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

I've got it, I've got it.

VO: ..behind the wheel of a classic car... Ooh!

VO: ..and a goal to scour Britain for antiques.

Argh!

VO: The aim - to make the biggest profit at auction... ..but it's no mean feat.

Doubled up there!

VO: There'll be worthy winners... AUCTIONEER: £1,700.

SERHAT: Yay!

VO: ..and valiant losers.

CHARLES: Oh, no!

VO: Will it be the high road to glory... Lovin' it, lovin' it, lovin' it.

VO: ..or the slow road to disaster?

This is the Antiques Road Trip.

VO: Oh, yeah!

VO: Welcome, one and all, to the middle pip of the trip.

Third leg, Margie.

Yeah!

PAUL: It's exciting.

MARGIE: It is, isn't it?

VO: Oh, I'm all of a jitter for our dealers, silver specialist Margie Cooper and all-round good egg, Paul Martin.

MARGIE: We're on our way to Somerset.

Famous for its cheeses, especially around the Cheddar Gorge!

I tend to like soft cheeses more than hard cheeses.

I can eat cheese all day long and all night long.

VO: Greedy guts Paul is behind the wheel of the phantasmagorical 1958 Jaguar XK150.

(GEARS CRUNCH) Oh, you've made me crunch the gears now, I've gone nervous.

VO: I'm not surprised.

We've reached a crucial stage in the competition.

Well, I don't really want to rub it in.

I have got twice as much as you.

VO: Indeed... Say hello.

(LAUGHS) VO: Last time, Margie increased her ever-bulging pockets.

Very intoxicating, isn't it?

VO: She set out with £200, and now has £431.80.

PAUL: Give you a wave.

PAUL: (LAUGHS) WOMAN: (LAUGHS) VO: Paul also grew his kitty, taking auction glory despite remaining a little behind overall.

My spirit is lifted.

VO: He began with £200, and has just over 240 to spend.

PAUL: Today... MARGIE: Yeah?

..for my first shop, I'm just going to open the door and pray.

VO: That'll do it.

VO: Time for a quick recap on their travels so far.

After setting off from Shepton Mallet, our resplendent rivals have been all over Somerset and the West Country, and will finish up in Dorset.

PAUL: I'll tell you what, I'll treat you to a Devon cream tea, shall I?

PAUL: Some scones.

What do you say?

Sc-ohn or sc-own?

I say sc-ohn.

PAUL: You say sc-ohn.

I say sc-own.

MARGIE: Oh, do you?

I say sc-own, and then once you've eaten it, 'sgone.

VO: That's what they call a joke!

VO: Talking of which, their purchases will be heading to Nottingham for the auction, but the day begins in Dulverton.

VO: Nestled in a valley of the river Barle sits the charming medieval town where Paul has dropped Margie off just up the road from Acorn Antiques.

I hope she can squeeze in with £431 crammed in her pockets.

This rather upmarket shop offers a delightful array of Georgian and antique furniture and collectables.

How lovely!

MARGIE: (CHUCKLES) Peter!

PETER: Hello there.

MARGIE: Hello.

MARGIE: Do you remember me?

PETER: Yes, I do!

VO: It's a small world.

MARGIE: Gonna have a look around.

PETER: OK. And if you'll be on hand to help... Alright, by all means.

MARGIE: Thank you very much.

VO: Off you go, then.

Gorgeous thing.

Really nice.

Oh gosh, she looks very old.

VO: That's rude.

MARGIE: Can I afford her, Peter?

PETER: Em, maybe, yes!

MARGIE: (LAUGHS) VO: Unlikely, I'd have thought.

PETER: Tang Dynasty, roughly 600 to 900 AD.

MARGIE: (GASPS) Really?

PETER: Terracotta.

They're called fat ladies.

A fat lady?

PETER: (CHUCKLES) Yes.

MARGIE: Really?

VO: Truly.

Said to emulate Emperor Zhongzong's favorite in the high court, Buxom Women became hugely popular in art and poetry, as well as in the royal household.

MARGIE: So what purpose would she...would she have?

Just decoration?

A funereal object, usually.

MARGIE: Really?

PETER: It is the largest one I've seen.

MARGIE: How much is she worth?

10.

£10,000.

VO: Eh, time to move on, methinks.

Let's look in on Paul, who's just on the other side of the town.

Paul Hardy Antiques is an eclectic mix of furniture and interiors for our Paul's £240.

That's Paul the boss.

Lots of Pauls... VO: Tiny chair.

How about something a bit larger?

PAUL: I am a sucker for Windsor Chairs because they're so practical.

This is sort of circa 1850.

They're known as Windsor Chairs because they were made in the Slough area, and that's where Windsor Castle is.

This one is slightly different.

Straight away I can see the stretcher at the front... ..is different.

That's a steam-bent piece of wood, and that's known as a crinoline stretcher.

These were designed mainly for women because they would have a really large dress, you know, big bushel at the back.

