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!

Here we go again!

VOICEOVER (VO): A little birdie tells me we're in Kent.

Go, go, go!

(CAR REVS) Yeah!

VO: Here they come again, those road trippers, auctioneers Raj Bisram and Natasha Raskin Sharp, razzing round in that 60s Sunbeam!

Maybe we should take it offroading.

- Off piste.

(LAUGHS) - What do you... would you... Would you be happy with me taking it off piste?

- Yeah.

- Yeah?

- Did you bring a helmet?

- Don't need a helmet.

- No?

OK. - Nah.

You don't... you don't need a helmet.

- Have to trust the harness!

- Yep!

VO: Anyway.

VO: Dick Dastardly and Penelope Pitstop will be strapped in and strictly sticking to B-roads on this five leg trip, taking them from Tunbridge Wells to auction at Willingham, near Cambridge.

- I tell you what, Tash.

- Mm-hm?

Since I last saw you I had to go to the doctor's.

I'm addicted to Twitter.

(LAUGHS) OK. No, and I said to the doctor, "You know, what can I do?"

And he just said "I don't follow you, I don't follow you."

- (SIGHS) I don't... - No?

I don't even wanna laugh, I just... - Oh, come on.

A little laugh.

- ..wanna say "Aah!"

- A little laugh... - Aww, Raj.

It was worth a little, you know.

That... That's a modern joke for me.

- You are a dad, aren't you?

- Yes.

Yeah, that's a dad joke.

(LAUGHS) That's a wild dad joke.

VO: Generationally-challenged Raj had some bad luck last time but his initial £200 has still increased to £253.16.

So that's not too bad.

(GAVEL) However, his youthful companion was on a roll and her £200 has swelled to quite an impressive £338.80.

Super.

I'm in front by nearly £100.

You're...

I...

I know, I'm... OK. ..around 250, I'm approaching 350, well, 340.

I've already said well done.

There's no need to rub it in.

VO: She is a cheeky one!

Time to use that ejector seat, I reckon, Raj!

All roads point to Colchester on this leg, for a specialist antique and fine art auction.

They'll be shopping in Kent and East Sussex and Chilham is the first destination Natasha's being chauffeured to today.

RAJ: Look at this, looks perfect.

- Oh wow, that looks lovely.

- Absolutely stunning, isn't it?

- Do you wanna come with me?

- I'd love to.

(LAUGHS) I'd love to.

Enjoy your shopping.

And don't forget, spend as much money as you can.

And if you lose a bit, even better, OK?

Oh Raj, get over it.

(LAUGHS) - See you soon.

- Bye!

Enjoy.

Oh, welcome to the barn, Tash.

Oh, hi.

What a welcome.

Good morning.

- Thank you.

- It's so nice to see you.

Good morning to you.

Lovely morning as well.

- So where should I start?

- Uh, feel free.

OK.

Right, left, up, down, round the corner.

- I think I'll go up.

- To the side.

I'm going up in the world.

(LAUGH) - OK, see you in a sec.

- Enjoy, Tash.

- Thank you so much.

- See you later, bye.

VO: Looks like she may be spoilt for choice at Bagham Barn Antiques, housed in a glorious 17th century barn and presided over by the very affable Richard.

Look how cute that is.

Now, I think it's a menu holder.

Menu holder... (GASPS) I had good success at the last auction with a posy holder.

And this is a hybrid.

This is so cool.

OK, so this section here holds your menu, so at each setting you have a little list of what's to come.

But then here, for each individual guest, a little posy has been picked.

Don't look too closely, but look from afar.

Look from afar, look at that, that looks so nice.

Look up close, a little bit ropey.

I think it's all about the glass posy holder.

I've never seen anything like that.

£64.

The dealer is called Joy.

I will be filed with joy if she'll do a wee deal VO: But is there more?

These have kind of caught my eye because they are jewelry, which falls into that category.

But super stylish.

Look at this.

Have you ever seen anything more deco in your life?

I mean, first of all, this has to be the brooch.

Yeah.

Now, look at that.

Just coming through, what is the chrome finish, some copper.

It's really something.

If that were on its own on a lady's jacket or dress and you met that lady today, you would say "Wow, what a fabulous brooch, tell me about it".

And what if she was also wearing the dress clips that match and accompany it?

VO: Always worn in pairs, dress clips are a quintessentially art deco fashion accessory, decorating the necklines or straps of dresses from the 20s to the 40s.

Natasha's also spotted an art deco enameled buckle and another pair of dress clips.

All together could make quite a handsome little lot at the auction.

VO: The ticket price for the lot, though, is £78.

I think it depends on price, doesn't it?

