[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: It's the nation's favorite antiques experts.
MAN: I think I found something.
Pretty good.
Yeah.
NARRATOR: Behind the wheel of a classic car.
Oh, stop it!
NARRATOR: And their goal-- scour Britain for antiques.
I think it's brilliant.
NARRATOR: The aim?
To make the biggest profit at auction.
[GAVEL POUNDS] But it's no mean feat.
You're some man.
NARRATOR: There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.
[LAUGHTER] - No.
NARRATOR: Will it be the high road to glory-- Yeah, baby!
NARRATOR: --or the slow road to disaster?
Oh.
Oh.
NARRATOR: This is the "Antiques Road Trip!"
[MUSIC PLAYING] Nod off.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Hang on to your boaters as we present a second installment of Two Men in a Minx.
Hillmen, that is.
Lord, Betty's struggling in the moment, isn't she?
Come on, Betty.
- Yeah.
So she doesn't like the hills, does she?
She is old.
NARRATOR: Nursing their motor along the byways of bonny Scotland are experts Angus Ashworth from Yorkshire.
And at the wheel, Geordie Stephen Moore.
We've got a nice, quiet lane, though.
I need to [INAUDIBLE] leisure.
There's enough sky to make a sailor's jacket, as they say.
Oh.
I'm going to be well-educated by the end of this trip, I think.
Well, you need it.
Oh, thank you very much.
Thank you.
NARRATOR: Aye, well, [INAUDIBLE].. Stephen will be more than familiar with a few of Angus's Yorkshire expressions before they get much further down't road.
Got cows.
Oh, look at this.
Good looking beasts.
We've got cows and we've got mountains.
It's peak Scotland.
I would say they're an Aberdeen-Angus mix, those.
Good cows.
Oh, you know cows, do you?
I do know cows.
Yeah.
NARRATOR: Plus he knows an awful lot about antiques.
Well, he is an auctioneer.
Ex-soldier too.
Hats off!
Which explains his soft spots.
[SIGHING] Military cap badges.
What could make me happier?
NARRATOR: While new boy Stephen, who's been a dealer, an auctioneer, and museum curator-- A ladies tea party.
NARRATOR: --is also well known for another program with both "Antiques" and "Road" in the title.
Never bought a concrete doghouse before the last auction, however.
- 5 pounds.
Thank you.
5 pounds.
[INAUDIBLE] Good for your back.
Come on.
It's lovely.
AUCTIONEER: [INAUDIBLE] at 5.
NARRATOR: That TV first leaves him ever so slightly behind his [INAUDIBLE],, one more for Angus to bone up on.
Let me into your mind, Stephen.
Ooh.
What?
You actually want the truth?
NARRATOR: Oh, we do.
And these are the facts.
Stephen started out with 200 pounds and he's managed, so far to slim that down to 132 pounds and 44 pence.
[GAVEL POUNDS] While, Angus who began with the same sum, he has just a little more, 139 pounds and 54 pence.
Once they reach the shops-- I'm getting quite attached to Betty.
Yeah.
She's lovely.
Apart from little hiccups.
[POP] And there she goes again.
Yeah.
NARRATOR: Yeah.
Buck up, Betty.
Long way to go.
After moving off from Melrose and having a tour of the borders, they've now come further North, as far as the Bonnie Scottish lowlands, before heading closer to their home territory in Yorkshire in the Northeast.
They'll wrap up proceedings at a cellroom back up here in Dundee.
My gosh.
Well, I must admit.
We've got a stunning route, haven't we?
NARRATOR: You betcha.
Today's auction destination is Dunblane.
But point A is for Alva in Clackmannanshire.
[MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: At the foot of the [INAUDIBLE] hills, hence Alva and a few other communities hereabouts, are known as the Hillfoot villages.
Angus has been dropped off to go it alone-- [INAUDIBLE] - Hello.
- Hi there.
Angus.
How are you doing?
You all right?
- Angus.
I'm Tom.
Pleased to meet you.
NARRATOR: Feel free to Alva good look round!
Who writes this stuff?
How do you take your tea, by the way?
Anyhow.
I find, when you're struggling, cup of tea.
It's what we do in Yorkshire.
Focuses the mind.
If in doubt, tea.
NARRATOR: There goes lifestyle guru, Angus Ashworth.
[MUSIC PLAYING] You're a mug.
It's a wool winder.
NARRATOR: Called a swift.
Vintage wool wander.
NARRATOR: Now it's broken.
Sits on there.
That's lovely.
It's that lovely colored wood as well.
Acetone base.
And that goes out.
You put your wool [INAUDIBLE] on there and-- [VOCALIZING] --there we go.
Not that I do a lot of wool winding, or sewing, or anything.
But I can cross stitch.
NARRATOR: Nice to know that.
That's quite nice, isn't that?
Vintage wool winder.
45 pounds.
It's quirky.
It's different.
But how popular is wool winding nowadays.
I dunno.
Possibility, though.
NARRATOR: The tea does seem to be working.
Just.
What about his chum?
Still to reach his first shop.
For him, it's all about the journey.
So far on this trip, Betty hasn't let us down.
But Betty's a little unwell today.
She's had a few hiccups.
