Episode 4 Antiques Road Trip

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

-What a job!

-..With £200 each...

-You with me?

-..a classic car...

-Buckle up.

-..And a goal, to scour Britain for antiques.

-Ooh, sorry!

-Ha-ha!

The aim, to make the biggest profit at auction.

But it's no mean feat -

-there'll be worthy winners...

-Yes!

-..and valiant losers.

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

Have a good trip.

This is the Antiques Road Trip!

Yeah!

Today, we are all over Avalon, and Arthurian legend.

Look, that's Glastonbury Tor.

-Where?

-Over there, south-south-west.

-HE CHUCKLES

It's quite an unusual thing, isn't it?

Certainly is, isn't it? But then,

there is very little that's usual about Charlie Ross,

-or his good friend, James Braxton.

-See what I mean?

-You'll need a map!

-I've got a map.

-Can you read a map?

Of course I can read a map, I did geography A-level, for goodness' sake!

-Did you pass?

-Of course I did.

-You didn't!

-Yeah, with a D.

Ha-ha! Our two auctioneers and their little red Alfa have somehow found their

way to the Somerset levels.

Historic part of the world - and quite remote.

Perhaps they followed the ley lines,

they do say the place is thick with them, music, too,

because Glastonbury is known the world over for what Charlie would

call a pop festival.

What are the Rolling Stones, are they pop or rock?

-They're rock, aren't they?

-I would have called them a pop group, you see, in my day.

Have you seen your mother, baby, standing in the shadows?

No, but my old man's a dustman. Hoo-hoo!

It's the third time this pair have tripped together.

-I'm very excited.

-Are you? What, really excited?

-Very excited!

And as we approach auction number four, with successes...

200, I'm bid - the room bids 200.

..and shellacking on both sides, an American term, I'm told.

-Erm, that's not good, is it?

-They remain nip and tuck.

-It means tight.

-We're still within 10%, aren't we?

-I know.

-I'm still trailing, though.

-Only just!

James has thus far managed to transform his starting £200

into £299.52, bravo!

While Charlie, who also began with £200, has acquired a little more,

and currently has £328 exactly.

So, Charlie, your empathy with rock and pop,

will you be using the ley lines, in your antique buying?

-Probably not.

-I think we might have guessed that.

After kicking off from Chart Sutton in Kent,

Charlie and James motored mostly around the South East,

then they moseyed up towards the Midlands before heading both South

and West. They will eventually make Dorset their destination with a

D-Day in Dorchester. Today's endeavours will wind up at

an auction in Frome, but we start out, of course, in Glastonbury.

SOUTH WEST ACCENT: And there 'er be!

Also famous for its ruined abbey,

where the monks used to allege that they found the bones of King Arthur.

So, who knows what treasures can be unearthed in their first shop?

-You do like joint shops.

-I quite enjoyed joint shops with you,

because you're not sort of thrusting and competitive and hiding around the corner.

They're a bit like an old married couple now, aren't they?

Welcome to Glastonbury Reclamation.

-COUGHING Oh, dear.

-Ah, fabulous.

-You need a gentleman's gentleman.

-He's already got one.

It's all heavy, it's heavy.

-It is heavy. Heavy and rusty.

-Ideal for Serrell, though!

-Hello!

-Ah!

-Hello, James.

-James, Simon.

-Good to meet you.

-Hello, James. He's James, you're James!

-Lordy.

-I think James had better not go with James.

-I'll go with James.

-That's very confusing. Will you be my personal shopper?

-I can be your man.

-Well done. Tape measure...

-Excellent.

-I'm armed!

-Cheerio, chaps.

-Bye!

Nice place, this, they've got all sorts here.

Look at those! Those are scaffolding boards with a vengeance, aren't they?

Those have been popular, yeah. Table tops.

Table tops! Those are great!

What are they, sort of two inches or something?

I'm metric, so we say 65 mil, I think.

He's much better off with a guide.

-This is a cheese press.

-Oh, fabulous!

So, Cheddar, just down the road, you would have had a cheese mould full of curds,

which would have been placed underneath this screw section here.

-And then this would have been tightened to...

-And this comes down?

..condense the cheese and press it.

That's lovely Victorian craftsmanship.

There's no need for all this decoration whatsoever.

-Is it all dairy farming around here?

-A huge chunk of it is, yeah.

-And you sold it.

-Yes, we did. Got a good price, I think we got about 1,500.

-Too rich for me!

-Hard cheese, old boy. Ha!

Meanwhile, Charlie is flying solo, but reclamation is hardly his game.

Aye, aye.

What about that!

A pulpit! Could you conduct an auction on that!

I think it's marvellous!

With wonderful turnings, good panelling...

And it's only £375.

I haven't got £375 but I think if I still had an auction room,

I would buy that.

