By ERIC C. RODENBERG
AntiqueWeek Associate Editor LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The History Channel is seeking to strike more gold in the antique market.
On April 15, a new series American Restoration will officially premiere. Although the show was aired last fall, it was only on a trial basis. With its premiere in mid-April, it is expected to complement an already successful History Channel stable of antique-oriented shows.
The cable network launched American Pickers in early 2010, and immediately captured 3.8 million viewers, enough to keep in among the most popular shows in the Nielsen TV ratings. In 2009, The History Channel debuted Pawn Stars, based on the owners of a Las Vegas pawn shop who haggle with customers hoping to make a buck in Sin City. That show also became an immediate success, drawing an average of 3.6 million viewers a week.
American Restoration is a spin-off of Pawn Stars. Its principal star, Rick Dale, owner of Rick’s Restorations in Law Vegas, has appeared in several Pawn Stars’ episodes.
“When we first produced Pawn Stars and, then, American Pickers, we knew we had a winner,” said Mary E. Donahue, vice president of development and programming for The History Channel. “Now, when we saw Rick Dale break out on his own, we saw we had something special. His work is so unique. We’re real confident on this one … there’s some magic here.”
Donahue maintains that American Restoration fits in well with The History Channel emphasis on “bringing the past to life.”
The show tells the story behind artifacts that are rarely seen these days: an early vending machine, a 1950s air raid siren, a 1940s U.S. mail box, a 1920s Conoco gas pump. Dale gets “into the guts” of these devices.
“Rick shows his respect for the original craftsmanship,” Donahue said. “The show pays homage to the shared values of our past, the pride we had in doing our best, and the nostalgia for some of those items we have lost … The show celebrates the great treasures from America’s past and the people who made them.”
Dale considers himself to be an artist.
“I’m working with my hands, restoring history,” he said. “I work with all kinds of metal, wood and different technology. Each day is a challenge … and I’m not working with a manual.
“But, as an artist, I’m trying to restore it back to its originality, right down to the same nuts and bolts, if I can. When I hold some of these amazing pieces, I have to wonder who came up with the idea to make such a device, who put it together, who used it … the ingenuity of Americans is amazing, and you can see it best in what we created decades ago.”
During the past 29 years, Dale has successfully tackled cash registers, cigarette machines, gas pumps, bumper cars, radios, old safes (without knowledge of the combination), clocks, radios, pedal cars, roulette wheels, and much more.
And, what helps make his cameo roles on Pawn Stars so intriguing, are the stories behind each piece; he’s a storyteller with a wrench, rather than a pen.
Rick Harrison, the boss at Pawn Stars and one of Dale’s best customers, calls Dale “a certified miracle worker.”
In addition to the “before” and “after” shots of the item, Dale shares with the viewer where, when and why it was invented.
He relates who used them, how he fixed them, and how the transformation affected the value of the item.
Each episode will follow Dale, his staff and his teenage son, as they search for items to be bought, bartered, and transformed.
Of course, there’s the typical reality show tension.
Dale has a positive view of his staff’s abilities, but he observes that they are sometimes difficult to manage, in particular his younger brother, Ron. He worries that his son, who has worked in the shop since he was 2 years old, may pick up more of Ron’s “laid-back” style and relaxed work ethic.
At nine years old, Dale restored his first item; a beat-up bicycle given to him by his father. Since then, he hasn’t looked back.
He remembers the 1980s as the “boom years.”
“Then, I could go out through the Midwest and find the most amazing things,” he said.
“I could buy the weirdest and rarest things for pennies. Then, I’d work it over, take it to trade shows out on the East and West Coasts and make good money. I was also doing quite a bit of overseas trading.
“I started out with a Coke machine I had in my back yard, and did real well with that. Then, the next thing you know I had about 500 Coke machines in the back yard. From there, I jumped to gas pumps, and from there everything just began expanding.”
At first, it was all about making money – buying, restoring and selling. It was lucrative, and soon he owned a shop in Vegas.
Now, since his appearances on Pawn Stars and his upcoming show, Dale said “the gates have just opened” with incoming oddities. He no longer has to go out on the road, seeking out inventory.
“I do miss that part of the business, buying was where the excitement always was,” he said.
“But, my work here is still fulfilling. The highlight for me is seeing the look on a customer’s face when he sees what I have done … I love the way their face lights up after they see the transformation.
“I am an artist, and I enjoy working with my hands. If you do something just for the money, I think you lose a part of your soul. To me, this is a lot more than money … I’m bringing something back to life, and if it’s in a collector’s hands I know that piece will be around for 400 years, or ever how long we’ll last. I’m restoring value, where there once was nothing.”
For more information, call 702-655-5544 or visit www.ricksrestorations.com |
