I’ve finally found an episode of American Pickers that made me stand up and cheer! Not that I haven’t cheered before on this unusual show, but this installment of the guys climbing through junk was heartwarming to the core.
If you haven’t seen the show, let me briefly fill you in. Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz are expert pickers… like in, “Let me pick through that stuffed barn/garage of yours and see if there’s anything I’d like to buy!” They have an eye out for certain antique and historical items that they can turn around for a buck. They appear to be in the business of making money, so that means buy low, selling higher. That old bicycle of yours in your garage – well, they might offer you a $100, then sell it to someone else for $225. Pull that kind of deal off and you’ll be like the guys! Saying, “That’s a good pick!”
The History Channel’s hit show chronicles Mike and Frank as they venture out into rural towns and explore old, forgotten businesses and buildings, barns and garages. In about half the cases, the owners of “junk piles” know that Mike and Frank are coming, alerted to potential picks by their ever vigilant phone-calling assistant, Danielle. Other times, the two will just pick an “interesting place” as they drive along the road and go “freestyle”. (Having rusty old sheds, cars and signs seems to grab them every time!)
In the “A Banner Pick” episode, which aired 12/12/2010, they’ve been alerted to an old, 17-acre Pennsylvania amusement park that suffered flooding and wind damage during the 2004 Hurricane season. (Incidentally, that’s the same storm season that I wrote of that took out the Treasure Island Hotel in Daytona Beach. Read More .) Opened in 1902, Bushkill Park was a trolley park, one of hundreds built by trolley companies at the end of routes to increase their weekend ridership. When the American Picker’s white van — with Antique Archaeology painted on the side — pulls up to the park, they encounter plenty of “No Trespassing” and “Keep Out” signs. “Hope that doesn’t include us,” Mike quips. Not to worry, Mike. It doesn’t.
At the Bushkill Amusement Park
Bushkill Park owner Neil takes them on a tour of the park showing off the old skating rink, fun house (the oldest walkthrough funhouse in America), and the heavily damaged ride “The Whip” made by the infamous W.F. Mangles Company of Coney Island, NY. It is this ride that Neil explains they’d like to renovate and get running again.
After picking an item here, a sign there, Neil walks Mike and Frank into the Carousel Building, and immediately two old sideshow banners of painted canvas leap out at them. With the canvas banners spread out on the floor, Mike stands in awe. These were the “signs” that grabbed people’s attention as they walked by an attraction or freak show. One featured a painted magician and fire breather, and it was in fairly good condition. The other canvas — damaged and hole strewn — showed a gorilla and giant snake. When Picker Mike asks Neil if he’d like to sell them, Neil reluctantly asks for $200 each. Mike agrees to the $200 for the tattered gorilla-painted canvas, and offers $500 for the magician one. What? $500? Did I just hear that right? I’d never heard the guys offer more than the asking price. A stunned and hesitant Neil agrees to the increased $700 tag.
Mike explains later that he’s not sure what the painted sideshow banners are worth, but that they’d have their helper Danielle do some research and get an appraisal.
The show then continues, with more picking taking place at various places, before the guys end up in New York City where they get to experience driving around and around and around looking for their destination: Billy’s Antiques and Props. After much horn honking and bewilderment, they locate Billy’s and unfold the canvas, asking for a quick appraisal of the canvas in its current condition. The 6’4″, eye-patched Billy identifies the Gorilla Canvas as having been made by O. Henry Tent and Awning Company, with Fred Johnson the most likely artist.
Fred G. Johnson, according to the show, was a self-taught artist from 1909 to 1974 who created hundreds of circus banners depicting clowns, snake charmers, sword swallowers and freaks. Most of his work has been lost or destroyed.
“So what’s it worth?” The American Pickers ask.
Billy responds, “In perfect condition it would be a $10,000 piece. In this condition… it would be worth 5 to $6,000.”
Mike is ecstatic. What a pick!
The Banners Are Sold
The guys then hit an old warehouse where again, more items from W.F. Mangles Company jump out at them. After some haggling, a sale is completed and a Fire Truck and Pony Ride items go into the white van.
They’re headed out of NYC, contemplating the great deals, when the phone rings. Danielle, their assistant, is on the line. She has exciting news. She sold both banners… for $10,000!
The guys have $9,300 in profit! Woohoo! Talk about a pick!
But then they get quiet.
Frank asks: “You think that maybe we should try and help that guy out on that “Whip” machine since we did so good on this?”
Mike responds with, “Man I tell you what, Frankie, great minds think alike. I was just thinking the same thing.”
They turn the van around and head back to Bushkill Park.
Walking up to Neil, Frank says, “Since we did so good on the banners we would like to split half of what we sold them for.”
And they hand him $5,000 cash.
To see the look on Neil’s face… Priceless. It’s obvious that he never saw it coming.
As Neil hugs the pickers, I know I’ve picked a good show to watch.
American Pickers – Ron says, check it out.
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Additional Resources
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Watch the entire 45 minute “A Banner Pick” episode! Click Here
Bing Maps. See the Bushkill Park location: Click Here
History Channel’s Official American Picker’s Webpage: Click Here
American Pickers Facebook Page: Click Here
The Abandoned Treasure Island Hotel in Daytona: Click Here
Reference:
- www.history.com/shows/american-pickers/episodes/season-2#slide-2
- www.associatedcontent.com/article/5579958/the_abandoned_treasure_island_hotel.html?ca
