Episode 13 Antiques Road Trip

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

a classic car and a goal - to scour Britain for antiques.

-Going, going, gone. BOTH:

-Yes!

The aim - to make the biggest profit at auction.

-But it's no mean feat.

-Yes!

There will be worthy winners and valiant losers.

-Tails.

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

Argh! Argh!

This is the Antiques Road Trip.

Welcome to the final leg of our journey

into the philosophy of David Harper and Paul Laidlaw.

To buy, or not to buy - that is the question.

The voices in my head are reassuring me.

-"Buy it! It's gorgeous, it's rare!"

-"Go on. Go on."

"No, you don't need it."

"But look, it's a lovely example of its kind."

Two curious experts and this time two classic cars

because although they started out in a red Triumph,

mechanical problems mean they will cross the line in a blue MG.

I feel sad for the Herald but goodbye. Hello, MG!

Auctioneer Paul is from Scotland

and is a maths graduate who almost became an accountant.

A self-confessed antiques geek, he has got quite an eye.

-I've got to come clean. It's a Stanhope.

-It isn't!

Dealer David is from County Durham.

He admits to never actually having a proper job

-but is also a lifelong collector.

-That is Japanese silver, baby.

He's been chasing Paul all week

and last auction finally pipped him.

I'll take that. It's pink troosers time.

David began with £200 and after four trips to auction

he's increased that to £325.

Paul also started out with £200 and so far

he's managed to amass quite a bit more, with precisely £470.26.

On this trip, our chaps set off from Windermere

in the Lake District before travelling 600 miles

and reaching their journey's end in the city of Dundee, Scotland.

Today they kick-off in Glasgow and make their way north

and east towards the sea and the deciding auction at Dundee.

Welcome to the second city of the British Empire, Glasgow.

Once an industrial powerhouse, it's packed with impressive architecture,

a fact not missed by Hollywood movie makers, who regularly film here.

-Glasgow is Gotham City. It is amazing, isn't it?

-It is.

It's a bit of a shock to both you and I

cos we are a bit country bumpkin at the end of the day, aren't we?

I'm going to go and leave you with your new mate.

Try not to buy junk that's going to make massive profits

because that is really rather annoying!

-I'm getting a bit of a reputation.

-See you later.

While Paul gets shopping,

David has to concentrate on keeping that MG paintwork pristine.

-Steady on.

-Hello, there. A welcoming party!

-I'm Paul.

-Hi, Paul. I'm Roz.

-Roz. Great to see you.

-Vincenzo.

-Vincenzo!

-Nice to meet you.

Like your style. I like this!

Located in the East End of the city at the famous Barras market,

Antiques & Collectables should offer up a bargain or two...

..like this.

That's older than it looks.

If that was teak you'd go, "That's 1970s, isn't it?"

"With that line there."

It's oak and I think it may be 1940s.

Yeah, but what is it?

It's an oak cake stand.

We've got this whole cupcake revolution going on

and all of a sudden, auctioneers can sell cake stands.

Don't forget the auction is in Dundee as well.

There you have it. Nice and compact.

Pull this little...

Pull that off. HE WHISPERS

-Oops!

-And then it...

Pop that in there, it secures it. That is a little diamond, isn't it?

-I think he's quite excited.

-Easily missed.

(If the dealer missed it, does he think it's another piece

(of '70s, maybe Scandinavian-inspired...)

Right. We've got something.

Sounds like Paul might be onto a bargain.

Suddenly there is even more baking-related paraphernalia.

A big set of countertop beam scales.

In the '80s, when there was a vogue for kitchenalia,

these were heavily produced.

This, however, is an original 19th-century,

set in brass and cast-iron, rather elaborate.

Our Irvinware scales bear the trademark

of John White & Son of Auchtermuchty.

-How cool is that?

-Well, I think that rather depends on the price.

There's £85 on the ticket. Right, pondering done,

-time to grab Vincenzo and get bargaining.

-Hit me with prices.

Number one, tell me how much are the beam scales in the window?

I couldn't do less than 85.

And the cake stand? I'll give you a tenner for the cake stand.

-No, I paid more.

-15 quid.

-As a start.

-As a start.

-That's one deal.

£15 not bad, Paul.

-I'm offering you 50 quid.

-No. I can't do that.

-Look, I will do for you 70.

-60 quid and that as well. 75 squids.

-Job done.

-Geez, it's hard to make business with you. OK.

You know what? Let's do it. 60, 75 with the cake stand.

-It is a deal?

-Pleasure, Vincenzo.

-Thanks for that one.

-Thank you very much.

So, £15 for the cake stand and £60 for those scales.

He is under way.

How will his opponent fare a little further along the Clyde, I wonder?

This place is on the large side, too.

25,000 square feet, apparently.

Better get to work, David, and try to close that gap.

I would love to buy this. Wouldn't that be hilarious if I bought that?

That is one word for it.

Oh! It's £600! That would be brilliant, if I could buy that.

Laidlaw would go mad.

I think we would all get a bit hot under the collar, actually.

Now, there is a dealer. What's he got?

Let's have a look at that. It's a Canterbury. Walnut... What is it?

-1880?

-With a hint of Arts and Crafts.

It has got a bit going on there, hasn't it? Yeah.

A Canterbury's a stand for holding loose leaves

of sheet music or magazines.

In Georgian or Victorian homes

you could expect to find one beside the piano.

The name may derive from one Archbishop of the same name,

who allegedly commissioned an early example.

Is there a ticket price, I wonder?

It would have to be shockingly cheap.

-It is shockingly cheap.

-What is shockingly cheap to you?

-£95 for that.

-Crikey, Bruce, that sounds cheap!

-You can't go wrong.

-You reckon?

That, now, sadly, the buyers of that are dropping off the market.

That's why it's that price. Ten years ago, £1,200.

You could sell it like that.

-Will he take 50 quid for it?

-I can't do that.

