Antiques Road Trip

We blast off with a bouncy new trip in sunny Suffolk with antiques hotshots Raj Bisram and Irita Marriott. This riotous caper sees our pair armed with £200 to spend on something delightfully antique. It's a cautious start for Irita, but she ends up blowing the lot on, amongst other goodies, a supremely unusual 19th-century automaton. She also finds time to discover Lowestoft's local hero from the Great War and how a certain Tom Crisp took to the seas in his wooden fishing smack to fight the dark menace of the German U-boat.

Raj, on the other hand, is full of pep as he energetically acquires a bevy of buys, including a damaged Doulton stoneware flask that Irita thinks is the double of our very own Philip Serrell. During his adventure, Raj finds out why the last maharajah of the Sikh empire made this area his home in the late 19th century and just how extraordinary his daughter Princess Catherine was to early feminism and as rescuer of Jewish families from Nazi Germany.

And if that wasn't enough, we have an auction to attend. Who on earth will be the first champ of this rip-roaring adventure?

It's the second leg of our riotous road trip, with Raj Bisram and Irita Marriott ambling around Northamptonshire.

Irita takes it easy with her spending spree, picking up a very unusual B&B sign and an early 20th-century Japanese Satsuma pot. She presses pause on her shopping to discover the roots of a former slave-ship captain who penned the soaring spiritual Amazing Grace in the 18th century.

On this tour of the south Midlands, Raj picks up a bevy of items, including a rather lovely art deco silver trinket box and a kaleidoscope dating from 1905. Our antiques guru makes a stop in St Albans to find out more about the only surviving medieval town belfry in England and just why it is such a source of civic pride for all St Albans locals.

Who will swoop up the profits and clinch auction glory?

Antiques experts Raj Bisram and Irita Marriott put their foot down, cruising into Oxfordshire on the third leg of their east-to-west odyssey.

Irita finds some hefty items for the auction, but it's a struggle just to get them to the counter to buy them. Raj finds the ideal item that no self-respecting gardener should be without, or so he thinks. They each go a bundle on items with an art nouveau flavour, as well as both finding something to keep them toasty and warm in the car.

Away from the antiques, Irita discovers the inspiring story of Britain's only female Nobel prize winner in chemistry, who used her status to effect big changes on the world stage. Raj heads to a Bristol sports club to find out about its long history with table tennis and is challenged to a game by one of the club's most experienced players.

A former railway station hotel is where they watch the next auction, complete with its own train line at the bottom of the garden, but which of them will be steaming ahead when their lots go under the hammer?

Travelling antiques aficionados Irita Marriott and Raj Bisram make their mark in Devon on this leg of the trip. Topics under discussion in the MG Midget today include the huge number of roads in the county and the correct way to prepare a scone.

Irita visits an antiques emporium that's so new it hasn't even opened yet. She also gets her hands on something that brings back happy memories of childhood. Raj raids the pantry for a huge haul of very famous pottery and fancies his chances at a very traditional pub game. And they still find time to sample the delights of a Devonshire cream tea.

Exploring the local area, Raj heads off to hear the story of one of the great adventurers of the 20th century, as told by the son of the great man himself. Irita discovers the delights of Devonshire folk songs and learns about the man who saved them for posterity. She also puts her own Latvian spin on an old English folk ballad.

Then it's off for a spot of art appreciation and auction-watching at the Devon Sculpture Park, but as their own valuables go under the hammer, who will end up in the lead?

There's a piratical mood for antiques experts Raj Bisram and Irita Marriott as they set sail on their final outing together. There are shops to plunder and booty to be bought as they explore the very tip of the Cornish peninsula. And with the competition being so close at this point, the pressure is on to find that auction-winning item.

Raj makes some big finds in one of the tiniest shops of the trip and pins his hopes on a risky item that may or may not be highly collectable. Irita plays Raj at his own game, plumping for a very cheap purchase and finding a painting that reminds her of her childhood and also contains a hidden secret. Along the way, there's still time for some sightseeing, kite flying and, of course, pirate impressions.

In a break from antiquing, Raj heads to a famous tavern to hear about a Cornish folk tradition full of mystery and mischief, and he gets roped into a spot of dancing. Irita heads along the promenade to find out where the residents of Penzance go for a dip and gets to discover first-hand just how cold sea water can be.

Then it's off to the final auction with their prized possessions to see who will seize victory and who will be walking the plank.

It's a trip to the frozen north of England for antiques experts Natasha Raskin Sharp and Charles Hanson, on the opening salvo of their epic expedition together. It's not the first time these two have gone toe to toe, and the competitive spirit is high, not least in respect of who can drive their vintage vehicle better. Their transportation is the oldest car ever to grace the trip, a 1932 Riley Monaco. It's not always the easiest motor to handle, but it looks the part as they head off to shop with their £200 starting kitty.

In antique centres all across the north east, our pair get rummaging. Charles unearths a rather fine 19th-century Japanese find and some items from closer to home but further back in time. Natasha relies on some obscure primary school knowledge to decode one of her finds and gets her hands on an item that's ecclesiastical in nature.

In a break from shopping, Charles heads to Morpeth to hear the harrowing tale of one famous resident's part in the struggle for women's right to vote. Natasha learns about the race to find a safe form of lighting to protect workers in the region's largest industry and discovers how the inhabitants of Newcastle got their nickname.

Then it's off to the fabulous Bowes Museum to find out how well their purchases perform at auction.

It's the second leg of our whirlwind Road Trip with auctioneers Charles Hanson and Natasha Raskin Sharp. Look out Yorkshire, because the Derbyshire Dandy and the Glasgow Gal are touring the area in a 1932 Riley Monaco.

In Hartlepool, Charles wanders around a large antiques and salvage yard, finding some goodies on board a vintage double-decker bus. One of which is a rather lovely impressionistic painting. Amongst the bevvy of buys, he finds time to pause in Whitby and find out about the Victorian author Bram Stoker and just why the town proved to be the gothic playground he needed to create the world's most well-known blood-sucking vampire.

On this jaunt around the East Riding of Yorkshire, Natasha is looking for genuine antiques and manages amongst her haul of goodies to find some 17th-century Delft tiles. As a keen ornithologist, Natasha manages to visit the coastal haven of Bempton Cliffs to find out about the centuries-old practice of climming – a daredevil descent down the cliffs to find prized eggs – to discover why this pursuit is now illegal and about the man who brought about the change: a local clergyman who fought to bring about one of the first acts of wildlife conservation in the world.

Can Natasha give Charles a run for his money at the auction?

The third leg of our swirling Road Trip takes in even more of Yorkshire with auctioneers Charles Hanson and Natasha Raskin Sharp. They are touring from the east of Yorkshire to the west in the comfort of the 1932 Riley, the oldest automobile to ever feature on the show.

Charles gets up to more chaos with jammed drawers, plays cricket in a shop and tries on fireman's hats. But his search turns up a his 'n' hers item in a pair of Edwardian scent bottles, and he continues his Georgian passion with an original scent phial. But his big gamble is an art deco light fitting with a very large price ticket. Will his vision reap rewards at auction? All the shopping works up his appetite, and what better local delicacy to chomp on than the humble Yorkshire pud. Charles discovers the Georgian origins of this golden turret of baked goodness.

Natasha is on a mission to buy well at low prices, and she succeeds with a super-cheap 19th-century wine glass and an on-trend pair of Danish mid-century candle holders. Our good friends giggle their way from Beverley to Bradford, but Natasha is more than able to keep an unruly Charles in check in the very delicate surrounds of an antiques shop. Natasha finds time to visit Leeds, the city where it is thought the first ever moving pictures were created by a brilliant Frenchman, half a decade before Thomas Edison and the Lumiere Brothers.

Will Yorkshire prove fruitful for Natasha and prevent Charles coming out on top?

It's the penultimate trip with auctioneers Charles Hanson and Natasha Raskin Sharp. This time they are exploring the fens and wolds of Lincolnshire in the bygone glamour of the 1932 Riley Monaco, the oldest vehicle to ever feature on the show.

Charles is gloriously minted, and with dreamy abandon he aims to spend big in every shop. He snaps up quite an eclectic haul, from a very large Victorian sideboard to a dainty Edwardian silver inkwell. Amongst all this hard work, Charles finds time to visit a fifth-generation baker to find out about a Lincolnshire delicacy that has been wowing the locals since the turn of the 20th century.

On Natasha's swirl around Lincolnshire, she is at first cautious with her money but then decides to spend every single penny on a gaggle of goodies including her big gamble buy, a Liberty and Co. Tudric pewter plate. She makes a detour to Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre to discover the heroics of a Nigerian prince who renounced his title and travelled over 3,000 miles to the UK to join the RAF in World War II.

Who will clinch auction victory this time round?

It's the glittering finale with audacious auctioneers Charles Hanson and Natasha Raskin Sharp. They've travelled south to Hertfordshire in the super glam 1932 Riley Monaco, the oldest set of wheels to ever grace the trip.

Charles has got over a grand to play with, and he aims to spend like there's no tomorrow. Not only does he take part in a whirlwind shopping dash, he also finds time to travel to Waddesdon in Buckinghamshire and the home of Baron Ferdinand De Rothschild, one of the greatest collectors of fine art in the world. But Charles discovers more about this Victorian gentleman's love for the natural world, and a 19th-century rarity.

Brimming with confidence, Natasha is also pumped up and ready to go for the final furlong of the trip. Leaving only 36 pennies in the kitty, she spends over £300 on items including a Victorian ink and wash painting of a grumpy girl and a stunning 19th-century Italian bronze vase. She makes a trip to 1960s suburbia in Ware to find out about a Georgian gem created by a Quaker poet.

Who will raise the Road Trip trophy aloft as this week's ultimate winner?

The start of this road trip sees two intrepid antiques explorers set off in a 1970s camper van. Silver expert Margie Cooper and coin collector Tim Medhurst navigate the back roads of Cumbria before heading north to Dumfries and Galloway on the hunt for treasures that will excite the bidders at auction.

Margie has packed a flask and sandwiches, and Tim has a hot water bottle, so they're both prepared for whatever the antiques shops of the Borders can throw at them. Tim plumps for a Scottish theme with his purchases, picking up a Scots Guards picture and a rare Scottish jug, while Margie sticks to what she knows, choosing a locket and a bracelet made from… silver.

There's always time for a detour, and Margie heads to the world's oldest working camera obscura to find out about the man responsible for its construction and the reason why it was built, and how it's managed to survive to the present day. Tim heads further back in time for his sojourn from the shops, finding himself in a Roman fort perfectly preserved in peat. His guide explains why climate change is causing archaeologists a headache.

With their purchases whisked off to Leicestershire, Margie and Tim are on tenterhooks to see who will take an earlier lead. Can Tim expect big profits because ‘Tiny Timmy' has charmed the bidders?

It's the second leg for Margie Cooper and Tim Medhurst, as they tour the Lake District looking for bargains to take to auction. Fortunately, their conveyance of choice is a 1970s camper van, so there's plenty of room for any outsized acquisitions.

Margie's approach to shopping sees her pick up items from around the world, including a French carriage clock, a Chinese pepperette and, closer to home, a candlestick from Derbyshire. Tim, however, falls in love with the image of a Victorian woman, though his Victorian horse toy could make for a bumpy ride at auction.

As well as seeing a lot of glorious countryside, they find out about the mysterious St Bees Man who, after 650 or so years, has shared many secrets of our medieval ancestors. There's also a chance to descend the hills to hear about Windermere carp and their importance to the waters in which they swim, and to hungry locals in times past.

Diamonds are Margie's best friend when her bargain buy goes under the gavel at the auction in Stroud.

Raise the anchors, set the sails… this road trip is taking to the Irish Sea as Tim Medhurst and Margie Cooper find themselves on the Isle of Man for some antiquing.

Tim gambles on a few purchases, picking up a captain's chair, a pair of bears and a bronzed sculpture of a footballer. He's very excited about a find that originated from the Ivory Coast, while Margie plays it safer when she buys an antique corkscrew for just £1! She does splash out on a cocktail shaker and a bygone sewing machine that comes complete with all of its accessories.

Margie makes time to find out about this little island's big contribution to democracy at the Tynwald Parliament, and Tim takes a ride on the world's oldest horse-drawn tram in Douglas.

Finally, it's off to Blackpool's famous Winter Gardens theatre to view the auction, but can Tim gain any ground on Margie, or will she waltz into a commanding lead?

It's the fourth leg of Margie Cooper and Tim Medhurst's jaunt about the country in a big blue 1970s camper van. This time, silver expert Margie and auctioneer Tim are off to the seaside, starting their trip from Blackpool.

A rummage around the antiques shops of Lancashire uncovers a menagerie of treasures for Margie, as she buys a push-along donkey, a doggy nutcracker and a prancing leather horse. However, a trip to the fairground leaves Margie rather spooked as she rides the ghost train and hears the little-known story behind this much-loved attraction.

Tim goes for an eclectic mix of goodies in the hope they'll sell for a profit at the Derbyshire auction, including a harvest jug, a pipe holder and gilt bar brooch. He also makes time away from the shops to learn about one of the fathers of British astronomy.

