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

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

I'm on fire - yes!

Sold - going, going, gone.

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

But it's no mean feat.

50p!

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

Be a good profit.

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

Ooh!

Oh!

Yes!

VO: This is the Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

VO: Today sees the start of a brand new road trip, with a brand new expert.

VO: Helen Hall is the new recruit, an auctioneer, with a forte in rock and roll memorabilia and an uncanny ability to sniff out a bargain.

Doesn't smell too bad either, some of them are a bit stinky.

VO: James Braxton is a Road Trip veteran and is getting into shape to take on his new challenger.

It's got some weight.

I can feel upper, upper toning.

Yes.

VO: James is starting out in the driving seat today, as they set off with £200 each to spend in a very rock 'n' roll 1974 E Type Jaguar convertible.

JAMES (JB): What's the best thing you've sold at one of your rock 'n' roll auctions?

HELEN (HH): The drum from the front cover of the Sgt Pepper album.

JB: Oh right, yeah.

HH: That sold for about £540,000.

VO: You might struggle to match that on the Road Trip Helen, but do aim high!

Our two experts will traverse over 500 miles from Oswestry in Shropshire, through the Welsh valleys, before heading eastward through southern England, ending their trip in the country town of Lewes in East Sussex.

On this first leg of the trip they're starting in Oswestry in Shropshire, before crossing the Welsh border for auction in Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire.

Oswestry was named after King Oswald of Northumbria, who died there in battle in 641AD and was rather gruesomely nailed to a tree.

Let's hope the locals don't greet our experts in the same way eh?

HH: Here we are.

JB: Here you are.

VO: James is dropping Helen off at her first shop - Cambrian House Emporium.

HH: What's your one tip?

JB: One tip?

If you see the opportunity, buy, buy, buy, because you never know what your next shop's going to be like!

OK, I'll bear that in mind.

James says, "Just buy it."

HH: I'll blame you!

JB: (LAUGHS) HH: Bye!

JB: Bye.

VO: It's hard to work out if James is giving good advice or bad!

I wonder if Helen will take any notice anyway.

DARYL: Nice to meet you.

Daryl.

HH: Hiya, nice to meet you.

DARYL: This is Kate.

KATE: Pleased to meet you.

HH: Hi Kate, hi, how are you?

Nice to meet you.

VO: 27 different dealers have goods on show here, so plenty to choose from for our Road Trip rookie.

I first worked in an antique shop when I was 16.

Every time I got a pay packet I'd be handing some of it back.

"I'll have that and that."

My mum and dad would say, "What have you come back with this time?"

VO: I bet you never brought anything like this home!

Daryl, what is this light?

It is an old German search light... ..on top of the search towers.

HH: From the Berlin wall?

DARYL: From the Berlin wall.

Wow, that's amazing.

So it would have been on top of the search tower and hand operated so that whoever was guarding could shine the light wherever they wanted.

I wonder if you could get it working somehow.

DARYL: I would have thought so.

HH: Mount it onto something or...

I would have thought you could quite easily turn that into a nice lamp.

Yeah, yeah.

That's...

I mean, from an historical perspective, that is amazing.

I bet that's out of my budget, but I think it's amazing.

VO: You're right on both counts.

This amazing item is £300, so way more than you can afford!

James said to me, go for it here just in case there is nothing at the second place.

So what happens if I just spend all my money here?

VO: Er, you'll be broke.

Unless it's the drum from the cover of a Beatles album which you can get for £200!

Best find something more within your budget, eh?

Well, I am a bit of a sucker for old leather suitcases, but I like this one because it's a Harrods one.

This just says, "Harrods, makers, London, SW." This has got a nice original interior as well which you don't often see.

Often the silk or the fabric inside is ripped or stained and this isn't bad really.

Doesn't smell too bad either - some of them are a bit stinky.

VO: Eugh, must you smell the antiques?

Erm... they want 55 for it but, erm... Yeah, I wouldn't be able to get that in auction for it, so we'll have to come down on that one.

VO: I think Daryl heard that!

Right.

VO: Don't panic, he seems like a reasonable bloke.

It's one to consider, though, perhaps along with these.

Vintage tape measures.

Kind of his and hers versions.

There you go, that's better for the lady, the handbag.

One's metal interestingly and one's cloth so they're... And they're actually different makers, it looks like.

This one's made in Sheffield, so that is quite nice, being as that's where I live.

Yeah that's nice.

No centimeters of course cuz they'll be before... Before that.

But I like these, I like the leather cases.

See in our line of work you're always using a tape measure, to you know, measure cupboards.

Now I can't get it back in, can I?

VO: Careful!

Oh!

There you go.

Look at that!

DARYL: (CHUCKLES) HH: That's great.

The bigger one is at 28 and the smaller one is at 34.

I like those.

OK, we'll see what we can do on those.

VO: Two measuring tapes then and a trunk.

