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

One big challenge - who can trade up to make the most money buying and selling antiques as they drive around the UK?

DEALER: £6.

PHIL: £5.

Done.

Is that your very best you can do?

By the end of their trip, they should have made some big money.

But it's not as easy as it sounds.

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

This is the Antiques Road Trip.

It's nearing the end of this Antiques Road Trip.

And our final leg is with Mark Stacey and James Braxton.

Mark has worked for the prestigious Bonham's and Sotheby's and is well versed in ceramics and glass.

MARK (MS): I really do need to make an offer on them, but I don't know if you're going to be happy with my offer.

VO: James Braxton is a seasoned auctioneer, the proud owner of this beautiful old car, and also loves fine furniture and decorative arts.

JAMES (JB): Should I be walking out of the shop without old Dobbin here?

VO: James and Mark began their journey with £250 each and, frankly, neither of them has really made any money.

James has been taking big risks on big items all week and losing big money.

He needs to work hard today, just to get back to where he started.

So after a week of big wins but even bigger losses, his £250 has been slashed to £166.47.

However, he still has an unsold tiara that he's hoping will turn a profit on this leg, or head.

No more big price ticketed items.

I'm a 20-22, or even a £15 man from now on.

VO: Mark's been gradually creeping up on James with his tactic to buy small and cheap.

He's taken a substantial lead over James, with his £250 now up to £279.07.

I think I'm still going to err on the side of caution and try and buy cheap and try and get the dealers to really negotiate down so I can maximize the profit.

VO: This week's road trip is round the South East of England and on today's show they're leaving Abingdon, in Oxfordshire, taking a cheeky detour north to Oxford itself, before heading south through Henley-on-Thames and ending at auction in Billingshurst, West Sussex.

Oxford is one of Britain's oldest cities and was the location for its first ever coffee house in 1651, opening local people's eyes, literally, to the new caffeinated drink.

And, of course, Oxford University is, well, fairly well-known around the world.

The man in the white suit heads out alone to the first antique shop of the day.

Here we are!

Antiques On High.

Will I be lucky?

JB: Hi!

JOAN: Hello, I'm Joan Lee.

Hello, nice to meet you.

May I look in the cabinet there?

Wouldn't mind looking at the hip flask, please?

Nicely shouldered, beautifully cut, no signs of damage, but still nice and tight, good bear neck fixings.

Nice item, isn't it?

I wonder who CD is.

VO: James needs to check the hallmark to get the rough value of the flask.

Hallmarking dates back to 1300 in Britain, governing the trade of precious metals to protect the public against fraud and the trader against counterfeiting.

Here the hallmark tells James the date of the silver drinking cup on the bottom of flask.

JB: There we are, 1907.

So a nice Edwardian fellow.

Very cheeky.

Could you do it for 50?

I'll do it for 100.

It's a good retailing price but the problem with me is I'm on me uppers a bit.

(LAUGHS) VO: Still in Antiques On High, James moves on to another, hopefully more persuadable, dealer.

And suddenly there's an important call.

Excuse me.

Hello?

JB: She hasn't re-thought her hip flask, has she?

DEALER: What did you offer her?

50 quid.

Yeah, I think she could probably take that.

Really?

That's really kind.

It's not for the first time that I've had my breath taken away on this show.

There you are, you see.

Thank you, that's really kind.

God!

He who dares wins.

This is the best deal I've had on any leg so far.

I'm really pleased with this and if this doesn't make me a profit, I am the Dutchman.

VO: Well done, James.

But you've broken your £15 to £20 rule already!

Oh, there you are, James.

I've been waiting ages for you.

No smile on my face.

You're clutching something, you've bought something.

Should I be worried?

You should.

I think this is the best item I've bought on the trip.

I haven't bought a thing.

Come on, off to Wallingford.

And it's back on the road, heading through Oxfordshire to Wallingford.

Pretty, historical Wallingford has been a town for about a thousand years, since it became a favored resting place for William the Conqueror in 1067.

Today, James and Mark need to conquer the antique shops and find some bargains to get out of their auction doldrums.

Not a moment too soon, Mark finds a delicious antique shop and actually goes inside.

He's got work to do, to catch up with James's early star purchase.

That's a little Tiffany dish.

Oh, that's rather pretty, isn't it?

What would it be used for, I wonder?

A little bonbon dish, or something?

DEALER: Yes.

MS: We've talked about silver and I've found this ridiculous little shell pocket, a wall pocket, which is Clarice Cliff, Wilkinson Pottery.

It's certainly not our first Road Trip encounter with the world famous Clarice Cliff.

Clarice was an English ceramics designer, who eventually owned and ran her own business, and is best known for her brightly colored art deco designs of the 1930s.

But I...

I quite like the simplicity of it, don't you?

Yes, she was more versatile than people imagined.

Yes, she was and I think also, in fairness, sometimes her signature was just put on things.

DEALER: Do you?

MS: Yes, I do.

VO: Well, that's a matter of opinion, Mark.

More importantly, are you going to buy it?

I really do need to make an offer on them, but I don't know if you're going to be happy with my offers.

So I'll just say them and you can... VO: Oh spit it out, man.

..say "yes" or "get out of my shop, Mark".

The Clarice Cliff wall pocket, I would ideally like to get for about £15.

And the little Tiffany's piece, really for 20 or £30.

Is there any, any chance that you can do them for that for me?

I know I'm terribly mean.

DEALER: I really can't do... MS: The Tiffany's.

The Tiffany's, but I'll do the... MS: Clarice Cliff.

£15.

MS: Thank you so much.

DEALER: Thank you.

Hope you do well.

Mark has stuck to his strategy and got a rock bottom price.

And something else seems to have caught his eye.

Excuse me, Pat, can I have a chat with you about the painting you've got here?

PAT: Yes.

MS: Come along.

I think these are rather fun, they're rather summery, aren't they?

I don't know the artist but I've looked on the back and they seem to be Russian or something like that.

PAT: Yes I think they are, yes.

MS: Sort of 1990s.

Do you think we could possibly negotiate a bit on the price?

You make me an offer and I'll tell you if I can... Well, I'm going to be very cheeky.

MS: Is that alright?

PAT: Yes I thought you might be.

So do forgive me and don't hit me, alright.

But what about £30?

Er, no.

How about... PAT: 45?

MS: (SIGHS) Oh, can't we compromise, Pat, and say 35?

Mm, no.

So what you're really saying is you want to get about £40 for them?

I think so, yes.

PAT: Decisions, decisions.

MS: Decisions, decisions.

Ha-ha-ha.

I think I'm going to give Braxton a run for his money.

Two fantastic oil paintings, framed, originals, for 40 quid.

Can't be bad, can it?

Plus the Clarice Cliff for only £15.

I think we're laughing.

VO: Well, James might be able to wipe the smile off your face with a nice piece of car trouble.

Oh, my giddy aunt.

Well, unfortunately, Mark, there seems to be a small problem with the... (RATTLING) JB: Can you listen?

That's the fuel pump.

MS: What have you done?

VO: James doesn't have a clue.

Luckily, help arrives.

Are you sure there's petrol in the tank?

Yep.

MS: This is the truth.

He's run out of petrol.

MAN: Are you sure there's petrol in the tank?

JB: Doubly sure.

VO: Are you REALLY sure there's petrol in the tank?

There's no petrol in it!

I don't believe it!

Not trusting James with the car, Mark puts himself in the driver's seat as the day draws to an end.

MS: But can I just say one thing, James, that I've been dying to say to you.

You've actually put the Wally into Wallingford.

JB: Hey!

Easy.

MS: (LAUGHS) VO: It's the final day of shopping for this week's road trip.

Leaving Oxford and Wallingford behind, the road trip continues south towards Billingshurst.

Next stop, Henley-on-Thames.

Henley has a great musical heritage.

Once home to George Harrison of the Beatles and the final resting place of the late, great Dusty Springfield.

A commemorative Dusty Day is held here annually.

BOTH: # You don't have to say you love me.

# MS: # Just be close at hand.

# JB: Get off!

So far, Mark has spent £55 on three items.

The Clarice Cliff wall pocket and two Russian landscape paintings.

Mark has £224.07 left to invest.

James has spent £50 on one item, the cut glass and silver hip flask, with £116.47 still burning a hole in his pocket.

Where are you off to?

I think I'm off ferreting, James.

MS: I'll see you later.

JB: I'll go to Tudor House.

Mark has gone for a rifle through The Ferret, a popular antiques and collectables shop in Henley.

MS: I actually quite like this barometer.

It's rosewood and it's inlaid with mother-of-pearl and brass string in here.

It's a typical, what we call, a banjo barometer.

Rosewood-cased banjo barometers were fashionable instruments in the late Victorian period.

Barometer movements were mostly made by Italian craftsmen who came over to Britain in the 19th century.

Could I ask you to look into giving me the very best price on that, please?

Right.

Let me look at the ticket DEALER: and see what we can do.

MS: Thank you.

DEALER: 150.

MS: 150.

DEALER: Yes.

MS: OK.

I was hoping for a bit less, but... cuz I've got to think about what it would make at auction.

VO: Whilst Mark contemplates blowing the budget, James is on his way to a cluttered treasure trove.

Well, I don't think I'm going to be lost for choice here, look at all these ceramics, what a place!

JB: Hello.

DEALER: Hi!

JB: Hi.

James.

DEALER: Pleased to meet you.

Good to meet you.

I can't wait to start unearthing things.

Have a dig around.

I know from the auctioneers that our auction is to include collectables so maybe I should be looking for something fun, something a bit glam, something colorful.

Skates, copper, brass.

I think if you were to melt this shop down, I think 10% would be copper, 10% would be brass and then the rest ceramics.

It's fun, great fun.

VO: James burrows ever deeper and Mark is still smitten with the barometer.

I really do like the barometer but I think in order to get the maximum profit I can to take onto the next leg, as it were, erm...

I'd have to get it for around 100.

I don't think we'll get down to the 100 but I do think maybe I can do a little better.

MS: OK, I'll leave it with you.

CAROL: If you'd like to wait...

I will.

Thank you.

Carol calls the dealer whilst Mark takes a last nervous look at what could be his star buy.

This is quite nerve-wracking, really, thinking of... Cuz I'm risking a lot again and I said I wouldn't do that.

Cuz if... Gosh, it is such a pretty one, though.

Right, I've managed to make the phone call.

Well done.

CAROL: We can't do 100.

MS: OK.

But we can do 110.

MS: 110.

CAROL: Do you think you can...?

Oh, gosh!

I'm going to take it.

Good.

I am pleased.

Do you think I've made the right choice?

I think you'll do very well.

I really do.

Well, I've decided, I... Look, life is a gamble, isn't it?

And I'm fed up of buying things for £10 and £20.

VO: Oh, dear, Mark.

If anyone would have stuck to the small and cheap strategy today, we thought it would be you!

Can James play it safe with a pair of ornamental favorites?

I quite like these - always fun, sculptural things, aren't they?

Was it Melba ware?

DEALER: It's Melba ware.

I'm sure of it.

I think that's Melba ware as well.

Melba Bone China originates from the home of British pottery, Stoke on Trent.

Bone china was developed in England in the 18th century as a soft paste version of porcelain and used ground cattle bones to produce a strong, white body.

JB: Could you give any of them at, say, two quid or something?

DEALER: (LAUGHS) Two quid?

I don't think so.

Could you do a fiver on this one, then?

I could probably do him for a fiver, yes.

DEALER: It's a deal.

JB: We have a deal.

We have a deal.

Woof!

Woof!

Dave, for a fiver, that's lovely.

But I'm still...

I'm still... Should I be walking out of the shop without old Dobbin, here?

It's going to have to be £15.

Have to be.

I can't... £15?

Gosh, the shock!

I'm going to have to sit down.

He's a tough man, this Dave.

15.

There wouldn't be a small discount if we say 13 quid?

£15 for the two.

(THEY CHUCKLE) Make my day, Dave, £13.50.

Come on.

DEALER: 14.

JB: 14?

DEALER: 14, it's a deal!

JB: Well done, well done.

Now I can afford lunch, just!

Not entirely sure what James can achieve with a ceramic shire horse and a spaniel, but we wish him well.

Meanwhile, Mark's gone off to West Wycombe to feel the Burning Fires of Hell.

Well, not literally!