I think she's eaten something last night which is-- [POP] Agree with her.
And-- Yep.
Just on cue.
NARRATOR: Crikey.
Easy does it.
Right.
[RATTLING] Oh.
Oh.
Come on, Betty.
[CAR REVVING] [ENGING STARTING] There we are.
Thank you.
Whew.
Now, Betty, I take back everything I said.
You're a good girl and I love you.
NARRATOR: They're a charming couple, aren't they?
Not far to go either.
Because that's Castle Campbell up there, close to the village of Rumbling Bridge.
And Claymore Collectibles.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Well, let's see what we can find today.
NARRATOR: Let's.
May even manage it without a cuppa.
Do I see any antiques?
Oh.
It helps if you take the end off first.
NARRATOR: [LAUGHS] They're both full of tips today.
This is a really nice, early 19th century perfume flask.
It's cut glass.
A regional stopper.
It's absolutely a sound.
It's got hardly-- a little bit of damage around there.
You'd expect that.
And this could well have gone into a lady's glove.
Can you imagine a very long opera-length glove?
A lady would push that down inside of her glove.
And the other thing you have to think about, of course they didn't have deodorant.
So you can imagine one of those lovely Jane Austen type balls, dancing around with Mr. Darcy.
They would need a bit of scent up their glove to quickly freshen up and kill the smell of all that body odor.
NARRATOR: By George.
But it's 18 pound.
And for something which is 200 years old-- so that's going to go on the maybe pile.
But this is the first thing I've looked at.
So let's see what else is hidden in the shop.
NARRATOR: Nothing escapes his steely gaze.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Ooh.
I like that.
A little silver candy spoon.
It's bright cut.
So straight away, you know it's going to be early 19th century.
The dealer has got it down London 1812.
That's exactly the right thing.
Now, a candy spoon's nothing to do with golfing, it's to do with tea.
So you're kind of saying to yourself, what do you do with a candy spoon now?
But what the smart people use these for is nuts.
Put a bowl of nuts out, little silver candy spoon.
Rather than putting your hands in, you can use a silver candy spoon to put them into your hand and into your mouth.
So it's a gorgeous thing.
The more common ones have a flat, maybe a scallop shape.
But these ones with the scoop bowl are much rarer.
But 50 pounds, that price isn't peanuts.
So that's going on the maybe pile for now.
[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Back to Angus in Alva.
Where he has a swift wool winder in mind.
Plus-- Oh.
That's a good decorative piece, isn't it?
Look at that.
Lovely, isn't it?
The color.
A lovely, early coffee grinder for a coffee shop or even at home if you want to ground your beans old style.
It would smell lovely, wouldn't it?
Grinding those beans.
So you open this lovely turned top there, drop your beans in, grind them up, which drops into your drawer at the bottom.
And you've got freshly ground coffee.
[SNIFFING] You can smell it.
NARRATOR: Not many drawers smell delicious, I can tell you.
[LAUGHS] Ticket price, 15 quid.
The only downside to it-- and it's the only thing that puts me off it-- is it would have had a lovely maker's plaque on the front here.
You can just see the remains of it.
If that had been intact, that would have been an absolute belter.
NARRATOR: Time to talk to Tom.
Tom!
Look out.
Hello.
Hello.
Found a few bits already.
Oh, that's good.
Particularly like this coffee grinder.
The other thing I spotted was that wool winder.
STORE OWNER 1: Yes.
Is there a lot of movement on that?
Yeah.
There can be a bit of movement on that one.
Yeah.
STORE OWNER 1: Probably about 20 pounds off.
So that would be 25 pounds.
Oh, OK. You've got me thinking now.
I don't know if it's-- you've got it put aside.
There's a box.
STORE OWNER 1: A tea caddy box, to be precise.
Yeah.
Nice Victorian walnut.
Very Gothic style.
It's like a mini treasure chest, isn't it?
It's probably been a tea caddy or a correspondence box.
I quite like that.
So I mean, what-- those two as a package.
What could they be?
STORE OWNER 1: These two could be 30 pounds for the two of them.
If I threw the wool winder in, what would we be looking at?
Another 25 for the wool winder, so that'd be 55.
Do you know what?
I want to take all three off you.
Lovely.
Thank you very much.
Excellent.
Thanks very much.
Brilliant.
NARRATOR: So he now has just under 85 pounds to spend.
Are we all secure?
Doesn't look it.
Maybe we should have a bag maybe.
[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Oh!
There goes the smelly, old drawer!
Whoops.
Just as well he didn't spill the beans.
[LAUGHS] Back to Rumbling Bridge where Stephen's already spotted a spoon and sniffed out a perfume flask.
Ooh.
Wow.
Don't know how many people have a candle in the room.
But, of course, candles have been with us a long time.
And the way wicks were, they needed to be trimmed.
So this is not only a candle snuffer, it's a candle wick trim as well.
I won't use my finger because I'll chop it off.
But imagine that was your candle wick.
You would put it in.
Not only would this snuff it, but this chopping action.
[SNAPS] Off with his head.
[SNAPPING] Would also trim the wick.
And, of course, as you know, if you've got scented candles, if you don't trim the wick, you will burn more of the wax.
Candles were very expensive.
Your candle would last longer.
So this, to a Georgian, was an essential piece of kit.
And I also spotted, on the bottom shelf, this little carved horse.
He's dead cute.
And he's only 10 pound.
I think that's a no-brainer.
NARRATOR: Plus, he's almost certainly by Robert Mouseman Thompson, the Yorkshire furniture maker, who put a mouse on everything.
You know what?
It's decision time.
It's time to speak to the shop owner.
Max.
NARRATOR: Here he comes.
- Stephen.
- Max.
He's 10 pound.
I'm going to take him.
We've got Angus Ashworth with us.
And he loves carved wood.
He loves, what I call critter carvings.
Lots of wood carvers use an animal as their symbol.
So is he going to get annoyed about this mouse tomorrow?
I hope he is.
OK.
Perfect.
We'll shake on that.
NARRATOR: That could be worth a lot of money, that no-brainer.
But I'm also interested in this as well.
Yeah.
The candle snuffer I know it's a bit mean, but can there be any better from 25?
Yeah.
That was a good price but I would do that for 20 pounds, Stephen.
OK.
The other thing is always was this perfume flask, which I really like.
And that's 18 pound.
I'm not going to quibble on that.
OK.
So 10, 20, 30, 48.
How about if sweeten the deal for you, Stephen?
45 pounds.
Thank you so much.
I appreciate that.
NARRATOR: Another expert.
Another three items purchased.
Just over 87 pounds left in this one's wallet.
Come on, Betty.
[INAUDIBLE] Off we go.
NARRATOR: Bye bye, Betty.
[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Hello to the largest loch in lowland Scotland.
Not only an important nature reserve, but also briefly the home of one of the most iconic figures in the country's history, Mary Queen of Scots.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Yes.
Angus has come to the shores of magnificent Loch Leven to learn about Mary's troubled and dramatic life from historian Nikki Scott.
ANGUS ASHWORTH: Mary Queen of Scots.
Queen of Scotland but spent most of her time not in Scotland.
Absolutely.
Yes.
I mean, she becomes queen at just a few days old.
And when she is still a young child, she's taken off to France.
She's betrothed to the Dauphin, the heir to the French throne.
And she basically spends the rest of her childhood and teenage years in France.
And it's not until she is 18 that she returns to Scotland.
[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Mary's husband, King Francis II, died suddenly in 1560.
And when his younger brother inherited the crown, the young widow came back to her native country.
She was not universally welcomed.
Mary is a Catholic queen in a country that has, very recently, undergone a reformation of religion.
So it's now officially Protestant.
So many of her nobles are reluctant to see her take up the throne.
[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Mary married a Scotsman, Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, in what looked like a politically savvy move.
But, alas, it didn't turn out that way.
Because although the marriage produced a son, it was an unhappy one.
And when her husband died in mysterious circumstances and Mary married the chief suspect, the Earl of Bothwell, there was a noble rebellion.
NIKKI SCOTT: Mary is imprisoned, initially in Edinburgh, and then brought here to Loch Leven to be a prisoner in the ancient castle that stands on the island here.
So it's something that's very different existence for her.
She's used to the lavishness of her palaces and castles around the country.
And here she is, going to be confined on this tiny island.
[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: This is Castle Douglas, where Mary Queen of Scots was brought in June of 1567.
NIKKI SCOTT: She would have had this floor and the floor above.
ANGUS ASHWORTH: What was life like in the tower?
NIKKI SCOTT: She had a very hard time.
She falls ill. She miscarries.
So she's really at a very low point, mentally and physically.
And those who rebelled against her are keen to get her out of the way.
So they put a lot of pressure on her to abdicate in favor of her young son.
They want to put James on the throne, James VI, so that they can govern the country by proxy.
So they force her to sign those abdication papers.
And reluctantly, of course, she gives in and science.
And James VI becomes King of Scots.
[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: But that wasn't the end of Mary.
She soon became intent on escape from the island.
And after almost a year of imprisonment, she succeeded, persuading a boatman called Willie Douglas to row her to freedom.
ANGUS ASHWORTH: So what happened to Mary when she made land?
She gathers those nobles that are still loyal to her to raise an army to take back her throne.
But is ultimately defeated.
And that's the point where she makes that fateful decision to flee South to England to try and seek the protection of Elizabeth I. NARRATOR: But Elizabeth saw her cousin as a rival, and so while civil war continued to rage in Scotland, Mary spent most of the next 19 years under lock and key in England before her execution in 1587.
[MUSIC PLAYING] And how did that leave things in Scotland?
The country's very much divided between those who support Mary and those who support the young infant, James VI.
But, ultimately, it's decided in James VI favor in 1603.
Inherits the English throne after Elizabeth dies.
And becomes King of that United Kingdom of Scotland, England, and Ireland.
NARRATOR: Crikey.
What a story, eh?
Should make a film about that.
Back to the sheep.
Back to Betty.
And in the back of Betty, a wooden horse.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Fingers crossed, it's a little treasure I've found in Scotland.
I'm pretty sure it's Mouseman.
But the good thing is, Angus will know if it is right.
He can confirm my suspicion.
And you know what?
I can't wait to see his face.