-James, what about this?

-Yes!

-Wouldn't it make a fantastic auctioneer's rostrum?

Either that, or a DJ's booth.

Like they have at those pop festivals, Charlie.

Is there much leeway in the price at all, or is it...?

-There's a...yeah, there's a bit.

-Crikey, is he serious?

-How is James faring?

-Ah! Look.

Hands off that bike, I've got to get home this evening.

Oh, right! That's very good, isn't it?

-What about that, though?

-The bird cage?

-Yes. It's got a nice weight to it.

No door, though, decorative but hardly practical, the bird has flown.

Yeah, nice piece, I had my eye on it myself, actually.

Oh!

I think it is brass, it would shine up nicely, wouldn't it?

I personally I wouldn't clean it up too much, just leave that patina.

As long as you can tell it is brass, that's good enough, as far as I'm concerned.

-That's enough.

-Really nice. What could that be?

We've got 65 on that one. But I could do you a bit on that, actually.

Shall we say £50 on that one?

-What about 40?

-That's squeezing me a bit too hard.

45 and it's yours.

-45 - I'll have it.

-OK.

-Thank you very much indeed, Simon.

No problem, a pleasure.

-Erm, there's one other item, if we could just leave that...

-OK.

So, with one deal in hand, he's got his eye on this altar rail.

It is thin work, isn't it? I think I'd need to lose a couple of pounds.

You could always buy another painting for a big loss...

There's one item I think needs rescuing in this reclamation.

-You like this, don't you?

-Sometimes, a little rail, like a screen, is a notional divine.

-Yes.

-You know, you can make a little private table in a pub.

-Yeah.

-It's not too heavy, either, is it?

-No - and it's got that return, so structurally, it's fine,

-just needs a jolly good sand, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

-A light sand, perhaps.

-Light sand my foot!

-What have we got, 95 on it?

-A very reasonable 95.

-Could that be even more reasonable?

-Go on, try me.

-Could it be 50?

Oh...

I's been there a while. 60 quid and it's yours.

Thank you very much indeed, Simon, really kind.

We are removing £105 from that wad,

for the rail and the brass bird cage.

I'll send my man for this.

-Thanks a lot, Simon.

-No worries.

-So, the big lad departs.

What about Charlie, still keen on that pulpit?

Got this out of the corner of my eye, I wondered what on earth it was,

when I first saw it I thought it was a tennis post,

then I realised it did something.

It is a cart jack, as in a four-wheeled cart,

this would go under the axle so you can change the wheel.

Great! It's just a bit of history, isn't it?

It's probably not mass produced, probably home-made, local blacksmith.

Yeah. How much is it? £38.

I think we might be past the pulpit.

What are those bricks? They don't look like ordinary building bricks.

A, they are a different size.

This is a bath brick, made in Bridgwater, just down the road,

you would break a bit of, mix it with water,

turn it into an abrasive paste, and use it like modern Brasso was used.

-For cleaning.

-Good grief! It's a bar of soap, really, in a way, but more abrasive, obviously.

-But for polishing items, I suppose.

-Yes!

-Yeah.

Patented in 1824,

these Bridgwater bricks were sold throughout the British Empire.

And we bought about 500 off of one bloke,

who...his garage was actually built out of them!

We clean them up and just sell them as souvenirs.

And I think they are made from the silt of the slow part of a river where

it goes around the bend, where the silt is incredibly fine and settled,

-so that is the silt make to use these.

-That is really, really interesting!

-And they are priced individually?

-£3.

-Have you ever seen one at auction?

-Never seen one at auction,

-no, I doubt anyone has seen one at auction.

-Could be a world first!

-It could be.

-But what about the jack?

I'm pretty keen on that, I make no bones about it.

I mean, I want to pay about 20 quid for it...

But I don't know whether that's possible.

-How about £25?

-I've got a final really cheeky counter-offer here.

-If I bought your Jack...

-Yeah?

..could I have a brick?

-You could indeed.

-That is the most extraordinary buy-one-get-one-free offer...

-That's today's special offer. Well, we'll call that a pound.

-Yeah.

-And that's £24.

I think that's fab, that's very kind of you.

So, with the brick thrown in, it's time to pack the trunk.

Perfect fit. Oh!

Ha-ha! Oh, dear!

Meanwhile, James has come here,

to one Britain's most beautiful cathedrals,

close to the Mendip Hills in the city of Wells

to learn some of the architectural secrets in this amazing building

from historian, Elsa van der Zee.

-Hello, James.

-Hello, I'm Elsa.

This is a very small door for such a large building, isn't it?

I suppose it is but it's a great deal bigger inside.

-Do come in.

-Thank you.

CHOIR SINGS

Construction began in the 12th century,

and took over 200 years to complete.

