(CAR HORN) VOICEOVER (VO): It's the nation's favorite antiques experts... Howdy, li'l lady.

VO: ..behind the wheel of a classic car... Oh yes!

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

Looking for some bargains?

VO: The aim... MARGIE: Yay!

VO: ..to make the biggest profit at auction.

But it's no mean feat.

There'll be worthy winners...

Yes!

It is my lucky day!

VO: ..and valiant losers.

I actually can't believe that.

Annoying.

VO: Will it be the high road to glory... Yo, yo, yo!

VO: ..or the slow road to disaster?

This is Antiques Road Trip.

Yeah!

VO: Welcome to the land of song, where we say a cheery bore da to a couple of road trip regulars driving a big car down a small country lane.

We meet again, James Braxton.

Last time we met was in Devon, very similar country.

Similar hedges.

VO: It's Wales this time out for expert and designated driver James Braxton and his charming passenger, auctioneer Natasha Raskin-Sharp, and their second time going head to head.

Do you remember who won?

I do.

JAMES: You won.

NATASHA: I edged it.

But I think the result is still with my lawyers.

VO: Yes, the last time these two duked it out, it was a pretty hard-fought battle.

I'm so annoyed you're in here.

I'm defending this area.

VO: But Natasha just snatched victory at the 11th hour.

£140... NATASHA: Yes!

JAMES: I think... JAMES: I think that's jammy.

JAMES: I haven't quite reconciled myself.

I thought I had it in the bag, and then... NATASHA: I know.

JAMES: ..you came from nowhere.

VO: Well, consider this a clean slate.

They're in the best of five in terms of auction wins and to do that, they'll each get £200 spending money per leg and unfettered access to this very stylish Daimler Sovereign.

This is 1967... and it's racing green.

Is this a '67?

It's lovely, isn't it?

And it's pretty darn perfect.

VO: Nothing but the best for you two.

Comes with an optional extra as well.

You've brought this jug with you.

JAMES: It's a harvest jug.

NATASHA: Mm-hm.

JAMES: And I never travel without a jug.

It saves on packaging.

There's so much waste around.

So you can either fill it with milk, water or hopefully, at the end of the day, and we're in Wales, maybe an ale.

VO: She's not convinced.

This trip will be a tale of three countries.

We start in south Wales, head north through England, and wind up on Natasha's home turf, Glasgow in Scotland.

I think you wore this outfit last time we were... JAMES: I did.

Navy blue.

NATASHA: This is your...

There's only one color.

VO: For their first run out, they'll be here, there and everywhere in South Wales, winding up at Bridgend.

But we start our antique acquisition in the village of Crofty... ..on an industrial estate, of all places.

Right, first shop.

Come on, James.

I'm glad we're shopping together at the start.

That's nice.

JAMES: It's lovely, isn't it?

NATASHA: It's so quaint.

NATASHA: In fact, I'll start looking around.

(LAUGHS) You hop in the tub.

Have a wee soak!

JAMES: I don't know if it's warm enough... Oh!

Oh!

That would frighten me up.

VO: Well, they'll need their wits about them in Gower Reclamation.

There's lots to wade through in search of the sellable stuff.

There's enough doors, fireplaces, and assorted architectural salvage to build a house from scratch.

But for our two, it'll be the smalls they're after.

And on hand to offer assistance is Les, if they can find him in here.

This reclamation place has something for everyone.

It might be quite hard to concentrate because I would quite like a pew for my house and some handles for my doors.

Just need to remember why we're here.

Competition.

Yeah, competition.

VO: Yes, you don't see James faffing about, do you?

Laser focused, he is.

Why do I like this?

Who doesn't like a dolphin.

VO: I don't think squid are particularly keen.

Sculpture should have movement, shouldn't it?

And this has movement.

It's a bit grubby.

It's a bit dirty.

But, you know, nothing that a bit of washing up liquid wouldn't correct there.

It's rather nice.

I like the way it's been mounted.

It's got this very swirling art deco feel.

But when I look underneath, that doesn't look 1920s to me.

VO: No price on it either.

You'll have to ask.

JAMES: Les?

LES: Yes, James?

Now, I spotted the dolphin.

It's a bit light.

LES: Yeah, I think it's... JAMES: Me, I like heavy wares.

LES: I think it's probably '60s, '70s type of thing.

JAMES: I couldn't see any mark on it.

But on the other hand, I can't see any chips, so I don't think it's a fault.

LES: I could let you have it a bit cheaper, actually, because it's a factory second.

What, why is it a second, Les?

LES: If you look at the head there, it hasn't got a hole, so how's it supposed to breathe?

VO: He was off the day they did marine biology in antique school.

How much is a second worth, Les?

LES: Erm... JAMES: Think cheap.

LES: A fiver would buy it.

JAMES: Really, Les?

LES: Yep.

JAMES: I'll take it for a fiver.

VO: Last of the big spenders, our James.

JAMES: Thank you.

VO: But he's not finished here yet.

There's still work to be done.

NATASHA: What are you doing with your dodgy dolphin?!

