Episode 11 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.

Yippie!

I can see better with those.

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

There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

-LAUGHTER

-They'll probably have a row!

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

Thanks! He's just about killed that, hasn't he?

This is the Antiques Road Trip!

Yeah!

It's a brand-new week and a brand-new road trip,

and this time, we've got double trouble, with two Jameses.

You have been a past winner of this road trip.

I think I'm going to raise my game

if I'm going to give you anything remotely like a challenge.

James Braxton has 20 years' experience in antique auctioneering,

and alongside being dandy and dapper,

he's not afraid of a cheeky offer.

-I thought I was being fair!

-LAUGHTER

On guard!

His competitive companion, James Lewis,

is a seasoned auctioneer, with his own business in Derbyshire. He loves

a bargain, and would risk life and limb to get the best buy.

Ouch! I've just stabbed myself.

It's day one for James and James,

as they set off in their sunshine yellow 1983 VW beetle,

and it's about the only sunshine they're experiencing right now.

-It's trying to widdle on us, but not very successfully.

-I have my hat.

-Well done, well done.

-In case of danger.

In case of deluge. I'm not feeling anything on my head.

That's the funny thing about these convertible cars,

it's a bit like the jet stream, isn't it?

We've got our own little jet stream,

and it carries everything over, so we'll be uninterrupted.

The route for the week ahead

takes our intrepid road trippers

from Ampthill, in Bedfordshire,

across the Channel to Jersey

and back again to the final

destination of Leamington Spa,

covering almost 1,000 miles. Gosh!

But today's trip begins in Ampthill,

and ends up at auction

in Market Harborough.

Ampthill is a name of Anglo-Saxon origin, the first settlement

here was called Aemethyll, which literally means ant-infested hell.

It doesn't look that bad, does it?

-That was good.

-Made it.

-How do I get out of this?

-Stretch my legs! Oh!

I'm not built for these classic cars, you know!

Maybe they weren't built for you, James!

So, two shops. Which one do you fancy?

I'll take the one within striking distance, I think.

-OK.

-Where's yours?

-It'll be around somewhere.

-The walk will do you good, James.

-What are you saying?

-Go on, get on with you!

-I've noticed you've put on

a few pounds over the years. LAUGHTER

Get running!

Yes, run along, boys. You haven't got all day.

James Lewis is off to his first shop,

Lawson and Lee's, to meet owner Claire.

-Hello.

-I'm James. Nice to see you.

Claire has a bit of a penchant for '50s and '60s retro.

It might be in vogue, but it's not exactly what James is looking for.

Until he spots something that looks a little bit familiar.

An Edwardian bridge box.

I bought one of these last year on Road Trip.

-And do you know how I know that?

-Is this the one?

-It's the same one.

-It isn't the same one?!

-It is the one.

-It isn't!

-It is, you know!

At 120. All done at 120...

-Thank you.

-I thought she looked familiar.

What would be your best on it this time?

Oh, gosh, I don't know. I'm not sure.

Surely he's not thinking of buying it again?!

-Have a think. Just have a think.

-I'll have a think, then.

-That would be a Road Trip first.

-First, exactly!

And where's the fun in that, hey?

Find something new, James. Come on!

Meanwhile, just around the corner,

James Braxton is forging ahead at the Ampthill Antiques Emporium.

He's got his beady eye on a copper hearth surround

in the Arts and Crafts style.

The chancers are asking £45 for it! Dear, oh, dear, oh, dear!

Cheeky devil! But that's not going to stop him

doing a deal on it, oh, no.

Libby, is there some discount on that?

-Do you really like that, then?

-I do like it.

Well, the best would be £40.

-£40?

-Yes, that's just over the 10%.

£40, OK... Well, you've definitely got a deal with that, Libby.

-Thank you very much.

-Yes, I'll have that.

Would you clean all that up?

I was hoping you might!

No, you've got to be joking!

LAUGHTER

Back in the other shop,

James Lewis has spotted a walnut music box, inlaid with

geometrical micromosaic panels, if you want to get technical about it.

GENTLE MUSIC

Listen to that.

Probably Swiss, 1940, the Swiss musical box.

