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

Which way are the bargains?

VO: ..behind the wheel of a classic car... Do you know where we are?

No.

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

Act one, scene one.

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

Ta-da!

VO: But it's no mean feat.

There'll be worthy winners...

Woo!

Happy dance!

VO: ..and valiant losers.

Heartbroken.

Close your ears.

VO: Will it be the high road to glory...

It's just delightful, isn't it?

VO: ..or the slow road to disaster?

VO: This is Antiques Road Trip.

VO: Yeah!

VO: Salve, Britannia!

It's just over 1,900 years since Hadrian put the very first stone in his wall.

Our experts have made it through one of the gaps.

DAVID: I love this part of the world.

What's your experience with Cumbria and the Lake District?

HETTIE: I have actually never been, but there are so many places I haven't been to, which is another reason why I'm loving the road trip.

It's brilliant.

What could be better?

VO: Exactly.

And just like the Romans, only much, much, much more peacefully, wingman David Harper, and at the wheel, Hettie Jago, will be getting curious about Cumbria.

Tell me something about the area that I don't know, then.

OK, so basically, I could tell you anything and you'd believe me.

Yeah, well, yeah.

Basically, yeah.

Fabulous.

VO: Well, one fact I have thoroughly checked is that the delightful vintage chariot they're piloting is a 1986 Mercedes 280SL.

Ha.

Anything else?

Oh look, there's some little lambs!

DAVID: It just fills you with the joys of spring, doesn't it, Hettie?

HETTIE: Yeah.

DAVID: It makes me hungry.

VO: David!

You can't say that, that's awful!

VO: Animal lover, auctioneer and dealer Hettie from Nottingham... HETTIE: Look at their faces!

VO: ..is a road trip newbie... ..although you'd never really know that.

Fore!

VO: While David, a dealer from nearby Northumbria, has done this just about enough times to be called a centurion.

DAVID: This is the Antiques Road Trip.

VO: See what I mean?

And after two visits to the saleroom, that experience seems to be telling.

£750, then... DAVID: Yes!

HETTIE: Wow!

Well done.

VO: There are still three auctions to go, though, and I'm sure the antique shops of the northwest can supply the buys Hettie needs for a fightback.

So, what might she plump for this time around?

HETTIE: Quite fancy buying a bit of furniture or something.

You can give me some advice.

Love to.

I like sort of mid-century, I like a bit of Ercol or something like that.

That's not your kind of thing.

VO: Whoops!

Remember, they started out with £1,500 each and Hettie still has 1,062 in her kitty... ..while David has spent a wee bit more and thus has £848 left.

They just have to make it last.

Hettie, this trip is flying by.

HETTIE: Yeah, I know.

DAVID: It must be... ..your super smooth, super fast driving.

VO: Sarcasm.

They started out north of the border and after shopping around Scotland and a dip into the Lakes, they'll land up in Lancashire.

But first, Cumbria.

We should buy some big, fat Cumbrian sausages and live like a native.

Yes, we should, yeah.

VO: But never mind the bangers, we begin in Brampton not far from the wall, yep, that's him alright, with a Grade I listed church.

And in the red sandstone former church hall... Gosh, don't you just love the pink stone of Cumbria?

I do.

It's lovely, isn't it?

Gorgeous, isn't it?

VO: ..this one's Grade II.

HETTIE: Gosh, it's huge, this place.

And look at this.

Oh!

VO: Lots of lovely antiques within as well, although it's up to our experts to grade those.

So it's a good job they still have plenty of cash left to spend at the Cumbrian Antiques Centre.

VO: They'll calm down in a bit, I'm sure.

Is it a good look?

I think I look like a Smurf.

I think it's the jacket.

VO: She needs a snowy beard.

Oh... Don't you just love anything in the world of antiques with a direct connection to a real person?

And there he is, on the plaque.

And it's the plaque that I'm drawn to more than the box.

"Corporal F Woodmass..." "B Company 3rd Camp Morpeth."

Northumbria.

If you look at a map, it's only just to the right hand side, so it hasn't traveled very far.

But then again, it's a military box.

VO: And would almost certainly have gone to France in the First World War.

30 quid.

Well, do you know what?

It's worth 30 quid all day long, and a bit more.

And actually, just going back to Corporal F Woodmass, it's just occurred to me it's very unusual to find a military box with a plaque on for a corporal.

It's a relatively low rank in the military, which makes it, to me, much more interesting than had it been for a major.

And its story's gonna continue because this box, Corporal F Woodmass, is coming with me to auction.

VO: Roger that!

Proprietor Steve will be the man to speak to later on.

Hettie?

Hm.

What do we have here?

This is really sweet.

It's a double inkwell, I believe, and a pen stand.

And it would've sat on your Victorian desk.

I'm sure it would look as lovely these days on a desk.

And the thing that I like most about this is the fact that it's got a dog on it.

It's some sort of hunting dog and dogs always appeal to people.

This one hasn't got a pen with it.

I'm not sure whether it would've originally come with a pen, but you probably would have had a lovely silver dip pen, a bit like this one, and you would have placed it in there as a pen rest.

VO: So, no pen and silver plated.

It's...probably late Victorian, I would say, probably 1880s, 1890s, but I really, really like it.

