Episode 15 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!

-Sometimes a man is in need.

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

There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

Knobbly knick-knacks.

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

It landed on the rug!

This is the Antiques Road Trip!

Yeah!

On this Road Trip,

two princely Charlies are vying to take the throne.

Charlie Ross is a silver-tongued auctioneer whose decades in the biz

have sharpened his cunning and gilded his charm.

-Ooh!

-Sealed with a kiss!

His rival, Charles Hanson, may look barely out of shorts,

but he's a serious auctioneering nut

with a wit that's bang on.

-I'm feeling quite explosive now.

-LAUGHTER

Both our proper Charlies started with £200.

The venerable Charlie Ross has now managed to swell his coffers

to a respectable £246 exactly.

Cheer up, old boy.

While the young pretender, Charles Hanson,

is nipping at his opponent's heels with riches totalling £239.50.

They're cruising today in a sleek Winnings Wagon,

the 1971 Triumph TR6.

Carlos and Charlie will cover about 500 miles,

sailing through the heartlands of England from Tarporley in Cheshire

to Itchen Stoke near Winchester in Hampshire.

Today, they begin in Bridgnorth, Shropshire,

with noses pointed firmly towards their auction

in Ledbury, Herefordshire.'

The town of Bridgnorth stretches attractively along the River Severn.

It's here that Carlos is dropping Charlie off

at his first shop of the day, the Bridgnorth Antique Centre.

-I'm Charlie.

-Hello, Charlie. I'm Lynn.

-Lovely to meet you.

Look out Lynn! This morning, he's got a strategy.

I'm looking for something quirky, something...different.

Go for it, then!

-You can have a look at the vicar's chastity belt.

-I beg your pardon!

-The vicar's got a chastity belt somewhere.

-The vicar has a chastity belt?

-Yes.

He owns this little section here, the vicar.

Sounds like the beginning of a limerick!

"Victorian copy of a medieval chastity belt."

-He's going to demonstrate it.

-I do hope not!

-Does the vicar get in that?

-He can. He's skinny.

Oh, yeah. Well, the less said about that, the better.

Plenty of things in here have caught Charlie's eye,

but none of them quite right for the auction, so he's heading off to his next shop.

Meanwhile, Carlos has driven 14 miles onwards

to Kidderminster, Worcestershire.

This statue outside Kidderminster's fine Town Hall

pays tribute to one of her most celebrated sons, Rowland Hill,

postal reformer and inventor of the first postage stamp. Mm.

Carlos is ambling off into the spookily named shop Marley's Ghost,

where he's meeting Bill.

-Good morning, sir.

-Oh, good morning.

-Interesting box here, Bill, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Sharp, aren't they? It is a box!

Oak, leather and canvas for ammunition, probably dating from World War I.

-How much is that, Bill?

-About eight quid.

I love how we've got the canvas still lining...

What's the very best, Bill, on this?

About six pound?

£6's your best price?

-Yeah.

-I think, Bill...

-..I'll take it.

-OK.

-£6 and that's wonderful! History!

History, indeed. Carlos has his first buy and is charging onwards.

His old mucker, Charlie, meanwhile,

has trucked on to Stourbridge in the West Midlands,

where he's heading into Charles Langford Antiques

and meeting dealer Steve - at least he's not called Charles, too!

-Steve Wilder, nice to see you.

-Lovely to see you, too.

Pleasantries accomplished,

Charlie's going to have a good rummage through Steve's stock.

I wonder if any of this is for sale.

Charlie's snuck into the storeroom, where the crafty old dog

spies items that haven't been put on display. Stand by for a truffle!

Do you think I'm allowed to be doing this?

No. I'm pretty sure not. So, look sharp!

-Ah! Ho ho!

-Steve's rumbled you!

-What are you looking at? You're welcome to look at something.

-Am I allowed?

-Oh, yeah.

There's a bit of rosewood there.

It's a rosewood sewing table!

-Might it be for sale?

-140 would buy it.

May I look at it?

Careful!

That's about 1830, 1840,

-English rosewood sewing table.

-Needs a bit of work.

-Pretty little thing!

-Isn't it?

-I love the top.

If I waved 100 crisp notes in your direction, could you be tempted?

If you were to wave 120, you'd have bought it.

-I'll go 110, if you can possibly do it.

-Yeah, 110 will do.

An item in the bag and Charlie's browsing on.

Back in the shop proper,

Charlie's been drawn to a little item in the silver cabinet.

-I like the shape of that.

-Yeah.

It's a silver sugar bowl dating from 1906.

Ticket price is £85.

It's a nice looking thing. I'd give you 50 quid for it, guv'nor!

-50 quid's not a lot for that.

-Perhaps you'd like to think about it.

-Perhaps you'd like to give me £60.

-CHARLIE LAUGHS

And then, you've bought it.

Charlie's not sure about the bowl yet, so he's going to browse on.

That's a sweet little thing, isn't it?

A joy to perceive!

A 19th-century oil painting of an English market town. Anonymous.

A little man with a top hat. Very primitive.

"Primitive", in this sense, means that the artist was probably an amateur or self-taught.

Probably comes free with every sewing table!

-BOTH LAUGH

-Not free.

-No!

-It's nearly free! It's only £40.

-A tenner?

Steve's already knocked the sugar bowl down to £60.

With the painting added to the deal, they would cost together £100.

But he's angling for a further reduction. What could Steve do?

Maybe if we did 70 on the pair of those.

-I think that's quite good, actually.

-Well, you would!

-Mm.

CHARLIE LAUGHS 65 quid.

-You've talked me into it.

-Are you sure?

-Yes, I'm sure.

So, Charlie's got a bargain deal in this shop, paying £175 total

for the sewing table, silver sugar bowl and the painting.

Carlos has driven on to the town of Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.

