Detours

A cast-iron mechanical bank appraised in 1997 and broadcast on GBH’s Antiques Roadshow was resurfaced by producers when reviewing archival content for an upcoming show. The appraisal is strikingly outdated in that it never properly acknowledged an aspect that today feels impossible to ignore – racism. But can an ugly part of history be used to inspire important conversations? Join host Adam Monahan as he seeks to learn from experts about discussing items with offensive historical backgrounds and how a show about the past should approach difficult topics in the future.

When humorist Mo Rocca appeared on GBH’s Antiques Roadshow, he was eager to find out the true identity of a treasured antique store purchase - a bronze-painted plaster bust he long believed was President Grover Cleveland. Though his TV appraisal yielded no answer, the name of the stranger he’s lived with for years has finally been revealed! Join host Adam Monahan on a hilarious journey - which included the New York Times, New York Police Department and Cleveland’s own grandson - to unravel the mystery behind the mustachioed model.

An early-American desk and bookcase set was appraised in 2006 at GBH’s Antiques Roadshow for a whopping $250,000. But was this coveted circa 1775 two-piece secretary a match made in heaven? Join host Adam Monahan as he discovers how a shocking secret revealed after the show making the piece even more rare, along with a powerful new market trend combine to dramatically change the value.

The legendary comedic duo Laurel & Hardy have a very dedicated fanbase. But will a relic toy soldier from their 1934 film, Babes in Toyland, have the owner laughing all the way to the bank? We follow one soldier’s march from appraisal to the auction block, to find out what it’s really worth. Along the way Adam crashes a meeting of the international Laurel and Hardy fan club - yes you read that correctly -- and tracks down the one other soldier known to survive from the film.

Can you put a price on Christmas? Years after a visit to GBH’s Antiques Roadshow, Santa and Rudolph original puppets from the beloved 1964 stop-motion-animation holiday special Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer made their way to the auction block. Join host Adam Monahan as he uncovers the story of the puppet’s discovery and restoration, the bidding surprise at auction no one expected, and whether efforts to keep these cultural touchstones on public display succeeded!

A guest’s experience at GBH’s Antiques Roadshow starts an investigative journey to determine if her family’s heirloom Tongan war club was actually brought to England aboard one of Captain Cook’s ships as family notes suggested. If proven true, the value of the club soars to over $100,000. Join host Adam Monahan to discover what we learned - and how a strange tale from another ship’s captain led to the club’s shocking history and a call for it to be returned to its land of origin.

A tiny portrait of a young Philadelphia woman, not much larger than a pocket watch, memorializes a life lost in 1798 during the Yellow Fever outbreak. Join host Adam Monahan as he explores the tragic story behind the portrait. What does this family heirloom tell us about honoring life and death during a pandemic, and what sad but instructive lessons does history reveal about life in a pandemic that are relevant today?

The producers for GBH’s Antiques Roadshow know - “kids with old stuff make great TV.” And after 25 seasons some of those kids are, well, no longer kids! From dumpster finds to $2 auction buys, join host Adam Monahan as he discovers what happened to these young guests and their famous items, how they became antiquers at such a young age and if any of them are still collecting?

A pair of Tiffany lamps go missing years after appearing on GBH’s Antiques Roadshow. Just how far would someone go to get their hands on these lamps? And just how far would someone else go to get them back? DETOURS host Adam Monahan talks to those close to the story including the private investigator who ultimately cracked the case.

See the missing lamps at www.wgbh.org/detours.

In 2015, a guest brought a strange looking pot to the set of GBH’s Antiques Roadshow in Spokane, WA, where an expert appraised it as a “19th century grotesque face jug” worth $30,000 - $50,000. After the episode aired, a viewer contacted the series to share information which shocked producers and wound up in the national news. Find out what they learned and what happened next when DETOURS host Adam Monahan sets out to find answers.

See the original full appraisal at www.wgbh.org/detours.