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!

Not half!

We're back in Wales.

The sun has got his hat on and it's go time with this pair.

You're leaning quite far forwards.

Yeah, I know you're gonna mention my short legs.

I knew you'd have to bring them up.

I just wonder if I've got a pair of shoes with slightly bigger soles on to help you with the pedals.

Yeah, maybe a mini pair of stilts or something.

VO: It's the third leg of our road trip bromance with Raj Bisram, Charles Hanson and their fabulous 1971 Volkswagen Westfalia.

This is a campervan, why don't you get in the back and just have a lie down?

No, because I'm concerned about your driving.

Oh, right.

It's bad enough when you're driving.

It's even worse when I'm driving.

VO: Don't be fooled, they love each other really.

They've even been singing duets.

BOTH: # Hi-ho, hi-ho # It's off to work we go.

# VO: But that hasn't stopped them scrapping it out for the win.

Get out of here, get out of here, Raj.

VO: However, it was Raj who came out on top last time.

£300.

Wowee.

You must be getting slightly nervous.

I caught up a little bit.

You were so far ahead, Charles.

I thought that, you know, there was no way I was gonna catch you, it was gonna take me a long time, but I got lucky.

I got lucky, like you did in the first auction.

I got lucky.

Yeah.

No and I foresaw that.

That's why I've dressed ahead.

I'm dressed now almost ready for combat.

VO: Oh indeed, with your tactical turtleneck, eh?

They both set off with a £200 kitty, and after the first two legs, Charles has swelled his piggy to a healthy £493.56.

But after that last trip to the saleroom, wow!

Raj is nipping at Charles's heels and now has £443.06.

Well done.

We are here in the heart of the Brecon Beacons, RAJ: Charles, and this... CHARLES: Go on.

This is where the SAS do their training.

Wow!

The SAS have to do 45 press-ups.

You're joking.

How many do you think you can do?

CHARLES: I'll do 20.

Yes sir.

RAJ: You'll do 20?

And what will you do by return?

I'm... No, I'm the instructor.

I'm going to pull the vehicle right here now.

RAJ: More action.

CHARLES: OK. Go on.

Come on.

Come on!

Further down.

CHARLES: I'm trying.

RAJ: Further down.

Down!

That's three.

Clap your hands in between.

Four.

Five.

Down!

Six.

That's it.

Seven.

Further down!

Eight.

RAJ: Back in the van.

CHARLES: OK. VO: Silly boys.

Our Welsh wanderings began in Carmarthenshire, took in some of the coastline and nipped across the border into England.

We've now got to head west and then north before we hit the final auction in Denbighshire.

But we start this leg in Powys at Trecastle.

Trecastle Antiques Centre is our destination, situated in an old Victorian schoolhouse.

Are we all present?

CHARLES: Wow, look at those signs.

RAJ: This looks good, doesn't it?

CHARLES: Pull up here.

That's amazing.

Yeah, brilliant.

Engine off.

RAJ: Wait for me.

Wait for me.

Look, I'm still doing that.

(CHUCKLES) Who do you think you are?

VO: Now now children, settle down.

This place has two floors bursting with antiques.

What treasures can these two discover?

Ay caramba!

Whoopsie.

Ha-ha!

CHARLES: Step.

VO: Smell good, old boy?

The reason I'm sniffing it is to find out whether it's sandalwood, cuz sandalwood has a very distinctive smell, and I can't tell what wood it is because it's all been painted.

This is an Indian occasional table.

Er... Looks like it's from southern India.

And they were export items during the 1920s, 1930s.

They were exported to Britain in their thousands, to be honest.

But they've had a revival recently, and they're really quite sought after.

There's £23 on the ticket, which actually doesn't seem a lot of money.

I quite like it.

We'll have to speak to the owner.

VO: Jolly good.

What else?

This is a nice jug, and I always think these are really undervalued.

It's what we call slip molded.

There's the seam of how it's been put together.

And the body's what we call salt glazed stoneware.

It's got this almost orange peel effect on the body.

That's how you recognize salt glazed stoneware.

But it could be yours for only £23.

Very, very good value.

And I'm sure in time that'll go up, up, up.

VO: But we need to move on, on, on.

I wonder how Raj's rummaging is going.

RAJ: Nice big Georgian copper saucepan.

I mean, you can either actually still use them, or they're decorative items to be hung up in a nice old kitchen.

And it's got its stamp there on the bottom.

Clearly Georgian.

That is really nice.

Now, the ticket's got 58.

It's just a really nice Georgian copper saucepan.

VO: We've got the copper.

Time to talk brass with Louise, the shopkeeper.

Hello Louise.

