American Pickers
 

I'm sure many of you watch American Pickers, and they find these places that are off the beaten path. They make some good finds, and lots of these places have piles of old things.

I've never seen them come across any really vintage baseball stuff, has anyone?

But some of these people they visit don't look like they've been out in public in 50-60 years.

Anybody else free style pick like they do? I'd imagine when u see these type of off the path people, that is very likely there are still some amazing finds out there to be discovered.

They came across a Beechnut tobacco poster featuring Dizzy and Paul Dean on one episode last year and they took it to the Cardinals to get it appraised. Below is a short write up of the piece:

http://coolandcollected.com/american...ap-and-review/

There may have been some sporting equipment on one of their shows as well, but I cannot remember for certain now.

The show is awesome. one of my two favorites. They reran the show last night w the Beechnut piece.

Plus, in reality, I'm not sure they r really knowledgeable and have enough customers for more sports. Could be they found some, but didn't buy it/edited it from show.

It's crazy these places they visit have multiple garages & barns, and sheds packed with stuff.

Sometime they have to climb over stuff, no way they can open every drawer or book that might have a card or so in it, or other things.

Yep saw the Dean Bros one. There is no way a lot of these hilljacks know what they have, they just keep piling it up and in, but to see bike parts and signs from the early 1900's, make you think there is still a lot of stuff yet to be uncovered.

I recall some discussion of a large panoramic photo that they found in one episode but was not one of the featured items. On-screen, they just had a shot of them carting it out of the barn or wherever it had been squirrelled away, and maybe a brief glimpse of it as it had sat for many years.

There was another episode where they found a pile of WWII-era military base team uniforms (both shirts and pants). Can't remember what they paid for those, but they seemed like a pretty good deal to me!

I agree with the sentiment that they don't seem to have knowledge of specific prices for sports-related pieces that they may happen across, but they do have sense enough to know a ballpark value on most things, and I'm sure do plenty of research off-show on those they don't know specifics on.

It was a "Yard Of The Game" Cubs panorama...I asked Mike about it and he said that they did buy it, and sold it right away. He told me they have no control over which segments air, but that they did film a segment of him buying it.

logic would tell you that they could not fill 2 stores with stuff just by what they show on the TV. A friend from lancaster had them at his place and they were there for 3 days filming and they went through everything and purchased much more than what made it on TV.

Shark Tank discussions last on about 3 or 4 hours and they look at the books etc but we only see 10 minutes on the show

I remember seeing an episode where they were looking through stuff in an old barn in, I think, upstate New York. When they were either going through this one pile of stuff or were climbing over a pile, there was an old baseball glove in the scene. It was one of those with individual fingers with the leather lacing between the thumb and first finger.

My guess was the glove was from the 1910's or 1920's. On the show, the guys just went right past it without saying anything. OF course, off camera they could have picked it up and bought it.....

David

American Pickers is one of my favorites too. would Love to go cross country and free style pick. We should have a Net 54 caravan. That would frighten everybody!

While I have not freestyled, I am contacted a good amount for post-1900 art sales, and then inquire about any sports material. and am also contacted a good amount for sports material, and then inquire about any post-1900 art. So I roam mentally and physically when in a home or apartment.

A gentleman contacted me about one year ago with a 1970s Yankees World Series ring. I asked if he had any art. He had THREE Original Andy Warhols sitting in a closet. have not closed the deal, yet.

Separately, I had a deal to Sell a very big piece of art, and inquired if the buyer had any sports material, and the gentleman showed me the Neiman Namath, up for auction this weekend at Heritage. believe the earliest formal painting by Neiman of Namath, from 1965 his rookie year. Bought it then and there!

Not sure if you guys also watch the show Auction Kings but they had a Ty Cobb tin on once that went for I think 5K.

I believe one of their episodes, baseball cards was quickly mentioned with other items, but they did not show them digging up the cards.

Lance,
Do you ever visit their store in Nashville??? If so, did they have any baseball memorbilia??

I have not. I know about where it is, but since I no longer work downtown, don't get over that way very often, and am on other (wife-appointed) missions when I do happen to be in the area. I probably should have dropped by when they had all those military team uniforms, but who knows how long had passed from when they picked those up to when the show aired. It is pretty neat seeing some of the local dealers on there from time to time giving appraisals though, including the owner of the comic shop (The Great Escape) that I frequented for years.

Hi-
I have been to their store in Nashville, but I was very disappointed in their offerings. They had very little actual antiques. Most of what they had was show merchandise (similar to Pawn Stars). They had one of the WWII baseball uniforms priced at 1200.00 with holes. That was the only sports item.
That leads me to my largest issue with the show. I feel they are dishonest about their expected retail price on many of these items. If you watch the baseball uniform episode, they bought the whole box for 200.00 (I think) and they said most of them were ratty. I do not remember if they said what they anticipated selling them for, but it definitely was not 1200.00 for one (in rough shape).
I have seen other items, especially folk art that would sell for much higher prices than what they quote, although that could be a factor of location (Iowa pricing versus Northeast pricing).
I have also been surprised the other way as a boy scout lot sold for much more than it would have to a scout collector in another episode. In that specific case I think they were targeting a different market and might very well get their price (they paid 700-800 for a 1937 Jamboree grouping that did not have the more valuable patches that collectors pay well for).
All that being said, I do like the show as it focuses more on antiques than most other programs.

Alan Elefson

It is better than the alternative though. I get so frustrated watching all of the storage unit shows where they pull out garbage and quote a price 5 times higher than it is actual worth. I feel like most of the prices on American Pickers is spot on. They might mark things up a bit in the store, but I am sure it is because they can get a bit of a premium over retail since it is coming from their particular shops.

On one episode they purchased two early laced leather basketballs for about $50.00 each or less which were in great shape and easily worth $150.00 in today's market. I believe they also bought a low grade wing front style leather football for $25.00 on another episode.

I have always wondered why they don't come across more cards.
all these hoarders they meet with you would think they would uncover some great stashes.

The one thing I like about this show more than most of the others is that they seem to actually have some respect for the people they are picking from. A lot of other shows treat the sellers like they are stupid and uneducated.
Drew

American Pickers were at my dads over the summer filming. His episode aired last Wednesday. If you missed it the episode will rerun next Wednesday at 7pm central (an hour before the next new episode. My dad has a green shirt on and is looking under the hood of an old Crosley car (think old smart car) when they first pull up. He sells Mike a motorcycle coin operated ride on toy and a neon taxi sign among other items. My dad, also named Mike, has known Mike Wolfe many years before the show began airing. When they we're filming at my dads I asked Mike if they ever come across much vintage sports items and he said they didn't. He also said they don't even consider most cards and advertising sports items because of the reproduction factor although I'm not sure why he wouldn't want to learn more about telling the difference between genuine and fake. They left and the next day picked my uncle who lives next door to my dad. His episode airs Nov. 20.

GREAT story. I saw that show, coin op ride was awesome. Thanks for the cool info sir

American Pickers
 

Mike, thanks for sharing. I watch the program and enjoy it. Your Dad is a great guy. He has a great collection of antiques.

re
 

Awesome! i saw that episode.
I think sports is outside of their expertise. They love bikes and motorcycles, but seem to steer clear of sports stuff. They'll pay hundreds for some old motorcycle part that i wouldnt know from a boat anchor, but i would imagine overlooking some nice sports antiques.
As for their prices, i bet the stuff that gets featured on the show brings in an inflated price because people will pay more for something that was made "famous" on an actual American Pickers episode.:rolleyes:
I enjoy the show though, but like you guys, wish they'd find some sportscards/memoribilia once in a while.

I think there is also an element of education/surprise for the viewers as to what items can have value that you would never consider (like old oil cans, rusted out bike frames, etc). Since the 80's, it seems as though everyone "knows" baseball cards are worth "lots of money," so I could see the producers making a conscious effort to choose other "unknown" items to focus on. That's purely conjecture, but I must say, I really do enjoy the educational aspect of the show whether sports-related or not. Maybe someday I'll watch enough of it to actually retain some of the information :p