antiques 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!

Nice!

Wow!

IRITA (IM): Oh, look at that beautiful view.

TIM (TM): Oh, look at all those birds.

Just...

I know.

Look at that!

VO: I'm looking, I'm looking!

It's a glorious morning in Somerset, and antiques dealer Irita Marriott and new best pal and coin expert Tim Medhurst are in that fine '70s Reliant Scimitar, a stone's throw from Glastonbury.

IM: Are you a festival goer?

The last time I went, I got weed on.

So I never went again.

VO: He's so rock and roll!

What have you done...?

Just ripped my shirt.

IM: (CHUCKLES) Tim.

My... My biceps are so large my shirt has ripped.

VO: Ha-ha.

Get him - the Incredible Hulk!

Having set out with £200, he swelled that to £375.92.

And the Hulk was still green when Irita maintained her lead with another win and a new total of £415.02.

IM: You've been quite a cheapskate.

You've bought things for a fiver that made a good profit.

You bought something for a pound that made an amazing profit.

So I need to buy something for 20p now.

Yes!

Yes!

See, can you go even lower?

TM: # How low can you go?

# IM: Tim, how low can you go?

VO: I can only imagine.

Ooh!

They sallied forth from Newark-on-Trent, traveling all points of the compass before heading north for a final reckoning at Stamford.

Today though, they're sampling the pleasures of the West Country.

TM: Have you ever had Somerset brie?

Do you, like, have a cheese board in the evening?

Is that your thing?

I do like a cheese board, with a few different cheeses.

IM: Yeah.

TM: Biscuits and frozen grapes.

Why would you want a frozen grape?

It just adds a bit of...

I don't know.

It's just... IM: (CHUCKLES) TM: ..nice and refreshing.

Tim!

I just like a bit of...

It adds a bit of, you know, flavor.

VO: Ooh!

Ha-ha-ha!

I must try that.

On this trip, our new buddies will be watching in Avington as their purchases go to auction.

But after being dropped off by Irita, Upton Noble is the first destination today for Tim.

This tiny village is a rustic delight and Ralfes' Yard looks very promising.

TM: Rebecca, hello.

DEALER: Hi there.

TM: How are you?

DEALER: I'm good.

How are you?

Good.

Not bad at all.

I'm loving the look of this place.

Thank you.

I don't know where to start.

Probably over here.

VO: Right behind you apparently.

Oh, look at that.

Now that's a pleasure to handle one of these.

I absolutely love them and they've become such an iconic decorator's piece.

This is a footstool made for and retailed by Liberty of London.

They made lots of different animals.

You've got lions, rhinos and pigs, all sorts.

I think the pig is one of my favorites.

Look at him.

Oink oink.

VO: Oink oink yourself.

TM: Now, he does have some wear and tear.

But being, I would imagine, from around the 1940s, it would gain some wear and tear.

But...

I wonder how much it is.

TM: Rebecca?

DEALER: Yes.

How much is your piggy?

DEALER: 150.

TM: Can we do a deal at 145?

Go on then, 145.

145.

Lovely, I'll take that.

As long as you name him, as long as you name him.

I'll name him before I leave.

And I'll pop him there.

VO: How about Pinky, or Perky?

TM: Thank you very much.

DEALER: OK. VO: Meanwhile, let's catch up with Irita.

She's making her way a few miles to the southwest and the very pretty market town of Castle Cary - where tucked away up a wee lane is Botanika, apparently stocking vintage, retro... Hello?

VO: ..and bizarre.

(CHUCKLES) VO: Looks promising.

Now my style is a bit flamboyant, shall I say?

I like things that are big and bold and... That's very me.

I quite like the look of that.

VO: Do you?

Let's have a look.

VO: Persuade me.

That looks as if... Oh, let me try and get to it.

I mean, let's start with the fact that I can see damage and damage is never a good thing.

Saying that, from a distance...

Sorry, Teddy, I'm going to move you for a minute.

It looks as if it would be hand-painted on leather, and it's just been near some heat.

And that has made it quite badly crack.

Hence there are little pieces that are literally falling out.

28 quid?

Hm!

I'm just gonna buy that.

My first buy of the day!

Let me get in there.

Oh, my good... (GRUNTS) It is heavier than I thought!

Right.

(STRAINS) I better not... not knock anybody out.

IM: Whoa!

VO: Careful!

There was a chair in my way.

Right, let's maneuver.

Hello?

VO: Owner Steve is out back.

Steve!

Hi.

Hello, Irita.

IM: Oh, hello.

Whoa!

DEALER: Oh.

Ooh, I need to watch my... Whoa!

Oh.

Oh, it'll be broken by the time I get to you.

It's not quite what I expected to find, but, erm... DEALER: No.

IM: ..you know.

Actually, I saw it in a bit of a darker room.

Kind of looked better in there.

It's priced at £28.

And guess what?

It is your lucky day.

I ain't haggling.

DEALER: Gosh!

IM: I didn't want you to... DEALER: I'm too old to haggle.

IM: (CHUCKLES) Just putting my money there, so £28.

Thank you very much indeed.

And wish me good luck.

Oh!

Yes.

And I hope you win.

So do I.

See you later.

Take care, bye-bye.

VO: Right.

In the boot with it.

It's like made to measure.

Perfect.

Off we go.

VO: Laters!

We need to get back to Upton Noble to see how Tim's getting on.

Another room.

It's like a treasure trove.

Loving it.

VO: He's scouring those barns.

But will he spot anything?

Quite like all these.

These are great.

CE Wilcox, chemist, starch.

Look, they're all old apoc-athery bottles... VO: Apothecary.

..with their old labels as well.

And what I really like about apoc-athery bottles... VO: Apothecary.

..is you can imagine those sort of Victorian or early 20th century chemists, and their front windows would have just been covered in these wonderful apoc-athery bottles.

VO: I give up.

We've got about 10 here with labels, and I'm quite keen on those.

So if we can do a deal on a job lot, I quite like the sound of that.

VO: And still, there was more.

Oops!

I'm glad I didn't wear my white trousers.

VO: So am I.

There's just so much stuff.

(GRUNTS) I like that.

Now, look at that.

It's a 19th century Victorian brass bound oak barrel.

And we've got brass binding here and an oak body, and I love the wear and tear on it.

I think it's got a really good look.

And do you know what I love best about this place, is there's no prices on anything.

So, you know, the slate is clean.

We can do a bit of a deal.

I like it.

I'm just going to see how much it is.

Ooh!

I'm pleased with that.

VO: Let's see what Rebecca can do for him.

TM: Rebecca.

DEALER: Hi, Tim.

You alright?

I'm back from my rummage.

Oh, good.

Now, I've dug out this bucket.

Right.

Er, what's the price on that, do you think?

40, you can take that off my hands for 40.

OK. Erm, right, there's chemist bottles in the shed.

Right.

And I think there's 10 that I quite like.

Right.

So what are the prices on those?

Erm, the pharmacy bottles... 15 each?

OK, can we do a deal?

£30 on the bucket and 100 on the bottles?

Do you think that's a deal, 130?

DEALER: Yeah, that sounds good.

TM: Is that alright?

Yeah, I think I can do that.

So 130.

Thank you.

Right, so 145 on the pig, TM: 130, 275.

DEALER: OK.

There we are.

There's your money.

I'll pop it there.

DEALER: Thank you Tim.

TM: I'll let you get on TM: with what you're doing.

DEALER: Thank you.

Thank you very much.

I've enjoyed myself.

Take care.

VO: Don't forget Pinky!

This looks nice.

VO: Oh.

Meanwhile, back in Castle Cary, Irita's gone for a cup of tea and made a... Made a find.

I have just passed this amazing Italian Florentine mirror on a wall.

It dates probably from early 19th century.

Might as well.

I mean, come on.

I have nothing to lose at all.

So I'm gonna ask and see, can I buy it?

Because it is amazing.

VO: She's very daring, or cheeky.

Or both.

IM: Hello.

SERVER: Hello.

Thank you very much.

There's your cup of tea.

Em, before you go, can I just ask a quick question?

I saw this gold mirror on the wall.

Yeah.

I know this is very random.

But do you think there's any chance of me buying that mirror?

Quite possibly.

Really?

Quite possibly, yeah.

Erm, well... Well that's a good start.

(THEY CHUCKLE) IM: Do you have any idea... How much would you be willing to sell it for?

100?

I will have that for 100, please.

And here's your money.

Let me pop that down there so it does not blow away.

And I really appreciate it cuz I absolutely love it.

Excellent.

IM: Thank you very much.

SERVER: Thank you very much.

VO: Cheers!

Tim is making his way west across Somerset now, heading for the small village of Ashcott.

There's nothing more British than the pub.

And, as well as enjoying the beer, some people take an old pub game very seriously.

Skittles.

John Holdsworth is one of those people.

Where is this game most popular then?

JOHN: It's worldwide... TM: Aha.

..but specifically in Britain, in the South West.

So from the county of Worcestershire right down to Cornwall, you're never far from a skittle alley.

How old were you when you first chucked your first ball down the aisle?

I think I was around 15.

Oh, OK.

So you've been doing it for... A long time.

