VO: It's the nation's favorite antiques experts, with £200 each, a classic car and a goal to scour Britain for antiques.

That hurts.

I'm gonna go for it, Jo.

VO: The aim?

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

There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

Goodness gracious me!

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

Not nice to gloat.

There we are.

VO: This is the Antiques Road Trip!

Yeah!

It's a brand-new week and we're splashing through the puddles with a right couple of charmers - antiques experts Charlie Ross and Catherine Southon.

CHARLIE (CR): I'm sure you have.

CATHERINE (CS): OK, Charlie, let the fun begin!

CR: I've got the girl of my dreams by my side, the car of my dreams in front of me - life is fantastic.

Except it's raining.

VO: Charlie is a seasoned Road Tripper, with a penchant for furniture.

He ran his own auction house for over 25 years so, as such, always knows exactly what he wants.

I want that.

VO: I told you.

VO: And while Catherine is a relative newbie to the Road Trip, only a fool would underestimate her considerable knowledge of maritime art and scientific instruments.

Oh-ho, yes, and her legendary powers of persuasion.

Can I give you £20 for it?

DEALER: No!

CS: Oh, come on!

VO: Our cozy couple begin their adventure with £200 and a classic 1966 Austin Healey, affectionately known as a Frogeyed Sprite.

The problem is the car doesn't have a hood!

CR: Cuddle up to me.

CS: Cozy up to me.

That's the way!

VO: Cozy!

Oh... VO: Maybe the weather was better back in 1966.

Brr-rrr-rrr-rrr.

VO: Catherine and Charlie will be traveling over 200 miles, from the heart of the Wiltshire countryside, wending their way eastwards, along the sunny south coast, before finishing up in Rye, East Sussex.

Today we're starting our journey in the village of Corsham, straddling Somerset, and finishing up with an auction showdown in Devizes.

The big question is, let's hope our devilish duo hit it off along the way.

CR: I think by the end of this trip I could be in love with you.

In love, Charlie?

I thought we already were in love!

Yeah?

VO: Steady on, you two!

While Catherine heads into her first shop in Corsham... Hello.

CS: Hi, Lee.

LEE: Hi.

CS: Hi.

It's a beautiful shop.

LEE: Thank you.

And fantastic surroundings as well.

VO: Yeah.

Charlie's off to find his though, in the village of Kington St Michael.

That's if he can get out of the car, that is.

Poor old boy.

Steady... CR: Samantha, it's Charlie.

Nice to meet you, Charlie.

Lovely to see you.

VO: And it's not long before Charlie spots something he's always drawn to.

Samantha, your lady's quite interesting.

What's she made of?

She's stoneware, and she's... Oh, is she?

Very shapely.

I can't go wrong here!

Do you do rooms as well?

I could stay.

DEALER: (CHUCKLES) VO: Steady!

(CHUCKLES) There's plenty here to feast the eye on though.

Could these light up Charlie's life?

Quite a sweet little pair of candlesticks there.

They're Birmingham, aren't they?

Have you dated them for me?

DEALER: Yes.

CR: Yeah.

1935.

And they are in super condition.

I see you've got them priced at 45, which is sort of the top end of where I would see them at auction.

DEALER: Well, I... Can you do something really... sexy with these for me?

You tell me what you'd like to pay and I will see what I can do.

If I could buy those for £20, I would snap them out of your hands and take them out of your shop, because I think they are... lovely.

DEALER: £20 is a little low... CR: Yeah?

If you were to offer me 25, I could let you have them at what I paid for them, and that would give you... Are you sure that would...?

Yeah.

Well, I think they're really sweet.

Deal number one!

DEALER: Excellent.

CR: Do you know, that's my... ..first buy on the trip.

Fantastic.

Thank you very much.

So every time I think of this trip, Samantha, I shall think of you.

VO: Yeah - they all say that!

You're terribly accommodating though, Samantha, and Charlie's off to a good start.

VO: Not quite so much luck for Catherine.

Harley Antiques is stuffed with beautiful things with price tags to match.

LEE: 260... CS: No... ..is the absolute.

That's beyond my limit, sadly.

Far too expensive for me, I think.

(WHISPERS) I'm thinking that the prices are very, very high.

I'm a bit worried that everything I'm seeing... ..is slightly out of my price range!

VO: Don't panic, Catherine!

It's only the first day shopping, darling.

I will find something.

I will dig deep and I will find it.

VO: That's the spirit, girl!

Charlie and Samantha are having a great time, on the other hand.

You've got a sense of humor too, haven't you?

I like the way this hand is coming out of this bucket.

Is that what happens if you don't buy something?

DEALER: Previous customer.

VO: Lordy!

Ha!

I've just seen a biscuit barrel, here... which has got a silver-plated top, cut-glass body - not pressed glass, which is nice - a particularly nice swing handle.

VO: Forerunners of our modern-day cookie jars, biscuit barrels have been popular for over 200 years.

This one was made by the Sheffield silversmiths William Hutton & Sons, in the early 20th century, and is cut glass with a silver-plated lid - perfect for preventing your custard creams from drying out... if you like custard creams.

The great thing is Samantha doesn't have a price on this, which leads me to believe this is free with every purchase.

You tell me what you would like to pay for it, then I'll see.

Oh, no - you'd... you'd... you'd smack me.

I could... Do something really... saucy on that?

£10 and it's yours.

Pfffffffff!

Blimey!

You're making an old man's glasses steam up here!

Can you really do that for a tenner?

I can.

Samantha, let me kiss you again!

Thank you!

Mwah!

This is the most golden day of my life!

VO: He'll be wearing her hand out!

Down the road though Catherine still has her entire £200 to spend, which leaves one problem...

It's got 2... 245 on it.

VO: Someone's got expensive taste.

That's so nice.

(SIGHS) It's £395.

I want to cry, cuz there's some beautiful things here.

VO: She is right.

This intricate piece of shell work is a fine example of what are called "sailor's valentines".

They date from the 19th century and usually came from Barbados, where they were sold to sailors, who brought them home for their loved ones.

But it's too much for you, love.

I know, I'm looking at everything that's nice and expensive!

VO: No such problems though for Charlie Boy.

Ooh, I like one of your street signs.

I'd quite like a little ride up Nunnery Lane.

Nunnery Lane!

It's a nice thing to have in your... in your house, really.

That's fun.

DEALER: I forget how much money's gone on them.

I think it's 35, something like that.

I could do that at 25 for you.

Are you able to satisfy my quirky sense of humor on Nunnery Lane at 20 quid, or is that... your....?

It's pushing it a bit too... Um, I don't want to push you, I don't want to push you, darling.

..a bit too much.

CR: Is it?

Yeah, that's... DEALER: Yeah.

25.

25.

25 is the death, as they say?

Would 22 make any difference or not?

Go on.

Do it for 22.

Are you... Are you sure?

Yeah, anything for the cause.

Oh, anything for the cause!

The Roscoe cause!

Can I give you a proper kiss?

Oh.

Mwah!

Mwah!

DEALER: Thank you!

CR: That's so kind of you.

I've bought three things!

VO: I don't believe this!

In record time, Charlie snaffled up a pair of candlesticks, a biscuit barrel and a Nunnery Lane sign, all for £57.

Wow!

And if I wasn't in a competition, darling, I'd say, "Keep the change."

VO: But you are, so you will - keep the change, that is.

CR: Thank you very much.

DEALER: Thank you.

Take care.

VO: Cor, she must be exhausted!

While Charlie can afford to put his feet up, Catherine is still struggling to spot a bargain within this treasure trove of a shop.

I'm trying, I'm trying very, very hard.

I can see lots of beautiful things but they're just... out of my price range.

VO: Come on, Catherine, buck up!

Not everything in this shop has a three digit price tag on it, you know.

A juice strainer.

The good thing about this is the Asprey stamp on the back, so it's a good retailer in London - the top retailer in London.

I'm guessing, a bit like a tea strainer, this is going to go on the top of the glass, and you'd squeeze your orange, or your grapefruit or whatever you desired, round here, and I'm guessing these little spirally bits are going to pick out the pips.

It's got £78 on it, so I'm guessing he would go down to about 55.

VO: Ha!

You'll be lucky!

40.

Oh, come on!

VO: Some people are never happy!

CS: Can you do any more?

35... and that is... £30 and I will take it from you.

Shall we?

Shall we?

Deal.

Thank you very much indeed.

VO: A lot of kissing on this show!

It's been a moist day, in all senses of the word, so far for Catherine, but now, she has a treat in store.

She's traveling 10 miles south-west to Somerset's jewel in the crown, the city of Bath.

Bath was originally established as a spa town by the Romans, thanks to its unique hot springs.

It evolved into a resort city for wealthy Elizabethans and then, later, the Georgians, who designed much of the iconic architecture we see today, built in that beautiful honey-colored stone.

Feast your eyes!

VO: Catherine's come to a place we're all familiar with - the Post Office.

But she's not here to post a letter - no, no!

She's come to find out how the postal system we all know today originally came about.

CS: Hello!

VO: Ooh, 'ello!

Catherine Southon, hello.

AUDREY: How are you?

CS: Are you Audrey?

I am indeed.

Oh, Audrey, it's lovely to meet you.

VO: Audrey Swindells is going to show Catherine around.

First of all, who are all these?

Who are these?

Well, these people are the raison d'etre, the reason that we're here at all.

Ralph Allen, this chap, he ran all the mail that didn't go to London.

Previously, everything went to London.

If you sent a letter from here to Bristol, it went to London and back...

Right.

And you had to pay on mileage, so it was very expensive.

So it was expensive?

Right.

VO: Ralph Allen was given contracts to make the transportation of letters more efficient across the country, and the museum is lucky enough to have one, which is over 280 years old.

This is the original, and the only one that exists.

VO: One of Allen's responsibilities was to open post from anyone who posed a danger to the established monarchy.

AUDREY: It is known that General Wade financed him, because he had uncovered a Jacobite plot, which he had revealed to Wade and to the government, presumably.

Postmasters were not only in a position to do this - they were actually told to do this, to open letters from various people.

VO: Delivering mail in the early 19th century was a dodgy business.

The countryside was teeming with highwaymen, so mailguards were armed.

After the introduction of the guard being armed, they only had two attacks by highwaymen, whereas before that, of course, the stagecoaches were constantly being... CS: Attacked.

VO: Before the invention of stamps, postage was calculated per page, so writers didn't let any paper go to waste.

You used every scrap of it, as you can see there.

You'd write horizontally and then diagonally, and when I transcribed that, which took me a couple of weeks, really, I was inclined to wonder whether... ..the recipient...!

I know, that's exactly what I was thinking!

VO: The first ever stamp was the Penny Black, introduced over 170 years ago, and it was sent from here, in Bath.

AUDREY: This one went out on May the 2nd, 1840.

So where is this original stamp now?

In the Far East.

Oh, is it?

Yes.

And it sold for 55,000 in 1990, and it's considered if it came on the market again now, it would be worth a million.

VO: Wow!

A million pounds, eh?

The Penny Black brought letter writing to the masses, and soon post offices were springing up all over the country.

This is a model of a Victorian post office.

They just had a similar system everywhere.

So why is the cat there?

Because the cat was on the payroll.

It was actually listed for the money for feeding it, because it kept down the mice... CS: The rats.

AUDREY: ..and the rats, which, of course, could eat the mail.

CS: Chew the post.

AUDREY: Chew the mail.

VO: What a good pussy.

(CAT MEOWS) VO: Well, it's time for Catherine to bid the postal museum and beautiful Bath farewell.

It's the end of the day.

Huh!

Night-night.

It's a beautiful new day for our couple of antiques gurus.

The sun is out, at last, and love is in the air.

Charlie, are you always this happy?

CR: Yeah.

CS: Are you?

CR: Yeah.

I think this is going to be an exhausting trip.

VO: I knew it would never last.

So far, Catherine has only spent a teeny-tiny £30, on one Asprey silver-plated juice jobbie, leaving her with a chunky £170 still to spend.

CS: Wish me luck with this.

LEE: Good luck.

I think I might need this.

VO: Charlie, meanwhile, splashed his cash on three items - a pair of miniature silver candlesticks, a cut glass biscuit barrel and a street sign of Nunnery Lane, all for £57.

Mwah!

This is the most golden day of my life!

VO: That leaves him with £143 to play with.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Take care.

VO: Catherine and Charlie are heading south-west, towards the village of Wedmore, in Somerset.

Now, Wedmore may not look like an island to you and I, but this village sits on a small hill in the middle of the Somerset Levels, and back in Saxon times, was surrounded by water.

Since then, it's been known as the Isle of Wedmore, and still is today.

Time to drop your anchor - we've arrived at our next shop.

Gonna be equally naughty here!

Hold on!

Hold on!

Wait for me - I've got to change my shoes, Charlie!

I'm afraid, Miss Southon, by the time you've changed your shoes, I will have bought my antiques.

Charlie!

VO: Ha!

Lemon Tree Antiques is stuffed to the gunwales with stunning goodies, so Charlie wastes no time.

Let's hope he doesn't kiss owner Les.

LES: Well, good morning, sir.

CR: Good morning, sir.

How are you, Roscoe?

I'm very well indeed!

I've heard plenty about you!

CR: Have you?

LES: Yes, indeed.

Is it all good?

Er... marginal.

Charlie!

Here comes Miss Southon.

Are you smooth talk... She's changed her shoes, especially for you, Les.

LES: Good morning young lady.

CS: Yes I have, I've got the high heels on!

Hello!

What a pleasure to meet you.

Oh!

Ooh, move out of the way, Charlie CS: I'm moving in!

CR: I can see... Oh, well, right!

VO: Look out, Charlie - I think you've just been out-maneuvred.

CS: Hello, Les.

LES: Well, yes!

I'm Catherine.

Lovely to meet you.

Les is now going to give me none of his time whatsoever.

It's all about Southon.

Bye-bye, Charlie.

We've made friends.

I can see you and Les are going to have a cracking time!

VO: Now, while Charlie has a little browse about... ..Catherine has already spotted something she likes.

I like your Georgian pipe box.

Yes.

How much do we have written on that?

Quite a lot.

Too much... Well, have you ever seen another one?

No.

Then it isn't too much money, young lady.

£220 is on it.

That's obviously a misprint.

I expect she meant to put 150 on it, don't you think?

Well, I would hope even less than that.

Ooh...

I tell you what, final offer - there you are, cuz I like you and I want you to beat that old Roscoe chap in there, 130 quid and it's yours.

There you are.

Now how can I do any better than that?

Any chance of tucking it under a hundred?

Final offer, 120.

No, we said that earlier, didn't we?

No, that was 130.

Very tempted at £100.

VO: That's one for Catherine to mull over.

Les's shop is full of exceptional pieces of antique furniture - right up Charlie's street, so I'm sure he'll find something classy any minute now.

That is cool!

I know cigarettes aren't really in but there's a real Smith's deco advertising clock.

VO: This clock actually dates from the 1950s and was made by clockmakers Smith, when tobacco advertising was still very popular.

Well, I think it says £150.

I'd buy that off Les, for a little bit less.

VO: But how much less is Les willing to go?

I'd like to give you 50 quid for it.

You wouldn't, would you?

It's cracked at the top...

I guess you won't be taking it then!

If you want to give me £80, you can have it at cost all day long.

That's a fantastically generous offer.

So take...

I tell you, if I can't find anything I like more, and I really like that, I will buy that.

So you've got a certain sale.

We shall eat tonight, dear!

We shall eat!

VO: While Charlie has a think, Catherine's seen something tasty and it's not Les.

These would have been used years ago, workers in the field.

Full of cider.

So it's a big stoneware sort of...

Yes indeed, yeah.

..bottle inside?

Yeah.

There's another one, actually - there is two.

Oh, they're quite nice, actually.

They're quite nice.

I think they're marked 50/60 quid.

I'm not sure what you'd use them for.

Yeah, 50 quid.

Is that for the two of them?

50 quid for the two?

No, they're £50 each.

If you wanted the two, erm... give me 50 quid for one and I'll give you the other one.

So it's sort of buy one, get one free sort of deal?

Is indeed.

Can I give you 30 quid for the two?

No, you can't, sweetie pie.

You can give me 50 quid and I'll give you one for nothing.

Yeah...

I tell you what seeing as you're such a... such a willing young lady... (WHISPERS) £40.

But don't tell that Roscoe.

CS: (WHISPERS) No, I won't.

VO: Cor!

Blatant favoritism!

But no sale yet.

Catherine's having a smashing time.

(BANG) Oh, crikey!

I'm breaking glass!

Oh, that's a Stanhope.

A Stanhope is when you've got this little, almost like a lens right at the top, and you look through it and you would... there was lots of different scenes that you could see.

I say that.

I can't actually see anything in there.

All I have seen is that this is also a tape measure.

VO: Stanhopes are novelty collectables and souvenirs produced in the mid-19th century.

This one is partly ivory but because it was made before 1947, it's legal to trade.

It has £85 on the ticket and Catherine won't want to pay that!

Lesley!

Les?

Yep?

I picked this up cuz I thought it was a Stanhope.

It is.

But it's just got no pictures in it?

I...

They are there, my love.

Honestly, I'm sure they are.

Really?

Who does it belong to...?

Oh, they are!

They are!

You've been having me on all along, you rascal!

They are...

I can see Crystal Palace.

Well!

The price has doubled!

No, I can see Crystal Palace.

Oh, price has doubled!

Darling...

Yes, sweetie pie?

Oh-ho!

What?!

I like the little tape measure idea in it.

How unusual is it to have a tape measure in a Stanhope?

Immensely unusual.

Yeah, but you're saying that cuz you want to flog it.

Oh... Do I?

I'm a collector at heart, you know.

LES: 50 quid, there you are.

CS: Oh no, come on.

I tell you what... How much do you want to give me?

Can I give you £20 for it?

No.

Oh, come on!

30 quid - how about that?

30 quid?

How about that?

You got to say yes to that, kid.

That's the best offer you've had today.

Is it?

VO: Despite Les's best efforts, Catherine's still not biting.

There's plenty to get excited about in here, but neither expert has actually bought anything yet.

Look at this!

How wonderful!

Wonderful block puzzle from, oh, I don't know, 1890s?

Certainly Victorian.

And I think in the bottom you've got all the different pictures there.

There are six different pictures.

Great thing for a child to do.

I would love to buy this.

Not sure I can leave these premises, really.

I'd just carry on buying for the rest of my life here!

VO: Now, the puzzle hasn't got a ticket on it, so Charlie's hoping for a deal.

Lovely Les!

Ah-ha-ha!

Roscoe, sir!

Come and melt into my arms!

This is fantastic.

Oh yes, the best puzzle you'll find.

Oh!

Keeps old men active, doesn't it?

Block puzzle... Give them summat to do!

What if I looked at you and said it's going to cost you 50 nicker, what would you say to that?

50 nicker?

I'd say that was... erm... very nice to meet you, Les!

LES: I tell you what.

Yeah?

I tell you what.

Yeah?

20 quid, you wouldn't be able to resist it, would you?

But I'm not saying 20 quid!

(THEY LAUGH) But I will.

CR: Oh, Les!

That's... LES: Just for devilment!

CR: ..fabulous!

LES: 20 quid.

How about that?

VO: Les!

You're giving them away now!

So the deal is done - £20 for the puzzle and 80 smackers for the cigarette clock - and Charlie's free to head off.

VO: That just leaves Catherine to... well, find something else she likes the look of.

I'm just wondering about the Mr Punch doorstop.

£80.

Now, he looks like he's been there a long time.

It's really nicely modeled, a lot of attention to detail.

Surely a nice little deal could be done on him.

Les?

What can he be?

15 quid.

Can he?

Yeah, he can be.

Can he really?

Aye.

How about that?

Now that's an offer you cannot possibly refuse.

Oh, I can't, actually.

LES: There you are.

CS: That's really... LES: We've cracked it, kid!

CS: That's really good.

LES: Put it there.

CS: I...

I... Well... You can kiss me hand!

Oh, that'll do!

Don't get carried away!

Right, so I'm having...

I think I'm going to have your pipe box.

Yes?

I think I'm gonna have your Punch...

Yes?

But we've agreed on the Punch now, there's no going back.

Yes we have, we have.

Your baskets...

Yes?

I tell you what I'll do.

No, I tell... Now, listen to an old fool.

I tell you what I'll do.

I'll make you a deal you can't refuse.

Oh, go on then!

90 quid.

Yeah, for the box.

15.

For the Punch.

35.

And I tell you what, I'll throw in the Stanhope for you for £25.

LES: There you are.

CS: That's wonderful.

How about that?

That's lovely.

You are completely gorgeous.

Oh, sweetie pie, I wouldn't go that far!

VO: Nor would I!

After a discount of £320 though, perhaps I might!

Catherine's gone wild and spent £165 on four items, concluding her shopping.

I've got no money left.

I know.

But Charlie's a decent enough chap, isn't he?

Oh, he won't give me any.

VO: Speaking of Charlie, he still has £43 to spend and is hoping to hoover up one final bargain at the Old Bank Centre, Bath.

This shop goes on forever!

VO: It's a gigantic antiques emporium, with room after room of gorgeous collectables.

But is there anything to attract an impoverished old geezer like Charlie?

Most things seem to be well into three figures, and probably four figures.

475.

(FEIGNS SOBBING) VO: Don't despair, Charlie.

Hello - what's this?

It's a miniature barrel but it's pure arts & crafts.

It's about 1900 in date.

Um... silver-plated banding is good, the tap is a nice shape, and a great thing for dispensing brandy or sherry.

Even whisky if you... or port.

It's a nice thing.

No good is it?

It's 80.

I can't insult the man too much.

VO: No, you really can't.

It's probably not worth asking but I...

I...

I will.

There's a barrel on sort of cross... stretcher, which is 80 quid, and I've got, like, 40 quid left in my coffer, that's... probably... Yeah, yeah.

OK. Are you sure?

That's really kind of you.

I shall go and get it.

OK.

Brilliant.

Thank you.

VO: It's been a day of most accommodating dealers.

There we go, £40.

OK.

Many thanks.

That's really kind of you.

Thank you very much indeed.

VO: With all his shopping finished, Charlie's heading 34 miles eastwards, from Bath to Swindon.

He's here to be shown some extraordinary photographs at the English Heritage Archives, by chief archivist Mike Evans.

Hi, Charlie.

Welcome to the English Heritage Archive.

Thank you very much indeed for letting us in.

Wonderful mahogany balustrade.

VO: Much of the archive is made up of photographs of buildings, landmarks and key geographical locations, dating back to the late 19th century and continuing right up to the present.

It's turned into an enormous, thorough record of Britain's changing landscape through the decades.

MIKE: Well, it really started in the Second World War.

Because of the bombing?

Because of the bombing.

Because people saw that so much of the architecture around them was at risk.

So architects and architectural historians got together to create the record in the beginning of 1941, to start amassing photographs and records describing what was there now, er, in some cases what had already been destroyed... Yeah.

..so that there was a record for the future.

VO: All the original archives were collected in over 6,000 of these red boxes.

The photographs provide a valuable memory of what has been before but they can also be used to rebuild.

Here's a nice example from Exeter.

Yes.

There's Southernhay, just after a bombing, showing the Georgian frontice is all that survived, and that was knocked down shortly after that.

And here we've got a before and after, if you like.

These are 1930s photographs of St Bride's Church in Fleet Street.

Fleet Street, yeah?

This set of photographs here shows what happened to it during the Blitz.

Gosh, not far from St Paul's, is it?

Not far from St Paul's, indeed.

And then these photographs here give some idea of how they were able to restore it, using photographs like those, photographs and plans, so... Of course!

Having those, otherwise it just would've been a memory of people...

Exactly.