It's not rock 'n' roll, but I like it.

But when will she start talking money then?

What did James say about being assertive?

Speaking of whom, he has headed southward, across the Welsh border to the town of Welshpool in Powys to start his shopping at Lamplight Antiques.

Hello.

Hello there.

Hello, James.

I'm Heather.

Pleased to meet you.

Hello, really good to meet you.

And you.

Have you got any little treasures around that...

Newly come in?

What should I be looking at?

VO: As ever he's on the lookout for fresh goods.

I see a string box looking at me over there.

Is that...

Yes, you can have a look at that.

That's... Is that tin, is that...?

DEALER: It's tin I think, yeah.

JB: Toleware.

VO: Toleware are lacquered metal or tin objects with a nice picture or design.

What have we got here?

Toleware string box, circa 1890.

I don't disagree with that.

It has a nice Victorian look to it, doesn't it?

Everything years ago was in brown paper, wasn't it?

And strong parcels.

And that would cut your string.

That would cut your string.

Bing!

How much have they got on that one?

He's got 18 on it.

18?

The chancer eh?

That could be 15.

(THEY CHUCKLE) £15 - that's not very expensive is it, really?

So that might be a possibility.

VO: Another item placed back on the shelf - both of our experts are being so indecisive.

And that is a sort of good country housey sort of piece, isn't it?

Your papers up there.

What's that?

That one.

Just a little... little bracket.

Just goes on the wall and then you pop the newspapers in there.

Probably...

I don't know... ..about 20s, do you think, 20s, 30s?

Yeah.

Yeah, I think so, sort of arts and craftsy, I think, possibly slightly earlier than that.

Probably 1890, something like that.

But interestingly, you'd expect that period to be made of oak, good sort of national wood.

But this one looks as though it could still be a walnut.

I think it could be walnut or mahogany.

So how much is this?

That's erm... got 45 on it.

So that could be 35.

35.

VO: A tenner swiftly knocked off the asking price, but no agreements.

Don't worry - I'm sure he'll buy something eventually!

I did like your elm table outside.

It is not terribly old, is it?

It is not terribly old but it's really nice, isn't it?

Lovely piece of wood, isn't it?

VO: This unusually-shaped table has a ticket price of £75, but I suspect James won't want to pay that!

DEALER: 60... JB: I would like to buy it as cheaply as possible, Heather.

I'd love... 55.

20 off.

20 off, God, there's no end to your generosity.

VO: The old charmer!

JB: Yeah, that's nice, isn't it?

VO: Come on James, Heather's in a generous mood - buy something!

What did we say, 55 the table?

What did I say for this?

35.

I've got to stick at 35 on that, but the table I'll go 50.

And I like your string box as well.

DEALER: Now that is sweet, yes.

JB: Isn't it?

15 I've said for that.

You said 15 on that, which is very nice.

Instead of 18.

It is a pretty...

It's just got a great shape to it.

I'll take the elm table at 50.

I'll take this at 15 and I am slightly agonizing whether I should part with more money here, Heather.

DEALER: Go on, 30 then.

30 and that's it.

30.

You've got a kindly face, £30 it is, well done.

£95.

Look at that, easy shopping, thank you very much indeed.

DEALER: Thank you very much.

JB: Thank you Heather.

DEALER: Thank you.

JB: Really kind.

VO: Cor, I didn't expect he'd buy all of them but James can't resist a bargain.

£95 on a string box, newspaper rack and coffee table.

It's alive!

Wood never dies.

VO: He seems happy!

So James has made his first purchases of the road trip, but Helen still doesn't seem ready to.

This'll look great in the back of the E-type, we can put it in the boot, go off on a little picnic, very nice.

VO: You do know you've got to sell these items, right?!

£65.

And I do...?

You know you can pick them up for half that at auction.

So it has got to be, you know, a good bargain on that one really.

His and hers flasks as well, that is quite nice.

Yeah, that's great, that, I love it!

I like the color too.

Perfect.

VO: You've been browsing a while now Helen, it's time to make your mind up.

The suitcase is priced at £55.

Shall I tell you what I'd like to pay first?

Shall we?

(CHUCKLES) I'd like to pay 30 on the Harrods case.

OK. 30, that's fine.

Alright, brilliant.

VO: Result!

Helen's made her first purchase on the Road Trip!

OK, thank you.

VO: The dealers who own the tape measures and hamper are nearby.

Can she get as good a deal from them too?

I love your tape measures, so that's 62 in total that they're at.

I'm going to be totally cheeky and say, would you take 30 for them?

Couldn't go quite as low as that.

OK. No.

That is quite cheeky.

That is quite cheeky.

I forgive you.

It is.

Go on, what would you do on them?

Oh, I think about 40 is the lowest DEALER: I'd go on those.

HH: OK.

Right.

38?

It's a deal.

(THEY CHUCKLE) HH: OK, there we go.

VO: Three items purchased with her head, but her heart seemed to be with the picnic hamper.

It's owned by dealer Jo.

So you are asking, erm, 65 for it.

I mean, I've seen a lot of these go at auction.

You know, £30 mark, something like that.

So I feel like I want to offer about 30.

30 is quite low.

What would you like for it?

Let's start there.

I would like to get 50 for it.

Yeah, I just don't know if I can go to 50, I just don't know if I'll make on it.

Would you meet in the middle at 40?

JO: Mm... Yeah, go on.

Would you?

Oh, brilliant, thank you.

Just because it's you, I will.

Oh brilliant, OK, thank you very much, alright.

40 it is.

JO: 40, it's yours.

HH: Thank you, sorry about that.

JO: No, that's OK. VO: Ah, how polite of Helen to apologize, but I'm sure she's more than happy.

Her first shop on the road trip is complete, and she's stockpiled an impressive first haul, spending £108 on three lots.

HH: Thank you.

DEALER: Smashing.

Well, I hope to see you again one day.

HH: Thanks for having us.

DEALER: Yes, definitely.

DEALER: Have a great day.

HH: Yeah, take care.

DEALER: And you.

Bye now.

HH: Bye-bye.

VO: James, meanwhile, is off to hear about a little bit of India in Wales.

He's meeting William Brown from the National Trust.

Cor, that looks impressive.

The house, not James.

Hello.

James.

Lovely to meet you.

William.

Hello, very nice to meet you.

Welcome to Powis.

VO: Powis Castle was home to Edward Clive, the 1st Earl of Powis.

Between 1798 and 1803, he led a distinguished career as Governor of Madras, playing a key role in expanding the British rule of India.

The family's wealth meant Clive could afford to buy things from all over the world and bring them back to Powis.

WILLIAM: So here we are.

The long gallery.

JB: Fabulous, so this is where you would exercise, isn't it?

Absolutely.

And play cricket, isn't it?

The perfect nets.

The floor and the ceiling are both original.

1580s.

And I notice some fabulous sculptures all over the place.

WILLIAM: Absolutely.

JB: Caligula.

He has got a great head, hasn't he?

Is that antique?

It was delivered here in 1704, they believed to be made the late end of the 1600s.

It's from Rome.

It's carrara marble and jasper.

And in fact, a visitor asked not long ago, "Is that of human proportions?"

And I was thinking, "Gosh, that is a big individual if that were."

JB: No, it isn't.

(THEY CHUCKLE) VO: Clive was involved in the war between the British and Tipu Sultan, the ruler of the southern Indian Kingdom of Mysore.

The British were victorious and Clive brought some of the spoils back to Powis.

And here, all the plunder and all the bling and all the gold from the adventures in India.

This is just a small fraction of some of the stuff they have brought back.

So what do we have here, this is...

This here I think is a sort of wonderful, small little tiger's head - a tiger finial.

It actually sat on the throne of Tipu Sultan himself.

There used to be eight of them, but only two now survive.

And one of the last stands of the large tiger stands and the Queen has that down in Windsor.

It's made of diamonds and rubies and emeralds.

Er, and it's got a covering of gold, it's got a wooden core.

So here we are James, the image of the Tipu's throne.

You can see here, dotted around tiger heads.

So that's the terminals we saw?

And the whole wooden frame covered in chic gold.

Covered in gold.

Yeah.

Fabulous.

Yeah, they didn't do half measures.

It's fantastic, I'd love a throne like that.

VO: Tipu Sultan bitterly and effectively opposed British rule in southern India.

It took almost 40 years before Mysore was added to the areas of British-ruled India.

So bright still, isn't it?

It's fantastic.

This is the campaign tent or the summer tent of the sultan of Mysore, the Tipu sultan.

Made in around 1725.

Would you believe?

Really?

It's massive.

What you see here is only a small section, a tiny section.

It's so massive, it fills the entire courtyard outside.

Really?

It's huge, absolutely huge.

VO: Powis Castle remained in the family until 1952, when George Herbert - the great grandson of Edward Clive and 4th Earl of Powis - gave the castle to the nation.

William, thank you very much indeed, I feel enlightened, it's a lovely journey isn't it?

We came from a Welsh castle on top of a hill and then into the most beautiful interiors after the ante.

And now we are here in very exotic India.

All in mid Wales.

WILLIAM: Fantastic, isn't it?

JB: All in mid Wales.

VO: Whilst James enjoys some real antiques, Helen is off to find some of her own in the town of Montgomery in Powys.

She's checking out a shop called The Old Stores Antiques and Interiors.

Hello.

Hello.

Hi, I'm Helen.

Hi Helen, I'm Keith.

Hi Keith.

Lovely to meet you.

KEITH: You too.

HH: Thank you for having us.

You're welcome.

Do you mind if I have a browse?

No, no, help yourself.

VO: Oh you're so polite Helen.

I'm sure he won't mind, especially if you buy something!

Hello, she's at it again.

Oh, they're cute.

Doris Dietrich, 1925.

Well, at least that gives us a clue as to the exact age of it then, HH: doesn't it?

That's helpful.

KEITH: Yeah, for sure.

VO: I think she's getting the hang of this lark, you know!

Nice old bit of wood there, isn't it?

I'll try and lift it up.

Answered.

So it's like an old inbox.

Yeah.

VO: Yeah, from the days before email.

Whereas these days we have plastic trays, it's a lot nicer to have this sitting on your desk.

VO: This place has lots of pretty things from France, but also the odd thing from closer to home.

Oh wow!

It's a butter pat.

Lovely wooden butter pat, so the dairy farmers would have these, they'd make their butter and before they're sent off, they would stamp each pat, you know, with the mark that was peculiar to their farm.

So, erm, yeah, that's a really nice piece, that, I like it.

And decorative too.

VO: I think Helen's quite keen on this one, but is it nice enough for its £25 ticket price?

Would you go... Would you go as low as 12 on it?

KEITH: 12?

HH: Yeah.

Is that a really cheeky offer?

I'll do 15.

Would you do 15?

Right.

I kind of like the social history aspect of it.

Erm, you know, it's just not something you're going to see any more, being used.

And that fact that it's, you know, a historical piece like that is what I like about it.

15... Oh, it is a bit of a gamble.

But I like it so it'd be nice to have something local.

KEITH: Yeah?

HH: So, yeah, 15.

Go on then.

KEITH: OK.

Thank you.

HH: Deal.

Thank you.

VO: £15 spent on a sycamore butter pat, eh?

Let's hope for Helen's sake it makes an impression - ha!

- on the local buyers at the auction.

HH: That's great.

KEITH: Cheers.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

A pleasure doing business with you.

VO: As the shops close on day one, we bid our duo good night.

So nighty-night!

It's day two for new kid on the block Helen, and veteran Road Tripper James.

JB: So how did you get on yesterday?

HH: Yeah, I've been trying not to go mad with my spending.

My husband will be very surprised.

(THEY CHUCKLE) He'll be expecting me to blow it all on the first day.

VO: Do you know, I thought you might too because yesterday Helen started her first road trip gallantly by spending £123 on the picnic hamper, tape measures, suitcase, and the butter pat, leaving her £77.

HH: Sorry about that.

DEALER: No.

That's OK. VO: James, however, was somewhat more cautious, spending just £95 on a newspaper rack, string box and the coffee table, leaving him £105 for today.

Look at that.

Easy shopping, thank you very much indeed.

VO: Our delightful duo have made their way from Welshpool to the town of Machynlleth in Powys.

Helen has dropped James off near the Machynlleth market.

It dates back to 1291, when Edward I granted its royal charter.

James has spotted a big sign that says "antiques", so he's straight for it.

There's no messing about for our James, you know.

JB: Hello.

DEALER: Hello.

James.

Angela, nice to meet you.

Hello, nice to meet you Angela.

Are there some good bargains, something that owes you very little?

I think they're all bargains in here.

JB: (LAUGHS) VO: I thought she might say that!

JB: What on Earth is this, Angela?

It's, I suppose, an early calculator.

Isn't that good?

You wouldn't want to carry that round in your satchel.

No, no, this is...

This is very desk bound, isn't it?

We've got some good... beautifully made, it's got some weight.

It is, it's heavy, yes.

Now, do you know how to work it?

My 11 year old grandson worked it out when he was here at the weekend.

Oh don't!

God.

VO: An 11-year-old eh?

Oh the pressure's now on, James!

JB: You manually do the things here.

DEALER: Yes.

And then you get your reading along here.

An interesting object, isn't it?

Mm, it is.

JB: I quite like that.

DEALER: Yes.

VO: But at £45, will it add up to a profit, James?

I just wouldn't mind having a quick look around the market and then coming back to see...

But you might sell it!

I might sell it.

In between, mightn't you?

There's the jeopardy.

What could you do on that?

Something sensational.

I'm not a 10% man.

45.

Erm... 35.

35.

You see, that is quite tempting, isn't it?

A sort of mad device.

Could I squeeze you a little more?

Could you do it for 30?

I would be happy to buy it for 30.

DEALER: Yes.

JB: 30?

Just to save you from going around the market, DEALER: I'll do it for 30.

JB: Thank you.

(CHUCKLES) VO: With the deal done, it's time to head to another shop to find something else.

What about these?

Very funny.

VO: All pants to me.

Earlier, James visited a castle rich in history.

Today, Helen is visiting somewhere that looks to the future for its inspiration.

She's off to hear about a young idealist, who 40 years ago, set out to prove something that's widely adopted today.

She's meeting Paul Allen, who's showing her around.

Hi Paul.