But it's that little inlay that the whole box is covered in

that makes it desirable.

For some strange reason,

he wants to pair the £55 box with some wooden napkin rings at £20.

For me to stand a chance, I need to pay about £15 for them.

Erm... Yes, OK. That's fine.

Blimey, an odd combination, but that was easy.

Well, that was easy!

I just said that! Beginner's luck?

No. Elsewhere, James Braxton has got his eye on

a gold-plated wax seal, keenly priced at £44.

But will it make an impression?

So we've got a sort of citrine here,

beautifully intaglio engraved with a crest.

How much could that be, Libby?

38.

38. Well, that's better than normal, isn't it?

That's a good price.

Do you think they might be pushed to 35?

I'd have to do a phone call.

-Would you?

-Yes. That might take me a moment.

Could you do a phone call? I wouldn't mind a...

Well, if you're phoning, why don't you say 30, then?

Well, a wasted opportunity, isn't it?

I'll see what I can do.

Now who's the chancer, James?

This seal would have been used to validate a document.

Handsome, and it dates back to about 1830.

-How did we do?

-He's accepted your offer of 32.

-Why, he's a very kind man.

-That was very good.

He is a very kind man. I'll have that.

OK, that's lovely. Thank you very much.

I thought the offer was £30 on the seal. Ah, well.

What's £2 between friends?

So that's £32 for the gold seal and £40 for the copper hearth surround.

£72. Not bad. A good day's shop.

-That's right.

-I'll take that away.

-One receipt.

-OK.

Thank you very much indeed. Bye.

Meanwhile, the other James has spotted an odd looking brooch.

It's a bit of 19th-century jewellery, but the unusual thing is,

it's made totally out of hair.

Human hair? Yuck!

The only thing rarer than this is the collectors for them.

-They're even rarer!

-LAUGHTER

You're either going to rate this really highly, or not at all.

LAUGHTER

He'll need to trim something off the £100 pricetag.

-20.

-25.

A snip on the hair brooch,

but it looks like he's going for a joblot again.

That is a mid-19th-century brooch,

probably made from pinchbeck,

and pinchbeck was invented by a Dr Pinchbeck,

who tried to make a metal to look like gold.

And he did it. And that was the result. How much could that be?

40.

I like that, and I like that. I think they work quite well together.

If I gave 45 for the two...

It's a cheeky offer!

Erm... OK.

Ouch! I've just stabbed myself with it, with excitement!

-Put it in a box quickly!

-Blood! Blood!

Oh, for goodness' sake, James! Stop being such a drama queen.

Dear me. OK, how much do I owe you? The marquetry - 15.

And the two brooches for 45, so £60, yes?

-Yes, 60.

-I'm going to leave that.

It would have been fun to buy it back.

Get on with it, you silly boy!

There we are. Thank you very much. Thank you.

-And let's see how we go!

-Yes.

Haven't you forgotten something, James?

Hat!

Thank you. I know I'm going to lose this by the end of this trip!

Bye! Thank you.

Whilst James Lewis has been giving blood,

James Braxton has been making

a pilgrimage to Olney,

in Buckinghamshire,

with a certain tune in mind.

# Amazing grace

# How sweet the sound

# That saved a wretch

# Like me... #

Amazing Grace is one of the best-known hymns of the last

250 years, but its origins are rooted right year in Olney.

James has come along to meet Elizabeth Knight

at the Cowper & Newton Museum to find out the history of the hymn.

-What rain!

-Again!

-Hello, James.

-Elizabeth.

Hello, very nice to meet you. Well, this will be fascinating.

I'm looking forward to hearing

more about this amazing song that I've sung.

-This hymn!

-Oh, yes. That's only part of the story, though.

Amazing Grace was written by Reverend John Newton

and William Cowper, who was England's most respected poet

at the end of the 18th Century.

This is my favourite portrait of him.

It was painted when he lived at Weston Underwood in 1792,

by Abbott, and it is said when his servant first saw it,

-he bowed to it. Because it's such a good likeness, apparently.

-Really?

Throughout his life, Cowper was plagued by depression.

Curiously, though, his melancholia was eased by three pet hares.

