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Private Notes
Roo Irvine and David Harper begin their trip in Lincolnshire, where they find chocolate moulds and opera glasses. Roo takes refuge in a nuclear bunker, and David heads offshore.
A trip through Yorkshire and County Durham for Roo and David. Will an old fishing stool land a big profit, and can a parachuting clown make an impact at the Newcastle auction?
In Yorkshire, Roo learns about Victorian loos while David gets very excited about a vintage watch. Two brooches and a wooden cat go under the gavel in Dundee.
Roo’s head gets stuck in an antique while David buys a bull and an elephant. An eventful trip in Scotland ends with an ice cream and an Edinburgh auction.
A secret map once used by the RAF navigates David to potential profits while a fruity 350-year-old book gets Roo’s attention. Who will win the final auction in North Shields?
Newbie Irita Marriott brings Latvian flair to the game as she takes on Tim Medhurst in a sporting tour of the antiques emporia of Lincolnshire. One expert has a brush with the law.
Rookie Road Tripper Irita Marriott sets out to win, but wily Tim Medhurst hunts for rare items he knows will pique bidders’ interest.
In any case Irita’s in the pink, the ‘Suffolk pink’, and she’s on a mission to discover exactly what the authentic colour of the local charming cottages really is.
Meanwhile Tim is in canny mode, forking out but a fiver for one of his purchases. However, he’s also keen as mustard on a fine art nouveau piece that he hopes will boost his chances. In the middle of it all their classic car, the Reliant, proves it can’t live up to its name and after a break down Tim decides to have a little light relief at Irita’s expense.
Can Irita win again or will Tim come back with some mild-mannered vengeance? That remains to be seen as they gather at Knebworth House to watch their items go under the hammer.
Tim and Irita continue their tour of Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire, detouring to learn the history of British airships and taking up a unique opportunity for Irita to drive a 120 year old tractor.
Irita goes all out to spend money, splashing the cash on some fine silvery jewellery and a parasol of which Mary Poppins herself would be proud. By stark contrast, frugal Tim rummages in the bargain boxes and comes away from one shop having spent but £1 – was it a wisest buy of this trip?
While Irita pops her cork for a champagne bottle that turns into a pipe, Tim takes a fancy to an anatomical model. If only he didn’t keep dropping its lungs.
Hopefully their motor, a 1970s Reliant Scimitar, can carry them safely to their third auction.
Tim and Irita tour Somerset, acquainting themselves with public houses along the way; Tim to learn West Country skittles and Irita to take tea and unexpectedly find something to buy that’s hanging on the wall!
Newbie expert, Irita, detours to the golden age of sailing ships with a visit to a restored Victorian sail and twineworks, and continues her quest to find some fine porcelain in order to make a profit at auction. Tim is taken by some old apothecary bottles, even if he can’t say the word!
This time out, they both take a fancy to piggy themed items: Tim, a fine Liberty leather footstool; Irita, a porcine vesta case. Are they hot to trot? All will be revealed when their little piggies go to market. Or, as we call it, the auction.
Irita and Tim hit the road in their sporty Reliant Scimitar for the last leg of their trip. As they tootle around the south coast, Irita feels emboldened, but the clock is ticking, that’s the world’s oldest clock at Salisbury Cathedral.
Despite the drama of the impending finale Irita still finds time for a leisurely stroll along Bournemouth beach, to find out about those quintessentially British seaside fixtures: beach huts.
In the shops it’s a toss-up to see who can buy the cheapest bit of pewter, Irita’s collection of items being the bigger investment at only a tenner! Irita also fancies a table she knows Tim will hate, while Tim moves into Irita’s territory with the purchase of a fine Chinese vase.
The exciting Road Trip debut of a very familiar face! Antiques dealer Paul Martin finally gets behind the wheel of a classic car, accompanied by seasoned tripper and auctioneer Raj Bisram. Together the pair kick off their treasure hunt in an open-topped motor around the B-roads of Sussex.
Paul loves furniture and art, but what can he acquire with a modest £200? Raj’s keen eye for trends in the antiques biz means he’s simply looking for a profit-making bargain. Buying with the heart or head, which will prove successful at the Hampshire auction?
Their journey into the South Downs also allows time to investigate a mysterious giant chalk figure, and a welcome walk with the rare Sussex spaniel.
It is the second leg of this jaunt with debutant Paul Martin and his seasoned tripper chum Raj Bisram. Paul is a dealer and certainly knows his way around an antiques shop. Raj, meanwhile, is an auctioneer with a competitive streak and is not giving any dispensation to his new pal, a Road Trip rookie.