I'm just giving it a good...a wee scourer all the way round.

It's adding value, isn't it?

NATASHA: That's fantastic.

And it's just cutting through the grease.

Do you know something?

With the sunshine on it, all of a sudden...this dolphin, it looks almost like it's back to its natural habitat.

It's almost coming alive, isn't it?

NATASHA: (LAUGHS) VO: Beats a rubber ducky, that's for sure.

Good luck, James!

NATASHA: Good luck.

JAMES: Bye.

VO: Yes, leave him to splash around while the grown-ups do some proper work.

Well, that's quite novelty... OK, so...

This is quite fun, look.

VO: A straw boater.

Or is it?

It's a little cheese dish.

Is that not just so charming?

For the person who has everything and who sails and who happens to love cheese, then that is quite a nice gift, actually.

Quite smart, because the ceramic design really does do the trick of the eye.

This looks like a woven boater hat.

Yeah, that's novelty.

VO: £40 is the price on that.

Is there a chance it's going to make that at auction?

Probably not, so it comes down to the price.

It comes down to the haggle.

VO: Well, you know what to do.

Better find the man in charge.

NATASHA: Les, are you there?

LES: Yeah, hi.

NATASHA: Oh, you are there.

NATASHA: How are you, Les?

LES: I'm good.

What can I do for you?

NATASHA: Well, the item I'm looking at, it's a cheese dish in the form of a boater hat.

NATASHA: Know the one?

LES: I know it.

LES: Yeah, I know it well.

NATASHA: I love it.

NATASHA: I am quite in love with it.

But I'm not laughing at the price, Les.

£40.

I'm wondering, could the best price be below 30?

Say, 25?

LES: We could agree on 25.

NATASHA: Could we?!

LES: We could.

NATASHA: Are you sure?

Oh, please and thank you.

NATASHA: That would be great.

LES: You're welcome.

I'm really grateful, thank you so much.

VO: And that modest dip into the kitty leaves Natasha with £175 to play with.

Oh, this looks great.

The only disappointing thing... ..is that it's not filled with cheese.

VO: Back inside, our man Braxton is still doing a trawl of the place.

With one dolphin agreed upon, what else can he find?

I like this.

We've got a brass plate, somebody's nameplate, outside a shop.

I like the fact that it's Miss F Phillips, and she is a dressmaker and costumier.

And this would all be made to measure.

I'm just gonna ask Les about it.

It's slightly deteriorated, so I'm hoping for a decent price.

(CALLS OUT) Les?

Les?

VO: He's earning his keep today.

Yes, James?

JAMES: I like this business plate.

LES: Yeah.

JAMES: Where did Miss Phillips come from?

We had it from a job that we were doing in Mumbles, which is down by the coast.

Yeah.

And so I'm led to believe this was the great-grandmother of the person that we got involved in doing the job.

JAMES: So this is pre-First World War, I'd say?

Oh, yes.

Yes, absolutely.

VO: Once again, James fancies something without a price.

Would £20 buy that?

(INHALES) It's a bit low, to be honest with you.

I'd...

I'd feel more comfortable with 30.

If I countered your offer with 25, might that buy it?

JAMES: 25, there we are.

Good.

LES: Thank you.

Thank you very much indeed, Les.

VO: £30 in total, with your very shiny £5 dolphin added in, 170 left.

God, very small, this door.

(GROANS) Ooh.

VO: You could have gone out the way you came in, you know?

Meanwhile, in a corner of a field in south Wales, there's something mystical in the air.

Ah...

These are great.

Oh, there's something about these standing stone circles, they really...sort of harness an energy, don't they?

Energy that potentially I need.

How old are the oldest known standing stones?

Tens of thousands of years old?

Come on, I'll harness the energy of the druids.

VO: I don't have the heart to tell her that these were only erected in 1922 to commemorate an Eisteddfod.

Let's leave her in blissful ignorance and catch up with James, also out in the wilds.

Do you know what?

The smarter the car, the muddier the track.

Isn't it typical?

You turn off thinking you're, you're gonna go down a nice quiet lane and then you end up with what is effectively a bridle path.

Daimlers need to be polished, they don't want mud splattered.

This is a gentleman's express.

VO: Standards, dear boy, standards.

He's currently en route to Mumbles, on the south edge of the Gower Peninsula.

Once home to Miss F Phillips, dressmaker and costumier.

Isn't that right, James?

Having parked the Daimler, he's hotfooting it to Langland Bay antiques, £170 just itching to be spent.

Hello, Jeff... Hello, James.

How lovely to see you again.

JAMES: Very good to see you.

Nice to be back in Mumbles again.

VO: Now, Jeff's shop might not be the biggest in the world, but it more than makes up for that in terms of quality.

Some lovely pieces in here.

And for James, many with that all-important heft.

This is rather fun.

It's got a good weight to it.

It's a young girl, has ringlets.

I do not know how these have survived.

It's just a rather nice thing.

And these things, they never work when they're down here.

They've always got to be up on a shelf, somewhere like there.

But, you know, something like this, is it... Is it good, or is it a bit spooky?

VO: Not for me to say, chief.

But it does look a bit art nouveau, so probably from around the turn of the 20th century.

Jeff...the price.

That's, er...£65, James.

And is the price right, Jeff?

I think it's the right price.

The right price for you to buy that, certainly.

JAMES: Yeah... That's something, but I'm gonna just leave that charming yet spooky bust there.

VO: Nice to see James has got his head in the game.

Meanwhile, 20 miles up the road, Natasha has ambled into Ammanford, now fully charged with druidic energy, or perhaps just a double espresso!

This is the place.

VO: Indeed, it is.

Ammanford Antiques Centre calls this former Victorian church hall home, where the goods of 12 dealers, spread across five big rooms, vie for the attention of any prospective purchaser, particularly those with £175 to spend.

These are quite cool.

Telephone tables.

I think I have to have a little sit down, if you don't mind.

VO: You make yourself comfy.

They're just so smart.

They're not for the long call.

This is for the pre-mobile phone quick call.

And to make your life even speedier and handier, there should...

Yes, there is a little memo pad.

Chippy is the name I'm actually looking for, because Chippy telephone tables are quite in.

They are quite the thing now.

VO: The company based in High Wycombe started making this uniquely 20th century furniture back in 1958.

But it's just not everything you want it to be.

I want this to be orange, and I want the wood to be in better condition.

The good ones are out of my league and the ones I can afford...

I think I have to stand up and walk away.

VO: Must be the wrong number.

Ha!

Meanwhile, in Mumbles, James is still on the chunky stuff.

JAMES: Amongst all lovely Jeff's silver and gold is this incredibly heavy bell here.

A nice ship's bell.

Just a real shame it doesn't have the vessel's name on it.

So that's the bracket for mounting it.

But it's a great sound.

You'd get everybody coming running, wouldn't you?

That's a really fabulous item.

I don't know how much it is, but we'll...we'll go and ask Jeff.

If I can get there.

VO: Mind you don't pull something, James.

This really is a heavy fellow.

Yes, James.

I could hear you coming.

JAMES: Do you know where this came from?

It came from a family, and the family for three generations were in, on the oyster skiffs, so it could have come from one.

Is this affordable?

JEFF: It's £200, James.

JAMES: I can't afford £200.

What would you like to give for it, James?

JAMES: I'd love to give 50 quid for it, but I don't think it's possible.

VO: I think Jeff would agree.

What else?

Just one other thing that I noted.

It's a capped sauce bottle, isn't it?

VO: He kept that one quiet.

This is rather fun.

So we've got the sauce bottle that's been given a sort of novelty twist, hasn't it?

Because this is a silver cap to it.

Very posh to have your tomato sauce in it, though.

Yeah.

But this one's made by a very good contemporary silversmith and jeweler called Theo Fennell.

And we've got an extra mark on it.

We've got a jubilee mark.

So the date letters 2002, so it's the Queen's Golden Jubilee.

JEFF: Mm-hm.

JAMES: There's quite a lot going on in that little cap, isn't there?

Can this be affordable price here, chief?

(EXHALES) What would you like to pay for it, James?

JAMES: £25.

JEFF: It's yours.

VO: Now we're getting somewhere.

What about that bust you saw earlier?

JAMES: Could we improve on the price there, Jeff?

I know you said 65.

Could it go sort of something like 35 or something?

I'll meet you a little way up on that and do it for 40 for you.

40?

I'll do 40.

JEFF: OK, that's a deal.

JAMES: Thanks a lot, Jeff.

VO: £65 to pay in total and 105 still in reserve.

JAMES: Look, I leave here with old busty and saucy.

VO: Oh, James, really!

Over in Ammanford, our girl Tash is still yet to land on anything.

Oh, that looks sweet... VO: I stand corrected.

What I have in my hand is something very charming.

I mean, on the front we have the gentleman, we have the lady, we have the little dog and the title, "The Land We Live In".

And on the back, this must be the poem.

"What tho' on hamely fare we dine, wear hoddin...".

That's not called "The Land We Live In".

That's Robert Burns.

It's my neck of the woods.

"What tho' on hamely fare we dine, Wear hoddin grey and a' that.

Gie fools their silks and knaves their wine, a man's a man for a' that."

VO: Good job we had a Burns fan on hand, eh?

There has been at one point the nice contrasting lilac band that gone around the top here, which just sits really nicely opposite the green transferware.

And again, ever so slightly different and helps to put it in the 19th century because it's green transferware, not blue.

That was a fashion for a short time.

VO: No ticket on that one.

It's character building to go in there and to just ask for a low price.

A Scot's a Scot for a' that, OK?

VO: Let's hope dealer Debra is in a charitable mood.

NATASHA: Debra, hi, how are you?

DEBRA: I'm fine, thank you.

And you?

I'm well.

It's funny that you're organizing cups, actually, because it's a cup I'm bringing to you.

OK. That's a charming old piece, isn't it?

NATASHA: It is really charming, but I wonder, would you sell it to me for £8?

Well, we did have 15 on it.

NATASHA: Oh, right...

But I could drop to 12.

12 it is, then.

Do you know what, Debra?

I am still charmed.

It's very sweet.

VO: That leaves her with £163 still in hand and a wee reminder of home in the bag.

Quite pleased with that.

VO: Back to the open road, where James's jug is still the topic of conversation.

So, what can we fill it with tonight?

I don't know.

Well, your suggestion... What do they eat in Wales?

I know, I know - A cawl.

It's like a brothy stew.

Oh, brothy stew.

Yeah, find a spot where we can have a cawl and we will say, "No need for a bowl, we've brought our own"!

I know, and no need for a spoon, cuz you just sup it from the spout.

VO: Terrible table manners... Night night.

VO: Next morning, our duo in the Daimler are still reminiscing.

JAMES: On our first trip, I found out that you're a lady of verse, aren't you?

Oh, we did write poetry!

We did, we did.

You wrote a progressive poem.

Could you bring a bit of discipline in it with a bit of hip hop?

(EXHALES) I could.

Get some rhyming in the...

It looks as though you have hip hop covered?

What's your MC name?

MC Big Boy.

MC...Big Boy's in the house.

Look out, Wales.

VO: Come on, then, let's hear you spit some rhymes.

(RAPS) So MC Big Boy, here we are again.

(RAPS) Down in the hedges... and down my end.

VO: I don't think Jay-Z needs to worry.

Yesterday, MC Big Boy went big, picking up a bust, a silver top sauce bottle, a shop nameplate and a dolphin, as you do.

It looks almost like it's back to its natural habitat.

JAMES: It's almost coming alive, isn't it?

VO: But he still has £105 to play with.

Natasha, on the other hand was a bit choosier, only bagging a cheese dish in the shape of a hat and a poetic mug.

A man's a man for a' that.

OK. VO: Her pockets are positively bulging, with £163 left.

Now, time to gauge the mood in the motor...in Welsh.

Hapus iawn?

Hapus iawn?

Hapus iawn, what?

NATASHA: Are you happy?

JAMES: I am happy.

Very happy to be in your company.

Oh, thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

We bask in your sunshine.

Oh, don't.

VO: You old smoothie.

Later, we'll be popping across the border for an auction near Winchester in Hampshire.

But today, we start in the town of Pontypridd at the confluence of the rivers Taff and Rhondda.

MALE VOICE CHOIR: # Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau... # VO: Where Natasha's braving the elements to hear how two natives of the town came up with Wales's most beloved song, and unofficial national anthem, at the Pontypridd museum with Nigel Blackamore.

Hello, hi, you must be Nigel.

Hi, Tasha.

How are you doing?

I'm very well.

I'm a bit wet.

Nice to be indoors.

VO: Of course, officially, like the rest of the UK, the anthem of Wales is God Save The King.

But the song that means so much more to the Welsh was written in the town by a father and son team in 1856.

James James came up with the tune, and he was a harpist, and he used to play his harp around Pontypridd and the surrounding area in lots of pubs for dancing.

He is supposed to have come up with the tune one night walking along the river Rhondda.

The beauty in the landscape around him was supposed to have been that inspiration, and the tune came to him as he wandered around.

He then went straight home to Evan, his father.

He was a poet, or bard.

He started to pull together some words and within a few hours, they had supposedly written that first verse.

And then by the next day, they'd finished the second and the third verses.

And of course, my next question has to be, Nigel, how do you pronounce it?

Yeah.

I'm not a Welsh speaker, but I will give it my best shot.

So it's "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau".

And what does that translate to?

So it's "Land Of Our Fathers", but it tends to be spoken in, just in the Welsh.

VO: Over the next 50 years, this pretty patriotic song became popular in the local area, played in pubs and chapels alike.

It gained a national following at Eisteddfod, the Welsh celebration of music and culture.

But it achieved anthem status in 1905, at a rugby match, naturally.

The game of the century between New Zealand and Wales.

It became a response to the haka.

So the New Zealanders all performed the haka.

And this was, you know, quite well-known.

But Welsh players stepped up with the support of the crowd, and they sang this.

This was the first time that it's been recorded that it was sung before a game.

And it's often called "The 12th Man" afterwards by lots of other nations, because the power that the nation sang this song towards the New Zealanders, Wales ran out 3-0.

NATASHA: They went on to win?!

NIGEL: Yes.

VO: It wasn't until the 1970s that the anthem was allowed to be sung on its own without being followed by the official national anthem.

But now, it is sung proudly at international sporting events and at the opening of the Welsh parliament.

Not bad for a couple of local lads.

NIGEL: So this is a larger blow up of the actual first tune with the lyrics written within.

But what's interesting is, as you can see, it's "Glan Rhondda".

That was the original name.

Ah... NIGEL: And the actual title, which is published, came much later.

And that was of course the inspiration, the river Rhondda.

Oh, that's really interesting.

Now, there is a chair behind you.

And in the antique shop, if I were to walk past it, I'd probably think, gosh, that looks lovely.

NIGEL: This is said to be the chair that Evan James sat in whilst he was composing the national anthem for Wales.

Oh, stop it.

That is sensational.

VO: Now, to get a feel for James James's instrument of choice, our James is also at the museum for a little music lesson with a professional harpist, Bethan Nia.

That was lovely.

Thank you very much.

Would you like to have a go?

I'd love to have a go.

Have you ever played a harp before?

I've never played a harp.

BETHAN: Well, today's the day.

Is it...is it terribly difficult?

BETHAN: I guarantee whatever you play on the harp is gonna sound beautiful.

I may hold you to that, Bethan.

VO: Couldn't we get him a triangle or something?

I thought we'd go back to basics, really.

OK, very wise.

And I thought we'd just do a little bit of fun.

Twinkle, Twinkle.

Excellent.

BETHAN: We're going to play two on the red string.

And then we're gonna do two above the blue.

That's it, and then two above that.

And then go back down to the one below.

Yeah!

Two on the blue.

Two below that.

Two below that.

And finish on the red string.

Yes!

Here we go.

Concentrate.

BETHAN: Two.

Two above the blue.

Two on the blue.

Two below that.

Below that...

Yes!

Bravo!

When I came in, what were you playing?

That was lovely.

That was our national anthem.

It is a beautiful tune.

Now, could I accompany you on that?

(GASPS) Yes!

VO: This might take some rehearsal, so we'll head out to the nearby park to see how the town honored its two favorite sons.

Well, this is a seriously fitting monument.

Absolutely glorious.

So we have the lady, and I presume she's representing poetry.

Yep.

And the harpist is there to represent song.

NATASHA: Actually, look at this.

"Father and son of Pontypridd, who inspired by a deep and tender love of their native land, united poetry and song and gave to Wales her national hymn."

VO: I think we should hear it in all its glory, don't you?

# Gwlad!

Gwlad!

# Pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad.

# Tra mor yn fur, # i'r bur hoff bau.

# O bydded i'r hen iaith barhau.

# VO: Bravo, Bethan and Braxton.

Fantastic.

Fantastic.

That was so beautiful.

BETHAN: Thank you.

And James, you do know that means we're Welsh now?

VO: Bendigedig!

Fabulous.

Now, with Welsh patriotic zeal still ringing in their ears, it's time we got back on with the shopping, and first out of the traps is Natasha, off to visit the town of Cowbridge.

Actor Sir Anthony Hopkins used to go to school here, and very pretty it is, too.

Although I'm noticing a distinct lack of cows at the moment.

The other residents seem friendly enough, though.

Natasha's here for a gander around the Happy Days Vintage Homestore.

The name bodes well.

OK... (WHISPERS) Get stuck in... VO: I think you better had.

With only two things bought so far and £163 still to play with, she's got a lot of work to do in here.

NATASHA: (CHUCKLES) Now, here's something I never buy.

Hold on a second, that's really heavy... (STRAINS) My contemporaries love to buy doorstops, and I never do it for some reason.

The label says "vintage".

I'd change that V to "Victorian" and I'd add a word, "lion passant".

On its hind legs, the front right paw is raised.

VO: Well, technically, that's known as a lion sejant, because it's sitting down.

Tricky stuff, this heraldry.

NATASHA: I quite like its style.

What's going against it?

Glimmers of what lies beneath, it's cast iron.

That's why it's so heavy.

And the paint has chipped away right down to the cast iron here.

And then this front paw, I can see green paint.

So this would have been much nicer in its original polychromatic painted form.

It would have been bright, it would have been lively.

But over the years, this has been painted and painted, and it's lost some definition.

You sort of have to focus and squint your eyes in order to see the detail.

VO: Despite that, it's priced at £45.

NATASHA: I think that might be on the list, you know.

(STRAINS) This is the doorstop I never knew I needed to take to auction.

Give James something to growl about.

One down.

VO: More to go.

Meanwhile, the aforementioned Mr Braxton is on the move again, directing the Daimler towards Bridgend, with £105 to spend in Bridgend Antiques.

I'd get in quick if I were you.

Good to meet you.

James.

Hello, James.

Nice to meet you.

Julian.

You're my last call today.

Oh, I've got to rob you blind for every last bit of cash in your pocket, have I?

(LAUGHS) That's the spirit.

VO: I think James might have met his match.

This looks rather interesting.

JULIAN: I've just added it in there recently, an admiral's bicorn hat.

He's quite a famous general, I've just been looking him up - JULIAN: Erasmus Ommanney.

JAMES: That's a great name... JULIAN: Good Victorian name, Erasmus.

There was a famous expedition, HMS Terror.

And he was trying to find the northwest passages.

And he went up to find HMS Terror, cuz it got lost out in... Out in the strait.

Out in that, up in Canada.

A bit of ice getting in their way, was it?

That's it, and he went up there, this young gentleman, to see where it had got to, of course, the Terror was lost...

He was there for two years trying to find it.

JULIAN: And there's his hat!

JAMES: Look at that!

JULIAN: ..actual gold braid.

JAMES: Let's try it.

Let's see.

Yeah, very f...

Very fetching, isn't it?

JULIAN: Very much a... British Admiral of the Fleet... JULIAN: ..there you are.

JAMES: British Admiral.

JAMES: Sea lord Braxton.

So how much will you sell that for, Julian?

JULIAN: It's one for an auction, this is...

Your line of business.

Might make 1,000, might make 5,000.

It's a little rich for me.

Yeah.

May I have a look round, Julian?

You may have a look around.

Thank you.

VO: Yes, you've barely glanced at the myriad of items that Julian has in store.

So while you get settled in, we'll see what Tash is up to over in Cowbridge.

I like the style of this stall, very glamorous.

Here we have something.

It's actually ticking a few boxes, because its very smart base is a tripod.

It's quite difficult to ascertain, when you look at something like this, is that brand brand new, or is it post-World War II or maybe around that era, that's been...upcycled, is that the right term?

If this were brand new, and a total repro, I don't know if the brass would have that nice patina, and I don't know if the screw heads would be domed like that.

I think they would be flat.

And someone has done what people are doing a lot nowadays.

They're transforming an item by popping in a bulb fixture, sticking on a shade and turning it into a nice lamp.

I think it's quite smart.

I can imagine it in a study.

I can imagine it in a living room.

VO: But can you imagine it in an auction?

I haven't seen the price yet and I'm banging on about it, and I'm thinking am I gonna turn this label around, and it's gonna say £275...?

Dun-dun-dun...£55!

It's an alright starting point.

I like it.

I think that might be on the list as well.

VO: She's got the bit between her teeth now.

Back in Bridgend, has James's rummaging borne fruit yet?

Oh, look, this is interesting.

And this begs a question.

We've got a picture here which looks like a cigarette card of Queen Victoria.

And we've got a very pretty young lady here with an incredibly... God, I do wish I had a waist like that.

Corsets, James.

You wouldn't like 'em.

So we've got a rather nice sort of Regency style chaise longue here, and then a rather grand interior column.

Julian, you've gotta help me with this.

VO: That's what he's here for.

I'm intrigued by this picture here.

Why have you got a cigarette card of Queen Victoria?

Well, it's a very well executed little oil on board.

That's a genuine little Georgian painting.

Now, a lot of people...without that, who is it?

Now, I didn't know when I first...

I bought it at a house clearance.

And I didn't realize, and I searched the back.

It's got in small pencil on the top there, "Princess Royal", as she was then, "Victoria, 1829".

So that was before she was Queen.

JAMES: I think the gilt frame is contemporary with the picture.

It's a genuine Georgian painting.

Early Victorian, if you wanna call it.

Really fun.

Would, would 90 buy it, Julian?

100 for cash.

That'll do you, go on.

Well, I'm not gonna argue with that.

Look, you've never seen notes move as quickly, have you?

VO: Half his budget on one item.

Only a fiver left.

Well, thanks a lot.

Pleasure to rob you, sir.

Hope you do well.

Thanks a lot... (CHUCKLES) VO: I think they both came out well on that deal.

Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho... VO: Yeah, he rates it.

Now, let's check in with the Cowbridge contingent.

What's the word, Tash?

Bongos.

VO: Beg your pardon?

NATASHA: I'm starting a band.

Are you kidding?

Could I seriously consider buying bongos?

VO: Well, no, actually.

But you could buy some conga drums, which is what these are.

I'm just gonna go straight into the price.

Straight in.

How much?

(GASPS SOFTLY) They're 65.

I would expect, in a retail environment, these to be much pricier.

VO: Quite.

You'd need to shell out £200 and upwards for a new set.

They sound good.

And I think the idea that they come with the stand... Did it say that?

Did it say "and stand"?

Yeah!

So I just wonder at auction...

I don't know.

I've never stood on the rostrum and sold drums like this on a stand.

But they just really look the part.

They sound the part.

I'm not going to inspect them too closely, because what do I know, what to look out for?

A big crack would be terrible, but I'm not seeing one.

Little scrape there, but I don't think that's cracked.

I think because I can afford them... Not because I think they'll turn a profit, but because I can afford them, I think I have to venture into the unknown.

VO: Time to talk turkey at the till.

Christine's in charge today.

NATASHA: Christine, hi.

CHRISTINE: Oh, hello.

NATASHA: How are you?

CHRISTINE: Very well, thank you.

NATASHA: Good, good, good.

I'm doing a bumper deal here, actually.

I found three.

Wow, well done.

They go up in price and they go up in size.

So I'll start with the smallest.

A cast iron Victorian doorstop at £45.

CHRISTINE: Right.

Then next in line is a tripod lamp.

Looks like it's been repurposed, and that's £55.

And then £65 is, you won't believe it - although you probably heard it - some bongos.

VO: Or congas, to be pedantic.

And I know we're looking for antiques, and they're not... CHRISTINE: No.

NATASHA: ..but they're cool.

VO: 165 is the price for all that.

What's your best price?

I think we could do 150.

NATASHA: 150?

CHRISTINE: Yes, 150.

Yeah, seems fair for three very mixed items.

VO: What a haul, eh?

That makes the doorstop £40, the lamp 50, and bang on 60 for the congas.

£13 left unspent.

NATASHA: Right, one of three... VO: We'll have the others sent on.

Nice work.

VO: Time you caught up with your oppo.

So, have you had a good day?

A very good day.

A productive and successful day?

Yeah.

And what does your gut say about it?

Yeah, it's pleased with my purchases.

Fantastic.

VO: Or it's just hungry.

Supper, then shuteye.

VO: Welcome to Winchester, Alfred the Great's old stomping ground and home to the shrine of St Swithun.

Legend has it that if it rains on his feast day, it will continue for 40 days.

But out in the nearby countryside, our experts are hoping it won't rain on their parade today.

Do you think there'll be smiles from you coming out of this or smiles from me?

Well, you always smile, I always smile, regardless of the result so it's gonna be fine.

But there could be tears.

NATASHA: No, no.

JAMES: Are you sure?

Let's make a rule - no crying.

NATASHA: (LAUGHS) JAMES: No crying.

No crying.

VO: Quite right.

After scouring the shops of south Wales, our two have traveled east to Hampshire, here to sell at Andrew Smith & Son's auctioneers.

With bids on the book, online and in the room too, all presided over by auctioneer Nick Jarrett.

Selling at 90 if you're done... VO: Tash shelled out £187 on five auction lots.

Let's see what sounds good to the man in charge.

The conga drums have been very popular.

It's impossible to walk past them without playing them, and everybody's had great fun with them.

I don't think I've got the rhythm for it, but I think we ought to get 80 to 120 for them if we can find a drummer who's interested.

VO: James spent more - £195 on his five lots.

The pottery dolphin is really a very appealing item, I think.

It's a lovely shape, the way it sort of rises out in that wave, and I think that should do reasonably well.

VO: Well, let's just see what happens, shall we?

Time to take a seat.

NATASHA: And look, here's wee Monty, the auctioneer's dog.

Hi, Monty.

He's sweet.

Are you gonna bring us luck?

See, look, he's come to me.

I don't know what...

He's come in lucky, that's a lucky owner.

NATASHA: Go on, go to James.

JAMES: No, no, he's had enough.

VO: Snubbed.

First to go, Natasha's hat-shaped cheese dish.

Ta-da!

No cheese.

I've got several bids online.

We're up to 90 with me.

Five, can I say?

95.

100.

And 10.

That's a joke, that's a joke.

120.

20 I have.

130.

NATASHA: Why?

JAMES: It's novelty.

I will sell at 120 if you don't mind.

JAMES: Excellent.

Well done.

NICK: At 120.

All done at 120... Well done.

VO: Don't look so surprised, Tash.

Making a profit is sort of the point.

I feel like I need some strong cheese to sort of lift me out of that moment.

That was...surprising.

VO: James's dressmaker shop sign is next.

Is there a Miss F Phillips in the house?

NICK: £20 for it.

NATASHA: Go on.

20 I have.

25.

It's all happening.

30.

And five.

40.

And five.

Mrs Phillips.

NICK: 45.

Excellent.

50.

And five.

60.

JAMES: That's good.

NICK: And five.

60 it is.

JAMES: I wasn't expecting that.

I thought it was too bad.

At £60.

Are you all finished at 60...?

NATASHA: Yes!

JAMES: Well done, very good.

All happening in the room.

You started a little war.

VO: A few more of those, then you'll have this thing sewn up.

It's cuz they're so afraid of Mrs Phillips.

They want her approval.

VO: Tash's turn again.

Her wee cup with a verse from the Bard of Scotland.

It's sort of 50% Burns.

It's very sweet.

And the rest, the rest Victorian sentimental.

Exactly.

I'm gonna have to go 25 to clear all that.

NATASHA: Oh, wow.

NICK: At 25.

30.

JAMES: Doubled your money.

NATASHA: Yeah.

35.

40.

I'm very surprised, actually.

At £45.

50.

And five.

It is very humble.

NICK: 60 we have.

Anybody else in at 60?

All done?

Any more at 60...?

NATASHA: Nice.

JAMES: Well done.

VO: A profit's a profit for a' that.

I genuinely love a Burns Night, so I'm thrilled.

I love a Burns Night.

I'm thrilled.

Yeah, yeah.

Do you love haggis?

The address...

I love haggis.

You love haggis, don't you?

With neeps and tatties.

VO: Next up, it's Flipper.

Let's see if he makes a splash.

Now start me at 30 for it.

He's really looking.

Go on.

20, then.

20.

Ooh, it's going, no, it's dropping.

NATASHA: We're dropping.

JAMES: Dropping.

We've got 20 online.

That's a huge profit, you know!

NICK: Five somewhere, surely?

JAMES: (WHISPERS) 25, come on.

At £20.

Are you done at 20...?

Yes!

Well, I'm still pleased with that.

VO: Looks like all that scrubbing paid off.

It made four times what you paid for it, and...no one knows why.

No one knows why.

VO: Tash's heraldic doorstop now, with many fine qualities.

NATASHA: It's classic.

Heavy... JAMES: Heavy?

Heavy.

NATASHA: Braxton weighty.

JAMES: Weighty.

You'll do well there.

I have to start you here in fact at 25 to clear bids.

OK... At 25, it's with me.

NATASHA: Oh.

JAMES: No, you'll still do it.

30.

And five.

It's a wee profit, it's a wee profit.

NICK: £40, then.

At £40.

JAMES: Well done.

NATASHA: Go on.

Selling at £40, are you done?

Right, done, 40.

VO: Could have been worse, you could have stubbed your toe on it.

NATASHA: It's OK, it's OK. JAMES: It's good, it's alright.

VO: James's terracotta bust is under the hammer now.

Not literally, obviously.

Very attractive little face.

JAMES: Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, I think this could be a little runaway.

NICK: £50, surely?

£50... JAMES: He hasn't got a bid.

Yeah, we have 50.

At £50.

And five?

NATASHA: Oh, come on.

NICK: At 50.

Anybody else at 50?

Seems cheap.

NATASHA: Yes.

NICK: At £50.

I will let it go.

Oh, I'm very surprised.

Will sell at 50, it's going... (WHISPERS) See?

I almost had to sit on my hands there.

JAMES: Did you?

NATASHA: That was... JAMES: Itching.

NATASHA: ..beautiful.

VO: Well, it's a profit, but she doesn't look too happy about it.

I thought it had more room there.

NATASHA: Mm.

JAMES: There we are.

VO: Next up, Tash's tripod lamp.

But is that buyer's remorse I'm sensing?

It's either upcycled mid-century, or it's the dreaded repro.

Would you put it in your home?

I'm gonna go 35, just to get in there.

40?

NATASHA: Oh, no.

NICK: At 35.

45 we have now.

I've gotta go 55.

Ooh, ooh, good, good... (EXHALES) At £55.

We've got 60.

Online at £60.

65.

It's going on a bit.

70 now.

And five.

75.

At 80.

And five.

Do you know what?

I would have it at home.

At 90.

And five.

100.

Och, it's not 100?

It's not 100?

JAMES: It is.

NICK: Selling...at 100... JAMES: (MUTTERS) It's good.

NATASHA: Ping!

VO: Yes, a bit of a lightbulb moment, wasn't it?

I wasn't expecting that.

You are storming ahead.

Well, I don't know why.

I don't know why.

VO: Time to get saucy.

James's fancy silver top ketchup bottle.

I've got £20 online.

At 20.

And five, can I say now?

NATASHA: Go on, go on.

NICK: Is that it?

At 20.

Any more?

At £20.

I will sell at 20 if you don't go on.

At £20... NATASHA: Oh... JAMES: That's my first loss.

VO: Some lucky bidder will be having very posh chips tonight.

You should have filled the bottle.

I should have filled the bottle.

That was what you did wrong.

VO: Now, if you fancy starting a salsa band, Tash has got you covered.

Now, I've got several bids.

We're up to 95.

Yes... 100 I have.

And 10 now.

120.

I think it's because they would be so expensive in a shop.

Yeah, it would be.

£110.

Fantastic.

Those are rather smart, those.

At 120 in the room now.

That was a really good deal.

All finished at 120, then.

VO: A thumping good result there, Natasha.

That'll take some beating.

Right, let's hit the street.

Go on... VO: And finally, James's Victorian portrait.

Let's see if she's still sitting pretty after this.

We're up to 120.

NATASHA: Yes!

Come on.

NICK: 120.

130.

140.

She's hot.

It's quite a nice picture, isn't it?

It looks a lot better than it did in the shop.

NICK: 140.

150.

NATASHA: Oh, James.

150.

We'll sell at 150... NATASHA: Well done.

JAMES: Thank you.

VO: Excellent profit there, James.

All in all, it's been rather a good show.

We did so well.

We did really well.

That's really good.

Well done... NATASHA: Nice.

Well done, us.

JAMES: Come on, let's go.

NATASHA: What a great start.

VO: Let's find out just how great, eh?

James made a respectable profit on his items after saleroom fees.

He ends on £251 exactly.

But on the day, Natasha outflanked him.

After auction costs, she has an impressive £373.80.

So, all those profits go to Children In Need, and auction one goes to Tash.

Jolly good.

NATASHA: Right... Wow!

JAMES: Well done.

Wow, it's gone, it's gone to my head.

That was great.

You started very strong and you maintained it.

I can't believe it.

I wasn't expecting it.

So you trounced me on that one.

NATASHA: Yes... JAMES: I'm still smiling.

But it's only one of five... One done.

Come on, this way.

Yeah, but better to be ahead than behind, isn't it?

Aye, well, I suppose, yeah.

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