Wonderful, fancy big dress, and they could actually sit on the chair then and sort of tuck the dress in and the stretcher... ..wouldn't be in the way like that one is.

VO: They thought of everything.

For me, that one would be the chair to buy.

VO: Yeah...

Ticket price £345.

PAUL: I don't have that sort of money, so I can't buy it.

VO: Never mind, old bean.

Let's hop over to Margie, who's come over all cuddly.

Oh, look!

(CHUCKLES) Oh, you're lovely, aren't you?

VO: She certainly is... Not for sale, though.

This is a modern anglepoise lamp.

Great to put on your desk.

I've seen these sell well in the sale rooms.

Peter, how much is this?

It could be £35.

MARGIE: (SIGHS) £35...

But I have a pair of older ones.

VO: Icons of British design since the 1930s, the constant tension springs of the anglepoise allow them to easily pivot and angle light in any direction.

And with just a little bit of electrical work, they're as usable now as they've ever been.

MARGIE: Right.

So what have you got there, Peter?

PETER: Well... MARGIE: Ah!

Well, they're alright.

Older ones.

PETER: Yes.

MARGIE: What are they, 1950s?

PETER: Yes.

Hm, it's put me off that one now.

PETER: Yeah.

MARGIE: (LAUGHS) So how much can those be, Peter?

£70 for the pair.

MARGIE: Is that your final word?

65 for the pair.

I will definitely have them.

Deal done.

Thank you.

OK. MARGIE: Lily, we've done a deal.

(LAUGHS) VO: Thank you, Peter and Lily.

Very kind.

Kiss my paw.

MARGIE: I'll have those two.

That's lovely.

Thank you very much indeed.

VO: And Margie still has £366 to spend!

Back to Paul, who's still on the hunt and trying to get ahead... What's he looking at?

PAUL: I like that sign up there, "Boys and youths clothing," but there's no price on it.

And I love this as well.

That's nice, "Works entrance."

I like these signs because they're kind of like little documents of social history.

It's got a lovely, faded, weathered look because it was outside being battered by the elements.

That's sort of 1940's, 1950's, whereas this is 1880, 1910, a bit earlier.

Nice plaque, that.

Faded elegance.

That's my kind of thing.

VO: No ticket price.

Anything else?

PAUL: Nice telescope!

Actually, you can see through it, it's alright.

It's not badly scratched.

The optics are OK. That's the most important thing with a telescope.

This one is incredibly decorative.

It's got a maker's name - Whyte, Thomson & Co, Glasgow.

That's great.

I like that.

Thomson and Co not only made nautical instruments for ships, it made telescopes, it made clocks, compasses, things like that.

So yeah, it's got a good pedigree.

And the firm started in the 1820s, and I'd say this is not far off of that.

I'd say this is around 1850, 1860.

The thing is, it doesn't have a price.

Only one way to find out, isn't there?

PAUL: Paul!

What's the very best on that?

PAUL HARDY: Well, I've had it a fair old while now, so I'm prepared to come right down on that.

PAUL HARDY: 20 quid?

PAUL: 20 quid?

20 quid.

OK. And there's one other thing that caught my eye.

PAUL HARDY: OK. What have you seen?

That.

That "Works entrance" sign.

Classic bit of Victoriana.

Smart, isn't it?

PAUL: Yeah, yeah.

I like it.

PAUL HARDY: Smart thing, yeah.

What's the best on that?

Well, I was looking for around 160, but as you've bought the telescope, how would... ..140 sound?

PAUL: That's a lot of money.

I'm blowing most of my budget here on two things.

VO: No, really!

He has just £240.

I'm going to be gutsy.

I'm going to go with my gut feeling and get my money out really quickly before you change your mind.

PAUL HARDY: (LAUGHS) VO: How kind.

That's £140 for the plaque and £20 for the telescope.

VO: With a huge chunk of his kitty gone, Paul has just £80 for the rest of the leg.

VO: Margie's on her way to Bideford.

She's here to meet a master potter who uses the traditional methods first employed in the town more than 400 years ago... MARGIE: Harry!

Hello, Marjorie.

Do come in.

MARGIE: Thank you very much.

VO: ..which is why Harry Juniper is known as the guardian of North Devon pottery making, a craft that utilizes two local clays, scratching the top layer away to create the design.

MARGIE: Harry, are you from this part of the world?

HARRY: No, I was evacuated from London in 1940 with my brother, evacuated with an elderly couple.

And we went to Great Torrington, met a brilliant art teacher who persuaded me to go to art school.

VO: It was there that Harry fell in love with pottery.

HARRY: This is the first one I made while I was at school.

Oh my goodness!

When I took it to the art school, they were so pleased with it, they put it in a showcase.

VO: And it was quickly sold for three guineas, a small fortune in 1948.

HARRY: My father was a baker's roundsman, and earned £6 a week.

Yeah.

HARRY: So this was more than half of his week's wages.

MARGIE: Good gracious!

And that's why I became a potter.

And I'm now celebrating my 74th year.

Ah, so you don't enjoy it, then.

No, not really.

VO: Harry's work combines artistry with the historical skills of local craftsmen, long established in the area.

MARGIE: These look so delightful.

So what's the history of Bideford pottery, Harry?

HARRY: Place is covered in clay.

There are two very well known clays, the dark brown clay from Fremington... MARGIE: Yeah.

..which is a pot clay.

And the white ball clay from Torrington, which is just seven miles away.

VO: With raw materials in abundance, by the 17th century, Bideford had become the largest production center in North Devon.

And alongside utilitarian ceramics, they were making distinctive, decorative honey-yellow wares that set their work apart.

These jugs, these harvest jugs... MARGIE: Yeah.

..were made to celebrate Harvest Home.

HARRY: This particular shape... MARGIE: Yeah.

..they would be bigger than this, were made in the 17th century to celebrate harvest supper.

These would be full of cider because cider was the only safe thing to drink.

MARGIE: Right... Water was a bit dodgy.

The potters decorated these because harvest was more important than Christmas.

MARGIE: The designs are so attractive.

VO: Harry has passed down his traditional skills to his son Nick.

NICK: Clay's all been prepared.

Do it all in stages and then slap up a ball of clay, throw it on the wheel, and make a pot.

Well you make it look very easy.

It's a very messy business.

NICK: It is messy, yeah.

I think that's the nice bit, though.

MARGIE: Perilous!

VO: Next stage, the dipping, which coats the brown clay with the white.

NICK: So you have to stir it up, a nice bit of dipping it in.

MARGIE: Mm.

NICK: Goes in one way.

MARGIE: Yeah... You don't want to get smeary, do you?

VO: And once the slip is dried, it's over to Harry.

It's now cheese dry, we call it.

MARGIE: Yeah...

Still damp, and I can now scratch the patterns through the white into the brown.

A technique called sgraffito, which I believe is Italian.

VO: Indeed, from the Italian word graffiare, which means to scratch.

HARRY: It comes away quite easily.

I can also apply colored clays to it.

MARGIE: But once you've scratched, you've done it, haven't you?

There's no going back.

(CHUCKLES) No, there isn't!

So do you not sort of do the design beforehand with, like...?

No.

MARGIE: No?

Straight in there?

HARRY: Straight in.

VO: Bravo!

HARRY: But I'd like you to have a go now.

Oh, right.

Well, I...

I'm not talented at all in this way.

VO: Ooh, this'll be fun.

Be bold.

MARGIE: Shall I be bold?

I'll drop it in a minute.

I think I'm going to commemorate my trip with Paul.

HARRY: Oh, absolutely.

MARGIE: I'm going to do some writing first.

Hey, that looks alright, doesn't it?

Antiques Road Trip.

VO: Spelling, Margie... Shall I do the car?

MARGIE: (LAUGHS) HARRY: Is that what you're driving around in?

MARGIE: Yeah, a Jaguar... XK150.

It'll probably look like a jalopy.

And we're by the seaside so I'll do a few seagulls, yeah?

Car looks a bit peculiar, doesn't it?

VO: Well, might be a tad.

"Antiques Road Trip, Margie and Paul."

HARRY: Oh, you've made a mistake!

Oh, I've left the U out of the "Antiques"!

Oh my gosh, how could I possibly do that?!

Be worth a fortune.

How did I... How many times have I written "antique"?!

MARGIE: (LAUGHS) Is that alright?

VO: That's better!

MARGIE: Feeling a bit scared that I might be as good as you?

(LAUGHS) VO: I think he's trembling in his boots.

But in truth, Harry has given a new lease of life to the artistry and skill of a bygone age, and it is set to continue through his family and into the future.

VO: Back out on the road, Paul's looking a little cheesy.

PAUL: Mm!

Yeah, good.

Can't come to Somerset without having some Somerset cheese.

VO: Well, he's supposed to be on his way to Barnstaple, actually.

VO: That's more like it.

Ah, Barnstaple, birthplace of a top broadcaster.

Modest me!

Look at that.

Paul and his £80 will be shopping in the aptly-named Selected Antiques & Trinkets.

Ruben's in charge.

Hello, Ruben.

PAUL: I had one of those when I was a kid.

(LAUGHS) Hello!

Hu-hu.

VO: Oh, he's easily pleased.

Oh, he's so cute!

VO: Do put it down before you break it.

That's the first hat I've tried on that fits me but it doesn't suit me because it's a girl's hat.

VO: Rather fetching, I thought.

PAUL: I think it's got to be something decorative.

VO: Right you are.

PAUL: Oh, I like this.

It's a box.

All of that has been carved by hand.

That's a master carver at the height of their genre.

I'd say it's circa 1900, maybe 1880.

VO: Probably made in Sri Lanka, known as Ceylon at the time.

PAUL: And these would have been brought back to England on the East India trade routes as souvenirs.

There's no damage, and that's key to the value.

The condition has to be 100% when you're selling this.

VO: Ticket price £150.

Wow.

PAUL: I can't afford it, so I can't buy it.

VO: Onwards...

I like that.

VO: OK, but what is it?

PAUL: It's a lampshade.

So it's that way up, so it would hang like that.

Isn't that funky?

It's Indian, and I'd say that's hide.

It's quite taut, almost like a drum.

PAUL: I like that.

I think that's different.

It's got some age to it.

I'd say that's 1910, 1920 at the very latest, so that's early 1900s.

This is made in some village in central India, I would guess.

Let's see what it looks like with a bit of light through it.

VO: Oh, yes.

PAUL: Yeah, there you go.

That's really nice.

VO: No price tag.

PAUL: Ruben!

RUBEN: Yes.

PAUL: Hi!

How much is it?

I've got 15 on it.

I could do it for a tenner.

10 quid.

RUBEN: Yeah.

That is such an unusual lampshade.

I've not seen anything like it.

I think it's just different.

And for £10... Yeah, you can have my 10 quid.

Thank you.

Ideal.

VO: And he's left himself with £70 for tomorrow.

VO: Our charming companions are reunited once more.

MARGIE: We're having a nice time.

We're getting on, aren't we?

We are getting on, yeah.

VO: Aw, aren't they sweet?

I had some cheese today.

Oh, did you?

PAUL: Yeah, I did, actually!

I hope it doesn't give me nightmares.

VO: Fingers crossed.

Nighty night, you two.

VO: Standby all, our adorable antique-rs are up and at 'em.

PAUL: Oh!

Don't you just love that smell?

It's the Devon countryside... MARGIE: Really?

(LAUGHS) PAUL: ..I think.

(LAUGHS) VO: Moo-ving on... PAUL: Do you know Devon invented the pasty, even though it's the Cornish pasty?

Really?

I never knew that.

VO: Me neither.

So how did you get on yesterday?

I bought, believe it or not... MARGIE: Yeah?

..and it was only 10 quid, an Indian light shade.

VO: 'Twas a bargain.

But he spent big on a Victorian wall plaque...

Faded elegance.

That's my kind of thing.

VO: ..and a telescope, leaving him with just £70 for today.

What did you get?

A pair of anglepoise lamps from the 1950s.

Well, they do well.

VO: Here's hoping.

Margie still has £366 in her kitty, and a lot of buying to do.

(ENGINE JUDDERS) Oh, I feel sick now!

This poor car.

VO: Their items will be going under the hammer in Nottingham, but we're off... to Great Torrington.

VO: Rather jolly looking high street, isn't it?

A-ha!

Having dropped Paul off, here's Margie with her £366 at the ready for Collectability, where there's a broad selection of collect-worthy goodies, as you might expect.

VO: Hi there, Roger.

Tiny.

MARGIE: Well, this looks quite nice.

Hmm.

I love luggage.

VO: What's not to love?

MARGIE: Quite sale-able.

And this looks most unusual.

This is a company called Hartmann, who are an American company.

They were founded in the late Victorian times.

VO: 1877 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

MARGIE: People use these to stack up and make coffee tables and things.

I'm going to see what's inside, if I can.

Ah, I'm in.

I'm in, I'm in.

Look at that!

That is in fabulous condition, isn't it?

Probably 1930's.

So... what have we got on the top here?

It's traveled on the Great Eastern Railway and it's in really, really good condition.

VO: Priced at £95.

MARGIE: I'd quite like to buy that.

I think that's quite a collector's item.

Very nice indeed.

Right, I'm going to bear that in mind.

VO: Splendid.

Cabinets.

I love cabinets.

VO: Aren't they great?

You see something different every time you look in it.

And there's a sweet little silver brooch.

This is a Scandinavian brooch with a lovely little Viking ship on it.

Sterling silver.

It's a very pretty brooch.

They're quite sale-able.

I like it very much.

If I could pair it up with something else... ..cuz it's not going to stand alone.

And it's...it's £18.

So I'll put that back and carry on looking.

VO: Perhaps two possibilities.

There's a little one there.

VO: Ooh!

More cabinets.

MARGIE: Love having a root.

Oh, that's cute!

Oh, look at this.

Little jumping salmon.

Isn't that lovely?

Little silver brooch, and that's got hallmarks.

I can date that one.

Early 20th century.

And it's a salmon leaping through a pool.

It's £15.

Isn't that absolutely lovely?

VO: Petite pulchritude.

MARGIE: So I reckon I'd put that with the other Scandinavian one, and it's a little lot, isn't it?

VO: That'll be one salmon at £15 and a Viking ship at 18.

Roger!

MARGIE: Alright, Roger, well thanks a lot.

Two brooches, which I'm happy with the price.

VO: £33 in total.

MARGIE: But...

..I spotted that lovely piece of luggage.

VO: Ah yes, American maker.

First item that took her fancy.

MARGIE: There's £95.

So if you could give me some kind of deal on that, bearing in mind that I'm not...

I'm happy with... ROGER: You're buying the two brooches.

VO: Here goes... 65, if you want it.

MARGIE: That sounds great.

So how much do I owe you?

ROGER: Would you like me to round it down for you?

MARGIE: That'd be wonderful.

Eh, what about 95?

MARGIE: Oh, you're... That's marvelous.

Thank you so much.

VO: That's very generous.

£33 for the brooches and a fantastic 62 for the suitcase.

MARGIE: Thanks very much.

I've enjoyed it.

VO: She'll have £271 for the next shop.

And off she goes on her hols... Just joking.

VO: In the meantime, Paul is heading for Clovelly... ..a picture postcard village transformed from a rundown fishing hamlet by a woman with passion and vision in the mid 1800s.

Its unique architecture and cobbled streets, untouched by roads or cars, have been preserved by her family ever since.

Maha Rous can tell us more.

PAUL: Hi, you must be Maha!

Hi Paul.

Welcome.

Welcome to Clovelly.

Well, this is beautiful!

PAUL: Is that the high street?

MAHA: It is.

That's the steepest I've ever seen.

MAHA: Yeah!

It gets steeper.

PAUL: Come on, then.

VO: Hidden away on a 400 foot cliff, unusually, Clovelly has been in private ownership since the 13th century.

Maha's family purchased it in 1738, and under their stewardship, its beauty and tranquility have flourished.

PAUL: Look at that, the whole bay opens up.

It's stunning.

This is lovely.

It's an artist's dream!

What sort of person lives here?

MAHA: People from all different backgrounds and jobs are living here at the moment, but originally you'd have lots of fishermen living in these cottages.

VO: By 1840, a fleet of about 70 boats were fishing here for herring.

And in favorable weather, it's said as many as 9,000 fish were caught here in one haul.

MAHA: The living conditions for the fishermen was quite harsh and precarious, because the cottages were quite small and cramped, and they tended to have large families to help with bringing in fish.

VO: But then Christine Hamlyn inherited the village.

MAHA: She had a judicious marriage.

She married someone called Frederick Gosling, who was a financier in London.

Together, they poured their hearts and...cash... And cash!

..into the village, and was able to renovate a lot of the cottages, making the cottages a bit more habitable.

There wasn't a great drainage system or water.

I mean, things that we...we take for granted.

Yeah.

MAHA: And she... she put all of that in.

She began restoring Clovelly, cottage by cottage.

PAUL: So the architectural detail and the footprint we see today was largely down to her?

She took inspiration from home and also abroad, and you see it on different cottages.

So for example here, this cottage.

Wood carvings, which Christine Hamlyn brought back from Germany.

And she was kind of very taken by a passion play she saw there, and took these intricate fruit wood carvings back and placed them on this cottage and a couple of the other cottages...

It's beautiful.

As you walk through the village, you'll see Christine Hamlyn's initials with the date.

And that's the date of restoration, of when she put her mark on the cottages.

And this one's 1912.

VO: Each distinctive cottage is a reflection of Christine's travels and her flair and talent for design.

VO: And her renovations not only improved the fishermen's lives, but helped to align Clovelly with the burgeoning tourist industry.

MAHA: Seaside holidays were really taking off in that kind of Victorian era, and so she saw Clovelly as an opportunity.

PAUL: Sounds like she had a big impact on the village.

She had a huge impact, and she had the foresight to bring tourism to Clovelly.

PAUL: And what happened to her?

She died in 1936, and she didn't have any children, so it got passed down to her niece and then eventually to my dad.

VO: And in the footsteps of Christine Hamlyn, Maha and Paul ascend once more.

PAUL: It certainly keeps you fit, doesn't it?

MAHA: It sure does!

PAUL: One thing this village doesn't need is a gym.

VO: Christine's desire to retain the village's serenity echoes in the carless streets, still closed to traffic.

Would you say we're now three quarters of the way up?

About three quarters of the way.

And we've been greeted by two donkeys and their owner.

PAUL: Hello!

WOMAN: Hello!

There are no cars in the village.

MAHA: The donkeys were an integral part of the village and kind of transporting goods from the harbor.

Nowadays, the men - and women... OK, yeah.

..do the heavy lifting with rucksacks and also sleds.

So every cottage will have its own sled, and they're all kind of individual.

And you pull your sled up and down?

Sounds like great fun.

It's great fun if you've got groceries.

I think if you've got a fridge or a freezer, then it gets a bit more complicated.

Bit tougher... You need to have some nice neighbors to help you out.

VO: Don't you just?

Shall we have a go at pulling it up?

Yeah, I'll do that.

I'd like to have a go.

See what it's like living here.

VO: Off you go, then.

All the bits and bobs you need.

PAUL: It's really tiring, Maha.

MAHA: We're almost there.

Can you imagine if you forgot the butter or something?

One thing!

VO: There'd be no going back.

PAUL: It's now...starting...to hurt.

I'm inclined to say, shall we leave it here and go down the pub?

VO: Good plan.

And time once more to absorb the incomparable views and to soak up the ambiance of a time capsule created in a bygone age, so lovingly maintained to this day.

VO: Now Margie's motoring to Bideford.

She has £271 for Old Bridge Antiques, a veritable emporium of interiors, homewares, and collectables.

Susanna is at the helm.

Hi Susanna.

MARGIE: Blue and white.

Lots of dairy things.

Ooh, look at that.

An old Victorian butter churn by Lister.

I think they're a company from Gloucester.

VO: Yep.

RA Lister, founded 1867.

MARGIE: Coopered barrel, iron fittings.

Gosh, can you imagine the actual work of doing that?

Pouring the milk in here and then off you go.

And it's £265.

Great stuff.

VO: Bit too pricey though, eh?

Hmm.

Like that.

Dutch spoon.

VO: Usually used for sugar.

MARGIE: And there's BM on the bottom, which is a maker called Bernard Muller.

Bernard Muller is a very good maker.

All different things.

You get windmills with little spinning blades.

And this is a musician.

It's early 20th century.

I really like that.

It's got £26 on it.

Lovely decoration.

Really, really pretty, these.

Quite collectable.

It's attractive, isn't it?

VO: Oh, yeah.

MARGIE: Yeah, that's jolly nice.

VO: I think she likes it.

Oh, heads up, here comes Paul to join Margie.

Same town, same shop.

Love it!

He's got £70, and has only bought three items so far, so he'll be busy... (SAW BOINGS) VO: ..maybe not.

PAUL: Handles you want to grab hold of.

You just get the doors open like that, "Yeah, I'm coming in."

VO: Can I have a go?

This is a little silver bonbon dish, it's Victorian.

And there's the maker's...

The silversmith's mark is an MB.

VO: That'll be Mitchell Bosley.

And he flourished around 1890 to sort of 1920 in Birmingham.

I like the look of it.

It's high Victoriana.

It's overworked.

It's got a lot of pierced filigree decoration to it.

It's signed.

So we've got signed and design, we know the silversmith, we know the date.

If I look at the hallmark, give it a bit of hot breath, it actually brings the definition up like this.

And now I can clearly see there's a Lion Passant moving to the left, that tells me its purity.

It's sterling silver.

And I don't think you can go wrong with that.

That's a nice thing to have.

VO: Price tag, £95.

PAUL: Yeah, I'm going to put that back and have a wander, have a think.

But the longer I hold that, the more I know I want to buy it.

That's a good sign.

VO: Silver seems to be the order of the day.

Every time you look in these cabinets, you see something else.

VO: Don't you just, eh?

A hose spanner.

And now it is a paperweight.

VO: It's a big one.

That's a good idea, isn't it?

The things you find in these antique shops.

VO: Talking of which... Well, what's this then?

Hiya Margie!

Oh, it's Teddy!

He's told me exactly what to buy.

He's going to propel me... MARGIE: Into the lead.

PAUL: ..into the lead.

He's got to get past me first, mate.

I've got to think smart.

Thanks, Ted.

VO: He needs all the help he can get.

Back to the plot.

Margie had enjoyed a silver spoon earlier.

Anything else?

MARGIE: I fancy buying some jewelry.

I'm in a jewelry mood.

Am I ever not in a jewelry mood?

VO: I didn't like to say.

MARGIE: Oh, that's a knuckle duster, isn't it?

Look at that.

Marcasite.

Silver.

£18.

Gosh, look the business in that, don't you?

VO: Indeed-y.

MARGIE: That's nice.

And got another little silver ring.

That's £12.

Shall I buy a little group?

VO: If you like.

MARGIE: This is a gold one, I think.

Yes, that's a nine carat gold one.

VO: No ticket price.

Look at that.

(GASPS) Rubies, diamonds.

That's a chunky one.

And that is... £485.

I'll put that back.

VO: Carefully does it.

What about that?

Hm... Is that a bit too much?

Right, we're going to see what sort of a deal she'll do... ..on those.

VO: She's chosen the marcasite, £18, the silver one, £12, and the unpriced gold ring.

And looks like she's also after that Dutch sugar spoon.

Is a deal afoot?

Susanna?

SUSANNA: Shall we say 75 for the three?

VO: Three rings, she means.

MARGIE: I was hoping...65.

Do you have something else in mind as well to go with it?

VO: And it just so happens... SUSANNA: Ah, you found that.

MARGIE: Dutch caddy/sugar spoon, whatever.

VO: Bernard Muller, silver, £26.

Would you then agree 75 with the spoon?

MARGIE: I would love that.

Thank you very much.

VO: What a super deal, eh?

60 for the three rings and 15 for the spoon.

MARGIE: That's great.

That's really, really good.

I've got a chance now.

VO: Margie's done and dusted.

VO: But Paul's on the outside looking in.

I like this... Look at that!

A ship's porthole.

But that's really nice as well, a propeller.

I'd say this is around about sort of 1830-1850.

It's early Victorian, it's beautifully cast.

It's got a lovely weight to it as well.

But it's this patina, I really like it, it's almost as if it's bronze.

You could repurpose this.

You could use it as a desk weight now, and that's £70.

I like that.

I might buy that.

VO: Remember, Paul has just £70 in his kitty, and he's also set his sights on the silver bonbon dish - £95.

Combined ticket price - £165.

Susanna?

SUSANNA: And you want me to put the two together?

(EXHALES) Can I tell you what I've got?

Yes.

PAUL: I've got £70 left.

SUSANNA: OK... (LAUGHS) SUSANNA: Yes!

PAUL: Can you do that?

SUSANNA: I can do that for you.

I'll accept your £70.

PAUL: Would you do that?!

SUSANNA: I will!

As it happens, I did buy well on those two things so I can do a good deal.

VO: Mm.

That's hugely generous.

40 for the bonbon dish and 30 for the propeller.

Wow.

Marvelous.

PAUL: Thank you so much.

SUSANNA: You're very welcome.

You've been amazing, thank you.

VO: She certainly has.

And as Paul leaves without a bean on his person, the shopping is over for the leg.

The day is drawing to a close for our busy buddies.

PAUL: Oh look, we're going through a little tiny ford here.

We're going through a ford... in a Jag.

MARGIE: Do you get it?

VO: Now, that's funny.

MARGIE: Whoa!

Whey!

(LAUGHS) Well, that was exciting, especially with this old dear.

MARGIE: (LAUGHS) Not me, the car!

VO: Never doubted it.

Ah well, time for some shut-eye, eh?

VO: Auction day is upon us.

Yippee!

And after much maneuvering all round the West Country, our Margie and Paul are parking up in Padstow to see their items go under the hammer.

Aren't they swish in the grounds of Prideaux Place?

PAUL: Doesn't the Jaguar look absolutely splendid outside of this wonderful...what?

It's an Elizabethan architectural delight.

I know, but this car would look good anywhere.

PAUL: It does actually, doesn't it?

I know!

It'd look good outside a chippy.

MARGIE: It would.

PAUL: It would!

VO: It would.

VO: Their goodies have moved on to Nottingham, home to Arthur Johnson and Sons auctioneers.

I wonder if any of Paul's five items, costing £240, tickle the aforementioned Arthur Johnson's fancy.

The ship's propeller is a nice lot.

It's a well patinated bronze, a nice item to display.

I think it'll go well.

VO: Good-oh.

Margie spent £235 on her five lots.

The traveling case is made by good company.

It's amazing it's lasted for 90 years.

Very, very good condition.

There should be some interest in it.

VO: Great stuff.

The auction is open to online and commission bids from across the world.

So let's get this show on the road.

PAUL: I'm very nervous.

MARGIE: Are you?

PAUL: Yes.

MARGIE: Don't be.

VO: Well, Paul did spend big bucks on his Victorian works sign.

ARTHUR: I like this, good piece.

Well, I've got two commission bids.

The lowest is 25, so I'm starting at 30.

£30 bid.

30, five.

130, 140.

140 now.

That was quick.

At £140.

At £140.

Make it 50.

ARTHUR: At £140.

MARGIE: Oh... ARTHUR: Victorian trade sign at £140.

Money back.

ARTHUR: Done, sold.

Oh, crikey.

That's OK.

It's not a loss, is it?

How funny that you sold it for what you paid.

VO: Margie... ..you've made Paul cry.

Will Margie's 1930's American suitcase add to his sorrows?

£30 to start, please.

Or 10.

Oh...

eh?!

10 I've got.

12.

12 bid.

At 12.

At £12 bid.

At 12.

At £12.

15.

15.

18.

18 bid.

At 18 bid, at 18.

At £18.

The traveling case at 18.

£18... MARGIE: Oh!

ARTHUR: Done.

It goes at £18.

Oh, for goodness'... (GAVEL) Oh, my word.

VO: Gloaty?

Early days, though.

I'm not laughing any more.

VO: Now, can Paul's Victorian telescope break the duck?

Start me 50, please.

£20 the start.

Come on.

20 I've got.

Five, 25 bid.

Oh!

I thought he said five then, didn't you?

I've got a fiver.

ARTHUR: At 30 bid.

At 35, 35 bid.

PAUL: Come on!

ARTHUR: 40, 40 bid.

At 40.

ARTHUR: At £40.

At 40.

MARGIE: Stop!

Done.

It goes at 40... (GAVEL) MARGIE: Well done, dear.

PAUL: Yeah.

VO: There you go.

Look, be grateful for a profit.

VO: It's 1-0 to Paul, and Margie's silver brooches are up next.

ARTHUR: The two items together, give me 50.

£20 done.

Bid.

20, five, 30, five, 40.

40 bid.

Five, 45 bid.

Oh, 45!

ARTHUR: Last call at £45... (GAVEL) Well, that's OK. PAUL: That's not bad, is it?

MARGIE: Yeah.

VO: Now we're talking.

I'd be happy if everything broke even.

MARGIE: Or made a... PAUL: Or made a little bit.

VO: Look, don't kid a kidder.

Time for Paul's Victorian bonbon dish.

£10 to start.

MARGIE: Oh... Come on!

PAUL: Come on, someone start me.

ARTHUR: £10.

Thank you.

10.

10 I've got bid.

MARGIE: There you go.

You're in.

ARTHUR: At 10 bid.

At 10.

12.

12 bid at 12.

At 12 bid, at 12, at 12 bid.

15.

At 15 bid.

18.

18 bid.

You're getting there.

ARTHUR: At £18.

At 18 I sell, last call... (GAVEL) £18!

Oh no!

VO: Ouch.

Shall we not buy silver anymore?

Shall we not bother?

(LAUGHS) VO: Stand by for more silver.

Margie's Edwardian Dutch sugar caddy spoon.

ARTHUR: Good piece, £30.

MARGIE: (GROANS) ARTHUR: Start me at 10, please.

MARGIE: (GROANS) Bid at 10, £10.

At 10.

12 bid, at 12, at 12 bid.

ARTHUR: 15.

15.

At 15 bid.

PAUL: Come on.

ARTHUR: At £15... MARGIE: Oh no.

ARTHUR: I'm selling then.

Sold.

MARGIE: Oh no!

It goes at £15... (GAVEL) VO: The silver buyers must have gone offline.

Oh, I think I've been robbed.

VO: It wasn't me.

On the brighter side, it's Paul's Indian 1920's light shade.

ARTHUR: Highly unusual hanging light shade.

PAUL: Quirky.

ARTHUR: Start me at 30.

Oh, good man.

I have 10 only bid.

10's on commission.

At 10.

At 10 bid.

At 10.

At £10.

12.

Bidding live.

15 on commission.

(GASPS) You're in the money.

ARTHUR: 18.

20.

20 bid.

I doubled up there!

At 20 bid.

At 20.

I'll take five.

I'll take 20.

ARTHUR: At £20 then, done at 20... (GAVEL) It's not a lot of money but... MARGIE: Congratulations.

..it's good profit.

VO: Hooray!

Paul's on the rise.

I'm going to buy everything for a tenner next time.

VO: Good plan.

Right, here's Margie's trio of rings.

One is nine carat gold.

ARTHUR: £40.

MARGIE: (GULPS) ARTHUR: £20.

MARGIE: (GROANS) ARTHUR: Bid 20, 20 bid.

30.

40.

Thank you.

Five, 50.

At £50 bid.

At 50.

MARGIE: Oh no.

Come on!

ARTHUR: 55.

There we go.

ARTHUR: At 55.

At 55 bid, at 55.

MARGIE: No!

ARTHUR: At 55.

MARGIE: They've had enough.

ARTHUR: I'm selling... MARGIE: (GASPS) ARTHUR: It goes...at 55... (GAVEL) That's not good, is it?

Not really.

VO: Unbelievable, actually.

Well, I've come crashing down now.

VO: Margie's lead is certainly shrinking.

Paul's last lot is the late 19th century yacht's propeller.

ARTHUR: Who will start me at 50?

Five, 55 bid.

60.

60 bid.

At 60 bid.

Go on, come on, come on.

PAUL: Wake up.

ARTHUR: 65 bid.

MARGIE: 65!

PAUL: Go on, I'll take 70.

ARTHUR: At £65... MARGIE: That's alright.

You're in the money!

(GAVEL) PAUL: Yes!

That's more like it.

MARGIE: Congratulations.

VO: Another tidy profit for Paul.

I'm propelling myself in the right direction... Ooh.

..but not at a rate of knots.

VO: Yeah, these are the jokes, folks.

And finally, Margie's mid 20th century anglepoise lamps take the stand.

ARTHUR: Very collectable now.

PAUL: Mm.

ARTHUR: Start me at 60.

£20 then.

Let's get on.

20 I've got.

20, 20 bid.

Five.

30.

30 bid.

Five.

40.

40 bid with me now.

At 40.

£40 bid.

At 40.

Five, 45 bid.

Done?

They go at 45... (GAVEL) I...I don't believe what I'm watching.

VO: Even the lamps look sad.

Do you know what?

We deserve a really, really good drink after this one.

PAUL: I tell you what... Pfft!

MARGIE: (LAUGHS) VO: Yep, it's been a toughie.

Margie started the leg with £431 but hit a sticky patch and, after auction costs, has just over £342 to take forward.

VO: Paul, who began with £240, also made a teeny loss but has won the day and is closing that gap.

He now has £232 after sale room costs.

MARGIE: With two more auctions to go, it's game on.

Do you know what I'm going to do still?

What?

Blow the budget.

PAUL: Buy things I love and spend every penny!

MARGIE: (LAUGHS) PAUL: That's what I'm going to do!

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