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

I don't know what to do.

(HORN HONKS) VO: ..with £200 each, a classic car, and a goal - to scour Britain for antiques.

What a little diamond.

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

Back in the game.

Charlie!

VO: There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

Oh!

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

Oh!

VO: This is the Antiques Road Trip.

VO: Yeah!

VO: Welcome to a brand new trip in the company of a couple of auctioneers.

CHARLES: Look at these stones here.

It's a shame they are not for sale.

Pick a few of those little stumps up.

VO: Steady on, fellas.

We're still on the introductions.

(GEAR CRANKS) CHARLES: Sorry.

VO: Yup.

That'll be Charles Hanson at the wheel.

Derbyshire doyen and Road Trip regular, in the company of debutant, Raj Bisram.

Do you prefer Raj or... RAJ: Raj.

CHARLES: Raj?

Or sir.

Excuse me?

VO: Kentish man Raj might be new to this particular malarkey but he's been in the trade for over 30 years.

He loves paintings, furniture and big deals.

I look at you and I think, yeah, you are the Kingpin.

You are a man who has that maturity, you know, like a fine wine you have prospered, you've... Keep talking Charles.

VO: Before antiques, Raj was also a sportsman of some renown.

I was a qualified ski instructor, but I also raced as well around Europe.

CHARLES: On snow?

RAJ: Yeah, on snow.

VO: Charles sounds impressed, but then the feeling is clearly mutual.

RAJ: You've done 10 series?

CHARLES: Yes.

If I could ask you for one bit of genuine advice on my first one, what would it be?

Just buy what oozes your fancy, if that makes sense.

OK. Yeah, yeah, no, well... OK. VO: Hope they're taking notes.

VO: With £200 each and a 1967 Triumph Herald between them, their journey starts out at Corsham in Wiltshire and takes in most of the southwest of England before ending up about 900 miles later at Crewkerne in Somerset.

VO: But the very first pin on our road trip map is poised over Corsham.

And the opening auction will take place at Winchcombe in Gloucestershire.

RAJ: Do I have to comment about your driving?

I'm driving well today?

You're doing very very well.

Thanks a lot.

RAJ: But what's that burning smell?

VO: Built of a lot of very lovely Bath stone, which is still quarried hereabouts, Georgian Corsham has featured in a fair few costume dramas over the years.

No wonder that Nick Mason, the millionaire Pink Floyd drummer, has a home nearby.

RAJ: I will see you later.

CHARLES: Come back with treasure.

RAJ: OK, wish me well.

CHARLES: See you later.

Bye!

RAJ: Keep the car in one piece.

VO: OK Raj, the division bell sounds.

Hello, I'm Raj.

Raj, my name's Anne.

Anne, lovely to meet you.

Pleased to meet you.

VO: This looks like the ideal shop for Raj's very first road trip purchase.

I'll have a little look round.

And then we'll, if I find anything, we'll have a little haggle or something.

RAJ: How's that sound?

ANNE: That's fine, yeah.

OK great.

It'll have to be a little haggle though, cuz I'm quite a determined lady.

VO: Could be interesting.

A rummage under Anne's stern gaze.

Already spotted something though.

RAJ: That's quite a nice late 19th century riding crop.

Yeah.

It's not one of the top, top quality ones because it's not got a silver collar.

But it's in pretty good condition really.

VO: The ticket price is a cracking £8.

Time to talk to Anne and granddaughter Amelie.

Would you take a fiver?

ANNE: Em, yes, I'm sure we would.

RAJ: You would?

ANNE: Yes.

RAJ: Fantastic.

You're most welcome.

RAJ: My first deal.

Thank you.

ANNE: Yes.

Yeah, now you'll always remember me for that.

RAJ: I will.

VO: Well, that was easy enough.

Now what about Charles?

Blissfully unaware of his rival's rather modest start.

I'm very excited to be working with Raj and he's somebody I rate very highly.

And I think Raj is a numbers man and what frightens me is he may be putting naughts on the end of his profits and leaving me in the lurch.

VO: On your mettle Charles.

And on your way to Somerset, and Bath, where a lesser man might be distracted by the wealth of gorgeous Georgian architecture, not to mention the buns.

Apparently Jane Austen once overdid it and got a tummyache from Bath buns.

CHARLES: Good morning.

Oh, good morning!

VO: Now, we've been here before, Charles.

I think you're Caroline.

CAROLINE: Yes, I am.

Good to see you.

How are you?

And I think you're Charles.

CHARLES: I am indeed.

Good to see you.

And when I came to see you a long time ago, you called me Romeo.

And I called Caroline Juliet.

It's good to be back.

We had fun and games up on the gallery.

CHARLES: Yes, we did.

VO: Lordy!

There's certainly plenty of props in here.

It was a grocery shop once back in the 19th century.

But now it's as full of as many antiques as Caroline can squeeze in.

Sometimes, rather than look at eye level, go down... (FRAME CLUNKS) Oops!

VO: Oh do be careful, Charles, you'll cause a landslide.

CHARLES: I do like this.

CAROLINE: Yes.

CHARLES: Tell me where it came from, Caroline.

I got it privately.

I can't say anything more.

CHARLES: No.