-Is that too hard?

-It is too hard.

-OK. Will he take 60 and we're done?

-I'll take 75.

-I'll meet you at 70.

-75.

Go on. Shake my hand. £75. Thank you very much.

But that's good. It's nice to get a deal done.

Bruce has a slightly battered little inkwell he'd like to recommend.

-That is an interesting little thing, isn't it?

-On its base...

-It has a tiny chip on it, though.

-Where is that? Oh, yeah.

-It's tiny.

Sweet little inkwell, isn't it? A bonny thing. Glass top.

So, again, a similar sort of period to the Canterbury, there.

-What kind of money is it?

-Dead cheap. £15.

-Go on, then.

-You can't lose, again.

-Thank you very much indeed.

No. I can't, I can't lose on that. That has to be a profit.

A flying start and perhaps some bargains for David.

Back together again, our two have now left Glasgow

and headed north and east towards Falkirk.

During the 18th and 19th centuries,

Falkirk became a major centre of Scotland's Industrial Revolution,

its wealth partly based on access to the country's

burgeoning canal network.

-Look at that!

-My goodness me!

That is very, very high.

Vertigo sufferer Paul has come for a ride on the Falkirk Wheel -

an award-winning feat of Scottish engineering

which takes her canals into the 21st-century.

You must be Richard. How are you doing?

-Paul.

-Good to see you, Paul.

-What a vision to behold!

Around 12 storeys high, the wheel -

yes, we know it's not really a wheel -

is a very modern and astonishingly simple device,

the final link in an £84.5 million project

to make the network navigable again.

70 miles of canals had fallen into pretty bad disrepair.

By the 1950s, they were looking to fill in this beautiful canal

-and turn it into motorways.

-Really? Oh, my word!

Slowly and surely the momentum grew

and people's enthusiasm for it grew and they wanted to save it.

By far the biggest task Richard and his team faced

was replacing the 11 canal locks

required to join the lower Glasgow Canal

to the much higher Edinburgh route.

We wanted to make sure that we just didn't build another set of locks.

That's what they would have done 250 years ago.

We wanted an icon for the 21st century.

We wanted something that would deliver so much more.

Great Scottish engineers Thomas Telford and James Watt

cut their teeth designing canals

so it's fitting that the wheel won so many design awards.

Getting a strange sensation because I am a landlubber

so I'm already getting my sea legs.

But then it is the world's first and only rotating boat lift.

Really simple in design, everyone can understand how it works.

These are like giant bathtubs, basically.

And they have a gate on either side of them.

The wheel will then begin rotating around the big,

major cog up the top.

Slowly and surely, the gondola at the top begins to come down

and it just swaps itself over. Both sides are always in balance.

Archimedes' principle allowed us to do that.

-Eureka!

-Eureka! We have it!

Any size of boat that sails into this big bathtub here

displaces its own weight in water

so always up top, down bottom, always perfectly in balance.

On reaching the Union Canal via some very fine views,

it's easy to see why tourists love it.

Even those with a fear of heights

have little to worry about on this gentle trip.

Sitting here in my bathtub, just looking out over the land,

that was all right.

And I'm not putting a brave face on it!

HE LAUGHS

But while Paul's been going round in circles...

..David's motored on,

manoeuvring the Midget from Falkirk to Dunblane in Stirlingshire.

David doesn't need encouragement in the competitiveness stakes,

of course, but shopping in Wimbledon champion Andy Murray's hometown

can only help, surely.

Hi, there. This is lovely.

-Hi. I'm David Harper.

-I'm David.

-David as well. That's easy, isn't it?

-Two Davids.

-We won't forget that, will we?

-Not easily.

Ah well, I'm sure we'll cope.

Now it's time to take a good look around

and nestled nicely in the window is an oriental vase.

I wonder how long it will take our Chinese enthusiast to spot it.

-That big old pot couldn't be £100, could it?

-See what I mean?

-No.

-No chance? I'm chancing my arm, I know I am.

-The best on the vase would be 250.

-All right. Can I have a look at it?

-Can I bring it out?

-Yeah.

-Brilliant.

Right. Here we go. Big old lump.

Big enough for a tennis trophy, I'd say.

OK. So it is famille rose.

Painted enamel. Again, typical scene.

Would have been one of a pair, obviously.

Circa 1900. Might be 1920.

It's a tourist piece made for the West.

And it's the kind of thing

people might get carried away with at auction.

Any damage, David, do you know?

I think the rim has been done up here, hasn't it?

-It couldn't be 150, could it?

-No, no. Sorry.

-Really?

-250. You get the stand with it as well.

Just trying to work out how much money I've got.

Shopkeeper David is standing his ground

but we've seen our David try his count-the-cash routine before.

Or maybe he doesn't really know how much he has got.

Would 160 get it?

I'd give it to you for 200 and that is it.

I'd go 160. There's the cash.

180 and you've got a deal. That's it.

-That is it. Who are you against?

-Paul Laidlaw! He's a killer!

-But he's Scottish.

-I know he is.

Not sure that was a wise move, David.

David, I'm going to be horrible. 170 and I'm done.

-170.

-Good man. Thank you.

-You've got a good deal, I tell you.

-I think I've got a fantastic deal.

-You have.

-I really appreciate it. And that is so up my street.

Right, now I've got to carry the blighter.

No complaints, please, after a deal like that, David.

Later, they'll be making for the auction up in Dundee,

but our next stop is in deepest Perthshire, at Rait.

This is a substantial place. Lots of shops, lots of dealers.

Room for them both to take a good look without

fear of discovering the other lurking around the corner.

What are these? Very David sort of items, I'd say.

A pair of jade cups in that cabinet.

-Probably no fantastic age to them.

-I would have thought they're 1920s

but they're just quite a nice colour.

Andrew's ticket price is £65.

Never mind 1920s, that is millions of years old, isn't it?

The piece of jade is, yeah.

The piece of jade is millions of years old.

As a rule of thumb, if it looks really crude and almost rounded

in its shape and not very detailed, that is the earlier jade.

These aren't ancient. I can just see the swirl marks there where it's

been turned on some kind of lathe.

So I rate those as very chancy pieces

and right up my street for Chinese.

They couldn't be 25 for the pair, could they?

-I think I would struggle at that, I think.

-There are utterly gorgeous.

Make them 30 and I'll have them.

-Make them 35 and you've got a deal.

-I'll have them. Thank you, Andrew.

-Thank you.

-Marvellous. Thank you very much.

Never mind that. I'll show you some things.

Ooh, Paul's found something, too.

A pair of little pickle forks. Sweet.

By Charles Horner.

We associate Charles Horner, of course,

with fabulous or lovely Art Nouveau pieces of small jewellery and so on.

Hat pins and brooches. That name sells.

May I have a look in this cabinet, please?

These don't disappoint.

I love the little terminals on those tines there.

There's little return and it just accentuates them.

A pair - that's a plus.

That said, they're not an easy sell and it's only

the Charles Horner thing that gives them a fighting chance.

You've got 50 on them. Is there much slack in that?

There is a little bit.

35, I could do you those for.

I'll not haggle any further. At 30, I'll just take them.

Yeah, OK.

-Easy.

-Deal.

-Thank you very much, Andrew.

Whilst Paul's lightening the weight of his wallet,

David's slipped next door.

-Hi there. I'm David Harper.

-Hi. Hi. Rain.

-Rain. Lovely to meet you.

-You too. Hi.

-Thank you very much.

-Fabulous things all over the place.

-Great.

-I'd love to find something really quirky. Odd.

-Quirky.

You don't like the sort of Scottish vernacular stuff?

Yeah, I do. What have you got?

-An old door lock.

-That's the sort of thing I love.

-I do.

-This is a bit mad.

-Oh, he's clocked that.

-It is, it is completely mad.

-I like a bit of madness. Does it work?

-It doesn't work.

-No, not at the moment.

-What have you got that described as?

Continental, isn't it?

Art Deco-y but it's one of those Art Deco... Made definitely

-within period, probably 1935, but a cheapie.

-Absolutely.

Not made for anyone with any money, that's for sure. How much?

-Because I literally have 25.

-£25?

-That's all I've got left. That's it.

30, actually, David.

-I can't do that for 25, I'm sorry.

-Are you sure?

-Yeah.

I just think it's got a great novelty funny value.

-I know, but I paid more than that.

-Are you sure?

Do you want to have a look at your book?

-Let me just go and check my book.

-Go on, then.

So, while Rain checks what she paid for the clock,

David will hopefully have a bit of a recount himself.

Before you say anything,

I have to come clean because I've just done my calculations

and I don't have 25, I've got 30 but I don't want to give you 30.

-I still want to give you 25.

-Right, OK.

Having looked at my book, I was telling you a little porky

because it would give me a slim profit on that as it happens.

-As it happens.

-Shall we do it?

-Yeah, why not?

-Let's do it.

-25.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-OK, good luck with it.

-Brilliant.

-All smiles and David's all done.

-Thank you.

And the boys are back on the road,

travelling east from Rait towards the coast

and the lovely town of St Andrews.

In medieval times, the town was an important centre of pilgrimage.

-What a lovely place, actually.

-Very nice.

Yeah, very nice indeed.

Paul's here, looking to add to his haul,

carefully looking for that prize-winning piece

or just having a good old rummage.

-I'm Paul.

-I'm Felicity. Hello.

-Felicity, lovely to see you.

-Very nice to see you, too.

-I like this - lovely feel.

-Lovely feel. Great ambience.

-You like it? Oh, good!

There's no way I am walking past your door, ever.

That's it, Paul. Get stuck in.

There's got to be treasure tucked away here somewhere.

-What's all that?

-A-ha!

Badges and so on. There's the good old Black Watch.

The Royal Highland Regiment.

-That's the Fife and Forfar...

-What's that one?

-Fife and Forfar Yeomanry.

-Oh, is it?

That's a signaller's qualification badge and a little bronze rank bit.

And that is a little Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders watch fob, I guess.

-That there, in a strip-sealed bag, is an auctionable lot!

-OK!

-What's the price on it?

-Well, what shall we say?

Don't be too ambitious. There's nothing in there that's in any way rare,

and I'm going to be really straight with you, Felicity.

The best thing in there is the watch fob.

But there's a nice little puckle there.

-50?

-No!

There is £25-£35 worth there, I reckon, nine times out of ten.

-So I want to give you 20 quid for them.

-25?

This is me being very tough.

-30?

-Very to... Do...! We shook!

-Shall I see if can spend something else?

-Yes.

-Great.

-Yes.

Yes, a good find. Deserves a hand.

Now, what's that in the window?

We have early 20th century split cane, two-piece fly rod.

Look at that little, eh, turned keeper there.

-Did you hear that?

-I heard a pop like a champagne cork.

-That's precision!

It's as honest as the day is long

and it's straight.

It's not worth a great deal, you know that, I know that.

-But you've not overcooked that at £18.

-That's cheap.

-Not cheap enough.

-Come on, Felicity, don't let him run rings around you.

-17 for you.

We are not going down a pound, we'd be here for ever, you know me!

Yes, we are, because this is your last shot.

-I know you've got plenty of money!

-HE ROARS WITH LAUGHTER

-Well said!

-Drat, drat, drat!

It is worth a tenner to me. Not worth any more, worth a tenner.

You are so tough. Tommy, come on. Come and negotiate.

Ah, back-up!

I refuse to see you bullied down...

See, I needed him!

..to this ridiculous price.

Oh, lordy.

-Try for a 12.

-Shall we try for 12?

Maybe £12.50.

Felicity!

You're a right bad 'un for shaking the hand, then bumping it up again!

50 pence, we're not doing 50 pence!

£12. That's a lovely deal for both of us. Thanks again. Thank you.

Shopping done, David began with £325,

and he spent almost all of it -

a total of £320 on five auction lots.

A walnut Canterbury,

an inkwell,

a large Chinese famille rose vase,

a pair of jade goblets and an Art Deco lovebird clock.

While Paul started out with £470.26

and he's spent a mere £142, also on five lots.

A 1940s cake stand,

a set of Victorian scales,

a pair of Charles Horner pickle forks,

a selection of military insignia

and a vintage fishing rod.

But what do they really think?

I don't think Paul has anything of any super-duper merit,

apart from, possibly, the fishing rod.

And the rest of it is unexciting and not worth very much money.

It's all about the Canterbury.

He's got that at a hell of a price.

Well done, that man.

If it does £250, that bridges the gap.

The Chinese vase is rubbish.

If he was unlucky,

he loses the profit that he makes on the Canterbury with the pot.

After starting out in Glasgow,

the final leg of our trip will conclude

on the east coast of Scotland, at Dundee.

Now, this town is justly famous for its jam, jute and journalism.

Meaning the cloth they used to make, the marmalade they still do,

and the publisher responsible for some of Britain's

most famous comics.

But, as well as that, Dundee gave us the Average White Band.

SONG: "Pick Up The Pieces"

Now, what's Paul got on?

It's pink trousers time again!

You know, they say, it takes a real man to wear pink, Paul Laidlaw!

-A real man.

-PAUL LAUGHS

A real man.

Quite.

Welcome to Curr & Dewar

where I am sure the Dundonians will be anxious to pick up a few pieces.

Under the guidance of auctioneer Steven Dewar, it's time to find out.

Well, let's see how David's bargain inkwell fares, for a start.

Nice item there. Onyx, and gilded,

interest on this, starting off at £20.

At £20 on commission. Take two anywhere for the inkwell?

At £20, are you sure, folks?

For the inkwell there, £20?

22. 25.

At £25, commission buyer.

At £25, last chance with me.

Thank you very much.

A profit, but it shouldn't disturb his rival.

I feel I got away lightly there.

Now for Paul's even cheaper fishing rod.

Start me off, £10? Surely now, for the split cane rod, £10.

Surely now, come on.

Surely now, 10 is the wave, sir.

Keep going, I need more than that.

£12. Are you sure?

-Get my money back.

-£12 we have.

At £12. 15.

Slow, slow and steady.

At £15.

Is that a trickle of profit?

Quite a catch for someone.

-It's hardly a scorching start for us there.

-No.

Paul has much higher hopes for his Auchtermuchty scales, though.

Who will start me off, £50?

30 only?

Surely, 30 in the middle. At 35. 40. Five.

50. Five.

60. Five. 70. Five.

80. Five.

90. Five.

95, lady's bid.

-He's a nice auctioneer, isn't he?

-Oh!

-He's a nice man.

-NOW you like him!

100. And 10.

110 at the back. Last chance, sir.

At £110, all done.

Is it me, or did the sun just come out?

A fine profit puts Paul ahead.

Don't look round.

The back, you can't see the back wall for Chinese people on mobile phones.

What could they be here for?

There's only one Chinese object in here.

-What is that?

-My vase.

-No!

He's toying with you, David.

What will we say for this one, £100?

Or 50, there you go.

Surely now, £50. 30?

Oh, dear, David.

30 is bid. At £30 now. Any advance, at £30?

First bid in, £30.

Five anywhere?

At £30, surely?

He's trying his best.

At £30, the only bid we've received.

No, Paul. No, Paul, no.

Are you absolutely sure? Five. 40.

No. £40, at £40. Very, very cheap.

Drop the hammer.

Five. 50.

No, £50.

At 50 now, last chance, folks.

At £50. Are you sure?

DAVID LAUGHS Yes!

Mr Walsh, thank you.

THEY CHUCKLE

A loss that can, at best, be described as stonking.

So, I'm going to wish you all the luck in the world,

and I sincerely mean that.

Now, presenting Paul's pickle forks.

Nice pair of forks there. Interest starts me off on commission at £20.

At £20 for the pair of forks there. 22.

24 on commission. At £24. 26.

At £26. Any advance at 26?

£26.

Nothing like that vase, though.

Paul wasn't too excited about his militaria either.

But he knows his stuff, so let's just see.

What will start, £30? 20.

10 only? 10 is bid, militaria.

12, ma'am. 15. 18.

20. 22.

25. 28. 30.

32, 35. 38,

40. 42,

45.

45 in the front. At £45, any advance?

At 45 now?

45.

An honourable return on those.

Time for David's crazy clock.

Interest on this one, what will we say, £30?

20?

15, folks?

Surely, good Art Deco style. 15 is bid.

At £15. Any advance at 15?

18.

20. £20, in the front here at £20. Anybody else?

For the clock there at £20, all done?

£20 now, thank you.

But a small loss.

I've worked out that, to beat you,

I need to sell the Canterbury for £48,000.

HE SNORTS

Quite an exaggeration, David.

But it's not looking good, you're right, old fruit.

Perhaps your little goblets can help.

What will we say for these, £50?

Or 30? 20, and go?

Can I tempt you in? 20 only?

Surely we can get a bid for £20 out there for the pair?

-No interest?

-Thinking of dead horses.

20 is bid, sir, thank you.

At £20. And five, anywhere?

At £20. First bidder, first price, all done.

Thank you.

It's all turning out very badly for David.

I can't sit by and watch this happen.

Come with me, it's going to be all right.

It makes me feel a lot better.

Dundee, cakes, how can Paul's bargain stand fail?

Interest on this one, and a £25 commission.

£25.

30. Five.

Unbelievable.

It's a nice piece of furniture, that.

£35. Are you bidding?

Last chance, then. At £35, commission buyer.

Thank you, Wiseman.

