Voiceover (VO): It's the nation's favorite antiques experts.

That's cracking.

VO: With £200 each.

Wonderful.

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

That's exactly what I'm talking about.

I'm all over a shiver.

VO: The aim, to make the biggest profit at auction.

But it's no mean feat.

No brainer.

Going, going, gone.

VO: There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

So, will it be the high road to glory, Push!

VO: ..or the slow road to disaster?

How awfully, awfully nice.

VO: This is Antiques Road Trip.

VO: Yeah.

VO: Well, hello!

It's a brand new road trip for two fine antiques experts - Catherine Southon and Philip Serrell.

You're looking very glamorous today.

CATHERINE (CS): Am I?

PHILIP (PS): Yeah.

Why are you being so nice to me?

Because I love you and I haven't seen you for so long.

Aw!

VO: Isn't he sweet?

When she's not road tripping, Catherine's a veteran auctioneer.

Mountains of cash.

VO: Auctioneer Philip is also no stranger to the Antiques Road Trip.

I do like lumps of stone.

VO: Lovely.

Each of our experts has £200 in their pocket.

But to make a profit at auction they'll have to spend it tactically.

I wouldn't buy any sort of too high price risky items, I don't think.

OK.

But some...

So more safe, play it safe.

Is that what you're saying?

No but you can't.

Are you giving me top tips?

Catherine, you can't play it safe.

VO: They're gliding around the country in this very French left hand drive 1970 Citro n DS 20.

Oh I have a beret.

I could put a nice little beret on you.

We should be all like hee haw hee haw hee haw.

Oh, c'est bon.

We have gone from Birmingham to France in two seconds.

I am with Ze great Catherine.

Haw haw haw.

VO: Ha ha.

Famed for its smooth ride... PS: It's an absolute doddle.

VO: Ah, told you so.

It is.

What's this bit for?

That's the gear lever.

VO: Well done.

VO: This pair's road trip kicks off in Coleshill in Warwickshire, meanders around the Midlands before heading due south to the tip of Cornwall.

Then nips briefly into South Wales and finishes up for an auction in Wells, Somerset.

VO: Today our experts are in Coleshill and they'll end up at auction in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Lovely.

CS: If you were a car... Yeah, I would not be a Citro n. Would you be something sleek and classic or would you be an old banger?

I'd probably be an old banger, wouldn't I?

Think you probably would, actually.

Hey, that's not very nice.

(SHE CHUCKLES) VO: The Warwickshire market town of Coleshill was first settled during the iron age.

It's home to the parish church of St Peter and St Paul, one of the finest in the county.

Catherine's first stop is here, Remember When.

But hang on, what's this?

Wool.

Am I in the right place?

You certainly are.

Most definitely.

Catherine.

And you are?

Pleased to meet you.

I'm Kim, welcome to Remember When.

This is em... different from the norm.

It is.

The antiques is my profession, the wool is my hobby, and we decided to combine the two.

Well I'm going to give this a go then, the antiques, but if I don't find anything, I'm going to come back and I'm going to buy lots of chunky wool.

Yes, that's fine.

And knit myself a blanket to wear in the car, yeah?

I want to look at the wool.

This is fabulous.

VO: Come on Catherine, you're here for antiques.

I'm going to restrain.

I'm going to look at the antiques.

OK. VO: Good job.

Meanwhile... VO: ..Philip has made his way to the Moseley area of Birmingham, VO: the childhood home of Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien.

His first opportunity to shop is here, the Moseley Emporium, run by a nice chap called Maurice.

Maurice, how are you?

I'm fine thank you, how are you?

Yeah, really lovely to be here.

Yeah?

Looking for something for very very specific.

OK. What I'm looking for is a really large profit.

OK?

Aren't we all?

That's what I'm looking for.

I sort of kind of know what I want but... Yeah.

I'll leave you to it then.

You have a wander and I'm here if you need me.

I like your flags.

You've got some more here.

Are all your flags for sale?

The flags are all a part of the decor.

That'll be a no then.

Yeah, irreplaceable aren't they, really?

And they cover bad patches up.

# You ain't nothing but a hound do- # Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much.

VO: Hey!

A little less conversation, Philip.

Get back to the job in hand.

Tell you what, that F plan diet's a winner, innit?

What's the food like then, mate?

Doesn't say much, does he?

No.

How much is he, Maurice?

I like him.

Again, what have you done?

Oh no.

You've picked the piece that's a part of the shop.

VO: Bad luck Philip.

But what's in here then?

Now that is just ridiculous, isn't it?

Utterly ridiculous.

VO: What's up, Philip?

It's come out of a garage, I would imagine.

Out of a factory, yeah.

Out of a factory.

And it's had tools and all the rest of it in it.

And now, this piece of 1950s industrial metalwork... Bang on, yeah.

..is now worth more than a Victorian mahogany chest of drawers.

Absolutely.

The world's gone mad.

That's a cool thing but I'm not sure it would be sensible to buy that here and take it to a country auction.

That wants to go to London, doesn't it?

You're the expert, Phil.

What did you just call me?

An expert.

Don't you start using that sort of language, Maurice.