I can't say it came from Sir, or Lord and Lady blah blah blah... CHARLES: No, but it is... What we've got is a beautiful Persian scalloped silver tray.

What I like is the quality of this chaste decoration on the border here.

And these, what appear to be herons or fanciful birds in this very arabesque cast and chaste landscape.

How much is on it, Caroline?

110.

Is there much room there for negotiation?

CAROLINE: Not a great deal.

CHARLES: No.

OK, I love...I love your style.

You're in stripes, like me.

If I said, Caroline, what's your very best price?

CAROLINE: I'll do one of you.

CHARLES: Oh yes?

I'll wave my arms around.

Well, Charles, I can do it for... 90.

CHARLES: 90.

OK.

It's almost half my spending gone already.

Can I think about it and I'll come back to you shortly?

OK. CHARLES: Thanks, Caroline.

VO: So while Charles ponders spending almost half his kitty, what's his rival got up to?

RAJ: This is very interesting.

It's an egg timer but obviously, it says here, actually it's been made from an old bobbin.

And it's probably a 19th century bobbin made from one of the mills in the north of England.

Which gives it a little bit more history.

That's a very unusual little thing.

I mean, there's two there.

Another one here.

A much larger one.

This one I don't think is as old.

The larger one has got £10 on it and the smaller one has got £5 on it.

And they might make a nice little lot of kitchenalia for the right price.

VO: They're already pretty reasonable, Raj.

RAJ: Anne, these two egg timers.

What's the best price on both of them?

Tenner?

We're close.

We're close, we're close.

£10.50 then.

Ah.

Your maths is terrible, isn't it?

Yes.

You seem to go upwards, instead of downwards.

Yes, I know why that is.

RAJ: OK. £8, we have a deal?

Make it nine.

I've got to stick out for eight.

There's not a lot in them.

No, there's not much, is there?

You can't use them for anything.

OK, we'll say £8.

Lovely.

Thank you very much.

You're welcome.

VO: Never mind the zeros.

We haven't had double figures here yet.

Back in Bath, Charles has some glass in mind.

CHARLES: This is quite interesting, isn't it?

CAROLINE: That is nice.

Has we got a price on it?

CHARLES: No.

CAROLINE: No, we haven't.

CHARLES: Not overly old, is it?

Oh, it's about 20s.

I just quite like the form of this.

It's just got the look of the art deco.

Tell you what.

I'll do it for 25.

CHARLES: Thank you very much.

OK. That is worth something.

CHARLES: I'll give it some thought.

VO: Where does that leave the silver tray, I wonder?

While Caroline takes a look out the back, Charles has a decision to make.

CHARLES: I'm quite keen to buy the tray so I'm hoping I might just get it down one more bit.

And if it came down towards maybe 70, £75, I could be in.

She's back.

CHARLES: Your silver tray.

OK, it's had some restoration, hasn't it?

You've got some solderware there, can you see?

Oh, isn't that chewing gum or something?

CHARLES: Obviously you've got to make money on it as well.

Well, just a teeny weeny...

I know, but you've got a big business here and I admire you.

I've got two...

I've got two cats I have to feed.

CAROLINE: Go on!

VO: Yeah.

Go on.

Will you take £70 for it?

I thought you were going to say something like that.

I think it's full of far eastern promise... Tell you what.

80.

Oh, don't do this.

I've come down.

I know you have.

CAROLINE: Look, 75, and that's it.

CHARLES: 70, it's a deal?

I thought we were friends.

CAROLINE: 72.

It'll make about 120, easy.

If it doesn't?

Well, tough.

I'll take it.

Thanks, Caroline.

(SHE CHEERS) CHARLES: £72.

VO: With his deal done, Charles gets his hat.

Raj is also after a bit of silver but not in quite the same price range.

RAJ: Yep, definitely silver.

Got a few dents in it though.

It's a bit damaged.

All depends what it can be.

Anne?

ANNE: Yes, Raj?

I wonder, could we have a little chat about this?

I'm sure we can.

RAJ: It's quite a nice little silver urn.

ANNE: It is.

RAJ: Yeah, it's a late 19th... What would they have used that for then, Raj?

I'm not exactly sure, to be honest, what this was used for.

ANNE: No smelling?

No, there's no smell.

> I believe that you've got £15 on it.

But it is...it is a little dented.

Can I make you another... an amazing offer?

Yes, they usually are.

Fiver for it?

Yes, I'll let you have it.

Fantastic.

Lovely, thank you very much.

RAJ: Three little buys and I believe that comes to £18.

ANNE: Yes.

But if I buy all three and I pull out some cash, would you take £15?

I've got to try a little bit more.

VO: Cheeky.

Yes, I'll do that for you.

You're very very kind indeed.

Shake on it.

Thanks again.

VO: Raj is clearly a man with a strategy.

VO: Meanwhile, way out west, Charles is about to take a break from the shopping by the Avon Gorge in Bristol, where, close to the Clifton suspension bridge, the Victorians built an equally astonishing but much less well known feat of engineering.

A funicular railway which once carried passengers from fashionable Clifton down to take the waters at the Hotwells spa below.

CHARLES: Hello.

WOMAN: Hi.

Good afternoon.

May I come through?

WOMAN: Yes, certainly.

Am I on the right platform?

You are.

You are indeed.

I'm Charles Hanson.

I'm Maggie Shapland.

Maggie, great to see you.

What an amazing place.

VO: Maggie and her fellow enthusiasts have been hard at work attempting to restore the long disused railway to its 1893 pomp.

I can see over here, Maggie, behind you, almost a plan of how it was back in the 1890s.

MAGGIE: Absolutely.

So the railway terminal, you can see here's the top station... CHARLES: So that's where we are now?

MAGGIE: That's where we are, at the top.

CHARLES: Right.

MAGGIE: You can see that the heaviest car goes down, the lightest car goes up.

CHARLES: Yes.

So you had a water tank at the top.

Yes.

And you had a water tank underneath the floor at the bottom.

VO: The Clifton Rocks Railway was the brainchild of the publisher and entrepreneur, George Newnes.

He wanted Bristol spa to rival that of nearby Bath.

And on the opening day, the railway carried over 6,000 passengers on a thrilling ride.

CHARLES: Quite steep, isn't it?

MAGGIE: It's 1:2.1.

Crikey me, and just down there, you've got a facade which looks to be the wooden front of how a tram would have looked.

That's right, yeah.

That's actually a full size replica.

MAGGIE: That wall shouldn't be here.

They've built all these walls on top of the railway lines.

How long would it take me to get from up here to down where I'm going?

40 seconds.

You're 500ft as the crow flies, 230ft vertically.

Got you.

The engineering is amazing.

To try and understand how they could plough through this limestone...

Absolutely.

..put in this ingenious method of transport, it's just incredible.

They were just so ambitious.

VO: But unfortunately the railway, unlike its illustrious neighbor, never made quite enough money.

The Grand Spa hotel became the Avon Gorge hotel and the pump rooms were turned first into a cinema and then a ballroom.

VO: Newnes' railway was sold then and finally closed in 1934, but just a few years later it was to enjoy a very different use.

CHARLES: Maggie, where are we going?

Well, we're going down to the shelters.

VO: When war broke out in 1939, the city was certain to be a target for enemy bombing.

So the Ministry of Works and Buildings took over the tunnel and quickly constructed a safe place for the people of Clifton and Hotwells where they could shelter deep underground.

MAGGIE: So now you can see where we got the turnstile from.

We cut a hole in the wall.

Took us 10 hours.

You'll see there's still two more turnstiles in there and you can see the railway lines there.

CHARLES: Just amazing, isn't it?

VO: The restoration has also unearthed many artefacts from the war years when hundreds of local people spent night after night in this cold and dank place.

Maggie's colleague, Peter, can vividly remember what life was like.

I can see the railway track still... PETER: Yes.

..underneath these cemented steps.

PETER: They're steps to sleep on actually.

These are the sleeping places.

All these concrete slabs.

The dads might be out in the war, or fighting away somewhere, but the mums and the kids, and I was one of the kids at the time, would be coming into these places, sleeping here.

And once you had your own card which allowed you to come in, that was your slot.

CHARLES: What was the feeling like amongst people when they were in here together?

Was there a sense of wellbeing, we're safe, or was it more, 'Goodness me, what's happening above there?

'Are we going to hear a bomb drop?'

Well of course, I was only three or four, you see, at this time and I looked at it differently, because Mum and Dad went off all night.

Dad was on the docks, my mother was out driving a truck with sandwiches and tea for the firefighters.

We just thought it was a bit of excitement.

VO: In early 1941, BBC Bristol followed, removing the four carriages from the bottom of the tunnel and constructing several ingenious chambers to be used as studios.

So that if their headquarters in Whiteladies Road took a hit, they could still carry on broadcasting.

PETER: When the sirens went, they jumped in a little truck and they came down here and they manned this until the all clear went and then they went back again.

VO: It truly was amongst the corporation's more unusual studios, carrying on until the 1960s.

PETER: If the war hadn't come, this might never have been used again for anything.

But it had another life, just during those few years.

After that it closed and then it was just left to rot.

But I don't think now anybody would have the guts to fill it in after what we've done.

CHARLES: It has such history and long may that continue.

VO: Now, somewhere deep in the Wiltshire countryside, Raj is still shopping, although he could do with an alpaca warning.

VO: Just outside the village of Langley Burrell, at Fairfax Antiques.

RAJ: Hello, hello, hello.

Nice to meet you.

ELIZABETH: I'm Elizabeth.

RAJ: Hi, I'm Raj.

VO: Our new boy's already acquired three lots today for the princely sum of £15.

But it's all on a much grander scale here with almost 10,000 items for sale.

ELIZABETH: There's a price tag, for those for about 220 each.

VO: A mixture of antiques and reproduction.

The stones.

These have aged well, haven't they?

ELIZABETH: They have.

RAJ: Must have been out there a long time because they almost look like the real thing.

Yes.

They are the real thing, those two.

These two are the real thing?

Yes.

RAJ: Oh.

VO: Tricky business.

Be on your guard, Raj.

But if there's a bargain here, I'm sure you'll find it.

This is an old military water bottle, issued to the troops during the Second World War, this one.

You see a lot of militaria but you don't often see the water bottles for some reason.

It's quite different.

That's on my list of come-back-tos.

OK. VO: Not a bad spot, Raj.

Now what else has Elizabeth got?

ELIZABETH: These are quite nice wall lights.

The brass ones.

RAJ: Those are very pretty but they're very expensive.

Very saleable but gee whizz, they're priced at £95 each.

£95 each.

ELIZABETH: That's for the pair, actually.

Oh, is it?

Is it for the pair?

Even for the pair, that's still pushing it but I might be inclined to make a little bit of an offer on those.

VO: OK. Time to talk to the proprietor, Harriet Fairfax.

Hello.

Hello Lady Fairfax, I'm Raj.

How are you?

Good.

RAJ: Well I've had a lovely look round.

You've got some lovely lovely things all over the place.

Which brings me onto these.

These are nice...

They're French.

They're French.

They're very very decorative.

But really, I've got to make a profit and they're going into auction.

I'd be happy paying 25 for them.

Each, or for... RAJ: No, for the pair.

HARRIET: For the pair?

Maybe 30.

RAJ: Do you know, yes, I'm going to splash out.

£30.

HARRIET: OK. RAJ: We have a deal.

That's good.

RAJ: Thank you very much indeed.

VO: That went well.

So well that he's decided to have a go at his other little find.

RAJ: I mean, it's in really nice condition, with £35 on it.

If I can get this for 15 or under I'll be happy.

RAJ: I'm back again.

OK?

HARRIET: Oh, well done.

RAJ: Yeah, well to be honest, I was drawn to it.

I kind of know roughly what these fetch at auction and please don't take offence.

If you say no, I totally understand, but I'll give you £10 for it.

OK. RAJ: What do you think?

I think that's alright.

RAJ: I'm happy to pay a tenner for it but any more than that...

I think that's OK. RAJ: Brilliant.

We'll shake hands on that?

Fantastic.

Thank you very much indeed.

VO: Great.

So now he just has to make it past the livestock.

RAJ: Hello, hello, hello.

Ooh!

VO: Hope it doesn't spit!

Nighty night.

VO: Time for Raj to take a turn with the Triumph.

RAJ: I need to go on a driving course.

I wish I could find the gears.

All you do, go into third now.

So go up.

(GEAR CRANKS) CHARLES: Yeah, but foot on clutch first.

RAJ: It was, it was, it was.

CHARLES: That's it, lad.

You'll get this.

Well no, these cars, you have to caress them.

It's clutch...and then gearstick.

RAJ: Do you like walking?

VO: Luckily Raj has taken to the shopping a bit quicker than the driving.

Acquiring some silver, an army canteen, some sconces, a riding crop and some egg timers for a mere £55.

Can I make you an amazing offer?

Yes, they usually are.

VO: Leaving £145 in his wallet.

While Charles went for a very different approach, splashing out £72 on just one item.

I thought we were friends.

VO: Which leaves him almost £130 to spend today.

CHARLES: Raj.

R.A.J.

R.A.J?

Yep.

In English it means king.

In English, Raj means king?

King, yes.

Crikey, me!

VO: Later they'll be making for an auction at Winchcombe but our next stop is in Hungerford.

VO: Perched on the westernmost edge of Berkshire, the point where southeast meets southwest England, Hungerford, in a quiet sort of way, is something of a transport hub.

A good spot for antiques too.

Good to see you.

What a gorgeous part of the world.

MAN: Isn't it?

CHARLES: Hungerford?

Yeah.

And you know what, I'm hungry for antiques.

VO: Yes, he was on a bit of a diet while Raj merrily tucked in - so time to pig out, Charles.

CHARLES: A lovely Victorian boar's head.

Isn't he wonderful?

VO: Pricey though.

Ah, 'ewe' look more like it!

CHARLES: I love the little sheep.

That's cute.

A little antique porcelain figure of a ewe, priced £95.

In the 18th century, the likes of Chelsea as a factory and Charles Gouyn they were renowned for making these whimsical objects.

Often they were made as scent bottles, or were just toys for ladies of an important house to enjoy.

The dealer has put 'possibly Rockingham'.

Aha!

How much?

What about 80?

It's got a couple of chipped ears.

He's a small little sheep.

He's a bit tired.

You wouldn't do £50?

Well, let's see if I can squeeze £50 out.

CHARLES: OK, OK. May I hold him for a second?

Is that OK?

You may.

Whilst I have a look at it.

MAN: Get acquainted.

CHARLES: Yes, yes I will do.

VO: Or even go for a stroll.

What's he seen then?

I quite like him.

He's not overly exciting but it's always quite nice to question maybe a label and I'm a Derby man, I'm a Derby ram, and this is my Derby ewe.

How are you, girl?

So in fact she was made in Derby, not Rockingham.

Sometimes you really can't leave a bit of Derby history behind and if she can be the right price, I think this Derby girl's coming to auction.

I'll find Alex.

ALEX: What do you think, Charles?

Yeah, I like her.

What's the best price on her?

Have you called the dealer?

So, 50 offered.

60 is the bottom.

OK?

CHARLES: Yeah, fine.

VO: I think his crook is firmly around that little ewe, Alex.

But he's still got the appetite for more.

CHARLES: This tray here is probably a tray from the late 18th, early 19th century.

And people often will grumble about condition but where you've got honest wear like here, splits on here, and it's got stains on, you've got scars.