Depends on whether or not the dealer wants to go for a good old deal for a job lot, or if I can get a great deal on the set of three on their own, then I'd probably be tempted to do that.

Oh, I don't know, I'm all excited.

I've seen loads.

VO: While Natasha positively wallows in the copious treasures she's unearthed at Chilham, Raj has been enjoying a short trip east through the Kent countryside to the village of Barham, where he'll be hoping that there's something at Stablegate Antiques with his name on it.

And I can see that the quality furniture on display is in danger of turning Raj's head.

Now, this is a nice piece.

It's called a bonheur du jour.

French, 19th century.

I mean, this is a beautiful burr walnut.

And it's got this lovely inlay.

You open this drawer up and look, lo and behold there's a writing slope here.

And that's how it would be.

They would push it back a bit and write their letters on it.

I think this is a lovely, lovely piece.

It's gonna be way out of my price range, I'm sure, but I absolutely...

I love it.

VO: Yes, it's £1,200.

He's only just got here but let's leave him, and his limited resources, to it.

Meanwhile...

This is amazing.

Wonder where this has been.

This looks as though it's come from Vienna.

It's very secessionist, if you think of the era of Gustav Klimt, you know, very early 20th century.

That's what this looks like.

It looks like it's been in a fine home.

But actually, from exactly where I'm standing I can already see that it's not that fine.

Um, it's hand planished copper all the way around, and then you can see this geometric, this triangular design, that's been beaten out as well.

So super modernist, super interesting and gorgeous.

If you look inside, you can see that that is not copper because it's grey.

So the copper is just a really thin gauge that's been laid over the body of what is clearly an ice bucket.

Because it has an amazing glass liner inside.

Oh, I love this.

Glamorous, and yet at the same time a wee bit shabby.

I'm sure I know lots of people who fit that description.

Now, what about this one?

£68.

Just look at that.

That's surely been here at least six months.

I can take it off the dealer's hands.

VO: Oh, she really is a cheeky monkey today, isn't she?

She's off to talk to Richard.

First up?

Madame's collection of stylish jewelry ticketed at £78 I think.

Um, I can do 40 on that one.

- For the whole lot?

- Yeah.

40 on that's ideal.

I think that's just made up my mind.

I'll go for the whole lot for sure.

OK, that's one.

- VO: And the ice bucket?

- 45.

Ah, yeah, I think I'd go for that too.

- That's very generous of you.

- Good.

OK.

Thank you so much.

And what do you think of my wee cherubs?

I mean, they're just so cute.

VO: The posy holders' ticket price is £64.

50 for the four.

50 for the four.

Aw, couldn't do 45 on those?

45.

(LAUGHS) OK. Oh, thank you so much.

Oh, I hope you don't think I'm being too mean.

Oh, I think they're really cool items.

I'll give you some money, so hold on.

VO: 130 smackeroos in all for that goodly haul.

Now, back to Barham.

Has Raj been able to manage his great expectations?

Beautiful shop, lovely bits of furniture, which I love to bits.

They're exquisite, some of them.

But they're out of my price range.

But I have found something here that is in my price range.

It's a terracotta eagle.

Christian?

Yes sir.

- The eagle, now... - The eagle.

..I've had a look round the shop and there's not a lot I can afford.

It's all gonna come down to price.

You've got 95 on the ticket.

Give me an idea.

What would you like to pay for a beautiful eagle?

I'd like to pay £45 for it.

Could we meet in the middle at, say, 60?

Would you take 55?

Do you think it'll fly away?

- Oh, I hope so.

55?

- 55.

Oh, thank you.

Thank you, I'm gonna buy that at 55.

- Thank you very much Raj - Brilliant.

VO: £55 duly handed over.

- Thank you very much indeed... - Thank you...

It's been an absolute pleasure.

I shall take it.

- Good.

- Yeah.

I like that.

I think we'll miss him actually.

VO: Ah!

Au revoir.

Natasha's off south to the coast now, where, between the edge of Romney Marsh and the English Channel, lies the town of Hythe.

On a glorious day like today sun worshippers can enjoy staring out to sea, but, as Natasha's going to hear from the Environment Agency's Ian Nunn, if you'd been standing here in the early 1800s, you might have been scanning the horizon for hostile French ships.

Napoleon had 130,000 soldiers lined up on the coast of France over there, which is obviously... That was a great concern to the British authorities in terms of the threat of invasion to this part of the coast.

When you say just over there, it really is so close, France, so this was real imminent danger.

Absolutely.

So in 1804 they decided to start thinking and building a first line of defense for this stretch of coastline.

VO: This fear of Napoleon and his army, which had swept to power in the aftermath of the French revolution, led to the construction of a string of defensive fortresses.

They took the decision to build 74 Martello towers along this length of coast, which would be the first line of defense to protect the coastline.