They were given to the poet as young leverets,

to distract him as he was coming out of one of his periodic depressions.

Because of his depression,

Cowper had moved to Olney in 1767 to be under

the ministry of Reverend John Newton,

but Newton's career path to the Church

hadn't been a conventional one.

I'm seeing lots of things pertinent to slavery,

so what's the association between Newton and slavery?

Because he was a slave captain at one time.

I see. From slave ship captain to vicar, to curate here,

was there a Damascus moment? What happened?

Yes, there was. Let me show you.

The slavery business was known as the triangular trade.

That could take three years.

-Really?

-Yes.

And it was on one of these return voyages in the Atlantic, where there

was a tremendous storm, and they thought they were going to drown.

And though Newton had an early Christian upbringing from his mother,

obviously, in his seafaring days, he'd forgotten all about that,

and he actually called on the Lord's voice for the first time

in many years, and the storm didn't immediately abate, but

it gradually lessened and they were able to limp home to Ireland,

and he dates his conversion from that day.

Having seen the error of his ways,

Newton eventually became Curate of Olney.

With the help of Cowper,

the Olney Hymns were written with

the under-educated parishioners in mind.

In the case in the corner, we have the first edition of

the Olney Hymns, published in 1779,

and its most famous hymn Amazing Grace.

# Amazing grace

# How sweet the sound... #

And this was making the, sort of, Bible more accessible to

the people who he was serving, presumably?

Yes, he could teach them the Bible through these hymns.

# ..Was blind, but now can see... #

Amazing Grace was just one of the 348 hymns that Newton

and Cowper wrote together.

Since recorded over 7,000 times,

it has come to mean many things to many people,

and it all began right here in this quiet corner of Buckinghamshire.

Meanwhile, James Lewis has also made his way to Olney for his last

shop of the day the Antiques Centre,

and he's looking for something special.

That's what we like.

Something that will get people talking.

A £2 coin for £3.50.

No, something that will cause a stink, maybe.

Well, what do you reckon to that?

I'm not sure, James.

Any ideas?

No, help me out.

Smell it.

SNIFFING

What does that smell of?

Kind of musty. Fishy. Chocolatey.

That is turtle poo.

You've got to be joking?!

Fossilised, millions of years old. It could be yours for £22.

A bargain! I'll take two, please. Ta. Do they come in pairs?

You don't often see real poo for sale.

I can't think why, James(!)

Now, go and wash your hands and carry on shopping. Really!

What have you got there, James?

It's a box from the 19th Century.

It's got marquetry around the edges, and the corners are missing.

But there are various ways of sorting that.

It looks like the casket is ebony, with ivory inlay.

Now, items containing ivory made after 1947 are illegal to sell,

but as this piece dates from around 1880, it can still be traded, but

will owners Sheila and Nick let it go for less than

the pricetag of £25?

£15, offer.

That's it. Last chance. Last throw of the dice.

That sounds fine.

Brilliant, thank you.

-After all that... £15.

-It's just unbelievable!

-There we are. Thank you very much. Thank you.

-OK.

And just as he's about to leave, James spies one final buy.

I didn't see those when I walked in. They're quite sweet.

Little pair of lorgnettes.

You can imagine an Edwardian lady taking those out, can't you?

-Very much so.

-They actually work.

I can see better with those! £22.

As we are on a roll, how about 15 again?

Yes, I'm sure she'll do that.

-Yeah? It's not a big discount, is it?

-It's not a big discount.

I can't believe that! A flourish at the end!

A little flourish at the end?

He's not going back for that turtle poo, is he?

So, I owe you 15 again. There we go. Thank you.

And with that, day one's shopping is dung... Ha-ha!

I mean, done!

With four lots in the bag, it's been a good day for James Lewis.

Night-night, chaps!

# Morning has broken! #

Our experts are up with the lark, and other such cliches,

and they're heading off to carry on more shopping.

Let's cut to the chase. How many items have you bought?

Items one, two, three, four... LAUGHTER

-I think six.

-I want to buy three lots, at least three or four lots.

-All with a good profit. I'm going to take you on, James!

-Ha!

So far, James Lewis has spent £90 on four lots.

