It's the nation's favorite antiques experts!
I think I've found something.
Pretty good, yeah.
Behind the wheel of a classic car.
- Oh!
- Stop it!
And a goal to scour Britain for antiques.
- Ooh!
- I think it's brilliant.
The aim - to make the biggest profit at auction.
- (GAVEL) - But it's no mean feat.
You're some man!
There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.
- (LAUGHS) - No!
Will it be the high road to glory... ..or the slow road to disaster?
- (GEARS CRUNCH) - Oh, no!
This is the Antiques Road Trip!
VOICEOVER (VO): Ha ha, what fun!
I can't wait!
Even though we go into antiques shops all the time, I can't wait to get in the next shop.
- You can't wait?
- No, I can't wait.
VO: (LAUGHS) There's no stopping these two antiquers!
Experts Raj Bisram and Natasha Raskin Sharp are strapped in and raring to go in Norfolk.
This looks like the entrance to Sandringham.
Oh, hold on.
The Queen's estate.
We must be in Sandringham.
Oh Raj, where are you taking me?
VO: On a rally, it seems.
(RAJ LAUGHS) I don't think they'd let us in.
(LAUGHS) VO: Our hoi polloi set out from Tunbridge Wells and have been cavorting round the southeast.
They'll mosey round the Midlands before wending their way to a final auction in Willingham, near Cambridge.
They're in that 1960s Sunbeam Rapier this morning, and looks like they're taking the opportunity to practice the East Anglian lingo.
(PIGS OINK) Talking to me!
(CLUCKS) (LAUGHS) That sounds just like me!
(LAUGHS) - Whose conversation is better?
- I don't know!
VO: I do!
- Are you not saying goodbye?
- (SNORTS) VO: (LAUGHS) Now, how are their own pigs weighing in?
Natasha's hog was a bit lean last time, but its original £200 has still fattened up to a respectable £269.06.
(GAVEL) While Raj's £200 porker has swelled to the most impressive £545.58.
Come on, Raj Bisram!
You are rolling in it!
(LAUGHS) I, I struck lucky.
I have a lot of catching up to do.
Yeah, well, I'm sure you will.
I have to say, I don't feel safe yet.
And you have got so much knowledge... Uh-huh.
..especially when it comes to paintings.
It's oozing out of me.
(LAUGHS) Hundreds of pounds separate us, don't worry.
Oh yeah, absolutely.
I feel good, I feel good.
Yeah, you should!
You should.
VO: (SINGS) I feel good!
Yooby dooby dooby doo.
In a cloud of positivity, before heading for auction in Leicester, we are off to drop Natasha at her first shop of the day in Fakenham, where they've had a market since 1250.
Natasha's first marketplace doesn't go that far back, but is a fine Victorian building housing Fakenham Chapel Antiques.
You sure I can't tempt you to come in?
No, I'll leave you to it.
You're taking your own way.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Good luck.
- Take care, Raj.
- Bye.
VO: Carol is ministering today in this former church... ..which is piled to the rafters with the wares of 20 dealers, so Natasha's cup runneth over.
It's heavenly.
This is early Moorcroft, but not working for Moorcroft.
Working for... Macintyre.
And he designed this style, which is known as Florian ware.
Beautiful palette of blue, tone on tone.
The dark, the light, the duck egg blue.
All working in conjunction with one another to create the most harmonious, lovely design.
£365.
Well I tell you what, in the retail environment it's worth every single penny.
Worth a punt to try and make some money at auction?
(WHISPERS) Absolutely not.
VO: Well, look for something that will, then!
Let's catch up with Raj in that rally car racing in a southerly direction to the very center of Norfolk, which is apparently where the town of Dereham is located.
He's going to squeeze the Sunbeam into the alley housing Cuthbert Court, a small collection of independent shops selling an eclectic range of antiques, painted furniture and crafts.
All which should give our man plenty of food for thought.
Now, these are really collectable.
I mean, he's only got one piece of it, but it's Cornish ware.
It's got TG Greener's, which is exactly the make that you want.
You always want to have the names on them, because that really gives it a little bit more value.
Now, this piece has got £8 on it.
Actually, that's not bad at all.
But you know, I've got wads of money.
I need to spend it!
So I want to look for something a little bit more oomphy, if I can.
VO: Hark at old moneybags!
Oomphy, eh?
(LAUGHS) But surely by now, Natasha's found something in Fakenham to suit her more modest budget?
Silver-plated casket, which is weighty, which is cool.
Polo scene on top.
Ah, right, OK.
This style is very continental, with the sort of Queen Anne shaped legs.
There is a mark on the bottom, which is quite cute.
It's a wee duck with a T in it.
I love a duck.
Don't know what that... who that refers to.
VO: The maker, perhaps.
I don't know either.
Inside... is nice, and smart, and clean.
Look at the inside here.
That silver plate is shiniest and at its best where it's been hardly touched, so on the inside of the lid.
£40.
Will Carol do a deal?
VO: I'll wager a small bet on it.
- Carol.
- There you go.