Because at 10 pound, even if it's fake, it's a bargain.
NARRATOR: Gosh, he's in a good mood.
And why not?
About to take his sunny disposition towards Dunfermline, birthplace of Andrew Carnegie, the philanthropist.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Oh.
There he is.
Look.
Not Andrew Carnegie.
Having a good look.
This is the secret door.
Not that secret, though.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Ooh, whistle.
The Acme boy scout whistle.
Dare I blow it?
[WHISTLING] NARRATOR: Nor is it hush-hush that Stephen has just over 87 pounds left to spend either.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Opera glasses were an essential for the opera.
They weren't so much about seeing the opera itself, they were about seeing who else was in the audience.
Looking around.
Ooh, look what she's wearing.
Is she still married to him?
I can't believe it.
According to the label, these are Asprey.
And, yes.
They've got Asprey right on the front.
Really good name.
Top quality.
But at 80 pound, I haven't got that much money left.
So I'm going to put these back in the cabinet.
[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Ah, some [INAUDIBLE].
Ooh, a little bit of Chinese canton enamel.
It's late 19th century.
But it's only 12 pounds.
That's maybe something to think about.
Is it in good condition?
It's always a good idea to feel around the edges.
It's quite smooth.
But there's no chips that I can see.
It's called canton enamel because it was made in [INAUDIBLE] in the center of China, as most Chinese porcelain was.
It Was brought down river to the port of Canton, where it was decorated.
The Japanese also made [INAUDIBLE] porcelain.
NARRATOR: And the difference is?
The foot rim of Japanese porcelain is different to Chinese porcelain.
If you look carefully, you can see they've actually trimmed the glaze off the foot room.
So it's slightly chamfered.
In Japan, they fired it on sand.
So the base of a Japanese piece will be very sandy and rounded.
This could be one to buy.
I might have a word with the shop owner.
And put that on the maybe pile.
[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Well, you certainly afford it.
[MUSIC PLAYING] It's always the most interesting things which are priceless.
This is a really nice Scottish arts and crafts embroidery panel.
Annoyingly, it's clearly had a label there.
That might have been the person who sewn it.
But they're getting more and more popular.
And people are more believing that needlework is actually an art form rather than a craft.
I don't think it's signed.
But when you look-- not even the color of it-- but look at the quality of the stitches.
This is somebody who knew about arts and crafts influences, the likes of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, people like that.
And these Scottish needlework panels can make money.
Even though the frame is probably the original frame, it doesn't really do it justice.
In a better frame, it would look much more important.
This might be a bargain.
So let's see how much it's going to be.
And maybe this is something I could take to the auction.
NARRATOR: Yeah.
Brisk work.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Hello.
I'm Stephen.
How do you do?
Hi, Stephen.
I'm Stewart.
I found this over the back.
Yes.
STEPHEN MOORE: No price.
So how much are we asking for it?
STORE OWNER 2: I'm asking 15 pounds for it.
STEPHEN MOORE: OK.
There's also that little Canton vase at 12.
STORE OWNER 2: All right.
Yep.
Hmm.
Do I buy that?
Do I buy them both?
You're going to say buy them both, I know that.
Buy them both.
NARRATOR: He did.
STORE OWNER 2: If it helps, I could do the two for 25.
Yeah.
Go on.
- Great.
- I'll take those.
We'll shake on it.
[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Deal done.
Still got over 50 pounds.
Time to celebrate with a trim.
STEPHEN MOORE: Let's show that Angus that's what elegance looks like.
And maybe something for the weekend.
Oh.
I'm not sure we still do that.
OK. [LAUGHTER] And how's your day been today?
It's not been bad, actually.
There's just one thing I'm hoping is going to make a load of money.
Oh.
I should have been in there before you.
NARRATOR: Bad luck, Pam.
You gotta follow your man.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Yes, it's been quite a day.
The sun's shining.
The winds in-- well, it's in my hair.
You've got your straw boater on.
- It hasn't blown off yet.
- No.
It hasn't blown off yet.
Anytime now.
NARRATOR: Yeah.
Nighty night.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Next morning!
Woo.
Competition resumes in earnest.
STEPHEN MOORE: How was yesterday?
ANGUS ASHWORTH: Do you know what, Stephen?
It was very good.
So, what?
Did you get another bit of concrete or-- We avoided the [INAUDIBLE].
But there's this one thing which I'd quite like to show you.
ANGUS ASHWORTH: OK. Am I going to be impressed by this, Stephen?
I hope you are.
NARRATOR: I think we can all guess what Stephen's alluding to, that Mouseman horse, which he picked up together with a perfume flask, a Chinese vase, some arts and crafts needlework, and a candle snuffer.
[SNAPPING] Off with his head.
NARRATOR: Leaving him with over 50 pounds in his wallet, while Angus has also been busy, busy, busy breaking things, dropping things, acquiring a box, a wool winder, and a coffee grinder.
[SNIFFING] You can smell it.
NARRATOR: Which means he still has more than 80 pounds to spend today.
But first, while he's sitting down.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Oh.
Unbelievable.
Do you like it?
It's a Mouseman.
But it's very rare because it's a figure of a horse.
That is the find of the trip.
