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American Pickers Guide to Picking
A true adventure story and the go-to guide for "picking" American treasures from anyone's backyard, straight from the stars of History's American Pickers
In these pages, professional treasure hunters Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz chronicle their road trips across the American countryside in search of "rusty gold" to buy and sell among the picking world's one-of-a-kind characters. Whether you are a fan of the show or just like finding hidden riches, you will love seeing what Wolfe and Fritz dig up and enjoy meeting the devoted collectors, extreme stockpilers, and elite dealers who they encounter along the way.
Wolfe and Fritz do not deal in fine antiques. Their secondhand treasures are of the down-and-dirty and sometimes even bizarre variety, from old bicycles and vintage tools, to sun-bleached cars and handmade furniture, retired carnival games and unusual taxidermy. Assisted by Danielle Colby, who helps out at Antique Archaeology, Wolfe and Fritz buy on the cheap and then sell to dealers, art directors, interior designers, or anyone looking for a little bit of authentic Americana. The three now share their secrets to finding hidden gems, offering helpful hints that will show what average Americans can do to find the treasures that await them.
From American Pickers Guide to
Junk is Beautiful
When we knock on a door, 90 percent of the time the things we find are junk. But we don't care about the odds; a picker never turns down an opportunity, no matter where it is. We've picked pickup trucks. We've picked flat beds. We've picked dumpsters. We even picked a Mercury Sable. We're looking for the unusual, the impossible, the funky, the different, the bizarre-things we have never seen before. And we'll go anywhere we have to go to find it.
No location is off-limits to a hard-core picker. And there's plenty of things to be found at antique stores, thrift and consignment shops, flea markets, estate sales, and swap meets, and a lot of the tips in this book apply to finding treasures at these joints. But that's not really the kind of picking we do anymore. We look outside the box to find our junk-a word we use almost like a term of to junk is beautiful.
In these pages, professional treasure hunters Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz chronicle their road trips across the American countryside in search of "rusty gold" to buy and sell among the picking world's one-of-a-kind characters. Whether you are a fan of the show or just like finding hidden riches, you will love seeing what Wolfe and Fritz dig up and enjoy meeting the devoted collectors, extreme stockpilers, and elite dealers who they encounter along the way.
Wolfe and Fritz do not deal in fine antiques. Their secondhand treasures are of the down-and-dirty and sometimes even bizarre variety, from old bicycles and vintage tools, to sun-bleached cars and handmade furniture, retired carnival games and unusual taxidermy. Assisted by Danielle Colby, who helps out at Antique Archaeology, Wolfe and Fritz buy on the cheap and then sell to dealers, art directors, interior designers, or anyone looking for a little bit of authentic Americana. The three now share their secrets to finding hidden gems, offering helpful hints that will show what average Americans can do to find the treasures that await them.
From American Pickers Guide to
Junk is Beautiful
When we knock on a door, 90 percent of the time the things we find are junk. But we don't care about the odds; a picker never turns down an opportunity, no matter where it is. We've picked pickup trucks. We've picked flat beds. We've picked dumpsters. We even picked a Mercury Sable. We're looking for the unusual, the impossible, the funky, the different, the bizarre-things we have never seen before. And we'll go anywhere we have to go to find it.
No location is off-limits to a hard-core picker. And there's plenty of things to be found at antique stores, thrift and consignment shops, flea markets, estate sales, and swap meets, and a lot of the tips in this book apply to finding treasures at these joints. But that's not really the kind of picking we do anymore. We look outside the box to find our junk-a word we use almost like a term of to junk is beautiful.
- GenresNonfiction
209 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
12 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 26, 2021
If you love reselling
This book may or may not be for you. It's an ok read at best. If your going into it thinking your gonna learn a bunch of tips and tricks you will be very disappointed. The book is more of a recap of the TV show than anything. It is also very repetitive. I was hoping to learn how they do their research and where they come up with their pricing but they just dance around it. If you looking for a book that will teach you about the show this is the one, but if your looking for a book that will make you a better picker and reseller this book will not help you.
This book may or may not be for you. It's an ok read at best. If your going into it thinking your gonna learn a bunch of tips and tricks you will be very disappointed. The book is more of a recap of the TV show than anything. It is also very repetitive. I was hoping to learn how they do their research and where they come up with their pricing but they just dance around it. If you looking for a book that will teach you about the show this is the one, but if your looking for a book that will make you a better picker and reseller this book will not help you.
May 27, 2020
Hubby and I read this aloud to each other. We have been avid viewers of the TV show for years, so it felt like we were talking to Mike and Frank as we read. It was interesting and mildly entertaining, but I was a little disappointed that we didn't learn anything about the process of taping the show. Some "behind the scenes" insights would have been enriching. I'm glad we read it - just disappointed we didn't learn more from it.
November 17, 2022
If you are a fan of the TV show American Pickers, then you will like this book. If you have ever wanted to start doing what Mike and Frank do, then you will love this book. As a history teacher and a fan of the show, I enjoyed this book. It was interesting to see all the thought and work that is put into not only the show but also the business of Antique Archaeology. This is a great library read and if I would like to read it again and again, I will consider purchasing my own personal copy.
June 25, 2021
Interesting stories of the Pickers cast with insight into how they pick.
February 24, 2016
The book American Pickers Guide to Picking is a companion book to the television series American Pickers. The first six chapters basically tell in writing what viewers of the television show already know from watching the series. Those chapters talk about finding places to pick and then how to go about picking the items. There is also a chapter in that first half of the book about the pickers, themselves, and what you would need to know to be good at it. You learn about breaking the ice on a pick, how to conduct primary and secondary searches, and to keep looking to find the gems. But this is all stuff that Mike, Frank, and Danielle talk about on every episode of the show.
The final four chapters make this book more valuable than just watching the show. In chapter 7, Colby explains how the pickers find buyers for their picks. In chapter 8 she goes into detail about professionals who hire pickers to search for items for them and in chapter 9 she talks about mantiques, which are the items that Mike and Frank like to pick the most, and how to sell them. Finally, the last chapter is about the future and how pickers need to adapt to changing demands if they are to continue profitably. And you get a chapter on "picker speak" as a bonus that defines the terms you hear the pickers use in every episode.
This is a fun book for someone who likes the show, American Pickers. It would also be interesting to someone who likes antiques or old junk and would like some ideas on how to find things. It was an easy, light read and I enjoyed it thoroughly. In the interest of full disclosure, I am a big fan of the show and have been a modest collector for many years.
The final four chapters make this book more valuable than just watching the show. In chapter 7, Colby explains how the pickers find buyers for their picks. In chapter 8 she goes into detail about professionals who hire pickers to search for items for them and in chapter 9 she talks about mantiques, which are the items that Mike and Frank like to pick the most, and how to sell them. Finally, the last chapter is about the future and how pickers need to adapt to changing demands if they are to continue profitably. And you get a chapter on "picker speak" as a bonus that defines the terms you hear the pickers use in every episode.
This is a fun book for someone who likes the show, American Pickers. It would also be interesting to someone who likes antiques or old junk and would like some ideas on how to find things. It was an easy, light read and I enjoyed it thoroughly. In the interest of full disclosure, I am a big fan of the show and have been a modest collector for many years.
August 12, 2016
"People die all the time--no big newsflash there."
"We've heard of hipster kids in Southern California buying them on Craigslist, parking them in their backyards, and retrofiting the insides to turn them into mobile offices. Beats a regular office any day."
Short-read. Big text. Half of it is over-lap from the show. Lot's of, "If you remember such-and-such episode..." Although this guide is pretty much going to appeal to hard-core fans of the show who want to start picking, there is some really good solid, utilitarian advice as far as how/where to start, trends in interior decorating, potential buyers et cetera so it is not w/o merit.
This is not a dense book but it is a worthy read, especially the later half or so. Recommended as a supplement to other books about antiques, junkin' et cetera...
"We've heard of hipster kids in Southern California buying them on Craigslist, parking them in their backyards, and retrofiting the insides to turn them into mobile offices. Beats a regular office any day."
Short-read. Big text. Half of it is over-lap from the show. Lot's of, "If you remember such-and-such episode..." Although this guide is pretty much going to appeal to hard-core fans of the show who want to start picking, there is some really good solid, utilitarian advice as far as how/where to start, trends in interior decorating, potential buyers et cetera so it is not w/o merit.
This is not a dense book but it is a worthy read, especially the later half or so. Recommended as a supplement to other books about antiques, junkin' et cetera...
September 24, 2012
I really like the show American Pickers on the History channel so when I saw this book it was kind of no surprise that I had to read it. The only slight downer is that this book does rehash a lot of the episodes shown on T.V. and the various finds. I do find this a nice book in the fact that Frank and Mike are willing to share their "secrets' to picking. And that is kind of what this book is. Look at it as more of a how to guide to get started picking and it really is not that bad. There was a few personal insights that I did really enjoy and some of the old episodes did come back to me during some of the reminiscent moments. An easy read that can be picked up and read a few pages at a time or read in one or maybe two good sit downs.
May 28, 2017
I did enjoy this book, so don't be fooled by a rating of a 3 a 3 is actually a good book, just not something I consider a very good read that you need to read or that is amazing and that I truly loved and would recommend to the world. But it was solidly enjoyable book that I'm glad to have read. Although there were quite a few stories from the show, I would have enjoyed even more and plan to check out there website and watch as many of the shows as I missed. Since I only watched a couple seasons before we got rid of cable and there are 17 seasons, I have a lot to watch. If you are or have been a fan of this show, you probably will want to read this.
3.5 stars.
3.5 stars.
June 7, 2014
Good stuff. Love the show, enjoyed the book. It's a honey hole of info and insight. You can definitely hear Mike and Frank throughout the book, and I appreciated the background tales they told and interviews included from others they have worked with along the way. If you're into junking, antiquing, going to garage sales, or just intrigued by the crazy dudes that go into wild places looking for rusty gold, you'll enjoy this.
January 16, 2015
Nothing surprising for any fan of American Pickers on the History Channel. Interesting anecdotal stories, some of which were showcased on the show. The book provides a breakdown on how they do what they do. An interesting read for a fan, and a 'how to' for someone that is interested in becoming a professional picker. If you are neither a fan nor a wanna-be picker, I doubt you'd find this very interesting.
October 9, 2011
Wrote in a group effort way. Libby does most of the frame work and sprinkles in bits from the crew as she winds thru the book. The stories and characters are what makes the show for me and there's lots of that here, mostly retold though. If you're familar with the show then the book holds few surprises. A nice read but not much depth past the known.
April 12, 2013
Must confess I didn't finish. Enjoyable reading but I got far enough in to remember why I stopped watching their show- I can only take so many episodes of motorcycle/bike talk /signs/ and other "man"tiques. If I had never seen the show and wanted to learn how to find good junk, I would have devoured this book and rated it much higher.
August 6, 2014
I enjoy the show, but I enjoyed the book even more. The compassion Mike and Frank show for the people they meet is highlighted. I'd recommend this one to fans of the show and people who might be interested in the world of "picking".
August 6, 2012
This book reads like you're watching the show. And there's quite a lot of information and advice in it too. Definitely worth the read, whether you are a picker or want to be one, or just like watching the show.
March 13, 2016
It was honestly a good book. It had good info and kept me reading. It just, for me, told me a lot of things I already knew. But I did enjoy it! I'd recommend it to anyone who needs motivation to get out and start picking or hitting up flea markets or local sales.
June 29, 2011
If you're a fan of the show, "American Pickers" you'll love this book, a warning to hoarders, it makes you want to go out and start adding to your 'collections'!
October 24, 2011
I really enjoy the History Channel TV show so I decided to read the book. Interesting tips and tidbits. Easy read.
December 10, 2011
Basically readable. Not great.
January 14, 2012
Learned some things I didn't know about Mike and Frank from watching the show. Quick read. Entertaining and educational.
February 3, 2012
very interesting book. i enjoyed it
March 30, 2012
I great look behind the scenes of the TV show and some great advice in "picking".
April 26, 2012
Quick easy read. Couldn't imagine being a picker, but would love to work with this crew for a week!
August 12, 2012
Not a lot of meat, but it does give you some more insight into how the guys actually approach a pick. It also shows ho much is left out of the thirty minute shows.
April 25, 2013
Love the show, love the book! It gives lots of background about how they go picking, tips on how to be a picker yourself, and more. An entertaining, quick read!
October 27, 2014
A little behind the scenes information about how Mike & Frank work together and their tips for picking.
July 12, 2016
If you are a picker it would be very useful, but if not it is an interesting book.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews