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

One big challenge - who can make the most profit buying and selling antiques as they drive around the UK?

SHOPKEEPER: £6.

PHILIP: £5.

Done.

Is that your very best you can do?

VO: By the end of that trip, they should have made some big money.

Yes!

VO: But it's not as easy as it sounds.

Only one will be crowned champion at the final auction in London.

This is the Antiques Road Trip.

VO: In this final week, the antiques experts are Mark Stacey and James Braxton.

Mark Stacey hails from Wales and has his own valuation business on the English south coast.

Perfect.

Yeah, perfect.

VO: James Braxton is a graduate of the Inchbald School of Design, and now a seasoned auctioneer.

It's a road trip, it's fun, I'm a gambling man.

So let's get it on.

VO: And he's brought his own beautiful old car along this week.

James and Mark started the week with £250 each.

James's strategy has been risky.

Big spending hasn't really worked, earning him the grand profit so far of £2.25.

But astonishingly, he's kept the lead.

After yesterday's show he has £252.25.

Well, all our lovely hard work really hasn't put us very far ahead if you call £2 a massive amount.

VO: Mark's been going for small cheap items and that hasn't worked either.

Mark made big profits on yesterday's show, but he's still down on his original 250.

He's got £236.74 to start today's show.

What I'm really trying to do today is buy sensibly but buy cheap.

VO: This week, the boys have been pootling round the South East of England and in today's show, they're leaving Tring in Hertfordshire, ending up at auction in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.

Wendover is the first stop.

Wendover in Buckinghamshire is a pretty commuter town, or village as it's known locally.

Wendover was once part owned by Anne Boleyn before her unfortunate encounter with an antique cutting device, or sword as it's known locally.

Well, we've finally made it, James.

Oh, through wind, rain and hail.

I know, but we got here.

And apparently there's two levels.

So I think I'll take downstairs.

Wise choice.

I'll go upstairs.

See you later.

MUSIC: "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor VO: Today it's round three for Mark and James.

People like collecting perfume bottles.

And this is rather a sweet Reynolds, clear body with a frosted glass stopper, with this little butterfly motif.

And I was rather hoping it was going to be signed Lalique on the bottom but it's not unfortunately.

They're asking £35 which is quite a lot of money.

VO: Mark is still looking for cheap.

But James has been going crazy so far this week, spending big and not making much profit.

So I'm not gonna make that mistake.

I'm gonna bank some of my money and I'm going to spend max today about £30 on every item.

Oh, this is the rude box.

This was produced in...

I went to school very near Reading, and went to school near Reading.

And of course Huntley and Palmers, the biscuit manufacturer's metal box.

VO: Founded in 1822, Huntley and Palmer was once Britain's most famous and popular biscuit company, but they're better known in the antiques world for their decorative tins.

A rather disaffected designer working, young chap, was fired.

I don't know, for some misdemeanor.

So he decided in the Christmas box this year, that he would add various things.

And you'll see there's a pair of dogs copulating in the hedgerow there.

VO: Gosh, when Huntley and Palmer discovered the hidden figures, the tins were withdrawn and very few made it to the shops.

So these rude tins are rare and relatively valuable.

I see its price tag is £70 but it falls outside my buying profile for today.

Now, this is quite nice.

This is a little Royal Dux porcelain figure of a child kneeling.

She's obviously praying here, and she's just about to go to bed but I quite like this little cheeky bottom shot on the back.

VO: Royal Dux was founded in 1860 in what is now the Czech Republic.

These bohemian figurines became popular after the Second World War and are very collectable today.

Some can fetch hundreds of pounds at auction, and that's at the bottom end.

It's probably 1950s.

It's only marked up at £22.

If we could get that you know, for 15 or something like that, I think there's probably a profit in that.

Could I just look at the cufflinks, the gold cufflinks?

So generally how much are all these ones at?

CLAUDIA: 65.

Nicely engine turned as well.

VO: Engine turning is a method of engraving on metal surfaces by machine rather than by hand, allowing intricate and precise patterning.

James wants to check scrap prices and calls the dealer.

Rather nice standard chain lift cufflinks, 1939, engine turned.

It's all down to weight, though.

They're not terribly heavy.

They're around about £40 at auction, but the acid test is the trade will pay £4 a gram.

Right, just pop them on.

The weighers, though, are coming in at 7g.

VO: If this were merely a lump of gold, by James's calculation of £4 per gram, he'd get a rock bottom £28.

The engine turning and design should add more value.

Would you do 35?

You're really squeezing me very hard.

I know.

I can make a little bit on it so I'll do them at 35.

Good.

Let's do it.

Thank you very much indeed, Claudia.

Goodbye.

CLAUDIA: Bye bye.

VO: Good work, James.

Although that's £5 over the strict limit you set yourself for today.

And now Mark must get to the bottom of his situation.

Really, I was hoping to try and get her for about £15.

Really?

I'm not sure the dealer will do that.

Well could you give her a ring and find out?

Yes I will.

You have a figure of a child, which you've got 22 on.

I wonder if you could do a bit better than just the usual.

Oh, you'll do 15.

Perfect.

Yep, perfect.

Thank you so much again.

BOTH: Nice to have met you.

VO: Success for both our experts.

The day couldn't get any better.

JAMES: Come on, Mark.

Well, you've been so long in there with your purchase that we've managed to gather a ticket.

Anyway.

Stop moaning, come on.

We've got places to go to.

A nice souvenir of Wendover.

(ENGINE STARTS) VO: Onto the lovely village of Woburn in Buckinghamshire, and Mark's hoping a fellow Welshman might give him a bargain.

Hello, I'm Mark.

Hello Mark.

I'm Elvin.

Nice to meet you, Elvin.

Now whereabouts in Wales are you from?

South Wales, Newport.

But it's a very long time ago.

Well, me too.

You know I'm from near Swansea.

You know, would you take pity on me as I'm bedraggled and soaking wet from our car trip this morning and show me any possibilities or something which is a bargain price?

Yeah.

You want me to go that route?

I do, yes.

(LAUGHS) And you want something quirky?

Quirky, cheap, and guaranteed to make me a profit.

Apart from yourself of course, Elvin.

You're looking at quirky things, something like that.

A large bagatelle game.

I'm not sure I'm looking at that quirky.

VO: Bagatelle is a French ancestor of bar billiards.

And this early 20th century brand of Kumbakatel is apparently collectable.

ELVIN: That can be 20 quid.

Oh, well, let's think about that.

ELVIN: That's a sort of silly idea.

It is a bit.

I see where you're coming with that.

I think we're thinking along the same lines here.

MARK: Can we just open it up?

I promise I won't steal anything.

Now what is this?

ELVIN: It's a sugar bowl.

VO: This delightful Sheffield silver sugar bowl was made in 1903 by Zachariah Barraclough and Sons and has the pretty fluted edges popular at the turn of the 20th century.

MARK: £56, it's not overly priced.

How would £40 help you?

Oh, 30 would be better for me.

ELVIN: 30 is half the price.

I can't do half the price.

MARK: Oh yes, you can.

ELVIN: 35.

Oh, go on, please.

It's so wet and I'm miserable.

VO: I'm fairly confident that Mark is currently engaged in what is commonly referred to as begging.

Please, please, please.

Go on.

Oh, go on.

Elvin, you're a star.

ELVIN: I'm gonna get told off by my wife.

Thank you, Elvin.

VO: Hm, looks like Mark's bargain might have put Elvin in the doghouse.

A few streets away in Woburn, James, who loves fine art, furniture and wines, has come to see a wacky group of over 400 antique corkscrews.

DEALER: Years ago, corkscrews was used in medical bottles.

Yeah.

BOTH: Perfume.

Because you often see that in traveling toilet cases, don't you?

You get a little sleeve that has tiny little corkscrews which must have been for perfume bottles.

Yes, ladies.

Here's, here's a quite fun one.

So a concertina telescopic one there.

They're just funny little sort of stirrup-like corkscrews here, which would have... Can I bend it round?

So it's safe.

It's quite a clever design.

JAMES: Beautiful design.

DEALER: Yes.

JAMES: What would the butler have reached for?

If there were obviously vases to store the wines in the cellar, they would be sometimes a bit dusty.

Now these brushes were there to take the dust off before you put the corkscrew on.

So there we are, over the top.

So we've redressed the thing, screw it in.

In it goes, and then the same action draws it out.

DEALER: It's amazing, isn't it?

You can imagine some mad engineer thinking, why is my butler taking so long to open that wine?

VO: Corkscrews are often credited as an English invention.

The first patented design was by the Reverend Henshall in 1795, which was still being produced well into the 20th century.

DEALER: This is a lever type.

So this goes into the bottle because obviously, you're turning it through and then to lift it out, you would put this over and obviously lift it up.

JAMES: Yeah, that's very good, isn't it?

VO: Stranger still are screw-in champagne taps for siphoning off a quick snifter.

So it's a...

Champagne corkscrew.

JAMES: Because very much in the early 19th century, champagne was regarded as medicinal.

Yes it was.

So you would draw off a glass of champagne.

They didn't want to drink the whole bottle.

JAMES: So that's 19th century and it's only £28 at retail.

For a bottle of champagne you can have the tap.

VO: Now thoroughly unwound and wishing there was an accompanying champagne collection, James goes to meet Mark for the remains of the day.

Right, home, James.

JAMES: It's running well.

VO: Morning has broken and for once, Mark is leading the spending spree with James lagging behind, as another day of tough bargaining awaits them.

JAMES: The sun is shining on us.

So let's hope you find some bargains.

I need some bargains.

Fingers crossed, James.

VO: So far, James has bought just one item.

The gold cufflinks.

He's got £217.25 left.

CLAUDIA: Bye bye.

VO: Mark's had a better start, with two items bought, and has £191.24 left.

I'm feeling the pressure, Mark.

I am.

MARK: Are you?

I'm loving it, James.

Carry on.

VO: Next the boys hit Weedon in Buckinghamshire.

In the 13th century the Weedon locals were fined by the lord of the manor if their animals strayed onto his land.

Nowadays, they'll let anyone roam around the village or trample through their antique shops.

JAMES: Good luck.

Anyway, hope you hope you find nothing in there.

Bargains are over here.

VO: James heads across the road looking for those little odd cheap items that he might just get for next to nothing.

JAMES: This is a nice sort of art deco spelter fellow.

It's got some damage to the patina surface.

HENRY: There we are.

It's a good size as well.

HENRY: It is.

It suits you, sir.

How did you know I was seven and one eighth?

HENRY: I'm very good at measuring things.

VO: Ha, big head.

But Mark has got straight into the serious business of browsing.

Now that looks quite fun, what's that?

DEALER: A little elephant cup.

Or it could be a shaving mug, I think.

Continental, I would have thought.

Sort of late Victorian, Edwardian again, isn't it?

Sort of pastel color.

It's rather fun, that, isn't it?

How much have we got?

£85.

Well, it was a bargain if the fiver's missing.

VO: James found nothing of interest across the road.

Now risking confrontation with another alpha antiques expert, James cautiously enters the same shop as Mark.

Barry, can I trouble you for some cabinets?

BARRY: You can.

JAMES: I like the sort of lighthouse peppers here.

London club.

And just nice solid plated fellows, aren't they?

BARRY: Yeah.

JAMES: Yeah, nice.

That's lovely deco, isn't it?

I've always liked little matchbox holders.

It's marked sterling, it's possibly American.

MARK: Hello, hello, hello.

What's going on here?

JAMES: Am I caught in the act?

You're caught in the act, you're thieving from my venue!

I like to come to fresh ground.

So get out.

How dare you?

VO: Clearly marking his territory, James sends Mark packing.

JAMES: Get out.

What are you going to do?

I've seen some items here, I'm gonna walk around.

Just make sure I haven't missed anything and put a package to Barry.

Just a great object, isn't it?

BARRY: Well done, isn't it?

It's turned wood and then very well painted.

JAMES: Yes, fabulous.

When I saw that, I thought that's definitely lapis.

BARRY: Oh yeah.

It's very well done, isn't it?

VO: Lapis lazuli is a beautiful, rare and expensive blue stone.

This wonderful piece is actually made of wood, but uses faux or false painting, a decorative technique, to make it look like the precious stone.

It was often used by artists in the art deco period.

JAMES: Well, that's quite nice.

Good tray.

£24.

That's quite stylish.

Chamber stick.

Oh fun, isn't it?

£65.

Horrid!

But it's got integrity.

It's got a sense of humor - look at that claw.

You know, time is moving on.

I'm a slightly worried man.

I only have one item from Wendover.

I'm hoping to do slightly better in Weedon and I need to.

So I'm gonna do battle with Barry and John.

VO: Meanwhile across the road, Mark is looking for those little bargains that James failed to spot.

MARK: Well I like this actually.

Based on a very old idea of a milking stool.

It's got this rather nice art nouveau top on it.

It's got a couple of chips on it here.

But these rather nice turned legs.

It's priced quite reasonably at £22.

But I just wonder if I could get it a bit cheaper because of the damage.

Henry, I really like this.

I mean, unfortunately it has got a little bit of damage on it.

The very best we can do on this is 18.

18?

Normally we'd sort of be 21 but we can do it for you for 18.

Well, I think we've got a deal.

BOTH: Thank you very much.

Thank you.

VO: Mark has done very well and pulled off a gold top deal on milking that stool.

Back with James, and his six favorite items are laid out.

What I want to do is sort of buy a package.

Yeah.

VO: He's got the London Club salt and pepper shakers, the art deco matchbox cover, the Indian hardwood tea tray, the handsome chamber stick, the faux lapis lazuli and the rather pretty silver tiara.

What will he go for?

There are items here.

Yes.

That are 29, 29.

That's 24.

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

VO: These items have a combined asking price of £297.

Way more than James has left.

He's only got £217.25.

Surely he's not thinking of buying the lot anyway?

195 for the lot.

For the lot?

Mm-hm.

VO: James?

Everything alright?

(WITH ECHO) I'm not gonna make that mistake.

I'm gonna bank some of my money.

VO: James?

Isn't that funny?

You've slightly taken the wind out of my sails there.

You know, it's a road trip.

It's fun.

I'm a gambling man.

So let's get it on.

It's gonna be great.

I can't wait to see Mark's face when we do the reveal.

What, later tonight or tomorrow?

No, I think there may be a small tantrum.

VO: (LAUGHS) Well, let's see.

I've got a bag full of goodies, James.

I've been busy at work.

That's for you, chief.

Oh my gosh, you're a gent.

Well done.

Chin chin.

JAMES: Pleasure.

Well look, my first purchase is a little figure of a girl praying.

JAMES: Yeah.

MARK: And look at that for a little cheeky pose.

(THEY LAUGH) That's fun.

And I got it for a very cheeky price of £15.

£15?

One five, James.

Oh James, very nice.

JAMES: Have a quick look.

Engine turned, not very heavy though.

If I was putting those in for auction, I would have said £30 to £50.

35.

(MARK GASPS) MARK: It's a nice honest little silver sugar bowl, priced originally at... 55.

60.

£56.

Spot on, Mr Braxton.

JAMES: Thank you.

MARK: But I got it for 30.

No, you naughty little fellow.

VO: And now we get to James's bumper package deal.

Cue tantrum.

So it's all in this box here.

I'm just gonna start.

Here we are.

So just a really nice sort of Indian carve... Get on with it, James.

Get on with it.

MARK: Oh, good God.

You've bought half the shop!

JAMES: Where's the smile?

That one.

MARK: Right.

I'm getting very unhappy here.

Right.

You were smiling so happily.

What do you think?

Do you like it?

MARK: You haven't got the hair to go with it.

No, it doesn't, doesn't look good on somebody so bald, does it?

I quite like that.

It was quite nice.

MARK: Yeah, OK. JAMES: OK. Oh God, this is getting ridiculous now.

MARK: Right.

Paris silver.

London Club, which is rather nice, I like those.

JAMES: That's nice isn't it?

I want you to guess the price at the end of this.

Oh, that's nice.

Silver.

JAMES: Isn't it?

MARK: Is that it now?

JAMES: That's it now.

So you bought this all as one item?

Guess how much.

150.

£195.

No.

JAMES: Yeah.

MARK: For all of it?

JAMES: All of it.

So £32.50 for each item.

You've taken a gamble again, haven't you?

I've taken a gamble again.

Got that rather sweet, little art nouveau stool.

MARK: It was priced at £22.

JAMES: No!

MARK: And they kindly gave it to me for £18.

Really?

£18?

I love it.

You love it?

I think it's a chance there.

VO: So that's everything finally revealed and now...

Hang on a minute.

I just saw something which I adored at their shop, which was this charming little knitting pin case.

VO: Mark, you kept that one very quiet.

It's a lovely 1930s knitting needle case, which the shop in Weedon secretly gave him for free.

MARK: They only had it up for £6.

They kindly gave it to me as a memento of my trip to Weedon.

Oh, you sneaky, sneaky fellow!

MARK: So I pulled another one out of the bag.

Mark's reaction was quite interesting, because whenever somebody doesn't sort of greet your items with the same enthusiasm, it sows a seed of doubt.

And Mark certainly sowed a slight seed of doubt.

If that painted, fake malachite bow or tazza doesn't make its money.

The rest of it is very mediocre in my opinion, but who knows?

VO: Well, the shopping's done.

W-W-W dot.

Wendover, Woburn and Weedon have been plundered for bargains and the antiques have been sent to Abingdon for the auction.

The boys roll into Mallams on auction day.

They've been banging the gavel here since 1788, with over 200 years of antiques expertise.

We are at the auction, James.

That's a nice, civilized start to the day.

Very nicely laid out, isn't it?

VO: They specialize in fine arts and decorative items.

So it looks like James and Mark might have bought quite wisely for once.

Henry Cook, the auctioneer, has a few thoughts on James and Mark's lots.

HENRY: It's a smart decorators.

MARK: Would you have it in your hallway?

No, it's not quite my style.

JAMES: Do you think the damage will hold it back or not?

It probably will.

But you know, and plywood isn't so easy to... MARK: Alright, steady on.

JAMES: Difficult to laminate on.

HENRY: It's fine.

It's a nice little stool and there's been a bit of interest.

MARK: £30 to £50.

I only paid 18 for it.

VO: Starting this leg with £236.74, Mark stuck to his strategy and cautiously spent just £63 on three items.

James started with £252.25 and completely blew his strategy of spending small by spending a massive £230 more than he planned, but with seven items to show for it.

JAMES: Get it on!

VO: Fingers are twitching.

Stomachs are churning.

There's a scent of expectation in the air.

The auction is about to begin.

Deep breaths.

VO: First up is Mark's freebie, so no great gamble here.

But Mark needs every penny he can get to catch up with James.

£10 for it.

£10 anywhere.

Anyone want?

£10.

It's not one of the celebrity's lots at all.

No, don't blame me at all.

Pass on that.

Lot 124.

VO: That's probably why the needle case was free.

Pair of nine karat gold chain cufflinks.

VO: James got these cufflinks at nearly scrap price.

Will their design add extra value and profit?

30, I have.

35.

40.

45.

50 now.

50 with the lady.

Any advance on £50, and selling?

Anybody else want to bid?

£50 only.

Yours Madam.

VO: Not bad, James.

Not bad at all and definitely worth the risk.

Next up, Mark's cheeky item.

Will his prayers for a large profit be answered?

Oh, lordy... £20 anywhere for it?

£20.

£20.

10 then.

10 I have.

Well done, madam.

Brave lady, £10.

Anybody else want to bid?

MARK: Down five, this is ridiculous.

VO: It's really not going Mark's way today and he needs to beat James.

Still ahead, James wants his pretty tiara to work its magic.

Let's hope there's someone in the room with a little princess at home.

£20 for this.

£20 for a tiara.

10 then.

Anyone?

£10 only.

No?

(GAVEL) Pass on that.

VO: Ha-ha!

Revenge is sweet for Mark as James gets a no sale too.

(THEY LAUGH) Everything alright, sir?

How can you, how can you laugh at another's... ..misfortune?

VO: OK, but try not to enjoy it too much, Mark.

What happened?

Don't know.

Just all over in a trice there.

VO: Now, Mark needs a sweet deal on this sugar bowl.

HENRY: £30 for this anywhere?

30 I have.

35.

40.

45.

50.

55.

60.

Nope.

60 here, selling for £60.

MARK: It's doubled though, so that's up £30.

VO: An excellent result.

Double money for Mr Stacey.

But most of James's bumper package deal is still to sell.

Surely one of them must make a big profit?

HENRY: Indian carved hardwood two handled tray.

£20 anywhere?

It's at £20.

20 I have.

With £20 and selling.

(GAVEL) £20.

HENRY: An art deco sterling silver matchbox.

£20 anywhere?

10 I have.

Any advance on £10?

JAMES: Go on, a bit more.

(GAVEL) JAMES: It just gets worse, doesn't it?

HENRY: Lot 59.

A pair of novelty silver-plated milk churn salt and pepper mills.

22.

25.

28.

£28 and selling.

MARK: Down 4.50.

That's not too bad.

HENRY: Lot 65, an arts and craft copper and brass chamber stick.

30 here.

Anybody else want to bid?

£30 only, and selling.

MARK: So down to 2.50 on that, James.

So it's all on the lapis lazuli.

VO: This has to be the package deal from hell.

James needs magic from the lapis tazza or he's in serious trouble.

It's make or break at this point.

It's got to make in excess of their top estimate of £150.

For you to break even?

For me to break even.

Gosh.

£50 for it anywhere.

No.

£50.

40 then.

JAMES: No... HENRY: 40 surely.

30.

30 I have.

Any advance on £30?

JAMES: Keep going, keep going.

HENRY: 40.

£40.

JAMES: Disaster.

But it's up though, James.

JAMES: Disaster.

So I've made a loss, plus the commission.

So I'm absolutely out.

VO: Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

James's great bargain buys have not brought him profit at auction.

It's now all Mark's to play for.

Finally the art nouveau stool that Mark got such a great deal on.

A little bit of damage but as you viewed it... MARK: Yeah, thanks Henry.

Really sell it.

Oh, £20, £2 profit.

HENRY: 30.

35.

40.

JAMES: No... HENRY: No, 40 there.

45.

50.

55.

60.

Any advance on £60?

That's not bad actually, £60.

MUSIC: "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor VO: And now we have a new heavyweight champion of the day.

Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Mark Stacey has just tripled his money on the stool.

JAMES: My strategy, Mark, did not work.

No, but I mean it was an interesting strategy.

No, no... At the end of the day, James, you've proved again what a unique character you are.

VO: True enough, James started with £252.25, boldly spending £230 and making a loss after commission of £52.

He starts the next leg seriously down on £166.47.

Mark started with £236.74, spent £63 and made a good profit, after commission, of £67.

He's ahead for the first time with £279.07.

Go Mark!

Well done, Mark.

And you're down a lot I think.

I think I am down quite a bit.

Come on, we can claw back.

No, we can claw back.

Come on, let's go to the city of dreaming spires.

JAMES: (LAUGHS) Last million to go?

MARK: I know.

Come on, Inspector Morse.

Get me to Oxford.

Started with millions... Ended up with nothing.

VO: In the next installment of the Antiques Road Trip, James runs out of fuel.

JAMES: 11.

It's called petrol!

VO: Mark runs out of ideas.

I don't know what to do.

VO: And they both run out of small talk.

BOTH: # You don't have to say you love me # Just be close at hand # (THEY LAUGH) subtitling@stv.tv