But to me, if you want a good brew, with pedigree, why not serve it on something that's had experience?

Alex, this tray here.

It's tired, it's a bit worn.

ALEX: OK, I understand the condition isn't at its best so I think that we can do a pretty good deal on this.

CHARLES: It's priced at £19.99.

I like the retail style.

But what's your wholesale hardness?

Well, what about £9.99?

Really?

9.99.

Well, you know what, I will happily give you £10.

OK, add the extra penny.

CHARLES: Because when you can serve tea on a tray and say, 'My tray was made 15 years before the Battle of Waterloo,' that's history.

Thanks a lot.

That means I owe you 70 for the ewe and the tray.

ALEX: OK.

It could make a fiver.

Some experts like Raj could even say 'Hanson, you've bought some firewood.'

VO: So, with his Derby ewe in pocket and a nice bit of Georgian firmly in hand, Charles seems happy enough.

VO: But what about Raj?

As he takes our route back west towards Salisbury Plain and the village of Avebury, where he's come to find out about Alexander Keiller, the man who put the village on the world heritage map.

RAJ: Hello there.

WOMAN: Hello.

Hi Roz, I'm Raj.

ROZ: Hi.

Welcome to Avebury.

RAJ: Beautiful.

It looks gorgeous.

VO: Nowadays, this 16th century manor belongs to the National Trust.

But back in 1935, it became the headquarters of the Morven Institute for Archaeological Research, an incredible project to restore the stones of the Avebury Neolithic henge.

But the Scottish millionaire behind it was no less fascinating.

ROZ: He was the last of the Keillers of Dundee marmalade family.

And when he reached its majority he got out of marmalade and really spent the rest of his life using that money to do interesting things.

CHARLES: Indulging his passions.

Yes.

VO: As well as archaeology, Keiller was passionate about quite a lot of things, trying his hand at fast cars, the study of witchcraft and a good deal of wine, women and song.

ROZ: He was a very sociable person I think.

One skiing trip they got through 150 cocktails before dinner and there was only 16 of them.

Sounds like a good night out.

And he said something like, "I think it was 150 but after that I don't recall."

So... VO: Keiller learned to fly during World War I and in the 1920s he made his first real foray into archaeology.

Piloting a De Havilland to take the aerial photographs that were published as Wessex From The Air.

He also bought a Neolithic site nearby to save it from development and then turned his attention to Avebury.

RAJ: So when Keiller arrived, what was here?

Not many of the original 200 stones was visible at all.

In fact there were only 15 standing.

In the Middle Ages, they'd taken to burying stones and in the 17th and 18th centuries, they'd taken to breaking them up and building houses and walls.

VO: Keiller set about restoring the 4,500 year old monument, three huge circles that surround the village.

He also built a museum.

All in all, a vastly expensive project which not only provided much needed employment in the area but also provoked some controversy.

RAJ: He went to great lengths, didn't he, to clear some of the site?

ROZ: Absolutely.

It was an enormous undertaking.

And in fact he actually pulled down a small number of buildings including a couple of houses in this part of the site because they were actually on the line of the stone circle.

VO: For all the work that's been done, we're still nowhere near discovering what the true purpose of Avebury or nearby Stonehenge really was.

However, one particular stone does have a story to tell.

ROZ: We call that the barber surgeon and it was one of the stones excavated by Alexander Keiller in 1938.

And they found a skeleton of a man between the stone and the side of the pits.

He had a pair of iron scissors and a little metal probe sort of object and three coins.

And the coins allowed it to be dated to the 1320s.

Keiller came round to thinking that it could be a barber's surgeon, people who shaved, cut hair, but also did little medical things too.

Some of Keiller's ancestors had been barber's surgeons on whalers in the North Sea and I think he rather liked that sort of connection.

VO: Keiller's work was interrupted when the war broke out in 1939 and a few years later he sold his land to the National Trust.

He died in 1955, but the incredible legacy of the playboy turned archaeologist remains.

Avebury became a world heritage site in 1986.

VO: In a slightly busier bit of the county, Charles is on the search of just one more shop, in the market town of Royal Wootton Basset.

It joined Leamington and Tunbridge Wells in getting that rare prefix in 2011.

CHARLES: Wow.

How are you?

MAN: I'm doing very good.

CHARLES: You must be Ed?

ED: I am.

As in the front door?

As in Ed-in-the-clouds.

Ed-in-the-clouds, great.

VO: Perhaps the name refers to the almost virtual nature of Ed's business, with quite a bit sold online.

But Charles, despite his now limited funds, is certainly enjoying a close look.

I love your little chair over here.

The little Orkney.

Liberty & Co. CHARLES: Just tell me, we call it an Orkney chair.

Why?

ED: They were made in Orkney.

CHARLES: Were they?

ED: They were.

ED: Libertys were shipping a couple of hundred a month.

But they're just a classic... CHARLES: Isn't that a gorgeous chair?

Nice, isn't it?

CHARLES: Circa, 1910?

ED: 1900, 1910.

Yeah, your best price would be?

Uh...I would probably say 190.

Oh, I wish I hadn't spent my money earlier.

Oh, no.

I can't afford it.

VO: Well if you can't stretch to the chair, don't even think about this hall stand.

This is in that Voysey art nouveau... ED: Shapland and Petter, from their catalogues.

Oh, wowee!

If I guessed I would have thought you would retail that today for 1,250?

ED: You are bang on.

1,250.

There we go.

CHARLES: Raj, you watching?

I can play big as well.

VO: Time for Ed to point Charles towards something more affordable.

ED: I think I've got a stool for you.

CHARLES: Have you?

This one here?

ED: Yeah, again, it's most likely Liberty & Co. A coffee stool, that's what they were sold as originally.

CHARLES: So this is a Liberty retail stool?

Yeah, Liberty again in the 1880s were into this kind of Moorish look.

ED: And funnily enough, I spoke to a gentleman who thinks these might have been made in Tunbridge Wells.

Really?

Yeah, when the Tunbridge ware market kind of declined.

CHARLES: You've got almost this Islamic Moorish influenced top in mother of pearl, in ebony, but over the years the mosaic has become lost.

And the jigsaw is very incomplete.

Yes, sadly.

> Because there's no bits to go with it now.

I like this.

But it is tired.

You know, somebody could have a go, peel the tops off and have a cute little stool with that.

CHARLES: Yeah.

I think it's quite attractive.

How much is it?

In that condition, £25.

CHARLES: Goodness me.

VO: That is affordable!

ED: You can't say no to that.

CHARLES: Let me give it some thought.

There's one thing just downstairs.

ED: OK. That caught my eye.

And what I'm quite tempted to do is put the two together and see what price we come out at.

ED: OK. VO: Now we're getting somewhere.

What's he spotted down there?

Ah, some proper Tunbridge!

Here we have got a complete micro mosaic, of parquetry inlaid in rosewood and ebony.

And this I presume is a clothes brush.

Clothes brush of probably 1900-1910.

Made in Tunbridge Ware.

How much would that be?

ED: £15.

CHARLES: £15.

Yeah.

Do you now use a clothes brush, Ed?

Ah, barely.

No, well, you ought to.

So, what I'd like to do is make you an offer.

Go on then.

For the Liberty stool upstairs and this small clothes brush, if I said to you, Eddie, I'll take the two, could you give me any discount on the two together?

What could you do for me?

Oh, how about if I said to you 30?

CHARLES: That's really good.

Yeah, I'd be silly to say no.

Thanks a lot.

ED: Good luck with them.

Thanks a lot.

I'm delighted.

That's great.

VO: It's not bad, Charles!

Now, wither Raj?

Remember his flying start?

He already has quite enough for the auction, thanks very much.

But just in case, he's come to Devizes, that charming Wiltshire market town, to see if he can manage just one more purchase.

(DOOR BELL RINGS) Hi.

I'm Raj.

I'm John.

Pleased to meet you.

Nice to meet you, John.

What a lovely shop you've got here.

Thank you very much.

VO: I'm sure he says that to all the proprietors.

But this time he surely means it.

There's got to be a bargain or two tucked away in here.

RAJ: Nice big collection of apothecary jars.

JOHN: I cleared a chemist shop that had been stored up since about the 1950s.

RAJ: I mean, these are quite collectable as well, some of these.

JOHN: They are.

I mean, they're almost a museum in one piece.

There's a few headache cures in there.

RAJ: Yeah, I bet, I bet.

VO: That's a no to the jars then.

What is his game?

I was very nervous at the start, to be perfectly honest, and up against Charles as well, you know, he's a tough cookie, so I've decided to tread softly at the moment.

I wonder if he's got any silver downstairs.

VO: Ah well, in that case.

Uh, yes that one.

RAJ: It's a pretty little art nouveau silver rose vase, is what I would call it.

And it's got a few dents on it, but it's quite pretty.

It's priced at £45, which I think that John knows is a little bit on the heavy side.

What could be the best on it?

30 quid.

You're right, it's a little bit dinked.

RAJ: What other silver have you got?

That's a nice little silver sugar shaker, isn't it?

The hallmark is extremely rubbed and I would say that its period was... maybe only just...I would say this is probably turn of the century.

What would be the best on this?

JOHN: Well, as I just got it, I could flip that for...160.

RAJ: That's not a bad price, but...and you have to remember this is my first road trip, OK?

So a lot hangs on this for me, so I need a little bit of help along the way.

I'll give you a little bit of beginner's luck.

< OK.

I'll do that for 135 and that's the death on it.

VO: He's got the cash, but he's sticking to his cautious tactics.

Back to the vase.

RAJ: Can you do a bit better on that for me?

JOHN: 28.

How 'bout...how 'bout 20?

It's too tight.

20's too tight?

Cause it is damaged.

And I'm going to have to sell it with something else.

It's...

It's a little bit low.

Should we say 24?

And we've got the...we've got a deal.

We've got a deal.

JOHN: OK. RAJ: Thank you very much indeed.

Lovely.

VO: A final canny buy for our Raj.

Now, let's remind ourselves of what they've both acquired.

Charles spent £172 on a silver dish, a ewe, a Liberty table, a George III tray and a clothes brush.

While Raj parted with just £79 for some sconces, egg timers, a water bottle, a riding crop and some silver.

So what did they make of all that lot?

He knows the game.

He's been here before.

And to be honest, it's a nice parcel.

I won't say he's bought knobbly knickknacks, but he's bought some very small lots.