Hi.

Croeso i ganolfan dechnoleg amgen.

Welcome to the center for alternative technology.

I was about to say the same to you.

VO: For generations, the Welsh mines helped fuel British industry, but with the mines' decline, a group of environmentalists began to explore another use for them.

Lead by entrepreneur Gerard Morgan-Grenville they took control of a disused slate quarry and began a series of experiments into the viability of renewable energy.

Why did he decide to come here exactly?

Llwyngwern quarry had closed as a slate quarry in the 1950s.

So first of all, it was a space that nobody wanted.

Right.

Had a good solar aspect.

Right.

Had a good wind at the top and there was a reservoir at the back so they had all the ingredients Gerard needed for the experiment.

VO: Former entrepreneur Gerard Morgan-Grenville was determined that the center should function as a self-sustaining community.

Like minded individuals traveled from far and wide to live and study on-site.

After the first five years of experimenting, word spread of the groundbreaking work taking place there.

VO: In the mid 70s, they opened their doors to the public.

Public access was difficult so of course they found a sustainable way to get people up to the centre.

What will happen is we will get in the carriage then the carriage will be weighed by looking at the tension in the wire.

OK. And then they will work out how much water to put in the top carriage to make it heavier than this carriage plus me and you.

Brilliant, OK. VO: This carriage is lifted by the natural flow of water from the quarry.

Oh, we're going up.

Hold on tight.

Here we go.

VO: The water fills the large tank underneath the top carriage and once it's heavier than the bottom carriage, gravity pulls it down and the other carriage begins to slowly rise.

VO: Clever, innit?

PAUL: So here we are at the top.

HH: Lovely.

Look at the view.

PAUL: Fabulous view of Tarren y Gesail.

It's incredible.

Beautiful.

Right across the beautiful Welsh landscape.

It is a ridge that runs right the way across and round here we have the main site.

VO: The Wind Pavilion offers a history of wind power.

This turbine is one of the first to be explored at the centre.

It could generate up to 25 watts of power, but the sails would need to be manually adjusted according to the strength of the wind.

Behind you is the next iteration in the story.

This is a British design.

This would be about 25 watts, this is 250,000 watts.

This is an automated wind turbine from the beginning of onshore wind in the '90s.

So 250,000 watts?

What could we do with that?

You could run a small village with that.

Really?

Wind turbines are getting more efficient and bigger all the time.

We have one over here that is half a million watts.

VO: The center is still a living laboratory, and today delivers a range of courses in this impressive lecture hall, which builds on the work started by Gerard Morgan-Grenville.

In the 1970s his ideas may have seemed like a pipe dream, but visitors today can see how his vision has become a reality.

Well, thank you very much for having us.

It has been wonderful.

Absolute pleasure.

And I have learnt a lot.

So, I'm pleased, I hope to come back one day.

It's been a pleasure showing you round.

Thank you so much.

VO: When it comes to being green, antiques can be a perfect way to recycle.

Speaking of which, James has popped into another shop in Machynlleth and it looks like he's found something he likes straightaway.

What attracts me to this item is it has got this lovely oval section body, it's got a nice lid to it.

There is a lot of damage to it though, and then you have this sort of Cantonese famille rose decoration.

So this is the English imitating the very popular Chinese porcelain.

Er, this is a soft-paste porcelain.

It's got some problems.

We've got a thumping great crack here and you'll probably find there's a lot of impurities like bone ash or something within the bodies.

But it's got some merit.

It's got some charm.

It's sound.

The spout is actually sound.

The most vulnerable item of all is good.

It's interesting.

VO: Could there be a deal brewing?

Time to call over shopkeeper Charlie.

Price, Charlie?

DEALER: £25.

JB: £25.

Would you take 15 for it, Charlie?

No sir.

JB: No?

DEALER: No.

VO: That's you told then!

DEALER: I like it.

JB: You like it.

DEALER: I...

I semi-like it.

Semi-like it, yeah.

You semi-like it, you semi-like it up to £20 and it's yours.

JB: £20?

DEALER: Yeah.

Yep, we got a deal, Charlie.

DEALER: Thank you very much.

JB: Thank you.

Thank you.

DEALER: Cheers, thank you.

JB: Bye.

VO: He seems chuffed to bits about that teapot!

This has been used by somebody probably for the last 200 years.

That is amazing.

VO: With James having completed his shopping and no doubt off for a cup of tea, Helen's still hoping to pick up a bargain at Machynlleth Antique Emporium.

Erm, yeah, this is my last chance to buy something really.

And I feel like I... Well I've got to get one more piece really.

Erm, and I was hoping to get some small little item so I wouldn't spend all my money.

VO: Luckily this place is stacked with curious collectables, so something's bound to catch her eye.

There's a little bit of Clarice Cliff in here.

Which I have always loved.

And the colors are great, you know, they just sum up the jazz era.