The Victorian lorgnette,

the Indian sadeli box,

a pair of brooches, and the music box and napkin rings,

leaving him with £110 for the day ahead.

James Braxton, meanwhile,

has spent £72 on two lots

the citrine and gold-plated seal,

and the copper hearth surround,

giving him £128 to splash.

But before James embarks on

more shopping, James Braxton is

dropping James Lewis off at

a car-boot sale in Northampton.

I love car-boots. I used to go,

but now, of course, they say, "Oh, it's him off the telly!

"I'm not selling anything to him!"

LAUGHTER

And can you blame them?

The thing about car-boot sales is that one man's trash is

another man's treasure, so good luck, James.

How much is the pestle and mortar?

-That can be £15.

-It's quite early.

Its 18th Century. 1780.

It could actually be early 19th, 1820. But in that period,

if you were ill and had an ailment,

you visited your pharmacist, your pharmacist would have used this

pestle and mortar to make your powders, to make your medicines.

And when qualifying, every pharmacist was given one of these

as a classic graduation present. And because they're made out of bronze,

they've lasted in quite large numbers.

But 15 quid is not expensive.

-I like that.

-Yes?

What about if I throw an old book in? And we'll call it £25.

The Badminton Library. Fishing, Pike and Coarse Fish.

Sounds like a bit of a catch to me!

That could almost go with that.

Really?!

I'll give you a tenner for that.

I'm going to have to hold out for 15.

Because of what it is, and because I think it's got some age.

In that case, I'll give you 15 quid the two. Throw your £2 quid book in.

OK, yeah.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-You've got a deal.

Hook, line, and sinker.

But James's buys are turning into a bit of pick and mix.

-Thank you.

-Goodbye, thank you.

Whatever next, a mediaeval bronze bell to complete the lot, eh?

I ploughed that up in the Parish of Yelvertoft a few years ago...

-Oh, yeah?

-You ploughed it up?

-Yes. It's goat or a sheep, is it?

-Yeah.

Looks like a bell to me!

Car-boot sale...

A load of brand new bits and bobs, made of mediaeval bronze.

How much is that?

-50p.

-Sold.

Me and my big mouth, eh? Ding-dong!

-Thank you very much. Have a good day.

-And you, thank you.

Back on the road, James Braxton

has driven on to Finedon,

in Northamptonshire, for his next stop.

Finedon is a small town in the district of Wellingborough.

Since 2011, their parish priest has been Reverend Richard Coles,

formerly of '80s pop group The Communards.

But there will be no dancing in the aisles for James.

He's off to Affleck Bridge Antiques.

-Hello.

-Good morning.

-Hello. James.

Hello, James. I'm Edward.

Hello. Very nice to meet you, Edward. What a glorious day, isn't it?

Now, Edward, I quite like the personal shopping approach.

Can you tell me, have you got some sort of market-fresh,

nice new items that have recently come in?

There's quite a few.

We could step through to the back room.

Oh, lovely.

It's a sort of artsy-craftsy piece, I think.

I don't know the make, but it should be labelled.

-Nice chamber stick.

-Nice chamber stick, isn't it?

It's sort of perpetual movement, almost, isn't it? It's rather fun.

One for the backburner, eh, James?

What's this? Umbrella Covers North.

What attracts me about this item is, you've got a very novelty...

sort of stylised, looks like a kookaburra, forming a handle.

It's a lady's umbrella, that all works... Parasol.

It's just got a little bit of loss there.

But if you look at the detail of this, this is a luxury good,

a luxury accessory, and it's £28!

So with the umbrella at £28, what about that chamber stick at £24?

Could you do 40 for the two, Edward?

-That's pushing us.

-I thought I was being fair!

LAUGHTER

Well, to give you a chance at the auction, we could do that.

OK, that's very kind. Thank you very much indeed, thank you.

That's really kind. That's 40.

Thank you very much, James. I'm glad you found something.

-Good luck.

-I'm really pleased with those. Thank you very much indeed.

-You're welcome.

-Bye.

-Bye-bye.

-Bye-bye! Bye-bye!

So two more items for the swag bag, and without a moment's delay,

James is on to his next location, Brackley,

and the final shop of the day.

