Episode 13 Antiques Road Trip

It's the nation's favourite antiques experts with £200 each...

I love that!

..a classic car,

and a goal to scour Britain for antiques.

Yippee!

Have I just done a terrible thing?

The aim? To make the biggest profit at auction, but it's no mean feat.

There'll be worthy winners

and valiant losers.

Am I going to flip a coin?

So, will it be the high road to glory

or the slow road to disaster?

I can't believe it - we're rubbish!

This is the Antiques Road Trip!

Yeah!

# Let's go trippin'! #

On this road trip, we're with Catherine Southern, David Harper and their 1983 Mini.

For most of their journey, they've been heading south,

a bit like their money.

We are not going to make hundreds or thousands of pounds.

-I think you might be right.

-It's not going to happen.

Because, whatever they bought...

That is impossible!

..big or small...

profits have been very hard to come by.

That's it. I am absolutely wiped out.

This is our final leg, and we're heading for a Somerset showdown.

-This is it - last-chance saloon.

-I know. I know.

-And we're in Bath!

-We've got no chance!

David started out with £200

and he somehow managed to reduce it

to an embarrassing £149.24p.

Catherine also began with £200 and she has the lead,

with a nothing-to-be-proud-of £185.94p.

But will she spend it all?

Our trip began in Eccleston in Lancashire and headed south

for about 350 miles, through Wales and the West Country,

heading for Seaton in Devon.

We're starting out in the city of Bath,

and then making for a thrilling finale

at an auction by the sea, in Seaton.

Although the city's been famous for a very long time,

thanks to its healing waters, it was the Georgians who turned Bath

into one of the country's most fashionable resorts.

-This is VERY familiar.

-Is it?

-I've been here before.

You've got no chance! I know them! They're mine!

-Come on, you.

-You are a devil!

-Now, then. Now, then.

-This is so familiar to me.

-It's like I was here yesterday.

-It's like being at home.

-It is.

Catherine's first to schmooze Alex, the owner.

Hello! I was here not so long ago. Very nice to see you again, Alex.

I like that.

And that's the sort of thing that would stand out at auction.

People will be drawn towards it.

It's wooden.

My little boy would love that! Isn't that gorgeous?

How much is on that?

Oh, 170!

Probably '40s. Isn't that lovely? It's got a lovely look about it.

Got all its original paintwork.

Nice little vintage toy. You can't go wrong with that.

Although you can, at 170.

I think she'll certainly have a word about that.

Meanwhile, David it seems has decided to give up on fancy stuff

and buy with the auction in mind. Not a bad idea, Dave.

See if you can churn it.

We are going to a country sale and that's a provincial country item.

And it could be the right thing to go to the right sale.

This is an oak butter churn, 19th century,

although the functional design barely changed over the years.

It could go down a storm in Devon.

And let's see - if it's 50 quid, it's cheap.

Yes, but the ticket price of £140 would wipe you out.

-Can I make you an offer on it?

-You can.

-OK.

-50 quid, Alex.

-You'll get more than that in Devon.

Not the way my journey's going!

He's a bit desperate!

65.

I have to be really hard. Under normal circumstances, I'd say yes.

Oh, yeah(?)

Short of getting down on hands and knees...

Please take my 50 quid.

Go on, then.

50? Magnificent. Thank you very much.

-That's very, very, very good of you.

-I know it is!

What a start, eh?

That certainly was a good churn.

What's Catherine got there?

That's a nice little set.

Are they all silver on the top?

-Yes.

-Lovely leather case.

What's nice is, it's in lovely condition.

Still got the little tag.

I'd say probably '30s.

-OK. Nice original cap to that. Has that got the same one?

-Yes.

All the hallmarks match perfectly.

That would have to be very cheap.

Ah. I thought it said "48".

It was 148.

We can talk about it a little bit. How about 80?

Still a lot.

It's as far as I can go down.

I do really like the train.

What about if we have the two?

We can do that at 60.

And the train at 90, how about that?

That train's too expensive, at 90.

I'm thinking more 50, to be honest.

-No, can't do it.

-Could you do 60, and I'll have the two, 120?

-Go on, then.

-OK.

Just before I shake your hand, I'm going to think.

That's blowing quite a lot of my money.

I'll shake your hand

-on the train, definitely, at 60.

-And the bottles?

Hold fire on the bottles. I'm definitely going for the train, at 60.

Tut-tut, Catherine, that's really naughty.

Thanks very much. See you!

So, Catherine gets the train for just £60,

but that was a very foxy deal, young lady.

Now, this looks like an interesting shop.

Whoa! This place must once have been a grocer's.

Oh, my gosh!

I think David prefers it this way, though.

What a shop!

There aren't many shops like this left in the country.

Treasure troves.

That's quite nice. Spinach jade, that.

Really? You're kidding me?!

Jade is amazingly hard, as you can imagine.

The way to test it is to take a coin or penknife and you go...

the base of something.

You just scratch it,

and if it's soapstone, you will, literally, dig into it.

-That is hard...

-HE TAPS THE BASE

..So it's either a jade or a jadeite, but would be described

as a hard stone.

For the Chinese, jade has the same sort of cache

as gold or diamonds in the West.

The Imperial Family

used it to furnish their graves.

The price is on the up now,

thanks to China's great economic might.

It has a little fracture here.

Is she listening? It would have to be really cheap.

-Caroline, were you listening to that?

-I wasn't, I'm sorry.

I thought you were having a private conversation.

Well, I do talk to myself!

The ticket price is £35, but what can Caroline, the dealer, do?

I don't think so.

No, I can't.

-Almost?

-Oh, dear.

If you made it 20...

-Go on, then.

-..we've got a deal.

-Woh!

-Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We've done some business!

Smelling salts, please!

Congratulations. Now, let's have a toast.

Ah, just the thing.

These are quite nice.