It's got £85 on the ticket price, which is a very fair price for it.

So that's definitely an option.

Hettie... Have you ever been serenaded before?

No, I haven't!

But you look like you're about to serenade me.

VO: Appears that he's gone all emperor Nero.

Not so much Paganini as Paga-ninny.

How is it so far?

That is beautiful.

Absolutely stunning.

I haven't finished yet.

I haven't finished.

(SCRATCHING SOUND) HETTIE: (CLAPS) Amazing.

Brilliant.

Thank you so much for that.

Here you go.

Anytime!

VO: Bravo!

I think.

Back to work.

One thing that always does really well at auction is anything enameled.

And there is this really sweet brooch in here.

It's really beautiful.

It's got this lovely engine-turned decoration, which gives it a 3D pattern to it.

It's nicely made.

I'm just looking on the back at the maker's mark.

I don't know who it is.

If it was made by David Andersen or Aksel Holmsen or one of the big Scandinavian designers, you'd be looking at bigger money for it.

VO: Those were both from Norway.

HETTIE: And there are two main things that I like about it.

Firstly, it's got £25 on the ticket price.

It is worth that any day of the week.

This could make 40, 50, £60, even more at auction.

It could absolutely fly.

But second thing I like about it is the fact that it's got this lovely hand painted floral decoration to it and the background is blue.

And I think it looks really, really nice with my jacket.

I'm not buying it for myself, but I would do.

VO: Time to talk turkey.

HETTIE: Hello, Stephen.

Lovely to meet you.

I found two things that I really like.

You've got a Scandinavian brooch upstairs.

You've got £25 on the ticket price for that, I'm happy to pay that.

The other item I like is the dog double inkwell.

You've got 85 on the ticket price.

Could that be any lower?

STEPHEN: I think we could probably do that for 75.

75.

OK. That's great, yeah.

Love to shake your hand at 75.

Thank you very much.

VO: Making £100 in total.

HETTIE: Thanks very much...

Thank you very much.

Cheers.

Bye.

VO: But while Hettie can now relax... Quite like this one.

VO: ..David's on the lookout for one more item to go with his campaign box.

Oh, wow.

That is a lump.

Now, let me tell you, a real antique.

Dates to the late 19th, very early 20th century.

VO: It's a charger.

DAVID: You can see it's copper, a rampant lion in the center there.

You've got the oak leaves and the acorns.

You can tell that this thing is handmade by a quality coppersmith, and so it's arts and crafts.

What've we got..?

"HW."

Is it Hugh Willis?

Hugh Wallis?

Let's have a look.

VO: A Cheshire metalworker.

And I think probably designed to hang on a wall rather than be a tray.

Let's have a look, and I'll take it round...

I'll take it off...

There you have it.

There's the hanging mechanism.

VO: Called a hook.

DAVID: Priced at 55 quid, it's just no money.

I love it, but now I'm gonna put my mercenary head on.

I think it should make substantially more in auction, so...it's going to auction.

VO: Back to Steve.

DAVID: Right, I'm desperate to buy two objects.

Good.

One, it's that little military strongbox.

Priced at 30, fine, I'll have that.

The second object is the Hugh Wallis arts and crafts, big, copper lump of a plaque.

STEPHEN: Fabulous.

DAVID: 55 quid... Can we... Can we take a trickle off it?

I suppose we could do it for 50, yeah.

Well, let's do that.

So I owe you 80.

VO: Nicely done, fellows.

Now, Hettie has 962... DAVID: Now, my purchases are very heavy.

VO: ..and he has 768, or an awful lot of duck food.

Do you like ducks, Hettie?

I do like ducks, yeah.

How can you not like ducks?

Well, I like ducks.

Especially with a nice sauce.

VO: David!

HETTIE: You are bad... (LAUGHS) DAVID: (LAUGHS) VO: After the lambs too.

DAVID: Now, what do you know about ducks?

Um, absolutely nothing.

Well, they're mallards.

I know that.

OK. VO: Could be teal.

Not exactly Wild Isles, is it?

At least they have proper food for them.

DAVID: Come on, ducks.

See if I can get them to feed out my hand.

Come on.... Hey, look, look, look, look.

Come on.

Oh, we've got some more coming in now.

HETTIE: Yeah.

Flooding in now, look at them.

DAVID: Here they are!

VO: One more beakful and they'll have to be off.

Ah, someone's getting back on the road.

And Hettie's keen to do just one thing, Catch up with David.

He seems to go for the quirky and the unusual.

I think I need to take a leaf out of his book, because I'm going with safe bets, so I'm going to try and buy some more interesting things, things that I don't know a huge amount about, and see whether that works out a little bit better for me.

VO: She's off to the Cumbrian capital of Carlisle... ..equally blessed with fine churches and also with an antiques shop in very close proximity.

HETTIE: Hello, Jen.

Lovely to meet you!

Hi, Hettie.

Nice to see you.

HETTIE: Who is this?!

JEN: This is Jet and Jet'll be your best friend in the world if you give him a treat.

HETTIE: Oh, OK.

Sit... VO: Plenty of non-edible treats at Cathedral Lodge Antiques too, which is probably just as well.