Historically, a market town based on the wool and lace trade,

Brackley was built on intersecting routes between London,

Birmingham and the Midlands called a crossroads.

-HE HUMS

-And just one look at this place,

it really is an Aladdin's cave.

-Hello, James.

-Hello, Jim Broomfield, pleased to meet you.

Hello. Jim, what's your part in this?

-I own it. I do, yes.

-What an amazing place.

I'm going to need a guide, are you going to guide me around?

-I'll show you around.

-Lead on, lead on.

If you'll come this way.

The cellar has 160 dealers and covers 3,000 square feet

and it's all looking shipshape and Bristol fashion.

Ow, goodness.

It's well made. That really nipped me.

Careful, James, we've already had one brooch injury.

It's a very nice design, that,

but quite sort of weird for a lady to wear

a big brooch like that.

Well, he's not weighing anchor yet,

although he is sailing towards more silverware.

-What is it?

-I think it's German.

Emil Langer. Hamburg.

And it's a teapot.

It's that terribly tough silver plate.

It's very well fitting.

It's got a certain robust charm about it, isn't it?

Vorsprung durch teapot, some might say!

Not me, though.

How much do you want for that one, then?

-Five pounds?

-Five pounds.

-Well, let's see, let's see if we can...

-Get something to go with it.

Let's see if we can get something else to go with it, shall we?

Mmm. It seems James still isn't ready to commit, or is he?

Um, yeah. I think I'm going to take the teapot,

but I'll only pay him a pound for it.

Five pounds is a bit much.

Ah, he's playing hard to get, the old devil!

So what's he going to team it up with, then?

I think I'll go in this side.

I've always loved these nests of beakers.

1945. These are German as well.

It's a lovely Second World War font, isn't it?

-Yes, it is.

-Very German.

Do you think you could do a decent price on those?

Yes, I would think so. What have we got on at the minute?

-It's got £25.

-Yeah.

I could certainly give him a ring and find the best he'll do on it.

After a quick phone call to the owner,

James secures the beakers for £15

but something else is weighing on his mind...

I like the anchor as well.

So Jim's partner, Deborah,

gets on the phone to the owner of the £28 anchor brooch.

-Go, Debs!

-Hold on.

-£15.

-£15, £15, definitely, I'll take it.

That's very kind of her.

-Thank you.

-Thanks, Shirley, bye.

-Thank you, bye.

That teapot, do you think it would make a happy bedfellow

-with the beakers?

-I think it would, being German.

-Being German.

-And well-made.

What have I got on me? What have I got on me? Here you are.

That's a bit insulting!

There you are.

-Would a big two buy it?

-The teapot?

-Yeah.

-Two pounds?!

-Oh, would it?

-How about double or quits, then, James?

-Definitely, definitely.

Double or quits. Double or quits. Are you going to spin?

-I'll spin, you call.

-OK.

Heads, because it's the Queen's time.

Tails!

HE LAUGHS

Jolly lucky I had the other one.

THEY LAUGH

-Thank you, James.

-Thank you very much indeed, Jim. Thank you.

So, after gambling and losing, the teapot has cost James dear.

Four pounds, instead of two. On top of that,

he's bought the beakers and the anchor brooch for £15 each.

Having finished his shopping earlier,

the other James has driven to Kettering

to visit England's answer

to the Palace of Versailles.

Boughton House has been home to the Montagus since 1528

and you'd be forgiven for thinking

it's a little bit of France

right here in England.

Its design and contents have been heavily influenced

by the tastes of the famous French Sun King, Louis XIV.

James is here to meet Charles Lister, to find out more.

-Charles.

-James, welcome to Boughton House.

-The English Versailles.

-Thank you very much. What a place!

I was not expecting to find a French palace

in the middle of Northamptonshire! What's it doing here?

Well, it's very much the creation of Ralph Montagu,

English Ambassador to Louis XIV,

who transformed his Tudor house here into a very French-style building.

If you'd like to come through, I can tell you all about him and his life.

Gosh!

This is the Great Hall, the centrepiece of the house,

where all the entertaining would take place.

William III would have been invited by Ralph Montagu,

the first Duke of Montagu, who's portrayed just over here.