So a Martello tower is a huge stone circular structure, so that fire coming from ships offshore would actually deflect.

The walls were 13 feet thick.

Obviously made them really strong.

They also had a 24lb cannon on top of the roof, which could fire in 360 degrees, at any direction.

These towers are so imposing, and there were 74 of them along the coast.

74 built along the coast, not all of them are existing today.

But there was also 24 troops, obviously, that were stationed inside there permanently.

And there was garrisons, there were three large garrisons that were built further round the coast as well.

So that...we were ready to get straight into action as soon as the French appeared over the horizon behind us.

VO: Martello is probably a corruption of "Mortella", which is in Corsica, and where the first tower was built in 1565.

The British navy was impressed by the effectiveness of this fort when they laid siege to it in 1794.

And subsequently commissioned towers in its likeness to be built around the British coastline between 1804 and 1812.

When you look at what it... what they had to do and it was just manual labor, wheelbarrows, shovels, carrying everything to site.

It's incredible to think that you could build 74 of these in fairly quick succession.

Yeah.

I mean, they could've thrown in a window or two.

They could've thrown in a window or two, yeah.

The whole project was... of the Martello Towers was built under the auspices of the Royal Engineers.

So I would imagine it would be done with military precision.

VO: The threat of invasion loomed so large that the towers were just one part of a grand plan to repel Napoleonic invaders.

This, slightly inland, was the second line of defense, which was a canal for 28 miles, 19m wide, 3m deep.

VO: 2,000 laborers were required and a "good price and every encouragement" was offered to dig this "earth of the finest quality", "for the defense of the realm".

Stretching from Seabrook in Kent to Cliff End in East Sussex, the canal took five years to construct.

There's lots going on, people are rowing on their boats, shall we join them?

We can give it a go.

Yeah.

Come on, I'll row you around.

- I'm quite good.

- Thank you.

So in 1809 it was finally complete.

It was dug by hand and the earth was stacked up on the north bank to act as a sort of revetment to add to the defense.

But it was massively over budget, £35,000 over budget.

It cost nearly a quarter of a million pounds to build, which was a huge amount of money.

A quarter of a million pounds in the 1800s?

- In the 1800s.

Yeah.

- Oh, wow!

VO: That's almost £20 million in today's money.

And by then, the threat of Napoleon had pretty much disappeared, so really people start to ask the question, you know, why was it built and what was it for?

And what a huge waste of public money.

And it was really seen as a bit of a white elephant.

OK.

So what did they decide to do with it in the end?

In 1810 it was kind of opened up to the public a bit more and they tried to raise tolls through moving freight along the canal.

Also there was a toll road that ran its whole length as well, which was the supply road for the troops.

Here we are in the 21st century.

It has actually found its real purpose... Yeah.

..which is that environmental benefit to, and social benefit to, the whole of the...Kent and East Sussex.

It's brilliant.

I mean, thank you so much for teaching me about the canal and the Martello towers.

I've learned a huge amount, but don't think I've quite learned how to row, so let's see if I can get us back to shore.

VO: While Natasha makes her way back to dry land, Raj is en route to his next shop and seems quite upbeat.

I'm still in profit.

I've got a bit of catching up to do, but I feel pretty good.

VO: Well, sunbeams are everywhere on the south coast today as he makes his way 20 miles east to the town of Deal, with its Tudor castle guarding the point where the North Sea meets the English Channel.

Time to land some antiques on the High Street at Deal Antiques.

Hello there.

Hi, nice to meet you.

I'm Georgie.

Hello Georgie, lovely to meet you.

I'm Raj.

Nice to meet you.

There's lots of beautiful things in here.

- Can I have a look round?

- Course you can!

Thank you.

Ya, ya!

VO: Crack on, soldier!

This looks like a most interesting emporium.

The sale we're going to in Essex is glass, ceramics and jewelry.

This is a piece of contemporary glass and it's by Siddy Langley, who was a glassmaker in and around the Maidenhead area.

VO: Siddy Langley started making glass in the 70s, and today still produces work in her Devon studio.

I think that that is quite decorative.

There's £50 on the ticket, really I want to be buying this around 15 to £20.

I'm not quite sure what the decoration is here.

I thought initially it was a flower but I think maybe they're just blobs of color.

But it's quite attractive and I rather like that.

I'm gonna put it down because I've seen some other things that I like the look of, so I'm gonna go and have another look.

It's certainly going well in here.

I do love my furniture.

And this is a lovely lovely little 18th century oak coffer.

And I don't understand why this kind of furniture's gone out of vogue.

That's the original lock plate.

And if we open it up, well, look at that.

These are the original hinges.

There's no way they've been changed.