VO: The boxes contain archive of virtually everywhere in England, including Charlie's hometown of Bicester and we're not talking gravy here.

Ah!

Bicester!

May I take it out?

You may.

I think I've found Bicester churches.

Well I have to confess to singing being one of my hobbies, so I've certainly sung in St Edburg's, Bicester.

That's where I used to have my car MOT'd!

It's never-ending, isn't it?

VO: The archive soon outgrew the old red boxes, so now most of this vast collection of 12 million images is stored in climate controlled vaults, and there's a massive ongoing process transferring them to digital.

Photographs are some of the most fragile archival materials, much more so than what we think of as old materials, like parchment or even handmade paper.

Yeah.

And if we're to preserve photographs, we have to keep them as cold and dry as possible.

VO: The £4.6 million facility, with its 14 kilometers of shelving, is kept at a steady eight degrees, in order to preserve the photographs.

And there are safety concerns too.

Some of the negatives are acetate film and some are nitrate film, and nitrate film has a particularly bad reputation, and in the wrong conditions it can spontaneously combust.

VO: But thanks to the cool temperatures in the vault, that's not likely to happen here.

This wonderful archive is available for everyone to access, both at the Archives and increasingly online.

It's been absolutely wonderful, Mike.

Thank you so much.

You're welcome.

VO: Yes, Charlie, it's time to leave the past behind - because it's the moment of truth, when our experts reveal all to each other.

Shall we have a little...?

Well, I'm going to have a look at yours.

You show me yours.

Ladies first.

OK. You ready for this?

Yeah.

Whip your top off.

One... two... three!

Da-nah!

Oh, look!

VO: I don't know about you, but something tells me Charlie likes Catherine's pipe rack.

Now, that... is... gorgeous.

CR: It's fantastic.

CS: It's stylish.

And it's Georgian.

And it's George III.

Beautiful.

Mahogany.

Inlaid with satinwood?

Looks like satinwood from here.

I said boxwood but is it satinwood?

I've never seen a pipe rack like that.

What did it cost?

£90.

That's very nice.

What about the other objects?

The baskets are fun.

Well, they are sort of...

But I hope they didn't cost too much.

No, they didn't actually cost very much.

CS: They were £35 for the pair.

CR: For the two?

CS: Yeah.

CR: Fantastic.

What's that thing?

VO: Oh, it's that juicer Catherine had a tough time extracting.

Nineteen fi... Oh, hang on!

EPNS.

It's not 1950s - it's a bit earlier, isn't it?

Yes, Charlie.

And what is it?

Well, I thought you plunged your coffee with it but you can't!

What do you do with it, darling?

It's a juice extractor.

Oh...

Turn it over, Charlie.

What's the name on the back?

Oh, my goodness me!

Asprey's quality.

Quality.

Dreadful item but quality.

Do you want to see my bits?

Come on then, Charlie.

I can't wait.

Here are my bits!

Oh, my God!

I beg your pardon?!

No, I didn't mean that.

VO: Mm.

Charlie's looking worried now.

This... Do you like that?

CS: It's very funky.

CR: Yeah.

I do like that, actually, yeah.

I mean, it's good advertising ware.

Yeah.

But don't expect it to be heavy.

It's not made of metal.

No, listen, it's decorative but it's sort of not really great quality, is it?

But they weren't, were they?

No.

It's fine, it's decorative.

I mean, I guess you paid, like, 40 quid for it or 50 quid?

80 quid.

Thank you very much.

Next.

VO: Oh dear.

Erm...

This, I saw it.

You saw that.

I saw that.

It's... nice.

That is fantastic.

It didn't have a price tag on, so I just walked past it, cuz I thought it was going to be about £80 or something, 60/80 pounds.

CR: 20.

CS: £20?!

CR: Hee-hee!

CS: You paid £20 for that?!

VO: Hee-hee!

And Charlie's bouncing back again!

That was good, wasn't it?!

I'm actually incredibly jealous of your puzzle, so I'd really like to do... CR: No, no, no, no, no.

CS: ..this.

No.

No.

Put it back.

CS: I love that.

That's... CR: Yeah.

I bought a lot that reminds me of you.

Oh!

A street sign.

Nunnery Lane!

Oh, God, Charlie!

I thought if we put that in the sale it might create a bit of a giggle.

I think it might create a bit of a giggle but I'm not sure anyone's gonna lift up their hand and actually bid on it, Charlie, which is what you want, really, at the end of the day, don't you?

VO: Oh, she packs a mean punch, this girl!

It cost me £22.

Oh, come on!

£22, that's nothing!

You're fine.

CR: It isn't, is it?

CS: No, you're fine.

I didn't see the little ivory piece.

CS: Can I just show it to you?

CR: Go on, show it to me.

Cuz I just want to get your opinion on it.

Is it a tape measure?

Well, it's a Stanhope at the top, so if you look through, there's a picture of Crystal Palace, so that's quite nice.

Yeah, yeah.

And it's a tape measure?

And it's a tape measure as well.

Lovely.

And I thought the two combined is quite nice.

Yeah, yeah.

It is nice.

Did you pay less than £50 for that?

25 for that.

So I think that's alright, isn't it?

Got...

There's good profits there.

I think you quite like my things, don't you?

I do like your things.

I think I like your things more than you like my things!

VO: Go on then, Catherine, do you really like Charlie's things?

He had a nice couple of bits and pieces that one in particular I am incredibly jealous of.

That puzzle.

I saw that puzzle, I looked at that puzzle but I didn't even ask the price because I thought it was going to be too much and I really regret that now.

The tape measure is nice, but I would prefer it if it was all ivory.

It is part bone, part ivory and the bone bit - the quality of carving isn't great.

But again it was cheap.

She's bought well, the girl.

It's going to be a really interesting contest because I have got absolutely no idea who's going to win this one.

It will be a tight contest... but I shall win.

VO: Well, we'll have to see about that, won't we?

So it's been a splendid first leg, kicking off in Corsham, Wiltshire, following a delightful loop through Somerset then back into Wiltshire and our auction venue de jour - Devizes.

CS: Come on!

CR: I can't get... CS: Do you want some...?

(THEY CHUCKLE) CR: Help!

Help an old man.

VO: Today's showdown is taking place at Henry Aldridge & Sons - purveyors of furniture, ceramics and terrifying dolls.

So what does auctioneer Alan Aldridge make of our experts' choices?

I've looked at both experts' buys.

I don't think there's a lot between the two of them and I think just maybe... the pipe tray might just phase it.

But it is touch and go, I think they are both very close in what they've bought.

VO: Our experts began this journey with £200 each and over the last two days Charlie has spent nearly every penny - a total of £197 on six lots.

Mwah.

Mwah.

VO: Catherine also went for it.

Of her £200, she spent a grand total of £195 on five auction lots.

Give us five, girl.

VO: Hold onto your hats - the auction is about to begin.

If you make a profit, I will feel good about it.

Aw!

You are particularly... Because you deserve profits, because you are so lovely.

VO: Oh, pass the sick bag, will you!

First up is Catherine's doorstop in the form of Mr Punch.

CS: £25.

ALAN: 25?

No he's asking for £25.

ALAN: 15?

CS: Oh.

Who will give me a tenner?

10 I've got.

12, 14, 16, 18, 20?

At 18, is there 20?

Oh, that's not very good.

I need a bit more than that.

CS: Come on.

ALAN: At £18.

All going.

Done.

Well, it's...

It could be worse.

VO: I suppose so - but that is a loss after the auction house takes its well earned commission.

I think you nearly made a pro... Small loss, a few pence I would say.

VO: Charlie's up next with his own little favorite - the Nunnery Lane street sign.

BOTH: # Nunnery Lane # We all live down Nunnery Lane.

# 25 quid?

No.

Nice sign.

20?

Come on, give me 20.

10?

10, thank you.

10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20?

£18?

At £18 I've got.

At 18, 18, 18.

I'll take 19 if it helps.

£18.

Nunnery Lane.

VO: (FEIGNS SOBBING) Oh dear... not looking good!

Charlie, shall we give up?

Shall we give up now?

Never give up, Miss Southon.

VO: Wise words Charlie, there's always hope and next up is Catherine's... Stanhope.

Can you start me around £40 for it?

That would be nice, 40.

Come on.

40.

30?

CS: Oh come on.

ALAN: 25?

20 I've got.

22?

25?

£20 on the lady's bid.

Five quickly.

At £20, £20... Come on.

At £20.

Take two if it helps.

22.

CR: Ooh, there's a bid.

24?

26.

CS: Yes.

ALAN: 28?

No thank you.

At £26, on my right 26.

I will take 28.

At £26, all going?

There was a bit of movement there.

That was almost exciting.

VO: Now you're getting desperate!

Another loss I'm afraid, after commission.

Yes, you've lost about a fiver, but may I say, in my book that would be a triumph.

VO: And Charlie's up next.

It's his 1950s cigarette advertising clock.

80 quid?

Ooh, he is asking 80.

CS: He's not getting it.

CR: That's his asking, only cuz it's what I cost.

Right, what do you think of 20 quid then?

CS: £20?

20 I've got, 20 I've got, 25, £20, on the lady's bid.

At £20, you have got it.

VO: £60 down the old drain - a disaster.

That's very unfortunate.

VO: You'll have to give it up, Charlie.

This could be the comeback though.

It's Charlie again with his Victorian block puzzle.

Give me £20.

£20.

I can't believe this.

15?

15 I've got.

15, I've got 17.

15, 17, 15 makes it, 20 if anyone's quick.

At 15, is there 16?

At 15.

At £15, am I done?

You have been done, I'm afraid, on that one.