-This is Ralph, himself.

-So, he built this house?

He turned a small Tudor mansion

into a grand vision of what he'd seen

as Ambassador to Louis XIV over in France.

What inspired him to do this, from an original Tudor style?

It was very much, he's advancing in society.

He starts as the second son of Lord Montagu

and he increasingly becomes more important, more prominent,

so he wants to have a house that reflects that,

and partly the way you do that, you invite the King here,

he enjoys it, hopefully, he'll give you a Dukedom.

So, it's a bit of one-upmanship and a bit of social climbing, as well!

Some things never change, do they?

It seems not.

Montagu drew on his time in France

to recreate his own version of Versailles here

and the opulent court of Louis XIV.

-The true Sun King.

-Oh, my goodness!

Andre-Charles Boulle at his best.

Boulle was cabinetmaker to Louis XIV, wasn't he?

That's right, yes, indeed.

Has Ralph gone over and seen...?

Not only has he seen, but he's obtained pieces,

perhaps even presented pieces by Louis XIV.

It was not so much of a problem then to be given ambassadorial gifts.

-Ah, OK.

-So, I think this particular piece, perhaps not,

but many of the sort of fine French furniture in the house

may have either been bought or been given to him as Ambassador.

Oh, look at that!

Oh, my goodness! What a lovely piece of furniture.

And to still see it in private ownership is lovely.

Absolutely priceless.

Boughton House is now owned by the Duke of Buccleuch,

but with such opulence and grandeur,

this place really was fit for a king.

My goodness! That is incredible!

The colours! Not the original upholstery, surely?

Yes, indeed. This was purchased by Ralph Montagu in 1660 from France.

It formed the centrepiece of his state apartment,

created to show King William III by this point.

He was going to come here, enjoy the state apartment he created for him.

I suppose he purchased them with the intention

-of making the state apartment for Charles II?

-That's right.

-Eventually, William took over by the time he'd finished.

-Exactly.

-Gosh.

-There's some money spent in here, isn't there?

-Vast sums of money.

Furnishing the bed itself, the furniture here,

even the parquet floor here cost £5,000

in the 1680s to actually complete it,

-which was a vast sum of money.

-Goodness me!

That's approximately £631,000 in today's money.

And all really for the King to come and be here for one day, really.

Incredible!

It might have been an expensive case of social climbing,

but almost 400 years later, Boughton House is one of the jewels

in Britain's crown, essentially English-French in flavour.

In the old servants' hall at Boughton House,

it's time for our experts to get the first glance at each other's buys.

Look at this!

Now, pince-nez.

-Or lorgnettes, maybe, even.

-Lorgnettes, yeah.

-They look very smart.

-Have a look.

-There we go. Because you know they often don't spring, do they?

-Yeah.

-They've got everything, these.

-Yeah.

Aren't they fabulous? So much clearer.

Now, what are you majoring in, then?

Yes, it is hard to tell!

-The bell, early bronze bell, mediaeval one.

-Right.

-The fishing book. All from the car-boot sale.

-Really?

From the car booty. Badminton Library.

The box and the napkin rings from my first shop,

along with the plaited hair brooch,

-and the Etruscan eye.

-Right.

-They were from the first shop.

-Yeah.

The second shop was the box,

that took me ages to find,

-and the lorgnettes.

-Lovely, lovely.

-I like the lorgnettes.

-Fifteen quid.

That's all right. You'll do well.

Not bad. But with so much bundling up of items,

I'd say James Lewis is hedging his bets just a little bit too much.

-Here we go, this is my first purchase.

-OK.

My hearth surround, sort of arts and craftsy, coppery fellow.

Then in the same place, I bought this little fellow

as a sort of seal. A very nice, sort of, citrine

-intaglio-engraved fellow.

-That's lovely.

-1820, 1830, isn't it?

-Yeah. Circa 1830.

"Without the Lord, everything is in vain," it says.

-That's the little motto, there.

-And the anchor. Is it silver?

Yeah, unmarked, though. It reminds me of Exeter.

-The old Irish were quite lawless.

-Yes, they were.

Exeter silver's generally marked,

but it could have come from somewhere like Cork.