HETTIE: En garde... (CHUCKLES) VO: £962 at her disposal, remember?

This is really quirky, isn't it?

Don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it.

So it's obviously a rack to hold papers of some sort, and it's in the style of an artist's easel, which really appeals to me because I used to be an artist.

VO: She once painted pet portraits, you know.

HETTIE: And this all seems to be original.

I think it's probably circa 1900.

It's definitely arts and crafts movement.

But I like the fact that it's handmade and I'm looking at the screws here just to check whether it is actually of the period, and it seems to be.

So it's got £75 on it, which I think is a little bit too much for me, but I really like that and I'd have that in my house.

VO: So still browsing in Carlisle.

But what about several miles to the south... ..in the market town of Penrith... ..where Mary Queen of Scots was once held captive at the castle and David Harper's just about to rummage at Eclectic Antiques.

Our leader, with two auction wins under his belt.

He has £768 to spend.

Art deco, just take a look at that marble clock.

Now, it's circa 1925, 1930s.

It's a French thing, and if you look at the face and numerals around the outside edge, they're all winky wonky.

And I think that's absolutely fantastic.

In a way, it kind of sums up art deco.

Now, it's missing a couple of things.

It would be called, when new, a garniture set.

Three pieces, so you'd have the central clock for your mantelpiece and then you'd have two objects, maybe obelisks.

VO: It almost certainly doesn't work, either.

Price £35.

You've gotta think about condition as well, because they are notorious for chipping, and you're feeling for nicks and nibbles.

And in actual fact, it is nibble free.

I think it's drop-dead gorgeous and it's coming away with me.

VO: Barely a dent in his funds.

Anything else for sir?

I always love to have a really good root around little cabinets and boxes because you never know what you're going to find.

But this is interesting.

This little heart-shaped box is a bit novelty, isn't it?

And the antiques business love anything novelty.

It's absolutely, without a doubt, Bakelite.

So the first form of plastic, and it dates back to about 1907.

New York, priced at 50 quid.

Hang on, then.

This might be exciting.

Oh, and it has a nine carat ring.

VO: What a nice surprise.

I think the box is worth, bizarrely, more than the ring, even though the ring is solid nine carat gold.

And it is...coming with me to auction, aren't you?

(BOX CLICKS) Yes.

VO: Well, let's first speak to the boss.

DAVID: Alison, lovely to see... ALISON: Hello.

Nice to see you too.

I want to buy two gorgeous objects from you.

First one, dead easy, the art deco marble clock priced at 35.

So I'll...

I'll just have that.

Lovely.

Thank you.

But the second one I'm trying to just bring down a little bit, and it's that really sweet art deco DAVID: Bakelite ring box... ALISON: Oh, the ring, yeah.

..in the shape of a heart.

Lovely thing.

So, priced at 50.

I can do it for 45.

Brilliant.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

VO: Making that £80 in total... ALISON: Thank you.

VO: ..and leaving him with 688.

Now, let's get back to his chum in Carlisle, with another very nice shop to explore.

Just fishing for some antiques... Oh, we've got a whopper!

VO: Settle down, Jet, she doesn't mean real fish.

Off to another pond, and a cameo appearance.

Ahem.

Cameos are a funny sort of item because if they're set in jewelry, they don't sell particularly well.

But when you have a collection of mounted cameos, they sometimes make quite good money.

The idea of cameos and the carving of hard stone, or shell in this case, actually dates back to around the fifth century BC.

But these are probably 100 or so years old, and it's done in a relief way.

So you're carving away the excess material and it leaves behind the portrait.

VO: Also landscapes and other subjects.

I think, as a collection, they might do quite well at auction.

Someone will set it into jewelry.

It's a good way of re-purposing them, cuz on their own, what would you do with them?

But if someone bought them to maybe mount them into a brooch or a ring, there are some little, really tiny ones here that could be mounted into maybe a little pendant for a necklace or something.

Don't know how much these are because there's no tag on them, but if they can be the right price, then they're definitely an option, so I'll have to ask Jen.

VO: Lovely.

Anything else about to give a tug?

HETTIE: This is very pretty.

Gonna have a look at it.

It's a Georgian brooch.

It's a typical Georgian form.

It's got this very ornate border and it's rectangular and it's set with this lovely piece of agate.

And agate is basically just a hard stone.

It's a non-precious stone, but in the middle is what looks like it could be a citrine or it could be paste.

VO: Ticket price £45.

It's a beautiful brooch and it's got so much age to it.

This probably dates to the 1820s.

It's over 200 years old and in perfect condition.

It's so pretty and so wearable today.

Just gonna turn over and have a look.

Erm...There aren't any marks on it.

They just describe it as yellow metal, but it's so, so pretty.

And if that is a citrine that would be even better.

VO: Either way, it's in a nice box.

Jen, have you got a gem tester I can borrow, by any chance?

Oh I have, yes.

Just a minute Hettie, I'll get it for you.

HETTIE: Fab, thank you.

JEN: There you go.

I want to know whether it's a citrine or not.

Do you think it is?

JEN: Certainly looks like one.

We've not tested it.

OK.

Thank you.

Give it a go.

So if this moves up any bars on this gauge, then it means it is a citrine.