Crumbs. Another profit for Paul.

You were right about pink trousers.

It changes your complexion,

everything's just gone swimmingly today.

Last lot is the Canterbury that Paul was rather afraid of.

It has to make an absolute fortune for David to win.

The Canterbury there, good-looking Canterbury.

And I have interest on my book which starts me off at £250.

At £250 for the Canterbury. 250.

At 250, on commission. At £250.

At 250, opening bid. Are you all done?

-Come on!

-At 250.

-Again, it's happened to me again.

-One bidder.

-One bid.

250, thank you very much.

-Big result. What a way to go now.

-Not really, not really.

-Loser!

David began with £325.

Despite that final surge, he's made a small loss of £15.70,

after paying auction costs.

Leaving him with a total for the week of £309.30.

Paul started out with £470.26.

And, after paying auction costs, he's made a profit of £47.42.

So, Paul wins this leg, and the week's trip, with £517.68.

All profits donated to Children In Need.

Well done, chaps.

-Let your pink pants do the driving!

-PAUL LAUGHS

-Victorious pink pants.

-Welcome to your new life!

Time now for a brand-spanking new trip

and we're hitting the road with a right couple of gents.

Yes, it is antiques experts Charlie Ross and Thomas Plant.

-Let this trip begin!

-Yes.

Charlie is the old dog of the antiques trade,

having clocked up a phenomenal 25 years running his own auction house

and he is now sought the world over for his charm and wit, so he thinks.

-May I kiss your hand?

-You may indeed!

-Mwah!

Undaunted is his worthy opponent, young whippersnapper

and fellow auctioneer, Thomas Plant.

His particular penchant is for jewellery, watches and silver.

Oh, yes, and hats.

Thomas is taking the wheel today as our pair

set off on their antiques adventure with £200 each to spend

and a natty little 1971 Triumph Spitfire to zip around in.

The plan for our dear experts is to travel over 400 miles from Somerset

deep in the West Country,

right the way up to Shropshire via North Wales,

before looping back down to finish their trip in Bedford, Bedfordshire.

Today, we are beginning our journey in the village of Watchet,

watch it, hah!

They'll meander the sleepy roads of Somerset, pop over to Devon,

then finish up at the auction showdown in Frome back in Somerset.

Phew!

The first stop is in...what's it? Watchet.

-Watchet.

-Watch it!

-Watch it!

Now, this lovely village gets its name from wacet,

a natural blue dye found in the local cliffs.

-And the boys are

-DYEING

-to get started.

-A Smugglers Cave!

-This is where we are. Come on, Roscoe.

-After you.

-Age before beauty!

-Thank you!

Standing by to assist is shop owner Simon and manager Candy.

-Candy!

-Yes.

-Can I borrow you?

-He's already in there.

-You can, certainly.

Smugglers Cave lives up to its name, a veritable treasure trove

of everything from kitchenalia to chests of drawers.

Surely there will be some serious antiques for Thomas to get stuck into?

Ooh, gee!

Look at that!

So what we've got here is a cast-iron water pump.

This is for the garden, isn't it? Oh, isn't that wonderful?

Cast-iron, Victorian, I would have thought. Lovely handle. Whoa!

-Steady, Eddie.

-It's not light!

It's £45. Let's see what Simon can do. Simon, I found this in the back.

-Not everyone makes it back there!

-Only weirdos!

No comment.

I've got a figure.

-35.

-What about 25?

-30.

-Can we do 28?

-We are splitting hairs, I know.

-28, if it helps.

-It does help.

-You're a star.

-First purchase, high and dry. Well done, Thomas.

Now, let's see how Charlie is getting on with Candy.

And he's only after one thing, you know.

So no silver in the shop at all?

-We've only got the Rhode Island Red bowl.

-That one there?

-Yes.

-It is a beautiful, beautiful cup, actually.

-It's a nice thing.

-The quality is superb.

-Yes, Charlie, but it is £125.

Lovely shape and handles.

Would you take £75 for that?

No.

-Can you get close to where I am?

-I can say 90.

I tell you what, I'll pay you £85 for it, cash.

-All right, sir, you have a deal.

-May I kiss your hand?

-You may indeed!

Mwah!

-That Candy is a good egg, isn't she?

-Yes! My first buy.

Wonderful.

Oh, hold up, Thomas is venturing to the bowels of the shop again.

What is this down here? Is it more junk? Oh!

PSYCHO MUSIC

Oh, my God.

It's like something out of a horror movie, all these creatures.

But...this is a porcelain-headed doll by Armand Marseille.

It's got the A and the M. It's got the thing there.

Armand Marseille here.

Weighted eyelids, teeth, this is real human hair.

Yuck!

Armand Marseille began manufacturing dolls in 1865,

creating a company which sat at the heart of the German

doll-making industry for the next 60 years.

At its peak, the company produced over 1,000 doll heads a day,

the rarer examples of which can now fetch thousands of pounds.

Sadly, I don't think these fall into that category.

-What am I doing? What am I doing?

-I really don't know, Thomas.

I really don't know, old fruit.

What can they be?

£40. That is a good buy.

Yes, but it just looks so odd, though, a man buying dolls.

-It takes all kinds.

-Mmm.

I'm going to think about it, do you mind, but thank you - good offer.

-You will do well.

-Well, I don't know. I don't know.

While Thomas mulls over the dolls, Charlie has gone all Alpine.

-It is a goat herder's.

-Oh, a goat herder.

-Is that definitely a goat's foot?

-Yes, that's a goat's foot.

WEST-COUNTRY ACCENT: That is a goat herder, my lover!

That is a goat's foot. High on the hill...

# High on the hill Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo! #

HE HUMS

# Folks in a town that was quite remote heard

# Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo. #

How much is it?

-WEST-COUNTRY ACCENTS: Oh, come on, bird, stick a price on it.

-40 quid.

-40 quid, bird?

-Yes.

