Mark Stacy and Anita Manning are the current competitors on the BBC TV show Antiques Road Trip.
Mark and Anita both trawl the local antiques shops trying to spot antiques that they think will have more value at an auction than the price they pay at the Antique shop.
There is some haggling, fixed grins and hands are thrown in the air until a deal is reached.
Then at the end of the show, the items are hauled off to Auction to see if they will make a profit.
The basic idea of this show seems the wrong way round to me. Going to Antique Shops to buy antiques and then selling the items back to an Auction House is the reverse of the way antiques traders work.
It's like going to Harrods for a chair and then selling it at a car boot sale!
In Bargain Hunt, a lunchtime programme featuring many of the same experts, two teams comprising of two shoppers and one expert buy from markets and antique fairs and then sell at Auction.
This at least gives them a chance of making a small profit. However, in reality, small profits of £2 -3 would probably not pay the auction house charges for selling the items.
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So how can you make this idea actually work for you?
Well you might not make a living at antiques and collectables, but you could certainly make a profitable hobby.
The experts on the antiques shows have a broad knowledge of the antiques market because of their experience and enthusiasm for the trade.
From expert Valuers like David Barby, to auctioneers like James Lewis, all the experts have inside knowledge of their business.
Every day they deal with the day-to-day business of buying, selling and valuing objects. This is ground level marketing and will lead to both experience and wisdom of the trade.
However, all of them have a specialist area where they have a detailed knowledge of their subject. A smaller range of items but very detailed.
This is how you too can become involved in antiques.
By choosing one small area of antiques, you can read and learn all you can from the front of a computer screen, books and by visiting local antiques shows and auction houses.
You can quickly gain the current values by checking auction sites like eBay against auction houses selling the same items.
You can find out about specialist auction houses and current trends in fashion.
It is easy to become an expert on your chosen subject by experiencing it from the internet, books and by talking to people involved in the business.
Most of all enjoy it! The important factor in this is you.
You must have an interest in the antiques you collect. You should like the items enough to want to have them in your own home.
If they end up in a box under your bed, you probably aren't that interested. Bargain Hunt expert James Lewis, specialises in snuff boxes. You can tell he loves the subject and he admits he has too many in his collection, but he always makes a profit because he knows his stuff!
Whatever your interest, you are not alone. If it is collectable, you'll find collectors somewhere wanting to buy it.
As long as you have a growing interest in your collecting hobby, your experience will gain and you should end up making small profits.
The Experts’ ability to understand all of these factors makes the difference on Antiques road trip