Feeling terribly relaxed about his buying,

he's going to visit Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings,

where he's meeting museum director Simon Carter.

Nice to see you. I'm Charles Hanson.

Avoncroft is home to a rich and quirky array of historic structures,

which have been taken apart in their original locations

and reassembled here for preservation.

It's a varied collection, reflecting the built heritage of Britain,

and in particular of the West Midlands.

Looking around, there's a wonderful array of different periods,

different styles.

What's behind this eclectic mix of architecture and buildings?

The building behind you was the first of nearly 30 buildings

to be rescued and brought to this site.

All the buildings here were in danger of demolition or collapse

when they were moved.

The collection includes residential buildings,

like this 15th-century middle-class home,

as well as industrial and agricultural structures.

Taking a fragile historic building to bits

and reassembling it miles from home is no mean feat,

as this 1960s footage of a building now at the museum shows.

Charles and Simon are going to look at it.

It's a windmill dating from the late 18th or early 19th century.

It was moved here cos it was in a dilapidated state in the late 1960s.

It was when Avoncroft Museum was in its infancy.

Some volunteers went and rescued it one weekend from Tanworth-in-Arden.

You tell me this was moved over a weekend? That's incredible!

I think it was, perhaps, five days in total.

The longest part of the job was dismantling the brick roundhouse.

Here, the plucky volunteers

are painstakingly taking the windmill apart, bit by bit.

It was moved onto lorries and driven back to the museum.

Here, it was restored to its former glory and stands as a testament

to the ingenuity of the people who saved it,

as well as the original builders.

Simon's taking Carlos to see another structure,

also saved by the museum.

It's a blacksmith's forge in which chains were made

from the mid 19th century right up to 1969.

It's got 14 forges and there'd have been a man, or woman sometimes,

at each of the forges making chains for hours and hours a day.

Blacksmith Alex is demonstrating how chains would have been handmade.'

Wow! Unbelievable!

This must be a ferocious heat.

It's about 1,300 degrees.

What I can't believe is a building like this

could be broken down and transported

and put back together again and look so authentic in a new location.

Indeed! And the museum's collection is nothing if not diverse.

This site is also home to the national telephone kiosk collection,

which includes no less than 32 historic telephone boxes.

-PHONE RINGING

-My phone isn't on.

Where's that ringing coming from, then, Charles?'

Better investigate!

MUSIC: Theme to "Dr Who"

-PHONE RINGING

-It looks like Charles will be making his own way...

Hello?

..somewhere.

TARDIS FIRES UP

-They hung up on me.

-Oh, crikey

Charlie, meanwhile, is still back in Stourbridge,

and is strolling off to his next shop, Antiques & More.

And Charlie the charmer's up to his usual tricks.

-Hello, ladies!

-Look out, girls!

-Hello!

-Two for the price of one!

-Ooh! Thank you!

-I'm Charlie.

-I'm Marion.

-Marion.

-Charlie, hello.

-Hello. Ooh!

Hang on! I feel love coming on!

-And your name is?

-My name's Judith.

There's some jolly pretty bits here!

Oh! That is sweet!

Charlie's found a tortoiseshell case for sewing needles.

-Now, that IS old.

-Yeah.

-Indeed, it is.

Dates from the 19th century, meaning it's legal.

Dealing in modern tortoiseshell is against the law,

but antique items made before 1947 can be legally traded.

-Needles would have gone in there?

-Packets of needles.

Those little paper cardboard packets of needles would have gone in there.

It's got a name! That's very nice.

"W. Lund, 24 Fleet", that'll be Fleet Street.

It's the mark of box-maker William Lund,

who operated on London's Fleet Street from around 1835.

I can't quite work out the price. Is that £12.50?

-MARION LAUGHS

-No!

You're not telling me it's 125 quid?

It is.

There's an old-fashioned expression. What would be your death?

-I can do...

-What can you do?

-75.

Don't recoil from me, my lovely. SHE LAUGHS

Can you do 60 quid?

Um... I can do 65.

You are incorrigible, Charlie.

-Cos I love you!

-Here we go again!

Sealed with a kiss!

# Sealed with a kiss... #

He's got that deal all sewn up.

Look at that! For a bargain £65.

And with that, it's upwards and onwards - quite literally.

All together now!

# Onward, Christian soldiers... #

The boys are coming into the city of Gloucester.

-That's Gloucester Cathedral!

-Doesn't that make you proud of our country?

To see ancient monuments standing so proudly.

Quite!

In fact, the remains of Plantagenet King Edward II are buried here.

Hm! They're heading for Upstairs Downstairs Antiques...

Come on!

..where they're meeting head honcho Vic.

-Greetings!

-Greetings!

-How are you?

-Who's the boss?

-I'm the boss.

-You're the man I need, are you?

-Yes.

Hello, there. I'm Charles. Good to see you.

Carlos and Charlie are going to split up to case the joint.

And with £233.50 left to spend,

Charles, it would seem, has a definite strategy.

Ask for objects that really are antique. Go for the medieval. Go for the Roman rings.

Go for objects which, in historical terms, talk history,

rather than just being edgy with a knobbly knick-knack.

Charlie.

Hey, you're cocky for a man who's only spent £6, Carlos,

but true to his word, the clever young buck seems to have unearthed

something with a bit of age to it.

I think it's quite novel. Not sure what it's used for.

Charles THINKS it might be an 18th-century piece of Korean pottery.

Very crude. Fairly mass-produced, I suspect.

-Yeah.

-For a fairly coarse middle-rate market.

Probably for export from Korea to China

and probably used as ballast on the bottom of a boat.

What's your absolute best price on that?

I'll do it for 15 for you.

-A tenner? I'll take it.

-Lovely jubbly.

Deal done! Now, on the other side of the shop,

with just £6 to his name,

Charlie appears to be up to something suspicious.

I have a cunning plan.

Charlie has spotted a copy of the Auctions (Bidding Agreements) Act, 1927.

It's legislation which governs auction houses

and a copy of it must be displayed in salerooms.

-Was there an auction here once?

-There was, yes.

But japes are afoot.

Charlie has concocted a scheme to trick Carlos into autographing the document,

thus, he reasons, raising its value.

I want you, if you would, before Charles leaves the premises,

-to say to him, "Charles, would you mind signing this for me?"

-Yeah.

I've only got £6 left. I don't suppose they're worth a lot.

-We can do that.

-It's not the biggest deal you've ever done.

But it'll make an old man very happy.

So, Charlie buys the agreement for his very last £6.

Five, six.

-OK. It's a deal.

-Shall I leave that with you?

But will the cunning ruse to get young Carlos's autograph work?

-I wonder if you'd be so kind to sign it?

-Is that for sale?

Ha! Too late, Carlos!

-Sorry?

-It's not for sale, is it?

-No.

-What a shame. I could do with one.

I'll sign it. It'll be a pleasure.

Ah! What a gent!

But he'll get a surprise when he sees Charlie's items.

Still, Charlie seems very pleased.

(WHISPERS) I think somebody would pay millions for that!

Well, more than six quid, anyway.

Charles Hanson, meanwhile,

has driven on to Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire.

Tewkesbury's fine Tudor buildings and winding streets

make it a suitably atmospheric place for Charles to finish his shopping.

But with only two buys and a tiddly £16 spent,

Charles is fast running out of time.

He's supposed to be visiting antique shops,

but has now, shockingly, decided to pursue an alternative plan.

He's spotted an auction house, Church Street Auctions,

and wants to see if they have anything he might purchase.

I wondered whether you might have any unsolds or re-offers

that viably, on behalf of your client, you could sell to me?

Charles is looking for any items that remained unsold after auction.

But if they didn't sell at the previous auction, will they sell at yours, Carlos?

-Have a look and if you see anything...

-Have you got some things I could look at?

-I've got a couple that might interest you.

-Your name, sir, is?

-Bo.

-I'm Charles Hanson. I'm an auctioneer in Derbyshire.

-I know you are.

Your reputation precedes you, Charles.

Oh, a pretty little something's caught his eye.

She's quite nice. Here you've got a Victorian lady.

She really captures the age of, I think, the 1870s, 1880s.

This head's a fabric head with what appear to be later eyes.

But she's quite good. What's the best price on her?

35.

OK. A mental note.

He's putting her aside as a possibility.

Don't toy with the girl, Charles!

-You like that?

-That's quite sweet. What is it?

Haven't a clue. I was hoping you'd tell me!

Let me, then. It's a cup, probably mid-Victorian,

made from a lacquered coconut shell with wooden and ivory mounts.

Ivory items, like tortoiseshell, are illegal to trade

unless they're made before 1947, which this comfortably is.

Phew. This, too, goes into the "maybe" pile.

And now he's got something else in his sights.

Is it World War I, these various buttons?

It's a quantity of early 20th-century military and regimental buttons,

mounted for display on a leather belt.'

What could they be, Bo, as a lot on their own like that?

Uh... I'll do them for 20.

Carlos is definitely interested in the coconut cup,

doll and military buttons.

The combined price Bo's quoting is £75.'

-What's the very best, Bo?

-50.

-For the whole lot?

-Yeah.

-Wow!

I'll take it. Thanks, Bo. I'll take them all for £50. Yeah.

Three lots bagged, but now he's wandered off and found...

something else!

What has caught my eye over here

are one, two, three, four, five...

-Let's round it up to 17, shall we?

-17 figures.

And they've caught my eye

-because they decorate an area, don't they?

-Yeah.

In a real riot of colour.

They certainly are a riot.

-They're Capodimonte.

-They are. They're Capodimonte.

The original Capodimonte porcelain

came from the Royal factory in Naples, Italy,

where it was founded in the 18th century, and closed long ago.

These items are not from that historic factory,

you'll be pleased to hear.

-These really are, I suppose, the lower end, aren't they?

-Yeah.

These are more the collectable end.

-I don't know, Bo, would it be viable for me to buy the whole lot?

-Yeah.

Would it really? £20.

-The whole lot.

-25?

I'll tell you what I'll do. You take them all, £23.

-They're awful, aren't they?

-Yeah, but at £23...!

I'll take them. Thanks, Bo. That's very, very kind.

What have I done? I've got carried away!

So what?

So what, indeed! And with that triumphant swipe,

the young pretender has all his lots for auction.

Charles the younger started with £239.50

and has spent a thrifty £89 on six lots -

a World War I ammunition box,

a Korean pottery cup, a Victorian doll,

an unusual coconut shell cup, a set of military buttons

and a large collection of Capodimonte figures.

Yuck.

Charlie Ross began this leg with £246 exactly.

He spent the whole amount on five lots - a rosewood sewing table,

a silver sugar bowl, a 19th century oil painting,

a tortoiseshell sewing needle case,

and a copy of the Auction (Bidding Agreements) Act

unwittingly signed by his rival. Ha!

But what will our boys make of each other's buys?

-I'm actually lost for words.

-Yeah.

Not for long, though.

All his items, for the first time,

all of Charlie's items are really quite invigorating.

He's bought that ridiculous linen Auctions Agreements Act

that I signed, and how he unbelievably got that round me,

I'll never know. As always, may the best man win.

He never ceases to amaze me! I mean...

could you ever bracket a man with such wonderful depth of knowledge

and love of antiques with Capodimonte?

I mean...dreadful.

Which items would I rather have?

Mine, Charles. Mine!

