The One Thing American Pickers' Danielle Colby Never Does While Antique Hunting
One of the more intriguing professions depicted on reality television is the picking exemplified on "American Pickers." Since 2010, Mike Wolfe has traveled around the country hunting down leads for people who may have valuables tucked away in garages or sheds. Wolfe had Frank Fritz as a partner for years, but he was ultimately fired from the series. While Fritz may be gone, Wolfe still has one person in his corner helping him out to ensure his business remains as viable as ever — Danielle Colby.
On the show, she can often be found at Wolfe's store, Antique Archaeology. But she's not simply holding down the fort. She's on the phone and searching up addresses online to tell Wolfe and whoever his co-host might be where they may be able to find the next big score. The same way Wolfe has his fair share of experience in the field, Colby has learned a thing or two as well that the common person may not be aware of, including the places where she knows not to look for items.
Danielle Colby doesn't check eBay or Craigslist
If you're an antique hunter, the internet must seem like a godsend. Sites like eBay and Craigslist have a ton of people on them trying to sell their old junk. However, and somewhat surprisingly, they aren't of any interest to Colby. During a chat with FamousInterview.com, Colby was asked whether she goes on eBay to see if there's ever anything worth buying. She responded, "No. I don't bother with eBay or Craigslist."
Instead, the actual process Colby uses to find leads for Wolfe to visit personally seems far more in-depth. She couldn't go into many details because she didn't want to give away secrets of the trade, but she did say, "It's just a matter of searching. Starting out, you do have to be very crafty. You have to really search and be able to charm people and get them to trust you that you're not some shady person who's going to break into their house."
It sounds like anyone wanting to get into picking themselves will have to learn as they go. One good tip is that sites like eBay and Craigslist apparently aren't the treasure troves one would automatically assume.