Our pair are sharing the driving duties as they head west in their open-topped roadster. Today’s treasure tour also includes a stop-off in the New Forest to learn about wartime despatch riders, and to hear about the man who donned diving gear to save Winchester Cathedral from collapse.
Clocks, cocktail trays and cap badges are picked up on this tour of Wiltshire and Dorset. Will Raj’s risky three-figure purchase of some rare jelly moulds cause him a wobble at the Didcot auction?
The third outing with Raj Bisram and Paul Martin. Given that it is dealer Paul’s very first Road Trip experience, it is a good thing he has his chum Raj alongside him in the classic roadster. Just how chummy they will be when the auction rolls around remains to be seen.
The pair explore the Cotswolds and the Mendips in style. Along the way, they discover the story of the fascinating Yorkshireman who not only discovered oxygen, but also had a big hand in the invention of the gin and tonic. Cheers to that! Raj also makes an unusual detour to paint his face on an egg.
In Somerset, Raj makes a purchase with a touching story, a father and son’s war medals. Paul, however, spots a bargain when he picks up an oil painting of a lifeboat. One expert’s buy makes over ten times its purchase price at a thrilling auction in Somerset.
Paul loves furniture and art, but what can he acquire with a modest £200? Raj’s keen eye for trends in the antiques biz means he’s simply looking for a profit-making bargain. Buying with the heart or head, which will prove successful at the Hampshire auction?
Their journey into the South Downs also allows time to investigate a mysterious giant chalk figure, and a welcome walk with the rare Sussex spaniel.
Raj Bisram and Paul Martin’s ‘Way Out West’ tour takes them to deepest Dorset, Devon, Somerset and beyond. Antiques experts and firm friends, our pair share a common goal: to make big profits at the auction in Worcestershire.
Along the way, Paul ditches the classic car to investigate the obscure, Somerset-based Victorian inventor of unmanned powered flight, before having a go at a bit of modern model aeronautics himself. For Raj, there is a trip into the city to find out about an historic 1960s struggle against racial discrimination, the Bristol Bus Boycott.
Both experts make profitable finds, with a mule based fairground ride and an exquisite English oak candle box, the star lots at auction.
It is the final leg of our journey with veteran tripper Raj Bisram and relative rookie Paul Martin. After an epic tour of the south and south west, their shopping and saleroom extravaganza concludes at a Palladian mansion in the Cotswolds.
The open-topped classic car transports our duo to Shakespeare country, Warwickshire, where dealer Paul and auctioneer Raj hope to acquire anything ‘going for a sonnet’.
They find out about alpacas and llamas, and discover the historical roots of ballet. The programme also features Incas, tutus and tights.
Antiquers Natasha Raskin Sharp and Steven Moore begin a brand new Road Trip adventure, motoring through North Yorkshire and Tyne and Wear in grand style behind the wheel of a 1960s Rolls Royce.
Steven flushes out a bargain while visiting the loo in one antiques shop, finding some 18th-century tea bowls hidden away by the toilet. A break from shopping sees Steven set sail to South Shields and learn about the incredible restoration of a quite remarkable lifeboat.
Meanwhile, indecisive Natasha makes a slow start, struggling to make a purchase before embarking on a spending spree and scooping up some fantastic buys including a pair of charming art deco vases. She manages to fit in an excursion to discover some secret tunnels and hear the murky past of those who once lived along the North Yorkshire coast.
A humble-looking 17th-century box becomes the star lot of the Newcastle auction.
Auctioneer Natasha Raskin Sharp and ceramics expert Steven Moore are on a whistle-stop tour of Tyne and Wear before wandering north to Northumberland.
Natasha wastes little time in the antiques shops, gambling her kitty like an 18th-century taverngoer buying some George III period gaming tokens. She ditches the 1960s Rolls Royce and sets off on a very unlikely safari to catch sight of an ancient creature that still roams the Northumberland plains.
Elsewhere, Steven moves at a more leisurely pace and indulges in some dressing up. He delights at a discovery of a 200-year-old sugar dish and buys a 1930s cuddly elephant. Steven even finds time for afternoon tea in an unassuming Alnwick hotel with a dining room that has the spectacular opulence of an Edwardian ocean liner and shares a close connection to RMS Titanic.
With the antiques shipped to a Dundee auction, our experts are on tenterhooks as the bids roll in.
Antiques experts Natasha Raskin Sharp and Steven Moore point their 1960s Rolls Royce north and to the Scottish Borders before heading on to Edinburgh for another auction.
Natasha wastes little time when shopping, enchanted by a tobacco barrel manufactured by a quality maker. She also decides to buy a travel case, but only after she discovers the velvet-lined secret compartment it hides within. Away from the shops, Natasha visits an area renowned for its luxurious knitwear and the heritage of a once-booming local industry.
Meanwhile, Steven may be in Scotland but his discoveries include a rare 18th-century teapot from Liverpool and an Italian glass vase. He also finds time to take in the sights at a site of international importance, where the Roman Empire found home in Scotland.
Steven flushes out a bargain while visiting the loo in one antiques shop, finding some 18th-century tea bowls hidden away by the toilet. A break from shopping sees Steven set sail to South Shields and learn about the incredible restoration of a quite remarkable lifeboat.
Meanwhile, indecisive Natasha makes a slow start, struggling to make a purchase before embarking on a spending spree and scooping up some fantastic buys including a pair of charming art deco vases. She manages to fit in an excursion to discover some secret tunnels and hear the murky past of those who once lived along the North Yorkshire coast.
A humble-looking 17th-century box becomes the star lot of the Newcastle auction.
With a swirl of tartan and a burst of the bagpipes, our Scottish tour continues in Fife with antiques experts Natasha Raskin Sharp and Steven Moore. The 1960s Rolls Royce glides the pair through countryside and town as they head from the east coast to central Scotland.
Natasha’s money reserves are dwindling, so she cautiously settles on a bargain piece of Scottish studio pottery. However, a canny buy of an arts and crafts-style lantern pays dividends at the auction in Hamilton. Natasha also finds the time to visit Kirkcaldy and hears the little-known story of how this Scottish town became a Victorian global powerhouse in, of all things, flooring manufacture.
Steven receives the red carpet treatment as he steps on board the Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith to learn the centuries-old customs of royal yachts. With almost £400 burning a hole in his pocket, Steven seeks out quality antiques, picking up silver teaspoons and spirit flasks. He also finds an intriguing item called a hate belt. Will the bidders love it?
It’s the final installment of Natasha Raskin Sharp and Steven Moore’s Road Trip around Scotland.
Natasha splashes out a three-figure sum on a single piece of silver. She also picks up buttons with a suffragist connection and a very charming brass tortoise. Shopping done, a hungry Natasha visits Cupar to find out why haggis has became a global delicacy synonymous with Scotland.
To Steven’s great joy, his first shop is a ceramics expert's dream. Amongst the china, he discovers a quite rare porcelain spirit flask. He too goes for broke, spending £140 on a Canton garden seat, though the damage and repairs may discourage bidders. It’s a gamble. Later, Steven detours to Dundee docks to step aboard one of the oldest and best preserved wooden warships in the world.
With just a few pounds separating Steven and Natasha, the auction makes for an exciting climax to this trip.
Steven flushes out a bargain while visiting the loo in one antiques shop, finding some 18th-century tea bowls hidden away by the toilet. A break from shopping sees Steven set sail to South Shields and learn about the incredible restoration of a quite remarkable lifeboat.
Meanwhile, indecisive Natasha makes a slow start, struggling to make a purchase before embarking on a spending spree and scooping up some fantastic buys including a pair of charming art deco vases. She manages to fit in an excursion to discover some secret tunnels and hear the murky past of those who once lived along the North Yorkshire coast.
A humble-looking 17th-century box becomes the star lot of the Newcastle auction.
It’s the start of a brand new antiquing adventure in the company of the bubbly Izzie Balmer and not so-bubbly Philip Serrell, taking the south east of England by storm, starting in Kent. Our chalk-and-cheese pair each have a £200 starting budget and a rather nippy sports car to get them to the shops.
Once they hit the emporia, Phil finds a novel use for a set of stepladders as he scoops up a few 'old school' antiques, one of which may not be quite what it first seems. Izzie leans toward her favourite small pretty things, but has a last-minute panic when she arrives at one destination to find the shops are shutting. They also indulge in some rocking horse riding, cat whispering and disagreements about scarf wearing.
On their travels, Izzie stops off at Tunbridge Wells for a spot of sightseeing and to find out how the town went from being a playground for royalty to one of the earliest examples of suburban living. Meanwhile, Phil heads to the Essex coast to meet the fishermen who are teaming up with scientists to revive the stocks of a very fancy seafood delicacy.
Then it’s on to the auction in Battle, East Sussex, to discover if all of their hard work will reap big rewards.
On the road in Essex, it’s the continuing tale of two auctioneers - youthful and exuberant Izzie Balmer and young-at-heart Philip Serrell. They clock up the miles as they pass through five counties in their old motor. They’re best of pals, but occasionally the generation gap does start to show a bit.
We go shopping with Izzie, who makes an effort to move away from her favourite tiny, shiny things and tries her luck with some ‘brown furniture’, usually much more Phil’s thing. Mr Serrell has a go at something new, encroaching into Izzie territory with some jewellery. They navigate past some tightly packed shops, security dogs and the occasional zombie.
Away from the shops, Izzie pops into Cambridge to discover how a chapel for a group of medieval outcasts was the starting point for one of the largest fairs in the country. Philip heads underground to discover an amazing chamber, just below a busy main road, the origins and purpose of which are a complete mystery.
Then it’s time to send their prized purchases off to auction in Hertfordshire to see if they can turn a profit.
It’s a very wild and waterlogged road trip as our pair of antiques experts, Izzie Balmer and Phil Serrell, brave the deluge around Oxford and the Cotswolds. Aside from bad-hair-day problems, they have to hope that their 60s soft-top is up to the challenge.
After her foray into 'Serrell country' last time out, Izzie is back in the cabinets, on the hunt for her favourite jewellery. Displaying some rather bizarre browsing behaviour, Phil decides to try his luck with an item that was lost at sea for over 200 years.
As well as their trusty Triumph, our pair tries out some alternative modes of transport. Philip catches a train to find out the history of one of Britain’s earliest railway companies and how four schoolboys saved its steam engines from the scrapheap. And it’s puppy power for Izzie as she discovers how man’s best friend has helped people to get about and survive in the Arctic for millennia. But has she got what it takes to be a champion musher?
Then it’s time for their purchases to go under the hammer in Harrogate, to see who will win the day.
Once they hit the emporia, Phil finds a novel use for a set of stepladders as he scoops up a few 'old school' antiques, one of which may not be quite what it first seems. Izzie leans toward her favourite small pretty things, but has a last-minute panic when she arrives at one destination to find the shops are shutting. They also indulge in some rocking horse riding, cat whispering and disagreements about scarf wearing.
On their travels, Izzie stops off at Tunbridge Wells for a spot of sightseeing and to find out how the town went from being a playground for royalty to one of the earliest examples of suburban living. Meanwhile, Phil heads to the Essex coast to meet the fishermen who are teaming up with scientists to revive the stocks of a very fancy seafood delicacy.
Then it’s on to the auction in Battle, East Sussex, to discover if all of their hard work will reap big rewards.
Our travelling twosome, Philip Serrell and Izzie Balmer, hit the shops of Staffordshire and Shropshire in their penultimate outing. After going a bundle on brooches on the last leg, Izzie makes a vow to steer clear this time out. It doesn’t mean Phil can’t buy one though.
It’s gloves off and weapons at the ready as Izzie and Phil share not one but two shopping opportunities. Izzie’s new obsession turns out to be serpentine in nature as she gets her hands on a couple of snake-related items. For Phil, there’s a rather special bit of jewellery from a big-name designer that he has his sights on. There is also a spot of flag waving, some rummaging through other people’s drawers and a passable impression of a milkmaid.
Away from the shops, Izzie discovers the fascinating history of invention behind a certain field sport and has a go herself. Philip, meanwhile, comes face to face with one of Britain’s best loved wild animals, and finds out what is being done to save them from extinction.
Then their 1960s classic car whisks them off to a castle to watch their items go under the hammer. Can Izzie consolidate her lead, or will Phil come out ahead?
The final battleground for our intrepid auctioneers, Philip Serrell and Izzie Balmer, will be the antiques emporia of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. Whilst our pair celebrate their new found friendship, it doesn’t mean that they’ve lost their competitive streak - they’re both in it to win it. And it looks like the third member of the team, their classic car, might be restored to its former glory.
Phil, who has to play hunt-the-shopkeeper, has his eye on a few quality antique staples, as well as one hefty horticultural item. Meanwhile, Izzie finds herself in what could well be her perfect shop, containing lots and lots of her favourite sparkly pieces. But she also takes a shine to a particular maritime item that’s decidedly Serrell-esque. And is that the sound of wedding bells in the air?
On her travels, Izzie discovers the entire history of mill power, from wind to steam and back again. She also finds out that grinding flour by hand is not as easy as it seems. Philip visits an impressive war memorial, Britain’s newest, and learns the history of the fighting force that flew crucial and extremely dangerous missions from the airfields of Lincolnshire.
A magnificent Elizabethan country house provides the backdrop for their final face-off, but will a wise old head prevail over youthful exuberance?
