Antique Roadshow

[s-man]

I have watched this show and really like some of the stuff they show on it. Some of it you can tell is really old and worth what they say it is, but other things they show looks like expensive junk to me! I have seen old baseball cards on the show and even antique books, but I have yet to see them show a rare/antique comic. I have been watching for about 4 to 5 years and figured by now SOMEONE would show up with an Action #1 or Superman #1 or something similiar. But I have yet to see it happen. Does anyone else watch the show and has anyone seen a comic put on display?

[minutekev@50]

I remember someone responding to a post similar to this one about a man coming on some antique show and showing off some old Silver Age comics he'd collected as a kid...but apparently he had somehow preserved them by doing something similar to varnishing the covers (?)..lil help on this anyone?

 

So the roadshow guy explained that his comics weren't worth as much as they would have been if he'd left 'em alone...

[TomG]

The show is interesting. I was at the show in Baltimore Maryland the other year and roughly 9,000+ people turned out for the show. There was just about anything you could imagine being taking to the show. One gentleman had a golf bag full of antique swords. One person brought in an original production cel for a Disney movie that was autographed on the mat by Walt Disney. I did not see any comic books, but a good number of vintage toys. If you ever attend a taping of the show be prepared for lines, as you will spend several hours in line before getting in to see the appraisers. It was an interesting experience to see how the show is produced.

[rob_react]

I remember someone responding to a post similar to this one about a man coming on some antique show and showing off some old Silver Age comics he'd collected as a kid...but apparently he had somehow preserved them by doing something similar to varnishing the covers (?)..lil help on this anyone?

 

So the roadshow guy explained that his comics weren't worth as much as they would have been if he'd left 'em alone...

 

He had lacquered the covers with spray lacquer. The roadshow appraiser for that segment can be found at comic shows on occasion. I talked to him once about a Mexican poster he had from one of Bruce Lee's films.

[minutekev@50]

Thanks Rob.

[s-man]

The show is interesting. I was at the show in Baltimore Maryland the other year and roughly 9,000+ people turned out for the show. There was just about anything you could imagine being taking to the show. One gentleman had a golf bag full of antique swords. One person brought in an original production cel for a Disney movie that was autographed on the mat by Walt Disney. I did not see any comic books, but a good number of vintage toys. If you ever attend a taping of the show be prepared for lines, as you will spend several hours in line before getting in to see the appraisers. It was an interesting experience to see how the show is produced.

 

One of the reasons I watch the show is for the variety of antiques they have on. You never know what you are likely to see! Its incredible what people save, but its also incredible what some of the things are worth.

[archiefan]

I remember someone responding to a post similar to this one about a man coming on some antique show and showing off some old Silver Age comics he'd collected as a kid...but apparently he had somehow preserved them by doing something similar to varnishing the covers (?)..lil help on this anyone?

 

So the roadshow guy explained that his comics weren't worth as much as they would have been if he'd left 'em alone...

 

And to top it off...these comics were Fantastic Four #1, Incredible Hulk #1, Amazing Fantasy #15, Amazing Spider-Man #1, etc. There was a small stack he had in a little bag. He said he bought them off the rack as a kid and condition was important to him so he varnished the covers to keep them nice. I thought the appraiser was going to have a heart attack. This was during a show taped in Chicago.

[goldust40]

This will inevitably sound snotty and anal, but Sothebys and Christies (and every antique dealer I've ever met) have said that an "antique" has to be at least 100 years old. Period.

 

Golden Age comics won't be antiques for another 33 - 34 years. At the moment, comics, (not to mention animation cels, art deco radios, sports memorabilia and rare Beatles LPs etc. etc.) are classic ephemera.

[s-man]

This will inevitably sound snotty and anal, but Sothebys and Christies (and every antique dealer I've ever met) have said that an "antique" has to be at least 100 years old. Period.

 

Golden Age comics won't be antiques for another 33 - 34 years. At the moment, comics, (not to mention animation cels, art deco radios, sports memorabilia and rare Beatles LPs etc. etc.) are classic ephemera.

 

I dont know how many people would watch a Classic Ephemera Road Show...just doesnt have the same ring to it!

[goldust40]

This will inevitably sound snotty and anal, but Sothebys and Christies (and every antique dealer I've ever met) have said that an "antique" has to be at least 100 years old. Period.

 

Golden Age comics won't be antiques for another 33 - 34 years. At the moment, comics, (not to mention animation cels, art deco radios, sports memorabilia and rare Beatles LPs etc. etc.) are classic ephemera.

 

I dont know how many people would watch a Classic Ephemera Road Show...just doesnt have the same ring to it!

 

You may have a point there

 

The Antiques Roadshow has been almost an institution in Britain, as the program (the BBC version!) has been running for decades.

 

Again this'll sound snotty, but the stuff that people find over here in their attic, loft or shoe cupboard is quite incredible (and often well preserved) - although the entertainment really focusses on the resident expert's appraisal of the object, and the reaction of the owner.

 

There was one show devoted entirely to forgeries and their unsuspecting owners. Great stuff.

[s-man]

There was one show devoted entirely to forgeries and their unsuspecting owners. Great stuff.

 

yes I have seen a few instances where the item was not what the owner thought it was and saw the disappointed look on their faces! I would not be happy to learn that my suspected $10,000 whatever was actually a $10 knock-off!

[Mister_Comics]

I remember seeing someone bring a comic on there once. Can't remember if it was a SUPERMAN or ACTION. But I remember the main guy telling um it was worth more then it looked like it was worth. It did look a bit beat up at I recall.

 

There use to be some other good antique shows. The best one was TREASURES IN THE ATTIC. That show would show collections of all kinds. A couple were of comics. Love that show. Watched it everyday when it was on.

 

Another was THE UNCUREABLE COLLECTOR with John Lariquette. Another show that took you to peoples collections. Some of which were comics.

 

COLLECTIBLE CORNER with John Burke was a good one too. Comic collections again. But the best one was when they showed ROBERT BLAKES Lone Ranger and Red Rider collection and the host touched something and Bobby boy went ballistic on the dude. I bet he hopes the jury never sees that. He did have a lot of nice western comics too.

 

You might be able to find TREASURES IN THE ATTIC on the net still.

[s-man]

I remember seeing someone bring a comic on there once. Can't remember if it was a SUPERMAN or ACTION. But I remember the main guy telling um it was worth more then it looked like it was worth. It did look a bit beat up at I recall.

 

There use to be some other good antique shows. The best one was TREASURES IN THE ATTIC. That show would show collections of all kinds. A couple were of comics. Love that show. Watched it everyday when it was on.

 

Another was THE UNCUREABLE COLLECTOR with John Lariquette. Another show that took you to peoples collections. Some of which were comics.

 

COLLECTIBLE CORNER with John Burke was a good one too. Comic collections again. But the best one was when they showed ROBERT BLAKES Lone Ranger and Red Rider collection and the host touched something and Bobby boy went ballistic on the dude. I bet he hopes the jury never sees that. He did have a lot of nice western comics too.

 

You might be able to find TREASURES IN THE ATTIC on the net still.

 

Was the show Treasures in the Attic hosted by twin brothers, both of whom are appraisers? (I cant remember their names). The show was done in an attic setting and they appraised just about everything of value. It was a great show and it came to the states before Antique Roadshow did, I believe.

 

I would love to see the Robert Blake episode! Barretta goes ballistic over his collection...priceless!!

[PovertyRow]

I have watched Antique Roadshow since the start of the American version (sine I have been in CA have been watching the original BBC version too).

 

I don;t have a lot of confidence with any of the comic book folk I HAVE seen. They tend to be "generalists", basically specialing in pop culture, toys, etc. My favorite appraiser is Rudy Franchi, form Boston's Nostalgia Factory. Before the Antique Roadshow days when I was living in Boston, I would hit his Newbury Street store literally every Sunday (man those were great weekends - Saturday days at Steve Higgins' Outer Limits comic shop and Sunday days at Nostalgia Factory).

 

Rudy was the guy who made me realize I COULD collect the 30's and 40's horror moie pieces. I dropped $650 for an original Frankenstein meets the Wolf Man lobby card there one day, after chatting with Rudy for some time. So I get it home and look at it, frame it and say to myself - "ok - you can do it). So I did it!

 

He is the older, white haired gent with a kind of New York slight accent who does a lot of the pop culture pieces, political buttons, pretty much all the movie memorabilia etc. He used to work PR for the hollywood studios and has some absolutely hilarious stories about those days.

 

Anyway - just my 2 cents.

[kryptonitecomics]

I love the show and have watched it for years. I have yet to see the Comic book episode, even after watching tons of re-runs. I'd like to go to a show sometime if they ever come to Orlando!!!

[underthebigw]

There was one show devoted entirely to forgeries and their unsuspecting owners. Great stuff.

 

yes I have seen a few instances where the item was not what the owner thought it was and saw the disappointed look on their faces! I would not be happy to learn that my suspected $10,000 whatever was actually a $10 knock-off!

 

Call me sadistic, but one of my favorite parts of this show are the occasions on which some know-it-all novice collector (doesn't matter what they collect) with dollar signs signs dancing in their heads find out that that they've been taken and have nothing but a knock-off. Generally, these people are unbelievably arrogant until the news is broken to them, and they think they've put the screws to a seller who wasn't as smart as they are. Great stuff.

 

The only part that is better is when people find out that a family heirloom or part of their childhood is worth a small fortune and really don't care, primarily because the object is of such trememdous sentimental value.

[s-man]

The only part that is better is when people find out that a family heirloom or part of their childhood is worth a small fortune and really don't care, primarily because the object is of such trememdous sentimental value.

 

That is the best part of the show! (But then I bet at least half of them who say that do go home and sell it for that small fortune! )

[Mister_Comics]

I had to bring this thread back because today I found a tape I recorded of TREASURES IN THE ATTIC. I use to record the show because I wasn't always able to watch it when it was on.

 

Was the show Treasures in the Attic hosted by twin brothers

 

Sorry it took so long to answer this. I knew I had some of this recorded, just had to search through tapes to find it. No twins. Just John Burke (he's now introducing movies on AMC) and some others that helped on the show.

 

And Blake going beserk on the show was pretty cool to see.