You're quite experienced then?

I am, yes.

I used to play with my uncles back in the day.

Right, John, well, you've whet my appetite.

Is there any way you can show me how to play the game?

Well, Tim, you have come to the right place and you are with the right person.

TM: Brilliant, you lead the way.

JOHN: Let's go.

Sounds good to me.

Can't wait to chuck that ball down the aisle.

VO: By Tudor times, skittles or nine-pins was played across Europe.

Gentlemen and women created outdoor and indoor alleys.

And the game was even more popular among common folk, but was often banned on account of associated gambling, drinking and lack of regard for the Sabbath.

These days, West Country skittles is all good family fun.

So Tim, this is our alley, where we've been playing since 1959.

As you can imagine, on a Friday or a Thursday night, as a skittle team, this place would be buzzing with all the team players.

As you can see, it's a solid wood flooring.

And here, down the bottom here, is the nine-pin diamond.

The object of the game is to knock all nine pins down.

And the maximum score you can get with three balls is 27 pins.

As you will see, there is one bigger pin in the middle.

That's what we call the landlord pin.

These were traditionally made of oak, because they take a bit more of a beating with the balls that are used.

But these pins differ on alleys throughout the country.

We've got three balls, as you can see here.

Cor, it's a bit of a heavy weight.

Now that looks to me like lignum vitae.

That's correct.

The Victorians used loads of this.

It's pretty heavy, isn't it?

They have to be strong for when you're throwing them down the alley, to take the brunt of the pins.

VO: European settlers took the game with them to America.

And Charles Dickens, visiting in 1842, noted that bowling, now with 10 pins, was all the rage.

This folk game spawned 2,000 alleys in the US by 1929, where boys were employed as pin setters before automation in the 1950s.

It's still the older nine-pin version here.

I got two.

VO: And they still need to reset by hand.

Thanks, Steve.

And there are variations from county to county, as Sergio can explain.

In Wiltshire, we play where you have to hit the front pin first to score any pins.

Ah.

So if you were to throw a ball and it didn't hit the front pin, any pins that were knocked over would stay down and not count towards your score.

So I got nothing.

Em, basically, yes, you've got nothing.

Oh, thank goodness we're not in Wiltshire, eh?

We also play another form called nomination where every single ball you throw, you have to nominate which pin you're going for.

But we tend to use that just in cup competition.

That's for the pros, that one.

That's for the pros.

Right, OK, chaps.

Friendly competition?

How about a game?

JOHN: Why not?

TM: OK, come on.

Let's do it.

VO: It's Wiltshire versus Dorset and Somerset.

Ooh, look at that.

Come on, Tim.

Don't miss, Steve.

Aw!

Tim!

Well played.

John, what a great time.

I've really enjoyed this.

I can see why it's so addictive, even if the Dorset side flopped a bit.

Sorry about that.

It's been great teaching you today.

Like I said, it's been going for centuries and we're trying to preserve it for centuries more.

VO: Bye-bye.

What fun.

A few miles away, Irita is back behind the wheel and en route to charming Somerton... ..an important center of the ancient Kingdom of Wessex.

Irita's after old treasure but hopefully she'll be restricting her shopping this time to an actual shop - Market Cross Antiques & Interiors.

Has she already spotted something?

Pete is ready to serve.

Good afternoon.

PETE: Good afternoon.

How are you today?

PETE: Good, thank you.

Er, I know I've just walked in but I've spotted something through the window.

See, this is how quick of a shopper I am.

(GRUNTS) I really like him.

Yeah, he's good.

That's bronze.

How... How adorable.

Got a good weight to it.

IM: Is it bronze?

Let me feel.

PETE: Yes.

Yeah, it's cold.

Got good definition.

And he's got glass eyes.

Let's have a look, what have you got on him?

£85.

Bargain.

(THEY CHUCKLE) Ah, that's a good response.

Now throw me a figure before I walk away and start looking around elsewhere.

60.

Good start, I would say.

Right, let's pop you down there.

You better behave yourself - I might be back for you.

There's a dog bowl there so he'll be alright.

VO: Well, we know how much the doggy in the window is.

(YELLS) VO: Ooh!

Hopefully it can only be uphill from here.

IM: (CHUCKLES) Look at these!

Magic name of Royal Worcester.

Worcester is one of the best porcelain makers in England.

And these are all hand-gilded and jeweled.

And when I say jeweled, they have tiny little enamel dots on them.

And there's five of these.

Oh my goodness, they are absolutely beautiful.

(SIGHS) And I said that too early.

That one's got a broken handle.

That one's got a big crack in it.

That plate's cracked.

All of it is a bit... second grade really.

(SIGHS) Let's pop that back.

There's no price on it.

And we will ask to see could we find out how much these actually are.

VO: Back to Pete at the front desk.

Look out.

Now then, little man, I've been thinking about you.

What do you reckon?

Shall I take you home with me?

Well, not quite home, but you know.

Now then, I like this doggy.

I also like the Royal Worcester cups and saucers.

Let me just pop this down because it's a bit heavy to hold.

Erm, the cups and saucers didn't actually have a price on them.

What is the price?

The cups and saucers can be £15.

What about the dog?

50.

It is cups and saucers and a doggy, please.

See?

Pain free.

Brilliant.

Let me get you some money.

So I owe you 65?

Is that right?

I'll pop it under the duck and hopefully they won't think I'm barking mad buying this.

PETE: I will.

(THEY CHUCKLE) IM: See you later.

VO: Not barking mad but definitely five cups short of a tea set!

Ha-ha!

Time to collect the erstwhile skittler and head home.

Should we go somewhere and have something to eat?

Ooh, I tell you what we should have.

IM: Go on.

TM: That cheese board.

With your weird frozen grapes.

Well, I'll trust you with this one.

Let's go and have some frozen grapes.

VO: Bon appetit, mes petits choux... a la creme.

And our new companions are lucky to be spending their second day enjoying all that Somerset has to offer.

I hope you haven't been on the scrumpy.

That's quite big thing round here, you know.

I don't drink at all, you know.

You're teetotal, aren't you?

I keep forgetting.

Yeah, I have never have had a drink in my life.

That's incredible.

That's why your skin is so good.

(THEY CHUCKLE) I'll slap you one in a minute!

VO: Ooh, careful.

I have to say, your laugh.

It's a cackle, isn't it?

It just makes me laugh.

It's brilliant.

Wait a minute.

Does that mean that when you laugh, you're actually laughing at my laugh?

Does that mean I'm not actually funny?

I'm laughing with you and at you.

It's alright.

Oh.

Well, OK. VO: Oh, Tim!

Shelling out for a Liberty footstool... Oink oink!

..a planter and 10 apoth-ery... Ha-ha!

Apothecary bottles... And I'm quite keen on those.

..left him with £200.92, while Irita found gold in a pub.

Imagine, what would be the chances?

I literally went to the loo and came back with a mirror.

Not a toilet roll.

No.

At least I didn't come back with a toilet.

VO: Quite.

And as well as that mirror, Irita also scooped up some Royal Worcester China, a bronze dog... IM: (GRUNTS) VO: ..and a leather panel.

See you later!

VO: So her new budget today is £222.02.

Mirror mirror on the wall, who will make the biggest profit of them all?

Ooh!

Now that's a question and a half.

VO: I have no idea how this story ends.

But we'll begin by banishing our princess while Prince None-Too-Charming - ha-ha!

- drives his coach to the town of Crewkerne.

He's headed for the Antiques Bazaar, housed in a massive old mill and piled high with the wares of 95 traders.

Anthony is in charge.

You'll be some time getting around this place.

OK. Ooh!

VO: Oh my dear.

Wow, look at these.

Erm, anybody that knows me knows that I love early furniture.

And the reason these ones have caught my eye are because of these lovely painted armorials.

Now, back in say when these were made - around, I would say, 1820, 1840 - the owner of them would have commissioned a set with their armorial painted on the back.

They would have been made originally to line the great hallway.

So the idea was they were somewhere just to sit briefly but not stay for long.

They're probably still quite uncomfortable because of their original use.

Yeah, they're pretty uncomfortable.

You wouldn't want to sit here for long.

But... Yeah, they are a bit rickety as well.

If we have a look at the bottom... Yeah, look at this.

But I like this.

Somebody's loved this chair enough that they've put these metal brackets on just so it can be used and used.

And a furniture restorer wouldn't have much trouble bringing this back to its former glory.

£65 for a pair.

Ooh, depends if we can do a deal though.

Let's go and see if we can find a price.

VO: Oh, goody.

TM: Anthony.

DEALER: Yes.

TM: Hello.

DEALER: Hello there.

How are you doing?

Yeah, fine, Tim.

And you?

Good.

Yeah, not bad at all.

I've set my heart on potentially, down to price, a pair of hall chairs.

DEALER: Right.

TM: Erm, they're up at 65.

Do you think we could get down to...

I don't want to be cheeky, but you look like a lovely guy.

£50?

50 quid.

Erm... 25 each.

Yeah.

OK.

I would have thought that would be alright, yes.

TM: Yeah, is that alright?

DEALER: Yes, you... TM: You're a gent.

DEALER: You're being fair.

DEALER: That's OK. TM: Thank you.

Right, let me pop your money down here.

DEALER: Right.

TM: I'll go and grab the chairs.

TM: Thanks for the deal.

DEALER: Five tenners, lovely.

Take care.

I'll grab the chairs.

Good luck at the auction.

Bye.

VO: Can he get those in the boot?

We're in.

VO: Good work.

Cheerio!

VO: Meanwhile, Irita's making her way to West Coker, where at the height of the empire, British Navy sailing ships were rigged out with the finest sailcloth and twine, grown and made here.

To find out what made Coker canvas and twine so special, Irita is meeting Ross Aitken at the restored Dawe's Twineworks.

Hi, Ross.

Shall I head through the gate?

Please do.

VO: Flax was grown here in the 17th century, right up to the First World War when production peaked.

The geological features of the local rock, the Yeovil Sands, creates the perfect damp soil conditions for growing hemp and flax.

And so that's why the whole of this industry grew up in this area.

Because your raw material was better than anybody else's.

VO: And the sheer amount of sailcloth and twine required to rig out a sailing ship is quite staggering.

The top sail of the Victory, Victory had 36 sails.

The top sail, which is the smallest, has one and a half miles of twine in it to sew it together.

Now... Wow!

..if you think then about how many ships there were in the navy, and then how many ships there were, merchant ships, you get an idea of how important twine and sailcloth was.

In here alone, so there were 40 types of twine made here.

You wouldn't think that you'd need 40 types of twine.

And...

Didn't know that many existed.

No, exactly.

VO: Coker canvas was made from yarn which was bucked, that is shrunk, before weaving - a process which produced expensive but hardwearing cloth.

So a Coker canvas sail would last twice as long, perhaps up to two years, whereas other people's sails would last much shorter than that.

VO: And by 1815, Coker canvas became the standard for the Royal Navy.

There were once five twine works in West Coker, before the gradual decline of the industry.

Doors closed in 1968 and the site lay dormant for decades with its original machinery intact.

Thanks to a great restoration effort, it's shipshape again.

And Chris Barker can turn flax into twine.

Is this what it's made out of?

Well, that's the basic raw material, and that grew all over this area.

And if you look closely, you will see that the outside is fairly woody.

But inside there are very fine fibers.

And that's what is spun to make the yarn.

And then we take the yarn and make it into twine.

And other people took the yarn and made it into rope and sailcloth.

Upstairs, behind that...

Behind these 10,000 tiles, you have machines which twist the yarn.

OK. ..to make the twine.

And then downstairs we have these drums, which circulate the twine so you can apply the preservative.

Now, the preservative is the bit you didn't want to be working on when you were here, because it's boiled up animal guts and rabbit pelts and goodness knows what else.

And this area here would be very wet and very smelly and very unpleasant.

VO: Life in the past, eh?

Time to start processing Victorian style.

So it's literally twisting three bits of... Yeah.

..twine into one rope-like.

Yeah.

It's a very simple process, simpler than making rope.

And as you can see, even those few seconds running, we've... IM: Yeah.

CHRIS: ..got a twist already.

VO: To prevent rotting, the next stage is the sizing.

And this is where the twine was treated.

Once it's dry, then you get your bucket of horrible smelly stuff and the sponge and apply it.

And then that's allowed to dry.

And finally, to give it the real finish and the polish and make it all smooth so you can sail with it, it was polished with a horsehair rope.

And after probably two or three hours, I reckon... ..you could turn it all off.

And then you have your completed twine ready to be wound onto spools and sold.

VO: Dawe's once operated 12 balling machines.

But today they have a last one, restored for Irita to finish off some twine.

Oh, that looks very familiar... to what...

Does it?

Yeah!

As a child we had something very similar at home.

Right, so.

That's it.

Clockwise, that way, down.

Keep going.

That's it.

And you can see the ball forming.

Oh, yeah!

VO: As we say goodbye to a perfectly preserved piece of the South West's history, Tim is waving farewell to Somerset as he crosses into his home county of Dorset to Sherborne.

A marvelous market town.

Let's find some booty.

VO: Tim's bound for Acreman Street Antiques & Interiors, where he's arriving before Irita for first pick of the goodies.

There's two floors here and no shortage of possibilities.

Now, you can't be in the West Country, in Dorset - the home of the Jurassic Coast - without seeing a fossil.

Look at that fossil.

This is a bit of wood, a fossilized bit of tree.

And I suppose you could say that it's an antique antique.

It's the most antique you could get, a fossil.

Wow!

Ancient, but £250.

Sadly, it's out my budget this time.

VO: Jurassic!

I love that word.

Oh, here's Irita.

I feel like I need to run.

Tim's already here.

VO: Too much energy, this pair.

VO: Wait a minute.

Did I say "too much energy"?

Ha!

Hello, lord of the manor.

Hello there.

I was just, erm... Having some frozen grapes, are you?

That's it!

I've found the frozen grapes for our cheese board.

I hope you don't choke on one of those because they're quite big ones.

(CHUCKLES) Be careful, Timothy.

Be careful.

OK, you get on with it and then maybe in a bit I'll get on with it.

See ya.

Bye.

VO: Glad she's not stopping to peel him a grape.

Ooh, love him!

Look at him.

I found a little pig, as a vesta case.

He is adorable.

And it says Little Wadhurst Farm on the side of it.

This looks good.

This does not look like a reproduction.

And the main thing is you can see where it has that wear from being just handled over the years.

Cuz... And you can see it on the little legs and the arms and his little face.

So you would have had your matches in there.

And you got your striker on the bottom.

And you got a little hook on here that you would have probably put it on a chain, your watch chain or key chain, to carry with you.

(WHISPERS) £46.

I'm not sure why I'm whispering.

VO: (WHISPERS) Who cares?

It's much more dramatic.

So I'm going to ask what is the best price for this little chap.

And he will be coming to auction with me.

VO: Time to talk to dealer Clare.

IM: Clare.

DEALER: Yeah?

I would like to take this little piggy to auction.

He's very cute.

It is priced at £46.

And do you by any chance know what might be the best on that?

I do.

So her very bottom line would be 35.

Well, I ain't arguing with that.

OK.

Very happy bunny at that.

And let me give you some money.

Perfect, thank you.

And off to auction we go.

DEALER: Good luck.

IM: Thank you.

BOTH: Bye.

VO: That's her sorted.

And surely Tim's stopped lounging about by now.

Now, when you pick this up, you might think automatically, it's bronze.

But then of course you feel the weight.

Now in the 19th century and early 20th century, it became very fashionable to have a library, a plaster library bust.

And that's kind of what this is.

I think it's slightly later than the 19th century, maybe even say up to the 1930s.

Just because of the quality of it and the look as well.

The 19th century plaster busts are generally very, very good quality.

This one might be a little bit clumpy.

But in a way, that's quite good for me.

Because if it was 1880s, we might be looking at £200 to £300, which would be out my budget now.

I don't have that much money left.

VO: He has £50.92 exactly.

TM: It's got damage here, you can see the chipping on the hair.

And there's a little hairline on his cheek.

But what would you expect for something that's potentially about 100 years old, maybe slightly less than that?

Now, I think we ought to go and see how much it is.

There's no price on things.

I love it when things don't have a price.

Hopefully it's within my budget.

And on this one, I hope I don't go bust.

VO: Boom, boom.

Clare is the woman to ask.

TM: Hello, Claire.

DEALER: Hello.

TM: How are you doing?

DEALER: I'm good thank you.

Good.

Right, well, I've had a great look around as always.

And this time I've found a nice bust.

DEALER: Excellent.

TM: Erm, now, I don't know whether it's lucky for me or not, but there's no price on it.

What do you reckon?

Erm, I know who that belongs to.

I know she... Ah, good.

..was going to put about 50 on it.

OK. Erm, I know she'd probably go to 40.

40.

OK. Erm... is there movement in that?

DEALER: There is.

Erm... TM: What do you reckon?

Might go to 38.

But yeah, she probably... TM: 38, OK. DEALER: ..won't go much lower.

Well, every pound counts, doesn't it?

DEALER: It does, it does.

TM: Now you've said 38, I think that's a really fair deal.

DEALER: Yeah, perfect.

TM: I'll go with that.

TM: Thank you.

DEALER: She'll be happy.

TM: I like him.

DEALER: Yeah, I like him too.

Right, let me pop the money down here, count it out.

30, five, a couple of pounds.

There we are.

38.

DEALER: Perfect.

TM: Thank you very much.

DEALER: Thank you.

Enjoy.

TM: Take care.

TM: See you again.

DEALER: Bye.

Woo-hoo!

VO: That's them both done.

Off they go in high spirits with high hopes.

Here we go.

Beep beep!

I've been really enjoying being on the road with you.

TM: It's just been... IM: I'm glad to hear that.

IM: So have I. TM: It's been good bants.

That's what they say, isn't it?

Good bants, is that what the cool kids say?

People down with the kids say that.

Down with the kids.

Well, we don't even know how to say that properly, so I don't think we fit that criteria.

(THEY CHUCKLE) VO: Nighty-night.

Now that is a beauty of 16th century workmanship, that house, isn't it?

IM: Look at that.

It's just beautiful.

VO: Tim and Irita have made their way to Avington Park near Winchester, a grand house with a history of hosting illicit royal liaisons.

Our pair are innocently parking up to watch on their tablets as the gavel comes down on their purchases.

Ah!

Get the brollies up!

IM: Let me get this before I get drenched.

TM: Ooh!

I'm ready.

I was born ready.

VO: Cuttlestones in Penkridge is where their antiques are being auctioned.

There are lots aplenty and bids will be coming in online, by phone and on the book.

VO: Irita parted with £228 on five lots.

What does auctioneer Brian Cantrill think is a winner?

I'll sell for £90.

The mirror is very interesting, lovely ornate mirror.

So expecting a really good price for that.

Lovely piece.

VO: Tim splashed out £263 on his five lots.

Brian?

I like the pig footstool, made for Liberty's.

Very unusual, very tactile, I think that's going to go very, very well.

It is pretty impressive.

TM: Amazing parkland as well.

IM: I know.

There's some horses over there.

And you know what?

Let's not horse around.

Let's watch this auction because I literally cannot wait.

OK, come on.

I'm...

I'm...

I'm very excited.

Fingers crossed for you.

VO: And they're off!

First, Irita's bronze bulldog.

Sit!

Are you alright, Timothy?

Yeah, I am.

Yeah, a good old bronze for £50.

Doesn't seem too much money to me.

Oh, I like it when you're worried.

Starting me at £110.

TM: (GASPS) IM: (YELLS) TM: Oh, this is a flight.

IM: 150!

And at 170.

180, 190.

(THEY LAUGH) I think you've got two people that own bullmastiffs, don't you?

Looking for 200.

200.

210.

TM: Whoa!

BRIAN: 220.

IM: 220!

BRIAN: 230 with me.

TM: I can't believe it.

IM: 230 with him!

Selling to the internet for 240.

VO: Who's very good boy then?

TM: You're £10 off £200 on that!

IM: Oh!

(YELLS) I am over the moon.

VO: Can Tim's plaster bust follow that?

I like it but I wouldn't have bought it... TM: Ooh.

IM: ..myself.

TM: Well... BRIAN: Straight in at £55.

TM: How much?

IM: 55!

TM: (GASPS) 60, and five.

70, and five.

It ain't that bust, is it?

80, and five.

Right, that's enough now.

Put that hammer down.

Keep going, keep going!

Gonna sell for £90.

VO: Heading in the right direction.

TM: Yes!

IM: Wowzers.

Oh!

Over £50 profit.

VO: Now, time for Irita's gilded mirror, which once adorned a pub wall.

I'm a bit worried.

£100 is not a lot of money for that quality.

Oh, definitely not.

My starting bid is £65.

65.

70.

Oh, it's slow going, isn't it?

Up to 90 now.

95.

95, go on.

100.

110.

Come on, I need a bit more to break...

It's 110.

120.

130.

140.

You're well into profit.

That's good.

IM: Come on.

BRIAN: 150.

150.

Anyone?

It'll sell for 150.

VO: A fair reflection of its value, I think.

TM: You found it in a pub.

IM: I know.

And it shows, you can make money anywhere if you keep an eye out.

Yeah, you can.

You really can.

VO: Under the hammer now, Tim's armorial hall chairs.

It's the best type of recycling.

People buy utility furniture and throw it away but antique furniture... IM: That is very true.

TM: ..can last forever.

Yeah, very true.

At £60.

TM: Straight into profit.

IM: You're already in profit!

65.

70.

IM: Ooh!

TM: Pff!

Oh, it's climbing now.

80.

85.

Slowly but steady, Timothy.

It's at £90.

95.

Oh, come on.

Just in the nick of time.

For 100?

Go on, round it up.

..sell at 95.

VO: Almost double.

Excellent.

I'm pleased I bought those, because they were nice, weren't they?

I'm quite pleased, but pleased for different reasons, cuz I thought they were gonna sell for a lot more than that!

VO: Next up is the first porker - Irita's vesta case.

I'd really like it to go to a good home, to a collector.

Well, it's definitely going to market, so shall we see how it's doing?

No, he didn't go to market.

He went to auction.

Start on the net at £12.

£12?

15.

That's not a strong start, is it?

18.

20.

Looking for 22.

22 I've got.

TM: It's slow going, isn't it?

IM: (FEIGNS CRYING) I'm gonna sell for 22.

25, just in time.

Pfft!

At £25.

(GROANS) Selling for 25.

VO: Whee, whee, whee, whee, whee!

All the way home.

Well, my pig got stuck in mud.

TM: It did.

IM: (LAUGHS) VO: Time for Tim's brass bound bucket now.

Now I'm hoping there's not a hole in my bucket here, and all my money's gonna fall out the box.

I hope there is!

I have 20.

22.

I paid 30, we've got a way to go.

28.

IM: Come on.

BRIAN: 30.

32.

IM: Oh, you jammy... BRIAN: 35.

35.

38.

40.

IM: (SIGHS) Just in time.

He really is holding out, isn't he?

He like this bucket, doesn't he?

He likes it.

Gonna sell at £40.

VO: That seems fair.

IM: The hammer's down.

TM: £40.

A tenner's a tenner.

I'm happy with that as a profit.

IM: A tenner is a tenner.

TM: Yeah.

It deserved more.

VO: And will Irita's Royal Worcester cups and saucers get what they deserve?

How much did you pay for your teacups?

£15.

£15 for five.

Where's the sixth?

That is no mon... Did you drop it?

18.

Terrible.

BRIAN: 22.

TM: They're going on.

IM: Keep going.

BRIAN: 25.

Keep going.

Please, please, please.

£25.

Gonna sell for £25.

BRIAN: 28.

TM: Ooh!

That is what one of these cups would be worth.

TM: If there was six of them.

IM: And there's five.

Selling for £30.

VO: Well, that is double.

Ha!

I'm gutted because if I would have been at auction and I would have seen these, I would have paid £100+ for them.

Right, I'll get mine out the boot.

(THEY CHUCKLE) VO: Time now for Tim's collection of medicine jars.

I think these might be my most risky purchase.

Not long to find out.

Starting bid of £50.

55.

60 with me.

IM: Oh, he's going.

BRIAN: I'm out at 65.

TM: He did.

BRIAN: The internet at 65.

65.

BRIAN: £75.

IM: 75.

TM: (GASPS) BRIAN: 80.

He's climbing.

80.

90.

95.

Ooh!

100.

You've done it!

I've got to 100.

BRIAN: 110.

TM: Come on!

BRIAN: Selling.

TM: A little more.

IM: Come on!

BRIAN: 110.

VO: Perhaps not the best medicine.

Good job on a tenner.

TM: Thank you.

IM: Better that than nothing.

VO: Now, it's the turn of Irita's painted leather panel in the ornate frame.

What do you think of my leather panel?

It's quite OTT, isn't it?

Yeah, I'm a bit OTT, aren't I?

If you've got a very flamboyant interior, it would suit you, wouldn't it?

My house, perfectly.

(THEY CHUCKLE) Internet kicking off.

Straight in at 80, 85.

IM: What?!

TM: 85.

What?

IM: Kerching, baby!

BRIAN: Go 95 next.

It's at £95.

I'm aghast.

Ah!

Gonna sell at £95.

BRIAN: 100.

TM: Five.

IM: 100!

It broke the 100.

BRIAN: 110.

One-t... (CHUCKLES) TM: Go home.

IM: Tim!

BRIAN: £110.

IM: Ah!

BRIAN: Selling for 110.

VO: Blimey, that was impressive.

IM: Ooh.

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.

TM: £110 for that.

110.

Think of what lovely things you could buy for £110.

Yeah, like my panel.

VO: Tim's trailing.

Last chance to catch up now with the Liberty piggy footstool.

I have absolutely no doubt that this is going to fly.

TM: I hope so.

IM: No doubt whatsoever.

Pigs might fly.

Straight up on the internet at £200.

Straight in at 200.

230.

250.

260.

Doing good!

Come on, smile, Tim.

TM: It's going.

It's going!

BRIAN: 280.

290.

Any advance on 290?

BRIAN: 300.

TM: Just in time.

Yes!

Doubled my money.

320.

350.

380.

IM: What?!

Oh, no.

TM: No!

That's amazing.

Fair warning, I'm gonna sell at 380.

VO: That'll do, Perky.

380 - I'm so pleased.

That is so good.

I'm so happy for you.

Thank you.

Over £200 profit on that.

VO: Tim waited until the end to make quite a splash.

And he finishes with a new total, after auction costs, of £599.22.

But Irita pulled out all the stops and romped home to win, with a fine new total after saleroom fees of £642.12.

Well done!

Well, it's become a common theme for me to say congratulations again for winning another auction.

Well, I have to say though, you have been just behind me the whole entire time.

I know!

Tell me about it.

Shall we do some more shopping?

Yes, please.

We've only got one more auction to go to.

I know.

I can't believe this is coming to an end.

TM: We're gonna have to make these shopping days count.

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