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.

VO: What a gas, eh?

VO: Welcome to Merseyside, where you can find the Fab Four, the Three Graces, and the two antiques experts.

JAMES (JB): God, what a beautiful day, isn't it?

ROO (RI): I know, it's definitely a day for the roof down.

It's gorgeous.

VO: Yes, James Braxton and Arusha Irvine are starting the day cruising in their '66 Mustang, down at the beach at Crosby.

The architecture is just fab.

There's quite a few different styles.

I've seen some art deco influenced houses here as well.

Yep?

Almost sort of Miami south beach.

Lovely.

Steady.

OK, maybe not with the weather of Miami.

VO: Yeah, the alligators would get frostbite.

Ha!

Our James is feeling pumped up after working out a decent profit last time.

Say goodbye to the old me, hello to the new me.

VO: But Roo is definitely deflated after a drubbing at the auction knocked her off the top spot.

Can you not join me in this, you know, losing money business?

VO: But it's a new day, the sun is shining and there's time for a bit of culture before we get going.

RI: What's the name of it again?

JB: Another Place.

RI: Another Place?

VO: By the artist Antony Gormley.

Not as big as I thought.

No, they're... they're life size.

They are.

Life size.

Don't, quick... move.

He's... Move on.

Don't you stop, madam.

You don't want... You don't want to see anything.

Ladies of a gentle disposition.

I shouldn't.

(SHE CHUCKLES) VO: It's alright, it's art.

There's a hundred of these in total?

A hundred.

Look, and they stretch out all the way there.

Watch your shoes, you don't want to get them too mucky.

No, I think the damage is done, but it's worth it for the view.

It's actually nice to get out from behind the wheel of the car.

It is.

Get on Shanks's pony.

VO: It's the only way to travel.

VO: Roo's initial £200 has now shrunk to a much more modest £147.60.

VO: But James has managed to grow his starting budget to a more impressive £224.

You were behind me and now you've absolutely trailblazed way ahead and I've slipped down the ladder.

He's absolutely covered in barnacles.

He is, isn't he?

Look.

It's almost like he's looking out to sea, thinking, "Is Roo going to get any of her money back?

"Or has her money went to another place?"

VO: This guy's just depressed at the thought of it.

We started this trek over on the North East coast, popping briefly into Scotland.

We've now headed down the west side of the country, before we meander into the Midlands and then head up for a final auction in York.

This time we'll be headed to a sale in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

But first let's split up and hit the shops of Liverpool.

Roo's headed into the city for her first port of call, at 69A, which resides at number 75 on this street.

Well, it's a novel approach.

RI: Hi, Trevor, I'm Roo.

DEALER: Hi, good to meet you.

This is a bit of a magical place, isn't it?

Bit of a mixture.

Mm, I can smell the incense as well.

It actually reminds me of my bedroom actually in my teens, fairy lights everywhere, incense.

I like it.

I think I might move in.

VO: Just don't leave your socks on the floor, eh?

This place has a bit of everything.

Retro, vintage, as well as some genuinely old artifacts.

Trevor really knows his stuff.

He has got 2,000-year-old Chinese antiques in here.

The kind of things that you see in a museum and he has so many of them dotted around.

VO: Yes, we're obviously in the Oriental section here.

I'm gonna let you in on a little trade secret when it comes to Oriental ceramics.

This one, 19th century blue and white, Kangxi mark.

Now the thing is, from the Ming dynasty, round about the 1400s, that's when they started introducing reign marks, but the emperor forbade any potters to put the reign mark on the bottom of anything, because if that vessel broke and ended up in the royal trash, it was a disgrace.

It was humiliating to have your reign mark in the bin.

So, centuries later, the potters wanted to give credit to the former potters and emperors and put earlier date marks on later pieces.

Not to fool anyone, but to bow down to their predecessors.

Very sweet but it means that you can sometimes be deceived.

The mark on the bottom of an Oriental piece is not always telling of the age.

Just a wee hint from the Roo.

VO: All very interesting, but a little outside of "The Roo's" budget.

Keep at it, girl.

Meanwhile, James has come to the suburb of Woolton, childhood home of John Lennon.

That church is where he first met Paul McCartney.

It's also the location of the grave of one Eleanor Rigby.

But we're here to visit Hollomby's, for the benefit of Mr Braxton.

Go, James.

Hello.

James.

Hi.

Niamh.

Nice to meet you.

Good to meet you, Niamh.

This looks rather nice, doesn't it?

Thank you.

Thanks very much.

Very cozy.

I'll have a little nose round.

Great.

VO: Lots of nice things to peruse, and our James is here and there and everywhere.

I've got a feeling it won't be long before he finds something he fancies.

Don't let me down, James.

This is quite a pretty little...

I suppose a music stool.

You've got a box seat here, so you keep your sheet music in there.

Nice little tapestry upholstered seat there and this typical Edwardian inlay.

It's sort of Sheraton in style, we've got some checker stringing, some boxwood stringing, made of mahogany, quite light, but not of huge age.

I dare to sit on it.

I'm a man.

I'm not a little light lady playing the piano, but this would have been a piano stool.

So you keep your sheet music in there.

How much have you got on it?

145.

145.

So, somebody with a lovely piano will love that, but it ain't for me.

VO: Doesn't hit the right note.

Let it be, James.

Let's get back, to Roo that is.

Seen anything more in your price range?

It's a meerschaum pipe.

Meerschaum is actually a sea mineral.

It's often found floating around the Black Sea and it's German for "foam of the sea".

This one's on a lovely black... looks like an ebonized wood stem to it and it's a carving of a regal, majestic man, and it's quite large.

VO: It's priced up at £48.

What else is there?

This is quite unusual.

It's an ambrotype Victorian photograph, and I have this weird fascination with Victorian photographs.

I don't know why.

I just love seeing people staged in their outfits then, but an ambrotype is not a normal photograph.

It's basically...

It's a positive photograph on glass.

VO: A very early form of photography.

From the Greek, it means "immortal impression".

It's mid Victorian, 1860, so it would be nice to buy a true antique and take it with pride to the auction.

VO: £27.50 on that.

Let's get Trevor to give us a closer look.

Come on, Trev.

He's quite a... Middle Eastern... Yeah, I'd have thought so.

It's quite a... regal, majestic man.

I've had a few of these and they've been lovely Victorian ladies with their curls and their bonnets on, but this is quite a larger one.

I have such a fascination with Victorian photography.

I will buy photo albums full of strangers' photos.

Yeah.

Because there's just something quite whimsical about them.

Just so I know, is there potentially any movement on there?

There is.

That one I've had for a little while.

OK.

So I could drop it to 40.

This one has just arrived.

Right.

And I would do it 25.

VO: Sounds promising.

Meanwhile, over at Woolton, James is still on the hunt.

Tell me what you see.

Now I've been around this shop a couple of times and I think this is about the oldest thing in it.

It's about 1780, 1790.

Very neoclassical in style, and cor, look at that - the rigors of use.

It's very crumpled, it's very worn but it's hanging on.

You know, that's 250 years old.

It's great.

Ooh, and that, so this is probably later.

This is Victorian.

Look at the difference in color.

You know, that's very... that's very silvery in color.

And that's very buttery, isn't it?

That's copper and my favorite sort of item, unpriced.

VO: It's getting better all the time.

But what actually are they?

Well there's been plenty of discussion.

Actually it looks like this would hook over a fire guard.

And perhaps, I'm not sure, perhaps rest your feet on it.

We didn't know.

Yeah, for feet or a little hob kettle or something like that.

See, we did think this was potentially for an iron.

No, cool.

VO: And he never moved his lips.

I think these are both for kettles.

Interesting thing about that, I think it's got some age, hasn't it?

It's suffered deterioration, look at that handle.

And it's suffered use, it's been kicked around a lot, hasn't it?

Or do you think it sagged under the weight?

Look how thin those things are there.

It's well used.

It is definitely well used.

I think that's got age.

I don't think it's 19th century, I think it's possibly late 18th century and I think this one is 19th century.

I think this is more Victorian, or could even be earlier.

You can hardly see any pattern there but it did at one time have a pattern.

And how much are these, Niamh?

This one I can do for 20 and this one will be 15.

OK. Niamh, thank you.

You've gone and got yourself a deal.

Great.

Thank you.

VO: Two kettle stands for the princely sum of £35.

Now, you've got to carry that weight.

At least back to the car.

Roo, meanwhile is getting to grips with some of her favorite stuff.

Would that be glass?

So, Trevor, I was quite taken by this art deco glass, Franz Weltz.

Yeah.

When did that come in?

It came in a couple of years ago but it only went out last week because we have a customer who has a collection of about two, 3,000 pieces of glass, who was able to identify it, cos I always like to work out and find out what something is first.

It's very distinctive and Franz Weltz was obviously... well it's Bohemian, so it's been going since the 1700s.

But this style was very much sort of 1920s, 1930s.

It's got quite a few chips there, unfortunately, which is such a shame.

But it is that kind of glass, I mean with four pieces... Do you know if there's chips on the other pieces?

I think there probably is on the rim.

You'd have to have a look to see.

And there might be tiny chips on the foot rim.

So you've got that set at 55.

If you were getting those plus other things, whatever, I'm sure we can squeeze 45 for you.

VO: Now with Trevor's discounts we're down to £110 for her three prospective purchases.

So I have a much smaller budget than I would've liked to have had.

90.

Go on then.

DEALER: Yep?

RI: £90.

DEALER: Thank you.

RI: Thank you.

VO: Very kind, Trevor.

That's 35 for the glass jardinieres, 40 for the pipe and 15 for the photograph.

Not a bad little haul at all.

Thank you, Trevor, it's been such a pleasure.

Take care.

You're welcome.

Thank you.

Bye-bye.

VO: So with Roo off and running, let's catch up with her chum.

He's come down to the historic Albert Dock, once a hub of shipping in this port city.

Seafaring trade made Liverpool one of the most multicultural places in Britain and James is here to meet historian Ray Costello who has uncovered the story of the city's black sailors over the last three centuries.

RAY (RC): Liverpool has an old black population, over 250 years old, and there are black families with the seafaring tradition, that... What, from the West... from the West Indies?

From the West Indies, all over the black diaspora as they call it, Africa, West Indies, sometimes United States.

And they date back 10 generations in some cases.

How were these black seafarers recruited?

There are notoriously bad harbors on the West African coast and so what the ships used to do, they'd anchor off the coast and they'd use the local seafaring peoples to bring their... Paddle their surf boats out and trade in that way.

There would be diseases that white sailors were unused to, malaria, all sorts of things.

This was a notorious white man's grave but they replaced them with local seafarers.

Yeah, did they join voluntarily?

The king's shilling?

Oh they did, they'd willingly enlist them.

In fact they would be slaving ships in some cases... JB: Really?

Yeah.

..taking on free African sailors.

VO: These new recruits worked the trade routes with the promise of eventually being returned to their native homes.

But it was useful for the shipping companies to keep a pool of men that could withstand these diseases, and so the sailors found themselves marooned in port cities like Liverpool.

Were they paid the same?

Actually, I couldn't find much evidence of them not being paid... Good, good.

..different.

There was a glass ceiling.

OK.

But even that was broken.

Really?

Because we find in 1797 there's a black ship's captain.

VO: Britain at that time was a naval superpower and many black sailors were enlisted to fight at sea.

Inside the Merseyside Maritime Museum they have a painting depicting one of the most famous scenes in British Naval History.

JB: This is a marvelous picture, isn't it?

It's a panorama.

RC: It depicts basically the death of Nelson, but there are so many other things in it, for instance, two black sailors.

JB: Ah!

RC: Now we know that there at least 10 black sailors on the Victory alone.

Really?

Yeah, but we don't know...

There may have been more, because if they were of slave origin, they'd have had their African names taken from them and given English-sounding names.

For instance, we know that on the Victory, there was an African sailor called George Ryan.

There are thousands of people must walk past Nelson's column every day... JB: Yep.

RC: And on the southwest plinth, you can find a picture of a black sailor holding his musket up, pointing towards the sniper who's just shot Nelson.

VO: During the age of sail, black seamen worked alongside their white counterparts everywhere from the rigging to the gun decks.

But with the advent of steam ships, a form of segregation began to creep in.

They were consigned below deck into the engine rooms.

The principle was, it was thought that they could stand the heat better than European seafarers.

And this lasted right until the end, to the decline of shipping in Britain.

It sort of reversed really, the situation, where you could get a ship's captain of a sailing ship in 1797... ..and yet the status of black sailors had also declined.

VO: The lot of the black British seafarer has much improved over the last century.

Many fought for Britain during two world wars, and received honors for their bravery.

Nowadays black sailors are climbing the ranks of the Royal Navy and in the merchant marine, in 2016 Belinda Bennett became the first black woman to captain a cruise ship.

But of all the hardy mariners depicted in this exhibition, there's one that has a particular significance for Ray.

This is Edward James, a Bermudan black seafarer who came during the Crimean war at the age of 14.

Right.

Now, he sailed on this ship, the Aracan, the India royal tea clipper.

This poor gentleman had a tremendous burden to bear.

He was my great grandfather.

And...

I can see the likeness, Ray.

It's the eyes.

I'm not quite his age when this photograph was taken.

VO: Back on dry land, our two are still getting the hang of steering their ancient vessel.

What's my road position like?

Are you alright?

Quite nice actually, almost as good as mine.

Rubbish.

VO: Sailing close to the wind there, Roo.

Nighty-night.

VO: Even the local fauna have got their jumpers on today.

But are we downhearted?

I'm not sure if it's a roof off kind of day, James.

It's a tad chilly.

It is chilly, but you know, it's a microclimate in here.

We're cushioned, cushioned by a blast of warm air.

I know, it's almost tropical below the steering wheel.

VO: They're both wearing shorts under there, you just can't see it.

Yesterday Roo went a bundle for a meerschaum pipe, a pair of glass jardinieres and an old photo.

I have this weird fascination with Victorian photographs.

VO: That little lot leaves her with £57 and change to play with today.

James on the other hand was a lot more frugal, only purchasing a pair of kettle stands.

You've gone and got yourself a deal.

VO: But he's still got a little under £190 at his disposal.

So nice to have the money, just occasionally to count it.

Well, let it burn a hole in your pocket.

The pressure's on then.

The pressure's on.

Well it's tough at the top, you know what it's like?

RI: Well... JB: Leading the pack.

Of course.

You snapping at my heels.

Snapping?

I can barely see you in the distance.

VO: That could all change when we head to auction in Rotherham, but we kick off today in Manchester, that other great North West city... ..where Rolls met Royce and Rutherford first split the atom.

James is hoping to buy something that'll also make a big bang.

He's headed to the Trafford end of the city, and Stockyard North Salvage.

As well as being an antiques store, they also hire out items for film and TV.

Hello.

James.

Hi James, nice to meet you.

I'm Lucy.

Hello, Lucy.

This is a fascinating place.

So this is just a tiny proportion of what lies all around us?

It is.

Yeah, we've got a full few warehouses full of props.

Is this the unhireables in here?

Unhireables but still desirables.

(THEY LAUGH) JB: Still desirable.

VO: You should have that over the door.

Anything you think might land a starring role at auction, James?

Come across this, this is one of the most splendid picture easels I've seen, so a good Victorian industrialist, someone like him or him or him, would've owned this in his study or his library at home.

And it would've been used to place the current or favorite purchase, the new purchase.

The picture would've been put on here, and admired before going on the wall.

So this is American red walnut, latter part of the 19th century.

You've got a lot of clutter going on, Victorians love to cover everything in a lot of carving, but it's beautifully made.

The more I look at it here, I can see moldings either side and I think this would've held something, maybe a mirror, piece of glass, maybe a cut piece of glass or maybe even a blind carved piece of red walnut.

Could be a potential.

VO: And with a ticket price of £80, that sizable item is definitely within his budget.

Or something smaller perhaps?

That's nice.

Very nice painting here and then we've got this raised gilding, so this gold, on a translucent porcelain base.

It's got a nice shouldered shape to it.

Looks like a little tea caddy, an old fashioned tea caddy.

Very nice shape, sort of thing that would've been in a cabinet.

It's very hard paste continental porcelain, so we'll take this away, we've got one label there, we've got some tape here.

Ah, here we are, the crossed swords of Meissen.

VO: Meissen was home to the first porcelain produced in Europe, and the crossed-sword marks have been used by several factories in the meanwhile.

I think it's all hand-painted.

Interesting.

How much have we got on it?

£3.

Now £3 is a bargain.

You know, I hate to think how much this would've been bought for.

There's incredible craft within this little piece, so a very fine item, and it's sound... That sounds like, to me, pure profit.

VO: Well at that price it's hardly gonna break the bank.

And... cue Lucy.

I've come with a rather humble object but a very pretty object.

I think someone said what was their favorite color and they said shiny, so I think I owe you the princely sum of £3.

Yes, that's £3 please.

There you are, thank you very much indeed.

Are you allowed to say, is it telly or film?

Erm, it's from a TV show, but I'm not allowed to say exactly where it was from.

TV... TV show, eh?

VO: And now it's been on two TV shows.

How's that for provenance?

He seems pleased with himself there.

Right James, onward and upward.

Manchester's famous for one thing.

Not a... well, maybe two.

Music and football.

There's two of the great football clubs here and we're coming towards Manchester United.

Come on, City!

VO: Blimey!

I'd keep your head down if I were you.

But there can't be many places in the world more passionate about the game than Manchester.

It's no wonder that the city is home to the National Football Museum.

And Roo's come to find out about the David versus Goliath story of women's football from Collections Officer Belinda Monkhouse.

Tell me, when did women start playing football?

We don't know for certain, but it's likely that women have been playing football for as long as men, just kickabouts, but the first sort of official women's football team that we know of was the British Ladies, which was organized by a Nettie Honeyball, although that was a pseudonym.

We don't know too much about her either.

We think she must've been a middle class woman, probably sort of stimulated by talk of women's equality and emancipation, and she really wanted to show that women weren't just ornaments and they could play football as well.

VO: The British Ladies Football Club played their inaugural match in 1895 in front of a crowd of 10,000 spectators.

It didn't go well.

They were jeered and heckled by the crowd... ..and newspapers of the time poured scorn on such unladylike behavior, criticizing their skills and their team strip.

What did women play football in at the time?

Was it shorts and t-shirts?

The very early football kits, modesty was still an issue so they wore lots of bloomers, large baggy trousers and loose fitting tops and they would tend to wear a hat to cover their hair for modesty as well.

VO: Despite this initial animosity, the Honeyballers played over a hundred exhibition matches all across the country.

But it wasn't until World War I that the ladies' game really took off.

That was really stimulated by women working in factories, munitions factories mainly, talking about football and thinking about football and thinking, why not play football as well?

VO: The most famous of these factory teams came out of Dick, Kerr and Co, munitions workers in Preston.

At their height, the Dick, Kerr Ladies drew crowds of over 50,000 spectators.

It's estimated there were around 150 teams by the end of the First World War and there were probably more that we don't know about as well.

They were well attended, the matches, as well.

They were charity matches, largely, so they were raising money for soldiers and other war issues, so that was a big impetus for people to come and watch those football matches.

VO: It seemed as if women's football was here to stay.

But it all came to an abrupt end in 1921 when the FA kicked the ladies' game into touch.

It wasn't an outright ban.

They just said that women's teams couldn't play on the grounds of the men's team that were affiliated to the FA, so effectively there wasn't really anywhere that women could play football, and around that time, in 1921, there was a team, Stoke Ladies, that were particularly successful and they were challenging the likes of Dick, Kerr Ladies and some of the other bigger women's teams, And one of their biggest successes was winning the first English ladies' Challenge Cup competition and we have Lily Bridgett's medal that she was awarded for that.

VO: Despite the tenacity of the Stoke Ladies, and other teams, the FA ban lasted for 50 years.

But that didn't stop women playing the beautiful game.

Even back in the '60s and 70s, the England women's team were playing international, they were playing abroad, they took part in an unofficial World Cup in 1970, 1971 and were playing at a high standard as well.

VO: Since the ban was lifted in 1971 the women's game has gone from strength to strength.

Teams like the Doncaster Belles here helped to raise the popularity of the sport.

And in 2015 the England Women's National Team came third in the World Cup.

But who knows how far they could go with a few choice signings?

Never kicked a ball in my life.

I'm gonna see how this goes.

Let's hope I don't lose a shoe.

VO: Go on Roo.

Give it 110% Nettie Honeyball, this one's for you.

MUSIC: 'Eat My Goal' by Collapsed Lung She takes it down!

VO: But could she do it on a cold, wet night in Stoke?

He-he!

Meanwhile James is maneuvering the mustang out of the city centre.

And he better get a wiggle on.

Well the pressure's on me now.

I've got to get to the shop before Roo does.

I've got to engage the owner.

I need to get to the bargains first, so it's a race against time.

VO: He's making for the outskirts of Manchester and Sale.

Let's hope it lives up to its name.

Ha!

He's come to the Manchester Antique Company.

They're not short of stock here, that's for sure.

But will there be anything here to tempt our boy to part with his remaining £186?

It's a fascinating place.

It's got some fabulous antiques from all over the world, admittedly most from Victorian England.

Walnut is very well represented here but we've got bits from Japan, we've got bits from China...

But nothing has a price on it.

This is an antiques warehouse and I would imagine you go round with mine host, and he would have an encyclopedic knowledge of all the prices.

VO: Sounds like you should go and find the man in charge then, James.

Some interesting items.

I haven't got a king's ransom though to spend, John, so I'm going to need a little assistance from you.

What's upstairs?

More furniture and smalls.

Ooh, show me the smalls, show me the smalls.

VO: And you have to be careful who you say that to.

Ha!

Now, bringing up the rear is our other shopaholic.

Last but not least, eh?

She's got £57.60 left.

Where does she keep the change?

A lot of the stuff here will be a bit out of reach for her but fun to browse, though.

This has got neoclassical written all over it, one of my favorite styles.

Back in the mid 1700s, a very important discovery happened.

The ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum were discovered and designers and craftsmen were inspired by these ruins.

That's why everything became Roman and Grecian inspired.

This lady standing here, the swags, garlands, Grecian urns - there's so many motifs that are so neoclassical.

Now, unfortunately, this is not of that era, but it's neoclassical revival.

I'm gonna have a look inside.

That's definitely not 250 years old but it would be late Victorian.

I mean it's quite nice condition inside but it's betraying what's on the outside, but it's such a shame.

There's so much damage on it here.

I mean, this is a thin veneer of so many different woods and inlays, and if you look along here, there's cracks, it's been chipped, there's a split all the way down the veneer.

It's nice, it's neoclassical, but it's not the real deal.

So I'm just gonna keep on looking and keep on trucking.

VO: Right on, Roo.

James meanwhile is putting his personal shopper through his paces.

John, I quite like this item.

It's been the subject of a bit of bashing though, hasn't it?

It's got a great interior, hasn't it?

It does have, yes.

And there's the original key.

Original key.

But no... No lock.

JB: No lock.

(THEY CHUCKLE) Let's concentrate on the benefits.

It's a sort of traveling toilet case for a lady and we've got lots of little jars, lots of little curios to be filled.

It's got a rather fun mirror, hasn't it?

It's plated, it's rather fun.

What could that be, John, could it... Have you got the drawer here?

No.

So that's disappeared.

The price has disappeared as well.

£40.

£40.

I'll take that, John.

But I want to show you some other items as well.

I'll quickly go and grab...

I spotted something over here.

VO: And with James out of the way, Roo's only gone and filched his helper.

Can he find anything to suit her budget?

There's silver plate here that you might be interested in.

I would, if it was... silver plate, it has to be quite decorative.

That's quite a pretty set there.

Yeah.

It hasn't been polished to the point where it's lost all of its plate, which is nice to see.

Just checking the condition here.

Just comes alive with my breath.

(DEALER CHUCKLES) And you've got the full set here.

That's lovely.

No damage.

That's definitely of interest.

You have led me well.

Have you got anything else that's maybe quite... quirky or different?

Did you go upstairs?

Er, no, I haven't.

VO: No time like the present then.

John, do you have this much furniture in your house?

I live in a bungalow.

There you go.

You'll get a profit on this.

Warwick Castle.

RI: Oh!

That's really quite nice.

Can I actually have it down and have a look at it?

Yeah, sure.

I want to look inside and underneath.

That's beautiful.

Even the glaze color on the inside is lovely.

Do you know, that's quite a magnificent thing.

What I like about it, when you find paintings of beautiful historic places and it shows it as it was then...

Yes.

..it's just a photograph on a vase.

It is, yeah.

But hand-painted.

It sort of gives me a little snapshot of what Warwick Castle was like.

What could you do on this?

£27.

OK. Well, I've got 60p.

VO: Trying to get rid of that shrapnel, eh Roo?

I'm going with this.

OK. You're an absolute star.

And you know something?

I love it.

VO: £27.60 it is then.

Dare I pick this up and go?

It's a bit heavy for you, as well, is it?

(SHE GROANS) I can handle it.

I've been working out, you know.

VO: Yes.

Now she's done, perhaps James can get his helpful assistant back.

Now, John, being a seafaring man, I noticed this.

A rather fun rope twist thing.

A rather nice aneroid barometer isn't it?

So aneroid is a spring, isn't it?

Yes.

What could that be?

£25.

£25?

I'd be churlish not to accept that, wouldn't I?

£25.

£25 for an aneroid barometer.

It's almost correct, isn't it?

DEALER: It seems, yeah.

(THEY CHUCKLE) I like that, John.

I'll buy that.

Thank you very much indeed.

You're welcome.

Thank you.

So we're making some progress now.

We are.

VO: Yes, we're cooking on gas.

Or boiling the kettle at any rate.

Oh look, a teapot.

I must have a metal deficiency within my makeup but I'm always drawn to copper and this is a humble hob kettle, isn't it?

It is, yes.

Got a nice shape to it.

But it's a lovely... you're right, it's a lovely shape, isn't it?

It's got a very nice cylindrical body and I just like this touch here.

It's so easy to do a straight handle.

Yes.

But just let's make it slightly more complicated, let's give it a nice, shaped handle.

And of course it comes to hand so much better, doesn't it?

It does.

All made of copper, this lovely reddish copper look to it.

Yeah, nicely tinned inside so that was so it wouldn't taint the water.

What's your price on this, John?

I've talked it up a bit, haven't I?

DEALER: £25.

JB: £25.

It is pretty, isn't it?

I... Yeah, go on, put it there, John.

DEALER: Thank you.

JB: Thank you very much indeed.

VO: So a total of £90 for the barometer, the toiletry case and that kettle.

Thank you.

Right, off I go.

OK. VO: And with that, we're all shopped out.

Give us a toot.

(HORN TOOTS) RI: We're hitting the road.

VO: Time for some shuteye.

RI: Whoo!

VO: Mind the ditch, James.

Nighty-night.

This is Rotherham, a big steel town during the Industrial Revolution.

They made cannon for HMS Victory here too.

It's a very good auction house.

Old cinema.

Oh, wow!

An old cinema?

RI: This'll be very theatrical.

JB: Old cinema, yeah.

VO: Let's see who gets top billing, then.

After setting off from Merseyside, we've made it to South Yorkshire.

Where we're hoping for a blockbuster at Paul Beighton Auctioneers.

James spent £128 on his five auction lots.

Mr Braxton has managed to buy some Meissen for £3.

He has to make money on it.

It's later Meissen, which is a good thing, but the name is just synonymous with quality.

Good job, MY SON.

VO: Oi, I do the gags round here.

Roo stumped up £117.60 on her four lots.

I think Roo has a certain fondness for jardinieres and stands.

Last time she bought a jardiniere and stand, this time she's bought a pair.

There's lots of shapes, there's lots of decoration, there's lots of color and at £35 I think they're rather cute.

VO: Let's find out what auctioneer Jody Beighton thinks will be a hit.

Royal Windsor vase, I mean it's a good large thing.

It's what I suppose some people would term a mug's eyeful but we should be OK with that.

The vanity case, the glaring problem with that one is the missing drawer so it may be almost impossible to get a good price for.

VO: Now find your seats, turn off your phones, the main feature is about to start.

RI: Know what we need?

What?

Popcorn.

You clever girl.

I know, I know.

I'm just...

This is odd popcorn, isn't it?

I'm on fire.

VO: Stuffing their faces again I see.

James's barometer is up first.

Oh, looks like rain then.

Straight in online at £18, 20 we're looking for.

20 bid, two internet bidders.

22 let's see.

We're at £20 online.

JB: £20.

RI: Ooh.

JODY: 22 in the room.

24.

RI: Hey.

26, 28, 30, 35.

At £30 in the room, 35 from the net.

New bidder in the room, 35, 40.

Fantastic, James.

At £40.

Still original bidder at 40.

JB: £40.

JODY: 45, let's see.

At £40.

Quality has paid off.

40.

(GAVEL) JB: £40.

RI: Well done.

RI: That is a brilliant result.

JB: £40.

VO: I think that should be set fair.

We're an island of weather.

As I came up here I listened to the shipping forecast.

VO: The ambrotype photo's next.

Roo was taken with it.

I must say, I liked his bow tie.

His bow tie sort of came out here, didn't it?

Yes, a very dapper chap.

15 to start.

RI: Silence.

JODY: Who'll start us at 15?

10 then if you wish.

RI: There's nothing, there's nothing online.

They're playing it cool.

Five then?

That's a surprise.

Five at the back.

RI: Very surprised.

Come on.

JODY: Maiden bid is at £5.

Nothing online.

JB: It looks... JODY: Eight, 10.

JB: It looks good.

RI: Internet's waking up now.

They're going to be tapping away.

Little bit more.

All done and sure for eight?

(GAVEL) RI: Ooh!

VO: Didn't have the exposure she was looking for.

Do you know, I think it's a buyer's market.

Do you?

That's what I think, yes, the timing is wrong.

And it's nothing to do with the fact that maybe people... RI: Nope.

No.

JB: ..didn't want to buy it?

I wouldn't let you finish your sentence.

I see.

OK. VO: And do people still want copper kettles, James?

Copper's the in thing, isn't it?

It is.

It's red.

It's gorgeous.

12 in the room, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28.

Internet's at 26, looking for 28.

JB: Oh!

Come on, come on!

JODY: Any advance?

At £26 internet bid.

And selling for 26.

(GAVEL) VO: Decidedly lukewarm, I'd say.

Who needs to worry about their figure?

Mm.

Good, aren't they?

I look after you.

Mm.

VO: Roo's big green vase now.

Well, you can't miss it.

Look at it.

It's gorgeous.

Oh!

Sort of recoil.

I didn't know we'd come to a horror movie here.

I think... Ugh!

VO: Play nicely, James.

30 to start.

Any interest?

20 then if you like, let's get on.

Oh, no, he's dropped down to 20.

Come on, it's lovely.

Hand-painted.

JODY: 24, 26.

JB: 22?

Why isn't there anything on the internet?

Must be on medication.

35, 40, further interest.

JB: Well done, Roo.

RI: 35, no.

There's no accounting for taste, is there?

RI: 45.

JODY: 50.

That's it.

45 and away.

(GAVEL) RI: Mm.

JB: Well done.

RI: Thank you.

You see, I eat my words.

VO: Roo's first profit of the day.

That's more like it.

Beats your copper kettle.

Boring.

(THEY LAUGH) VO: So we've had the kettle, now something to put it on.

£12, 14, 16, 18, 20.

RI: The hand is flying up.

22 online, 24?

22 internet bidder stole it from the room.

Go on, madam.

JODY: 24 let's see.

JB: Go on.

No coercing.

If you're all done and sure for £22... (GAVEL) No!

VO: Bad news for those bits of brass.

There's no cure for my metalware addiction.

That is the problem.

I've sought... RI: I think... JB: ..therapy, chemicals... At least you've moved on from bamboo.

VO: For now.

Ha!

Let's see if Roo's jardinieres can improve her coffers.

Five, six, eight, 10, 12, 14.

Ow, started off low, didn't it?

Bid's at 12, 14, 16.

JB: Don't worry.

He's got interest.

At 16 in the room, 18.

Bid's at £16.

Looking for 18, any advance?

18 bid, 20, 22.

RI: Get online, get online.

JB: 22.

At £20, room bidder.

At £20 if you're all through.

(GAVEL) RI: Hmm.

JB: Are you upset about that?

RI: Yes.

VO: She does love her glass.

Rotherham is not so keen though.

I'll see if I can find a jardiniere that's going to make me money.

I don't think there is a jardiniere that will make you money.

I'd...

I'd stick...

They'll come back into fashion again.

I'd stick to ugly vases if I were you.

VO: The toiletry case is next.

Got its original key.

Shame about the lock.

I like your vanity case.

Do you?

It's missing a drawer.

40 we're bid online, 45 let's see.

Wow!

Internet bid's at 40, five, 50 with me.

Bid's at 45 online.

Must have a drawer for it.

Come on, keep going.

50 bid.

Still going online with two bidders.

55, 60 with you.

Two bidders, internet.

Go on, the world.

£55.

If you're all done and sure at £55.

(GAVEL) 55.

Well, I think... That's good.

It washes its face then.

VO: Oh, I think it did better than that.

We need a big one, don't we?

We're not... We're not funding our retirement yet, are we?

No.

VO: Roo's bit of Meerschaum next.

German for "foam of the sea".

Foam of the sea.

Made from sepiolite.

D'you know, I thought it was a place.

VO: Well you were wrong.

Ha!

So stick that in your pipe.

And bid's at £10, 12 we're looking for.

Bid's at £10 online, 12, let's see any advance.

Oh, my goodness.

No further interest?

We're at £10 internet, 12 let's see.

In the corner, sir.

12 bid.

14.

There's somebody bidding in the room.

Taken from the internet then.

I'm actually getting palpitations.

At only 12 then and selling if you're all through.

(GAVEL) VO: I think that's called gobsmacked.

He doesn't look happy about it either.

I actually can't even finish my sentence.

I've sold Meerschaum pipes half the size... Well if you can't say it, just mime it, OK. (SHE MOUTHS) JB: Yeah.

VO: Last up is James's bit of porcelain, and at that price he just can't lose.

RI: Big spender.

JB: Big spender.

RI: £3.

£30, got the crossed swords.

£20.

£20 start.

10 then if you must.

Any interest for 10?

And bid in the room at 10, 12 let's see.

There you go, you've profit.

Maiden bid in the room at £10, looking for 12, any advance.

12 internet, 14.

Ooh, it's still alive.

16 in front, new room bidder.

18.

At £16 and selling.

(GAVEL) VO: Over five times what he paid for it.

Not bad, old bean.

Roo, Rotherham has roughed you up, I think.

Roughty toughty toughty.

I think.. Yeah.

Come on.

Let's go.

I think, yeah, let's take a breather.

VO: Show's over, folks, time to check the box office takings.

Roo began this leg with a little under £150.

But after auction costs, she's dropped another £47.90, giving her a mere £99.70 for next time.

This is not going well.

While James started with £224 and after costs, he's managed to wring out a couple of pounds more.

So he's still ahead with £226.38.

James, are you gonna miss Rotherham?

I...

I've had a lovely time there.

What about you?

I think you had a better time than I did.

VO: Next on Antiques Road Trip, we've got the snacks.

How's your dentures, love?

Is it a ciabatta?

Ciabatta?

No, it's concrete.

VO: James has got the skills.

That was called walking the chihuahua.

VO: And Roo's got the buying bug.

£12.

It's mine.

It's mine.

It's mine.

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