Whoo Hoo! A new show we'll love!

[Vinca]

The History Channel is becoming my new, favorite network. On January 18 at 9 p.m. they're premiering a show called "American Picker" about a couple of guys looking for antiques and collectibles. I can't seem to find a page on their site, but the Antique Trader and other related sites are talking about it. The pickers are Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz. I swear one of them looks familiar to me. It ought to be fun!
http://www.antiquetrader.com/article/american_pickers_coming_to_television/

[eleny]

1. I just saw the ad for it during Pawn Stars!

Definitely up our alley! We're going to love these guys.

Here's a page with an article about it. It's going to be a 10-part series.
http://antiques-collectibles-auction-news.com/2009/12/26/in-the-world-of-antiques-it-takes-an-expert-to-turn-rust-into-riches/

[zabet]

5. OMG Pawn Stars....

I am addicted to that show! :D

[grasswire]

2. are they thinking pickers will reveal their sources???

"“HISTORY is hitting the road this fall on the search to feature barns across America loaded with golden antique goods from days gone by. We want to hear your stories, from trash to treasure. We’re seeking to showcase the goods piling up around you.

“We want to hear your stories about classic cars, trucks, bicycles, motorcycles, vintage memorabilia, early furniture, old signs, pinball machines, military items, and everything in between,” a release from Cineflix Productions reads."

I'm not sure that's going to happen. If you are/were a picker would you give away the secret spots where you get good stuff???

Or are they looking for collectors who want to show their stash?

[Vinca]

3. If only I had a reliable "secret" spot.

It appears they're trolling for interesting stories. I hope they don't find any from my neck of the woods. There are so many pickers in this area it's a miracle whenever you can actually find something of value.

[grasswire]

4. yeah their angle will be interesting to see

A picker has to often build relationships with sources over time.

[Vinca]

6. So did anyone else catch this show? I wasn't terribly impressed.

For starters, the immediate impression was that they were scoping out old people to cajole them into selling stuff. And the stuff they bought didn't do much for me at all. The Phillip Morris sign guy looked like a homemade job and it's hard to imagine it was worth what they thought. The show isn't nearly as interesting as Pawn Stars.

[Paper Roses]

7. Basic Cable here, what network airs Pawn Stars? n/t

[eleny]

8. History Channel

[eleny]

9. I didn't warm up to those two

All the back slapping of the old guys turned me off. I'll give the show a chance. But I've got the second installment on the dvr and am not eager to watch it.

Meantime, I always look forward to watching Pawn Stars which is a show that's fair to compare - you have it, I want it, now can we make a deal.

[Vinca]

10. I'm happy to know I wasn't the only person kind of turned off by the pickers.

I'll watch again, but maybe they should consider renaming the show "Predators."

[eleny]

11. "Predators" - Spot on, Vinca

After watching the first show that I'd recorded I came over to this forum and saw no postings. Made me wondered if people felt the same. I thought maybe I was being harsh in thinking they were slightly smarmy. I've offered to buy things from elderly people I've met along the way but took a more direct approach. I just ask people to contact me if they're ever interested in selling something I happen to like. Acting like a friend when you have no intention of getting to know someone turns me off. But then I'm not in it for business.

[grasswire]

12. I hear that the message boards at History Channel are ugly

...and many people are upset. I haven't seen them yet. I did watch a couple of segments at this site:

http://www.history.com/content/american-pickers

[Vinca]

13. OMG - I just took a look at the message board.

Someone posted the phone number for the Iowa Attorney General and suggested the predators should be arrested as con men. Another antique dealer ripped them from one end to the other. According to the board, 4 out of 6 people polled don't like the show. I've been watching it, but I'm not impressed at all. They seem to value the rubbish (and that's what much of it is) they find awfully high, too. They ought to dump this show and expand Pawn Stars.

[eleny]

14. I watched another segment last night, just my second viewing of the program

This show isn't going to last, imo. The only real dud for History Channel's reality programming.

I found the one guy ragging at their employee back at the office particularly odious. That was nothing like the old man on Pawn Stars getting ticked off now and then. Those are just guys ragging on each other and you know they all like each other down deep. The other night Cory said something about knowing Chumlee since they were 10 years old.

I'm going to check out the message board for Pickers. It sure sounds like the film editors aren't doing these guys any favors if the duo has a better side.

[Vinca]

16. I especially dislike the tall guy after he called the woman at the office out.

How, exactly, is she supposed to tell a reproduction from the real thing over the phone? It was amusing, too, when the short guy picked a clock up at that house and commented on how nice it was, then discovered it was a T.J. Maxx special.

[eleny]

15. My favorite line from the message board.....

I hope the History Channel carries Lock Up: The American Pickers Saga.

[Vinca]

17. LOL - I missed that one!

[grasswire]

18. Just quickly cruising that board...

...I saw a reference to someone finding something negative on a background check of Frank -- I don't know what. So these critics are taking it to the mat! They want the show ended pronto.

[grasswire]

19. okay, after watching three episodes....

I don't dislike the concept. I can't relate much to the two guys or the kind of thing they are after (motorcycles, carnival rides, oil cans) but I really really like the opportunity to see these incredible stashes of stuff (including the fabulous cars) that they explore. I would never be able to see inside those barns on back roads in the mid-west. That part is very cool.

And I have no problem with them trying for the best price. That's the name of the game. Buy low, sell high.

I suspect that some pickers are unhappy because some hoarders may become more resistant to them after watching the show. People who have those stashes on back roads do have television.

[eleny]

20. I watched an episode the other night and enjoyed most of it

It had been on the dvr a few weeks so I finally watched it. It's the episode where he buys the motor bike that's like a rickshaw.

Most of the sellers made them work hard. They knew what they had and the final imagined values of the items weren't outrageously high. Even the motor bike being valued at twice the purchase price isn't out of line. Anyone in the business with rent to pay for storage or a storefront has to buy at about 1/3 of what they can sell an item.

So this episode didn't have my teeth on edge like the first one. And I'm not as interested as these buyers are in oil tins and old medical lighting. That helps.

Now, if they were paying 50¢ for vintage tablecloths.

[grasswire]

21. did you watch last night?

I think these guys really enjoy the people they are meeting, and have a lot of respect for the merchandise. They are just slightly piggish about their assistant.

I did live vicariously when they went under the stage in the old opera house. I don't know why they didn't buy more of those movie posters. Nice tidy profit there.

[eleny]

22. I watched it last night

And have to admit that I liked it for the most part. Buying the flashlight for a buck and selling it for fifty might not be so pleasant for the guy who sold it. But at least it was balanced by the bicycle that got pulled from the overgrowth.

It did look like they left a lot of paper under the stage. Maybe most of it was in tatters.

[Vinca]

23. I finally got around to watching this episode and I'm still not impressed

with this pair. Now I actually question their skills as pickers. For all their cajoling and rummaging they don't seem to come up with anything terribly valuable considering they drive around in a Mercedes van. You'd expect they might be on the hunt for decent art work - something that actually makes serious money - but instead they drag out rusted crap. Still not a very good show in my opinion.

[eleny]

24. Their web site

http://www.antiquearcheology.com/pickin.htm

Lots of items are shown.

I doubt that the show is the best representation of what they pick. And yeah, where's the art work? Even I've found several nice original pictures and I never really know what I'm doing. They don't even seem to ask for it. But the list they show people seems pretty long.