There is no other marks there.

Clean as a whistle.

I mean, it's just lovely.

The carvings are just... they're done by hand, so they're not exact.

One panel isn't the same as the other panel.

Which just gives it that, you know, just a lovely, lovely feel.

You know, there's £225 on the ticket, which, you know, retail price, is not bad at all.

VO: Two possibilities already then, and there's more upstairs.

Now, this is a really speculative piece.

It's signed Bergman, which is a huge name in bronzes, especially cold painted bronzes.

He's from Vienna in Austria.

But there are so many fakes about.

I think it's really nice.

They're cold painted bronzes, this one, it's a lovely lady with a nice dress which has got a nice ribbon around the corner, and she's got this parasol as well.

Now, obviously they think that this one might well be a fake, and I think it might be.

It's only got £50 on the ticket.

Even if it is a fake, if I can get it at the right price there's still going to be a profit in it.

So I'm gonna take it and speak to Georgie.

VO: Ah, riches indeed for Raj here but what kind of a deal can he get in Deal?

- Hello Georgie.

- Hi.

Georgie, I found three things that I...

I really like.

VO: And the total ticket price for the lot is £325.

Now, the thing is the three items, OK?

Yeah.

I've got £198 left, and a few p. I'm prepared to offer you £178 for all three items.

- Yes, that'll be fine.

- You sure?

- Yes.

- You're absolutely sure?

- That'll be good.

- 178 for the... - Yes.

- ..three items?

Well, if you're happy I'm gonna shake your hand.

Thank you so... - Thank you.

- ..much, Georgie.

Fantastic.

VO: Very generous, Georgie.

140 for the coffer and 19 each for the scent bottle and the bronze figure leaves Raj with just £20.16.

RAJ: All the best.

VO: Finding anything more might be an uphill struggle.

A bit like the road home!

Yes!

Nighty night!

Time to hit the road again and Raj has a surprise for Natasha.

Our names are on the car!

- I know, isn't that cool?

- It looks so cool, how did...?

It adds everything to it, doesn't it?

There we go, we're a rally team now!

We are so cool.

We're a proper professional rally team!

OK, bearing that in mind, where should I go?

Left, right?

Left, right, 3m ahead?

Yeah, absolutely, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

I'm so chuffed that you did that, Raj.

I'm so chuffed.

How cool is that?

VO: Pretty cool.

Now, Natasha's brought along some of yesterday's haul to show Raj.

You've got a little schnapps glass.

These days you'd say it's a really nice menu holder and you've got a little schnapps glass next to it as well.

(LAUGHS) - Raj, don't give me ideas... - There you go.

..for my cataloguing.

"Menu holder complete with shot glass".

VO: As well as the menu and posy holders, Natasha also scooped up a collection of costume jewelry and an ice bucket, leaving her with £208.80 at her disposal.

While Raj couldn't resist an expensive 18th century coffer.

And I don't understand why this kind of furniture has gone out of vogue.

VO: And after also shelling out for a scent bottle and a bronze figure, and a terracotta eagle, the man is practically broke.

I've only got £20 left.

I've spent everything!

I really have splashed the cash!

VO: And we'll see what Raj can buy with the £20.16 later.

They're still on Raj's home turf in Kent this morning, but after dropping him off we're taking a ride with Natasha.

She's off to the village of Tenterden on the outskirts of Ashford where at Re Memories Antiques on the High Street she's almost certainly the first customer of the day.

- Right.

Oh!

- Morning.

Hello, good morning.

Hi, I'm Tasha, nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

I'd better put that down.

Thank you very much.

Are you still setting up shop?

Yeah, I was just opening...

Right, OK, well you know what they say, early bird catches the worm.

(LAUGHS) VO: That was Richard and every inch of his shop is crammed full.

Our early bird will need a beady eye.

I don't personally love Royal Doulton ladies.

But there is one I absolutely adore.

She's creeping in there on the middle shelf.

She's called Southern Belle.

And the reason I love her is because my friend and I used to pretend to be Southern Belle.

She takes a bit of a crooked stance, and we used to sort of walk around and pretend that we were Southern Belle.

And because of that I have a memory invested in one of these figures, and therefore I love her.

Doulton, Southern Belle will always have a place in my heart.

People invest a memory into them.

Their grandma loved this, their great auntie, their great grandfather had these, loved them.

And so within these figures a memory is held.

I'm not gonna buy Southern Belle, but forever I will love her.

VO: Aww!

(LAUGHS) I'll never look at those ladies the same way again!

But what will make her part with some of her cash, then?

Oh, that's my style.

That's super cute.

Georgian style rock crystal locket.

There don't seem to be any hallmarks on here at all.

