,

the British company Specto were renowned for their cine projectors.

During the Second World War,

the British government used the projectors to review intelligence

captured by British aircraft flying over occupied Europe.

£110.

HE SIGHS

I'm not going to spend £110 on that.

But I'd buy it at a price.

Good to hear, Charlie.

Ooh, what's that you've found?

Joy!

Look at that.

A vintage bamboo child's push chair.

That is fantastic!

Original wheels.

It's got two little wheels at the front here, just to stabilise it.

The bamboo's in good condition. It is a really unusual object.

And I'm always looking for something quirky and unusual.

It's got age, it's got quality in a certain sort of way,

it's got originality.

It is £68.

I don't think that's untoward.

That is as charming and historically interesting as that projector.

But he's not finished yet.

Wonder if his enthusiasm is infectious?

Aha!

Churchill, bulldog spirit.

That's a Beswick model there, Toby jug of Churchill.

Beswick Pottery began in the 19th century and produced

a lot of commemorative and advertising wares like this one.

The price tag on the jug is £60.

I've seen a projector.

I've seen that - I think - fabulous child's bamboo pushchair.

The sum total of these objects is comfortably over £200.

I've got £106.76 in total.

Time to strike a deal. Where is Steve?

Well, I think you've got a fantastic mix here.

I've got three things I've completely fallen in love with.

-There is a projector upstairs with its original box.

-Yeah.

There is a real talking point, which is that bamboo pushchair.

The other thing, completely differently,

is Mr Bulldog Spirit here, Winston Churchill,

simply because I need a bit of that bulldog spirit

to beat old Bingo.

And some extra cash.

I'm not going to beat around the bush, I mean,

I like those three things.

I don't suppose I'd be able to buy those three things,

but I'll tell you what I've got. I've got £106.76.

I can't add to it because that's all I've got.

-I mean, you're adding up to 230-odd quid. I mean, that's...

-Yeah.

-It depends on what these things have cost.

-Yeah.

If I can't buy the three things...

-No, I think we can...

-Do you think you could?

The projector's sat around for a while, so I'd like to get it gone.

-Has it?

-You know, cos you're only taking dust.

You take the dust with you, don't you?

I'll take the dust, I'll clean it, I'll do your washing up...

That's good. Oh, yeah, if you're doing the washing up as well...

Would you take all I've got for those three? Are you sure?

I don't want you...

When I walk out of that door, I don't want you to think,

"Mr Ross, honestly!"

No, I'll just phone the police. "I've just been robbed."

-You are the best dealer I've ever met in my life!

-Thanks.

-Shake me by the hand. You sure?

-Oh, yeah...

Yeah, let me have it, please.

Please. And the change.

Well done, Charlie.

He has blown the last of his cash on three items -

the cine projector for £40,

the pushchair for 30

and Churchill jug for £36.76.

That plucky display of buying

and big discounts wraps up our shopping trip.

Charlie has bought a total of five items -

the 1930s leather valise,

the antique mirror,

the cine projector,

the Edwardian pushchair and the Beswick Churchill jug.

His purse is empty. £148.76 gone!

James has four items - the 1960s West German vase,

the African tribal stool,

the decorative shield

and the 1920s wood block print.

He is reluctant to let go of his profits

and has been very thrifty, spending a total of just £75.

But what do they think of one another's buys?

I think all his things might make a profit,

simply because he's been so stingy!

Would I swap my lots for his? No.

Charlie and James are travelling south to Bourne End,

in Buckinghamshire.

Bourne End Auctions is where we're headed.

We're here. Bourne End Auction Rooms.

This, remember this, Bingo,

-cos this is when it turned round.

-Really?

This is where your frugal behaviour comes back to bite you.

Ah-ha-ha!

Taking to the rostrum today is auctioneer Simon Brown.

All quiet then, the auction is about to begin.

First to go is Charlie with his leather valise.

Start me at £30, please, for this lot.

-20 then to start. 20, anybody interested?

-Ten.

-20?

-Ten.

-20? Nobody interested?

Ten to start. Ten I'm bid. Got you at ten.

-You got a bidder.

-I recognise that lady.

Never mind the lady, Charlie.

-Are we all done at ten on my left?

-JAMES LAUGHS

That buyer's got a great deal there.

James's West German vase is next.

£10. Ten I'm bid. Yours at ten.

-Bingo, you are already in at ten.

-12.

-14.

16. 18. 20. 20. 22.

25.

25. 22 on my right.

Selling at 22. Are we all done at 22?

Got you at 22 on my right now.

22.

There we are.

All smiles for James as he starts off with a profit.

It is Charlie's rosewood mirror next.

Start me at £30, please, for this lot. 30. Anybody interested at 30?

Nobody interested at 30? 20 then start.

20, anybody interested? Nobody interested? No?

I am moving on.

-Lot 36 is...

-JAMES LAUGHS

What do you mean "moving on"?

He's moving on.

Uh-oh. This no sale means it will be added into your next leg's auction.

-Moving on.

-Do you think he might not sell any of my items?

Surely not.

It's James's tribal stool next.

Who will start me at 20, please, for this lot? 20 I'm bid.

22. 25. 27. 30. 32.

35. 37. 40. 42. 45. 47.

50. 55. 60. 65. 60 in the corner.

Selling at 60. Yours at 60. Are we all done at 60?

On my right. Selling at 60 now.

Marvellous!

Absolutely. Thank the good people of Bourne.

Well done, James, another great profit.

James is in the lead.

Can Charlie ramp up his profits with the cine projector?

Who will start me at £30, please, for this?

-30 I'm bid. Yours at 30.

-What?

-Are we all done at 30?

Maiden bid. Selling at 30 on my left. Yours at 30.

With William, are we all done at £30 now?

Marvellous, that's only a small loss there.

At least you got a bid on that.

Yeah, but not a profit.

Maybe blowing the whole budget was a bit hasty.

Don't dwell on the figures, Charlie.

I've got to because I've got to go shopping again, Bingo.

And at this rate, I won't even be able to buy a West German vase.

-Oh, because you spent...?

-I spent all my money!

-JAMES LAUGHS

-So...

Whoops, Charlie!

James's turn now with the big decorative shield.

40 anybody interested? 40 I'm bid.

With Martin at 40. Yours at 40. 42. 45. 45 with Martin.

Selling at 45. Are we all done at 45? Got you at 45 on my left now.

That'll do me.

JAMES LAUGHS

So far, James is enjoying profits on every item.

In round terms,

-it's the biggest ever thrashing...

-Really, why?

-..in Road Trip history.

Profit, loss. Profit, not even a bid.

Profit, loss.

Are we setting a trend here now?

For your sake, Charlie, let's hope not.

It's your Edwardian pushchair next.

Who will start me at £50, please, for this lot? Interesting lot at 50.

Anybody interested? 40 then to start. 40, nobody interested?

40 I'm bid. Selling at 40. Yours at 40. 42.

45. 42 in front.

Selling at 42. Are we all done at 42?

On my left now, got you at 42.

Well done.

A profit, hurrah! But sadly, not enough to catch up with James.

-Well done.

-Keep the hanky in reserve.

Well, that goes into the kitty.

It's James's last item of the day - the wood block print.

Who will start me at £20, please, for this lot?

20, anybody interested? At 20.

Ten then to start. £10. Ten I'm bid. Selling at ten.

-Ten?

-Are we all done?

Maiden bid, got you at ten. Selling at £10.

First loss of the day, though, for you, James.

And you are still way ahead of Charlie.

It's all or nothing with Charlie's last lot of the day -

the Churchill jug.

Wouldn't it be fun if he got to my character jug and said,

"I have four commission bids...

-Yeah.

-"..and I'm going to start at 320."

It would be fun.

Unbelievable, but fun.

It would be.

-MIMICS CHURCHILL:

-'My last chance...

'for profit.'

100, I'm bid. 110. 120.

130. 140. 150.

160. 170. 180. 190.

180 standing. Selling at 180. Are we all done at 180?

Yours at 180.

Winston's has come good.

-'We did fight them on the beaches.'

-We did.

Unbelievable! Saved by Winston at the 11th hour, Charlie.

Excellent stuff.

-That is a surprise.

-COCKILY:

-Well, I didn't think so...

THEY LAUGH

Has Charlie done enough to get back into the game?

James started the third leg with £433.50.

His frugality made him a profit

of £37.34 after auction house costs.

James has a total of £470.84 for the next leg.

Charlie began this leg with £148.76.

Astounding success with the Churchill jug means that

Charlie wins this leg with a profit of £66.08 after costs.

He now has £214.84 to take forwards.

And the road trip wheels keep moving!

We're on to the penultimate leg with Charlie and James.

And Charlie's starting the day with a refreshing drink of water...

-It's gone all over my face.

-JAMES LAUGHS

Oh! It's gone over my trousers.

In fact, you've got water all over you now.

Oh, it's gone everywhere!

Oh, poor old love.

The boys are kicking off in Rushden,

and they'll then shop their way to auction in St Alban's,

Hertfordshire.

-Pleasure to be driven by you.

-Ah, very fine.

Charlie's off for a nosey in Continental Collectables.

Oh, look at that canework seat!

I was going to say evocative of the '30s,

but, actually, it can't be, because it says 1948 on it!

"Madeira."

That's wonderful! Madeira - a place and also a drink.

Have some Madeira, m'dear.

MUSIC: Madeira, M'dear by Michael Flanders & Donald Swann

# Have some Madeira, m'dear

# You really have nothing to fear

# I'm not trying to tempt you

# That wouldn't be right

# You shouldn't drink spirits at this time of night

# Have some Madeira, m'dear. #

Ah!

Oh, dear...

Oh, dear, m'dear.

Well, it's a BIT tatty.

"Madeira" - do you think that came off a ship called Madeira?

I don't think it's called a Madeira chair.

Perhaps dealer Ralph can shed some light...

-They're made in Madeira.

-They were?

They're renowned in Madeira for making wickerwork

and they were sold to the tourists who came off the steamer ships.

I would buy that if it was devilish cheap...

but I see it's priceless, cos it hasn't even got a label on it!

-It could be devilishly cheap.

-Could it?

We'll make it easy, £10.

I can't resist that. Ralph, that's the quickest purchase and...

Do you know, every time I get really enthusiastic

about something, it fails, but this can't fail.

-Well, at £10...

-And, you know,

my opposition is going to be jealous of that.

I'm not so sure... HE CHUCKLES

Anything else grab you?

How about those nice little bottle coasters?

I like those.

Certainly silver plate coasters.

-Got a bit of age, haven't they?

-Yes.

I like it when silver plate is rubbed like that...

-You see the copper.

-..and the copper comes shining through.

Um...

-but they're knackered.

-I had £40 on the pair.

-Did you?

-Yes.

Are they are buyable for me?

You can have them for 25.

Well, now I think they'd make 25 at auction. That's my trouble.

Something to think about, then.

Meanwhile, James is moving on towards St Neots,

and his first shop of the day.

Hello...James.

Hello, James, I'm Jacqueline.

Hello, Jacqueline. What a lovely place.

Although Jacqueline specialises in jewellery,

there's also plenty of furniture,

collectables and memorabilia on offer.

Jacqueline, I'm a great fan,

I'm a great fan of the bamboo...

Right.

..cos I think it's just one of the most fabulous materials.

It's so strong, it is the sum of parts.

You can work it very quickly and cheaply, very cheap material,

and yet you can make out of that bamboo,

out of the thing that's growing in your garden,

you can make two, very stylish

'60s, '70s side tables.

-Look at that.

-Lovely in a conservatory.

Quite fun.

If you had a '60s... If you had a contemporary house,

you could easily add these.

This is very much Margo and Jerry territory, isn't it?

-THE GOOD LIFE THEME TUNE PLAYS

-Oh, definitely. The Good Life?

The Good Life. I'd like those, they're very stylish, very simple...

Good price. I know the dealer very well.

Very good price. He's very keen.

-Is he?

-Mmm.

Keen on prices? What has he got? 12 for the two?

It'll be 12 each, I should imagine.

He's got two after it.

Yes, we'll do 12 for the two.

-12, right, come on, put it here.

-Yes.

-BOTH:

-Well done.

Thank you very much indeed.

See, first one in the bag! Thank you, goodbye.

And good work, James.

What's he up to now, then?

I'm just texting Charlie because he's always berating me

about getting my hand deeper into my pocket.

I just wanted to give him the good news

that I have frugally spent £12.

He's going to love it.

James knows his shrewd tactic of spending less

gets Charlie's goat.

Cor, what a scamp, eh?

Speaking of Charlie, looks like he's spotted an old friend...

Ooh... Ah, ha!

My largest success so far on this trip

has been thanks to Winston Churchill.

Well, you have an interesting one there.

Oh, blimey. Someone's given it a right bashing.

It says silver, but that appears to be silver-plate to me.

I think the medallion in the centre is the silver.

It's hallmarked...

Ah, clever, so the medallion of Churchill is silver

and the dish is plated.

Ticket price is £100.

Very best would have to be...

..60.

That's a gamble lot, isn't it?

A couple of people like Churchill, they could get stuck into that.

Right...

If I rolled Churchill in with a couple of coasters,

would that shave them at all...? Or not?

-No, I don't want you losing money...

-60 for the pair of coasters.

-The pair of coasters and the dish...

-..is the very best.

I think that's incredibly generous.

I've got to keep Churchill going.

-Are you happy with that?

-Yes.

-Let's put it there.

-Thank you very much.

-60 quid and Madeira was a tenner.

-70 quid.

-£70.

Three items!

Shopping made easy by Ralph!

Good work, Charlie. Three lots with potential in your first shop.

James, meanwhile, has made his way to Bedford.

In the 17th century, this town became the focus of a brutal crackdown

on religious freedom.

At a time when the church, Parliament and the monarchy

were in turmoil,

there was one man who stood fast in his beliefs - John Bunyan.

He was jailed in Bedford for being one of the country's most radical religious thinkers

and went on to write a revolutionary book

that would rival the Bible's popularity around the world.

Here to tell James more is John Bunyan Museum curator

Nicola Sherwood.

I come seeking Bunyan! Tell me all about him.

Well, he was born in Elstow

and his family had lived there for generations.

Bunyan, as a sort of a slightly hot-headed teenager,

16, decided to join the army

and went to fight for Oliver Cromwell and Parliament.

The young Bunyan had entered the English Civil War.

This was one of the most turbulent times in British history,

resulting in the abolition of the monarchy

and the establishment of a republic, led by Oliver Cromwell.

This heralded a period of religious freedom for England

and a time of great religious discovery for Bunyan.

When did the light shine for him?

It was really when he returned back to Elstow

when suddenly this voice came into his head to sort of say,

"Wilt thou have thy sin and go to hell?

"Or wilt thou leave thy sin and go to heaven?"

Heaven.

From that moment on, Bunyan's life was changed for ever.

He renounced the Church of England and began to preach

his nonconformist message around the country with great success.

But within just seven years,

the country underwent another radical change

and religious freedom came to an end.

With the return of the King and the monarchy in 1660,

basically they felt that the way to reunify the country

was to reunify religion

and bring everyone back under the Anglican Church of England

and get people to start following the Common Book Of Prayer,

having people ordained rather than just anyone being allowed to preach.

So when the clampdown came with the restoration of the monarchy,

-what happened to dear old Bunyan then?

-Well, he ignored it, basically.

He carried on preaching.

He carried on around the country, People...

He was becoming very famous, very popular.

He was starting to be perceived as a bit of a threat by the establishment...

-Because he was outspoken?

-Yes.

Exactly, so an arrest warrant was put out which had 13 signatures,

when, actually, only two would have been necessary.

As a prominent nonconformist,

Bunyan was arrested whilst speaking just outside Bedford

and was imprisoned in the county jail in November 1660.

Bunyan ended up being put in prison, basically, indefinitely.

He ended up spending 12 years.

So we see Bunyan here, writing.

Did he start writing in jail?

Certainly, his spiritual autobiography, Grace Abounding.

We know he probably wrote that during his 12 years.

We do believe he got the idea for the Pilgrim's Progress

-and started sketching that out.

-And this was his big book.

That was THE book, the one that made him famous

and that has gone on to be so incredibly well regarded around the world.

Bunyan was finally released from prison in 1672,

thanks to a law of religious clemency introduced by the new monarch, Charles II.

Bunyan went straight back to preaching

and completed his greatest work, The Pilgrim's Progress,

a simple tale of good versus evil.

It tells the story of a pilgrimage through this world to the afterlife.

From its first publication in 1678,

it was an instant success.

He did a sort of synopsis of the Bible.

He repackaged it.

Yes, basically, he sort of nailed it in terms of a simple, clear message

that anyone... it doesn't even have to be a Christian message.

It is the simple, how to live a good life.

Because it was such a simple story,

it was used by the missionaries to go out to other countries

and to share the Christian word

and the Bible in a much simpler way than getting them to read the Bible.

-Yes.

-So there are over 200 languages

-and dialects that it's been translated into.

-Oh, did it?

At one point, there were more copies of Pilgrim's Progress

than there were the Bible in working people's houses.

Goodness!

Bunyan wrote about 60 books and pamphlets

and continued preaching right up to his death from illness

at the age of 59.

But the one he will forever be remembered for,

The Pilgrim's Progress, has been continuously in print

from its first release over 300 years ago to the present day.

Charlie's journeyed west to the market town of Wellingborough

in Northamptonshire.

After his buying frenzy this morning,

what will Charlie uncover at Hunters Antiques?

Feast my eyes on the cabinet. There's loads of stuff in it.

Now that is quirky and original, Nick.

-You have a gun.

-We do, we do.

Or rather a novelty pipe in the shape of a gun.

Hang on one second, I'll get it out for you.

There we go, sir.

Is that Bakelite?

I think so, I'm not entirely sure, but I think it is.

Bakelite and briar pipe.

Inexpensive, but I dare say the auctioneer would want

to sell that for ten quid or something, wouldn't he?

It's been knocking around for a bit. I don't think you'd see another...

I think that's probably the best part of 50 years old.

I don't suppose that could be insultingly cheap, could it?

Like a fiver or something?

I think the auctioneer might sell that for a tenner...

-Yeah, I could do that.

-As they say, there's not much downside.

-THEY LAUGH

-You can't lose a lot on it, no.

-Sold, sir.

-Well done, thank you.

-That's not going to make you the richest man...

-No...

..in Wellingborough, but there we go.

Charlie might not have risked much on the pipe,

but novelty items often do well at auction, so it could be a canny buy.

With that final purchase of the day,

it's time for a well-earned sleep, so nighty-night...

# Good morning, world, it's a brand-new day! #

Oh, yes!

First stop of the day is Woburn in Bedfordshire.

With only one lot bought so far,

James has some serious shopping to do.

DOORBELL TINKLES

-Hello.

-Hello, James.

-Hello, Alvin. Very nice to meet you.

-Nice to see you.

-Good. So this is your emporium?

Well, shop.

Shop! It's quite a big shop, isn't it?

You'd better get on with it, then.

He's on to more bamboo, look.

Nice bit of bamboo.

Incredibly light.

Now, this is very much your Victorian bamboo -

aspidistra flowing out of the brass pot...

But do people want that in a modern interior? That's the difficulty.

Quite fun if you did have a nice conservatory.

Ah, just the man!

Something like 28? Could that buy it?

Don't look at the label, no clues.

The ticket says 50.

-No.

-No. OK, that's all right.

£40 you can have it for.

Now, I'm going to look at other items

-and I might do a collective.

-OK.

Smart thinking.

Now what's he onto?

I quite like this little lot.

I've always loved picnic cups

and you've got six there, which is really unusual.

They fit together in the cases there.

Worth a closer look, I guess.

I suppose you'd call it a nest, wouldn't you?

Well, yeah.

This is-this is... Very fine maker - Hukin and Heath.

-And look...

-They sit together...

-They just fall beautifully,

so when people were motoring and various things like this...

And there's a leather case, which is a little bit tired.

And they're gilded inside, of course, which is...

-Quite like those.

-They're quite cheap, I think.

-They might join the planter in the great scheme of things...

-Right.

Another possibility.

Anything else before you go in for the deal, James?

-Now, I quite like the look of that.

-OK.

So games are always quite fun.

-That's quite big, isn't it?

-It's unusual, this size.

They are normally quite a bit smaller than that.

So that's... This is a solitaire board.

-It's quite nice having the big marbles, isn't it?

-Yes.

They are obviously all original.

I guess this is best part of 100 years old.

-Yeah. I think it... It looks 1920s, doesn't it?

-Yeah, yeah.

So I like the bamboo, the brass pot...

I like the Hukin and Heath

and I like this.

Could the lot be bought for, say, 95?

Erm... They are all priced around the 40, 45 mark, aren't they?

I'm looking for a discount!

You're not a million miles away.

Ooh! Is there a little chink of hope there?

Let's say 110.

Let's say 100.

-105 and you've got it.

-105 and you've got it?

Cor...

I got the feeling it's 105, isn't it?

-It is. Thank you, James.

-JAMES LAUGHS

You're slightly frightening, I was going to chance me arm.

Well, some serious shopping done there with three lots bought.

James has now moved onwards to Bletchley in Buckinghamshire,

and home, it would seem, to a rather large family of Canada geese.

Look at that!

James has one last shop of the day.

-Charming weather out there, isn't it?

-It's lovely, isn't it? Hello.

-James.

-Mags.

Hello, nice to meet you, Mags.

Fenny Antiques is full of the combined treasures of 40 dealers.

-Anything upstairs?

-Only general furniture.

Only general furniture.

Ooh! I might have a look up there.

That's quite nice. I've got a carpet here...

..and it's tapestry

and this is known as a design called aubusson

and it comes from... The designs come from France

and they're very often these, sort of, light colours.

You know, there is evidence of craft here.

Look at the back of it.

(For £20. I think that's quite a good deal.)

Can Mags do an even better deal?

It's got a couple of wine stains and things...

Fortunately it hasn't got a hole - I've checked it all over for a hole.

Hasn't got the moth, which I'm pleased about.

I wouldn't mind buying it for a tenner, if that's possible?

OK, I'll go a tenner.

Do you? Oh, well done, Mags.

Well done.

With one aubusson rug bagged for half price,

both our boys are bought up.

James spent a total of £127 on five lots -

the pair of bamboo wine tables,

the late Victorian bamboo plant stand and planter,

the nest of picnic cups,

the hardwood solitaire board

and the aubusson wool carpet.

Charlie spent less, shelling out £75 on four lots -

the Madeira wicker chair,

the Churchill centenary dish,

the late Victorian plated bottle coasters

and the vintage novelty pipe.

He will also take his unsold rosewood mirror

from the last auction to this auction.

So what do they think of each other's lots?

That pipe! Now, there's no excuse for that pipe.

It's quite fun that it's in the style of a colt 45,

but at the end of the day, it's a pipe and it's a fiver.

As for your rug at a tenner?

(Well, off to the skip with that!)

After starting this leg in Rushden,

our experts are now motoring south

towards auction in St Albans, Hertfordshire.

Go on!

Our boys will battle it out at Hertfordshire Auctioneers.

Chris Small will be wielding the gavel today.

We've got bidders in the room and online.

Get comfy, chaps, the games are about to begin.

At £10, at £10...

-JAMES SIGHS

-Here we are.

-Back in your favourite position.

-I know.

-Front row of the stalls.

-Front row, I'm looking forward to this.

Well, you're up first, James,

with the late Victorian bamboo stand and planter.

-15, you've got 15, have you?

-Ooh!

15, I've got. £15 I've got.

And 20, Steve at 20.

-Taking off now, James.

-Taking off.

At 20, I've got now, £20 I've got.

20 for this one, at £20 for the bamboo,

plant stand and brass pot there.

£20 only I'm bid.

All done with that one at £20?

-Mmm, James.

-£20.

You've halved your money!

-Half my money.

-Less a little commission...

You're coming back to join me, James.

You're coming back!

Much to Charlie's delight, that's a disappointing start for James.

Will his pair of 1970s bamboo tables do a bit better?

Bid me a tenner, who's in?

-Yes!

-Quiet!

-Ooh!

'£5.'

-Ooh, that's a man!

-Cheeky monkey!

-I've got 5, it's a bid, it's a bid!

£5 I've got.

10 bid, £15 got.

£15 I've got.

-See, he's out.

-15, got now at 18.

-18. Keep going.

18 and 20, bid 20.

You're riding it now, James.

-22.

-Ooh!

£22 I'm bid.

Uncharted territory.

Amazing. £22 I am bid for these.

Any more now at £22?

Can't be!

-22 salvaged.

-That's marvellous.

Indeed, bravo, James.

Charlie, m'dear, it's your Madeira chair.

-Ten I've got, thank you, at ten.

-Well done.

-We're away.

£12, 12 I've got.

12 I've got now.

It's from Madeira, m'dear!

1948 Madeira sunlounger there.

£12 is bid to my left, at £12 for it. Is there any more now?

£12 for the sunlounger?

-It's got to go, then.

-It's a profit.

£12, oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear!

Oh, dear! Once, twice and...

Ooh!

It's like a bullet through the heart.

I don't think he's taking it very well.

-I feel a moistening of the eye.

-JAMES CHUCKLES

Come on, chaps, dry those eyes.

Your rosewood mirror that failed to sell at the last auction is up next.

Start me at 20, who's in?

20, 30 I'm bid. Goodness me.

Oh, come on, folks - lovely thing.

-£30.

-Thank goodness for that, Charlie.

30 on the net, £30 I'm bid this one. Is there any more now?

At £30 on this one.

£30, doubling money.

-Good work, sir.

-Well done.

Well done.

A lovely profit and Charlie can finally say farewell to the mirror

and we don't have to cart it round any more.

Can Charlie's luck continue with his silver-plated bottle coasters?

-20, got 20 I'm bid straight in.

-20, straight in.

-20! Straight in!

At 20 I'm bid these, at £20 I've got.

Nearly all the bidding is online, isn't it?

I don't know what all these people are here for.

£20 I've got now. It's the net bidder at £20.

Are you done with them?

-He'll be delighted.

-Gone!

-£20.

-I think the buyer will be over the moon.

-Yeah.

Someone's bagged themselves a real bargain there.

Charlie's up again now with his Bakelite pipe shaped like a gun.

20, thank you, straight in. £20 I got.

20 I'm bid, it's on the net.

£20 I've got. 20 and 5, 25.

-In with...

-25, madam.

Got this in the room now,

25 I've got, lady's bid. Are we selling?

-30, back in.

-Oh!

-No!

-35.

-35.

-35.

35, got. 35, it's in the room now.

Net bidder, you're out at £35.

Selling it once, twice...

-Well done.

-Thank you, madam.

-Well done.

What a result. Fabulous profit there for Charlie

and something to bang on about. Huh!

Auctioneer Chris' son James is taking the helm now.

And it's the turn of

James Braxton's hardwood solitaire board with marbles...

£10 I'm bid.

At ten on this, at £10 I'm bid.

-Keep going!

-12 on the net.

-12 on the net.

-Here we go.

-Keep going.

Back in. £15 now, 15.

Are we all done then?

-Oh, here we are, madam.

-New bidder at £18.

£18 now. At 20. You got 20.

-Over at 20, you're out.

-Keep going, madam!

At £20 in the furniture.

Do you want two? At 22, says no.

-At £22, I'm bid at £22.

-25?

-At £22 I'm bid. At 22 on this.

Down the front at £22 in.

Last warning at £22...

-Nearly bailed you out.

-Nearly.

Thank you, madam, thank you. Thank you.

James seems pretty relieved with that result.

Charlie's final lot -

the commemorative Churchill dish.

-Start me at 20.

-Oh.

20 I've got, at 20 now.

-20 on the internet.

-22.

At 22, got 28. 28, 28, 28. £28

I'm bid and 30. At 30, got 30.

-30.

-Come on, we need to get on a bit here.

This is Winston Churchill, this isn't Enid Blyton.

The saviour of a nation.

With the box, as well. £30.

-With the box!

-At 30.

32, at £32. 32.

35. 38. 38, bid 38.

38. Now were getting there.

-We're getting there.

-At 40. I've got 40.

-We need a bit more, sir.

42, got 42. At 42.

At £42.

That should be enough.

No, no, no. I think we need a little more.

-48, got 48.

-It is Churchill.

At £48 I'm bid. Any more?

At £48 - are we all done in the room and on the net at £48, then?

Hammer's up.

-Well done.

-A rollercoaster.

Churchill does Charlie proud again.

Another profit.

Will James' six plated picnic cups prove popular?

Bid 20, got 20 at £20 in the room.

And two, and five, and 25.

Got 25, at 25. At 28, got 28, at 30...

Now we're going!

-At £30 I'm bid for this.

-30.

-30, 2, 5, 35.

-James!

-At £35 I'm bid.

35, 38, 40, at £40 I'm bid.

At £40 now, 42, 45.

£45, 45. Still cheap for these.

-Hukin and Heath.

-48, at 48.

They're a good size, aren't they?

-At £48.

-Go on, go 50.

-50!

-At £48 I'm bid.

Are we all done at 48?

Nice little profit there.

It's their last lot of the day

and to have any chance of winning this leg,

James needs a good result on his aubusson rug.

Here we are, here we go.

My bids, then. I've got 10, £15 I'm bid.

-At 15 on this, 15.

-15.

At £15. I'm bid at 15. At 15, 20, 5... 25.

-Keep going.

-Bid 30, got 30.

-Back in the room

Keep him rocking on! Come on.

I'm out at £30. £30 I'm bid.

35? Got 35.

-Well done.

-At 35. At £35 I'm bid.

At 35 I'm bid. Says no.

At £35 I'm bid. At 35 on this. Any more?

-At £35 are you out?

-No! We need another one!

Once, twice, third and final time at £35...

Serious triumph, though, 10 to 35.

10 to 35!

Lovely profit there for James.

But has he done enough to win this leg?

James began with £470.84.

After auction costs, he made a small loss of £6.46,

but he still goes into the last leg in the overall lead

with a fantastic £464.38

and he's looking very prosperous, if you don't mind my saying so.

Charlie started this leg with £214.84.

He made a profit of £43.90 after auction costs,

which means he goes into the final leg with £258.74

and is crowned today's winner.

Well done, old bean.

Very good, sir, very good.

Well, as the winner, winner takes all.

-Thank you very much, sir.

-Thank you.

-Take me away.

-Take you away.

-Where to, sir?

-Somewhere exotic.

-Exotic, sir.

Ah, home, James.

See you soon, road trippers!