Antique Dreams

Apr 19, 2013

Don and Candy Valle of Hermosa took a marker that may have adorned the grave of Wild Bill Hickock to the Antiques Roadshow taping in Rapid City. South Dakota Public Broadcasting photo.

By Roger Holtzmann

My wife and I are fans of the PBS series Antiques Roadshow, so we are really looking forward to the next three shows, airing at 7:00 p.m. on April 22, April 29, and May 6. More than 70 expert appraisers, in fields from Sports Memorabilia to Native American artifacts, set up shop in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center last July for the taping. Around 7,500 tickets were handed out, but something less than that number probably came through the doors, “because it was hotter than Hades that day,” says Fritz Miller, Director of Marketing for South Dakota Public Broadcasting.

As we watch the show, Carolyn and I sometimes wonder what we would bring to a Roadshow event if ever we had the chance. I mentally stroll through our house, evaluating our possessions, and so far … nothing has come to mind. We have lots of old furniture; other than a couch, several mattresses, and a card table with four folding chairs, we have never bought anything in a furniture store. Unfortunately, it is all just plain old functional stuff — nothing I’d think of hauling anywhere for an appraiser to look at.

We also have an attic and countless bins and boxes of bric-a-brac — three or four families’ worth, I’d guess, because Carolyn never passes a second-hand store or rummage sale without stopping. She spent some time organizing her treasures last winter, and as she did, she looked up a few things online to see if they had any monetary value. I was shocked to learn that there is somebody out there willing to pay $9 for an old liver pill canister she bought for a nickel. I was ready to ship it before the guy changed his mind, but of course, Carolyn couldn’t part with such a prize. Thus ended our best shot at striking it rich in the collectibles game.

With our small population, there is a fair chance anyone who appears on Antiques Roadshow will be recognized by their neighbors, or even by people across the state. Someone you know might even hit the proverbial jackpot.  

It won’t be me, but here’s hoping it’s you!