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: Giddy-up!

# If you go down to the woods today... # Where are the chaps, then?

Oh, there they are.

ROO (RI): James, we're in beautiful Cannock Chase.

JAMES (JB): Cannock Chase - it sounds like you need an ointment for that.

VO: Our traveling twosome, James Braxton and Roo Irvine, are in Staffordshire, tootling through the trees in their mean, lean '60s muscle car.

How's Mustang Sally today?

I have to say, this Mustang really is the most beautiful car I've driven.

Now, give it a pump on the accelerator, let's hear that engine.

(ENGINE REVS) It speaks, doesn't it?

It has a lovely growly voice.

That roar.

VO: Just like yours truly.

Ha-ha!

Last time, James shopped very cannily indeed.

Now, £3 is a bargain.

VO: While Roo opted for something, um, less refined.

I can handle it.

I've been working out, you know.

RI: Wonderful company, a beautiful car.

Buying what we love.

Buying really ugly stuff.

James!

VO: Cheeky!

Now, James started this trip with £200 and he's inched his way to £226.38.

While Roo, through hard work, grit, determination and persuasion, has managed to halve her initial budget to £99.70.

Ha-ha!

You're stubborn.

I'm a 99er with no flake.

VO: Oh blimey.

Moving swiftly on.

I smell parmesan, blue cheese?

Yeah.

It looks like an offensive weapon.

But in fact it's an olive bread with cheese and wild foraged garlic.

I made it.

Do you want a nibble?

Yes please.

Oh no!

Watch out.

Watch out.

Is it... How's your dentures, love?

RI: Is it ciabatta?

JB: Ciabatta?

No.

It's concrete.

VO: He-he-he!

Lordy.

VO: We started this jaunt on the North East coast, popped briefly into Scotland and then headed down the west side of the country.

We are now moseying into the Midlands via the woodlands and will finish up at a final auction in York.

Later we'll be selling at Lytham Saint Annes in Lancashire but we start today at Little Haywood down by the River Trent.

Lovely.

And remember to buy some madcap items that are not going to make any profit, please.

VO: Yeah, cos that's your modus, isn't it?

Cox and Peirce Antiques is James's first retail opportunity.

Hello.

James.

Martin.

How are you?

Very good to see you.

Where do you get all your antiques from?

The majority of antiques that come through here have either been purchased from auction or we have local people that come in and visit the shop.

So fresh stock.

Fresh stock.

JB: Excellent.

DEALER: Never seen.

JB: I'm gonna mosey round.

DEALER: By all means.

VO: He loves a bit of fresh stock, does our James.

But what will he plump for in here?

Oh, hello.

This reminds me of school days.

This is real school-day crazes.

I hope children still have crazes for the yo-yo.

Lumar.

I remember having a yo-yo.

I think mine was yellow or a rather luminous frog green.

VO: Just mind you don't break anything, James.

And look, I haven't touched a yo-yo for about 30 years.

And funnily enough it's rather like riding a bicycle.

It just stays with you.

And there were tricks like walking the dog.

I think you'd go down and then you sort of...

Anyway, that was a short walk.

That was called walking the chihuahua.

I'm just gonna end on a rather extravagant round the world.

Oh, God, with the double.

So there we are.

Caught.

Like an England cricketer.

VO: In your dreams.

He's a man of hidden talents, though, isn't he?

Let's leave Yo-yo Braxton to find out what Roo-roo's up to.

She's made her way just down the road to Rugeley.

The town gained notoriety in the mid-1800s when the local doctor, William Palmer, was found guilty of poisoning a friend and was suspected of several other murders.

But I'm sure there are much less macabre things going on in Blackfish Collectibles.

Although...

I might be wrong.

Aha.

Wow!

Steve?

STEVE: Yes.

RI: I'm Roo.

STEVE: Hello there.

RI: Nice to meet you.

And you too.

I have never been into an antiques shop like this before.

No, honestly I don't think you ever will again.

You must have some interesting dreams when you lay your head down on the pillow.

You don't wanna know.

Alright, well I'm gonna start in one direction RI: and work my way round.

STEVE: OK, no problem.

VO: Amongst Steve's sinister stock there must be a few hidden gems to tempt our girl.

# When the moon hits your eye like a... # Hmm, that's not working, is it?

It's AMORE money than I've got.

VO: Thank goodness for that.

So, given that you're a bit hard up at the moment, what's the game plan?

This is a complete tactic U-turn.

I've always been the one that spends every single penny.

£100 on one item, that's a lot.

I've taken big risks and they haven't always paid out.

Today, total opposite.

Every single penny has got to work its bottom off for me.

VO: OK, then.

Maybe a little local knowledge would help?

Steve.

Yes.

What's the oldest thing that you have in your shop?

OK. Oh, he knows...

He knows exactly where he's going.

Here you are.

300 million years old.

I can't take a rock to the auction!

It's a fossil.

A fossil, I know, I can see the curve in it there.

Fossils are really popular.

300 million, yeah.

Yeah.

You asked for the oldest.

Yeah.

You're right, you delivered.

It's only £5.

This is fossilized wood.

Fossilized... Oh, look at that grain.

Beautiful, isn't it, yeah?

And it takes on an almost mirror sheen to it.

Yeah.

Again, I can do that for £5 for you.

That whole thing is not rock, that's wood.

STEVE: Yeah.

RI: It's just "fostilized".

Yeah, it's just fossilized, yeah.

Pop that to the side, that's of interest.

'Tis.

VO: A new word, fostilizsed.

Plus the strategy.

STEVE: What about something...

It is old, a little bit different.

Right.

These are Times newspapers.

What's that, 1815?

STEVE: Yeah.

RI: 203 years... That's the oldest papers I've seen.

Just after the battle of Waterloo.

Yeah.

That's how far back we're talking.

Let's see, what was happening on Tuesday August 22nd, 1815?

"The public are very respectfully informed "that those most extraordinary, "the justly celebrated characters, RI: "the Indian Jugglers..." STEVE: Hm.

"..have recommenced exhibiting in London."

Riveting stuff.

Are these priced as a bunch?

Basically...

I sell them all at £4 each.

Right.

I can put you some together if you're interested.

I like those.

Yeah.

Yes.

They're a like.

VO: Well, and they're cheap.

Back to Braxton then, who's put away his childish things and what have you got there, James?

Martin, as an innkeeper, this says something to me.

Do you know where it came from?

I don't know its complete origins of where it came from.

But it would look sort of from behind the bar.

It does, doesn't it?

As part of either a set and at some point somebody's framed it as a mirror.

Yeah, yeah.

But is it an attractive piece?

It's... to be honest, I forgot I had it in the shop.

Presumably these were behind the central bar?

That's right, yes, and then you had shelving in front and something like that, either with the drinks or optics or so forth.

But yes, it's an attractive piece.

We've got some deterioration of the...

Yes, we have, yeah.

..silvering round the edges on the beveled edges.

But the central bit's good.

It's interesting.

It's very unusual.

It's quite an opulent mirror to have at the back of a pub, isn't it?

It is.

That is, it would've been a very smart pub.

And this would have been very much in the saloon bar area.

Oh, very, yes, yes.

Could this be cheap?

Yes it could.

What could it be?

25, I think would be... OK, I was rather hoping 15, to be frank.

OK, I suppose, because of the deterioration to the silvering then yes, I think 15 is fair.

OK, that's very kind, thank you.

Thank you.

VO: That's James off the mark, then.

Is there anything else in here to tempt?

I see these rather good fellows.

I haven't a clue, where do these come from?

Tell me about these.

So these are West African.

Yeah.

They're tribal stools.

Yeah.

They're cut from one piece.

Oh, I see.

Where do they come from?

They come from... a lady brought them into the shop, a relative who was a major in the army.

Retired now.

Whilst he was in Africa, West Africa, these were gifted to him, a pair of these.

And they're sort of thoroughly chip carved, aren't they?

DEALER: Yes.

JB: And then they've got this nice decoration.

So West Africa.

Fabulous.

Let me have a look.

I see you've got £80 on these.

Yes.

Now, instead of chipping you, could I bash you?

What about 60, Martin?

60 is a little low.

I mean, they're a nice genuine pair.

70 would be a reasonable price, I think.

70.

I'll give you 70, Martin.

Feeling generous.

I know I am.

VO: Ha-ha!

Good one, Martin.

So those stools and the pub mirror come to a grand total of £85.

Merci beaucoup, as they say in Rugeley.

VO: Actually, James, you're in Little Haywood.

But the female of the species is back in Rugeley.

How is our other shopper faring, then?

She's reserved the fossilized wood - handy - and picked out five of those very old newspapers and now she's in the cabinets, so watch out.

They might look quite plain, but these are Victorian bookends.

That lovely ladies' Victorian lace-up boots, I've come across them so many times.

But the sweet thing about these is they're handmade, filled with solid lead.

I think these are maybe made by perhaps an apprentice that was maybe testing out different materials and metals.

You've got copper, brass, solid lead.

I almost wish I could say feel this, feel how heavy it is.

But you can't.

But they're brilliant, they're priced up at £15 for the pair.

And bookends, for some reason, are very trendy.

I think that's a good buy.

I'm gonna put these to the side.

VO: Who says?

Her pile of potentials continues to grow, but anything else in there?

Magnifying glasses.

I know, I bought one before, it was silver, it had a whacking big chip in it.

VO: Yeah.

And I'm pretty sure it lost you a lot of money.

This is a completely different style altogether.

Beautifully made, out of brass.

It's got some edge to it.

Taken a few dints.

The handle, I would say, is not horn, it's resin.

That's not a bad thing.

Don't think of resin as, oh, a purely modern material.

Because it was invented over 100 years ago.

Celluloid, plastics, Bakelite, resin was invented as a cheaper substitute to more expensive materials.

Things like jet, mother-of-pearl, ivory, all those things that cost so much, were so difficult to retrieve.

They had to come up with a man-made substitute.

So it's not always a bad thing.

Not only that, it's kinder to animals, so we are all for that.

And I would say to age this, this would be early 1900s.

First quarter of the century.

The more I'm handling it, the more I'm falling in love with it.

£12.

It's mine.

It's mine.

It's mine!

VO: It's hers, then.

Better ask Steve about the price for the rest of the stash.

They come up to, individually, £52.

As I'm emptying half your shop... Yeah?

Can you do anything on that?

Oh, of course I can.

How about 40?

40?

You're a good man.

£40.

No problem.

Very, very kind of you.

VO: That's £15 for the newspapers, a fiver for the lump of fossilized wood, and £10 each for the bookends and magnifying glass.

That's a lot of stuff for your money, Roo.

This has been an absolute pleasure and I mean it.

Oh, great.

I will never forget this shop.

Thank you.

VO: Right.

Chuck it all in the motor, then, and let's get on the road.

James, meanwhile, has headed into the countryside, to the little village of Grindley.

Here at Blythe-View Farm, they have a stable of racehorses, but not for the high and mighty sport of kings.

These are harness racing horses.

James is here to meet Bob Lee, a former racer, to find out the history of this more egalitarian sport.

Good to meet you, Bob.

I like this badge, what's this?

BOB (BL): This is an emblem of the British Harness Racing Club and I'm a senior steward.

Now, can you make a gladiator out of me by the end of the day?

We'll try to.

You'll try to!

We'll try to.

So where do you keep these horses, then?

We keep them over here.

OK. VO: Harness racing is a fast, exciting and sometimes dangerous sport.

Drivers race around an oval track on a sulky, a lightweight two wheeled racing cart.

But it starts with the horse, naturally.

JB: So he looks very fine, Bob.

BL: Oh, he's a beautiful horse.

Lovely straight legs, nice kind eye.

JB: Kind eye!

BL: He's nice.

Well, you don't want a cruel horse, do you?

Oh, you don't want a horse with a wild eye that'll... Yeah.

BL: And he's very, very relaxed.

VO: Like James.

The horses are known as standardbred, larger and more robust than the thoroughbreds that jockeys ride.

And the way they run is different, too.

Races are either for trotters, which run with a diagonal gait like most other horses, or pacers who naturally move both legs on each side together, got it?

Giddy-up.

BL: This is a pacing horse here.

JB: OK.

He's got a set of hobbles on.

What're they called?

BL: Hobbles.

JB: Hobbles.

Set at a length to give it its maximum stride in its gait.

VO: The hobbles don't restrict the horse, they just keep it in its natural rhythm.

Your pacer sort of tick tocks, doesn't he?

That's right.

He goes both sides like that.

Both sides at once.

Whereas a free runner like me goes like that, doesn't he?

One, two, three, four.

One, two, three, four.

Where did harness racing come from?

How did it evolve, Bob?

The cab drivers in London in the old days, they would have bits of races on the parks and down the roads.

There was no motor vehicles in them days.

No, no, no.

And everybody kept horses.

JB: So all tradesmen would have a horse and cart, wouldn't they?

Butchers, bakers, candlestick makers.

They'd go out on a Sunday driving and they'd turn around and say, "This is my horse, "it's better than yours.

And, "No it isn't.

So they would have a little race.

Yeah.

And have a little side bet, five guineas.

What, on the sabbath?

On the sabbath!

VO: These impromptu races developed into a more serious sport.

Custom-built racetracks began to spring up all over the country.

So, Bob, when did it come out of the park and into sort of more formal stadiums?

About 1900.

1901.

The ordinary working man, the miners, tradesmen... Yeah.

..was taking their horses to the tracks and they were racing them of a weekend.

Yeah.

And it kind of boomed from there.

VO: Harness racing went into decline around the First World War when horses all across the country were bought up by the army for the war effort.

But it soon bounced back.

BL: When Audenshaw opened in 1920, the first time they had a meeting there was 10,000 people... Wow!

..went in the stadium to see it.

VO: In 1969, the British Harness Racing Club was formed to standardize the rules of the races.

And the sport continues to attract competitors of every age.

Go, Jim Junior.

Wow!

That's really going, isn't it?

How fast would that... How fast?

He'd be doing 25 mile an hour.

JB: Really?

BL: Yeah.

And what can they go up to, Bob?

40.

Wow!

We get up to 40 mile an hour.

That's more than my car!

Is it?

VO: That's true.

So, James, got the bit between the teeth, then?

Jason, who owns the track, has your chariot awaiting.

Meet Blue Incredible.

Jason, the horse seems a little bigger up front, doesn't he?

Yes, you said you wanted a go, now's your chance.

You OK?

Yep.

Wish me luck.

Right, we're off.

We're off.

And should I be holding on?

VO: Definitely.

Oh, God.

BL: Go on, James!

Come on, let him go!

VO: James is a braver man than me.

Oh dear, oh dear, look at that go.

Now, Roo is steering her own big beast.

Bit more horsepower on this one, no?

Um, how's it going, girl?

I've always done better under pressure and this is a different kind of challenge.

This isn't just buying antiques, trying to make profit and beat the other person.

This is now running just to stand still.

VO: Well, given you've got less than £60, I'd say that's a worthwhile ambition.

VO: She's heading to Stafford.

This county town was traditionally a center for shoemaking.

And Roo's hotfooted it to this former footwear factory.

The name bodes well.

Hi, Tom, I'm Roo.

Lovely to meet you, thank you for having me in this green shop.

This looks really cool.

I'm gonna have a look around and holler if I need you.

You won't be too far, will you?

No, I'll just be round the corner.

VO: Lovely.

I'm definitely sensing a retro vibe to this place.

Lots of mid century stuff to peruse.

But there may be some older bits in here too.

This, I would say, it's... VO: Green.

..late Victorian.

But the style, it's chinoiserie.

And the Victorians were obsessed with the Orient and with China.

A lovely lacquer, the landscapes and it's very, very collectable.

This has taken quite a beating, though, over the years.

It's actually lost quite a bit of its original paint.

You can imagine when this was made, it was beautiful.

The colors were singing out to you.

These gold birds, you could almost hear them tweeting.

When you look at the scenes, it looks, I don't know, it's a child and a mother walking through the scenes in China with these lovely pagodas, bamboos.

It's so evocative of China.

But it's a shame it's lost so much of that charm.

What's the price on this?

£265.

No, move on, move on.

VO: Yep, that's a bit beyond your means at the moment.

What else?

This is quite a cool chap.

Nutcracker.

Which are so collectable.

It doesn't matter what it is that's actually cracking the nuts because they are just so bang on trend.

Faux bronze, of course, if it was bronze I would be literally out of the shop in a second with empty pockets.

But it's not, you can tell by the weight.

But it's still a nice solid metal.

Is it old?

Well, you've got to look in the mouth.

And you've got to look under the tail as well.

That's... You've got to see the inner workings of the dog to see the age.

Look at that, there's so much rust on there.

That's been used over so many decades and years.

That metal has actually been rubbed so much that it's actually changed color.

VO: At £10, it fits exactly with your new penny-pinching plan, too.

I don't know, people just go crazy over animals and especially when they're cracking nuts.

£10?

No-brainer.

One to talk to Tom about.

VO: I think he is hiding, Roo.

Tom?

Hi, you alright?

I've found you in your lair of hats.

There's one thing that I do like.

It's the cast metal dog nutcracker.

That's quite a quirky thing.

That's only come in the last couple of days.

Oh, really?

So it's fresh stock then?

It is.

Well, I think I'll have him.

He's at £10?

Yes.

Here you go.

£10, no change required.

Thank you very much.

Thanks, Tom, it was a pleasure.

OK.

Cheers, bye-bye.

VO: And with that cracking purchase - who writes this stuff?

- it's time to catch up with your mate.

He must be starving by now.

I might have brought you something sweet.

Really?

Some very luxurious, finest dates in the world.

Oh, yummy.

Medjool dates.

That is a good date, isn't it?

How many calories have I just eaten, though?

VO: It's fruit, James.

Virtually health food.

VO: Sleep well, you two.

VO: Well, we're up with the larks, and heading back oop north.

You are looking very glamorous, if I might say so.

Thank you.

Well, I feel like I'm on the way to St Tropez or, you know... No, Stockport!

VO: Exactly!

Not quite the Cote d'Azur.

Yesterday, James started off strong, buying some African tribal stools and a pub mirror, as you do.

Feeling generous.

VO: So that leaves him with just over £140 to play with.

Roo, meanwhile, made her £99 budget go a long way, picking up a nutcracker, a piece of fossilized wood, some old newspapers, a pair of bookends and a magnifying glass.

It's mine, it's mine, it's mine!

VO: And she still has nearly £50 left.

How did you get on yesterday?

Let's just say I...

If I feel like it, I might not need to buy anything today, James.

Really?

Maybe what's why I've got my hat on, maybe I'm in holiday mode.

VO: Well, the auction is in the seaside resort of Lytham Saint Annes.

But before that James has dropped Roo off and popped into Altrincham.

VO: He's here to try his luck at Cheshire Vintage Furniture.

I wonder what they sell, then.

Hello.

James.

James, Chris.

Nice to meet you.

Hello.

Good to meet you, Chris.

This is a nice setup here, isn't it?

Thank you, thank you.

You get the feeling that there could possibly be a find here, don't you?

CHRIS: It's somewhere to rummage.

I'm gonna get rummaging.

CHRIS: Shout me if you need me.

JB: Thank you.

VO: Well, as advertised, there's furniture, but a lot more besides.

Got to be something in here that will make him stand to attention.

At ease, chaps.

What a BOAR, eh?

Part of the work of the antique dealer is very much detective work.

And we've got this huge glass vessel here.

It's a big vessel.

Often known as a carboy or a demijohn, often used in the brewing process.

But this one, we've got a painted symbol here.

Unfortunately it's deteriorated so I don't know what it is.

But carboys, very often for maybe even liquid chemicals.

This one I've just noticed here, we've got the maker's name here, Francis Ward Limited, Orpington.

Beautifully sign written, great for, you know, those indoor gardens.

VO: Yeah, £45 on that.

I think with the label it would have been a rather fun decorative object that would have done well in the auction environment.

But not for me.

VO: Oh!

Well, keep rummaging then, and don't forget to look up.

Up!

Here's an interesting bit.

We've got a sort of, looks like a lighting bowl or maybe possibly a jardiniere.

What's it made of?

It's a sort of stoneware.

Has a ring, it's true.

So there's no great cracks.

Tell you what's really attractive about it is we've got these three dogs' heads here and then we've got a beautiful original chain, very nicely modeled there.

Rather nice.

Here we are, we've got Sarreguemines, now Sarreguemines was a famous pottery in France on the sort of French-German border.

VO: Started in the late 1700s as a pavement factory.

They also made the original tiles for the Paris Metro.

£30.

I think that represents real value.

VO: Certainly does.

Let's talk to the man in charge.

I wanna buy it.

What do you reckon, Chris?

Pot plant or uplighter?

I'd have thought more flowers or a plant or something like that, tripping over maybe.

Oh yeah.

Yeah, the Victorians loved that, didn't they?

Absolutely.

Yes.

Bringing the outside in, isn't it?

That's right.

But where's this come from?

Come in, not too sure, a few months back maybe.

No interest.

So it takes an absolute idiot like myself to come along and suddenly decide I like it.

Absolutely.

That's what I'm waiting for, that's what I'm waiting for.

Could you do something on that?

Er, I could do a little bit.

Um... How's little little?

Tenner?

I can take a tenner off for you.

Could you?

That would be the death of it at £20.

Put it there, put it there.

Thank you, Chris, that's very kind.

VO: So, £20 for the hanging thingummyjig.

Better get it down.

JB: Shall I take it down?

I'm not quite tall enough.

I've used that... Got it?

Good.

Very pleased with that.

Thanks a lot.

VO: OK, bye-bye then to you, Chris.

Bit rude.

OK.

There's another big lump for the Braxton collection then.

Where's his mucker got to?

VO: Keen-eyed viewers will have noticed that our Roo is a big fan of a bunnet.

Today is a particularly grand bunnet.

VO: So she's made her way to Stockport, once world renowned for its hats.

VO: This is Hat Works, Stockport's museum to the humble and not so humble titfer and she's here to meet Sue Lea, a champion for chapeaux.

Welcome to the hat museum.

Thank you.

Well, you can tell I'm a bit of a fan of hats myself.

Very good, that's what we love here.

Follow me.

Brilliant.

VO: Felt hat making in the area dates back to the 1500s, starting out as a real cottage industry.

This is the kind of cottage that people lived in, which were very tiny houses, actually, one up, one down.

And they would have a little shed at the side that they would do all the processing and making the hats there.

So how did they actually make the hats?

What materials did they use?

They mainly used fur to make fur felt.

And originally they would actually use beaver.

This is actually a museum piece that we've had for a long time.

So if you look underneath there it's lovely.

Wow, looks like wool!

It's almost like down, isn't it.

And that's what would be used for felt?

What they would use.

Because they'd hunted beavers to near extinction, they then started using rabbit fur cos rabbits are very good at breeding, so... RI: So they say.

SUE: So they say.

VO: As the reputation of Stockport's hats grew, more and more manufacturers set up shop.

At the industry's height in the mid-1800s, there were over 50 felt hat factories in the town, producing six million hats a year.

Sue, what am I standing in front of?

This is a planking kettle, which is basically a great big vat of boiling water that they would shrink the hoods down.

So we start off with something this size and then it would be put into the boiling the water, out again and you keep rolling them round with the pin to get the fibers even.

Right.

And they used to put vitriol in the water, sulfuric acid, and this would help to speed the process up.

Right.

And they would rub mercury salts into the fur to start with.

And the way they would test if the mixture was right is to dip the hood in and taste it.

Of course, people got mercury poisoning from this.

And the men would come into work, forget what they were doing, erratic behavior, violent mood swings.

Just all the symptoms that the Mad Hatter in Alice In Wonderland shows.

VO: It was certainly a slow and dangerous operation.

The average life expectancy of a hatter at the start of the 20th century was only 45.

But over time mechanization was introduced to speed up the process and make it less hazardous.

This machine here is closest my heart because this was the one that my mum and aunties used to work on.

Really?

She started working in the factories in the 1930s and was still working in them till the 1960s.

And so you needed good engineers in the factory to come and fix the machine if they break.

That was my dad.

He used to work, he was on maintenance in the factories as well.

It's how they met in the 1930s.

Oh, that's lovely.

VO: The shrunken felt could then be formed to make any type of hat.

Stiffened with shellac, it was turned into top hats, bowlers and the iconic British bobby's helmet.

Stockport manufactured hats for the military, fancy ladies' hats, trilbies - I love 'em, and then exported them all over the world.

VO: Fashions change and hats fell out of favor.

The last hat factory in the town closed its doors in 1997.

What a shame.

So are these the kind of hats that would have been made here?

Yes.

We did all sorts of hats.

This is a porkpie hat.

VO: Go on, you know you want to.

How does it look?

Yes, it suits you.

Which one is your favorite, then?

I quite like that one.

That suits you too, actually.

VO: Very nice.

I'm more of a trilby man myself.

Ha!

James, meanwhile, is also making his way to Stockport.

He's got £121 left, so let's see if the Vintage Emporium can prize some of it from him.

Hello.

James.

Hi James, nice to meet you.

I'm Jess.

Hello Jess.

Tell me a bit about this place, what was it?

It used to be an old cotton mill.

It was one of the last to be built.

JB: Really?

JESS: Yeah.

It's huge, isn't it?

It is huge.

I'm gonna get lost in here.

Will you come round with me?

Show me around.

Of course.

I will.

Thank you.

VO: Yes.

With 60 dealers and 16,000 square feet of goodies to navigate, a tour guide is not a bad call.

First on the itinerary, Jess's own stall.

These are great fun.

Who does these?

My mum actually refurbishes these sewing machines herself.

Yeah.

She takes them all apart, cleans all the pieces up, puts them back together again, gets them working like a dream.

They are lovely.

This is very splendid.

I love this Egyptian decoration.

Look at the brightness of that gold-plated seal here.

And the lovely brightness of the lacquer work here.

Very Cleopatra, very Egyptian, isn't it?

And actually, if you were gonna buy one now, you know, £75.

You know, forget it, an extra tenner buys you something superb.

Come on, I've got to find something seriously old.

Lead away.

VO: Now, here's our Roo, look, bringing up the rear.

I think there's enough room in here that we don't have to worry about them treading on each other's toes.

And it looks like she's going solo.

In an emporium like this, there is a Roo rule.

Start at the back work your way forward.

There is so much to take in.

VO: So, can she put her remaining £49 and change to work?

Would Roo usually buy this?

They're rusty, they look like they'd be a wee bit smelly but I love them, I've always loved them.

These were actually hanging on the old horse and carriages in the Victorian times.

And this would basically light the path for the horseman to take his guest to wherever he or she was going.

And the good thing is they're intact.

Usually you'll find them and the glass, a pane of glass will be missing or cracked.

These have got a nice beveled edge to them and are in really nice condition.

They're priced at about £75 for the pair of them.

I obviously don't have £75, I have a wee bit less.

And I now am in a real dilemma.

Because yesterday I was five items for £50, I was on a roll.

And now I'm getting back into my take a risk mode.

Do I want to spend the same amount again on one item?

VO: Well, I'm glad we got that cleared up.

Elsewhere, James and his chaperone are taking in some more of the sights.

It's lovely, isn't it?

VO: You just take your time, you two.

Oh, now, this is the sort of thing that interests me.

Did you do geography at school?

Surely, yes.

Surely.

Well, I did A Level.

This is rather fun, this is one of these lovely specimen cabinets here.

And we've got fossils.

VO: Proper old stuff, just like Roo got yesterday.

And that's an ammonite.

It's rather fun, isn't it?

It's amazing.

If you had to buy something old, this certainly fits the bill, doesn't it?

Look at these shells and things like this.

This was probably around since the dinosaurs.

And then we've got a bit of color here.

What's this?

That's taken a high polish there.

Whose stall is this?

This is a chap called James.

James.

Oh, a fellow James!

JESS: Another James.

Excellent, excellent.

Is he in the house?

He is, yes!

Jess, would it be possible, could you introduce me to James?

Of course I will.

Thank you.

Thank you, I'd like to know a bit more about it.

VO: So while James ponders his box of rocks, Roo has gone and found another possible.

It's not a full set, it's just a brush, but it's a beautiful silver hallmarked British standard silver.

Made in Chester 1895.

What attracts me about this is the tag.

It's £25.

There's a reason it's £25.

It's quite a thin silver that backs these brushes and it's got a few little pieces missing here.

But it is a nice thing.

So at the moment I've got three options.

One is I stay with what I have, my five items for £50.

Second option is I go for this brush.

The third item, if I can afford it, I'm going to be spending every single penny.

My mind is saying, "Stick with the five items, "don't spend any more, red alert!"

My heart is saying, "Try and get the lamps "and if not go for the brush."

VO: Maybe you'd better speak to someone in charge, then.

Tom?

Hi.

How are you getting on?

Good.

Can you see the eyes racing about and the brain whizzing?

I can.

I have seen a pair of Victorian carriage lamps.

Right, OK. Are they yours?

They're not.

They're not, OK.

They're priced up at £75.

OK.

I have a limited amount of money left, under £50.

OK. Could they be in that region?

We can go and have a look and see what we can do.

Well, you can't say fairer than that, can you?

Now, James, meet James.

The thing is, which is which?

This is a fascinating collection.

Isn't it, isn't it?

Where does it come from?

That came from a house clearance that I did some time ago.

It's actually been in the back for a while.

I've only just put it out today so you're the very... JB: Really?

JAMES: ..first person to see it.

Yo!

The luck of the Braxtons, eh?

Tell me about this rather colorful item.

That, I believe to be fossilized wood.

VO: There's a lot of it about at the moment.

Is it one person's collection?

It's one person, yeah, yeah.

I like the fact that it's housed in its nice mahogany display case, isn't it?

Yeah.

What's the price of this, James?

The ticket price on it's 150.

150.

150.

I have left £121.

Would that buy it?

I think £121 will buy it.

That's really kind.

JAMES: You're very welcome.

JB: Thank you very much indeed.

VO: So that paleontological purchase has cleaned our James out.

That's your luck money.

That's your luck money, sir, there you go.

Oh, that's very kind.

VO: Or maybe not quite.

Now, let's see if Roo's luck is holding.

I've just spoken to the dealer.

Right.

To give you a fighting chance at auction, he'll do them for 40.

You and the dealer are the man.

It's not a problem.

VO: Right, you've definitely got enough stuff now.

Grab your chum and let's get out of here.

I've been frugal, I've been very frugal.

The pressure is on.

You're the comeback kid now.

VO: We'll find out at the auction.

But first, get a bit of shuteye, eh?

VO: This is Lytham Saint Annes, a smart seaside resort that's a little more refined than its big, bold and brassy neighbor Blackpool.

I can imagine you're not one for roller coasters.

No, I quite enjoy them.

You'd scream like a girl, wouldn't you?

No, rubbish.

VO: After setting off from Staffordshire, VO: ..we've arrived on the Lancashire coast.

Here to do battle at Gerrard's Auction Rooms.

Online bidding too.

James blew £225 on his four lots.

This is very James.

It's got Braxton written all over it.

They're cool, they're weighty, handmade.

But £70, that's a fair whack.

VO: Roo parted with a mere £90 on six items, but she's combining the bookends and magnifying glass into one lot.

I like Roo's purchase here.

She's bought a pair of coaching lamps.

The great coaching boom was the Regency period.

She paid £40 for the pair.

I think she'll do well.

VO: Very illuminating, James.

But what grabs the attention of auctioneer John Cook?

JOHN (JC): The petrified wood.

A lot of collectors, probably from Indonesia.

I think it will do well.

The fossils, yeah, like these.

Lots of collectors out there for them.

Paleontologists all over the world are going to want these.

I see them doing really well.

VO: He's a fan of the really old stuff, then.

Right.

Park yourselves, we're ready to start.

Let the rollercoaster begin.

VO: Let's kick off with Roo's Waterloo-era newspapers.

Hope no one's done the crossword.

You could read them for days.

Bid's with me at £20.

Any advance on 20?

And two now.

And four.

At 24 I've got.

Keep going, keep going.

24.

All finished, all sure?

(GAVEL) JB: 24.

That's a profit.

RI: That's not bad.

VO: Hold the front page, Roo just made some money.

It seems like a long time since I've had a profit so it's nice to sneak one back in.

VO: Next up, James's hanging dog bowl.

At £30, we've got.

Any advance?

At two now?

At 32, any advance on 32?

32, profit.

Gent's bid at 32, 34.

36.

36.

At 36, any advance, any further interest?

And eight.

£38.

JB: ..two quid.

JC: £38.

Look at you getting involved, eh, for the good of the people.

Bid at 38?

(GAVEL) £38.

RI: That's good.

JB: That's not bad.

VO: Yep, they're both starting off in the right direction.

JB: Doubled my money.

RI: That's a result.

JB: 38, that's profit.

RI: That's a result.

VO: Another of Roo's frugal buys, her doggy nutcracker.

I think the best thing you're gonna crack in that is a cobnut, a hazelnut.

I think it would struggle with an almond.

You don't think I'll crack a profit, no?

10, 12, online at £12.

Any advance?

Online, someone's online.

Come on, it's gonna make more than that.

14 at the back.

£20, on the internet at 20.

Back of the room at 22.

Any advance?

That's a stitch-up, Roo, what's happening?

26.

In the room at 26, any advance?

We can learn from each other, can't we, Mr Braxton?

I will reappraise...

It's very good.

Yeah?

VO: Indeed.

So far the strategy is paying off.

I saw that making nothing and you've done well.

That's a good profit.

VO: Time, please, for that fancy pub mirror.

£20.

Two, four, six, eight.

Flying.

And two now.

34.

At 34, 36.

Doubled money.

38.

It's hit 40, James!

42, the saleroom.

Go on, keep going.

44.

44.

44.

It's not gonna reach the 5-0, is it?

44 all out?

(GAVEL) RI: Well done.

JB: 44.

VO: Another smashing profit.

Nice one, James.

Are you happy with that?

VO: Cheshire cat.

Roo's combined lot next.

Where there's brass there's money.

£10 bid, 12, 14 I've got.

At £14.

16, my right at 16.

16.

No, it's gonna make money, it's gonna make money.

18 online.

Come on, little bit more, little bit more.

RI: Yes!

JC: 20 now, new bid at 20.

Any advance at £20?

Online, come on online, wake up.

20.

In the room at 20, we'll sell.

£20, all out at 20?

(GAVEL) Ooh.

Mm.

That's a bathing the face, isn't it?

It is barely bathing the face.

VO: More of a lick and a promise, I'd say.

Her first disappointment today.

You know, I really thought they would have done more.

VO: Let's move on.

VO: James's tribal stools next.

Weighty in more ways than one.

36, 38, £40 I've got.

At £40, any advance?

42, 44, 46, 48.

At £48.

50 now.

Five.

At 55 on the internet.

Keep going.

Any advance in the room?

£55?

(GAVEL) Oh dear.

Oh.

VO: Yeah, a bit of a wobble there.

Gain on one and lose on another.

VO: The first fossils.

Roo's chunk of very, very, very old wood.

Are you petrified?

Bid's with me at 10.

12, £14 I've got.

14.

Any advance?

14, 16, 18, £18.

20.

And two.

Four, and six.

Eight.

£28.

Any advance on 28?

That's a good profit.

That's good.

28, all out, all sure?

(GAVEL) I was not expecting 28.

VO: Over five times what you paid for it, nice one.

Do you wish you'd found it?

JB: No.

RI: Yes you do.

Cos I found my fossil cabinet.

VO: And here it is.

Any more paleontologists in the room?

You could just see them round your neck, couldn't you?

Bid's 55, 60.

At £60.

Any advance on five?

70.

Five.

80.

It's flying.

Five.

90.

Five.

RI: Wow!

JC: 100.

And 10.

At £110.

Any advance on 110?

That's still a loss, 110.

At 110.

120.

130.

Good man.

JC: At £140.

JB: Keep going.

JC: Any further interest?

Take it.

Take the 140.

Do you know, I took the risk there, I was hoping it was gonna make more.

VO: It's a stony road.

Fossils are the future, clearly.

I thought that was my key to riches.

VO: Finally, it's Roo's carriage lamps.

Will they shine?

32.

Any advance?

34.

That's very low.

36.

38.

40.

They're going.

At £40.

Any advance on 40?

And two.

In the room, gent's bid at 42.

All out, all sure?

Holy guacamole.

VO: Yes, you only just squeaked that.

Well, that was full of ups and downs.

Shall I take you on the big dipper, then?

JB: No.

RI: To celebrate?

Teacup's more my level.

The spinning thing.

The kiddie level.

Go on then.

Go on then, I'll hold your hand.

VO: Just don't let him eat candy floss beforehand.

VO: No.

James began this leg with £226.38.

But after auction costs, he's managed to scrape together another couple of pounds to bring his total to £228.52.

Slow and steady, I'd say, James.

VO: Roo started out with a worryingly low £99.70.

But with some shrewd buys she's made, after fees, £124.50.

And so she takes this auction.

The fightback has started here.

JB: Ah, well, you're as stripy as a stick of rock.

RI: As sweet as candy.

JB: Sweet as candy.

RI: And I'll break your teeth.

(SHE CHUCKLES) VO: What a charmer, eh?

Next on Antiques Road Trip, it's the final showdown.

Are you gonna go big and spend all your money again?

Yeah, definitely.

VO: But we'll need some lunch first.

It's sourdough.

(HE CHUCKLES) VO: Roo finds a local delicacy.

You just eat that.

You're not going to... VO: While James gets down to business.

For a proper haggle you need a fez.

Right.

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