American Pickers!
Collecting shows seems to come and go in spurts. A few years back there were quite a few on the various cable channels and then they just about disappeared. But after American Pickerscame along, there appears to be a new resurgence in interest with more shows popping up. I put it all on Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz for helping bring shows (aimed at collectors) back. They have what's been missing in many of the past and current shows, personalities and lots of humor.
The popular HISTORY Channel television show finished up strong with 55% of the vote.
Last year I had a chance to chat with Mike, it all started back when he was four years old and they couldn't afford a bicycle!
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Congratulations to American Pickers and the other four finalists!
The other finalists in order of finish, from second to fifth:
- Pawn Stars
Pawn Stars, another History Channel product, is in their third season of production. The show takes viewers inside a family-run pawn shop in Las Vegas, with lots of interesting family dynamics and story line going along with the pawning of interesting treasures. I obviously live a sheltered life, as I would never even think of taking some of these things (if I owned them) to a Pawn Shop. But watching is certainly has been an education for our family. -
Auction Hunters
Only a few months old, the premise of the show is similar to a treasure hunt, Allen Haff and Ton Jones go to storage unit auctions. Basically sight unseen (except for a look from the doorway), they bid on the storage unit contents not knowing what they bought until after they've paid. Just looking at all those closed boxes appeals to the treasure hunter in all of us. -
Antique Roadshow
It's the grandfather of all these shows and will celebrate 16 seasons in 2011. It's another show that had the original roots in the UK, but quickly found a home on PBS. Antiques Roadshow travels around the country, as folks vie for tickets to show their treasures and see what they might actually be worth from the dozens of folks at appraisal stations throughout the auditorium. -
Cash in the Attic
There are two versions of this show, the original is on BBC and the American spin-off on HGTV. Have you ever wanted a chunk of money for a special project and need someone to come in and tell you what you can sell to realize your goal? That's what this show is all about and it's fun to see the end results when the items go to auction.