Ha-ha. On this leg, Charles and Charlie have travelled

from Bridgnorth in Shropshire

to end up in auction here in Ledbury, Herefordshire.

They're heading to HJ Pugh & Co auctioneers

and Carlos has certainly dressed for the occasion.

-Do you think they'll have ever seen a jacket like yours?

-Probably not.

Well, I'm sure this will be an education for all concerned.

-However, disaster has struck.

-We could be in trouble.

Oh, no! One of his lots has gone missing!

The military ammo box was lost in transit.

Perhaps it blew up.

But fear not, the Road Trip rules provide for such an eventuality.

An insurance valuation of the item will be recorded as the sale price.

An independent assessment tells us that it's valued at £30.

So, before a gavel's even fallen, Charles has scored a £24 profit.

Nice - and generous.

This evening's auction is about to begin, presided over by auctioneer James Pugh.

And first up is Charlie's cheekily customised

Auctions (Bidding Agreements) slip.

Will his rival's scribbling attract the punters?

Fiver straight in we go at £5.

£5. £8. £10. Bid at ten....

Stop there! That's far too much.

At £10 here. 12. £12 I'm bid. 12. Internet's out at £12.

-Internet bid!

-Internet bidding!

-15...

Must be your mother!

15...

It's my wife for you!

-That's the way, sir!

-Get it sold.

I won't tell you he just signed another one for you. At £20...

Back in the Hanson name!

Internet's in at £22. Go on. One more.

At £22 here. Five. 25.

Stop it! Stop it, sir!

In the room I go now. At £25 and the internet's out.

Selling at £25.

Well done, sir. Well done.

It seems the crowd is keen for a little bit of Hanson.

Canny and cunning, Charlie. A nice profit for you.

I might start signing a few papers and put them to sale, Charlie!

-And take it all with me.

-That's sorted out your retirement.

-It has.

Next, Charles's collection of military buttons on a leather belt.

Might his remaining lot of militaria score a direct hit?

Tenner only. At £10 here. 15. £15 here. 15.

At £15 for that belt. 20 at the back. £20 bid. At 20...

Come on. Keep going.

Five. 25. 30.

£30 bid. Five.

35 on my right.

New bidder at £40.

I should be looking this way. At £40 here. Five more, surely?

At £40 here, 40. You're out left, and internet.

Selling, then, at £40.

That's OK. Happy, Charlie. £30 and off and running.

A stormer! What a start for Carlos!

Next, Charlie's pretty but primitive oil of a market town.

Straight in at a tenner. 15. 20. Five.

30. Five. 40. Five. 50. Five.

60. 70. 80.

-80 with me.

-I don't believe it.

90. 100. At £100. Take a five if you like.

Five. 105 over here. £105. 105. In the room...

Brilliant, Charlie. Ha ha!

Sold at 105.

Put it there. Well played. That is a wonderful result, Charlie.

And that puts Charlie firmly in the lead.

Next, Carlos's little cup.

Here we go. £5 here. Five. £10.

-Oh, dear.

-£10 in front, I have.

At £10 here. At £10.

-I'm disappointed with this.

-Absolutely!

20. £20 I've got. Internet's got it at £20 here. 20.

Five. 25. £25 bid. At 25.

£25. Internet again. I think they want you to bid once more.

£30 I'm bid. At £30. Thank you.

And the other one would be kind. At £30 bid.

£30 here. At 30. Internet's still got it. The room is out.

At £30. The hammer's up there. I'm going, then, at £30.

Thanks to some good work from James the auctioneer,

a tidy little profit for Carlos.

Now, the rosewood table. Will Charlie have a profit all sewn up?

£100 to go, surely? 100. 100.

Come on. 80, I'm bid. At £80 here. At 80.

That's brilliant.

I wonder whose it could be(!) At 90. £90 bid. At 100. £100 bid.

110. 110. 120. 130.

130. 140. 150.

150.

160. 170.

170 with me. At £170, I'm bid. At 170.

I like this man!

Had its time, and selling, then, at 170.

Oh!

-Well done. That was a result.

-It was.

Everything's looking rosy for Charlie! That solidifies his lead.

Now, Carlos is up with his odd little coconut cup.

-£20, I've got...

-Oh, dear.

-Don't worry, Charles.

£20 here for the coconut. 30. At £30 here. At 30.

At £30 here. At £30. Five.

£35 bid. At 35. Why ever not?

At £35 here. 40 if you like.

At £35 bid. At 35. At the back we go.

40. New bidder. 40.

£40 bid. Five. 45.

45, left. At £45 here. 45.

Had its time and selling at 45.

In the end, it's a nice little earner.

Now for the sweet little silver sugar bowl for Charlie.

50, I'm bid. At £50 here. At 50. 60. 70.

80. £80 bid.

At £80, then. At 80. 90 with me. At 90.

At £90. Commission, I've got one, at £90 bid.

Disappointed, though, but sold at £90.

It's all right. We don't mind £90. Cost 50.

-That's a profit of how much?

-£40.

-That's fantastic!

Another toothsome profit for Charlie.

Now, Carlos's Victorian doll.

Let's hope a pretty little profit awaits here.

£20 here. At 20. A bit of damage but away you go.

At 20. 30...

Come on, hands. Up you go.

£30. I'm disappointed with this.

Five anywhere now? Had its time.

Going now at £30.

A small win for Carlos. Not enough to take the lead from Charlie.

Charlie, I'm nibbling at profits. Nibbling.

Charlie, but I can't nibble your gigantic buys.

Charlie's tortoiseshell needle box is next. Can it pin up a profit?

£50 here. £50. 60. 70. 80.

In the room I go. £80 here. 80. 90.

100. £100 bid. Ten.

110. 110. Why ever not?

£110. You can't buy it off me tomorrow. £110 bid.

At 110. 20 anywhere now?

