Ralph Lauren’s Creative Director includes America’s favorite picker in her new book about collecting treasures
Mary Randolph Carter has worked alongside Ralph Lauren for the past 30 years, season after season helping create the perfect backdrops for his iconic designs. Her personal passion is the pursuit of vintage Americana, or as she puts it, “junk,” and she’s spent her fair share of time on the Two Lane back roads digging into the flea markets of small-town America for her next favorite find.
Carter has written seven books on her brand of picking, earning “best-selling author” accolades as well as making a name for herself in the thrifting community. Her new book, The Joy of Junk, draws on her years of experience as a passionate flea market hunter and collector. Highlighting her favorite junking haunts, she also shares valuable tips for finding treasures wherever you may be hunting. Her beautifully photographed book showcases fifteen passionate collectors, including her friendMike Wolfe.
Mike invited Carter to his home in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee for a rare glimpse inside his man cave — a museum of antique bikes, memorabilia, and rusty gold — for inspiration about picking and preserving America’s stories.
“From when I first began thinking about The Joy of Junk, I knew I wanted Mike Wolfe and his collections to be part of it,” explains Carter. “I was looking for things to showcase in the book that I don’t collect and know nothing about — bikes, motorcycles and all that cycle paraphernalia that’s Mike’s special passion. Everyone, including myself, who watches his show, knows the man not only has an incredible eye, but also a feel for people and their stories.”
The two sat down outside his garage for several hours as she listened to Mike spin the stories about where picking has taken him.
“The first bicycle I ever owned I pulled out of the neighbor’s trash in LeClaire, Iowa,” explains Mike. “After knocking on the person’s door for permission to take it, I finally had my two wheels of freedom. I couldn’t believe someone would discard something like that because to me it was priceless. I began rooting around in junkyards and alleys seeing what else I could find. For a curious kid like me, it was a real-life treasure hunt. Picking isn’t just about the piece. It’s about the journey, and most of all, the stories.”
The book also includes a helpful “Junkers’ Guide” to some of the best places to hunt throughout the country, including both the Nashville and the LeClaire Antique Archaeology stores.
Carter’s message in this and all her books is that even the wackiest thing might bring you joy, and if it does, feel free to fall in love. “It’s not about how much something is worth. If it’s worth something to you, therein lies the value. It’s all about the worth of the worthless.”
Order your copy of The Joy of Junk HERE
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The Joy of Junk By Mary Randolph Carter
Images by Carter Berg and Rizzoli New York
ISBN: 978-0-8478-6210-8 / Rizzoli New York / Release date: October 2018
Inspired by the old, rusty signs Mike picks out on the road for American Pickers–our new embossed metal sign is just what your garage or man cave is missing! Featuring our famous rooster logo, locations, & “Home of the Pickers.” SHOP NOW
Mike, you rock! We can’t get enough of your show, such amazing stories and history! We love you !
why i can not get a simple reply from you? why everything is so complicatig? you have to relate also to just someone who is not necceseraly has a motorbice
yours faithfully moulik
Need to get this book to read! Would love for her to come to my house also! Getting older, need to let go of many things! I’ve enjoyed them & now want others to enjoy! Collecting many different things that she might want for
Ralph Lauren shoots! Let me know, welcome to come to my home in Ga! Enjoy American Pickers & hope to visit your store in Nashville! Have music memorabilia starting from Woodstock 1969! Have backstage pass & some autographs! Enjoy getting your messages you send!
Mike Wolf,
I just cannot get enough of your show! If it were on everyday I would make special arrangements to watch it everyday!
Thank You Mike, for doing what u do…..I only wish you would make Albuquerque, NM a part of your show’s travel’s. ? As I am originally from the Chicagoland area, and now live in Albuquerque, living here is like living in a time warp!
I have been building a house ,3 story with so much repurposed materials, huge 1920 fireplace, 1940 bakery table 5 by 8 with 3 copper fire extinguisher with Edison bulbs , wires through 3/8 cooper tubing to a Beverly Hills lunch box as junction box. 3rd floor is a theatre with 12 seats from a old theatre from 1952. Whole house I did with mahogany I found a did whole house in a craftsman style. Doorbell is from church organ that hangs on the wall and 4 hidden doors, I could go on but wanted to say thanks for the inspiration go be different ! Cheers
Hi Mike, Frank, Danielle and Rob. We love watching American Pickers. Thankyou for a great show. Two of your Australian fans.
Disappointed in your store $15 for a beer cozy come on man
We don’t sell a $15 beer koozie. Someone else?