It was the first cathedral in England and perhaps the world to be

built entirely in the Gothic style.

One of the most striking features are the so-called scissor arches,

added at the end, to serve a very practical purpose.

In the second phase of the building,

they heightened the tower ten times higher than the original,

and on top of that they put a spire, covered in lead...

-OK!

-HE LAUGHS

..and because we're on limestone, lots of underground water...

-OK.

-..and the pillars started to bed into the ground.

So, great cracks appeared in the tower structure.

And that is the final solution of quite a number

of internal buttressing they tried.

The arches were the work of the master mason of the time,

William Joy. Whilst they are not unique,

they are the largest and strongest of any still in existence.

This is William Joy's legacy, and an icon now of the whole building.

That is amazing, what became of William Joy?

Well, we don't totally know, his name just disappears from all the records,

and we think he died in 1348, when these were just finished,

the year of the plague, and Wells lost about 50% of its population.

So we assume, since he is never heard of again,

that he was one of the victims.

-Oh!

-But I like to think that he died knowing he had saved his beloved building.

Just off the central knave,

is another of the cathedral's treasures, the astronomical clock,

which was still being wound by hand up until 2010.

And it is one of the oldest surviving mechanical clocks,

and certainly the oldest we think with its original medieval clock face.

It depicts the universe, in the way they thought about it at the time.

The little brown knob in the centre is us, is the Earth.

-And the sun, the moon and the stars all rotate around the Earth.

-How lovely!

You've also got a quarter jack, up there.

His job is to bang the quarter hours with his heels...

-And the hours with the bell.

-Yes, as well as the quarters.

-Wow!

So he'll go ding-dong four times on the hour, and hit the hammer.

But Wells is also renowned for its collection of

medieval stained glass, this window, at the east end of the choir,

was installed at the Cathedral's completion

and remains its crowning glory.

-It survived...

-Yeah.

-..the Reformation, the Civil War,

and then, neglect, for a couple of centuries.

-Yeah, yeah.

-And then, of course, the two world wars.

And in the Second World War, they took the whole window out to preserve it.

It's amazing, it's very bright and bejewelled, what does it depict?

Well, it's called a Jesse window,

because Jesse was the founder of Christ's family.

And he is right down the bottom. So, he's the trunk of the family tree.

And out of him are all these branches that are wound round all the figures.

-You have the Virgin and Child...

-Yeah.

-..Christ crucified...

-Right.

..and the cross is actually growing out of the main vine branch.

And then right in the apex, is a white bird, to represent the Holy Spirit.

It really is splendid. Elsa, thank you.

It's been a great pleasure, James.

And I will look out for those scissor arches.

Oh, well, you won't find them anywhere as good as here, you know.

That's him told, then.

But while James has been cloistered in Wells...

Ha! Charlie has been out on the levels.

Go on, level with us, Charlie.

It's quite nice to be ahead of James at the moment but only by what you

would call in voting terms a "canvas". There's no clear water.

Well, let's hope he doesn't catch a crab,

in the market town of Shepton Mallet.

Noted for its brewing, including cider, of course,

but also champagne perry and what is claimed to be the first lager ever

produced in England, and that Charlie, he is no lout.

-You must be Pauline.

-I am indeed!

-Pauline, lovely to meet you. I'm Charlie.

-Lovely to meet you.

-I'm going to have a good look round.

-Yes, please do!

-Thank you very much.

Good job too, Parkways seems an impressive place,

especially for furniture.

You will probably hear me talking to myself, Pauline, but it's just the way I am.

Don't worry, it's just what she would expect, Charlie.

Look at this, does that bring back memories?

The twin of the table that I had in the last auction.

This is probably even nicer than mine.

Resist the temptation.

He has still got quite a bit of cash you know, £303, to be precise.

-These are quite fun.

-Yes, they are nice.

A couple of brass jugs.

Look at that, that's about as Art Nouveau as a decoration can get.

Solid brass. You would expect it to be solid brass, wouldn't you, really?

Old-fashioned antiques, but aren't they pleasant?

-They are, they are a very nice shape, I think.

-They ARE a nice shape.

-Mm.

And I suspect there were three, once upon a time, wouldn't you?

-I would imagine there was three, yes.

-Or even four.

D'you know the best thing about these, Pauline?

There's no price on them, so they're free.

THEY LAUGH

She jests, of course, actually, £75 for those two.

-The search goes on.

-Is that for skimming?

I would think so, yes.

Skimming off the top of milk, possibly?

-Somebody might tell me otherwise.

-Somerset lager, perhaps?

It's a modest £24 - and rather nice.

So, Pauline has copper, brass and silver.

Nice pair of Adam style candlesticks.

Yes, they are, I thought they were rather attractive.

-They are attractive. Are they silver?

-Yes, they are.

SOUTH WEST ACCENT: Birmingham, 1908. Definitely worth thinking about.

Over the years they have had a bit of a go at those, haven't they?

Yes. It's a shame, the other one is perfect, actually.

-Less and less people have these, of course.

-It's dreadful, isn't it?

-They don't want to clean them!

-I know!

-And more and more people eat in the kitchen now and

-you wouldn't put them in the kitchen.

-No.

-You'd put them in your

-dining room.

-Exactly.

-Our dining room gets used at Easter and Christmas time.

-Same here.

-You must come for Christmas!

-Bring your candlesticks with you.

-Dear, oh, dear.

-You and me, bottle of wine.

-That would be lovely.

-Blimey.

-Delightful.

-I'm getting quite excited.

-Calm yourself down, take a shower.

£180, for the pair, remember.

If I tickled you with an offer on those, you'd probably show me the door.

I can do a little bit better on them because it has got a dent in one.

Loin-girding time, everyone.

Can you take £80 for your candlesticks?

I'm afraid I can't.

-You can't.

-I can take 100 for them, if that's any help to you.

What a teaser you are!

Is there any chance you could do them for £90?

How about 95?

Ah, Pauline! Oh! It's like an arrow through the heart!

What about the skimmer? If we put that in with it?

Oh! You're a good dealer, aren't you?

Skimmers are very collectable.

Cor, she's good.

-Ha! How dare you!

-Very collectable.

-Yes.

-If you give me 105...

-Yes.

-..you can have the candlesticks and the skimmer.

-Ooh, ho-ho-ho!

-There you go, there's a bargain for you.

Oh, ho-ho, Pauline, you've got yourself a deal.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

-Well, that was fun, wasn't it?

-Look, I've two vulgar notes for you.

Ooh, lovely.

Time to go and find his good friend.

We are ending up very near Minehead this evening.

-I've packed my trunks.

-You haven't?

-I have!

-Well I haven't.

-My green ones.

-Do you think Minehead is ready for my skinny-dipping?

I think skinny-dipping is to be encouraged.

THEY LAUGH

Well! What they do in their own time, I suppose...

Nighty night.

Next day, apparently...

-First time we've had weather like this.

-I know.

-Really is pouring, isn't it?

-I think the sea is down there but I can't see it.

Yesterday the sun shone while Charlie made hay,

picking up silver candlesticks, a skimming spoon,

a cart jack,

-a bath brick...

-Have you ever seen one at auction?

-I doubt anyone has ever seen one at auction.

-It could be a world first!

-It could be.

..leaving him with just under £200 in his wallet.

Whereas James reclaimed a brass bird cage and an altar rail, as you do.

Light sand my foot!

Which means he has about the same sum for anything he might spot today

and he's just got to drop Charlie off before heading to his shop.

-I can see the sea!

-No!

Yes. We've got to go down about 4,000 feet before we get to the sea.

-I know.

-How are the brakes on the Alpha?

Good question. Later they'll be heading east for an auction in Frome,

but our first stop today is beside the Bristol "Chanel", at Minehead.

The ever popular tourist spot which might have inspired a hymn.

Is that the purple-headed mountain

from "All Things Bright and Beautiful"?

Just what James will be looking for, I'm sure,

although he may wish to append weighty...

Ooh, out of the cold. James.

-I'm Derek. Pleased to meet you.

-Hello, Derek.

-Well, this looks rather fun.

-Yeah! Plenty of miscellaneous articles.

They don't call this place Paraphernalia for nothing.

Although, maybe not another one of those, James.

Here's a rather fun thing, it is a novelty item, it is a matchbook cover.

So years ago, every hotel, restaurant, would have these in a dish.

They would be free things that people would collect and take away

with them. And it was a very cheap form of advertising.

What's this? Greyhound buses...

So, America's famous form of transport.

This is chromium plated, which would suggest the 1930s,

but most likely to be the 1950s.

But, brought alive by the fact that we have a map of the British Isles,

and we have London, Birmingham, Glasgow and Dublin.

Poor old Edinburgh! I'll put that back.

Let's leave him rummaging and catch up with his chum.

Not him! Hoo-hoo!

A few miles along the coast in Watchet,

the harbour here was once a bit of a smugglers' haunt.

What did I say? Ha!

-Shop! Ah.

-Nice to meet you again.

-It's Simon isn't it?

-That's right, yes.

-How are you?

-Very good thank you.

-Yeah, aren't we all?

Interested in anything maritime?

Car badges.

-Oh, well...

-Aren't they fun!

Look, Wimbledon Speedway - Dons you see.

Middlesex County Automobile Club - that's rather splendid.

Look at that wonderful old car, that's an Edwardian car.

-Where did you find those?

-Screwed to a wall of a garage.

They're a bargain, they're £65.

£65? There's only five of them. I should want 65 of them for 65 quid.

Cheeky monkey.

-They're quite collectible.

-Well, they've got age!

In fact, they never stay here very long.

-How long have you had these?

-I got them on Monday.

I'm all for taking a gamble, you know me.

-That's what it's about. That's what it's about.

-Life is a gamble.

Yeah, if it was all certainty, we wouldn't bother getting up, would we?

I suppose we wouldn't!

-Let alone come to work!

-Crikey. Deep thinkers around here.

65 quid.

Crumbs, Bunter.

Anything else catch his eye?

Good grief, Simon, an elephant chair.

Yeah, it's free today.

-Free?

-If you can pick it up with one hand, or two hands above your head.

Gosh, that's some heffalump, right down to the wooden tusks.

I can't even get it off the ground, let alone above my head!

-Like the sword in the stone...

-Hello, sir, how are you?

I bet he didn't expect to see that in the window!

-Pass him a truss.

-Well, you'll 50% discount on it.

You put a lot of effort into that.

50% of 175, £87.50.

-How far is Froome?

-It's a long way to carry it.

He's got the cash, almost £200 left.

Where was it made, any ideas?

I would say Africa. It's got very big ears.

Car badges, elephant. I'm going to keep looking round.

-OK.

-There's definitely a chance with one of those two.

Meanwhile, back in Minehead, what's James up to?

This is rather splendid.

So we've got a...silver-plated here, turn it round...

On the back here, we've got James Dixon and Sons.

Big, big makers, Birmingham, Sheffield, making sort of table wares, cutlery.

This is a bread board.

A rather smart bread board in a silver plated dish.

Bread boards are made from sycamore,

and sycamore wood has anti-bacterial properties.

Do you know, he's right! The name derives from the ancient Greek meaning

fig mulberry.

Nice weight. Probably given on the occasion of a wedding or something,

and this has lain in somebody's sideboard and never been used.

There isn't a single cut mark on it.

Probably just before the Second World War or just after,

so it's got some age. It's at least 60 years old.

What a nice wide collar, perfect for a wedding inscription.

It's got £18 on it.

-Let's see how much we can get this for.

-Time to talk to the shopkeeper.

Derek. I have found an item I like.

Something of weight and merit.

Every antique shop is full of the unwanted gift, isn't it?

I'm afraid you're right, yes.

-It's lovely, isn't it? And such a bargain!

-Don't go that far!

What can you do with this mighty bread board?

I think as it's you, James, we can do it for £10.

-Good job - mind-reader! Give me your hand.

-Chop-chop.

-There's a tenner, very kind.

-Thank you very much.

So, with James having made one modest purchase...

..is Charlie any closer in Watchet, we wonder?

There's the car badges of course, and don't forget the heffalump.

Oh, no...

There's a bit of the moulding missing.

This is a mirror that is Edwardian that purports to be Georgian.

It's not in the best of condition.

You'd have to buy it for next to nothing, really.

Well, ticket price is £45, let's see what Simon says, poor chap.

There is an old mirror - it's not that old,

Edwardian mirror on the floor over there, is that yours?

No... I was going to offer you a tenner for it, but it's not much good.

How much is on it?

-45 quid.

-Oh...

-It's all bashed and there's a bit off it.

-And it's knackered round the bottom.

-It sounds like its owner!

HE LAUGHS

So, while Simon calls the mirror man, Charlie takes another peek.

It's your lucky day, £10, it's yours.

-Ha! Really?

-Yeah, you've caught him in a very generous mood.

-Did he get cross?

-No.

Not exactly spend, spend, spend today, is it?

What's the best on the old elephant seat?

-80.

-80?

-Yeah.

-Not much per ounce, is it?

No!

-And your car badges?

-£50 for those...

And I will throw in some cleaner.

You're all heart, you are. It's carpet cleaner!

It's multipurpose.

I will buy your car badges, on condition that you take the cleaner back.

-Thank you.

-So, dead droll, £60 spent in total for mirror and badges.

Nearly forgot them.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?

Braxton.

Ha-ha! So, oblivious to his friend's final purchases,

James has now left the coast and is gearing up for his last push.

I need to find an item I can buy cheaply, and sell for a lot of money.

Well, it's not exactly a novel approach, is it?

We've been at this lark for years.

The great thing about Somerset is it's a big agricultural county.

We've got cider, we've got cheese, we've got lots of dairy.

Well, Dulverton is near the Devon border, so all the above may apply.

There may be milking stools, another cheese press perhaps,

but will he find it at Acorn Antiques?

-Hello, James.

-Hello, there.

-This is very cosy, isn't it?

-What a lovely cushion.

-We like cosy.

Oh...

-Very good.

-Listen to that, you might not get up again.

Never mind, the shop's contents will get him going.

-Get ahead, eh?

-You wouldn't want him leaping at you.

Lovely weight. Crisp casting and crisp finishing.

Don't forget, he's still got almost £190 left to spend.

This is quite nice. What've we got? £75 on it.

It's got a nice ebonised stand, nicely gilded brass, a bit of wear.

Often these were made of plaster and then they're papered over,

as the countries changed ownership or borders they might reissue new

papers, so you would buy new papers for a ten inch globe and you'd just

-stick them over.

-Judging by a few of those names, it could be pre-war but which war?

-It's a possibility.

-Warmed up now.

Here's a big lump of brass.

Ooh. Well, that's passed the Braxton weight test.

Quite. Probably dairy as well.

I like this, we've got a copper band here and a copper band at the base.

Very unusual, isn't it?

Nice shape. Nice shouldered body.

I'm going to ask Peter. I haven't a clue about that.

Peter, can you illuminate me, what is this mighty beast?

-I think it's a milk churn.

-Would it be zinc coated inside?

It does look as though it might be a bit zinced.

-It's not English, is it?

-French.

You'd have to be a big heavy farmer to lift that,

wouldn't you, eh?

I'm quite interested in that, what have you got on it, Peter?

-85.

-85. I get terribly enthusiastic about big things like this.

But the only problem is to find another enthusiast.

-Let alone two of them.

-I like the globe as well. They're beautiful objects, aren't they?

-Yes, lovely.

-They add tone to the home.

If I said to you, Peter, £100 for the two?

-OK.

-Thank you very much indeed, Peter.

Really kind. Thank you.

So a nice round figure seals the deal.

Off we hop.

Looks rather pleased with himself, doesn't he? Quite right.

Meanwhile, Charlie's about to get his feet wet down by the sea at

Porlock Bay, where he's come to get close

to a local delicacy and Roger Hall.

-Charlie. Welcome to Porlock.

-Thank you very much. As I arrived, the sun came out.

-Can't beat that.

-Absolutely,

just getting the wellies on to harvest those oysters.

-That's right.

-Roger belongs to a group of volunteers who recently revived

oyster farming at Porlock after a gap of over a century.

Here's an example of an oyster shell.

We buy them in where they're seed oysters,

-about the size of your little finger now...

-Right.

and the oysters that we grow here take about three years to get to restaurant size.

Some say the bigger the oyster the better the taste.

And some say, no, you want the really sweet small ones.

-What's the answer?

-I think the answer is probably neither of those.

-Ah!

-I think it depends on the water in which they're grown,

because a little oyster like that will get through five litres of sea

water a day. So its flavour is going to be determined by the flavour of

the sea water. A river estuary would be a completely different taste to

open water in the Bristol Channel.

So when did the history of oysters start here?

Originally it was back in the 1800s,

because there is a huge tidal flow here,

so the harbours are dry and empty for half the day,

and then they fill up with water.

Porlock's highly nutritious produce was soon in great demand.

We are told that, by the 1850s, they were pulling out 1,200 oysters a day.

Then in 1874, a railway line was opened up in Minehead,

which gave direct access to London.

Oysters pulled out of the water a few feet from where we are standing...

-Yeah.

-..were on London restaurant tables the same day.

Unfortunately, smacks from the east coast ports soon arrived,

and began dredging, so that by the turn of the century,

the oyster beds around here had been exhausted.

But now, they're back!

This whole area here is called Oyster Perch,

and as you look around, you will see stone walls,

which we believe, in medieval times,

were a bit higher, and these were used as fish pens.

When they started harvesting oysters in the 1800s,

they would bring them in and hold them here before they sent them on

-to market.

-Right.

-So it's rather nice that we're building on the old

heritage. So, in a sack like this,

you'd have about 5,000 to 10,000 little baby sea oysters.

What?!

And then, as they grow, you split one bag into two bags into four

bags, until you get to restaurant size,

when there would be about 250 oysters in a bag.

-Gosh!

-These trestles are capable of holding about 80,000 restaurant size

-oysters.

-80,000 oysters! Marvellous. That would keep me going for the rest of my life.

And we've actually got three quarters of a million oysters in the

-pipeline.

-Well, in that case, there might be a one or two spare.

The art of extracting them is called shucking.

Look at this, I've got to shuck around the edge here.

Here I go, I'm shucking.

Oh! Look at the size of the oyster!

This is as fresh as it gets!

Here we go.

-Oh, my goodness me!

-Is it good?

-I think it is!

What's more, I think James might feel much the same way.

Hello, hello, on cue.

Well, their shopping's done, so why not?

-The gourmand emerges.

-Mr Braxton.

-Ah, look at this.

Have I a treat for you!

-What are you bearing?

-Fruits of the sea.

-Fruits de mer.

