antiques experts... Let the Road Trip begin!

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

IZZIE: Ooh!

DAVID: You hit the roof then!

VO: And a goal - to scour Britain for antiques.

Pump yourself up... with antiques.

VO: The aim - to make the biggest profit at auction.

But it's no mean feat.

That's a top job, isn't it?

VO: There'll be worthy winners... AUCTIONEER: £400.

RAJ: Fantastic!

VO: ..and valiant losers.

I'm screaming on the inside.

VO: Will it be the high road to glory...

The gloves are off.

VO: ..or the slow road to disaster?

The gearbox has gone!

VO: This is the Antiques Road Trip!

Gorgeous!

'Ey up!

We're in the beautiful rolling countryside of Lancashire, with these fashionistas.

I can see the flush in your cheeks.

You've got your lovely mint green jacket on.

You're oozing class today.

You know darling, we try to ooze...

If one is going to ooze, one should ooze a little bit of class.

VO: Today's pair, oozing antiques knowledge, are the delectable Roo Irvine and the dashing Steven Moore.

And their ride is as classy as ever, the 1968 Rolls-Royce Corniche.

Who needs Tuscany, when you've got Lancashire?

I know.

This could almost be the Italian hills.

This is so beautiful.

We could be above San Gimignano.

I can hear the Sancta Maria playing.

# Sancta Maria # Sancta Maria... # VO: Bellissima!

Last time, diamonds were not Roo's best friend.

Hammer is up.

VO: And it didn't get any better...

Final warning at 40.

You're having a cut price sale today, missus.

VO: ..leaving Steven, who started out with very little... VO: storming ahead.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

The kid has come back.

I still think I had a very unlucky run.

VO: You did!

VO: Having started out with £200, Roo's lost her early lead and has currently the sum of £248.50.

Steven started with the same amount, and has overtaken his fellow expert to £255.84.

So now we actually have more of a level playing field.

We do.

Which I quite like.

I didn't like being that far ahead.

Oh, you didn't?

No, I know you don't believe me, but I swear I don't.

VO: If you say so!

VO: They started their trip in the North East, before exploring Yorkshire.

Now to Lancashire, and we'll head further south to Leicestershire.

Their items will go under the hammer at an auction in Bourne End, but this Lancashire leg starts in the classic seaside town of Blackpool.

How lovely!

Blackpool, we are coming.

(HORN HONKS) VO: One of the oldest British seaside resorts, tourists flock here every year for the lights, glitz and thrill-seeking attractions.

It's also home to the Regent Antiques Centre.

ROO: Come on, Steven, let's go shopping.

I know, you've got a head start.

Oh, yes.

VO: A 1920s cinema spanning three floors and with over 50 stalls, there are plenty for our experts to flick through.

I've never understood the trend for buying old toilets.

Antique toilets, Victorian toilets, commodes.

But at first glance, this is actually a really nice chair.

And this would not look out of place in any home, even as a bedroom chair.

But what's cool about it is you lift the lid... ..and there it is - the potty.

But I have to say it's quite a cool thing.

It says £65 on it.

It's probably 1910, 1920.

But look at the size of it, look at the shape.

I think it's built for a larger posterior.

It's definitely a comfortable chair.

Would I be tempted at £65?

No, I don't think it'll make much money.

VO: Moving on, then.

How's Steven getting on?

Now, if only I had a 1970s bachelor pad, maybe overlooking the front of Blackpool... ..this would be the mirror for me.

I mean, like it or loathe it... Just look at it!

I mean, you've got all these shells, you've got amazing bits of crystal.

You've got a convex mirror, a metal frame.

It screams, and I think screams is the right phrase, it screams the 1970s.

Probably Italian.

It might be one of a kind.

It is what we call a decorator's piece, and I think, the right place, this would look amazing.

But at £400 it ain't coming home with me, sadly.

VO: Ah!

Yeah, but you can't shell out that much anyway.

Now where's Roo?

Now, that's quite interesting.

I'm immediately drawn to the shape of it.

It says here 1930s ink die holder.

But I don't think that's what it is at all.

In fact, I'm wearing what would be in here, if I guessed correctly.

This looks to me like... Aha!

A surma holder.

So if you look at Arabic eye make-up, I'm wearing this black line just inside my eye.

That's what the ladies would do.

So this would be filled with crushed black powder, soot, basically.

And do you know how they would make that?

It was basically the burnt ashes from oil or ghee.

VO: Surma eye make-up has been used for centuries as a cosmetic.

And it's also thought to ward off evil.

You would dip the stick in there, put it in your eye, close it, and run it across.

And that is the very Arabic style of doing make-up.

Now, it's definitely a tourist piece, OK?

It's got the Taj Mahal on it.

That's as touristy as you can get.

But it's got Arabic on both sides, and also a mirror.

So that confirms that this is definitely for surma, or it's also called kohl.

So you would actually apply it, check it in the mirror.

But this is probably, say, 1950s, 1960s.

So when someone would visit the Taj Mahal, the ladies could pick this up and do their make-up.

But it's not a bad price.

It's £30.

I think if that could be south of 15, it might be quite a cool thing to take to auction.

It's one to think about.

VO: Good-o.

Over to Steven then.

This is where the antiques are.

I can tell.

My secret sense is saying.

VO: Oh, he's gone all Mystic Meg.

STEVEN: That's a whole range of things.

I mean, there's...

This has got my eye straightaway.

I love Venice.

I go to Venice quite a few times a year.

This is a lovely little Venetian perfume flask, and this will be the test.

The stopper should have... Let's ease it out gently.

That is very likely to break, and it's not broken, so you'd have your perfume in there.

You would pull this out and you would just... little... under the thing, ready for the... ready for the party.

Slip it back inside.

And that...

It's at £38 - that's a good one to consider.

VO: Smells like a potential purchase - ha-ha.

And just beneath it... ..another piece of Venetian glass, a little bit later than 1900, 1910.

This lovely hand-painted enamel decoration.

And all of these little dots, all been done by hand.

VO: Ah, in Italy, this cup's called a tazza, and is traditionally used to serve small food items.

(CLEAR RINGING) STEVEN: It does, it rings perfectly, so there's no... no damage.

And that is... That's £28.

That's not expensive as well.

VO: Very reasonable.

Sense anything else?

What lady wouldn't love this?

I mean, a little... a little handbag mirror.

Just check that we are... you know what?

I think it flatters you as well.

I think it's one of those mirrors that kind of makes you look a little bit slimmer as well.

VO: An added bonus!

That's £12!

Erm...

I think I need to see what... ..these three things can be, and buy them, before Roo sees them.

VO: Better get Steve the dealer over, then.

Can we do a deal?

Yes.

Sure.

Let me show you.

Let the dog see the rabbit, as they say.

Right.

So it's these three things here.

The little glass tazza's 28, the perfume has 38...

Right.

..and the little mirror is 12.

I think it comes to £78...

Yes.

Aha.

What's the rock-bottom dollar deal?

Er, 55?

Could they be 50?

Yeah, go on.

Yeah, 50.

That deal is done.

VO: That's the stuff!

With that reduction, Steven paid 20 for the perfume flask, 20 for the tazza and 10 for the mirror... ..leaving him with £205.84.

How's Roo getting on?

Steven would like it here.

(CHUCKLES) Tea sets and china galore, but that's not my bag.

This, on the other hand, is probably more me.

What is it?

Well, it's a nutcracker.

VO: £12.

It's very much a Victorian fable.

So if you imagine the Victorian dining table... Because I love my food, I would have loved living back then because the table was laden with different meats and breads.

Dining was a real theatrical feast, and nutcrackers were often laid on the table.

They're always quite ornate, they're quite figural.

This has got two figures on here.

And I'm spotting a very familiar name there, Fagin.

So of course, we're talking about Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist, and on the other side is Bill Sikes.

The ticket says £12.

That's not a bad price.

It's priced quite fairly.

Is it really exciting?

No.

But is it collectable?

Yes.

VO: With her eye also on the inkwell for £30, what can Carole do for our Roo?

There's two things I've spotted.

Mm-hm.

One is the Oliver Twist nutcracker, and also you've got a £30 Taj Mahal-themed ink die holder, which I think is for Arabic eye make-up.

Now, what is the very, very best bottom line you could do on that?

22.

Well, in that case, the price is often the decider.

So I think I will go with the nutcracker at £12, if that's OK with you.

OK. VO: Thanks, Carole.

That's kick-started Roo's shopping, and left her with just under £237.

Steven is taking a mini break and is headed to Lytham Saint Annes.

It's here that a local company helped bring rock and roll to the youth of Britain.

Steven is here to learn more from Karl Dawson, the owner of the Ditchburn Jukebox Museum.

Karl, the king of jukeboxes.

Hello, and welcome to lovely Lytham Saint Annes.

Is this the private view?

Yes, it is.

Come and have a sneak peek.

Lead on.

Thank you.

VO: It was after 1945 that jukeboxes made a noticeable appearance in Britain, and American music and culture started to have an influence.

KARL: There was a guy called Jack Hylton, who was an impresario and also he was a big band leader at the time in the '40s.

And he and his band were actually touring the American Air Force bases in the UK, and also in the USA.

He talked to the troops and the troops were saying that they missed jukeboxes, and they missed hot dogs, and he saw it as an opportunity that he could put his records on jukeboxes, get them into American air-force bases, and then hopefully the troops would go home and remember Jack Hylton and he could break into the US market.

There was a very strict ban set by the British government at the time that did not permit non-essential items and luxury items to be imported into the UK after the war.

So he had to look at other means to get his jukebox on the market.

VO: Jack teamed up with two brothers, Frank and Percy Hawtin of Hawtin's Novelty in Blackpool, who worked together to produce the first British-built jukebox.

They had the engineering knowledge.

Jack Hylton was a musician, and he didn't have the engineering background to develop a jukebox.

So did the business take off?

Did his plan work?

Unfortunately, it didn't last very long.

OK. Jack Hylton was only involved in the jukebox business for a year.

He didn't achieve the sales that he intended to achieve.

VO: A jukebox at that time cost £237.

The equivalent today is about £10,000.

Not being able to sell enough, Jack walked away from the company.

But that wasn't the end.

Norman Ditchburn, a shrewd businessman, stepped in.

STEVEN: So he really saw an opportunity, and he ran with it.

Yes, he certainly did.

And when he bought the company from the Hawtin brothers, he then moved the whole operation here to Lytham Saint Annes.

VO: Knowing people in the UK couldn't afford to buy jukeboxes themselves, Ditchburn came up with a different approach.

He'd come up with a solution in which if he rented these jukeboxes, he still maintained ownership.

He was never actually selling a jukebox.

So he rented these jukeboxes to coffee bars, milk bars all over the UK.

What he did was share the profits with the milk bar owner and the coffee bar owner on a 50/50 basis.

But he also supplied the records for the jukeboxes, and every two weeks he would change for a new selection, so it was a win-win situation for both parties.

VO: In the mid-1950s, early rock and roll from the US was emerging in Britain, but access to hearing it was limited.

Ditchburn's jukeboxes became essential for the British youth.

He was actually the number-one jukebox operator in the whole world.

VO: By the early '70s, he had 3,000 jukeboxes in a variety of pubs and cafes.

Ditchburn brought music to the masses in the early '50s and '60s, and he gave the youth the rock and roll that they wanted to hear.

VO: Ditchburn's company was incorporated and sold around 1972, but his jukeboxes lent a monumental hand in changing British culture and influencing music for future generations.

(WHIRRING) STEVEN: That lovely sound!

MUSIC: "Blue Spanish Eyes" by Engelbert Humperdinck STEVEN: (MOUTHS ALONG) RECORD: # Blue # Spanish eyes # Teardrops are falling from... # VO: Yeah.

Well, I wouldn't give up the day job just yet if I were you, Steven.

Ha!

Talking of day jobs, Roo's back in the Rolls and heading also to Lytham Saint Annes.

Steven edging ahead has left me a little bit sore.

My pride is dented, but do you know what?

I'm hoping to edge in front of him again.

That's my mission.

VO: Well, this next place might help you to do just that.

Verdi Antiques, a family-run business since 2011.

There seems to be more than enough here for Roo to spend her brass on.

Or should I say brass?

Now that is a contradiction.

West German pottery from the 1950s, right next to Victorian silver.

You can't get as different, but you know, let me have a look.

This cruet set, dime a dozen.

You see them all day long in antiques centers, and actually they are quite common.

But to find them in silver, hallmarked silver, usually they have a bigger price tag than that.

But let me have a closer look because the most common cities that silver is made is Birmingham, so if you find London or Chester, it's got a much better value to it.

But I will bet you anything that there's going to be an anchor on this set.

Yes, it does.

Nine times out of 10, you're going to find the anchor.

So in 1773, two representatives from the Birmingham and Sheffield assay office went into a pub for a drink and the pub was called the Crown and Anchor, so they flipped a coin.

Birmingham was assigned the anchor, and Sheffield was assigned the crown.

So every time you see the hallmarks, basically that was decided over the flip of a coin and a pint or two.

VO: Yeah, like most good decisions!

Now the price tag on it, £75, not a bad price.

Lovely box.

Nice condition, complete with its matching spoons.

I think it might be worthwhile at least finding out what the best price is, because surely you can't go wrong with silver.

Can you?

VO: Famous last words, but one to think about.

I have a bit of a soft spot for cabinets.

It sounds weird, but any display cabinets, large, medium or small and dinky, there's something so intriguing about them.

You just kind of want to open the door and open the drawers and see what's in there.

Now these two are smoker's cabinets.

Now, I know that's not trendy, but they would be used for putting your tobacco in.

And what I like about these two, which you don't often see, is that they actually have the tobacco jars in them.

This has got a horse racing scene on it, which isn't my favorite.

But this smaller one is appealing to me.

That's very Wedgwood in style.

Now, it's not Wedgwood, but it is very similar right down to the green color that they use.

But I quite like that.

It's quite sophisticated.

Now, see?

There we go.

Made of ceramic inside with the brass liner.

Now price-wise this little one is 48.

I think they could do well at auction if the price was tasty enough.

VO: Definitely food for thought, then.

Ha!

Anything else tickles your fancy?

I've got a thing for cameos.

How elegant is that portrait of a lady's face?

Side profile.

Beautiful curls.

It just takes you back to the time of long, sweeping robes, and being fed grapes.

The ticket here says nine karat, "nine-karat gold, £49."

So instantly I'm intrigued.

But you know what?

I have to try this on.

VO: Of course, madam.

Fits.

ROO: Look at that!

It's beautiful, isn't it?

And you know what?

I would spend £49 on that all day long if I saw it at auction.

Do you know what?

No, do you know what, if I buy that it's going to be a matter of the heart and probably the head.

VO: And the wallet.

Time to see dealer David, I think.

Hi, David.

Hello, Roo.

How are you?

I'm good, how are you?

Very well, thank you.

I have to say my brain is bursting.

I've seen so many lovely things.

There's the nine-karat-gold cameo ring.

Yeah.

You've got that up at, I think 49?

49.

Yes, that's right.

OK. Um... could that be round about 25?

Oh, dear!

(CHUCKLES) I could do 40 for you.

30?

I could do 35, if that's OK. 35.

OK. Then we've got the cruet set.

Could that be round about the 35 mark?

I'll tell you what I'll do.

I'll do £50 on the button for you.

Right.

The little smoker's cabinet.

You've got 48 on the small one.

Mm-hm.

Could that be round about sort of 30?

I could do the small one for 35 for you.

So that's 70, 50.

That's 120.

Mm-hm.

If I bought all three, cuz I do want to spend my money with you... (THEY CHUCKLE) ..could it be closer to 100?

I'll do it for 110 for you.

ROO: 110?

DEALER: Yeah.

Well, that is a very, very fair, kind price, David, thank you.

I will take you up on that, then.

VO: So with that late reduction, Roo has bought the nine-karat cameo ring for £35, the oak smoker's cabinet and tobacco pot for 30, and the cruet set for 45, leaving her with £126.50 in her piggy.

Well, that was a fruitful day for both.

Even though there's lots of love between us, we are naturally a little bit competitive.

Well of course, you've got to be.

It's about knowledge, so it is about competition.

And we both want to win.

We do.

VO: You can say that again.

He-he he!

Nighty-night.

Lancashire, watch out!

These two are very much about!

Did you hit the town in Blackpool?

I did.

Well, I thought, it's my first time.

I'm not going to miss an opportunity.

Right?

So yes, I hit the town.

I lived it large.

I went up the Pleasure Beach.

ROO: Nice.

STEVEN: Had an ice cream.

ROO: Very good.

STEVEN: I had fish and chips.

Oh, you're living the Blackpool dream.

VO: He certainly is.

Yesterday, Steven frugally spent his money on a perfume flask, a blue glass enameled tazza, and a silverplated mirror.

Makes you look a little bit slimmer.

VO: Ha-ha.

Which means he has £205.84 to spend on whatever he fancies today.

While Roo spent her cash on a smoker's cabinet and tobacco pot, an Oliver Twist nutcracker, a silver cruet set and a cameo ring... Beautiful, isn't it?

VO: ..leaving her with £126.50.

Let's try and spend all our money.

Buy some really nice things that we will not regret, no matter what.

VO: Let's hope not.

Steven's dropped Roo off, and is heading to Preston, home to St Walburge's church, which boasts the tallest spire in England.

Look at that!

And Preston Antiques Centre, a converted cotton mill which houses over 30 dealers.

Not one, but two floors.

So much faff, I could have taken the stairs.

Hello, Dolly.

Oh, act... wow!

Hmm.

Now... (SIGHS) This is a 19th century child's chair, as the doll indicates.

So let's put it on the ground.

This would have been made by the local cabinet maker.

But, you know, a prosperous middle class family, this would be so the child could sit at the dining table and enjoy the food with the rest of the family.

And at £55, that doesn't seem expensive.

VO: One potential.

Moving on.

I have to admit, this type of stuff, you know, ethnographia, as it's called, so stuff made by native peoples, is not my area, but I know this is a paddle.

I know it's probably from one of the Pacific islands, and I can see it's handmade.

And when you look at...

When you look at the blade, you can see it's been carved by very small... what we call chip carving.

It's hard to say how old it is.

I think it's probably early 20th century, early to mid 20th century, perhaps.

But at £75 that doesn't seem... expensive.

Well, we could always add... we could add it.

Well, let's add it to the party.

Let's find the chair.

VO: Time to make some decisions.

Right.

And we're off.

Sue.

VO: She's the owner.

Look out, Sue.

This is 75.

Just give me the best price.

No messing around.

The very best price is 55.

The little chair's 55.

What can that be?

SUE: 40.

STEVEN: 40.

I think there's a good chance this might make me money.

Right, paddle it is.

£55.

VO: Splendid.

That's the largest amount he's splashed out yet, leaving him with just over £150.

Just 20 miles to the east is the town of Accrington.

VO: Here, in the late 1800s, the town was famous for manufacturing the hardest and densest building bricks in the world.

Here to tell Roo more is plant manager Lee Shirtcliffe.

Hi, Lee, nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you, Roo.

I've got you some hi-vis and a hard hat.

I'm a lucky girl, aren't I?

You're a lucky girl.

VO: Dating back to 7,000 BC, bricks were first thought to be used in southern Turkey, made from mud.

They would have been sun dried.

Fast forward through the centuries, and brick making has vastly developed.

Up to 1885, they were made by hand.

But after the Industrial Revolution, machinery was introduced.

The Accrington Brick and Tile Company started in 1887, and although the company has changed over the years, the same quarry is still used today.

ROO: Lee, what makes this clay so unique?

The unique of the Accrington shale is that it produces a brick that's very dense.

It's the composition of the clay that once it's fired it's very high in strength, and its the color as well.

VO: The bricks were stamped with "nori", spelling iron backwards, and was sought-after worldwide, being used on some of the most iconic buildings.

Some of the bricks we've used in the past have been the Empire State Building... ROO: Oh wow!

LEE: ..with 20,000 bricks built underneath there.

Blackpool Tower's foundations are built with Accrington nori as well, similar facsimile bricks.

So the bricks that went from here, Accrington, all the way to New York and the Empire State Building.

Yes.

And they form the foundations of the building?

They form the foundations of the building.

Yeah.

I'm intrigued to see what the actual bricks look like.

Can you show me?

Yeah.

If you'd like to follow me, we'll take you to the factory and show you.

OK.

Thank you.

VO: Mechanical and technical advances mean that Accrington bricks now can be mass-produced.

And today, 1.1 million bricks are made here per week.

Wow!

So as you can see, this is the finished product.

It's not a traditional red.

It's a sanded and stained kind of thing.

The traditional Accrington product... ..is the old Accrington nori brick.

ROO: Oh.

LEE: The red one.

So as you can see, that were pressed, this has got perforation, and there is varying sizes as well.

And the weight is... that's probably about four kilos.

This is about 2.6 kilos.

ROO: Easier to handle.

LEE: Yeah.

And how old is that one?

This brick will be probably 80 year old.

So it's nearly an antique.

Yeah.

VO: In 2007, the Accrington brick stopped being exported around the world, but is still the densest brick on the market.

Although today the demands are mainly domestic, the nori brick legacy still lives on and can be seen in historical buildings which are still standing tall today.

Now to Steven, who's pondering one's situation.

Every day this week, I have spent all my cash.

Every penny.

But this day do I need to be a bit more cautious?

Do I need to keep a bit more in my wallet?

It is all in the lap of the gods, and all down to the last shop.

But one thing's for sure, I want to get there before Roo.

(HORN HONKS) VO: Steven is winding his way through the lovely Lancashire countryside to the thriving market town of Ramsbottom, to this charming high street store, Memories Antiques.

STEVEN: Hello.

DEALER: Hello.

This is where the memories are.

It is.

Well, let's get looking for some.

Thank you.

VO: If my memory - ha!

- serves me correctly, he has £150 left.

You have to keep your eyes open everywhere in the shop.

There is...

I'm being... attacked by antiques.

VO: Stand your ground, man!

Perfectly ordinary mug.

But look inside.

Why on Earth would you have a frog inside of a mug?

Well, there's two theories.

One is these were called ague mugs, and if you were suffering from an ague, which was kind of like the kind of diseases they had in the old days, which they didn't really know what they were.

You'd be drinking your beer, and suddenly you'd see a frog and you'd get such a shock you'd be cured of your ague.

A bit like when you give somebody a shock to get rid of their hiccups.

The other idea was that these were temperance mugs, that you would be given this on a Sunday, the Lord's Day, when you weren't meant to drink.

So if you took a swig of your beer, you'd get a terrible shock with the frog.

But, I mean, once you got the trick, you wouldn't drink it again.

So they're novelties.

I think they were just made as something which was amusing and fun.

This is a late one.

It's kind of 1880 or so, but £12.

Not expensive.

VO: Certainly not.

Oh, look, here's Roo.

I wonder what will jump out at her.

Maybe Steven.

ROO: Hmm.

Steven?

(GUITAR STRUMS) What are you doing back there?

Can you bang a tune on a drum?

Ready?

Time me in.

Oh, my goodness, we're gonna make number one.

VO: No, you're really not.

Now let's get back to it.

If you're in an antiques shop, never forget to look up.

And this seems to be an ode to Tiffany, which I must confess is my favorite designer.

Now, these are not original because if this was an original Tiffany lamp, some of them have sold for over £1 million.

I know.

But the reason being is that every single one is handmade.

Now, original ones are probably about 150 years old, and these darlings are definitely not original lamps.

But where there's demand and desire, you're going to get reproductions, and the price on them says £65.

Now, it looks like they're being sold individually.

But if I want to get value at auction, all or nothing, I don't want to buy something small again.

It's got to be meaty, and it's got to be sexy, and it's got to stand out on auction day.

And these might just do the trick.

VO: Better talk to shop owner Jackie.

ROO: Jackie.

JACKIE: Hello.

Hello.

You've got some treasures in this shop.

Really, I do love it.

There's three things that have actually caught my eye that I can't stop thinking about.

It's those Tiffany-style ceiling lamps.

Oh, yes.

The green, red and the white.

Now you've got £65 on them each.

For the three, how close could you get to the 100?

JACKIE: 136.

ROO: 136?

Yeah.

I have 100, 120, 125.

Will that be fine for you?

Go on, then.

VO: Oh, thank you, Jackie.

She's all shopped up, and we'll have them shipped off to the auction.

Now, how's her chum doing?

Now, you know I love Venice.

And this is a Venetian clown, made in Murano.

But it is a face only a mother could love.

And I'm not saying which one.

VO: Me neither.

So sorry, matey, back on the shelf for you.

But... you see, you're attracted by that and then look what happens.

Treasure.

Looking at this stuff, it all looks the same, but there's something... not wrong with this.

This one is different to this.

Same colors.

This is English.

Erm... it's what we call Gaudy Welsh, bizarrely, even though it's mainly made in England, but the same basic Imari color.

So when I say Imari colors, what do I mean?

I mean underglaze blue, overglaze red and green enamel.

Typical classic Japanese, this one... 1900.

This one's probably a little bit earlier.

This one is... actually, that's probably late 18th, early 19th century.

And then this one, again, is late 19th century.

But, I mean, that one says £6.

(CLEAR RINGING) It rings clear.

So if the big one's £6...

I'm thinking, how much can we get away for the set?

And win that auction!

Off we go.

VO: Let's see what John, the dealer, can do for you.

Hello?

Oh, you're hiding.

I found these plates downstairs.

This is exactly how they were.

Only one of them is priced, at £6.

Is that £6 for the lot?

That's £6 for all of them.

Well, I'm not going to quibble.

I am going to... free up a hand, and give you some money.

VO: And with another small buy, he's all done and dusted too.

Time to reunite with Roo.

That was a bit of a tight squeeze there.

I have to say your driving is brilliant.

I know.

Well I just edged her round, you know, like one would a lady.

Ha-ha!

VO: On that note, time for some shuteye.

It's auction day!

ROO: Oh, here we are.

STEVEN: Another day.

ROO: Oh, another beautiful, beautiful building.

VO: Having explored Lancashire's offerings, our pair have headed further north, to Carnforth and to Leighton Hall Estate.

How are you feeling about today's auction?

I've got my Texan hat on.

I'm expecting Texas profits.

Oh, really?

(CHUCKLES) Yes, ma'am.

VO: Yee-ha!

Meanwhile, their buys have traveled down south to Bourne End, at Bourne End Auction Rooms.

The auctioneer is Hugo Lemon.

All done, then, at 110?

VO: Roo spent £247 on her five auction lots.

Thoughts, Hugo?

The silver cruet set in its box, so good to be able to give to someone as a present.

Not many people use them today, but they're always very popular at auction.

VO: Steven, on the other hand, spent a savvy amount, £111, on his five lots.

Hoping today that the paddle is going to do very well.

It was possibly made to actually be used rather than the tourist market, and there is a big collecting paternity for these type of pieces.

VO: Well, let's see.

Today's auction is open to online and commission bids from around the world.

Let's do this.

Then drown our tears.

Oh, no.

Not today.

VO: First... "Please, sir, can Roo have some more?"

Her Oliver Twist nutcracker.

Start me off at £20 for them.

20 I'm bid, thank you.

And two I'll take.

At £20... Fabulous.

22... Oh, come on, someone.

Thank you.

25.

At £25, then.

At £25.

Are you all done this time at 25?

At 25, then.

I'm going to sell, then, at 25.

VO: Cracking start!

You know, I'm happy with that.

I find that if you buy small and novelty, there's always going to be someone that falls in love with it.

There's nothing wrong with tickling a wee profit out of something.

Absolutely.

VO: Can Steven's flask tickle some bidding interest?

Straight in at 30.

30, I'm bid.

Thank you.

And two?

Easy peasy.

Two I'll take.

At 30 and two.

35, I'm now bid.

Well done.

37, 37, now, in the new place...

Creeping to double bubble.

At £37 and 40, I'll take.

40?

40, I'm bid.

Thank you.

£40, then.

At 40, I'm going to sell, then, at 40.

All done at 40.

VO: Yeah, look, the sweet smell of success.

But you know what's even nicer is when you buy something which is nice, and you know there's a profit in it, and it makes a profit.

Mm-hm.

VO: Roo's silver cruet set up next.

£50 for it?

£50 everywhere, now.

50 and five.

And 60, I have.

And five on commission.

ROO: Fab.

HUGO: 65, now.

HUGO: 70, I'll take online.

ROO: Good.

At 65 and 70.

75.

And five?

And five?

And 80.

80, I'm bid.

And five.

85, now, I'm bid.

And 90.

90, I'm bid.

Thank you.

And five?

I'm happy with that.

90.

Are we all done, then, at 90?

Last chance, then, at 90.

I'm going to sell, then, at 90.

(GAVEL) I take my hat off to you.

ROO: Do you know, Steven... STEVEN: Well done.

That could have went either way.

VO: It could have, indeed.

Good job.

It went the right way, dear, and that is the most important thing.

VO: Now, will Steven's silver-plated mirror go the same way?

£20 straight in, there.

At 20 and two?

22.

25.

Very good.

25, I'm bid.

Thank you.

27.

27, I'm bid.

Thank you.

And 30, I'll take.

At £27, then.

At £27.

All done, then, at 27?

VO: That's another profit.

Looking good today!

I'm liking this auction so far.

Touch wood.

VO: Me too.

Time for Roo's cameo ring.

20, I'm bid.

Thank you.

And two.

22, 22.

25, I'm bid, thank you.

27.

That's awfully cheap for a nine-karat-gold ring.

HUGO: 30.

STEVEN: It's creeping.

At £27, then.

And 30.

All done, then, at 27, and 30?

30, I'm bid, then.

Two?

All done, then, at 30?

I'll sell this time at 30.

Are you all done, then, at 30?

VO: First loss of the day.

Oh, dear.

I'm disappointed, cuz it was such a beautiful thing.

VO: Steven's blue glass enamel tazza up next.

Straight in at 30.

30... ROO: Well done!

STEVEN: Profit already.

This was a lucky cabinet!

35, 32, I'm bid.

And five, I'll take.

£32.

And five?

35.

Thank you.

37.

Good color, this.

A nice decorative piece, there, at £35.

Last chance at 35.

Are you all done at 35?

Are you sure?

VO: Not bad at all, eh?

ROO: Well done.

STEVEN: Not what I thought, but a profit nevertheless.

Well done.

VO: Exactly.

Right, Roo's oak smoker's cabinet and tobacco pot.

30, I'm bid, in two places.

£30, I got on commission.

Well, that's good.

35, 35 I'm bid.

37.

And 40, I have, now.

And 40.

Are you all done, then, at 40?

I'm going to sell, then, at 40.

Are you all done?

I'm happy with that.

VO: And so you should be!

Can Steven's next item steer him closer to a profit?

50, I'm bid.

Thank you.

And five?

And 60.

And five.

And 70.

And five.

And 80.

And five.

And 90.

And five.

100.

110.

120... Well done.

HUGO: 130.

140.

ROO: Good buy.

Thank you, 150.

160.

170.

I think you are buying tea tonight.

180.

180.

190.

190.

200.

(GASPS) Well done!

200, I'm bid.

220.

240.

Ooh!

Victory could be yours!

And I'm gonna sell at 240.

(SIGHS) Are you relieved?

Oh, you're telling me!

VO: Boy, that's one stonking profit for this cowboy.

Well done.

Tea's on me tonight, dear.

It is.

It is.

VO: It's not over yet.

Can Roo's biggest buy light up the bidding room?

50, I'm bid.

Thank you.

And five, I'll take.

HUGO: At £50, I'm bid.

ROO: Very low.

At £50, I'm bid, and five I'll take.

I mean, that would be...

Anything under £100 would be a bargain.

HUGO: 60.

And five.

It's creeping.

And five.

And 70.

At £65, I'm bid, then.

And 70, I'll take.

At 65.

65 was the price of one of them!

Last chance, then, at 65.

I'm selling, then, at 65.

(GAVEL) ROO: No!

Someone got a real bargain there.

VO: Quite!

Never mind, I'm still smiling.

VO: That's the spirit!

Finally, Steven's bargain plates.

20, I'm bid.

Thank you.

And two I'll take, at £20, I'm bid.

And two, anywhere?

22.

22.

25?

HUGO: 25.

25.

27.

27.

STEVEN: Come on!

And 30, I'll take.

At £27... Steven, you got them for £6.

Be happy!

At £27.

At 27.

All done at 27?

(GAVEL) VO: And that wraps things up.

I was robbed.

You made four times what you paid.

I was still robbed!

You did well.

There's a first time for everything.

VO: At the beginning of this Lancashire leg, Roo started with £248.50.

And after auction costs, she has come away today with £206.50.

VO: Steven started with slightly more, £255.84, and after auction costs, has made a huge profit, winning today and marching forward with £447.42.

Well done.

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