It would be nice if it was Cork.

-Cork silver.

-Then I bought this nice kookaburra. Isn't that amazing?

-Oh, it's brilliant!

-A luxury good.

I don't know what it is, 1930s, something like that.

-Yeah.

-A lady's umbrella.

-I like that.

-£20! Look at the quality.

We've all bought a clutch of items that have merit.

Yes, I think so.

Best of buddies now, but how long will it last?

What do they really think of each other's items?

James, the great winner of this programme on many series before,

and then he took away his cover and...slightly aghast, really.

Gold lorgnettes, lovely.

£15, an absolute gift, but I question a man who buys Sorrento ware.

Sorrento-ware napkins and a music box.

However cheap, would you really want to buy them?

Get off the fence, then, James(!)

My items look quite good, beside his.

James is a guy with such a good eye and real quality, normally.

The little fob seal is lovely,

but the rest left me cold, really.

I couldn't see any great profits in there at all.

They are just so unfashionable, fenders.

I don't know. I predict a loss there, I think.

I think I've got a better lot of stuff than he has.

But then he probably thinks exactly the same!

It sounds like the gloves are well and truly off! With both our experts

feeling confident, there's only one way to find out who's bought best.

From Kettering, our boys are back

on the road, as they head to

auction in Market Harborough.

Here we are.

This is my least favourite part of the trip - coming to the auction.

With no power. All in the hands of the auctioneer.

-I have a phrase - sit and die.

-Let's sit and die together.

Ooh!

Today, our experts are going head-to-head at Gildings,

which has established itself as an auction house of distinction

over the last 30 years.

Have our boys spent their money wisely?

James Lewis started out with £200 and spent £105.50 on five lots,

leaving him with £94.50.

James Braxton also started with £200 and bought six lots,

spending £146, leaving him with £54 in hand.

Here we go.

First up for James Braxton, it's the Arts and Crafts copper hearth

surround, and it's over to auctioneer Mark Gilding.

Nice, this one.

-£50, do I see?

-It's going for 50.

-Ten.

-£10 only. I'm bid at ten.

At £10, I'm bid at £10.

£12, do I see?

-Come on.

-I'll even polish it for you.

At £12, I'm bid.

-At 15, 18...

-We're getting there.

At £18. You're not bidding at 18.

The bid's 18.

£18 and selling away. At 18.

Ouch! Well, that failed to set the auction room ablaze.

You were dead right. Obviously the wrong size.

First up for James Lewis, the pair of brooches -

the creepy hair one and the evil-eye one.

-Is it undamaged?

-Yes, it's perfect.

-It's six loops of different hair.

-What will we say for these?

The two of them, £100, do I see?

Don't all bid at once(!)

OK, then, £20, I'm bid.

£20, I'm bid. Have it your way. 5, 30. 35.

£35, 40. 40, I'm bid.

-No way!

-It's creeping.

-45, I'm bid. At 45.

-Still a loss.

48, 50. £50, I'm bid. At £50.

5, at £55. 60, do I see? It's 55.

You're all quiet in the room.

£55 and I'm instructed to sell.

At £55.

A pin-prick of a profit for James Lewis.

It's washed its face.

A little profit there.

That's my expression. Next up for James Lewis,

it's that dainty gold lorgnette.

Good luck.

-We'll see.

-At 22, 25, 28. 28,

I'm bid now at 28.

At £28, I'm bid now.

At 32, 35. At 35.

All my bids are out.

-38, do I see it?

-No way!

-Are you bidding, internet?

Just flashing, then, at £35...

A man of vision, is our James Lewis.

But he didn't see that one coming, did he?

They could have had a one in front of them, couldn't they?

That is disastrous.

Now it's James Braxton's gold-plated seal.

Will it make an impression on the bidders?

Do you think people still collect those seals?

-That was lovely. It was beautifully...

-It was.

£20, 5, 30, 5, 40.

45. Into profit.

That's £45 bid. 45 and selling away.

His first profit. Good. And it's not that bad.

A nice little profit, there. I'm all right.

Now it's James Lewis' 19th-century Indian sadeli casket.

Bidding starts at 25, 35, £40. I'm bid at 40.

