Antiques Roadshow

Hello Flaming Nose readers everywhere. I must apologize for being absent for so long. I'm just starting a new job and moving to Silicon Valley at the same time. It's been rather hectic. There is nothing more dreadful than the endless packing of boxes, particularly if one has collected a lot of "stuff" over the years. There are times that I'd like to chuck the whole lot of it into an over-sized dumpster and just walk away. That's when I know it's time for a break, and I turn to the glory of the legendary PBS series, "Antiques Roadshow". Originally a BBC Series that first aired in 1977, the US version has been going strong for years as well. It reminds us all, that the chipped vase in the attic or the old blanket draped over the armchair might be worth thousands of dollars.

It's lovely to watch the fascinating pieces of furniture, art, old toys and vintage clothing that parade through the episodes of the Antiques Roadshow. And some of the appraisers on the Roadshow have become celebrities in their own right. I'm quite fond of the Keno brothers (Leslie and Leigh) who are experts in antique furniture. But the best part for me is the always astonished reaction of the owners, when they learn that the old pot they've been stuffing umbrellas into by the front door is actually worth $10,000. One of the most moving segments of all time is posted in the video above. An older gentleman of modest means, finds out the the Navajo rug passed down from his Grandmother is worth half a million dollars.


So before you do your next household purge you might want to watch a few episodes of the Roadshow. One man's junk truly is another man's treasure. I say this as I wait for the Salvation Army to come pick up a giant stack of...hmmmm. Maybe I should go through that pile one more time!