Episode 1 Antiques Road Trip

The nation's favourite antiques experts, £200 each and one big challenge!

I might need to declare war.

Why?

Who can make the most money buying and selling antiques as they scour the UK?

-£15?

-No!

The aim is to trade up and hope each antique turns a profit,

but it's not as easy as you might think and things don't always go to plan.

Push!

So, will they race off with a huge profit or come to a grinding halt?

I'm going to go for it.

This is the Antiques Road Trip!

Today auctioneer Anita Manning, and valuer Mark Stacey,

are taking their 1961 Morris Minor through some major British scenery,

a soft top, but hopefully not a soft touch.

You're a local girl and I think you're going to have a very competitive advantage over me.

-You've got to roll your Rs.

-Leave my Rs out of this!

THEY LAUGH

Glaswegian Anita has an passion for fine Scottish design.

A wee bit wibbly-wobbly.

So will that give her the edge over Mark?

-Could you take another couple of pounds off it?

-No, sorry.

That's a Scotsman for you!

Mark's headed north from Wales via Brighton and brought his ambition with him.

I want to hold the world in my hands.

But this isn't Mark's home turf,

so can he grab a crafty Caledonian bargain or two.

If we could go 18...

You naughty man!

Anita and Mark are old friends, but on this Roadtrip they're also serious competitors.

-You could be Mary, Queen of Scots.

-Well, if I'm Mary, Queen of Scots, you will have to be Elizabeth I,

the Virgin Queen!

THEY LAUGH

This trip begins in the heart of the Cairngorms

and progresses via the beautiful cities of Edinburgh and Durham

to Thirsk in North Yorkshire.

Today's shows starts out in Aberfeldy and concludes with a tasty little auction in Dunblane.

Mark and Anita are all set to turn their £200 each into a tidy profit,

but who will triumph and who will have a tantrum?

Well, I can't believe that! It's shocking!

First stop en route is the little town of Killin at the western head of Loch Tay.

-How many lochs are there in Scotland?

-Millions.

-Millions!

-That's our first stop. Shall we go in together, Mark?

-I think we should.

So what happens when a Scotswoman and a Welsh man walk into an antiques shop? This is not a joke!

-Gosh, it's so exciting! It's like a treasure trove in here.

-Our first shop!

Gauld's is very much a traditional antique shop with a little bit of everything.

Somewhere, though, there's a bargain to be found.

Now, this is a little Victorian, I would say, sort of pokerwork.

Somebody would have carved all this pattern out by using hot pokers and then staining it.

It was something that often Victorian-Edwardian ladies did at home.

It's in pretty original condition. It hasn't been tarted up, so it doesn't look all bright and shiny.

But, of course, the crucial thing is the price.

Victorian pokerwork barrel, £45.

If we could get that down, that might be a possibility.

Look at this wonderful big piece of Monart.

Now, Monart was made from the late '20s to the '60s

in the factory of Moncrieff in Perth.

This glass became wonderfully popular in the 1920s and 1930s,

but it's a bit expensive.

Quite! At almost £700 it's way beyond your budget!

Mark, meanwhile, is already pondering another addition to his little horde.

What we've really got here is a sort of decorative needlework panel, I suppose.

I think it probably is 1920s or '30s, but the colours are still quite good in this.

If you look at the pinks there and the greens,

and the little blues there, it's rather an attractive thing.

But it's quite a substantial piece really for £25.

I think that's going to be another piece we're going to add with our bit there

and see if we can get a good price on that.

Anita, though, has found something with global appeal.

Practical too.

Now, terrestrial globes are quite collectable. People like this type of thing.

But this little globe is also...

..a biscuit tin! Isn't that sweet? I like that.

Crawford's Biscuits were founded by one William Crawford in Leith, near Edinburgh in 1813.

Fancy tins came later, and curios like this from the '30s are now highly collectable.

The price label says £60,

but what would proprietor Jimmy say?

-When I looked at that at the beginning, I was trying to open that out.

-Yeah, it opens up.

That's an awful lot of trouble to get a ginger snap.

I'm kidding you on.

-I wasn't sure whether I was coming or going.

-Jimmy,

I think that...again, we're putting it into auction. It's going into a general auction.

And we're trying to make just even a wee bit of profit on it.

Can I have £30 on that?

-Oh, no chance!

-Is there no chance on that?

-Not a hope in...

-Could we come...?

-Nowhere even near it! I'll do it for 50.

-That's the best I can do on that.

-Is that the best you can do?

Mmm...that didn't go well! But already Anita's found something else to bargain with,

an imitation Tiffany's vase for a tenner.

I wondered if I could do the biscuit tin and this wee thing, which is not a thing of any great significance,

if you could give me the two for £50?

-No.

-Every pound counts!

-I know.

I've got a wife and three publicans to keep, I need the money!

-A wife and three publicans?

-Aye!

-Can you hurry up, please, cos I'm trying to do a deal here!

-OK.

While Anita heads off for another scout around, it's time for Mark to try his charms on our Jimmy.

For some reason, I quite like this frame.

And I rather find this rather charming.

I mean, I don't know how flexible you can be with me...

As I say, whatever price is on it, just double it and then we'll do a deal!

MARK CHUCKLES

Well, you see, I was thinking the other way, to halve it...

No chance of that!

So what would be the best on this one, then?

I'll do that for 20.

-And that one would be...?

-Make it 40.

-Listen, my friend,

Is there any chance we could get to 50?

-No.

-Please.

-Not a hope in hell!

-55?

-No, it's got to be 60.

-Oh, come on, Jimmy!

-I can't!

-Please!

55 and we've got a deal, I promise you!

-Er...

-Please!

-Anything to get rid of you!

Oh, don't say that, Jimmy! Don't say that.

-You've got a smile on your face.

-I've always got a smile on my face.

-It's not trapped wind?

-I hope not!

Anita just can't drag herself away from the Scottish glass.

And she's now discovered something which at £22 is an awful lot cheaper than the Monart.

This is a piece of Strathearn glass. It's from about the '70s, '80s.

It's still nice, I like it,

and I might be able to get it for a reasonable price. I'll go and ask Jimmy.

Worth a try, Anita, and adding it to the other items which you've bought may help.

55 for the two of them and 22 is 77, so I'll make it 75.

-Could you take another couple of pounds off it?

-No, no, sorry.

-Two wee pounds!

-No!

-No.

-Oh, you're a hard man!

75!

So while Anita deposits an awful lot of her budget inside Jimmy's ancient till,

Mark's found time for a quick trip to one of Scotland's most impressive castles.

Mark and his Morris are heading for Inveraray.

Look, it's breathtaking. It's almost like a little fairy-tale castle, isn't it?

Like a medieval French chateau!

The house itself is very fine indeed,

based on a sketch by Vanbrugh in the 18th century,

although there's been a castle here beside Loch Fyne since the 1400s.

This is the seat of the Dukes of Argyll,

better known as the Campbells,

a family that's played an important role in several key moments of Scottish history.

Hello!

-Mark!

-You must be Jane.

-Welcome to Inveraray Castle.

-Thank you for having me.

-Delighted to meet you.

-Lovely to meet you too

-on such a wonderful day.

-I know, it's stunning, isn't it?

Jane Young is the manager at Inveraray

and the best possible guide to the castle.

So as you enter into the armoury hall, you'll see a lot of the armaments.

The castle contains several reminders of the family's early fighting years,

as well as a priceless object that once belonged to a Scottish folk hero.

So this is Rob Roy's sporran.

-And this was found in his cottage which was just up at the top of Glen Shira...

-And that's nearby?

-Yes.

It's just on the outskirts of the town.

Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue, was a sort of Scottish Robin Hood,

a legendary outlaw and freedom fighter,

the difference being that, unlike Robin, he and his sporran were real.

-You can see all the beautiful ornate work...

-Detail.

-Yes, around about.

Wonderful, isn't it?

The Argylls fought on the side of the Government

and against Bonnie Prince Charlie's claim to the throne at Culloden in 1745.

Incredibly, you can see original banners from that battle still hanging on the castle walls.

They are so fragile. You can see there's hardly any...

-Yes, very delicate.

-..Decoration left on them.

-But you can actually still see the outline

of the Argyll Militia.

They're obviously a very important part of history.

And just over 100 years after that, the Argylls actually married into the British Royal Family.

In the Victorian Room, there's a fine painting of the future 9th Duke getting hitched

to Princess Louise in 1871.

-I can spot Queen Victoria in the middle there.

-Yes, yes, pretty...

Then you've got the bride and groom at the end. And I must admit

-she does look for once as if she's got a cheeky smile on her face!

-Yes.

I'm sure she's delighted that's daughter number four married!

But perhaps the most surprising item at Inveraray is one unlikely survivor of the big day,

a piece of cake!

Now, Judy, I'm dying to ask you... It just looks like an envelope. Where is the piece of cake?

-Well, you can see how it's all been delicately wrapped and sealed at the back.

-Wonderful.

And this isn't the sort of thing that one takes home to eat?

No, I wouldn't think so. I think you would want to keep it and preserve it carefully.

It's absolutely beautiful.

Wonderful.

And with the sun setting over Loch Fyne, Mark heads back to the hotel to find Anita.

Day 2, and Mark's at the wheel as they continue their trek around the Trossachs... Sounds painful!

-Are you dying to get to the shop?

-I am. And are you planning to spend all of your budget?

I'm not telling you!

So far, Mark's spent £55 on just two items for auction.

That'll be fantastic. Thank you so much.

Whilst Anita's lavished £75 on three hopeful investments.

Oh, you're a hard man!

Will she make a handsome profit at the auction or just crumbs? Time alone will tell.

On this leg Anita and Mark hope to motor all the way to Callander,

calling in at the little town of Balfron to add to their haul.

Junk-tion Antiques offer plenty of scope and plenty of space for our plucky experts

and hopefully some room for negotiations if proprietor David is as good as his word.

-Have you got any bargains?

-They're all bargains!

-Oh, be serious!

-They're all bargains!

Anita always was the bookish type.

I always find these Victorian photograph albums very sweet, very evocative.

Look at that wee girl there.

She's all dressed up in rather stiff Victorian clothes.

Nobody ever seems to be smiling in them.

Look, Mark's found a bit of old metal.

I think it's quite fun, actually. It's quite imposing.

I suppose if you've got a big Glasgow house or something,

to have a big tray like that up on your wall...

I can't quite make out who it is. Oh, Robert Dudley.

Associate of Queen Elizabeth I, and as Anita has christened me the Virgin Queen,

it could actually be quite fortuitous, shall we say?

Dudley, First Earl of Leicester was certainly one of the Queen's suitors

and allegedly responsible for the death of his first wife.

he was also hated by many Scots for his role in the execution of Mary Stuart.

I can hear him blethering away to David. I want to get in there!

-David?

-Yes, Mark?

-This is not the sort of thing I normally go for, I have to say.

-It's got no price on it.

-That piece could go today for somewhere in the region of £30.

Could I make you a sneaky offer?

-I'm all ears!

-Can we get anywhere near 15?

If we could go 18, you've got a deal.

-16.

-17.

-You naughty man! Go on, you've done it.

-Right, Mark. Thank you.

Inspired or just plain bonkers?

I mean, how will a Robert Dudley charger go down in Scotland?

Now, that looks familiar!

I'm thinking that I should probably stay away from terrestrial globes!

But, as Anita turns her back on the world, her opponent fancies some globetrotting.

I think this is really nice. It's a piece of 1950s or '60.

But I love globes and I'm fascinated by globes anyway.

I'm really getting into this '50s and '60s stuff now,

because it's what the youngsters want, and you can mix and match it in with the old and the new.

And it actually creates a home which looks like it's been through the generations.

It's marked up at the moment at £38,

which in my part of the world, Brighton, would be terribly cheap.

I certainly wouldn't have that on it in my shop!

-David, I'm laying my cards on the table.

-Okey-dokey.

I want to hold the world in my hands.

-Don't we all?

-And this is my chance of doing it.

I'd love, honestly, to pay £25 for it.

I think at £25, you've got a chance of making something on it,

-and I think we've got a deal there at £25.

-David, thank you so much.

Mark has four items so far for a whisker under £100.

-The world in your hands.

-Thank you very much, David.

But Anita, after yesterday's splurge, has yet to spend a shilling.

This is a fairly modern whatnot.

But it's rather a nice shape with these three tiers.

Actually less of a whatnot, more of a reproduction three-tier dumb waiter,

based on a Georgian model first made in the 1760s.

I like the three tiers and I also like the little metal claw feet.

But will David budge from his £30 asking price?

-Thinking auction value on it.

-You don't know if it's going to get £10,

-you don't know if it's going to get £40.

-Very much so.

-I can do that in the region of £20.

-Right.

I think that...

-Oh, Lordy!

-There we go.

-That should halve the value!

-I'll do that at £10 to you and you put that in the auction.

Crikey, it worked! I must try that.

I mean, I know this is really the naughtiest thing in the world,

but could you come down to a fiver?

-We'll split the difference. We'll do 7.50.

-7.50?

And we've got a deal. And if you can't make £15 on that...

-If I can't make £15 on that...

-It's time to chuck it!

-It's time to chuck it!

Thanks very much.

-Where's Mark Stacey?

-TOOT!

Am I keeping you waiting, darling? I've just got all the bargains.

-Are you happy, darling?

-I'm ecstatically happy, Anita.

So, darlings, with a potential bargain safely in the boot, Anita is now in the driving seat.

I love this big steering wheel. I think it's great, it's wonderful.

It's like driving a huge, big car!

You look like the flower of Scotland...or is it an old thistle?

Mmm, prickly!

From Balfron, Anita must make her way to the next shopping date in Callender, gateway to the Highlands!

Callander, which became famous during the 1960s as the setting

for the fictional Tannochbrae of Dr Finlay's Casebook fame,

is also notable as the birthplace of Helen Duncan,

Britain's last convicted witch in 1944.

Well, I never did!

All that and Lady Kentmore, an antique shop.

-Hi, George, lovely to meet you again.

-How are you doing?

-I'm well.

George's shop is one of Anita's Roadtrip favourites, full of quirks and curiosities.

It's the sort of place where Crown Derby can happily nestle up against a jukebox or a slot machine.

-Have you got five pence, George?

-I'll give you five pence. I know what a gambler you are!

There's no time for gambling here, but there is a rather nice clock.

-Tick tock!

-I like that. I like the shape.

And it has a little Arts and Crafts look about it.

The Arts and Crafts movement flourished with William Morris

in the third quarter of the 19th century, and the philosophy soon spread to Scotland,

especially Glasgow, where it was adopted enthusiastically in both architecture and design.

A conservative estimate on that, I would say, would be £20-30.

Yeah, I think eventually that would finish up about 45-50.

If you was wanting this, we could probably do something around about the 30, which would be...

Round about the 30s? How about 22 on it?

-25 and it's yours.

-I'm tempted to say, "Let's halve it and go 23."

-That's not half.

-Oh, no!

Arithmetic!

-OK, what about 24?

-24 and you've got a deal.

Oh, you're a darling!

With the shopping over and some serious dents in their respective £200 budgets,

our experts must get themselves to auction.

Anita spent £106.50 on five auction lots,

the globe biscuit tin,

the glass vase,

the, er, other glass vase,

the arts and crafts clock

and the wibbly-wobbly dumb waiter.

Mark, meanwhile, spent £97 on four lots,

the needlework sampler,

the Tudor rose barrel,

a globe of his own

and the Robert Dudley charger.

But what do Anita and Mark really think about each other's chances.

His big embroidery...

well, it's kind of OK, but I think the frame spoils it.

She was stark staring bonkers when she bought the wibbly-wobbly brand-new dumb waiter.

I think I'll have to be very, very lucky or make a very big profit on one thing to beat Mark.

Anita, though, at the saleroom, might well just have that clan spirit amongst the Scots!

And they might just beat me.

After starting out all the way back in Aberfeldy,

this leg of our bargain battle concludes in Dunblane...

MOO!

..here, at the auctioneer's, Robertsons of Kinbuck.

-OK, Mark, here we are.

-Oh, it's exciting, isn't it, Anita?

-The saleroom! All this hard work over the last few days.

-I know. Are you worried?

-Very worried.

-Come on, I'll hold your hand.

Lead me into the saleroom, Anita!

So, as the would-be bidders begin their inspection...

MIAOW!

Hey, watch out for the china, pussy!

-..Auctioneer Bob Robertson has his own thoughts.

-Thank you.

The biscuit barrel, that's by Chad. Chad predominantly made

tinplate toys and whatever, so quite unusual to see a biscuit barrel made as such.

Robert Dudley plaque. Quite unusual. Nice. And I reckon that might make the most this evening.

Let the auction begin!

Who's going to win?

-Well, of course you know the answer to that.

-You?

-Of course!

First up, Mark's late-Victorian, lidded pokerwork barrel

with those Tudor roses.

-Oh, here it is, Anita.

-Good luck!

£30. £30 opening.

30 bid. 35. 40.

-Oh, my!

-You're away!

-At £40 only. Come on, a wee bit more.

-A wee bit more.

-Please, one more.

-£40. All out now at £40.

At 40. Selling at £40.

Oh, I need some air.

We've got a long way to go.

Phew! A modest £5 profit, less commission.

But out of jail for Mr Stacey, eh?

-£40, that's not too bad, actually.

-It's good.

Now it's the turn of Anita's little biscuit globe

and the quest to get her money back.

50? 45? £40 only.

-Start the bidding. 35. £35. This is a collector's item.

-Anita, behave!

35! We need your bids, come on!

-Stop it!

-We need your bids for this woman.

-Stop encouraging him!

Come on! She's against that rascal next to her.

We've got to help the poor woman out!

No, you don't have to help her out.

£35. 30 only?

£35 only.

40. Come on, a wee bit more!

-45. £45.

-Oh, come on!

£45.

-Well done, well done.

-Well, I can't believe that! It's shocking!

Shocking display of nationalism!

So Anita loses £5 less commission, but it could have been much worse.

-Smile at him.

-I won't even look at him after that!

Now for Anita's jack-in-the-pulpit vase.

£15. Go on! That lassie's jumping about in her seat again!

A tenner.

-£10. Bid at 10.

-Oh, my God, I can't believe it!

-At 10.

-Come on!

-At 10.

At 10. 12. 14. 16 I'm bid. 18?

18. £20.

22? 22. All done now at £22.

-Yes!

-First blood to the lassie. A nice profit of £17.

I might as well give up now. There's no point in me sitting here.

Oh, don't do that, Mark,

just as your favourite purchase goes under the hammer.

£60?

£60? 55? 50.

£40. Start the bidding now at £40.

£40. 30 bid. That's 30. 35 at the back. 35.

40. 40 bid only. 45.

50? Come on, a wee bit more.

-Come on!

-50. 55. 60.

65? Come on, a wee bit more.

I'm doing your trick here!

-All done now.

-Come on, it's worth more than that.

He's shouting! Come on!

I need some help here.

65. 70.

Thank you, sir. I'm getting the hang of this!

Sold! Give him a round of applause, guys!

Thank you, thank you.

There's one happy chappy, and so he should be,

with a whopping £45 of profit, less commission.

-That's a good price.

-Are you happy, darling?

-I'm happier now, yeah.

Now for Anita's Arts and Crafts clock.

I have a 75. Any advance on 75?

£75. Any advance on 75?

£75 only.

80. 85.

£90. £90 I'm bid.

At 90. At £90. All out on £90. Selling now at £90.

Yes!

£66 profit and Anita, it seems, is on a roll.

Anita, it was a nice clock, I admit that, it was your best buy.

Watch out, Scotland! Here's Robert Dudley.

The auctioneer thought the plaque was the best item.

Well, he's clearly wrong because the clock was the best item.

-You've maybe...

-It's not going to make £90, let's be honest.

The first Governor of the Netherlands. 150, 120, £100?

£100 on it. Bid.

Any advance on 100?

At £100. 100. Any advance on 100?

Come on, guys, we're needing a bit. Lady's getting rather excited there.

£100.

At 100. Any advance on 100? At 100.

Well done!

From £17 to a ton. Beat that, smiler!

-Was that a wee smile on your face?

-A wee smile.

Now for Anita's Scottish glassware.

£50. 45 to start.

£45 to start the bidding.

30 bid.

35. 40. 40 bid. 45.

50. 50 bid.

At 50. Any advance on 50? At £50.

-Come on, boys, a wee bit more.

-That's it.

All done now at £50.

Not bad, Anita, for a £20 outlay.

That is a very good price.

-And I am very happy.

-I'm very happy you're happy!

And he'll be even happier if the embroidery does well.

-£60?

-Come on.

-45, then?

30 to go.

-We've got 30, so...

-35. 40.

40 only. 40.

45. 50.

At £50. Come on. £50. Somebody needs to...

-Come on!

-It's getting you £50.

-55.

55. Another wee bid.

-You want it, madam!

-60.

At 60. Any advance on 60?

£60. The last time at £60. Yes, no? Here, then.

Ah, yes!

-You happy?

-I'm happy with that.

-And I do believe he is!

It's reasonably good.

It's blooming great!

Now, we hold on tight for that dumb waiter.

-A lovely object, lovely!

-50. 50 I'll start it.

-Start it at £50.

-It's not worth 50.

-40.

Start at £30. Bid me, come on! £30.

At £30. 35. £35, any advance on 35?

35. I can go 36. £36?

36. 38?

At 38. Any advance on 38? £38.

-Well done, Anita.

-38, good, good.

-Good, good.

-38 was a good price for what you paid for it, in fairness.

Very good indeed for an item costing all of £7.50.

I think you're right.

It was worth 38.

So it's pretty much neck and neck after round one with Mark's nose just in front.

Maybe Scotland could turn out to be bonnie for him after all.

Mark began with £200,

and made £124.40 profit after auction costs,

leaving him £324.40.

While Anita, who also started out with £200,

made £94.40 after auction costs.

So she now has £294.40 to carry forward.

-We've made substantial profits, Anita.

-I so enjoyed that.

-Are you pleased?

-Oh, I'm ecstatic!

-Is it my round?

I think you've made more money, so it's your round!

That's what I like to hear! Long may it continue!

Later on the Antiques Road Trip, Mark catches sight of a bargain.

That's a beautiful thing! Oh, I'm looking in the mirror. That's me!

Huh! Anita models a brand-new look.

Do I look like a standard lamp?

But who will light up the auction?

I don't think I can even look at you!

That's all coming up later. For now, let's not forget we're in Scotland,

amongst the mountains and lochs and even if for the non-native the dialect can be tricky to master,

folk are always happy to help out.

You've got "wee good" but have you got "murder" right?

-Murder.

-No. Open your mouth more.

-Murder.

-Enjoy it! Embrace your Rs!

-Murder!

'Ha! Mark Stacey and Anita Manning

'are driving their marvellous Morris Minor through sumptuous Scotland this week.

'Bargain-seekers and sightseers.'

'Anita is an auctioneer from Glasgow with a fondness for Scottish jewellery.'

-Could you that for in the region of £12?

-No.

'And the personality to light up a room.'

-Do I look like a standard lamp?

-SHE LAUGHS

'But she does employ some unusual negotiating tactics.'

It's a wee bit wibbly-wobbly. Oops.

-'Before ending up quids in.'

-HAMMER BANGS Yes!

'Mark Stacey is a valuer and dealer from Brighton.

'No surprise, then, that Regency is one of his favourite periods.'

I tell you what, I always go for a shapely leg.

'Mark's new to Scotland but learning fast.'

Naughty me.

'Thanks to some canny buys, Mark's on top, but we all know what pride comes before, don't we?'

-I can't believe this.

-'They began with £200 each

'and have already made a nice profit.

'Anita kicks off with £294.40 to spend.'

HAMMER BANGS

'And Mark is just ahead on £324.40.

'Now, if they could just find their first shop...'

-It's here. It's right turn!

-I know, but I got my left and my right mixed up.

'This leg of the roundtrip will travel from the Cairngorms,

'via the charming cities of Edinburgh and Durham,

'to Thirsk in North Yorkshire.

'We start off in Wiston, South Lanarkshire,

'and ends up at an auction showdown in Edinburgh.

And I want you to have a lovely time

and I want you to spend, spend, spend.

Oh, Anita, you are terrible! But remember, my darling,

-I've got more money than you to spend, spend, spend.

-Dash it!

-See you later!

-Bye!

'So with Anita's words ringing in his ears, 'Mark strides purposefully off.'

-Hello.

-Hi. I'm Mark.

-I'm Mark, as well. That's a good start.

'Sunnyside is the sort of shop where anyone could happily while away some time

'surrounded by the essentials of a bygone era.'

Now, this is really the height of luxury. You and I would normally go to work

with our sandwiches wrapped up in silver foil.

But if you were the man or lady who had everything, you'd actually take your sandwiches

very delicately prepared with the crusts cut off

in a solid-silver sandwich box.

I'd probably keep my fondant fancies in there.

'Very nice, but £185? A man might struggle for a real bargain here.

'Not that Mr Stacey seems to care.'

BELL DINGS

It's not my time up already, is it? Surely not.

'Anita has motored on from Wiston

'to arrive at the town of Innerleithen,

'her first shopping destination.

'It also has two antique shops. Phew.'

-Hi there.

-Hello, Brian. It's lovely to meet you.

-Nice to meet you.

-Lovely to be back in Innerleithen.

'ABK Antiques is a little lesson in Scottish rural history

'and packed to the rafters with practical stuff, like Brian's fine tool collection.'

Don't tell me. Is it an instrument of torture?

-That's what it looks like!

-That's what it looks like!

It's to hold a horse's mouth open when you're doing dental work.

'South Lanarkshire is a great horse-rearing area

'and Brian has plenty more tack, including a pair of leather hoof boots.'

I love these horses' shoes. I think they're great. What does that say?

Red Rum?

'Unfortunately not. They'd be worth a fortune.

'The leather over-shoe could be used when a horse-drawn lawnmower was employed

'so that the imprint of hooves didn't damage the lawn surface.'

I think this'll bring a smile to Mark Stacey's face.

'But £45, Anita?'

Can you sell me these horse boots,

these very useful horse boots, for...15 quid?

-No.

-SHE LAUGHS

I was only kidding you on.

I need to buy them at round about the 25-ies.

-26?

-No, 30. Bottom line.

£30 and you're getting a wonderful bargain.

Could you go 28?

-OK, 28.

-28. That's great. We'll seal the deal at that.

-Deal done.

'After making one of her stranger buys,

-'Anita spies something she's a bit more familiar with.'

-That's rather pretty.

I mean, it's quite light for a paperweight. And we've got this nice...

-Cairngorms.

-..smoky topaz.

'Topaz is easily confused with Scotland's own smoky quartz from the Cairngorms.

'But the stone in this £30 paperweight is almost certainly European.'

-Could you do that for in the region of £12?

-No. £20.

-Uh-huh.

I'm not wanting to make huge amounts of money because I won't make it on that,

-but I'm trying not to lose...

-18. OK?

That's you getting an excellent buy.

See, a couple of pounds might make a difference.

It makes a difference to me, as well.

-No, 18 is the bottom.

-18's the bottom?

-Yep.

-That's lovely.

'So, Anita is now the proud owner of one paperweight and a pair of horse boots.

'And Mark is still in the paddock, thinking seriously about a box.'

I've found a little agate or onyx box

very nicely made, with these little gilt brass hinges.

'It's made of alabaster actually, Mark.

'Like onyx and agate, a mineral that's been carved by man since ancient times.

'And the name may derive from an Egyptian goddess called Bast.

'Believe that, you'll believe anything.'

I would have put this around about 1910, 1920.

The price on that at the moment is £40, which is not too bad, actually.

The difficulty is you're relying really on people that have the same taste as me,

who would like the finer things of life.

'And what could be even more frivolous than that?'

It's a little sort of purse that you'd have your sovereign for your carriage fare home after a ball.

So you'd have this in your little elegant

Edwardian or Victorian handbag, evening bag.

We've got this little taffeta silk inside, a lovely blue,

and of course, because it's been inside this little case, it's remained remarkably fresh,

and the colour is just absolutely beautiful with that lovely...

You've still got that water effect when you move it round in your hand.

Well, there's no price on it. So I'm either going to be leaving here very happy, or "greetin'".

-'Yes, Mark. That means crying.'

-Is that right?

'Those lessons from Anita are clearly paying off.

'Anita doesn't go far, just a few steps to MC Collectibles.'

'Unlike the next door neighbours, this is a traditional antiques shop.

Less paraphernalia, more Victoriana.

See this wee brooch here? If we see, there's a photograph there.

That's a boy scout by the looks of it.

It's the type of thing that you would put a lock of a loved one's hair.

It's what we call a mourning brooch. A Victorian mourning brooch.

And that little boy scout is in there. I wonder what happened to him.

'Pendants and brooches containing portrait miniatures and locks of loved ones' hair

'have been popular for centuries, particularly in the Victorian period.

'The price of £20 reflects that Michael probably thinks it's pinchbeck,

'a brass imitation of gold.'

I still quite like it. It depends on the price.

-It's something that I could maybe go for.

-I'd do it for 15.

Could you do it for £10?

-Go on then.

-Can you do it for 10? Thank you very, very much.

-It's all right, my dear.

'Anita's eye catches the glint of amber glass. And if there's a bargain to be had...'

I collect glass myself. This is quite pretty.

There's no maker's name on it. And I prefer it to have a maker's name.

But I think it's quite pretty and I am a sucker for glass.

'No name and also no price. Anita's on the case.'

-Michael, could you do that one for a tenner?

-I think I could, yeah.

-Yeah? OK. That's great.

-OK?

-No maker's name but it's still a bonny bit of glass.

-That's lovely.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

'So, Anita's on a roll today. And meanwhile, at Sunnyside,

'Mark has decided it's time to finally plump for one or two of the luxuries he's been longing for.'

Anita did very well with her Strathearn vase yesterday,

but I think that was because she was the local girl, not that I'm in any way bitter.

I mean, I love this because I love the shape of it,

and it's very much that Monart glass style, but is it a £100 piece?

A £20 piece or a £200 piece? I simply have no idea.

'Monart from Moncrieff owes its distinctive look

'to a family of Spanish glassblowers called the Ysarts, 'who came to Scotland in 1915.

'Their paperweights, scent bottles, vases and the like

'were soon in huge demand at shops like Liberty and Tiffany's in the '20s and '30s.

'And Mark's also tempted by something he does know a fair bit about.'

It's quite nice detail on here, actually, even though it's a very simple, plain piece of silver.

It's Sheffield but I think, looking at that mark,

it's probably George V, late teens, early '20s, I think.

So we'll put that there for the moment because that's 45.

Mark, I need to start considering decisions now. I mean, this one I like.

-You've got 40 on it. What would be the absolute lowest on that.

-30?

-Not 25?

-Not even 28.

-HE LAUGHS

-Not 29?

-No. 30.

-£30, OK.

-And what about this one? You said 45 on that.

-I would come down to 38.

-38.

-It would be worth more in scrap.

This is the thing I absolutely adore, Mark.

-You've got it priced up at 105.

-The best I could do would be...90.

-If it helps, I'll go the extra 5 at 85.

-Thank you, Mark. And this Monart.

OK, so we have 153 for those three...

Erm, and I'll put that one in, £200 the lot.

I'm going to go for it.

I've blown most of my budget,

very close to my budget on four items in my first shop.

Am I mad? Yes, of course I am. Completely.

'I couldn't possibly comment, Mark.

'So, while we give Mark the opportunity to pay up in haste and repent at leisure,

'Anita is back on the road,

'driving from Innerleithen to Roslin in Midlothian

'to visit its world-famous, 15th century chapel.

'If you've ever seen the movie of The Da Vinci Code,

'then you'll probably recognise the chapel, which featured in a fairly climactic scene.

'For centuries people have puzzled over the meaning of the rich and abundant carvings here.'

Oh, Simon!

This is the most extraordinary,

-extraordinary place.

-Yes, it's quite a place, isn't it?

'Dan Brown, like many before him,

'concluded that the carvings must be the key to a great secret,

'usually involving Knights Templars and the Holy Grail,

'but there's a confusing amount of Pagan imagery too,

'as Anita's guide, Simon Beatty explains.'

This green man, it's a symbol that pops up all over the world.

It's a Pagan symbol originally. It's a god of nature, a god of fertility.

Usually you get one or two in a church, we've got over 100.

Do you sometimes feel that the eyes are following you around? SHE LAUGHS

There are occasions when you do feel someone's watching you, certainly.

'Amongst the incredible detail of what remains a working chapel are numerous quirks and curiosities,

'like this, the oldest known carving of a Scottish bagpiper,

'as well as a reminder or two of the nameless craftsman who built Roslin.'

What a magnificent pillar!

-The Apprentice Pillar.

-Is that the Apprentice Pillar?

-Yeah.

-That's wonderful. I believe there's a story behind that?

-There is, yes.

The master mason was given the task of recreating a pillar that was in Rome.

So he went off to Rome to look at this original pillar.

While he was away, an apprentice mason carved this pillar,

without permission of the master mason, the master mason came back,

was very upset that someone had carved in his spot, and killed the apprentice for doing it.

-That's very gruesome.

-That is not a nice story, really.

'He got his comeuppance, though.

'This is the face of the master, condemned to stare forever at his apprentice's work.'

'Those two could have done with making a study

'of Mark and Anita's harmonious working relationship.

'Now though, Mark's getting his turn

'in the antique shops of Innerleithen.'

-What's this?

-Don't you know what that is?

-I don't think I do.

It's a prayer stool.

I don't think I've ever seen one that shape before.

-So is that Victorian, do you think?

-I think so. It's well-upholstered.

-Quite nice, isn't it?

-It's quite well upholstered. Probably an oak frame, I would have thought.

-Beautifully made, yes.

-So how does it work?

-Well, I think you actually... I think you just kneel like that.

-Fun wee thing that, isn't it?

-Different.

-You've got it priced up at £25.

-Can you be charitable with me?

-I could do you it for 18.

I've just seen that little box with N on it. What's it for?

-It's for cigarette holders.

-See, I like these two things.

Oh, Brian, you are terrible. You're leading me astray.

You'll go tomorrow, find nothing and say, "I wish I'd bought that stuff in Innerleithen."

-Can I be cheeky with you?

-Aye.

Could we do the two for 18?

Do you the two for 20, how's that? That's an excellent bargain.

I'm going to do it. Brian, thank you very much.

Oh, my giddy aunt, what have I done? I've been rash again! I promised I wouldn't do this!

And now I'm stuck with the consequences.

'Day two finds our hero and heroine heavy in baggage and light in funds,

'after a bumper start to their bargain-seeking tour.'

We really don't know what's round the corner as far as antique shops go

-and that's just such a pleasure.

-Well, it is, but also quite a worry.

'Mark has already splashed out £220 on six items.

'Not least a potentially lucrative prayer stool.'

WHISPERS: Please, please, huge profits.

'Leaving him with just over £100.

'While Anita spent £66 on four items,

'including some fairly unusual hoof boots.'

-Guaranteed money-maker.

-'Leaving her with just under £230.'

'Today's canter is from Roslin to Edinburgh,

'calling in on Thirsk, on the outskirts of Dalkeith.'

-I tell you what, you save your legs, you go in there, I'll go in here.

-OK.

'Mark makes first for Drum Farm Antiques,

'a vast barn of a place mostly filled with furniture

If you need a chair, this is the place to come.

'Retropolis, next door, certainly lives up to its name.

'But after the fashion, Anita wastes no time in unearthing yet another very practical box.'

In the west of Scotland they love Arts and Crafts beaten metal.

I wonder if they'll like it in the east coast, as well? It is hand-hammered.

And I love the text, I love that stylised text.

'At the turn of the 20th century, Scotland experienced a flowering of Art Nouveau design.

'The Scottish blend of Arts and Crafts, Celtic revival and Eastern influences

'became known as the Glasgow School.'

-Think we can do that for £20.

-£20?

-Yeah.

-Could I make an offer of a tenner on it?

-Oh!

-LAUGHS

-My wallet's contracting there.

-SHE LAUGHS

If you can come to ten, it would give me a chance.

-Squeeze 12 out. I think you'll...

-Can we come in between 10 and 12?

-All right, £11.

You'd think we were buying a Lamborghini or something.

-I know, it's a blooming slipper box, but OK. £11, it's yours.

-11? Thank you very much.

'Anita now has five items. So will she stop the shop? Not likely!'

I have one more shop. I have five items.

However, I have a cunning plan.

What I was thinking, if I see a nice piece of jewellery,

then I can buy it, I can put it in with my little brooch just to bulk it up a bit.

'Anita is travelling from Dalkeith to North Berwick

'to visit Lovage & Lace.'

-Helen, can I have a wee look around?

-Yes.

-This looks absolutely wonderful.

'Lovage & Lace sells a mixture of antique, vintage and reproduction.

'Anita, though, has eyes for only one thing.'

Can we look at that wee cat brooch?

I think that's lovely. I think it looks French.

-I know.

-SHE LAUGHS

-It's very tempting, but it won't...

-You can have it for... What's on it? 16.

You can have it, as it's you, for 13. How about that?

-It's got that sort of je ne sais quoi.

-Yes, it does.

-It's very stylish.

-A bit of style.

-Everything from France is stylish.

Would I be able to make you an offer for it?

-£10?

-No. I'll do it for 12 for you.

-I can't. Because it's such a bargain already at that.

-Yes.

Would you take 10? I could take a chance on 10.

-On 10.

-No. I'll take 11.

11? Shall we just go for it? Let's go for it! THEY LAUGH

With the cat in the bag, the shopping hours are finally over

and an auction showdown beckons.

Anita bravely spent £88 on five auction lots.

The horse overshoes, - neigh! - the amber glass vase,

the copper slipper box, the silver-mounted paperweight,

the mourning brooch and the Victorian cat brooch.

Meow!

Mark meanwhile lavished a strident £220 also on five lots.

The Monart vase, the alabaster box,

the Victorian lady's purse, and why not?

The silver bottle coaster

and the cigarette box with the upholstered prayer stool.

Hallelujah! But what do they reckon on each other's chances?

The Red Rum two-legged horse clippety-clop things,

I wouldn't have touched them for £24.

But Anita's had wacky things before and made a profit.

That kneeler, it's more like a cat scratcher.

It's absolutely horrible.

I've really bought better items.

Whether that'll result in better profits, it's anyone guess, really.

I think that I probably have the edge on this sale.

'After starting out in the Lanarkshire countryside at Wiston,

'this leg of our bargain battle will be decided in Edinburgh

'at the auctioneers Thomson Roddick & Medcalf.'

-Are you excited?

-I'm very excited. I'm always excited.

You've bought lovely items and I'm sure you'll make a profit.

-And, of course, you didn't, Anita, and I'm sure you will make a profit. Shall we get in?

-Yes.

-I'll hold your hand, darling.

-Come on, lead the way, darling.

'The Edinburgh public are gathering. to inspect the goods and the hammer is poised to fall,

'but Mark and Anita are keen to grab a quick word with auctioneer Sybelle Thomson.'

-How are they going to do?

-We'll keep our fingers crossed.

You bought one or two nice quality items.

-Well, I did.

-Well, I don't know who bought what.

-THEY LAUGH

I particularly like the little Georgian ivory purse,

which is particularly special.

The horse hoof covers, they're a real novelty collectors item.

They're interesting and so we'll see.

-'Let's go.'

-One minute to go. Are you excited?

I am excited. And nervous, of course, as usual.

'Kicking off with the hoof boots.'

-I've got 20 bid on commission.

-20 is bid.

-20 bid.

25. 30.

5. 40. You're all out seated. Make no mistake.

They're on commission at 40. Anyone going on? At £40.

Well, that's not bad, Anita.

'A profit of £12 before commission on the boots.'

It's more Red Rum than Dobbin.

'Next, Mark's Monarch vase.'

100. 50. 50.

-Come on.

-30 bid.

-35.

-40.

-Oh, no.

-£40. Any advance on 40?

45. £50. Bid's with the lady at 50. 55.

-Any advance on 55?

-Come on.

-Selling to my right at 55.

-60.

-Oh, new place.

-£60. Right at the back at 60.

65. 65.

-Any advance on 65?

-HAMMER BANGS

'Almost £20 made. Not to be sniffed at.'

So it's a small profit but at least it's a profit.

'Next, Anita's anonymous glass.'

Who'd like to start me? £30 for it. 30.

-20. 20 bid.

-20 bid.

-20.

20 bid. Who's going on? At 20 bid. 25. 30.

£30. Still on commission at £30.

-Yes!

-'Also a good return.'

Not huge profits, but reasonable, decent, working profits.

'Now Mark's favourite item, the sovereign purse.'

Quite a lot of bids on it and I'm going to start it at £65. 65.

70. 5. 80. 5.

-85. With me on commission at 85.

-Come on.

-85. 90. 5.

-On the phone.

-100. 100.

-Come on, a bit more. Come on.

-On the telephone at 100.

-A little bit more.

-At 100. Any advance on 100?

-Oh, no.

-On the phone at £100.

Oh, that's disappointing.

'Certainly not what he'd hoped for.'

Technically, after commission, that's a loss.

'Anita's Scottish slipper box.'

-20 bid. 20 bid.

-We're in at 20.

-25. 30.

-That's good.

On the right at 30. Anyone else going on?

At 30. The bid's on my right at £30.

Well, you were spot on there, Anita. Absolutely spot on.

'Thanks to some shrewd bargaining,

'another small gain for Anita.'

I would've liked a wee bit more, but then again, I'm happy with that.

'Mark's silver coaster is under the hammer next.

'But Mark's head, it seems, is elsewhere.'

5. 50. 5.

-60. 5.

-Ooh.

-70.

-Is this mine?

-5.

-75.

-Never.

-Standing on my left at 75.

-No. Is it?

Would anyone else like in? At £75.

-Yes!

-£75, Anita.

'Full marks for silver. £37 profit before commission.'

That's pushed me right back in the game, Anita.

'Anita's smoky topaz paperweight.'

£30 to make a start. 30. 30 bid.

30 bid. 35. 40.

5. 45. 45.

At £45.

-'Not a hefty profit, but over twice the cost.'

-What do I know, Anita?

-I clearly know absolutely nothing.

-Oh, well, as long as you admit it.

'That tasteful alabaster box.'

-20 bid. 20 bid.

-Oh, please, a bit more.

£20. First and only bid of 20.

Anyone going on for a nice alabaster box at 20?

At £20.

Damn.

-'A £10 loss before commission.'

-No, that's disappointing.

'Anita's little jewellery lot.'

The mourning brooch and cat brooch at 45.

-45.

-50. 5. 60.

-5. 65. Still on commission at 65.

-That must've been gold, Anita.

At £65. 901.

A very sharp profit.

Oh, dear. I knew this was going to be a bad day.

'Now, does this lot have a prayer?'

-£85.

-I don't think I can even look, Anita. I can't even look.

Who'd like to start me at £40 for these? 40.

-20. 20. £20.

-Oh, come on.

20. £10. Beautifully upholstered. At 10.

£10. £10. Anyone for 10?

-I don't think it's going to sell.

-£10. 10 bid. 10 bid.

-Oh, no.

-10 bid. First and only bid of 10.

-Come on.

-12.

-12!

-Come on!

-12. Have another, sir. At 12.

-It's lovely! Come on!

-At £12.

-Oh, that's terrible.

'An £8 loss before auction costs.

'Seems like he wasn't listening, Mark.'

£12, Anita.

I can't say that I'm surprised.

'Anita's less than consoling words are tempered by the knowledge

'that she now leads by about £50. Call it a short head.

'Mark began with £324.40

'and made £3.04 after auction costs,

'so he now has £327.44 to spend tomorrow.

'Anita started this round with £294.40

'and made £84.20 after auction costs,

'leaving her with £378.60 to carry forward.'

Never mind, Mark. Not much ahead.

-Don't be depressed. We'll go for a wee spin and have a nice cup of tea.

-Wonderful.

-The ride's on you.

-SHE LAUGHS

'Next time on the Antiques Road Trip...'

-And a kiss.

-Absolutely.

'And Anita unlocks a little bit of history.'

-This is actually a piece of Napoleon's hair?

-That's amazing. We didn't know that was there.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd