Robbie: Dude, jersey keeps texting me saying that
Ever since you took him down south, he's talking about moving.
Mike: He's talking about moving down south?
Robbie: Yeah. Can you imagine the heat,
What it's going to do to his hair?
I mean, he's gonna look like the straggliest-looking dude ever.
He's got to man-bun it.
Mike: There's product.
Robbie: We're talking about jersey.
Product, what are you talking about? The guy doesn't put...
He puts grease in his hair.
(laughing)
Robbie: I'm pretty sure jersey's a blonde,
But all the grease and stain that he's used
On furniture over the years, he just keeps doing this.
Mike: Oh, you're saying he's got furniture stain in it?
Robbie: Yeah, haven't you ever seen? It's got streaks that were in...
Mike: Hey, listen, man, seriously, if he wants
To move south, I will encourage him, because it's a great place to live.
I just think he's gonna have to, you know,
Convert a little bit, you know.
Robbie: Georgia jon just does not fit his motif, man.
(laughing) mike: Georgia jon.
Robbie: Georgia jon.
Mike: Can you imagine jersey like, "hey, hey, hey y'all.
Hey-hey. Hey, hey y'all. Hey!" (laughing)
Mike: It would be like an episode of beavis and butthead.
Robbie: Yeah.
(rock music)
Mike: Dani d, what's up?
Danielle: How's it hanging, guys?
Mike: We're right across the river from council bluffs, iowa.
Danielle: Huh, I used to have a lover in council bluffs.
Mike: Really?! Danielle: I did.
Mike: I'll have to hear about that.
Robbie: Yeah. Mike: That sounds like a story
For a... A couple of cups of tea and a fire.
(laughing)
(chuckling)
Mike: So what's going on? We're downtown omaha.
Where are we going?
Danielle: So I've been talking to this gal, kelly, okay?
Robbie: Yeah. Mike: Yeah.
Danielle: Kelly's boss, larry, is selling off his collection.
He's trying to clear out this entire building.
Robbie: Okay. Mike: What kind of stuff?
Danielle: Now it's like a warehouse full
Of pinball machines, advertising, carnival items.
He's got dolls. I mean, it's a picking blowout.
Robbie: I'm not into the doll thing, dani.
(laughing)
Danielle: You know, hey, there's this lady that keeps
Calling the shop about dolls.
She specifically said that you were interested in her dolls, robbie.
Robbie: Get outta town!
(laughing)
Robbie: Man, what is up with you guys?
Mike: Alright, man, send us the coordinates.
Danielle: Yeah, will do.
I'll talk to you later.
Mike: Alright, bye.
Kelly: Hey, this is kelly.
Mike: Hey, this is mike and robbie.
We're at two double doors right now on this address.
Kelly: I think you're on the corner, just keep walking.
Mike: Okay.
Kelly: Uh, when you see
The big yellow streetcar...
Robbie: Alright, I see it. Mike: Alright.
(laughing) mike: Sorry.
Alright, we should have...
We should have been a little bit more patient.
Kelly: Welcome to larry-land!
Robbie: What'd you say?
Kelly: I said, welcome to larry-land!
Robbie: Holy cow! Mike: Larry-land?
Robbie: Larry-land. Kelly: I'm kelly.
Robbie: How're you doing? Rob wolfe.
Mike: Hey, I'm mike, nice to meet you.
Kelly: Thank you for coming. Come on in, guys.
Mike: So why do they call this larry-land?
Kelly: You'll see. Mike: Okay.
Kelly: It's... It's a strange and wonderful place.
Robbie: A strange and wonderful place...
Kelly: Um... After you. Robbie: Alright.
Mike: Okay. Robbie: Oh wow.
Kelly: Well, let me see if I can find him...
Mike: Wow, this is cool.
Kelly: ...While you guys follow me.
Mike: Okay. Robbie: Holy cow.
Mike: Dang.
Mike: I mean, when you walk into this place,
I can see why they call it larry-land.
I mean, one whole part of this huge building
Is devoted to old carnival and circus gaffs
And different things.
Robbie: What the heck... Kelly: Larry!
Larry, I have mike and robbie here for you.
Mike: What's going on, buddy?
(chuckling)
Mike: Hey, I'm mike. Larry: Mike, larry.
Mike: Nice to meet you. My brother, robbie.
Larry: Larry, nice to meet you. Mike: Here's a flyer.
Kelly: You think we got a few of these things?
Mike: Yeah... Larry: Pretty much all of it.
Mike: What's going on, man? What are you doing with the poster?
Larry: Oh I'm just taking them off the wall,
We've got a firehouse letterpress print shop
That we're putting together. Kelly runs it for me, and...
Mike: Okay.
Larry: I'm gonna take these all off to give to the shop.
Mike: Oh you're making, you're reproducing this?
Larry: Well, we're going to reproduce stuff like this.
Mike: So where's your... Where's the print shop at?
Larry: It's over in council bluffs, iowa,
Which is 10 minutes across the river, so...
Mike: Oh yeah. Well, I was telling robbie on the way here that
Omaha was a suburb of council bluffs, isn't it?
Larry: No. (laughing)
Mike: I can say it, I can say that 'cause I'm from iowa,
I'm from iowa. We're from iowa. Okay?
Robbie: Yeah. Larry: Okay, yeah.
Mike: So you got this kind of vibe with print shop?
Kelly: We're all old school,
We use antique letterpress machines, wood blocks and fonts.
Mike: Really? Kelly: We have this huge
Collection of advertising plates.
It's really fantastic.
Mike: So like, what time period are the machines from?
Larry: Oh, they go all the way back to the early 1900s and before.
Mike: Wow. Kelly: Yeah.
Mike: There's not a lot of people out there that would
Actually buy all the printing press equipment,
And then start manufacturing the posters again
Just strictly because of passion.
I mean, yeah there's a dollar to be made at the end of it,
But that's a huge journey to take.
Mike: That's awesome, man. So you're doing it.
Larry: Yep. She's doing it. Mike: You're living the life.
Larry: Yep. Kelly: I'm doing it.
Larry: And she needs to get back to work.
Mike: The really big part of it is finding someone
That believes in your passion, that understands you,
And that wants to go on that journey with you.
And that's kelly. She is way more than an employee to him.
She's like his danielle.
Mike: These look like they've got a little bit of age to them.
So do you remember stuff like this when you were a kid?
Larry: Uh, I do from going to the carnivals and I've been trying to...
I just bought these. I'm putting together a carnival booth for my grandkids, so...
Mike: Oh so they could actually throw the balls,
Knock these down and everything. Larry: Right, right.
So they could experience that.
Mike: That's super cool, man. I love that.
Larry: When I was 12 years old,
I had a carnival in my backyard at my house.
And I employed my brothers and sisters to help me with that.
As I got older, I saw things that I thought would be fun and I purchased them.
Mike: So hey, what time period are these planes from,
Because you know, they've got... They look like they're
A combination between wood and fiberglass.
But this stuff's airbrushed.
Larry: I hung some of them up top.
Mike: I see that.
So how long have you had 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Of these things protecting the air space of larry-land?
Robbie: Larry-land.
Larry: They've been guarding this,
They've been up there for now, for two years.
Robbie: Wow. Mike: Okay.
Larry: Yeah. Robbie: You have the wing?
Larry: It's inside here. You know I made the wings.
Robbie: Oh you made those wings, okay.
Larry: Because I wanted to put them up there
So they looked like they were flying.
Mike: Oh, I see what you're saying.
Okay, so... They didn't have wings on them.
Robbie: They didn't have wings-- larry: No, they never had wings.
Robbie: Okay. Mike: All of these carnival
Rides are a direct connection to somebody's past.
That's why they're so popular.
So the old motorcycles, the old boats, the horses,
The airplanes, connected with so many people.
Plus, it's got a great esthetic.
So the colors on these are airbrushed, you know,
I don't think they're super old, but they've got the look,
You know, got that dogfight look.
Robbie: It's even impressed on the wing... Who made it.
Mike: What's it say? Robbie: What's it say, king?
King amusement company.
Larry: Yeah, one of the big amusement companies.
I have a train made by them.
Robbie: You have a train made by these guys?
Larry: I do, an outdoor train. Mike: How heavy are they?
Robbie: I don't know, let me pick it up.
Mike: It's not that heavy. Robbie: No.
No, it's wood and fiberglass.
Mike: Okay, what like, what do you want for something like this?
Larry: Uh, probably 300 apiece.
Mike: Alright, I'm not even going to try to talk you down, I love them.
Larry: Okay. Thank you. Mike: Thanks for pricing them.
I think they're really cool.
Larry: Yeah, they're great pieces.
Mike: I mean, stuff like this,
I mean, I don't know if it sounds cheesy or not,
But it's fun, man.
Larry: Yeah. Mike: It's like you look at that
And then you smile.
Larry: Right. Mike: You know,
They're really fun, you know.
Larry: People ask me why I collect different things,
And I think what really powers that is the fact
That I've always enjoyed art, and I've enjoyed, you know,
Putting things together. I call it "painting in my head with objects".
Mike: Oh wow!
You nailed this, man.
Oh my god, I love this.
I feel like I'm at the soda fountain.
Larry: Yeah. Robbie: Yeah.
Mike: Yeah. Where's fonzie? Larry: I was out and I saw
A pinball machine. I thought, "that's really cool."
'cause that's what I used to play when I would go to the pool hall when I was in high school.
Robbie: I've never seen that top.
Larry: That came from a... Robbie: That's so cool.
Flipper skill games.
Larry: They only gave them to the dealers.
So then it led to the next piece
And the next piece and the next piece.
Mike: You see the button sign? The quaker state sign?
Robbie: Oh yeah. Larry: That came out of a...
Robbie: The shield.
Larry: ...My father's garage
That fixed his cars back in the '60s.
Mike: Okay. Was that like, the inspiration for all of this?
Larry: No, I started buying cars.
Robbie: Oh. Mike: Oh okay.
Robbie: It's like a city built inside a building.
Mike: Larry is doing a really good job of curating
Each and every one of these spaces.
So he's had larry-land since he was 12 years old.
He had his own carnival in his backyard,
He's employing his brothers and sisters, I mean,
Basically that's what he's doing in this building.
He's recreated larry-land again.
Mike: Wow, all these like little nooks and crannies, man.
Robbie: You got your own bar up here too?
Larry: Yep. Came out of the storz brewhouse.
Robbie: Is that a local?
Mike: There's a brewery here in omaha?
Larry: Yeah, all these cans up on top are all storz cans.
Mike: Here's a little storz light.
Robbie: I see a storz light. Mike: Oh there's another.
Larry: Yep. Robbie: This one too.
Larry: Yep. Mike? Mike: Yeah.
Larry: Smash that against your head.
Mike: Don't piss me off!
(laughing) mike: This is what happens!
(laughing)
Robbie: Larry's got a long road ahead of him.
He is getting ready to sell this stuff,
But there's 27,000 square feet here.
Robbie: So what's the deal here, larry?
You've created a place to look at your stuff?
Larry: Well, I extended the length of the room,
So I wanted to do something with what was above it.
Those are all duck decoys.
Robbie: Look at that.
Larry: It's a great piece,
Because it's got all the markings on the box.
Robbie: Yeah, there's your goose head right there.
And then you flip this open here...
And it locked into place on that.
Put them all over the field, and then the goose came in.
Larry: Yep. Robbie: That was it.
This is, this is early.
Larry: In beautiful shape.
Robbie: Where did it come from?
Larry: Bought that from frisco, colorado.
Robbie: Does it say goose on this side too? Yeah.
Mike: It says "dupe-a-goose".
Robbie: Dupe-a-goose.
Robbie: I've seen a lot of hunting pieces,
But this is in the original crate that you took out
Before you went hunting.
Robbie: How much is dupe-a-goose today?
(chuckling) larry: 275.
Robbie: I'm doing it.
I think it's a good deal.
Larry: Yeah, it is a good deal. Robbie: Yeah.
For a hunting lodge or anything,
To have... The fact that they're all together.
Larry: Right. I almost didn't sell those because I was
Going to put them up higher in the place I'm moving into,
But I thought, why do I really need them.
You know what, it's just time to... To let them go.
Mike: How about this hotel sign?
Robbie: I mean, that's sign, that's an early,
Looks like an early milk glass.
It's broken there, isn't it, mike?
Mike: Yeah, it's broke.
Robbie: Yeah, so the "h" would need to be replaced.
Mike: But the piece is there. Robbie: Oh.
Mike: So it's really hard to find any milk glass
Lettered sign that doesn't have a broken letter.
I mean, that's just the way it is, that stuff is so fragile.
And when you think about the age of a sign like this,
You know, it makes sense.
Mike: But robbie, isn't there a guy that makes these letters?
Robbie: Yeah. At about... Between 3... $400 apiece now.
Mike: Really? Robbie: Yeah.
Mike: This was probably a double-sided sign,
And it had a large can, a box that separated that.
And that's what lit it up.
But you know, any early advertising is really hard,
Especially milk glass stuff.
Mike: What are you thinking on that?
Larry: I don't know, make me an offer on it.
Mike: Umm... With the broken letter, and obviously,
It needs a can built, so you can light it.
I don't know, 200 bucks.
Larry: How about 300?
Mike: Can I take this tape off of here?
Larry: Uh, yes. Mike: Okay, let me see.
Robbie: Is it broke, mike?
Mike: Yeah, heck yeah it's broke.
Robbie: Oh it's just got a crack in the letter.
There it is.
Larry: Yeah, it's all there. Robbie: That's the back piece.
Robbie: That slides on a groove in the back.
Mike: Oh yeah. It's all there. You know, it's incredible
That the piece is still there.
You might be able to glue it,
You know, and see what that looks like.
But you know, once you actually glue it and put light behind it,
That's going to determine whether or not that's going to pass the smell test.
Mike: Alright, 300. Larry: 300.
Mike: We're doing it. Shake his hand, robbie.
I can't believe that this is there!
Robmike: What's upstairs?His? What's going on up there, larry?
Robbie: What's up there? Mike: Come on, larry.
Robbie: What's he smiling for?
Larry: You ready to climb? Robbie: Yeah.
Larry: Watch your head at the top, there's a beam there...
Mike: Okay. Alright, let's see here.
Larry: Coolers and picnic baskets.
Robbie: What's out there?
Mike: Oh now this is larry-land.
Look at this! (laughing)
Mike: Wow!
Robbie: Oh wow.
Mike: I love what you did with the skis, man.
Robbie: I mean, what is this? Is this your like...
Larry: It's my yard.
Mike: It's a great view.
Larry: Yep. View's fantastic.
Robbie: Is this like your... Guest house?
Larry: No, that's our upstairs of our house.
Robbie: Oh this is the upstairs of your house.
Larry: We haven't been in there yet.
Mike: This is great.
Robbie: Crazy.
Mike: So how'd you get this up here?
Larry: With a crane. Mike: Really!
A crane from that alley there?
Larry: Right up front. Mike: Oh here?
God-dang, that wasn't cheap. Robbie: This thing's beautiful.
Mike: Larry is like the p.T. Barnum of omaha.
I mean, everything is about the experience, it's extravagant,
It's over the top, there's kind of a circus theme
That goes through everything and anything that he does.
I mean, you walk up to the rooftop, there's pink fences,
There's astro-turf, there's travel trailers,
There's greenhouses.
Larry: I have a tendency to look at the whole big picture
And kind of know what I'm doing.
And then that's why I have acquired so much stuff.
Mike: Yeah. Larry: 'cause then,
All of a sudden, I'm... Boom-boom-boom-boom...
Mike: Yeah. Robbie: Yeah.
Larry: ...Trying to put it all together.
Mike: But when you started this journey,
Was this part of the equation or was this an afterthought?
Larry: It was an afterthought, because that was down
In the garage where the carnival is.
Robbie: Okay. Mike: Yeah.
Larry: That was gonna be my carnival trailer
That I was going to live out of. Robbie: Oh...
Mike: You were gonna do a carnival!
Larry: In my head, you know... Robbie: In his head.
(laughing) larry: I was playing carnival.
Robbie: So I'm starting to understand why kelly said,
"welcome to larry-land."
Larry: Yeah. Mike: Yeah.
Robbie: I mean, this is like, all coming together.
Mike: Dang, larry.
Robbie: I mean, this guy had a vision
When he bought this building.
Robbie: So larry, what's up with that swimming pool sign up here?
Central city?
Larry: Came out of a motel out there.
Robbie: It looks like '60s, that was back when the motels
Would always be like, "hey, we have a pool."
These signs were hand-painted
For a motel that had a pool and a playground.
Those were big deals to families back then.
Is that for sale?
Larry: I'd sell them 300 apiece or 500 for the pair.
Robbie: I'll take them both for 500.
Larry: Okay. Robbie: Thank you.
Mike: Robbie's a popeye guy.
Robbie: Yeah, look at that. 25 bucks.
Larry: No, I won't do that.
(laughing) robbie: Well, come on...
What do you got to have for it?
Larry: 60, 70 bucks. Robbie: Alright.
(laughing)
Robbie: You said 60, then you said 70.
Larry: 70 bucks. Robbie: 70 bucks, I'll take it.
Mike: What's going on with that?
Larry: Interesting piece, isn't it?
Robbie: Is that off a circus? Larry: No.
My dad's fraternity house at creighton university.
Mike: That was on his house?
Robbie: Wow. Larry: I'm not gonna keep it.
Mike: Oh you're not. Well, what do you gotta have for that?
Larry: $75. Mike: Alright, 75 bucks.
Larry: Okay. Mike: I love the lights,
I love the patina, I love the shape.
And most of all, I love the story.
Robbie: I got to ask you about this.
Popcorn machine.
Larry: You always saw these in theaters.
Robbie: Yeah, this thing, I think this is too big for me.
Mike: What's going on with the steam boat, man?
This has to be super loud.
Larry: It is very loud.
There's a company in kansas, I think it's called minor...
Mike and robbie: Okay. Larry: ...That specialized
In making trucks and popcorn trucks with this type of musical equipment.
Robbie: Oh yeah. Larry: And I have one of those
At the candy store that I own that I just got out of.
Mike: So wait a second, so you were in the candy business,
You're in the printing business, you're in the...
Robbie: What is this? Mike: ...Larry-land business.
Larry: I started a candy business because we had some of these items.
I had pez dispensers, and I had candy boxes.
Putting those up, it sparked people to come in the store.
We get people from all over the world.
Mike: How big is it? Larry: About 12,000 square foot
Retail candy store. Robbie: Candy store.
12,000 square feet. Mike: Dang!
Larry: It has a diner, it has a movie theater, and it has--
Mike: 12... Robbie: What?!
Mike: Oh, okay. So you do things big, my friend.
Larry: Yeah, yeah. Robbie: Yeah.
Larry: Earlier this year, I sold the hollywood candy business.
And at the same time, the people that came in
To buy the business also wanted to buy the building that I'm in.
At some point in time, I've got to make a decision
So I don't leave it on my kids and my wife to have to deal
With all this, 'cause as you can see, there's lots.
And this is just, you know, a small portion in here.
Mike: I think it gets to a point too where you've worked so hard,
You've accumulated so much stuff, that,
You know, at some point,
You want to enjoy it. Larry: Right.
Mike: You know, and not just enjoy your things,
But enjoy family too. Larry: Right.
Mike: Like my brother now, we call him daddy-pop.
Robbie: Yeah. Mike: He's a grandpa now.
Robbie: Yeah. Larry: So am I.
Mike: Yeah. Robbie: There you go.
Mike: When you're an entrepreneur,
You're used to making something out of nothing.
And larry has done that over and over and over again.
And on his journey, he has collected
All these things for these businesses.
And now all of a sudden he's realizing,
"I got all this stuff, what am I going to do with it?
I've got family, I don't want to leave the burden to them."
You know, it's like, he wants to get back to the point where,
He's working with less,
Because that's where you have the most creative thoughts.
Robbie: Did you have all games set up in here?
Larry: I was just starting to build the... Thing
To put together with those knock-downs.
Robbie: Oh this is for the knock-downs right here.
Larry: I was going to make this a knock-down booth.
I had to do something to kind of choreograph it together
With all the pieces and stuff that I had.
Yeah, that's a great one there...
Robbie: Freakin' love these, yeah.
Larry: The chalkware was made during the wintertime,
When they didn't go out on the street and have carnivals going.
They would go back and they'd pour these molds
And they'd make this cheap chalkware.
Then they'd paint them up and decorate them.
So there's nothing fancy about most of them.
I mean, some are better than others.
Mike: That's one I haven't seen right there.
Robbie: Is that betty boop?
Larry: I think so. Similar.
Mike: She's sitting in a horseshoe.
Robbie: Hm. Mike: What do you value that at?
Larry: Um... Probably 40 bucks. Mike: Would you sell it?
Larry: Um... I'd sell it.
Mike: Okay, I'll do 40 bucks on it.
Larry: Okay. Perfect. Mike: I appreciate it.
Mike: What else you got back here?
These look like old buster keaton stuff.
Larry: Yeah, they were all... Robbie: They're really early.
Larry: ...Silent movie. Robbie: Yeah.
Mike: I love silent movie stuff. Check that out.
Larry: Stereo-optics. Mike: I've got a bunch of...
Larry: Do ya? Mike: ...Stereo-optics cards.
Larry: We do too.
Mike: It looks like that's what would fit...
Larry: It does, it does.
Mike: ...Your traditional... Larry: Yep.
Mike: Okay. 99% of the time
When you find a stereo viewer,
They're very simple, they're made of wood and they're hand-held.
This one is different.
It's counter-top, and it's adjustable.
It's almost kind of like on a... Like a microphone stand,
And then it's cast aluminum.
I think it's missing something, it might have had a light source
On the back of it, but I've never seen this piece
And it's very cool, it's really elaborate.
The much later version of that would be like,
From when I was a kid, when you put the round disc
In the top and you looked through it,
And you flipped through the pictures of dinosaurs and tarantulas.
It was called the view-master.
Mike: What are you thinking on this?
Larry: Make me an offer on it.
Mike: Uh... 125.
Larry: I'd do 125.
Mike: Alright, thank you, I love it.
Mike: Alright, what else do you got to show us?
Larry: Show you the rest of the house, this is where we lived.
Mike: Okay. Robbie: Those are cool.
Mike: Here, you have the whole schoenhut...
The whole freakin' circus right here, man.
Larry: The tent's hard to come by.
Robbie: Did that all come together?
Larry: No, I pieced it. Robbie: I was going to say.
Most of these you find, you find the pieces,
You never find it all together. Larry: No.
Mike: Yeah, I've had parts and pieces over the years of these.
It seems like the elephant and the horse is the one you find the most.
Larry: Yeah, they're real common.
Mike: Schoenhut has been around since the late 1800s.
They started making toy pianos,
They made dolls, they made a lot of figures.
This is the schoenhut circus,
And he has anything and everything.
Actually, to be honest with you, I've seen these before,
But I've never seen one of these that has this many pieces.
Robbie: How many years did it take you to piece that together?
Larry: I still look for stuff for it.
You know, extra clowns or something like that.
Mike: Um-hm.
What's the value of something like that?
I mean, just educate us. I don't even know.
Larry: Maybe 30.
Mike: 30,000? Really? Robbie: Yeah.
Mike: Wow. Larry: The value could be
Even higher than that, because it's the whole thing.
Mike: From the soda fountain, to the service station,
To the circus room, to the schoenhut circus...
I mean, he's a little bit of a completionist.
I mean, the guy attacks it head-on, with passion and hard work.
Mike: Would you sell this?
Larry: Last camel? Mike: Yeah.
Steak sandwiches.
Larry: Yep. Mike: Western.
I'd be like 200 on that, I think it's worth like 3-and-a-quarter.
Larry: I'd do 200. Mike: You want to do 200?
Larry: I would. Mike: Thank you.
I appreciate that. I love it.
Robbie: How do you get the chips out of here, larry?
Larry: Let me look at this for a minute.
Robbie: Oh there you go. Mike: Oh, look at that.
That's cool, man!
Robbie: Yeah, larry's like I got it now.
Larry: Pretty sharp, isn't it? Mike: That's pretty cool.
You just needed some wd-40. Robbie: Yeah. 65 bucks.
Larry: No, I wouldn't go that low on it.
(laughing)
Robbie: You want to cut high card?
Larry: Uh... No. (laughing)
I'd probably be at 100-and-a-half on the whole thing.
Robbie: With the wafers. Larry: With the wafers.
Yeah, I mean that's just...
Robbie: 150. Larry: 150.
Robbie: Alright. Larry: Okay.
Mike: Okay, I got to ask, man.
Larry: Put your face in there, put the coin in there,
It distorts your face like one of those mirrors.
Robbie: Where's the coin go?
Larry: I can't even...
Mike: It's on the side over here.
Robbie: Oh. It distorts your face if you look into it?
Mike: Is this the 1960s? Larry: Probably.
Mike: When I first look over in the corner, I'm thinking, is that a dryer?
Is that a washer? You get closer to it,
And you realize that it's a camera,
It's a sea foam green camera.
Very cool. The best thing about it is,
It's coin-op, and I've never seen it before.
I have no idea if it works,
It's just such an unusually large, cool piece.
Mike: All the sides are the same color.
So it presents three-dimensional.
Like it's not just... The front.
Larry: Right. Mike: Wow, that's cool.
What are you thinking on something like that?
Larry: Why don't you shoot a price at me?
Mike: Um...
4-and-a-quarter.
Larry: Not what I was thinking. Mike: Okay.
Well, tell me what you were thinking.
Larry: My price was 400. (laughing)
Mike: Thank you!
Robbie: 'cause everything I ask him about, he seems to go up.
Mike: I know! Larry: Well, I just, you know...
Mike: It's energy, man. Larry: I just want to be fair
With what I feel things are worth.
Mike: Well, you know what, I'm that way too.
Larry: I had gone through a transition probably, you know,
15 years ago, and ended up putting a lot of things at auction.
So the experience today, I made the decision that,
I want them to go, and I could control what I got for them.
It wasn't an auction. I like to be fair.
Mike: Check out those, you see these?
King david.
Robbie: Look at the rooster. Mike: Prairie belle.
Robbie: Larry, how much are all the apple boxes?
And I'm counting those over there.
I don't know how many are there. Mike: There's some over here.
Robbie: And there's more behind here.
Larry: How about once we got them down and counted them,
How about 20 a crate?
Mike: I was going to say, if those were in the store,
They'd be... Larry: 50, 60 bucks?
Mike: Depending on the label and...
Depending on the label and the subject matter.
Larry: I know that's what I'd sell them for.
Or 80, you know.
Mike: You've gotten that much for them?
Larry: Oh god, yes. Mike: Can we get up there?
How do you get up there? Which way do you go?
Larry: Here. I don't think you can...
Mike: We can count how many are behind this stack.
Robbie: The thing that makes these crates desirable
Are the advertising that are on the front of them.
The fact that these actually have all the original
Paper labels on them and they're in great shape,
There's a million uses for these.
Mike: From where I'm standing right here,
I counted like 15 of them... On the back.
Larry: I counted 40 of--
Mike: Let me see the condition of them.
Robbie: Larry said there's a motorcycle engine crate back there.
Mike: There is? Shut up, you're full of crap.
(laughing)
Robbie: He's all the way into the ball...
The jowls of the beast.
Mike: I am.
And there's some pretty uneventful crates back here.
After being back there, you could see that larry did
His due diligence and he put all the killer ones in the front.
And that's really what we're looking at here.
I mean, individually, these crates are not that big a deal.
But when you put them all together,
It becomes this art installation, you know.
It'd be really cool to sell them to one person at one time,
That just appreciates the colors and the graphics and the subject matter.
This is larry's big andy warhol moment,
Looking up at all of the orange crates, all of that repetition,
Repetition, repetition. You counting them, robbie?
Robbie: There's 42, if you count--
Mike: If you count those? Robbie: Those on the end.
Mike: Yeah. Robbie: Yeah.
Mike: 42. Robbie: Yeah.
Mike: So you're thinking what?
Larry: 20 apiece.
Robbie: So there's 42 of them here, you're at $840.
Why don't we just do... The 42, 700 bucks.
That's a headache out of your hair and a headache in ours.
Larry: I'll go to 750.
Mike: You know what...
I'll do 8. Larry: Okay, thank you.
Robbie: Whoa! Robbie: It came back.
Larry: It came back to me, alright.
Mike: See? Alright, buddy.
Robbie: Dang. Mike: Larry is an artist.
And the way he's displayed his collections
Allows him to flex that muscle.
Larry: You want me to grab one of these?
Robbie: Oh yeah, grab that, larry.
Mike: The fact that he was able to share his collection
Through his different businesses, is really every collector's dream.
On top of that, he's the coolest daddy-pop I've ever met.
Love the way you're living, buddy.
Larry: Yeah. Mike: Absolutely.
Larry: Change of life here, so. Mike: God bless you, my friend.
Larry: Appreciate you coming in, though.
Mike: Thank you so much.
Larry: Okay, you guys have a good trip.
Mike: We'll see you down the road.
Come see us in iowa. Larry: I'll do that.
(horn honking)
Robbie: See you on the road, larry!
Larry: Okay, take care, thanks again!
Mike: There you go, yeah brother, look at that. (phone ringing) mike: Here's danielle calling.
Robbie: Yeah. Mike: Dani d, what's up?
Robbie: Whaddup, dani d?
Danielle: Good morning, how're you doing, this morning?
Mike: We're in kansas, man, the great plains.
This is the beginning of the west.
What do you got? Danielle: Okay.
So I've been going back and forth with this chick named tresa.
Mike's a local veterinarian, and tresa is fed up with his collection.
Mike: Okay.
Danielle: He has a house next door
That he has stuffed full of furniture, advertising...
Anything and everything he could get his hands on over all these years.
Mike: Hey, I like this guy already.
He's got his own house for his collection.
So it's like a big man cave?
Danielle: I mean, I would call it more of a junk maze...
Robbie: A junk maze, I like that word, junk maze.
Danielle: I mean, I would think skinny,
Because this place is packed.
Mike: Alright, send us the coordinates.
Danielle: Yeah, will do, will do.
Keep me posted, I'll talk to you soon.
Mike: Bye. Danielle: Bye.
(rock music)
Mike: Okay yeah, look at this main street, man.
Robbie: Oh it's amazing. Mike: This is so awesome!
All of this brick. Robbie: Wow.
Organized in 1874.
Mike: Wow, super cool.
Oh, this is his house right here, this is it.
Robbie: This is it right here.
Mike: Yeah, absolutely. Robbie: Yeah.
Mike: So which way should we go, go in here?
Robbie: Right here, right here. Mike: Alright. Get a flyer.
Ah... Great house, man.
Robbie: Beautiful.
Mike: Alright, this guy's name is mike.
(knocking on door) robbie: Easy to remember.
Mike: Hey-hey!
Tresa: Hey. Mike: Hey, how are you?
Tresa: Good, how are you? Mike: Is mike here?
Tresa: He is.
Mike: Hey, I'm mike. Tresa: Tresa.
Mike: This is my brother, robbie.
Tresa: Hi, robbie. Mike: You talked to danielle?
Tresa: Yeah, I talked to danielle.
Mike: So you're the one that called?
Tresa: Yes, yes. Mike: Okay.
Tresa: He has a whole house full of stuff.
Mike: I know, right?
Tresa: And it would be absolutely wonderful
If you could get rid of the stuff.
(laughing) robbie: Some of it?
Tresa: Most of it, would be great.
Mike: So it sounds like you're a pretty patient person.
Tresa: I would have to be, yes.
Robbie: I was going to say, definitely.
Tresa: You will do a lot of digging
And probably need a hard hat. (laughing)
Mike: Alright.
Tresa: Here, let me go get him. Mike: Alright. Thank you.
Wow.
Robbie: Maybe you want to deal with her all day.
Mike: Hey, whoa, hey!
Robbie: Whoa. How're you doing?
Dr. Mike: That's chester there.
Mike: How're you doing, buddy?
Robbie: Mike, how're you doing, rob wolfe. Good to see ya.
Dr. Mike: Mike. Mike: I'm mike, how's it going?
Hey chester, what's up?
What's going on, man?
Dani said you got a house full of stuff.
Dr. Mike: House full of stuff.
Robbie: Not too many women are giving their man a whole house...
Dr. Mike: A whole house full of stuff.
Robbie: Do you have a bed over there too?
Dr. Mike: Uh no, not yet.
(laughing)
Mike: So you're the local doctor in town, huh?
Dr. Mike: Yeah, one of them. There's another guy, a partner,
There's two of us. Mike: Okay.
Dr. Mike: I'm a veterinarian by trade.
I've worked for 40 years.
I collect a little bit of everything, and I just
Get some enjoyment out of it.
Mike: So what year is this house?
Dr. Mike: Uh, it's the 1880s.
Mike: Okay yeah, I can see all the dentil molding on the top.
Dr. Mike: Yeah. It's that siding put on some time.
Mike: What's up with the grill, man?
That's a cool grill, look at this grill, robbie.
All-american picnic grill.
Manufactured by the american playground device company.
Look, it's got its own flue on here, look at that.
What do you do with this?
Dr. Mike: It's for sale.
Mike: After the last couple of years,
People are spending more time at home,
And they're spending more and more money on outdoor spaces.
And if you're a collector, what are you going to want?
You're going to want a vintage grill.
This is perfect. How hard is it to get out of there?
Dr. Mike: I don't know how rooted it is in there.
Mike: How much you want for it?
Dr. Mike: Make me an offer.
Mike: I don't know, what's the bottom of it look like?
Is it blown out? Hey, buddy!
(laughing)
Robbie: It's solid cast.
Mike: No, I didn't know if it was cracked or anything.
It's heavy-duty, dude.
50 bucks. Dr. Mike: Fine.
Mike: Alright, we're doing it? Alright, cool!
(laughing)
Dr. Mike: The grill came with the house,
I was surprised that they were interested in it.
It's pretty beat up, but if somebody can get
Some use out of it, that's good.
Mike: Robbie, look at that sign, man.
Robbie: Yeah, phillips?
It's been chopped to heck.
Mike: Look at this thing.
Robbie: That's the big one.
Mike: What's left of it. Robbie: Phillips 66. Yeah.
Mike: Look at that thing, man. Robbie: It's still cool.
Dr. Mike: It came out of the bottom of the lake out here, actually.
The boys found it out there, years ago.
Mike: That's awesome, man.
Robbie: That for sale? Dr. Mike: Sure.
Robbie: Could make it into a table.
The condition of the sign is not the greatest.
One side's completely sliced off.
That's why you got to repurpose it.
To me, you can actually bend them and cut them
And weld the together, to make a coffee table.
Like that table I have in the shop, that's what guys are doing with these.
There's so many guys out there buying gas and oil stuff.
There's a million uses for this.
$100.
Dr. Mike: 150.
Robbie: Split it.
Dr. Mike: Good. 125.
(laughing)
Thank you.
Mike: Alright, which way are we going?
Robbie: Hey. Mike: What you got?
Robbie: Brackets. There's a bunch of iron
Underneath right here, mike. A whole pile of them.
Mike: With the wall mounts? Robbie: Yeah.
Robbie: These are cast iron mounts for shelves.
Mike: Where did these come out of?
Dr. Mike: That came out of an old store somewhere.
Robbie: Early hardware stores or any department store
Basically had shelving like this.
These things are huge.
One board or two boards would have gone on it,
Had little notches that actually held the shelf in place.
Robbie: So... There's 10, probably 11 good sets here.
Mike: 200 bucks.
Robbie: You would think these things being outside
Would be all rusted up, but they still had
The original paint on them.
They're absolutely amazing condition.
Dr. Mike: 250.
Mike: 2-and-a-quarter.
Dr. Mike: 2-and-a-quarter.
Mike: Alright, man, thanks, appreciate it.
I think it's really cool that mike is seeing
The beauty in just about anything.
I mean, most people would not take home the phillips 66 sign,
The brackets and mounts for shelving.
Most people would not drag that home.
Mike: Alright. Robbie: We're going inside?
Mike: Oh wow!
Dang!
Robbie: Wow, you weren't kidding.
You got some stuff in here.
(laughing) mike: Woo!
Dr. Mike: I guess I got the picking bug from my parents,
Especially my dad years ago here.
He liked to go to farm sales and he had a little antique shop
For several years down in central kansas.
Robbie: How the heck are we getting through here?
Dr. Mike: I've got a lot of furniture, got a lot of country things.
Wife and I had an antique shop downtown for 10 years
And we put it all in this house here.
The older things, the older furniture, I just like that,
Because it's so well made compared to what you get now.
Lasts a lifetime.
Mike: So your store had to be pretty big
To have this much inventory. Dr. Mike: Oh not really.
Mike: Not really? Dr. Mike: It was full
And this was still full. Mike: Okay.
(laughing)
Mike: Mike's one of those guys that goes to a farm auction
And stands there with his number up.
It's like there's 30 random chairs, you know,
There's not sets of anything, he's just like,
"I'll take them all!" but, you know what, that's the way to make money.
If he had a shop at one time, he's realizing he's paying $200
For 30 chairs, and he's getting 30, 40 bucks apiece, he's ahead.
Robbie: There's squirrel holes everywhere here.
Mike: When you walk into this farm house, it's very dense.
I mean, the paths are very narrow and stuff is piled so high.
The first thing I'm thinking about is, if I see something
In here, how are you going to get it out?
I mean, it's pretty crazy.
Where'd you get this shelf at?
Do you remember where this came from?
Dr. Mike: Ah, it came from somewhere locally, I think.
Mike: That's a piece of it.
So someone's cut the edge of it off.
Dr. Mike: Yes, I believe... Mike: On both sides or...
Dr. Mike: No, there's one, I don't know why they did that.
Mike: Wow. It almost looks like it came out of a church.
Dr. Mike: I couldn't tell ya. Mike: It's pretty elaborate.
This is a really neat piece.
It's over-built, it's victorian, it's gothic looking.
It's got a look to it.
It is bizarre that someone cut it clean, man.
Took that side off and stripped it.
Because the rest of it is like an oxblood red, which is really cool.
I mean, there are certain colors in primitives in furniture
That are really hot: Oxblood reds, greens,
Robin egg blues, all of that stuff.
I mean, pieces will sell just because of the color.
Dr. Mike: I think it goes in there.
Mike: Oh okay, so it slides in there.
Well, that's interesting, if they were that thoughtful.
What are you thinking on something like this?
Dr. Mike: Oh... I kind of like it, but...
Mike: Yeah. What's the "I kind of like it" price? To get rid of it?
Dr. Mike: 250.
Mike: It's so wild that somebody cut that piece.
Dr. Mike: I don't know why. Mike: Yeah.
200 bucks.
Dr. Mike: Split the difference, 2-and-a-quarter.
Mike: Alright, I'm doing it. I mean, I've never seen
One like it. It's pretty cool.
Dr. Mike: It's an ornate shelf.
Mike: Yeah, it's incredibly ornate.
Thank you for working with me.
Mikmike: Mike.Ut the dr. Mike: Yes.Man?
Mike: What about the cuckoo clock, man?
This thing is very elaborate.
Dr. Mike: It's very elaborate and it's very easily broken.
Mike: Over the years, I've seen massive, extravagant cuckoo clocks.
I mean, believe it or not, this one's kind of tame.
It looks like it came out of a castle in bavaria or something.
Dr. Mike: German, yeah, bavarian castle.
Mike: Yeah, there you go. But this is still
One of those clocks where the old guy brings it home,
And his wife's looking at him like,
You ain't hanging that in here, man.
But I mean, it's cool, and it has its place.
We're just gonna have to figure out where that's going to be.
It's missing the weights, I guess, huh.
So you've got a fishing creel, you've got a rabbit,
A bird, guns crossed at the top.
I can see one of the antlers is broken.
There's a piece of the antler right here.
What are you thinking?
Dr. Mike: You make an offer, I don't know.
Mike: I've been shooting offers all day.
Dr. Mike: 300.
Mike: I was thinking 200.
Dr. Mike: 250.
Mike: 2-and-a-quarter.
Dr. Mike: Okay.
(laughing)
Mike: Alright, we're doing it.
Being in a house like this with this type of furniture,
Reminds me of early days of picking in iowa, wisconsin, kansas.
You know, a lot of times when you roll up onto a farm,
A lot of the family furniture they would usually keep
In the barn, because they never threw anything away.
Nowadays, especially younger people,
Are starting to lean into buying older pieces of furniture.
You know, the big box store stuff,
They can afford brand new, are made like crap.
Now, they can walk into an antique shop
And buy a nice dresser for 150 to maybe 400 bucks.
You know, so there's money to be made.
Dr. Mike: I don't know if you're into heywood-wakefield,
But that's a heywood-wakefield table.
Mike: I saw that heywood-wakefield coffee table
And then what's that other,
Like an end table? Dr. Mike: Yep.
Mike: I mean, this stuff's made really well.
Dr. Mike: Heywood-wakefield, very famous for well-made furniture.
And they're very popular right now.
Usually, I like things that were more primitive than that as a rule,
But I bought them just because they were heywood-wakefield.
Mike: This still has the original label on the bottom of it.
It's a lazy susan table.
You can see the legs rotate here.
Mike: Heywood-wakefield is a company that's been
Making furniture since the turn-of-the-century.
And they're still around today.
But this mid-century modern furniture,
It's this stuff that they're known most for.
This is the stuff that people want to collect.
I mean, I've seen these anywhere from 400 bucks to 800 bucks.
This one does have a stain on the top of it.
There's another one there, there's three of them.
Let me see that end table.
It's got the boomerang top.
I mean, neither of them are mint.
But they're timeless. I mean, this is what a lot of people call
California furniture. Dr. Mike: Yeah.
Mike: So... 500 for the pair.
I mean, it's good stuff, you know,
And it's really popular right now.
But people want things that are perfect
In a lot of different ways if they're going to be
Presenting it in their house.
Dr. Mike: How about 6 for both?
Mike: Yeah, I think we're close with this top the way it is.
How about 550?
Dr. Mike: Okay, we'll do it.
Mike: You want to do it? Dr. Mike: Yep.
Mike: Alright, my friend. Dr. Mike: Thank you.
Mike: Thank you very much.
This style of furniture is the last thing
I thought I'd find in this old farmhouse.
But mike's got a good eye, man.
He saw the beauty in it,
And now, it's come around to where it's hot.
Robbie: Oh that's neat. Hey, mike!
Dr. Mike: Yeah. Robbie: Yale coffees.
It's a good piece for a country store collector, but...
It's missing some wood on the top piece.
But the advertisement's still good on both sides.
30 bucks. Dr. Mike: That's fine.
Robbie: That work for ya? Dr. Mike: Yep.
Robbie: Alright, I appreciate it.
Mike: What do you got on this dude?
Boy scout, hand-painted, hand-drawn.
Dr. Mike: $15. Mike: Alright, I'll take it.
Robbie: These are standard service, off the jackets.
And then I got a couple of edgeworth cans.
And then early water transfers.
100% the smalls are the bread-and-butter of any antique shop.
And this sinclair stamp album.
These are the things that people are looking for.
Robbie: Lightning balls? Dr. Mike: Yep.
Robbie: They go on top of the lightning rod.
But a lot of these pieces have found themselves in home decorations.
All this... 80 bucks.
Dr. Mike: 90. Robbie: I'm doing it.
Dr. Mike: Alright. Thank you.
Robbie: Look at that. Mike: Ahh...
Mike: That's pretty cool.
Robbie: Hey, can I pull this out?
Dr. Mike: Sure. Robbie: This thermometer is big,
Intact, and it would have had advertising in it.
Mike: Do you remember that other one we bought?
Robbie: Holy cow.
Thermometer freak.
Man, it's a bruiser.
I love early advertising.
3 grand. I'm just... It's got some water damage...
Jill: Alright, alright, alright.
Robbie: I'm hoping I can peel some of these cards off.
Jill: Thank you. Robbie: I appreciate you.
Thank you.
Every area here had cards that were advertising
And you paid to actually advertise your business downtown.
This would have been advertising businesses
In like a town hall area.
When you came to the town hall, you would have looked at that,
It would have advertised businesses in that town.
And it would have told you the temperature.
Take it apart.
Mike: Alright here. Robbie: So this should
Just pull right out. Mike: Oh yeah.
Robbie: See these cards, they would have slid...
See these marks right there.
The glass isn't broken, the thermometer isn't broken,
The galvanized metal is in great shape.
It's a perfect candidate for finding little
Advertising cards and sticking them in there.
Is this something you want to sell?
Dr. Mike: Uh... Maybe.
For the right price.
Robbie: 500.
Dr. Mike: Sounds great.
(laughing)
Mike: There you go. Dr. Mike: Thank you.
I moved it around for years without breaking it.
I don't remember giving much of anything for it.
If I gave $50 for it, I was probably doing good.
Just glad to see it go somewhere else without getting broken.
Mike: Here, grab this. Alright...
Robbie: What is it? Oh yeah. Pace-setter.
Mike: Alright. Robbie: Yeah, look at that.
Mike: Got these keys, I got this... It's a bank.
When you see this, you think it's like a folk art piece.
But this is manufactured.
I love that mike is picking up anything and everything.
I can see why he's buying this much stuff,
Because he's got the storage for it.
This is totally amazing.
What are you thinking on that?
Dr. Mike: Make me an offer. Mike: 70 bucks.
Dr. Mike: Sure. Mike: Okay.
I love those keys. A lot of people are making
Jewelry out of them.
15 bucks. Dr. Mike: Okay.
Mike: Alright that, and then what are you thinking on the pedal car?
There's not a lot of paint left on it.
But you can still see the decal.
What do you think, robbie? A couple hundred bucks retail?
Robbie: Yeah. Mike: How about this
And the nutcracker? Dr. Mike: 100-and-a-half.
Mike: 125. Dr. Mike: Okay.
(laughing)
Mike: Alright, man, thank you.
God, what a beautiful house.
How long have you guys been here?
Dr. Mike: 40 years. Mike: I like this molding.
I got a building in iowa that's got molding like that.
Robbie: Yeah, this house is beautiful.
Dr. Mike: I got some vet cabinets up here,
I don't know if you're familiar with those, I've set them up here.
Robbie: Yeah, look at this, mike.
Dr. Mike: This is probably the earliest one I've got.
Mike: Oh yeah, that's killer. Dr. Mike: Probably 1890.
I've probably been collecting veterinary items
For close to 50 years.
I got veterinary cabinets that the old patent medicines
Came in, and they've got all kinds of little pills,
Liquids, all kinds of things.
Mike: Look at that thermometer, man, that's killer.
Dr. Mike: This is a killer one here.
Mike: Yeah. Would you sell that? Dr. Mike: No.
I gave a grand for it, so...
Mike: Oh I bet. Dr. Mike: I got the advertising
Posters and things, they all had colorful advertising,
You could see to buy that particular item.
Robbie: Look at that one. That one's cool.
Mike: Oh wow... (laughing)
Robbie: Look at the devil flying around...
I mean, look at them all, all the pigs are sick and throwing up.
And these guys are all healthy.
Dr. Mike: Then if you feed them this stuff, make a fat pig.
Robbie: Yeah, make you a fat pig.
Dr. Mike: Hog cholera was a disease that could kill your whole flock.
So you will look at this poster on the wall
And it kind of put the fear in you that show all these pigs
Are dying from cholera.
But if you fed this international stock food,
They'll turn into nice plump round pigs
And look at all the money you're going to make.
Mike: What year is this from?
Dr. Mike: 1905.
A lot of it was quack medicine.
Before 1906, you could say anything you wanted
And advertise any kind of claim you wanted.
But after 1906, the government came in and says,
"you cannot say 'cure' anymore, 'cause that's wrong."
So they later, they take "cure" off of there.
Robbie: Is this one that came out of like, minnesota or wisconsin?
This company? Dr. Mike: Yes.
They were... International.
Robbie: It was international.
Dr. Mike: Everything's international.
Robbie: It's just been
Folded up for so long. Dr. Mike: Yeah.
Robbie: Thank god it's in the frame.
Dr. Mike: They got creases in them.
I had it framed, but... Robbie: Huh.
What would you have to have out of that?
Dr. Mike: Uh, 300.
Robbie: 275.
Dr. Mike: I'm going to stick to 3.
Dr. Mike: A lot of those paper items just disintegrate.
You got to look for it a lot
And it's very hard to find these days.
I can't find... I can't replace them.
Robbie: I've never seen this one before.
Dr. Mike: I can't replace it.
Robbie: Alright.
Dr. Mike: Thank you. Robbie: Thanks, mike.
Robbie: When you have the chance to buy early-type advertising
Like this, you buy it.
Mike: Alright. (grunts)
Robbie: Got a few things. Tresa: Good, good.
Mike: We barely scratched the surface, to be honest with you.
Tresa: Well, you'll have to come back.
Mike: A lot of pieces that we saw in his house,
Whether it was a thermometer or ephemera,
He knew his stuff about it.
That's the kind of guy you want to take care of your animal.
Someone that really, truly cares that much about what he does,
And the history of what he does.
Mike: Thank you, mike. Dr. Mike: Thank you.
Mike: I appreciate you. Robbie: Appreciate it.
Mike: Thank you so much. Robbie: Appreciate ya.
Dr. Mike: I was just happy for these things to move,
And he had a good feeling and onto somebody else
Appreciates some of that stuff and somebody else might get
Some enjoyment out of it. (honking)
Robbie: Thanks, mike!
Dr. Mike: Thank you! Tresa: Thank you!