Treasure from the Trash Heap

News that a famous Galileo manuscript at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor was revealed to be a fake raises questions about a similar letter that appeared on GBH’s Antiques Roadshow in 2014. Did the show get it wrong? And how can a fake be so convincing it fools multiple experts? Host Adam Monahan, joined by forgery-sniffing historian Nick Wilding, dig into a world of deception to uncover if the producers are in for a letdown.

In 1999 a box of artifacts from the sinking of the Titanic made its way to GBH’s Antiques Roadshow, including blurry photos of the eerie ice-filled wreck site, a handwritten diary, and -- a biscuit. But how could something so simple and fragile have survived the ship’s sinking? And could the biscuit and other items from the famed shipwreck find a place in today’s collector’s market? Join host Adam Monahan as he dives deep into the story of one tragic night, a honeymooning couple’s tale of survival, and the ship that continues to capture the attention of people more than a century later.

A World War II Navy helmet brought to GBH’s Antiques Roadshow, and used for years as a decorative planter, was revealed to be that of the US Naval officer in charge at Utah Beach during the allied landing in Normandy. Appraiser Jeff Shrader carefully inspected the helmet. What did his analysis along with an archived diary and other accounts from museum experts in two countries reveal about the full heroic story of this U.S. Naval Officer? Join host Adam Monahan as he discovers and memorializes the military life of the helmet’s original owner.

Is it true that one person’s junk could actually be a treasure? If you’re an ANTIQUES ROADSHOW fan you might know our Junk in the Trunk specials – loving tributes to the left-over appraisals from the cities we visit each year. But what happened when an odd-looking pen was discovered during ROADSHOW’s 2023 visit to Akron, OH? Join host Adam Monahan as he picks through the junkpile of history to rediscover a forgotten invention by Thomas Edison and rescued an appraisal from the cutting room floor to fulfill the TV dreams of the guest who owns it.

For an appraiser, keeping a keen eye out for forgeries is part of the job. But just how complicated can that task become and to what lengths will forgers go to pass their work off as authentic? Join host Adam Monahan as he explores the story of famed 20th century Louisiana folk artist Clementine Hunter, a prolific painter whose work regularly appears at ANTIQUES ROADSHOW events, and uncovers how an astute student of her work noticed oddities in the marketplace which led to the FBI cracking the biggest Hunter forgery case ever!

Are you in danger of being poisoned by an antique book? The Victorian era ushered in new bright vivid dye formulas that produced brilliant yellows, reds, blues, purples, and greens. Although an antidote to the pervasive soot and grime of the day, these new dyes were laced with poisonous heavy metals – the worst being Emerald Green containing arsenic. Join host Adam Monahan who questions if over 29 seasons of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW a poisonous book has ever come before the hit series’ cameras? Follow the search through the show’s appraisal archive, the discovery of a curiously bright green book filmed in Hartford, CT in 2008, and a visit to The Poison Book Project for the shocking answer.

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW DETOURS kicks off Season 6 with a TV fact checker’s worst nightmare - an error pointed out by a keen ROADSHOW viewer. When the date of a painting depicting a quintessential Chicago scene of the activity on Michigan Avenue is called into question, host Adam Monahan begins a hunt for the truth and sets off a cascade of coincidences and corrections. What follows is a captivating journey of twists and turns, building to a thrilling auction finale…but are the mysteries of the painting ever solved?

Ever wondered what happens to the treasures featured on America’s beloved ANTIQUES ROADSHOW after the cameras leave town? A new season of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW DETOURS tracks down the juicy afterlives of your favorite finds from PBS’s hit series. Hosted by longtime ROADSHOW producer Adam Monahan, this podcast dives deep into mysteries, secrets, and surprises as each episode takes a thrilling “detour” into a single ROADSHOW object, astonishing and amusing listeners with every turn. From GBH and PRX.

When GBH’s Antiques Roadshow visited Sacramento, CA in 2019 a red-covered two-volume book set was brought to the show by a guest eager to learn about a selection from her grandfather’s book collection. “The Narrative of a Japanese” by Joseph Heco was recognized immediately by appraiser Martin Gammon for its historical importance, but how would this 1895 publication make a modern-day connection 150 years later? Join host Adam Monahan as he examines how an email received by the series after the episode aired led to an incredible connection between the book’s owner and a TV viewer who recognized something in the appraisal missed by both the guest and the expert!

The mob once controlled America's gambling empire. Until the government saw the money flowing and decided: they wanted a piece of the action. What happened next was more than a turf war. It was a battle between street corner bookies and bureaucrats in suits. And at the center of it all: one state lottery that would change gambling forever by inventing something we all know: the scratch ticket. Introducing “Scratch & Win” – the true story of how the government got into the gambling business. The new 8-part series is made by the Peabody Award-winning team behind “The Big Dig” and produced by GBH News.This is Part 1: The Instant Ticket. It’s 1974, illegal bookies are everywhere and the brand new state lottery is struggling to compete. But a simple piece of paper is about to change the game forever: the nation’s first scratch ticket. New episodes drop every Wednesday. ---------------------------Credits:Host and scriptwriter: Ian CossExecutive Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsProducers: Isabel Hibbard and Ian CossStory Editor: Lacy RobertsEditorial Advisor: Jen McKimFact Checkers: Ryan Alderman and Isabel HibbardScoring and Music Supervision: Ian CossGraphic Design: Bill MillerProject Manager: Meiqian He