Episode 11 Antiques Road Trip

-It's the nation's favourite antiques experts.

-All right, viewers?

With £200 each, a classic car

and a goal - to scour Britain for antiques.

I'm on fire! Yes!

-Sold, going, going, gone.

-The aim? To make the biggest profit at auction,

-but it's no mean feat.

-Oh!

-50p!

There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

Are they papier-mache buttocks?

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

-Ooh! Oh!

-There we go.

This is the Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

Welcome to the start of a brand-new road trip, featuring Margie Cooper,

Charlie Ross and several reasons to be cheerful.

-Driving along in my mother country...

-One of us is!

-..of Scotland,

with a young girl, a sexy car. I think all my dreams have come true.

SHE LAUGHS

Charming Charlie from Oxfordshire is an auctioneering legend,

with a fondness for all things Georgian and the misguided belief

that he can get a tune out of any musical instrument.

TUNELESS PARP

Good sound!

Really? Margie is a Lancashire lass with antiques in her blood.

Her granny was a dealer, too, before her

and she brings a no-nonsense approach to the competition.

That would be handy for somebody, wouldn't it?

Give Charlie Ross one of these across his bottom.

Prepare for whacks, Charlie. But not just yet,

because with £200 each and a gorgeous 1961 Sunbeam Rapier,

it looks like these two are in for quite a week.

-Now it's a pretty special day, today.

-Yes.

-Do you know why?

-Go on.

-It's my birthday.

-Oh, my... If we weren't travelling, I'd give you a kiss.

Oh! I think, actually, if I slow down...

-Aw.

-Ah, who said romance is dead?

Charlie and Margie set out from Jedburgh, in the Borders,

before travelling the length and breadth of Scotland

to reach journey's end at Hamilton, South Lanarkshire.

Today, they start in Jedburgh, head out towards the North Sea coastline

and then conclude at an auction in Edinburgh.

This pretty market town

is just ten miles from England

and that's had quite a bearing

on Jedburgh's history.

One notable former resident

was Mary, Queen of Scots.

The town's motto is, "Earnestly and Successfully",

so there's no excuse for our two not to strive for bargains here.

-Do not come in my shop!

-I'm not coming in your shop, goodbye!

-May you buy well.

-See you later.

But not too well!

Right, is anybody here?

Hello? I'm just going to have a look around, is that all right?

Oak Tree Antiques is a mixture of genuine antiques,

reproductions and the odd vintage item.

Oh, my goodness me!

Are they papier-mache buttocks?

Cheeky! But one little complication is that shop-owner Michelle

is a bit shy, so Margie will have to talk to her daughter Amy.

Oh, that's gorgeous. Look at that. Isn't that absolutely lovely?

Gorgeous snuff box.

Well, It's £250 and I've only got £200.

I couldn't possibly buy that on the first day of my buying trip.

That's right up my street, but it's too much money for me.

Are you allowed to drop the price?

-Does your mother allow you to...

-Yeah...

-..do me a deal? What sort of deals do you do?

-MARGIE LAUGHS

-I haven't a clue. I'm no good at this, I'm sorry.

Oh, I'll tell you! It's £250. How about £50?

-Behave, Margie!

-I'm only pulling your leg.

These two can get to know each other better,

whilst we see where Charlie's got to.

-Hello.

-Hello, there.

-Good morning, I'm Charlie.

-My name's Merry.

-Merry! Merry by nature?

-Ha-ha. Sometimes.

-I hope so.

I'll bet she's never heard that one before.

And, anyway, Charlie's merry enough for three.

£6 for a farthing, that's inflation.

There's plenty to ponder at Bygones,

including some very nice paintings,

although those may be a little too pricey.

Ooh, that's rather...that's splendidly Scottish, isn't it?

Which is that, oh, the brooch?

-No. I think it's a pickle fork, isn't it?

-Oh, right.

Yes, it's lovely. There we are.

Well, that couldn't be more Scottish, could it, with the thistle?

Oh, it is silver, yeah. Birmingham. Isn't that a splendid...object?

Marvellous. Does that say £30?

Get your jar of pickles and...

-eat your pickles. Do you like pickles?

-Yes, I do.

-So do I!

-You haven't got any, have you?

-No.

Oh, I could have had a free pickle with every fork.

Nice thing. Well, I'll ask the question,

you can only say yes or no.

Could you take £20 for it?

-Umm...yes.

-If you...

-Yes, I could take £20 for it.

What an amazingly pliable girl.

-I can't think of any reason why I shouldn't buy it.

-OK.

-May I buy it for £20?

-You certainly can.

-That's the quickest buy I've ever made.

I've walked through the door, met you, seen it, loved it, bought it.

That's the way all buying should be.

I bet old Margie's looking at something,

thinking, oh, I don't know whether I should. Should I buy it? Should I not? Oh.

Well, funny you should say that, Charlie...

Well, it's not going well, is it?

I think my bottom lip's going to have to come out now.

Sounds like the "talk to Amy as she talks to her mum" plan

isn't proving a great success.

I think I'd much rather talk to the person.

She has spotted this brass standard lamp, though,

and also a little Edwardian duplicating set.

-So, come along, Margie.

-Now what you know about this...

-old duplicating machine?

-I have not got a clue. I don't know anything.

It looks very complete. 80-90 years old.

Yeah, probably.

And, oh, look, Gestetner. I remember Gestetners.

I remember, as a secretary, the Gestetners where you...

it was like a drum. And you typed on this sort of plasticky stuff

-and it came out.

-And you got fingers like that there.

Brings it all back, eh?

The Hungarian inventor of the duplicating machine

established the Gestetner Cyclograph Company

in North London, at the start of the 20th century.

His patents transformed the modern office

by reproducing copies of documents, quickly and inexpensively.

-Well, how much is that then? £10?

-£15.

I think Amy's getting the hang of this.

-I quite like that. What did you say, £15?

-Yeah.

Well, maybe if I find something else and we do a little parcel, or something.

Why not add the lamp, then? Ticket price, £95.

Yeah...hmm...

Yeah, it's a nice item.

Loaded at the...extend...ooh!

it has that extending baton, which is nice.

Uh, converted to electricity. Ha-ha.

Converted to electricity!

Great expert! Oil went in there.

It must have been terribly smelly, can you imagine?

OK, Margie. I think Amy's ready.

Well, I'm buying the old duplicating set.

So can we do the two together? A bit cheap? Can we do £50 for the two?

Go on, £50.

-Ah, you see, Amy's coming round. So we've got the two for £50.

-Yes.

-Fine, thank you very much, Amy.

-Thank you.

-A deal.

Well, I think they both did awfully well.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Jedburgh, Charlie's back in that cabinet.

Nice little things in here.

-You've got a gold chain there but I don't know...

-Mm-hmm.

-I don't suppose you know what it weighs?

-It weighs about 8g.

8g, fantastic value, isn't it? To be able to get a gold chain for £50.

You wouldn't buy that in Bond Street for 50 quid, would you?

It does sound like a good deal.

Maybe later because Merry's also got a good little snuffbox. Price, £30.

-There we are.

-Thank you. 19th-century papier-mache.

-Yes.

-And quite collectable.

-The first half of the 19th century, I think, isn't it?

-I don't know.

Yeah, I would think that's 1830-1840, probably.

I'm sure that is tortoiseshell under there, isn't it? It's so difficult,

running a thumb over it, whether it's actually tortoiseshell

that's inset in there, or whether it's a piece of simulated,

a bit like some sort of early plastic.

It's what they called faux-tortoiseshell.

But it's like Bakelite.

If it is real tortoiseshell, it's legal to trade

under the CITES Agreement, as it was made before 1947.

If I could buy something like that, it would have to be, sort of, 15 quid.

I think it would make £20-£24 at auction.

-Well...

-What do you think?

-..I think, as it's you.

-Oh, as it's me!

-Uh, yes, I'll say yes.

-Does it show you a profit?

-It will do, yes.

-Are you sure?

-Yes.

If it shows you a profit, then I'm happy.

Well, that means I've bought two objects and spent only £35.

-Well done.

-Well, it's better than nothing, isn't it?

But as he takes his leave, he's thinking more about the item he didn't buy, it seems.

What about that gold chain? Did she say it was nearly 8g?

I think it is actually £11 or £12 a gram, at the moment.

Eight elevens are £88. Less the commission, £70

and she wants £50.

Hold on, I'll ask her.

I may have made a boo-boo here.

-Merry?

-Oh! Hello!

-I didn't get far outside.

Did you say you'd weighed that gold chain?

-I had, yes.

-Where are the scales?

-There we are.

7.9...is that grams?

Yep. It's a take it or leave it price, isn't it?

It would be too cheeky to ask if there was trade price, wouldn't it?

I think so.

-I'm going to have it, please.

-OK.

HE SINGS A good job I didn't go down the street too far.

When have I ever gone into a shop and paid the asking price?

Now.

At £50, Charlie may have well have got a bargain.

And I think he really is off...this time.

Now Margie's moved on too,

making her way from Jedburgh across the border to the town of Powburn.