Had its time and selling, then, at 110.

-Well done, Charlie. Great result.

-It's a profit.

A tiny item scores a big profit for Charlie.

-Good night.

-Where are you going?

-Relaxing.

It ain't over till the fat lady sings, Charlie.

Carlos's "much loved" collection of Capodimonte figures - not -

are still to go under the hammer.

-40 to go?

-Come on!

-£5 here. Five...

-They ought to be on a shy.

-So you throw things at them.

-Here at £10.

For the lot of them! That's not each. At £10. At £10.

Here in the sale room at £10. 15 anywhere now? Sold, then, at £10.

I loved all your other lots but, Charles, I have to say,

-I put my hand on my heart and say, they were awful!

-Yeah.

And the saleroom seems to be in agreement, but chin up, Carlos.

You've done well from this sale - just not quite as well as Charlie.

Carlos began this leg with £239.50.

He made a tidy profit of £62.70 and now has...

Charlie, however, started with a narrow lead and £246 to his name.

He made a storming profit of £164 exactly,

and trips off now with...

-It's dark.

-How long were we out filming for?

-Heck of a long time.

-Long enough for you to make a whacking great loss!

-Exactly.

Er?

Except you didn't. You made a profit!

Quite. Do pay attention, Charlie.

Another day, another dollar.

And after Charlie the Elder cleaned up at the last auction,

the whole shebang hangs on this final leg of their road trip.

Charles and Charlie have cruised over 500 miles

through the English green and pleasant land

from Tarporley in Cheshire

to Itchen Stoke near Winchester in Hampshire.

On this final leg of their travels, they begin in Hereford,

oddly enough located in the county of Herefordshire,

heading for Hampshire's Itchen Stoke

for their final reckoning.

They've made it to Hereford.

First stop is Hereford Antiques Centre.

-Shall we go in together?

-Yep.

-Shopping together. I can't wait!

Charles, when you're in there,

-don't make too much noise.

-Please, likewise.

-Me?

-Yeah, you.

Yeah. A clean fight now, boys, please.

Nice shop.

-Shall I go through here?

-Anywhere you like.

-See you shortly.

Don't call me "Shortly".

Boom-boom.

-Richard. Hello.

-Hello.

Hello! Dealer Richard will assist with their search.

With £302.20, Carlos is trailing behind his competitor

as their last leg of the road trip kicks off.

Doe he have a strategy with which to better his rival?

My tactics are to really go for it.

This is my last auction.

It's my last stand against Charlie, and here he comes.

OK, Charlie? Fine, are you going past me?

-I need the loo.

-Going to the loo? Fine.

-It's obviously pre-match nerves, Charlie!

-Ha!

He doesn't seem very nervous, Charles.

I've got a lot of money. Well, a lot more than Charles has!

Don't brag. £410, to be precise.

Before long, Charlie's taken a shine to a collection of items in a silver cabinet.

There's quite a lot of watches in here, of varying sorts.

These are all damaged. They would need work to make them go.

But again, wonderful direction of decoration on that.

There might be a little job lot here which might be quite exciting.

Combined ticket price for all seven silver watches is £160.

I suppose I'd like to buy the whole lot for about 80 quid.

Charlie's going to speak to Richard.

-What's the best you could do?

-90 would be.

-90 would be.

Gosh, I'm being rather pathetic and pernickety here.

You can't do them for 80, can you?

85 I'll do.

Put it there. I think that's great. Really thrilled.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

So, Charlie has his job lot of silver watches at a bargain price.

And now Charles has also found something he likes.

This I love. Isn't that wonderful?

It's a mahogany knife box dating from way back in the late 1700s.

Back in its heyday, you would have had some fabric lining,

but over the years, it's just been completely lost.

The price on the ticket is a hefty £110.

But Charles is hoping that the damage on the box

might give him a significant leeway to negotiate.

-I quite like this knife box.

-Uh-huh.

What's the best price on that, Richard?

-This is £30.

-Really?

-Mm-hm.

-You said 30.

-Mm-hm.

It is tired. It is worn out.

-But it's history.

-Yeah.

I would like to offer £20 for it.

-Done with your approval?

-Go on, then. Done.

That's one buy. £20. Thank you, Richard.

Thank you! Charles gets the 18th-century knife box

and both our boys are storming onwards.

They're driving the 15 miles to the environs of Ledbury, Herefordshire,

where Charlie's next shop is Posterity, on the outskirts of town.

# La la la... # Hello, doggie!

No need to talk to Mackintosh like that, Charlie.

He's the yard foreman.

Owner David is on hand to help.

Posterity specialise in architectural and garden antiques.

And on site is a giant collection of absolute monsters

which have caught Charlie's eye.

I love your olive jars!

They're absolutely magnificent!

-Where do they come from?

-They're Spanish.

Northern Spanish, just south of the Pyrenees, some from up the Pyrenees.

They're known out there as tinaja,

and they're all dated between about 1850 and 1920.

They were used for storing anything. Water, wine, if you were lucky.

That's the biggest one I've ever seen in my life.

The big ones might even make a good sort of eco home!

Charlie's quite smitten with them, and he's flashing his cash.

Have you got such a thing as a 300-pounder?

I love them!

This little chap here I'd be prepared to let you have at £300.

-Would you really?

-Well, seeing as it's you!

Huh. This example dates from around 1910.

It's losing a bit of its exterior.

I think that's absolutely fabulous. Marvellous!

I can't resist it!

300 quid, sir.

Good golly! Charlie lays £300 out on a single lot

and now only has £25 left of his previously generous budget.

That's a bold move, Charlie.

And how do you think you're going to get the beast to auction, eh?

Charlie has driven on the eight miles to Malvern in Worcestershire.

