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Cool and Collected

Collecting pop culture toys, comics, and collectibles collections

January 20, 2011 By 8 Comments

American Pickers — Too Hot to Handle Episode Recap and Review

american pickers too hot to handle

The pickers start this episode with some freestyle picking in upstate New York. The first house they stop at, has this guy who is fairly unhappy to see them. He crumples their flyer and runs Mike and Frank off his property. It was kind of funny, but it makes you realize that this probably happens more often than not, and if you were inclined to do some picking of your own, this kind of reception might be a reason to think twice.

The next stop is much more receptive to Mike and Frank. Kathy has inherited her father’s farm and his 14 trailers of accumulated items. Her father was a POW in Japan in World War II where he had everything taken from him. When he was freed, his mindset was to hold onto everything, and that’s how he came to own so many things. He passed away recently and Kathy and her husband want to sell some of the items to be able to pay off some of the debt on the property.

american pickers too hot to handle

Mike finds a pile of old wood rimmed bicycles from the 1890’s and buys the lot of them for $250. Kathy’s husband, Bill, shows up and, luckily for the pickers, he is happy to get rid of some items too.

Frank spies a 1970’s Yankee motorcycle, which is highly collectible, and buys it along with an old oil bottle for $250. Mike buys an old toy boat from the 1920’s for $20.

They continue to explore some of the trailers and find a 1930’s Harley Davidson motorcycle gas tank, and buy it for $100 bundled with a stereo and a gas cap. The coolest find was a vintage art deco microphone with its original stand. Mike buys the microphone along with an old  theater spotlight for $250.

Mike and Frank hit the road, and get a lead from Danielle. Al is in the business of cleaning out old buildings and has just purchased an old cheese factory that has been boarded up for decades. Mike and Frank can’t even find a door, so they ask the fire department across the street if they’d like to practice breaking into a building. The firefighters rise to the challenge and use their axes and chainsaws to make a door for the pickers.

american pickers too hot to handle

Mike and Frank go inside the building which looks like a tomb. It’s completely dark and spooky, and they feel like they are starring in the Blair Witch Project. Inside the building are some old cars, including a rusty 1948 Fleetmaster 500 without an engine. Al wants $1,500 for it, while Mike was expecting $100, so there’s no deal to be made there.

american pickers too hot to handle

The building is filled with trash and raccoon turds, but Mike manages to find an ornate iron plant stand and buys it for $20. Frank buys a terra cotta chimney top and a bundle of fishing poles for $25. He also buys an old handmade wooden thing for $10 — unfortunately we never learn what it is. The pop culture find of this episode is a GI Joe jeep and trailer, which Frank buys for $20.

american pickers too hot to handle

The last item found is an old tin carousel toy that Mike says “looks like a horse stepped on it.” It is an 1899 Osmond’s merry go round, and Mike buys it for $40.

Mike and Frank get back in the van and go on a quest for an octagonal house. They find the 1856 home and its owner, Marlene,  and her daughter, Julia. These two are selling the house and have tons of vintage clothing and military uniforms, among other things. Mike and Frank get a quick tour of the home, which was once a stop on the underground railway, and they explore all of its hidden rooms and passageways — what an amazing place to live!

american pickers too hot to handle

After the tour, the guys start looking for items to buy. Of course, Mike is able to find vintage motorcycle gear among all the frilly dresses. He buys a leather Harley jacket, straight out of On the Waterfront for $100, and some motorcycle helmets for $30 each. He also buys a vintage rodeo outfit with a white leather fringed jacket for $250.

american pickers too hot to handle

This whole time, Julia flirts rather openly with Frank, cracking jokes at his expense. She’s a self-professed “chubby chaser” and likes a cushy guy! Frank is just her type, but Frank is more interested in finding the exit. He’s a good sport, but I think that’s only because he’s hoping to buy a few items. He eventually gets an old candy jar for $55.

american pickers too hot to handle

Mike and Frank visit Mike Brown to have the microphone appraised. Mike lives in an old church with his massive collection of vintage instruments. His place is like a museum. The pickers enjoy a mini tour, trying to learn about instruments and what to look for on future picks. Mike Brown tells the pickers that the microphone they bought is from the late 30’s and could be worth as much as $500 to the right person.

As the credits roll, Mike and Frank play some of the instruments – badly. Overall, this was an entertaining episode, but besides that GI Joe truck, in my opinion not many great treasures were found. What did you think? Did you see anything you would have bought for your collection?

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kurt says

    March 31, 2012 at 6:21 am

    I am just curious to know the location of the octagon house they visited in this episode. The episode guide said they were visiting upstate New York but from what I have been able to find, the octagon (if it is the same one) is located in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin.

    Does anyone know where the octagon house is that they visited in this episode?

    Reply
    • Mark says

      April 30, 2012 at 2:54 pm

      It was definitely the octagon house. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octagon_House_(Fond_du_Lac,_Wisconsin)

      Reply
    • Joe Herman says

      March 25, 2016 at 1:46 am

      I live in Fond du lac and there is a place called the octagon house here, I didn’t know till a couple weeks ago that they had actually been here.

      Reply
    • Karen says

      May 9, 2016 at 6:58 am

      There is an octagon house in Geneva, NY.

      Reply
  2. Cookie says

    April 27, 2012 at 12:47 am

    I was amazed at the “prices” they were asking for their dolls. First of all the majority of their dolls were QVC specials and the values on them are next to nothing. The little western doll she asked 75.00 for. I about fell out of my chairl. She would be lucky if she got $5.00-10.00 for the doll. Since I did not see all 40 thousand dolls I am not sure exactly what they have but what I did see made me sad to think that they thought the dolls had any real value to them.

    Reply
  3. corey kessler says

    July 9, 2012 at 2:05 pm

    i have big collection of vintage bikes stuffef in my house plus tons of other stuff old cash register 60 bikes ect bikes 1940 down they said you were comming to syracuse new york id love to be on ur show u love my collection wide veriety 315.727.8088

    Reply
  4. Yvette says

    June 8, 2016 at 5:01 pm

    Looking for the company that made the old candy jar that Frank purchased from the Octagon house in Fond du Lac.

    Reply
  5. Herman says

    December 14, 2016 at 4:24 pm

    I look for an episode, where a boy with a military green jacket and his mother appears, I was in that episode and I would like you to tell me which episode is, some American pickers expert?

    Reply

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