Looking for unique memorabilia and precious metals since 1996, Treasure Hunters Roadshow (THR), one of the premier dealers of gold, silver, militaria, guitars and fine arts in the entire world, has trekked all across North America and even Europe. Traveling as part of the THR teams, who host around 100 shows every single week, is an elite group of art professionals who are searching for America’s lost artwork.

In recent times, the “pop art” culture, guided by trendsetter Roy Lichtenstein, has revealed an increase in popularity with collectors although typical landscape pieces by artists such as Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran sustain their high appeal.

At the events the specialists assess all varieties of art, and if established to be authentic and valuable, an offer is made and, if accepted, a check is presented to the seller. With the Treasure Hunters Roadshow Tv show gearing up for another season, these art fans are eager to see what other great paintings they will be able to uncover this time around.

While the height of Roy Lichtenstein’s work came in the 1960s, Treasure Hunters Roadshow professionals have noticed that collectors these days continue scooping up his authentic prints and are inclined to shell out big bucks to finish their collections. Lichtenstein became popular for his works that were inspired by graphic novels and advertisements, revealing a whimsical humor and pop culture satire that appeared to define the pop art movement.

Born into an upper middle-class New York City family, Lichtenstein’s childhood education did not involve any artwork programs. He did, however, paint and design, but primarily just for entertainment. As a child, he would frequent jazz concerts at the Appollo Theatre and sketch portraits of the artists. He went on to earn his Master’s of Fine Arts degree from Ohio State University after a tour of duty through WWII.

Soon after finishing his degree, he joined the abstract expressionism school after dabbling in cubism and expressionism. His first work,“Look Mickey” (1961), came from a challenge by his son who pointed to a comic book of Mickey Mouse and stated, “Hey, dad, bet you can’t paint as good as this.” This very first work was so coveted that every piece was obtained by investors before his exhibit opened at the Castelli gallery in 1962.

Numerous art reviewers, nevertheless, began to criticize Lichtenstein’s inventiveness due to his use of subjects from other types of pop culture. His most recognizable and well-known pieces were replicas of comic book panels, though he had largely abandoned the idea by 1965. Graphic novelist, Art Spiegelman, grew to become frustrated with Lichtenstein stating, “Lichtenstein did no more or less comics than Andy Warhol did for soup.”

Responding to his critics, in the late 1970s Lichtenstein began to use a more bizarre style in his artwork with plastic and metal sculptures and several hundred screen-printed items. In 1996, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. came to own the largest selection of Roy Lichtenstein items, though it is thought that a massive amount of his work continues to be in private collections.

Have some pop art lying around the household but not positive if it is of value? Go to the Treasure Hunters Roadshow activities website to find out when the fine arts specialists will be in your region to evaluate and quite possibly obtain your collection. You never know – what may possibly look like a silly comic book print to you could end up being a Roy Lichtenstein original worth a small fortune!

As one of the premier purchasers of precious metals, musical instruments, militaria and jewelry in the world, Treasure Hunters Roadshow has become accustomed to unearthing an assortment of long-lost treasures and restoring them to their rightful glory within their network of world-wide collectors.

A special group of art authorities will be joining the treasure-hunting crew as they hit the road this week and they will be keeping their eyes peeled for the forgotten works of great American painters, photographers, sculptors and comic artists. The THR associates will continue their quest for these fine art collectibles as Treasure Hunters Roadshow TV gears up for another season.

What continues to be a lasting legacy among collectors is the wish for classic items by masters such as Edward Hopper, Thomas Moran, Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Cole, even with American art encompassing a selection of mediums and spanning a handful of centuries. All of these great artists had been involved with landscape painting but found notoriety and fame in their distinctive styles.

Landscape painting as a genre can be traced back to the Dutch Golden Age of the 16th century, when the Protestant Revolution caused religious artwork to give way to a a lot more secular subject matter. Intricate landscapes had long been a background staple of the portraits commissioned by wealthy European businessmen in Europe. As the Enlightenment lurched forward, the Romantic painters of the 18th and 19th century started to paint landscape images in an effort to counter the scientific view and gave nature a mythical feeling.