They have an early 19th-century look to them.

They have the right look.

I'd say they're late-Edwardian.

HE PINGS GLASS

Give them another ping.

SHE PINGS GLASS

"The ring of confidence!"

THEY LAUGH

-They're all right. Nice bit of old grinding there.

-Good wear.

-Good wear on that.

-That's always a big sign.

The ticket price on these is £46.

What could they be to me?

I think it's time you left, so I'll give you a decent price.

35, for the pair.

Could they be possibly 20, for the pair?

Tell you what, £30 and that's it.

Caroline, I can't.

-20.

-26!

-Go on, then. You're an angel.

And now, are you going?

Don't worry, Caroline, he's almost spent his very-limited funds anyway,

with just £53.24p left.

Now, what's Catherine up to?

Motoring from Bath up to Gloucestershire,

and the village of Berkeley.

She's here to visit a museum dedicated to Edward Jenner,

the physician and scientist, who,

as the pioneer of the smallpox vaccine,

is said to have saved more lives than any other man.

Hi, very nice to meet you.

-Welcome to Dr Jenner's house.

-Wonderful.

Edward Jenner was born in Berkeley in 1749

and later became the local doctor,

whereupon he set about trying to eradicate smallpox,

a disease which was then as deadly as cancer today.

Now we've all heard of smallpox,

but we don't really know very much more about it.

It starts off with flu-like symptoms and, as the disease progresses,

you come out in bumps and pustules all over your body.

Not only were they on your skin, but they were

-also on your internal organs, your retinas and in your ear canals.

-Oh!

Even if you survived smallpox,

you were either left with horrific scarring on your skin,

but also deafness and blindness were absolutely rife.

-Would you literally be covered from head to toe?

-Absolutely.

In the 18th-century, the disease was untreatable

and inoculation with the virus that causes smallpox

was extremely dangerous.

So Jenner started experimenting with a much milder cowpox

as a possible vaccine.

Folklore stipulated that dairy maids didn't catch smallpox

and they had beautiful skin, so,

"Fair dairy maids, why do you have such beautiful skin?"

Jenner did actually ask a young lady that.

She said, "You should know, you're an apprentice doctor,

"you should know, I've had cowpox."

In 1796, Jenner tested his theory by inoculating his gardener's son

with pus from the cowpox blisters of a local milkmaid.

The rest became history.

In 1979, the World Health Organisation announced

smallpox had been eradicated from the human population.

No wonder they call Edward Jenner, "the father of immunity".

And we continue with a miracle of engineering.

No, it's not the Mini...

This is a lovely moment, going across Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Yep, if you haven't already guessed it, our antiques-buying duo are in the city of Bristol.

Brunel's Great Britain, my God!

Great Britain, that is very exciting. Can't we go and see that?

-We haven't got time, we have got to go antique buying.

-Arr!

To the south of the city, there are a couple of very unusual shops.

Side-by-side, owned by a father, Michael, and his daughter, Rachel.

-So, you go see Michael and I'll go and see Rachel.

-Good luck.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Might you be Michael, by any chance?

-Catherine.

-Hello.

Oh, you're a charmer, I don't even need to charm you.

Oh, Lord!

The red dress is always charming.

You and I are going to get on famously.

Steady on, you two, it's more or less daytime.

Hello, Rachel, I'm David.

-Pleased to meet you, David.

-Nice to meet you.

Fresh. Now, what are Michael and Catherine getting up to?

-They're nice, the weights.

-They make nice little doorstops, don't they?

-Have you got a good strong wrist. Got it?

-Yeah.

SHE LAUGHS

-Called bell weights, because of the shape of a bell.

-Yeah.

Weights like these were once used in all grocers' shops.

People collect these now.

They look lovely on a dresser.

How much are these, then, to me?

As we are getting on famously!

Those would normally be about £100.

-Yeah.

-I'll do them for £60. That is reasonable.

While she weighs these up,

there's plenty more in this shop to grab her attention.

I do like your green bus.

Uh-oh, typical, you wait ages for a child sit-on transport-type toy

and then two arrive in two days.

-It all tin plate, isn't it?

-The kids used to ride on them, sit on them

and go along the floor on them. A proper toy to play with.

Yeah, yeah, it's pretty sturdy.

-You can feel the weight of it.

-It's nicely made.

-It's pretty strong.

-It's robust, isn't it?

-It was made to be used, not to be looked at.

No, no, no. It would be lovely if there was a name of a maker.

It's tin plate, that's for sure, and it would be nice to know...

What does this say on the wheels?

Oh, that's interesting. MUSIC PLAYS

It's made by Tri-ang, a very good brand in British toys.

The name comes from the founding Lines family.

There were three brothers, or three Lines, as in a triangle,

hence Tri-ang.

So we're talking '40s here?

-I'd say between 1939 and 1950.

-Mm.

It may cost a little more now than it did then, though.

-It'll be 65.

-SHE GASPS

-To you...

-20?

-Oh, no, no, no, no.

£30.

The thing is with this, it's been repainted.

-Can we do 25?

-Go on, then.

-25?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-And that is a bargain.

-Are you sure you don't want to have a ride on it.

-Huh?

Are you sure you don't want to sit on it?

No, I do NOT want to sit on it! No!

They are awful, aren't they?

While she hitches a lift, let's take a peek next door.

I'm not looking for furniture, but I'm always drawn

to anything with a Chinese feel.

A little Chinese hardwood - probably rosewood - carved, urn stand.

It's really pretty and it's quite small

and I do find that quirky, small items sell very well.

Yeah, could be a little wine table, with an inset piece of pink marble.

Late 19th, early 20th century.

I mean, I've got 85 on that one,

-because I do rate it as a nice piece.

-Yeah.

I'm open to negotiations to a nice, young-looking men.

Oh, really, is there one in here?