Some of the patterns and some of the styles are very art deco - I've always liked them.

VO: Clarice Cliff was a ceramic artist, most active in the 1920s and '30s.

Her art deco styling was groundbreaking at the time and is keenly collected today.

So this is like a sugar sifter.

And the pattern is called My Garden by Clarice Cliff, so I don't know what date this pattern is but I suspect it's you know, more '40s than '30s judging by the shape and the design.

They want 85 for it, though.

It's... you know, I don't know what that would do at auction.

But I would have to drive a hard bargain on it.

VO: But how hard?

Clarice Cliff can be highly sought after.

Will shopkeeper Ian go much lower?

I mean, they've got 85 on it, but obviously if I'm going to take this to auction, I need to... drive a bit of a hard bargain.

Sure.

Erm...

I mean I want to offer...

I want to offer 40 on it.

Right.

Would you go and see what they'd take for it?

VO: 40?

That's less than half price!

I hope Ian gets the dealer in a good mood.

I'm being a bit mean, aren't I?

But I've got to think about the auction and if I'm going to make any kind of profit.

VO: The dealers need to make a profit too, love.

Let's get the verdict from Ian.

Well I've spoken to Sue and she's come back with a figure of 55.

55, OK, is that her very lowest?

Erm... Well, at the risk of incurring her wrath I'll say 50.

Right, OK. That's a bit of a big decision, that one.

What to do?

OK. Would you go back to her and ask her if she'll take 45?

Well, I already have actually.

Did you?

Yeah, and I am afraid not, no.

No?

No.

She sticking at 50?

She's getting her money back at £50.

Is she?

(GROANS) So I have to make a decision at 50, don't I?

I think I'm too far down the emotional road with it... (THEY CHUCKLE) ..to turn back.

So, yeah, 50 it is.

DEALER: OK. HH: Yeah, thank you very much.

DEALER: A pleasure.

HH: Thank you.

I hope you do alright with it.

VO: An impassioned purchase - £50 spent on the Clarice Cliff sugar sifter.

Shopping over, it's time for our friendly foes to reveal their wares.

Here we are.

I can't wait Helen.

HH: Be gentle with me James.

JB: No, I'm fascinated.

Remember I'm a newbie.

Be gentle.

Fascinated.

VO: Get on with it then!

Right, here we go.

This is great with the car, I'm thinking.

Very good, very good.

Put it in the back of the car.

Yup.

Look at that!

You know, I just loved it because it's totally complete and looks like it's hardly been used.

And how much did you pay for that, Helen?

Erm, I paid... Agh!

..40 quid for it.

40 quid.

Well, as you say, it's totally complete.

HH: It is.

JB: It looks great.

JB: Love the orange.

HH: It's very nice.

JB: Looks fabulous, looks fabulous.

And then you've got some measures here.

What is this interesting fellow here?

Yeah, so this, erm... this is a butter pat.

Fabulous.

So your farm...

I kind of envisage it's the farmer's wife doing it, I don't know why, maybe it is the farmer.

Yeah.

Make the butter, pop that on the top and this is the stamp that would kind of brand their farm, you know.

That is their farm that would have this design.

There you go, so that... 15 quid.

Very good.

And my emotional purchase was the Clarice Cliff.

I mean, I know it's kind of later period Clarice Cliff, but the condition is great.

Yeah, looks very stylish.

And I've always wanted a bit of Clarice Cliff.

Hm, that's nice.

How much did you have to pay for that?

I paid 50.

I think that's good.

Erm, I see a theme, a nice hot orange coming through here - your picnic, your Clarice.

Leather and orange.

It's very good, yeah, lovely.

VO: Thumbs up for Helen then.

I think she might have James worried here!

I must say Helen, one thing is your ceramics are slightly better condition than mine are.

HH: (LAUGHS) JB: That is a New Hall teapot.

Yeah.

So from the New Hall factory, it's got its pattern number.

245, which corresponds.

1800.

But the lovely thing about it - I think it's been used... HH: It certainly has.

JB: For all 210 years.

It's had a life.

How much was your teapot?

I'm intrigued.

Teapot was £20.

Was it?

Nice.

Er, a mad, sort of, early calculator.

I've got a small grasp of actually how it works.

You sort of move things here and you take a reading from there.

Yup.

Er... Elm, I like wood.

It's a lovely burrwood, isn't it?

Yeah.

And you know how coffee tables, it's hard to get a coffee table right, isn't it?

Mm.

Whether that's right or wrong I haven't a clue.

But it's lovely elm.

I like it.

As we both know, as auctioneers, it's a lot of rough and tumble out there, isn't it?

Yeah, the proof is in the pudding.

The proof is in... And I paid £50 for that.

Oh really?

That's a nice bit of wood that, though, isn't it?

Helen, it's been a pleasure.

It has.

And good luck.

Yeah, good luck to you too.

See what happens at the auction.

Let's go and get a cup of tea.

HH: Yeah, or a glass of wine.

(THEY CHUCKLE) VO: Before you go though, tell us what you really think.

He paid £50 for the table, which I mean, he admits himself, he wanted to pay less for it.

So that might be a bit of an overpay.

But everything else, you know, he's paid fair prices for.

So, you know, I think he will do well.

The Harrods suitcase, I think, was well priced at £20.

It's beautifully made, it's got a very thin profile, almost like a motoring case.

It's a nice item.

Everybody likes a luxury good, and the reassurance of a label.

So yeah, no, I am feeling confident.

Definitely.

I think I'll be alright.

VO: Good stuff then.

It's time for our experts to travel through the lovely Welsh countryside en route to their first auction of the trip in Carmarthen in Carmarthenshire.

Local legend has it that Merlin was born in a cave just outside Carmarthen.

Our chastened cohorts have just arrived and are set to work their magic and hopefully bring in a profit.

JB: What a glorious day, isn't it?

HH: It's gorgeous.

Perfect for this car.

Hopefully half our buyers won't be on the beach.

VO: Peter Francis Auctioneers has a company history dating back over 100 years.

At the podium today is Nigel Hodson, who's ready to give us his thoughts on James and Helen's items.

Well, it's a real mixed bag that we've got here today.

I was quite interested in one or two of the items, I was rather dismayed at one or two of the others.

There's a good piece of Clarice Cliff, which is always a useful seller in our salerooms, as it is across the whole country.

I put 80-120 on it, so that should do OK.

The New Hall teapot is of a type that used to perform really, really well at auctions over the years but New Hall seems to have fallen off a cliff, like some other things in recent times, and I just hope they haven't paid too much for that teapot, nice as it is.

VO: James began his road trip with £200 and has gone on to spend £145 on five auction lots.

Thank you very much indeed.

Thanks a lot.

VO: Helen also started with £200 and has parted with £173 for her five lots.

Thank you very much, it was a pleasure doing business with you.

VO: The bidders have arrived, so let the first auction begin.

Nervous?

A little for my first lot.

Be gentle with me.

First...

It's nothing to do with me.

The newbie.

New kid on the block.

VO: First up it's Helen's leather suitcase.

What are you saying to that, £30 away?

30 on the suitcase?

There it is, 10 only, 12 may I say?

At 10 on the suitcase, only £10.

12 on my right.

15 the lady's bid.

18.

JB: 18, that's better.

JB: Oh lady on the left.

HH: Lady, we like you.

Selling at £22... Oh dear.

Don't worry, don't worry.

HH: Oh dear.

JB: It's only the first.

That's not good for the first one, is it?

VO: Her first item on the road trip has sadly made Helen a loss!

JB: Welcome to the world of the Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

You have to hang on to small prizes.

OK?

Just keep smiling.

VO: Can she do better with her 1960s picnic hamper?

£30 for the picnic set?

Surely?

20 to get it on then?

HH: Oh no... NIGEL: There it is at 20.

At 20 only against you, 22 may I say?

At 20.

22 for the lady in the stripe...

I don't know why they... Oh, here we are.

NIGEL: 26.

26, the lady's bid on the back row, against you on the front.

At 26, the lady in the back.

I will be selling... NIGEL: All done at £26?

(GAVEL) NIGEL: 2078.

Thank you.

HH: Yeah.

JB: Oh Helen.

HH: Oh dear.

That seems unjust, that.

VO: Oh dear - that's Helen's second loss.

Ah, never mind.

VO: Next up, is the writing on the wall for James's newspaper rack?

Two commission bidders on the book with me at 30.

£35 I am bid on the book.

At 35, 40 may I say?

At 35, 38?

40?

At 40...

It is a profit.

£40... JB: Sold.

Well, that's a bit... HH: Yeah, well done.

JB: ..of a profit, isn't it?

HH: Nice.

VO: A tidy £10 profit - he's off to a good start!

That's marvelous.

That'll do, that's all you need.

VO: Next up, it's James's porcelain teapot.

£50 on the teapot there?

30?

There it is, 20... Oh... there we go.

NIGEL: At 20, only 20.

HH: Come on.

25, both together here.

28 on the rail?

30?

32 behind.

35.

38.

All done, £38... JB: Oh I'm OK, OK. HH: Oh.

A new home for the teapot.

A new home for the teapot.

At £38... That's nice, that's great.

JB: I will continue to use that.

HH: Yeah.

VO: Another good profit for James - that's how it's done!

You're definitely in profit.

And I definitely am not.

VO: Can Helen's sugar sifter deliver her first profit?

I'm feeling the pressure on this one now.

Yup.

This is your trump card, isn't it?

Bid me 50 for it?

The sugar sifter.

NIGEL: 50 I'm bid on my right.

JB: He has got 50!

Good.

At 50, who has got 55 now?

