(blowing into horn)
Robbie: How about "to broadway"? Jersey jon: Yeah, that's cool.
Got to make it to broadway.
Christina: This is a secret room.
Mike: There's a coffin? Christina: There's a coffin!
Andrew: The green ones are really old.
Ah crazy money, crazy!
Jersey jon: 13, 14, 15...
Mike: One, two, twelve!
Christina: Mike!
(mike laughs)
(upbeat rock music)
Danielle: Hey, you doing okay out there on your own?
Mike: Oh, absolutely.
Danielle: You ready for a lead?
'cause I'm going to send you out to meet christina.
She lives in this super cool old building.
This building's like from 1840.
Mike: Really!
Danielle: Yeah. This woman's such a badass.
So she bought this building in the early 2000s, like 2010.
She fixed it up, she lives upstairs,
She's got a studio on the third floor.
Mike: So what is she into? What kind of stuff she collect?
Danielle: So chris is an artist. And her art
Is made out of found pieces.
There's architectural salvage, there's mannequins,
She's got old tools, she's got taxidermy as well.
Mike: Oh, so she's collecting stuff
Because she's using it for art?
Danielle: Yeah, I think that this collection really inspires her.
I mean, her process is cool, I really bonded with her on that.
Mike: Alright, I'm going to buy something for you,
For your art inspiration.
Danielle: I love you, man.
Mike: Okay, I love you too. Danielle: Okay.
Mike: Bye.
Mike: As soon as I crossed over the bridge into owego,
The architecture takes you back.
Mike: Wow...
Mike: And then each individual building, the streetscape
That was done, the lighting, the old-growth trees.
I mean, it just kind of puts its arms around you.
There's nothing like the energy of the shopkeepers
On a main street, and everyone working so hard
To not only keep that alive, but to also see it thrive.
(doorbell rings)
Mike: Are you chris?
Christina: Hi, how are you? Mike.
Mike: Nice to meet you. Hi. (laughs)
Christina: Nice to meet you too. Mike: That's a flyer,
Dani probably went over some of the stuff with ya.
Christina: She did. Oh my god, it was so good to talk to her!
I love her! Mike: I know, she was explaining
To me all the parallels between you too.
Christina: I know, it's so weird, I know.
Christina: Sisters from another mister.
Mike: I know, exactly.
Well, tell me about your building here for a second.
Mike: She said it's 1840? Christina: 1849.
Mike: Okay, '49, okay. Christina: So it's been many things.
There used to be a bike shop right here.
Mike: Get outta here!
Christina: True story. Mike: From what time period?
Christina: Uh like, 19-0-something to the '30s.
Mike: Oh really, early stuff! Christina: Yes. And they sold reliance motorcycles.
Mike: I have a monarch. Christina: You do not.
Mike: I have a monarch motorcycle that was made in this town.
Mike: What I love about christina is, in the first
Three minutes, I already know most of the history
Of this building. It was a fraternal lodge,
It was a bicycle shop.
She's so proud to take me around the corner
And show me the ghost sign for the bicycle shop.
Christina: So it says "strong's cycles" I think.
So right there, right there. Mike: Oh okay,
I can see cycle right there. C-y... L-e, the end of it.
Christina: Right. Mike: Oh wow!
Christina: I feel like owego is the home of my heart.
There's such a sense of community here.
It's lovely, it's like a slice of americana...
Mayberry r.F.D. With a little pizzazz.
Christina: I have some things back here I think that you
Would like, though, in my basement.
Mike: She said you were into architectural salvage.
Christina: I consider myself a collector-slash-artist
Slash lots of things.
I love multiples of something.
I can't just have one.
Now I just have too much stuff. (laughs)
Christina: So we had a flood, really bad flood here in 2011.
So people cleaned out a lot of things,
And I felt like they needed to be saved.
Mike: Is that when you went dumpster diving?
Christina: Yes, I went dumpster--
Christina: Whenever I see a dumpster--
Mike: Dani was telling me all-- dani's like,
She's a big fan of yours, man.
Mike: Danielle has described christina to a t.
I mean, they're fangirl-ing on each other big-time.
But they're so similar. I mean, danielle,
When I first met her, she was making art,
That's what christina's doing.
Danielle was dumpster diving, that's what christina's doing.
Danielle wore overalls all the time,
That's what christina's doing.
They're completely sisters from another mister.
Christina: So I've got some stuff there.
Mike: Oh you do? Christina: People drop off things off to me.
Mike: With some drawers and some windows.
Christina: Oh, and this is uh... Mike: You've got clothing racks.
Christina: Yeah. Mike: Oh, it's got a wood base on it.
Christina: Yes it does, so I got that salvaged
From one of the buildings here.
Mike: So why did you guys raise it up?
Christina: Ah, 'cause I do pole fitness,
And I needed to have a big mirror,
So we attached a mirror to this.
Mike: What's pole fitness?
Christina: Like you know, a stripper pole?
(laughing) mike: Okay.
Christina: But you do it for exercise.
Mike: And you do that on this?
Christina: No, no, this had the mirror on it,
So I could watch myself. Mike: Oh, okay.
So you have to watch yourself while you're doing it.
Christina: Well, you got to know if you make a mistake, yeah.
Christina: You could practice later.
Mike: Okay, okay. Christina: So anyway,
I took the mirror off, and I...
Mike: So those boards can be pulled.
Christina: Yeah, the boards-- but this was on it, yeah.
Mike: Yeah. 125.
Christina: You got it, sold america.
Mike: Alright cool, boom. Christina: I like it.
Christina: My grandmother always said, make do with what you got.
We didn't throw things out or we went to the dump
To get something to use.
Mike: That's cool. Christina: Okay, follow me.
Mike: Alright, okay. Wow, this is awesome.
Christina: Yeah.
Robbie: See jersey, that's kind of nice,
I mean, you haven't talked in like three minutes,
I mean, that's like a peaceful feeling in the morning.
Jersey jon: Huh, what? (robbie chuckles)
(phone rings)
Robbie: Whaddup, dani d? Jersey jon: What's up?
Danielle: Ah, good morning, jersey. Hey, how's if feel
To be in your home state?
Jersey jon: Ah, I love being back in new jersey, man,
It's been a while. Danielle: Are you guys near cresskill yet?
Jersey jon: Palisades parkway. Danielle: Okay perfect.
I'm going to send you guys to meet andrew then.
Hey listen, andrew has loved antiques his entire life.
He used to own an antique store, as a matter of fact.
In the late '90s, andrew found this 40-foot
Tractor trailer semi that was
Packed full of early new york city
Subway signs and artifacts.
Jersey jon: Holy mac-- really?!
Danielle: Exactly. So andrew has them packed
Down in the basement of this house that he rents out.
Robbie: Okay. Jersey jon: Okay.
Danielle: This is not going to be an easy day,
I'm just gonna let you know right now.
This is some heavy lifting. But listen,
It's going to be a good day.
Robbie: Alright, send us the coordinates, dani, thanks.
Danielle: Alright, guys.
(upbeat rock music)
Robbie: I think it's coming up here... Right here.
There's the guy right there.
Jersey jon: Yeah. Cool. Alright. Hoo!
Robbie: How you doing? You andrew?
Andrew: Yep. Robbie: How're you doing?
Talked to danielle on the phone? Andrew: I did.
Jersey jon: She asked you about this stuff?
Jersey jon: How you doing? I'm jon. Andrew: Hi, jon.
Jersey jon: Nice to meet you. Andrew: You too.
Jersey jon: This is stuff we're looking for, buddy.
Andrew: My name is andrew, and I'm from howarth, new jersey.
Andrew: Okay. Robbie: It says stained glass, see.
Andrew: I got stained glass. Robbie: And some signs.
She said you got a whole container...
Andrew: ...Full of subway signs.
Robbie: What would possess a person to buy
A whole container full of subway signs?
Andrew: 'cause I'm crazy? (laughs)
Robbie: We're all a little crazy, but that's...
Jersey jon: I like crazy. Andrew: I like to collect.
Andrew: I found the signs on the internet.
I bought one sign.
Andrew: I contacted the seller, I'm like,
Do you have any other signs?
He had a 40-foot container full of signs.
Andrew: And he opens the door, and he says,
"do you see anything you'd like?"
And I said, "yes, everything."
Swear the guy was going to fall on the ground.
And I said, "what do you want?"
He said, $10,000. I said, "I'll give you 9."
And that's exactly how it happened.
Robbie: Wow. Jersey jon: So how did this guy have this stuff?
Where did they get it from, I mean...?
Andrew: Well, his story was, so in the '80s,
They changed all the signs over in the subway.
Robbie: Right. Andrew: They switched from the white and black...
To the black with white. Robbie: Right.
Andrew: He said, he lived around the corner
From the contractor. There were so many signs,
They threw it in the dumpster at the end of the night.
Jersey jon: Whoa... Andrew: He went, and he didn't drive,
He went with a red wagon, every night,
Filled up his wagon, brought them to his house.
Jersey jon: Phew!
Robbie: This is folklore in the sign business.
Jersey jon: Where is all this stuff? Andrew: In the basement.
Jersey jon: Show the way. Andrew: It's easier to show you.
And this is a rental property...
Jersey jon: Okay. Andrew: But I use the basement.
Okay, every place I buy has to have a basement or a garage.
Jersey jon: Got to have storage. Andrew: So we can store stuff.
Jersey jon: If you collect stuff, you got to have storage somewhere.
Jersey jon: It's dark in here, man.
Robbie: Wow, you ain't kidding, dude.
Jersey jon: Man, you got a lot of stuff in here, buddy.
Andrew: I collect subway signs, I collect stained glass,
I collect license plates.
I pick things out of the garbage,
My whole life, you know, it's... What don't I collect?
Jersey jon: Wow... Robbie: Look at this, jersey.
Jersey jon: Man, it goes way back, robbie.
Robbie: Holy cow... Jersey jon: Man.
Andrew: The first moment they walked in,
It gets you excited. Your adrenaline starts going,
It's like this stuff that you've collected,
Somebody else appreciates.
Jersey jon: Man, robbie, they are stacked in here,
There are stacks of signs in here, robbie.
Andrew: So I have several rental properties,
And all of them, I used to store
Different parts of my collection.
But that one I'm thinking of selling, so it's time
To downsize, so I don't have to move it again.
Robbie: This looks like, it's probably '60s coke sign.
Is this something you want to sell, andrew?
Andrew: I would sell that.
Robbie: It's just cool. Coca-cola, iconic,
It's got the bull-nose wraparound, easy sell.
Robbie: 450.
Andrew: I'm pretty sure I paid more than that for it
When I bought it. You do 600, it's yours.
Robbie: I'll do it for 600. Andrew: Okay.
Robbie: 600. Jersey jon: Thank you.
Andrew: That was a sign I brought home,
And put in my basement, and my wife said, "get it out of here."
Robbie: Wow...
Jersey jon: 18th avenue, that's a nice early one.
Andrew: Yeah, that's an early one.
Jersey jon: Oof... Got that arrow.
Andrew: Yep, yep. Jersey jon: Got two arrows.
Andrew: Yep. "to 17th avenue, to 18th avenue."
Jersey jon: The earliest porcelain signs are those
Blue and white porcelain signs, that started around 1910
To 1915. Before that, they were schmaltz signs;
Before that there was no subway,
It was horse-and-carriage. The subway system
In new york city started around 1890s,
Start digging the holes, through 1910.
Then they needed a sign to tell people where to go.
Jersey jon: 800 bucks.
Andrew: Can you go 1,000?
Jersey jon: Split it with me, buddy, 900 bucks.
Andrew: Fine, take it.
Jersey jon: Alright, I'll take it for 900 bucks.
There's other stuff in here, man.
Jersey jon: You have some roll signs...
Andrew: Yep. Jersey jon: Let me see, if I get, there it goes.
Look at that.
Today, all the stuff's electronic, of course,
But this is the day when they would crank it around.
It's almost like a window blind. Andrew: Correct.
Robbie: I mean, this stuff is like stacked in here like cord wood.
Jersey jon: It really is. Andrew: The evolution of subway signs,
Especially the ones I have, is the blue ones were first,
And that was the first line that they built.
So they went from the blue ones to the green ones.
Then they went from the green ones to the white ones.
Jersey jon: Now, this is modern.
Andrew: Correct. Jersey jon: Aluminum.
Andrew: This is what they replaced...
Jersey jon: Right. Andrew: ...The old ones, with these.
Jersey jon: Okay, I didn't see that.
So this is what we're talking about here.
Andrew: Yep.
Jersey jon: Ugh, independent subway system. Ha!
Andrew: A lot of people don't realize in the beginning,
The subway system was owned by private companies.
So the different lines were different companies.
So you had different signs.
In 1932, the city, they opened their first line,
Which was owned by the city.
And that was the ind,
Which was the independent subway system.
By 1940, the city had taken over
All the private companies, and merged,
And it was merged into the nycta,
New york city transit authority.
Andrew: But then a lot of these signs
Became obsolete instantaneously.
Jersey jon: Sure. Robbie: Yeah.
Andrew: Because they said what branch it was...
Robbie: Oh. Andrew: But it wasn't a branch anymore.
Robbie: The biggest thing that I know about these
Subway signs is like, what was on 8th avenue?
That's what makes the signs more valuable.
Andrew: So this is from manhattan.
Robbie: Okay. Andrew: You know, it ran
All the way through, through hell's kitchen...
Jersey jon: Yep. Robbie: Oh, yeah.
Andrew: Oh yeah, this is... Jersey jon: That's cool.
Andrew: These are signs that people really want, anything with manhattan.
Robbie: These signs are those things that we can sell
In our stores, these are iconic locations in new york city.
Robbie: 425.
I mean, it's still beat up.
Jersey jon: Yeah. It's beat up pretty bad.
Andrew: I was thinking $700 for this sign.
Robbie: I don't think I can get 1,000 bucks out of it.
Andrew: I think it will.
(robbie exhales loudly)
Andrew: You tell me.
Robbie: 500 bucks.
Andrew: 550, it's yours.
Jersey jon: Do it. Andrew: Done.
Robbie: Alright. Jersey jon: Alright, cool.
Andrew: You know, I'm not going to be low-balled,
I'm going to be fair,
They have to make money,
But I'm not giving stuff away.
Robbie: I mean, there is so much in here,
Jersey, it's crazy.
Andrew: See those signs that you're looking at?
Those are lee tire signs... Robbie: Ouch.
Andrew: ...They were never up. They're brand new.
Robbie: Probably around 1940.
Jersey jon: Still got the onion skin on it.
You got how many in here? One... Jersey jon & robbie: Two...
Three...
Robbie: There's four, there's five.
Where did these come from?
Andrew: I've been collecting stuff for forever,
All kinds of stuff.
Andrew: So the lee tire signs,
We're talking I was probably in high school
When I bought that stuff.
Jersey jon: They're painted, not porcelain.
Andrew: They're painted, but they're in perfect--
You never find those... Robbie: Yeah, you never find--
Andrew: ...In that condition.
Robbie: These lee tire signs are called tin tackers.
The colors on them are perfect,
They're not all beat up.
All collectors out there are looking for something like this.
Robbie: 2,500 bucks.
Andrew: That's 500... Robbie: 500 each.
Andrew: Do 600 each, you got them.
Robbie: You're at, you're at three grand?
Yeah, I just can't, I mean...
Andrew: Okay, I'll split it with you,
2,750, they're yours.
Robbie: 2,600, I'm in.
Andrew: I'll give this one to you.
Robbie: Alright. Jersey jon: Awesome, thank you buddy.
Robbie: There's so much stuff here, it's like,
I don't even know which direction to go.
Andrew: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll give this one to you.
Robbie: You don't find them when they're n.O.S.,
They're always usually beat up,
These were probably stuck up in a shelf somewhere,
And he got lucky.
I think I got pretty lucky today too.
Christina: So you ready? Mike: Yeah, yeah.
Christina: Oh look!
Mike: I'm already looking. (laughs)
Christina: Yeah. Mike: Yes, absolutely.
This is so cool. Okay...
Mike: So you got two new electrical panels, that's nice.
Christina: Right, so this was after the flood.
So you could see that's the window
Where they blocked that in.
Mike: Yep, there's a window right there.
Christina: Yeah, yeah. Mike: So this would have been
All open staircase coming into it.
Christina: I think so. Mike: Preservationists in general are nerds.
I mean, when we get around old properties, like we just,
You know, the forensics of it all, really turn us on.
Mike: I've got a building like that in leclaire,
Where the ceiling is super high in the basement.
Christina: Yeah. Mike: And then same thing,
Just like this with windows. Christina: Really.
Mike: And I've always imagined what it would be like to...
Christina: Right. Mike: ...To see natural light
Coming into it from that way. Christina: Oh my god,
That would be great. Mike: You know what I mean?
Mike: Buildings are just like people, they have personalities,
They have story, they have history.
They've gone through a lot.
There've been good times, and there's been bad times,
And that's what makes them what they are.
Christina: This is my garden section.
Mike: This is the garden section of your collection?
Christina: They are, yes. Oh my mother of god!
Mike: You want some help?
Christina: Look it.
Mike: Look at that, oh, what is that?
It's not an eagle. Christina: It's a dove, I think.
Mike: Yeah, I think it's a dove too.
Christina: Isn't it awesome? Mike: Wow, that's cool.
Christina: So this isn't cement, this is iron.
Mike: Did this gate hang off of that?
Christina: No, I just put them...
Mike: Okay. Christina: ...Side-by-side.
This has got a lot of brick dust on it, just from this.
Mike: Yeah, I know, I can see that.
Mike: This gate is so incredibly cool.
The ornamentation, the white paint,
The weight of it all.
You know, this is a really cool piece.
Christina: I actually like it with the brick dust on it.
Mike: I know, right? I can see what you're saying.
Christina: Yeah. Mike: The color of it.
How about that "no parking here" sign? Let me see that.
Christina: Okay. Mike: What's going on with that situation?
Christina: That, we had in our yard.
Mike: Okay.
So that's the... The bottom of this is broken off.
Christina: Yeah, yeah.
Mike: Yeah, but it's still neat. I mean, it's an iron sign.
Mike: For the gate and the dove...
Christina: Yeah.
Mike: ...And the sign... Christina: I'll give you the sign for free.
Mike: 400.
Christina: Okay. I like that price a lot.
Mike: You like that? Christina: I love that price.
Mike: I like that too.
Mike: The great thing about architectural salvage,
Is that each piece is unique in some way.
And if you take the time to find these pieces,
All of that adds up to...
Just a life well lived.
Christina: So when I started doing assemblage art,
I did it with doll heads and made these characters,
And they each had their own story.
Mike: Okay. Christina: Some of them had a little story book.
Mike: Aw... Christina: That was the matchstick girl.
Christina: My form of art has been called lots of different things:
Outsider art, folk art.
Assemblage art is probably the overall term
Of what I do, because I assemble different pieces
And make them into something else.
Mike: I told danielle that I would find her something...
Christina: Oh, the matchstick girl?
Mike: Yeah. What do you have on it?
Christina: $25. Mike: $25!
Christina: Because she's been... Mike: I'll give you $25.
Christina: Okay, because she's been like, you know, homeless...
Mike: Yeah, around the circuit, she was in the flea market circuit for a while,
And still hasn't sold. Christina: For a while, right.
Christina: That's why she's down here.
Mike: What about this piece right here?
What did this come out of, this big rack?
Christina: This came out of a building downtown.
I believe it's stainless steel.
Mike: Yep, and it's a wall rack.
Christina: And it's a wall coat rack, I think.
Mike: This is the world's longest coat rack,
That's adjustable, slides from side to side,
And there's two tiers.
Mike: What are you thinking on it?
Christina: 100?
Mike: No, you're light. I'll do 200.
Christina: Mike... Okay, good.
I appreciate you being honest.
Mike: I mean, here's the deal, I mean,
It's going to take someone that needs something this long.
Mike: I would hate to have anybody cut it and separate it
To make it smaller. Christina: Oh my god, yes, right.
Mike: This is something that you could never imagine
Somebody making.
I mean, obviously this was made for commercial application.
It could go back to that, or residential.
Either way, it's really awesome.
Mike: Alright, this is cool.
Oh, you got a little bit of a hike.
Christina: Yeah, not too bad. It keeps me...
Mike & christina: ...In shape.
Christina: And now... Mike: Wow!
Christina: This is where I live. Mike: Wow!
Christina: What do you think? Mike: It's gorgeous!
It's beautiful! It looks like something out of a magazine.
Christina: Yes!
Mike: Walking into christina's space,
You can obviously see that she lives a very creative lifestyle,
With a really, like super interesting backdrop.
I mean, this is a smart way to live.
It's really the way main street shopkeepers
Have lived for hundreds of years.
You know, they had a very short commute,
It was all in one building. They raised their family
On the second floor, and they went down
The staircase to work every day.
You know, the butcher, the barber,
The hardware store,
All of that was self-contained.
Mike: And this is the pole you're talking about?
Christina: Then I had to put in this pole.
Christina: Pole fitness is really using
Your core muscles to climb that pole.
And I tell you, it kicks your butt.
Mike: I might hurt myself here. Ready?
Christina: You are crazy talk. Mike: 1, 2, 12...
Christina: Mike! Awesome!
Mike: Ta-da! (laughs)
Christina: That is really awesome!
Christina: He was really pretty strong.
Now, I'd like to see him do a spin
And a climb next time.
Christina: So from up here on was the secret part
Of the building where the...
Both the elks and the masons had all of their secret stuff.
Mike: Okay, okay. Christina: Yeah.
This is the reception area that you would have come to.
Mike: When it was the mason's lodge.
Christina: When it was the mason and the elks.
Actually, this is where they had all their garb.
Mike: Okay, oh, the costumes and stuff?
Christina: Right. So I costume it with my...
Antique weird dolls. Mike: Oh yeah... Okay.
Mike: There's doll heads everywhere.
And then there's ventriloquist doll heads.
And it's like an art installation, you know,
She's an artist and she's displaying her things
In a way that maybe you'd even see in a gallery.
But the reason she's gathering all this stuff
Isn't just because of the collector in her.
This is her inventory, this is part of, you know,
The junk baby series, maybe, that I saw downstairs, you know.
Christina: This is a secret room.
Mike: Where, in here? Christina: Right there.
Mike: Oh in here? Okay. Christina: Yeah.
Mike: Down here? Christina: Created by the masons.
Christina: When I saw that secret door,
That's when I wanted to buy the building, for sure,
Before I ever saw my workshop.
Christina: Are you ready? Mike: Yeah, absolutely.
Christina: I just want you to know I love Halloween.
Mike: Okay, okay. (chuckles)
Alright... Christina: Okay.
Mike: You need some help? Christina: Oh no.
Mike: Okay. Christina: I'm strong like bull.
There... Mike: There's a coffin?
Christina: There's a coffin!
And it's an odd fellows coffin...
Mike: Okay.
Christina: ...With a paper-maché half skeleton in there.
Mike: Yeah, I love those.
The bones are wood, the clavicle's wood here.
And so they've incorporated wood with the paper-maché.
Some of them will just be all paper-maché.
I've always associated these with the odd fellows.
Christina: Yeah. Mike: Yeah, because they had a ritual,
They had black glasses where they had blinders on them.
Christina: Yeah. Mike: You know, and they would open the glasses up,
You would have a skeleton in front of you,
And they would say something like,
"this is what you will become,
Now you need to make a difference."
Christina: That's awesome. Mike: It's basically like, hey, mortality is not far away.
Christina: Yeah. Mike: Make a difference while you're here.
Christina: Cool. Mike: Yeah.
Christina: This is where I had the ghost hunter come...
Mike: Uh-huh. Christina: And he had all of his machinery,
And he said, how many people are here?
And the response was, nine.
And it say nine multiple times.
Mike: Wow.
Christina: That odd fellows skeleton and casket,
I've used almost every year on Halloween
To scare trick-or-treaters.
Christina, silly voice: Yeah, hello, what are you doing?
Uh, hi, mike, I've been waiting to see you.
(both laugh)
Mike: When you bought this coffin, this piece was in it?
Christina: Yes, it was. Mike: Yes.
Christina: I haven't offered it to anybody for sale,
'cause... I think it's like... Precious.
Christina: Are you ready for the next part?
Mike: I don't know, I mean, there's-- yes!
(laughs) christina: Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, okay alright.
(upbeat rock music)
Jersey jon: Yeah, that's cool. Robbie: Ugh...
Candy and cigars. Jersey jon: Is it double-sided?
Robbie: Yeah, double-sided.
Robbie: This sign has the original hanger,
It just needs a little cleaning.
Robbie: That's a painted sign. You can tell by the outside
Edge right there on the edges.
Andrew: I pulled it off a building, easy 30 years ago.
Robbie: 1,000 bucks.
Andrew: 1,200.
It's got everything, the hanger.
Jersey jon: Yeah. Robbie: I'm doing it, 1,200.
Andrew: Fine. Done. Robbie: 1,200.
Jersey jon: This collection,
I mean, it's full of dirt and dust.
Obviously, nobody's been digging through this collection
In a very, very long time.
Jersey jon: Man, there is so much stained glass
In here, it's like, oof. Man...
Andrew: Yeah, that's half a bathroom window.
Jersey jon: You have hundreds of pieces, it looks like in here, I'd say.
Jersey jon: What he has here is entirely residential
Stained glass panels.
Jersey jon: This stained glass, this was all coming out...
Andrew: All of-- I mean, this was neighbors all over brooklyn, queens...
Andrew: A little bit in manhattan too, I pulled out.
A demo guy that I made a contact with,
Would tear the houses down. Jersey jon: Yeah.
Andrew: He called me, I gave him...
A couple hundred bucks... Jersey jon: Right, right.
Andrew: ...For the salvage rights, I went in...
Jersey jon: Yeah. Andrew: ...And I could take whatever I wanted.
Jersey jon: This is all 1880s, maybe 1890s.
Andrew: Sure. Early, ah... Oh... Jersey jon: That's kind of the hey day.
Whoa, look at that, that's interesting,
Because it's clear glass.
Andrew: Know what's funny? Jersey jon: And it's--
Andrew: I was looking for that piece of glass.
Jersey jon: Well, you just found it.
But that's cool, this is a piece of leaded glass, beveled panels.
Jersey jon: The leaded glass panel is so cool,
Because it's individual pieces of glass
That are beveled on the edges.
With the beveled glass edges,
It gives it a prismatic effect, so when the sun
Is shining through that panel,
It breaks the sunlight up like a rainbow.
It makes for a real dramatic effect,
And that's why they did it.
Andrew: This piece, my father bought.
Andrew: My father's name was bill,
And he really gave me that eye, 100%.
And the funny thing is, I didn't know it.
Andrew: I got that from him, 100%,
Just like I got the collecting bug.
My father was very proud.
Jersey jon: Are you keeping it? Andrew: 100%.
Jersey jon: Okay. Hey, and that's fine, man,
I respect that, that's really cool.
This is your dad's memory.
Andrew: Yeah. Look at this window.
That's a nice window.
With the colors when you go through it with the light.
Jersey jon: So this stained glass panel with the red crest was really neat.
You know, red in stained glass is kind of hard to find,
It's very dramatic, which is really going
To stand out when the sun hits it in a window.
Jersey jon: The most I'm gonna pay for something like this
Is 300 bucks. I could probably get
6, 700 bucks out of this thing. Andrew: Sure, sure.
300 bucks, take it. Jersey jon: 300 bucks?
Andrew: Next time, we're gonna negotiate, it's going my way.
Jersey jon: Well, let's see what else we got.
Christina: Mike, close your eyes.
Mike: Okay. Christina: Alright, and you can't open them
Until I say so, and I'm not kidding around.
Mike: Okay. Christina: Okay.
(door closes)
Christina: Okay mike, open your eyes.
Hi! (both laugh)
Christina: It's like the wizard of oz, right!
Mike: Yes, absolutely.
Christina: So welcome... Mike: Oh my gosh...
Christina: ...To what was the elk lodge
And the masonic temple. Mike: Wow.
Mike: This is pretty incredible. Christina: Thank you.
Mike: I can't believe this is your place!
Christina: I know, I know!
Mike: Her reaction to my reaction,
I can tell that... I mean,
This, I feel like, is the room that brings her
The most joy. I mean, this is where she works,
This is where she's got all of her things to pull from.
Mike: This is a neat little piece here. This is celluloid.
Christina: Isn't it? Yes, it is.
Mike: It's an early donald duck.
Christina: Yes. Quack, quack!
Mike: Donald duck was introduced in the mid-1930s,
And when he first came out, he had a much longer beak.
Now he's evolved into what we know today.
Anything disney is good, especially something this early.
Mike: How about 15?
Christina: Okay, mike, he's adorable,
You know what I'm saying. Mike: A-door-able.
Mike: As old and delicate as this piece is,
With the fading on it and the joints being so loose,
It's probably 30, $35.
It's not a big money piece, but I had to dive on it.
Christina: These are automatons...
Mike: Okay... (chuckles)
Christina: So I made, these images are transferred
Onto wood, and so each has a different personality.
This is an aged disco queen.
(mike chuckles) christina: This is aunt bertha,
And this is, oh, the most popular girl from the class of 1968.
Mike: Yeah, here it comes. Christina: Okay.
You can do it if you try, v-I-c-t-o-r-y!
(mike laughs)
Mike: I think they're brilliant. Christina: Thank you. Thanks.
Mike: You know, she's got so much inspiration here,
It's like inspiration overload.
Christina: Oh! Look at-- you're doing fancy!
Mike: 60. Christina: Okay, mike.
(laughs) christina: There.
Mike: Oh, cigar boxes.
Christina: Yeah, but what do they say?
Mike: Rum-soaked... Wolf brothers!
Christina: Yeah, yeah. Mike: This is cool.
Christina: It's my gift to you. Mike: You're giving me these?
Christina: Yes, I am.
Mike: So this is the pedigree of a horse.
Christina: A pedigree of a racing trotter from the 1800s.
Mike: Okay, so this is like ancestry.Com for horses,
On one big piece of paper.
This is the grand-pappy, the cousins, the aunts,
The uncles, the mamas, the daddies,
Everybody for questator, the horse.
Mike: Oh and this is dated 1891. Christina: Yeah.
Mike: Would you sell something like this?
Christina: Yeah, I would sell something like that.
Mike: I have a store in nashville, tennessee,
It's in horse country, it's in the south.
This would be a great piece to present in my shop.
Christina: Um, I'd probably... 60?
Mike: I think you're light on it. I'll give you 160.
Christina: Mike, I really like you.
Okay, so let's do it. Mike: Alright, let's do it.
Christina: Thank you, thank you. Mike: Okay.
Mike: This is an original document, original frame,
Wavy glass, it's a no-brainer.
Robbie: Alright, man... There is some stuff back there.
Okay. I mean like...
You're making us work today, I'll tell you that.
(andrew laughs) robbie: So you got the exit sign here.
Andrew: Right, right. Robbie: It'll clean up. You got the "no spitting".
Robbie: And then you got "to the street" you know,
And this one right here, "to the street".
The cool thing about this,
Doesn't necessarily tie this to new york.
Andrew: No, no. Robbie: Yeah. It'll clean up.
Robbie: The fact that it's got a red arrow on it,
It says "to street". It's self-framed,
It's a big plus.
It's dirty, but man, these things will clean up
Like a baby's... (claps)
...Butt!
Andrew: Don't low-ball it.
Robbie: 1,600.
Andrew: A little low.
Robbie: How much low? Andrew: That sign,
All day long, with the red arrow...
Robbie: Yeah. Andrew: All day long,
Is a $1,500 sign.
All day long,
All day long.
Robbie: Where do you need to be?
Let's see if we can get together.
Andrew: For the three of them,
2,500 bucks, for the three signs.
Robbie: As the years go on, on these signs,
The prices are only going to go up on them. They're porcelain.
Robbie: Two grand.
Andrew: 2,200.
22.
Robbie: Alright, I'm doing it.
Alright, thanks man, appreciate it.
Andrew: After we negotiated, it was a fair price for them.
Andrew: Wait till you start digging the really nice stuff out.
Robbie: Oh, there's so-- dude, you gotta get way in here.
Jersey jon: Yeah, I'm ready. Robbie: You gotta get deep in here.
Robbie: I wasn't kidding when I said
You have the market on these. What are those, jersey?
Jersey jon: These are kind of like, I...
Well, this one says express. These are probably like...
Andrew: They're lo-v signs.
Lo-v was one of the first subway trains.
So it was before there were roll signs.
They would just swap them. They slide them in,
Hang them, then they change them.
Robbie: Oh, I see. Jersey jon: These are like hand-painted...
Andrew: Hand-painted. They were all hand-painted.
Robbie: This... Like this sign right here.
Okay, it says,
"to l.I..." okay. Andrew: Long island city.
Jersey jon: Long island city. Andrew: It's got paint on it.
Robbie: So there's pieces of the porcelain that are missing.
Andrew: It's got patina, but no, but the paint
Will all come off, it'll clean up,
Just all of them, I mean...
They're 100-plus years old.
They should have something on them.
(robbie sighs)
Andrew: You're not gonna find-- robbie: Before I go
Pulling 15 of these out... Andrew: Yeah.
Robbie: What are we at? If I buy 15 signs,
What are we, what's a sign?
How much? Andrew: You're not gonna find 15 of those signs.
You want to be fair, what are you thinking?
Robbie: If I buy 15 of these signs, I want to be at like...
(sighs)
Andrew: To long island city and to brooklyn,
You know, that's hipster central, both of them.
Robbie: I want to be between 5 and 700 apiece.
Andrew: Yeah, forget it. Robbie: Yeah.
Andrew: Not gonna happen. Robbie: Yeah, see, that's what I'm saying.
Andrew: We're way too far apart on these signs.
A sign like that, that says "brooklyn",
Yeah I... Crazy money, crazy!
That's what you should take, all the brooklyn signs.
Manhattan, brooklyn,
They're worth big, big, big, big money.
Robbie: This is one of those areas that, you know,
I'm an advertising guy, but andrew is the guy
That understands where these signs all need to be, you know,
He's teaching me along the way.
I understand porcelain,
But I need to know more about values on these.
Robbie: What's big money? Give me a number.
Andrew: I would let them go for $1,000 a sign. That's me.
Robbie: Okay. Andrew: Again, depending on what you pick.
I'm not going to be unfair with you,
I don't want you sitting on it or losing money.
Robbie: No, and I understand that.
I'm just saying I'm buying it, I'm buying such
A large quantity, that's all I'm saying.
Jersey jon: Andrew appreciates the subway signs because...
He's got them all.
He's got the corner in the market.
He has the whole subway system market place
For signage in the palm of his hand. He knows that.
Robbie: This sign right here is 1,000 bucks.
Andrew: Yep. Robbie: Okay.
Andrew: But if you're taking, you know, again...
Robbie: Right, I got to pull more stuff out, let me...
Andrew: Pull more stuff out. Robbie: Okay.
Alright, let's do this, jersey, let's pull some stuff out.
Jersey jon: Alright. Robbie: Let's do this.
Robbie: The plus to these signs are,
These are iconic locations in new york city.
(grunts)
Jersey jon: Like... Up here...
(indistinct chatter)
Andrew: I was surprised how much time
They actually spent doggin', doggin',
And especially robbie was getting so excited,
Pulling them out, pulling them out, pulling them out.
It was really unbelievable.
Andrew: The green ones are really old.
Jersey jon: Ugh... Andrew: That's a real sign.
Robbie: So bmt would be before, before they consolidated?
Andrew: Yes, brooklyn manhattan trains.
Jersey jon: Yeah, this is pre-consolidation.
Jersey jon: It's like 1930s.
Robbie: It's great stuff, man,
This is awesome. You don't find things like this.
Jersey jon: Downtown trains. Andrew: Oh yeah.
Robbie: 6th avenue to manhattan?
Jersey jon: Yes.
Robbie: A lot of the advertising signs I deal with
Connect people to products.
These signs, they connect people to places.
Jersey jon: Get that one, bring that out.
Robbie: I'm like...
Jersey jon: Come on... Man up, dude, man up.
Andrew: Oh yeah, that's a good sign.
Robbie: Ugh! Hold on, hold on... Geez!
Jersey jon: Yeah.
Robbie: How about "to broadway"? Jersey jon: Yeah, that's cool.
Got to make it to broadway.
Jersey jon: So how many signs do you need for, you know,
42nd and broadway? A dozen, maybe 10?
It's not like there'd be thousands of these signs,
They're very unique, and it's low production.
Robbie: Up town?
Jersey jon: Up town, baby, yeah.
Robbie: Now this is a neat sign. Look at that.
Jersey jon: Yep, that's cool. Robbie: That's...
Jersey jon: ...Look at that thing.
Andrew: That's beat up, yeah. Jersey jon: Up town trains with the hand.
Andrew: Oh, you know what that was, it's on an angle?
Jersey jon: That was on the stairwell.
Andrew: Yep, exactly.
(indistinct chatter)
Jersey jon: Robbie, grab that little subway sign
You got there, that blue one and let's get outta there.
Robbie: Yeah, you start hauling them out,
I'll be over there in a minute.
Christina: Right. Mike: This is a neat like, saloon door.
Christina: I know. Mike: Where did that come from?
Christina: Oh that came from another one of my junking adventures.
Mike: I mean, was it, was it from this town?
Christina: Yes, it was.
And so were these lights, but yeah.
Mike: I know, I was checking these lights out.
So you got porcelain shades... Christina: Ugh...
Mike: ...On these heavy cast aluminum bodies,
Oh, and they're explosion lights.
Mike: These are what you call explosion-proof lights.
There's a cage around the lens bulb itself,
But what's unique about these,
Is that it's got that porcelain shade
That's incorporated into it, okay,
So it brings some color into it, it's green.
And then it also illuminates differently, okay,
Instead of the light going out and every way like this,
The shade is directing it,
You know, so these would be great over an island, over a bar.
Mike: Okay, I see what's going on here.
Christina: There's more there. Mike: I know, I see that.
So what do you got? You got...
So you got one, two, three, four, five...
Christina: Let me see. Mike: ...Six, seven of them.
What are you thinking? Christina: 350?
Mike: I'll give you a grand.
Christina: (bleep) a, are (bleep) me?
Mike: No! Think about it, think about it,
100 apiece I think would be reasonable.
Christina: Oh. Mike: Okay, you got seven of them...
Christina: Yeah, I forgot I had seven.
Mike: So let's take it up to there.
Christina: Okay. Mike: So 1,000 bucks.
Christina: Thanks for thinking. Mike: Yeah. Absolutely.
Christina: Thanks for my, you know, having my back. I appreciate you.
Mike: Hey, we're all here to take care of each other, right? Christina: That's right.
Christina: They are pretty cool, and again, I honor mike for being so honest.
Mike: This saloon door's kind of cool, man.
Christina: It is. Mike: If you had the other one, you'd be dangerous.
Christina: I know, I know. Mike: Look at that.
Christina: I just, you know, and I didn't realize... Whoops.
Mike: This is like, I call this the little gingerbread.
Christina: Yeah. Mike: This is the little gingerbread.
There's the hinge. Christina: At first...
Mike: Swings both ways.
And depending what the doorjamb was, you know,
If it was a little bit thicker, it'd just be one door.
I mean, it's made really well.
Mike: The saloon door is heavy, it's well-constructed.
Christina: Look at the wear pattern, like you could see--
Mike: Oh where they were touching it, yeah.
Christina: And it's smoother, right, and it's worn down there. But yeah.
Mike: This kind of embodies what people are looking for
When they're looking for architectural salvage.
I mean, it really is, something unique and different.
Imagine this going into a bar area,
Or even a den or a kitchen.
Christina: Oh, I didn't even notice it, eastlake.
Mike: Look how-- yeah, exactly. Look, I was going to say,
The ornamentation on that hinge.
Christina: Boy, you're very astute.
Mike: Oh my gosh, you had no idea that your hinge was that hot?
Christina: I had no freakin'-- I didn't even look at it.
Mike: No way? Christina: No way, josé.
Mike: The way this is made,
It would cost you thousands of dollars
To build this from scratch.
That's the beauty of architectural salvage,
You know, yes, some of it's expensive,
But other stuff like this,
That's very random, not so much. But it's really cool.
Mike: What are you thinking on this?
Christina: 150. Mike: I'll give you 2.
Christina: Mike. Mike: Okay.
Christina: Thank you. Mike: Well, thank you!
Christina: I'm going on vacation, I guess, yeah.
Mike: Thank you, thank you.
Mike: Christina and I are definitely kindred spirits.
We are hunters, we are gatherers,
We are preservationists.
Mike: This thing's got some weight to it.
Christina: I know, you gave me the light one.
(mike laughs)
Christina: I am strong, though, you know.
Christina: One of the things I liked about my connection
With mike is that we shared
A love of small towns,
And living in buildings like this
And what it means to ourselves
As well as to the community.
Mike: I had so much fun with you.
Christina: I had so much fun with you.
Mike: Seriously. Christina: It was like a play date.
Mike: Thank you. Christina: Thank you so much.
Mike: I love the way you're living.
Alright, I'll talk to you soon, thank you!
Christina: Thank you, okay, bye! Bye, mike!
Don't leave, don't leave!
Mike: Bye! (laughs, honks horn)
Christina: Mike, no! No!
(laughs) bye!
Robbie: Dang... Jersey jon: I got it...
Robbie: Hot-dang... Jersey jon: Alright.
Robbie: Alright, I'll grab these.
Jersey jon: Get that door. Andrew: Watch your head.
Robbie: Alright. Jersey jon: Thanks, buddy.
Robbie: Ah right here, jersey.
Jersey jon: Argh...
Robbie: Alright, I think I'm pretty close
To being on there, alright?
Jersey jon: That makes, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,
13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 signs, robbie.
Robbie: A little over. Jersey jon: A little over.
Robbie: But condition's everything, I mean...
Andrew: Absolutely. Robbie: That thing's killer,
But it doesn't, you know, it's early.
Jersey jon: What a killer sign, man. Oof.
Andrew: I mean, that is really...
(overlapping chatter)
Andrew: It's on an angle, and... Robbie: Yeah, but it's beat up.
Andrew: It's beat up. Bmt in the red, white, and green...
Robbie: Yeah? Andrew: Unbelievable.
Those are the rarest, you can't find them.
Jersey jon: I wish the blue ones were a little better condition,
That's for sure. Andrew: You know what, they never are,
Because they're the oldest ones. Jersey jon: Yeah,
They're the earliest ones, I getcha.
Andrew: The earliest, earliest. Robbie: Yeah.
Andrew: You got a lot of good ones here.
Robbie: I actually, andrew,
I tried to pick the smaller stuff.
Jersey jon: Yeah, larger ones are harder to display.
Andrew: Correct. Jersey jon: You need some
Serious wall space to devote to that.
Robbie: Correct.
Eight grand.
Andrew: Yeah, not even close.
(robbie laughs) jersey jon: Not even close?
Andrew: Not on these. Jersey jon: Dude, we just--
You said you were gonna work with us, we just hauled these signs out.
Andrew: I was, I told-- right.
Robbie: When andrew bought all these signs,
He bought them in bulk, he got a discount.
That's all I'm asking for him,
To give me a little bit of a discount.
Andrew: That's, believe it or not,
More than 1,000, but I'd say $1,000 sign.
These are the most collectable signs.
The green sign is going to sell faster than that sign.
Robbie: Yeah. Andrew: The blue sign...
Robbie: Oh, I know, subway. Andrew: Those are the ones
That have the value.
These are the earliest signs.
If you go online and look,
They're stupid, I can't believe when I look how much money.
Robbie: I understand that because I'm a sign guy, okay,
I understand the rarity of them.
But for our market where we sell in?
Andrew: Mm-hmm. Robbie: Most people aren't gonna understand what bmt is.
Andrew: Correct. I got it. Robbie: So, here's the deal.
I love the fact that they're the green ones,
I'm going to take these two... Andrew: Out.
Robbie: ...Out of the whole equation.
Andrew: Fine. Robbie: Because what's gonna happen with those, andrew,
They're going to sell, but they're going to sell
Better here and we don't have a store out here.
Andrew: Right, of course.
Robbie: When andrew's pricing these signs,
He's going off an online price
That he's been selling these at.
The people that I deal with don't necessarily deal online.
Robbie: We're at... Andrew: 17.
Robbie: ...17 signs right here.
Robbie: So with the two taken out,
I'm at eight grand.
With those two out. Andrew: Right.
Robbie: These signs like this right here, the street sign?
Andrew: Mm-hmm. Robbie: I mean, cleaned up,
In the shop, probably, because it's got an arrow on it,
I might be able to get 800,
Okay, that's what I'm thinking. Andrew: Sure, sure.
Robbie: So the subway signs, I mean, condition's everything.
This is probably the nicest one out of them all, you know.
The up town, this is cool, it needs to be clean, though.
Andrew: Yep. Robbie: I mean, it's...
Somebody colored all over it. Jersey jon: Got graffiti on it.
Robbie: Yeah, rest something, I don't even know.
Andrew: That's awesome, the graffiti.
Jersey jon: Yeah, well... Robbie: So I mean, I gotta...
Here's the deal. Andrew: You got to make money.
Robbie: Yeah. And at the end of the day,
I'm not trying to make a killing on them...
But at the same time, I got to cover the costs
In doing all that.
I need to be at $8,000.
Andrew: Okay, I was thinking 10 grand.
Robbie: I can't do it. Andrew: For all of them.
Robbie: I can't do it. Andrew: You want to split it with me? Split it with me.
9 grand, and that's me being generous with you, honestly.
Robbie: Andrew took the risk on these signs over 10 years ago.
But those numbers aren't the same
As they are today. So the numbers have climbed,
I've got to pay up in order to get these.
Robbie: 8,500.
Andrew: Not doing it.
Andrew: 9 grand, you're not going to beat me up,
I did it a couple times before. I agreed.
Robbie: Ohh... Andrew: 9 grand.
Robbie: Argh! Andrew: Now $500 on 17 signs?
Robbie: Okay, I'm doing it! Damn it!
(jersey jon laughs)
Robbie: Andrew is a tough negotiator.
He's got a lifetime of signs to sell here.
I'm happy that I'm walking away with 17 of those things.
Robbie: Argh...
Andrew: If you divide it all out,
What they paid per sign,
Which is the way you have to do it,
You know, they're going to make money on every single sign.
Jersey jon: Ugh... Here.
Andrew: I still have a basement full of signs.
And my wife is mad because I didn't accomplish
Selling all the signs.
Robbie: Thank you for sharing the history.
Andrew: My pleasure. Robbie: I appreciate it.
Andrew: Pleasure. Robbie: Hey, thanks for saving all those.
Somebody had to do it, you know what I mean?
Jersey jon: Oh yeah, what a load, what a great load of stuff.
Robbie: When we sell all these, I'll come to ya.
Jersey jon: Come back for more. Andrew: Okay.
Jersey jon: Thanks, brother.
Jersey jon: It's really impressive that andrew
Seized the opportunity to buy all these subway signs.
It takes a really smart collector to do that.
And I'm so glad that andrew
Let us into his collection today.
Jersey jon: Thanks, brother!
(honks horn)
Subtitling: Difuze