What I want to ask you, Maurice.

Yeah.

These stoneware barrels.

Yeah.

I'm thinking they're probably part of the shop?

(LAUGHS) No, you're lucky.

No, really?

You've actually picked on something that I can sell you.

How much are they?

Well that one's 35 and the top one's 25.

So that's 35 is it?

Yeah.

OK, there's a possibility there, isn't there.

We'll keep it as a possibility.

What we need to do is convert possibilities into probabilities.

Absolutely.

VO: Back in Coleshill, Catherine's finally found the antiques.

Toys, lots of toys.

Yes, that is my specialty, toys.

Especially dolls and teddies.

And do you knit them little cardigans and things?

I have been known to.

Oh, little matching woolly hats.

VO: Ah, that's nice.

(BLEATS) That sounds like a sheep or a cow.

That does not sound like a teddy bear, which is what it's supposed to sound like.

That is not a good sound.

(IMITATES BLEAT) I'm going to have that in my head all day long now.

VO: Hm.

She's easily distracted at times.

I do like your little lady's RAF compact.

Yes.

And then I also spotted down there another compact.

Right, OK, the large one.

Compacts are collectable.

It's nice to have that RAF emblem on it, which is super.

VO: Ticket price, 18 smackers.

Oh it's made by Stratton.

It's a common name, as you know.

I mean it's ones that you find all day long.

OK, that is a possibility, along with that one.

May I have a look at that one as well?

You certainly can.

VO: Kim's priced this second compact at £36.

And Vogue, you've put Vogue, why?

Because is it actually stamped?

It is marked.

What have you put this out as?

40s?

I think it's 1948.

I've actually done some research on it.

Because it is in remarkably good condition for being...

It's in a very good condition.

..forties, isn't it?

May I put these two aside?

You certainly can.

I don't know if you would perhaps do a little... something on those.

We won't talk money yet.

I'm sure we can do something, Catherine.

Yes, I'm sure we can.

Kim, you and I are going to get on very well.

I'm also looking at these.

The amber beads, yeah.

The thing is, you've got to be so careful with amber, as to whether it really is amber.

There's so many different ways that you can tell.

Some people say get a basin of water, drop them in, they will sink and then if you put salt in or something they will float, but I often find the only way to really tell is to get a pin and just touch it and if bits start coming off then it is amber.

VO: Careful, all breakages must be paid for.

Oh, you've got a pin.

I have a pin.

Let me see.

You don't mind me doing this?

No, of course not.

You have to check, because otherwise I could be doing... You need to...I know.

I know.

So, if we just prick that into there and you can see instantly it fragments.

I think we can safely say that they are amber.

But as you know, they're not the most collectable color.

It's more that butterscotch that is more desirable.

And I think also they do look a little bit slightly worse for wear.

65, you've got quite a lot on that though, haven't you?

OK. Can I put those to one side as well?

Yes.

I'm going to give you whole shop to hold in a minute.

It's all right.

This is good for me, I've only been in the shop a few minutes, I've picked out three things.

VO: You're so decisive, Catherine.

Over in Moseley, though, Philip's still taken by the stoneware barrels.

Oh, he does love a barrel.

What you really want is buy one get one free.

That'd be the ideal deal here.

VO: BOGOF.

Maurice is too canny for that.

So what I want to look for... ..is I just want to see if there's any cracks in it.

This is salt glazed stoneware.

And I quite like this.

This is going to date to about 1880, 1900.

Just a little bit before my time.

VO: Just a tad.

This would've been a spirit barrel in a pub or something like that.

You see these often with little upholstered tops put on here.

It converts them into a stool.

I think it would dress or decorate an old kitchen, that type of thing.

It's a bit old school but I quite like it.

I like that one barrel upstairs.

OK.

The big one.

That was the 35 quidder.

Well I'll be truthful with you, it's been here a while.

25's... £20 that's it finished, end of deal.

I've always said you were one of the finest blokes, Maurice.

Haven't I always said that?

I've always said that.

VO: Oh yes, flattery gets you everywhere.

£20 seals Phil's first deal.

Go on then.

I'll have the big one.

You've actually made me cry.

God, Maurice, don't start.

Right, let's see if we can find something else first.

I better...

I'll pay you for that first.

If you want to.

Hold on, mate.

You might forget, you see.

VO: Maurice has got the measure of you.

Thank you.

VO: One deal done.

But Maurice knows Philip likes a bit of rust.

And there's a potential sale to be had in his workshop.

Maurice, is that one of those like what we saw upstairs?

It is, but it's in the unfinished state.

Turns into a lovely piece of furniture in the end though, doesn't it?

Really.

Yeah.

If you want spend a day and a half putting it right.

So I'm guessing that most of your value in these is labor?

Absolutely.

A lot of labor goes into everything.

A lot of labor.

And people don't realize that.

So if there's no labor gone into it, that could be really cheap?

Oh, you naughty boy!

(LAUGH) For me, as it stands, it's 20 quid.

Ooh, 20 quid, you're making me cry.

That would be the finish for me as well.

I tell you what, you can take it away for 20 quid.

Go on, you're a star.

Thank you very much indeed, Maurice.

And yourself.

There you are, let me give you some money.

I... You can give me more if you like.

No, no, no, no.

I think that's just lovely.

The thing is, is Salisbury ready for a rusting tin cabinet?

VO: (LAUGHS) We'll soon find out.

You take care, thanks very much.

Please call again.

Cheers, bye bye.

Bye bye.

See you again.

Bye.

VO: Down the road in Coleshill, Catherine is still looking through Kim's cabinets.

I didn't know whether you might be interested in the miniature domino set, the little mahogany box.

Do you know what, I did see that.

I did see that.

Is it bone or is it ivory?

I believe it's bone.

Right, OK.

I don't think it's ivory.

Well, may I have a little quick look?

You can.

VO: Ticket price, £32.

These are complete, aren't they?

Yes.

They are.

OK.

Impossible to get out, aren't they?

You need the little tiny fingers to go with it.

If they're bone you normally get these lots of little flecks, so you can see but I'm not sure that they are bone, you know.

I think they might be ivory.

VO: Today the trade in ivory is illegal.

However, items can be bought and sold as long as they predate 1947.

These dominoes were made sometime in the early 1900s.

I thought maybe the price was a little bit high for what they are.

I know that sounds mean, but I thought hmm, maybe not.

And I was just not sure.

But you're kind of convincing me.

You're good at this.

You're obviously a very good saleswoman.

I do try.

I do try.

Can we have a little chatette about these pieces?

Yes.

I thought what I might do is perhaps buy those compacts and put those together as one lot.

Now you've... Oh dear, we've lost the tag.

What a shame.

VO: Kim's not going to fall for that old chestnut.

We've got £18 for that one and 36 for that.

So what could you do on those then, Kim?

What do you think?

KIM: 45?

In an ideal world, I'd like to tuck it a little bit under 40.

Right, OK. 38.

OK. 38.

If that helps you.

And the domino set?

It's a nice piece.

25.

25 on those.

OK. And what about the amber?

See I think I'd like to go quite low on those.

Really because of the condition.

KIM: How low is low?

CS: How low is low?

Well you tell me.

What do you think?

All right, OK. What do you think is reasonable?

40.

I don't have a problem with those, that's the only thing I would prefer.

If you can't do it, don't worry.

What about 35?

Yeah.

I think we'll give a go on those, shall we?

OK. Yeah.

And I have absolutely no idea what that's added up to.

It is... £98.

God, you're good at this.

Thank you very much.

You're very welcome.

CS: Thank you.

KIM: Very welcome.

VO: Kind Kim has agreed to a £53 discount, giving Catherine her first three lots for auction.

Can I go and have a look at your knitting now?

You can.

Can I have a look at all the wool?

I've been dying to do that.

Forget the antiques.

Let's go and look at the wool.

VO: Let's leave the lady in the hat, and find out where the fella in the scarf has got to.

Philip is on his way into the center of Birmingham, to find out how a local had a big hand in the development of lawn tennis.

You must be Bob.

Morning, Phil.

How are you?

Good to see you.

Good to see you.

Would you like to come in?

I'd love to.

Yes, please.

VO: At the Library of Birmingham, local historian Bob Holland has been piecing together the story of Harry Gem, who lived and worked in the city during the 19th century.

He was born in 1819 and Harry was a great sportsman.

He was a swimmer, he was a runner, he played cricket, he was a rider, he played racquets down in the center of Birmingham.

PS: He was a sportsman.

BOB: Very much so.

When he was the secretary of the racquets club down in Bath Street in Birmingham, he met a Spanish guy called Augurio Perera, who lived in Edgbaston, who was also a great racquets player.

VO: This meeting would prove instrumental in the development of a new game.

BOB: And the two of them got their heads together and they were looking at the idea of inventing a game which they could play outside.

VO: The advent of Indian rubber allowed balls to bounce on grass for the first time.

And the Victorian obsession with croquet meant there was no shortage of lawns to use as courts.

The two friends started to develop their new game.

The particular book here in the Birmingham library is the... what's known as the Gem scrapbook.

And basically it's interesting items through Gem's life.

This particular page is open at his rules of lawn tennis.

And when did they first appear in public?

This particular set of rules appeared in November 1874 in Field Magazine.

Is that Gem's court?

That's Gem's court, yes.

The net looks a lot bigger.

It is actually, it's four foot high from side to side.

And the modern net is only three feet.

And whereabouts was this court first set up?

This was in the garden of Perera's house in Ampton Road, Edgbaston.

Where's that?

Which is just yonder there.

About a mile and a half.

Mile and a half that way?

Absolutely.

Literally as the crow flies.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So is that court still there or...?

It has a garden at the back of it, but the area of grass where they would have laid out their court is still there.

I don't suppose we could... We can, most certainly.

I know the owner so we can go over and have a game.

Bob, lead on, Bob.

Bob, this is clearly a really special piece of grass, isn't it?

It is indeed.

This is really the spiritual home of lawn tennis, where two gentlemen took up two racquets and devised a game which is very similar to the modern game of lawn tennis.

VO: When the All England Croquet Club started playing tennis they adopted rectangular courts similar to Gem's.

The croquet club then became the All England Lawn Tennis Club and the rest, as they say, is history.

Chris Elks shares Bob's passion for early racquet sport.

Chris, this is your collection?

Yes, it is.

Part of it.

And you've almost got a...

I suppose a history of the racquet here.

That's right.

Out of all these racquets, the thing that I love is that racquet on the end because that's just a work of art, isn't it?

All of the other racquets were played with by men essentially, and of course ladies bring a special aspect to tennis, don't they?

Yeah, absolutely.

No self respecting male would pick up that racquet to choose to play with.

I love this.

Is this some kind of cleaner or washer or something?

This is a ball cleaner.

Balls were actually more difficult to make than racquets.

As you can see, this is an old tennis ball, and you would keep them clean by placing it like this and then giving a quick turn and scrub.

VO: Now it's time for a knockabout, but when it comes to sport ex PE teacher Philip has got a really competitive streak.

I think I go in with an advantage here because what Bob doesn't realize is that I've stuffed him up with some old racquet, and I've got a new one so hopefully I'm going to win it.

Oh hi, Bob.

All right?

Yes, fine.

Got some balls.

Oh, excellent stuff.

Right.

Off we go then.

This isn't working out too well really, is it?

Hey, less of this spin stuff.

VO: It looks like Philip is channeling the spirit of Harry Gem for this game.

Oh, get in there!

There we go, Bob.

Excellent stuff.

But I've got to go and buy antiques.

Thank you very very much indeed.

Thank you.

Not at all.

No but that's been absolutely fantastic and I have to say, as courts go, that's a real gem.

Thank you very much.

VO: Meanwhile Catherine has travelled to the Warwickshire village of Middleton.

It's the home of the Middleton lakes nature reserve, which boasts over 100 different species of birds.

Catherine's second shop today is in Meadowview Antiques and she's got £102 left to spend.

CS: Oh hello.

SHOP OWNER: Hi Catherine.

Who might you be?

I'm Mike.

Hello Mike.

You've got a lot of stuff in here.

Have you got any space in here?

Only the ceiling.

This is absolutely rammed, isn't it?

What I like is that everything looks very different.

We don't buy run of the mill things.

That's why.

You don't buy run of the mill.

We're very choosy in what we have in the shop.

She's impressive, old Marilyn there.

Yeah.

That came from up north.

It's 1957, Seven Year Itch.

And what is it?

It's fiberglass with a concrete bottom.

Ooh!

They used to have them in the foyers of the cinemas.

£2,000.

Yes.

Well if you can come down to 100, I'll have it.

VO: Cheeky.

I'm worried that I might not have enough money left because I've already bought a few things.

VO: I'm sure Mike has something hidden away that's within your budget.

OK.

I shall be back.

No problem.

Thanks, Mike.

Ooh, knickers.

Looking up her skirt.

VO: Leave Marilyn alone.

Saucy.

Look at this.

This is the most gorgeous, gorgeous thing.

Look at that.

I love it.

I just remember my mum having exactly the same vacuum cleaner.

That is just the best.

It would make no money at auction but that is just fantastic.

Look at that.

Blimey.

Must be some sort of advertising thing.

I do like to come in somewhere like this where you haven't got run of the mill, like a box of matches, an oversized box of matches and a vacuum cleaner for a child.

CS: Mike?

MIKE: Yes?

Can I ask you about this tennis racket?

I love this.

Harrods themselves used to have so many tickets for Wimbledon, which they used to give to their best customers.

Best clients, right.

And they used to make up a bag and give them one of those tennis rackets as well.

So we're talking...what?

Are we talking the 60s, the 70s?

I would say 70s.

70s.

Yeah.

Yeah, probably looks more 70s, doesn't it?

MIKE: And it's in immaculate condition.

It's in lovely condition, isn't it?

So does this come with anything else?

Does it come with a free Wimbledon ticket for me?

It could do.

CS: Does it?

Does it?

MIKE: It could do.

Have you got...and strawberries and cream?

Mike, what can this be?

We've got 58 on it, but I'd you it for 30.

Can you do 25 on it?

Go on, I'll let you have it for 25.

CS: Can you?

MIKE: Yeah.

I really like that.

And do you know what would be even better?

Seeing the look on Phil's face when I turn up with this.

He is going to be so jealous.

VO: I think Philip's probably had enough of tennis for one day.

Right, I want to spend more.

What do I want to buy?

VO: Well, this gold and mother of pearl magnifier with a bullseye lens looks nice.

It's very strong glass.

You can read the hallmarks on it.

I'll give you a ring so you can see for yourself.

Because sometimes they're not particularly good, are they?

No, they're not very powerful.

So you should get pretty good magnification.

Yeah.

You can read that perfectly.

You've got 65 on this.

What would be your...

I'll do it you for 40.

Would you?

Do you think I've got a chance at 40?

I would say you've definitely got a chance because you've got to ask yourself, where would you buy another one?

Where have you seen another one?

I mean you see magnifiers all the time.

But not like that.

But not A, not as miniature like that.

No.

And B, not with such a beautiful handle and C...why am I telling you all this?

Because the price is going to go up again.

This would be my fifth item.

I'm kind of really steaming along today, buying lots of items.

I'm just thinking whether I should step back a bit.

MIKE: That should make a lot more than £40 in auction.

Go on then.

Going to go for that?

I am.

I'm going to shake your hand.

OK. Oh, that's a very soft shake.

Yeah.

Let's have a real manly shake.

So how much is it I owe you, my friend?

Only 65.

Only 65, he says.

60.

80.

There's your change.

Thank you, thank you.

Wonderful, thank you very much.

Yeah, thank you.

VO: Well, Catherine's been busy, she's bought five items to end the day's shopping.

For now, it's time to say night night.

So, night night.

VO: Morning all.

Catherine's in the driving seat today.

So watch out.

There's some sort of petrolly smell going on round here.

It's a sign.

You sure?

Yeah because...

This feels like I should be going into third now.

Well go on then, go into third, if you...up and away from you.

Up.

Phil, put it in third for me.

Foot on the clutch.

Oh yeah, forgot about the clutch.

That's why.

That's why it wasn't...

There we go.

The arm rest has come off in my arm.

VO: Lordy!

Let's have a catch up on the shopping so far.

Catherine has been busy.

She's got five lots - the magnifier, the amber beads, the mini dominos, the pair of compacts, and the mini tennis racket, leaving her £37 to spend today.

Does it come with a free Wimbledon ticket for me?

VO: As for Philip, he bought a stoneware barrel and an industrial steel cabinet.

That could be really cheap.

Oh you naughty boy.

VO: Leaving him £160 to spend, if his nerves can hold out.

You know people talk about those near death experiences?

Yes.

When they just see the end of their life looming before them.

I never thought it would take the form of a Citro n. VO: Today our two experts are starting off in the village of Wootton Wawen, located in the county of Warwickshire.

VO: The most famous landmark around here is the cast iron aqueduct that carries the Stratford Upon Avon canal across the village.

CS: Stopping.

Stopped.

PS: Oh, that's a relief.

Stopped.

VO: Oh yes.

First stop of the day is at the aptly named Antiques Shop.

And with a moniker like that I've high hopes for Philip.

Good luck.

Reverse.

All right!

PS: Reverse.

CS: Go.

Hello?

Hello.

Hi, how are you?

Phil.

Hi there.

I'm fine.

Good to see you, good to see you.

And you.

This is Phil, my business partner.

Phil, how you doing?

Good to see you.

What can we do for you today?

Well, you can find me something that's got a profit in it, that's what you can do.

This is interesting.

I'll tell you what it's for.

You put that on a piece of flesh or skin and you press that, which has now perished, and when it expands it sucks the skin up.

You've got some sort of nasty carbuncle or something, I think that's designed to get it off.

VO: Not a pretty sight.

Let's just leave that out, because that might be a possibility.

Let's go and have a look outside.

See that's ideal.

That's a nice thing.

Butterchurn isn't it?

Yeah, butterchurn.

A lot of these are made in Chippenham in Wiltshire.

Were they really?

Yeah.

And very often, you lose the stand.

220.

I do like this.

Really quite ornate, isn't it?

VO: Put your back into it, Philip.

Yeah, it's a good looking thing but for me to make a profit I'm going to have to bid you really, really low on that.

We're not shy.

Well I'm looking at 60 quid.

How shy are you now?

We're quite embarrassed.

Yeah?

I'm not.

(LAUGH) VO: We'll leave Philip negotiating.

I wonder what Catherine's up to.

I have got all the time in the world because I've got five rather nice objects.

VO: She's headed into Stratford Upon Avon, Shakespeare's old stomping ground.

She's tamed the Citro n, look.

When there's no traffic, it's actually quite lovely.

I want to show Phil how it's done.

It's a little bit...driving any type of car, I will show him how to drive a Citro n and drive it well.

VO: Tres bon.

Catherine has £37 left to spend here in Henley Street Antiques Centre.

So let's just get things straight.

I don't really need to buy anything.

VO: Don't speak too soon.

Oh now, this is cool.

Deal of the month.

This is fantastic.

£95.

How much have I got left?

VO: I just said, £37.

Maybe I'll just buy just one.

One drum.

(DRUMS) That is fantastic.

Right, I'm going to walk away, because I can't buy it.

"Philip Serrell was here with all best wishes".

Did he seriously write on this wall?

That's terrible.

What a vandal!

VO: Graffiti from a previous road trip, the scamp!

It seems like Catherine's all shopped out.

You never know though.

I think I'm probably going to quit, and call it a day.

VO: And, I suppose if you can't beat 'em... VO: Back in Wootton Wawen, Philip's been browsing the cabinets.

What's he found?

I used to love that book as a kid.

I used to read it for hours and hours and hours.

Mr Crabtree Goes Fishing.

I like that.

Look at this, his son was Peter, Peter used to go fishing with Mr Crabtree.

I love that.

I absolutely love that.

I need to have a ruminate here because I really like your butterchurn, it's what you can do it for, and just for old memories for me, I like Mr Crabtree.

Yes.

80 wouldn't do the two for you?

So you're saying Mr Crabtree and that at 80 squid?

Yeah.

You have been very, very generous to me and I'm very appreciative of that.

Yeah, go on, £80 the two.

You've been very, very kind to me.

And I...You know, this is really sad, I'm more excited about this.

VO: Philip paid £75 for the butterchurn and £5 for the book.

Great discount.

Two, four, six, eight.

You've been really kind.

Thank you very very much.

Thank you.

Lovely to see you.

Thank you.

VO: Catherine meanwhile, has finished shopping so she's headed Redditch to hear a little local history.

Incredibly by the late 1800s, 90% of the world's needles were being made in the town.

Catherine is visiting the Forge Mill Needle Museum and meeting curator Jo-Ann Gloger.

Hello Jo-Ann.

JO-ANN: Hello.

CS: Lovely to meet you.

Thank you.

So where are we here, what are these buildings all about?

Well this is the only remaining water-powered needle scouring mill left in the entire world.

VO: Victorian Redditch was located close to manufacturers that needed a constant supply of needles to help them make their products.

JO-ANN: You've got a fantastic leather industry over at Walsall.

Kidderminster for carpets, of course, very famous, and then you have the gloving trade over at Worcester.

You've got Nottingham for lace.

So you've got all these industrial markets, plus the domestic demand as well.

VO: In 1859 the Redditch needlemakers really hit the jackpot when the railway came to town.

It meant that a lot of people could set up in business in the Redditch area and by 1869 we've got recorded 117 companies big and small in the Redditch area, which is amazing.

VO: At the height of needlemaking in Redditch, the town was producing 100 million needles every week.

All needles start their life as large coils of wire.

You can see how thick it is.

Just feel that, yeah?

Now from here it has to be drawn down and that's making it thinner and longer and look at that, look at the difference from there to there and from here it gets cut and then the pointer will then point the wires.

VO: The pointers used grindstones to sharpen the ends of the needles.

But it was not without risks.

It was a very, very dangerous job.

I mean, their life expectancy wasn't much beyond the age of about 30, 35.

He's breathing in a lethal mixture of dust from the grindstone and metal dust from the wire, so it's all going down into his lungs and within two or three years he'll be coughing up blood.

It was pretty horrible.

If they knew these kind of conditions, why did they do it?

For the money.

They were very, very well paid because they knew it was such a dangerous job.

They were earning two and three guineas per week, which in Victorian times was a great deal of money.

So how many needles could he point a day?

Something like 10,000 needles per hour.

Per hour?

Wow.

What's next?

Right, putting the eyes in.

Have you ever wondered how they put eyes in needles?

Well, I must admit I haven't...

I haven't laid awake at night wondering about that but now you come to mention it.

You can see we have a punch here.

And it's got some impressions of where the eyes are going to be made, so the kickstamper as his name was, he would actually put the wire like that, comes down and he's going to make the impression of where the eyes are going to go.

Oh so he's put his foot in a pedal and he's going...

He's put his foot in a stirrup and he's letting the hammer come down and he's making the impression.

Fifty kickstamps per minute on a 30lb drop hammer.

That's amazing.

VO: There were over 30 separate stages including being heated in ovens, dipped in oil and left to dry.

The end of the process was to clean and polish the needles, known as scouring.

As you can see, the needles up to this stage were very very dirty.

Just look at that.

So how did they get cleaned?

You would then put them into a long trough with some sacking in it with some powdered stone and some soft soap.

You would then put the set of needles into the scouring beds and then the scouring beds press on top of it and it's rubbed and rolled and the emery takes the grime away.

And how long does that process take?

Round about eight hours.

Eight hours?

Yeah.

VO: Then all that was left was to do was to sift the needles out.

Ready?

No.

Hopeless.

VO: By the middle of 20th century the industry was in steep decline due to cheap imports and falling demand.

But Redditch will always be synonymous with needle making.

VO: Meanwhile Philip has made his way to Fladbury in Worcestershire.

He's visiting his final shop, which is run by an old business chum.

Mr Humphries, how are you?

Mr Serrell, I'm very well.

All I would say to you is, and I know that you come to my sales regularly, I do not want to buy anything that I've sold you.

Because that would be really embarrassing.

You've got a lot of stock, haven't you?

I tell you what, Phil, I like to keep it well stocked, but I turn it over well as well.

Is that dear?

Depends what you call dear.

Well I can tell you how much money I've got.

Go on then.

Depends... Well I'll tell you then.

I've got 80 quid left.

That's dear then.

Is it?

That's out of my range?

Yeah.

OK. Oh, I like those as well.

They're just weathering nicely, aren't they?

Yeah, I know just how they feel.

VO: You and me both, Philip.

Ticketed at £275, they're still out of Philip's budget.

Is Ian feeling kind?

You might be able to buy those actually.

Really?

They're basically a pair of concrete dogs, aren't they?

Greyhounds, aren't they?

VO: They're not going to win many races.

But they're so heavy.

Are they hollow or are they all solid casts?

No.

They're solid.

Feel the weight.

They're concrete, aren't they?

Yeah.

Lord above.

So these might be 30, 40 years old.

I think so.

And those might be a possibility?

Might be.

Might be.

I just really like 'em.

They are quite nice.

And the other reason why I like them is because I had a lurcher.

Oh really?

Who was the absolute love of my life.

Myrtle the lurcher.

Oh bless.

I loved her to bits.

Can we get one outside?

I'll do that.

Do you mind?

Look at that.

There's a quick rupture!

It's a poor job that won't stand a good foreman.

I'm the foreman.

VO: Try telling Catherine that.

He's nice, isn't he?

You've got to buy it now.

VO: Down boy.

They come as a pair.

They're just weathering down nicely.

And they're going to one way now aren't they?

Yeah, they're going to go south.

That's where they're going to go.

They're going to go down to Salisbury.

You're a star.

Salis...

Fantastic.

Good man.

Thank you very much.

I better pay you, my friend.

VO: That last buy has Philip all spent up.

Sit down, Rover!

I'm just trying to train them.

Just trying to train them.

Sit.

Good dog, good dog.

VO: And the dogs are added to Philip's other buys - the stoneware barrel, a steel cabinet, a butter churner and a book on fishing.

He spent £200 on the nail.

VO: Catherine spent £163 on some amber beads, a miniature tennis racket, a gold magnifier, a miniature set of dominoes and a pair of compacts.

So, what did they make of each other's buys?

I think Catherine's done a really, really good job.

I just love that little tennis racket she's bought.

I knew it, I knew it, I knew it, I knew Phil Serrell would buy a butterchurn.

But for me the real jewel in the crown are those beads.

Amber.

I think they could be a three figure lot and she's paid next to nothing for them.

The rusty shelves, £20.

I would walk straight past them a million times.

£200, all in.

Oh dear.

VO: After setting off from Coleshill, our experts are now headed for auction in the city of Salisbury.

PS: Do you know what I think my cheapest buy was?

Oh, that shelf.

I bought this rusting tin thing.

Why did you buy that?

Well, I think that's bang on trend.

I mean you are looking at me now.

Bang on trend.

I am bang on trend.

Right?

I'm up there with the kids.

You've just got no vision, Catherine, no vision at all.

Worries me about you sometimes.

VO: Welcome to the Netherhampton sale rooms.

It's looking busy.

What does auctioneer Iain Soutar make of our lots?

My favorite is definitely the butterchurn.

Love it.

Always loved them.

If I had a house big enough to put one in I would have one.

Don't know what I'd do with it.

The mini dominos, very cute, very precise.

I think one or two people spotted them earlier and hopefully they'll do well.

They say like attracts like so the little pretty things are Catherine's and the larger, more ugly things are Phil's.

Probably enough said.

VO: I think so, Iain.

We've got a full house so quiet please.

Are you excited?

Our very first auction, isn't it?

I know but look how many people are here.

It's rammed, isn't it?

Absolutely heaving.

VO: First up it's Philip's fishing book.

Why did you buy that?

It's part of my childhood.

Is it?

Oh, so it's really old?

Right, here to be sold, we've got 50, 60, 30 or 40, 20. Who wants it?

Fiver.

Thank you.

£5, £6, £8, £10.

They all want it.

15.

18.

They all remember it from their childhood.

It's happy days, though, isn't it?

Happy days.

It went fishing with me.

At £20.

They all took the bait, didn't they?

They did.

VO: A bitter sweet result as Philip says goodbye to Mr Crabtree for a profit.

And actually, do you know what, that wasn't bang on trend, was it?

VO: Next up, Catherine's amber beads.

OK, so they've got 30 or 40, who's got 20?

£10 will you bid?

Got a tenner?

Ten.

Someone say something.

Oh come on.

Fiver?

Five I have, £5.

£6, £8, £10, £12, £15.

A long way to go.

15 on my left, 15 I have.

15, 15.

No.

These need to be about 60.

18, £20.

22, 25, 25, over here at 25, don't go shy.

No, more.

25, last chance, 25, being sold this time at 25.

Look, amber.

Real amber.

£25.

VO: Bad luck, first loss of the day, but there's plenty of time to make it up.

I don't much about amber, do I?

No.

VO: Next up, Philip's stoneware barrel.

Here to be sold, 30 or 40.

Aw, he's picking it up.

What a man.

Tenner.

Nobody want it?

Five's bid.

£5, £6, £8, £10, £12, 15, 18, £20.

Don't know why I'm being nice to you.

£20, £20, £20, 20, no one wanting it at 20, anybody else, 20, being sold this time then at £20.

VO: Phil's going to be drowning his sorrows.

That's a loss after auction fees are deducted.

You said you knew this auction.

Yeah, I didn't say I was any good at it though, did I?

VO: It's Catherine's miniature domino set next.

Shown there.

Who's got 50 for those then?

40 or 30?

Who wants them?

Who's got £20?

I'll start at 20.

Thank you, £20 I have, £20, £20, £20, £20, 20.

He looks like a man who plays dominos, doesn't he?

CS: Come on.

22, 22, 22, last chance, at 22, 22, 22, on 22, anybody else?

CS: Come on!

Going to go to sale this time then at £22.

VO: Another loss.

Bad luck, Catherine.

They were lovely.

They were lovely.

It is not my night tonight.

VO: And your compacts are up next.

Ten I have, 12, 15, 18, 20, 22, 25.

Come on.

With me, 28, £30.

£30 in the hat there.

CS: Oh don't stop at 30.

IAIN: £30 I have, 32?

What a shame.

At 32.

32 I have.

32.

In at 32.

35.

That's the spirit.

35.

38.

38, 38, last chance this lot.

38, 38, being sold this time then at £38.

Oh!

So near yet so far.

VO: A run of bad luck, Catherine.

They were nice too.

What's next though?

Ah, bang on trend.

Oh is it your rust?

Bang on...what do you mean?

Rust.

VO: Philip's metal cabinet is next.

Various interest.

Going to start the bidding at £10.

Ten I have, £10, £10, £10 with me, £10, £12, 15, 18, £20 with me.

He's got a commission on that.

22, 25, 25 with me, at 25, 28, 30.

What?

32, 35, 38, £40.

Bang on trend, you see.

Me and the kids.

How did you do that?

42.

At £42.

Look at that.

Get in.

Dip your bread.

VO: Blimey, he's just doubled his money.

Next, can Catherine's miniature magnifier be as successful?

IAIN: £50 somebody, 50, at 40.

CS: Come on.

Who's got 30?

Who's got 20?

20.

Ten if we have to.

Thank you, £10.

PS: Shall I put my hand up?

Can I put my hand up?

No.

PS: Can I bid?

CS: It's nine carat gold.

Can I bid?

Can I bid?

22, 25, 28, £30, £30 I have.

It's cheap.

I know it's...come on.

32, 35, 38, 40.

At £40.

42, 45, 48, £50.

Yes!

Oh!

55, 60.

60 at the back.

£60, 60 last chance.

Keep going, keep going, it's nine carat.

Anyone else?

Being sold this time then at £60.

Yours, sir.

Thank you.

Yes!

I love you.

VO: Hey, steady.

(LAUGHS) Well done, Catherine.

A nice profit.

Philip's butterchurn is next to go under the gavel.

What would people do with that now though?

Shove it in their garden.

Shove it in a big farmhouse kitchen.

Churn butter with it.

I don't know.

OK, got various interests.

I'm going to go straight in at £50.

He's got interest?

55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80.

Oh, Phil.

You've walked it.

80 with me.

£80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 100 with me.

Philip!

100, 105, 110.

Bid last if you want it sir, 110, 115, 120.

That is amazing.

120.

At 120.

I'm sort of quite pleased with that.

Anyone?

125.

130.

135.

He's still bidding.

135.

135.

That man by the door.

I'm out.

I hope you're bidding.

At 135, last chance, 135.

Going to sell this time.

He had a big commission bid on that.

At £135.

£135.

That's all right, isn't it?

VO: Philip's on a roll.

Can Catherine serve up a profit with her last lot?

Who's got £50 somebody?

50, at 40, 30, 20.

Come on.

25. Who wants it?

Who's got ten?

Thank you.

Ten I have £10, £10, £10, £12, 15, 18, £18 in front, £18 I have, £18, 18, 18, who else wants it?

18, don't let it miss you, 18.

No!

No!

Your last chance on this one.

Being sold.

£20 thank you.

At £20.

£20.

On my right, £20.

What?

Being sold this time then.

That's cheap.

IAIN: At £20.

CS: £20?

Not a lot of money, that.

How did that happen?

VO: Is that game set and match, to Philip then?

Or will his dogs let him down?

Two vintage lifesize stone greyhounds.

Could Rocket hold them up, please?

Hold them up, Rocket!

Here to be sold whether Rocket holds them up or not.

Right, who's got £100 for them?

70 or 80?

50 or 40?

£30 start me, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65.

65 on my left.

70, 75, 80.

You'll be fine.

80, 85, 90, 95, 100.

100 at the back, at £100 I have, 100.

That's amazing.

Any more for 100?

Last chance at 100.

It's break even.

Anybody else want to join in?

Being sold this time then at £100.

Really?

After commission, it's break even.

Should've held them higher, Rocket.

(LAUGHTER) VO: Well that last lot made a profit but where does that leave us?

Right, so we need to do some sums, don't we?

You've got loads of cash.

That's all I know.

Come on then.

VO: Catherine started with £200.

After paying auction costs she made a loss of £27.70, leaving her £172.30 to carry forward.

VO: Phil started with £200.

After paying all fees he made a profit of £59.94 - well done - leaving him £259.94 to spend next time.

You are a bit of a star, Phil.

And I have to take my hat off to you.

So where's the next auction?

Salisbury?

No, we're in Salisbury.

Can't we come back here?

VO: Cheerio chaps!

Next time on the Antiques Road Trip... Are we in Hampshire?

Do we talk posh down here?

Yeah, yeah.

VO: Philip plays rough.

Look at that, Matt.

Oh, look at that.

Instant discount for that.

VO: And Catherine's in heaven.

I am the queen of rust.

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