Antiques Roadshow Detours

What happens to all that stuff seen on WGBH’s Antiques Roadshow once the cameras leave town? The new DETOURS podcast picks up where the appraisals left off.

Gold ingots, retrieved from the ocean floor and appraised on America’s favorite antiques show back in 1999 are now the subject of an international investigation.

A few years ago a flag from JFK’s famed navy boat, the PT-109, was appraised at GBH’s Antiques Roadshow for up to one million dollars, yet the appraisal never aired on TV. What happened?

A guest on GBH’s Antiques Roadshow brings in a beloved toy soldier from the 1934 Laurel & Hardy film, Babes in Toyland. But is it really worth the estimated value? We march along with the soldier to the auction block to find out.

There is one appraiser who strikes fear in the hearts of guests on WGBH's Antiques Roadshow: John Buxton, known around the set as "the King of Fakes." This week the King of Fakes gets faked.

Photographs of Edgar Allan Poe are incredibly rare, and when one appeared on WGBH’s Antiques Roadshow in Omaha, Nebraska, it seemed too good to be true. Then the FBI called.

In this special ‘Roadshow Radio Mystery Special,’ Inspector Adam Monahan goes on the hunt to learn whether the origin of an 18th century screen painting has been misidentified -- and why it matters.

Carolyn Hollander brought two items to the show for appraisal: an engraved gold watch and a leatherbound book of family history. The experience at GBH’s Antiques Roadshow launches her on a mission: to recover her family’s possessions lost during the Holocaust.

Everyone’s watching the watches: viewed over 20 million times, the two most popular videos on the YouTube page for GBH’s Antiques Roadshow feature appraisals of Rolex watches. Why do these timepieces capture the public in a way unlike any other object featured on the show?

In 2015, an expert for GBH’s Antiques Roadshow appraised a “19th century grotesque face jug” for $30,000 - $50,000. A viewer emailed with information that shocked producers and wound up in the national news...

A pair of Tiffany lamps go missing years after appearing on GBH’s Antiques Roadshow. Just how far would someone go to get their hands on these lamps? And just how far would someone else go to get them back?

The producers for GBH’s Antiques Roadshow know - “kids with old stuff make great TV.” And after 25 seasons some of those kids are, well, no longer kids! Learn what happened to these young guests and their famous finds, and if any of them are still collecting.

A tiny portrait of a young Philadelphia woman that appeared on GBH’s Antiques Roadshow memorializes a life lost in 1798 during the Yellow Fever outbreak. What lessons does history reveal about life in a pandemic that are relevant to today?

A guest’s experience at GBH’s Antiques Roadshow starts an investigative journey to determine if her heirloom Tongan war club actually sailed aboard one of Captain Cook’s ships. If true, the value soars – but how did a strange ship captain’s tale lead to shocking history and a call for the club’s return to its land of origin?

An early-American desk and bookcase set was appraised in 2006 at GBH’s Antiques Roadshow for a whopping $250,000. But was this two-piece secretary a match made in heaven? Discover how a shocking secret revealed after the show along with a new market trend dramatically change the value.

When humorist Mo Rocca appeared on GBH’s Antiques Roadshow, he was eager to find out the true identity of a treasured bust he long believed was President Grover Cleveland. Though his TV appraisal yielded no answer, the name of the stranger he’s lived with for years has been revealed! Join the hilarious journey to unravel the mystery behind the mustachioed model.

A cast-iron mechanical bank appraised in 1997 and broadcast on GBH’s Antiques Roadshow was resurfaced by producers when reviewing archival content for an upcoming show. The team decided to scrap the appraisal because it didn’t properly acknowledge the racist elements of the piece. But can an ugly part of history be used to inspire important conversations? Join host Adam Monahan as he seeks to learn from experts how a show about the past should approach difficult topics in the future.

It’s a little-known fact that appraisers on GBH’s Antiques Roadshow are not paid to appear on the show. What keeps them on-set season after season? The special excitement from seeing a once-in-a-lifetime object. So when a Rodin sculpture was brought to the show, would it turn out to be an extraordinary find or a fake? Uncover the surprising story of the sculpture and the lasting mark left on two appraisers.

Celebrity letters provide a glimpse into what was happening in that person’s life in a particular moment in time. When a fiery letter written by legendary star Frank Sinatra was appraised on GBH’s Antiques Roadshow that glimpse revealed a raw response to a letter from a prison chaplain, asking forgiveness for the two men who abducted Sinatra’s son in 1963. What was the one point around the kidnapping deemed unforgivable by the star, and what was its tragic and lasting aftermath?

A collection of vintage mousetraps became eerily relevant as DETOURS host Adam Monahan faced an ongoing war with rats in his own urban backyard. Are these disease-carrying pests or intelligent emotional beings? Join the lively journey tracing the earliest forms of traps along with expert musings from the rat’s point of view on whether there really is a better way to build a mouse trap.

Longtime folk art expert for GBH’s Antiques Roadshow, Wes Cowan, has seen so many unusual items that very little surprises him. But a perplexing apothecary bottle filled with colored sand brought to the show in 2002 led to his discovery of a 19th century artist with no auction records at that time. Learn how the artist, who lost his hearing and speech in childhood, later designed remarkable sand art created grain-by-grain, and whose creations transfixed two appraisers by what happened at auction!

In 2014 a gorgeous painting was brought to GBH’s Antiques Roadshow. The appraisal was filmed but ultimately cut from the episode before it aired. What made this piece of art so controversial? The late 1800s oil featured a nude woman. Uncover the tricky question of which parts of the body can be shown on broadcast TV and whether this painting got a second chance on the airwaves.

A fair share of characters cross GBH’s Antiques Roadshow’s set, but none like the towering, booming-voiced cowboy in Tulsa, OK. With a rare red diamond ring, cowboy Jim sought to learn the gem’s value. But would his $35K gamble pay off big?

From an epic appraisal to an auction block surprise, follow the story of a Gale Sayers jersey and dive deeper into the life of the NFL legend along the way.

News that a famous Galileo manuscript was revealed to be a fake raises questions about a similar letter that appeared on GBH’s Antiques Roadshow in 2014. Did we get it wrong?

How did trading cards from the nineties end up valued at six figures? Adam heads straight to the source for answers: an interview with Richard Garfield, the creator of “Magic: The Gathering,” himself!

If you learn that a beloved family treasure is worth thousands, do you keep or sell? This hypothetical becomes a reality for a guest on GBH’s Antiques Roadshow, who shares her journey and reveals her ultimate decision.

Ever given or received a Hallmark card featuring a Peanuts character? You have Arnold Shapiro, a guest on GBH’s Antiques Roadshow, to thank. Learn more about Arnold’s relationship with the iconic Charles Schulz and follow the journey of his six-figure comic strip collection.

A World War II Navy helmet brought to GBH’s Antiques Roadshow, and used for years as a decorative planter, was revealed to be that of the US Naval officer in charge at Utah Beach during the allied landing in Normandy. Appraiser Jeff Shrader carefully inspected the helmet. What did his analysis along with an archived diary and other accounts from museum experts in two countries reveal about the full heroic story of this U.S. Naval Officer? Join host Adam Monahan as he discovers and memorializes the military life of the helmet’s original owner.

Gold ingots, retrieved from the ocean floor and appraised on America’s favorite antiques show back in 1999 are now the subject of an international investigation.

Photos from Admiral Byrd’s famed Antarctic expedition brought in 2021 to GBH’s Antiques Roadshow in Sands Point, NY reveal rare glimpses into life at the South Pole almost 100 years ago. Join host Adam Monahan as he discovers how science and PR collide in this tale of one man’s quest for fame and a secured place in history and how that compares to modern influencers today.

Controversial items are nothing new to GBH’s Antiques Roadshow, but when an artist’s study sketch was brought to the show’s 2007 event in Baltimore, MD it seemed unlikely to be one. However, it was because of the bigger picture – literally –a mural created for the state of Indiana by Thomas Hart Benton and unveiled at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair in which lurks a controversy that continues to this day. Join host Adam Monahan as he traces the story of how one artist challenged the era’s standard view of history and insisted that depicting both the good and the bad were important records and lessons for generations to come.

The story of how Whirlpool’s Miracle Kitchen traveled to Russia and ignited a frosty debate between two superpowers.

A family photograph, long rumored to feature the wild western outlaw, Billy the Kid, is brought to the set of GBH’s Antiques Roadshow in 2017 where it is quickly and roundly declared as inauthentic. In fact, there is still only one truly authenticated image of “the Kid” known, although countless more have made the claim—some with more plausibility than others. But why does Billy the Kid’s image remain so sought after and so notoriously rare? Host Adam Monahan digs into the case, and along the way discovers a story about the limits of technology, the value of historical accuracy, and the power of belief.

A coveted 1959 No. 1 Barbie was appraised for GBH’s Antiques Roadshow in 2016 with a value of $3,500-$4,500. But with today’s Barbie mania following the release of the mega-hit movie, has a nice pink glow washed over the market for the stylishly superstar doll? Join host Adam Monahan as he toys with the question, speaking with Barbie historians, market experts and analyzes recent auction activity to reveal whether Barbie collectors will see a boost or a bust!

Yacht What it Looks Like – An unsigned maritime masterpiece of a 19th-century yacht race, a pastime of the idle rich of the day, takes DETOURS to visit appraisers, auction experts and the Peabody Essex Museum as the mystery around the painter’s identity is revealed.

A trip to Boise, Idaho creates an incredible connection nobody could have ever anticipated.

How an unexplored mention of personal turmoil spurs a look into the short but impactful life of Keith Haring: famous pop artist, trailblazing activist, friend to Andy Warhol and Madonna, and beloved brother.

Until 2023, zero paintings created by the beloved PBS artist Bob Ross had ever been brought to GBH’s Antiques Roadshow. That all changed at the show’s recent stop in Anchorage, Alaska when a whopping six made their way in front of the lights and cameras. Paintings by Ross almost never show up in the open market – so how did so many appear that day and why? Join host Adam Monahan as he learns the colorful backstory of how Ross’ happy little trees and puffy clouds became art therapy for many, the artist’s surprising tie to Alaska, and if the market for his work is the stuff dreams are made of.

In 1999 a box of artifacts from the sinking of the Titanic made its way to GBH’s Antiques Roadshow, including blurry photos of the eerie ice-filled wreck site, a handwritten diary, and -- a biscuit. But how could something so simple and fragile have survived the ship’s sinking? And could the biscuit and other items from the famed shipwreck find a place in today’s collector’s market? Join host Adam Monahan as he dives deep into the story of one tragic night, a honeymooning couple’s tale of survival, and the ship that continues to capture the attention of people more than a century later.

When GBH’s Antiques Roadshow visited Sacramento, CA in 2019 a red-covered two-volume book set was brought to the show by a guest eager to learn about a selection from her grandfather’s book collection. “The Narrative of a Japanese” by Joseph Heco was recognized immediately by appraiser Martin Gammon for its historical importance, but how would this 1895 publication make a modern-day connection 150 years later? Join host Adam Monahan as he examines how an email received by the series after the episode aired led to an incredible connection between the book’s owner and a TV viewer who recognized something in the appraisal missed by both the guest and the expert!

Calling all dog lovers and true-crime aficionados! In 2022 Linda brought a chipped, cracked, and stained ceramic plate featuring the portrait of a long-ago dog to GBH’s Antiques Roadshow in Santa Fe, NM. But why would the story around this unassuming item soon ignite controversy among appraisers as to the plate’s true worth? Join host Adam Monahan as he chases the fantastic story of Skippy, a Belgian Shepherd who in 1952 saved Linda from the arms of a kidnapper and was subsequently honored as Dog of the Year.

Ask fans of GBH’s Antiques Roadshow if they have a favorite appraiser and you’ll hear many names, including one known for his big character, creative mustache styles and bold plaid suits. Nicholas Lowry is a poster expert and master auctioneer – two qualities that were integral to the story of a larger-than-life aquatic poster bathed in muted watery green depicting splashing swimmers and onlookers lining the balcony above, that made its way to the show during a 2004 stop in Portland. Join host Adam Monahan as he dives into the incredible story of Sutro Baths, San Francisco’s 1890 engineering marvel, playground, and entertainment spot, and the poster that more than a century after its printing was offered at auction and saw a dramatic result!

How the Boston Red Sox, Babe Ruth and the long-forgotten Bunker Hill Brewery combined to make one homerun of a calendar!

Are you in danger of being poisoned by an antique book? Victorian-era dyes brought vibrant colors but also toxic heavy metals, like arsenic in the wildly popular Emerald Green. Join host Adam Monahan who questions if over 29 seasons ANTIQUES ROADSHOW has ever encountered such a literary liability. Dive into the show’s archives, uncover a bright green book from Hartford, CT, and visit The Poison Book Project for the shocking answer.