VOICEOVER (VO): It's the nation's favorite antiques experts.

I just love it.

VO: Behind the wheel of a classic car.

(HORN TOOTS) LOUISE: It's fast.

CHARLES: It's a race.

VO: And a goal - to scour Britain for antiques.

PAUL: This could be tricky.

MARGIE: £38!

VO: The aim - to make the biggest profit at auction.

VO: But it's no mean feat.

ROO: High five!

There'll be worthy winners... CHRISTINA: Mind-blowing.

VO: ..and valiant losers.

Could have been worse.

Will it be the high road to glory...

Car!

..or the slow road to disaster?

CHRISTINA: Aaagh!

TIM: Oh my!

VO: This is the Antiques Road Trip.

Dig that.

Hello and welcome to bonny Scotland, and the start of another jolly antiques journey.

Who's this in a classic BMW, then?

MARGIE (MC): Oh, I hope it's going to be a good... Good trip.

CHARLES (CH): Margie, it's gonna be a good 'un.

I...

I...

I can feel it.

VO: Me too!

Yes, it's her gracious majesty, Queen Margie of Antiques, and the original Derbyshire dandy, Mr Charles Hanson.

I like Scottish antique shops.

I think they're interesting.

And they're good with furniture still, aren't they?

I think what excites me is in the wilds of the north... ..we might find some exciting objects.

MC: Yeah.

CH: The more into the mountainous regions you go, the greater the chance of treasure.

VO: Hopefully!

But is all this all a bit deja vu?

CH: Margie... MC: Yes.

..you and I were together two years ago.

I remember it well.

In that lovely yellow car.

MC: Yes.

CH: It was like a banana.

That's going fast!

MC: Stop it!

CH: Get out of here!

Where are we going, Marge?

For you it was slippy because I won.

You did.

VO: He did.

But Margie, it's all up for grabs on this trip.

Setting forth with £200 each, our duo will travel over 500 miles from the Scottish Highlands to the Borders, over to Lancashire and henceforth to their final auction in Harrogate.

Today's trip starts in Dingwall, before winding across to their first auction in Aberdeen.

What's your plan now, two years on?

You're bigger, you're better, you look younger.

What's...?

(THEY CHUCKLE) My plan is to walk into a shop and hopefully find something that I can make a profit on.

Yeah.

VO: How many programs have you been on so far?

Right, with cohort Charles dropped off, Margie's made her way to the market town of Dingwall, and her first shop, Objet d'Art, owned by William.

It has four rooms stuffed with curios and collectables.

What can our Margie find?

Gosh, look at that magnificent beast.

William?

DEALER: Hello.

What is this and how much is it?

That's... That's a Highland coo.

You'll see them in the fields in the Highlands and in the lowlands of Scotland as well.

So how much would he be?

He would be around about 15,000.

Really?

Yes.

Cos of the BSE, all heads now have to be destroyed so they don't re-enter the food chain.

Right.

So what there is, there is.

Ah, so he's very special.

And hence he's extremely special, yes.

VO: Special and expensive.

Step away from that, Margie.

Aren't you lovely?

Bye, chappie.

Right, let's get on with my purchases.

VO: Good idea.

What are these?

I've never seen anything like it.

VO: Bookends.

1930s, I should think.

Aren't they gorgeous?

Yes, aren't these absolutely gorgeous?

Yes.

Some kind of... Yeah, it's sort of marbley, onyx type... No markings?

No, there are no markings.

I wonder who made those.

Certainly continental I would think, wouldn't you?

Yeah, but they're quite...

They're quite nice quality.

Absolutely beautiful, aren't they?

DEALER: Yes.

MC: Yeah.

Yeah.

And in lovely condition.

Yeah.

What sort of money are they?

DEALER: £50.

MC: £50.

Hmm.

Lovely pieces.

Certainly...

Certainly would attract attention.

Well, I'm not sure I would buy them for my own house.

No.

But they are interesting.

Normally, with these bookends, it's...

They're either bronze or metal... DEALER: Yes.

MC: ..aren't they?

DEALER: Yes.

MC: Unusual.

Very unusual.

MC: Yeah.

DEALER: Yes.

MC: But not 45?

DEALER: Oh... MC: Well let's... Let's see... Let's park that thought and we might come back to that, yes?

MC: Park the thought.

DEALER: Yes, yes.

MC: Right.

VO: One possible buy, then.

Anything else?

Ah.

Majolica.

DEALER: Yes.

MC: Is it... DEALER: Nice piece, isn't it?

A lovely sort of cobalt blue.

MC: That's unusual.

VO: Majolica is lead-glazed earthenware.

And this cheese dome has the bold designs the Victorians loved, but could be a later repro.

MC: Is that top... That handle's not been off, has it?

No, no, no.

You got to look for trouble because you only find it in the car when you're taking it out...

Yes.

And you've paid for it and you sit in the car and you go... (GASPS) DEALER: I think that's a lovely piece.

MC: It is.

DEALER: You know, it's a large cheese dome, isn't it?

MC: Can I buy it?

Erm... £60?

£60?

Right.

That's another possibility.

DEALER: Another possibility.

MC: Yep.

VO: Looks like Margie's tempted.

Anything else?

Ah.

Silvery bits.

This is a little three-piece cruet set.

Although it's a very common design, so this is probably 1930s, '40s, '50s.

But it's... You know what's nice about it?

It's clean.

Er, often the glasses are missing and also, you have the corrosion of the salt on the silver.

Which is a real pain.

So I'm...

I like that because it's clean.

VO: Yeah.

Third possible.

What about the price, William?

You know, I could do this little cruet set for £50, and I would throw the dressing table... MC: Mirror.

DEALER: ..art-deco mirror in... MC: Yeah.

DEALER: ..with that as well.

So, 60 for the Majolica.

Yes.

You said 50 for the bookends, but you said you might do something.

45?

Yeah, 45, that'll do.

45.

And is that your last...

Your very last word?

Well, I'd give you all that... for 45.

MC: Alright.

DEALER: To make it up to 150.

MC: Yeah.

DEALER: So you... You've got...

I'm spending all my money here.

You've got some nice pieces.

Thank you very much.

Thanks, William.

VO: Margie's first shop, eh.

Three lots bought.

Well done.

Meanwhile, Charles is delaying his antique hunting to detour to Tomich.

He's meeting local farmer Donald Fraser, who has a tale to share.

Now, I'm a Labrador man.

My parents always had Labradors.

But Floss isn't, is she?

DONALD: No, she's a golden retriever.

Right.

And she comes from this very part of the world.

Really?

We are just approaching Guisichan House, which is the house that Lord Tweedmouth lived in.

And he is the person who first bred a golden retriever.

Really?

So the path we're walking up to now, and this house in front is really where Floss began her life as a breed.

DONALD: As a breed, yes.

CH: As a breed.

She's only two years old.

Yes, yes.

VO: Lord Tweedmouth bought his Highland estate in 1854 and like many noblemen of the time, he was passionate about hunting, shooting and fishing.

Sadly, the mansion fell into disrepair in the 1930s.

But in its heyday, it was the perfect place for Tweedmouth's other passion - breeding the perfect dog for field sports.

Heel!

Heel.

Heel.

So...

So, as a golden retriever, why did Lord Tweedmouth want to create this specimen?

DEALER: Well, he loved his dogs and bred different ones.

The golden retrievers were bred particularly because it could both point game...

Yes.

..retrieve game, and a general all-round dog.

Wowee.

An all round dog which I suppose in many respects then, Donald, the perfect gun dog.

The perfect gun dog, and a very friendly dog, which makes a very good house pet as well.

CH: Very friendly, aren't you, Floss?

You really are.

VO: Tweedmouth built state-of-the-art kennels with underfloor heating and paneled walls for the breed he was perfecting.

But who were Floss's ancestors?

She... She's bred from, um, originally a curly-coated retriever.

And a Tweed water spaniel.

Neither of those dogs are in existence any more.

But she's, um, a very fine example of how the breed should look.

VO: And Floss's breed was originally the yellow retriever.

The story goes that one of Lord Tweedmouth's friends was admiring his dog and said, "She looks just like a golden guinea."

DONALD: And here we have it.

CH: Oh, crikey.

I see what you mean.

The gold in the guinea looks just like your golden coat.

I can see that and you really are a beautiful, beautiful golden retriever.

VO: Every golden retriever's roots can be traced back to this estate, as celebrated in this bronze statue.

And every few years, hundreds of golden retrievers and their owners from around the world have a get-together here.

This year they're celebrating the breed's 150th anniversary.

And hello!

Looks like Floss's friends have come to the party early.

Donald, just tell me, why have retrievers been so popular?

Well, they can be trained for so many different things.

Like, um, bomb disposal, guide dogs.

Erm... you name it.

Anything a dog can do, a golden retriever's been used for that.

Amazing.

I can see, Donald, there's some water over there.

I think it'd be nice to put the retriever... DONALD: Yes.

CH: ..into action now.

I wouldn't want to go swimming today but I'm quite sure that Flossie would.

CH: Yeah, if I take her... DONALD: She will be in like a shot.

Will she?

Oh, she's gone.

She... She's gone.

Come on, Floss, back you come.

VO: Go fetch, Charles!

Argh.

Flossie, off you go!

Oh, wow!

What a... What a... A belly flop.

Up you come, this way.

Come on.

I think, Donald, I'm gonna say to you, like she's retrieved so quickly her bite, I think for me it's time now to retrieve some antiques.

Thank you for a wonderful education... Not at all.

..into the golden retriever and their local history.

It's been a joy.

Bye-bye.

VO: Meanwhile, Margie's heading to the village of Rosemarkie on the Black Isle peninsula.

I've happily spent three quarters of my budget.

And I might go into an absolute cracking shop and see something I really like.

I've got two shops and I've got £50.

Well done, Margie.

VO: Come on Margie, chin up, girl.

Ha!

Your next stop, PSG Antiques and Collectables, is small but packs plenty of pieces into its one room.

MC: Good afternoon, Peter.

PETER: Margie.

How are you?

Not bad, yourself?

I'm very, very well indeed, if not a little cold.

PETER: Yeah, it's freezing.

VO: Poor girl.

So, you've got a tiled floor, which is unusual in an antiques shop.

So what was this?

PETER: It was a butcher's.

MC: Was it?

VO: Chop chop, then!

You've got things to buy.

Right, I'm gonna have a look around, if that's alright.

And I'll give you a shout if I need any help.

Yep, no problem.

VO: Meanwhile, Charles is hotfooting it through the northern Scottish countryside to the village of Daviot, just south of Inverness.

VO: Look at him go.

God, it's cold.

VO: Charles is visiting Torguish House, which dates back to the early 1700s.

It's now a B&B and antique shop.

Oh wow!

VO: And architectural salvage yard.

There's stock everywhere.

There's something over here.

# If you go into the antiques shop today # You're in for a big... surprise!

# Hello.

Look at this huge bronze bear.

I've never seen anything like it.

At first, I thought it may have been a Bavarian Black Forest wooden bear.

It's not.

This bear is bronze.

It is priced at £5,250.

That's not cheap.

And you're no cheep-cheep, are you?

You've got a big growl.

VO: Rawr.

The mighty bronze bear is just a tad out of Charles's budget.

There's plenty more to see, though.

Let's leave him to it.

Over in Rosemarkie, Margie's still having a butcher's in the butcher's.

I'm just loo...

I've seen that in there, that little Chinese silver... Rickshaw.

..rickshaw.

And filigree silver.

It's quite sweet.

I feel a bit lacking in money at the moment.

Aren't we all?

(SHE CHUCKLES) That's really nice.

I quite like that.

And it seems to be in pretty good nick.

It's, um, probably 1930s, '40s.

Um, Chinese silver.

Which is not the standard of our silver.

Our silver is, er, 925 whereas this is probably 800, but it doesn't really matter.

But they're collectable little things.

And it's all sorts of different designs, with a Chinese gentleman, in this case, driving along in a rickshaw.

So you've got £30 on that.

So what sort of price would that be, if I wanted to buy that off you, Peter?

I could do it for 20.

PETER: 20 quid.

MC: 20 quid.

So if I give you that and shake your hand.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much for letting us come and visit your shop.

And I'm off.

Thanks, Peter.

Bye.

VO: Jolly good.

That's purchase number four for Margie.

Back in Daviot, Charles is in the yard.

What I do like is... all this architectural salvage.

There's this old fireplace here that could be 18th century.

Go here very carefully.

This beautiful plinth.

An old safe.

But actually, it's what is sitting on top of the safe that I quite like.

It's mossy covered, it's stone, but it's also beautifully weathered, as well.

And you've got this angelic head... that's really been lost to the harsh weather, I'm sure somewhere locally, in an abbey or a church.

And I believe this cherub winged head, on this beautifully carved egg and dart base could be 17th century.

And what I like about it, it hasn't got a price tag on.

I'm gonna find the dealer and pick you up, take you with me... ..and find out how much you are.

Ah!

VO: Good heavens Charles, you're stronger than you look, boy.

Careful Carlos!

Oh dear, think of his back.

Hello.

Your name is?

Mike.

Is it your emporium, Mike?

It is, yes.

I'm Charles Hanson, good to see you.

Good, yeah.

I've been delving around... Goodness me.

..and I've found this.

Yeah.

May I take it inside and we'll perhaps talk value?

If you wish, yeah.

Yeah.

Thanks, Mike.

What would you call this?

I don't really know.

It's not a cobble, it's not a keystone.

It's just a decorative, very pretty piece of stone.

CH: Almost like a gargoyle, isn't it?

It looks, you know, really interesting.

How much is it?

Er... it's got to be close to £100.

I like it and I think sometimes when you like something, you just fall for something that has a real look of history and craftsmanship.

Yeah, yeah.

And your very best price would be...?

MIKE: £80.

CH: £80.

I'll take it, Mike.

Right.

VO: Time for Charles to part with some cash, eh?

I think it's all there.

20, 40, 60, there's £80.

Smashing.

Thank you, Mike.

OK, thank you.

I bid you a good day... Take care.

..Saint Michael.

I'll go and see my other winged angel now... MIKE: Thank you.

CH: ..Margie Cooper.

MIKE: Bye-bye.

CH: See you, Mike.

Bye.

VO: So, that's today's buying done.

What's the chat in the Beemer, then?

So what are you doing tonight then, Charles?

I might buy you a lager, Margie.

VO: Sounds just the ticket.

Nighty-night, then.

And hey presto, it's a brand spanking new day.

Eager beavers Charles and Margie are bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to continue their antiques journey.

Say good morning to the cow.

(HORN TOOTS) Good morning, Highland cow.

You're looking at us.

VO: Yesterday, Charles bought just the stone-angel carving.

And very nice it is too.

You've got my Road Trip off to a flying angelic start.

VO: He still has £120 to spend.

VO: Margie picked up the onyx book ends, the silver cruet set and mirror, the Majolica cheese dome, and the Chinese silver figure.

I feel a bit lacking in money at the moment.

VO: Yep, she has £30 still in her purse.

Margie, this is just heaven.

I know.

I mean, look at the landscape.

The landscape's being kissed.

I mean, look at that landscape.

Just watch the road.

Sorry.

I'm getting romantic, Margie.

VO: Scotland does that to the best of us.

With Margie dropped off, Charles is taking the convertible for a spin to Dulnain Bridge in Speyside - an area famous for malt whisky and fishing.

But it's Margie's antiques catch so far that's on Charles' mind.

She's had a good day yesterday, she's obviously really quite upbeat about her purchases.

She's spent big.

She knows what she's bought inside out.

And I think this could be... a challenge to catch her today.

VO: Stay positive, Charles.

The Speyside Heather Centre may have a few surprises, with an antiques shop attached to a garden centre.

It's a bit different.

CH: Here we are.

VO: Get rooting.

What I'm looking for is something that really jumps out at me.

And what I'm finding in this shop so far is retro vintage style.

And style really sells.

This is where the market is today, 1970s, 1960s, a really iconic-looking four-piece plated service.

But it's not really me.

I'm looking for more objects which aren't tea, which are 100 years old.

Ah, that's quite nice.

Found something.

(HOLLOW TAPPING) What's that?

A crack.

But what's this?

This is actually a very nice salt-glaze stoneware jug, with a monogram on for George II.

This jug was made in around 1750.

It was cheaper in 1750 to import salt-glaze stoneware from Europe, from the Rhinelands of Germany, than what it was to make in Staffordshire.

So it's 250 years old.

But any collectors, if you hear this noise... (FLAT TAPPING) ..that clear flat sound is a sign it's been cracked.

And if you look very closely, just running under the G for King George, there's a very open crack through the cobalt blue.

Which you'll see runs all the way round there... ..round the base, and it keeps on going and I'm a bit concerned the base might fall out of this.

But hopefully it won't.

It would have had perhaps a pewter cover.

You can see two holes here that may have supported a hinged cover.

And in fact it's a water jug, or even a beer jug.

Even a wine jug.

And actually I think I've found something quite special here.

It's only priced at £18 and I think for £18, it's well worth buying.

VO: Yeah.

Time to see Craig.

Craig?

Hello.

CRAIG: Hi there.

CH: I see you work here.

CH: Lovely... Lovely lavender.

CRAIG: Certainly do.

VO: It's heather, Charles.

Beautiful lavender.

It's nice to get a bit of color, isn't it?

Course it is.

CRAIG: Yeah.

CH: The sun's come out.

Obviously you've got an antiques center over there as well.

Aha.

I'm buying today and I found this.

Like it?

Yeah, it's a nice wee kind of size.

There's one problem.

Any ideas what the problem is?

Er, no.

No.

It looks nice but listen.

(FLAT TAPPING) CRAIG: Ah.

CH: It's got a crack.

So maybe it's time to get rid of it.

I can do that for you.

Don't drop it though.

How much could it be?

Er...

I'm looking for... What about £10?

Happy with that?

Yeah, I'd be happy with that.

I'll take it for a tenner.

That's superb.

CH: I'm very happy.

CRAIG: Perfect.

There you go, there's 20.

Have you got change for a tenner?

I certainly have.

That would be lovely.

Couple of fives.

I'll let you tend to your plants.

They're beautiful colors, you know.

CH: See you soon.

CRAIG: Cheers now.

Bye.

Take care.

See you, Craig.

VO: Looks like the heather was lucky.

And Charles has his second purchase in the bag.

Margie, meanwhile, is on her way to Culloden, just outside Inverness.

In the early 1900s the Highlands and Islands of Scotland were the poorest and most remote communities in Britain.

Many families lived a hand-to-mouth existence on small rented landholdings known as crofts.

Illness was rife, doctors prohibitively expensive.

Here to tell Margie how the Highlands and Islands Medical Service revolutionized healthcare in remote Scotland is Dingwall GP Dr Miles Mack.

There doesn't look too much comfort here, Miles.

I mean...

I mean, how cold and miserable and wretched it must have been.

Yeah, yeah, absolutely right.

I think they made the most of the resources that they've got.

Getting as much insulation they can from the thatch.

Yeah.

Thick walls to try and keep the wind out.

But it was damp, a mud floor quite often, and very dark.

And often extremely smoky.

MC: Yeah.

MILES: Erm, and pretty... For you and I, it's not something we'd be attracted to it all.

VO: In these cramped conditions, diseases like diphtheria and tuberculosis were rife.

But in the early 1900s, for most families, paying for a doctor was out of the question.

So when did things change then?

Well, in 1912, it really came to a head.

And there was some really damning evidence of the problems that were happening then.

To think that such a high proportion of deaths, up to 80% of deaths, weren't being certified in some of these remote communities.

Really?

They really showed people in Westminster that something had to be done.

VO: In 1912, Inverness MP Sir John Dewar came to the rescue.

He sent out a committee to gather evidence of the woeful medical care in these deprived areas.

His final report recommended a bold new plan, to set up a radical new health service available to all and subsided by the government.

And in 1913, the Highlands and Islands Medical Service was born.

MC: So would that be the precursor to the National Health Service?

MILES: Well, we think so, yes.

MC: Yeah.

Interestingly, some of the suggestions was better use of technology.

It seems so relevant now when we talk about broadband... Yeah.

..but there, they were meaning the use of telephone and the internal combustion engine, either in cars or on boats... Yeah.

..to allow doctors to get to the patients who need them.

VO: Along with improved communication and transport, new hospitals were built.

Doctors and nurses were recruited and came with equipment not previously available in the Highlands and Islands.

Even the most basic kit saved many, many lives.

MC: To people who had nothing... MC: Yeah.

..this must have been revolutionary.

I think that's right.

It looks...

It's very basic medical equipment.

MILES: Obstetric forceps.

MC: Yeah.

Um, obstructed labor was a big problem... Yeah.

..for women.

And having a doctor who could undertake simple obstetric procedures was a major improvement for saving people's... Save so many babies, and mothers.

And their mothers, which was particularly important.

Yeah, that's amazing.

And the gas and air kit, which is recognizable.

Obviously give you nitrous oxide for childbirth and also for trauma.

Are these splints?

Yes, for legs and arms, to be able to deal with some of the fractures that would happen in the community.

So the Highlands and Islands Medical Service, does it still exist?

No, it doesn't.

No.

But it had a major impact and it was the only model of care quoted in the NHS white paper of 1944.

Really?

It was so interesting hearing about this, and how it's evolved into the National Health Service.

And to see all these antique medical instruments made me remember, I've got to go off buying my antiques, Miles.

It's been so nice to meet you.

Lovely.

Thank you very much, it's great.

Thank you very much indeed.

VO: Next stop for both Charles and Margie, the village of Auldearn.

This former place of worship houses a divine stock of antiques.

Looks like Charles is here first.

CH: Margie Cooper?

Not here yet.

VO: With £110 at the ready, Charles is headed for the outbuildings behind the main shop.

There's always hope.

Bric-a-brac.

Right, here we go.

It's such a quaint shop.

They're quite nice.

The box tells a million stories and it's a beautiful brown and gilt Morocco lined box.

And opening it up, there's a magnificent set of one, two, three, four, five, six... 12 silver teaspoons and a pair of sugar nips.

They're lovely.

So they're hallmarked for... ..Sheffield, 1904, and these would've been made for an important noble household.

They're solid silver.

They're high quality.

And they're monogrammed, so they were made for a specific coming of age, perhaps a wedding gift, who knows?

But of course, back in Edwardian Britain, we were quite formal and we would've stirred our tea, and I may have taken a sugar cube... from my sugar bowl like that and really this set represents sophistication and I'm sure my sophisticated Margie Cooper will wax lyrical about my spoons as well.

VO: Talk of the devil - ha-ha - look who's arrived.

With all this temptation and only a few pounds left, what can she find?

Meanwhile, Charles has barely moved.

He's rooted.

I'm quite impressed by this cabinet.

It's like a magnet.

And that's lovely.

This is a little spoon... ..with a very nice silver tip on the end, which I don't think... (HE BLOWS) I'm blowing on it because when it's so cold the actual metal clouds over, so you can identify a hallmark.

On here, there is no hallmark but I'm sure because it's a small sliver it will be silver but unmarked.

And this is just a very nice... probably late-19th-century horn spoon.

And it's got this shield, again in silver, which hasn't been engraved so in fact it's a vacant shield which makes it more commercial, and this spoon is only £9.

It's got to be worth 25, £30.

So again, 130 years old, purely decorative but it's an object of local history.

That can go down there as well.

It's like a feast in this shop.

It's a feast, there's no famine.

VO: The horn spoon and silver spoons and nips have piqued Charles's interest.

But what else can the outbuildings offer?

In the shop, it looks like Margie's recruited dealer Rodge the Dodge to assist with her search.

Go, Roger.

Oh my goodness, Roger, what a chest.

That's a Scottish chest, isn't it?

ROGER: Precisely.

Yeah.

MC: Yeah.

Sometimes called an ogee chest.

MC: Yeah, or Dunfermline.

ROGER: Yeah.

That's precisely where they were mostly made.

Really.

Isn't that spectacular with all that feathering.

ROGER: It's beautiful.

VO: An ogee is a serpentine or S-shaped curve, common in the top moldings of these spacious Scottish chests of drawers.

MC: Oh, pull that out.

Oh, my goodness.

So what were these for?

ROGER: Well that was for keeping your hats in, originally.

Really?

Gosh.

Beautiful ogee shape.

And how much?

Shall we flip the ticket?

ROGER: Only three... MC: £350.

ROGER: I know.

For a piece of beautiful wood, beautifully crafted.

VO: Very cheap for what it is, but too expensive for Margie.

Ha!

Now, how's Charles getting on?

CH: That's quite nice, that's quite nice.

Wow, how interesting.

What we've got here is a coffee and a tea service which is unmarked.

It's always good to see... ..this.

Iron or little metal rivets in porcelain, because we can date porcelain repairs.

If there's metal rivets in the actual porcelain we know it's maybe pre 1940s.

Highly valued and repaired a long time ago.

This tea and coffee set would be made in Staffordshire, it's probably made by Spode in the Japanese pattern and it would date to about 1810.

However, what's really out of the ordinary is this bowl.

This is German.

On the back you've got the sceptre mark, S-C-E-P-T-R-E, which is a mark for Berlin, and that one on its own will date to about 1750.

So you've got that bowl with this tea and coffee set.

It's interesting and quite good.

I'm going to find the dealer.

VO: Well, you'll have to wait.

Cos Rodge the Dodge is still with Margie.

That £30 is burning a hole in her pocket, I can tell you.

I've seen this little Victorian swing mirror.

What's caught my eye are the dimensions.

Yeah.

I like the shape of the mirror, which is unusual - they're not usually rectangular.

Lovely little drawer, feathered mahogany, 1880, 1890.

Spot on.

The mirror has... ROGER: Yeah, there's a bit of foxing.

That mercury - it's very foxed but you can still see.

Yeah but I think people don't mind that so much now.

That's age, isn't it?

Yeah, you'd spoil it if you replaced the glass.

MC: And... ROGER: Er...

I notice there's a very faded price on there.

VO: Obviously been sat here for a year or two.

I would do you a very good deal on it.

MC: Would you?

ROGER: Yeah.

VO: Fingers crossed.

So, over to you, Roger.

Well, I am suggesting that you make me a very reasonable offer of £25 and I would shake your hand.

Well that's marvelous.

We're not going to argue with that.

MC: And I'm very pleased.

ROGER: Good.

And with the wind behind me, it should make a small profit.

ROGER: Good luck.

Yeah.

MC: Thank you.

VO: £25 on the swing mirror, then.

Margie's all shopped up.

But what's Charles up to now?

You know, I might just have a read of the... Whilst I'm waiting, it's on the Great War.

Great War.

(SHE CHUCKLES) Oh for crying out loud.

How long have you been here?

D'you know, Margie, I love reading.

"A shameful war of sacrilege, 1914."

It's like you and I, isn't it, hey?

Have you bought all your things?

I may have done.

(THEY CHUCKLE) Go on, get out of here.

It's my bed.

Find your own.

Well I'm going to carry on browsing.

(SHE CHUCKLES) VO: Ha-ha!

Really, there's no time for a lazy read in bed, Charles.

Now, where's Roger?

Roger?

Roger!

The silver spoons were priced at 65.

ROGER: Mm-hm.

CH: The horn spoon is nine... ..and the tea set, I think is £15 and the bowl next to it was £18.

CH: Give me a price for... ROGER: Right.

..for the whole lot and I'll walk away now.

95.

Yeah, and it's a good job done.

Let me get my money out my pockets.

VO: There you have it.

For £95, Charles gets the horn spoon for £9, the silver spoons and nips for £55 plus the tea set and bowl for £31.

And that concludes all of our shopping.

Oh, OK. Get your leg in.

(THEY CHUCKLE) There we go.

Get your leg in.

VO: Don't be so personal.

What's the mood ahead for the first auction?

Aberdeen, here we come, and look at what's over there.

Blue sky.

MC: Meh.

Bit of snow though.

CH: Get out of here, Margie.

We are going to Aberdeen, hopefully to make money.

VO: Fingers crossed.

In fact with Charles driving - huh!

- cross everything.

Nighty-night.

Good morning from the granite city of Aberdeen.

You're a lady of quality.

This is our first auction.

Behave.

In the Granite City.

After you.

VO: Today marks the end of our Highland high jinks.

Charles and Margie set off from Dingwall before weaving their way across the north-east for auction here in Aberdeen.

John Milne was founded in 1867, and has been family-run ever since, now with the fourth generation commanding the rostrum.

On this trip, Charles spent £185 on five lots.

While Margie parted with £195 on her five lots.

What do they make of each other's buys?

I quite like Majolica.

That term bastardized from the Italian Renaissance, meaning Maiolica.

This cheese dome and cover purports to be around 1880.

I think in the real market today, it could only make 20.

I'm hoping for about that.

So Charles mentioned this ancient winged angel, and now I've seen it, I'm a little bit disappointed because the angel's lost all its definition.

It's a lump of stone, isn't it?

Best of luck, Charles.

VO: Today's auctioneer is Graham Lumsden.

What does he make of their lots?

The small Chinese rickshaw man - these are typical souvenirs people take back from the Far East, but there's still a demand for these little novelty things.

Possibly £20, £30.

The spode tea set, probably early 19th century.

Also accompanying this is an early Berlin bowl.

I like this.

I think maybe 40, 60, £60, £80.

VO: Come on then, time for bums on seats.

Margie, here we are.

Are you excited?

It's like a rollercoaster, isn't it?

It is.

Our first.

We climb to the top now, we skate down, Margie.

Hopefully up with money, though.

VO: First up, Margie's silver cruet set and mirror.

£40.

GRAHAM: Silver cruet.

40.

MC: For crying out loud.

GRAHAM: I'm bid 30.

CH: Good.

Here we go.

GRAHAM: Any advance now on 33?

Two?

35, 38, 40, 42, 45.

CH: Profit.

MC: 50.

CH: You are in the money!

MC: Sh!

CH: # I'm in the money.

# MC: Sh!

Any advance now on £50, the bid's down the right.

GRAHAM: I'll finish now at £50.

MC: £50 VO: Margie starts with a profit.

Well done, girl.

Off and running.

Fivers are no good.

Yeah, but it doesn't matter.

You made a tinsy-winsy eeny-weeny profit.

VO: Yeah.

Can Charles repeat Margie's success with his silver lot?

40 to start then.

I am bid £40.

There you go.

42, 45, 48.

At 48 at the back.

Any advance now on £48?

The bid's back... At 50.

It's now at £50 in the seats.

Any advance now on £50?

The bid's in the seats at £50.

(GAVEL) VO: A lucky bidder has picked up a bargain.

Poor Charles drops a fiver.

CH: Bit sad really about that.

(SHE CHUCKLES) VO: Margie's swing mirror is next.

Any advance now on £20?

CH: Mirror mirror on the wall... GRAHAM: One bid on my right at £20.

All finished now?

Bid's on my right... GRAHAM: 22.

CH: Yes!

GRAHAM: 25... CH: Go on!

GRAHAM: 28... CH: Profit!

You've done it.

GRAHAM: 30... CH: You've done it.

It's at 30 on my right.

Any advance now on £30?

(GAVEL) VO: Right, that's another fiver in Margie's purse.

That's good - £5.

Call it 500 pence.

That's big money.

(SHE CHUCKLES) VO: If you say so, Carlos.

(SHE SIGHS) You're wearing me out.

It's the first auction.

But just think.

You're on the road.

VO: But how about you, Charles?

Can your horn spoon make you your first profit?

£20, I'm bid 20.

Brilliant.

22, 25, 28, 30.

At £30 at the door.

Any advance now on £32, the horn spoon at £32?

(GAVEL) VO: Well done!

Nice return.

How do you feel?

Pleased for you.

Thank you.

VO: Now, the turn of Margie's Chinese silver filigree figure.

30, I'm bid £30.

CH: Profit.

GRAHAM: 32, 35... CH: Slow down.

Slow down.

GRAHAM: 38.

GRAHAM: At 40.

MC: Oh good.

42, 45, 48.

At 50, at 50.

CH: I can't believe it.

GRAHAM: 55.

CH: Oh my goodness me!

GRAHAM: At £55.

CH: Did you hear that?

MC: Hey.

Didn't expect that.

I thought 35.

Going to be sold at 55.

(GAVEL) MC: Hey!

CH: It's amazing.

VO: Yeah, Margie's doing quite well.

Don't sound so surprised.

Dare I say to you, on your bike.

VO: Can Charles's salt-glazed stoneware jug attract a bid or two?