Yes... (WHISPERS) It is one.

Quite excited about this now.

VO: Well spotted.

HETTIE: Jen?

Hello.

JEN: Hi.

I've found two things that I really, really like.

This Georgian brooch is so beautiful.

I'm a bit in love with it.

What is your best price on that?

I think you've got 45 on the ticket.

Including the box, we can do it for 35.

(WHISPERS) 35.

OK.

I'm really happy with that.

And also you've got some unmounted cameos upstairs.

There's no price tag on those.

What could they be?

I've just put them out.

You can have those for £10.

£10!

Thank you so much.

HETTIE: I'll shake your hand.

JEN: Thank you.

VO: £45, then, please, for the brooch and the cameos.

Bye Jen!

Bye Jet!

JEN: Bye.

Bye.

HETTIE: (CHUCKLES) See you.

VO: Woof!

Leaving her with £917, and her road trip buddy to collect.

Am I handling the car OK, then?

DAVID: I actually think you are.

HETTIE: Thank you.

And I think it's becoming part of you.

DAVID: You are it, it is you.

HETTIE: I...I might get one.

I think you should.

VO: Quite a team, eh?

Nighty night.

VO: Rested and refreshed, our experts will today be getting closer to those lakes.

Do you like swimming, Hettie?

Um, no.

I'm not a very good swimmer, I have to say.

This suggestion, then, is gonna go down like a lead balloon.

HETTIE: What was?

Do you fancy going wild swimming...in the lake?

HETTIE: In the lake?

DAVID: Yes.

VO: I think that's a no, David... ..although she definitely did take the plunge with her shopping yesterday, acquiring a Georgian brooch, a cameo collection, a doggy inkwell... and an enamel brooch... And I think it looks really, really nice with my jacket.

VO: ..meaning she now has £917 in her pocket.

(DRUMS) While David also drummed up some deals, purchasing an art deco clock, a campaign box, an arts and crafts charger and a heart-shaped Bakelite box...

This might be exciting.

VO: ..with ring, leaving him with £688 to be going on with.

HETTIE: (CLAPS) Bravo!

VO: But are they getting wet?

HETTIE: In the lake?!

DAVID: Wild water...blobbing.

Have you never heard of it?

No, what is it?

You just blob into the water.

You make sure it's relatively shallow... HETTIE: Yeah... DAVID: ..and you blob around.

No, that still doesn't appeal to me, unfortunately.

VO: Why am I not surprised?

VO: Today our two reach the edge of the Lake District, kicking off in Cockermouth... ..birthplace of the Wordsworths, where Hettie will be hoping to get her money's worth - Ha-ha!

Sorry... at Colin Graham Antiques.

And that's Colin, enjoying a coffee break.

Here she comes, having already dropped off her chum.

Hello Colin.

Lovely to meet you!

Morning Hettie.

How are you?

I'm fine, thank you.

I'll have a look around if that's OK. COLIN: By all means, have a good ratch, as they say.

Shout if you need anything.

HETTIE: (CHUCKLES) VO: Thanks, Colin.

He means rummage.

And we all need a helping hand now and again... HETTIE: Hello!

VO: ..or not.

HETTIE: Gosh, this is heavy, isn't it?

COLIN: Yeah.

That's... HETTIE: Is this a local one?

..out of the town, yes.

That's Lorton Street.

HETTIE: OK. Beautifulest valley in the lakeland, in my opinion.

HETTIE: Is it?

COLIN: Gorgeous.

No, I like that.

Street signs always sell well, don't they?

They do, yes.

I managed to get it off quite quickly.

HETTIE: Yeah?

(LAUGHS) COLIN: I had my screwdriver... HETTIE: In the dead of night.

So how much could this one be, then, this street sign?

Well, we could do a deal on it.

HETTIE: OK. Yeah.

125, you know, bid me sensibly and we'll have a go.

HETTIE: OK.

They might be a maybe.

VO: No sign of a deal just yet.

But what about her chum?

Now down beside the Solway Firth... ..in the Cumbrian coastal town of Maryport... ..which is quite a blues venue.

In fact, Chuck Berry once got his kicks here on route...A596.

It's not known if he also knick knacked in Maryport Collectables & Antiques.

Might've done.

Looking good.

VO: Thanks.

David has £688 left, remember?

Goodness, gracious me.

You just never know what you're gonna find in places like this.

And I haven't seen pianola rolls for years.

So you probably know what a pianola is.

It's effectively a self-playing piano, and you could pretend that you were a good pianist.

So you put your pianola roll in the socket, start pedaling furiously, and pretending to play the keys.

VO: Invented by one Edwin S Votey in 1895.

DAVID: And if you were to unroll the pianola roll, there you see the perforations, which, remarkably, play the tune.

How it works I have no idea, but work they do, and it's really atmospheric when you hear a pianola playing and it's real social history, this, so 15 quid for 20-odd rolls, fabulous, but who today in the modern world is going to buy these things?

VO: Sounds very much like a pia-no-la.

Ha!

Thank you.

DAVID: Aha.

Do you know, sometimes you find objects that take you back in time and that's really lovely and it's happening to me now.

I am being transported back in time to childhood when my parents would occasionally buy me a model airplane.

Let's open the box.

(SUCKS AIR THROUGH TEETH) Wow... Look at that, the original instructions.

VO: The VC10 was introduced in the mid 60s, which nicely dates David's model making years.

You've even got glue, oh my goodness me.

But get ready, hold on to your seats, £120.

Go hunting in your loft.

I love it.

I think it's fabulous.

It's the right price for a vintage shop, but not for an auction.

VO: That's plain speaking.

Ha.

And that's proprietor Ben, by the way, standing by for any actual purchases.

Aha!

Hang on a minute.

Is that not the famous Scottish actor Brian Cox?

Doesn't it look like him or is it just me?

I think it really looks like him.

But if it is him, it would mean that Brian Cox would be at least, I don't know, what would he be?

160?

I mean, if he is that, he's looking very good.

So this is early 20th century.

It's a bronze plaque of a gentleman, signed Rhys Raworth.

Now, that's the artist who molded the portrait and then had it cast in...yeah, bronze.

Nice and cold, that lovely color.

And it should be very heavy if I'm right that it's bronze.

VO: Mounted on an oak panel.

Ticket price £50.

DAVID: (GROANS) Ooh, it's a monster weight.

But who is the sitter?

An old male, as distinguished as he is, is not exactly the market.

But I'd like to bring him back to life.

(SIGHS) Every hope and expectation... ..that Brian Cox, version number one, will make me some money.

VO: Not to be confused with Brian Cox the physicist either.

DAVID: Oh, Ben, I've found a bit of treasure.

BEN: Excellent.

DAVID: Priced at 50.

Can we...can we shave a bit off to give me a chance?

BEN: (SIGHS) Maybe just a little bit.

What were you thinking?

DAVID: 40?

BEN: 45?

Good man.

That'll do it.

BEN: No problem.

Cheers.

DAVID: Thank you very much.

VO: Cox is boxed, or not.

DAVID: Come on, Brian.

BEN: Bye now.

VO: And while they depart with £643 remaining, we'll get back to Cockermouth, where Hettie's having fun without actually showing much sign of making one further purchase, although she does still have £917 left.

This is social history right here.

There's a book of cartes de visites and cabinet cards.

And these are photographs from the 18...probably 1860s, 1870s.

During the Victorian period they were so, so popular.

So you would go to a photography studio and you'd have props and things in the background.

It was a real event.

You would give them to your family, give them to friends, and people used to trade them and collect them, but they're just great historical pieces.

You know, every single one tells a story.

That is somebody in somebody's life.

VO: Of course, photography had only been invented a few decades earlier, with images like this, by Nicephore Niepce.

The cameras during this time took about 10 seconds to develop the photograph, so you would have to stand there really still in exactly the same position.

And for children, it was obviously very difficult to keep children still for that amount of time.

They'd tie them to chairs or give them something to hold, to sort of keep them in that position.

There's no price on it, Colin, what are you hoping for for it?

Erm, I've got 95 on it.

Just make us a good offer.

I was thinking more sort of...55?

I'll tell you what, give us 60, and there should be some loose cards behind you.

I'll throw them in with them.

HETTIE: Oh, OK.

This little pile?

COLIN: Yeah, that little pile.

I'll throw them in with it.

HETTIE: Really?

COLIN: Yeah.

HETTIE: OK, that sounds like a good deal.

Thank you!

VO: Photo album successfully snapped up.

HETTIE: There you go.

£60.

COLIN: Lovely.

BOTH: Thank you very much.

HETTIE: That's a good till, I like that!

COLIN: Cheers.

VO: It just remains to take it away... ..with £857 left for the last two legs.

And now that they're both shopped up, they can take a break and find out a bit more about a fascinating local sport in the nearby town of Workington, where they play a progenitor of modern football, called Uppies and Downies.

The players aren't quite Man City millionaires, though.

Meet Elvin and Joe.

What exactly is the game?

What do you have to do?

The game is a mass football game with any number of participants.

ELVIN: And it can go in the river, which is just over there, the river Derwent.

The Downies hailing point is on the harbor, a mile and a half from here.

And the Uppies hailing point is at Curwen Hall, which is a mile and a half upwards.

So that's a three mile pitch?

It's a three-mile pitch, with no boundaries.

To an outsider, it may look as if it's chaos.

ELVIN: Or a riot... (LAUGHS) HETTIE: (LAUGHS) DAVID: And it is really, isn't it?

Let's be honest.

JOE: It's an expression of exuberance.

DAVID: Have you two ever been winners?

JOE: Yes, we have.

Yes.

Will it always be in existence?

As long as there's a ball, there'll be a game.

DAVID: Love the attitude.

VO: Today's version of the game, with three matches played annually over Easter, originated in the Victorian era.

The Uppies and Downies are named after the different parts of the town they hail from.

But way back in time, the very first players were probably from amongst Workington's several historic invaders.

Museum curator Elly Todhunter... ELLY: Of course, the Anglo- Saxons, when they came, they used to actually play a game of football with the beheaded heads of their enemies.

So it was quite a brutal thing.

Do both women and men play the game?

Yes, anyone can play the game.

In fact, I believe that one lady actually hailed the ball in the 1990s.