It's one of those antiques that you've got to say to somebody,

-"Where are you going to find another one?"

-I'm loving that, bird!

-What do you think, my 'andsome?

-THEY LAUGH

I tell you what, no haggling, I'll give you 30 quid now for it.

Cash. Done. I am loving you, bird.

These two are getting on famously, aren't they?

Fab. Look at that.

# High on a hill, a lonely goatherd...#

Thomas is feeling the pressure now.

It is time to make a decision about...those dolls.

35, I would like to see you take them to auction.

£30 and I will take them off your hands.

Like a nutcase.

Yes. OK.

Two items now. Right, I'm going to give you some money now

and then I am going to walk out of your shop.

On your head be it, Thomas, on your head be it.

Meanwhile, Charlie is zipping up the road to another antiques' emporium.

He has already bought two items but seems hellbent on buying more.

-Hello, my dear.

-Hello, how are you?

How do you manage to find such wonderful temperatures here?

Oh, God, it is absolutely frightful, isn't it?

-At least we don't have the snow.

-Nice to see you. Charlie is the name.

-And you are?

-Janet.

-Nice to see you, Janet. May I look round?

-Of course!

Now, don't forget, you've only got £85, Roscoe.

A magnificent clock and candelabrum, aren't they splendid? Very French.

That isn't priced.

That'll be beyond my price range but I thought I would just admire it.

Admire away, old boy. But you ain't got the money for that beauty.

That's an interesting charger, isn't it?

Now, this looks a bit more like it.

Is it Newlyn?

I wondered if it might have come from the Newlyn School.

The Newlyn School was part of the Arts and Crafts movement,

founded at the end of the 19th century.

Based, funnily enough, in Newlyn, Cornwall, it became

famous for its beaten metalwork, particularly with fishy motifs.

-I like these, they are almost like owls, aren't they?

-Or shrimps!

-You are making it more Newlyn with shrimps.

-I am trying!

How much do you want?

20.

-What a temptress you are. 15? Can you add 10 and 20?

-16.

Oh, no, don't start doing that nonsense! 16? No, 15. Full and final.

All right, then.

Three items already and it's only day one. Rock and roll, Roscoe!

Time to hook back up with Thomas in the little Triumph Spitfire.

The boys are heading a couple of miles south to Sampford Brett,

where Thomas is dropping Charlie off to do a tad more shopping.

They've come to Keith Richards' antiques.

INTRO TO "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"

-MUSIC STOPS ABRUPTLY

-No! Not that one.

Charlie's itching to spend some money

in the eponymous Keith's shop.

Oh, and here's the man himself.

-Hello. Charlie.

-Hello, Charlie.

-Nice to see you.

-And you.

-I recognise that lady.

-Yes.

Margaret Thatcher. Isn't that wonderful?

How much is that, in terms of...?

Um... It's 95 now.

-It can be £60.

-Can it?!

-It can be £60.

-That's ridiculously reasonable, isn't it?

-It's very reasonable indeed.

-Oh, blimey.

That's within my budget, just about. HE GIGGLES

I think I've got to feel her.

This teapot's not for pouring. HE LAUGHS

Almost as famous as Mrs T herself was her alter ego

in the satirical 1980s TV puppet show Spitting Image.

So popular was the show that it spurned a host of merchandise,

much of which is now highly collectable.

This teapot was made in the pottery capital of Stoke-on-Trent.

Look at that.

"Denis, come here!"

I think I feel a deal brewing.

60 quid.

-Or 50, if it's going to help.

-What a wonderful man.

You're the first man I've ever dealt with who's brought down the price

without me asking. HE LAUGHS

I knew you were going to ask.

50 quid.

At 50 quid...

-Are you sure you're happy with that, before you shake on it?

-I am.

I think that's wonderful.

I hope that one doesn't backfire on you.

Nicely done, though, Charlie.

Thomas and Charlie are heading 34 miles south east

to the delightful town of Crewkerne in Somerset.

Crewkerne's been a travellers' watering hole for hundreds of years,

as it's positioned on the old London to south west road.

-Ah!

-Well done.

-I'm over here.

-I'm going this way.

With some catching up to do,

Thomas is hotfooting it straight to Antiques Bazaar.

It's a huge trading centre, home to the stock of 45 dealers,

and presided over by a very welcoming owner.

-Morning.

-Good morning, how do you do?

-I'm Thomas.

-I'm Anthony, nice to meet you.

-Very nice to meet you.

Ah! What are those?

What I've got is a pair of prints here.

You've got Queen Victoria, and the other one is Prince Albert.

In the tiles on the floor is a name.

It's got "Baxter Prints". They're quite well framed.

They're a bit foxed. But they are Baxter Prints.

Now, are they £12 each or £12 for the pair?

-Luckily, Anthony is waiting in the wings.

-What have you found?

Well, a pair of prints, Victoria and Albert.

Do you think they're £12 the pair?

No, I would say definitely not.

What could we do?

I could do them for 15.

-£15?

-£15.

I'm sure you're not going to knock me on that. Humble money, £15.

Humble money, is that what they say?

-Humble money?

-Humble money, yes.

I think that means you got a bargain there, Thomas.

Meanwhile, across the road, Charlie's Crewkerne Antiques Centre

where he's hoping Eddie has something for his remaining £20.

-One £20 note is all I have in the world.

-Oh, dear, oh, dear.

No auctioneer should be without one. That is the biggest gavel I've seen.

I should think you'd break your rostrum

if you brought that down and sold something.

Put it down quickly before you do some damage, Charlie.

Now, talking of damage, what's he spotted now?

Here, we've got an 18th-century Chinese ginger jar.

Damaged, yep.

Would have had a wooden lid, which is missing. But that's not a problem.

It's got some nibbles out of it.

But it's priced at £6.

Huh, crumbs!

That is within my budget.

I could even buy another piece of Chinese pottery to go with it.

In fact...

I think I'm allowed to buy like-for-like items.