- Do you play polo?
- No, I don't, no, no.
No.
(LAUGHS) I've never been on a horse.
- You've never been on a horse?
- No, no, no, no.
Now, this is not the finest thing.
It's not solid silver.
No.
Got a nice attractive design on the top, and it's quite nicely kitted out.
You have £40 on it.
Yes.
Carol, what...what are you thinking?
Could there be a discount there?
25?
25.
Could I squeeze you to 20?
OK. Yeah, fine.
Oh, Carol, you're very kind.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Hope you do well.
£20, that is very generous of you.
Thank you.
VO: £20 duly given and received.
- Thank you.
- VO: Trot on, lady!
That looks quite good VO: If you like that kind of thing.
Back over in Dereham, how's Raj?
Here's a great British name in toys - Hornby.
It's an original box.
Let's have a look inside.
Ah, look at that.
I mean, it looks like it's got most of its pieces in it, which is really unusual.
I mean, the box is a little bit tatty, but Hornby, what a great name.
There are a lot of collectors of Hornby.
It was started by Frank Hornby, who came from Liverpool.
It was around the turn of the century.
He actually ran Meccano, started Meccano.
But he was trying to make toys for his children, and he came up with this.
And now it's sold all over the world.
It's a great little set, these are really collectable.
It's got £45 on the ticket.
Ideally, I wanna get it for 15, £20, and that's only to make a small profit.
But it's a great name, and so I'm gonna take it with me and see if I can get it the price I want.
VO: Full steam ahead, then.
- Hi there!
I'm Raj.
- Nick.
- Lovely to meet you.
- Pleased to meet you.
- I found something.
- Brilliant!
This boxed Hornby clockwork train.
Lovely.
You've got £45 on the ticket.
What's the very best you can do?
- 25.
- 25?
We've got a deal.
- Brilliant.
- Thank you.
- 25.
- 25 it is.
- Thank you very much.
- Brilliant.
Lovely.
Well let me pay you straight away.
VO: That's the ticket!
OK, £25.
Brilliant.
Fantastic.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thanks very much, Nick.
VO: Time for us to leave Raj to play with his train set.
We'll follow Natasha north now to the seaside town of Sheringham, where 200 fishing boats once landed their catch.
Local culture here has a fine tradition of art and crafts, sometimes created from necessity, and sometimes from self-expression.
The fishermen of the past prized their beautifully crafted jumpers, which were essential workwear, as retired museum curator Martin Warren, who is sporting one, will explain to Natasha.
Hi!
You must be Martin!
Hello, that's me!
You're Natasha?
Hi, I'm Tasha.
Lovely to meet you.
Martin, tell me about the history of the jumper that you're wearing.
You'd call it a gansey?
Yes.
We think they come from the isle of Guernsey, where they had no sheep.
So they imported wool, and they exported knitwear, in the 17th century.
So the word 'gansey' derives from the place name Guernsey.
Do you think that's just a pronunciation thing?
That's probably how they pronounced it in the 17th century.
I think it's probably just the spelling that's changed now.
And if you were part of the fishing community, you'd want to have a gansey.
Wool is a very practical material.
It's insulating.
Even when it's wet, it'll keep you warm.
VO: Sheringham ganseys are noted for their unique geometric patterns, and their particularly intricate needlework.
Ganseys were knitted by women for their men folk, stitched with fine yarn and knitted on tiny needles.
Hand-knitted ganseys are all a continuous strand of wool.
After the yoke is finished, they pick the sleeves up and knit down to the cuffs.
So it's finished down here very practically, because the cuffs are where it's gonna get worn out.
- So it can be re-knitted... - Mm-hm.
..from the end, from the end upwards.
The fishermen were poor, so they couldn't afford to throw it away and get a new one.
They would make do and mend.
And the old ones, you can see they've been repaired again and again, often sometimes in a different color wool.
VO: At the museum, the Sheringham Textile Group is charting these patterns in a labor of love on the part of local ladies who are recreating the distinctive patterns and proudly preserving this tradition.
One local fisherman who may not have knitted his own gansey, but who created his unique art from the threads of a life which began here in 1881 is John Craske.
His work is exhibited at Sheringham Museum, and manager Lisa Little is keen to show it to Natasha.
Craske worked across a variety of media.
We're standing by an embroidery, but that's not where he started?
No, no.
He started painting.
This is one of his works, his earliest work that we know of, and it's a bait box lid, using household paints.
And it's a painting of his father's boat, The Gannet.
And it's his first known work that we definitely know.
VO: John Craske began painting as art therapy after being hospitalized during army training in 1917.
His life was blighted by ill health, but he seems to have taken solace in painting maritime scenes and, when bedridden, he put down his paints and began embroidering.
He also, as a fisherman, and with a history of maritime art and sailors, all sailors would have learnt to sew.
No sailors, and early sort of naval man, had their uniform.
They all had to go onboard ship and learn how to stitch, and mend it.
If you were out at sea and you had a hole in your net, you wouldn't bring your boat back in for somebody else to do it.
You had to know how to do it.
VO: Craske's embroideries evoke his first-hand experience of being a Norfolk fisherman.
He knows how the boat goes through, moves through the water, and what happens with the wake.
He knows the sea, and that comes out of his work.
You can really tell.
It surprises me, because quite often when we see embroidery, the back is almost as pristine and beautiful as the front.
- Absolutely.
- So why is this a bit chaotic?
Because he was self-taught.
Because he had no rules.
He hadn't had to sit in a sewing bee at school, and have his knuckles rapped by the needlework mistress, because it wasn't neat on the front and the back.
He had set his own kind of design, and he could do what he wanted.
There were no rules, and he could break them.
That's the joys of being a folk artist, I suppose.
VO: Craske's work did receive some attention in his lifetime, but he made little money from his art, living quietly in Norfolk until his death in 1943.
How is someone like John Craske still making waves, still influencing art today?
Well, we've started doing a contemporary embroidery.
Do you want to come and have a look?
I can show you what we've been working on.
Absolutely.
Oh, something in his style?
Absolutely.
This is a panorama of Sheringham.
Yeah.
Would you like to have a go?
- Of stitching it?
- Yes.
- Are you sure?
- Yeah, absolutely.
Oh, I'm a bit nervous.
Is this going to be exhibited?
Yeah, eventually, when we finish it.
Mmkay.
OK, I think I can manage that.
Do I just kind of freestyle it?
Because... Yeah.
Do you want to have a seat?
Yeah.
There's no... there's no drawing in this section, for the sea?
- Nope.
No, none at all.
- So just freestyle?
Just blending the colors.
That's it.
OK, there's one.
Have I just created a ripple?
I may have done.
There are 12 women working on this at the moment, who are the core.
- Really?
13 now.
13 now, exactly.
Lucky or unlucky for some.
This is much more therapeutic than losing money at auction, believe me.
(LAUGHS) VO: Make it neat now, won't you?
Back up here... VO: On the front, at least!
(LAUGHS) Now, let's see where Raj has got to in the meantime.
His pocket's full of £519 and a few pennies.
And I'm gonna try, if possible, to spend all of it.
VO: Go, Raj!
He's bound for another Norfolk town - Reepham.
Where Reepham Antiques specializes in selling items from the 18th and 19th centuries.
And on the premises, Nigel and his team of expert gilders and carvers also restore them to their former glory.
Nice!
These rooms are filled with classy possibilities.
Including Raj, look!
There are fantastic things in here.
Things from £5 up to £120,000.
This is a 19th century papier-mâché table.
It's Victorian.
I mean, I think this as well, this print that's been put in here has definitely been put in I think later.
But it's actually in not bad condition.
There's £150 on the ticket.
This is definitely one I'm going to look at.
VO: Great!
What else has he spotted?
Here's something else I can afford, and I really like these.
These are really in vogue at the moment.
These, actually, they're not cocktail shakers.
They're actually vases.
They're made of chrome, and I think these are really attractive.
I mean, these are great.
Very very simple.
About 1920s, 1930s.
There's £35 on the ticket.
They are a definite maybe.
VO: Ah, riches here, indeed!
Anything else on his list?
Well this is very very different.
Korean, it says on the ticket.
I have to say...
I'm not a specialist in Korean work, but this is actually quite beautiful.
I mean age-wise, I'm guessing, sort of turn of the century?
But what's really attracted me is all this work.
All this decoration here is mother of pearl.
I really need to find out a little bit more, so ask Nigel, I guess.
Nigel?
Hi Raj.
You got a sec?
It's really nice.
Do you know much about it?
I don't, really.
It's not, it's not a specialist piece.
We really bought it because we thought it was, you know, just so decorative.
If I were to offer you, let's say... 80, 20, 100, 130 for the three items, how would that sound?
Erm...
I think if you could go another £20 on the table and make it £100, I'd settle with that.
So we're talking about 150 for the three items?
- Yep.
How does that sound?
- Er... Do you know what?
That sounds very fair indeed.
150 for the three?
Deal.
Thank you very much, Raj.
Thank you very much indeed.
Lovely.
VO: 100 for the table, 20 for the art deco vases, and 30 for the Korean vase.
- You're welcome.
- Let me pay you straight away.
- Lovely, thanks very much.
- £150, Nigel.
- Thank you kindly.
- Fantastic.
- Thank you very much.
- Thank you very much indeed.
VO: It's good that he's left Nigel some stock.
Anyway, job done and time to collect his companion, and chauffeur her onward.
Och, Raj, you handle this car pretty well.
I think you should just drive the rest of the trip.
(LAUGHS) Tash, you will say anything to get out of doing stuff, won't you?
That's one thing I've learned.
You put on that little smile of yours, and a little laughter.
"Oh Raj, you do that.
Oh Raj, you do this."
Oh go on.
Can you just drive the rest of the trip?
Because it's actually really nice being a passenger in this car.
VO: Nice try, Lady Penelope, but it's not the 60s anymore!
Parker's the passenger tomorrow!
Nighty night.
And soon enough, it is Natasha's turn behind the wheel.
Hold on, listen.
Is the car doing that kind of thing?
(MIMICS RATTLING) What's it called again, backfiring?
I think because you're probably in too high a gear?
- I'm only in second gear.
- Are you?
Yeah!
Should I be in third?
Oh.
Yeah.
Should be in fourth, really.
(LAUGHS) OK. Fine.
(LAUGHS) VO: She was in first gear all day yesterday, and only bought one item, the casket with the polo scene and the duck mark.
Underneath, there is a wee maker's mark.
It's a duck.
Yeah, it's a little duck.
It's a little duck.
Can you... Do you have any idea who's made this?
Because I do not recognize that mark.
This looks like the Gressingham mark.
Oh, do you reckon?
(LAUGHS) (LAUGHS) Do you know what Gressingham is?
It's a duck.
(LAUGH) But is it a lame duck?
Is that going to do alright in the auction?
Yeah!
VO: Having shelled out only £20 for that, Natasha sets out today with £249.06 left.
Raj parted with his pocket money for a fine vintage train set...
Here's a great British name in toys.
..and blew much more on a Korean vase, a papier-mâché table and two art deco vases.
But he's still left himself with £369.58.
(SING) Did-a-diddle, a-did-a-diddle, a-did-a-diddle, a-doo!
VO: For a rainy day, you know, spirits are high.
I've got a little quiz for you.
- A quiz?
- Yeah, just a little... Cos you've been to America, haven't you?
Several times.
Which state is famous for its small fizzy drinks?
"Mini-soda".
(LAUGHS) Mini-soda!
(LAUGHS) Sorry.
I just thought that was funny.
- Stick to the magic tricks.
- Yeah, OK... VO: Abracadabra!
And Raj has gone his way, leaving Natasha to make her way northwest to the historic medieval village of Little Walsingham.
Where her first port of call is a fine 18th century building, housing Holt Antiques at Walsingham Mill.
This looks great!
Let's see what gems might be lurking beneath these low beams.
Natasha's looking indecisive.
Maybe dealer Robin has something stashed away to pique her interest.
You have some nice stuff.
(LAUGHS) Thank you.
I don't have a lot of money burning a hole in my pocket.
OK. And I would love to spend, I don't know, between sort of 30 and 50, 40 to 60 on a couple of items.
Is there anything?
I will probably have one thing I can bring down... Uh-huh.
..which you may be interested in.
OK.
So, eh, it's an oriental table.
OK.
So, may have something that might catch your eye with that.
OK, sounds good.
- Shall I go and get it?
- Yeah, please.
And it's in that kind of price range?
- Yes.
- It can be, right... - Yes.
- ..OK.
Cool.
- OK?
Leave it with me.
- OK.
I'm...
I'm ready.
Oooh!
VO: Oooh!
Bring it on, eh?
(LAUGHS) The table I mentioned from the storeroom.
Mmm!
Oh, it's a stand?
Yes.
OK.
I like, I like.
And I put a couple of delft tiles on as well.
That one's especially interesting, with the cherub with the skipping rope... Yeah.
That is quite cool, isn't it?
Hold on.
I didn't expect you to bring a couple of things.
Right, OK.
So, the stand...
I quite enjoy these little inset stones.
And then, what's that down there?
Oh, it's, em...
It's cloisonné, isn't it?
Yes.
A little little bit of cloisonné there.
VO: Not so much cloisonné, more basse-taille where enamel is inserted into a hollowed out series of compartments in the solid metal ground.
Shall we talk money?
About just the stand, before we talk tiles.
OK. What do you think?
Em, what's the best way to do it?
Shall I make you an offer, or do you want to tell me what I have to pay for it?
Absolute bottom line to you would be £50.
I think £50, let's go for that.
- OK, great.
- OK. One.
- Thank you.
- One and done.
- Thank you.
- Right.
What about these tiles?
Are there any more?
Eh, there's a few more I can bring through for you to see.
Eh, you'd be looking at about £30.
I think I'm too scared to buy delft tiles for £30 each.
OK.
So I think £50 for the stand, let's call it quits.
- That's fine.
- Let's do it!
VO: Yes, let's!
- Here we are.
Robin... - Great, thank you.
..I appreciate you having a rummage in the attic for me.
I'm really grateful for that.
- Absolute pleasure.
- Thank you so much.
I hope you don't do that for everyone.
(LAUGHS) - No, I don't.
- No, I'm grateful, Robin.
- Thank you so much.
- Pleasure.
- Right, you take the tiles.
- Will do, certainly.
Thank you.
- I'll take the stand.
- OK.
I appreciate your help.
Thank you so much.
Yeah.
Oh, I love a cobweb.
Nice.
That has been there a while.
Thank you so much, Robin!
Cheerio!
- Cheers, bye bye!
- Bye!
VO: Ooh, the cheek.
Out, before he throws you out!
Meanwhile Raj is travelling in the direction of the north Norfolk coast, which is a paradise for today's marine watchers and wildlife spotters.
But 100 years ago, principles of ecology and conservation were radical new ideas, often in conflict with land use and ownership.
Raj is off to Cley Marshes, a 700 acre freshwater wildlife sanctuary, which was the very first of its kind in the UK, and an early blueprint for nature conservation.
In the hide is former warden Bernard Bishop.
Bernard, tell me, what are you looking at and what should I be looking for?
Well... (SIGHS) Those larger ones with the orange bill are greylag geese.
Uh-huh.
And just behind those are some shelduck.
But there's lots of lapwing out there, and there's lots of teal now.
The teal are just coming here now, they overwinter with us.
VO: The various habitats of these flooded grasslands, which attract wading birds, are also home to a variety of plants, insects, invertebrates and mammals.
We've got otters.
Chinese water deer.
Er, stoats live on here.
So it's a constant management scheme isn't it, really?
Exactly, yeah.
I mean, it is a constant, constantly doing something.
VO: Local doctor Sydney Long bought the marshes in 1926 with friends and they formed the Norfolk Naturalist's Trust, with the express intention of preserving the precious flora and fauna of these fenlands for future generations.
It was a visionary move at a time when wildlife was already vanishing, and this trust blazed a trail for the 47 such trusts which now exist across the country.
And Bernard's family have been involved here since the beginning.
My great grandfather was the keeper-cum-watcher on here.
And then when he retired, my father got the job.
And they moved into the house, where I now live.
I've been involved with it ever since I could walk, really.
I was out with my dad.
And then when he needed an assistant, I got a job in 1972.
Then in 1978 he retired, and I was fortunate enough to become the warden.
- Wow, so... - It's some while.
Wow, that is some while.
And I mean, that's some strong family connections there.
VO: And how have things developed in the nine decades since the reserve was created?
And in my great grandfather... And my father's time, there weren't any hides or wader pools or scrapes.
Got the state-of-the-art visitor center that we use now.
And in the early days of course, my father would meet eight or ten people in the east bank car park.
Wander through the reeds, and that would be it.
Now, 120,000 people visit the site.
But I can't believe how popular it's got.
VO: At a time of great concern about the environment, and the continuing loss of wildlife species, the popularity of this ground-breaking nature reserve is both testament to the foresight of its founders and a beacon of hope for the future.
While Raj has been wading around in his wellies, Natasha's has been making her way onwards a short distance inland to their last stop today, in the town of Holt at the charming Mews Antiques Emporium.
And since she's had the good luck of getting here before Raj, she has the first pick of the enormous array of wares in this deceptively proportioned shop.
I'm a little bit disappointed in this gavel, because when I saw it in the cabinet there, I thought 'that looks solid.
That looks as though you could bash that down on the rostrum, and it could take a good beating.
But I'm not convinced that this actually could.
It's listed here on the label as a little bit of trench art.
Here you have the reworking of some metal.
A little bit of brass here, a little bit of copper, that has been used in artillery, and has been left behind as detritus.
And someone's taken it and reworked it into this gavel.
They've also added a couple of pennies.
Now, I'm sure... no.
I was going to say 'I'm sure they'll be the exact same date'.
But one is dated 1900, and the other 1899.
So the very last pennies of Victoria's reign.
It's marked at £22.50.
It's quite cool, it's definitely worth thinking about.
VO: Keep moving, though!
Raj.
Is.
In.
The building!
Who knows what he might steal from under your nose?
There he is!
The man, the legend.
- Hello, Tash!
- Fancy seeing you here.
Do you know, I love doing this road trip with you.
You know why?
Because you like magic.
Oh, you've gone full showbiz, you've gone full showbiz.
What have you got for me?
- I'm gonna show you this one.
- Mm-hm.
This is to see how alert you are.
Oh, not very.
All you have to do is one, two, three, four.
Right?
Uh-huh.
Now, all you have to do is guess... - They're all the same.
- They're all the same.
All you've gotta do is guess, how many did I turn over?
One.
I actually turned them all over.
One, two, three, four!
- OK, I missed that.
- OK, OK.
I'll do it slowly.
I'll do it really slowly this time.
You ready?
How many did I turn over that time?
- VO: One.
- Definitely one.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, you're not very alert.
Ready?
One, two, three, four!
You getting the idea of this?
- Mm-hm.
- OK, now watch.
I'm getting that I don't get it.
- OK, I tell you what... - VO: This is really tricky.
- OK. - So how many have I got left?
Er, must be three.
Absolutely.
One, two, three.
But have I?
(BLOWS ON CARDS) Watch.
One, two, three, four!
And if you didn't see that... you wouldn't have seen that either.
(GASPS) Flip those over!
- There you go!
- Flip those over!
There you go!
Raj... How did you do that?
How did you do that?!
VO: Very clever.
Oh Raj, can you magic me a wee profit?
I'll do my best.
(LAUGHS) Yeah, you might have to try hard.
Good hunting.
(VO: LAUGHS) Yes, trap those antiques, eh!
Oh, I think this is a night light.
And look how cute it is, look how cute it is!
How does it work?
Oh, there's the little switch at the back.
Look...
It's a steady little night light for a child, in the form of an owl.
Chrome plated... Is it 40s?
Is it 50s?
It's marked up at £48.
Oh, it says 30s on the label.
Pifco is the maker.
Do you know, there will be a precedent for these at auction.
These will sell for five or 50, and there'll be nothing in between.
That is just adorable.
VO: It is adorable.
But what's caught Raj's eye?
Well, I've just found this lovely piece of jewelry.
I'm not a jewelry expert, but I did say to Tash I would look out for a piece of jewelry.
And this really appeals to me.
But it looks like it's silver, and all these lovely little semi-precious opals you can see.
I think this is really, really pretty.
VO: Looks like it's a great find to me.
Has got a silver mark on it.
I mean, that is quite decorative.
If that's the right price, I'm gonna buy it.
VO: Decisive!
He's so alpha male, isn't he?
- Hi there, I'm Raj.
- Hi, I'm Kim.
Lovely to meet you, Kim.
Kim, I found this.
It's got no ticket on it.
- No.
- What were you asking for it?
I would like 55 for it.
(SHARP INTAKE OF BREATH) So if I were to offer you... £30?
- No.
No.
- No?
I want a little bit more than that.
OK, you tell me.
I'd be more happy with 40.
- You would?
- Yeah.
I'm not gonna argue with £40.
- Right.
- Are you happy with that?
Yeah, I'm happy with that.
Yeah.
Let's shake hands.
Fantastic.
Thank you so much, Kim.
Thank you.
- I'll pay you straight away.
- Oh, lovely.
VO: And that's Raj's work done.
It's playtime.
For him, anyway.
Part of a box, for this toy.
It says 'cute and frisky Kitty.
Listen to her meow, see her bright eyes light up as she scampers along, shakes her tail and lies down on her forepaws.'
OK, well, Cragstan...
It's not a toy maker I'm familiar with.
It sounds really British.
'Cragstan'.
It actually sounds really Scottish, if anything.
VO: Actually, Cragstan was a New York based company which imported quality Japanese mechanical toys in the 50s and 60s.
Sad, sad thing, to only have a little bit of the top.
But let's actually check out the kitty itself.
So, the faux fur is there.
So often, this is completely, completely worn away.
But it's not.
The eyes are quite fun.
They're kinda glass eyes.
One slightly bigger than the other, which is a wee bit weird.
Eyes light up, it moves.
1950s, the dealer thinks.
£35.
If I could get it down to £20, I think I'd be onto, not necessarily a winner, but maybe not so much of a loser?
I think I'll speak to Kim.
VO: Off you go, then.
I want my tea!
- Kim, are you free?
- Yes, I'm free.
I have amassed a small collection.
Right, let's have a look.
I should...
I would say a strange collection.
Erm...
So, auctioneer loves... a gavel.
Yeah.
Trench art gavel, marked up at £22.50.
Erm... Night light.
Super cute, come on, everyone loves an owl, right?
£48 for that one.
And then...
The crazy cat.
The crazy cat, if you like.
The crazy cat.
Marked up at 35.
What if I offered you, for the whole lot, £70?
Hmm, I don't think I could go to that.
No.
What about 80?
- What about 88?
- 88?
Yeah.
88.
It's a nice round number.
88, 88... Yeah, I'm running out of time, I'm running out of will.
I think let's just do it.
88, OK!
Lovely.
What a strange lot of things to take to auction.
OK, here we are.
So... VO: I must concur!
That's 18 for the gavel and 35 each for the kitty and the night light.
Thank you so much, I appreciate that.
You're welcome.
You didn't do a good deal for Raj, did you?
Mm... You'll have to wait and see.
(LAUGHS) Oh... Story of my trip.
Right, Kim, thank you so much.
Appreciate that!
- Bye!
- Cheerio!
VO: Off they go then, in their super-duper wheels.
The best thing about this car, for me... is our names on the side.
- It's so cool.
- Yeah.
Do you think they'll keep them there forever?
I hope so.
But also, I quite like this.
Oh.
You know, this headlamp at the top here.
We don't do any driving at night, and I wish we did.
It would be so cool to light it up, and to have you lead the way!
VO: Go on then, just for fun!
Now go and get some shut-eye.
And it's the premier league for our foxes this morning.
Kick-off is at Churchgate auctions, who have been drawing the crowds in Leicester for 40 years.
Are you feeling lucky in Leicester?
- I think so.
- You think so?
Yeah!
I hope so, anyway.
Have you been here before?
I have, and I'm not feeling very lucky.
VO: Aww.
I don't feel it today, I don't feel it!
VO: Ah well, may the best side win.
Natasha spent quite a modest £158 of her cash on five lots.
Tash, what's going on here?
I can't believe it!
What is this?
A mechanical pussy cat?
Good luck.
VO: Miaow!
This road trip's current top dog parted with 215 smackeroos on his five lots.
Oh, Raj, I'm so jealous.
I wish I'd been to this shop, because I would have taken these out of your hands, and taken them to the shopkeeper before you could buy them.
They are just my bag.
It just shines!
That plate!
I love it, I love the design.
Those are right up my street.
VO: What's right up auctioneer Dickon Dearman's strasse?
(GAVEL) The train set, Hornby trains are very popular here.
It's O gauge, which adds to the appeal.
And it's in the original box as well, which makes it a bit more special.
The ornate metal casket in relief.
Interesting piece.
Continental, I'd say.
It's adorned with horses and polo riders, which will certainly appeal to people that like that sort of thing.
VO: And will these people like those sorts of things?
Bidding is in the room only today, so no internet.
And to your seats, please.
Busy busy.
Yeah, it's good.
They're all here for your table.
Let's hope so.
Or your pussy cat.
Hmm, less likely.
Hmm.
(LAUGHS) VO: First, let's see who's here for Raj's Korean vase.
Two commission bids just here.
I'm opening the bidding here at £60 on this.
Nice.
That'll do to start, that'll do nice.
70... Yeah, yes.
Raj, come on!
You are just a money magnet.
(LAUGHS) Do I see 90?
£90.
90, is there, anywhere?
90, do I see.
Selling then, at the back of the room there, for £85... (GAVEL) (SHARP INTAKE OF BREATH) You're a genius.
You're a genius.
Brilliant!
VO: It's certainly a very good start.
Gosh.
You have to take risks, don't you?
You have to take risks.
Yeah.
VO: How risky was Natasha's night owl?
It's up next.
£30 only now then for that.
Do I see £30?
- Go on.
- Come on, come on.
£20 has been bid on commission.
- Yay.
22 now.
22.
£24.
26.
28.
£30.
32.
34.
36.
38.
£40.
- 42.
42 now, then.
42.
- Ooh.
- Wow.
- Well... Oh.
44.
44.
44 now, then.
44.
Wow.
44.
46.
46.
£48.
Yay!
(LAUGHS) 48, is there?
Selling at the back of the room for £46.
(GAVEL) Oh, I... Well done.
I'm chuffed.
It is the lucky charm of the auctioneer.
It is the lucky charm.
Well done!
no Not a big profit, but £11 is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick!
Particularly if you're an owl.
I'm shocked.
Well done, well done.
VO: Is he over compensating or what?
Time to take a ride on Raj's train now, the Hornby one.
So who'll start me at £30?
£30?
£30... Choof-choof-choof, we're off.
30.
Here we go.
(LAUGHS) £50.
£50 bid... - Come on, come on, come on.
- We're flying, we're flying.
55.
60, in the doorway.
60.
65.
Oh, we've got a few bidders going on.
Yes, yes, yes.
Definitely.
Beautiful, beautiful.
Really?
85 now.
85 now.
85, is there?
Selling then for £80, sir.
Sold.
(GAVEL) (GASPS) Choof-choof!
Choof-choof!
(LAUGHS) Choof-choof!
VO: His train noises are almost as good as his piggy ones!
It is a winner, though.
Choofing good price.
(LAUGHS) It's a choofing good price.
VO: Choofing?
Lordy.
Who knows what noises we'll get for Natasha's Japanese cat.
It's next.
What shall we say for this?
Who will start me at £20?
£20 only now then for this... (LAUGHS) Do I see 20?
£20?
Yes!
10 if you like.
10 is being bid, and 12 now.
£12.
12.
14.
16.
18.
£20.
22.
24.
24 now.
24.
26.
28.
£30.
32.
35.
Wow!
37.
£40.
- Yay!
- Oh my goodness.
Come on!
Selling in the doorway then, for... £40, thank you.
(GAVEL) Oh well, it sold for 40.
Well done.
It wasn't a loss.
Not much of a profit, but not a loss.
VO: Enough for a bag or two of cat treats!
Och, I was really hoping, you know, Japan would be on the phone.
I'm quite... (LAUGHS) VO: Dream on, pussycat.
Next under the hammer is Raj's big buy, the papier-mâché table.
Start me at... £30 only, for that.
Do I see £30?
Anywhere now at 30.
£20, then.
£20 have been bid.
- No... - Surely it will climb.
22.
22.
Oh, this gentleman has fine taste.
- Come on.
- £30.
32.
35.
37.
£40.
42.
42 now.
42.
Is there any... - 42.
45.
47.
£50.
- Come on.
It's getting there.
Slowly but surely.
We need to get a lot further.
Come on.
- 65.
70.
- Hmm, it's happening.
75.
Come on, a bit more, bit more, bit more.
- It's gonna sell.
- Yep.
£70, thank you.
(GAVEL) Ooh... Well, I have to say, it's not like you to make a loss.
Not the world's biggest loss.
- I did say it was risky.
- You did.
I did say it was risky.
VO: And thrice I say, it was risky!
But that's a bit of a setback.
It's a shame.
(LAUGHS) Maybe the last one you'll buy for a while.
VO: Racing on to the next lot now, Natasha's equestrian one, the casket with the polo scene.
Who'll start me at £30?
Yes, of course you will.
Of course.
- 20, if you like.
- Come on.
£20 is being bid.
Do I see 22?
Over there, 22.
24.
26.
28.
£30.
32.
35.
37.
£40, madam.
- 40.
42.
- Go on!
- 45.
- Ooh, yes.
- Yes!
- 47.
- Oh yeah.
- 50.
Yeah.
£50 being bid.
Do I see 55 now?
55.
55 is there?
Selling to the lady in the corner for £50.
(GAVEL) Thank you, lady in the corner.
That's very good.
No one puts my lady in the corner!
VO: What?
Well, £30 profit makes sense.
I'm so chuffed that I spotted it, so chuffed.
Well done.
VO: And our lepidopterist spotted this jeweled specimen, let's see if it will fly.
Got a commission bid just here.
Opening the bidding here at £50.
- Oh yes.
- Yeah, good.
55, come on!
55.
A whole host of bids.
55.
60.
65.
70.
75.
80.
85.
90.
95.
£100.
110.
120.
130.
140.
- 150.
160.
170.
180.
- No, stop, stop.
(LAUGH) Don't stop.
Don't stop!
190.
£200.
No, £200?
Do I see £200 anywhere?
Selling at the back of the room to you, sir, for £190.
Thank you.
(GAVEL) Raj Bisram!
That's choofing amazing!
(LAUGHS) I tell you something, your story about opals being unlucky... VO: Did she tell you that?
Never listen to young wives' tales!
(EXHALES SHARPLY) VO: Well, it'll be hard to catch him now.
Time for Natasha's trench art gavel.
Who'll start me at £20?
£20 only now on this.
- Do I see 20?
- That would be great.
Come on, come on, let's go.
£20.
I've got a commission bid here, £15.
- Oh, it's getting close.
- Look, 16.
- 20.
- Yeah.
24.
26.
28.
£30.
- 32.
34.
- I am amazed.
34 at the back.
34 now.
Even as an auctioneer, I'm amazed.
New bidder, 36!
38.
£40.
No £40 now?
40, do I see?
Any further bids?
No.
Selling then, for £38.
(GAVEL) Unbelievable!
Brilliant, well done!
Another profit for you.
VO: It's more than twice what she paid.
I have to admit, I was worried, that as an auctioneer, as you are... - Yeah, I liked it.
No.
To buy a gavel...
I thought it was gonna sell for a fiver.
No, it was a nice gavel.
It was different.
VO: Next up, Raj's art deco cocktail style vases - shaken or stirred?
So who'll start me at £20?
Go on!
Those vases just there now, do I see... - Come on.
- Come on.
£20.
I'll take a tenner to start the bidding.
£10 has been bid.
12 now.
12 at the back.
14.
16.
Here we go, here we go.
And we move, and we move.
22.
£24.
26.
28.
28.
£30.
32.
40.
34, come on.
They have to make 40.
Yes, let's get 40.
40, yes.
£40.
42 now.
42, do I see?
Selling at the back of the room then, for £40.
(GAVEL) Yes, thank you!
Well done, yes.
- That's a great profit.
- Just... Yeah.
VO: Yeah.
Looks like Raj is on a winning streak today.
You're so used to making profits now, you're getting churlish about small profits.
You're like... - No.
- ..'hmm, hmm'.
VO: Natasha will need more than a small profit to catch him, though.
Perhaps her Chinese cabinet stand will do it.
What shall we say for this?
Who'll start me at £50?
£50 only for this then.
Do I see 50?
- Come on.
- £50.
30, if you like.
- Oh, come on.
- £30 is being bid.
Oh, yes.
35.
35, in the doorway.
35.
40.
45, 45 got.
50.
55.
Wow.
Profit, well done.
Yes.
Oh good, I haven't made a loss.
I'm so chuffed.
Selling then, for £55.
(GAVEL) - Well done.
- By the skin of its teeth.
- Well done.
- I'm so chuffed.
VO: But that fiver will disappear in commission charges.
What a shame!
Let's go and count our pennies, shall we?
- Your pennies!
- C'mon.
You made a fortune!
VO: Natasha sold all her items for a profit today so, after auction costs, her piggy now holds £298.84.
Super!
(GAVEL) However, Raj's butterfly wings fairly flew and, after saleroom fees, he has collected a fabulous £166 profit, meaning he has over £710 for next time.
Wow!
Well, Tash... You're a money-making machine.
(LAUGHS) I did lose money on one thing.
But yes, I was very lucky this occasion.
Feeling good?
But you made profits on everything.
And that's all that matters.
Let's focus on that.
Yep.
VO: Happy days!
(LAUGHS) Next time, via rally car...
Right, hold on.
- Right a bit, left a bit.
- Oh, cripes!
And they're off!
An incredible one-horse race.
It's the final countdown.
Yeah, I'm gonna need some divine intervention.
Right, leg it!
Oh!
(LAUGHS) But will it be total knockout?
Yeah, fist bump!
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