I don't ask how much he paid for it.
100?
Less.
50?
Less.
Could have bought five of them for 50.
- You paid 10 pounds for it?
- I paid 10 pounds pound for it.
Honestly.
All right.
That is the best find I have ever, ever seen on this program.
NARRATOR: I thought he took that well.
We'll discover whether his horse has come in in Dunblane.
But today's first port of call is just outside the village of Abernyte.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Scottish Antique and Arts Center.
NARRATOR: Neat parking.
Plenty of parking.
[LAUGHS] [CAR DOOR CLOSES] Already dropped his old China off, and here we are.
Over 100 dealers represented here.
And he's got less than that figure to spend.
No mouse on that one, is there?
NARRATOR: I do hope we're not feeling at all bitter!
Or twisted.
Or sad.
Or otherwise discomforted.
Good.
Anyway.
[MUSIC PLAYING] This is just what I need.
This could be the winning ticket look at that.
It's a mystic ball.
A witch's ball.
I can actually read the witch's ball, the mystic ball.
I'm reading here.
Leg two, Stephen makes huge profit at auction.
But then we go to Yorkshire and fortunes change.
[LAUGHS] NARRATOR: He could always buy the ball.
That is actually a really nice thing.
Probably late 19th, early 20th century.
And these witch's balls actually sell really well.
I've had good money for these.
Ticket price, though, 88 pounds, which, for retail, I think's actually quite fair.
But that's virtually all the money I've got.
So as much as I love it, and it might help me predict the rest of the trip, I'm sadly going to have to leave it there.
[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Oh.
That's a pity.
What did Marx say?
Men make their own history but not as they please.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Apparently this is a retirement sale, 50% off ticket price.
That could be good.
So what can we find?
Well, this looks all right.
Two nice vintage boxwood folding rulers.
It's got a lot of age to it, is that.
And that's quite nice.
It's got these little recessed bits in there.
All folds up.
NARRATOR: There's a rule.
Boom boom.
It's quite good.
Another slightly later one.
That's probably early 20th century.
This one's mid-20th.
But, again, a nice thing.
Look at that.
Big, giant ruler that all folds up and fits into your pocket.
Two together make a nice, little lot.
And still usable.
20 pound, the two.
Well, that's not bad in its own right.
But it is the bargain basement cabinet.
50% off.
So that means 10 pound, the two.
Can't go wrong at that.
I'll have those.
NARRATOR: Big spender alert.
- Stephen.
- Angus.
How are you?
I'm all right.
These two rulers.
Right.
They've got 20 pounds on them, but they're out the 50% discount cabinet.
That's right.
So that's 10.
Lovely.
I'll have those please.
Thank you.
- OK.
Thank you.
NARRATOR: Many are mickle makes a muckle, eh?
- Good see you again.
- You too.
Thank you.
Goodbye.
Thanks.
Bye.
NARRATOR: Still got one shop on almost 75 pounds left.
[CAR DOOR CLOSES] And without further ado, he's off.
Ah, car park's filled up.
[MUSIC PLAYING] And we now get to enjoy a brief excursion to the seaside.
Well, Stephen does, anyway.
Because he's taking a well-earned break from shopping out on the Fife coast at St. Andrews.
Famous for quite a few things.
One of those being Scotland's oldest university.
And Stephen's yet to renew acquaintance with the subject he last wrestled with at O-level.
Because chemistry, one of the more modern disciplines in the university's 600-year history, is a science in which St. Andrews leads the world.
Tell me, what is chemistry?
Well, chemistry's the molecular science.
It's the understanding of molecules, their structure, their reactivity, and their function.
And everything living is composed of molecules.
And everything-- like water is molecules, isn't it?
Yes.
Absolutely.
So you're understanding everything around us.
The whole world.
Yes, certainly the study of everything associated with life and materials.
NARRATOR: Prize-winning chemist, Professor David O'Hagan, is also a keen student of his department's history.
And the debt it owes to two men, Thomas Purdy-- who was appointed in 1884-- and one of Purdy's students, James Irvine.
Their interest was in understanding the structures and the uses of sugars.
And they conducted hundreds of experiments.
A bit like this one.
STEPHEN MOORE: What's going on?
DAVID O'HAGAN: I'm going to show you an experiment with glucose.
So what I would like to do is add this base into the flask.
[POURING] So I've already dissolved glucose and water.
And we're going to add this in.
[POURING] To help us see what's happening, we're going to add a little bit of dye.
So the reducing power of the glucose is going to reduce the dye.
And this is going to go colorless.
This is a dye that would have been available to Irvine at that time.
So-- Actually, it's going as we look.
Look.
It is.
So that's a fully reduced dye.
So let's oxidize it by shaking it and allowing the oxygen from the atmosphere to go in.
So if you want to just give the flask a shake.
[SHAKING] And you'll see the blue color.
Just keep going.
And that's oxidizing the dye back to the blue color.
So we have a war between oxygen and glucose.
So what have I learned from this experiment?
Well, you've learned that glucose is a reducing sugar.
And that relates to its structure.
There are many sugars.
By this type of experiment, we can classify that sugar.
And, going back to Perdue and Irvine, they were unaware of the detailed structures of the sugars.