Documentation by way of photographs and paintings started to spread in the United States as news of the vast and unspoiled landscapes of the West spread. Some industrial tycoons commissioned them to depict the increasing presence of modern life in the West, while other paintings served as a harsh reminder of the sacrifice of progress.

The works of the Hudson River School artists are of specific interest to the Treasure Hunters Roadshow experts. Thomas Moran’s work was influential in compelling Congress to establish the first national park to maintain the natural splendor for future generations, while Thomas Cole painted his pieces on larger-than-life canvasses to capture the epic magnitude of the wilderness and Albert Bierstadt concentrated his work on the humbling powers of nature.

As painters started to depict gritty scenes of city and urban life at the start of the 19th century, landscape painting faded away. Modern-day landscape painters pulled their influence from European artistic movements, such as abstract expressionism or cubism. Also of interest to THR art authorities are the works of Edward Hopper, an iconic American painter who captured scenes of mundane life through vivid lighting and gentle brushstrokes.

Paintings of street life in the inner city and other consequences of the Industrial Revolution would later gain other American artists global recognition. Documenting the struggle of daily Americans throughout the Great Depression allowed photographers to establish themselves. A slew of American artists, such as Roy Lichtenstein, made a splash on the world stage with their influential styles when the modern art revolution hit.

Possible sellers of the works of these or other great artists can visit the Treasure Hunters Roadshow events website page to locate an event coming to their region for a free evaluation by one of the fine arts gurus.

Treasure Hunters Roadshow (THR) has been traveling the nation in search of precious metals, watches, aged coins, antiques and classic toys since 1996. The business has not long ago expanded their search of treasures into Spain and the United Kingdom. Their world wide hunt for treasures provides THR with a chance to acquire gold, silver and all sorts of collectibles for their international network of potential buyers and collectors.

Rare and unique toys are entertaining to play with and collect. Although primarily a childhood hobby, collecting toys is also popular with grown ups, who get pleasure from reminiscing with toys they used to play with in their early years. As the desire for vintage toys, in particular classic Barbie dolls in excellent condition continues to rise, these traditional toys can bring a wonderful paycheck at a Treasure Hunters Roadshow event. Their buyers have been instructed to give top-dollar for vintage mint-condition Barbie dolls.

The very first Barbie doll was released at the American International Toy Fair in New York on March 9, 1959. Mattel debuted the doll after co-founder Elliot Handler’s wife, Ruth, came up with a design for a new doll for her daughter, Barbara. Though hesitant to launch the doll at first because Mattel did not think young girls desired an grownup-looking toy, Barbie went on to become one of America’s most treasured toys of all time.

Ruth Handler came up with the Barbie doll concept during a family getaway to Europe, where she came across exactly what she envisioned for her daughter – Bild Lilli. Bild Lilli was a doll marketed in Germany in the 1950s. She was inspired by a comic strip, in which she was a really self-empowered woman who, at times, was rather controversial. Barbie, or Barbra Millicent Roberts as her fictitious biography reads, has also had her share of controversies through the decades. Criticized by health gurus and child psychologists for her unrealistic and unachievable body shape, Barbie has undergone many alterations through the decades, but remains a toy icon all over the globe.

Classic Barbie dolls can be valued at hundreds to really serious collectors. First introduced as a series, number one coming in 1959, Barbie actually had inserts in her feet to help her stand on her own. This original Barbie is the only one to include this copper insert and is extremely valuable if in good condition. In the Barbie collection, dolls one through three, and a number of the fourth, were manufactured with a solid torso and solid legs. Every single Barbie manufactured after these has a hollow body.

Classic Barbie dolls still in mint condition, which includes ones that have remained in the box for more than 5 decades, are a toy collector’s dream. The buyers at THR are wanting to buy these rare, collectible items and all vintage toys on behalf of their network of buyers and collectors. A list of objects that the Treasure Hunters Roadshow buyers are looking for can be observed on the company’s web page.

Treasure Hunters Roadshow (THR) is a dealer of classic collectibles and precious metals. Teams of treasure hunters have been hosting thousands of shows a year all across the continent since 1996. A few teams have not long ago expanded across the Atlantic Ocean to the United Kingdom and Spain. THR buys antiques, collectibles, gold, silver, jewelry, classic comic books and sports memorabilia, especially bobbleheads, at events on behalf of their world-wide network of collectors.

Sports memorabilia is enjoyable to the Treasure Hunters Roadshow sports experts as they see a lot of rare and one-of-a-kind objects. Baseball objects are most popular, but the treasure hunters are ready to purchase vintage or uncommon memorabilia from any sport.

One of the favorite objects in the arena of sports memorabilia is the athlete, coach or mascot bobblehead. The bobblehead entered the sports world almost 100 years ago in the 1920s. The New York Knicks launched a bobblehead of a player for their enthusiasts to obtain and collect. The sports bobblehead grew to become a fan favorite in the 1960s. To start off the 1960 baseball season, Major League Baseball produced a collection of papier-mâché bobbleheads for each and every team. These collectibles had every teams’ jersey on them but the numbers and the faces were all the same.

Bobbleheads with certain players’ names were introduced for the New York Yankees in the World Series in 1960. The four players, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Roger Maris and Roberto Clemente, each had their individual number on the bobblehead, but the heads remained the same. Because of the fragility of the product, a lot of of these papier-mâché bobbleheads did not last very long.

As bobblehead popularity continued to expand, suppliers started to use ceramic rather than papier-mâché so that they would not chip or crack as easily. Baseball teams went on to release bobbleheads of their star players for fans to purchase and quite a few of the other major sports, including basketball and football, followed. Teams loved the idea of selling more souvenirs and followers loved to have comical collectible items from their preferred team that they could display at work or in their car.

Bobbleheads grew to become really popular in late 1990s since companies decided to start creating them out of plastic, which made the bobbleheads far more affordable. As the decade ended, major league sports teams realized that not as many fans had been purchasing the bobbleheads, so they resolved to give them away as a promotional product. The San Francisco Giants were the initial team to do this in 1999. They handed out 35,000 Willie Mays bobbleheads to fans at a game. This fad caught on and teams started producing bobbleheads for their players, mascots and even coaches.

The sports memorabilia experts at THR stress that condition is quite essential when buying and selling any type of collectible product, and this is accurate with bobbleheads as well. The vintage ceramic and papier-mâché bobbleheads are going to be far more valuable if they are in very good condition. Plastic bobbleheads are more recent and mass produced, so they are not as valuable as the others. Even so, the uncommon ones can still deliver a very good paycheck.

All aged, scarce and uncommon sports memorabilia can be brought to the experts at Treasure Hunters Roadshow for a cost-free evaluation and possibly even an offer to purchase.

The industry experts at Treasure Hunters Roadshow see an extensive range of precious metals in the course of their adventures around the globe. While gold and silver may well be worth good money, there are a few other precious metal heavy hitters which the THR industry experts want the public to know a lot more about: platinum, palladium and rhodium.

Platinum has been known as the “choice precious metal of the stars” because of its hefty cost. Its price is double that of 18kt white gold of the same weight. It is generally used in men’s and women’s wedding rings as well as women’s engagement rings. The steep price keeps it from becoming utilized in a wider array of jewelry, the exception being the bling of the rich and famous. Platinum is a white metal that, in contrast to gold, is used in jewelry in an nearly pure form (close to 95%). Its capacity to retain its luster over time enables it to forgo the rhodium plating that other metals like white gold must go through. And Treasure Hunters Roadshow specialists really like jewelry with shine.

Palladium is another metal that strays from the spotlight. This precious metal is similar to white gold in pricing but carries the long-lasting beauty of platinum. At one-third the price tag of platinum, palladium is produced with the same purity level (close to 95%) and keeps its shiny white coloring for a life time. Since it is a naturally white precious metal, there is no need for palladium jewelry to be rhodium-plated.

So what is this rhodium?

Rhodium is not found in its pure form. Instead, it must be derived from platinum or nickel ores. About 20 tons of rhodium are produced a year, 80% of which is sourced from South Africa. The price of rhodium is about 50% more than gold by weight. Its principal use is as a strengthening agent against tarnish, particularly for jewelry created from white gold. When electroplated onto other precious metals, a coat of rhodium delivers a reflective white surface known in the business as “rhodium flashing.”

Its high melting point, poor malleability and high price make rhodium a weak option from which to generate whole items of jewelry; it is best utilized as an addition to other metals. The clinical field is a big buyer of rhodium-plated products, such as filters for mammography devices and optical instruments.

The pricey metal is also employed in commemorating special honors. In 1979, Paul McCartney was awarded a rhodium-plated disc by the Guinness Book of World Records for being the highest-selling songwriter and recording artist of all time.

Though platinum, palladium and rhodium may not be sitting about the home, the THR industry experts think that knowledge is power and understanding more about precious metals keeps buyers and sellers on an even surface, keeping the world of jewelry purchasing enjoyable and exciting. THR is constantly on the hunt for new jewelry of all sorts throughout their weekly trips across the U.S., Canada and Europe and they pay on the spot for any items they purchase. Check out the Treasure Hunters Roadshow web site for additional information and a total listing of upcoming cities.

Treasure Hunters Roadshow (THR) is one of the leading buyers of precious metals, comic books, toys and other antiques. Since 1996, teams of treasure hunters have traveled to more than 1,000 cities in the United States, Canada and Europe, in search of some of the most special and rarest treasures.

Although THR is a buyer of all antiques, a special group of treasure hunters is committed to finding sports’ greatest collectibles. Though signed autographs, equipment and cards are all well-known products, sellers are encouraged to bring their distinctive or one-of-a-kind game-worn jerseys to the THR events.

If the sports industry experts at Treasure Hunters Roadshow, a lot of of whom are sports enthusiasts with considerable collections themselves, deem that the jerseys are authentic and valuable, and are of interest to their global network of potential buyers, they will make an offer to purchase the item on the spot.

While football, basketball and baseball jerseys continue to be popular in the United States, there is a huge global marketplace for soccer jerseys from around the globe. As the popularity of soccer has continued to climb internationally, so has the interest in jerseys worn and signed by its greatest stars.

Soccer (or football, as it is known in the vast majority of the world) got its humble beginnings in the English countryside in the mid-19th century. While the first recorded soccer match took place in 1860, it was far from the neat and rigid game we know these days. Most notably, teams had no regular uniforms. Alternatively, they typically wore bulky knickerbockers and inconvenient colored sashes to distinguish teams.

To reduce the confusion, teams in the 1870s started to ask their players to have on similar colors. However, there were no policies governing that a team needed to use the same color for every game, nor a way of distinguishing players from one another.

As the game began to grow throughout the world at the turn of the 20th century, so did the list of policies governing it. Quite a few teams started to adopt a single color or style, most of them primarily based on the styles of clubs that had taken shape in England.

Following WWII, many teams began using much less complicated uniforms because of to financial restrictions. These resembled the modern day v-neck shirts made of natural fibers. In order to improve revenue for their club, Real Madrid became the first team to design and market a replica jersey sold to fans beginning in the 1970s.

Seeing the success of these replica jerseys, other teams started to design more complicated jerseys for both their players and to sell to fans. Manchester United made international headlines in 1996 when their coach, at halftime of a game, declared that his team was losing because of the gray-colored jerseys they were wearing (which had been purposely chosen to be worn with jeans) due to the fact the players could not see each other on the field.

Jerseys continued to climb in popularity as fans eagerly scooped them up in order to show their team loyalties. Today, followers continue to shell out big bucks for athletes’ jerseys, specifically those worn in games. Not too long ago, a World Cup-worn jersey sold at auction for over $800.

Many of these authentic jerseys continue to make their way to THR events, where sellers are eager to cash in on their most valuable sports items. A listing of upcoming Treasure Hunters Roadshow events can be found on the company’s internet site.

The jewelry specialists at Treasure Hunters Roadshow can in no way get enough of that shiny stuff. When not offering the very best purchase prices feasible at their shows, the specialists are admiring other collections of valuable metals and jewels. And where better to find the most high-priced and flawless pieces of jewelry than mainstream celebrities?

When it comes to high-priced jewelry, R&B singer Beyoncé is at the top of the list. Her wedding ring from hubby Jay-Z is valued at more than $5 million. Produced by the renowned celebrity jeweler Lorraine Schwartz, Beyoncé’s ring contains an 18k flawless diamond. Other purchasers of Schwartz include Jennifer Lopez, Barbara Streisand and Heidi Klum. Kim Kardashian is also among the list of stars sporting jewelry by Schwartz. Her 20.5-carat ring carries a value of $2 million and has attracted significant attention by celebrity media resources.

Actor Tom Cruise also has a spot near the top of the list for celebrity jewelry. The 5-carat engagement ring he bought for Katie Holmes set him back a cool $1.5 million. Cruise said he bought it immediately after his very first date with Holmes. The Treasure Hunters Roadshow industry experts ask, “When you’ve obtained that much cash, why not?”

Though movie stars and singers may go big on their jewelry purchases, no other group of celebrities outshines rappers in their public exhibit of bling. With collections of gold and jewels amassed about their necks, it is a wonder some rappers have not popularized back braces. Lil John is a fantastic illustration of this showmanship through hordes of jewelry. Along with his ever-modifying collection of necklaces, rings, bracelets and diamond-encrusted chalices, he is also known to sport substantial pendants. His “Crunk Ain’t Dead” pendant got him in the “Guinness Book of World Records” for owning the largest diamond pendant ever before built. The $500,000 piece stands seven and a half inches tall and weighs in at a hefty 12 pounds. It has 3,756 round-cut white diamonds totaling 73 carats, all rooted in 18k yellow and white gold. How’s that for staying shiny?

While the THR experts really like the sight of a multi-million dollar necklace, their real enthusiasm lies in smaller items. The company is always treasure hunting for all forms of precious metals and jewels, large or little, as well as antiques, fine art and collectibles on behalf of their worldwide network of buyers.

Items are purchased on the spot at the THR events, which are held throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe each and every week. A total listing of events can be found on the Treasure Hunters Roadshow site.

The comic book experts at Treasure Hunters Roadshow (THR) frequently run across a wide assortment of superheroes. But none catches their eyes more than Superman. With his signature red cape and “S” logo splayed proudly across his chest, he is one of the most recognizable superheroes ever created, let alone a globally-renowned American pop culture icon. But from where did the Man of Steel’s creators draw their inspiration?

Before Superman was born, his creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, were hammering out the mold from which he would gradually be produced . In 1933, they published a short story called “The Reign of the Super -Man,” which featured a telepathic villain determined to dominate the world. Later on that year, Siegel rewrote the character as a hero, stripping away nearly all of his previous traits, including a bald head. The hero was given a full head of hair, one of numerous features Siegel derived from the well-known movie actor, director, producer and screenwriter, Douglas Fairbanks Sr. Known best for his roles in the silent movies “The Mark of Zorro” and “Robin Hood,” Fairbanks had a certain quality of strength and morality Siegel found extremely favorable for a superhero. For Superman’s alter ego, Clark Kent, Siegel looked to the infamous movie actor Harold Lloyd. His soft, unsuspecting demeanor was ideal for the gentle-mannered Daily Planet reporter. (Treasure Hunters Roadshow trivia bonus: the Daily Planet newspaper where Clark worked was originally named Daily Star.) Clark Kent’s name was derived from actors Clark Gable and Kent Taylor.

For the duration of the early years, Superman took an aggressive approach to fighting scrappy villains. He would throw bad guys about with superhuman strength, showing little concern for the consequences. In late 1940, editor Whitney Ellsworth created a code of conduct for Superman to stick to. One element of the code stated that Superman was to by no means kill a human being, which had a great impact on the violent, animalistic nature of his original nature. Adjustments were made, and the new Man of Tomorrow took on a much more controlled, Herculean method to crime fighting, which included his old destructive fashion of combat.

Even kryptonite cannot keep the THR professionals away from their beloved vintage Superman comics, which are extremely desired by collectors around the planet. THR would like to purchase old ten- and twelve-cent comic books, valuable metals, antiques and collectibles on behalf of their worldwide network of buyers.

Items are purchased on the spot at the THR events, which are held throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe every week. A full listing of events can be found on the Treasure Hunters Roadshow website.