

Paul Martin and Raj Bisram, Day 3
Season 22 Episode 13 | 43m 31sVideo has Closed Captions
In the Cotswolds and Mendips with antiques aficionados Raj Bisram and Paul Martin.
Raj Bisram and Paul Martin explore antique shops in the West Country. At auction an expensive biscuit tin leaves a foul taste while a cheap oil painting makes an impression.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback

Paul Martin and Raj Bisram, Day 3
Season 22 Episode 13 | 43m 31sVideo has Closed Captions
Raj Bisram and Paul Martin explore antique shops in the West Country. At auction an expensive biscuit tin leaves a foul taste while a cheap oil painting makes an impression.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipantiques experts... RAJ: That's me.
PAUL: I like that.
VO: ..behind the wheel of a classic car.
TIM: Hold on!
IRITA: (SQUEALS) VO: And a goal, to scour Britain for antiques.
En garde!
VO: The aim, to make the biggest profit at auction.
But it's no mean feat.
I don't believe it!
VO: There'll be worthy winners... PAUL: Yes!
VO: ..and valiant losers.
I was robbed.
VO: Will it be the high road to glory...
Right, come on, let's go.
VO: ..or the slow road to disaster?
DAVID: Oh, Roo!
Oh, Roo!
ROO: (SQUEALS) VO: This is the Antiques Road Trip!
Groovy baby!
Today we're heading for the hills.
The Cotswold hills.
With an awfully auspicious shopping list.
PAUL: Archibald Knox.
RAJ: Yeah, or some... RAJ: Daum glass.
PAUL: Christopher Dresser.
Thomas Chippendale.
VO: Ha-ha!
Will almost certainly be amongst the big names that Paul Martin and his road trip buddy Raj Bisram will not be acquiring today.
Ha!
Christopher Dresser.
Well, did you mention him?
I did.
VO: Although in Gloucestershire, that's the flag.
Nice, isn't it?
They're sure to find plenty of things to tempt them.
Do you know something, Gloucestershire is full of lovely little antique shops, especially Tetbury, and that's where we're heading.
Lovely old market town.
VO: The weather is not always quite so fair up here in the hills though, which makes their decision to keep the roof of their 1980s Mercedes convertible down seem a bit ill advised.
Look.
Oh, you look so much better, Paul.
PAUL: Oh, thank you.
RAJ: (CHUCKLES) VO: Paul, from nearby Wiltshire, plays a musical instrument.
VO: The drums.
He's also a dealer and a charmer.
I'm on my knees for you.
VO: While Raj, a former ski racer - you can tell - is an auctioneer from Kent... What do you think?
VO: ..who's copped plenty of cash thus far.
Sell at 180.
PAUL: That's fantastic.
RAJ: Wow!
VO: Although with 10 out of 10 profits... RAJ: Game on eh?
PAUL: Game on!
BOTH: Game on!
VO: ..everyone's feeling chuffed about the last auction.
We're both winners today.
Yeah.
Well, yesterday.
VO: Still a bit of a gap though.
Paul began with £200 and has thus far worked that up to £299.86.
While Raj, who also started out with 200, has accrued an even more handsome figure of £552.46.
VO: So, spend or save?
PAUL: Are you gonna blow all of your 550, Raj?
I'm gonna try.
I try every time.
Apart from the 300 I'm gonna put in my back pocket.
For a rainy day.
Oh no, here's one.
(THEY CHUCKLE) VO: They set out from Sussex and have headed west, on a Great Western tour... that still has a long, long way to go.
And they will eventually end up many miles later at journey's end in Cheltenham.
Gloucester, do us proud.
VO: This bit of the outing will take them from the Cotswolds towards the Mendips.
But they tee off in the aforementioned Tetbury.
Dolphin friendly.
Jackdaw friendly in fact.
All round friendly.
At Top Banana.
Hm!
Paul's in first - Raj must be parking the motor.
There's Walter, the man in charge.
Not to mention his mate Marco.
Well, they do have five floors to look after.
One banana, two banana, three banana, you get the idea?
And now his wealthy pal has arrived.
Any luck upstairs?
I'm absolutely in love with this fourfold Victorian screen.
I just think it's so decorative.
It's so on trend.
This is decoupage.
And it's the art of cutting out pictures and gluing onto a surface.
And the condition is pretty good.
This is sort of circa 1880.
VO: Thought to have originated in Siberia.
Decoupage in the west began in 18th century Florence.
If I show you this side, very, very carefully... VO: Ah, double sided.
Nice.
Er, Paul?
Here I am.
Now I'm disappeared.
VO: Very clever.
Can you see me?
Look at that.
So now we've got light and shade, we've got changing the mood in the room now.
This is the reverse side.
I think that's brilliant.
I just need to find a price out.
