0:00:02 > 0:00:05The nation's favourite antiques experts, £200 each and one big challenge.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08Testing, testing!
0:00:08 > 0:00:12Who can make the most money buying and selling antiques as they scour the UK?
0:00:12 > 0:00:14Well, actually 80. 75.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17The aim is trade up and hope each antique turns a profit,
0:00:17 > 0:00:21but it's not as easy as it sounds and there can only be one winner.
0:00:21 > 0:00:23Come on, let's go!
0:00:23 > 0:00:26So will it be the highway to success or the B road to bankruptcy?
0:00:26 > 0:00:29Job done. I'm now broke.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31This is the Antiques Road Trip.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41Our two antiques experts on this leg are Charles Hanson
0:00:41 > 0:00:44and Jonathan Pratt, acting captain. Ooh-arr!
0:00:44 > 0:00:48Auctioneer Jonathan Pratt's first passion is for furniture.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50I'm in furniture mode now.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53I'm happy!
0:00:53 > 0:00:57But since doing the Road Trip, he's discovered a brand-new talent.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07Don't give up the day job just yet, Jonathan, eh?
0:01:08 > 0:01:13Charles Hanson has loved antiques ever since he was a boy, a couple of years ago,
0:01:13 > 0:01:16when his parents would take him round grand old country houses.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20Oh, and did I mention, he's from Derbyshire.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22The reason I like it, I'm a Derbyshire man.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25A proud Derbyshire man. I'm a Derbyshire man.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27Strong in the arm, bit thick in the head.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29You said it.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33Charles started this trip with a respectable £278.32.
0:01:33 > 0:01:40Jonathan, however, has a commanding lead with £379.23 to spend.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42As the competition between them intensifies,
0:01:42 > 0:01:44Charles needs to get a move on.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51This Road Trip started in Greyabbey, in Northern Ireland,
0:01:51 > 0:01:53finishing in Cockermouth, in the North West.
0:01:53 > 0:01:59On this leg, our chaps continue their tour around the picturesque North West,
0:01:59 > 0:02:03starting in Blackpool and heading for auction in Cockermouth.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10Ah, Blackpool. It's the UK's all-time favourite seaside resort.
0:02:10 > 0:02:15# We're all going on a summer holiday... #
0:02:15 > 0:02:20Ever since the mid-19th century, tourists have been flocking here en masse.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24Mill owners would close their factories for a week every year and Blackpool
0:02:24 > 0:02:27is where their employees would escape to.
0:02:27 > 0:02:28No, just try it. It's lovely. Go on.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30Go on, try a bit.
0:02:32 > 0:02:33See you later.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36As Jonathan finishes his candyfloss,
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Charles heads off to Lytham St Annes.
0:02:41 > 0:02:42The Laughing Donkey Family Bar.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44Where else would you find that?
0:02:45 > 0:02:47I've lost my candyfloss.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49I've lost my candyfloss.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52Hell fire.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55First stop, Diane Peters Antiques.
0:02:55 > 0:03:01Our chap's expert eye soon spots the work of a master ceramicist.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Here we've got a most magnificent biscuit barrel.
0:03:04 > 0:03:09And if you want the best of a biscuit barrel to take your biscuits from,
0:03:09 > 0:03:13acquire this Moorcroft Florian Ware biscuit barrel.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15Sure takes the biscuit.
0:03:15 > 0:03:21William Moorcroft was renowned for the quality and artistry of his ceramic designs.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24Florian Ware was one of his first ranges.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28The design of it with these wonderful tube-lined scrolls, which are sinuous
0:03:28 > 0:03:33and free-flowing, is the epitome of Art Nouveau,
0:03:33 > 0:03:38which was developed in the late 1890s. And I love it.
0:03:38 > 0:03:43If it's in good condition, it's well worth the price. Over £1,000.
0:03:43 > 0:03:48Well, that's all very well, Charles, but it's out of your budget.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50How about something more modest, eh?
0:03:50 > 0:03:52- Isn't she lovely?- Steady!
0:03:57 > 0:04:01# Isn't she lovely? #
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Here we've got a most magnificent Austrian bronze,
0:04:03 > 0:04:05she's in full length.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07Certainly dressed to impress
0:04:07 > 0:04:09by not wearing a lot.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13But in fact it's all to do with the great, fast-living,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16free spirit Jazz Age.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18She's also musical.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22PLAYS GENTLE TUNE
0:04:22 > 0:04:26So if you were a dancer in the 1920s...
0:04:26 > 0:04:28Isn't she nice?
0:04:28 > 0:04:29And £800 is the best price.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32Well, it's beyond me, really.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35I shouldn't even be... You see, I'm wasting time.
0:04:35 > 0:04:36I'm wasting my time here.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39You know, I like antiques. I'm wasting my time and your time.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42Come on, Hanson! There is no time for this.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44Quite right, Carlos.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Now, while the heady centre of sea air and candyfloss
0:04:47 > 0:04:51may be very diverting, it's not getting any shopping done.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53So our two chaps quit the kiss-me-quick hats
0:04:53 > 0:04:57and head north to Morecambe.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03# Bring me sunshine... #
0:05:03 > 0:05:07Like its neighbour, Morecambe is also a thriving seaside resort.
0:05:07 > 0:05:12Its most famous son is Eric, of Morecambe and Wise fame,
0:05:12 > 0:05:14who took his stage name from his hometown.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17# In this world where we live
0:05:17 > 0:05:19# There should be more happiness
0:05:19 > 0:05:21# So much joy... #
0:05:21 > 0:05:27Our boys are visiting Morecambe Antiques Centre and luckily it's big enough for both of them.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31But will it bring any sunshine into their lives?
0:05:31 > 0:05:32All the best.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34Good luck, Charlie. Happy shopping.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37- Watch your patch, OK? Cos I'll be on it.- Yeah, right!
0:05:37 > 0:05:39- Very shortly.- Ah, I'll go this way.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43This is my area, OK? This is my area.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45JP, come nowhere near.
0:05:54 > 0:06:01If you want a monumental, masculine specimen
0:06:01 > 0:06:03to grace your heavy,
0:06:03 > 0:06:0919th-century, late Victorian mantelpiece buy this.
0:06:09 > 0:06:10Look at it.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12It's architectural. The Arabic numerals.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Carrying handles, too, because the weight of this clock...
0:06:15 > 0:06:16SNAPPING
0:06:21 > 0:06:24WHISPERS: The handle's come off.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27It's so heavy the handle's come off.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31So now I ought to really own up, right?
0:06:34 > 0:06:36I'd better own up to it. Great(!)
0:06:36 > 0:06:39There goes my great afternoon so far.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Charles, you've broken it!
0:06:42 > 0:06:44Let's see what Jonathan's up to, quick!
0:06:45 > 0:06:48That is, presumably, reproduction.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51You've got a nice shape which looks very, very Art Nouveau.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54It's basically an Art Nouveau case that's been repainted.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56It's not asking for a lot of money, £29.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59But in good order with the original inlay, you know,
0:06:59 > 0:07:03it would be sort of £40 at auction or something.
0:07:03 > 0:07:08Luckily for Charles, the sympathetic shop owner has let him off about the clock
0:07:08 > 0:07:11and he's trying desperately not to break anything else.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15This I like very much. It's a very nice, twin-handled bonbon dish.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18It's silver-plated, beautifully pierced.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20It's WMF, German Art Nouveau.
0:07:20 > 0:07:25WMF stands for Wurttemberg's Metal Goods Factory.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29Based in southern Germany, they were the world's largest producer
0:07:29 > 0:07:35and exporter of metalware and this is a snip at just £10.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38Surely it's worth between 20 and 30 on a good day.
0:07:38 > 0:07:39So we'll wait and see with that.
0:07:41 > 0:07:47As Charles deliberates, Jonathan spots something for the suave man about town.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49That's rather sweet.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53It's a coromandel dressing box.
0:07:53 > 0:07:58Coromandel is a valuable hardwood from India, Sri Lanka and South-East Asia.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04They're sort of multi-functional pieces of furniture for carrying around
0:08:04 > 0:08:07when you're going off with your staff somewhere.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09- It's just this chap here.- Right.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16I'll just have a quick peek in one of these. There you go.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19All silver covers. It's Victorian.
0:08:19 > 0:08:20A lovely fitted case.
0:08:20 > 0:08:27With £379.23 left to spend, can Jonathan afford it?
0:08:27 > 0:08:28- Oh, yeah.- Right.- Right.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31- I've had a word with the vendor. She had £500 on it.- She "had"?
0:08:31 > 0:08:37- She has. That's what she's got and that's what she wants for it.- £500?
0:08:37 > 0:08:40Blimey. I haven't got that sort of money.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44Charles is being rather more modest with the items that he's looking at.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46What we have here
0:08:46 > 0:08:48is a very nice Anglo-Indian,
0:08:48 > 0:08:51colonial chair.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54It's magnificent. Think of the carving of this.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58Probably done at the time of the Raj, the 1880s, 1890s.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01It could be mine for £60.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03Jo...
0:09:03 > 0:09:07If I said 50 for the chair and seven for the bonbon basket?
0:09:07 > 0:09:09I can't. No, no.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12Well, I'll pay £60, cos I think it has mileage.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14So 60 for the chair,
0:09:14 > 0:09:18- seven for the bonbon dish? - Yeah, done.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20- Thank you very much. - I'm very happy, Jo.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23- That's good.- Thanks ever so much. Really, really good.- Thanks.
0:09:23 > 0:09:28This could be Hanson's crowning glory. This could...
0:09:28 > 0:09:30be my success.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34From India to a country that's rather closer to home.
0:09:34 > 0:09:39That buckle there. Quite a nice, straightforward shape. Probably quite wearable.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42The question I'm asking myself, "Is it silver?"
0:09:42 > 0:09:45The reason I ask it is the decoration is this sort of black, chequer pattern.
0:09:45 > 0:09:50It's called "niello". It's a pattern which they use. Kind of a Russian influence.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53Niello comes from the Latin for "blackened".
0:09:53 > 0:09:56It's a technique in which a mix of materials,
0:09:56 > 0:10:01like copper, lead and sulphur, are fused, usually on to a silver base.
0:10:01 > 0:10:06This buckle costs a very reasonable £18.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11SIGHS
0:10:11 > 0:10:12£12 or £13?
0:10:12 > 0:10:14- Leave it with me. - OK.- I'll see what I can do.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16Cheers. Thanks very much.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20Last of the big spenders, eh?
0:10:20 > 0:10:21You said it, Jonathan.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26Right. Had a word. Yes, he's happy with £13.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28£13. OK. Well, I'll take that then. Thanks very much.
0:10:28 > 0:10:33But Charles, who's not satisfied with just two purchases,
0:10:33 > 0:10:36is on a mission to spend, spend, spend!
0:10:37 > 0:10:41I've just been told that, literally, over here in number 27
0:10:41 > 0:10:45is a guy called John who lives here and has a house full of antiques.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55- Hello. Is it John?- It is.
0:10:55 > 0:11:00- John, good to see you. May I come in? It's Charles.- Yeah. Come through. - Good to see you. Fine.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04Wow-ee, John, I can't believe it. Your house is awash with antiques.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07And, yes, this is literally John's house.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10Absolutely everything is for sale, so he tries
0:11:10 > 0:11:14not to get too attached to his furniture, because he never knows
0:11:14 > 0:11:17when someone's going to come around and buy it.
0:11:17 > 0:11:22She is obviously the epitome of a fine Art Deco lady. She really is beautiful.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24Has a lovely figure, doesn't she?
0:11:24 > 0:11:28- Yes.- Hourglass figure, I think is what you call it.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31You seem to have a bit of an eye for the ladies today, Charles.
0:11:31 > 0:11:38# For there is no-one else but you
0:11:38 > 0:11:41# To make me feel... #
0:11:41 > 0:11:45I would let you have that for £50 as a gift.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47Do you think, John, she's completely period?
0:11:47 > 0:11:50Just the actual patination
0:11:50 > 0:11:52and gilding on her extremities
0:11:52 > 0:11:55is all ever so clean and all so uniform.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59What I'm doing now is, I'm just putting my tooth, resting my tooth...
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Middle tooth... I'm not sure which one yet.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03But just by doing this
0:12:03 > 0:12:06I can now tell that it's very soft to touch. It's not cold.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09It's not chunky. It's not clinky.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11That's plastic. So again, that could be Bakelite.
0:12:11 > 0:12:18Bakelite was an early plastic used extensively throughout the 1920s and 1930s.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22But even if the base is original, the figure might be later.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25I'd like to buy it still because it's decorative.
0:12:25 > 0:12:26I do like the female form.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28I think she's stylish.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30I think she's evocative and you might even say,
0:12:30 > 0:12:34"Charles, well, let's go in together at £25."
0:12:34 > 0:12:37- But you tell me.- No. I'll do you £30.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42And, John, do you know what?
0:12:42 > 0:12:44He's going to change his mind!
0:12:44 > 0:12:48It might be the biggest mistake I've made so far, but I think she's stylish enough...
0:12:48 > 0:12:55I think she's attractive enough, and I think her decorative appeal might outweigh any concerns over age.
0:12:55 > 0:12:56John, I'll buy it for 30.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00You're a great sport and I think that has some mileage.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06Next, our boys are leaving Morecambe
0:13:06 > 0:13:08and heading inland to Lancaster.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11They've just found out that the auction they're buying for
0:13:11 > 0:13:14is a general household sale. Great.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18And Jonathan spots something that might be just the ticket.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21This looks like a piece of G-plan or Ercol or something.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24"Ercol light elm coffee table, £75."
0:13:24 > 0:13:27But the thing is, that's a kind of retro, vintage style,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30which I think is possibly fashionable.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34Ercol became a household name in post-war Britain.
0:13:34 > 0:13:40It moved away from the heavy, ornate, pre-war styles towards a new, clean-lined, simple elegance.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44This is sort of what you call speculative. This could come and bite me.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48Time to negotiate with dealer Alan Blackburn.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51Out of my comfort zone with something like Ercol, but...
0:13:51 > 0:13:54- Yeah, it is. - It's clean and it's modern and...
0:13:54 > 0:13:56It's what people want.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58Look, it's got £75 on it.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01Yeah. We could do better than that.
0:14:01 > 0:14:02Would you do as good as...?
0:14:02 > 0:14:05Crikey, I mean, £40?
0:14:05 > 0:14:10- I think you're pushing it, but 50 I think we could do.- 45?
0:14:10 > 0:14:13Go on. Let's do 45.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17OK. Go on. Let's go for it.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21Charles isn't wasting time, either.
0:14:21 > 0:14:26What I like here is a nice pair of weighing scales.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30Although the scales are based on a Victorian design,
0:14:30 > 0:14:33they're actually brand Harry Spankers, which means they're new.
0:14:33 > 0:14:38These are gilt metal on the cast-iron stands.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41They were £22. They're now £16.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43And I spoke to Alan...
0:14:45 > 0:14:48..and he informed me I could have them for £5.
0:14:48 > 0:14:54It's not my taste, not my style, but I feel I'm buying for the auction we're going to.
0:14:54 > 0:14:59Jonathan, however, is diverted by something rather less practical, rather more arty.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02That to me is probably Chinese-made.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04That's, at auction, a £30 violin, OK?
0:15:06 > 0:15:08But...
0:15:08 > 0:15:15bows are quite collectable and this one is stamped.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20Although the violin is modern, the early 20th-century bow
0:15:20 > 0:15:26is made by W Seifert, one of Germany's most respected bow makers.
0:15:26 > 0:15:31What people don't realise is that there's a lot of work that goes into making a bow,
0:15:31 > 0:15:35because they have to take a bent piece of wood and make it straight so that they get the tension on it.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38- The case says 85.- Yeah.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41- The violin says 65.- Right.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45Well, I think we can do a bit better than that. I would think £45.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49- Can you do 40?- Yeah, OK.- Good.
0:15:49 > 0:15:50OK. Well done. Thank you very much.
0:15:50 > 0:15:56And that's £40 for the case, the bow and the violin!
0:15:56 > 0:15:58Job done. We'll see about that one.
0:15:58 > 0:16:03Our boys aren't giving Alan an easy time of it today. Oh, no.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06- This is the table and chairs here we discussed...- I remember it.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09Albeit briefly earlier. If I come round here.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13Now I said to you, I'm going to a very...
0:16:13 > 0:16:15- Have a seat, Alan.- Yeah, why not?
0:16:15 > 0:16:18I'm going to a household general sale.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22This might be my last buy following the scales.
0:16:22 > 0:16:28Although the table is 17th century in style, it's a modern 20th-century copy.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31Compared to yesterday, I've done a U-turn.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34I've gone from buying antiques to getting a bit desperate
0:16:34 > 0:16:38and saying, "Alan, I'll offer you £60 for the whole lot."
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Charles, go and make a profit.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43- Really?- Really.- Alan, thanks ever so much. I'll take it then.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47You certainly seem to have your business head on today, Charles.
0:16:47 > 0:16:48Unlike Jonathan.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52Basically, this is quite a pretty little thing, I suppose.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56It's a cast-iron and enamel stick stand.
0:16:56 > 0:17:01Made in France in the 1920s, it epitomises Art Deco style
0:17:01 > 0:17:04and it could be yours for £120.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06Ooh la la!
0:17:06 > 0:17:09See, it's all umbrellas at the bottom?
0:17:09 > 0:17:11Or, if it's French, parapluies. I like that.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13It's kind of stylish, isn't it?
0:17:13 > 0:17:17If you could tell me your best price. I like it, but I'm prepared to walk away.
0:17:17 > 0:17:2075.
0:17:20 > 0:17:21Oh, I'm going to...
0:17:21 > 0:17:23£75.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29OK, thank you very much. All right. Oh, dear.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31Charles has finished
0:17:31 > 0:17:35his shopping and is heading north towards Kendal and Levens Hall.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38It's one of the area's loveliest stately homes
0:17:38 > 0:17:41and it's also known for its topiary.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45What a pad.
0:17:45 > 0:17:50Apparently, the finest Elizabethan home in Cumbria in existence.
0:17:54 > 0:17:59Susie Bagot, wife of the current owner, Hal Bagot, is going to show him round.
0:17:59 > 0:18:04Although the house is open to the public five days a week, it's still very much a family home.
0:18:07 > 0:18:12The house was built by wealthy landowner James Bellingham
0:18:12 > 0:18:14in the late 16th century.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18This was his gent's residence that he was going to pour his all into.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21It really is so ostentatious, isn't it?
0:18:21 > 0:18:23This was a man who thought he was going somewhere.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25It really is showing his wealth.
0:18:25 > 0:18:31James Bellingham employed local craftsmen to make the elaborate Italianate plasterwork
0:18:31 > 0:18:35and carve the intricate oak panelling,
0:18:35 > 0:18:37in which he also features.
0:18:37 > 0:18:42- But he must have had quite an ego, mustn't he, to have included himself in the carving?- And that's...
0:18:42 > 0:18:48And that is James Bellingham, with his little Elizabethan ruff and his short sort of, you know...
0:18:48 > 0:18:50He looks quite spindly, doesn't he?
0:18:50 > 0:18:52No need to be personal!
0:18:52 > 0:18:56By the late 17th century, the house had passed to his great-grandson,
0:18:56 > 0:19:00Alan Bellingham, who was a notorious gambler.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04He squandered his wealth and ending up losing Levens Hall
0:19:04 > 0:19:06to his kinsman Colonel James Grahme
0:19:06 > 0:19:08in a game of cards,
0:19:08 > 0:19:11one gamble that didn't pay off.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15Colonel Grahme added extra wings to the Elizabethan house
0:19:15 > 0:19:18and filled it with fine furniture and works of art.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22James Grahme refers to his "golden parlour" in his correspondence.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25- Oh, my goodness me. - It's Spanish Cordoba leather.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28Each square is said to be the skin of one goat.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Cor, must be a whole herd!
0:19:31 > 0:19:34What an expensive form of wall hanging
0:19:34 > 0:19:37and Cordoba, in Spain, was one of the main centres of production.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40Skins were covered with silver leaf, which was then varnished
0:19:40 > 0:19:45with a transparent yellow lacquer making the silver look like gold.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47It's the finest collection of leather in Europe.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50It would have been really vibrant, very alive
0:19:50 > 0:19:53- and when the candlelight was flickering...- Stunning.- It was...
0:19:53 > 0:19:56Stunning now. We always have candles when we eat in here.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00What secrets have been discussed within these four walls?
0:20:00 > 0:20:03- Just think of it.- That's what I love.- Smoke rising,
0:20:03 > 0:20:06- candles flickering.- Exactly. - Secrets being whispered.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09That's what I thrive on. Hands-on history, it's great to see.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16While Charles sees the sights, Jonathan hits the shops in Kendal.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18Hi, there.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22At Sleddall Hall Antiques Centre something catches his eye...
0:20:24 > 0:20:26..an engraving.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28Going to be 1890s or something.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32It's probably just when the motor car was on its way in.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34Special price to you, £40.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36Oh, OK.
0:20:36 > 0:20:37How does that sound?
0:20:37 > 0:20:40Special price, eh?
0:20:40 > 0:20:44The signed engraving is of Cross Street, Old Chapel, Manchester,
0:20:44 > 0:20:46a mere 100 miles from the auction in Cockermouth.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48Handy.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52Oh! Not really £40.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55So where would you like to be on that?
0:20:55 > 0:20:57I think I'll try £30.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00- Go on then.- Let's do that.
0:21:00 > 0:21:01£30. That will be fine. OK.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05And that's it. The shopping is all done.
0:21:05 > 0:21:10Jonathan started this leg of the trip with £379.23
0:21:10 > 0:21:15and spent a grand total of £203 on five items.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19He bought a silver, niello buckle, a 1920s umbrella stand,
0:21:19 > 0:21:21a violin and bow,
0:21:21 > 0:21:24a late 19th century engraving
0:21:24 > 0:21:29and an Ercol coffee table.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33Charles, however, started with £278.32, rather less than Jonathan,
0:21:33 > 0:21:39and he spent a confident £162, also on five items.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41He bought a pair of scales,
0:21:41 > 0:21:45a silver WMF bonbon dish, a bronzed deco figure,
0:21:45 > 0:21:49a carved, Anglo-Indian chair and an oak table with six chairs.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51What a mixture!
0:21:51 > 0:21:54But what do our chaps think of each others' purchases?
0:21:54 > 0:21:58Six chairs and an oak table. £60 is a pittance, it's worth more than that at auction.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01The bow in the right sale would make money.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04In Cockermouth that bow's going to come a cropper.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06OK, they're modern, repro.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09For a fiver though, it's got to make money.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12Who's going to win this auction?
0:22:12 > 0:22:13Me!
0:22:13 > 0:22:16Are these brave or foolish words, Charles?
0:22:16 > 0:22:18We'll soon find out.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22Our chaps started off in Northern Ireland
0:22:22 > 0:22:26and they've been wheeling and dealing all the way to Kendal.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29Today, they reach Cockermouth, their final destination,
0:22:29 > 0:22:33and the auction that will sort the men out from the boys.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37The sun is burning brightly, the hills and pasture land are alive
0:22:37 > 0:22:40to welcome you and I
0:22:40 > 0:22:43and, do you know what, I'm getting quite emotional about this.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47Mitchells Fine Art Auctioneers was established in 1873
0:22:47 > 0:22:51and it's very much a rural concern.
0:22:51 > 0:22:56They even sell livestock, although not in these rooms.
0:22:56 > 0:23:01With the competition still too close to call, both our chaps are feeling the tension.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04How are you feeling?
0:23:04 > 0:23:07Charlie, I am absolutely...
0:23:07 > 0:23:09bricking it.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11That I think means he's scared.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14First up, Charles's bonbon dish, which cost him just £7.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16£15 bid...
0:23:16 > 0:23:18Come on, let's go. Come on.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20£15 bid.
0:23:20 > 0:23:2418. 20. 22. 24. 26.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27- Come on!- 30, 32, 34.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31- 34?- Hanson's off.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34And that's a sweet little profit for you, Charles.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41Tighten your belt, Jonathan, it's time for your silver buckle.
0:23:41 > 0:23:4512, 14, 16, 18.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47- Well played.- £20.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49- 20, 20, £20.- Any more?
0:23:49 > 0:23:52- 22, 24.- Well played.
0:23:52 > 0:23:5326. £26. Are you all out for 26?
0:23:53 > 0:23:54That's a good price, JP.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56And Jonathan's doubled his money.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Next up, Charles's £5 scales,
0:24:02 > 0:24:04but will they tip the balance in his favour? Oh!
0:24:04 > 0:24:08£5, 8, 10, 12...
0:24:08 > 0:24:1114, 16, 18.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14- One more. Come on, let's go.- 22.
0:24:14 > 0:24:15Are you all out at 22?
0:24:17 > 0:24:20So far, each item has made a profit.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27Will it be fourth time lucky for Jonathan's umbrella stand?
0:24:27 > 0:24:32- £50 bid.- Good.- 55, 60, 65.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34- Well, played.- 70.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37- Don't stop there!- £70. - It's been raining. It's perfect.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40On commission then at £70.
0:24:41 > 0:24:42No!
0:24:44 > 0:24:46Bad luck, Jonathan, old chap.
0:24:46 > 0:24:47Oh, dear, don't cry.
0:24:48 > 0:24:54Next up, Charles' £30 bronzed, Deco figure.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56£20 bid.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58- Come on.- 22, 24...
0:24:58 > 0:25:01- Come on!- 26, 28.
0:25:01 > 0:25:02- 30.- Come on!
0:25:02 > 0:25:05- 34.- There you go. It's profit now, Charlie.
0:25:05 > 0:25:0736, 38, 40.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09£40. 42, 44, 46,
0:25:09 > 0:25:1248, 50, 56.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16- This is getting interesting, JP! - Bid at 56.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20Charles HAS had success with the ladies today. Well done.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24But with five items to go, there's still everything to play for.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29Can Jonathan redeem himself with his violin and bow
0:25:29 > 0:25:32or will he continue to play second fiddle? Huh!
0:25:32 > 0:25:34£20 bid. Bid there at 20.
0:25:34 > 0:25:4025, 30, 35, 40,
0:25:40 > 0:25:4342, 44, 46,
0:25:43 > 0:25:46- 48...- He's being tight-lipped now. He's thinking about it.- 50, 52.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49- It's worth more.- 56, 58, 60.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52Come on, come on!
0:25:52 > 0:25:5662, 64. £64.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59- Bid at 64.- That's a good profit.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02OK. It's a good buy for £64 though.
0:26:02 > 0:26:08So Jonathan's still in the race, although Charles is edging ahead.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11Now it's Charles' carved chair.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14He fell in love with it, but Jonathan was less convinced.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18- This could kill me, but I don't mind. - £50 for it?- No!
0:26:18 > 0:26:20- £20 bid then.- Wrong object.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23- £20 bid.- Come on.
0:26:23 > 0:26:24- For the chair at 20. - Please one more.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28- Crazy.- 32, 34, 36, 38,
0:26:28 > 0:26:30- 40, 42.- There you go. It's getting there.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Come on, it's a wonderful chair.
0:26:33 > 0:26:34- £44 then. At 44. 44.- Crazy.
0:26:34 > 0:26:3746, 48, 50,
0:26:37 > 0:26:40- 52...- It's still going, Charlie.- 54.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42- It's creeping up.- 56.- There you go.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45- 56. Are you all out?- It just shows.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49Blast! That's Charles' first loss.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52It's a general household sale, I've come a cropper.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55Item number eight is Jonathan's engraving.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58He paid £30 for it and is hoping it will attract local interest.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00Quite why I don't know.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04£10 bid for the engraving. 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22...
0:27:04 > 0:27:06Nice subject.
0:27:06 > 0:27:0824, 26, 28,
0:27:08 > 0:27:1030, 32.
0:27:10 > 0:27:11- That's all right.- £32 then. At 32.
0:27:11 > 0:27:17- Yeah, there we go. That's about right.- £32. At 32. £32.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19Yup, it's a profit, Jonathan, but only miniscule.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25And now comes the battle of the tables.
0:27:25 > 0:27:30The first one to go under the hammer is Jonathan's Ercol coffee table.
0:27:30 > 0:27:3330, 32. 32, 34...
0:27:33 > 0:27:35- That's a really good price.- It's not!
0:27:35 > 0:27:3740, 42, 44,
0:27:37 > 0:27:3946...
0:27:39 > 0:27:41- Yes!- 48...- Yes!
0:27:41 > 0:27:43- 50.- This style, I can't believe that.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47- 52?- That's a massive, massive price. Get away.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49And it's another small profit for Jonathan.
0:27:50 > 0:27:54Now it's time for Charles' oak table and six chairs.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58They're not antiques, but they sure are practical.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02So you need to clear probably 180 on it to win the show.
0:28:02 > 0:28:07It is so, so exciting because it is so close. Everything's on this.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11At £150 on commission. Bid at 165.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15- 70.- Come on! Come on.- 75, 80.- 80.
0:28:15 > 0:28:21- 85, 90, 95, 200.- £200!
0:28:21 > 0:28:24- Don't believe it.- 205, 210.
0:28:24 > 0:28:3015, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33It's not looking good for Jonathan.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37- 45.- Oh, you son of a gun.
0:28:37 > 0:28:4460, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85,
0:28:44 > 0:28:4690, 95, 300.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49- £300!- Rounding it up. 305.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53It was the last lot of our entire series. My heart is going...
0:28:53 > 0:28:55I feel it.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59I can't believe it. I can't believe it, seriously.
0:28:59 > 0:29:04Whooo! Charles has made a staggering £245 profit.
0:29:04 > 0:29:05Oh, you're a so-and-so.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08You really, really are. I hate you, Charlie.
0:29:08 > 0:29:14Ah! Jonathan started this leg with £379.23, which is marvellous.
0:29:14 > 0:29:19After auction costs, he made a loss of £2
0:29:19 > 0:29:24and finishes the day with £377.23, and that's tough.
0:29:24 > 0:29:25God...
0:29:25 > 0:29:29Charles started the leg with £278.32.
0:29:29 > 0:29:34He made a whopping profit of £227.63 after auction costs
0:29:34 > 0:29:40so it's Charles who comes out on top with £505.95.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44The feeling is just complete, utter contentment.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48Well, cherish the memory, Charles, as it's time to swap
0:29:48 > 0:29:52you and Jonathan for another duo of experts as we begin a new adventure.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55A warm Antiques Road Trip welcome please
0:29:55 > 0:30:00for valuer Mark Stacey and auctioneer Charlie Ross.
0:30:00 > 0:30:04They start this leg of the journey with £200 lining each of their pockets.
0:30:04 > 0:30:09They're driving a 1965 convertible Mercedes Pagoda in the heart of
0:30:09 > 0:30:16the West Midlands, but already, it's less Hollywood glamour and more Carry On!
0:30:16 > 0:30:22Ooh, no! How dare you! Oh, you've thrown it into reverse!
0:30:22 > 0:30:28Mark Stacey is a dealer and auctioneer. And lousy driver.
0:30:28 > 0:30:33Mark has a love of anything Deco and Regency, and a particular passion for porcelain.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36- Good all-rounder, I'd say. - I mean, it's absolutely wonderful.
0:30:36 > 0:30:41And he definitely knows a designer dish from tawdry tableware.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44Indonesia. I don't think it's anything to do with the 1930s.
0:30:46 > 0:30:52Charlie Ross ran his own auction house for over 25 years and is an expert on antique furniture.
0:30:52 > 0:30:58He also runs charity auctions, raising millions of pounds for good causes.
0:30:58 > 0:31:04But can he use those persuasive powers to turn his fivers into a fortune?
0:31:04 > 0:31:06- 20 quid?- Five and you've got it.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09- Five quid?- 25!
0:31:11 > 0:31:14This road trip sees them motoring through pottery country
0:31:14 > 0:31:15in the West Midlands,
0:31:15 > 0:31:17all the way to Chippenham in Wiltshire.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22This leg of the trip starts in Bridgnorth,
0:31:22 > 0:31:25then on to Shrewsbury and Stafford,
0:31:25 > 0:31:27finishing further north in Stoke-on-Trent
0:31:27 > 0:31:31for an auction face-off. So, it's all about shopping, you'd think.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35Even attractive girls look at you when you're in a car like this.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39- I could pull!- Yeah, pull a muscle. - Highly unlikely.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43Bridgnorth sits upon the River Severn
0:31:43 > 0:31:47and was once one of the busiest river ports in Europe.
0:31:47 > 0:31:51Quieter now, it's made up of a low and high town.
0:31:51 > 0:31:56And these are connected by the steepest inland funicular railway in Britain.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59We've got shopping to do.
0:31:59 > 0:32:03- Some antique hunting to do. - £200 to spend. - And two hours to spend it in.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06- Good luck.- I think you're going that way...- I'll go everywhere!
0:32:06 > 0:32:10- ..and I'm going that way.- But first, this way.- See you later.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14It's Charlie's first time on the Road Trip,
0:32:14 > 0:32:19and he knows his money won't spend itself. But he's got to be canny.
0:32:19 > 0:32:23I'm mulling over my strategy on how to beat Mark. It's not going to be easy.
0:32:23 > 0:32:29I don't think it's a matter of what, I think I just need to get those prices down.
0:32:29 > 0:32:34Mmm. Time to try out that game plan.
0:32:34 > 0:32:38This is really interesting. I'm going to find something here, I'm sure.
0:32:38 > 0:32:42- Good morning.- Hello.- How are you? - Very well.
0:32:42 > 0:32:47- Nice to meet you. Nick. - I've come, I hope, to buy something.
0:32:47 > 0:32:54Here's a very nice claret jug, cut glass and silver-plated claret jug. Very Art Deco.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56Christopher Dresser-ish almost.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59Yes, it's got a Christopher Dresser look to the handle, hasn't it, and the top.
0:32:59 > 0:33:04This is not a design by Christopher Dresser, but it's associated to his style.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08Often described as the father of modern industrial design,
0:33:08 > 0:33:12he was renowned for combining materials like glass and silver.
0:33:12 > 0:33:19He created well-made, manufactured goods, providing form and function. It's a good homage, that.
0:33:19 > 0:33:26A little bit of frosting in the glass, but I think you'd get rid of that with a bit of crystal treatment.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29And the plating is really in pretty good condition.
0:33:29 > 0:33:33There's a little bit of wear around the edge of the plating of the lid.
0:33:33 > 0:33:38I'm absolutely convinced that the top was made with the bottom.
0:33:38 > 0:33:42Round the corner it looks like Mark is also going for the JUG-ular!
0:33:42 > 0:33:49- Is that Wedgwood jug perfect?- Yes. - Can we have a little look at that? - I'll fetch the key.- Thank you.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52Yes, so we've got the impress mark, haven't we - Wedgwood.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56- Yes.- This is the dark blue, which I prefer to the sky blue. Do you?
0:33:56 > 0:34:01- Sky blue is wishy-washy. - It is a bit, but this is typical of the Classical decoration.
0:34:01 > 0:34:06Actually, this is late 19th century Wedgwood Jasperware.
0:34:06 > 0:34:10Made from the 1770s, thanks to Josiah Wedgwood.
0:34:10 > 0:34:1620 years and around 3,000 experiments were required to come up with this dense stoneware,
0:34:16 > 0:34:19fired at extremely high temperatures. It's been described
0:34:19 > 0:34:25as the most important invention in the history of ceramics. 20 quid on the label, eh?
0:34:25 > 0:34:29- We couldn't get it down to a fiver, could we?- No. Cost me more than that!
0:34:29 > 0:34:33- Eight quid?- Go on, then.- Eight quid? - Go on, then. Done. I have been!
0:34:33 > 0:34:37I think I have been! Snap! You should make a wish!
0:34:37 > 0:34:39Nice one, Cyril!
0:34:39 > 0:34:45But has first-timer Charlie got the guts to squeeze a deal on his claret jug priced at £45?
0:34:45 > 0:34:48I suppose £20 is not going to buy that, is it?
0:34:48 > 0:34:51What about 35? That's a most inexpensive claret jug.
0:34:51 > 0:34:55I'm not for the moment suggesting it's overpriced.
0:34:55 > 0:35:01- 25, sir.- 32?- 28? I'm creeping up. You've got to be really tough.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04- 28, yes.- Are you going to sell it to me for 28?
0:35:04 > 0:35:07- Yes.- May I say that is really, really kind of you.
0:35:09 > 0:35:13So, our new boy has spent some dosh, and very confidently, too.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17Let's hope it's not all downhill from here.
0:35:19 > 0:35:25After spending a massive £8, Mark needs a breather.
0:35:25 > 0:35:29He's travelling ten miles to the historic Coalport Museum.
0:35:29 > 0:35:35It's a must-see, as this is the home to almost 300 years of fine bone china.
0:35:35 > 0:35:42He's bypassing any buying to see the works of 19th century china painter, John Randall.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45Kate Cadman is the curator of the museum...
0:35:45 > 0:35:50- Hello, I'm Mark.- Nice to meet you. - ..and an expert on all things Randall.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54- John Randall was particularly famous for painting birds.- Yes.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58He painted plaques, plates, vases...
0:35:58 > 0:36:03- They're harking back to the Dutch Old Masters, with the chickens and peacocks together.- Yes.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06Something you'd never really see on a farm.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10- Absolutely!- This was meant for a rather grand, Palladian house, wasn't it?- Indeed.
0:36:10 > 0:36:15- Of course, you've brought out one of your favourite plaques to show me. - The parrots, which I love.
0:36:15 > 0:36:19You've got these exotic parrots, which should be in an exotic landscape.
0:36:19 > 0:36:24- Then you've got a typical... - English landscape. - English landscape, yes.
0:36:24 > 0:36:28It's ludicrous in a way, but somehow it works, rather charming.
0:36:28 > 0:36:33Randall often painted his exotic birds far from their natural habitats
0:36:33 > 0:36:39and for many this was the first ever glimpse of such brightly coloured creatures.
0:36:39 > 0:36:44What exquisite colours we've got there, Kate. I mean, those lovely purples and reds.
0:36:44 > 0:36:49Bright reds are technically one of the most difficult colours that you can get in ceramics.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51- The rarest colour to find was yellow.- Yes.
0:36:51 > 0:36:57Yellow is an incredibly difficult colour to achieve because it would often go miscoloured or burn.
0:36:57 > 0:37:02- At one time, I think they used uranium, I believe.- Yes.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05And with paint made from uranium, it's not surprising
0:37:05 > 0:37:10many workers died of poisoning. It was a squalid existence,
0:37:10 > 0:37:15marked by the unbearable stench of the animal bones used to make the china.
0:37:15 > 0:37:21One of the factory's other creations was saggars, clay boxes that protected china
0:37:21 > 0:37:24from flames and smoke in the kiln. The makers of these
0:37:24 > 0:37:27were bizarrely named Bottom Knockers!
0:37:27 > 0:37:30Nowadays, saggar making is a dying art,
0:37:30 > 0:37:36- but here at the museum, Liz Chilvers demonstrates this historic skill. - Hello, Liz, I'm Mark.
0:37:36 > 0:37:41- Hello.- Lovely to meet you. I'm so excited about this. Do tell me what you're doing.
0:37:41 > 0:37:45I make saggars. It's a case of hammering out a sheet of clay, cutting it into strips
0:37:45 > 0:37:50- then wrapping it round a wooden mould to make the shape. - Could I have a go?- You can, yeah.
0:37:50 > 0:37:54Oh! Oh, that's a good cracking sound, isn't it?
0:37:54 > 0:37:57I won't tell you what I'm thinking about when I'm doing that.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00Perhaps knocking down Charlie's profit margin, eh?
0:38:00 > 0:38:03You could have real fun doing this. It must be fascinating.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06- I love it.- I bet you get very excited Americans.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09Yes! They all want their bottom knocking!
0:38:11 > 0:38:13Mmm, I think that's enough of that!
0:38:13 > 0:38:18- I'm more interested in what Charlie is about to stumble across.- Wow!
0:38:18 > 0:38:20He's on the prowl for more plunder.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23Right, we'll have a look in here.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26There's a little embossed silver dish here.
0:38:26 > 0:38:30These are always really difficult to find, the hallmarks,
0:38:30 > 0:38:33because they hide them in the embossing. You have to look.
0:38:33 > 0:38:38There is the hallmark. We've got the lion passant here. That tells you it's silver.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42We have an anchor, which tells you it was made in Birmingham,
0:38:42 > 0:38:48and the letter date, which tells you it's 1898, which I think is a Y.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50This is Victorian, 1898.
0:38:50 > 0:38:56The Victorian period was peaceful and prosperous for many,
0:38:56 > 0:38:58and there was much demand for silver.
0:38:58 > 0:39:02This piece is extremely decorative, embossed with putto -
0:39:02 > 0:39:06that's a cute, chubby cherub to you and me -
0:39:06 > 0:39:09which, of course, symbolises love. Aww!
0:39:09 > 0:39:13But at £85, is this little beauty just a bit too chubby?
0:39:13 > 0:39:17What a lovely christening or wedding present to give to somebody,
0:39:17 > 0:39:22but for me to put it into auction, I'd have to be almost stealing it,
0:39:22 > 0:39:24so I'm going to leave that.
0:39:27 > 0:39:33Mark's back in Bridgnorth and he's keen to make one more purchase before hitting the road.
0:39:33 > 0:39:37I'm trying to find a bargain for under £10.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40He's spotted a black basalt antique teapot.
0:39:40 > 0:39:45I'm thinking this is what, about, 1820. It's the Regency period.
0:39:45 > 0:39:52- Absolutely.- The Regency period covers the reign of the Prince of Wales from 1800 to 1830.
0:39:52 > 0:39:58Very much in fashion was basalt, a hard, black stoneware.
0:39:58 > 0:40:03Its impervious body could be moulded with gorgeous, sharp detail.
0:40:03 > 0:40:08Almost as sharp as Mark, because he's spotted the damaged spout.
0:40:08 > 0:40:12Ah-ha! So, it's on with the price wars.
0:40:12 > 0:40:16- Would 15 be too much?- Yes, it would.
0:40:16 > 0:40:20- I mean, 15 quid's so cheap.- I know. I'd love to get it for £8.
0:40:22 > 0:40:27Not a great start! Both our boys now need a miracle.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30I want something that you bought for nothing
0:40:30 > 0:40:34and you can say, "Look, this is 85 quid, but you can have it for a tenner."
0:40:34 > 0:40:37- This I bought for nothing.- Oh!
0:40:37 > 0:40:41- What is it? Oh, the thing I liked? - Yeah.- Do you mean for nothing?
0:40:41 > 0:40:45- Make me an offer.- 20 quid. - Five and you've got it.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48- What, five quid?- 25!
0:40:48 > 0:40:55- 20 quid. I'm happy to pay £20 for it. - Go on, get me in the middle, 22.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58- 22.- Excellent.- I must say, 85 down to 22,
0:40:58 > 0:41:02would you think it's forward to give you a kiss, to say thank you?
0:41:04 > 0:41:07- I'll get me cash out.- Right you are. - Is it wrapped for that price?
0:41:07 > 0:41:13Lady Luck's shined on Charlie, but will she shine on Mark?
0:41:13 > 0:41:17- Hello, who's this?- That's my darling wife.- Come and help me.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19- He wants a gift from me. - I know what you're going to do.
0:41:19 > 0:41:23- I know.- That's right, he's trying to get it for nothing.
0:41:23 > 0:41:28You should be saying, "Mark, you should have this as a memory of Bridgnorth," don't you think?
0:41:28 > 0:41:31You can have it for a memory for eight quid.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34He's a hard man, isn't he?
0:41:34 > 0:41:39Well, who'd have thought I'd buy a Regency period,
0:41:39 > 0:41:421820s black basalt teapot?
0:41:42 > 0:41:47OK, it's got a little bit of damage on the spout, but for £8, there's got to be a profit in that,
0:41:47 > 0:41:51and if there's not, I don't know what I'm doing in this business.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54Funny you should say that, Mark. Charlie's about to bag another buy,
0:41:54 > 0:41:57an Edwardian two-tier pokerwork table.
0:41:57 > 0:42:03Something at auction's really got to look at you and jump at you.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05This, when you look at it closely, does.
0:42:05 > 0:42:11Made around 1910, tables like this were burnt with decoration
0:42:11 > 0:42:15using a red hot poker, hence the term pokerwork.
0:42:15 > 0:42:20This decorative style works best on softer woods such as beech or pine.
0:42:20 > 0:42:24This is priced at £85, a bit much for Charlie, I'd say.
0:42:24 > 0:42:30- Linda?- Yeah? What have you found? - Would you hit me if I was really, really rude?
0:42:30 > 0:42:33I'm going to be so rude, you might want to send me packing here.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35- Go on, then, try me. - I want to buy it for a tenner.
0:42:35 > 0:42:41- Wow!- I know.- You can have it for a very reasonable price. - It's got to be a tenner.
0:42:41 > 0:42:45I'll go halves with you and I'll come to 15.
0:42:45 > 0:42:49Now, quite honestly, I'd pay more than 15 for that at auction.
0:42:49 > 0:42:53If I tell you where the auction is, can we send a car for you and you can buy it back?
0:42:53 > 0:43:00- I tell you what, I'll give you 15 quid for it.- Lovely.- I have to buy a bit of furniture.
0:43:00 > 0:43:04Time to leave Bridgnorth but not before
0:43:04 > 0:43:08both Mark and Charlie take the local florists by surprise
0:43:08 > 0:43:11with an impulse purchase of two Mateus Rose wine boxes.
0:43:11 > 0:43:16- Oh, go on.- Are they £2 each?- Come on. For us. Fiver for the two?
0:43:16 > 0:43:20- I tell you what, you let him have one for two quid and I'll buy mine for three quid.- Bargain!
0:43:20 > 0:43:23These boxes are around 30 years old
0:43:23 > 0:43:27and hark back to the golden age of this sweet rose,
0:43:27 > 0:43:31but will they make any money at auction? The boys obviously think so.
0:43:31 > 0:43:34Now, it's really time to hit that road to Shrewsbury.
0:43:41 > 0:43:45Shrewsbury is just 20 miles north-west
0:43:45 > 0:43:50and our gents will be hoping to net some more prime purchases.
0:43:51 > 0:43:54I'm not giving my strategy away to you, Charlie,
0:43:54 > 0:43:58but I'm going to be focused, driven and stick to my plan.
0:44:00 > 0:44:04Really? Well, that'll be a first.
0:44:06 > 0:44:10The town of Shrewsbury, which began life as a Saxon settlement,
0:44:10 > 0:44:14is well-known for one of the bloodiest battles in English history,
0:44:14 > 0:44:18the Battle Of Shrewsbury in 1403.
0:44:18 > 0:44:20Fortunately for our boys, though,
0:44:20 > 0:44:23it's a lot more peaceful now.
0:44:23 > 0:44:25- Shrewsbury or Shroosbury? - I'll say Shroosbury.
0:44:25 > 0:44:28- And I'll say Shrewsbury. - Let's call the whole thing off!
0:44:28 > 0:44:31And this lovely park here, Charlie.
0:44:31 > 0:44:34Right the way down to the river there. Lovely pagoda.
0:44:34 > 0:44:37- Look, in the middle. - We're driving a Pagoda,
0:44:37 > 0:44:41- and we've found a pagoda. Isn't life poetic?- Fabulous.
0:44:41 > 0:44:48The town is most famous, perhaps, for being the birthplace of Charles Darwin in 1809.
0:44:48 > 0:44:54And it's definitely survival of the fittest where Mark and Charlie are concerned, as they head
0:44:54 > 0:44:58for Shrewsbury's, or should I say Shroosbury's, antique shops.
0:44:58 > 0:45:04- Well, are you excited? - I've never been so excited. - I'll race you to the market.
0:45:04 > 0:45:07Worse than children!
0:45:07 > 0:45:10Charlie is so keen, though, to spend his beans.
0:45:10 > 0:45:16I thought I'd found an Old Dutch Master. But it's a print.
0:45:16 > 0:45:21- Is that music I hear? - MUSIC BOX CHIMES
0:45:21 > 0:45:23A musical Rolls-Royce.
0:45:23 > 0:45:29- It's absolutely wonderful. Would you take a fiver for it? - Go on, then, yep.
0:45:29 > 0:45:32Ho ho! I'm going to buy something.
0:45:32 > 0:45:35Don't tell Mark, but I think at a fiver,
0:45:35 > 0:45:39there's just a sporting chance that somebody might pay a little bit more.
0:45:39 > 0:45:44Having found nothing, Mark awaits his partner in crime outside.
0:45:44 > 0:45:49- What have you bought? Fish and chips?- I'm not going to tell you.- Oh, my God!
0:45:49 > 0:45:52- Buy of the year.- Should I be worried?
0:45:52 > 0:45:53I think you should be, old fruit.
0:45:53 > 0:45:57You're leaving Shrewsbury without buying a single item
0:45:57 > 0:45:59which means that you're now playing catch-up with Charlie.
0:45:59 > 0:46:04Let's hope heading east to Stafford will bring richer pickings.
0:46:04 > 0:46:1050 miles from Shrewsbury, Stafford was once a hive of trade.
0:46:10 > 0:46:16In the 18th century, it had a bustling pottery industry, but its soul really belonged to shoe-making.
0:46:16 > 0:46:21Much later, during the Second World War, it was famous for munitions.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24A local company even built tanks for the front line.
0:46:24 > 0:46:27Today, though, it's got antiques galore.
0:46:27 > 0:46:30Some even with a wartime feel.
0:46:30 > 0:46:35After a browse and a ponder, Charlie stumbles on something he thinks has promise.
0:46:35 > 0:46:38Though he's not letting on.
0:46:38 > 0:46:40- Ian?- Yes, Charles?
0:46:40 > 0:46:43There's a ropey old rusty doorstop on the floor here.
0:46:43 > 0:46:47- What about a fiver?- £5?! - I told you I was mean!
0:46:47 > 0:46:52- What were you asking, 10? - More like £50, really.- £50?!- £50.
0:46:52 > 0:46:55- I've got to make a profit.- I know.
0:46:55 > 0:46:59After a spot of haggling, Charlie gets the price down to £25.
0:46:59 > 0:47:06I think this is a really genuine Victorian cast-iron doorstop.
0:47:06 > 0:47:12And if somebody buys this for less than £25, I will burst into tears.
0:47:12 > 0:47:14Oh, good. I do like a weepy!
0:47:14 > 0:47:19Meanwhile, Mark has ventured a little bit out of town, to try his luck.
0:47:19 > 0:47:22And he's finally feeling more upbeat.
0:47:22 > 0:47:26What treasure trove have you got here?! Wow, look at all this.
0:47:26 > 0:47:30That plate over there takes my eye, with the blue tit on it.
0:47:30 > 0:47:32- Is that...?- That is cheap.
0:47:32 > 0:47:35That may be in your budget.
0:47:35 > 0:47:38Hold on, there's a bit of a bird theme here.
0:47:38 > 0:47:41We've gone from kingfishers to a blue tit.
0:47:41 > 0:47:44- Hmmm.- Oh, it is perfect.
0:47:44 > 0:47:47That is the princely sum of £8.
0:47:47 > 0:47:50If that was in their sale, they would be putting...
0:47:50 > 0:47:56- 4 to 6?- Yes. £4 to £6 on it. - So you're only after a couple of quid, I think that's not too bad.
0:47:56 > 0:48:00For me to make a profit on that, you see, I'd have to get it for two quid.
0:48:00 > 0:48:03- Would you?- Yep.- Do you want me to wrap it and deliver it(?)
0:48:03 > 0:48:06No, I'll take it with me, and I'll give you cash, of course.
0:48:06 > 0:48:09- Well, that's very kind. - Can you do it for £2?
0:48:09 > 0:48:11I think £2 is a bargain.
0:48:11 > 0:48:15Definitely. But Mark doesn't just want it for a song, he wants it for nothing.
0:48:15 > 0:48:18Of course. Again.
0:48:18 > 0:48:23Look, I know, I can see in your face, that you're a kind-hearted soul.
0:48:23 > 0:48:26- My wife doesn't think so. - She does. I know she does.
0:48:26 > 0:48:28She'll not like you much, Mark!
0:48:28 > 0:48:32Getting objects for free isn't in the rule book, you naughty boy.
0:48:32 > 0:48:35At least dealer Jeremy Allen never paid for it either.
0:48:35 > 0:48:37In fact, I was given it.
0:48:37 > 0:48:40- So you'll give it to me?- It was in a deal where I spent about £1,000.
0:48:40 > 0:48:44- Well, give it to me as a gift for coming.- I'll give it you, then.
0:48:44 > 0:48:46And that's it, the end of the shopping.
0:48:46 > 0:48:51Well, if you can call that shopping, Mark!
0:48:51 > 0:48:54Charlie's spent an impressive £98 on six items.
0:48:54 > 0:48:56He bought a Victorian, embossed, silver dish.
0:48:56 > 0:48:59A kingfisher doorstop.
0:48:59 > 0:49:01A musical Rolls-Royce.
0:49:01 > 0:49:04An Edwardian pokerwork table.
0:49:04 > 0:49:07A glass and silver-plated claret jug.
0:49:07 > 0:49:10And a Mateus Rose wine box.
0:49:10 > 0:49:13Mark spent a measly £18 on four objects.
0:49:13 > 0:49:16He bought a 19th century Jasperware jug.
0:49:16 > 0:49:18A Regency, basalt teapot.
0:49:18 > 0:49:23The other half of the Mateus Rose wine box double deal,
0:49:23 > 0:49:27and a china plate he managed to get thrown in for nothing.
0:49:27 > 0:49:31But what do our chaps think of each other's purchases?
0:49:31 > 0:49:33The jug - I think Charlie has been seduced a little bit.
0:49:33 > 0:49:37That triangular shape is associated with Dr Christopher Dresser.
0:49:37 > 0:49:42The quality just isn't very good, and I really do worry that it's a marriage, that jug.
0:49:42 > 0:49:45He didn't like my jug. I don't think it's a marriage.
0:49:45 > 0:49:47I'm sure it was made like that.
0:49:47 > 0:49:51The musical car, I could just see Charlie being seduced by that, because he loves his car.
0:49:51 > 0:49:56He loves classic cars. He's a great classic car auctioneer. It's a piece of rubbish.
0:49:56 > 0:50:01I could buy really cheap and nasty, but I think he's surpassed anything I've ever bought!
0:50:01 > 0:50:07His plate was ghastly. But then, it cost nothing. Fancy getting something for nothing, he's so jammy!
0:50:07 > 0:50:10I think he's secretly gutted about the teapot.
0:50:10 > 0:50:13I think he really does think I've bought that at a very cheap price.
0:50:13 > 0:50:18I'd like to think I'm going to win, certainly with the teapot. But it's too close to call.
0:50:22 > 0:50:28So far, our boys have scoured the high spots of pottery country, deep in the West Midlands.
0:50:28 > 0:50:31They've gone from Bridgnorth to Shrewsbury,
0:50:31 > 0:50:35then on to Stafford, and now it's off to Stoke-on-Trent.
0:50:35 > 0:50:37It's D-Day, as the boys head to auction.
0:50:37 > 0:50:41Here, they'll fight it out for the biggest profit.
0:50:41 > 0:50:44Stoke-on-Trent, the official world capital of ceramics,
0:50:44 > 0:50:47began its pottery boom
0:50:47 > 0:50:51back in the 1700s, boasting wares by Wedgwood, Doulton and Spode.
0:50:53 > 0:50:56A-ha, We've arrived!
0:50:56 > 0:51:01Not surprisingly, ASH Auctions, in business since 1994,
0:51:01 > 0:51:05specialise in pottery from the 19th century to the present day.
0:51:05 > 0:51:09So whose tactics will prove most successful?
0:51:09 > 0:51:11Time to find out.
0:51:11 > 0:51:13Here we go.
0:51:13 > 0:51:16First up is Mark's 19th century Jasperware jug.
0:51:16 > 0:51:19Nice example again, ladies and gentlemen...
0:51:19 > 0:51:21Nice example? How much did you pay him to say that?
0:51:21 > 0:51:24Shall we say £20 straight in for me?
0:51:24 > 0:51:30- Come on.- 12 there, 14, 16, 18, 17, 18.
0:51:30 > 0:51:32It's a world record!
0:51:32 > 0:51:37£18, all done? And finished, then, at £18.
0:51:37 > 0:51:40You're just a genius. You're just a genius.
0:51:40 > 0:51:44After spending £8, Mark makes a profit of £10
0:51:44 > 0:51:47before commission - a great start.
0:51:47 > 0:51:50No wonder Charlie's worried. But will our new boy's fears
0:51:50 > 0:51:53be allayed thanks to his claret jug?
0:51:53 > 0:51:56Lot number 42, absolutely beautiful.
0:51:56 > 0:52:00What shall we say for it? A tenner. Come on, where are we? £10.
0:52:00 > 0:52:05- Oh, dear.- This is not looking good, is it?
0:52:05 > 0:52:1216, 18. At £16, 18, 18. At £18, are you bold? £18 there.
0:52:12 > 0:52:19The jug cost £28, leaving Charlie with a £10 loss.
0:52:19 > 0:52:21That was far too cheap.
0:52:21 > 0:52:25Commiserations on that, actually. That was bad luck.
0:52:25 > 0:52:29But will he fare better with his Edwardian pokerwork table?
0:52:29 > 0:52:3215 for me? Come on. A tenner for it, somebody.
0:52:32 > 0:52:3510, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20.
0:52:35 > 0:52:41- Oh, pity(!)- 22, 24, 26.
0:52:41 > 0:52:47On my right, £24. £24 it goes.
0:52:47 > 0:52:52A £9 profit, putting Charlie back in the game, just behind Mark.
0:52:52 > 0:52:54Better than nothing, you know.
0:52:54 > 0:52:58Now the first of the Mateus Rose wine boxes.
0:52:58 > 0:53:00This one belongs to Mark.
0:53:00 > 0:53:03Right, there we are. That's the old box there. Give me 15 for it.
0:53:03 > 0:53:05Yeah, 15, come on.
0:53:05 > 0:53:07A tenner. £10 for it? £5.
0:53:07 > 0:53:13- Yes, a bid at five. - Come on, it's worth more than eight.
0:53:13 > 0:53:18- 10. 10 I'm bid. 12.- Wouldn't have made this with wine in it!
0:53:18 > 0:53:22- Sensational.- I'd say so, with an £8 profit!
0:53:22 > 0:53:25Will Charlie's do any better?
0:53:25 > 0:53:28Five, six, eight,
0:53:28 > 0:53:3110, 12. £10.
0:53:31 > 0:53:35- 12?- Ooh!- At £10, I'm selling for a tenner. Any more, are we sure?
0:53:35 > 0:53:39Can't accuse him of favouritism, can you?
0:53:39 > 0:53:42As Charlie spent a pound more on his box,
0:53:42 > 0:53:45he just makes a £7 profit. Not bad, though.
0:53:45 > 0:53:48Back to the serious business.
0:53:48 > 0:53:51Up next is Charlie's kingfisher doorstop.
0:53:51 > 0:53:55- But will it turn a profit?- £15.
0:53:55 > 0:53:5816, 18, 20, 22.
0:53:58 > 0:54:01At £20, anybody else at £20?
0:54:01 > 0:54:04I thought that would have gone a bit higher.
0:54:04 > 0:54:07A £5 loss. Not good.
0:54:07 > 0:54:09- Oh, Charlie.- Devastated.
0:54:09 > 0:54:12Maybe Mark will do better with his free china plate.
0:54:12 > 0:54:15Difficult to do worse.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18- A beautiful piece.- What shall we say for that one - £5 for it?
0:54:18 > 0:54:22A nice china plate there. £5. Come on, £5.
0:54:22 > 0:54:25It's got to be worth a fiver, surely? Are you going silent?
0:54:25 > 0:54:29- No, two I'm bid. - Oh, I've got £2.
0:54:29 > 0:54:31£2, is that all? Three.
0:54:31 > 0:54:36- Three!- Well done, sir. - You'd pay them a pound.
0:54:36 > 0:54:39Come on, four. Yes!
0:54:39 > 0:54:43I've never known a man take so long to sell something for four quid.
0:54:43 > 0:54:47£6, seven at the back. Who's seven?
0:54:47 > 0:54:49- Seven, thank you. - You're not allowed to do that!
0:54:49 > 0:54:52- Yes, I am.- That's bribery.
0:54:52 > 0:54:54Sold at £7, there we are.
0:54:54 > 0:54:57Brave gentlemen at the back of the room, 341.
0:54:57 > 0:55:00That's a whopping £7 for nothing.
0:55:00 > 0:55:03- I'm happy with that, actually. - I should think you are.
0:55:03 > 0:55:06And so you should be!
0:55:06 > 0:55:10Now another fave for the man with the gavel -
0:55:10 > 0:55:14Charlie's silver embossed dish, this time most definitely Victorian.
0:55:14 > 0:55:18We've had a lot of interest over the internet on this next item.
0:55:18 > 0:55:22- Internet?- A stunning dish there. What shall we say for it? £20.
0:55:22 > 0:55:2722, 26, 28, 30, 32.
0:55:27 > 0:55:34Where's two, then? 32, 34, 36, 38, 40,
0:55:34 > 0:55:37- 42.- Better.- At £42, last call, then.
0:55:37 > 0:55:39At £42.
0:55:39 > 0:55:42- That's good, Charlie, actually. - Better.
0:55:42 > 0:55:45That's a fantastic profit, actually, of £20.
0:55:45 > 0:55:49- Would you say I'm improving?- Very.
0:55:49 > 0:55:53But will the musical Rolls-Royce prove as popular?
0:55:53 > 0:55:56Neither of our chaps thinks so.
0:55:56 > 0:56:00- Look at that.- Lovely. It's tasteless, is it?
0:56:00 > 0:56:02It's absolutely hideous.
0:56:02 > 0:56:05£10, 12, 14, 16, 18.
0:56:05 > 0:56:07I told you.
0:56:07 > 0:56:1124. And 26. 26, with the lady at £26.
0:56:11 > 0:56:18- Are we all done, then? 28, 30, 32. - Quality always counts.
0:56:18 > 0:56:20£30. I'm selling at 30.
0:56:20 > 0:56:22Utter rubbish.
0:56:22 > 0:56:27With a £25 profit before commission, Charlie's marching ahead.
0:56:27 > 0:56:33There's one final lot - Mark's basalt Regency teapot.
0:56:33 > 0:56:37He's glued the spout back together, but is it enough to beat Charlie?
0:56:37 > 0:56:39£20 for this. 15?
0:56:39 > 0:56:43- Where are we? Give me a tenner for it.- Oh, come on.- Start at five!
0:56:43 > 0:56:4812, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24,
0:56:48 > 0:56:5126, commission buyer at 24,
0:56:51 > 0:56:5726 on the back wall, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38.
0:56:57 > 0:57:02- They haven't seen the restoration. - 42, 44, 46.
0:57:02 > 0:57:07Anybody else? I'm selling at £44.
0:57:07 > 0:57:09Number, Geoffrey.
0:57:09 > 0:57:10I give in.
0:57:11 > 0:57:15The biggest profit of the day - £36 goes to Mark.
0:57:15 > 0:57:19- I can't believe that made 44. - That's quality.
0:57:21 > 0:57:24It's been a good start for both our boys.
0:57:24 > 0:57:28Out of his original pot of £200, after paying the auction costs,
0:57:28 > 0:57:32first-timer Charlie has made a profit of £20.63,
0:57:32 > 0:57:38giving a healthy total of £220.63 for next time.
0:57:38 > 0:57:41But Mark has pipped Charlie at the post,
0:57:41 > 0:57:44because he's spent less money and made more profit.
0:57:44 > 0:57:50After paying auction costs, Mark has made a profit of £47.09,
0:57:50 > 0:57:54which sees him leaving with £247.09.
0:57:54 > 0:57:58That was rather successful, Charlie. Off to Cheshire.
0:57:58 > 0:58:04- Better for you than it was for me. - That's what I like to hear!
0:58:04 > 0:58:06All clear. Take her away.
0:58:20 > 0:58:22Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd