Picture by David Aaron Troy
“Market Warriors” mirrors itself after “Antiques Roadshow” but it’s a bit of a hipper version. The team goes to flea markets and antique shows and are handed $1000 to spend with a time limit and a target item to get. What a dream come true!
The catch on the show is that the picker who makes the most money on a given day wins. This means that pickers have to be very careful about what they select to buy, and they have to watch out for reproductions. The group includes John Bruno, Miller Gaffney (a graduate of Sotheby’s Institute of Art), Kevin Bruneau (who runs an antique business) and Bob Richter (who likes to approach antiques with the eye of an interior decorator).
The show is on at 9 pm on Mondays and it’s really worth watching for anyone who loves antiques. Bruno, for instance, offered a great tip for weekend road show shoppers. He explained that he often goes to a seller’s booth and checks out what doesn’t belong. For instance, if they have old dolls as their specialty, but they have one tray of old watches, he’ll make a beeline for the watches.
PBS executive producer Marsha Bemko has explained that “Market Warriors” comes from the same producers as “Antiques Roadshow.” The idea behind the new show, however, is to focus on common collectibles that the average person could purchase.
As Bemko explained, “We hope ‘Market Warriors’ will be half as popular as ‘Antiques Roadshow.’ ”