He's delving into the scurrilous past at the West Wycombe Park Estate, former venue for the original, infamous, scandalous Hellfire Club.

MS: Hello, are you Chris?

CHRIS: I am.

MS: I'm Mark, nice to meet you.

CHRIS: Hello.

Nice to meet you.

VO: Chris Hathaway is the head guide at West Wycombe Park and leads Mark into temptation.

In 1740 the estate owner, Sir Francis Dashwood, founded an organization modestly called the Order of the Knights of St Francis of West Wycombe, otherwise known as the Hellfire Club, for its commitment to booze, mischief and, erm, well, dressing up as the Pope.

MS: Is that him?

CHRIS: Indeed.

The whole idea of the Hellfire Club, it was a kind of parody of Roman Catholic rituals.

So the men would dress up as monks and the ladies would dress up as nuns and they would party to extremes, you could say.

These Hellfire Clubs were an interesting band of people because they got up to all sorts of mischief.

VO: Rumors abounded of naughtiness in the caves around the estate, fueled by alcohol under the direction of Sir Francis Dashwood himself.

MS: Wow!

CHRIS: Ooh aren't they gorgeous?

They are, can I hold one?

Yep.

VO: Recently recovered by the estate, these ceremonial Hellfire goblets were used, possibly, for toasting the Devil.

Or perhaps just for getting drunk.

Gosh!

I do feel honored.

And here's his initials, I suppose.

FD.

Yes, that's right.

Francis Dashwood.

If you look underneath there's a very clear hallmark and that's London, and that shows that it's Georgian silver as well.

I never know whether it tastes very nice, drinking out of silver gilt.

No, metallic.

It would be a little bit, all that oxidization, I don't know, but I certainly wouldn't mind them.

Ha!

With the money you've got left, Mark, you can't afford them!

Back on the shopping trip, James has found his way from Henley to Eton and found a pretty antique bell push retailed by Thomas Goode & Co. JB: Isn't that fun?

Just a fabulous fitting.

VO: They opened their Mayfair shop in 1827, just before the Victorian era got going, and have been purveyors of fine objects ever since.

JB: Just do that, "beep, beep".

DEALER: Yeah, and wire it up and it's just as practical today as it was when first made.

You could have that for 40.

JB: Gary, I couldn't push you a bit more, could I?

Could you do 30?

Alright, James.

That's really kind, you can get me out of the shop now.

(LAUGHS) # You can ring my bell... # The final purchase of the day, just in time before the shops shut.

And for the last time this week, Mark and James get to show and tell.

MS: It's a little Clarice Cliff wall pocket.

That's lovely.

And I got it down from 42 to 15.

JB: Well done!

MS: So £15...

I thought there must be a profit in there somewhere, surely.

JB: Yeah, must be.

MS: Oh, gosh, James.

JB: Now, there's a shire horse.

MS: Yes.

And you've got a little dog with it.

Not quite Maud, but similar.

Oh, sweet.

This one is not great quality, James.

I know.

Two items, £14.

MS: 14?

JB: 14.

MS: 1-4?

JB: 1-4.

Oh well, that's alright, James.

They're Russian oil paintings.

JB: Russian oil paintings?

MS: Yes.

Hey!

Mark!

MS: That's the first one.

That's the first one.

MS: That's the other one.

JB: Nice colors.

Well, they were priced originally at £50 each.

JB: Yeah?

MS: And I got them for £40.

JB: For the two?

MS: £20 each.

I think you did very well.

I think that's quite reasonable.

You had your buying hat on there.

Well, I try, you know, I try.

And here we are.

This mighty fellow.

Oh, that's nice, James.

MS: Silver?

JB: Bayonet one.

So you twist and pull.

Oh, the stopper's missing, never mind.

It didn't have a stopper because it has a cork liner.

Initialed, which is a shame, but never mind.

No, I think it's rather nice.

ET, extraterrestrial.

This is my extraterrestrial item and I love it.

How much did you pay for that, James?

£50.

And how much are you hoping to get for it?

Watch and weep.

I should get 80 to 120.

It's a lovely little rosewood... JB: Yeah, lovely.

MS: ..and brass inlaid.

1830, 1840, needs a little bit of work.

It was marked at £185 and I got it for 110.

It's obviously not working because it should be on "much rain".

As we have enjoyed on this leg.

Ding-a-ling-a-ling!

That's very nice, a little bell push.

Just turn it over and you could redo it and rewire it today.

Absolutely.

A little bit of damage, unfortunately.

Don't worry about that, turn it round, chief.

No, I, I... Beep, beep, beep.

Profit?

Profit?

Loss?

JB: Beep.

MS: Oh, well I think... you will "ring up" a small profit on that.

Are you worried by my purchases?

No, not at all.

Am I worried by yours?

MS: No.

JB: Not bothered!

Girlfriend.

VO: And what do you really think, girlfriends?

The two pieces of pottery, the horse and the dog, are awful.

I mean, they really are.

Clarice Cliff?

Not my cup of tea.

It's a rather kitsch thing that might end up in a bathroom.

He has to make so much more now than I have to come out on top, so he has to clear £140-£150.

Back on the road, it's been a long journey from Abingdon, through lovely Oxford, Wallingford and Henley-on-Thames.

Finally, it's auction day and the road trip arrives in Billingshurst.

(SQUEAKING) Was that you?

Bellman's auction house specializes in fine arts, paintings and collectables and the auctioneer, Jonathan Pratt, has a few thoughts.

JONATHAN (JP): You know what oil barometers are doing JP: at the moment.

MS: Stop flapping, Jonathan.

MS: How much have you put on it?

JP: I've put 40 to £60 on it.

Oh, Jonathan, that's so mean!

No, it's a kind of "come and buy me" estimate.

I damn well hope it is, I paid 110 for it.

Did you really pay 110 for it?

Do you like my bit of adding value here?

(BELL RINGS) I like it.

Onyx and lapis lazuli with the Thomas Goode on the side, you know... it's a quality item, isn't it?

A couple of "no sale" items have tagged along from yesterday's show.

James has his silver tiara and Mark has his freebie art nouveau needle case.

Starting this leg with £279.07, Mark boldly spent £165 on three items.

James started with £166.47 and timidly spent just £94, overcoming his Achilles heel on blowing the budget.

Storm clouds gather around Billingshurst.

The wind picks up, birds flee to their nests and the strangest scent is in the air.

The auction is about to begin.

First up, Mark's got nothing to lose on this needle case, but a little extra profit would be nice to extend his lead.

Mitrailleuse by Royal Letters Patent.

Start me at a fiver on this?

£5 is bid, thank you.

Eight anyone?

Eight now, 10, 12.

£12.

15 anywhere?

I'll sell at £12.

If we're all done, then, at £12.

MS: I'm up £12.

JB: Well done.

VO: An excellent start.

£12 that Mark didn't have before and it cost him nothing.

James's tiara didn't sell in yesterday's show.

Will it find a pretty little head today?

Let's hope there's a secret bride here somewhere in the room.

Are you looking around?

Anybody?

I can't see anyone to be honest with you, James.

We have a silvered metal and colorless paste set tiara of belle epoque design.

I can start straight in at £20, with me at 20.

22, 25, 28 and 30, JP: 40.

MS: Oh!

At £40 and selling.

45, 50, 55, £60.

Any further interest?

Selling, last chance, at £60.

(GAVEL) MS: Up 27.50, James.

JB: I think I've recovered.

VO: Wow!

At no extra effort, James is heading back to level ground with Mark.

Next up, Mark's Clarice Cliff wall pocket.

Will it leave him out of pocket?

£10.

12 at the back, sir.

15, 18, 20, £22 with you, sir, at the back.

Come on, a bit more.

Last chance and selling for £22.

It's up seven, James, it's a profit.

JB: It's good.

Steady work.

MS: It's a profit.

VO: James got a great deal on this companion set.

Will anyone give them a home?

It's awful, no point to it whatsoever.

I wouldn't give you a fiver for it.

£10, any interest?

Five?

£10, thank you, at the back.

Do I see 12 now?

I'll sell at £10, all done at 10.

James, at last there is some justice in the world, you're down four.

1581A, Russian school, oil on board.

Mark's first Russian landscape needs a nice, rich buyer to fall for its charms.

Start me at £20 for the painting.

£20.

Come on.

At 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 22, then I'll sell at 22.

That's ridiculous.

JP: Last chance at £22.

MS: Ridiculous.

Well I'm up two but I'll be down overall on that, James.

You're loving this, aren't you?

You saw how kind I was when you were down?

VO: And now the other one.

Let's hope it's the more attractive of the two.

JP: Girl on a pony on a Russian farm.

JB: Here we go, Mark.

JP: Oil on board.

£20?

10 then.

10 is bid, 12, 15, 18, 20, 22, 25, 28, £28.

JB: Well done, Mark.

So that's... Up eight, there.

VO: Ding-dong!

Large profit, please!

It's James's lovely little bell push from Eton.

# Ring my be-e-ell Ring my bell.

# Lovely white onyx lapis lazuli... Don't push it too much.

..by Thomas Goode and Sons.

Start me at £30 for the bell push, 20 then, 22.

25, 28, and in the front row at 30, are we all done at 30?

OK, selling at 30.

Last chance.

30.

Oh!

There's...

Wiped my face there.

Isn't that a shame?

VO: Hmm.

Not great.

After paying commission, James can't break even on the bell push.

Mark's feeling the heat, too.

He needs his barometer to sell big and keep him in the lead.

I can't look.

Here's the barometer.

I'll talk you through it, Mark.

MS: Thanks.

JP: Start me at 65, 75.

Well, 75, come on.

And 80 and five, 90 and five.

JP: 95, all done at 95.

MS: Oh come on!

JB: 95.

MS: Well, that's terrible.

Ouch!

Barometers have not been good sellers on this Antiques Road Trip.

Maybe it's the weather.

Go on, rub it in.

No, I don't, I... All sympathy, I've been there.

VO: It's all to play for on the hip flask from Oxford.

James loves the quality and design, but he needs to double his money or all is lost!

65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90.

95, 100.

JP: 110, 120.

MS: Ooh!

JB: Good.

JP: 130, 140.

£140 seated front row.

At £140.

Selling front row at £140.

(GAVEL) JB: Up 90.

MS: That's very good.

JB: Thank you.

VO: Yes!

He's back with a vengeance!

Today's underdog, James Braxton, just about tripled his money on that hip flask and finishes his road trip victorious with... ..well, not a lot more than he started with.

Mark started today's show with £279.07 and made a loss, after commission, of £16.88.

Mark finishes his road trip with £262.19.

Do I see 170?

VO: James started today's show with £166.47 and made a big profit, after commission, of £103.60.

Which means James wins this southeast leg of the Antiques Road Trip with £270.07 So tell us, how much profit have you both made this week?

Mark.

James.

Final crunch moment.

Final crunch moment.

I made £20.

MS: And I made 12.

JB: £12.

I tell you what, I think we could become successful dealers, you know.

(THEY LAUGH) VO: (LAUGHS) Well, best of luck!

How's my little Welsh... VO: Mark and James started this final week with £250 each.

Antiques Road Trip, we love it!

VO: It's been a week of ups and downs, with James taking an early lead.

That's up 50!

Well done, James.

VO: After circumnavigating the South East of England, visiting several towns, dozens of antiques shops... Now would you take £20 for this?

No!

(LAUGHS) That I've just sold at the weekend.

MS: No.

DEALER: Yes.

You see, this is my luck.

VO: ..and hitting the best auction houses in six counties... Somebody buy it!

VO: ..they've achieved... not an awful lot, really.

Silly, that was silly.

VO: In keeping with the rules, our two experts will now use their monumental winnings to buy one killer item each for the final group auction in London.

Let's see how Mark and James fit into the Antiques Road Trip leaderboard.

As expected, there's no challenge to our clear front runners.

James Lewis and David Harper are still way out in front.

Philip Serrell beats Anita Manning to take third place, and James Braxton takes fifth place, just above his traveling buddy, Mark Stacey.

And both beating the shy, retiring David Barby and the crushingly modest Charles Hanson.

OK, take it over to the...

Yes, I know exactly what to do now.

Take it on to him.

VO: And so the bickering continues.

Ha!

On the next program, it's the final of the Antiques Road Trip and all our eight experts head for the grand slam auction at Christie's.

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