This former spa town originally grew up around a medieval Benedictine monastery,

the remains of which make up the earliest parts of this,

the Grade I listed Great Malvern priory.

Charlie's aiming for his next shop, Foley House Antiques.

Careful there, old boy!

Mind the truss!

Here, dealers Tracey and Brigitte hold court.

Look out, girls!

He's only got £25 left in his wallet,

but before long, he's spied something.

-Brigitte?

-Yes?

-Can you help me?

What is that?

There, with what looks like a Russian flag and a Union Jack on it.

I'll get the key.

It looks absolutely fascinating. It's got Russian writing round it.

I'd be intrigued to know what it's to do with.

Glad to oblige!

It's a plaque commemorating the 1962 joint British/Soviet mountaineering expedition

to the Pamir Mountains in what is now Tajikistan

and was then part of the Soviet Union.

It's a real piece of history, and Charlie's quite smitten by it.

He's a bit of a climber himself, you know. Socially.

How much can your Russian plaque be?

I can't resist your Russian plaque.

Well, I shouldn't say that. Could it be a tenner?

No!

-It couldn't, no?

-15?

I think 15 would be a good price.

Does 12 sound any exciting? No?

-No, it would have to be 15.

-Have to be 15.

-Have to be.

Girls...

-A deal.

-Sold to the man in the corner!

Mwa! Thank you!

Da! All is glasnost in the shop

and Charlie has his coveted plaque.

And with that, our boys are back in the car,

and with the last auction fast approaching,

they're comparing their form in the competition so far.

I've only ever lost one series.

-Oh, no!

-Yep!

-Oh, no!

-Yep.

I've only ever won one series!

But this game isn't won until the last fall of the gavel.

They're on their way to Lechlade- on-Thames, Gloucestershire.

-There we are.

-In Cirencester.

No, you're not. You're in Lechlade-on-Thames,

which, as the name suggests, sits on the banks of old Father Thames.

CLOCK CHIMES

Cometh the hour, Charlie, cometh the man.

Come on, then!

-I'll race you, OK?

-This way, Charlie.

They're sprinting for Lechlade Antiques Arcade.

And who's winning?

I'll go right. You go straight on.

With £222.80 still to spend, Carlos is heading upstairs.

His dithering rival, however, is down to his last tenner.

-Hello.

-How are you? I'm Charlie.

-Hi, Charlie.

-And you are?

-Tim.

-Tim.

-I'm Tim. This is Dom.

-Dominic.

-Tim and Dom.

-Yes.

-A double act!

Ooh, I might find a book.

It's the sort of thing that's likely to be within my grasp.

Music lover Charlie has spotted something that might hit the right note.

History of Music.

Look at the wonderful gilding on that volume.

It's a five-volume history of music

first published by Cassell & Co

in the late 19th century.

Ticket price is £22.50.

Is that all?

That's splendid. Books are so cheap.

Good books.

Something like this doesn't really go out of fashion.

It becomes no less relevant with age.

Aren't they beautiful?

The books belong to a dealer, Veen,

who isn't in the shop today.

Charlie wants to offer his last £10 for them.

-Is it worth a try? What do you think?

-I can ring her.

-Could you?

Could you tell her it's Charlie and he's ever such a nice chap?

Tim - great name - will call Veen.

But with so little to spend, will she tell Charlie to go whistle?

While Tim, great name, makes the call, Charlie browses on,

just in case his telephonic charms don't swing the deal.

Ooh. Ordnance Survey maps.

People like old Ordnance Survey maps. They collect them.

Since their auction is near Winchester,

he's wondering if he can find a map of local interest.

And he might be just in luck.

No.

"A one-inch map of Great Britain. Winchester"!

£2.50.

And how interesting to look at one which was published in 1959.

A-ha. Tim, great name, is back.

Was Veen seduced by Charlie's offer?

She will take a tenner.

-But could the £2.50 map be included?

-Sounds good to me.

So Charlie's charm got him the books and the map thrown in for a bargain £10.

That's cheeky.

Charles, meanwhile, is another part of the shop.

Young Carlos is feeling the pressure this morning.

We have no time today, OK? Time today is of the essence.

I'm £100 behind. £100 behind that great man Charlie Ross.

But Charles has spotted something which might just save him.

This is quite nice.

What we've got here,

surprisingly out on the side,

is a pretty tray.

It's an interesting table tray

beautifully embossed in the Rococo style.

It's solid silver and dates from the Edwardian period.

It's quite good.

And two more silvery beauties have caught his eye.

You've got these two very delicious silver dishes.

Just very indistinctly hallmarked just on the edge here of this one

there is a hallmark for Chester.

And this one as well is a companion.

It's a pair. They're quite quirky.

The tickets aren't marked with prices,

so Carlos is going to ask dealer Dominic

what the tray and pair of dishes might cost.

What can you do them for?

I think £70 would be perfect.

-Golly.

-There's a good profit in there for you.

-Very tempting.

-To finish tempting you, 65.

For Queen and country, your very best price is...

It has to be 65, I'm afraid.

Hard man, but good man.

-Yeah, I'll take them. Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

-I'll take them.

Sold. Done.

Charles has now found another of Dom's items that he rather likes.

Tell me about that. Give me its pedigree.

Right. It's a little Edwardian candle set.

It's a piece of toleware,

or painted varnished tin

with gilt decoration,

comprising two candle snuffers and a pair of wick nips.

That would cut the wick, I think. Is that damaged there, Dom?

There's a small amount of damage on the handle.

What's the best price on that?

The very best on that, for you, would be £10.

And for Charles's next trick...

You gave me £5 back.

Dom, put that £5 in your hand.

I'll close my eyes

and put back in my hand which one you'd rather I take away.

I'm going to be kind today.

Abracadabra!

-Very kind.

-Are you sure?

-Yes.