It's the last outing for Tim Medhurst and Margie Cooper's 1970s camper van. On this leg, their vehicle is pointed to the Peak District and Greater Manchester. As well as discovering the difference between a bakewell tart and a bakewell pudding, our intrepid antiquing duo also find out about the Victorian from Manchester who was one of the first environmental activists.

Tim opts for an all-or-nothing approach to this final opportunity to shop, splashing a three-figure sum on an old children's toy. He also finds a charming Welsh folk art quill stand he hopes will attract bids at the Bourne End auction. Margie, meanwhile, goes puppy-eyed when she spies a bulldog gong, convinced this rare piece of Victoriana will attract bids for higher than the price she paid.

This epic road trip concludes in Rochdale at the Steam Museum, where Tim and Margie watch as their buys go under the gavel. It's an exciting finale, but who will be crowned champion?

A new road trip, a new classic car and a brand new expert: dealer and auctioneer Mark Hill joins veteran antique-seeker Roo Irvine on a hunt for collectables and curios around Scotland.

Mark goes about parting with his £200 kitty with gusto, buying 1940s ceramics, a ship in a dome and a 1920s French fountain pen that really is something to write home about. However, one discovery he secures for a bargain price proves to be a canny investment when it soars at auction. Meanwhile, Roo steers the Triumph Stag to the shops to find some trench art and a piece of Japanese cloisonné.

There's also time to learn about a pair of 18th-century body snatchers, a grisly tale that's sure to give Mark nightmares. Roo hears the little-known story of an Edinburgh native who opened what is considered the first school in Britain to include sign language in education, setting the standards of British Sign Language as we know it today.

At auction, all eyes are on the new boy. Will the rookie Road Tripper cause an upset in Glasgow?

Roo Irvine is behind the wheel of a 1970s classic car with a rookie road tripper riding shotgun. Mark Hill's purchases caused quite a shock at auction last time round, so the veteran antiques hunter needs to up her game.

This trip sees them clocking up the miles in the Highlands. Roo falls in love with a set of art deco-style silver butter knives and gambles big money on a little penny bank - a decision that Roo may rue come auction day. Mark risks a three-figure sum on an Edwardian writing table, hoping that its incredible condition will attract big bids. However, it's the surprising discovery of a rare piece of studio glass that gets the new boy very, very excited.

Mark takes a breather along the way to learn about the cultural and historical significance of the Scots language, even attempting to order his lunch using a newly acquired linguistic skill. Roo meets a Scottish strongman to find out all about a legendary feat of strength.

At auction, will Roo's love of shiny things be matched by the bidders? And Mark's rather remarkable find leaves everyone shocked when the gavel comes down.

The third leg of a romp around Scotland with antiques experts Roo Irvine and Mark Hill. A 1970s Triumph transports our dynamic duo to shops scattered throughout the Highlands.

Veteran road tripper Roo's laser vision picks out silver antiques in almost every shop. A Georgian brooch gives her something solemn to think about, but a rather unorthodox key rack, she hopes, will unlock some big profits. Meanwhile, rookie tripper Mark continues to buy like an old hand as he finds a wooden sculpture of a naked torso that makes for an exhilarating auction.

On the way to the North Shields saleroom, Mark takes a wee break to learn about the former Scottish institution that embraced a new approach to treating its patients, and Roo braves the weather to find out why a corps of Indian soldiers ended up in the Cairngorms during World War II.

It's the penultimate leg of our Scottish road trip, and Roo Irvine and Mark Hill are about as far north on the mainland as they can get! Their 1970s motor has taken them to John O'Groats, and Scottish lass Roo is distracted from antiques shopping as she discovers why the windswept landmark became such an iconic destination.

This Highlands shopping trip proves fruitful, and they leave with a veritable bounty of antique treasure. Some rather smart whisky glasses prove to be a fantastic find, while a 1950s Bakelite telly is a rare survivor of its day. But will the Banbury bidders be as excited as the experts?

Mark takes a break from shopping to learn all about a dark chapter in Scotland's history and the consequences for Highlanders.

At auction, it's a battle pitting Mark's cute teddy and stuffed lamb against Roo's ornate candelabra.

The final bend in the road on this Scottish sojourn sees antiquers Mark Hill and Roo Irvine bombing around the back lanes of the Isle of Skye in a 1970s classic car.

Roo meets the chieftain of a highland clan with a magical weapon to protect him against invaders, while Mark travels to Loch Katrine to learn about one of Scotland's most famous sons.

The buys are sweet for Roo, who purchases a bonbon dish and a pretty Victorian brooch. Mark goes for glass, buying a couple of colourful, quality items. However, he gambles a three-figure sum on a microscope that could prove to be an expensive mistake.

As the last auction approaches, Mark is in the lead, but Roo isn't too far behind. Will Mark win his debut trip, or will Roo manage to snatch victory at the last?

It's a trip to sunny south Wales for antiques experts Izzie Balmer and James Braxton as they kick off a new adventure. They're on the road in a rather snug 1970s two-seater sports car, taking the scenic route on a tour around the region's antiques shops with £200 each to spend.

It's the second time James and Izzie have gone head-to-head. Jewellery expert Izzie came out on top last time, so the stakes are high for James, who is keen to get ahead on the first leg of this trip.

Izzie decides to buy a monkey-shaped 1920s perfume bottle she thinks will earn a profit at auction, but she's less sure about an obscure medical curio - a 1920s contraceptive device. James, true to form, can't resist a bamboo table and picks up a pair of sphinx mounts at a great price.

In a break from shopping, Izzie heads to Langland Bay to find out about the evolution of skateboarding on the Welsh coast. Meanwhile, James finds out about a pioneer philanthropist from Jamaica who improved the lives of the partially sighted in Victorian Cardiff.

Finally, it's off to the beautiful Ombersley Court in Worcestershire to find out how well their purchases perform at auction.

Experts Izzie Balmer and James Braxton are back on the road, travelling through Wales and Shropshire on their quest to find profit-making antiques. Their nippy 1970s two-seater is perfect for the twisting miles of bucolic back roads. There's even a spot to pull over for a picnic.

Chocolate tiffin consumed, it's soon time for shopping. Izzie splashes a three-figure sum on an 18th-century oak coffer and falls in love with a sampler stitched in 1832, both of which she thinks will make her a profit at the auction in Tring. James, meanwhile, has high hopes for a pair of 1911 silver scallop-shell butter dishes and an Edwardian mahogany table.

In a break from buying antiques, Izzie heads to Oswestry to find out how a forbidden love story set during the Second World War was uncovered. James takes a jaunt to Llandrindod Wells to learn about one of the first professional Welsh cyclists, who became a 19th-century world champion.

Then it's off to the impressive Gwrych Castle to find out how well their purchases perform at auction.

It's the third outing for Izzie Balmer and James Braxton, who have pointed their sports car along the roads less travelled to north Wales. Stops include the historic island of Anglesey, with unspoilt beaches, picturesque villages and antiques shops ready to be explored.

James sticks to what he loves when he shops and buys yet more bamboo - this time a jardinière stand. He also picks up a sweet pair of bonbon dishes dating from 1896. Rival Izzie plumps for a novelty money box in the form of a pigeon, which she hopes will fly at auction. However, Izzie's biggest spend is on a 19th-century tramp art box. Will bidders be as attracted to it?

Izzie detours from the shops to visit a sleeping copper giant, while James rides the rails on the Great Orme Tramway in Llandudno.

The pair park up in pretty Portmeirion and watch the auction from afar as their buys go under the gavel in Warwickshire.

Izzie Balmer and James Braxton continue to enjoy Wales as they take on the mountains of antiques in Snowdonia National Park. From behind the wheel of their little blue sporty roadster, they clock up the miles as they go from antiques shops to emporia, hunting for collectables they can flip for a profit at auction. Scent bottles, brick moulds and cloisonné bowls attract the attention of these antiques aficionados.

James finds time to slip into chainmail to learn about a revolutionary Welsh king, while Izzie befriends an equally iconic and ‘beefy' local legend.

Whose items will reach the heady heights of profit, and whose will suffer value vertigo at the auction in Leicestershire?

Our sunkissed searchers, Izzie Balmer and James Braxton, pootle about Wales in their sporty classic car.

Jewellery specialist Izzie strikes gold while shopping, finding a bangle, a pendant and earrings, and she takes a punt on a Wedgwood pie dish. She also dips into the history of Tenby, a seaside town that was once a swanky Georgian spa resort.

Meanwhile, James's magpie tendencies take flight as he accumulates a hoard of shiny items, and one piece of silver causes a shock at auction. Taking a break from the shops, James goes walkies to Sealyham Mansion to learn about a pooch particular to Pembrokeshire - and how this game hunter is now helping people.

The pair watch on from the impressive Cilwendeg Mansion in Pembrokeshire as the final auction of the trip takes place in Buckinghamshire.