What exactly does hailing mean?

When the ball reaches its destination, either at the hall or down at the harbor, it's thrown in the air three times to prove that that game's been won.

So it's like a celebration thing at the end... ELLY: Yes.

CROWD: One, two, three... (LOUD CHEERING) VO: And the lucky hailer then gets to keep it, forever.

JOE: We have a box full of history, David... ..and we players say that every ball has a story.

And I would love to know this story from 1838.

DAVID: Can I handle it?

JOE: You can.

Wow.

That is, I mean, truly touching the past there, isn't it?

I mean, it's so tactile.

Is this your favorite ball from in there?

It's one of them.

I think my favorite is actually this ball from 1872, partly because one of the families who sponsor the ball, the Daglish family, have sponsored the ball for 350 years.

You're kidding.

And this ball was hailed by Anthony Daglish in 1872.

DAVID: Right.

JOE: Each ball is unique.

There is only one of each of these in the world.

So there's only one Easter Tuesday ball, 1872.

And where are they made?

They're made by a local chap.

It takes almost 30 hours to make them.

He's part of the history of Workington... ..the fourth ballmaker in 200 years.

Oh!

My goodness me!

VO: What a fascinating story.

And with the next mighty confrontation just minutes away, the whole of Workington seems to be on the move.

But who are you rooting for?

Now, I don't know where the Downies and Uppies are.

I think they're all intermingled there, aren't they?

HETTIE: Yeah.

How do we know who's who?

DAVID: Basically we don't, and I don't think they do either.

And that's part of the charm.

HETTIE: Yeah.

DAVID: Here we go, Hettie... (ROARS) Go!

They're fighting for the ball.

They're literally... HETTIE: I know.

DAVID: There it goes.

It's coming towards us, Hettie!

HETTIE: Straight in... DAVID: It's coming towards us, Hets!

HETTIE: (LAUGHS) We might get a bit wet here!

DAVID: We might.

DAVID: Hettie.

HETTIE: Yeah.

Do you wanna do what I think you wanna do?

HETTIE: Go on, what?

DAVID: Shall we do it?

Shall we get involved?

Shall we go?

DAVID: Come on, Hettie!

HETTIE: (LAUGHS) VO: Now do be careful, we want you to be in good shape for the auction.

Oh well.

Shuteye please.

VO: Next, Wrexham, where their thrilling third auction encounter will take place, and it's crunch time, with David currently holding a 2-0 lead.

After cruising Cumbria and acquiring a whole heap of saleable goods, our pair will now find out if there's profits to be made at Wingetts, where they'll be selling in the room, on the net and on the phone, with the ever-sartorial Dyfed Griffiths the man in charge.

HETTIE: Got high hopes for this one, David.

DAVID: High hopes?

I've got low hopes... HETTIE: Oh, brilliant.

DAVID: ..for yours.

HETTIE: (LAUGHS) Oh, no!

VO: Excitable as ever.

Hettie parted with £205 for her five auction lots.

The figural dog inkwell, a really nice thing.

Well made.

Should appeal to a lot of types of collector.

People like dogs.

It should sell well.

The selection of cameos.

Unusual lot, this, in the sense that there's quite a lot of them.

Good for a project if someone's looking for lots of cameos to mount, it's an ideal lot for them.

VO: David spent exactly the same sum as his chum, also on five lots.

DYFED: Bronze plaque.

Very nicely done.

Good, weighty piece again, we'd like to see that sell well.

The campaign box is a nice thing.

That's the pick of the crop here.

It's a nice thing.

It's nice, solid, chunky, and it's commercial as well.

VO: Has David boxed clever once again or will Hettie get her revenge?

DAVID: Are you feeling lucky?

HETTIE: A little bit, yeah.

DAVID: Are you?

Good.

Brilliant.

HETTIE: Yeah.

VO: Hettie kicks us off with her citrine Georgian brooch.

I paid £35 for it.

I mean, it is only tiny... but we'll have... HETTIE: ..to see.

DAVID: Yeah.

What's it worth?

30, £40, somebody?

It's definitely citrine.

I tested it in the shop... DAVID: Did you?

DYFED: £20 we have.

Thank you, online, to start things off.

25 bid, 30.

In the room, sorry, at £25.

30 online or anywhere else?

30 bid.

And five, sir?

HETTIE: Imagine.

No?

35 on the internet, then.

At 35.

40 anywhere else now?

Oh, might go, might go, might go.

40 in the room.

And five.

Room bid at £40.

And looking for five now.

HETTIE: ..internet gone?

DAVID: ..is that better?

HETTIE: I don't know.

I'd like the internet to come back in please!

All done with it?

In the room at £40... Ooh... DAVID: No money.

It's gone to a nice home.

VO: And Hettie collects a tiny profit.

She would've liked more, though.

If someone's gonna keep that and treasure it and wear it forever, it'll get passed on to another generation.

VO: Time for David's campaign box.

What do you think it's gonna make?

50?

Give me 50 for it, somebody.

HETTIE: (LAUGHS) Good prediction.

£50 I've got.

Thank you, sir.

Straight in at £50.

Who'll say five now?

DAVID: Might go a bit higher.

DYFED: Your bid.

At £50.

Come on, internet.

Come on, internet.

DYFED: Five anywhere else now?

At £50.

You finished?

All done with it.

The maiden bid at £50, then...

Thank you.

Well done.

That was profit then, wasn't it?

Well there you go.

Yeah, a quick one.

VO: And not too shabby either.

See that guy, whoever bought it, at the back, straight in, just wanted it, didn't he?

DAVID: He just really wanted it.

HETTIE: Bet he's pleased.

VO: More memories.

French ones, this time, with Hettie's cartes de visites and cabinet cards.

It's got a lovely leather album with it, in good condition.

Oh, I think it sounds fantastic.

Yeah.

I mean, it's a nice little lot that I've put together but £60 might be all it's gonna make.

I can start the bidding at £30.

35.

40.

And five.

DAVID: In...straight in.

DYFED: £40... £40.

I'll take five anywhere else now.

Go on, Hettie.

Against you all at £40, I'm only bid.

Five if you like.

Are we all done?

With me at £40, then... Aw... That's a bargain for somebody.

VO: But a bit of a blow for someone attempting a comeback.

HETTIE: 50 cards with it... DAVID: Yeah.

Well, I mean, it's less than a pound a card.

I know.

VO: David's charger by a well known arts and crafts metalworker is next.

What do we expect?

Well, I'm hoping it doubles its money.

How much did you pay?

DAVID: 50.

HETTIE: 50.

OK.

I've got £50 to start me off.

Straight in... DAVID: OK. Come on.

DYFED: Five now.

Book bid.

55, I'm out.

60 is it now?

They love your things on the internet, don't they?

HETTIE: ..straight in.

DAVID: Yeah.

Yeah.

£55, I'll take 60 anywhere else now.

DAVID: Go on.

DYFED: At £55, you're out!

60 just in time.

DYFED: 65.

70 now.

DAVID: Go on!

Still on the internet, currently at £65.

70.

Your last chance.

Come on, room.

Get a bit of taste!

DYFED: You finished?

Good luck with this lot.

At 65... 699, thank you.

DAVID: Well... Yeah.

HETTIE: A little profit.

VO: Not many losses for our David this trip, that's for sure.

VO: Now, the auctioneer was keen on Hettie's silver plated inkwell.

You really do like your little dog figures...

I do.

I like anything to do with dogs.

Yeah?

No, I agree.

..dog-related items.

But they sell, don't they?

The British public love dogs.

Yes.

Oh, here we go.

Should be what, 80 to 100?

HETTIE: Should be.

DAVID: What did you pay?

HETTIE: I paid 75.

DYFED: 50 to start it.

Surely.

DAVID: Well, it'll go.

DYFED: Come on.

DAVID: Oh, come on.

DYFED: Nobody want it?

£50.

HETTIE: Hmm.

Yeah.

DAVID: No...bleeding through?

HETTIE: No damage to the glass.

30 then.

Start me.

£30 I've got, thank you, to start me now.

DAVID: I'm surprised.

DYFED: Who'll say five now?

DYFED: That really is for nothing there.

DYFED: 35 bid.

40.

HETTIE: I can't even look.

DYFED: No?

£35.

The bid's on the internet.

And being given away at 35.

Is there 40... Close your ears.

At £35, we're online and being sold.

Make no mistake.

£35.

40.

Your last chance!

Ah!

HETTIE: (WHIMPERS) Aw!

DYFED: At 35... HETTIE: I could actually cry.

I've got tears in my eyes.

DAVID: Oh, don't.

VO: What rotten luck, eh?

Never mind, it's only money.

Hettie, every single thing you've bought, I would've bought for the same money.

HETTIE: Aw.

DAVID: You've got some... DAVID: ..great taste... HETTIE: Aw.

..and you bought good things.

Thank you.

VO: Next under the hammer is David's art deco marble clock.

So it's a good-looking thing.

Paid 35 for it.

DAVID: It might make 50 or 60.

HETTIE: OK. DAVID: That's the hope.

It's never gonna make a fortune.

Give me 50.

£50.

Not a bad start there.

DYFED: Straight in at £50.

HETTIE: Wow.

DYFED: Who'll say five now.

We're on the internet.

The bidders love your stuff, don't they?

..and five.

£60.

The bid's on the internet.

DAVID: Brilliant.

DYFED: 65.

70 now?

We're online at £65 and looking for 70.

It's all about the internet, isn't it?

At £65.

You finished?

Sold at 65... 752.

HETTIE: Well done.

Yeah.

DAVID: That's OK. ..that's more than OK. VO: I should say so.

He almost doubled his money.

VO: Now for Hettie's Scandi enamel brooch by Norwegian Ivar Holth.

I paid only £25 for it.

It should be 50, 60... Got to be.

You've got the name, haven't you?

The name and the quality and the condition was perfect.

30.

£40... 20 to start it.

Surely to goodness.

Nobody want it?

£20?

DAVID: Where's the internet?

HETTIE: Where is... DYFED: No interest in it?

DAVID: Go on.

DYFED: 10 then.

10 we've got.

20, more like it.

On the internet...

It's an internet thing, isn't it?

Yeah, but if we don't have anyone competing... No, I know.

Yeah.

DYFED: Five, your last chance!

DAVID: Ooh.

25.

Just in time there.

30 is it now?

30 bid.

And five.

Come on.

DYFED: If you want it... DAVID: Go on.

DYFED: ..now is the time to bid.

At £30... ..if I was buying that to sell on, I'd pay up to 40 for it.

30 then... 777.

DAVID: But I just thought with the name and the style... HETTIE: I know.

It had everything going for it.

DAVID: It did.

It did.

VO: A tiny profit, nonetheless, for Hettie.

Well, it's just a gamble all of the time, which makes it...

Always makes the business very exciting.

Oh, yeah.

Well, it's interesting, isn't it?

It is.

Keeps life interesting you might say.

VO: David's first jewelry buy of the week, gold ring and box.

It's the box that I really loved.

It's just if you put a really expensive ring in that box as a gift to somebody, it would be incredible.

£50 away on that, somebody?

60?

I'll take 30 to start it, come on.

Nine carat gold ring as well.

£30 we have, thank you, to start things off.

35 bid.

40 bid.

And five.

50 is it now?

Go on.

Come on... That's what I paid for it!

£45.

The bid's on the internet.

Currently at 45.

50 in the room.

No one in the.... Oh, in the room, good.

At £50.

The bid's with you, sir.

55.

60.

Good... Go on.

DYFED: £60 I'm bid, seated.

DAVID: 65.

70.

Go on.

At 65, we're on the internet.

Someone's getting engaged.

DYFED: You're out!

Sold at 65... HETTIE: Aw, well I hope they are.

I hope that'll make a lovely present for somebody.

DAVID: And it will.

VO: Hang on, isn't Hettie supposed to be doing very nicely from jewelry?

VO: Her little cameo collection could make profits though.

£20 away on them, somebody?

Gotta be 80.

DYFED: Nobody want them?

£20.

DAVID: Hettie, I can't believe it.

What's going on, David?

What's going on?

DYFED: An instant collection of cameos.

10 we have, thank you, to start things off.

Straight in at 10.

Is there 12 now?

Maiden bid, currently, on the internet.

12 I'm bid.

14 bid.

16 if you like.

18, is it now?

Oh, David, I sell these quite regularly and make 40 to 60...

I mean, you've made money.

Yeah...

But I would have thought 80.

DYFED: At £20.

You finished?

DAVID: Wowza.

Sold on the internet.

At £20 then...

But you have doubled your money.

HETTIE: (SADLY) Yeah... DAVID: So that's OK. VO: Someone could put those to a very good and very profitable use.

You never stop learning, do you?

Never stop having experiences in this business... DAVID: ..good and bad.

HETTIE: Yeah.

VO: David's last lot.

I wonder if he'll mention the resemblance.

Who do you think it looks like?

Oh, I don't know.

Look at the profile.

A very distinguished Scottish actor.

Terribly good.

You're gonna have to tell me.

Very popular... Brian Cox!

I don't know who Brian Cox is.

You...

If Brian Cox is watching this, he's gonna be devastated.

Oh, no.

I am sorry.

Bearing a resemblance to Brian Cox, no less.

That's it.

Yeah, you can see it.

We had to Google him, me and Matthew.

DAVID: (LAUGHS) How much for him?

Give me...what?

£50 away on it, somebody?

Come on.

£50 to start it.

Well-modeled.

DAVID: Go on.

DYFED: 30 then.

Surely to goodness that's worth £30.

30 I got, thank you, to start me off.

Straight in at £30.

Who'll say five now?

That is for nothing there.

At £30 the bid's on the internet.

Currently at £30.

I'll take five anywhere else now.

DAVID: Hello?

Hello.

DYFED: Last chance!

All done with it.

On the internet this time, at £30... 694... Poor Brian Cox.

He's gonna be devastated.

I know, nobody wanted his face on their wall.

I can't believe it.

VO: Oh, well, that's showbiz.

Even David can make a loss, it seems.

Well, that was a bit like wading through mud waist deep.

It was.

It was hard work to watch some of that, wasn't it?

I don't know who's even won.

DAVID: No idea.

HETTIE: ..don't know, do we?

Are you emotionally drained?

I am a little bit, yeah.

DAVID: We need... HETTIE: Time to go home now.

Yes, we need to recover to go on to the next leg.

HETTIE: We do.

Yeah.

Yes.

DAVID: Onwards and upwards.

DAVID: Come on, Hets.

HETTIE: (LAUGHS) VO: Well, the headline news is that Hettie hasn't actually won an auction, I'm afraid, because after costs, she's ended up with a loss of £69 and 70p.

VO: While David, also with saleroom fees deducted, made a wee profit of £20.50, which means, that with an unassailable 3-0 lead, he's this week's victor.

Although, with two trips to the saleroom to come, Hettie can still make her mark.

DAVID: (TRIUMPHANTLY) Ho-ho-ho!

DAVID: My goodness... HETTIE: Wow...

Round of applause for you.

I'm so impressed with those two massive profits you just made.

Well, listen, honestly... DAVID: ..it's all luck.

HETTIE: (LAUGHS) Yeah.

DAVID: But I'll take that luck anytime.

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