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

£200 each, and one big challenge.

Cuz I'm here to declare war.

Why?

VO: Who can make the most money, buying and selling antiques as they scour the UK?

There's nothing in here.

VO: The aim is to trade up and hope each antique turns a profit.

AUCTIONEER: Disappointing.

(GAVEL) VO: But it's not as easy as you might think - and things don't always go to plan.

CHARLIE: (SHOUTS) Push!

VO: So will they race off with a huge profit or come to a grinding halt?

Terribly nervous now, James.

VO: This is the Antiques Road Trip!

VO: This week we're out and about with the suave, laid-back James Braxton...

Very nice action on these cobbles.

VO: and the naughty Jonathan Pratt... And you've got the fun piece of him with his pants down.

DEALER: (LAUGHS) VO: But James has to keep young Jonathan in check.

(NEIGHS) JAMES: Jonathan, I see you have time to play.

VO: James is always a winner with the ladies.

DEALER: Em...too much for you, I'm afraid.

Really?

How do you know?

VO: And Jonathan gets in a spin.

JONATHAN (JON): Oh, crikey, we're going quite fast here.

MAN: Oh, yeah.

VO: With a shaky start... JON: In all honesty, there's nothing in here for me.

VO: Jonathan proved triumphant.

JON: I'll take that for £15.

JAMES: If it gets through the viewing process, I think you've got a profit there.

AUCTIONEER: Being sold, at 100... (GAVEL) Get in there!

VO: James Braxton, however, employed a full-on charm offensive.

JAMES: £29.

DEALER: £29 and no other small change?

I have heard the sob story before from other people, but you do it so nicely.

OK, that's really kind of you.

Thank you very much indeed.

VO: And although he didn't win...his World War I medals made a tidy profit at auction.

At 90, all quiet and done?

(GAVEL) VO: Jonathan means business with a healthy sum of £331.50 pence...

I'm gonna be up there against him, taking full advantage of the situation.

VO: Mr smug or what?

From his original £200, James now has £270.60 pence to play with.

VO: The chaps have James' pride and joy, the 1952 MG, and it looks as if she's firing on all cylinders... JON: (LAUGHS) VO...at the moment.

VO: This week James and Jonathan will travel over 300 miles to the enchanting climes of Lostwithiel in Cornwall... VO: On today's show, they'll be making their way to auction number two in Birmingham.

The first destination is the ancient town of Leek in Staffordshire.

VO: Leek is hailed as the 'Queen of the Moorlands'.

VO: The Pennines are on the doorstep of the town... Once a booming silk town, there are strong connections with the arts and crafts Movement, William Morris studied printing techniques here in the late 1800s.

JAMES: Here we are.

JON: Here we are.

JAMES: Nice shop fronts.

JON: A lovely little gilt swag above the door, a bit of a swag, like you.

JENNY: Good morning, gentlemen.

Hello, hello.

Welcome to Phil Masters Antiques.

Thank you.

JON: OK, so there's two floors?

MAN: Yep.

JON: Is there a basement?

Not that we know of, no.

JENNY: No, no basement.

JAMES: Em... JON: I don't mind starting upstairs.

OK, you start upstairs.

I'll go upstairs, I'll head off up and leave you to it.

JAMES: Go on, well done.

JON: OK?

Yeah.

VO: Looks like the basement tactic is ruled out here Jonathan.

Upstairs for you young man.

They're nice.

How much have you go on those, Jenny?

JENNY: Em... too much for you, I'm afraid.

Oh really?

How do you know?

JAMES: They're fire irons, or implement rests, yeah.

225.

(LAUGHS) No, put them down, Jenny, put them down.

I'm not...

I don't enjoy taking a price from £100 down to 40, because I think everyone can do that.

I want to find something that I can make money out of without having to haggle too much.

Em... VO: Oh come on Jonathan, get real, surely that's what buying antiques is all about.

Oh, and you've got a little bit of Tunbridge- ware down there, what do... Can I see that?

JENNY: Yeah.

JAMES: Yeah, I'm not mad about brushes.

JENNY: No, I'm not either.

My, ah, my specialty is Tunbridge-ware.

JAMES: Yeah, there's just perspective cube, quite sweet.

JAMES: Jenny, I like that.

JENNY: OK.

I'll pop it...pop it down there.

This is a cabinet full of pottery and it has a look of pottery about it, which is this little tray.

The decoration on it is very much 18th century, little cattle and sheep and sort of a shepherd, with a river-scape behind and some buildings And, picking it up, you realize how cold it is and actually it's on a metal base.

And it's a bit of enamel.

It's a novelty item.

It's a nice, item, and it's very...difficult to sort of...quantify the value of it.

And it's a good collectors type thing.

JON: What would you let me have it for?

I can...I can sell that for £70.

I think that it's the sort of thing that might...interest private people.

I will... Or should I...should I make it a fiver less?

Ooh, crikey!

Think I should do that?

Well, I'm never gonna be one for turning down an extra fiver.

VO: Hey, what's going on, Jonathan?

VO: Surely you're the one that's meant to do the haggling!

Any more in your... in your little treasure trove here?

JENNY: Right, how about that?

Nice bit of coral and it's a Christening set.

Oh, that's lovely, isn't it?

