Canadian Pickers
Sheldon Smithens, an antiques dealer, auctioneer and appraiser by trade, and his partner Scott Cozens, a full-time lawyer and life-long picker - scour towns across Canada in search of objects with historical, collectible and pop culture value.
A palm reader predicts that the guys will have a productive visit to Quebec, but one reluctant dealer could spoil their plans.
An eccentric seller in North Bay attaches his collection to the outside of his home; Brooke and Jerry hold their first sale at the Warehouse
The guys visit New Brunswick, where they uncover vintage automobiles, a retro coffin, and a collector's bargain-priced inventory; a pinball competition at the Calgary warehouse leads to a big sale.
A man is ready to liquidate his collection of dinosaur fossils and other quirky items; Scott hunts for maritime treasures while Sheldon eats oysters; a seasoned picker reveals his impressive man cave.
In Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Scott pays top dollar for a one-of-a-kind mechanical rooster, and then it’s up to Brooke to determine whether the gamble will pay off. Later, the guys unearth two great pieces in a decrepit storage barn and hatch a shrewd strategy to seal the deal. And, a lobster fisherman’s sprawling collection includes the entire inventory of an old country store.
A random stop at a Nova Scotia cheese factory leads to an old church packed with unusual antiques. Later, awed by a prolific collector’s jaw-dropping man cave, the guys put together a staggering offer to buy the entire collection. Also, Scott and Sheldon get first crack at a now defunct nautical museum where they uncover a few gems hidden among the chaos.
Scott and Sheldon have taken a major gamble by traveling to the UK, hoping to buy an iconic Wild West collection with a Canadian twist. But their dream of a major score becomes a nightmare when the seller is nowhere to be found. In order to help salvage the expensive trip, they head out on a cross-country UK picking adventure instead. Steeped in history and old world charm, Maunsel House mansion is jam-packed with antiques. And while the prices inside prove too rich for their blood, the guys scour the outbuildings where they uncover some exquisite rejects. Later, it’s full steam ahead at Trinity Marine where the warehouse is home to one of the biggest collections of nautical salvage in the world. Scott flips for a rare steamship sign, and the guys haggle over a genuine yellow submarine. Back in London, persistence finally pays off when the guys find themselves knee-deep in the century-old collection they’ve been desperately looking for.
On the second leg of their UK adventure, the guys are determined to fill a shipping container with rare British pieces. In a seaside town, they meet a prolific World War II collector who’s unfortunately reluctant to sell. Later, a sprawling flea market in Denham fails to impress. That is, until the guys meet a fellow picker who offers to show them his first-class collection. And finally, the Welsh village of Portmeiron was the setting for the iconic TV series, The Prisoner. And the guys scour a jam-packed attic for treasure.
Scott and Sheldon head to Saskatchewan where they return a Coté chief’s long-lost rifle to his First Nations community. Down the road, the guys visit a family farm with a staggering stockpile of stuff. Meanwhile back at the warehouse, Gerry and Brooke make a mega sale and then install an oversize surprise on the roof of the shop.
The Pickers are optimistic when they hit Vancouver Island in search of great stuff. They find mountains of treasures but everyone’s prices are sky high. Scott and Sheldon don’t want to return home empty handed, so they put their heads together and come up with an unbeatable strategy.
Excited to arrive in Vancouver for some great picks, Scott and Sheldon waste no time on the ferry when they meet an Aboriginal artist carrying a huge bag of exquisite carvings. The moment the Pickers hit the mainland, they seek out dedicated collectors. Everything is going as planned until they veer off-road and wind up on a whole new adventure.
The guys meet the Tin King of Brantford and the Prince of Puppets in Peterborough; the guys hire a new employee and put him to work on a massive public sale of collected treasures.
The Pickers encounter an obsessive collector of Coca-Cola memorabilia; examples of elegant American art glass command a high price.
The Pickers visit Armstrong, Abbotsford and Mission in British Columbia as they compete to see who can obtain the most manly item; trolley ads, tin litho signs and rare gas pumps are among the unique finds.
Scott and Sheldon hit up Winnipeg in search of great finds, but this time Scott throws a bit of a twist into the first pick… his two sons, Liam and Nash. When Nash wants to buy a WWI bayonet, it’s clear he’s caught the picker’s bug. The guys then find a huge vintage neon sign shop filled with electrifying but delicate pieces.
Guided by a mysterious treasure map, Scott and Sheldon drive deep into Saskatchewan in search of a huge bounty. From Regina to Avonlea and finally Moose Jaw, the Pickers are overwhelmed with collections that are filled to the rafters.
The Pickers rummage through central Saskatchewan bickering over who is the better driver, but it’s the dealers on the road driving the hard bargains. The guys careen through the Prairies collecting a bounty of vintage pistols, antique toys, and an inflatable Coca Cola display. When Scott challenges Sheldon to a showdown at a hot rod repair shop, Sheldon has one last chance to prove himself behind the wheel.
The Pickers headed to Nova Scotia with their superstitions in tow, in hopes of getting lucky with their picks.
The Pickers head down East, testing their luck around New Brunswick. While perplexed by Scott’s hunt for broken toys, Sheldon is cured of his ills in a vintage pharmacy by a rare, ahem, suppository maker. The boys then find a winning stash in a spectacular games room, scoring rare local mantiques. Back home, Scott plays a different kind of game with his bag of chipped tchotchkes, and the result bowls Sheldon over.
The Pickers travel to Quebec and uncover hidden treasures including some vintage hockey seats signed by Guy Lafleur and a rare Smokey the Bear sign. But Scott loses his cool when one dealer’s prices are as high as his three-storey barn. All is forgotten during a four-way picker’s free-for-all at an old friend’s bar. And the boys nearly drive into a garage sale on wheels.
Scott and Sheldon roam the Yukon territory and meet unusual characters in Whitehorse, Tagish and Dawson; finds include a hand-carved bear statue and a woolly mammoth tusk.
Scott and Sheldon come face-to-face with a train bell that might have come from the famed train crash that killed Jumbo the Elephant in the late 1800s. If the provenance holds true, it could be their biggest payday ever. And from hidden garages full of antique toys to a property stacked with vintage amusement rides, the guys go toy crazy but negotiations for the prized possessions aren’t a game.
Scott and Sheldon come face-to-face with a train bell that might have come from the famed train crash that killed Jumbo the Elephant in the late 1800s. If the provenance holds true, it could be their biggest payday ever. And from hidden garages full of antique toys to a property stacked with vintage amusement rides, the guys go toy crazy but negotiations for the prized possessions aren’t a game.
Hitting Central Alberta, the guys visit a glitzy showroom full of extraordinary antique cars, jukeboxes, and tin trucks. At a farm down the way, a dedicated collector of primitive furniture gets the guys excited with choice handmade pieces. A barber and antique sign collector in Calgary shaves down their bank account and trims down Scott’s hair. And down a long country road, Scott and Sheldon are more than eager to help an old friend downsize 40 years of history.
The guys hunt for a classic old Canadian canoe in Saskatchewan’s north but find themselves up a creek without a paddle when the collectors aren’t too willing to sell. Scott gets frustrated when the proprietor of a genuine Trading Post in La Ronge, filled with choice furs, bear traps, and beaded buck skin jackets, won’t even sell them his dried beaver balls! And deep in the wilderness, they discover a treasure trove of stunning historic canoes, but to get one they have to haggle with a quick-witted teenage girl.
The guys head to The Rock to load up on authentic Newfoundland collectibles. In a church filled to the rafters with handmade furniture, a shark’s jaw, and vintage photographs, Sheldon spots a solid brass ship wheel akin to the nautical world’s Holy Grail. In Port de Grave, Scott struggles to get a read on a local picking legend whose wild collection includes an erotic powder horn. But before they can start the deal making, the guys have to become honorary Newfies by getting Screeched In.
The Pickers make a friendly wager to crisscross Newfoundland in search of the greatest piece of kitsch. In the process, they meet a salty dog of a seller who tries to fleece the mainlanders when they spot a rare dogsled circa WWII. The guys go on a feeding frenzy in a private collectors’ barn filled with authentic local furniture priced to sell. And near Torbay, Sheldon finds a classic kitsch curio steeped in controversial Newfoundland history that he’s sure will beat all the items Scott has picked up along the way.
The Pickers make a friendly wager to crisscross Newfoundland in search of the greatest piece of kitsch. In the process, they meet a salty dog of a seller who tries to fleece the mainlanders when they spot a rare dogsled circa WWII. The guys go on a feeding frenzy in a private collectors’ barn filled with authentic local furniture priced to sell. And near Torbay, Sheldon finds a classic kitsch curio steeped in controversial Newfoundland history that he’s sure will beat all the items Scott has picked up along the way.
Keeping one eye out for Big Foot, the Pickers hunt for big deals in Southern B.C. Scott and Sheldon come up against a poker-faced collector stocked to the gills with local memorabilia. In Creston, Scott’s eyes light up when a motivated seller shows the guys her cornucopia of vintage pedal cars, penny toys, and miniatures. If only she would sell her husband’s mint-condition toy trucks. In Cranbrook, a cowboy collector’s glitzy silver saddle impresses but its hefty price tag wipes off the sheen. But when he leads the guys to a hot collection of cedar-stripped canoes, the Pickers perk back up.
The Pickers charge out of the gate in Quebec’s horse country to find the area’s finest antiques. At the first stop Sheldon zeroes in on an unusual Inuit carving by a famous artist. Down the road, the guys press a farmer and lifelong collector to sell some of his prized Turn Of The Century farm equipment, vintage signage, and amusement park games. Scott makes an outrageous offer when he spots a rare tin can. In a massive storage space filled with horse collectibles, the guys spot the best pieces they have ever seen.
Scott discovers a totem pole at the legendary Blackfoot Truck Stop in Alberta.
Scott visits a collector with plenty of outbuildings but soon discovers it has already been picked.
The guys hope to find some great deals to sell out west in southern Ontario.
The guys go to a 70-mile garage sale in Prince Edward Island that has plenty of treasures and junk.
After stopping in Peggy's Cove, the guys bet to see who will find the ultimate East Coast prize.
The guys come across an old Victorian home while freestyling in Nova Scotia.
A collector welcomes the guys into his home, garage and bar in Hudson, Quebec.
The guys stop at an amateur historian's home in Quebec's Eastern townships.
On the way to Winnipeg, the van needs some mechanical TLC.
An 84-year-old collector in Balzac, Alberta has a property jam-packed with odd artifacts.
Picking their way through Ontario, the guys may have hit the jackpot on a sprawling property full of outbuildings.
The guys are ready to drop big bucks on some treasures in British Columbia.
The guys look through a hangar-sized collection; Henry's retro service station.
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Release | 2011-04-12 |
| Producer |