DEALER: Oh hello there.

RAJ: Hi, I'm Raj.

Oh, lovely to meet you.

You've got a lovely little shop here.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Now, I found a couple of things upstairs RAJ: which I'm interested in... DEALER: Right, right.

..depending on the price.

OK, one is a nice Georgian copper saucepan.

I know the one.

Yes.

And the other item is a little carved Indian table.

DEALER: OK. And I wondered what would be the best on the two items?

58.

Could you do 55 for the two?

57?

At £57... RAJ: we have a deal.

DEALER: Deal.

OK. VO: Excellent.

Raj has paid £20 for the table and 37 for the saucepan, leaving him with just over £386.

And it looks like he's trying to sneak off.

Now, is Charlie boy still shopping?

My goodness me, an incredible... Quite excited!

An incredible pair of silver asparagus tongs.

There's amazing casting of flowers on this... ..beautiful, beautiful design.

And the hallmark is here and the hallmark is for London.

And the date code is 1884.

The quality is... (WHISPERS) ..unbelievable, obviously.

They're good.

So good that the silver asparagus tongs could be mine for £350.

I love them.

Asparagus.

Fancy a piece?

Because I do.

I'm going to find out how much they could be.

VO: How exciting.

Time for a deal.

CHARLES: Hi.

DEALER: Hi.

CHARLES: How are you?

DEALER: Fine thanks.

I found these.

I'd be really surprised if anybody anywhere could match these.

I've never seen... DEALER: Well, I've never seen...

I've never seen a pair so nice.

..in my career, seen a pair this good.

Priced at 350.

What could be the best price?

Well, I know she was hoping for 300.

Is that the best price?

270?

Pinch more?

260.

From an Englishman to a Welsh lady...

I will.

I owe you some money.

Thank you.

VO: Well, he was feeling all SAS and as they do say, he who dares wins.

That's over half his budget gone... See you.

Bye-bye.

VO: ..leaving Charles... Amazing lot.

VO: ..with £233.

Shouldn't the van have gone by now?

Raj!

VO: Dear me, sleeping on the job, eh?

You are fast asleep.

Well, if you want to be asleep, have a cover... ..and I'll see you later.

VO: That's a good road trip buddy.

Well done Charles.

Hey, you've just woken him up.

He-he!

While Raj catches 40 winks, we'll head north to the Elan valley, home to six spectacular dams.

These impressive feats of engineering were built over a hundred years ago.

Look at that!

NOEL: Hello Charles.

CHARLES: How are you?

Very well.

Welcome to Elan Valley.

VO: Charles is meeting local man Noel Hughes, who's been working on these dams for over 45 years, to learn more.

CHARLES: What an amazing place!

Look at this lovely, clean, fresh water that supplies Birmingham.

CHARLES: Birmingham?

Birmingham, some 73 mile away.

CHARLES: That's phenomenal.

NOEL: Let's go off and have a look inside it.

I'll follow your lead.

Amazing.

Few more steps, Charles.

I'm OK. NOEL: Here we are.

CHARLES: What a view.

What a view!

NOEL: Grand, isn't it?

VO: By 1890, Birmingham was a thirsty city.

Mass industrialization had seen the population spiral out of control, with demand on fresh water outstripping supply.

Disease was rampant and the city was desperate for a clean water source that could provide up to 20 million gallons a day.

MP Joseph Chamberlain spearheaded the project, whilst chief engineer James Mansergh identified Elan Valley as the perfect location.

NOEL: Well, there was many reasons that it was situated where it is.

Mainly, one thing that we've got in Wales is a lot of rain.

Yeah.

And as you can imagine, this wonderful valley, steep sided, very little population, just lent itself for building such structures as these.

To me, it's like Niagara Falls.

Such an inspiring sight.

It must have been a huge build.

NOEL: They started building this particular scheme back in 1892.

VO: It would take 12 years to complete the project, along with a 73 mile aqueduct.

A new railroad was built to bring in raw materials, and an entire working village sprang into being.

CHARLES: So they began in 1892.

They finished when?

In 1904, but that was just the first phase.

Right.

So they would get water to Birmingham by 1904.

Wow!

And then the second phase was going to be in 1917 and they would build another series of dams.

But what they didn't know there... World War I.

Exactly, the Great War.

So that meant that everything was deferred.

And then obviously the depressions of the '20s... CHARLES: Yes.

NOEL: ..led into the early '30s.

And lo and behold, before we knew it, it was NOEL: the Second World War.

CHARLES: Yes.

VO: As the supply of fresh water to Birmingham's munitions factories in World War II, the dams were hugely important.

But that wasn't their only contribution to the war effort.

Engineer Barnes Wallis used the Nant-y-Gro dam, originally built to provide water for the workers' village, to test his bouncing bomb.

The experiments ultimately led to the success of the dambuster raids in 1943.

NOEL: Here we are, Charles.

It's like a prison door, really, isn't it?

CHARLES: It's a big door.

NOEL: Yes.

CHARLES: Shall I close it?

NOEL: Yes please, if you would.

Right, this is a stairwell down.

Here we are.

CHARLES: Goodness me.

So now we do enter.

That's right.

CHARLES: Wow!

I've a torch if it gets too dark for us, Charles.

CHARLES: It's quite wet here, isn't it?

It's OK, but talk about wet, have a look at this.

CHARLES: Oh, that's amazing.

So we are now actually underneath what we saw going over the top?

NOEL: That's true, yes.

CHARLES: The water.

NOEL: Plenty of water behind us here now.

CHARLES: Oh, don't say that.

More steps I'm afraid, Charles.

CHARLES: It's quite something, isn't it?

Quite something.

Does the valley have any personal connection to you through your generations of family?

Oh gosh, aye.

It's...

It's literally in our blood.

Why?

Because my great-great-great grandmother used to live just round the corner.

Now... CHARLES: Wow!

NOEL: ..under the water, the house is, gone.

But my grandfather worked here as a home guard.

My father worked here as a treatment operator.

And myself, 46 years' service.

CHARLES: Wonderful.

NOEL: It is in our blood, yes.

VO: For more than a century, the Elan Valley has provided fresh clean water for millions of people.

The project was an epic feat of civil engineering, and the structures still stand today, majestic and proud, ready to do the job for another hundred years.

How marvelous.

Meanwhile, back in the Beacons, Raj has roused himself and is on the move again.

I didn't find something that I was really looking for, although I'm pleased with the purchases.

I'm looking for that one thing and I feel that I'm going to find it and I'm going to find it today.

I've got this feeling inside that there's an item out there with my name on it.

VO: We'll see if you can find it at your next shop in the market town of Brecon.

This is it, Brecon Vintage And Vinyl.

Lots of interesting bits and bats inside.

And with £386 to spend, I imagine most of it is well within budget.

Seen something, have we?

Has it got your name on it?

I haven't even got in the shop yet and look at this, it's attracted me straightaway.

This is an African hand-carved hardwood birthing chair And it's really unusual.

The carvings look superb on it.

VO: Yeah, constructed from hardwood in the form of the tree trunk with a curved back and a folding seat for ease of transport.

Lovely.

I'm going to go in the shop and have a look.

VO: At £250, you can afford it.

Hi there.

Jay, is it?

JAY: That's it.

RAJ: I'm Raj.

Hi Raj.

Nice to meet you.

Straightaway, before I even came in, I spotted the African birthing chair in the window.

OK. What do you know about it?

It's probably about early to mid 1900s.

JAY: Very comfortable as well.

RAJ: Is it?

Yeah.

You're more than welcome to sit in it if you like.

I may well ask to do that, but may I have a wander round and have a look first?

Yeah, of course you can.

VO: Indeed.

No need to make your mind up yet.

There's plenty more shop to explore.

Don't get too comfy, though.

We don't want you to nod off again.

This is interesting.

This is African and I'm on an African theme at the moment.

This is probably a very large grain mortar.

VO: Pestle actually.

The mortar is the other bit.

And it looks from the wear that we've got on that end... ..and this end.

But, you know, you can imagine in Africa, they were literally pounding the grain.

I guess it's an African hardwood.

I don't recognize it.

And this had to be heavy as well, and this is pretty heavy.

What you could use it for today, I have no idea.

There's no price ticket on it, though.

Who knows - this could be a possibility.

VO: Make your mind up time, I think.

Hi Jay.

Hello Raj, you alright?

Sometimes the first thing you see, catches your eye, can be the best.

And first thing I noticed was the African birthing chair in the window.

OK. What would be your very best on it?

190.

(INHALES SHARPLY) I tell you what, I've also seen the mortar as well.

VO: Pestle.

Ha.

If I ask for the two items, what would be your very best on the two?

VO: I'll do 170 on the chair and I'll do 30 for the big mortar at the back.

At £200 for the two items, we have a deal.

We have a deal then.

Thank you very much.

Let me get some cash out.

OK. VO: And everyone's happy.

Bravo.

That leaves Raj with £186.06.

And with shopping done for the day, let's go and find Charles and offer your buddy a lift.

So I find it quite therapeutic, going to bed counting sheep.

And I think the content is there tonight to count the sheep because we've had an amazing drive through the scenery and I've seen so many sheep.

Haven't you?

I think I've seen enough sheep for one day.

I don't think I'm going to go to sleep counting sheep.

What will you do then?

What will you do?

I think I might just, you know...

I know what you'll do.

..dream of my profits to come.

VO: Now that's an idea.

Nighty-night.

Buckle up.

It's day two in Wales.

Good morning.

Good morning to you too, sir.

Good morning, Wales.

VO: Or, as they say in these parts, bore da.

Look at that sunshine, Raj.

Well, it's coming out but it's still a bit cloudy.

RAJ: But to be honest... CHARLES: Yeah.

..we've had it good so far.

It's our midweek journey.

Time is moving on and I think we're not doing badly.

Now listen, Mr Camper, do you agree?

(HORN HONKS A MELODY) Yes, he agrees as well, Raj.

RAJ: (CHUCKLES) VO: So far so good.

Yesterday, Raj splashed the cash on a saucepan, a carved African folding chair, a 19th century African pestle and an Indian occasional table, leaving him with £186.06.

Charles has £233 left after shelling out on an impressive pair of Victorian asparagus tongs.

I've never in my career seen a pair this good.

VO: Today's shopping shenanigans kick off in Machynlleth.

A historic market town, Welsh national hero Owain Glyndwr made it his capital in the 14th century.

CHARLES: We're parking here, OK?

RAJ: What, just here?

Yes, look.

Down there, High Street.

That way, High Street.

Good luck!

Hang on, hang on.

Hang on.

Where?

Where am I going?

CHARLES: That way or that way.

RAJ: That way?

Make a memory.

See you.

Charles has dropped Raj off up the road for his first shop of the day, The Emporium.

Teeming with antiques, vintage items and collectables, looks like Raj will have fun rummaging through here.

But what can he buy with his remaining £186?

Here we've got a silver-plated gallery tray with lots of engraving on the inside.

And silver plate is basically layered copper and silver.

And it enabled silversmiths to sell a lot more of their goods.

And they were able to produce thousands and thousands of items which the ordinary person could afford.

And this one, it's a little silver-plated gallery tray.

It's in great condition.

All the marks are there and £25.

I've got a bit more money than that, so I'm going to look for something a little bit more exciting.

VO: Ah, sorry tray.

Maybe next time.

Now, where's Charles got to?

Ah, there he is, at Toad Hall Antiques and Salvage.

Ah!

it's raining cats and dogs.

Here I am.

Ugh!

VO: Get yourself inside pronto, Charles.

Another former school turned shop, 15 dealers trade here, stocking a huge range of antiques and reclaimed items.

Grounds For Consent.

That's not for me.

VO: Too many long words?

What I quite like on this desk is this.

And that's really pretty.

The style of this inkwell captures the art nouveau and the arts and crafts, more so in this mount that is actually... You'll see this style of metal mount, the glass inkwell sits within is in the art-nouveau style.

It's silvered and gilt.

But look at the whiplash, almost the leafy tendril forms.

It's moving.

It's like this leaf here.

It's very much evocative of the art-nouveau.

I love that and there's no price.

What will I write a check for in the olden days of buying it?

It's almost a definite.

Ink, to paper and I'll sign my life away with this inkwell, love it.

VO: Very good.

Now, back in Machynlleth...

This is rather nice.

It's a mahogany hall stand.

What I'm trying to work out is if it's a made-up one or whether it was actually made like this because typically looks like a four-poster bed post.

But even if it is, it's still very attractive and they've used it for something practical.

The perfect recycling.

It is the future as far as I'm concerned.

It's what people should be doing.

You know, when something gets old instead of ditching it, turn it into something else.

And this is the perfect use for that.

I think it's really great.

VO: But at £325, it's out of your budget... ..unless dealer Ian is feeling generous.

Hello Ian.

Hello Raj.

Hi.

RAJ: Great shop.

IAN: Thank you.

A mixture of all sorts of things.

But, you know, I'm drawn to the hat stand that you've got over there.

What do you know about it?

Piece of Victorian mahogany.

RAJ: Yep.

IAN: Probably a mixture of styles and bits and pieces off other things.

OK, that's exactly what I thought.

I thought it was a four-poster post that's been turned into a hat stand.

Now you've got quite a price ticket on it.

Have you got any movement?

What's the best you can do?

Yeah, we've had that thing for a while now and it's served the purpose we bought it for.

So we could give you a 50% discount on that.

What are we talking about?

We're tal... £160.

At £160, I'm going to say yes straightaway.

Lovely.

VO: Very kind indeed.

And that's Raj all shopped out.

Good thing the camper's got a decent boot, eh?

Back up the road, Charles has already spotted one item he likes.

Has he found another?

What I do like on here, it's a bit dusty, is this.

When we look at the furniture or any embellishments in wood, we look at the exterior of the color or the patination.

And what's caught my eye is this... what appears to be some sort of maybe bookrest.

It could be a Bible stand, but the way this has been carved, it's really quite beautiful.

This armored eagled heads with this religious shield here.

I think it's early.

No price... ..but I think it's late 18th century, it could be around 1780 in date.

Yeah, I like that.

VO: Let's find out how much it will cost.

CHARLES: You must be Ian.

IAN: That's right.

Ian, what an amazing place.

First of all, in the room over there, through the green door, in the bay window, on the writing table is a beautiful inkwell.

There's no price label or description.

If I said to you 80, would that still give you a profit?

There's a working profit.

Yeah.

CHARLES: But a decent one?

IAN: Yeah.

Next item I saw, Ian, I do like, is what you might call a bookrest or a bookstand.

Ian, how much is that, please?

Well, I thought about 50.

Yeah, I can do that for you.

CHARLES: Really?

IAN: Yeah, I can.

So that 80 and 50 makes £130.

IAN: Yeah.

CHARLES: Happy?

IAN: Absolutely.

CHARLES: Good man.

Thank you.

VO: And that leaves Charles with £103.

IAN: Thanks very much.

CHARLES: You're a good man.

I shall bid you good day.

CHARLES: Cheers, Ian.

Bye.

IAN: Thanks a lot.

Bye.

Ah!

VO: 34 miles away, Raj has arrived in Rhayader, Powys.

In the skies above, magnificent birds of prey circle.

Their red bodies and forked tails mark them as the unmistakable red kite.

Just 30 years ago, they were on the brink of national extinction.

Raj is meeting Chris Powell... Hi Chris.

CHRIS: Hi.

RAJ: Hi, I'm Raj.

Pleased to meet you.

VO: ..the owner of Gigrin farm, to learn how he and his father were instrumental in saving them.

Tell me, what are we looking at?

The red kites feeding.

RAJ: And is this a daily occurrence here?

It is, yes.

Since 1992, they've not had a single day that we've stopped feeding them.

So what was the state of the kite population in the UK back in 1991?

They were extinct in England and Scotland and the whole of Ireland.

We've got about 100 kites in Wales.

VO: The red kite wasn't always endangered.

In the middle ages, they were a common sight in Britain's skies, a valued scavenger that helped keep streets free of vermin.

However, in the 16th century they were considered a pest themselves and their population was decimated.

By the 20th century, they were on the verge of disappearing altogether.

RAJ: Chris, here on the farm, how did it all begin?

We were feeding the kites at the time up on that bank.

After lambing, we were getting meat from a local butcher and then we had a call from the local RSPB asking for an urgent meeting.

We thought we were in trouble.

The long and the short of it was we were asked to become the official red kite feeding station.

And from that, all this has grown.

VO: When Chris and his late father began feeding the kites in 1991, there were just six roosting at the farm.

30 years on, up to 500 visit each day to feed and Chris still serves them himself.

RAJ: What have we learned about kites?

CHRIS: Through genetic testing, all these kites have come from one female.

That shows how close we were to extinction.

Absolutely.

There are around, well, in excess of 2,000 pairs in Wales now.

I mean that's an amazing achievement, isn't it?

CHRIS: Yes it is.

RAJ: I'll tell you something, this is an amazing sight.

So where would you like the next lot?

RAJ: Just over there?

CHRIS: Yeah.

VO: Our skies are now home to almost 10% of the world population of red kites.

Their reintroduction might be the biggest success story in UK conservation history, and it all started with Chris and his father, who by sheer luck managed to bring them back from the brink of extinction.

Now, time to catch up with the camper.

CHARLES: That last shop was fantastic.

I feel really confident.

Two really good buys.

Last shop on the coast coming up.

The sails are billowing.

I'm not wavering.

There's no rough seas on terrain, I'm feeling good and not seasick.

VO: Translation - Charles is en route to Aberystwyth and his second shop of the day.

A stone's throw from the beach, Charles will find Coastal Antiques.

Ah, here we are.

Coastal Antiques.

VO: Housed over two floors in a former 18th century coaching inn, it's run by John and his wife Linda.

Only John today, though.

Charles has just £103 to his name.

So nothing too expensive for you, my boy.

Ah!

Ah.

Raj... we are ready to rock and roll.

VO: Hm.

CHARLES: Oh, fallen off.

VO: Back in business, still some shopping to do.

VO: Whoops.

Whoops!

Nearly.

CHARLES: Stay there.

VO: Oh dear.

What I've found just on this almost domino effect of ceramics, in this wicker basket I've found a plate.

Here you are.

It says "As you like it... "that would, I were, I of all kingdoms, king."

So it's a play on the nursery rhyme and it's made by Beswick.

Beswick, wonderful factory.

The original wiring for hanging.

The thing is, I don't like it a lot but it's so cheap.

It's only priced at £10.

In lovely condition, when you tap it... (CLEAR RINGING) ..it's in nice condition.

Colors are rich.

This would date to around 1930, so that's a definite maybe.

Because King Raj with his wingman, Hanson, are there for the taking.

VO: And it's only £10.

Just as you like it, Charles.

Here's a 1930s duck brush.

There we are.

What's caught my eye, though, is this.

In shape, it's got that sort of modern age, it's quite Bauhaus, it's quite German, it's quite modernistic.

It's in good condition.

The actual frame of the timepiece hasn't been dinged.

It hasn't been dropped.

Just there's a hallmark and it's hallmarked with an anchor for Birmingham... ..lion passant to confirm it's silver.

And that date code X on there as well signifies it's probably mid 1920s.

And I'd like to buy it, I think.

VO: No ticket price.

So with £103 left, time to strike a deal.

CHARLES: Hello there.

JOHN: Hey Charles.

CHARLES: Your name is?

JOHN: John.

John.

Good to see you.

Seen two things I quite like.

JOHN: OK. JOHN: One is a very sort of space age 1920 sort of a silver bedside timepiece.

CHARLES: Know the one I mean?

JOHN: Yeah.

CHARLES: Do you quite like it?

JOHN: I love it, yeah.

Upstairs in the back room, there's a little log basket, and in there is a Beswick molded charger plate, priced at £10.

If I said to you, John, I won't ask for negotiation on that.

If I pay a tenner for the Beswick plate and 40 for the clock, CHARLES: is that OK?

JOHN: Yeah, that's fine.

CHARLES: Is that a deal?

JOHN: Yeah.

Good man, John.

I like your style.

VO: Tremendous.

And that's Charles all shopped up.

CHARLES: Cheers John.

VO: Let's vamoose.

All the best.

Who are you?

Take care.

JOHN: See you.

CHARLES: See you mate.

VO: They've shopped till they dropped.

And now our antiquarians can call it a day.

We need a good Welsh anthem, don't we?

Just to get ourselves into... # Yonder far... # Do you know?

I mean, you know, the Welsh are famous for their singing.

I've actually got a Welsh friend who writes songs about sewing machines.

You're joking.

No, he writes them about antique sewing machines.

He's really a Singer songwriter.

CHARLES: Really?

RAJ: Singer songwriter!

Oh no.

RAJ: Oh my God!

CHARLES: Oh no.

Sewing machines!

(CHUCKLES) VO: Dearie me.

Ha-ha!

Time for some shuteye.

Hey, what a day for an auction.

Raj and Charles have one more stop to make on this leg, the 18th century Himley Hall in Staffordshire, set amongst 180 acres of landscaped parkland created by England's greatest gardener, Capability Brown.

Now, where are those experts?

Wow, here.

Beautiful.

This is a ha-ha, by the way.

It's our last hurdle, Raj.

Ha-ha!

Maybe yours, not mine.

CHARLES: Three, two, one.

VO: Oh, gracious me.

Ha-ha!

Their antiques have been dispatched to Tring in Hertfordshire, where they'll go under the hammer online, over the phone and in the room at Tring Market Auctions.

It's going down for £85.

Thank you.

Raj spent a total of £417 on his five items.

Which lot does auctioneer Stephen Hearn think has the greatest potential for profit?

STEPHEN: The big pestle.

My goodness, that is a big piece of domestic, isn't it?

You don't often get the opportunity to sell these.

It's got to have a big kitchen to go in.

VO: Charles spent £440 on his lots.

Which one does Stephen fancy to do well?

The silver case bedside table clock.

It is one of those things that's quite desirable today.

The only thing that lets it down, it looks as though someone has given it one or two whacks when it's gone off in the morning.

VO: Splendid.

Now, shall we get to it, chaps?

RAJ: You ready for the auction?

CHARLES: Yeah, I'm ready Raj.

RAJ: Press a button.

CHARLES: Good luck.

Here we go.

VO: First up, Charles's art nouveau inkwell.

CHARLES: I love this object.

To me, it's worth 150 but it might make 60.

Doesn't matter.

Well, let's hope it makes 50 then.

CHARLES: Thanks mate.

(THEY CHUCKLE) £100 for it.

£50 for it.

CHARLES: Oh no.

£60 for it.

Five anywhere?

At five.

At £70.

CHARLES: It's a good object this.

And five.

And £80 bid.

It's a good object.

Gonna be in a profit.

At £80 then.

Oh come on!

85.

85.

And 90 now?

Come on.

It's going down for £85.

STEPHEN: Thank you.

CHARLES: Oh Raj.

Well done.

That's a profit.

VO: A little profit to whet the appetite.

You buy what you love and you go down with it fighting.

VO: Let's see if Raj's Indian occasional table can fire up the bidding.

RAJ: A small profit on this one.

CHARLES: Yeah.

I certainly don't want a loss.

What about £40 for it?

£40?

£30?

20 I'm bid.

Good lad, you're in!

Come on.

Come on, little profit.

If there's no more bids... No, no, no.

One little bid.

He's not selling it, is he?

Going down for the £20.

Thank you.

RAJ: Oh, 20.

CHARLES: £20.

That's what I paid for it.

Yeah, it doesn't matter.

VO: Neither here nor there.

Gets most of his money back, at least.

CHARLES: So that's OK. RAJ: Yeah, yeah.

CHARLES: How do you feel?

RAJ: No, it's not OK. VO: Next, will anyone like Charles's Beswick charger?

Prediction?

I'm guessing £32.

Yeah.

Anybody got £30?

CHARLES: Come on!

STEPHEN: £30 for this one.

£20.

Come on!

10 I'm bid.

12 anywhere?

12 I'm bid.

15 bid.

CHARLES: Keep going.

RAJ: Oh!

£20 now.

And £2 now?

At £20 then.

Two anywhere?

At five now?

At £20.

That's OK.

I'm happy.

At £20 then, away we go at the £20.

STEPHEN: Thank you.

CHARLES: Hey Raj.

RAJ: That's a double up.

CHARLES: It is... That is a double up.

VO: Terrific.

Profit in the pocket.

You cannot knock a double up, can you?

Absolutely.

That's great.

VO: The first part of Raj's African collection now, his hardwood pestle.

Good luck.

Come on.

Stir the pestle.

Oh dear.

There you are, that's a big one.

Ooh, hello!

10 I'm bid for that one.

12.

15.

For nothing.

18.

20.

And two.

And five.

And eight now.

At 28 surely.

Oh!

Grind it, Raj.

Come on!

At £30.

And two.

And five is it?

At £32 then.

He's giggling, isn't he?

He looks shocked.

CHARLES: He's giggling.

STEPHEN: £35.

CHARLES: Oh.

Oh gosh.

RAJ: Could've been worse.

VO: Much worse.

A little profit is better than nothing.

It snapped.

It just...

It just...

It snapped.

VO: Next, Charles's oak bookstand.

I'm going to guess it'll make 35.

I've got a feeling.

Look nice polished up, wouldn't it?

He's giving it.

He's giving it all the... £40 for it?

30?

20 I'm bid for it.

20 I'm bid.

At two I'm bid.

And five.

CHARLES: Come on!

30 I'm bid.

And two.

Five.

And eight?

Something very ancient.

38.

Oh come on.

And two now.

And two I have.

Five now.

At 48 is it?

At 48 now.

At 48.

I have a new bidder.

50 I'm bid.

And five.

And 60 now.

And five and 70 now.

Five now.

80 now.

And five now.

85.

And 90 now.

90?

That's good, Raj.

It's a good thing.

100 now?

At 95.

100 I'm bid.

And 10 now.

And 20 is it?

CHARLES: Turn the page.

RAJ: Oh-ho!

STEPHEN: I'm selling.

CHARLES: This is biblical.

Away from you.

It's going then at £110.

CHARLES: Slow start.

RAJ: Well done.

CHARLES: Thank you, Raj.

RAJ: Well done.

That's a good result.

VO: Yes.

And profit happily received, I'm sure.

I'm really pleased about that, Raj.

Really pleased CHARLES: about that.

RAJ: Yeah, well done.

VO: Raj again.

This time, his copper saucepan.

It's quite a nice pan.

They normally make... CHARLES: Yeah.

RAJ: ..between 40 and £60.

Yeah.

Oh, my God, that'd feed the family, that one, wouldn't it?

CHARLES: (CHUCKLES) 20 I'm bid for it.

At £20 is bid.

Come on!

At £20 for the big copper saucepan.

CHARLES: Come on.

STEPHEN: Two anywhere?

At £20.

If there's no further bid than £20... CHARLES: Raj, look at me.

RAJ: No, I'm not looking at you.

CHARLES: Give it some of that.

RAJ: I'm not looking at you!

Down it goes for the £20.

Thank you.

£20.

VO: Oh dear, that's disappointing.

I have no idea what's going wrong.

Don't worry.

Listen, I will...

I have no idea what's going wrong.

VO: Time for Charles's silver art-deco clock to shine.

I love this for £40.

This was made in 1924.

£20.

£30.

CHARLES: Oh no.

STEPHEN: 38.

CHARLES: Come on.

RAJ: Here we go.

40.

One more for you.

Two.

And five I'm bid.

48.

50 I'm bid.

And five I'm bid.

60 I'm bid.

CHARLES: Cost me 40, Rajie.

STEPHEN: At £60... CHARLES: Come on!

..you're out.

At £60.

Five I have now.

CHARLES: Thank you.

STEPHEN: 70 anyone?

I shall sell for the £65.

Thank you.

CHARLES: Raj.

RAJ: That's good.

VO: Certainly having better luck than you so far, Raj old boy.

It had style.

Yep.

Like yourself.

Thank you.

VO: One of Raj's two big ticket items now, his repurposed 19th century hat stand.

It's a good size.

It could fit anywhere.

CHARLES: Yes.

STEPHEN: Anybody got £50 for it?

RAJ: Oh no.

STEPHEN: £50 for it?

I'm bid.

50 I'm bid.

Good.

Come on.

At £50 bid.

Five now.

60 I have.

Come on, Raj.

And five.

And 70 I've got now.

And five is it?

At £70.

At £70 then.

We'll sell it for the £70.

Thank you.

Oh, it's going so well.

VO: Oh.

I feel your pain, Raj.

You bought what you like and sometimes the heart rules the mind.

Mm.

VO: Speaking of which, it's your asparagus tongs next Charles.

Cost a pretty penny, these.

I'm thinking they're going to make 350.

No, it doesn't matter because I love them, but I think this... "It doesn't matter, no.

"It doesn't matter cuz I'm so far in front now.

"Doesn't matter.

Doesn't matter.

"If I was way down below, it would matter.

"But now I'm so far ahead..." CHARLES: Are you ready?

(THEY CHUCKLE) 100 I'm bid.

10 I'm bid.

120 I'm bid.

30.

And 40.

And 50 I'm bid.

There we go.

60 I'm bid.

And 70 now.

CHARLES: Got to move.

STEPHEN: 170 I'm bid.

RAJ: They're gonna do it.

170 now.

80 I'm bid, front.

90 I'm bid.

200 bid.

At 200 bid, front.

At £200.

CHARLES: They're wonderful!

I'm gonna sell, 200.

Oh no!

210 here.

At 210.

20 I'm bid.

At 220.

And 30 now.

At 230 and 40 now.

250... CHARLES: Keep going.

RAJ: Wow!

CHARLES: They are so good.

260.

And 70 now.

They are so good.

280.

And 90 now.

At 290.

And three?

No.

Going down, the pair of tongs at £290.

Oh, Raj.

Wow!

Well done.

CHARLES: Well... RAJ: Nice things and they... RAJ: Yeah.

CHARLES: Oh!

Do you know... Yeah, they made their money.

VO: Super.

Charlie boy's picking winners today.

See, they were so worth buying.

They were.

They were.

VO: Can Raj's African birthing chair deliver him a profit?

How much?

I paid £170 for this.

£100 for it?

£100?

STEPHEN: £50?

CHARLES: Come on.

Oh no.

We've got to get it going.

You've got to push, man.

Is there any interest?

30 I'm bid for it then.

RAJ: I can't believe this.

STEPHEN: At £30.

£32, that was a struggle.

32.

Five now.

38 is it?

At 35.

I'm back to where I started and below.

40 I'm bid.

And two now?

At £40.

And two now?

And five now.

And eight now.

And 50 now?

No.

At £48.

At 50 anywhere?

I'm selling then.

Thank you.

It's popped out.

I think my eyes have just popped out and the tears are about to roll.

Get out of here Raj.

VO: Well, it's a day best forgotten for Raj, unfortunately.

You know, when I'm behind, it gives me the inspiration to catch up.

When the going gets tough, Rajie.

Exactly.

I'm off.

OK. Well wait for me.

RAJ: Come on then.

VO: Yeah, hang on.

Raj began with just over £440 in his piggy.

It has not been his best auction.

Ha!

He lost nearly £260.

After saleroom fees, his total is now £184.32.

What a great day out for Charles.

He started this leg of the trip with just over £490 and, after auction costs, his total is now up to an impressive £520.96.

Well done.

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