American Pickers
Encyclopedia
American Pickers is an American reality television series that premiered on January 18, 2010 on History Channel. The series began running concurrently on sister channel Lifetime in December 2010.
as well as the eastern and southern U.S. in a Mercedes Sprinter, buying antiques and collectible
s. They work with Danielle Colby-Cushman, who runs the office of their business, Antique Archeology, from their home base in Le Claire, Iowa
. While Danielle researches potential leads, Mike and Frank attempt to track down potential sellers on the road.
Wolfe and Fritz explore people's homes, barn
s, shed
s, and other outbuildings, and other places where they have collected antiques and collectibles. They call upon casual collectors
, hoarders
and, occasionally, people who have inherited overwhelming collections of apparent junk
. Wolfe, who has been "picking" since age four, has a particular interest in antique motorcycle
s, old bicycle
s and penny-farthing
s, while Fritz has a fondness for antique toy
s, antique oil can
s, and old Honda
s. They have purchased old advertisements and commercial signage, film posters, a rare 15-gallon visible gasoline pump, and a Piaggio Ape
(pron. ah-peh) that one of their friends told them is probably the only one of its kind in North America.
The series debuted on January 18, 2010. The premiere episode of American Pickers produced 3.1 million total viewers, making it the highest rated History channel debut since Ice Road Truckers
in 2007. Season 2 premiered June 7, 2010. The September 8, 2010 episode "Laurel & Hardy" garnered ratings as high as 5.3 million viewers in the 25-54 adult class. As of that episode, the show retained the title of #1 new non-fiction series of 2010 among total viewers and adults 25-54. Season 3 premiered March 28, 2011. The series' title was shortened to The Pickers on History Asia.
Summary and reception
The show follows Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, as they travel around the greater Midwestern United StatesMidwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
as well as the eastern and southern U.S. in a Mercedes Sprinter, buying antiques and collectible
Collectible
A collectable or collectible is any object regarded as being of value or interest to a collector . There are numerous types of collectables and terms to denote those types. An antique is a collectable that is old...
s. They work with Danielle Colby-Cushman, who runs the office of their business, Antique Archeology, from their home base in Le Claire, Iowa
Le Claire, Iowa
Le Claire is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,765 in the 2010 census, an increase from 2,847 in the 2000 census. Le Claire is part of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area.- History :...
. While Danielle researches potential leads, Mike and Frank attempt to track down potential sellers on the road.
- Opening: The series intro is narrated by Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz:
Wolfe and Fritz explore people's homes, barn
Barn
A barn is an agricultural building used for storage and as a covered workplace. It may sometimes be used to house livestock or to store farming vehicles and equipment...
s, shed
Shed
A shed is typically a simple, single-storey structure in a back garden or on an allotment that is used for storage, hobbies, or as a workshop....
s, and other outbuildings, and other places where they have collected antiques and collectibles. They call upon casual collectors
Collecting
The hobby of collecting includes seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining whatever items are of interest to the individual collector. Some collectors are generalists, accumulating merchandise, or stamps from all countries of the world...
, hoarders
Compulsive hoarding
Compulsive hoarding is the acquisition of possessions in excess of socially normative amounts, even if the items are worthless, hazardous, or unsanitary...
and, occasionally, people who have inherited overwhelming collections of apparent junk
Waste
Waste is unwanted or useless materials. In biology, waste is any of the many unwanted substances or toxins that are expelled from living organisms, metabolic waste; such as urea, sweat or feces. Litter is waste which has been disposed of improperly...
. Wolfe, who has been "picking" since age four, has a particular interest in antique motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s, old bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
s and penny-farthing
Penny-farthing
Penny-farthing, high wheel, high wheeler, and ordinary are all terms used to describe a type of bicycle with a large front wheel and a much smaller rear wheel that was popular after the boneshaker, until the development of the safety bicycle, in the 1880s...
s, while Fritz has a fondness for antique toy
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
s, antique oil can
Oil can
An oil can is a can that holds oil for lubricating machines. An oil can can also be used to fill oil-based lanterns...
s, and old Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
s. They have purchased old advertisements and commercial signage, film posters, a rare 15-gallon visible gasoline pump, and a Piaggio Ape
Piaggio Ape
The Piaggio Ape is a three-wheeled light commercial vehicle first produced in 1948 by Piaggio.- History and design:At the end of World War II, most Italians, badly affected by the war, lacked means of transport, and more importantly, the financial means to acquire full-sized four-wheeled vehicles...
(pron. ah-peh) that one of their friends told them is probably the only one of its kind in North America.
The series debuted on January 18, 2010. The premiere episode of American Pickers produced 3.1 million total viewers, making it the highest rated History channel debut since Ice Road Truckers
Ice Road Truckers
Ice Road Truckers is a documentary-style reality television series that premiered on History on June 17, 2007.-History:In 2000, History aired a 46-minute episode titled "Ice Road Truckers" as part of the Suicide Missions series...
in 2007. Season 2 premiered June 7, 2010. The September 8, 2010 episode "Laurel & Hardy" garnered ratings as high as 5.3 million viewers in the 25-54 adult class. As of that episode, the show retained the title of #1 new non-fiction series of 2010 among total viewers and adults 25-54. Season 3 premiered March 28, 2011. The series' title was shortened to The Pickers on History Asia.
See also
- OdditiesOddities (TV series)Oddities is a half-hour documentary/reality television program which follows the operation of an East Village, Manhattan shop which trades in antiques and other rarities...
, featuring a New York antiques and oddities store - Picker SistersPicker SistersPicker Sisters is an American reality television show airing on the Lifetime basic cable network. It stars Tracy Hutson and Tanya McQueen, who travel around the United States in search of antiques and rare collectibles for their home decor store in Los Angeles. The series is produced by...
, TV series about two female pickers/designers - Storage WarsStorage WarsStorage Wars is a reality television series on the A&E Network that premiered in 2010. The show features auctioneers Dan Dotson and Laura Dotson, as well as auction hunters Dave Hester, Darrell Sheets, Barry Weiss, and Jarrod Schulz and Brandi Passante...
, TV series about storage unit auctions - Storage HuntersStorage HuntersStorage Hunters is an American television series that premiered on June 21, 2011, on TruTV. This new series takes viewers into the world of public auction storage sales. When someone’s possessions are seized for lack of payment, the items will get auctioned off to the highest bidder. But for the...
, TV series about storage unit auctions - Auction HuntersAuction HuntersAuction Hunters is an American documentary reality television series that premiered on November 9, 2010, on Spike and is produced by Gurney Productions Inc.On December 1, 2010, Spike announced that it had ordered a third season of 26 episodes.-Summary:...
, TV series about storage unit auctions
External links
- “American Pickers”: The Inside Story of the History Channel’s Surprise Hit, Jeff Ignatius, River Cities' Reader, 17 March 2010