It's a large antique centre so there's sure to be plenty of choice.

This is a sweet little child's rocker. Isn't that cute?

But could there be a little too much choice?

Luckily, Beryl is on hand to help.

Which is your bit?

Well, I've got little bits all over the place.

Oh yeah?! I think those Prattware mugs are Beryl's, £110 the pair.

-Yeah, it's nice.

-That one's damaged, but that one's good.

So you've just bought this?

Well, I haven't bought them, I've just brought it down here

because it was a nice piece.

-It's a nice thing, isn't it?

-Lovely condition.

Don't often do porcelain but I must say, I quite like that.

And this is how badly cracked?

Just got a crack down the...

-Just there, it's quite bad though.

-Yes.

Probably what...middle 19th century?

Lovely decoration on the front.

Prattware is...popular and collectable.

How much would the two be?

If you wanted to buy the one, I could throw the other one in for you.

You'd throw that in? Right, OK.

I'd do them both for 80. I think it's a good buy.

-But it's a big chunk of my money.

-Is it?

How much would the broken one be? You don't want to be stuck...

I was going to give it you with the other one.

What about 60 for the two?

-I don't think you can...

-Go wrong.

..go wrong there. Bargain of the day.

I'll put them in the office.

Bit of a gem, our Beryl.

You put them on your desk and I'll spend a little bit longer.

-Yes.

-And that's very kind of you.

Meanwhile, Charlie seems to have found his way to Margie's old stomping ground.

-Hello.

-Is it Amy?

-Yeah.

-Have you had Margie with you?

-Yes, I have.

-May I have a quick look round?

-Yeah, no problem.

-Thank you.

I'm sure he'll find that Margie has left him plenty to ponder.

Beware though, Charlie,

because Amy's starting to get the hang of this dealing lark.

-Look at that! Do you know how old that is? Have a guess.

-I don't know.

-You don't know?

-No.

Well, I can tell you it's about 1820.

That's even older than I am. It's mahogany...

-Brass handles with wonderful... can you see those lion masks?

-Yeah.

Aren't they fab? Absolutely brilliant.

And I think they're probably original handles.

In fact, I'm certain they're original handles.

And the linings of the drawers...

..are cedar, I think.

I don't think they're oak. No, I think it's cedar lining,

which is rather lovely.

How much is it? 110...Hmm.

-Nice label.

-I would buy that chest of drawers at a price.

Well, go on then, buy it, Charlie.

Are you here to negotiate? Have you got permission to negotiate here?

-Yes.

-Who owns the shop?

-My mum.

-Your mum?

-Yes.

What would you do, run off to mum with a price, if I offer you one?

-It would be very cheeky.

-What would you offer?

May I try and offer a cheeky price?

You can show me the door and you can ask mum to come and chase me

with a frying pan if she doesn't think it's fair.

-50 quid.

-I'll do 60.

Quick work, Amy.

What?! Without speaking to Mum?

He wasn't expecting that.

Blimey, that's knocked me backwards a bit.

What would Mum say if we met halfway at 55...

I'll ask her.

-Could you ask her?

-Yeah.

Tell her I'm not being rude,

I'm just trying to buy it to sell it at auction.

-If it's no good, it's no good.

-That's fine, 55.

-What?!

-55.

Have you got Mum...she's sort of... oh, she's lurking in the background.

-Thank you, Mum. Are you happy with 55?

-Yes.

That's fab, that's half price.

Amy's certainly learned a thing or two today

and Charlie now has four lots for a total of £140.

Margie's got her mugs reserved,

but now she's been tempted by another of Beryl's goodies...a footstool.

That is nice. Late Victorian, it's very nice.

And that's in good nick.

-Yeah. What have I got on it?

-You've got...

-55. The embroidery's nice on it.

-Yeah.

If you wanted to spend some money, I could do that one for 30.

Almost half price.

It is, it's very nice, that. I like that very much.

You haven't got a pair anywhere?

I'll go and whittle you one up.

-Pairs of footstools do really well.

-Yeah.

Time for a dither.

-So I buy the two Prattware mugs that were what?

-60.

And I'll buy that for?

30.

That's the absolute end of this conversation.

LAUGHTER

Oh God, do you want blood?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, I know.

But if you could ease it a bit, we'll shake hands.

What if I say 80? I couldn't go any more.

You're having that for free.

Right, thank you very much.

Thank you.

But while Margie's been bargaining with Beryl...

Charlie's grabbed the Rapier and moved on.

All right, viewers? Steady on.

Travelling from Jedburgh via Powburn to Alnwick.

In a very good mood too...

Even by his standards.

I would like to put it on record now,

just how much I'm in love with Margie.

She is attractive.

She's fun.

She must be hugely intelligent because she laughs at my jokes.

Charlie's come to Alnwick, just around the corner

from its famous castle to see a unique garden.

Capability Brown built the first garden on this site

for the Duke of Northumberland, back in 1750.

But it fell into disrepair until just a few years ago,

a new one was planned.

Regular viewers may feel they've been here before,

but Charlie's come to learn about the lethal side of horticulture.

-Trevor. Charlie.

-Welcome to the Poison Garden.

I'm a bit worried when you say that.

Especially when you see the coffin.

Has anybody ever ended up in the coffin?

Not that I'm aware of, but you never know, there's always a first time.

Is everything in here poisonous?

Everything in this part of the garden is very poisonous,

so watch you don't touch anything or stand too close to anything, because you never know.

-Are you being serious?

-He most certainly is.

Everyone who works here wears gloves and not surprisingly,

children love the place.

The gardens were started by the Duchess of Northumberland?

She wanted to create a quirky, modern, contemporary garden.

And so she had a fascination with poisonous plants and death.

Goodness.

Well, it takes all sorts and it's certainly educational to

discover just how many common plants can be very, very deadly.

I can remember foxgloves. I think there were some in my mother's garden.

That's right, very, very common cottage garden plants, really.

But the whole plant is deadly poisonous.

It does have a good side because the large

leaves are used for treating people that have had heart attacks.

They make a drug from it, but if you take too much, you can

-kill people very, very easily. Even things like Rosemary...

-Rosemary?!

I eat it.

Rosemary and lamb go very well together and yet in mediaeval times

-especially, pregnant women used to eat lots of rosemary to abort...

-Really?!

Even today, pregnant women are warned not to eat a lot of rosemary.

Other plants in the garden are less likely to be confused with anything

remotely tasty or healthy like nux vomica, or strychnine.

And Ricinus communis with its bright red flowers,

which only requires a dose the size of a few grains of salt

to kill an adult human.

Is there any antidote to it?

-There's not that I'm aware of.

-That's it?

-That it, yes.

-How frightening.

-But a very attractive plant.

-Lovely.

Often called the castor oil plant.

But castor oil doesn't come from it?

No way.

It was ricin in the tip of an umbrella that killed

Bulgarian dissident, Georgi Markov, on Waterloo Bridge.

And elsewhere at Alnwick, they have aconitum,

a.k.a. wolfsbane, monkshood and the queen of poisons.

A notorious killer since the days of the ancient Greeks.

Recently, about three years ago, there was a case where

a young lady decided she wanted to get rid of her ex-lover

so she broke into his house and took the seeds of this

and dropped the seeds into his curry, which was in the fridge.

When he and his new girlfriend came home, they sat down to eat dinner

and unfortunately he didn't survive.

Can you buy a plant like that in a garden centre?

You can go along to any garden centre this time of the year and buy this plant, yes.

-Do they sell them with a health warning?

-No.

-Do they not?!

-No.

But not everything growing in this section of the garden is

likely to cause such gruesome results.

They take a keen interest in the mood-altering side of plants also.

And that pagoda-looking cage, is that cannabis?

That is cannabis, yes.

-We have a licence from the Home Office to grow cannabis.

-Do you?

But we use it as an educational tool, obviously!

I'm sure you do, I'm sure you do, Trevor.

We have a more interesting plant here.

This is datura, often called the angel's trumpet because these pods

will open up into great big white trumpet-shaped flowers.

And these were very popular in Victorian times where

Victorian ladies would have them growing on their tea tables,

invite their Victorian lady friends to come round for tea

and just tap a little bit of pollen into the teapot and serve tea.

And those ladies then used to loosen up slightly

and tell more intimate secrets about their life.

LAUGHTER

-And it's called what?

-Datura.

-Datura.

Could you spell that for me?

So, anyone receiving an invitation to tea at Charlie's house

in future, had better look out for unusual flower arrangements.

Come on, Charlie, stop messing about.

Charlie?

I'm sure he'll make a full recovery.

Yay! All clear, matron.

Night-night.

Next morning, surprise surprise, Charlie's flirting again.

I don't care what happens at the auction.

I just want you to drive me around Scotland for the rest of my life.

GEARS CRUNCH

Good lord - that's reverse, by the way.

Oh, Lordy.

Margie set off in overdrive yesterday,

splashing out £130 on a standard lamp, a duplicating set,

some Prattware mugs and a footstool, as you do.

-Do you want blood?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

Leaving her with £70 to spend today while Charlie went even further

and faster, weighing in with £140 for the gold chain...

Da-da-da-da-da-da-da...

..a snuffbox,

a thistle pickle fork and a Georgian chest of drawers.

Thank you, Mum!

Leaving just £60 in his wallet.

Later they'll be making for the auction in Edinburgh,

but our first stop is still in England.

The village of Ford.

Bubbly, anyone?

Champagne bar, it says.

-Hey!

-See you later.

And you drive carefully.

Bye!

I'll be drunk when you see me.

How exactly is she going to tell the difference, Charlie?

-Morning.

-Good morning, Charlie.

-Is it Keith?

-It is, Keith.

Thank you very much for having us along today.

-What a wonderful part of the world.

-Isn't it?

We've got the most amazing views here as well, and there they are.

-That's looking out onto the Cheviots.

-Splendid.

Well, I'm going to have a look round, if I may?

And I'll give you a call if there's something I can't resist.

I think Charlie's really going to like the old dairy.

But will it warm to him?

Because let's face it, with only £60 left in his pocket,

he's hardly a rich man.

How Art Nouveau is that?

Aneroid barometer, in an oak case.

I thought it said 195.

It says 795.

That's a fabulous thing.

But it's not in my price range.

Euphemistically put.

But I'm sure he can come up with something that will get

noticed that the auction.

IN A SCOTTISH ACCENT: Berwick Rangers, 4. Rest of the World, 0.

Noticed, Charlie, not thumped.

Arts And Crafts candlesticks.

I thought they were brand-new, but they've got some age.

And aren't they stylish?

And with a ticket price of £38, they are certainly affordable.

Are they from 1910, 1920?

Don't think they're earlier than that.

Made of mahogany, but they've got this wonderful twisted stem

to them which I think is delightful.

And they're practical things.

The great thing about something like this is somebody can

look at them, love them, but use them.

They'd be great on a mahogany dining table with candles in them.

Little candlelit supper.

Me and Margie and a pair of Art Nouveau candlesticks.

Luurv. I feel lurrv coming on.

Let's not get carried away, shall we, Charlie?

Better have a word with Keith first.

Those I would buy at a price...

Well, we usually say 10%. But go on, make me an offer,

see what we can do.

-I'd like to pay £25 for them.

-Hmm.

Probably a bit mean,

but I think they'll probably make between 30 and 40 quid at auction.

-Yeah.

-And that would give me a chance.

Could I tweak you up a little bit?

Could I get you up another couple of pounds, say 28,

so we are taking £10 off for you?

I think that's extremely fair.

£28 I think... what can you buy at £28 these days?

-A wonderful pair of candlesticks. I'm going to have those.

-Good.

And thank you, very much indeed.

That was all very convivial, wasn't it?

And straightaway, Charlie's spotted something else.

I think that is so stylish.

Art Nouveau, it's such a stylish Art Nouveau jug.

I think it's really charming. But it's got no price on it.

If it was ever so cheap, I would buy it.

Time for the dealer to be consulted.

I'd be intrigued to find out is who JS&S are.

Well, Joseph Sankey and Sons of Bilston in the Black Country...actually.

For the purposes of auction, I've got five lots.

I would have to put them with the candlesticks.

I don't think that's too bad, they both have an Art Nouveau influence.

This is pure Art Nouveau. Those are more Arts And Crafts movement.

How does £10 sound?

I couldn't really resist that, could I?

There's not a lot of downside, is there? Tenner!

Right.

Deal.

But while Charlie's been completing his collection,

Margie's made for the North Sea coast.

Motoring over from Ford to Bamburgh.

This is the birthplace of Grace Darling, the lighthouse

keeper's daughter whose remarkable act of bravery saved nine lives.

In the Bamburgh churchyard there's an elaborate cenotaph

carved from Northumberland stone,

which was built to honour their Victorian heroine.

It all happened in the early hours of 7th September 1838,

when Grace and her father William

set out from the Longstone lighthouse in a violent storm

to rescue survivors of the SS Forfarshire from the rocks it had foundered upon.

100 years later, a museum was opened in Bamburgh

to commemorate the events of that incredible night.

And Margie's here to learn more about Grace's story.

-Good morning, Virginia.

-Good morning.

I've been really looking forward to this visit.

-Well, it's lovely to see you and this is Grace.

-This is Grace.

Grace Darling, what a fabulous name.

After the rescue, it seemed that everyone

wanted to know about Grace and artists clamoured to paint

her picture while poets and playwrights extolled her heroism.

-She was a pop star?

-Very much.

She was the pinup of her day.

She had offers of marriage from people who had never met her.

And she really did become the darling of everybody's heart.

Shy Grace shrank from all that attention, much of which was

due to her father's even more heroic actions that night.

Her celebrity still became an industry,

with the family coble boat a key exhibit.

# Grace Darling...

# All the way. #

And here we have Grace's coble.

The coble.

Just a phenomenal boat.

You can see how large it is for one girl.

I imagined it to be smaller. How could she row that?

Well, she would have had a lot of strength

-and an awful lot of adrenaline going through.

-5'2"?

5'2", yes. Not much to her.

-Are those the original oars, Virginia?

-Yes, they are.

And we would also have the mast, but that has disappeared somewhere.

One of Grace's relatives started selling off pieces of oar,

so we don't have all the original oars.

But also we think the mast went the same sort of way.

People would collect just about anything Grace had owned or

touched, as a keepsake to treasure.

Grace was asked by just about anybody

and everybody for little bits of her, literally.

So a scrap of hair, a piece of the dress she wore,

so we've got two examples here.

Of course, when people received these, and Grace almost never said no,

people would have framed them up, put them proudly on display

and say, "I have a bit of Grace Darling". This is fabulous.

The Duke of Northumberland became Grace's patron and he gave

her a variety of different gifts, including this book.

The Notes In The Study of Holy Scriptures.

Grace was brought up very much as a Christian girl.

-She would have been really interested in this.

-She'd never have owned that, would she?

She would never have owned that without the rescue, no.

-And finally...

-Look at that.

-..Grace Darling chocolates.

I love this object because it tells us

-so much about the way Grace is seen today.

-Look at that lovely picture.

Don't you think it's lovely? Have you noticed the colour of her hair?

-And the colour of her eyes?

-Yes.

Well, she's suddenly gone blonde and white.

-Making her into a bit of a glamour girl.

-Well, quite.

Sadly, Grace was to die from TB just four years later, at the age of 26.

But she was the first woman to be awarded a silver medal

by the fledgling RNLI.

And the museum provides a link between what Grace

and her father achieved and the bravery of volunteers today.

We've got so many volunteer crew doing so many wonderful things,

day in, day out, and modern-day Graces.

-I bet you didn't know 8% of our crews are girls these days.

-Really?

# Grace Darling all the way. #

Now, remember how Charlie completed his shopping a little earlier?

So, whilst his co-driver has been exploring Bamburgh,

he's headed for the coast,

journeying from Ford

back into Scotland and Coldingham.

There's a very fine ruined monastery just outside the village,

bits of which the date from 660.

That Charlie has another bit of Coldingham in mind. The beach.

Oh, Lord, here goes.

Margie, I've finished my shopping. Do you fancy joining a hunk for a dip?

Unfortunately for Charlie,

the surf most definitely isn't up today.

At least he won't be troubling the Coast Guard. Go on, up you go!

Oh, dear. Elsewhere in the village, Margie still has a bit of shopping.

-Hello, I'm Jane.

-Margie.

-If you need any help, just ask.

Thank you very much indeed.

That's sounded full of promise, didn't it?

-Well, things haven't exactly turned out that way.

-Nice silvery bits.

-Well, they are silver plate. We never have real silver.

-Right.

-And there's a couple of bureaus there.

-Bureaus?

Yes, I'm a bit off furniture at the moment.

-This is a nice jug. But it's got a crack in it, hasn't it?

-Lordy.

And there's also that ship sign which is rather nice,

-but whether that's antique or not, I don't know.

-No, it's not.

It came off a pub.

I tell you what, Jane, you get 10 out of 10 for effort.

-Patience, too, I'd say.

-Nowhere near for me. Am I being fussy, or what?

Just buy something, Margie.

You've got lots of jugs and things, haven't you?

A real porcelain person, aren't you?

-What about this Highlander?

-Oh, yes.

-Again, he might be a reproduction.

-Yes, I think he probably is.

The price is £20.

It's quite a nice thing cos the colour's good on it.

Well, Charlie bagged something with a Scottish theme yesterday.

He's got a big chunk off his hat. Oh, dear, his feather's come off!

-It has, yes.

-Could that be an absolute knockdown?

-So I don't leave with nothing.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-What are you looking for?

-It's got to be five quid.

-OK.

-OK. We've bought.

-We'll do that.

-We've bought.

-Phew!

With that struggle safely over,

it's now time to take a look at what they bought.

-Happy with your purchases?

-Some and some. How was it for you?

-Not bad.

-Let's start.

-Oh, start, good grief! What have you got there?

You've got a brass standard lamp.

-With a nice big...

-I like the bulb.

-Right, seen it?

-Yes, I have.

-Because the wind is going to blow it.

-That's absolutely fine.

Come on, let's... Oh!

What about her mugs, Charlie?

You've been dealing in Prattware.

Do you know, this is something I'm often accused of.

-Yesterday's antiques.

-They are.

-Aren't they?

They're just unfashionable now, aren't they?

-That's fun and quirky. If that was cheap, it'll sell for £25-£30.

-£15.

That's fine.

He could test Charlie's approbation.

-There's a story here.

-There needs to be a story behind that.

It needs to be made of gold, really.

My last call was a little bit sort of, you know...

-Was that the best thing in the shop?

-It was a bric-a-brac.

And she was so sweet, she was so persistent

and she just kept offering and offering.

I hope she gave you a discount on this £20 asking price.

I paid a fiver. I thought his plume was missing,

but when I came out, his head's been off.

-But are going to Scotland.

-We are.

Right, Margie, let me show you my absolutely stunning purchases.

-Ah! Oh, my word.

-What do you think?

-Yes, those are lovely.

Those are fab, I really like those.

-What are they worth?

-60 quid.

Yeah, cost £28.

-How good is that?

-There's a profit.

-I

-bought something because we're going to Scotland, a bit of silver.

This is a very light...

Yes, it is, I'm looking forward to being shot down in flames

-with this because this is your...

-It's part of a necklace, really.

It's eight grams. So I thought it's worth 80 quid.

-It's not worth 80 quid.

-Well, it cost 50 quid.

-Oh, you'll make a few quid.

-It'll make something.

-Between 15 and 20 quid.

-Here's my coup de grace.

-And what a nice thing it is.

-I shouldn't have bought it, should I?

Well, I wouldn't have touched it with a barge pole, personally.

-It's what they call brown furniture.

-But it's small, it's compact.

It's got original handles. It's about 1820.

-It needs some TLC.

-It does.

-How much did you pay?

-55.

Oh, goodness gracious. 200-year-old Georgian.

-Unbelievably cheap.

-Georgian furniture.

-Yeah, that's why I walked past it personally.

-OK, honey, come on.

But what did they really think?

Not particularly worried about Charlie's purchases.

But neither am I very optimistic about my purchases either.

I love the Prattware mugs.

But one's got a crack and Prattware is a bit passe nowadays

and they cost £55.

I think they could be her Achilles heel.

His candlesticks are nice and they are cheap and very stylish.

She really liked my candlesticks, didn't she?

She's got more money left in her purse, but candlesticks to the fore!

After setting out at Jedburgh,

today's opening encounter will conclude in Scotland's capital city.

Well, not actually in the centre, but in Leith,

which serves as Edinburgh's port on the Firth of Forth.

Famous for shipbuilding,

they also wrote the rules of golf here back in 1744.

Plus, the sun is shining on Leith.

There's a song in that, you know.

# Sunshine on Leith... #

This is where you're going to make a fortune, young lady.

How to turn 200 quid into half a million.

Welcome to Ramsay Cornish,

where Leithers have gathered to inspect the wares while

auctioneer Martin Cornish seems to have a soft spot for the Sunbeam.

-You've got lovely leather seats and upholstery.

-Who, Margie?

Charlie began with £200 and he's spent almost all of it,

a total of £178 on five auction lots.

-A tenner.

-Right.

Whilst Margie, who also started out with £200, has spent a little less,

parting with £135, also on five auction lots.

The auction approaches

and there's something Charlie needs to get off his chest.

I ought to warn you, if I lose money on anything, I tend to cry.

Up first, Margie's duplicating set.

If I make a fiver, I'll be very happy.

What, profit? Or a fiver in total?

I think it might be a fiver in total.

£30, 20 for this.

20 for the duplicating set. 20 I'm bid.

20 I'm bid for it. At £20 I'm bid. 25, 30.

At £30. Last call at 30.

# Double your money And try to get rich... #

Good start, Margie.

I'm travelling with a genius.

Time for Charlie's very Scottish-looking pickle fork.

-I hope you don't get in a pickle with it.

-Ha-ha-ha.

£10 to start it.

A little pickle fork. 10 I'm bid. 12, 14, 16.

18, 20. 22, 24, 26.

-At 26. On my right, last call.

-That will do.

-£20.

There'll be no tears yet, then.

It's not the sort of profits you're used to, but in my humble way...

-You've made six pounds.

-Not after commission.

What about the chain he almost overlooked?

30 to start it. 20.

20 I'm bid. 25, 35, 40. £40.

-There's a phone bid coming in. 45. 50.

-There you go.

