In pretty much every episode of History’s popular American Pickers reality show we get to see Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz do a little “freestyle pickin’,” which essentially means driving around and looking for yards, sheds, buildings, gullies, or whatever with lots of “junk” and pulling up in the driveway (often times risking life and limb via shotgun blast) to ask the owners if they had anything they are looking to sell.
Early in the conversation, either Frank or Mike (usually Mike – which makes sense because he just seems a little less shootable than Frank – ha!) pulls out the mythical Antique Archaeology “Wanted” flyer with a list of the kinds of items they are looking for.
Anyone who has watched a number of episodes knows some of the things on the list — old bicycles, oil cans, old toys, old motorcycles, oddball folk art, old signs, ANYTHING having to do with the Oddfellows (actually, that one may not be on the list, but we know Mike’s soft spot for that stuff!) — but what else is on there? It sure looks like a long list of things!
Thankfully, we now have an answer to that question! Mike recently tweeted a copy of the list — used, but in good condition — along with the words, “Here is the flyer we use on the show when we go #FreestylePicking on @americanpickers”
So, without further ado, here is the American Pickers “Wanted” flyer in all its glory followed by all of the items typed up by yours truly! (If you copy and paste the list for another site, show a little link love!)
Motorscooters: Vespa, Labretta, Cushman
Motorcycles
Early Furniture
Radios: Transistor/Tabletop
Old Toys: Tin, Windup, Cast iron
Fishing Items: Lures, Reels
Vending Machines: Coke, Candy, Gumball
Oil Bottles
Pinball Machines
Old Movie Posters
Musical Instruments
Early Game Boards
Advertising Items
Airstream Trailers
Taxidermy Animals
Early Mouse Traps
Early Boy Scout Items
Bicycles
Cap Guns
Old Bowls
Chairs
Cast Iron
Pottery
Pedal Cars
Wagons
Doorstops
Shell Boxes
Decoys
Toy Boats
Old Signs
oil Cans
Rugs
Lamps
Clocks
Jugs
Crocks
Trunks
Oil Paintings
Wagon Wheels
Old Dolls
Telephones
Graniteware
Old Bottles
Juke Boxes
Folk Art
License Plates
B B Guns
Pedal Tractors
Photographs
Military Items
Wood Carvings
Early Halloween
Christmas Items
Windmill Weights
There you go! So the next time two affable dudes show up in your driveway in a slick Mercedes van looking for stuff to buy, you’ll have a head start! (I must have missed a few episodes because I have no idea what the heck windmill weights are!)
New episodes of American Pickers air Monday nights at 9/8c on History. They also show reruns all the time, just check History’s American Pickers website for listings!
Asa Hawks is a writer and editor for Starcasm. You can contact Asa via Twitter, Facebook, or email at starcasmtips(at)yahoo.com
