NARRATOR: It's the nation's favorite antiques experts.
What's the job.
NARRATOR: With 200 pounds each-- You with me?
NARRATOR: --a classic car-- Buckle up.
NARRATOR: --and it goal to scour Britain for antiques.
Oh, sorry.
Ha ha.
NARRATOR: The aim, to make the biggest profit at auction.
But it's no mean feat.
There'll be worthy winners-- Yes!
NARRATOR: --and valiant losers.
So will it be the high road to glory or the slow road to disaster?
Have a good trip.
NARRATOR: This is the antiques road trip.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Yeah.
Hold on to your hats.
It's leg two of an epic antiquing adventure with road trip regulars Raj Bisram and Catherine Southon.
It's boo-tiful.
NARRATOR: No prizes for guessing where you two are, then.
- Yes, we're-- - And it is-- - --in Norfolk.
- It is.
It is.
Sun is shining today and we're in our little sunshine car.
NARRATOR: And what a car it is.
A smashing little 1967 MG BGT.
- You're looking at me-- - You've got-- You're looking at me very funny.
You've got-- Have you got a plan?
You've got that look.
You've got the little Raj glint.
That kind of little, I know I'm going to get a bargain kind of glint.
I don't know about you.
Not at all.
You know, I always think I'm going to get a bargain and that's the problem.
It's my downfall.
NARRATOR: Hopefully it won't be today.
From Catherine's original 200 pounds, she's increased her purse so has 221 pounds and 40 Pence available to spend.
Raj's 200 pound pot has also risen, nudging him into the lead with 238 pounds and 90 pence.
So there's a mere, a very mere, 20 pounds between us.
Starting off today, how are you feeling?
Fantastic.
Oh, Raj.
Oh you are a devil.
NARRATOR: Ain't he just?
This roving road trip kicked off in Cambridge and carries on around East Anglia, then heads both north and west towards the Peak District, before taking us through the West Midlands to finish up, over 600 miles later, in Bristol.
Wow.
Today we'll begin in the fine city of Norwich in Norfolk and end at auction in Colchester in Essex.
The good thing about Norfolk is it's one of those counties where there are still lots of antique shops.
- Yeah.
- You know.
Yeah.
There are actually, aren't there?
Yeah.
NARRATOR: This morning, our pair are splitting up.
And Raj is heading to the oldest historical street in Norwich to start his shopping at Elm Hill Collectibles.
Sweet.
Hello, there.
Hello, Raj.
Hello.
And you are?
Paul.
Paul, lovely to meet you.
So lots of bargains in here?
Everything's a bargain.
Everything's a bargain.
Everything's a bargain.
I can tell, I can tell I'm going to have trouble here.
[MUSIC PLAYING] There's bits and pieces all over the place.
And that's the kind of shop I really, really like.
What a beautiful butterfly this is.
It's called a Raja Brook.
What's a lovely name that is.
Paul.
Yes, Raj.
I've had a little look around.
You've got some lovely things.
But I bet you've got something under the counter that's probably just come in, haven't You Let me think.
How about-- what do you think?
Think you can see the maker?
Yep.
George Jensen.
Yes.
Fine maker.
NARRATOR: Indeed.
They've been producing eye catching designs for more than 100 years.
Good quality.
A bit of a designer thing, isn't it?
Strange.
I mean, I very-- Does nothing for me with the style.
It's very unusual.
Silver I presume.
- Yes.
It's silver.
And the auction we're going to is in Essex.
Right.
So-- They'll love that there.
Well, they could love it, or they could really hate it.
I mean, it's not really my taste.
- No, no.
- Or yours.
You just want to get rid of it.
- Yes, I do.
Yes.
- OK. Give me a clue as to what you want for it.
I think 75.
Oh, no.
How about 50 and you make-- you double your money.
No.
I'm not sure about that.
Oh I'm totally sure.
- Can I think about it?
- Of course.
Have you got anything else?
Have you got anything else?
Probably.
This is a Japanese, you think?
I think it is.
Good 19th century papier-maché?
Yeah.
Quite attractive, I thought.
- Yeah.
It's quite attractive.
That can be ever so reasonable.
Essex would appreciate that.
How much could that be?
How about 10 pounds?
How about-- Hmm-hmm?
I don't hit you too hard.
So how about the George Jensen ring and this, 50 pounds?
Deal?
- Yeah.
Ah, I should have come in less.
I should have come in less.
That was much too quick.
Does that include the box?
Of course it includes a box.
Brilliant.
Fantastic.
I bought two things off you.
I hope you do well, Raj.
Thank you very much indeed, Paul.
Hope you do well.
Absolute pleasure.
