Rob: Ugh! Yeah, that's the 30. Hardest one to find.
Rob: You've got some of the rarest
automotive items in history.
Jersey Jon: 400 bucks.
Rob: 800. 1000 bucks. 2350.
Mike: It's like overwhelming.
Mike: For a collector, it's the ultimate.
Rob: 1800 bucks. Mike: $2,000.
Rob: $6,000. Mike: Really?!
Ben: Wow.
Jersey Jon: It doesn't get any better than this, man.
Bill: What do you say? Jersey Jon: This is it.
[phone ringing]
Mike: Dani D, what's up?
Danielle: Good morning, Mr. Wolfe.
Mike: Ah, got a little spring in my step today,
got a coffee, took my vitamins - I'm ready to go!
What do you got?
Danielle: Okay, so I'm sending you
to a third-generation card company.
Mike: What do you mean, like greeting cards?
Danielle: Card company like posters and handbills.
A printing company.
Mike: What kind of subject matter?
Danielle: Yeah, they have movie posters, they have early music.
Mike: Really? Danielle: Yeah.
The things you love the most.
Mike: Alright, honey. Thanks. Send me the address.
You got me all jacked up.
[piano music]
Mike: Ah...
Mike: Hey, hey.
Ben's Mother: May I help you? Mike: I'm Mike.
Did you talk to Danielle?
Ben's Mother: I did not, but my son Ben did.
Mike: Yeah, Ben. Is Ben around?
Ben's Mother: Yes, he's at the press.
Mike: Okay, alright. Ben's Mother: Ben?
I would like for you to meet Mike.
Mike: Hey! How are you doing, buddy?
Ben: It's nice to meet you, Mike!
Mike: Thanks for having me. Did you talk to Dani?
Ben: Uh, yes, I did.
Mike: Here, I'm going to give you one of these
just for the heck of it.
Ben: Great. Ben's Mother: And that's Steve.
Mike: Hey, I'm Mike. Steve: Hi, Mike. I'm Steve.
Mike: Nice to meet you.
Ben: I am the manager of Benton Card Company and GRNDHAUS.
Benton Card Company is a general contract print company.
My grandfather Howard started the company in 1948.
Mike: So, you guys are still using
a lot of the older equipment?
Ben: Yeah, this is one of the original pieces.
Steve: 1955 model machine.
Mike: No kidding! So, are you second generation?
Steve: Yes.
Mike: And you're third generation.
Ben: Correct.
Mike: This is so cool that you guys
are still doing it together. Ben: Yes.
Ben: I always joke with people
I'm Ben from Benson at Benton Card Company.
But it really is a definition of who I am
outside of being a Christian, because of where I came from.
Ben: Basically, we've separated Benton Card Company
into a new company called GRNDHAUS.
Ben: We have a collection of movie posters
that my grandfather designed.
GRNDHAUS has repurposed those posters
to create apparel and other supply items.
Ben: We had an agreement with RKO Studios
and other various theatrical groups
that would send us cutbooks.
Ben: It would have advertising built into the book.
My grandfather cut images from that
to repurpose into original art pieces.
Ben: My grandfather hand-designed
every one of these based off of those books.
Mike: So, this piece,
this would've been something that he did?
Ben: Yes, sir.
Mike: Adding all of that into that?
Ben: Yes, sir. Mike: Wow...
Ben: By hand.
Mike: Since his grandfather was able to do this assemblage art
with all the assets that he had for each project...
Mike: The Brain Eaters!
Mike: ...he then has the rights to continue to sell it
because it is art.
Ben: So, the building was built in 1908.
Uh, we moved in in 1948,
but my grandfather used this upstairs
for a lot of his storage.
Welcome to the land that time forgot.
Mike: Wow!
Mike: Walking up here into this attic,
the smell, the creaking of the wood,
the huge printing cabinets...
Mike: Oh my gosh, look at this!
Mike: You know, you just imagine what this was like...
Mike: Wow!
Mike: ...on a daily basis.
Mike: Wow!
Mike: You know, the people, the hustle, the bustle,
the drawers being opened and closed,
everything being put on tables.
Creating something from nothing every day.
Mike: This place is huge! Ben: Yes, sir.
Mike: It's just kind of a kaleidoscope of cool.
Mike: What's this?
I wonder if this guy's family is still around.
Ben: He very well may be. Mike: That'd be really cool.
Ben: That would be. Mike: You know what I mean?
To give that to them...
Ben: We get phone calls from time to time on that,
where someone says,
"Hey, you printed something for me back in dadadada,"
and uh, they want reprints.
Mike: Dang, look at that. You guys have such an archive!
I just can't believe how much of it there is.
Ben: Yep.
Mike: This is a perfect example of what you're talking about.
The cutbook? What did you call it?
Ben: Yep, that's exactly what we called them -
we call them cutbooks.
So, what he would do is he would do, uh, with the books,
he would cut out the individual pieces and start creating one.
This is one he never finished.
Mike: And he would have to completely assemble it
in a way that grabbed your attention.
Ben: Correct.
Mike: So, he had to constantly, over and over again,
every day, create.
Ben: Correct. Mike: Oh, look at that!
Double feature, adults only,
Cocaine: Thrill That Kills!
"We honestly believe after seeing this picture,
you will never use dope again!"
Wow.
Look at this one, man!
Ben: That would be the Stevenson Theater.
Mike: "Kate Quantrill - killed like a man,
and loved like the beautiful woman she was."
Okay, so what do you want for that?
Ben: I would let this go for 15.
Mike: The only way you're gonna sell these
is to present them well.
Mike: It really needs to be framed.
Ben: Mhm.
Mike: I mean, there has to be money spent
to even get people to look at them.
Mike: Presented that way, I think they might be,
after I frame it, like $75 to the right person, you know?
Ben: Yes sir.
Mike: Depending on the subject matter?
I'll do the 15.
Ben: Okay, 15?
Mike: Here you go.
Striporama...
Woo! "Gals, guys, gags! It's the best!"
Oh, look at this, man. Drag racing.
Ben: [laughs] Mike: Motorcycle...
Look at that! Motorboat races.
Mike: There are stacks and stacks of posters.
I'm talking motorcycle, rock 'n' roll,
anything and everything,
and when you think about how long
some of these originals have been sitting here,
I mean, we're talking decades.
Mike: Here, look at that. Square dance.
Big Farmer's Warehouse.
What are you thinking on that?
Ben: 15 as well would be just fine with me.
Mike: That would be 15, alright.
Mike: Think about everything that has happened in America,
and all these posters have just been sitting quietly here.
Mike: Look at this. Wow! The Devil's Sleep.
"Today's moral menace...
the devil drug,
traffic in Bennies, Goofies, and Phenos as it really exists!"
So, they're talking about a drug issue that's happening.
And this was a movie that was similar to, I guess,
like Reefer Madness.
Ben: Yes.
Mike: But they're talking about Goofies, Bennies, and Phenos.
Ben: Yes.
Mike: Now they've aged enough,
they've matured to where they're nostalgic.
They're actually part of pop culture.
Mike: "They took me off the streets
when decent people wouldn't look at me."
Ben: My grandfather never found a job
that he didn't want to take on.
Mike: "Sinister, sordid, evil..."
Ben: He may not agree with the lifestyle choice.
However, his job was to serve the customer.
Mike: What are you thinking on those?
Ben: 15 apiece.
Mike: Okay. Very cool.
Ben: There are some things that are a bit risqué up here.
Mike: God, this is crazy.
I didn't think I would be getting into
these types of subject matters and such.
Mike: We're covering all the bases here.
Boxing, revivals, drag racing, square dancing...
Ben: Striporama. Mike: Striporama...
Ben: It's like a really good weekend.
Mike: [laughs]
Ben: It is a different culture we live in,
a different time, and a different place.
Mike: Here, look at this. This is in the original box.
Here, look at that! That's cool!
Ben: Mhm.
Mike: So, this is obviously, like, a revival.
Ben: Correct.
Mike: And it's got Siamese twins from Los Angeles
basically telling their story. Ben: Yes.
Mike: But you can see why they're here.
This is all cut off.
Ben: Yeah. Mike: Would you sell these?
Ben: Um... I've done a little bit of research
and I feel like those kind of carry a little bit more value
but I'm not 100% what that is.
Mike: You're talking about like
a completely different subject matter?
Ben: Yeah.
Mike: Well, why don't we do this.
We've got a poster guy. Ben: Okay.
Mike: I'll take pictures of this poster
and I'm sure there's gonna be others.
Ben: Yeah.
Mike: They're interesting enough for me
to want to take pictures and send them off to a guy
that's a lot more versed in this stuff than both of us.
Mike: He might get back to us and be like,
"You guys are nuts, those are nothing,"
or he might be - it might go the other way, you know what I mean?
Ben: I think that's very fair.
Mike: But at least we'll both know a little bit more.
Rob: I saw the other day on uh,
I don't know if it was on Instagram or Facebook
or whatever the heck it was,
you were out fishing?
Jersey Jon: Yeah. Yep. Bass fishing.
Rob: How'd you do?
Jersey Jon: Good. Rob: You took a picture.
I mean, I saw the fish.
Jersey Jon: Yeah, catch and release.
Bring them in...
Rob: Dude, that was a freaking huge fish.
Jersey Jon: Yeah, it was a huge fish.
Rob: Yeah, you did not need to let it go.
What are you talking about?
Jersey Jon: Dude, it's catch and release, man!
You catch them again.
It's the sport of catching the fish.
It's awesome, dude!
Rob: It's also the sport of eating the fish!
Listen, I fish to relax just like you, okay?
Jersey Jon: Doesn't sound like it.
Rob: You sound like you're-
Jersey Jon: You catch your fish to kill!
That's what you want to do, you want to kill, kill, kill.
Rob: No, I'm not talking about- Jersey Jon: I'm talking about-
Rob: I'm talking about nice fillets, I'm filleting,
I'm not stabbing the fish to death.
Jersey Jon: It sounds like you are.
Rob: What you're doing is you're glamor fishing.
Jersey Jon: It ain't glamor fishing.
Rob: You're taking the picture, you're taking the picture
and then putting it up on the shelf.
I just lost all respect for you.
Jersey Jon: Dude, you got to broaden your spectrum,
you got to broaden your mind up.
Rob: Listen. You're never going fishing with me, dude.
[phone rings]
Rob: What up, Dani D? Jersey Jon: What's up, girl?
Danielle: Okay, I'm gonna send you to meet Bill and Bryan.
Rob: Yeah?
Danielle: Bill is 83 years old.
He's been working on Cushmans and Wizzers his entire life
but really what Bill primarily dealt in was parts.
Rob: Wow! Jersey Jon: Cool.
Danielle: He actually ran a business
called the Packard Farm,
and so he would find like new old stock parts
and then resell them.
Rob: Packard parts?
Danielle: Packards, Studebakers, all kinds of good stuff.
Rob: Wow! Jersey Jon: Wow.
Rob: This is right up my alley.
Danielle: He did that for 30 years.
Jersey Jon: Sounds like the guy's been busy.
Danielle: So, he's obviously got a building full of stuff
and his son Bryan
is really just trying to help him move stuff along.
Rob: Alright. Jersey Jon: Cool.
Rob: I'm into Cushmans,
but I'm more into the parts it sounds like.
Danielle: Oh, I almost forgot to tell you.
He's got a ton of Chevy stuff.
Rob: Man, if he's got some Chevy stuff
to help my brother finish off that dealership...
Jersey Jon: Yeah. Yep. Danielle: Exactly.
Jersey Jon: Columbia Motor Alley, man.
That place rocks.
Danielle: Alright, you guys take care.
Jersey Jon: Whoa, watch this truck dude.
[truck horn]
[blues rock music]
Jersey Jon: Alright. [honk, honk]
Jersey Jon: Hello?
Rob: Bryan?
Bryan: Hello, yeah?
Rob: Danielle sent us out.
Jersey Jon: Yeah, you talked to Dani?
Bryan: Oh, okay. Yeah.
Rob: Rob Wolfe. Bryan: Nice to meet you, Rob.
Jersey Jon: Hey. Jon. Bryan: Nice to meet you.
Jersey Jon: Yeah, nice to meet you as well.
Bryan: Come on back. This is my father, Bill.
Jersey Jon: Hey, Bill. How are you?
Bill: Hello there.
Jersey Jon: Nice to meet you. Rob: Bill, how are you doing?
Nice to meet you. Bill: Good, thanks.
Rob: Looks like you're working on a project here.
Jersey Jon: You got a Cushman going on there, huh?
Bill: I do, yeah.
Rob: That's not - is that a turtleback?
Bill: Alligator. Jersey Jon: Alligator.
Rob: Alligator, okay.
Bryan: We got all kinds of parts
and anything you guys want to look at.
Bill: I bought out 100 Studebaker dealers,
so I have a lot of stuff.
Jersey Jon: No kidding.
Rob: You bought out 100 Studebaker dealers?
Bill: Yes.
Bill: I started collecting car parts so I could make a living.
I bought out Studebaker dealers, Packard dealers,
any place I could find new old stock parts.
Rob: So, Packard, Studebaker - what else?
Bill: We had Chevrolet and Buick parts, too.
Jersey Jon: Wow.
Rob: All four - the big - those are - that's a lot of parts!
Bill: Yeah.
Rob: Can I go up there? Bill: You sure can.
Rob: You think about all the parts,
all the dealerships all over the United States,
somebody had to have the forethought
of actually thinking about,
"Wow, these might need to be saved.
Let's buy them all up and see if we can make some money."
And that somebody was Bill.
Jersey Jon: Just think of how many restorers
you helped with these old cars, man.
Rob: I was just thinking that same thing.
I mean, every - they all had to come to your dad.
Bryan: Dad shipped parts
all over the United States, Australia, into Europe.
Jersey Jon: We need people like him to help us restore vehicles.
Rob: Where are all the Chevy parts up here?
Bryan: So, a lot of them are in these boxes,
and these crates back through here.
Jersey Jon: Let's dig in!
Bill: I work 7 days a week, 12 hours a day sorting parts
and listing it so I know how to find it.
That was a way of making a living, and it worked.
Rob: Every box still has the original label on it.
This would've been the accessory
that went on the bumper, basically.
Bryan: Yeah.
Rob: Bill is one of those guys that if I said,
"Hey man, I need a window crank for a 1948 Packard,"
he would pull the number out of his head
and go, "Yeah, that's a 3742B8."
Rob: To get back in here - let's see what's in back here.
Rob: No computer! He was the computer!
The catalog was in his head.
Rob: Those are accessory fog lights.
Bryan: Yeah. Rob: Those are GM.
Rob: Typically, when you find these fog lights,
you'll find one, it's missing the bracket,
the lens is busted on it.
These are actually complete sets!
Rob: You know how it is.
The accessories are what make everything.
What are you thinking you got to have for a set of those?
Bill: I think we'd need about 75.
They're brand-new old stock.
Rob: I'd do the 75. Bill: Okay.
Rob: Alright. Jersey Jon: Bryan?
Bryan: Yes? Jersey Jon: Good stuff, man.
This is like accessory heaven or something.
Great stuff in here.
Bicycle horns.
Yeah.
Jersey Jon: Old Blisterhead is over there
going through the cardboard boxes, man,
but I'm like on it, man.
I find this shelf of old accessory parts.
Jersey Jon: These are the tail gunner lights
they use on the, you know, on the license plate.
Bryan: On the license plate?
Jersey Jon: Yeah, look at the design on this thing.
Jersey Jon: It's old lights.
It's the stuff that makes your chopper rock.
Jersey Jon: Here's another style of tail gunner.
Whoa, this is neat too. That's a front fender bumper.
Bryan: Yep.
Jersey Jon: The old '60s chopper stuff, man, I love that stuff.
Jersey Jon: Also, I'm not done yet.
Bryan: Okay.
Jersey Jon: There's - look at this.
Look at these license plate gems.
It's a nice box of them here.
I'd go 100 bucks on that box.
We sell these like crazy at the shop.
Bryan: I think that, uh, dad would be okay with that.
Jersey Jon: A couple more things here.
I'd do 50 bucks apiece on these.
Bryan: I think these are Cushman horns.
I don't think he'd want to sell those today.
Jersey Jon: That's fine, that's cool.
Jersey Jon: To me, these are bicycle horns.
But to Bill, these are Cushman horns,
so we're on different pages.
Jersey Jon: Would you be willing to sell
like two rows of these trays?
Jersey Jon: These bins, these are from a real dealership.
Jersey Jon: I'd go 100 bucks. Bryan: How about 130?
I mean, these are kind of hard to find.
Jersey Jon: Yeah, no, they are cool, man.
No, I'll do the 130 bucks, man. That's great.
Bryan: That would be great.
Jersey Jon: I'd do 150 for these 3 pieces.
Bryan: I don't know if he'd want to sell the lights, per se.
Jersey Jon: Yeah.
Bryan: But I think we could maybe make a deal
for the bumper guard. Jersey Jon: Okay.
Jersey Jon: It's a Cushman bumper guard
but guys use them on choppers.
Jersey Jon: 50 bucks.
Bryan: Yeah, I think that'd be fine.
Jersey Jon: That's cool. So, we're getting somewhere.
The piece de resistance, this - is this thing.
That's gorgeous! Bryan: Yeah.
Jersey Jon: It's got all the lights on it
for the rear of your motorcycle
and the plate mounts in the back.
Jersey Jon: I mean, it's chromed up,
it's got the glass lenses.
Jersey Jon: It's new old stock.
You know, it's from the '50s
but it's never been mounted on a motorcycle.
The chrome is perfect.
Jersey Jon: I'd do 400 bucks on this.
Bryan: Yeah, let's do that.
Jersey Jon: For 400? Bryan: Yes.
Jersey Jon: Alright!
[rock music]
Mike: What about any of this stuff over here?
What is this stuff?
Ben: Um, these are all routed out cuts
from different promotional events.
Mike: Oh, look at that. That says dance.
That's cool.
Ooh, look at this one. That says races.
That's pretty cool.
Mike: There has been a huge resurgence of craftsmanship
in certain industries in America,
and printing is one of them.
Mike: That's neat.
Little cartoon character on there.
Ben: Nice little clown.
Mike: Oh! Look, motorcycles.
Mike: All of these printing blocks can be used again.
Mike: So, you were making these in house here?
Ben: Correct, yes sir. Mike: Wow.
Ben: A lot of it was done from hand drawings.
Mike: Check that out. Ben: Benson...
Mike: Princess. Ben: Yes.
Mike: So, that was a local theater?
Ben: This was my grandfather's theater.
Mike: No way! Ben: Yeah, man.
Mike: So, how does it make you feel holding onto that?
Ben: It, uh...
Mike: I'm glad that we were able to find it.
Ben: It means a lot that it's here.
Um, thank you for finding this.
Ben: I'm not gonna lie, I got a little, you know,
choked up for a second.
I was thinking, wow,
how much is actually here
that I have no idea is actually here?
Ben: Yeah, the Princess Theater one's not for sale.
Mike: Absolutely.
Mike: Okay. So, let's get crazy here.
Ben: Okay.
Mike: How about uh... like 550?
550 for that stack.
Ben: Um, 600?
...Alright. Awesome. Mike: Thank you.
Ben: This is actually where a lot of our history is held.
The movie posters my grandfather created.
Mike: Look at that!
King Kong versus Godzilla, oh my gosh!
Ben: I have every science-fiction movie
you've never heard of.
Mike: Do you really?
Oh, Marlon Brando!
Ben: That is actually a reproduction print.
Um, anything that's got an "R"
came off the same press off the same printing plates,
but it's considered a second run.
Mike: So, why were they reproducing this, then?
What was their objective?
Ben: They found that there was enough interest
that people kept asking for more.
If they don't have an R on them, then they are original.
Mike: Okay. It's like overwhelming.
I mean, I don't even know really where to really start with it.
Ben: It is - I'll tell you what, why don't I not rush you.
I've got some things downstairs that I need to take care of
so I'm gonna leave you, okay?
Mike: Alright. Thanks, man.
Ben: Sure. Mike: Thank you.
Mike: These posters are an archive
to his family's company,
but also a roadmap to the film industry.
Mike: Oh yeah, this is so trippy, man.
Mike: These are early controversial films
and the way that they were promoted
obviously was there to play on your emotion,
but also your curiosity with the underbelly of society.
Mike: The Savage Seven.
Mike: We got drag racers, strippers, cowgirls,
just in a few posters I'm pulling out.
Mike: Oh yeah.
Mike: Now if you're cruising through the channels,
all of these subject matters, this is like a Tuesday night.
But back then, this was crazy stuff!
Bill: Now we're going to the toy room.
Rob: Wow!
Jersey Jon: Yeah, it is. Rob: Holy cow! Wow!
Bryan: A little of everything.
Bryan: So, the upstairs is full of uh, toys.
Bill: When our house burnt down, I lost all my toys.
I was 12, and I started hunting for replacements.
Rob: There's so much stuff up here!
Bryan: Matchbox Yesteryears, Matchbox Toys,
farm toys, erector sets.
Bill: Pedal tractors.
Bryan: Pedal tractors, promos from car dealerships.
Rob: You're smiling over there, you know what I'm looking at.
Rob: These boards were the piece
that you walked in the dealership, you looked at it,
you were like, "I want a 1940 Ford truck,
I want it in this color with these wheels,"
and you saw it.
It was in a beautiful picture.
Rob: Before I pull them all out, are these for sale?
Bill: The only one that's not for sale is the '50 Chevy.
Rob: It's a truck one you're talking about?
Bill: '50 truck. Rob: Yeah, it's right here.
Bill: 1950 Chevrolet, I wanted to save everything '50 Chevy.
Rob: That's the one you want to keep?
Bill: Yeah. Rob: Okay.
Bill: I'm gonna make a showroom out of '50 Chevy parts.
Jersey Jon: I like this one, Robbie.
Rob: I like them all.
Jersey Jon: There's my panel truck in here.
Bill: That's a nice one, that '39.
Bryan: What year is your panel truck?
Jersey Jon: This '39 - I got a, it's a '46 but the same style.
Rob: Look at that.
Rob: I have a couple of these Chevy dealership boards.
This one is a Packard.
Rob: Salesman, who it was, the used car quota,
performance, everything is on here.
Rob: The other side is the service board
and it says Packard right on it!
Rob: Look at that. Jersey Jon: That's pretty cool.
Bill: I got it in Pennsylvania off a dealer.
I never did take chalk and write in it or anything.
It just hung there.
Rob: Do you want to sell that, Bill?
Bill: Sure. Rob: 800.
Bill: You bought it. Jersey Jon: Awesome.
Rob: Thank you. Jersey Jon: Thanks, buddy.
Bill: Alright.
Rob: So, I got to ask about all these Chevy -
these were all the boards that basically sat in the dealership.
These are all cardboard, they never survive.
Bill: I know.
Rob: For all six,
including the one you don't want to sell, okay?
2400 bucks.
That's 400 bucks each.
Bryan: This one I know he's not gonna want to sell.
Rob: Okay. Bryan: So... so, the five.
Rob: That's 2,000 then. Bryan: 2,000?
Bill: This one here is worth more.
Rob: Okay. How much?
Bill: 1939 Chevrolet and it was bright colors and beautiful.
Bill: I'd sell it for 600. Jersey Jon: This one?
Rob: This one 600? Bill: Yeah.
Rob: I'm still at 400 on that.
So, that right there is 1000 bucks right there.
How much are you thinking on these three right here, Bill?
Bill: What do you think?
Bryan: I would say 450. Rob: 450 each?
Rob: So, we're at 9... 2,350. Bill: Yeah.
Rob: Done. Shake his hand. Jersey Jon: Thank you. Yeah!
Rob: My brother's got a dealership, a Chevy dealership.
This would look good out in front of his place.
Jersey Jon: Columbia Motor Alley, man. In Tennessee.
It's gonna be great in his place.
Rob: I don't even know where to begin.
Rob: When Bill was saving all the parts,
he was getting all the advertising,
all the dealership advertising pieces,
the stuff that everybody is still looking for today!
Rob: Hey Bryan? Bryan: Yes?
Rob: Bill? You know where that came from?
Bill: No.
Rob: In the early days of Chevrolet,
they branded themselves as OK Used Cars.
So, they built an 8-foot neon,
a 6-foot neon, and a 4-foot neon.
They were all the same.
How they branded Chevy
was they put the little bowtie on the bottom of it.
Rob: This would've came off the 8-foot OK Used neon.
This was the badge that hung on the bottom of the sign.
They're always missing.
Rob: There's so many guys out there
with the OK Used Cars sign constantly looking for these.
They reproduce them. But to find an original one?
That's what everybody wants.
Rob: 1,000 bucks.
Bill: Alright.
Bryan: It's a hard-to-find piece, and Robbie,
he knew exactly what it was.
Rob: There's like 20 items in here, like this 19...
Bill: No, I don't want to sell that.
Rob: You don't want to sell that one? That's a good one.
This one right here, flange got bent
like they always did because of the wind.
800. Bill: Yeah.
Rob: This thing needs to be saved in some way.
Rob: It says the word diesel on it.
It was a light up counter display.
Rob: 100 bucks.
Bill: Alright. Rob: It's in bad shape.
But again, it's worth saving.
Rob: I can just stand here all day long!
[rock music]
Ben: Hey Mike, what have you found?
Mike: [laughs] Are you kidding me?!
You knew what I was gonna find!
Ben: I did.
Mike: This stuff is crazy!
I can't believe it was made in this little town.
Ben: That's right. Mike: You know? What the heck?
Look at that. Godzilla versus The Thing.
The subject matters that I really connected to
were sci-fi and then anything with fright.
The old girly things. Motorcycles.
The Savage Seven. Look at these guys' names.
Nansford, Wino, Dogface, Pigmeat.
[laughs]
Mike: Events like Hollister
that were sensationalized in the media
brought attention to the motorcycle club lifestyle.
Mike: Wild Racers. Transportation-related.
Angels From Hell.
The company that brought you the Hells Angels on Wheels.
I have that poster.
Mike: So naturally, Hollywood jumped on that train
and started cranking out B-movies based on that world.
Mike: Again, motorcycle gangs, sorority girl.
Mike: So, you take a motorcycle gang,
you add in some werewolves, some girls in bikinis,
maybe some sorority sisters, and you got a hit!
Mike: Circus of Horrors. Oh gosh.
[laughs] That's so cool.
The Evil Eye.
Look at that. Oh my gosh.
The Naked Witch.
The strangest story ever told.
Another sci-fi.
Look at that monster.
The angry red - that looks like a mouse with spider legs.
King Kong. Monster.
This one's super cool.
Bonnie Parker Story.
"Cigar smoking hellcat from the roaring thirties."
I love that she's smoking a cigar
while she's got a Tommy gun.
Look at that.
Mike: Obviously, when you look at
some of this stuff now, it's very humorous.
But when his grandfather was designing this stuff,
putting it all together, the clipart, the imagery,
the font, the colors,
you obviously had to be very creative with the layout
but understand the emotional connection people would have,
and to be able to play on that.
He was extremely talented.
Mike: So, I've got 17 posters.
What are you thinking on those?
Ben: We normally sell about $75 apiece, generally.
Um... but you're here and I don't have to package them,
I don't have to ship them, and you need to resell them, right?
Mike: Yeah, I'm gonna - yeah, definitely.
I mean, there's a few in here I'm gonna keep for sure, though.
Some of the motorcycle stuff.
Ben: I can do $30 apiece.
Mike: You're amazing. Thank you.
Ben: Absolutely. Mike: I appreciate it.
[rock music]
Rob: Look at that.
What's the story behind that?
Bill: I have no idea.
Rob: Somebody made this thing. Bryan: Yeah.
Rob: I thought it was a sign
that was over paint - repainted, but it's not.
To me, it's a piece of folk art almost, but it's so cool.
Phew... Uh...
400 bucks.
Bryan: Say 450?
It's a little different.
Rob: 425.
Bryan: Okay. Rob: Alright.
Bryan: That's it. Rob: Alright.
Rob: So, let's - I'm gonna dig around.
[Jersey strums stringed instrument]
Jersey Jon: That's pretty good.
Rob: Oh wow!
Yeah, look at that!
Jersey Jon: What's that, Robbie?
Bill: It goes around and around, the light.
Rob: Right. It's a spinner.
Bill: It was a colored circle that goes around in there
and it changed the colors where that plastic was.
It's really neat when it works.
Rob: It's got one little crack in it.
Jersey Jon: It's amazing for a plastic sign.
Rob: So, the first in sales, first in value,
I mean Chevy had it going on.
Bill: It was '53.
Rob: 1953, with the big old Chevy bowtie.
I'm just thinking what we got to do on the back side of it
to get it going. Jersey Jon: Yeah.
Rob: Maybe it's just a switch, maybe it's just a bulb.
Jersey Jon: What's this here? That's like tape.
Rob: That's tape.
Jersey Jon: So, there's another crack here, dude.
Rob: [sighs] If this thing was working, perfect condition,
you're probably talking $3,000. Jersey Jon: Yeah.
Bryan: If you're thinking perfect is 3 grand, say 1750?
Rob: Eh. Jersey Jon: Nah.
Rob: I don't think you could get that number out of it.
1200 bucks.
Bill: Yeah, go ahead. Jersey Jon: Yeah! [laughs]
Good deal!
[rock music]
Mike: So, what about any of the older, um, staging tables?
You know, where it'd be like really heavy wood legs
and then on top of it, it would be like a piece of granite.
Ben: There are some right behind that piece of wood right there.
Mike: All of this here? Ben: Yes sir.
Mike: Let me see what you're talking about.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah! So, there's the granite.
Ben: Yes.
Mike: One of the things that I'm excited
about finding in here besides the posters
is the industrial artifacts of the business.
Mike: Here, you get that side, I'll get this side.
Mike: The cabinets, the tables, the counters,
all of that stuff is timeless.
Mike: Put it right here.
Ugh!
And there it is.
That's a great piece right there, man.
Look at that! Ben: Yes sir.
Mike: So, you can see it's the granite slabs.
You can see it's all recessed in there.
Think how much work was done at this table.
Ben: I know.
Mike: Look at the edges of it.
Look at people carving their initials in it right here.
There's a J.
Yeah. That's so cool.
Mike: So, we're talking one piece of granite.
I thought there might be a separation, but there's not.
This stuff was made to last, man.
I mean think about it.
Look at the legs on that.
It's bolted together, you know, to support this granite.
How much is this thing?
[knocking]
Ben: I don't know.
Mike: Uh... 700.
Ben: 8?
Mike: I'm doing it. Ben: Alright.
Mike: Alright! We're doing it!
Ben: I am thrilled for the $800 for the granite table
because it was just sitting there
and I hope that he can make twice that on it.
Mike: So, I'm sure you have a bunch of staff
that can help us get this stuff out of here, right?
Ben: Yeah, absolutely...
[both laugh]
Bryan: These are the really nice antiques.
Bryan: The showroom was designed for his trophies.
Rob: I got to ask...
There it is!
Jersey Jon: Wow. Yeah.
That's a sweetie.
Rob: Walker marked. I can see it right there.
Rob: This logo came out post-war.
Chevy was rebranding, and this was the age
when people were gonna start spending money again.
The cars became more aerodynamic.
The sign had to go with that.
Yellow, blue, white.
Bill: How much?
The little one and the big one.
Rob: Oh, you have the small - you have the 30-inch?
Bill: Yeah.
Rob: The 30-inch is rarer than this one.
Rob: The small Super Chevy sign, that's the rarest of them all.
Rob: I'd like to throw a number at you
but I want to see the other one.
Bill: Okay.
Rob: This one's still got the original hangers on it.
Jersey Jon: Yeah, it's beautiful.
Rob: It's in good shape. It's got one whammy.
Jersey Jon: Somebody shot it.
Bryan: Yeah. Rob: Yeah. They always did.
Bill: The other one's nicer. Rob: Really?
Bill: Yeah. Go on in.
Jersey Jon: I'd like to see that one.
Rob: Wow!
Rob: When we walk into what Bryan called the showroom,
you knew what they were doing.
It looked like a Chevy showroom.
All the neon stuff was hanging from the windows.
And then he had the dealership clocks.
Willy's, Ferguson, come on!
Then he puts the car right in the middle!
Jersey Jon: Very cool!
Jersey Jon: The '50 Chevy in the middle
is like the icing on the cake.
But what's really cool
is he's got all these Cushmans lined up on one side.
Jersey Jon: These are great Cushmans.
I mean, look at all these Cushmans you guys got in here.
Bryan: So, the way we have the bikes arranged at the moment
is oldest to, kind of, the newest.
So, the very last one, uh, down there is a forty...
Bill: Six. Bryan: Six.
Jersey Jon: This is a '46? Bryan: Yeah.
That one's all original.
Jersey Jon: Yeah. I love that.
Jersey Jon: Not only is this a representation
of the history of Cushman,
but it's a representation of Bill's restoration work.
He restored all these bikes.
This is a representation of Bill's life,
his passion for Cushman.
Bill: This one's a '57 and it's all original.
Rob: All original. Yeah.
Jersey Jon: This is original paint?!
Rob: The paint faded out on it.
Jersey Jon: No way... This is original paint?
Bryan: Yes.
Jersey Jon: I love that. Bryan: Yeah.
Jersey Jon: I love that it's all original.
I mean these are only original once.
Jersey Jon: You don't see them in original paint too much
and Bill's the guy who's restoring all these things.
But that original paint one, Bill hasn't restored it yet
and I don't think he intends on restoring it.
Jersey Jon: That is amazing!
Jersey Jon: That's what appeals to me.
Rob: So, I got to ask.
Bill: Yeah?
Rob: Willy's.
Bill: Yeah, I know.
Rob: You're not a Willy's guy though.
Jersey Jon: That's a rare clock. Bill: Oh yeah.
That's the only one I ever saw.
Rob: Can I make an offer on this?
Bill: Yeah.
Rob: In the world of advertising,
neon clocks are the key.
You know, these hung in the front dealership.
So, I got to try and buy this thing.
Rob: It's got a cracked face. Jersey Jon: Yep.
Rob: That's no big deal. That can be replaced.
Bill: My son-in-law, he wanted that clock.
Bill: But I never let him have it.
Rob: [laughs] Jersey Jon: [laughs] Obviously!
It's a rare clock!
Rob: It's still sitting here!
Bill: He died.
Rob: Oh...
Bill: He wanted that clock so bad.
Bill: Well, he's passed away and he didn't get the clock.
I kept it.
I shouldn't have, but I did.
Rob: Let me throw a number at you.
Rob: When you look at most collections,
you look at guys that have signs,
they have the thermometers,
they have the parts, they have the cars.
The neon clock is like the centerpiece to it all.
Rob: 1800 bucks.
Bill: You just bought it.
Rob: I just bought it?
Okay. Jersey Jon: Perfect.
[rock music]
Ben: If you're into music, I got some more up here for you.
Mike: Man!
Look at that. Hard Day's Night.
Ben: Yep.
Mike: I can't believe that was printed here.
Ben: Yes.
I think you might like this one.
Mike: Oh, the Stones...
That's seriously rock 'n' roll history.
Mike: It's wild to think about the contribution
that his family and this printshop
made to the music industry.
Mike: What do you want for these?
Ben: I really, uh... I have no idea.
Mike: Really?
Want me to take some pictures of these?
Ben: Yeah. Mike: Let me take some pictures.
Ben: I think that's a great idea.
Mike: These are epic posters
that were printed in a time in music
that will never come again.
A time that was so impactful.
Mike: Does the town know the contribution
you guys made to movies and music?
Ben: Yeah, I mean... most people know who we are.
We were Aretha Franklin's very first print job ever.
Ben: When she first came in,
she was just getting started in gospel music.
Ben: She had trouble paying for it and my grandfather said,
"You know what, you have a beautiful voice.
You just pay the bill whenever you can."
And we had a great relationship.
Ben: Through that, she would only work with us.
And she worked with us for decades.
Mike: Whoa! Look at this! This says Nashville on it.
Ben: Yes sir.
Mike: From Nashville With Music, 1969.
Oh my gosh, Wynn Stewart, Bill Anderson, Tammy Wynette.
It's got Merle on it.
Buck Owens, Charley Pride.
Okay, so like, what would you want
if I bought - what do you got, Dolly?
Holy crap.
Ben: Conway Twitty.
Mike: Myrtle Beach Convention Center.
Ben: Yep.
Mike: What are you thinking on those?
Ben: I could probably do 50 per.
Mike: How about $30 apiece,
I'll take 10 of these
and then how about I take 5 of these?
So, 450 for those.
Ben: I can do that. Mike: You can do that?
Ben: Yeah, I can do that.
Mike: Okay. Thank you.
Mike: Wow... Look at all these old typeset cabinets.
So cool!
Look at all that blue paint on there,
and the cast iron poles.
Ben: It's been around much longer than I've been,
but we kept them in great condition.
Mike: Look at that! That's one drawer!
Ben: Yes! Mike: Holy crap!
Mike: If you think about the work that they did
in so many different industries,
these are the blocks that told those stories.
Mike: I just want to crawl in there with them.
Ben: [laughs]
Mike: I mean, these letters are early,
they're ink-stained, the fonts.
I mean there's so much history here.
Mike: So, what are you guys going to do with these?
Are you going to reuse these?
Ben: We will never use them, um, other than for display purposes.
I can part with some.
Mike: How about for two drawers, $2,000.
For the letters, not the drawer.
Ben: [laughs] Um... yeah.
I can do that.
Mike: I'm doing it. Ben: Alright.
Mike: Thank you, Ben.
Ben: Thank you. Mike: I appreciate it.
Thank you so much.
Bryan: Okay, we're gonna go back here in the library area.
Rob: Yeah. Everybody's got to have a library.
Jersey Jon: You've got to have a library.
Bryan: You looked at the sign downstairs.
Rob: Yeah.
Bryan: The one that matches is actually
right around the corner.
Jersey Jon: The Super Chevy? Rob: The 30-inch?
Bryan: The Super Chevy, correct, yeah.
Rob: Oh, wow.
Jersey Jon: Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Rob: Yeah, that's the 30. That's it, right there.
Hardest one to find right here.
Bryan: Yeah.
Rob: Super Chevy was the branded name
for Chevy dealership service.
This meant that you were gonna get
the best service in the industry, hands down.
Super Chevy.
Rob: Bill! Bill: Yeah.
Rob: Look what I found.
Bill: [laughs]
Jersey Jon: That's the one, right?
Rob: That's the one.
He's silent...
Bryan: Yeah. Bill: He already knows.
Rob: I already know it...
[laughs]
Jersey Jon: Yeah, but we got to try!
Rob: If I don't try, I wouldn't be doing my job.
Jersey Jon: It's what we do, man.
That's why we're here.
Rob: Um, the one that's downstairs and this one...
[tense music]
$6,000.
Bill: What'd you say?
Rob: [laughs] Jersey Jon: 6 grand, man. Woo!
Bryan: You've definitely got his attention.
Rob: I got his attention.
Bryan: I didn't think you'd ever get his attention.
Jersey Jon: Look at him.
Bryan: Those Chevy signs have been in the family a long time.
They've been his little babies.
And you know, he's turned down several offers on those signs.
Rob: I know how sentimental this stuff is,
but this was sitting in the back room.
Bill: I know. I've saved it for years.
Rob: They would go back up on a pole.
Jersey Jon: Into a dealership.
Rob: In a dealership, outside, where people can see them.
Rob: My brother bought a Chevy dealership
in Columbia, Tennessee about 5 years ago,
and I saw pictures of it in the 1940s
when it was built with these signs on the building.
Jersey Jon: Mike would love to have them in there.
He's been working on Columbia Motor Alley for like 5 years.
I watched him struggle with this place.
He picked this dealership up.
Man, he's put like a lot of time and money into it
and he's doing it right.
Jersey Jon: Columbia Motor Alley, it's beautiful.
Mike has done over the top restoration
on the whole building.
You know, he put the round windows back in there.
Everything is like perfect down there.
And these signs belong back into that dealership.
Jersey Jon: Come down and visit them whenever you want!
Bryan: Jon told him that he would invite him
down to see them when they actually put them
on the building to, uh, the Tennessee location.
I think that was a really nice gesture.
Bill: Bryan?
Bryan: It's your call. That's your baby right there.
Rob: I'll make it easy.
6500 bucks and we're done.
Bill: Alright.
Jersey Jon: [laughs] Rob: Bill.... Hey.
Jersey Jon: Thanks buddy.
Rob: Thank you. Seriously.
Bill: If I didn't like you, you wouldn't do this, you know.
[laughter]
Jersey Jon: These signs,
they're gonna be a crowning achievement
to put these Super Service signs
back on the wall where they belong.
Rob: Bill. Absolutely incredible day.
Jersey Jon: It's great stuff.
Rob: Incredible, incredible day.
Jersey Jon: We love this thing, man. Got it?
Rob: I got it. I got it. Jersey Jon: Phew!
Mike's gonna love this.
Bryan: Careful, that's an expensive one there.
Rob: Brotherly love, man.
This is what it's all about right here.
Bryan: The biggest part of the day was those signs.
Bryan: Thank you very much. What a great day.
Jersey Jon: What a day!
Bryan: And so, when Jersey talked about
actually inviting us down to see them,
I think that sparked his interest
because he'd really like to see them up on the actual building.
Rob: Those are going to a good home.
I appreciate it.
Jersey Jon: Thanks bud.
Rob: You come down -
hey, you come down and see us in Columbia.
Bill: I will. Rob: Alright.
Bryan: Thanks, guys. Jersey Jon: Yep.
Rob: I say it all the time,
that people need to listen to the older guys.
They tell you the stories of this stuff.
That's what Bill and Bryan did today.
Jersey and I learned something. How cool is that?
Rob: Thanks guys! We'll see you in Columbia!
Bryan: Alright!
[van horn honking]
[jazz music]
[grunting]
[phone rings]
Mike: Mitch!
Mitch (phone): Yeah. Mike: It's the poster guy.
I assume you got the poster pictures
of the rock 'n' roll stuff,
and then we've got some kind of obscure pieces
that, you know, they're a little bit different.
Like, for example, the Cocaine piece.
Have you seen something like that before?
Mitch (phone): I've seen the original normal release
single billing for the Cocaine: The Thrill That Kills
window card, but not the Benton version,
double billing.
Because that one you have is double billed with Racket Girls.
Mike: Okay.
Mitch (phone): It's quite unusual for that reason.
Mike: So, value on the Cocaine piece and the Racket Girls?
Mitch (phone): Well, on that, I mean,
I would put around 200 to 300 on that actually.
It's got that salacious titling, the big block letters.
It's a great visual piece
that any collector would love to have hanging on their wall.
Mike: Okay, cool.
Mitch (phone): The Beatles?
Mike: Yeah, so I've got the Beatles in my hand.
Mitch (phone): That is probably 100 to 200 dollars
would be my estimate, although every now and then
some example of that poster sells 300, 400 dollars.
Mike: Alright, cool.
And then, um, we've got the Gimme Shelter,
the Rolling Stones.
Mitch (phone): That piece is awesome,
but it's not going to be as valuable as the Beatles
because, you know, the Beatles is always on the top.
80 to 120 for that.
Mike: Okay. Ben: Fair enough.
Mike: So, then we've got Boom Town.
The only reason I chose this poster to take a photo of
is because it's got so many stars in it.
It's got Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy...
Mitch (phone): Really, what's hot now
is the sci-fi and horror movies.
I don't want to upset you
but the value on that would be fairly low.
We're talking 20, 30, 40 dollars...
Ben: That's not bad.
Mike: Alright! So, here. The crazy one.
So, we've got Huntsville, Alabama,
it's a gospel program,
but the reason we wanted to both send this to you
is because it has the Siamese twins.
Mitch (phone): Yeah.
When I saw that picture, I was like wow, that thing is awesome.
It's Yvonne and Yvette McCarther.
They were born in 1949.
And apparently, they actually did work in a circus sideshow
when they were kids to help pay for medical bills.
Ben: Oh, wow.
Mitch (phone): But they started singing gospel music
when they were about 6 years old.
And then I think in the late '60s
in through the '70s they were doing gospel tours
and singing with all these popular gospel bands
like all across the U.S.
Mike: Oh my gosh, that's so cool.
Ben: Wow.
Mike: So, what are you thinking on something like this then?
And the edge of it is cut off. Yeah, and it's a large piece.
Mitch (phone): Well, you know,
if I was going to put an estimate on it
for an auction, I would feel like it could do 8 to 12.
Maybe even 1 to 2.
Mike: Really?! Ben: Wow.
Mike: So, the Swanee Quintet poster's bringing more
than the Rolling Stones.
Mitch (phone): I know, it is, yeah.
Mike: [laughs]
Ben: I didn't see that coming today.
[laughs]
Mike: Alright, man, well you've always been awesome.
I appreciate you.
I'm gonna give you this guy's number.
I think you guys could probably do some business together.
Ben: Yes, I think we can. Mitch (phone): Okay, cool.
Mike: Alright, man. Thank you so much.
Mitch (phone): Hey, no problem, Mike. Talk to you later.
Mike: Bye. Mitch (phone): Bye.
Mike: Okay, so I'm interested in the Beatles.
I'm interested in the Stones.
And I still like this one.
I don't know, it just grabs me. I don't know why.
I think it's the fight scenes down here.
"Tracy lands haymaker."
So, what do you say on this one?
20 to 40 bucks?
Ben: 20 is fine.
Mike: Okay. 20 bucks for that. Ben: Yeah, we can do 20 on that.
Mike: Okay, the Beatles.
He said 100 to 200.
So, would you do 100 on that?
Ben: Can I get 150?
Mike: How about 130?
Ben: 130 is great.
Mike: 130.
Ben: Alright. Mike: Okay.
We'll do that.
Mike: Gimme Shelter. What are you thinking?
He said between 80 and 120.
Ben: I'd do 90.
Mike: Alright, I'm doing it. 90.
Ben: Alright. Mike: Alright.
And then on the Cocaine.
Ben: For the record,
this is the first time I've ever sold Cocaine...
Mike: [laughs] Ben: Uh... [laughs]
220?
Mike: Hm... nah, I'm gonna pass.
Ben: I can never sell my Cocaine.
Mike: We can't - can we keep all that...
[laughter]
Producer (off-camera): Sort of?
Mike: I'll tell you what.
This poster right here is exciting to me.
I love the way I found it.
But I'm not a player on this.
I think this is something that you need to get with him on.
Ben: Okay.
Mike: Because he has an auction house.
Ben: Yes.
Mike: Mitch is really saying, "Hey, you know,
I value this at so much money
and maybe at an auction setting even more."
Mike: That's why I was saying I was gonna put you two together
because if he has an auction house
and you've got some of this stuff,
you want to - because you have another one of these.
Remember, there was two of them.
Ben: There were? I didn't realize.
Mike: Yeah, there was two of these!
Ben: Nice! Mike: Yeah! [laughs]
Ben: Okay!
Mike: There was two of them! Ben: You're my hero, man!
Mike: I'm not a player on that one.
Mike: This is gonna take a very specialized buyer.
Mike: So, I'll buy these. Ben: Okay.
Mike: Okay? I'm doing these.
Ben: Alright. Mike: Alright, good luck.
Ben: Alright, man.
Mike: With the Cocaine. Ben: Absolutely.
Ben: To hear one poster is worth $2,000,
I knew I had something,
but I didn't realize I was shortchanging myself.
Mike: Hey. Thanks for sharing your family's history with me.
Mike: I went into this
hoping that there would be a few posters that would be relevant,
but came out completely overwhelmed
with the amount of history that was here.
Mike: It's epic!
Alright, come to Nashville! Ben: Absolutely.
Mike: We'll got honkytonking!
Mike: This is the perfect example
of how so many of our small towns
hold so much of our shared history.
[honk, honk, honk]
Mike: See you! Ben: See you!