I feel a bit of a collective lot coming on here.

Time to do a deal, methinks.

I'm thinking a way of solving my problem here, Eddie.

-You are, are you?

-Well, I thought I might go off to the Orient

with a collective bundle of things.

-That might be a way forward, mightn't it?

-Possibly, yes.

Look at him go. He's like a dog with a bone now.

One, two, three...

-Four damaged pots. Would you be happy?

-I'd be happy with that.

-£20 note?

-Yeah, go on.

-You are the man, sir.

May I give you the order of the £20.

Your last chance to regret it. You'll be all right?

-That's all right.

-Thank you very much.

So, while Roscoe is completely spent out,

the same could definitely not be said for Thomas.

Luckily, he has another shop to go to.

He's heading into the county of Devon, just nine miles

south-west of Crewkerne to the village of Tytherleigh, where he's

-pinning all his hopes on the Trading Post.

-Hello.

-Let's see how he gets on, then.

-What's your name?

-Andrew.

Andrew, I'm Thomas. Nice to meet you.

Come on, Thomas, you've still got £127 to spend.

Can you spy anything to buy?

-Sh, can you hear the sound of the sea?

-Quite a nice shell purse.

Mother of pearl, brass fittings, very popular, very French, actually.

We see a lot of these about but they're quite popular things.

They're quite pretty, aren't they?

Nice jewelled item. A jewel of the sea.

Using shells to make purses became very popular at the end of the

19th century, when Victorians began to take holidays by the seaside.

This purse might well have been bought as a souvenir,

-so time to seal the deal with Andrew.

-Andrew, what can that be?

-30 on that one.

-30. OK. You couldn't do it for 25?

Yeah, we could do, yeah. It's a nice thing.

-If we go to 20, that's got to be the rock bottom.

-Rock bottom. OK.

All right, I'll have that. £20, thank you very much.

At least you've bought something.

But sticking with four lots, that's Thomas's shopping all concluded.

Let's find out where Charlie has got to.

He's continuing the rural Somerset theme and is heading six miles north

to the lovely village of Shepton Beauchamp.

Charlie has come to meet avid collector and archivist,

Andrew Hall.

-Andrew.

-Hi.

-Good to see you.

-Yes.

-I know why I'm here, to see your lawn mowers?

-That's right.

-How many have you got?

-1,100 at the last count.

-1,100?

-1,100.

Hidden away in no ordinary garden shed, is just part of Andrew's

vast collection of vintage lawn mowers.

It's listed in the Guinness Book Of Records

as the largest in the world.

I don't believe it. How many mowers can you get in a shed?

In this one, just short of 600.

The history of the lawn mower is tied up with two very British

traditions, the great country house estates and the evolution of sport.

At the end of the 18th century,

acres of lawn like those at Blenheim Palace were

cut by over 200 labourers every ten days using scythes,

but as the Industrial Revolution kicked in,

all that was to change with the invention of a new labour-saving

device, the lawn mower.

At the end of the shed is a particularly special example.

This, in actual fact, is the oldest known motor mower in the world.

Is it really? What a privilege to see it.

-You can sit on it if you want, as well.

-Can I really?

This lawn mower was painstakingly restored by Andrew who

rescued it from an old sporting ground.

The lawn mower has played a huge,

-huge part in all British sporting life.

-That's right.

I think, to be fair, the history of the lawn mower and the development

of the lawn mower goes hand-in-hand with the development of sport.

Yeah, Wimbledon, Lords, croquet lawns, the great lawns of England.

In the garden, Andrew has ferreted out a few of the earliest mowers

to show Charlie, one of which, dating back to the 1880s,

played a key role in sporting lawns.

-These early small machines had two purposes.

-Yeah?

One was, the line marker for tennis courts were not invented yet,

so what they actually did was they lowered the cut on these

machines, cut the lines out with this machine

so at least you could see a difference in colouration.

And that gave you the line.

The second use of these machines

is they became known as ladies' machines.

I like it already. I like where you're going there.

-They're manageable for a lady.

-That's right.

By the Edwardian period, mowers were still a luxury, with only

the very rich being able to afford one like this from 1907.

Do you know what strikes me, first of all, looking at that machine?

It looks more sophisticated than the equivalent motor car.

Yes and more expensive too. This machine in 1907 would be £125.

That's a huge amount of money.

That equates today to something like 15,000.

Extraordinary.

In those days, actually, it would have bought your house.

It would, but, you see, the other thing is with motor mowers of this

period, they wouldn't have been used by the gardener,

they would have been used by the chauffeur

because he was the person who knew about petrol engines.

-A gardener wouldn't have had a clue, would he?

-Yes.

A chauffeur to mow the lawn, eh? Those were the days.

Well, what an enlightening visit for Charlie!

Our experts began this journey with £200 each, and on this first leg,

Charlie has spent every single penny on five auction lots.

A silver bowl,

a goat herder's staff with hoof and horn top,

a copper charger,

a Margaret Thatcher Spitting Image teapot,

and a selection of damaged vases.

Thomas, meanwhile, only managed to part with a measly £93 on four lots.

Dearie me!

A cast-iron water pump,

a collection of dolls,

a pair of Baxter prints

and a 19th-century shell purse.

And what do they really think of each other's bits and pieces?

It's all about Charlie's silver bowl.

I mean, he bought that so well.

It's going to fly away at the auction.

The next lot is the teapot, it's fantastic.

I love those teapots.

Who's going to win?

Well, I hope it's Roscoe because he spent all his money

and wet Plant has hardly spend £100, so well done, Roscoe.

Pretty obvious looking at Thomas's things that he's had a pretty

tough time at that old shopping, but he's played safe.

The village pump, 28 quid,

will sell for 40 or so.

A pair of Baxter prints.

Like so many things,

Baxter prints are just not worth what they used to be worth.

But at £15 for the two, they're a safe buy.