You've got a, a little necklace.

JAMES: Yeah.

And then a bracelet.

What I like about this coral is I like the color.

JAMES: It's a nice bit, I like that.

Yippee doo.

VO: The popularity of Christening gifts really kicked off with the Victorians, a tradition that's still going strong today.

MAN: He's broken, so... JON: Is he?

Yeah.

JON: Paul Pry, who was Paul Pry?

MAN: He was an actor.

JON: Oh, OK. Oh!

MAN: (LAUGHS) What's the significance of him having his pants down?

MAN: I understand he was an actor that, em, played the part of a buffoon, basically.

JON: I like the novelty factor.

Actually, I'm not a pot man, really.

VO: You don't say Jonathan.

This Staffordshire pepper pot is a novel choice.

Early 19th century, so it's slip-molded.

And then you've got the fun piece of him JON: with his pants down... MAN: (LAUGHS) JON: What would you do for that?

MAN: 25.

JON: I'll have it.

I like it.

I like it a lot, I like it a lot.

You're talking my money.

There we go.

JON: James will be jealous.

(LAUGHS) VO: Hmm.

Still not haggling, Jonathan?

Right, what have we got next?

JENNY: How about those?

Ooh.

They're nice, aren't they?

They are.

JENNY: A pair of glove stretchers from Canton.

The carving is absolutely stunning.

You've got loads of little people and trees, and then on this side you've got the little cartouche that's been left blank.

JAMES: Yeah.

They're very nice.

So, gloves...natural things, made of kid, whatever...thing, and when you get them wet they shrink, so when they're damp, when you bring them home as they're drying out, you stretch them, so you bring them back to their former size.

VO: Ah, glove stretchers - just what you need in this day and age.

JAMES: Jenny, I'm gonna make you a cheeky offer... JENNY: Right.

JAMES: £50 for the three.

60 and you have a deal.

JAMES: 60 and I have a deal, JENNY: Mmhmm.

JAMES: I'm very happy to accept, thank you.

(NEIGHS) JAMES: Jonathan, I see you have time to play.

Well, I...I take a moment at home, normally and I make sure I have a play on the rocking horse.

VO: Oh, stop horsing around you two!

JON: I'm very pleased.

Are you not, then?

JAMES: I'm not just pleased, I'm delighted.

JON: Are you really?

VO: Well, you've certainly made some interesting choices here.

Let's get a move on.

VO: Just under fifty miles away, Jonathan is journeying south to the town of Willenhall in the Black Country area of the West Midlands.

I have come here to Willenhall, to the lock museum, to learn about locks.

VO: Lock-making began in the area during Elizabethan times, it started as a cottage industry and at its height there were over 340 backyard businesses in the area.

Number 54 New Road, Willenhall was once home to the Hodson family and now opens its doors to the general public.

VO: The family were renowned for lock-making and produced all sorts of padlocks and keys that would be sold locally and as far away as South America.

Willenhall is also known as 'Humpshire'.

The locksmiths would develop humps in their backs, due to the long hours being spent over their work... And resident locksmith Andy Middlebrook isn't humpy, but has a...well, a rather unexpected treat for our Jonathan.

ANDY: How do you do?

JON: Wow!

Welcome to the Hodsons' workshops.

JON: And how long have you been doing this?

ANDY: Em...well, I've been here about 25 years, and I help out with the demonstrations when they have open days and holidays.

JON: Keeps you fit too.

ANDY: Yeah, keeps you fit, oh yeah.

JON: So, what are you making on here?

ANDY: We're making, eh, the bar for the bar padlock which was the Hodsons main type of lock that they made.

JON: OK. ANDY: So, I can show you on there.

It's great for locking double doors, single doors.

You can drill a hole in the wall and slide the bar into that, and then snap things into position.

If you take the key...drop the key in and when you unlock the bolt it throws the bolt across and lifts the shackle out the way and you can slide the whole bar out.

It's like a lockable bolt.

I could do with one of those for home.

ANDY: Yeah?

Well... Would you like to have a go, Jonathan?

Come on round the barrier.

Right, I'm going to take this off.

VO: Yes, one's stripy sports jacket is not suitable for this type of work, methinks.

ANDY: Would you like a pump of the bellows to start with?

Oh, why not.

In for a penny, in for a pound, eh?

ANDY: Well, you gotta start as the apprentice.

JON: OK. ANDY: Gonna start these in... ANDY: Right, start with a point, start with the easy bit, shall we.

VO: Right come on!

Give it some welly.

Put your back into it man.

JON: So, shall I just keep going?

ANDY: Yeah, keep going.

I'll put you a pair of goggles on.

JON: Oh, right.

Look the part now, do I?

Oh yes, you look... you're getting there, you're getting there.

We'll move you onto actually forging the end of the bar.

Bring it round to your anvil.

JON: Right.

Tilt it up very slightly.

JON: So I'm hitting the point, am I?

ANDY: Yeah.

VO: Crikey, this is a bit different to hammering the gavel at auction Jonathan.

ANDY: Work your way along it to the edge of the anvil.

JON: This looks rubbish!

(LAUGHS) ANDY: The more you do, the better it gets.

JON: Oh, OK. VO: I wouldn't give up the day job if I were you.

ANDY: Put it in a bit further this time.

If I quench it down... JON: Yeah, go on... ANDY: Do you want to put the bend in?

JON: Yeah, why not.

ANDY: We just need a couple of inches where we actually want it to bend.

JON: This is like the Generation Game isn't it?

It is.

Right, so if you come round this side of me.

OK, I'll drop it in and you can grab hold the end that I'm holding.

Right, OK. And then just evenly, flatly, bring it round.

ANDY: Off you go.

Go on, keep going, while it's still hot.

JON: OK. ANDY: Down a bit.

That's it.

JON: Oh, I see, flatly, flatly, flatly, yes, yes, yes.

JON: Touch it to there.

ANDY: OK. JON: Now, see look at that.

There you go now, look.

There you go, your first bar padlock bar.

Fantastic.

VO: Cor, I'm so proud of you, Jonathan.

Pumping bellows; banging a hammer; bending iron; whatever next?

JON: So, what's this big old thing here though?

ANDY: This is our floor press.

A press tool, so it actually punches out the shape of the... Oh, punches it straight out of the metal?

Yeah, and it actually makes the front and back plate for the bar padlock, so we're then moving on...to your bar, to make the bar padlock.

JON: So, you drill through there and it fixes inside, or something?

ANDY: That's it.

There's a rim that it fits onto, yeah.

JON: Right, OK.

This is one... ...this is one real beast, isn't it?

Would you like...would you like to operate it?

JON: (LAUGHS) ANDY: Cuz we can.

ANDY: One, two, three... JON: Right.

Oh, crikey, we're going quite fast here!

ANDY: Oh, yeah.

JON: Ooh.

ANDY: That's it.

JON: Was that it?!

ANDY: Yeah, that was it.

JON: Blimey!

So, winding back up again.

ANDY: And because it's mounted on a block of sandstone, the component that we just pressed drops through.

JON: Oh, right!

ANDY: That's the one we've just done.

OK, then we have to tap the metal through again.

ANDY: And we're on for the next one.

And that's why this was called Humpshire.

Yes.

Exactly why it was called Humpshire - Cuz you're walking along like this quite a lot of the time.

You spend 40 years standing at a vice that's the wrong height, filing, and it ruins your actual stature.

I'm getting a bad back thinking about it, yeah.

VO: While Jonathan has a quick lie down, where's that Mr Braxton?

He's a perfect candidate for banging a hammer and getting his hands dirty.

VO: Not!

He's just shopping in Leek, though, hoping to get some more items in the old bag.

JULIAN: Hello!

JAMES: Hi, James.

Julian, pleased to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

JAMES: What a great mix, isn't it?

JULIAN: Thank you.

VO: It's your first male shop owner, James.

VO: Will you still weave your magic?

Can I have a little...sniff around everywhere?

Sold.

JULIAN: Yeah, this morning.

JAMES: Put it down, James.

JULIAN: Sorry.

Put it down.

That's nice, isn't it?

JULIAN: Yeah.

And where's that come from?

JULIAN: Just a local sale.

JAMES: A stuffed chicken... JULIAN: Yeah.

(LAUGHS) JAMES: What a weird thing to do.

JULIAN: I thought the hands... JAMES: Very nicely done, isn't it?

Some good whiskers on him.

JULIAN: Yep.

VO: Never mind the whiskers, have you seen anything you want to buy?!

JULIAN: Still waiting for the frame.

JAMES: Oh, have you got a frame?

JULIAN: No, no, I'm still waiting for the frame!

JAMES: Yeah.

Is this cheap, Julian?

JULIAN: Eh, 60.

JAMES: It's an Italian landscape Em...it's got no figurative interest, which is a minus.

It's got rather bizarre silver birch trees in it.

JAMES: You'd expect to have Cupressus, which are long, elegant conifers, here.

VO: For those of you who don't speak Braxton, he means cypress trees.

JAMES: Em...does he give a location for it?

Yep.

My Italian's not hot though.

1958.

Had it had Cupressus in... VO: You mean cypress JAMES: ...I think it might have been more of a goer.

I've already bought three items.

This would be a fourth.

Quality problem, lots of choice.

Oh.

Julian.

I'm undecided.

I like that picture downstairs.

My only conundrum, you know, had it had Cupressus.

VO: Oh, I give up!

JAMES: Are you open tomorrow?

JULIAN: I am.

JAMES: You are.

So, I will come and see you tomorrow.

Either way, I'll phone you.

OK. No problem.

That's very kind.

Anyway, very nice to see you.

JULIAN: And you.

JAMES: OK, bye!

Bye.

VO: Looks like James needs more time to think.

VO: Anyway better get an early night, eh.

Tomorrow there's an antiques fair in the center of Leek and the early bird catches the best antiques, don't you know.

VO: And the boys are up at the crack of dawn.

There's antiques to hunt down in Leek market square.

VO: So far, James has spent £60 on three lots - the Turnbridge-ware box, the matching coral jewelry and the wooden glove stretchers - leaving £210.60 for the day ahead.

Jonathan, on the other hand has a big wodge of cash and has decided not to haggle.

He's spent 90 whole pounds on two lots - the Paul Pry pepper pot and the Bilston enamel pin-tray He has a delightful £241.50 to spend as he wishes.

Giddy up there!

Let's get stuck in, boys.

JAMES: Let's just go down here, let's see what it's got.

This is uranium.

If you put a Geiger counter to it it would go gshsshshsh.

See they used a sort of bit of uranium for the orange glaze.

And that will be radioactive forever.

I won't sleep with it, then.

JAMES: (LAUGHS) JON: I once found a little fob in the bottom of a box which was worth £200, just a little... and it wasn't even made of gold.

Little...had a calendar on it, and it would've been rattling around in something like this, so it's always worth looking.

All you need is one little object.

How about your art deco lady on the onyx?

MAN: 80 quid.

I think it's been reattached.

JAMES: Has it?

JAMES: There's quite a sort of Lorenzl look to it.

On the outset it looks a bit clumsy, but it has got a bit of definition to it.

Just been battered a bit, hasn't it, it hasn't been looked after.

MAN: No, it hasn't been, no it's been abused a bit.

JAMES: I think it is bronze, isn't it?

It's got the weight there.

Yeah, it's silvered bronze.

Silver is very much a Deco color, associated with the motor car, the train, everything was sort of chromed.

I like the white onyx, you know, green onyx or brown onyx would have killed this.

JAMES: Now, can I squeeze you a lot?

MAN: You can squeeze me down to 60 quid.

No, can I...would you do it for 45?

JAMES: 45, OK.

It's worth a punt and I think it's a lovely item.

Thank you, that's really kind.

That's rather fun.

JON: You sort of look at it and wonder what on earth it is.

Very unusual shape.

Looks like silver, but the marks say EP, electroplate And it's a little cigar lighter.

And the only thing I can really say that gives away its age is actually the sort of spiral fluting, which would be sort of about, crikey, early part of the Victorian period - 1840s or 50s or something like that.

And, eh, you've got the little flame in the top, so you pass it around and you light the cigars.

It sadly is not in great condition and a bit of blu-tack's been used as a form of restoration.

And you've got little ones all the way around the outside as well.

It's rather sweet, on little ball feet.

What's the best price on it?

MAN: 20 JON: £20?

JON: I mean, £20.

I don't think I'd lose any money on it.

Oh, what do I do, what do I do, what do I do?

VO: Well you could try getting a cheaper price..?

I'll take it.

Yeah, go on.

JON: It makes my day a little easier if I take that.

VO: Oh dear Jonathan.

VO: Three items bought so far and still, no haggling.

James has just heard that the Italian landscape is now framed.

Will this be his fifth item?

JAMES: I'm going to the shop now, and to see this frame Julian's found for the picture and if it really works with the Italian landscape I'm going to go for it.

I want to try and buy if for as near as £20.

JAMES: Hi, Julian, again.

(LAUGHS) Now, what's this about a picture being framed?

JULIAN: I found a frame.

I remembered I'd got a frame at home that would've fitted.

JAMES: Oh, that's better, isn't it!

JULIAN: Yeah, well it lifts it up, doesn't it?

JAMES: Yeah it does.

It really lifts it!

I like it.

Um... Eh... Hmm...

Nutty problem of price, isn't it?

JAMES: Ah... £20 JULIAN: Yeah, and?

And... (LAUGHS) I was thinking last night how should I phrase this?

Um... any chance?

Eh... What sort of price are you looking at?

JAMES: Sorry?

What sort of area are you looking at?

JAMES: £20!

(LAUGHS) Em... with it framed...

I mean, I can knock it down to about 40 for you, if that would help.

JAMES: Look, I'm very happy.

Can we strike middle ground here?

What about £30?

Come on, don't think about it.

Shake on it.

JAMES: (LAUGHS) Thank you.

Thank you, that's lovely.

VO: There you go, Jonathan, you should take notes from James.

That's his fifth item in the bag.

Hello, James.

JAMES: You're looking very relaxed, it must be all over, is it?

Ah, yes, you know.

Nearly there.

Oh, crikey!

Now, you're not supposed to comment.

Felt it sag in the middle a bit there.

How are you doing, are you finished?

I am finished.

Well, I've finished here now and I'm moving off to look at a couple more shops.

And you've got money in your pocket?

I've got a lot of money in my pocket still.

I'm going to sit back, I've done my work.

JON: Oh well, you can enjoy yourself, have a coffee.

Get on, get on!

I'm going to carry on rocking.

Very nice action on these cobbles.

VO: Come on you old rocker.

You've got an appointment to keep.

James is waving goodbye to his beloved Leek and heads off 40 miles south to the cathedral city of Lichfield, Staffordshire.

VO: James is on his way to the home of Charles Darwin's grandfather Erasmus.

A widely-respected physician, inventor and naturalist of the 18th century.

Tony Nevin is an author and expert on the life and works of this great man.

Hello Tony.

Nice to see you.

Very nice to see you.

Now, why are we in this garden?

Well, I thought we'd start here because Erasmus Darwin was a fantastic doctor, and this is his herb garden, which we've just recreated.

And he was also, of course, a tremendous scientist, and so plants were very important to him.

JAMES: Yeah, so botany is the root of medicine, is it, or not?

TONY: Well, it was, and still is of course because most of the things we treat people with today are synthesized forms of these floral remedies.

JAMES: So, this is the early start of Darwin as, you know, his profession was a GP, but he was obviously a very curious man?

TONY: I think he was immensely curious.

I mean, a terrific polymath and one of the great thinkers of the mid-18th century.

Anyway, take me further.

Let's go.

VO: Erasmus was a key thinker of the Midlands Enlightenment and helped found the Lunar Society of Birmingham, the intellectual powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution.

VO: A master inventor, he developed ideas that we still use today.

JAMES: Tony, what's this room?

Take me in.

Well, now we're entering the parlor, which we've done out in sort of 1770 and so on, and we've thought about Darwin as the great medic, now let's think about him as the great inventor.

Another guise for the man.

Absolutely.

He really was formidable.

And what is this?

So, this is his design for a canal barge lift.

TONY: "Let a wooden box be constructed so as to receive a loaded boat".

It wasn't made in his time, but the Anderton lift, which was subsequently made, towards the end of the century, I think...

Right... ...is absolutely just as his was.

And of course, I mean he just... he had a wonderful mind.

You thumb through this commonplace book and here the ideas pour out.

There's a flushing toilet... JAMES: I thought that was Thomas Crapper!

That's a later one, I suspect.

Oh, is that a later one?

I don't...

I really don't know, but it's in there.

It's honestly a genuine flushing toilet.

VO: Erasmus had a great friendship with pottery entrepreneur Josiah Wedgwood, and this intellectual bonding made for some startling discoveries.

TONY: So, may I introduce you, James, to Dr Darwin?

Aha, here he is!

And I had a picture of him being a lot larger.

He seems slimmer.

TONY: Well, I... JAMES: (LAUGHS) TONY: I don't think I can answer that!

That's how he was made, bless him.

And that of course is Josiah Wedgwood, his great friend, you know, the families intermarried and everything.

Oh, really?

He was the great entrepreneur, the great pottery entrepreneur, wasn't he?

TONY: Amazing.

Amazing man.

And they worked together, so what we've tried to do here is to show something of this, because those fossils represent fossils that Wedgwood sent to Darwin, which he'd found in the Harecastle tunnel, when they were making the Grand Union canal.

And so he said, you know, "What are the marine fossils doing in the middle of England?"

JAMES: Aaah.

TONY: Very naturally.

And in different layers from say, mammoths' tusks or mammoths' teeth.

JAMES: So, classic things, so building new infrastructure for a new age, for an industrial age, the beginning of the industrial age and it unravels all these keys... TONY: ..Absolutely...

JAMES: ..from which Darwin starts unlocking evolution.

VO: Generally we associate the theory of evolution with Charles Darwin but it was actually 60 years earlier that his grandfather Erasmus created one of the first formal theories on evolution.

JAMES: Well, fascinating.

It's lovely to see Darwin keeping such good friends.

TONY: Absolutely.

VO: After James' afternoon of enlightenment... Jonathan has his head in the clouds 27 miles away in Ashbourne, Derbyshire.

This time around he's definitely been a stranger to a bit of haggling, so let's see what he gets up to in Ashbourne Antiques Centre.

Hello there, nice to meet you.

Jonathan Pratt.

Hello.

Barbara Aitken.

JON: One floor?

BARBARA: Yes.

JON: OK. A mixture of things... BARBARA: We've got a lot of different items, different dealers as well.

JON: That little bottle with the, em... is it a silver case on it, or is it just a plated case?

BARBARA: It's a plated case... ...No, it's a silver case, but the bottle's cracked.

JON: Oh, is it?

BARBARA: Yeah, yeah... JON: Look at that though, with the lovely little coronet on the top.

BARBARA: Gorgeous.

JON: So, it's not an English piece, is it?

BARBARA: No.

But it's an English label on the bottle, but it actually comes with it.

JON: It's a... continental 800, probably German.

How much is that?

BARBARA: 40.

How...now...now I'm thinking.

I really like that.

I like the color of the glass, I like the shape of the stopper with the crown, em...

I mean, it would be great if it was English and if it wasn't cracked, of course.

Em... Do you know what, I'll take that.

OK.

Thank you.

JON: Thank you very much.

I like that.

I think that's really pretty.

VO: Crikey, Jonathan, a damaged pepper pot, a cracked bottle and no haggling... ...let's see how you get on in the last shop of the day.

(BELL RINGS) VIVYAN: (LAUGHS) Hello.

JON: Hi there, Jonathan Pratt.

Do you mind if I look around?

VIVYAN: Not at all.

Please do.

JON: Lovely, thanks very much.

VO: Manion Antiques is just across the road.

Go on Jonathan, I dare you to have a haggle with shop-owner Vivyan... JON: OK, it's a blue transfer- decorated porcelain cup from the 19th century.

Very pretty decoration on it, with one or two minor little chips.

But nicely molded handle, which is attached still - which is always a bonus, and it's got a glass bottom.

But there is one little thing and there's a little hairline crack, cuz you can hear it... Running just down there, and it affects the price.

OK, em...

I'm adjusting my thoughts about value of it.

What do you think?

JON: £30.

VIVYAN: Oh.

Worth about 40 then?

OK, 40's better.

JON: Will you accept £35 for that?

VO: Sorry?

Are you haggling?

For you, yes.

JON: So, I now have five objects!

(CHUCKLES) And James will be arriving shortly.

VO: Gosh Jonathan - five lots and three of them are damaged!

VO: Aaah well, moving on then.

It's time to show one another your wares.

James has arrived to join Jonathan in Vivyan's back garden... JAMES: Rather like golf, it's your turn to tee off.

I think you were the winner of the last round.

OK.

I've had a hard time, I must say.

JON: Em... Good.

JON: Now, this is a novelty figure.

JAMES: Yeah.

Yeah.

JON: It's a pepper pot.

JAMES: Yeah, OK. JON: Not without fault.

Staffordshire-made.

JAMES: Yeah, yeah.

JON: And his name's Paul Pry, who apparently was a sort of satirical character of the 19th century and he was not afraid to poke fun at himself, so I suppose you're having your dinner, and you're putting your pepper on...and there he is.

There he is in all his glory.

JON: Yes, rear of the year.

If I brought this into your sale-room, what would you...what would you estimate it at?

I'd tell you to take it to the next sale-room.

JON: (LAUGHS) JAMES: Yeah, go on.

JON: I paid £25.

JAMES: £25?

JON: Yeah, I would buy that myself if I walked into an antiques shop.

JAMES: Really?

JON: Yeah.

Would you?

JON: Yeah!

If you're laughing me I really am looking forward to seeing your stuff now, then.

JAMES: Here's my first item.

You're familiar with these, aren't you?

Yes.

It's nothing brilliant, it's just a rather tidy little souvenir box, Tunbridge-ware box.

JON: Yeah.

Little rosewood box, parquetry top and a sort of little traditional border to it.

JAMES: Yeah.

How much?

JAMES: £20 JON: That's nice for £20.

JAMES: Yeah.

JON: My second item here.

JON: I'm going to show you.

JAMES: Woooh!

JON: Bought from the same place.

Oh, lovely.

Now, is this a piece of enamel?

JON: It is a piece of enamel.

JAMES: That's a nice bit, very nice bit.

JON: Late, late 18th century JAMES: Picturesque landscape.

Yeah, pretty.

JAMES: Do you know, I don't think I've really handled too much 18th-century enamel.

JON: I think that's quite a nice little cabinet piece.

Yeah, a lovely cabinet piece.

And how much did you pay for that?

£65.

I think that's a very good buy.

Marked improvement on the pottery JON: (LAUGHS) JAMES: I might add.

JAMES: Next purchase is more up your street.

Oh, OK, a little branch coral necklace.

Oh, two of them.

JAMES: A necklace and a bracelet.

JON: A bracelet.

It's one of those things that sort of go out of fashion and come back into fashion and I think that it's picking up again.

Very good.

How much did you pay?

JAMES: £20.

JON: £20?

I think you'll make... ... you'll make money JON: ...out of that, I'm sure.

JAMES: Good.

JON: This morning I went and bought... That looks tremendous, what's this?

The best...the finest silver plate.

Yeah, don't pull that off.

And...oh, a cigar lamp.

Little cigar lighter, yeah.

JAMES: So, these are the things you light the cigars with, all very fine.

How much did you pay for that?

JON: I paid £20.

JAMES: £20.

That's a good buy.

JON: Yeah, I wouldn't have bought it unless it had this shape, just cuz it was a novelty shape.

JAMES: Yeah, yeah, this is my third.

Here we are.

JON: So, this is obviously for eating noodles with.

JON: (LAUGHS) JAMES: How did you guess?

Well, you know.

I've been in this business a long time, James.

Em... glove stretchers.

JON: They're probably 1930s at the earliest, at the latest.

No.

I don't think so, with the reserve on it.

That's, that's quite a Victorian thing, isn't it?

Put some, a reserve for somebody's initials.

I think it's earlier.

I think it's late 19th.

You paid...£8.

No, 20.

Sorry, James.

That's a loss, is it?

I think so.

JAMES: Oh, very nice with the coronet top.

JON: Yeah.

JAMES: Big toilet bottle.

JON: Yeah.

JAMES: Pewter.

JON: No.

JAMES: Oh...what..?

JON: Silver.

JAMES: Is it silver?

Silver.

But it's not English silver, it's 800 standard and, if you get the thing off, it's ah... JAMES: Lavender oil.

JON: Yeah.

Sadly...cracked.

So what do you think?

JAMES: I think, I think... JON: How much did I pay for it?

I think the stand it's in is very nice.

JON: Yeah.

JAMES: I think you paid about ...20 or £30.

40.

40?

OK.

It's a punt, isn't it?

JON: Yeah.

JAMES: Item four.

Now, there we go.

Little patinated spelter figure, art deco style Of Lorenzl perhaps?

JAMES: Lorenzl I think.

Probably Lorenzl.

I don't think it is spelter.

You feel it in the balance of your hand.

It's got m...

Bronze isn't gray, that's all.

JAMES: It's got more weight than that, feel it.

It's gray.

JAMES: But the weight.

JON: It's made from the finest lead.

VO: Hmmm.

James thinks it's bronze... Jonathan doesn't and he's got a handy test to prove it.

Ah, so what you need James is a piece of paper.

JAMES: OK, fire away.

Right, em, that'll do.

JON: If it's a lead body, it'll leave a mark.

JAMES: OK. JON: OK?

A gray streak.

It does!

That, dear boy, is as good as a pencil.

JAMES: (LAUGHS) It is, isn't it.

JON: 'Fraid so.

So, what did you pay?

45.

Yeah, it's got a chance, hasn't it?

JAMES: Your go.

JON: Right, my go.

Here it is.

Oh, that's rather fun.

Porcelain cup.

And incorporated a glass bottom in it.

JON: Yeah.

JAMES: That's nice, isn't it?

JON: The downside is... here.

There's a crack.

And I paid how much?

15 to 20 JON: OK. No, I paid £35.

JAMES: I think it has a real novelty, I think it's a great shame that it has the hairline crack though.

JON: Yeah, quite.

JAMES: Countryside of Sienna.

Oh, isn't that pretty?

Isn't it pretty?

The colors sort of give it away as being painted probably in about the 30s, maybe the 20s.

JAMES: Yeah.

I like the skies, and I like the...em... it's the Sienna landscape, Sienna countryside.

I think you still paid some good money, £35.

I paid 30.

Yeah, alright.

Yeah.

£30.

So, all in all are you pleased?

JAMES: Yeah, I am quite pleased, really.

Good luck.

See you at the auction.

VO: OK, so what do they really think?

I have the nicer objects.

I think they're nicer quality, if the condition may be a bit suspect in a few.

I think they're nicer quality, nicer age, nicer stories about them.

They'll sit better in that sale.

I think mine have slightly, ah... you know, more get up and go.

They're more...

They're cleaner, they're undamaged, and em...

I think generally, hopefully, I'll do better.

VO: Right the gloves are off.

Both boys think they will be victorious, but only the bidders of Birmingham can decide.

VO: They started in the town of Leek and journeyed via Willenhall, Lichfield, and Ashbourne to their final destination, the city of Birmingham.

VO: Birmingham, or 'Brum' as it's affectionately known, is a thriving city in the West Midlands.

It's auction day as our sparring partners roll into town.

JAMES: Here you are, palace of dreams, Jonathan.

How do you think you're gonna do?

JON: Yeah, I think I've bought some quite nice things.

JAMES: I've bought some nice things, em...

I've got two stars.

I think the art deco figure and the picture.

VO: Biddle & Webb have been established for over 50 years and hold up to five auctions every month and specialize in fine art, antiques, silver and jewelry.

VO: Taking to the rostrum today is auctioneer Liz Winnacott - nearly a relation.

Unfortunately, she thinks the boys might be punching above their weight.

I think overall there's not going to be any great profits seen in either of their items.

I mean hopefully, you know, maybe somebody in the room will take a real shine to, say, the picture, or something; but I think overall bit of a shocker and we'll just have to see what goes on the day.

VO: James Braxton started today's show with £270.60 and spent £135 pounds on five auction lots.

VO: Jonathan Pratt began with £331.50 and decided to employ the non-haggle tactic.

He actually spent £185, also on five lots.

VO: Now, settle down... the auction is about to begin.

VO: First up Jonathan's chipped pepper pot.

There he is.

LIZ: Nice little thing, this, OK. Do I see £10 anywhere?

£10?

£5?

£5?

Do I see £5.

JON: Come on.

LIZ: £5 anywhere?

£5 there.

Do I see eight?

I've got £5, do I see eight?

LIZ: I'll sell at £5.

Selling now at £5... JON: I liked him!

JAMES: Yeah, well, he got a good old spanking, didn't he?

VO: That's a whopper of a loss, Jonathan.

Next we have James' Tunbridge-ware box.

Maybe it will attract some interest.

JON: Nice little bit of local treen.

LIZ: OK. What's shall I say for this, then?

£20, £20.

Do I see £20 anywhere?

£10?

£10 there.

LIZ: 10.

Do I see 12?

I've got £10.

12, 15?

18?

Do you want 18?

20?

22?

25?

28?

£25 there then.

Are we all done at £25..?

(GAVEL) VO: Oh dear, we're not off to a good start at all.

VO: Surely to goodness the little Bilston Pin-tray will get you back in the running, Jonathan.

Come on, come on, come on.

Oh, a telephone bid coming in.

LIZ: What shall I say for this, then?

£40?

£40 anywhere?

£30 to start then?

£30 to start?

Any interest at £30?

£30.

£30 at the back of the room.

Do I see £32 anywhere?

I'll sell at £30... (GAVEL) I'm gonna cry.

VO: Here's a tissue.

We're not doing terribly well here, chaps.

JON: I don't know what to say!

I don't know what to say.

VO: I don't know what to say.

VO: Up next it's the coral necklace and bracelet.

Best of luck James.

JON: Ah, look... You know, there's no justice in the world if it makes £20.

£20 for the coral necklace?

£10 to start?

£10 anywhere?

Any interest?

Nice pretty coral necklace with a matching bracelet.

Nope?

Pass and move on.

VO: Oh dear, oh dear, Birmingham is not brimming with profits for the boys.

It's an unsold lot, so I can move it on to the next... Why didn't she unsell mine, then?

I sold mine for five.

VO: An unsold item means it moves onto the next leg.

Maybe it will fare better at the next auction.

That's not fair!

That is not fair!

VO: Another one of your non-haggle buys Jonathan... could it strike a light of hope for you?

LIZ: Victorian, silver-plated table cigar lighter of triangular form with wavy, fluted body.

You never know, I might just... JON: I might JAMES: Right then.

LIZ: A good thing to pop on your desk.

What shall we say for this, then?

£20?

£20 anywhere, £20 for the desk lighter.

LIZ: £20?

15?

15 to start?

15 anywhere?

15 there, do I see 18?

I've got £15 in the room... Come on someone.

LIZ: ..do I see 18?

JON: Come on.

LIZ: I'll sell at £15...

It's gonna haunt me, that... the sound of that gavel.

VO: And again, another loss.

You need to re-think your tactics, Jonathan.

Next up, it's James' handy glove-stretchers.

LIZ: 19th-century Cantonese glove-stretchers.

Boxwood knuckles, carved figures in deep relief.

LIZ: Nice little things.

What shall we say for these?

£10 anywhere?

£10 for the glove-stretchers?

£10, £10.

Who said that?

£10 there.

£10, do I see 12 anywhere?

I've got £10 there and do I see 12 anywhere?

Or I'll sell at £10... JAMES: Oh dear, alright.

As expected, really.

JON: It's better than a fiver!

VO: So far the boys are three lots down each.

Jonathan hasn't made a profit on any and James has an unsold item.

Could it get any worse?

I'm going to go back to buying pictures from basements again.

That's what I'm going to do.

VO: This is very disappointing, chaps, but maybe Jonathan can claw back some profit with the silver- mounted glass bottle.

Oh is that the one with the crack in it?

£20?

£20 anywhere?

£10 to start.

£10 anywhere?

Any interest at £10?

£10 there.

12, 15?

JAMES: You're away.

I've got two bidders in the room.

LIZ: £18 Seated.

I've got £18 seated.

Do I see 20 anywhere?

I'll sell at £18... (GAVEL) There you go, you see.

£18.

Ooh, dear oh dear.

VO: Play nicely boys...

Right James, It's the scantily- clad Deco figure next... VO: ..the one you thought was bronze.

LIZ: Lot 691a, after Lorenzl.

Decorative little item there.

Em, what shall we say for this?

£20 anywhere for the figure?

£20?

£20 anywhere?

£10 then?

£10 there.

12, sir?

Do you want 12?

It's worth more.

LIZ: ..18, 20, 22, 25, 28...30?

£28 seated, then, we've got £28.

Do I see 30 before I sell, LIZ: at £28... (GAVEL) Joke, isn't it?

VO: Could this be a record for the most disappointing results ever?

Shall we go home now?

VO: It's the last-chance saloon, Jonathan, with the blue transfer mug with the glass bottom and the...crack.

LIZ: £10?

£10 anywhere.

£10 for this?

£5 then?

£5 there.

LIZ: £8 anywhere?

We've got £5 on the front... You're away again.

LIZ: £8?

I've got £5, and I'll sell at £5... (GAVEL) Well done.

Thank you, James.

There we go.

JON: That's brilliant.

VO: A loss on every single item.

It beggars belief Jonathan.

VO: So, it's the final lot of the day.

Glass-bottomed mugs with cracks on them aren't big in Birmingham but perhaps the Italian painting will be a hit.

LIZ: Mario Bordi "Campagna de Sienna", oil on board, signed with label on verso and there's been a little bit of interest in this.

JON: Oh, don't!

JAMES: Steady.

LIZ: I can start the commissions on the book at £60 with me.

Oh, please!

LIZ: 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90 95, 100, 105, 110 with me, 120?

120 takes me out 120 in the room.

120 takes me out... Clearly mad.

LIZ: Let's see 130?

140, 150?

160.

170?

LIZ: 160 in the room then.

Are we all finished at £160..?

(GAVEL) JAMES: (CHUCKLES) JON: Very well done James.

Thank you.

Very well done.

Best of a bad lot, that.

VO: Good golly, so it is!

Braxton has played a blinder!

£130 profit on one item.

He is the clear winner of the day!

Goodness sake.

That's it, isn't it?

That's it, it's all over.

(SIGHS]) VO: Jonathan started today's show with £331.50.

He experienced disaster on every single lot - he made a devastating loss overall of £125.14.

Mr Pratt will hopefully remember to haggle next time, he's almost back to square one with the sum of £206.36.

VO: James started today's show with £270.60 And, after paying auction costs, made a small profit of £47.86.

He takes the lead with a princely sum of £318.46 to carry forward.

JON: There you go, James.

JAMES: (LAUGHS) JAMES: Yeah, sorry.

That is the position for the... Yeah, the winner takes all, winner takes the key.

JON: Well... JAMES: I'm on the tee.

I'm raising the game, James, I'm raising the game.

I think you need to.

JON: Go on then.

JAMES: Safety first.

VO: Next time on the Antiques Road Trip, our boys head for Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire.

VO: Jonathan recovers... JON: Yay!

WOMAN: (LAUGHS) Excellent.

VO: And our Braxton is a man with a mission.

At the end of the day I'm gonna try and squeeze you on a price.

Of course.

subtitling@stv.tv