I received this by email:


"I am writing from a TV production company that is producing a new show that celebrates collectors and collections all over North America - we are looking to work with a petroliana collector who has an extensive collection, beautifully displayed either in their home, garage or other private outbuilding. We are doing 14 episodes in different cities - next up is Houston so a collector in that area would be great but awe would live to hear from any interested collector in the US. Would you be willing to post my contact information on your forum? my email is above. My phone # is 416-466-5888 Ext. 271. I am happy to provide more details! Best, Catherine May"
catherine@architect-films.com

Catherine

Let's hear more about your company, here on oldgas.com...

Thanks Doug

...translation:

"Content for TV shows, especially dramas or sitcoms, is expensive to create - so rather than pay writers to come up with something original, we decided to go for the easy money (like everyone else) and produce reality TV!

Would you mind terribly if my crew and I descended upon your home like a plague of locusts, and tied you up for several hours at our convenience, so we can benefit from your years (and considerable dollars) spent assembling your collection? Compensation? Oh, dear me, that's not in the budget...don't you want to see your pride and joy on TV? Good...now sign here...what are you signing?...oh, nothing...it's just boilerplate, basically you're giving us permission to use your collection and likeness in our series...there's an old sorority sister of mine at the History Channel - they're looking for the new 'American Peckers'..."

gulffiend! is exactly right.

He is right, I know a guy that received the same email and went to the auction on the day it happened. He stated it was a joke and a waste of time.

Catherine,

If you are reading this,I think there is something you need to understand.Some of us don't really want everyone to know what all we have.There are several reasons I say that but first and foremost,at least in my case,is security.I don't want everyone to know what is inside those buildings when I'm not there.

I do know that a couple of other guys around here with great collections have a standing rule of sorts.No pictures allowed by strangers,and very few by friends.Perhaps some of the other guys have similar feelings.

With that said,I wish you well.

Im sure they have plenty of canidates calling her.

Our hobby doesn't need that kind of exposure & editing to fit some reality TV producers' ineptness.
I say bye bye Catherine..

Our hobby doesn't need that kind of exposure & editing to fit some reality TV producers' ineptness.
I say bye bye Catherine..

that pretty well sums it up..

Hi Old Gas members , All the show would do is drive the price up on what we enjoy doing ,American Peckers is a fine example
Now anyone that has something old they think it worth a GOLD MINE.

hmmm seems like some of you spend all your time watching "honey booboo" I'd watch a collector show, split screen with a hockey game. (only reason I know who hbb is from the late night talk shows bashing that bunch) Who wouldn't want a "Oldnfuelish" action figure???? or is that Flavor Flav? You could collect them all "Old Gas action figures" maybe even get a pile of 36B tokhiem pump tops with your Dickie B action figure......<<<big smile>>>

I don't have Cable T V anymore and frankly , I don't miss the stupidity on whats considered "Popular entertainment " either . I'm having way too much fun assembling my latest project ! Ed Shaver

Among our community of collectors, we see and learn a lot of things through asking questions, making contacts and good old fashioned foot/home work. The biggest problem I see here is an over saturation effect from all the exposure. You take a good thing and turn it into the latest cabbage patch toy craze. All of a sudden everybody wants in (for the short run) and prices go all stupid no matter what the item. A pile of junk not worth a piece of broken glass hits the market and wading through it to find the good stuff becomes tedious for the long term collectors. Essentially what you wind up with is a lot of short term investors who eventually get bored, jump out and leave the hobby in shambles for some time. At that point you hope things will return to normal given enough time. As much as I love to talk about my meagere collection to people, this would be one time I'd see no real pleasure in it. And for the major collections, I'd invest in 'round the clock security. Theives will be glued to a show like this salivating on their dinner plates and copy artists will be looking for new material to send to China for quick cheap knock-offs to make a buck on. Think twice before dialing that phone and seeing visions of your name in bright lights.

Dave , I said pretty much the VERY same thing in an E-mail to Catherine . She told me only collections in certain Large metropolitan areas would be considered . O K , having lived in several "Large Metropolitan cities " this is where I was broken into repeatedly, ie Dallas Texas . I'm fine with sharing the models of former service stations as they can be brought from a secret storage area to be viewed . As for showing what collection I still have , not a chance in hell ! Ed Shaver

Modern day TV has literally thrown a wrench into this hobby. The ongoing dramatizations, far-fetched amounts offered, just make things worse for us average Joes out looking for stuff. I agree with lordparaffin 100%, I wouldn't give them the satisfaction, after all, they only wanna make TV episodes and pull in the big ratings off of our hard work? They can go kick rocks.

Goober

Personally, I would love to see collections that I'm not that knowledgeable about. I have an extensive barber pole collection that I don't mind educating people about, but I wouldn't be interested in the "what's it worth" game, acting and fake negotiations like American pickers.
If people want their anonymity that's certainly understandable, but they're not speaking for everybody. Just like the showcase section here where prices aren't even mentioned, it could be fun to see and obviously some collectors like to show their collection.

Too funny! Glad to see you back here!

Open wheel

If you like your collection so much write a book about it, just as I did with my gas pump literature collection. I don't need people coming to my home looking at what I got.

Jack Sim

I agree with Jack and many others on this subject. My "Personal Collection" is just that...PERSONAL. Close family and friends are fine. But beyond that who can you trust in this day and age. I have been burglarized and know how it feels first hand. It happened 12 years ago the night after an open house. My shop was broken into. Pretty sure it was a friend of a friend who just thought they could help them self. Since then, no open "SHOP" and a really good security system.

Jack,

I never said “I like my collection so much”, I said “I don't mind educating people” if they want to know. 70% of my collection is in a warehouse, the rest is displayed in chronological order much like a history lesson at my shop. I find it interesting, others do too, many don’t.

As for a book, I’ve been compiling information for my own enjoyment for a few decades and about 7 years ago wanted to share it through a book. I’ve found there’s just not a big enough market or information other than trade catalogs to warrant the production of a book. There’s probably less than 100 tonsorial collectors and fewer than 15 barber pole "collectors". There's tons of people that would love a barber pole in their man cave, but they're not interested in the history behind the poles or manufacturers. If anybody wants information though, I’m always available to share what I know.

As far as people showing their collection, quite a few have opened up their doors to allow other to see their collections either through websites, local shows like news or PBS (as I have done), antique collecting based shows on cable, American and Canadian Pickers and all the way up to national exposure like some of your Sunday morning shows. It’s a matter of choice and I’m not going to judge anybody depending on how they feel about it.

Totally agree ,and I have said the exact same line . I came in for lunch today and American pickers was on and they beat down a respectable older gentleman on the price of a nice national green porcelain pump to 700.00 , and you could tell the guy didn't like it , I ask if its for sale and if so , nicely a price and if I don't like , move on , those guys are rude and then they have the audacity to tell how much they are going to make on you ,maybe it is staged as some say but ,this show is what comes to everyone's mind when I have asked if something's for sale , I bet you guys all hear the same , are you one of thar pickers!?$$??

On the other side of the coin. Depending on how the show was produced it could be a great show. There are a lot of great collectibles out there. Petro, guns, old cars, motorcycles, boat motors and the list goes on and on. I for one would be interested in seeing what others collect and how their collection is displayed. Instead of traveling to the Buffalo Bill museum in Cody Wyoming again, it could be on tv. Same for other museums and private collections. The internet already has a lot of collectibles related web sites. Maybe get a tall good looking blond woman that has an actual clue about the subject matter host it. I would watch it. I was fortunate enough to see some great collections already in person, on Old Gas and in PCM and other places. If the show was done right, it could be enjoyable and informative.

The Pickers wanted to come to my home last summer and I turned them down. They called the local county tourism people and asked around for places to go. They also have a following of scavengers so if you let them in you'll also have these people knocking on your door. It's your call but that show is phoney as a $3 bill.

I got the same call and asked how they found me. They said my name was given to them by another collector that was on the show.I turned them down as I dont have the time or the desire for the "privledge" [their words] to be on the show.

I don't qualify, ain't got a Barn!

I got 6 rusty pumps and 2 signs.....have at er...oh and no barn....but sure do appreciate what has gone into some people's collections...

& WE DONE IT BEFORE TV **** Fantasy Shows!

I was contacted by Canadian Pickers and agreed to be featured. I sold them almost $6000.00. I enjoyed the experience during the filming and I have had over a 100 people contact me and set up a time to stop by and view the collection in person. I have had people stop by and sell me items for my collection because they were made aware of a local collector.

For me a big part of collecting is meeting people, be it sellers, buyers or people that simply there to admire what I have pieced together. For me this is not about money...it's about people, enjoyment and fun. I don't understand, why some people, take the fun out of this by getting worked up and excited about what I perceive to be nothing.

No body is forced to sell to the pickers. They make an offer and people have the choice to refuse. Yes, I sold my items to the pickers for 50 cents on the dollar. Did they trick me into it...No! Do I have any regrets...No! Would, I do it again...yes!

"To each his own." When, I was a little boy growing up and watching cartoons on TV. I realized, TV was for entertainment and most of it was make belief. Since, then I have not expected TV to be real, or experienced anxiety over what I was watching. Life is to short to worry about the "what's real and what's not real" on TV!!

Here's a link to my sign collection for the new members that missed this thread when I posted it.

http://www.oldgas.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=369311&page=1

Dave,
Your in Canada! it's like another country!!! I have a friend in Windsor to drive thru Detroit on a detour thru the scenic ghetto and Islamic areas...... And he doesn't have a lock on his door! Did I mention the Customs agent at the tunnel? WOW! the most beautiful woman I have ever scene! btw do you know Doug Walter? tt

Terry,

No, I don't know Doug Walter.

I agree, Vancouver woman are rated as #1 for best looking woman in North America and #6 in the world.

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2011/04/vancouver-women-ranked-6th-most-beautiful-in-the-world/

...life is too short to watch 'American Peckers'...

LOL

I like American Pickers. It is Canadian Pickers I have a problem with. These Canadians never do any real door knocking or blind picking. All I see them do is visit yard sales, antique stores and the homes of other pickers or collectors. Places they know have eye candy for the cameras.

It may be reality TV or scripted but at least Frank and Mike appear to knock on the doors of homes that look promising.