It's going to be quite interesting, it's going to be nip and tuck

as the last gavel comes down. We'll wait and see.

All will be revealed very soon.

Shifty.

It's been a very jovial first leg,

kicking off in Watchet,

meandering around the delightful county of Somerset,

popping into Devon

and now back into Somerset again

for the chaps' first auction in Frome.

Right, come on. Once more into the breach.

Today's battle ground is at the large rural auctioneers, Cooper & Tanner.

Ready to go is auctioneer Dennis Barnard.

First up is Charlie's copper charger, possibly Newlyn School.

Start me, somebody, at £10. £10, quickly.

10 we've got, 15, 15. 20, sir?

20, 20. 20, I'm bid.

22, 22, 25, 25.

Look at that, look at that, I told you!

32, 32, 35, 35 at the end.

35, right there at 35.

Anyone else coming in? 35.

A stonking £20 profit for Roscoe's charger. Well done.

I'm in the money!

-It's Thomas's pair of Baxter prints up next.

-Go on. Go on!

10 then, for these two pictures. Five we've got, five we've got.

-We've got eight, eight pounds.

-That's too cheap. That's too cheap.

8, 10, 12? 12, 15? 12, 12, 12.

-Go on! One more.

-£12. We've got this one wrong, I think, at £12.

Yours for £12.

Well, there we are, £12. £3 loss.

And sadly there will be even more loss after the auction house

takes its well-earned commission.

Well, they were Baxter prints at the end of the day!

-And I tried to buy them for £12.

-Did you?

-Yeah.

-That's the spirit.

Now it's Charlie's collection of damaged pots.

Now then, who's got £20 to start on that jug?

£20 start straightaway.

Five? 30. Five, girls?

-Good girl!

-Stop!

35, 40, 40 with you, sir.

You've got to bid on some of my lots now!

At £40.

Roscoe is on a roll, another £20 profit.

-Well done.

-Very sporting!

Now, will Thomas scare the bidders off with his suitcase of dolls?

Who's got 20? £20? 16 then, 16 for these dolls.

16 with the lady. 16.

-18 now?

-Go on, go on!

-£16 with you, madam. £16. Anyone else coming in?

-That's it.

18, 18.

20 there, madam? 22, selling? 22? 24, madam?

24. 26 now, sir? £24 with the lady.

At £24. Are we all done then at £24?

I think Thomas has got the frights now. Another loss.

It's not going well.

Will Charlie's luck continue, though?

It's his Alpine staff up next.

-£40? £20.

-That would be a steal.

-20, 20, 20, now five.

-You won't find another one in this room, I shouldn't think.

-No!

25. 30.

-There you are.

-35? 35.

-We're in Percy profit!

35? Are you sure?

42 if you like? 42, 45, 48?

45 with you, sir. 45.

All done at £45 then.

He's done it again.

Yodel-ay hee-hee!

Well, Thomas's luck has to turn, surely?

And it's his mother-of-pearl purse up next.

Start me, somebody, at £20.

10 then. 10 for the purse, 10 to go up, 10 with the lady.

10, 10, 10. Have we got 15?

-15, and 20, and five, five?

-Go on, go on.

-30.

28, sir? Have you got 28, sir?

-Go on, he's got 28.

-28? No.

25 with the lady. 28. 30?

Oh! £28!

One more, come on! One more.

We're all done at £28. I'm still the auctioneer.

LAUGHTER

-Thomas!

-Sorry, I get carried away.

You will get carried away soon if you're not careful!

A profit for Thomas at last.

-No wonder he's getting a little exuberant.

-Still behind in the game.

Go away, Roscoe.

Yes. Play nicely, children.

It's Charlie's big purchase next, his silver cup for prize hens.

I know where I'm going to start, I'm going to start at just £100.

We've got £100. 110.

110, 120, 130, 140.

We've got 135 on the book, John.

Have we got 140? No. 135.

135, there you are. 140.

140, 145 with my silver man? Not bidding.

140, down here at 140. Are we all done? At 140.

A stonking profit for Charlie. It really looks like it's his day.

-Profit Roscoe, they call him.

-Profit Roscoe.

It's Thomas's last chance to catch up, but his Victorian water pump

will need to make over £140 for him to stand a chance.

Let's start, £20 to start, shall we? A garden feature, £20 there.

Straight in at 20.

30, 30. 35. 40, 40, five?

Oh, you're on fire!

-50, 50, five? 60.

-Thomas!

They're not threatening you, are they?

No, no! I promise you, I've got nothing to do with it!

Have you got 65?

70 now, 75, 80, 80, 85?

80. With you. At £80.

All done at £80.

Not as much as he needed, but still a splendid £52 profit for Thomas.

At last he can celebrate.

-Mwah! Mwah! Thank you.

-What about me?

-Aww!

Lordy, look at that!

Now, any takers for the last lot of the day?

It's Charlie's Margaret Thatcher teapot.

Shall we start at £20? £20? Mrs Thatcher.

£20 we've got, 20, 20, 20.

Who's got five? Five.

30, five, 40, five, 50, five, 60,

-70, 80, 90, 100.

-Ooh! Roscoe!

110? 100, 100.

Are we all done? Anyone else coming in? £100.

Ha! The Iron Lady managed to turn our Charlie

yet another luscious profit.

Well done, Roscoe.

-Pumps and Thatchers to you.

-Pumps and Thatchers!

Both our experts started this leg with £200,

and after paying auction costs,

Thomas has made a decent profit of £25.08.

That leaves him with a respectable £225.08 to carry forward.

That rascal Roscoe, on the other hand, has triumphed today.

He's made a bumper profit of £95.20,

which means he takes forward £295.20 to spend next time.

-How was it for you, Thomas?

-Go away. You gloat!

-I never realised you'd gloat!

-I'm not a gloater!

No, well done, you deserve it.

You know you don't mean it.

-We both ended up with more money than we started with.

-That's what we wanted.