CS: (LAUGHS) VO: Another loss - and Charlie has to pick up the pieces.

I would give you £15 all day long.

That's, that's...

I would pay 50 quid for it.

VO: Moving on, it's Catherine's Asprey juice jobbie.

Someone give me something in the region of £30?

I love the way he said it was something in the region of 30.

15 to get me away?

How about a tenner then?

10 I've got, thank you.

12?

CS: This is Asprey.

Oh, here it goes, here it goes.

14 anywhere else?

At £14, 14.

All done?

CR: Darling... CS: Thing is, CS: if you don't laugh... CR: You've gotta laugh.

CR: If you don't laugh... CS: You'll cry.

VO: True.

That's another loss for Catherine.

£14.

That's... kind of insulting.

VO: More silver next.

Charlie's miniature candlesticks, bought for £25.

£20?

20 to start me.

10, to get me away.

10 I've got.

10, 10, I've got 15, £10 on the maiden bid, 15, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35?

What about 32?

32, 34... 32, that's a profit, Charlie.

It's your first one.

ALAN: 34.

CR: It's a profit.

# I'm in the money CS: # He's in the money CR: # I'm in the money.

# VO: At last!

A profit for Charlie!

I think I've made about three quid there.

But if you counteract that against everything else...

Yes, yes, yes.

It's still a loss of well over £100, so... VO: It's not quite as bad as that Charlie.

Now will anyone be tempted by Catherine's cider jars in baskets?

15?

Tenner?

£10.

Ooh, she was going to bid at 15.

12?

10, 12.

Don't... he'll take the bid, hang on.

16, 18, 20.

ALAN: What about 19?

CS: Oh, grief!

You were on a roll for a moment there.

ALAN: 20.

CR: Oh he's doing well.

20's at the back, at £20.

CS: Come on!

Come on!

ALAN: Is there 21?

At £20?

Oh my gosh, it's painfully hard.

VO: Gosh, it's turning into a tough auction for both experts.

But there are still three lots to go!

Now surely this one can't go wrong.

Charlie's biscuit barrel.

25?

Everything starts at 25 and then rapidly drops down.

20 I've got.

Oh, he's got 20.

ALAN: £20.

CS: He's bid 20.

Someone looks happy again at £20.

22, 22?

£20, £20... Come on, 22 someone.

At £20, all going and... A profit!

VO: Splendid!

Charlie's edging his way back into the competition.

It's not nice to gloat.

Not nice to gloat - there we are.

VO: Yes, it's just not polite.

Charlie's last lot now - will someone be tempted by his spirit barrel?

38?

Or 12?

15?

15.

There we are, that's what he said.

15, and I'm off.

15, have I got 17?

At 15, give me 17.

At 15, at 15, 15... 15.

Hammer down.

£15.

Is there 17 anywhere else, quickly?

I don't think there is.

15 is about...

I told you didn't I?

And done.

And once again, Charlie, you have been.

VO: Poor Charlie - a rather limp finish to his lots.

I shouldn't laugh, because it's all going to go downhill for me now.

It's...

It's a long wait, 61 years, to have the worst day of your life.

VO: It's all come down to the last lot of the day but that pipe tray could go either way.

I shall be really, really upset.

I mean seriously upset, if your...

It's not gonna go for anywhere... ..pipe rack doesn't make more than 50 or 60 quid.

Ah, let me start it at a modest... CS: No, don't want modest.

CR: Modest?

ALAN: 180?

CR: How much?

180.

150?

£100?

Oh, come on.

60, 70, 80, 90... CR: Good going.

ALAN: 100.

10, 20, 30, 40.

CS: Oh!

Oh!

50, 60...

There IS hope in the world.

70, 80.

180, 180, at 180.

She's done it again Mr Ross.

Come here.

Ooh.

That is brilliant.

CS: Yes!

I love you.

CR: Trouble is, it was hers.

VO: Yes, a splendid result for Catherine!

The pipe tray has done her good.

You're over 200 quid.

About 205.

# You've made a profit.

# # I'm in the money.

# VO: Both our experts started this leg with £200.

After paying auction costs, Charlie has made a loss, poor old chap, of £96.96.

That leaves him with a rather paltry £103.04 to carry forward.

The lovely Catherine, on the other hand, is the winner today - she's made a profit of £16.56, so that means she takes forward £216.56 to spend next time!

Come on Miss Southon, I will open the door for you.

This is not looking great, is it?

The heavens are about to open.

CS: Ooh!

CR: There we go.

Right.

Come on, Charlie.

Onwards and upwards, dear.

CR: The battle is lost, the war is not over.

CS: Yee-ha!

VO: Next time on the Antiques Road Trip: Catherine cranks up the charm offensive.

CS: You've got lovely eyes.

DEALER: Thank you.

Has anyone told you that before?

Thank you.

I hope that's not being recorded.

VO: And Charlie runs into trouble.

I've got a confession to make.

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