This is not gold, it's gilt metal but do you know what, it looks the part.

There is a faceted loop to help it hang from a chain, and I think that's ever so slightly younger than the locket itself.

So an addition, but it's a happy one because at least you have that.

If someone were to buy this at auction, it's halfway there.

All they need is a chain.

I think that's super stylish.

VO: What's on the ticket, then?

- Richard?

- Hi.

I can't make out your tiny handwriting.

Oh, it's very small, I know.

I'm famous for it.

- So, tell me what would... - OK. - ..you take for this?

Um, I was hoping to get just under 100 for it.

It looks the part, it does what it says on the tin.

Yeah, if you like it, why not?

I do like it.

I was looking to buy something old.

Yeah.

What would you say if I made you an offer of 65?

(CRINGES) Oh.

How about 85?

85?

80?

You have a deal?

Go on, then.

Go on.

OK.

Thanks so much Richard.

- Thank you very much.

- I have some cash.

- Oh, that's always good.

- It's handy, isn't it?

£80.

Yeah, we don't mind cash.

20, 40, 60, 80.

Thank you for looking after me.

It's been a pleasure to meet you.

VO: Quite a big buy, that.

Hope it pays off.

Meanwhile, our man Raj has washed up 10 miles away in the town of Rye, which was once an important English Channel port, but which itself is now washed up two miles inland, into the salt marshes at the confluence of three rivers.

The town still supports a fishing industry, though, as it has for centuries.

Hi, you must be John the Fish!

That's me, come onboard.

VO: John Botterell carries on the fishing tradition of many generations in his two man, 33 foot boat.

I've been fishing out of Rye now for 45 years.

Wow.

So you must know these waters out here very well.

Man and boy.

(LAUGHS) How many days of the year, roughly, would you be out there fishing?

I would say, if the weather's on our side, you could fish for 120, 150 days of the year.

Most of the boats here work through the day because in the winter months, obviously, you've got short days.

So they'll work between the tides.

When you're out there and it cuts up rough, it's rough, and you can't get back in so you have to wait.

VO: The men of Rye have long risked their lives on these unpredictable waters to bring home the catch and the sea here provided a good living.

In 1628, King Charles I wrote that Rye was "The cheapest sea-towne for provision of fish for our house".

And while herring, mackerel, cod, sole and plaice may have all graced the king's table, Rye is probably best known for a fine shellfish found here - the scallop, which is dredged from the seabed.

I mean, how do you actually catch scallops?

Scallops are... require quite a lot of heavy duty work.

So you've got the dredges which work each side of this boat.

They are towed in areas where the water is about 100 foot deep.

It's mainly a mixture of shale and silt.

You're doing tows of 30, 40 minutes and then hauling them aboard, sorting through, getting the rock out, and the scallops.

You're measuring them at the same time to make sure they conform with the local bylaws of size.

In a year, for example, I mean how many tonnes of scallops would you bring in?

I would say collectively as a fleet, probably 150 tonnes?

Wow.

That's a lot of scallops.

It's a lot of scallops.

VO: And John has a few put by for Raj.

Scallops are helping to put Rye on the culinary map so where better to go and prepare these tasty mollusks than the Fish Café and restaurant where chef Paul Webbe runs a cookery school?

My favorite scallop dish is a raw one.

Today we're going to do a ceviche of scallop, where it's gently pickled in orange and lime juice and citrus juice.

- Can't wait.

VO: Come on, Raj, get stuck in, mate.

Well done, thank you.

VO: So it's orange zest, oh, plenty of garlic.

Now comes the lime juice.

..little tiny little bit of lime.

And some orange juice.

Pour that in there, just enough to cover the fish.

VO: Now a bit of salt, a good skoosh of white wine, and avocado puree.

Coriander and cuttlefish wafers to garnish.

Et voila et bon appetit!

Look at that.

Paul, how important are scallops to Rye?

Um, very important.

In the winter months, when we can't catch the other fish, the fishermen are very heavily dependent on the scallops.

We have the Rye-based scallop festival, normally in the second week of February.

And this restaurant alone we normally get through six, six and a half thousand scallops in an eight day period.

It's such a short season, you know, three months.

And it's managed, they don't keep going over the same area.

And out of season they are left alone so they can respawn for future generations.

That was absolutely delicious.

Cheers.

- Cheers... - Thank you so much.

- Thank you.

- Thank you for having me.

VO: Cheers!

We'll leave Raj in Rye and catch up with Natasha who's on the move again to their last shop of the day in the countryside outside Ashford, at Appledore.

And off she goes, striding purposefully into Station Antiques.

What might be hiding away in this lovely old railway building?

Yes, looking pensive, lots to consider, I guess.

- Anthony.

- Yes?

I'm looking around and I'm thinking I need to spend some money.

- Mm-hm.

- I'm gonna tell you how much.

I know I shouldn't normally tell you exactly how much I have, but it's about £100 burning a hole in my pocket.

- £100, right.

I think, to be honest with you, I need some help.

Well, we do have something that has a little bit of a Scottish connection... - Cool.

- ..which could be £100.

- Really?

- It's upstairs.

- Mm-hm.

- In the cabinet C9.

I'll let you go and have a look.

C9.

I think I've found it.

Glass, silver.

Related to alcohol.

Scottish, well, the alcohol is Scottish.

A whisky noggin.

How cute is that?

A little jug with its silver lid.

VO: A noggin is a wee jug, usually this shape, containing an individual dram of whisky, measuring a gill.

You can just see from the glass it's been hand blown.

You can feel the odd bump in it.

Looks smooth, but you can feel the bump with your fingers.

And then, almost as if just to prove to you that this is a hand blown piece of glass, in amongst this starburst engraving there's a wee bubble.

Garrard & Co. Excusez-moi.

One of the finest silver makers of London, established 18th century.

And it says on the label 1903, £210.

He definitely said could have it for 100.

That's... That's quite the deal.

VO: Sounds like it.

But what's it worth?

(FOOTSTEPS) Oh, footsteps.

- Anthony.

- Hello.

Is this what you were talking about?

Very well found.

I thought you'd get it.

- Yeah.

From C9, my... - From C9 indeed, yes.

..new favorite cabinet.

Right.

(LAUGHS) Now, are you sure, bearing in mind that that ticket says 210?

- Yeah.

- I can have that for 100?

Normally we wouldn't do that, but I know where I got it from and I know I'm happy with that price.

And as it's for you, and as it's Scottish, it's almost got your name written on it.

I can't argue, I'm so grateful.

Thank you so much.

Pleasure.

Thank you so much for coming in.

That's really generous of you, because obviously it's designer goods here.

- Indeed.

- Garrard & Co, I mean...

Indeed, yeah.

..come on.

We're talking serious stuff.

20, 40... - Don't make me regret it.

- ..60, 80.

- (LAUGH) - 100.

Oh.

Thank you very much indeed.

Thank you.

- That's really generous of you.

- Good.

- Got my noggin, go find Raj.

- Indeed.

- And his shiny noggin!

- Thanks very much.

- Is that mean?

Is that mean?

- VO: Yeah, but quite funny!

And the baldy headed one has indeed arrived and is perusing the wares, longing for a shiny noggin.

These are rather decorative.

They're...

Although I've just noticed that one of the shades here is cracked all the way through, unfortunately.

Oh dear.

If I could get those at the right price...

I mean, age wise, they're probably Edwardian, turn of the century, something like that.

They're in good condition.

They are made of...

I think this metal underneath here... by the looks of it is brass, so they could clean up rather well.

So I'm gonna speak to Anthony and see what he'll do.

I'm gonna take them over to the counter.

Hello Tony.

Hi there.

Right.

Ah, you found something.

- I found something.

- Right.

But I have to say that after I'd looked at them, there is a bit of damage on one of them.

Yeah, I thought one of them had a bit of a crack in it some time ago, yes.

- Can I make you an offer?

- You can do indeed, yeah.

OK. How about, because of the damage, which I hadn't seen, and there is only three, not four.

All those reasons, all... - Yeah.

- ..those reasons, £10.

15 and they're yours.

Split the difference, 12.

- 14.

- 13.

- 13.50.

- 13.25.

- 13.16.

- 13.50.

OK, 13.50.

- We've got a deal.

- We've got a deal.

(LAUGH) 13.50, fantastic.

Thank you.

VO: 13.50 it is.

What fun!

14, 15, 20.

Lovely.

Thank you.

VO: And their shopping days are over!

-NATASHA: Are you ready, baby?

- RAJ: Not yet.

VO: Is she talking to the car or Raj?

Let's go make some money!

VO: All in good time!

And now, some shut-eye.

Hail Colchester, we who are about to sell salute you!

Yes, Britain's first Roman city is the destination this morning and our footsoldiers are arriving at Reeman Dansie Auctioneers.

Is it gonna be third time lucky, Raj?

The eagle has landed!

- Oh, has it?

Oh.

- Ha ha!

Should I be worried about this eagle?

(LAUGHS) VO: You mean a bald eagle.

(LAUGHS) It's in the lap of the gods now, or at least the good people of Colchester, duly assembled here for this sale of antiques and fine art.

Raj spent all but his last £6.66 as he splurged £246.50 on five lots.

(SIGHS) Would he have bought this if he couldn't have had it for less than £20?

I don't think so.

Is he set to make a profit?

Yes.

Will the internet go wild?

You can bet your bottom dollar.

VO: Natasha spent top dollar on her five lots, a cool 310 Great British pounds to be precise.

Well, is it an ice bucket or is it a nice bucket?

I don't know.

I'm not sure whether I am that keen on this.

I mean, I think the liner isn't the original liner.

I know Tash paid £45 for that.

I think that's a lot of money.

I'm a bit worried for you, Tash.

VO: And what says our auctioneer today, Jonathan Benson?

(GAVEL) The whisky noggin is absolutely charming, ideal for those winter nights.

Lots of interest in that.

A cheap estimate at 40 to 60, but that will... it'll far surpass that.

18th century oak coffer is the most lovely proportions.

We've had a lot of interest in it, allowing for the fact that it sits in the middle of our ceramic section.

But it's a good thing and we've got interest.

So that should be fine, the estimate's 150 to two and it'll do that very easily.

VO: Bidding is by telephone, online and in the room so it's time for Natasha and Raj to submit to the fates.

Are you ready for this?

Ready as I'll ever be.

(LAUGHS) VO: And first up it's Natasha's menu and posy holders.

And £30 for these, 30.

£30, surely, for them?

30.

£30.

It's not going well.

20, then, to start.

£20 for them.

20.

20's bid online now.

At 20.

22.

In the room now, then at 22.

24.

26.

At 26.

28.

30.

At £30 in the room.

32.

34.

(GROANS) Go on, go on.

Go on.

Yes.

38.

40's bid.

No?

At £40 here.

42.

Why not?

At 42 is bid.

44.

- Go on.

- Go on.

- 46.

- Yes!

- Profit, profit.

- All the money.

50.

At £50 is bid.

55.

Why not?

At £50.

You don't want them?

No.

At 55 here on the internet.

(LAUGHS) That was a definite shake of the head.

Anybody else at £55?

All done and selling at 55?

(GAVEL) Yeah.

- Profit.

Yeah!

- Well, after commission...

It is all the money.

VO: Well, maybe not all the money.

Fist bump.

Profit!

(LAUGHS) Come on!

I don't know if that's worthy of a fist bump.

Anything that makes a profit is worthy of a fist bump!

VO: New rule, folks, OK?

Let's see if there'll be another next for Raj's bronze figure.

The internet is straight in at £160.

At £160... VO: Crikey!

He's either stunned or catching flies.

Don't have a heart attack.

At £160, internet bidder.

Anybody in the room?

At 160.

Internet bidder and selling at 160.

(GAVEL) So remember when I said we all know, Raj... OK. ..we all know?

No one knew it was going to make that much!

No.

VO: I'll fist bump that man for that too!

- Wow.

- How's the old ticker?

Ticker's just about there.

I think so, yeah.

VO: Time to see if Natasha's collection of costume jewelry can get pulses racing too.

And I'm bid £20 to start.

At £20.

22.

24.

26.

28.

30.

32.

34.

36.

Oh, there's a bit of competition, that's nice.

42 in the front row now.

I'm bid at 42.

At £42, the lady's bid.

44.

- Oh!

- Oh, yes.

Yes.

50.

£50 there now, I'm bid at 50.

50 still in the front row now, then, at 50.

Five anywhere else?

At £50, the lady's bid, and I'll sell, then, at 50.

(GAVEL) Well done.

- It's a profit.

- Big profit, uh?

- Um, a wee one.

- Come on!

Oh, come on.

(LAUGHS) VO: I'm not bumping for a tenner.

Profits there.

Yeah?

I need all the profits I can get!

VO: Under the hammer next, will it be the sweet smell of success again for Raj's scent bottle?

And £50 for this one.

50.

50's bid, straight in now.

- Oh, straight in at 50.

- Wow.

On my right now then, at 50.

And five I'll take.

55 is bid.

60.

At £60.

65.

70.

At £70, still in the room now... - Wow.

..then, at 70.

At £70, gentleman's bid.

Selling, then at 70.

(GAVEL) The stars have aligned.

They have aligned.

There's no doubt about it.

VO: Yep.

Raj is forging ahead.

Bravo.

You're on fire.

Let's see if Natasha's ice bucket challenge can help save the day.

I'm bid the grand total of £10 here to start.

I think he's making fun of it a wee bit.

I'll take 12.

At £10.

12.

14.

16.

18.

At £20 in the front row now, then, at 20?

Oh, come on.

Surely more.

Two anywhere else?

At £20 I will sell.

At £20, then.

(GAVEL) OK.

So that's lost a fortune.

No.

Well... VO: Enough of a loss to dampen her hopes.

That's sad.

I think I need a nice drink after that.

(LAUGHS) Well, it was...

It was an unusual shape.

'Twas.

VO: And Raj's shapely lampshades are up next.

I'm bid £15 here now.

At 15.

I'll take 18.

- Course you will.

- Come on.

At 15, 18, 20, 22.

24.

At £24, still here now, then, at 24.

Where's 26?

Are you sure?

At £24 here.

I'll take 26.

26 I'm out.

At £26.

On my right now, then, at 26.

At £26, gentleman's bid at 26 and selling.

(GAVEL) As predicted.

A small profit.

You must have faith in the art nouveau.

VO: Not that it's done much for her this time.

It's only a small profit but I'm OK. VO: And Natasha will be hoping to be pretty OK too after the next lot, her expensive Georgian rock crystal locket.

£20 online.

I bid 24 on my commission.

At 24.

28.

My commission is out now at 28.

At 28.

30 is bid in the room.

32.

34.

36.

- Oh, just move in fives.

- Look, it's going.

Move in fives!

46.

48.

48 in the front row now, then, at 48.

Two bidding online.

At £48 in the front row.

Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Oh, go on.

£48 and I'll sell at 48, then.

(GAVEL) That's a chunky loss.

Is it?

VO: Yes, she'll struggle to catch Raj up now.

So much less than I paid for it.

(LAUGHS) VO: Indeed.

Time to see whether the eagle has well and truly landed today.

And £40, start me with this one.

40.

£40 for it, surely?

40.

40 bid, straight in now then at 40.

At £40.

- It's happening.

- Come on.

At £40.

Sounds cheap, as it were.

42.

44.

VO: Who says antiques are for old fogeys, eh?

50, 55.

60.

65.

70?

70 is bid.

75.

80.

At £80, the young lady there now, then, at 80.

At £80, in the room now at 80.

Our youngest member here today.

At £80, and I'll sell.

All your pocket money's gone.

At £80 then.

(GAVEL) - Well done.

- Nice work!

VO: Sold!

To the little girl in red.

Marvelous.

Today's been a good day.

VO: Now, who fancies a wee tipple from Natasha's whisky noggin?

I'll start at £80.

At £80.

85.

90.

95.

100.

110.

I'm out there now.

Bid at 110.

I'll take 120.

On 110.

In the red at 110.

120 anywhere else?

Oh.

Bit more would be good.

At 120.

The gentleman's bid now.

Bid at 120.

At £120.

Anybody else at £120?

And selling.

(GAVEL) - Nice profit.

- It is a profit.

Profit, yeah!

I was hoping it would double its money.

VO: Oh dear, just the price of a few drams there.

- Small mercies today... - Yeah.

..I need them.

I need small mercies.

It's a good... You know, it's a profit.

- It's a profit.

- And it's a lovely thing VO: And so is the last lot today, Raj's fabulous 18th century oak coffer.

Start with me at £230.

- Oof!

- £230.

- Yes!

- At 230.

I'll take 240.

At £230 on my commission now, at 230.

240.

250.

At 250's bid.

- Come on.

250.

- 260.

270.

Come on, Raj.

280.

290.

At 290.

300.

320.

At 320, still on my commission now, then, at 320.

20, yes.

This is what it's worth.

320, I'm happy with that.

It's on my commission.

Anybody else?

At £320, then.

(GAVEL) I'm happy with that.

That's a fist bump.

- It's a fist bump!

- That's a fist bump.

Yeah!

VO: Well, Raj is really flying today.

Nice work, sir.

I think the winner of today's one might be... fairly tall?

(LAUGHS) Strikingly handsome.

Strikingly handsome.

We won't go into the rest, shall we?

Come on, let's go.

Pretty in pink.

VO: Time for the sums, I'd say.

Well, it's not so pretty in pink for Natasha, who lost more than she made and after saleroom fees her piggy has slimmed down to £269.06.

(GAVEL) Raj, meanwhile was back with a vengeance and, after auction costs, his piggy is now positively bursting with £544.58.

So he is victor this time.

- Well, well, well... - Now, that was fun.

..well, well.

Yeah, fun for you maybe.

(LAUGH) It was brilliant for you, Raj.

Well, I've caught up.

You've caught up and then you've gone ahead.

- I'm ahead at the moment.

- Well and truly the victor.

Well, let's go and do some more buying, yeah?

Do we have to buy more stuff?

- Come on.

- Come on!

- I don't think I have it in me.

- You do, you do, you do.

VO: Next time, they're animal crackers.

(CLUCKS) Not everyone is a cat lover.

Mechanical pussycat?

Good luck.

Watch the birdie!

That is just adorable.

But what will fly at auction?

150.

160.

- No, stop, stop.

- (LAUGHS) Don't stop!

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