With that cunning sleight of hand,

Charles has accumulated another three lots

and both our lads are hitting the road.

-Thanks again. Bye!

-The sun's out!

That's a sign of things to come.

Let's hope so!

They're driving the 32 miles to Wheatley, Oxfordshire,

where, since he's now spent every last penny in his pocket,

Charlie has decided to take the blooming afternoon off...

..and pay a visit to Waterperry Gardens

and meet their museum curator, Gordon.

A-ha. You must be the boss, sir.

-Mr Ross.

-Gordon, is it?

-It is indeed.

This is absolutely remarkable.

Waterperry House is an elegant 17th-century mansion

which remains a private residence.

But the lovely historic gardens which surround it

and were once its estate, are now open to the public

and house a garden centre and Gordon's museum of rural objects.

The well-tended gardens here have their modern roots in the 1930s,

when horticulturalist Beatrix Havergal established a ladies' agricultural school on the site.

-Beatrix...

-Havergal.

-What a splendid name!

As this footage from the mid-20th century shows,

the delightful young ladies of the school had a jolly time

learning all about aspects of horticulture.

It was a horticulture training college for young ladies only.

And they went away with some sort of diploma?

-They had the Waterperry diploma.

-Which was presumably very highly thought of.

Yes, they were well trained.

Now, Gordon's going to show Charlie some of his favourite items from the museum

which houses a vast collection of objects relating to horticulture and country life.

Hundreds and hundreds of objects, a lot of which I think I know something about,

but there are one or two, as I came through the door,

I saw a wonderful gun,

-but it didn't look like a normal sort of gun, to me.

-It's far from being normal!

It's a 19th-century gun which has been adapted to be triggered by trip wires,

designed to shoot poachers on country estates. Painful!

It's been adapted. It's the mechanism from a musket.

My goodness me. How fearsome!

It's been so arranged that this would be hidden, camouflaged, in the bushes.

-Yes.

-This rod has on the end of it, three rings.

-Yes.

-So you could have three trip-wires across one path.

-Why three?

You've got more chance of catching them than if you had two.

Good point, Gordon. In the mid-19th century,

such brutal devices were outlawed

and, of course, this one has now been rendered safely inoperative.

Gordon's taking Charlie on to see more of the museum's unusual objects.

These shoes, here. Are they shoes?

-Hmm.

-They look like shoes.

-Booties.

-Booties.

-What for?

-These two chaps, these were for sheep.

-Sheep?!

Sheep's wellies. Little sheep's wellies.

-Was that to stop them getting rot of some sort?

-Yes, if they'd got foot rot.

A medicated paste to treat foot rot

was put into the boots before the sheep were fitted with them.

-What about these?

-These are very classy.

-They look beautifully hand-stitched.

-They are.

Size four. They're for goats. Regimental goats.

These spiffy little boots would have been worn by a goat

that was the mascot to a military regiment.

What an eclectic mix you have here!

Now, Gordon's got one last thing to show you.

One orange tree.

The legend runs

that doughty Miss Havergal was unsure about her decision to start the horticultural school

until she caught the inspiring whiff of a freshly picked orange

and resolved to found Waterperry Gardens as a result.

Waterperry keeps this orange tree to remember Miss Havergal's good work to this day.

Looks like Charlie fancies one.

Careful, Charlie. Judging by that poacher gun,

they take a dim view of that sort of thing round here.

GUNSHOT

Only joking!

Charles, meanwhile, has driven on to Chilton, Oxfordshire.

This is Country Markets Antiques & Collectables

-and this is dealer, Julie.

-Hello, madam.

-Hi, there.

-How are you?

-I'm fine, thank you.

-You look a very stylish lady.

-That lovely necklace.

-Yes. My favourite.

-Beautiful.

Have you been taking lessons at the Charlie Ross Charm School, Charles?

It's like Charlie and myself.

But he doesn't want any Mickey Mouse buys today.

He's seen something with real age.

I can spy four Roman and medieval rings.

That you can. And they're priced up at a bargain £10 each.

-That ring is like a gent's signet ring, almost.

-I'd say so.

Some sort of fleur-de-lys design.

But they all have been lived in, haven't they?

Ticket price for all four is £40.

Charles so loves the items in this cabinet

that he's asked to call Frank, the dealer who owns them,

in the hope of acquiring an affordable job lot.

Frank, it turns out, is only 19 years old.

Even younger than Charles!

Frank, you've got these Roman coins

which are three pounds each.

Frankly, Frank, they're bronze Roman coins

mainly from the second to the fourth century AD.

Ticket price for all the coins and the rings combined is £82.

There's 14 Roman coins, Frank.

What would be your best price?

Hand on heart, you've got to make some money

because you're a young man building this hobby into a career.

But I would probably want to pay about £40.

Exactly. Shall we meet in the middle,

at £42.50?

Are you sure?

Charles has his last lot

and it satisfies his love for all things ancient.

Sometimes in this great Antiques Road Trip, you need to buy with your heart.

How many times has he said that before?

Now our duelling duo have all their lots for auction.

Charles Hanson began this leg with £302.20,

and he's spent £132.50 on five lots -

a mahogany knife box, a silver dressing table tray,

a pair of silver dishes, an Edwardian candle set

and a large collection of Roman and medieval rings and coins.

Charlie Ross started this leg with £410 on the button.

He spent every last coin he had, also on five lots -

a job lot of pocket watches, a Russian plaque,

a massive olive jar,

a five-volume set of books on music and a map of Winchester.

But what do they really think?

He's bought very well. He's speculated hugely with that pot.

The pot will either race away and be a saviour,

or it will be his nemesis and he'll lose his money.

Charles's things? Sheraton knife box. Nice thing, but it's completely and utterly had it.

His Roman coins? He always buys Roman coins and he does well with them.

They could make £100. The snuffers are, quite frankly, useless. They're broken.

Watch this space!

On this leg of their chummy Road Trip,

Charles and Charlie have travelled from Hereford

to their auction here in the village of Itchen Stoke,

near Winchester in Hampshire.

The pretty little village has a quintessentially English style,

just the place for our pair of dapper gents

to face their final showdown.

Where's my pot?

Charlie's managed to have the pot delivered

to the auction house in one piece!

Ooh! Off to the sale room.

Here at Andrew Smith & Son Auctions,

auctioneer Andrew Smith presides.

First up is Charlie Ross with his locally relevant map of 1950s Winchester.

-I'll start the bidding at a fiver.

-Yes!

At five pounds. Seven.

-No!

-Ten. 12.

-No!

At £10 commission bid.

12. 15. 17.

20. 22. 25. 27?

£27. Commission bid there at 27 in the room. Is there 30?

At £27.

I've got mud on my face.

Amazing. Well done, Charlie. Well done.

A local lot for local people.

A stormer of a start for Charlie.

Charles now, with his 18th-century knife box.

Might it carve out a decent profit?

Start me at £40, now. £40? £40?

-30, then.

-Oh, no.

-£30.

Got to start somewhere. £10? Ten I have.

Well done. Is there 12?

At £10 on my left. We will sell. Make no mistake. At £10.

12. 15. 17?

-£15 I have. I'm selling.

-Oh, dear.

At £15.

Made me very happy!

So it should. That cuts into Charles's chances!

-Chin up, old bean.

-Long way to go, bean.

-Long way to go. Absolutely.

Now Charlie's plaque commemorating a chilly expedition during the Cold War.

Five pounds, surely? Five pounds at the back. We're away.

Is there a seven? At £5 and selling.

Seven? At £5. Are you sure?

At five... Seven in the middle here. Ten. 12.

At £10 and selling, at the back. Is there 12?

At £10. Are you done? Any more? At £10. Last time.

-Profit?

-No.

-I thought it cost you a fiver?

-No, it cost me 15.

Now, might the bonny but broken set of candle accessories

be enough to let Charles snuff out the competition?

£10. Five. £10. Five.

-Five?

-Oh, no!

-Too much.

Five I have. Is there seven?

At £5.

Seven. 10. 12.

15?

-At £12 in the middle here.

-Too much money.

-£12.

Still a good buy at £12. Any more?

-Far too much money.

-If we're all done, for the last time.

Despite Charlie's scorn,

they scored Charles a nice little profit.

Now another for Charlie,

as his lot of five books on music play out.

Start me at £20. £20?

-£20?

-Is this it?

-Yes.

£5? Five we have. Is there seven?

At five... Seven. Ten.

12. 15.

17?

£15 standing. Is there 17?

At £15 we are selling.

Are you all done at £15?

-Profit.

-You are on top form.

Indeed he is. Charlie's still comfortably in the lead.

Can Charles change his fortunes with his lot of medieval coins and rings?

-Start me at £50.

-Come on, sir. Come on.

£50? 40?

-£40?

-It's painful.

30 to get it going. £30.

£30. 20?

£20? Surely at £20?

-A tenner to start me.

-Oh, no! £10?

-Ten we have. 12?

-Come on!

-15?

Keep going!

17. 20.

At £17 seated. 20. 22?

-Keep going.

-£20 standing.

-Oh, no!

-At £20. Can we do any more? At £20, then.

-You make your own luck.

-Last time at £20.

Ancient they may be, but profit-making they ain't.

Another for the young pretender now

as his embossed tray is up.

Might this prove every cloud has a silver lining?

I'm going to go straight in at £100.

Is there ten in the room? At £100.

All done at £100. Commission bid, then. Very last time.

-Well done.

-That's the business.

We're rolling now to victory.

Rolling the victory V!

His fortunes have turned.

Carlos steals the lead.

If silver's high today,

might Charlie repeat the trick with his watches?

£60. Is there a five in the room?

At £60, commission bid.

65. Commission bid's out. 65 in the room.

Is there a 70? At 65...

70. And five? At £70. Is there a five?

£70, right at the back.

At £70.

Last time at £70.

This really is now game on.

Time ticks on, and Charlie badly needs a profit

if he's going to re-take the advantage.

Charles's matching pair of silver dishes now.

Might lightning strike twice?

£40 commission bid. Is there a two?

-Come on.

-42. 45. 47. 50.

And five. 60. And five.

-70?

-Come on! One more!

One more!

£65. At £65. Are you all done?

For the last time.

And how!

-Well done, Charles.

-Come and catch me! Come and catch me!

If Charlie is going to catch Charles,

it all rests on this.

The very last lot of their entire Road Trip.

The enormous olive pot.

He could still do it. Oh, the tension!

£150. 160.

Commission bid's out. 160 in the room. Is there 170?

He's desperate!

Desperate!

180? 180?

It's against you at 170. 180. Well done. 190.

200?

At £190 then in the door, there.

Oh, madam, I'll lend you a tenner!

You're making some people very happy in the corner here!

-At £190.

-I need more!

-200?

At £190, then. Are you all done?

-Last time.

-He's holding it, Charlie.

-Oh, no!

-Put it there, sir.

Oh, Charlie, a massive loss on a massive lot.

It's all gone to pot, eh?

That was a rollercoaster! But you've done me.

Charlie Ross began this leg with £410 exactly.

After auction costs, he made a disastrous loss

of £154.16,

meaning he's left with a total of £255.84.

Poor old fruit! Don't cry!

Charles Hanson, meanwhile, began with £302.20.

He managed to bag a profit of £41.34

and ends victorious

with £343.54.

with all profits going to Children In Need.

I've really enjoyed our Road Trip. I really have.

Au revoir, then. Till next time, chaps!