-Shucks, they do look nice.

-Have you ever shucked?

-Yeah, once.

-Have you...?

-Lost a finger!

There's six in one dish, and seven in the other.

-OK.

-I'd like to give you the seven.

Charlie, I prefer my oysters with shalotts, lemon, and Tabasco.

Do you know? I read your mind.

-HE CLICKS FINGERS

-Not a problem.

-Who's this angel?!

-THEY LAUGH

Thank you. Marvellous.

-Madam, un autre?

-No, not un autre, you're driving.

-Cheers.

-Ah, well, clear head for the auction, eh, James?

I think it's the best road trip I've ever had.

Oh, come away with you!

-Come on, we've got to get going, Charlie.

-One more sip.

-No.

As I'm not drinking, no more sipping.

CHARLIE LAUGHS

Off for some shut eye.

Morning. This is Cheap Street, one of medieval Frome's prettiest byways.

Leads straight to the saleroom, by the way.

Hello, here's our pair of pilgrims.

What time does the auction start?

That's oyster power for you!

After stopping their tour back in Glastonbury,

Charlie and James' Somerset stretch concludes at Frome,

where there's been an auctioneer's in Vicarage Street since 1868.

Welcome to the Gothic surrounds of Dore & Rees.

Charlie, come and look at this. Look... Admire the hog.

-It's not one of your lots, is it?

-No.

-I bet you wish...

I would have bought that. If I had seen and that, I would have bought it.

-One more bid.

-James parted with £215 for his five auction lots...

Well, that's passed the Braxton weight test.

while Charlie spent a little bit less, £190, on his five lots.

I'm getting quite excited.

So, how did they rate each other's purchases?

-Any pearls?

-Charlie reliably informs me that this is a cart jack.

It's a novel item, it's totally intact.

This is heavy. For under £30...

..I think it's another bargain to Charlie Ross.

I see before me... a very tatty globe.

But actually, I rather like it.

I think looking at the brass work and the base, this has got some age,

and I think he might do all right.

Now, we all know there is no such thing as poor copper.

Copper is good, and it's the most lovely colour, the most lovely feel,

and a lovely weight to it.

And I understand Charlie bought that for absolutely nothing,

and he paid even less for this bath brick.

This is a charming bird cage.

If it were cleaned up, it would look absolutely magnificent,

because under all this grime is brass.

It's a shame it hasn't got a door.

Do you think all the potential profit will fly out of the cage?

Fly by night, more like.

I wonder what the guy in charge thinks,

as in auctioneer Guy Taylor.

I personally like the silver candlesticks.

I just think they are a very elegant shape.

I always like them with the oval bases, and I think they will do well.

Brass churn's a really nice thing. Like the copper banding to it.

The fact that it's still got the lid with it makes it a very desirable item.

Really like the brick made with Bridgwater mud.

One of those things, got no idea what it will make.

It will either crash and burn, or two people will love it,

and it will go on and do well.

Almost ready. Time for bums on seats.

-I've got a...

-What?

-.. feeling this is going to be hard work.

-You've got a twinge?

-I have.

Gentlemen of your age often have twinges.

Very true. I'm not sure anyone can predict, though,

how his copper skimmer and bath brick will fare.

-12 I'm bid.

-Oh, 12, well done.

14, I have a bid.

16, 18.

-18!

-20 now?

-This is riches indeed!

-£18?

All done at £18.

-Well done, Charlie.

-Lunch is on me. Lunch is on you, excellent!

Lots of nice places in Frome, of course.

Well, my main course is going to be £18, my starter will be £9...

Perhaps they can go Dutch! James' altar rail is next.

20 I'm bid here, 22 now, if you want it in the room.

Go on. Go on, money.

It's going to be sold on its maiden bid at the desk at £20...

22 I have.

-24. 26 now.

-Oh!

-Oh.

It's going to be sold at £24 on the desk.

Selling at £24...

Blessed are these losses...

Because they will make the meek stronger.

Good to see him taking it so well.

Not everybody's cup of tea, I know I'm a bit of a rail freak.

Charlie's cart jack is also a teensy-weensy bit niche.

12, I have. 14, 16, 18.

20. 22. 24. 26 now?

-26, your...

-It cost 24!

All done at 24?

Right result!

-That's a right result.

-Yeah, quite a relief, too.

The energy in the room is palpable.

It is. It's electric, isn't it?

-It is electric.

-Anticipation. Have you seen people run through the door?

Has the bird cage come up yet?

Enough scoffing! James' open-plan bird cage next.

£10 I'm bid on the desk now.

-Pieces of eight, pieces of eight.

-12 I have. 14 now?

-14.

-Here it goes.

16? 16.

18... 20...

18, oh, we're going along, aren't we?

22? All done at 20?

Oh, no!

More muck than brass.

-What can we do?

-Easy come, easy go, Charlie.

Absolutely. You've done with your losses, now my turn.

Yes, it's Charlie's biggest buy, the silver candlesticks.

-Tell me what you think they'll make.

-I think they'll hover.

£80.

65.

55 here on the desk.

60 now if you want them in the room.

60, 65, 70...

75, 80, 85...

90, fresh place.

95, 100, 105, 110...

115... 120...

125. 130 now? 130.

135?

James!

-You get the £2.

-All right, put it down, now!

-155? 160.

-You're right!

-165.

-That's very good, Charlie.

-170 now?

The bid is with me on the desk at £165.

Are we all done? At 165...

-Well done.

-£165!

It looks as if it might be his day today.

-He's careering ahead.

-I feel a tear coming on!

Might James' globe turn the tide, we wonder?

If you have a globe in your house, people are going to think, oh,

-we are in the presence of brains here.

-Yes.

35 on the way on that one.

-Well done!

-40 now if you want it.

40 on a hand.

45, 50...

-55, 60...

-Come on!

65, 70...

75, 80...

85, 90...

-95.

-Yes, Braxton!

-100...

105, I have.

-110. 115.

-This is fantastic.

120 now? The bid is with me on the desk at £115.

-115!

-115...

All done at 115?

-I wasn't expecting that!

-That is a thumper.

Yes, he's right back on track now.

There's no middle ground with Braxton, is there?

-No. It's a mixed bag.

-Mm.

As are Charlie's car badges. Could be interesting, these.

Do you ever instantly regret a purchase?

Ten on the way here. 12 now if you want them.

12, I have. 14 now?

14, 16...

-18.

-Stop!

20, 22 now?

Bid's in the far corner at £20.

-Put it down, sir.

-All done at 20?

Oh, no.

-Oh, no!

-Like the man said, mixed bag.

I don't like taking any pleasure in a friend's losses.

-50!

-But In this particular instance...

James could catch up further with his brass churn.

-We're in Somerset. Cider!

-Scrumpy!

-Get a few pints in that one!

-Couple of gallons!

-SOUTH WEST ACCENT:

-That would make you quite relaxed, wouldn't it?

It would make me all squiffy!

That would make you forget your thumping losses.

35 on the way on that one.

40 now, if you want it. 40 I have. 45?

-You've got a bid of 40!

-50, fresh place.

55, 60...

65, 70...

-Braxton!

-75, 80, 85...

90 now?

The bid is with me on the desk at £85.

-£85!

-Are we all done at 85?

-James Braxton!

-That's better.

Well, he did predict that agricultural would do well in Frome.

I'm very pleased with that. 85, I'm back in the room now.

You are, you are right there.

Time for Charlie's tatty old mirror now.

10 I'm bid on the desk. 12 now, if you want it, in the room.

The bid is with me at £10.

12 if you want it in the room.

-What?

-It's going to be sold at £10 on its maiden bid.

-Oh, no!

-All done at £10?

12, I'm bid.

14? 16 now?

The bid is with me at £14.

All done at 14?

-That's a profit!

-That's a profit!

-See?

With age comes wisdom.

Yeah. Not always.

So much for his twinges.

HE SNEEZES

Excuse me.

-That answers...

-That's how Black Death was spread.

Actually, I think that was rats.

Better stick with sycamore, like James' breadboard.

Do you know? I only buy antibacterial items.

It's got to be either sycamore or copper,

that's all I'm interested in.

10 on the way on that one.

-12 now if you want it.

-Go on!

Well done, madam. Well done, madam.

Steady. It's 14!

16? 18 now?

-Lovely, unused.

-The bid is in the room at £16.

All done at 16?

Do you think I've gone into uncharted territory?

-300?

-I don't know. I think you're right on the cusp.

-On the boundary.

-On the cusp.

I'm not giving it away just yet, but they remain neck and neck.

-Follow me.

-Follow me.

You heard the man. Still barely a sheet of Bronco between them.

James started out with £299.52.

And after auction costs, he made a loss of £1.80.

So he now has £297.72.

While Charlie, who began with £328 exactly,

made, after costs, a profit of £7.62,

so he's still our leader with £335.62.

-Oh!

-Pffft!

-Well done, well done.

-That was...

-Was that very close?

..a very close run thing.

I think I may have just sneaked ahead half a smidgen.

Half a smidgen, well done.

Next on the Antiques Road Trip, slugs.

-Well, snails...

-Escargot won the Grand National once.

-That's quite an achievement for a snail.

-For a snail!

Puppy dog tails...

Never underestimate the power of cute.

-Other nursery rhymes are available.

-Oh, yes, there's the pig!

# Stole a pig and away he run! #

We'll find out exactly what these boys are made of.