I know I've played cautious, but fingers crossed, it should be OK.

He was telling me in the car, how he spent in the past £1,000 for this, 5,000 for that and in fact, his top table in our first road trip is very much £5 that, £10 that.

Charles has bought well, but watch out for the newbie.

VO: After setting off from Corsham, our experts are now heading for their first auction at Winchcombe in Gloucestershire.

# Hi ho # # Hi ho # # Hi ho # RAJ AND CHARLES: # Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to auction we go # So you can sing!

Well, I can do "hi ho"!

VO: Designated as a walker friendly town, Winchcombe features on six long distance footpaths, including the 102 mile Cotswold way.

CHARLES: This is it.

RAJ: Here we go!

We build our foundations on this, OK?

High five!

RAJ: Good luck.

VO: Welcome to British Bespoke Auctions.

Home of the famous Bella.

Pretty, ain't she?

I wonder what auctioneer Nicholas Grainger makes of our lot's lots?

There's a couple that are a bit dodgy, if I can say that word.

Um, the little table, the Liberty-style table needs a lot of work to it.

There's a couple of little silver items, which are quite nice, but damaged.

Again, they're worth something, but how much will they do on the day?

We'll see later.

My favorite is definitely the 18th century Persian silver dish.

I think that is spectacular.

I think that's gonna do well.

That will be my tip for the day.

VO: So, who will win the first round?

Road Trip regular or our brand new boy?

Just have a quick look round.

There's people here.

You know, they're smiling away.

Hello, madam.

She's here.

We'll be OK. VO: Starting off with Raj's sconces.

I'm going to start off here with a commission bid.

With me at £35 on the board... CHARLES: Wow.

At 35.

38, 40 now and 40 now with me.

Looking for 42.

And two and five and 50.

Five.

£55 we have.

RAJ: Yes.

CHARLES: Wow.

Do we get £60?

Looking for £60.

Have we got 60 in the room?

At 60...ah, she's jumping up and down.

We've got 50 here.

We need £60.

I'm gonna give fair warning for the sconces.

At £55, are we sure?

Going once, twice.

At £55... Sold!

Thank you.

CHARLES: Well done!

Well done!

RAJ: Thank you.

VO: The first of many, I'm sure.

RAJ: I can relax now.

CHARLES: That's amazing!

I can relax now.

£55!

What a start!

You almost doubled up.

VO: Now for Charles' bargain, Tunbridge ware brush.

If this doesn't make £40... Get out of here.

..you're going to have to hold me back, because I'm gonna put my hands up, OK?

Brush yourself down with this one, ladies and gentlemen, with the bidding at £30, at £30 here.

CHARLES: Oh wow!

Commission bid.

Looking for 32 now.

Let's go.

£32 on this.

We're looking for 32.

32, 35 and £38 here.

£38, we've got now.

Gotta be worth 40, surely.

Charlie, it's got to be worth £40.

Yes, I hope so.

We've got 38 here then.

We're going to sell.

At £38 then.

Going once and the hammer goes down.

Sold.

Thank you.

That's good.

VO: More profits.

We've started well.

RAJ: You're ahead.

CHARLES: It's amazing.

So now I'm playing catch-up.

VO: Well, reach for your whip then, Raj.

Another cracking buy.

Commission bids on this, ladies and gentlemen.

At £28, at 28.

Now looking for 30... That's awesome.

35, 38, 42, with you.

£42.

We have £42 in the room now.

On my left at £42.

< That's awesome.

Well done.

With you in the room at £42.

And 45 sitting down, sir, on my right.

At 45 and eight.

At 48 here.

Looking for 50.

Do I have 50 on the net?

Got 48 in the room then.

Gonna crack the whip at £48 then.

Sold.

That's massive!

Yep.

I'm pleased with that.

God, who is this guy?

VO: Advantage, Raj.

VO: Will Charles' George III tray carry all before it?

Who'll start me on this, at £20?

At £20, we're looking for.

Needs a little bit of repair.

Thanks, mate!

Thanks, mate.

Thanks, mate.

I owe you.

At 20.

At £20.

Looking for 22 elsewhere.

Have I got 22 in the room or at home?

It's a George III tray, ladies and gentlemen.

Oh, it's wonderful.

At £20, a maiden bid.

I'm looking for £22 and £22 now.

Good man!

And 22 we've got now.

And 25 you're gonna go.

And £25 now, looking for 28.

In the room at £25.

Thank you sir, you're a good man.

We will sell then.

That's a good price.

That's cheap, that's cheap.

At £25.

Sold to the room.

You're a good man, thanks a lot.

I'm gonna try that on my next thing, OK?

So, can I have some support?

VO: Worth a try, Raj.

VO: Maybe on your egg timers?

Starting the bidding on those, shall we, at £20 we're looking for, at £20.

Looking for £20 in the room.

20... OK. 15, I'll take.

CHARLES: £50?

Thank you.

15 there.

CHARLES: £50?

How much?

RAJ: 18.

At 18 in the room there.

At 18 in the room.

At £18 now, looking for 20.

At £20...

Brilliant!

That's massive profit.

Well done!

Put it there.

I'm not finished yet.

Not finished yet.

Put it there!

At 25 sitting down here.

Looking for 28 elsewhere.