At £40, 45, 50, 55, seated. At 55.

At £55 I'm bid. Do I see 60?

It should be worth more than this,

but £55, I'm bid.

All out in the room and the net is out. 55 seated, 60. New bidder, 65.

-You were right.

-At 70...

And I'm selling at £70.

That's not bad.

I'm pleased with that.

Yes, it's turned out to be a right little treasure chest

and puts James Lewis into an early lead.

Come on, Brackers!

You've got some catching up to do with the 1930s lady's umbrella.

£10, I'm bid only.

I thought this would make a lot more. 12, 15, 18, 20.

22. 22 bid now. In the room at 22.

At £22, the net's out as well.

-Oh, go on!

-22... A new bidder here.

30. 30 I'm bid. At £30.

At 30, and selling at £30.

A luxury item at 30.

Oh, dear.

At least he's covered himself.

Next up for James Braxton is the

-pottery chamber stick.

-There we are.

£10, I'm bid. The Linthorpe style.

£10, I'm bid. At £10, I'm bid.

£12, do I see? It's £10 only.

£12, I'm bid now.

£12 bidder in the room.

-Bit of a charity bid, there.

-Yes.

At £12, and selling away.

The chamber stick fails to light up the room.

Another loss for James Braxton. Next!

This is my box that you really hate.

Slightly strange bedfellows now.

The walnut music box and the wooden napkin rings.

Lovely quality marquetry here.

Lovely quality marquetry, James.

-Actually, only, £5 I'm bid.

-God!

That's about right.

£12, 15, 18, 20, 22,

out this side, it's 22. Are you

bidding at 22? 22 on my left.

At 22. 5 to bid. I'm selling quick,

-then, at 22, and away.

-Oh...

Oh, bottom!

That's about the right price for that.

The odd collection clearly appealed to someone and gave James Lewis

another creeping profit, but can James Braxton accelerate with

his set of German beakers and a teapot?

I like these beakers.

The beakers are nice.

You could take them on a picnic.

£50, are we? £10, I'm bid.

I'm bid 12, 15, 18, 20, 22...

You're out now. It's down here,

at £22. 5, I'll take. At 22...

A good pairing, but not the match of the day.

My last chance

at profit is the anchor. It's got to make...

It's got a big responsibility. It's got to make about 60 quid.

No pressure, then(!) It's the anchor brooch.

It should be £40-50, shouldn't it?

Yeah, it should.

Bidding starts at £15. 18, 20, 22,

25, 28 and I'm out.

28, it's in the room, and selling at £28.

-30.

-Go on. Go on.

-Go on.

-32, 35. This side.

You're out on my left. At 35.

-Well done.

-Well done.

Anchors away, with a tidy profit.

The final lot for James Lewis

is the pestle and mortar,

the medieval bronze bell,

and the book on fishing.

He does love a good pick 'n' mix.

Bidding starts at 10, 12, 15, £18.

-Oh!

-18, I'm bid. 20, 22, 25, 28, 30.

30, I'm bid in the room.

All my bids are lost at £30.

£30 in the room. At 30.

Oh, that's all right.

-There we go.

-An odd lot, though, puts in one last profit.

Is it enough to land the first victory?

James Braxton started the show with £200, and after auction costs,

he's made a loss of £13.16, sending him

through to the next round with £186.84.

Don't look so serious.

James Lewis also started with £200 after costs.

He's made a profit of £68.34, taking his total to £268.34

and claiming the first victory of this road trip.

He's looking serious too. Tight-lipped.

-Well...

-Winner decides? Do you want me to drive?

-Go on, you drive.

-I should sit in the back.

-You should do. Only £60-odd.

You don't get the full chauffeuring service.

It's better than a loss, James.

-It certainly is.

-Oh, dear.

-It was hard today.

-It was.

-I think we struggled.

-Certainly did.

But a good start to the trip, and there's everything left to play for.

Next time, on the Antiques Road Trip,

James Braxton is read like a book.

You've held it more than two seconds so that means you're interested.

You crafty dealers!

-Come on, give me the horn.

-And James Lewis is just red in the face.

HE BLOWS HORN TUNELESSLY

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd