Episode 8 | 53m 10s | Video has closed captioning.
This week on MARKET WARRIORS, pickers Miller, John, Bob and Kevin head out to Canton, Texas, home to First Monday Trade Days with the challenge of finding Mission Oak furniture. The winning picker is determined at A.N. Abell Auction Company in Los Angeles, California, where chosen items go under the hammer.
Aired: 10/15/12
It's not there, but it's a big part of the here.
We learn to live with lots of things that aren't there.
Do you think you can save me?
If you did that, John, it would raise the price.
It might almost be worth it.
Sold, $25.
No!
Are you kidding me?
I'm shocked.
I'm sick.
♪ ♪ WALBERG: For more than a century, East Texas has welcomed thousands of dealers from across the country to sell their wares at First Monday trade days in Canton, Texas.
Not limited to antiques and collectibles, this monthly Thursday through Sunday market includes vendors selling gift items, decorations, riding equipment, even sporting gear.
And in the big Texas heat, there are refreshment stands virtually everywhere you turn.
Promoters say Canton is a good place for collectors and dealers to get to know each other in a down-home environment where everyone gets to slow down.
Not so for our market warriors.
They're here to do what they do wherever they go: on the move to buy low in order to sell high at auction.
This is a big market in a big state with big stakes, so no time for a Texas two-step unless it happens in double time.
Let's get started, y'all.
All right.
♪ ♪ Gentlemen, welcome to the great state of Texas.
Mm-hmm.
"Cash in your chips and get ready to strategize.
"We're in the Lone Star State, "and there will only be one Lone Star winner.
May the best poker picker win."
That's me, baby.
KEVIN: You know who that is.
WALBERG: Here are the rules for today's competition.
There are two rounds of buying.
Each picker gets $1,000.
The target item will be chosen by the auctioneer at Abell Auctions in Los Angeles, where all of today's items will be sold.
For the target item, we would like you to find Mission furniture.
Mission furniture that does well at auction are side tables, chairs.
The patina people want on this furniture, kind of just like a natural brown to it, looks like it's been oiled.
You want it to be authentic, from the period.
Best of luck.
WALBERG: The target item must be one item only, unless what they're buying is being sold as a set or a pair.
I got a little game for you boys.
Really?
"It's called luck of the draw.
"High card starts off the target round in the antiques section of the flea market."
"The other three have to find their way there."
JOHN: Hmm, that's interesting.
That looks like a good one.
Bob?
All right.
Ready?
Flip!
KEVIN: Oh, not good.
MILLER: Oh, yes!
Oh, come on!
JOHN: The game is rigged!
BOB: We're going to be trailing you.
Drop some breadcrumbs, honey.
WALBERG: Game time will be kept by this tubular, tall-case clock.
Pickers have one hour to find their target item.
Remember, Lone Star State, there's only one winner.
WALBERG: Starting now.
Let's go.
Ashley, I'm looking for Mission furniture.
Take me to the best place.
KEVIN: All right, where are we?
We're in the middle of nowhere.
So we've got to find the antiques section.
That's right, because there's a lot of non-antiques here.
MILLER: I got to the antiques center first.
I want to make very good use of my time.
Okay, and this is, like, Mission design because it's very simple, rectilinear shape.
You don't see any of the ornate, Victorian detail that you saw before, but it has the simple lines, clean construction, you see the exposed knob here.
$265 for this hall tree.
These are very dated, and it's just not going to sell well in today's market.
I'm totally lost.
I guess the "X" marks the spot.
No.
No?
Oh, and there's the Baked Potatoe.
Where's the Baked Potatoe?
Right here.
KEVIN: Oh, trade center two.
Oh, so it's turned around this way.
Right.
I'm good, I'm out of here.
Oh, wait a second, I know where I'm going.
We're on a mission to find Mission oak furniture, and that's going to be in the antique section.
I'm not sure how Mission's going to go, because Mission is more contemporary.
Cleaner lines, simpler, a real revolt against that frilly, overdone Victorian look.
That's still big here in Texas, that Victorian look, so I don't know how much Mission we're going to find.
It's going to be an interesting challenge.
WALBERG: Let's just focus on one challenge at a time, John, huh?
Am I heading the right way for the antique section?
WALBERG: If you're having a hard time finding your way into the antique section...
It's down this way?
WALBERG: ...then why compound it by worrying about how hard it will be to find a target item once you get there?
We can get some vintage watermelons!
(laughing) Okay, antique alley... WALBERG: Miller knows she has to move fast because time won't be on her side for much longer.
This is Mission.
This is nice, floral detail, it's very worn.
To get $200 for this is going to be tricky.
It's a slant front desk, original leather.
I like the leather.
Yeah, the stuff I bring out... Would you work with me there?
For $200?
My goodness.
Look how worn this is.
Yes, I can work with you on it.
It's neat!
It's the ending of Art Nouveau, kind of Mission/ Art Nouveau period.
I like that.
I'm looking for Mission furniture.
Do you have any other great pieces?
What about the chest?
How much for this?
This one I can do $150.
This might be very functional in somebody's house, I think, for California.
That's why they put wheels on it.
Okay, Joel, do you think you could keep that little, um, the desk and the chest on hold for me?
Yes, I sure will, my dear.
Oh, thank you, okay.
WALBERG: Getting the dealer to put both items on hold helps Miller hedge her bets and eliminates the risk of making a hasty purchase she could regret as she covers more territory.
Excuse me, sir.
Excuse me.
Can you point us to the antiques building?
Antiques?
That's it.
Oh great, thanks.
We're men who are not afraid to ask for directions.
WALBERG: They're trying to make the best of a bad situation, but they have no idea that Miller is making it worse.
Each piece Miller puts on hold is one more target item her opponents can't touch.
Hi, I'm looking for a nice Mission piece of furniture, and you've got some beautiful pieces.
What do you want for this little chest?
Uh, $85.
This is nice because I think it could fit in any room in today's era.
I think you could say this is Mission, what do you think?
Oh, yeah.
WALBERG: Miller phrases the question to get the answer she wants, but she seems unsure this piece is truly Mission.
That's been replaced, hasn't it?
Yeah, that's probably out of some old paneling.
But I don't think that hurts it, what do you think?
No, I don't think it does.
WALBERG: The more important consideration is if potential bidders in Los Angeles will think the replacement hurts the piece.
MILLER: I think Arts and Crafts period is Mission furniture.
They blend together, the styles really are at the same time, and the design is so similar.
Therefore, I think this piece qualifies as a Mission piece.
Would you put this on hold for me?
Yes, ma'am.
Okay, thank you, I'll be back.
WALBERG: That makes this the third piece of Mission furniture Miller's put on hold.
At an average rate of three holds every ten minutes, she's got time to hold 12 more pieces before she's done.
This is Texas Hold 'Em, Miller Gaffney style.
All right, good luck.
Good luck, Kev.
WALBERG: With 40 minutes left in the round, Kevin and Bob are crossing out of limbo into a section with antiques.
Congratulations, boys: you actually have a chance to compete with Miller.
KEVIN: Mission oak, turn of the century, 1900, Gustav Stickley.
He was the innovator, we'll say.
Brought the whole style in, really simple lines.
You can't mistake a piece of Mission oak.
It's about as simple and plain as you'll find.
Mission oak.
Anything?
Arts and Crafts furniture?
No?
Any Arts and Crafts furniture?
Mission oak?
WALBERG: Both Miller and Kevin mention Arts and Crafts and Mission as if they're interchangeable.
Mission furniture was a part of the broader Arts and Crafts movement that influenced artists, architects and designers worldwide.
Well, it sounds like Mission oak is a foreign item out here.
Could be my Northeastern accent.
They don't know what I'm saying either.
WALBERG: Kevin finally finds the antique center and thinks he's about to enter the promised land.
No, no, nope... WALBERG: He's in for a big disappointment.
Mission oak furniture, I need to buy a piece of Mission oak.
MAN: I don't know if I have any.
I don't think you do.
Table's a Mission-style table.
It's in rough condition, though.
Needs a lot of restoration.
The thing about Mission oak, first and foremost, is the oak, it's got to be the dark oak.
The other thing is simplicity, lack of decoration.
Just clean, functional, straight lines.
The way the table is molded to the legs, it's actually cut around the leg so it's an exterior leg.
Again, part of that simple aesthetic of Mission design.
The use of the rectangular trim such as this knob.
Also, the use of pegging in here.
It's just that this is in rough condition.
Asking price is $74.50.
Here's the thing: something like this could probably be had for a very reasonable price, and if somebody's willing to put some effort into it, they'd have a really nice table.
It wouldn't take a heck of a lot to bring this back.
To make any money at Abell's, I've got to get to $50 or below.
If I can get $25, I'm fat, that would really do it.
So I want to make a note of this.
WALBERG: Notice how Bob is in the booth Miller exited just moments ago and doesn't even give the cabinet she put on hold a second look.
Let's see that again.
How you doing?
WALBERG: Correction.
He doesn't even give Miller's cabinet a first look.
I love the lines of it.
The keyhole is really fun here.
The cutouts are really great.
It's a beautiful piece.
What's your best price on the desk?
Well, I could do $250.
I have to have a price that is better than this.
What price are you looking at?
I'm looking at $160.
Well, that's a little bit low, because we pay good money for stuff, because I love neat stuff.
I was raised up with antiques.
I'm the same kind of guy.
(laughing) My grandmother had the same sofa from 1936 until 2005, and she would just put slipcovers on it.
Yes, yes.
And that darn sofa, you know, it's still around.
It's still around.
And you know what, it's better than a new sofa.
Thank you.
It's comfortable, it's got the camel back, I love it.
And the wood, because now almost everything is particle board.
Yeah, yeah.
Well, I'll tell you something.
If you guys can make me a deal, I'm prepared to buy this.
BOB: I want to get it for under $200, and I know these people have to make money-- this is a signature piece for them-- but I also need to make money on this piece.
WALBERG: The pained look on Bob's face says it all.
Haggling causes him more tension than any of his competitors.
Chester, could you do $180?
$180 for a friend who loves it?
All right, $180.
All right, Chester, thanks.
WALBERG: Look how relieved he is!
Bob is the first picker to buy his target item.
"Mission" accomplished.
Anybody know where any Mission oak is?
I'm looking for Mission oak.
Anybody happen to have any idea where I could find a piece?
Do you ladies know where I could find some Mission oak furniture?
It's just all over the ground.
Thank you.
Uh-huh.
You haven't found any Mission yet?
Yeah, what are you doing?
I found lots and lots of Mission.
Where is it?
If anybody knows where Mission oak furniture is or can lead me in the right direction, I'd greatly appreciate it.
Might be some in the pavilion.
Gotta go!
Hey, I heard if we take a left here we could find Mission oak furniture.
Yeah, why don't you do that?
Hey, there might be a meatball sandwich down there too, John.
I think we're heading for the same place, aren't we?
Antiques and collectibles.
He has a little bit of an advantage: he can move faster than me.
I smell wood.
JOHN: Kevin's already halfway through, so why waste my time going through?
If there's anything in there, he's found it.
You think you can save me?
Thank you, if you'll save me.
I'm Kevin.
Jerry.
I'm looking for a piece of Mission oak, Jerry.
We got two.
Show me what you got.
It's a Mission wardrobe, all-American.
Right.
KEVIN: It's very different.
Very different, it's an old piece.
Nice wide, nice tight-grained board, it's tigered.
All tigered.
Yeah.
Nice big strap and hinges on it, too.
American piece, it's not an English piece.
Do you know who made it?
No.
I got four-and-a-quarter on it, this nice little gentleman's wardrobe.
Right.
Full front desk?
Yep, it's a spline piece, it's all splined in here.
Somebody painted it gold in here, but I didn't mess with it.
It wasn't a big one, it was for boarding schools, the college-type secretary desk.
I like the wardrobe the best.
If I was sitting here and I had to talk turkey with you on it, what's your real number on it?
Like the real number?
$375.
You don't have a number that hurts anymore than that?
No.
It came out of my mother's house, you know...
Right, so everything's profit in it is what you're saying.
No, it's her profit.
How about three bills, man?
Nah.
Yeah.
I was with her when she bought it, she's got... $275 cash.
$275 cash.
I'll meet you in the middle at two-and-a-quarter... three-and-a-quarter.
Two-and-a-quarter, I heard it.
Three-and-a-quarter.
Three bills cash, man.
Three bills cash.
I say pay me.
Pay you?
Yep.
I'm gonna buy it.
Three bills.
Look at the grain on that.
That's a beautiful chunk of wood right there.
JOHN: Howdy.
Mission furniture, anything in Mission oak?
Got a lot of oak, but I don't know...
It's right... you know, it's in the same period as what we're looking for, but it has more of a clean line, 1930s feel to it.
JOHN: This is a tough challenge.
I'm having a rough time finding the stuff.
Because you never know what you're going to find at any given market, and every market is different than every other market.
It's up in the $300 range.
I may have to go back and talk about that rough piece and see what I can do with it, because I'm not in the least bit happy with this.
WALBERG: Calling that table "rough" is an understatement.
Finding bidders in Los Angeles interested in Mission furniture will be challenging enough; few are likely to buy a table that requires so much restoration.
Time is running out, and John needs to make a decision.
Miller also needs to choose her target item from the three she's put on hold.
MILLER: First off, would you work with me on the price because the back half's been replaced?
Yeah, I can't do much on the price.
Oh, no.
Could you go $50?
I can't do less than 80 bucks.
Would you take $70?
$75.
Okay... Let's do it.
Get the deal.
Thank you, David.
Hello, hello.
Excuse me, sir, is this your booth?
Yeah.
Can I talk to you about this table?
JOHN: This is a real gamble.
It's all gonna be the money.
It's all gonna be the money on this.
Otherwise I'm going to go back empty-handed, and that's not good.
WALBERG: Showing up empty-handed means John Bruno will have to pay each of his opponents a $50 penalty, but if he shows up late, the same penalty applies, and it seems doubtful he'll be able to beat the clock.
Even paying a low purchase price, John still can't be sure he'll turn a profit at auction.
Empty-handed is sounding like a good option to me.
What can you do on it for me?
$65.
Oh no, I've got to get... 20% off the market price.
I've got to get below that.
I want to spend $25.
No, can't do that.
It needs a lot of work.
On Saturday, everything is half off the marked price.
I can't be here Saturday, I'm here now.
I'm sorry.
Let's make believe it's Saturday.
I can't.
WALBERG: Did you catch how the dealer played the pity violin after hearing John's hard luck story?
Let's see that again.
(somber violin note) I can, but I'm not.
See, now we're halfway there.
You can.
But I'm not.
But now, how do we make it so that you do?
Tomorrow afternoon at 5:00.
I can't, I've got to do it today.
Make me happy, makes you happy.
I'm happy right now.
Makes this beautiful lady happy.
I'm happy right now.
I'm out of here.
We've got to sell this.
All right, can't do it.
I hate to, but I'm going to go back empty.
I can't think of anything else to do.
BOB: All right, with five minutes to spare, you go!
Ooh!
Can I break your arm to $50?
Huh?
$50.
Okay, we'll do this.
There's tails and that's heads.
What would it take?
If you win, you get it for $50, if I win, I get it for $60.
I'm willing to take that bet.
Tails.
Now let's see if I won.
You called tails.
I called tails.
Heads it is, $60.
Son of a gun.
Are there two heads on that?
There's not!
It was worth it for the fun of doing it.
Good.
(laughing) Hey, if I'd have lost, I'd have been okay, too.
All right, you've got to help me get that out of here.
Oh God, you're good.
BOB: All right, we've got four minutes and no John Bruno.
I know, John Bruno is not around.
I don't think he can book it over here in time.
We've got to get to the other side of the pavilions, the... Oh, gosh.
I think John's got about three minutes.
Yeah, that's exactly what he's got.
Figure out which way to get there.
MAN: Hey, you bought some firewood!
I did, I did.
WALBERG: Let's hope there's a bidder in Los Angeles who thinks firewood posing as a table is worth at least $60.
John has two minutes left.
I don't see him anywhere in sight.
I don't know, I hear tires.
I think we're over this way.
KEVIN: I don't know where he is.
MILLER: I truly don't think he'll make it.
One minute left.
I turned the wrong way?
Yep, I did.
Shoot.
MILLER: Yeah, 11:31!
11:31!
(Kevin makes buzzer sound) I can only move so fast.
KEVIN: What is that called, fashionably late?
Sorry, John.
Sorry, cowboy.
KEVIN: You're late, you're late for a very important date.
Guess what happens.
(sighs) You're penalized.
WALBERG: That's right, Kevin.
John now has to pay $50 to each player, giving him $150 less to spend in the next buying round.
The four pickers will now assess the items to determine if they fulfill the target round assignment, Mission furniture.
Pickers can reject any item for whatever reason they choose.
Wrong or right, majority rules.
I found a Mission-ish table.
It's got the look, it's got the Mission oak.
It's in rough condition.
It's missing the handle.
That's neither here nor there.
It's not there, but it's a big part of the here.
We learn to live with lots of things that aren't there.
(laughing) But it is proper Mission construction, it is of the period.
It needs some work, but I did get it at an exceptionally good price.
MILLER: I hope it was for less than five dollars.
The proof of the pudding's at the end of the day.
Somebody will buy it, paint it, futz with it, and it'll be something decent.
KEVIN: It is a piece of Mission oak.
You did it, John.
Okay, Kevin, is this your coffin?
This is, Miller, my wardrobe.
Beautiful grained wood, as you can see.
It's got some neat strap hinges on it, all brass.
It's got a little drawer down the bottom, and I thought out of everything that I had seen, this would be my best chance of making some money, so...
The back looks like, uh, replaced, and some of the other stuff.
I think the back is really original to it.
I think that's pretty much how... you can see the patina's all the same.
BOB: Right.
It's just that they wouldn't use oak on the back.
MILLER: I just worry that the function's not as useful today.
It just takes up wasted space in a room.
These old Mission houses didn't have a lot of closets.
Not in California.
Thumbs up.
BOB: I'm giving you thumbs up.
I think it's a cool piece.
It is a cool piece.
All right, Miller, the big reveal!
Take it off!
This better be big!
(singing a fanfare) Wow!
KEVIN: It is definitely Mission-style.
It really isn't Mission.
Oh, this is Mission, John.
This is Franken-Mission.
This is a 1930s kitchen cabinet.
This is a nice... You could make this into a TV cabinet today.
This is definitely... You could make it into a lot of things, but it's not Mission oak.
That is definitely not a Mission piece.
It's a 1930s golden oak.
And Bob is right, it was probably the top to a Hoosier-style kitchen cabinet.
BOB: It's a brand new back, it's not Mission oak.
I'm going to say this is late '30s.
Okay, a lot of pieces have been replaced.
You even said Kevin's back might have been replaced.
You don't beat the whole piece up because of that.
It's got a Mission style.
Okay, he just said a Mission style.
I'm gonna say it's got a Mission flair to it.
I believe this is from the 1900, right around 1900.
It's definitely rectilinear.
It has copper-type hardware on it.
It's not a pure piece of Mission, it's a made-up thing.
Could it conform to the Mission square rectilinear aesthetic?
Just to be clear, that's our challenge is across the board, could it conform, not is it or isn't it.
I'm voting no, I'm sorry, but that's me.
Sorry, it's not Mission oak.
This is the first time I'll vote in the middle, because I don't even know what to say.
I'm soft on it for you, that's all I can say.
Yeah, so we each need $50.
This is so dumb.
(laughing) I get my $50 back.
Thank you, darling.
You know what, you want to play hardball, we'll play hardball.
Yeah, let's play hardball, Miller.
Mission oak desk here.
Tell us how you think it's Mission.
It's got all the architectural lines of Mission, it's got the dark wood, it's late 1800s, early 1900s.
It's got this great little cutout here.
Well, I would say this cutout meets more of an Arts and Crafts aesthetic.
KEVIN: That definitely is Arts and Crafts.
This is more of an Arts and Crafts piece than a true Mission piece.
WALBERG: That's one thing coming out of John Bruno's mouth but quite another coming from Miller and Kevin, who throughout the whole round used "Arts and Crafts" and "Mission" interchangeably.
Mission oak?
Anything?
Arts and Crafts furniture?
I think Arts and Crafts period is Mission furniture.
So if you want to be a purist, then this piece is not Mission.
This piece is at least of the period.
It's definitely, in my opinion, a transitional piece.
JOHN: It is.
Victorian furniture was highly embellished.
A lot of curvature.
You know, Gustav Stickley came along and he was sick of all that ornamentation and he said, "You know what, let's just make furniture barebones, what it's supposed to be."
Clean line aesthetic, yep.
You sit in a chair, you sit in a chair, you sit at a table, you sit at a table.
The ornamentation was in the simple and fine quality.
100% correct.
BOB: Great architectural lines.
KEVIN: Absolutely Arts and Crafts and Mission all fall into, like, the same realm of what it is.
This is beautiful; I like this.
Roycroft is kind of something that you would see a cut-out like this on.
You look through the Gustav Stickley catalogs, you look through the Roycroft catalogs, all the Greene and Greene, all the catalogs, very rarely ever would I see a carved ornamentation on a door.
BOB: That's because it's early, this is an early piece.
And this is Mission oak.
And absolutely the auctioneer will agree with me.
I'm standing behind it.
I think it falls into the Mission category at the very, very beginning of Mission.
Right at the beginning, this is the oldest piece.
I vote up.
I'm going to vote that in my opinion it's really early Mission furniture, but not classic Mission furniture in my mind, that's all...
But it is Mission furniture, and that's the challenge.
It has some unusual cabinet front doors.
Bob, I think this fits within the Mission style.
I don't think this is a pure piece of classic Mission furniture, but I'll say you met the challenge.
Awesome, thank you.
You're in.
KEVIN: By the skin of your teeth.
That's right.
By the skin of your teeth, in my opinion.
This was some challenge!
It was a very hard challenge.
Next time, can our challenge be to find a chair?
WALBERG: You've seen this clock.
Now let's hear more about it.
This is our tubular tall-case grandfather clock.
The crown symbolizes that it was made by Herschede Hall Clock Company.
This clock has a tubular bell movement.
The dial is layers of steel finished in chrome.
At the top of the dial is the Moon phase.
The movement was American-made, and the case is American-made.
Our price on this clock is $9,500.
WALBERG: The pickers are on their way to meet dealers Ashley Gay and Melissa Cook for the bonus round.
Hey, there.
Hello.
How are you?
Good, how are you?
WALBERG: Both from Louisiana, Ashley and Melissa have been friends for 20 years and specialize in repurposing antique reclaimed wood.
So what have we got here?
What's this?
This is a Howe sewing machine.
Elias Howe was the first person to patent the interlocking stitch.
Once Howe got the machine patented, Singer started also making machines and there was a big lawsuit about whose initial idea it was.
And Howe ended up winning the lawsuit and was able to sell his intellectual property to other manufacturers, and that's how we have the Howe machine.
So what is our challenge today?
Howe invented the technology that made sewing possible on a large scale, and Isaac Singer wanted sewing machines to be in every home, but he knew that in that day and age that that was a big extravagance, so in 1856 or the late 1850s, he was the first manufacturer to come up with monthly installments.
Ah.
Now what we need to know is in 1856, how much did a Singer home sewing machine cost?
Okay.
Wow.
Who would like to go first?
Why not, I'll go.
So what's your best guess, Bob?
18... 1856, the price of the sewing machine.
It is a very good one.
Fifteen dollars and ninety-five cents.
Okay.
All right, here we go.
Let's see.
All right, Kevin, what do you think?
I'm going to say seven dollars.
Okay.
Next?
That would be me.
To put it on installment, probably six dollars.
Okay.
Thank you.
Miller?
Forty?
Okay.
Thank you.
Would you all return, please?
In 1856, the Singer home sewing machine cost $125.
Holy moly!
Wow.
Are you kidding?
The winner is Miller, who guessed $40.
And Miller, you win a $50 bonus toward your auction profits.
Yay!
Thank you.
The monthly installments on the machine were three to five dollars.
The average national income for a year was $500 at that time.
Thank you!
KEVIN: That's amazing.
WALBERG: We're about to start round two of buying called Shop 'Til You Stop.
It's an untimed round, and pickers are allowed to buy one or two items, but no more than that.
The round begins now.
Hello, girls!
Hello!
WALBERG: Miller's charisma helps her make new connections fast.
We've got it on hold, but it's $200.
WALBERG: Even these dealers she only just met are willing to give up a table they wanted to buy so that Miller can make a killing selling it at auction.
Check it out and tell him the girls sent you.
Thank you!
WALBERG: She knows how to turn on her charm, but that doesn't mean it isn't genuine, because it is.
I like what you have, but you've got great regional Texas pieces.
WALBERG: It's also big and showy...
Thank you!
WALBERG: ...as if a spotlight follows her wherever she goes.
Anybody else, any guy, not the same treatment.
Wow.
WALBERG: Actually, that spotlight is focused on you.
Jason, your dad gave me a great deal.
Oh, that's good to hear.
It was hard to work him down, but he was really sweet to me.
Oh, he's a nice guy sometimes.
Doesn't that remind you of I Dream of Jeannie?
It does!
I love that show.
1963, not a chip on it.
What do you want for that?
I'll do $60.
It's a little dirty, but you know what, I could clean that.
Gives it character.
That's when you'll work with me on the price.
That's right, I would.
Ooh, yay, thank you!
What's your name?
B.C.
What's that stand for?
Billy Coleman.
Oh, I like that.
WALBERG: Once she learns a dealer's name, she doesn't forget it.
Bye, guys!
MILLER: I'll see you later.
Bye-bye, Miller.
Bye, Ed!
Bye, Miller!
Bye, Jason!
Bye, Miller.
Bye!
WALBERG: She'll soon figure out how to strike up an alliance using things they have in common.
They told me you're from North Carolina.
That's right.
MILLER: I'm from South Carolina.
We're talking ten dollars difference, for neighbors.
Are you a Georgia fan?
Yeah.
The University?
I got a nephew that's in Clemson now.
Okay, I'm from Greenville.
Really?
Yeah.
WALBERG: Or by creating a common enemy.
Hi, Miller!
Don't give him a good price on anything.
What do you got there, Miller, a lamp?
Just try to get it from me.
JOHN: I might; you never know.
Oh, B.C.
and I, we're pretty good pals.
Yeah, we have become pretty good pals.
Nothing I can do to get it?
No, it's already sold.
She's spoken for it.
Well, you can always sell higher.
Nah, I can't do that.
I'm a man of my word.
What if I put on cowboy boots and a dress?
If you did that, John, it would raise the price.
It might almost be worth it.
Ooh!
(John laughing) Yeah, it probably would raise the price.
All right.
It's on hold for me, right?
How much did I tell you?
(softly): You said $60.
$60?
Mm-hmm.
Okay, I'll save it for you.
Bye, B.C., I'll be back.
All right, bye-bye.
B.C.
: You know, most of our customers are really good, honest people and if they tell you they'll come back, a lot of them will come back.
Vivian, it's nice to meet you, my name's Miller.
Can you tell me about this piece right here?
WALBERG: Miller knows how to read an audience and then make adjustments.
What year do you think this is?
WALBERG: Her razzle-dazzle isn't for every dealer.
It's on this brass piece.
WALBERG: Sometimes it's just about getting down to business.
MILLER: Bostrom Brady Manufacturing, Atlanta, Georgia.
I like that.
The legs are pretty sturdy, but I can tell the wood is a little cracked over here.
But you're asking $85.
Would you take $40?
I can't.
What about $45?
I could do $45.
You could do $45?
Yep, and then you can haul it around.
WALBERG: Often, Miller will gain the upper hand if she leaves a booth and then comes back later.
Okay, I'm going to find my good friend B.C.
WALBERG: It's like a reunion of longtime friends.
Hi, B.C.!
WALBERG: And Miller's not shy about asking for the friends and family discount, either.
B.C.
: Junk girl, I'm holding your lamp.
You got a special price for me?
I gave you the special price first time.
$60 was special?
Come on.
Would $55 be more special?
Oh...
B.C., for me, the genie?
That's a bargain.
$50's a bargain.
Is it?
$55's fair.
Well, you know what?
Just for you, I will do $50.
Yay!
Thank you so much!
You're the best!
Thank you.
Thank you, B.C., you made my day.
All right, I'm glad.
BOB: Hi, Margaret, how are you?
I think you like my booth.
Well, I feel at home, the way you style everything, and I wanted to come back and look at it because what's behind you here, it's so beautiful and I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about it.
It's a vintage gumball machine.
Let me call him; he'll have to show you.
I've had him 51 years and I've been trying to get rid of him.
I don't believe that for one second!
How did the two of you meet?
You don't even want to know that.
Yes, I do, that's why I asked.
My uncle, he had this big truck.
He would take people and go to South Texas and we would pick cotton.
And you were both from different places and just met in the field.
Yeah.
Did you know on that day that he was somebody special?
Couldn't stand him.
(laughing) One of the things I love about flea markets is it attracts such interesting people, and Chester and Margaret, she didn't like him at first and then he grew on her and then they had secret dates, and then they had five kids and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
CHESTER: Lie the penny in there.
Aim it at the duck.
Get a duck, you get a gumball.
And it came out of New Orleans?
Yes.
Once a year, we try to make a trip.
Start in Gaston, Alabama, and went all up into Covington, Kentucky, buying old stuff.
I think a lot of people don't realize how much work it is.
It all comes from a different place, right?
That's right.
So that's a lot of blood, sweat and tears.
That's a lot of work, and it's hot up there.
I love this.
I could do $150 on it.
A guy offered me $350.
Oh, wow.
I turned it down.
Okay, what do you think, uh, sort of end of day, hot day, I'm a repeat customer.
(laughing) Margaret's laughing.
I'd like to get $375.
Okay.
Isn't it sort of like sometimes, though, you pay a little more for something and then you pay a little less for something and it all comes out in the wash?
Since you bought that, the bottom line would be $300, and that's a good price.
Could bottom line be $250 and I'll walk out right now with it?
(laughing): No.
MARGARET: I've been waiting to come into this conversation.
Margaret's laying down the law.
(softly): Don't tell Margaret.
I'll just take it for $250.
Just you and me.
She'll miss it.
BOB: She won't miss it.
Please and thank you and ice cream on top?
I got some ice cream in the fridge right there.
I respect the fact that Chester did as well as he possibly could on the price.
I looked up some comps online and they're kind of all over the board.
There's a chance that I could make as much as $200 on it, but there's a chance I could lose money, too.
Bob is real good, yeah.
I'm gonna win him over, though.
Before it's over with-- yeah.
BOB: This is why I like flea markets.
It's not just about the bargains, it's about the incredible people that you meet, and Chester and Margaret top my list.
WALBERG: Bob's ability to make fast friends serves a purpose, but just like Miller, it doesn't make him insincere.
Business is business, however, and since he couldn't close a deal on the gumball machine, he needs to find at least one more item to buy before he stops shopping.
BOB: You can tell we're in Texas because the thermometer says 90 degrees.
It reminds me of a Peter Max design.
I'm not sure it's as old.
Is this your stuff here?
Oh, awesome.
Here I am talking about it.
DEALER: That is a Peter Max.
It is?
Yeah, it's from the late '60s, early '70s.
See, it's in such great condition that I would just think... Well, that's because it's never been outside.
That's... yeah, that's awesome.
In the fire station on the wall in the same place.
Were you a volunteer fire person?
Yeah, 15 years.
That's awesome, well, I think that's really cool.
It took a lot out of me.
You know, people don't realize how much that is.
Well, I mean, when you're a volunteer fire person you have to be on call, right?
You had to be available all the time, and if you really took it serious, you know, it was something you felt like you had to do.
Sure.
It's an honor to talk to somebody... that was the case, and I learned something today about this guy here.
Just out of curiosity, what are you asking for it?
Uh, $75.
Yeah, I'm selling it at an auction so I need to make some money.
I'll tell you what, what could you pay for it?
Just on principle, what could you do?
On principle, I could pay 30 bucks.
Take it.
Thank you, I really... What's your name?
Steve Curtis.
Steve Curtis, Bob Richter.
It's an honor.
And honestly, Steve, if I hadn't have talked to you, I would have passed it by because I would have thought it was a reproduction because it's so vibrant.
I've had some Peter Max stuff and it gets sun faded.
You just never know what you're going to find at a flea market, I guess.
WALBERG: Bob decides to keep shopping, but he's limited to only one more item in this last round of buying.
All right, gotta get inside.
(laughing) How much are the chairs?
The pair I'm gonna do for $100.
WALBERG: Since these chairs are being sold only as a pair, they qualify as one item according to our rules.
They're made by Knoll, a high-end manufacturer famous for design innovation, so they stand a good chance of tempting bidders in Los Angeles.
BOB: I'm just worried about this right here.
It looks like there's some glue or paint on this.
Yeah.
See, the one price is $100.
I'm throwing in the other chair, that's the bonus.
Oh, is that how it works?
Yeah.
I didn't want to leave it on the side of the road, so I said maybe someone... You found these on the side of the road and you're charging me $100 for them?
I can't tell you where I found these things.
(laughing): That changes everything in my negotiations!
No, no...
I'm coming on over!
What's the best price you could give me if I dig around and find money in my pocket?
80 bucks.
Mind if I pull it down, actually?
I'm gonna take a seat.
Darla, why don't you have a seat and I'll have a seat?
So, what's a nice gal like you doing in a place like this?
80 bucks, Bob.
(Bob laughing) One of the things I think it's important for people to know is, like, how much stuff people go through to do this.
Oh, I literally dig in the garbage in 105-degree weather, looking for stuff, but I love this stuff and I don't want it to be lost.
I had a dealer, I was looking at a ring, and I was kind of serious.
Mm-hmm.
She was just like, "Well, if you don't buy it, "I'm going to have to melt it down, and it's a shame because it's a beautiful ring," and I'm, like, "You know how to sell me a ring, lady."
I've always just loved it, and I just didn't know how to do it, and then I just said, "Forget it, I'm 40 years old.
I'm gonna do what I love to do."
I'm happy that I came in and sat down for a spell and met you.
I'm happy if you buy these chairs.
Well, I said $40 and you said $80.
Can we just meet in the middle and call it a day?
$75.
That's not the middle.
It's all perspective.
Oh, I know, but...
I'm just kidding!
I mean the real middle.
Okay.
If we could do $60, I could take them.
$70?
I need to do $60.
Please?
$70.
$65.50?
I thought we meant something to each other.
I'm at $65.50!
I know, but I said $40 and then you said $80 and that's usually how it...
Okay.
Please, $60?
$60, good grief.
All right, let's do it.
I was surprised.
I thought I would do better, so he got me a little bit, but it wasn't too bad.
I think they're going to a good home, and that's what's important.
I'm gonna need to give you the money, and I'm gonna need to give you a hug.
Okay, money first.
(laughing) You know how that works.
Money before love!
That's right, give me a hug.
I appreciate you, Bob; thanks for stopping by.
Thank you.
Oh, bummer!
WALBERG: This may sound like the reaction of a diehard Grateful Dead fan finding out that the vintage Woodstock poster he wanted to buy just got sold... Rock and roll!
WALBERG: Or his elation when he finds a Jimi Hendrix poster instead, but these are actually the words of choice for a man who's a walking encyclopedia when it comes to antiques.
Now, what we're looking at is the early 1920s radio, and they're called decade boxes because each of these dials is a series of rheostats that work in series of ten-- zero to ten, ten to 100, and then 100 to 1,000-- to tune in your stations.
This is an Atwater Kent, which is one of the really preferred names in the industry.
There's no insides, it's just the case.
What are you asking for that?
I'd need $185.
If you had the innards and you wanted to build it back up, it becomes almost like a home Heathkit project where you could build your own crystal receiver again.
He's a little high at $185.
If I could get that down into the $100 range, that could be interesting.
WALBERG: Appearances can be deceiving when it comes to John.
What hurts John the most when it comes to buying items to flip at auction isn't what he doesn't know, but what he doesn't want to know.
For John, what things could be or should be sometimes disguises what they really are.
This booth looks exactly like my living room!
This is like going home.
All that's missing are my cats and my wife.
WALBERG: Take these movie signs, for instance.
Talk to me about your drive-in theater signs.
It's got the lights.
The lights, wow.
Oh yeah, look at it-- "gas," "eat," I love it.
They're not old; we make them.
BOB: Oh, you make them.
WALBERG: It should have been a dead giveaway that they're repros, but John gets swept up in the fantasy of what he wants them to be.
JOHN: They look aged and everything.
You sucked me in with that.
WALBERG: It's as if all the telltale clues go into soft focus.
Is this you?
Yes, sir.
Can I talk to you, please?
That's a pretty rare sign, from the '20s.
I'd kill to have her in my collection.
What about things like this?
I can make you a deal, I'll do $100 on that.
You know, in the '40s and '50s, they had this little rack.
You don't remember all that stuff, right?
Oh, I do.
And I have one other that's a Butterfinger, and I can do the same thing on it.
Can I see that?
Oh, wow.
Curtiss Candy Company, one of the largest candy companies in America.
They're the parent company of Baby Ruths, of Butterfinger...
I remember as a kid growing up in Brooklyn, all the candy stores had that display rack or something very similar, of Curtiss candy.
WALBERG: When something reminds John of his childhood, it should be a warning as much as a call to action.
Brooklyn nostalgia has clouded his judgment once before.
I grew up in an old home in Brooklyn, and we had these.
AUCTIONEER: $12.50.
Thank you very much!
WALBERG: So let's hope these ads resonate for a wider audience of potential bidders.
What could you do on the both of them?
How about $190, because I'm thin.
I was thinking $175 for the two of them.
Can I twist your arm into that?
Twist your arm.
Oh wait, that says 200.
(laughing) BOB: I like these, and I think at $175 we can make some money on these.
Everything I sell, I want people to make money.
No, this is perfect, this is right what I'm thinking.
I like advertising.
They're in mint condition.
The bummer is all this stuff I wish I could keep for myself, and I can't.
(chuckles) Right now, I'm trying to keep my eyes open for something with a little glitz, for like a more Hollywood kind of California auction.
What do you know about the lamp?
It's a lamp.
It sure is.
I'm kind of looking for more of that city-type thing, something with a little shine to it, maybe.
Later.
Well, I'm going inside.
I don't see anything out here.
WALBERG: It's rare to see Kevin Bruneau off his game at a flea market, but when he is, you know it, because he hardly stops talking about it.
KEVIN: There's an emotion behind buying all this stuff, and I feel it when I'm out there and I'm trying to buy it.
All real gold?
Yes.
KEVIN: I'm looking for those items that I know perform well at auction, and when I don't see them, I can feel it.
It just... it gets that angst going.
You like your littles.
Yeah, oh, yeah.
You can always tell a guy likes his littles when he has the little magnifiers on the side of his glasses.
When I don't see what I need, it's enough to drive you a little crazy.
WALBERG: It's hard to tell if he's preparing himself for failure or pumping himself up for just the opposite.
Probably a little of both.
Am I going to change things up a bit?
Yeah, I'm gonna have to.
I'm not finding much glitz here today, but I am finding a nice little blanket chest.
It doesn't have to have glitz, but it does have to have a look.
Can I talk to you about this?
Yeah.
It's got a little wear.
Yeah, if you're as old as that, you'll have a little wear.
Right, you will.
It's kind of cool, original till right inside of it.
All the top of this right here is all grain-painted.
It's not actually the grain of the wood but it's actually painted on there, a faux paint.
WALBERG: Speaking of faux, we should point out Kevin hasn't had the best luck buying antique boxes for auction.
The illustration on the top of this one was more faux than he knew.
AUCTIONEER: I'm rejecting this box.
It's not old.
Really?
This painting on the surface of the box is brand new.
WALBERG: Some pickers wouldn't risk making another bad gamble on an antique box.
Not Kevin.
It looks as if he's about to double down.
You don't usually have one with the key.
Right.
Nice pine document box, nice original grain painting on it, and I wish there was such a thing as smell-o-vision, because the smell of this has a great... Yeah.
Wonderful, like, attic smell.
Great old finish, has the original hardware.
We're gonna talk turkey here.
All right.
Now, are you serious about this?
This is what I call as serious as a heart attack.
Oh, well, let's get to it.
We've got $250, and this one was...
I don't have my glasses on.
Oh, this is perfect, then.
This one says $175.
That's four-and-a-quarter for the two of them.
How about 300 bucks cash money for the two of them?
No, $320.
How about $310?
$315.
How about $312?
No, I'm only kidding.
I'm gonna buy them off you, because I think that's a good deal.
All right.
They're real.
They are.
They're real.
You know how important it is to say that I've been here and I found two things that are real?
I'm happy for you.
WALBERG: Let's review all the items and what the pickers spent.
Here are Bob Richter's lots: a Mission desk, a pair of Knoll Don Pettit chairs and a Peter Max 7-Up thermometer.
John's lots are comprised of a Mission table, a Curtiss candy dispenser advertisement and a Curtiss Butterfinger advertisement.
Kevin's lots include a Mission wardrobe, a wooden document box with original key and a miniature chest.
Miller's lots consist of a Mission-style cabinet, a 1963 lamp, and a Bostrom Brady surveying tool.
Now it's on to Los Angeles, where all of their items will be sold at Abell Auctions.
The auction house is filling up with bidders from the L.A. area.
They include dealers trying to buy low to flip these antiques.
Others are collectors who may be inclined to spend more for what they really want.
Watching the bidding from behind the scenes will be all four of our pickers.
But before they do, do any of them have buyer's remorse, or do they think any of their opponents should have buyer's remorse?
Let's find out.
30 bucks for Peter Max?
Yeah!
That's an original Peter Max thermometer.
I'm very excited.
Came out of a firehouse.
That's gold.
That's pretty cool.
How much did you pay for the table again?
60 bucks for the table.
I'm afraid it just still looks like a piece that you'd put in your garage.
Look, as long as it sells over 60 bucks, whatever you say about it... Yep, that's right.
I don't know, that's going to be pretty hard to do with that table.
You've got a thing for little boxes.
You bought all the wood in Texas.
I did.
I know, but for L.A.?
That's what I found there, that's what I thought was pretty cool.
All right, I'm really excited to see which way this goes.
Let's go check it out and see how it happens.
WALBERG: This is the moment we've been waiting for.
Remember, as the winner of the bonus round, Miller is starting off with $50 in the black.
All right, here we go.
On the Mission oak cabinet.
$20, $30, $40 for the cabinet, thank you.
$50, bid $60.
$60?
Sold, $50 to buyer five.
JOHN: Ooh... right off.
You notice he called it Mission.
Right.
He was doing you a favor.
...on the Mission oak bureau.
$50 for the bureau.
$20 for the bureau?
$20, thank you... $25.
$30, $35 is seated.
$40, $50?
$50 is standing, $60.
$70?
Yes or no.
Yes.
$60 is the gentleman in the back, $70?
Sold for $60 to buyer 3201.
(everyone groans) This doesn't bode well.
All right, on the Mission oak cabinet, $30 for this?
Oh, boy, that don't sound good.
$30, $35, $40, $50, $60, $70, $80, $90, $100.
$125?
$125?
Sold for $100 to buyer five.
That's horrible.
On the Arts and Crafts writing table.
Arts and Crafts.
AUCTIONEER: $50 for the table.
Thank you, $50, bid $60.
Bid $60... $70, $80, $90, $100.
$125?
$125?
Ugh, I'm sick.
Sold for $100, buyer 726.
All right.
You did it.
That's what I'm talking about.
You took a loss on your kitchen cabinets, but you know, not so bad.
It's all about the functionality of a piece.
It's not all about the functionality of the piece.
You didn't make money on it.
Fellas, stop selling it.
It's off the auction block now.
(laughing) John's in the lead, so... Let's see if this roll keeps going; I want to keep pushing.
I'm dying to find out.
Come on, let's go.
On this antique box, $50 for the box.
Thank you, $50, bid $60.
$70, $80, $90, $100, $125, $150.
Look at him.
$200, $225, $250, $275, $300's at the post, $350, $400, yes or no?
Sold for $350 to buyer 2139.
Sweet.
That helps.
All right, on this advertisement, ten for this?
Thank you, $15, $20, $25, $30, $35, $40, $45, $50.
$50, Frank?
Sold $45, goes to 4885.
Oh, man.
(mocking): Aw!
Aw... All right, on the contemporary lamp, ten for this.
$15, $20 for the lamp.
$20?
Any bid at $20?
$20, bid $25, thank you.
$25, bid $30.
$30, bid $35 on the table lamp.
Need some help.
Sold, $30 to 5081.
No good.
(groans) We got a Peter Max thermometer.
This I'm dying to see.
Ten for the thermometer.
$15, $20, $25?
$25, $30?
Sold, $25.
BOB: No!
Are you kidding me?
They don't care.
Nobody cares.
I'm shocked.
An old piece... an old wooden box.
It was a nice one, it really was.
Look at that, Miller's up.
How can L.A. not appreciate Peter Max?
I'm shocked, yeah.
All the comps on that are a lot more.
Way...
I know.
If comps could tell us everything, then everybody would be doing this.
It'd be that simple.
There's not a formula to this.
There's no formula.
On the pair of Knoll chairs, $50 for the pair.
Thank you, I have $50 the lady standing.
$50, bid $60.
$60?
Sold on one bid to buyer 272.
Oh, man.
Butterfinger.
And $20 for this one.
Thank you, $20, $25, $30, $35, $40, $45, $50, $60?
They're stopping at $50?
Sold to buyer 4885.
Same loss.
And ten for the survey.
$15, $20, $25, $30, $40, $50?
$50, $60, $70?
$70, are you guys together?
No, you're not friends.
(laughing) $80 to the gentleman?
$80, yes or no, sir?
Sold, $70 to the lady, buyer 1850 for $70.
On the antique box here, on the box, $20 for the box.
Thank you, $30, $40, $50, $60, $70... Look at him hold it up.
...$100, $125, $150, $175, $200, $225.
$250, $275... Told you country sells good over there.
Wow.
Sold to buyer 1152.
Sweet.
MILLER: Wow!
I would never have thought country would sell in L.A. like that.
KEVIN: Whoo-hoo!
I'm back!
Congratulations!
KEVIN: I knew all the other pickers would be looking at mid-century modern, so I kind of focused on Americana.
AUCTIONEER: Bob, with computers, there's really no need for something like a writing desk.
That's sad.
I know.
But that's the truth.
AUCTIONEER: Miller, lamps are tough.
It's completely a matter of personal taste, and unfortunately at auction you need two people with that same taste.
Only the best of the best is really bringing all the big money today.
You're absolutely right.
John, I think when it comes to advertising, we're looking for brands that are still in business and things that people are very nostalgic for.
So Butterfinger's not available?
Butterfinger's probably owned by somebody else now.
Curtiss is probably long gone.
That makes good sense, so mea culpa.
Turn to PBS for stories that define the Ameed a surveyor tool.
I thought it was a very beautiful piece.
It looks very antique, and that's something that could be very nice in a home or an apartment as a decoration.
So I was surprised-- it was interesting, that piece, but I was able to get it at the right price, I think.
Sold, $70 to the lady, buyer 1850.
It was a complete wild card.
I've never heard of this type of item before, and it's a first.
I purchased the Knoll Pettit chairs, the set of two.
When I saw the chairs, I knew for sure that I was going to bid on them.
Aesthetically, they're really attractive, and it's got really clean lines and it's got the bent wood.
People just go crazy about that.
I think I got a great price on the chairs today.
I was very surprised I was the only bidder.
Sold on one bid to buyer 272.
I think that if given another crowd, it could have went higher, it could have went much higher.
It really just depends on who's here.
Knoll does have a pedigree, so there will always be a market for mid-century modern Knoll furniture.
Scoreboard
We are! See who comes out on top at the end of the first season of Market Warriors.
Take a Look