In fact, there is the price.
Oh man.
That's £265.
There's no harm in asking.
VO: Gird your loins.
Walter?
Yes?
Hi Paul.
I found something.
Something I love.
I found this.
And I absolutely love it.
Oh, great.
Look, the price tag says £265.
What can I have it for?
Er, I can probably do 195.
Mm, I'm not close to that.
Yeah?
I was thinking more like, being really cheeky, 150.
Er, I think I could do... ..er, 175.
How does that sound?
OK, I think that's a very generous offer.
If I can find one other item, and we put the two things together, maybe we can make the deal work.
Yeah, sure.
Absolutely.
Perfect.
WALTER: Thank you.
Good.
PAUL: Thank you.
WALTER: Thank you.
Bye.
PAUL: Thanks a lot.
VO: Yeah, thanks, Walter.
Meanwhile, on three banana, amongst the cabinets...
This is lovely.
Of 18th century, blue and white, Chinese barrel shaped mug.
Beautiful, it's got some damage on it.
In fact, it's got quite a lot of damage.
You can see these old rivets here that have been put on.
Now rivets started hundreds of years ago.
And they were a way of repairing porcelain.
They had to drill small little holes, then put them metal bands around them.
It was very intricate work.
And it was very costly.
So for somebody to do this, that means that they really appreciated it.
And I think it's absolutely gorgeous, with this lovely pagoda on it.
There's a lot going on here.
VO: Hard to imagine huge mugs of tea back then, isn't it?
There's £95 on the ticket.
It's a bit strong.
In fact, it's quite a lot strong for me.
But I'm gonna call Marco in, and let's see what we can do.
Marco?
Yep?
RAJ: Hi.
MARCO: Hi Raj.
How are you?
I'm good.
There's too much here to take in.
I know.
So many, so many...
But I have found something.
Fantastic.
I really liked this mug.
Beautiful.
What's the best you can do?
The very best I can do, Raj, is... probably like... 70?
Oh, I was hoping more like £50.
65 is the maximum I can go down.
Hey, I've got plenty of money at the moment.
At £65, we have a deal.
VO: Very decisive.
Oh, hello.
Paul, what are you doing?
Ha, you caught me.
I know what you're trying to do.
You're trying to bowl me over, aren't you?
No, I'm not.
I'm trying to buy you something for our open-top sports car.
(THEY CHUCKLE) VO: How kind.
You know, if things don't go well in the antiques world, you can always get a job in the City.
VO: I'm not sure bowlers are exactly on trend in the City these days, Raj.
Ha!
Unlike Victorian decoupage screens.
Paul's still looking for a bit of a makeweight to go with that, remember.
Any luck?
I gravitated towards this.
It's early 20th century.
It's a medical print, anatomical.
I'm just attracted to the skull.
That image for me is brilliant.
I think it's 1920s maybe.
It's German.
I don't understand German.
So I can't tell you what's going on on there.
VO: Means "head and throat".
I looked it up.
There's no price on it.
But I see it fetching around £65 in auction.
And also the Victorian screen.
Hopefully if I put the two together a deal can be done.
Walter?
WALTER: Yes?
Hi.
PAUL: Hello, mate.
PAUL: Look, I found this.
WALTER: Great, yeah.
I think it's really cool.
If I bought this and took the Victorian screen, what can I have the two for?
If you take both, we can do them for 195.
How does that sound?
Done - that's a deal.
VO: So, over £100 off the screen at 155.
And the poster for 40.
A sort of banana split.
195.
There's your money in cash.
Thank you so much.
Thank you Paul.
Oh, it's been exciting.
VO: Departs with just over a ton left.
Back to Moneybags.
He currently has almost five times that, even after plumping for this mug.
Really like these chemist bottles.
There's £150 if you want the whole lot, which I actually don't think is too bad a price.
These are 1950s, 1960s.
They're not the most collectable.
The ones that are really collectable are the Victorian ones that everybody seems to want.
And they come with the labels which you find most of them are slightly worn or torn.
These are probably from a school, but they're still collectable.
And if I can get them for about £100, that would be absolutely great.
VO: Well, let's see how Marco reacts.
RAJ: Hello.
MARCO: Hi Raj.
I found something else.
Fantastic.
You've got £150 on the ticket.
Can I make you an offer?
Go for it.
I'd like to offer you... £100 for the lot.
No.
Fair enough.
VO: To the point.
What about if I say 110?
MARCO: Go for it.
Yes.
RAJ: Yeah?
Yes.
Fantastic.
We have a deal, Marco.
You're welcome.
VO: £175 to pay for the bottles and the mug.
RAJ: I shall leave it there, OK?
MARCO: Thank you so much, Raj.
See you soon.
VO: And while he slips away... Forgotten anything?
..we can catch up with his chum, taking time off from treasure hunting to visit gorgeous Bowood House, just outside the Wiltshire town of Calne... ..where in the 18th century, a great scientific discovery was made.
Historian Kate Fielden.
Hi, Kate.
Hello, Paul.
Well, I'm here for my history lesson.
Very good.
Would you like to follow me please?
I'd love to.
VO: Bowood once housed the laboratory of the chemist and natural philosopher Joseph Priestley, a fascinating enlightenment figure.
So Kate, tell me, who was Joseph Priestley?
Well, he was born in Yorkshire in 1733.
He had a very strict upbringing.
The family were all nonconformists - that is, they didn't follow the Church of England.
They were dissenters.
And dissenters were not allowed to take part in public life.
So their education and training had to fit them for the kind of life they could lead.
And they were taught to think outside the box.
VO: Priestley became a Unitarian minister and a teacher, as well as the author of many books and pamphlets, including a history of electricity.
Although he thought of his interest in science as merely a hobby.
KATE: While he was living in Leeds, he was able to work out a way of impregnating water with carbon dioxide, which meant that the water stayed fresh.
Now we know this as soda water.
Sure.
And he was the inventor of soda water.
Unfortunately, he never made any money out of this invention.
VO: Of course, we know who did.
A certain Johann Jacob Schweppe.
The company he founded acknowledges Priestley as the father of carbonated water, an invention taken on Cook's second voyage to the South Seas in 1772.
Coincidentally, for which, Priestley was considered for the role of astronomer.
Ha!
Instead, thanks to his friendship with the owner of Bowood House, he moved to Wiltshire.
KATE: Lord Sheldon had the idea that it would be terrific to ask Joseph Priestley to be tutor nominally to his two small boys.
And while he was here, Lord Sheldon allowed him to equip a laboratory, and above all, he was just a great friend.
And Sheldon was a very liberal politician.
VO: Priestley's scientific pursuits whilst in Calne mostly concentrated upon what he called different kinds of air.
This is the laboratory.
Of course, it was in the 18th century, there were no bookcases.
VO: His experiments mostly consisted of heating various substances and capturing the gas that was released.
So that one day in 1774, he produced oxygen.
He used a magnifying glass with sunlight on it to heat red oxide of mercury.
He trapped the gas, and he found that within this gas, a mouse would live a good deal longer than it would in ordinary air.
And that if a plant were added, curiously enough, would last a bit longer.
And he predicted that it would probably have a good medicinal use.
He didn't call it oxygen.
He called it de-flagisticated air.
VO: It was another scientist, Antoine Lavoisier, who coined the name a few years later.
But for Priestley, scientific fame was of little importance.
He was involved in the struggle against the discrimination of dissenters.
And had strong sympathies with the French and American Revolutions.
He moved first to Birmingham and then to London... after a mob burned down both his church and his home in the anti-dissenter Priestley riots of 1791.
So what eventually happened to him?
He had to emigrate.
And he went with his wife and family to America, where they would have freedom.
He was friendly with John Adams, President of United States, and Benjamin Franklin.
It was must have been very exciting time for him actually.
To read the Declaration of Independence.
It's marvelous.
And I think it's an immediate outcome in a way from all the turmoil that had gone before.
VO: Joseph Priestley passed away in Pennsylvania in February 1804.
Meanwhile out on the open road, Raj is staying out of the elements.
When you've got a soft top, you want the top down.
So it's a bit of a shame that it's raining, but I'm off to Bath to my second shop.
I've got £300 nearly.
Let's hope I can find those lovely items that I'm looking for.
VO: Well, I think he's pretty much done my job for me.
I do have a nice map though.
So there.
Plus, did you know that Bath's Pulteney Bridge over the River Avon is based on an unused design for the famous Rialto Bridge in Venice?
Ha!
Well, sightseeing's over.
Wow!
VO: He'll be shopping at Michael Saffel Antiques... ..where they specialize in antique and vintage tins.
This is amazing.
Wow!
Well, I guess it's going to be a tin then.
Or maybe two even.
VO: Yeah, there's certainly a rather bewilderingly large choice, several hundred in all.
Now, here's a tin I do recognize, because it's a really nice looking tin in the shape of a Georgian bureau.
And the lid opens up.
And it's a tin.
VO: Golly gosh.
£29 on this one, but it's a little bit damaged.
There's another one down here.
And this one, this one is in the shape of a fishing creel, which has got to appeal, not just to tin collectors but also to people who collect fishing items as well.
And if you open it up, you can see inside.
This is where the biscuits would have been.
VO: Nice Bath Oliver, perhaps.
And on the bottom, you can actually just make out.
It says here "Huntley and Palmer" which is a very well known biscuit brand.
And according to the ticket, this was made in 1907.
That makes it very, very old.
VO: Well, it is an antique, Raj.
£60.
Michael?
Yes, hello.
Hello there, hi.
I have never been into a shop with so many tins in my life, OK?
Is there one here that you think is special in your opinion?
Yes, this one's quite an interesting one.
It's a Moss Remington mustard tin.
So you'd get a lot of mustard for your money.
You would, wouldn't you?
This one features on the lid, has Cinderella getting her glass slipper.
Bluebeard on the front here looking rather... rather nasty.
Little Tommy Tucker singing for his supper on that side.
Michael, what is a tin like that worth?
I'd probably try and get something like 150 for it.
I've got 175 on it.
That's a lot of money, isn't it, for a tin?
It's a lot of money.
But the condition's good, and really quite sought after.
1890.
Well I know very, very little about tins.
But I have spotted one, in the form of a fishing creel.
But you've got £60 on the ticket.
What could you do this tin for?
Er... say 50 quid?
Can I ask you to do 40?
Would you, could you do 40?
Yes, OK. Yeah.
RAJ: Yeah?
You sure?
DEALER: Yeah, yeah.
Fantastic.
In that case, we have a deal.
VO: A "creely" good one.
Ha-ha-ha!
Michael, I've spotted something else as well.
Up there, you've got two that looked like painted planters.
What do you know about those?
Um, not a great deal really.
They look like they might be '20s or '30s.
They're hand-painted, which is quite nice.
The flowers on here.
VO: They look a bit like Edelweiss.
And what have you got on them?
25 for the pair.
To be honest, at £25, I'm not going to quibble at all.
I'm going to have those as well.
Jolly good.
VO: That's number four bargain.
£65.
DEALER: Thank you.
RAJ: There we go.
VO: Time to take your tin - those too - and go and collect Paul, whilst trying not to look too smug.
Or hungry.
PAUL: If you had to take one meal to a desert island, what would it be?
RAJ: There is no question about it.
I would take a lovely lamb Madras curry.
Am I allowed to have a couple of sides?
VO: Mm.
Desert island dahl.
He-he-he!
Nighty-night.
VO: Today we'll be mostly tripping in the Mendips.
RAJ: Look at that scenery - isn't that beautiful?
This is home to the oldest man in England, and it's not you and it's not me.
VO: Or me.
It's the Cheddar Man.
Ah.
He's blue eyed, and he's 10,000 years old.
VO: What might he be worth at auction though?
Yesterday, Paul picked up an anatomical print and the Victorian decoupage screen... Now I'm disappeared.
VO: ..leaving him with just over £100 in his wallet.
While Raj was even busier, acquiring some planters, some chemist's jars, a biscuit tin and an 18th century mug.
Hey, I've got plenty of money at the moment.
VO: He has too.
Over 300 left to spend today, in the great county of Somerset, starting out in Shepton Mallet... ..on the famous Fosse Way, at Somerset Antiques and Interiors.
PAUL: Ah, there it is, I just need to park up.
VO: Go ahead.
He's got this one to himself, along with proprietor Paul.
That's got to help, hasn't it?
So, what'll it be?
I've spotted this.
Open the door.
It's a metronome.
I'd say it's mid 20th century really, it looks like a 1960s one.
Nice walnut case.
Everything's right about it.
Designed to aid a musician when they're practicing alone, to keep time, to make everything perfectly measured.
Because if you can't play and keep time, you can't play in a quartet or an orchestra or in a band.
VO: Paul's a drummer of course.
One-y and a two-y and a three and a four-y, and a one-y... VO: Human metronome, look.
..and a four-y and a... (PINGING) Oh, look, it's all kicking off now.
Hey, we've got a percussion ensemble.
But anyway, that is what a metronome does.
VO: And what does an antique dealer do?
There's no price ticket on it.
I think there's only one way to find out really, I'm going to ask Paul.
VO: Rock and roll, eh?
Hi, Paul.
Look, I've spotted this.
You've probably heard me.
I did.
PAUL: Yeah.
DEALER: Very good.
Oh, thank you.
There's no price on it.
I know what they're worth.
It's 55.
Oh, is it?
40 is going to be the very best on it.
Since it's you.
Well, that's a really kind offer, thank you.
I'm going to take it.
DEALER: OK.
Thanks very much.
PAUL: Thank you very much.
VO: Every penny counts, eh?
PAUL: Wish me luck.
DEALER: I do.
PAUL: (CHUCKLES) VO: Now, while he beats a retreat... ..we'll find out where his chum's got to.
Any ideas?
No, not Treasure Island, but the Mendip village of Wookey Hole.
VO: And the clown's gallery museum, where he's come to hear about the organization known as Clowns International, from club member Mattie Faint.
RAJ: Hello.
MATTIE: Hi.
Mattie is it?
MATTIE: Yes, it is.
RAJ: Hello, I'm Raj.
MATTIE: Join me.
RAJ: Thank you.
MATTIE: Nice to meet you.
So Mattie, what do Clowns International do?
They help nurture new clowns into the profession.
A lot of us are single entertainers.
So really important.
I guess today we'd call that networking, wouldn't we?
We do, but imagine the days when there wasn't a network.
VO: Aside from providing much needed support, the union also began the clown register, a sort of clown copyright of each member's unique makeup and name, so that no two fools would ever look or sound alike.
Do you have a performing name?
MATTIE: Mattie.
RAJ: It's Mattie?
Well, Matthew is my name.
So Mattie means fool in Italian.
OK.
So it's actually... not that I'm Italian.
A clown creates his own character, but sometimes may choose a name that belongs to another clown without realizing it.
And we had a female clown who wanted to be called Coco.
Well, as everybody knows, Coco was probably the most famous clown in the 20th century.
And we said, "Sorry, but you have to choose another name."
And she came up with the name Coconut, which I think is far funnier than Coco.
And how is that registered?
Er, we put them on eggs.
RAJ: Eggs?
MATTIE: (CHUCKLES) Well, Stan Bult, who started the organization in 1947, he was an egg painter.
He painted clowns' faces on eggs.
Normally from life, not from photos.
In his lifetime he painted over 300 eggs.
We now paint on pottery eggs - they don't break as easily.
Well, I I'd love to see these eggs.
MATTIE: Would you?
RAJ: I certainly would.
Well, funny enough...
I have some ready to show you.
VO: Roll up, roll up.
I've taken out some of the eggs from the history collection, because they're clowns that people will know.
Like Grimaldi and Charlie Cairoli.
Being from Blackpool Tower.
Grimaldi, pantomime clown.
And Coco.
Inspiration for my face.
A lot of lines on my face.
I "borrowed" them shall we say, from Coco.
Not that he'd mind.
Is there an egg of you?
There is.
In fact, I have two in the collection, because we've had three egg artists and you're allowed to have your egg remade.
VO: Also nestled amongst the eggs in the registry are some surviving eggs-tremely - he-he!
- delicate Stan Bult originals.
Well, these are three from the 24 that we possess in our collection of clowns of the day like Emmett Kelly, who was in The Greatest Show On Earth, famous American tramp clown with a beard.
This is Rosa Milanes, a female playing a policeman clown.
So that's unusual.
This is Jimmy Scott.
One of his quotes is, "When people know you're a clown, "they'll never take you seriously ever again."
RAJ: (CHUCKLES) MATTIE: Which is true.
RAJ: Mattie.
MATTIE: Yes?
Now I've seen your face on at least two eggs, I'd love to see it all made up in real life.
MATTIE: Would you?
RAJ: I would.
Well, you wait here and I shall disappear and reappear... RAJ: As Mattie the Clown.
MATTIE: As Mattie the Clown.
Fantastic.
VO: And, as if by magic... (MATTIE HUMS) MATTIE: Oh!
RAJ: Wow!
Oh, look at you.
Whoa!
Well, here we are.
All dressed up and nowhere to go.
(DRUM RIMSHOT) MATTIE: Ha-ha!
Now, let me see.
Atchoo!
Oh, eurgh, eurgh, eurgh.
That's better.
VO: And I'm sure you can all guess what happens next, children.
Face time.
Voila!
Mattie...
It's taken 10 years off me.
VO: Looks funnier already.
Ha!
Bravo!
Mattie, do you think this is good enough to get into the egg registry?
MATTIE: It might be.
VO: The finishing touch.
RAJ: What do you think so far?
That's really good.
Red cheeks.
VO: (CHORTLES) There we go.
In the mirror.
Can't tell the difference.
Two peas in a pod.
VO: (CHUCKLES) Meanwhile, elsewhere on our tour of the Mendips, what does Paul make of the competition?
Raj does play the joker.
You know, he is a really nice guy.
But he doesn't take his heart to work.
He takes his head to work.
He's exceptionally competitive.
He's on a different level.
VO: Not a Somerset one though, eh?
Who writes this stuff?
Paul's heading for his last shop, in Axbridge.
Complete with town well and delightful medieval square.
(SQUEAKING) Could do with a drop of oil.
Not too mention more cash.
He currently has just over £60 left to spend at Ripley Antiques and Vintage.
Do you know, I'm looking through this.
I can see right into that house.
This is a theodolite.
It's a surveyor's level on its original tripod base.
That's fantastic.
I love it to bits.
And of course sign and design.
Look at that, Watts and Sons, responsible for helping to build the Canadian Pacific Railway.
VO: He's right.
They drove in the last spike on 7th November 1885.
Look at the hats.
I'd say this is circa 1910, 1920 at the latest.
I like the fact that the sticks have got a lot of wear on them.
You know, they have been used.
I thought that was a price tag for a second, it's not.
VO: Not cheap, I wouldn't hazard a guess.
I really want to buy this, but it depends how much I can get it for really.
But I love it.
VO: Now, whither Raj?
No longer clowning, although I'm sure this place has seen a few big tops.
Hm!
The splendidly named resort of Weston-super-Mare, that is.
Super birthplace of Deep Purple guitar legend Richie Blackmore.
And... Violet Antiques.
Please yourselves.
Over £360 in his wallet.
Cor.
That was quick.
RAJ: What a beautiful piece of glass.
Now, everybody gets excited when they hear the word Lalique.
But this is the same quality.
This is Daum glass, spelt D-A-U-M, and they were founded in 1878, in Nancy in France, and they make superb quality.
This is a lovely little bud vase.
I have to say, you know, you don't often see a piece like this any more.
This is about 1910.
Lovely colors.
And it's signed as well.
And you can tell straightaway that it's not a copy.
You know, this is definitely an original one.
And it's absolutely gorgeous.
And... VO: Gulp.
..if it wasn't for £350, I'd be very tempted.
In fact, I still am probably quite tempted, but I'm gonna have a look around.
VO: I was getting excited there.
Makes sense to have a browse first though.
What's he found now?
Now these are really interesting, First World War medals and Second World War medals.
From the same family.
It looks like it's a father and son.
But also what's interesting is there's a whole collection of St John's Ambulance batches as well, and they've all got the year dates on them.
So I think there's one here that starts at 1917, and goes up to 1930.
And they're all in a line.
Two of them look like they're nine karat gold as well.
If I sound excited, it's because I am.
Because to find a lot like this is quite rare.
Angie, I've just noticed these medals.
And from what I can see, they all belong to the same family, two generations.
That's correct.
The St John's Ambulance medals were awarded to Ernest Watkins, who was the father, who also was in the First World War.
And he worked for GWR, Great Western Railway.
Yeah.
And then his son was in the Second World War.
And that's Archie Watkins.
I think this is such an interesting lot.
I mean, and two of them are gold.
Give me an idea.
What sort of money are we looking at here?
Well, 250?
What if I said £200?
I'd say you've got a deal.
RAJ: Would you?
ANGIE: I would.
VO: Touche, Angie.
Ha-ha.
You stole his catchphrase.
I think that's really fair.
So I'm gonna pay you £210.
VO: Touche to you.
With that super bonus, his shopping's complete.
While back in Axbridge, Paul's got his eye on this theodolite, and a painting.
PAUL: I love seascapes.
It's got something about it.
It's got movement.
It's got vitality.
It looks like you've got a steamship there, and it may be in trouble.
And you've got the lifeboat leaving the harbor.
It reminds me of Charles Napier Hemy.
VO: The Falmouth based Victorian painter.
That's exactly how he would paint the sea, that sort of color.
It's got holes in it.
It's terribly damaged.
It's not been over varnished, which is a good sign.
It's just been realigned.
And rebacked, and reframed.
VO: Not so keen on those bits.
PAUL: I think this has got potential if I could afford it.
Lou?
VO: Here we go.
Hi.
I've stumbled across this.
I like it.
OK. How long have you had it?
I've had it about a year I think.
OK. PAUL: Fed up with it?
LOU: No.
PAUL: (CHUCKLES) How much are you asking for it?
£45.
OK, I'd like to buy that but not at £45.
LOU: Mm-hm.
PAUL: But there's something I really, really want to buy, and I want to leave here with if I can afford it.
We've got 85 on that.
I've got a problem.
I have got £64, to be precise, and 86p.
LOU: That is a problem.
If I gave you all my money, you clean me out, you can have every single penny... Yeah.
Could I have both items?
And I'll do the washing up.
LOU: (CHUCKLES) PAUL: I'll sweep up, I'll hoover for you.
VO: Unusual tactic, Paul.
So I'll get the rubber gloves on and do a few jobs.
I think I will say yes.
Spend, spend, spend.
VO: Not to mention scrub, scrub, scrub.
Oh look, I'm ever so happy.
Thank you so much.
VO: So, 50 for the theodolite and less than 15 for the seascape.
Including labor.
If this helps me, you know, kind of close the gap with Raj, then I do not mind one bit.
VO: Quite.
Hoovering next.
Ha!
Then catch up on adventures in the Mendips.
You won't believe this Paul, but a guy threw a piece of cheddar at me, and I thought to myself, "That's mature!"
PAUL: (CHUCKLES) VO: Yeah.
Sounds like they need a bit of shuteye.
Poor Paul.
Let's get ready to auction, with our pair heading off to watch it happen from the surrounds of Priston Mill.
PAUL: Oh, this is lovely, Raj.
Look at this.
RAJ: Beautiful, peaceful and calming.
It's the calm before the storm.
Ha-ha-ha.
VO: That's millponds for you.
Should soothe the nerves.
Here we go again.
In at the deep end.
VO: After shopping in the Cotswolds and the Mendips, they've now nipped back east towards the delightful village of Priston, while their purchases have headed to nearby Frome, and Dore & Rees.
There's been a saleroom here for over 150 years - gosh!
Paul parted with all of his £299.86 for five auction lots.
While Raj spent £450 for the same number of lots.
Let's find out what auctioneer Guy Tayler reckons might bloom in Frome.
The Victorian gilt framed seascape, really interesting scene with the lifeboat going out of the harbor there.
After Charles Napier Hemy, we would expect that one to make between 40 and 80.
For me the most interesting lot is the group of medals, it relates to a father and son.
You have the African star, the Italian star and the gold medallions.
Lovely collection together.
There's going to be a lot of interest in this one.
We would expect this to make 150 to 250.
VO: Sounds promising.
Let's get back to t'mill.
RAJ: Here we go.
VO: Widescreen entertainment first.
Ha!
Paul's Victorian decoupage.
50 I'm bid, 55 now if you want it.
55, 60.
65.
PAUL: Come on, come on.
RAJ: Here we go.
75, 80, 85 now.
That's not enough.
Middle of the room at £80.
I am shocked.
I'm really surprised at that.
VO: Someone got themselves a bargain.
Sometimes it just doesn't happen.
No, it doesn't.
I'm not feeling too good myself now.
VO: Bottling it, Raj?
What will Frome think of this lot?
50 I'm bid.
55 I have.
60, 65.
That's more like it, come on.
75.
Keep going.
80 now, 80 on the hands.
85, 90, 95, 100.
RAJ: 100!
GUY: 105.
110 now?
The bid's with me at £105, and it's being sold with me at 105.
One more bid!
All done.
I lost a fiver - I can live with that.
VO: I should think so too.
PAUL: Hard luck.
RAJ: Thank you.
RAJ: Thank you so much.
PAUL: Hard luck, hard luck.
Said with feeling, wasn't it Paul?
(THEY CHUCKLE) VO: Paul's turn again - his very informative German poster.
30 I'm away on that one.
32 now if you want it.
32, 34.
Yeah.
36, 38 now.
40, 42, 44, 46.
The bid's top of the stairs at £46.
It's being sold at 46.
RAJ: £46, Paul.
PAUL: £6 profit.
RAJ: That's good.
PAUL: Hoo!
VO: It's the first one today.
I wanted more.
Am I being greedy Raj?
RAJ: No.
PAUL: It was worth more.
No, we all want more, don't we?
We all... PAUL: Yeah.
RAJ: ..want our things RAJ: to make money.
PAUL: Little bit more.
VO: Raj's pair of planters are next.
Nice Edelweiss.
So for those, start me off £10 quickly.
Oh, come on.
Tenner I'm bid.
12 now if you want them.
12 I have.
14.
There you go, Raj.
Come on.
No, we... 20 now.
Come on.
20 I have.
Gotta get them to 25 at least.
24.
26.
RAJ: 28?
GUY: 28 now?
RAJ: Come on.
GUY: Gonna be sold at 26.
A profit!
RAJ: A pound, yes!
PAUL: (CHUCKLES) VO: Priston Mill erupts!
Doesn't matter whether it's a pound or 1,000, I'm happy.
VO: Paul's metronome.
He's a bit worried about it.
When I came out of the shop, I kind of thought, "I'm gonna break even on this.
I might even make a small loss."
20 on the way on that one.
22 now if you want it, for the collector's metronome.
Look.
See, 20 quid.
24.
26, 28.
(EXHALES DEEPLY) 30 now?
30.
32, 34, 36, 38, 40.
42 now?
It's going to be sold at £40 to my right.
All done at 4-0?
Oh, I'm happy with that.
I said I'd get my money back.
You did say... You called that right.
RAJ: Well done.
PAUL: Yeah, yeah.
VO: Not exactly swimming in cash today, are they?
But I knew if I bought that I wouldn't lose.
Apart from the commission.
Well, yeah, but... Just thought I'd bring that in, you know, just throwing it in.
You know, just give you something to think about.
PAUL: (LAUGHS) VO: Cheers, me old china.
Speaking of which, Raj's 18th century repaired mug.
That's the oldest thing in the sale.
Probably.
Should fetch top, top money.
Should.
26, I'm away on that one.
28 I'm bid.
30 now if you want it.
30 I have.
Come on.
Slowly.
It's going up in twos.
GUY: 38, 40.
RAJ: That's it.
PAUL: That's better.
RAJ: Yep.
45.
GUY: 48 now.
PAUL: Come on.
RAJ: Yeah, come on.
PAUL: Bit more.
48 I have.
50, 52, 55, 58.
We're getting there.
We're getting there.
Yes.
GUY: 65 now.
PAUL: 65, come on.
Come on, let's go for a profit!
GUY: With me, £62.
RAJ: Come on.
65, it's back again.
RAJ: One more.
GUY: £68.
RAJ: Come on.
GUY: Gonna be sold at £65.
All done, with you at 65.
Ah!
You got your money back.
I got my money back.
VO: I'll drink to that.
Well, it's not going so well, is it?
No.
(CHUCKLES) Let's just put it like that, shall we?
VO: Very diplomatic.
Can Paul's theodolite buck the trend?
30 I'm away here.
32 now if you want it.
32, 35, 38, 40.
42, 45, 48, 50.
RAJ: Yeah.
GUY: 55.
60.
Right, profit.
Here you go.
70 I'm bid.
GUY: 75, 80.
RAJ: Yeah.
85, 90.
Oh!
More than you expected.
100.
Five.
110.
115.
Come on.
RAJ: This is good, Paul.
GUY: 25 now?
Come on.
One more!
120 on the desk.
It's being sold at 120.
Oh I'm really pleased, I was being greedy by saying one more.
That's... Well done.
That's great.
That's a fantastic profit.
VO: That's perked them both up.
PAUL: (SIGHS) RAJ: There you go.
Hoo!
Ooh!
(THEY CHUCKLE) VO: Raj's tea mug broke even.
Can his biscuit tin do better?
18 I'm bid.
20.
22, 24, 26.
That's it.
28, 30.
32 now.
32.
Don't slow down.
34 now.
Oh, he's struggling to get a bid, he's struggling.
38.
40.
Getting there.
Don't worry, you've doubled your money.
44.
46.
Maths isn't your strong subject, is it?
I paid 40 for it.
Double 40...
It's getting there.
It'll get to 80.
All done at 48.
What?!
Oh.
OK, well, it's a profit.
VO: I can't argue with that, Raj.
But in terms of the big picture... Don't look at me like that.
PAUL: That's bad, isn't it?
RAJ: Hey, no!
(THEY GIGGLE) VO: Paul's extremely cheap seascape.
Not including the sweat of his brow, of course.
PAUL: I almost begged for it.
RAJ: I can imagine.
Every single penny I had left.
RAJ: I can imagine.
PAUL: I really wanted it.
£30?
That's not doing it, come on.
22, 25, 28, 30.
RAJ: Gosh!
GUY: 32, 35, 38, 40.
42.
It's damaged.
Five.
48.
Tell them it's damaged!
55.
60.
RAJ: Oh my goodness!
PAUL: This is better.
The bid's £60.
65, 70.
75, 80.
RAJ: Whoa, whoa!
PAUL: Yes!
85, 90.
95.
100.
Five.
Yes, come on!
Row the boat.
RAJ: You... You are steaming.
PAUL: (CHUCKLES) Come on, boys.
20.
130.
135.
140.
Raj, I'm gonna jump in there.
RAJ: Wow, 14.86?!
PAUL: I'm going in there!
All done at 150.
PAUL: Yes!
RAJ: Congratulations.
That is fantastic.
RAJ: What a great result.
PAUL: Yes!
Brilliant.
RAJ: That's a fantastic result.
PAUL: Brilliant.
VO: I think he's quite excited.
Rightly so as well.
That's a great profit.
Look at the smile on your face.
Feels good.
VO: Finally, Raj's heavy medal haul.
A family affair.
100 I'm away on phones.
105, 105 I'm bid.
What?
110 now if you want it.
110, 115, 120.
125, 130, 135.
200 straight in.
Oh!
Yes!
250, he's straight in.
260.
270 now.
The bid's at the door at 260.
And it's being sold.
All done at 260.
RAJ: 260.
That's a profit, yeah.
PAUL: Brilliant.
PAUL: It's a good profit.
RAJ: It's £50.
That's what I needed.
VO: That's for sure.
I think there's only one winner today though.
Paul, this one is definitely down to you.
This is your auction.
Well done.
PAUL: Thank you.
RAJ: I'm only gonna buy things this time for £14.60.
My modus operandi.
£14.60, here I come.
VO: Quite.
Raj began with £552.46 and, after auction costs, made a bit of a loss.
So he now has a still very respectable £515.74.
While Paul, who started out with £299.86, made, also after costs, a tidy profit - all of which means he's now a lot closer to his rival on £357.52, which is very good.
Well done.
Paul, congratulations.
Your first Antiques Road Trip win.
On day three.
Yes!
And there's day four and five to go.
Absolutely.
Ha-ha, I'm learning from the master.
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