Hey Mike, how about Franchising Antique Archaeology & letting me open a store in Baton Rouge, LA? I love “junk-huntin'” just as much as you, Frank, Danielle, & Robbie do, so I could get my daughter or someone else to mind the store while I go out huntin’ for treasures. You would get a percentage of all sales & whatever it takes to start the franchise. I’ll admit that I don’t have any experience with how franchises typically work, other than I pay you to use the name & lease a building that meets your criteria in the agreement. If you would like to explore that, I’d volunteer to be the “guinea-pig” to try it out. You could have it set up to where it must meet all the criteria you set up for a location & how it must look, etc. Louisiana would be a great place to have a location for several reasons. There are plenty of old barns, buildings, withering small towns that were once booming until the Interstate Systems were built, good, down to earth folks who would support the business, tax breaks for new businesses, etc. Plus, Baton Rouge is nicknamed “Hollywood South” due to the film & television industry that is thriving now, due to the state incentives & tax breaks offered. Think about it & text or call me at 225-588-5454 Cell anytime you want. Even if you want me to overnight you a sack of crawfish to boil up & have a party, call me & I’ll make it happen.
Robert Aymond
HA! Glad to know you are ready! Should the opportunity ever happen the job is yours.
Completely I share your opinion. I like this idea, I completely with you agree.
I enjoy watching your program but wish you offered Items you have picked for sale. I have visited your Nashville store a few times. But even there very few items picked are offered for sale. Most every thing in the store that is for sale is your brand and logo.
Mike/Frank/DanniD
Love the show, you guys have my dream job. And I’m a fighter pilot so my standards are high. I’m a buyer of aviation related artifacts, contact me if you have a good piece in inventory. Cheers, Ben
Why dont you sell the stuff you pick on tv. Dont understand. Where do you do with it. Dont you pick it to sale. Dont understand.
Good question Robert. Picks sell quickly so trying to keep an updated online database is tough. For that reason, all picks are sold in the store on a first come first serve basis. Every two weeks we get fresh inventory so come see!
I would like to to be notified the day before you plan to put your so called new stuff in the store…. It is a 14 hour drive for me to Tenn. But I am willing to prove a point to the American people that its just a T V show….
Fresh picks arrive about every two weeks between filming which start up again in February. Everyone is welcome to come visit and pick on a first come first serve basis. We’ll be happy to answer all your curiosities about the show. Please email nashville@antiquearchaeology.com. Thank you
Hi Mike and gang,
Just to let you know your program is watched by me every weekday if I’m not working…in England!
Amusing and educational…to see what you guys value stuff in the US compared to here. For instance, the old door from Dan Haggerty would have gone for more like £10000.00 over here.
Maybe you should open a branch here!
Sweet picking!
Val
Val! Come see us (and the picks) soon! Cheers
Why isn’t the things they buy at the store? It flies off the shelf? A very exspensive door, piece of fence, or a $4,000 weathervane flies off the shelf ? Pawn stars; ever see the stuff they buy when you go there? It’s all about television people.
It flies — you are correct! While fresh picks arrive every two weeks they are only available on a first come first serve basis in store. Hope this helps!
If they are just going to keep showing best of shows on American Pickers, why are they continuing the show?
new episodes return this month! sit tight
Hola hello Mike Danielle Frank we watch your tv show from Ponce Puerto Rico and always we place a bet in the prices! But I love the Schwinn cycle truck I collect them and always love to see the bikes and cars in your show! Gracias
Hello American Pickers,
We love watching Mike and his friends on tv from NC. Keep up the great work! Hope to run in y’all one day. Stay safe pick’in! 😎
Hi Mike, Frank, Daniel & the rest of the gang! Just a quick message from Bonnie Scotland to let you know how much my family enjoys your wonderful show. Hoping to visit the store soon.
Keep up the great work!
Hello Scotland! Hope to see you at the shop soon.
Hi Mike,
I am an 83 year old fan who just loves watching all your shows (at least once). I tape many of your shows when I am not at home. I just love all those who appear on your show, especially Danielle. She is a peach.
Love your show and just watched the one where you bought an old “high bike” from a guy with a bowler hat and monocle. It wasn’t mentioned but, in case you were not aware, these high bikes were known as Penny Farthings in England. This is because the old penny was a really large coin (front wheel) and the farthing was a tiny coin (back wheel) worth one quarter of a penny.
Regards, Gerald.
rusty rocks – i luv that your show has given me so much learning and so much joy – watch reruns of reruns of reruns of reruns.
not too many 78 yr old women have photos of cars on the wall next to an antique/vintage handmade rag doll collection next to
a little classic + car collection next to a rusty smalls collection! that’s me. luv the bikes too but hope you’ll give us more of the
other quirky/quaint stuff, especially art and maker stuff, that you have such a good eye for. and don’t leave any old rag/cloth dolls behind cause they need rescued and reloved too.