They were working very hard at trying to solve those problems.
NARRATOR: The two men's experiments led to benefits in the fields of biochemistry, nutrition, and medicine.
Not least being the diagnosis of typhus.
DAVID O'HAGAN: I'll let you go first.
There you go.
STEPHEN MOORE: Thank you.
DAVID O'HAGAN: Yeah.
NARRATOR: Thanks to what they had discovered about bacterial sugars, like dulcitol.
DAVID O'HAGAN: These sugars are the fundamental building blocks of life.
In the First World War, there was this desire to combat disease of the troops.
Typhoid fever was a particular problem.
It had a major problem in the Boer War.
And there was a sugar called dulcitol.
And dulcitol was a derivative.
It had to be made from lactose.
And Irvine set about making large quantities of dulcitol, which became extremely scarce because of the requirement to supply the field hospitals in World War I.
[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Dulcitol, made by the chemists of St. Andrews, was used at the front to test for disease amongst the troops.
So sugar, which is something we think is an ordinary thing, in the right hands, actually becomes an amazing diagnostic tool that saves lives.
That's right.
NARRATOR: Professor Irvine was awarded a CBE for his work during the war.
So sugar is good.
Absolutely.
I'm glad to hear it.
[MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Meanwhile, out on the Antiques Highway, someone's looking for adventure.
Or at the very least, a presentable knickknack or two.
Heading into Dundee, not far from the County of Angus, my namesake.
Got just over 70 pounds left for the last shop.
So that's actually quite a lot of budget.
I just need to find something really rare, undiscovered item that's going to make three grand.
Unlikely, but we can hope.
NARRATOR: Right on.
Like the man said, Dundee is his destination.
[COIN RINGS] City on the Firth of Tay.
Noted for its [INAUDIBLE].
For its comics too.
Including the other Minx.
Real name, Hermione Makepeace.
ANGUS ASHWORTH: Oh, here we are.
Let's find someone to park up.
NARRATOR: Weren't they in the Beano?
Got here before Stephen, which is great because I've got a head start on him.
So I need to get round the shop and sniff out all the bargains before he gets it.
[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: I wouldn't count on it.
Stephen!
- Angus.
- Well, boy.
You've arrived.
I have.
It's good of you to join us.
It is.
Would you like a little bit of a shelter?
Oh, thank you very much.
Very kind of you.
How are you getting on?
You had a good day?
I've had a lovely time.
Sitting, relaxing, enjoying myself.
[INTERPOSING VOICES] - --enjoying yourself.
I must say.
I haven't forgotten about you.
Oh.
There's something in here for us.
Maybe something we could share.
NARRATOR: How kind.
Oh, it's the Scotch pie!
It's a Scotch pie.
I know you like a Scotch pie.
Lovely.
Mmm.
Oh, that's very good.
Well, I'll need to get on with some shopping.
- And I need to relax.
- You relax.
See you later.
Take care.
Bye.
NARRATOR: Looks like he's shopped up.
Angus will have free reign at least.
Made short work of that pie, didn't he?
[LAUGHS] [MUSIC PLAYING] Look at your military [INAUDIBLE] uniform.
Yeah.
Front.
ANGUS ASHWORTH: Quite like that.
First World War.
Yeah.
I'm just seeing this one as well.
Down here.
[RATTLING] And that's more of a civilian type.
But probably date-wise, they're the same period.
Trunks are quite in, and it's a flat top.
So you could use it as a coffee table if you wanted.
Yeah.
All the rage.
Is it still the rage?
Yep.
Absolutely.
ANGUS ASHWORTH: Oh, OK. NARRATOR: Glad that's sorted.
This one's 25 pounds.
I was thinking maybe the two together.
I'm not sure what you've got on there.
I mean, what would we be looking at for the two?
STORE OWNER 3: I'll do the two for 40.
We're in the County of Angus, aren't we?
Yes.
[LAUGHS] Yeah, we are.
And my name's Angus.
So I don't know-- [INTERPOSING VOICES] --gets me a special discount or something.
NARRATOR: Here we go.
Oh, absolutely.
Oh, good.
Good.
35.
35 for the two?
STORE OWNER 3: That's buy one, get one free there.
I'll tell you what?
30 quid.
Do you know what?
I'm not going to argue.
[INTERPOSING VOICES] STORE OWNER 3: --right.
OK. [LAUGHTER] NARRATOR: Well, I think that's his shopping done.
Stephen's too.
Grace Kelly.
NARRATOR: By the looks of it.
Turned out nice again.
Where'd you leave the car?
It's up there.
OK. See you.
What?
I'll carry these then.
NARRATOR: Hurry up!
Auction next.
[LAUGHS] [MUSIC PLAYING] ANGUS ASHWORTH: Dunblane, it's got a golden post box.
Ooh.
Remind me what that's for.
Andy Murray getting gold medal.
Oh, Andy Murray!
Of course.
Oh, the Olympics.
Yes.
I think I might get gold.
Well, I think I might get platinum.
Oh ho ho!
I might get palladium.
Oh.
I might get molybdenum.
Is that better or worse?
I can't remember.
[LAUGHTER] NARRATOR: Just as well we took a crash course in chemistry earlier.
Time to add the element of shut-eye.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Ah!
Here we are.
In Andy Murray's manner, so to speak.
Spotted it?
After exiting Alva, they thoroughly explored this delightful corner of Alba.
That's its garlic name, of course.
Ending up just outside Dunblane.
At Robertsons of Kinbuck.
ANGUS ASHWORTH: I think we might get back in the saddle with this auction.
STEPHEN MOORE: Will our dreams be back in the bin?
ANGUS ASHWORTH: Hope not.
STEPHEN MOORE: Well, let's see.
NARRATOR: No bins, please.
There's an awful lot to get excited about.
Like Angus's five lots, for example.
Acquired for an extremely economical 95 pounds.
Tight, isn't he?
Angus.
Grinder.
What's going on?
Trouble is, this is a Persio grinder.
I wonder if Angus knew that.
Persio grinders are the Rolls Royce of coffee grinders.
15 pounds is no money for it.
NARRATOR: Thumbs up then.
[BANGING] I recognize these.
I think I helped Angus out of the shop with them.
Will they do well?
Hard to say.
In fact, trouble is they probably will do OK. Because these make great coffee tables.
These might sell.
These could be a sleeper.
NARRATOR: Also very positive.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Stephen spent even less for his five lots, just 70.
And what did he spend least on?
Oh, I'd love this for myself.
And he pulled an absolute blinder, Stephen, buying this.
This is home for me.
Mouseman workshop's literally 20-minute drive from my house.
He's going to do well on that.
NARRATOR: Can't bear to say goodbye, can he?
That way up-- no, that-- that way I think it's going to be.
Hmm.
A bit surprised with this with Stephen, actually.
It's not his best.
It's needle work.
I mean, it's quite well done but it's faded.
It's quite small.
Are people really putting this sort of thing on their wall anymore?
13 pounds.
He didn't pay a lot for it.
But, then, would you?
Out of all of his items, I mean, this is the bit at least like to take home.
Oh.
Good luck, Stephen.
NARRATOR: Not quite so keen on that one then.
AUCTIONEER: 50.
NARRATOR: But what about our impartial auctioneer, Struan Robertson?
[GAVEL POUNDS] The Mouseman horse is my personal favorite today.
Being a Mouseman collector, I am a bit biased.
I think it will be the best selling item today.
The two rulers, they're not that great.
We sell them often.
And unfortunately, they don't make a lot of money.
NARRATOR: Ruled out, eh?
Here they come.
I think Angus has had a haircut as well.
Well, it's absolutely rammed with people, isn't it?
It is heaving.
It's a proper, old-fashioned sell.
And I mean that in the nicest possible.
This is going to be childhood flashbacks.
NARRATOR: Well, I'm having coffee jitters.
Must be the aroma from Angus's grinder.
AUCTIONEER: 15 stacked.
1.
Let's go a tenner then.
10.
10 [INAUDIBLE] 10 [INAUDIBLE] 10 pounds.
It's lovely.
Quality.
AUCTIONEER: They want it 10 pounds.
All out, at 10 pounds, 12.
An amount at 12.
14.
One's at 14 pounds.
- 40.
AUCTIONEER: 16.
Matching 16.
18.
- 18.
18.
OK AUCTIONEER: Matching 18 pounds.
All out at 18 pounds.
[GAVEL POUNDS] [INTERPOSING VOICES] --coffee boats sold, I'm afraid.
Profit's profit.
It is.
It's a profit.
NARRATOR: Enough for a half-decent espresso.
It was a good thing.
Good maker.
Thank you.
Persio.
You're been very complimentary today, Stephen.
Well, yeah.
I'm feeling generous.
[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: I wonder why.
He starts off with his candle snuffer.
Tenner's [INAUDIBLE].
Let's go.
10 pounds [INAUDIBLE].
10 back there.
And I'm matching 10.
12.
14.
16.
18.
19, 18.
[INAUDIBLE] profit.
Profit.
AUCTIONEER: All out.
18 pounds at the back.
[GAVEL POUNDS] - Well done.
[LAUGHTER] [INTERPOSING VOICES] - Stephen-- no.
I'm serious.
Well done.
That was a fantastic result.
NARRATOR: Nice as 9 pence, aren't they?
[INAUDIBLE] congratulations.
Bless you.
Congratulations, Stephen.
NARRATOR: Now, do these two measure up?
30 pounds.
Folding rulers.
Very handy.
Fit in your pocket.
AUCTIONEER: 15.
15 pounds start.
Come on then.
A tenner.
Oh, hello.
Lovely.
10, 8, 6.
6 pounds.
Only 6.
6 pounds.
8.
10.
12.
Matching 12.
Matching 12 pounds.
12.
14 means profit.
All out then at 14 pounds in front.
Thank you.
It's profit.
It's profit.
NARRATOR: Yes.
Profits all the way so far, albeit tittlers.
Hey, little profits are better than no profits.
[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Oh, no one's getting sniffy.
Can Stephen's flask do as well?
30 pounds.
25.
20 then.
Starting it.
Beautiful wee bit of glass from 20 pounds.
Yes, this glass struggles, doesn't it?
15?
15.
An amount at 15.
15 pounds.
I'm close to-- we're a loss at the moment.
All out then.
Going cheap at this, guys.
- Oh no.
All out.
18.
18 saved the day.
20.
Profit.
All out at 24 pounds.
[GAVEL POUNDS] Well done.
Profit.
NARRATOR: Yes, you did say that before.
But, anyway.
- That is the name of the game.
- It is.
Well done.
Well done.
NARRATOR: Angus's trunks, one military, one civilian.
20 pounds.
Amount at 22.
24.
26.
- Oh, you profit.
No.
30.
32.
34.
- Close to profit?
- Yes.
I'm in profit.
AUCTIONEER: At 36.
At 36 pounds.
[GAVEL POUNDS] How much did you make there?
6 pound.
Minus fees.
So about to break even.
But, anyway.
- Does is matter?
It's a sale.
- Yes.
Yes.
Happy with that.
Absolutely.
NARRATOR: I think 6 pounds is the joint record so far today.
Can we come back and regain?
Yeah, definitely.
I know what I'm going to be buying.
--Yorkshire.
Come back here?
- No.
- Oh, I can.
You can't forget Yorkshire.
NARRATOR: Whoops!
Your Canton vase is next, Stephen.
15 start.
15 pounds.
10.
Matching 10.
Matching 10 pounds.
12.
Matching 12.
12.
Matching 12 pound 40.
You're into profit.
[INTERPOSING VOICES] --profit.
You're in profit.
AUCTIONEER: Matching 16.
18.
Matching 18.
[INTERPOSING VOICES] [INAUDIBLE] All out at 24 pounds.
[GAVEL POUNDS] - I've doubled my money.
- It's all right.
Doubled your money.
Well done.
NARRATOR: Double figures too, not that anyone's getting carried away.
- That was all right.
- Yeah.
Not bad.
Yeah.
NARRATOR: Now, knitting.
Who's going to wind up buying this little item swiftly?
I'll bid 24.
Matching 24.
Matching 24 pounds.
26.
28.
30.
You're in profit.
AUCTIONEER: 32.
34.
[INAUDIBLE] a good day today.
All out at 34 pounds for the wool winder.
[GAVEL POUNDS] [INTERPOSING VOICES] - Exactly.
- Yep.
Yeah.
Good.
NARRATOR: Exactly nothing has lost money today.
I'm happy, actually.
I'm very happy.
[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Right.
Now, can Stephen's arts and crafts item hold its own?
You seem to have bought a lot of cheap things on this one.
Well, yeah.
Cheap can be good.
- It can.
- It's worth a lot of money.
- Yeah.
Well-- yeah.
I will bid 140.
Matching 140.
What the-- NARRATOR: A commission bid.
Matching 140.
Matching 140 pounds.
All out then.
At 140 pounds.
[GAVEL POUNDS] [LAUGHTER] Where did that come from?
NARRATOR: It may be a piece of May Morris needlework.
Told you it was good.
I knew that was something.
NARRATOR: Never mind.
Last chance for the big bucks, Angus.
The empty box.
AUCTIONEER: 24.
Matching 24.
24 pounds straight in.
How much did you pay for it?
Ooh, 15 pounds.
26.
28.
People should go back to writing letters, don't you think?
- Yes.
Definitely.
All out then.
At 30 pounds.
[GAVEL POUNDS] [INTERPOSING VOICES] - Doubled my money.
- Absolutely.
Well done.
- Excellent.
NARRATOR: Yes.
Another solid profit.
But Stephen's last lot may be about to change everything.
Just what will this horse make?
Fake or fortune?
Standby.
You know what's coming up next, don't you?
Yes.
Your beautiful Mouseman Shire horse that I'm very envious of.
I paid so much money for it.
No.
You didn't.
You paid 10 pounds for it.
Yeah, I know.
I will start the bidding off at 500.
Matching 5.
Matching 500 pounds.
Matching 5.
Matching 500.
And the Mouseman horse figure.
And matching 5.
It's good at 10 pounds.
AUCTIONEER: All out then.
At 500 pounds.
Last chance.
500 pounds with me.
550.
Matching 550.
At the back.
All out at 550 pounds.
[GAVEL POUNDS] Well done, Stephen.
Well done.
Did I make any profit?
10 pounds to 550 for 540 pounds profit.
But you know what?
I think somebody's still got a bargain.
Yeah.
Yeah.
They did.
Yeah.
NARRATOR: What a lovely way to end an auction.
I think you might have just edged that one.
Yeah.
I might be a little bit ahead.
NARRATOR: Indeed.
But how much?
The numbers are in.
Angus started out narrowly in the lead.
And after auction costs, he's made a 13 pound profit.
So he now has 152 pounds and 78 pence.
[GAVEL POUNDS] While Stephen made an awful lot more.
Well over 500 pounds more, actually, also after costs.
So he's now shot up to 682 pounds and 36p.
Stephen, what a great day.
- What a great day.
- [INAUDIBLE].
Profits all around.
You did all right, didn't you?
Abso-- you taught me well.
Well, that's it.
I've been going gentle for the first two legs.
But-- - Are the gloves are off?
- I'm going to start trying now.
- Come on then.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