At 50 on the sifter.

NIGEL: 55 standing.

HH: Oh no.

Come on.

60?

65?

70?

Go on, up it goes.

Up, up, up, up.

NIGEL: 80.

HH: Come on, don't stop.

£80 just on my right here.

Any more?

£80... Well that's fine.

JB: A good profit.

HH: It's a profit, profit.

VO: That's more like it Helen, first profit secured.

Right!

VO: Auctioneer Charles Hampshire has taken over the podium and James's string box is next.

£20 straight in for it?

Got to be worth that, the string box?

At 10 and away, 10 only, 12 if you'd like now?

£10.

12 do I see?

Come on.

There we go.

We like this buyer to the left of us here.

18 front row, lost to you both at the back now, 20 is bid.

And two, madam?

22.

25 sir?

Keep going.

He is, not giving up.

28.

And one more sir?

30?

No then.

£28, front row, all sure?

Final call at 28... JB: Well done.

28.

There you go.

28, nice.

JB: Nice little working profit.

HH: Yeah, that'll do.

VO: Another good result for James.

You are totally and utterly in profit.

I think you're fairly safe.

VO: Can Helen find some more profit with her sycamore butter pat?

£10 to start me.

JB: 10, you're up, straight in.

HH: There we go.

HH: Thank you Mr Man.

CHARLES: 12 do I see now?

JB: Give the lady a nudge.

CHARLES: 15 upfront.

18 sir?

18.

JB: Well done.

And 20.

Two.

HH: Yay!

CHARLES: 25?

JB: Well done.

CHARLES: 28.

HH: Keep going.

30.

32.

35.

38.

40.

42.

Well done, well done.

One more sir, at £45, nearest me.

Final call at 45, we all sure and done?

Oh, yeah!

JB: Well done you, Helen.

HH: 45!

JB: Now, that is a goody.

HH: That's brilliant.

VO: A tremendous result for Helen, actually, more than doubling her money.

I'm fine with that.

I'd be very pleased with that.

I'll take that, I'll take a 30 quid profit.

VO: Next up is James's 1920 calculator.

CHARLES: £40 I can start it.

Oh, there you go, that'll do.

45.

48.

50.

Two.

55.

58 in the room now waving, is there 60?

£58 right at the back of the room.

Don't worry about the 60 - I'm very happy with the 58.

58.

Well done, hey!

There we are.

VO: His calculations were right - that adds up to a nice £28 profit.

You just don't know what people are going to be interested in, do you?

VO: James's last lot is the elm coffee table.

Plenty of interest, we start up and away at 38.

Plenty of interest.

40, 42, 45.

£45.

HH: Hm.

CHARLES: £45 with me.

Is there eight?

45, 48, 50.

Five in the room now, standing at 55.

60 fresh bidding.

Another bidder.

65, 70.

Up it goes.

Five.

80 sir?

No.

£75 on the cabinet then, any more, fiver more?

Happy?

All sure at 75?

CHARLES: Yes sir.

HH: Yeah, well done.

JB: 75.

HH: Brilliant.

That is you most definitely in profit, James.

That's me in profit.

Amazing.

VO: The coffee table has stood James in good stead, adding a nice £25 profit.

This is a rare situation for me, actually, to make profit.

VO: So far Helen is doing remarkably well against James, but she's still slightly behind.

Can she push back in front with her final lot - the leather tape measures?

Here they come.

£20 for the two.

Got to be worth that straight in?

10 if you like then?

HH: Oh God.

CHARLES: Five and away.

CHARLES: Eight if you'd like.

HH: No!

OK, someone's bidding, that's alright.

I think he's got a bid on the book as well.

CHARLES: 15 do I see?

For the two, all sure?

Finished with them, on the second row, 12... (GAVEL) HH: No.

JB: No.

HH: £12.

You don't need that.

VO: A bit of a disaster there for Helen - she's lost £26 on those.

Don't worry, Helen.

I know you will be a very worthy adversary.

JB: You're just warming up.

HH: I'll try and catch up, yeah.

Might take a while to warm up.

VO: First auction over, then - time to tally it up.

Rookie Helen started her first Road Trip with £200, but after auction costs made a loss of £21.30, which means she now only has £178.70.

Better luck next time.

James also started with £200, but after costs, our Road Trip veteran made a profit of £50.98, storming into the lead with an impressive £250.98, and winning this first leg of the road trip.

Well, not too terrible for my first foray.

I think you did very well.

Yeah.

How much in the end?

I think I was about a fiver down.

VO: Ha!

Actually more like £21, but let's not quibble, eh?

JB: Right, off we go.

HH: Off we go.

VO: She's done pretty well and I've got a feeling she's going to do even better next time.

Next on Antiques Road Trip... James is spoiled for choice.

It's one big maze!

VO: And Helen ferrets out a bargain.

I daren't put that on.

Oh!

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