THEY LAUGH

You are horrible, you are absolutely horrible.

They're getting on very well!

Now, David only has £53.24p left to spend.

I can do something on that, but it would be the majority

of what you have, so you wouldn't be left with a lot.

We might be able to come up with some negotiation.

OK, that sounds interesting.

Now, what about Catherine?

She's got the bus and she quite likes the weights.

I'll tell you what I'll do, if you fancy the two of them,

I'll do the two for 75.

And there's more.

-What's the carved little coconut thing?

-Ah.

So it is nicely hand carved,

with leaves, decoration, lots of foliage, flowers.

But interestingly,

there's a little carved scene here, of two figures.

They look like they've got some sort of spear or something there.

He could have been the chief.

Coconuts have been carved for centuries,

but then, just about every part of the coconut palm can be used.

In the Philippines, they call it "the tree of life".

Michael's ticket price is £25, but I think

she may get it for quite a bit less.

Next door, David still wants that table,

but Rachel may have a piece of jewellery to complete the deal.

I would probably put £35 on that one piece, because that's Art Deco

but obviously, I know you've only got a certain amount of money...

Stop laughing!

-Is that definitely all you have?

-Yes, I promise you.

-You have nothing else?

-Look, I'll even show you. That and that.

I want you to have all of that money.

-Are you thinking of giving me all of that...

-No, no, no.

All of that and the Chinese table?

-No, I'm thinking one item and the table.

-No!

I thought you were going to say, "I'll give you the Chinese table

"and that little collection for all that money."

I just thought that's what you were going to say.

He's just trying his luck, but will Rachel give in?

You drive such a hard...

You're so lovely, it's really hard to say "no" to you.

I would be very happy to give you £54.24p for the Chinese table

and that little collection.

Shameless stuff.

-OK. OK. You've had SUCH a good deal!

-You are gorgeous.

Thank you, so much.

So Rachel's agreed to sell the table for £33.24p - ridiculous! -

and all that jewellery for just £20.

Take your money, £54.24.

53...

24.

£53.24?

Oh, Rachel, I feel awful.

I've just fleeced you for another quid.

All of that extra and now another pound, to add insult to injury.

Seems there's a lot of that going on. Now, has Catherine got a deal?

No. Still looking.

Oh, that's nice, isn't it?

It's the correct lid, which is very unusual. They're always missing.

People replace them with corks.

-It's etched.

-Meredith...

-And Drew.

Meredith were biscuits.

Meredith and Drew, of Shadwell, East London,

were founded in 1830 and made ginger nuts, Rob Roy's

and forget-me-nots, as well as several other varieties.

-That is £45.

-That is?

-Yeah.

And you've only got a fiver left.

No, I haven't got a fiver left, I've got a bit more than that.

-But I'll put it there.

-That's a possibility.

I've got the jars, the bus and the weights.

That's three items for £95.

-How does that sound?

-I've gone all giddy now.

-But I like...

£100 is a very nice, round number.

-I'll tell you what I'll do for that £100.

-£100.

-For the £100 cash, I shall put the coconut in for you.

-Oh...

I should think that would make you a very good deal.

-That sounds very, very kind.

-You are very nice.

Thank you very much, I've had a lovely time in here.

Now I'd better pay you some cash, for your goods.

Cor, talk about going for a song.

-Bye-bye.

-Bye-bye.

Bye-bye! Let's stick with Catherine

as she motors along the coast to the Victorian resort of Clevedon.

Last shop, last few pounds left.

This is my last chance.

-Hello!

-Hello!

-Might you be Julia?

-Yes, that's right.

Hello, Julia, across the pottery and glass.

-Nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you, too.

Wow, what a shop!

Well, there's a couple of pieces that I'm drawn towards.

Firstly, this. Now, this is very sweet.

An ashtray, a little pin tray,

1900-1910.

This is made from copper

and it's been hammered, to create this little pattern around here,

almost like bubbles.

What I would like to see, when I turn this over,

is "Newlyn" stamped on it,

but it's not. But I think...

I would almost put money on it,

that this is Newlyn.

In the late 19th century,

many Cornish fishermen, seeking a more reliable form of employment,

retrained to work in copper.

This chimed with the ideas of the Arts and Crafts movement

and produced many desirable items.

(It's got £69 on it.)

(I don't have £69.)

Would that be anywhere near...?

Let me have a look.

(I like that.)

I would need 40 on that.

CATHERINE WHIMPERS

Oh, dear.

That's a bit of a gap.

It's pretty, it's very pretty.

And I think the problem is, when you come into a shop

and you see something you really like,

everything else doesn't come up to that level.

Do you know what I mean?

Well, I think that can probably be £25.94.

-94 pence.

-Could it?

-Yes.

-That would be jolly kind.

-You're welcome.

-It's been absolutely lovely.

-Phew!

Well done, Julia, for relieving Catherine of those last few pounds.

OK, let's remind ourselves of what David and Catherine have bought.

David started out with just £149.24p

and he spent it all on five auction lots.

-You've had such a good deal!

-You are gorgeous!

Ha-ha!

Catherine began with £185.94p

and she's done the same, but on six auction lots.

# Before the night was through... # Go steady, my love!

Ohh! Now, what do our delightful duo think of one another's wares?

Oh, look out.

I love the tin bus,

but the coconut is potentially a flier.

He's done himself proud.

He has bought...brilliantly.

Let's go!

After beginning in Bath, today's leg, and indeed the whole trip,

will finally be settled in Seaton, Devon.

And the sun is shining as they head along the south Devon coast

and into the resort town of Seaton.

Beautiful!

It's a collectors' sale at Lyme Bay Auctions today,

which should suit the things that Catherine and David have bought.

Auctioneer, Kevin Frost, is head of proceedings today.

All right, Seaton?

The two of them are desperate.

Here we are, come on. Come on, everybody,

get fired up, get excited.

Lordy, not a chance here!

Kicking off with Catherine's biscuit jars, look.

£10, there.

-Come on.

-12.

£12.

14?

16?

£16...

Ouch!

Crumbs!

Just a small loss, really.

-For us, that's brilliant.

-We're good.

How about James the Engine?

Could he make Catherine a really useful profit?

Ten, 12, 14?

16. 18. 20.

20.

22. 25.

28.

£25...

Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

I think it's love.

Oh, dear, that's forced Catherine off the rails.

That was such a lovely thing.

Perhaps buses really can replace trains.

70? 60?

£40, anywhere?

Got to be worth £40, surely?

40?

It's got to be worth £40.

On the phone.

Someone's on the phone!

£40. In the room, at 40.

45...

45.

50.

55.

55. 60.

65.

70.

80.

85.

90? £85.

90 anywhere?

£85...

It looks like Catherine's back on the road!

Well done, well done!

You made some money!

That's brilliant. Well done.

Now for David's bargain pile of jewellery.

£30 for it, then.

All over the place. 30. 32.

35. 38.

40.

45.

50.

55. 60.

65.

70.

Oh, my word!

£65...

Brilliant!

That was very good.

A sparkling start.

Finally, we have profit. How long has that taken?

-About 700 miles?

-Ohhh!

Apparently this tray isn't really Newlyn, but it's nice.

20? Thank you, madam. £20, we have.

22?

Thank you, madam. 22.

25.

28.

Should fetch a lot more. 30.

32.

35?

35, anywhere? 35, anywhere?

-And we sell it, at £32...

-Come on, Catherine!

It's still a profit... Just.

-I'm glad people are getting bargains out of my lots.

-Are you?

-I'm very happy.

-Really?

Now, what will they make of her weights?

35.

In the room now, at £35.

38, anywhere?

38, anywhere? 38.

40.

45. 50.

55.

-Oh!

-60.

-Catherine!

70. £65, in the room. At 65.

At £65...

Well done, you!

They were magnificent.

Yes, the whiff of profit changes everything.

They were very good objects.

They must have been much better... Oh, shut up!

They were good things, Catherine, honestly!

Now for David's rummers.

20, on the book. 22, anywhere?

22.

25. 28.

28. 30.

32.

35. 38.

£35, on the book. At £35. 38, anywhere?

I'll take a pound. 36, anywhere?

36. At £36...

-These profits keep flowing.

-Profits, all the way.

-You are in this, aren't you?

-I'm in it.

OK, now David's butter churn, for the Devonians.

£50 bid.

£50, on commission, at 50.

55, anywhere?

55, anywhere? £50. We need 55.

Nobody? And we sell it, then, to the opening bid...

-of £50...

-Catherine, no!

-Ohhh!

-Perhaps they've all gone.

-And I genuinely thought that would make double its money.

-Hmm.

Cheer up! Let's hope China's listening in.

£40, then.

20?

Tenner?

They all want it, at ten!

12.

14.

16.

18. 20.

22. 25.

28. 30.

32.

35.

38.

£35.

At £35...

It's profit.

Yeah, but it's not what he hoped for, and is it really jade?

-I thought it would make £200-£300.

-Now, people, don't be shy. Ha!

Tenner?

10. 12.

14. 16.

18. 20.

£18, I have.

18. 20, anyone?

20.

22.

25. 28.

Sell at £28...

Well done.

-Really nice profit.

-Would've been nice to do a bit more.

Not bad for a fiver, though, was it?

I'm finished.

-I hope you go out on a high.

-It'd be good.

Catherine has a narrow lead,

so now, it's all down to David's table.

I've got bids on the book on this one, starting at £30.

£30, commission bids.

30. 35. 40.

45 and 50.

55 and 60.

65.

In the room, at 65.

70. 75. 80.

85 and 90.

95. 100.

£95. In the room, at £95.

100, anywhere?

100. 110.

120. I'm getting all excited. 120?

Not yet!

130? 140?

He wants that!

160?

£150, I have. At 150. 160, anywhere?

160, anywhere?

We'll sell, at £150...

Whoo!

SHE LAUGHS

That was exciting.

-Well done.

-Come on, let's go and get a cup of tea.

You can get your heels off now.

Well done to you both,

for finally having a very good auction.

Catherine began with £185.94

and, after paying auction costs, she made a profit of £19.88,

leaving her with a grand total of £205.82p.

David started out with £149.24p

and, after costs, made £126.28p,

giving him a grand total of £275.52p,

so making him this week's winner.

All profits our experts make will go to Children in Need.

Well, it's goodbye to David and Catherine...

and it's hello to a right couple of Charlies.

It's a royal showdown as the antique trade's answer to Prince Charles

does battle with our very own Bonnie Prince Charlie!

Charlie Ross is a veteran freelance auctioneer

whose twinkle-eyed charm makes him one of the most formidable Road Trippers ever.

Shop! I need a lady, please!

Whilst whipper-snapper Charles Hanson, a Derbyshire auctioneer,

is determined to show what young blood can do.

I'm off and running. I'm off and running, Charlie!

Go! Go! Go!

-You and me.

-I can't believe it.

-Experience and youth.

Both of them begin this week with a bumper budget of £200.

They'll be aiming to trade that up on each leg of the Road Trip,

buying antiques to sell at auction.

Charles and Charlie are paired with a very stylish set of vintage wheels.

The 1971 Triumph TR6.

Do you know, Charlie, this car is a dream, isn't it?

It's fantastic, as long as you're not driving it!

Cheeky!

Charles and Charlie will travel around 500 miles

through the glorious heartlands of England,

from Tarporley in Cheshire

to Itchen Stoke near Winchester in Hampshire.

In this leg, they begin in Tarporley,

heading for their first auction in Manchester.

Luckily, our pair are the best of chums.

# Consider yourself my mate... #

Just tell me where we are!

Fine. You're just outside Tarporley, a terribly pretty village

that seems to be the ideal place to begin.

They're heading for their first shop where a bevy of beauties await.

It's so exciting, Charlie.

Are you ready?

Going, going, gone!

And they're off!

Girls!

Hello!

-I'm Charlie.

-Hello.

-Charlie, nice to meet you. Jane.

-Jane.

-Louise.

-Louise.

-Hi, Louise, Charles. Hi, Jane. Good to see you.

-Hello.

-Ladies, can we just browse?

-You can browse, yes.

Can we maybe take a personal shopper with us? Are you available to escort us?

-Whichever you prefer, sir.

-Any preferences?

-How can I possibly have a preference with two such beautiful women!

-Absolutely!

Don't be too long. I'm going to count!

OK.

Hmm. Does young Charles have a strategy planned out?

Jane, my Road Trip with Charlie is all about buying things which are quirky.

I'm not too keen on knobbly nick-nacks.

Looking around, you only seem to deal in nice high-brow objects which I love.

Hmm. Knobbly nick-nacks notwithstanding,

is there anything to catch Carlos's eye?

Jane, round the corner, what I did see,

are these pair of figures.

It's a pair of plaster lamps in the shape of cherubs.

Ticket price, a substantial £145.

-They have a look, don't they, about them?

-They do.

They certainly make a statement.

-Are they yours?

-No, they belong to another dealer.

-I think there's age to them, but I think they've had work done on them.

-Yes.

They're big and they're bold. They're quite frightening

but they've got a great look.

Jane will phone the dealer, Francesca, who's selling them.

But what can Charles offer?

They could, on a bad day, make 30.

On a good day, they could make £100.

So 50 is a fair offer.

Jane's spoken to the dealer. Will she accept Charles's cheeky offer?

OK. Bye.

Have I been too rude?

She said, essentially, that 50 is more or less what she paid for them.

To give a profit, would Francesca viably take £60 for them?

I'll tell you what. Go down to the 70.

65.

Take a chance. Heard that song?

# Take a chance

# If you change your mind... #

# Honey, I'm still free

# Take a chance on me... #

-Take a chance together?

-65. Go on. I'll shake on that.

-Thank you, Jane.

-It's done.

-That's my Road Trip up and running again, Charlie Ross!

I'm up and running!

Charlie, I'm off and running!

Something caught my eye in here.

Charlie's spotted a rosewood box.

The price on the ticket is £68.

It's still got the original interior to it, which is unusual.

The thing to look for with these boxes is damage.

If there's mother-of-pearl missing, it's a nightmare.

Jane can do a deal on the box.

What can Charlie offer?

About 30 quid. At 30 quid I would certainly buy it.

Jane doesn't look quite convinced.

Can Charlie sweeten the deal?

What can I get you? Is there a sweetie shop in the village?

-I'm very partial to chocolate.

-Are you? Tell you what.

I will go to the shop and buy you something.

So Charlie offers to buy Jane some chocs if she'll let him have the box

for £30 rather than the £34 she wants.

See you in a minute.

He's heading for The Old Fire Station chocolate shop.

Charlie might be in the chocolate shop,

but his tactics aren't changing.

Are you negotiable on your price at all?

I'm very tight on buying my Victorian rosewood box.

I'd say these are fresher and newer than your rosewood box!

-I suspect we might be able to do something.

-Certainly fresher!

He'll take a box of the hand-made truffles for Jane.

-Is that all right?

-Gosh!

She won't be able to resist...those.

How much do I owe you, sir?

Well, £5.99 normally. To you, £5.50.

Ooh, how splendid!

Big Cheshire smile.

Hmm. I think there's a flaw in your maths here, Charlie.

-Very kind of you. Thank you.

-Thank you.

-All the best.

But Charlie's about to have a terrible realisation.

I think I've got this slightly wrong.

I've now paid £5.50 for the chocolates

and hopefully I'll get the box for 30.

But it could have been 34.

Oh, Lordy. I'm not sure maths is your strong suit, old boy!

-Jane.

-Charlie.

-Today is your lucky day.

Oh, Charlie, thank you!

It's yours.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-That's so sweet of you.

Chocolates included, the box cost £35.50p,

so his charm actually costs him money!

But at least he's got his first buy.

Now he's heading straight upstairs where he immediately spots a hand mirror.

-That's quite nice.

-Blimey, that's cheap. Sorrento.

But Charlie seems to have taken a shine to it, too.

Do you want to leave me up here and I'll see you downstairs?

No, you can go downstairs now. I like a bit of Sorrento.

I was just browsing that, Charlie.

I was just about to pick it up.

Yeah, course you were, Charles!

-I've never heard so much rubbish...

-Can I help you?

-..in all my life.

-You have been up here for an hour and you've missed that.

-Yes.

The southern-Italian town of Sorrento

has a long history of producing items in marquetry.

This mirror dates from the late 19th century.

I'm not going to have an argument with you.

OK. OK, go on, take it downstairs.

-Go on.

-Jolly reasonable.

-Do you really want to buy this, Charles?

-No, I don't.

-Go on, get out of here.

-# If you change your mind... #

Exactly. Go on. Get downstairs.

A little jealous, Charles?

I went straight up and saw something I liked.

-You didn't.

-It's not difficult in this shop.

It's a pretty little thing, I must admit. I did look at it for my dressing table.

-Did you?

-Yes.

-You come up with all the lines, don't you, Jane?

-Yeah, yeah.

-All the lines.

Half price. £7.50.

Can you really not do a fiver on that?

£6.50.

How can I turn that down?

How can I possibly turn you down?

-That's a good deal.

-It is. I'll have it.

-You'll have it.

-Yep. Put it with my purchases.

I'm going back upstairs.

Because I like this sh... Ooh, God, I just bumped my head!

-Ouch!

-Have you got a first aid kit?

Oh, do be careful, Charlie.

Meanwhile, Charles Hanson is in another part of the antiques centre

with another dealer, John.

And Charles is upping the pressure.

One thing, John, I did see, that I really, really like

is this wonderful maritime time-piece

which also includes the barometer dial, also the compass

-and also the thermometer.

-Yes.

-On the anchor.

-That really is...

-That's a really high quality piece.

-Yes, it is.

John, what age is that?

-1910, would you say?

-Hmm.

Aye, aye, Captain! I quite like this.

1910, it's a real Edwardian novelty.

On the ticket is a whopping £250, well out of Charles's league.

He only has £135 left, but can he persuade John to cut him a deal?

I've got 135. Would you possibly come down to that level?

-Yes.

-Would you really?

-135.

-Yeah. Um...

Here we go!

Would you... I'm not being funny.

I want to take to auction three items.

Would you possibly give me a bit of change from 135?

Just something, John?

Maybe a tenner? John, would you make it 125?

That's a big discount.

-One for the road.

-125.

-Are you sure?

-OK.

125. That leaves me £10.

Thanks, John.

Let's hope my maritime time-piece will tick the right way, eh, John?

Well, let's hope it does.

Meanwhile, Charlie the charmer is still upstairs.

And yet another item has taken his fancy.

Arts & Crafts Movement, wall pocket in brass.

Typical Arts & Crafts decoration here.

The Arts & Crafts Movement of the late Victorian period

celebrated design drawn from natural form and traditional craftsmanship.

This wall pocket is priced at £32.

I really do think it's a good thing.

Oh, I can't resist having a go at this!

Shop! I need a lady, please!

LAUGHTER

-Louise!

-A young, attractive lady. Any one of the two will do!

How many Abba songs would I have to sing to get the price down on that?

I've got a much better voice than Charles Hanson!

Shall we say three?

# Waterloo... #

-Ooh!

-Ooh, dear! Ooh, crumbs!

Tut-tut!

I think... I think we're probably looking at a best price there of 25.

25?! I thought you were going to say 20.

-I'd pay £20 for it, I really would.

-20?

-Yeah.

-Go on, then, £20.

-Happy with that?

-Yep.

Lovely ladies, lovely buys.

Expensive chocolates.

With only £10 left in his budget,

Charles Hanson is in no pressing rush to shop this afternoon.

So he's already in the car, driving the 33 miles

over the Welsh border to Llangollen, Denbighshire.

He's going to take a look around the fascinating house, Plas Newydd.

-Afternoon!

-Hello!

-How are you?

-Good, thank you.

-I'm Charles Hanson.

-Hello, Charles.

-Nice to meet you.

He's meeting heritage assistant Gail.

The house is a museum dedicated to the lives of two extraordinary former inhabitants.

"The ladies of Llangollen", as they were known,

living here together in the late 18th and early 19th century.

Lady Eleanor Butler and Miss Sarah Ponsonby.

They came here in 1780.

They were here for 49 years.

-May we go in?

-Please do. Come in.

The pair lived here, sharing a bed and a loving companionship

which scandalised some members of their Georgian and Regency society,

but also drew many famous friends to visit them,

including poets Byron, Shelley and Wordsworth.

The ladies were high born, but rejected their aristocratic backgrounds

to live a life dedicated to learning, art and nature.

This incredible house is their enduring legacy.

So really, the story of this house, dwelling,

-it revolves around two ladies.

-Yes.

Well done, Charles(!)

The ladies put their artistic stamp on the house,

most strikingly in these wooden embellishments.

Both ladies came from aristocratic Anglo-Irish families.

They got together. They came here, they left their homes?

Yes, it was termed as an elopement. They "eloped" from Ireland

and the two met through their love of literature.

Tell me about them, as ladies.

As ladies, very courageous, very brave for their times.

They knew what they wished to achieve out of life.

What they wished to do with their lives was better themselves,

educate themselves and beautify their surroundings

and live closer to nature.

The couple were also interested in art and design.

They remodelled this property from a traditional farmhouse

into this extraordinary Gothic style.

Their vision leaves us a unique home.

What a wonderful place to elope to.

I look in this hallway, Gail, and all this oak panelling

really reflects a romance for the past.

It's a collage of carvings, a mosaic, really, it's become,

but of old furniture and ecclesiastical carvings.

This is the roof of a four-poster bed,

which is quite incredible.

We've got coffers, blanket chests and so on,

that have been cut up and assembled here with the help of a local joiner.

The ladies had the idea and the eye for the design.

Gail's taking Charles upstairs into the bedroom.

The ladies shared this until Eleanor's death in 1829.

Here we have the ladies' bedroom.

-Isn't it a gorgeous room?

-It is.

-Did they ever come out and say, "We're courting?"

-Oh, no.

-Were they very private?

-Very private about it.

The way we get an insight into the ladies' lives

is that Eleanor Butler kept a journal for many years.

In this, she calls Sarah her sweet, "my beloved", and so on,

and their terminology certainly shows that they had a great love for one another.

And that love and companionship is what life is all about.

And with that happy thought, it's time for Charles to hit the road.

Thank you ever so much for a wonderful visit.

Meanwhile, Charlie Ross has travelled to Tilston in Cheshire,

where he's keen to hunt for more buys.

-Hello.

-Hello! Sally, is it?

-Yes, it is.

-Charlie.

-Hello, Charlie.

Sally's got something that might just capture Charlie's heart.

This little piece is unusual. Did you notice that?

No!

You'll have to educate me here.

Sally wasn't quite sure what the object was,

until she found a newspaper cutting

relating to the theft of a similar piece.

I didn't know what it was for, then I found this little thing

which says...

-"Artichoke cup stolen."

-Yes.

-Sally! Really!

-Not this one! I didn't! I promise!

It's an unusual little object, isn't it?

-A Chinese artichoke cup.

-Yes.

-Would you get a whole artichoke in there?

-I think you'd just put the heart.

-Just the heart.

-Just the heart.

-What a glorious object!

-It's like a little Chinese hat, isn't it?

-It looks like it, yes.

Yes, you look charming, darling!

Suits you!

What a lovely thing. That's just so gorgeous.

And it hasn't even got a price on it.

Well, it's rather special, isn't it? £45 because it's a damaged top.

-Is that all it is?

-Yes.

-I could fool Charles Hanson, my opponent, with that.

My worry was him, how he jumps up and down.

He'd have broken the whole lot. You're lucky he's not here, to be honest.

Oh, Sally!

What was that you were saying, Charlie?

I did a Hanson!

It landed on the rug!

Thank God for that!

Anyway, it's been damaged before.

I don't care! My heart!

Charlie didn't break it, but he is going to buy it.

I'm not going to ask you what your best is, because it was £45 and I think that's reasonable.

-We have a deal.

-We have a deal.

-And I love it.

-Hanson will like it.

-Hanson will be jealous, I reckon!

He will be jealous! How delightful!

Delightful indeed.

Buying fever is upon Charlie today,

so he's off to Chester.

The city's historic buildings sing of the past.

Let's hope he can find something shiny

to buy in this frankly-named antique shop.

-Peter?

-Yes.

-Charlie.

-Nice to meet you.

-Nice to see you.

-OK.

Over to you. Pull me something out that you think you can sell me that I'll make a profit.

And Peter, if it makes a profit,

I will sing your name...

-from the rooftops.

-Listen.

Peter's got an early 20th century American coffee percolator.

Complete. Nothing missing on it.

Dated on the bottom with the patent numbers to 1906.

Something you can make money on, especially in Manchester.

Well, but now - how much is it?

-If you didn't turn a profit on that at £20.

-What?!

-You're not selling me that for 20 quid?

-I'll do it for 20.

Huh! That's woken you up, Charlie. What a bargain!

That's really fantastic.

What a zinger of a deal!

Young Charles has met up with Charlie to continue their antiques adventure around Chester.

Look at him. Always running!

Charles has hared away from Charlie the tortoise

and off towards KD Antiques.

He's meeting old chum Kelvin.

What I'm looking for is something that might just cost me

-£10 or thereabouts.

-OK.

And what I intend to do today, to be completely blunt with you,

is I'm going to take your object

and then try and build on it.

-And swap it...

-With other dealers?

-Exactly. With your blessing.

OK.

Further to this master plan,

Charles thinks he's found something he can trade up.

It's an auctioneer's gavel. Isn't that wonderful?

-A pocket gavel.

-Isn't that neat?

Ticket price is £14. What can Kelvin let it go for?

-Five pounds.

-Five pounds.

Going once, going twice, going, gone.

-That's it, Kelvin.

-Well done.

-Thanks, Kelvin. That's great.

The cunning Charles has another buy, and he's off to see if he can trade it up.

Meanwhile, Charlie is nearby in another shop

where the delightful young Rachel is helping him.

That's taken my eye. Gosh, that's fabulous, that bread fork.

-Yeah, it's lovely. It's an unusual item, really nice...

-Glorious!

The quality of that!

Yeah, it's beautiful.

That's a fabulous item.

It's a Victorian silver-plated bread fork

used for serving bread or rolls at a formal dinner.

There's £27 on the ticket.

There's probably a little bit of trade in that, isn't there?

-I could probably tweak you a bit.

-You could tweak me a bit.

I could probably do that for you for about £23.

Fantastic quality.

If I made those, I'd want to put my name on them.

Terrific. Charlie pays £23 for the bread fork

and he's got his last lot for auction.

Charles is about to try his luck in the shop where Charlie Ross bought his percolator.

His plan is still to swap the gavel he bought earlier,

along with the lonely fiver still in his pocket,

for an item that might make more at auction.

Will canny Peter take the bait?

Peter, the first question is, do you like it?

-I love that. It's fantastic.

-Do you really?

Peter has some genuine archaeological finds

that might fit the bill - a number of medieval rings.

In the main, these are British finds - metal detectorists, archaeologists.

-This one here was found in the Thames.

-Really?

Fairly recently.

It's a fertility ring dating from way back in the 1100s.

That's a medieval bronze ring, almost a love token, in the shape.

-I think so, yes.

-With that heart.

-With that heart shape, yes.

-What a wonderful ring.

So that is a beautiful little medieval ring, 12th century.

Now that, Peter, is priced at £45.

But would that ring

be a viable swap for my gavel?

-With the fiver.

-With the fiver.

-That you've got in your pocket.

-I've got five pounds left over.

-Five pounds as well.

-It's a good deal for you.

-It's a good deal for me, absolutely.

Thanks again. Look after the gavel, OK?

See you, Peter. Bye!

And with that fertile buy, let's have a quick reminder

of how the boys have been spending their dosh.

Charles Hanson has spent the full £200 on just three lots.

Charlie Ross meanwhile has assembled six lots at a cost of £150.

So, what do our antiques chums think of one another's shopping sprees?

Charles's dreadful lamps.

But his fantastic clock and barometer,

which I think is shop of the week, frankly.

If I had the choice now of swapping any of his for mine,

I would swap...none of them.

Batten down the hatches! Profit, here we come!

And it's full steam ahead in the rather chic Triumph.

On this first leg of their road trip,

our happy Charlies have travelled from Tarporley, Cheshire,

to arrive at their auction in Manchester.

Manchester's a vibrant UK city that needs little introduction.

What was the industry in Manchester?

-Oh...

-Textiles?

-Ohhh!

Apart from to Charlie, it would seem!

Venerable auction house Capes Dunn

has been serving the city for 180 years.

Today, auctioneer Caroline Lane will be wielding the gavel.

Battle is about to commence.

First up is Charlie's Sorrento inlaid mirror.

How will it reflect on his buying acumen?

Who will bid me £10 for this lot?

Surely £10? It's here to sell.

Thank you. £10 seated here on the front.

Thank you very much. Here at £10. Any more?

Surely? Thank you. £15.

15 there. Any advance with the gentleman on my right at £15.

-Well done.

-Are we all sure at just 15?

Charlie's off to a solid start.

Next up, another for Charlie

as his rosewood box faces the crowd.

He had to woo the dealer with choccies to get it,

but will it seduce the sale room?

Start the bidding with me at £15.

Looking for 20. 20 at the back of the room.

25. Thank you. 30.

35 on my right. If we're all sure at £35.

Oh, dear. The cost of the chocolates tips the scales.

Bad luck, Romeo!

Without the chocolates, a profit. With the chocolates, a loss.

Now, the first for Charles Hanson.

His 12th-century fertility ring.

Will it bear fruit?

A rare 12th-century fertility ladies' bronze ring.

-Ooh, I say.

-Circa 1180.

-Bit of fertility.

-It's history, Charlie.

-Yes.

I'm going red!

I think my parents would like me to get one of these!

Lot 33, with me at £10.

-Come on.

-It's already in at ten.

-Thank you. 15. 20.

25. 30.

35.

40. With the lady seated here at £40.

Any more? 45. Back in, sir. Thank you.

We're at 45 now. One more?

One more? No?

I can't tempt you. 45 with the gentleman seated.

If we're all sure at £45.

The sale room gets a giggle, and it's a profit for Charles.

One for Charlie, now.

Here's his American percolator. Can it build up a head of steam?

I will start the bidding with me at £15. With me at just 15.

20. 25 now. 30. 35.

40 now. With the gentleman at £40.

-Brilliant.

-Up a bit.

-Brilliant.

-Are we sure?

Just £40. If we're all sure at 40.

-45 just in time.

-Oh, yes!

45 with the gentleman standing. 50. Thank you.

At £50, if we're all sure at 50.

Splendid. I love that auctioneer!

She's doing you proud, Charlie.

-Coffee?

-Don't.

-Coffee? Coffee?

I think you might have had too much of the stuff, Charlie.

Now Charles's gamble.

The, er, decorative cherub lamps.

Tell me now, you don't actually like them, do you?

No. No.

-With me at £20.

-Oh, no.

-Far too much.

25. 30. 35 now. In the room at 35.

-40 on my right.

-What?!

-45 here.

-Keep going.

50. 55.

-Good grief, sir!

-Keep going!

-How dare you?

-One for the road!

65. 70.

70 on my right. 75.

-Oh!

-75 with the gentleman on my left.

-Good man, sir.

£75. Any more? If we're all sure at 75?

-80 just in time.

-Yes!

-Oh!

-80 just in time.

-One more.

85. Thank you.

85 now.

It's a wack business.

Any more? 85.

Good man, sir. Thank you very much.

Manna from heaven for the young pretender,

as he steals the lead.

Well done, old bean!

And now Charlie's silver-plated bread fork.

Who'll start me for this lot? £15?

-Who'll start me 15? Thank you.

-Oh, madam!

20 I have. The gentleman seated. 25. Thank you. 25 I have.

With the lady seated on my right at 25.

If you're all sure, I will sell at 25.

-Well done.

-Lovely taste, madam.

Marvellous taste.

It just about holds.

But that's a small loss for Charlie after auction costs.

Charles is still in the lead.

Next is Charlie's Arts & Crafts wall pocket.

I have interest with me and it starts at £30.

The bid is with me at 30. 35 and I'm out now.

35 on my right. 40 if you'd like. Thank you, sir.

No? £40 with the gentleman standing.

Not bad, but I still think it could do a bit more.

Any advance? All sure? Nice example.

All sure at just £40?

Very respectable.

And Charlie sneaks ahead of the young buck.

You know your stuff, Charlie.

The artichoke cup Charlie nearly broke is next.

Does a smashing profit await?

I have interest. It's with me at £50.

With me at 50. I'm moving into the room.

-# Do-dee-dee! #

-Well done, Charlie.

Any more?

-Come on!

-Well done.

-My bid at just £50.

-Seems cheap.

-It does.

-I will sell at £50.

-Well done, Charlie.

-Could we do one more?

Hmm. The auctioneer clearly had faith in it,

but it fair choked with the crowd.

Yo-ho-ho.

So, everything rests on Charlie's

much-admired maritime time-piece. Will it take sail?

-A novel Edwardian gilt-metal...

-Wonderful thing. This is it.

-I have interest.

-Ooh.

I can start the bid with me at £80. With me at £80.

-That's a good bid.

-With me at £80.

-Phenomenal bid.

-Keep going.

-The bid is with me at 80.

Ohhh.

Any more on this lot? Seems cheap. It's a nice thing.

-With me at just £80.

-Unbelievable.

We're all sure? I will sell at just 80.

Oh, dear! Despite those high hopes,

it fails to float.

?Hard game, isn't it?

It's a hard game, bean.

I've had so much luck on my Road Trip.

I need some bad luck. And that's bad luck.

Graceful in victory,

but noble in defeat.

Was there ever a pair like 'em?

So the distinguished Charlie Ross takes the day

with a steady accumulation of profit.

Charles Hanson started this leg with £200.

After paying auction costs, he made a stinging loss of £27.80.

He begins the next leg with £172.20.

Charlie Ross also started with £200.

He made a reasonable profit of £26.30p

and starts next time with £226.30p.

-I've just been talking to the man that bought your fertility ring.

-Yes?

"I like this," he said, "but it's a bit late for me."

It's never too late on the Road Trip.

On to the next leg, boys.