NARRATOR: So, Raj has secured the 1960s George Jensen ring for 40 pounds and the 19th century papier-maché box for a tenner.
A cracking start.
Back with Catherine and she's decided to start her day by soaking up a bit of culture in Norwich.
Considered the modern day capital of East Anglia, Catherine's come to hear about the region's most ferocious warrior queen, the legendary Boudicca.
She's meeting an expert on the story, Chief Curator of Norwich Castle Museum, Doctor John Davies.
CATHERINE SOUTHON: So John, we're going right back to the first century AD.
Who was Boudicca?
Boudicca is one of the most famous heroines from the whole of world history.
She stood up to the great might of the Roman Empire, who were just undefeated at that time, and she very nearly ejected the might of the whole Romans from this country.
What did she do then?
Where did it all begin?
This was in the mid first century AD, around about AD 60.
Boudicca was Queen of the Icine tribe who were a rural community living in what is now Norfolk.
Chieftain at the time, the King of the tribe of the Iceni, Prasutagas died.
Boudicca was his wife, his queen.
And she succeeded to the leadership of the Iceni.
And Prasutagas had tried to leave part of his estate to Boudicca and her daughters.
The Romans were having none of that.
And so the episode that she's so famous when Boudicca's uprising occurred, essentially was in response to the Romans very heavy handed approach to clawing back the whole of Boudicca's estate for the Romans.
NARRATOR: The Roman soldiers were ordered to occupy Iceni and Boudicca and her daughters were said to have been brutally attacked and flogged.
These actions exacerbated widespread resentment for Roman rule.
And while Roman Governor Paulinus was leading a campaign in North Wales, the Iceni rebelled.
Members of other tribes soon followed, all led by the mighty Boudicca.
Boudicca.
The Queen of the Iceni tribe.
But what was she really like?
DR. JOHN DAVIES: Well, she clearly was a very charismatic person.
However accidentally it was that she turned out to lead the tribe, certainly she was in a position where people respected her hugely.
And, in the region, 120,000 people were prepared to lay down their lives to support her.
People really wanted to back her and follow her.
And they thought that she was strong enough to indeed defeat the Romans and eject them from this country.
NARRATOR: Boudicca and her warriors struck at symbols of the Roman occupation.
The capital at Colchester was burned as was London and St. Albans.
Boudicca's treatment of her enemies was fierce, sending shock waves through the Roman Empire.
We know that the Roman army was in the region of about 10,000 soldiers, compared with in the region of about 120,000 on the British side.
The Iceni were just numbers.
They were untrained.
Through physical strength of being outdoor people and farmers, that was in their favor.
They had very strong adrenaline through wanting to defeat these Roman oppressors.
Essentially they had no military skill.
Very few of them had actually ever fought in a battle before.
Their weaponry would have reflected the fact that they were farmers.
They probably would have had sickles and scythes.
In a pitched battle facing each other, person to person, there was only ever going to be one outcome.
They stood no chance whatsoever.
The Roman figures are something like 80,000 British died at that battle compared with something like 400 Romans.
I think there's an element of Roman propaganda there.
But you can get the scale of the massacre.
That is incredible, isn't it?
Yes.
NARRATOR: The exact location of Boudicca's defeat is unknown.
And although it's said she survived the battle, legend has it that she poisoned herself rather than face capture by the Romans.
To this day there are many myths surrounding Boudicca's final resting place.
But one thing is sure.
She had a special place in British history.
Remembered for her courage, the Warrior Queen who fought the might of Rome.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Meanwhile, the mighty Raj has left Norwich and is heading west towards Attleborough.
As far as my tactics for this leg, I'm just going to go and see what I find.
I'm always looking for something that's a little bit different.
So, fingers crossed that I can find it.
NARRATOR: If it's different you're after, Moorways Reclamation should deliver.
Not quite the quaint antiques emporium Raj is used to, this yard is packed with some serious salvage.
Thankfully, owner John is on hand to help.
I'm mostly into heavies, I'm afraid.
You are?
Well look at me.
I'm a wimp compared to you.
Mostly.
You know.
NARRATOR: He is tall, isn't he?
Ha.
Wow.
Look at some of these beams you've got here.
Some of them are ancient.
For example, John, something like this.
What would that cost?
Most of this stuff, which is just old timber buildings, just a piece of wood like that, probably 700 quid.
Gee whiz.
I think I'm going to probably looking for something a little bit on the smaller side.
I thought you might.
You know?
NARRATOR: Good luck with that.
These ladders though, they're interesting.
Are they old?
They almost remind me of hot ladders and-- These are old painters ladders.
NARRATOR: Which are not small.
They would go well.
- Something smaller.
- Something smaller.
- Something smaller.
- It's all too big, isn't it?
We're going down in size.
It might take a while for us to get there.
NARRATOR: Uh-huh.
Those stained glass windows look more your size, Raj.
They're quite nice architectural things.
I've got loads of those.
What, these?
Yeah, those things.
And they'd be quite-- I mean there are 1920s.
Pick it up and so you can see through it.
Very common.
Yeah.
It's a very common art nouveau design.
It is.
It jolly well is.
Yeah.
So say six of those-- have you got six of those?
Probably six.
Yes.
I mean if you want, 60 quid.
I'll tell you what.
Because we've got to haggle a little bit.
OK. What about 50 pounds for the six?
Yeah.
Go on then.
Yep?
Let's shake hands.
Thank you.
Brilliant.
Fantastic.
NARRATOR: Deal done.
Raj picks up his six stained glass windows.
Look at that one.
That's a nice one, isn't it?
NARRATOR: Then the search for small things continues.
These are rather nice.
How much would one-- that one, that one, and that one.
Those three together.
What they cost me?
Be honest with you.
You're going to be over 100 quid.
What about those two?
You can have those two for 80 quid.
Go on.
Hit me.
I wouldn't want to pay more than 40 pounds for those two.
What?
20 quit each?
Yeah.
That's tight.
You know?
I'll tell you what.
Because I think you've done such a great job on the stained glass, what about what about 50 quid for the two?
You got a bargain.
Really?
Because if you'd said no, I was going to say I'd arm wrestle you for it.
You would lose.
You think I don't know that?
NARRATOR: Lucky escape there, Raj.
So that's the six stained glass windows and these 19th century brass door knockers for 100 pounds.
And not a sore arm in sight.
Ha.
Playing catch up, Catherine has made her way to Wyndham where she's arrived in this historic market town with over 220 pounds in her pocket and time to spend it at Market Cross Antiques.
White trousers today.
Hello Hi, Catherine.
I'm Catherine.
Hi.
Good to see you.
- And you.
I'm Gary.
Hi, Gary.
NARRATOR: This grade two listed building has three showrooms packed with potential purchases.
I need to be inspired.
Oh, poker work.
It's like a little miniature dresser but it's been-- it's a poker work.
So basically it's been done-- so they get hot poker and then they mark it, press it all into the wood.
It's clever.
I don't, I just don't really like it.
NARRATOR: On we go.
- Like a ship's wheel.
- Yes.
Sweet isn't it?
Yeah.
Nice little thing.
Where are we going?
Anywhere you want to, Catherine.
Have you got Sou' Wester?
I have.
And me Wellingtons.
What does it say?
Y, K, not.
- Not.
- Why not?
Why not?
Why not, yeah?
There you go.
What I like about this is it does have age.
Hmm-hmm.
I mean there's so many reproductions of these.
I mean you can find them anywhere.
And it's got that horrible darker wood.
OK.
But this is how it should be.
I mean this is about 100 years old, I would say.
It's got 95 on it.
But it has got a big split through it.
OK. How about 65?
Hmm.
No I don't think that would probably-- Where were you at?
I really wouldn't want to go much more than about 40 on it, honestly.
OK. Because of that break.
But if you can't do it, then there's absolutely-- No.
I'll do 40.
I will do 40.
But I can't go a penny less.
You'll make money on that, Catherine.
I think I will.
I'm going to shake your hand.
- Thank you.
- Thank you very much, indeed.
You're welcome.
Thank you.
NARRATOR: Anchors away, then.
Catherine's made her first purchase which brings an end to a successful day of shopping.
Norfolk also has something that I love, absolutely love, which is crab.
Ooh, yes.
Bit of a crab salad.
- Ah.
- Cromer.
Is it Cromer?
Cromer?
It is.
Absolutely.
In fact that's got me going, what should we have tonight?
NARRATOR: Crab for two, me thinks.
Nighty, night.
It's the next day and our experts are in high spirits.
[CAR HORN] That's a lovely old tractor.
[LAUGHING] Beautiful old tractor.
NARRATOR: So far Catherine's only bought one item, the mahogany ship's wheel, giving her 181 pounds and 40 pence to spend.
Where are we going?
Anywhere you want-- Where do you fancy?
--to, Catherine.
NARRATOR: Raj, on the other hand, has bought four lots.
The 1960s George Jensen ring, the 19th century papier-maché box, the set of six stained glass windows, and the two 19th century brass knockers.
I'd arm wrestle you for it.
You would lose.
NARRATOR: Leaving him 88 pounds and 90 pence.
Don't you enjoying yourself too much today.
I'm going to spend it all.
Oh, that's what I like to hear.
My intention is to spend it all.
Good.
So you're going to take some risks this time.
What do you mean, this time?
I took some risks last time.
- Oh, rubbish.
- I did.
- All right.
- I did.
You idea of risk is very different from mine.
Come on, Raj.
Play the game.
Play the game.
NARRATOR: Well it really will be dog-eat-dog today as they'll both start their shopping in Tottenhill near King's Lynn.
I forgot we're going together this morning.
- We are, yeah.
- Shopping together.
Yeah.
So a little bit of competition.
Let's hope we don't spot the same thing.
I think you buy very differently from me, actually.
I'll be honest, I don't really know what I buy.
No.
I have no-- I never ever go in with the intention of buying anything.
If I see something and my gut instinct is there's a profit-- Buy it.
--in there, I will buy it.
Yeah.
That's kind of how I work, really.
NARRATOR: First stop of the day, Tottenhill and the Antiques Emporium.
OK, as I'm here.
Such a gent.
Ready?
Yep.
OK. Let's go.
NARRATOR: An ex car showroom, there's 30 dealers wares spread across 8,000 square feet.
Let the fun begin.
Wow.
That is impressive.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Hello, Catherine.
Hello.
Oh.
You look like you're doing something wrong.
I'm not.
I've just found something that you would absolutely love, you would kill for.
- Really?
Hmm.
What do you love doing in your spare time?
Apart from annoying me?
Well my big hobby is skiing, of course.
Hmm.
Oh, you found something skiing.
Yeah.
But can I just say, if you see it, you're not having it.
Because I found it.
Look at that little downhill.
Oh, lovely.
Little skier.
Isn't that fantastic?
Oh that's gorgeous.
Well, it's not for you, Raj.
You know.
- I've told you.
- OK.
It's always the way, isn't?
You always want what you can't have.
NARRATOR: Oh, she's a minx.
What do I like about this?
Well, first of all, I like the subject.
Maybe mid-20th century, maybe slightly earlier.
It's quite nice.
It's quite a good novelty item.
The thing is, it's really quite dirty.
So you can't actually make out his face particularly well.
He's got a cute bottom though.
NARRATOR: By George.
With a ticket of 22 pounds, can Salty Southon do a deal with Kingsley?
I quite like it.
As I'm turning it around, actually, I'm noticing there's a bit of damage there.
One of his poles is a bit bent.
And you can't see his face very well.
But I think he's probably quite well done.
It's just you can't-- he's filthy dirty.
Yeah.
Um, can anything be done on that?
Yeah.
It's usually 10% off ticket price.
But, since it's you, probably 14, if that's OK. 14?
Yeah.
- Give you a chance of a profit.
- Yeah?
That's wonderful.
Thank you.
I'll take that at 14.
NARRATOR: Jolly good first deal at the day.
Worth a toot I'd say.
[HORN BLOWING] I'm pretty good at that.
NARRATOR: You're not.
I might have a career.
Uh, I don't think so.
If I may interrupt, OK.
I don't-- You have a go.
--what that noise was, but three pigeons have just dropped out of the sky.
Right.
If I wipe this, you have a go.
Go on.
You do it better.
Bet you've got no chance.
Sammy, play it again.
Go on.
I get a little bit of a-- [HORN PLAYING] Sorry.
NARRATOR: All right, balloon lungs.
Back to buying.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Chinese things at the moment are really, really collectible.
And these are two really lovely watercolors.
They're Chinese.
They're signed.
And these are beautifully done.
They would make a nice lot, the two of these.
I'm going to call Jane and see what she can do them for.
NARRATOR: With a combined ticket price of 96 pounds for the two, Jane, you're up.
I think my best, Raj, would be 70.
70.
What about if I said 60?
Seeing as it's you, Yes.
Yes?
You sure?
Yes.
Let's shake hands.
60 pounds.
- OK.
Fantastic.
Fantastic.
I really like them.
NARRATOR: The two 19th century watercolors bought, and Raj is spent.
Now, what have you got there, Catherine?
So something completely different.
But I like this.
It's probably for your taters because these little nodules on the end, here.
That's so you won't pierce your potatoes when you dig in them up.
NARRATOR: The ticket says 28 pounds.
Kingsley!
So what would you do on that?
What would be the best?
It only came in yesterday.
Did it?
And it's got 28 on it.
It could fly out, I'm sure.
Yeah.
So probably about 15.
- You wouldn't do 10 on that?
- Yeah.
For you I would.
Yeah.
10.
Yeah, that could be a goer at 10.
OK. That's an idea but I've just seen something else.
I am cooking on gas.
- Yeah.
OK. Can we have another look over here?
Fantastic.
NARRATOR: What have you spied, then?
Bit of arts and crafts.
Arts and crafts copper, ham beaten.
What I like is the big image of the dragon or the griffin.
It would be lovely if it had some initials on the back-- Yep.
--of one of the top makers.
But I can see it it's not that sort of quality.
Um, but sort of turn of the century.
Quite well defined.
Nice image.
What's on it?
45.
45?
Is there a lot of movement in that?
There could be.
Probably 25.
25.
Yeah.
And then the, what did we say on the fork?
10.
10.
Could that be 20 as well?
I could have both at 30.
- Yeah.
Go on.
- Yeah?
Yeah.
Fine.
- You're a good man.
Right.
Thank you.
Well done.
NARRATOR: I make that three items bought for 44 pounds.
Spiffing shopping, Southon.
Staying in Norfolk, Raj has made his way to Swaftham, a quaint market town that has an unlikely connection to the Valley of Kings in Egypt.
Raj has come to Swaftham museum to meet volunteer manager Sue Gattuso to learn about the town's most famous resident, the man who discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun, Howard Carter.
Let's go in.
After you.
NARRATOR: An enigmatic artist and archaeologist, Howard Carter shocked the world when he discovered the prized tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922.
But the story starts here in this Norfolk market town.
His family is a Swaftham family.
His father is Samuel John Carter, who is a well known animal portrait painter in the Victorian times.
And he married Martha Joyce, who was also from Swaftham.
Her father was a builder.
And Howard was one of 10 children.
He was the youngest of their 10 children.
His father made sure that all of his children could draw and paint because he insisted that they'd all be able to earn a living.
Hmm-hmm.
And when he was 15 Howard decided that he wanted to be an artist just like his father and paint portraits.
And so he served, really, an apprenticeship.
He went around with his father to the gentry houses.
And one of those was at Didlington Hall and met Lord and Lady Amherst who had run the biggest Egyptian collections.
So I presume that's where his first passion for Egyptology actually started.
Yes.
Exactly.
NARRATOR: Carter's love for Egyptology was ignited.
And in 1891, aged just 17, he headed to Egypt where he worked for 16 years before meeting wealthy English aristocrat, Lord Carnarvon.
And in what year did he actually meet Lord Carnarvon.
He met him in 1907 when Lord Carnarvon was in Egypt, interested in Egyptian antiquities, and somebody suggested to him, you need Howard Carter.
And so, that's how the two of them met.
So this was a big turning point in Carter's life.
Absolutely.
Howard always had this dream of finding the tomb of Tutankhamun, which everybody said never existed.
But they kept finding little bits and pieces.
And so Howard began to put the jigsaw together.
A lot of the archaeologists thought that there was nothing left in the Valley of the Kings.
And they had to have licenses to dig.
And in 1914, the license to dig in the Valley of the Kings came up for sale.
And Howard persuaded Carnarvon to buy that license.
Then came the First World War.
And they had to stop digging then and didn't start again till 1917.
And they dug for five or six seasons and then Carnarvon said, you know, I can't do any more.
There's obviously nothing here.
Let's give up.
And Howard persuaded him to just do one more dig.
And that's where the story starts.
NARRATOR: The 26th of November, 1922, was, in Carter's own words, "The day of days.
The most wonderful I have ever lived through and certainly one who's like I can never hope to see again."
He had found the tomb of Tutankhamun.
So Sue, you're Howard Carter, I'm Lord Carnarvon.
We're outside the tomb.
Tell me what happened.
They came down a long corridor and they came to this door which was sealed.
Which meant that nobody had been there before in those thousands of years.
Carter made a small incision in the door, just enough so to get a handle through.
And Carnarvon stood behind and said, what can you see?
What can you see?
Carter just said, wonderful things.
Because everything he saw was just covered in gold.
Wow.
Amazing.
NARRATOR: Having lain undiscovered for over 3,000 years, it was by far the best preserved royal tomb ever found and sparked a global frenzy for ancient Egypt.
Carter spent the next 10 years excavating the tomb's treasures.
Sadly, Lord Carnarvon never lived long enough to witness one of the greatest moments, the opening of Tutankhamun's sarcophagus.
And inside, there were three coffins.
One inside of the other, like Russian dolls.
And the third one, the a coffin, was made of pure gold.
Wow.
Encrusted with jewels and so forth.
It wasn't until late 1925 that he actually came face to face with Tutankhamun.
NARRATOR: Howard Carter's discovery made him one of the world's most famous archaeologists.
And without his first brush with Egyptian artifacts here in Swaftham, the boy King, Tutankhamun, could have remained hidden to this very day.
Back with Catherine.
And she's made her way to Long Sutton in Lincolnshire.
This pretty little market town was allegedly once home to notorious highwayman, Dick Turpin.
Better watch out for your purse, Catherine.
Good afternoon.
Hello, how are you?
Oh, your little doggy pricked his ears up, there.
I'm Catherine.
- Hello.
Nice to see you.
I'm Catherine, too.
So, I'm very good.
NARRATOR: With two floors filled with antiques and collectibles, Catherine's on the prowl for something to shoot her into the lead.
Starting cannon.
Aha.
So this is steal lined.
So he's saying it's like a-- for starting a yacht race or something like that.
So you put the match in there and then it would fire from here.
The thing is the carriage looks very, very different color to the actual barrel.
So it sits quite well but, I think it's a marriage.
I think the carriage is a marriage.
And probably, therefore, not for us.
[MUSIC PLAYING] I spy with my little eye a few little sewing accessories.
I like this.
So this is box wood, I would say.
Some other wood.
Maybe not boxwood.
Maybe, well, fruit wood, probably.
But it's a little tape measure in the form of a fishing reel, which is rather sweet.
But it has got a break in it here, you see.
It's got a bit of damage.
But sewing accessories can be quite desirable.
There's a couple of other bits in here as well.
Two little pin cushions.
One in the form of a swan.
Tiny little thing.
And another one in the form of a doggy.
My thought, maybe put them together in a little group lot.
30, 40 pounds, something like that.
That's probably what I want to spend.
But each one has got quite a price on it.
NARRATOR: Let's hope your namesake is feeling generous then.
This is what caught my eye because I thought it was quite sweet.
Thank you.
Tape measure in the form of a fishing rod.
But, I don't know if you are aware, but there is a break here.
Can you see there?
Oh, yes.
No I hadn't noticed it.
There's a break there.
So that will-- Yeah.
It's going to-- --affect the value.
The other couple of little things I saw was the doggy pincushion.
But again I think it's just cast metal, isn't he?
There's no precious metal.
There's no marks on it.
And then this one.
Not silver, is it?
Well I think it's got a silver mark on it.
But it might not be English.
- It's not English.
So it's probably-- - No.
There's a little bit of age to the pincushion but I don't think it's terribly old.
NARRATOR: The combined ticket price for the three is a whopping 118 pounds.
In my mind I would like to buy them at around 30 pounds for the group.
Hmm.
I can't go that far.
No?
I can't, no.
I don't really want to do much more than, say 35, honestly.
I-- Go 40 and I'll do it.
Right.
Lovely.
- OK?
- Thank you.
Now I appreciate that.
NARRATOR: That final, delightful, deal means our experts' classic car's boot is full up with items for auction.
Well the auction that we're going to is in Colchester-- Yes.
--which is in Essex.
That's where I went to Uni.
Oh, is it?
I spent four years of my life there.
Really.
I did indeed.
Oh, so you know it well?
Party town, Raj.
Oh, good.
Party town.
Good.
I can't wait to get there.
NARRATOR: Well, don't party too hard.
You've got an auction to face in the morning.
Send in the sand man.
After starting in Norwich, our experts have zipped around the East of England and are now off to auction in Catherine's old stomping ground.
Britain's oldest recorded town, and former capital of England, Colchester is home to a heritage stretching back over 2000 years.
Today's auction is being hosted by Reeman Dansie.
Oh, auction two.
Hardly anything in it.
Anything could happen today.
NARRATOR: Indeed.
On this leg, Catherine bought five lots for auction, spending 124 pounds.
While Raj promised to spend big, and he did, buying five lots for 210 pounds.
So what do they think of each other's bounty?
I really, really like this.
This is a beautiful little skier.
It's got some damage to it and I don't think that the base is original to the actual skier, but it is silver.
I don't normally say this because everything I buy, I would never swap.
But this is the first thing that I've seen I would actually swap.
You could have anything that I bought for this because I love it.
If this does well it's going to be all downhill from here on in for me.
Not too happy with Raj buying this piece of Jensen.
Jensen is probably one of my favorite designers of jewelry.
What I like about this is it's classic, it's classy.
Really, it's timeless.
NARRATOR: The man wielding the gavel today is Louis Rabat.
So, what does he make of our experts' items?
The copper tray is a nice piece of arts and crafts metalwork.
It's nice with the decoration on it as well, of the dragon or the griffin.
I think if it had a name on it, it would potentially sell a bit better.
But as it is, it's still a very nice little item.
And we get plenty of collectors for that kind of thing.
So it should sell well.
A little papier-maché box is quite nice.
Probably it's a little table snuff.
But it's a nice little item that someone would have in their sort of curiosity cabinet.
And, you know, it's in good order because papier-maché is quite fragile.
NARRATOR: With buyers online and in the room, let's get things started.
Ready?
As ready as I'll ever be.
NARRATOR: First up, Raj's papier-maché box.
30 pounds for it.
30, 30 pounds.
30 has been revealed.
And maiden bid then, we're in.
You're in profit.
34.
At 34 pounds back with Ian.
At 34.
36.
38. at 38.
40 in the room, now.
42.
Well done.
44.
At 44 pounds at the back of the room then.
46.
48.
At 48, then in the room.
Gentleman's bid and I'm going to sell.
All done at 48.
[GAVEL BANGING] I love you, like, yeah, no.
Don't really think-- nobody wants these sorts of things.
Oh, yeah.
No.
I quite like it, now.
Well, it didn't make 50.
NARRATOR: No.
But it did make you rather an impressive profit.
Well done, my friend.
NARRATOR: That high five needs some work.
Right.
Vintage potato fork, anyone?
20 pounds somewhere to start me for it.
20.
20's bid with David.
It's so Strathairn coming up.
Oh.
At 22 pounds and on the internet.
At 22 pounds only online.
24 anywhere else?
- Yay.
I'm delighted with that.
At 22 then on the internet.
I'm going to sell.
Yay.
All done at 22.
[GAVEL BANGING] That's good, that is.
That's very good.
You should be pleased with that.
NARRATOR: So it's a profit a piece.
Smashing start.
I think that was quite jammy.
No.
It was potatoes.
For potatoes.
It's got nothing to do with jam.
--with jam.
Sorry.
NARRATOR: So you should be, old boy.
Right.
Your 19th century watercolors are up next.
Stand by.
The thing is with these watercolors, I find sometimes they can totally fly.
And I have 30 pounds with me, now.
At 30 pounds only now.
To anywhere else?
At 30 pounds.
32, 34.
Good.
At 34.
36, 38.
At 38.
40, 42.
At 42.
44.
At 44 pounds.
46.
- Yeah.
At 46.
48.
- Good.
At 48 pounds.
I'm still not in profit.
48 pounds then.
On my right at 48.
All done at 48 pounds.
[GAVEL BANGING] I'm sorry about that because I think they are quite-- I think that's a-- Aye, that's cheap.
It's-- Ah, well.
NARRATOR: Didn't quite fly like they expected.
Hard luck.
That was a fishy lot.
NARRATOR: Oh, please.
Remind me to buy you a new joke book, Raj.
Now the turn of Catherine's ship's wheel.
Hard to starboard.
At 50 pounds with me only.
Five anywhere?
- That's fine.
There you go.
Straight in.
Look at this.
60.
60 with me, then.
65.
65.
- 70.
- He's good.
70 pounds.
And with me at 70.
All done.
I'm going to sell then-- I'm happy with that.
--at 70 pounds.
[GAVEL BANGING] - Good man.
Another profit.
Yeah, yeah.
NARRATOR: Clearly Catherine knows what the Colchester crowd are after.
You're doing very well today, Catherine.
The thing is, If it's happening for me, you haven't had-- you haven't even done yours properly yet.
So you know you could be sailing away.
NARRATOR: I wouldn't speak too soon.
His two brass knockers are up next.
20 pounds for them.
20.
You're hovering on line.
You're tempted.
20 pounds for them.
20?
- They're worth that.
Highest bid in the room.
At 20 pounds only now then.
To anywhere else?
At 20 pounds in the room.
Yes, yes, yes.
At 22.
He likes his knockers.
At 24.
26.
At 26 pounds then.
Gentleman's bid in the front row.
- That's not enough.
- Come on.
More.
--sale, make no mistake, at 26 pounds.
Another loss.
[GAVEL BANGING] 26.
Yours, sir, for 492.
NARRATOR: Oh, dear.
That silence says it all.
Not Raj's day.
But can Catherine's luck continue with her arts and crafts copper tray?
If it makes something, 30-- - It should make 30.
- --40.
I'll be pleased.
It should make 30.
In fact, I'll run round and just, yay!
Really?
Promise?
Yeah.
And I can start straight in on commission at 30 pounds.
There you go.
Anywhere else?
32, 34.
Oh, lovely.
Get your running shoes on now.
Oh, my goodness.
40, 42.
Let's get to 50.
Come on.
48.
55 with me.
No?
At 55 pounds in on commissions.
60 anywhere else?
I'm going to hold you to this, Catherine.
I'm quite pleased with that.
On commission at 55 and I'm going to sell.
All done now then at 55.
[GAVEL BANGING] - Away you go.
Right.
I'm off.
See you in a minute.
NARRATOR: Catherine's running rings around Raj today.
Well now.
That's-- I'm pleased-- That was quick.
--with that.
NARRATOR: Right, Raj.
Can you redeem yourself with your George Jensen ring?
- 80 pounds with me only.
- Come on.
120.
- --anywhere else?
At 80 pounds on commission now.
85 if you're coming in on line.
Oh, come on.
80 then with me.
5 anywhere else?
I will sell.
Maiden bid then, with me.
All done at 85 on line.
Yes.
At 85 pounds on the internet.
It takes out my commission.
At 85 pounds then online.
come on.
It's worth more than that.
It is worth-- It is worth more than that.
I'm going to sell, all done, at 85.
[GAVEL BANGING] That's OK. That's OK. - You're all right?
- Yeah.
I'm actually-- - I find it-- - --fine.
- --a little disappointing.
Yep, yep, yep.
NARRATOR: Should have done better.
But it's a good profit, nevertheless.
Not quite help me catch up.
But it's good enough.
A profit is a profit.
- Yeah.
- That's what I-- - We can't-- --always say.
--complain.
NARRATOR: Let's see how Catherine's Victorian sewing accessories will fare.
And I have 40 bid on commission.
At 40 pounds now.
To anywhere else?
- Well that's why I paid.
At 40 pounds on commission.
42, 44.
At 44 pounds.
46 if you like.
46.
I have 50 with me.
At 50 pounds now.
Just about a little.
Five if you like on line.
55.
At 55 pounds on the internet, now.
60 in the second row.
She's my friend.
At 60 in the second row.
Five if you're coming back in on line.
65.
70.
At 70 pounds.
And in the second row at 70.
5 If you like.
At 70 pounds in the second row.
75 on line.
80.
At 80 pounds then.
This is good.
Yeah.
--means met at 80.
Coming back in.
85.
90.
At 90 pounds now.
95.
At 95.
100.
At 100 pounds then in the second row.
You've done on the internet?
At 100 then, in the second row.
I'm really surprised.
All done at 100 pounds.
- That's good.
- Yeah.
It's good for you.
Yeah.
You should be very happy.
Are you pleased?
I'm very-- of course.
I'm ecstatic for you, Catherine.
NARRATOR: Yeah.
You look it.
Well done, that, girl.
Well, I think you've done brilliantly so far.
I might just go, actually.
NARRATOR: Don't leave yet.
Here comes Raj's final lot.
His six stained glass windows.
30 pounds for them.
30?
30 pounds I have.
At 30 pounds on my right, now.
At 30.
32 online.
They'll do good.
At 34.
At 34 pounds now.
Oh.
36 if you like.
36.
38.
At 38.
If you're doing this in fivers.
42.
At 42.
Come on.
At 42 pounds now.
44 if you look online.
At 42 pounds now.
44 if you like.
44.
46.
Well, we're not up there yet.
We're still not up into profit.
At 48 pounds?
No?
At 48 then.
On the internet at 48.
Do I see 50 anywhere else?
- Come on.
- Come on.
Come on.
With the online bidder.
Surely ten pounds each.
All done now then at 48 pounds.
Another loss.
It was mini-- minuscule.
Mini, mini, mini loss.
A loss is a loss.
NARRATOR: At least it wasn't a large one.
To be honest, that lot, I'm afraid, a bit of a pain.
No.
Never mind.
Never mind.
NARRATOR: No more jokes, Raj, please.
Final lot up.
It's Catherine's lovely little silver skier.
60 pounds to start me for this one somewhere, surely.
- Oh.
- 60's bid with David.
At 65, 75, 80 on line.
Yes.
- 85.
- Yes At 85.
90.
Yes.
Well done.
At 95.
100.
110.
At 110.
At 110.
120 if you like on the internet.
At 110 pounds then.
That's great then.
I'm delighted with that.
[GAVEL BANGING] It's getting you in the mood though, isn't it?
Fancy a slalom?
Oh, the whole rest of this trip is going to go terribly now.
I'm going to be reminded of this forever.
NARRATOR: Downhill, it's called.
What an ending.
Superb profit.
You are way out in front.
So-- That's something we don't hear very often but I like that.
Actually you want me to say it again?
Yeah, yeah.
Keep saying it.
Catherine, you are way out in front.
Keeps saying it.
All the way.
All the way, Raj.
NARRATOR: Right.
Let's find out the figures then.
Raj started this leg in the lead with 238 pounds and 90 pence.
Sadly he made a tiny loss after auction costs.
90 pence to be exact.
So he ends up with 238 pounds.
Catherine started with 221 pounds and 40 pence.
But she pulled in a profit, after auction costs, making a whopping 168 pounds and 74 pence.
Which means she hurtles into the lead with an amazing 390 pounds and 14 pence to spend on the next leg.
Well done, girl.
Well that was interesting.
Well you did amazingly well.
Fantastic.
And I made a huge loss.
Oh, come on, Raj.
It was about 90 pence.
That's a huge loss.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