It's Rheinische, you know.

£20.

I'm bid 20.

Come on!

Any advance now at 22?

24, 26, 28.

MC: Hey... CH: Good thing.

30, 32.

At £32, 34.

CH: It's a good thing, this.

MC: Blow me down.

CH: Certainly.

GRAHAM: 36, 38, 40, 42... Margie, we are turning wine into whisky.

Any advance on £42?

The bid's on my left at £42, I'll finish at 42.

(GAVEL) Well, blow me down!

Blow me down.

VO: Blow ME down.

Ha!

Great result.

Well done Charles.

You've done really well.

Thanks Margie.

VO: I THINK she means it.

Margie's rather novel onyx bookends are up now.

I'm bid £50.

CH: Yes!

Get in.

GRAHAM: Any advance now on £50?

MC: Come on.

CH: Brilliant.

MC: Come on.

We need somebody else.

Onyx bookends at 50.

Any advance on £50?

Yes, 55... CH: Go on!

GRAHAM: 60.

GRAHAM: 65.

CH: Brilliant.

70.

75.

Wonderful, Margie Cooper.

At 80, standing on my right.

Finished now at £80, all finished at £80, the bookends.

(GAVEL) VO: Margie is inching ahead.

Margie, dare I say it, like you and I, that is a marriage made in heaven.

(SHE CHUCKLES) VO: Let's hope the honeymoon lasts, eh?

Ha!

Right then, one lump or two?

£30?

No-one at all?

GRAHAM: No one in the room.

CH: I don't believe it.

VO: Oh dear!

Any advance now on £30?

Outside the door at £30.

35?

38.

40, 42, 45.

CH: Think history, go on.

GRAHAM: 48.

GRAHAM: At £48, far back at 48.

MC: Well done.

CH: 48.

GRAHAM: Any advance on £48?

All finished now at 48.

(GAVEL) VO: That was close.

Margie, it's a funny old game... 48.

His gavel twitched at 30.

His gavel what?

CH: Twitched at 30.

MC: Oh, right.

And suddenly he found £18, which got him over the line.

VO: Margie's colorful Majolica cheese dome is something of an acquired taste.

How will it fare though?

30?

Surely £30?

Oh no.

Nobody wants it.

GRAHAM: 20?

MC: Oh no.

20 bid.

Any advance now on £20?

MC: Oh no!

GRAHAM: On my left at 22.

CH: Good.

GRAHAM: 25.

Go on!

Go on!

28, 30, 32, 35, 38, 40... MC: Oh, come on.

GRAHAM: At £40 on my left.

MC: 20 quid loss.

GRAHAM: Any advance now on £40?

All finished now at £40?

CH: Shame.

GRAHAM: Cheese dish and lid.

VO: That's not GRATE.

The Majolica cheese dome is Margie's first loss.

Darn it.

We talk about garish.

It was ugly.

CH: It was grotesque.

(SHE MOUTHS) But that's what Majolica is.

Grotesque.

I'm being honest.

VO: He's got some cheek.

Right, can Charles get ahead with his stone angel?

The one with no face.

80?

I'm in trouble.

GRAHAM: 60?

CH: I don't believe it.

MC: It hasn't got a face.

CH: The ruin...

The ruin is becoming literally a ruin.

GRAHAM: 70, 80.

MC: It's going.

It's going.

GRAHAM: 90, 100.

110.

MC: Oh!

History.

History, Margie.

GRAHAM: 120.

CH: It's a good thing.

125, 130.

CH: It's a good thing.

MC: Hey!

135.

Any advance now on £135?

Going to be sold for £135.

All finished?

(GAVEL) 55 quid!

55!

Close your eyes.

I'm over the moon.

MC: I bet you are.

VO: Wow!

Biggest profit of the day, eh?

That's round one down.

Aberdeen, thank you.

I think the slicks on the car, come on.

Those tires are burning, come on.

VO: Before you burn rubber, though, let's do the maths.

Margie - looking good - started this trip with £200 in her purse.

After auction costs she made a small profit.

It means next time she has £214.10 to spend.

Chin up Margie!

You're looking great, girl.

Charles began with the same amount, but he fared a little better.

And, after all saleroom fees are considered, his pot has grown to a handsome £266.74.

Well done, that man.

No longer the young pretender.

Margie, there's been no anguish in Aberdeenshire.

It's been really good.

It has.

Where are we going now?

We're going to explore more of Scotland.

CH: Lovely.

VO: Next on Antiques Road Trip... Go on, give it a yodel.

(SHE CHUCKLES) # Yodel-ay-ee!

# ..Charles horses around... Come on, Hanson.

..there are capers amongst the collectables... CH: Where are we going, Margie?

MC: That's the way to do it.

..and antics at auction.

Cor blimey!

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