At 28 on the net now.

28 and 30, sir.

£30 sitting down.

Wait, wait, wait, I'm hoping that it's not over.

AUCTIONEER: One more bid perhaps?

RAJ: One more bid?

I'll sell then.

At £30.

To the room, thank you.

VO: He kept quiet, but they still picked up a profit.

Can Charles's Liberty table match it?

I could be in trouble.

Here we go.

Here we go.

Here we go.

CHARLES: Pray, Hanson.

Don't look 'round.

Cut that out.

A low, cheeky bid at £15.

Oh... AUCTIONEER: At £15.

CHARLES: Oh!

RAJ: Shhh.

Looking for 18 and 18 with you, sir.... You've done it, you've done it.

AUCTIONEER: At 18, 20 here... CHARLES: I'm still down.

Would you like to go, sir?

At 22, five and eight.

Sir, would you like to go?

28 now with you.

At £28.

I'm still very down.

At £30 now.

At 28 on my right.

At 28 bid... Hello, the world.

AUCTIONEER: Fair warning there.

CHARLES: You're out.

Going once, twice, at £28, to the gentleman in the room.

Sold!

Thank you.

VO: Someone's got a bargain.

Now for Raj's little silver collection.

It's a good lot.

Will it make £100?

RAJ: No... CHARLES: Yes.

Oh, shut up!

You're just winding me up now.

Who's going to start the bidding at £15?

At 15 we've got straightaway.

Profit.

Is that profit?

No.

We've got £15 on this for Raj.

At 15.

Have we got 18 elsewhere?

At 18.

We've got £15 only in the room or at home.

The game's on now.

At £18.

I'll sell at 15 then, at bargain.

At 18 on the net now.

We've got 18 in now, thank you.

At 18.

Looking for £20... CHARLES: High five.

RAJ: Oh just be quiet, you.

At 18 then.

At £18, to the net.

AUCTIONEER: Sold, thank you.

CHARLES: Off we go.

Ahh... VO: That's his first loss.

Baaa...baaa...baaa...

I need a big bleat, don't I?

VO: Quite.

Charles' favorite ewe.

Was she a bit of gamble?

I'm praying.

This could flop.

£30 in the room or at home?

It is Derby.

You've got a commission at 15.

At £15.

I'm in trouble.

I'm in trouble.

Looking for £18.

Looking for 18 in the room or on the net.

At £15, a commission bid.

At 18, sitting down in the room.

At 18 now.

At 18, thank you, looking for 20.

Looking for 20 now.

Thank you.

At 20 in the room now, at 20.

At £20 and two.

Would you like to go, sir?

At 22, at 22 and five.

Are you sure?

Oh, I don't believe it.

At £22 in the room then.

Going once, twice.

At £22, on the sheep.

Sold.

VO: No words necessary.

Charles has made a big loss.

VO: But can Raj take advantage with yet another bargain buy?

Starting the bidding at £15, we have on that, at 15.

Looking for 18 elsewhere.

At 15 there, I'm looking for £18.

Must be worth more.

At 18 in the room, sir, thank you very much.

At £18 with you.

Looking for 20 now.

At £18, we're gonna sell.

Once, twice.

At £18... Get it down.

Hammer down!

Charles says hammer down.

RAJ: That'll do, thank you.

CHARLES: Sold.

That's good!

RAJ: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

CHARLES: Happy?

Look at me.

Yeah!

No.

VO: A tidy return, but it all comes down to the Persian silver.

Charles' biggest buy.

The auctioneer's tip too.

Don't worry, Charles.

It's going to be alright, OK?

Thanks, thanks.

Alright.

Commission bids on this, ladies and gentlemen.

At £120 starting there... Get in!

We're in business.

120.

130.

Looking for 140, 150.

Let the net run now.

Come on then!

170, 180.

180 now.

180, do it for 190.

190 now on the net.

190.

Looking for £200...

I'm pumped up.

Let's go tonight!

220.

200 we've got here.

At 200 and 220 now.

At 220.

Come on then!

At 220.

At 220, 240 now.

240 bid!

At £240.

RAJ: This is good, this is good.

CHARLES: Yeah!

£240.

At 240.

We're looking for 260.

Once, twice, at £240.

Sold!

Thanks a lot!

Thanks, auctioneer!

Well done.

That's a good buy.

Thanks a lot, chief.

Great.

Thank you very much.

VO: Charles' boldness pays off, and the old hand wins the day.

Come on, mate!

(RAJ GRUMBLES) VO: Raj, who started out with £200, made, after paying auction costs, a profit of £59.58, leaving him with £259.58 to spend next time.

VO: While Charles began with the same sum and after paying auction costs, he made a profit of £117.46.

So he takes an early lead with £317.46.

RAJ: I'm getting the idea now.

CHARLES: Yeah, you are.

RAJ: So game on.

CHARLES: Ah, the sunshine.

RAJ: Don't tell me, reminds you of Persia?

CHARLES: What a day!

VO: Next on Antiques Road Trip, there's double deals... How much are they for the pair?

£100.

CHARLES: And between friends?

110.

(CHARLES LAUGHS) VO: ..and car boot sales.

CHARLES: Raj?

RAJ: Keep your eyes closed!

What's going in the boot?

There's a fair weight in there.

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