-55, 60.

-Getting there. Need a bit more.

At 60.

Standing at the back at £60. Last call at 60.

-It's away.

-It's about right.

-Oh!

A profit, but a little less than he hoped for.

Is it lilac or has it gone in with the...something red?

Steady on, Charlie.

Let's see how Margie's footstool fares.

I've got a bit of a feeling about your stool.

Have you really? Tell me.

It's mixed. I think it's either going to make 15 quid or 65 quid.

30 for this to start it quickly.

-He knows his values, doesn't he?

-35, 40.

-45, 50, 55, 60. At £60.

-60!

You have it in the back.

Do you know, I've met some rich women in my time,

but you are the richest. You're doubling up on everything.

Yes, perhaps she will need that hanky, Charlie.

-Are you getting a bit miffed on the quiet?

-I'm British.

I'm not really happy unless I'm losing.

Chin up, Charlie, it's your snuffbox next.

-£10 to start it, little snuffbox.

-Should fetch 30, shouldn't it?

10 I'm bid, 12. 14, 16, 18.

-20.

-Good man.

-22.

-He's bidding.

-You'll get it, keep going. 26.

26, 28. At 28.

-In the back at 28.

-Well done.

-Did you hear what he said?

-What?

He said it'd better be worth it.

Almost double your money there, Charlie.

Although it will be less after auction costs.

What about Margie's old-fashioned mugs?

-Look, he's got the telephone ready. The telephone is ready.

-Where?

-There.

-50 to start them quickly. 50 I'm bid.

55, 60, five, 70, 75, 80.

85, 90, 95, 100.

At £100. On commission with me at £100 now.

Last call at 100.

-Oh, Margie.

-There's a definite pattern forming here.

She's doubled again.

Terrific.

Now for Charlie's lovely bit of Georgian. His biggest buy.

-Do we have faith in English furniture?

-Yes, it'll make 95 quid.

I need it to make a little bit more than £95.

50 to start it quickly? 50 I'm bid, 55,

60. 65, 70, 75, 80. 85, 90.

95, 100. 110. 110 in the back.

At £110 in the back. At 110.

-You have it, 110.

-Well done, my friend.

-Plant one.

Charlie's day is definitely perking up now. Yet another double.

-Steady, sir.

-Do you think we could come here for our next sale?

Can Margie's great run extend to her lamp?

20 for that lot to start it quickly. 20 I'm bid, 25.

-There's a lady bidding already.

-40, 45, 50, 55, 60.

-65, 70, 75, 80.

-Oh, she's going for it.

-85.

Lady's bid down at the front at 85. The last call at 85.

-Well done.

-Hang on, I'm going to reciprocate. Put your cheek out.

I think Margie will almost certainly triumph today.

I'm enjoying myself.

-Are you enjoying yourself?

-I'm not surprised you are,

-you've made so much money.

-You've done all right.

-I have.

How about a Scotsman minus his wee feather, of course?

# Oh, flower of Scotland

# When will we see your likes again? #

-His little kilt and socks.

-Fantastic, look at him.

Nice 19th-century Staffordshire flatback figure.

30, 20 for him? 20 I'm bid.

-20 I'm bid for the Staffordshire.

-It's all I can hope.

-20 quid?

-At £30.

Last call at £30. At 30.

You have it, 30.

Never mind double, she's several times better off with him.

Finally, Charlie's candlesticks and jug.

Here you go, here you go.

That's a nice little set, that.

50 to start them quickly. 50 I'm bid.

50 I'm bid for the set. At £50.

-55, 60, 65, 70. 75, 80.

-No way!

-At £80. At £80.

-Not bad, not bad. I'd like a little more.

At 80, you have it on commission, 80.

Another good result,

but Margie's consistent profits have put her on top.

Miss Cooper, Gladys to her friends,

I congratulate you, you've been brilliant.

-Thank you, and so have you.

-We've had fun.

-We've done well.

-We made money.

-Gosh, I can't believe it.

-Shall we go for a swim?

Charlie began with £200 and after paying auction costs,

he's made a profit of £71.28.

So he now has £271.28 to spend next time.

Margie also started off with £200, but her Prattware really paid off.

So that after paying auction costs, she made a profit of £115.10,

leaving her with £315.10 and all the bragging rights.

-I say, have I won the day?

-You certainly have.

-I don't want to keep rubbing it in.

-Just get in that car!

Onward and upward.

Next time on the Antiques Road Trip, Margie get a personal shopper.

-I do like that.

-OK.

-I haven't said yes yet.

-You have.

-While Charlie could do with a Sherpa.

-Can I have a clamber?