Antiques Roadshow Detours

In the early 1800s securing a letter with a hot wax seal was akin to sending an encrypted email today – it protected the contents from prying eyes and created a mysterious and important air around the sender. So when the purported personal seal of President James Madison was discovered at ANTIQUES ROADSHOW in 2016 and aired on national TV, the previously unknown relic created a stir in the Madison research community. Join host Adam Monahan as he unseals history around the man known as the “Father of the Constitution,” his mentorship of a young politician from whom he asks a peculiar favor, and uncovers the written revelation that a second Madison seal with a soaring value is still missing and yet to be discovered!

Known to ANTIQUES ROADSHOW fans for her expertise in Tiffany Studios glass, Arlie Sulka is also known to ROADSHOW appraisers and crew as “The Black Widow” for her killer instincts during friendly yet competitive post-production poker games. But will gambler’s luck hold when she bets big on the purchase of 52 rare Tiffany mosaics, previously discovered in 2024 at ROADSHOW in Las Vegas? Join host Adam Monahan as he shuffles through the history of a once glamorous Detroit building that had fallen into ruin, how the rare relics were rescued, and whether Arlie will cash in big or be left holding a weak hand!

When a shocking and dramatic illustration depicting a fist-clenched cowboy punching a woman in the face appeared at ROADSHOW in 2014, the artwork created a controversy around whether to film such a startling image. Originally created as a 1938 magazine cover, this provocative, boundary-pushing genre known as pulp is now hotter than ever on the market. Join host Adam Monahan as he fights to answer the question of why such an image was created, learns the intriguing story of the creator whose legacy is largely forgotten, and uncovers the true intent behind the canvas.

In the summer of 1975 one cinematic masterpiece took a giant bite at the box office. The classic tale that drove people screaming from the water, Jaws became the first summer blockbuster and lives on in the minds of movie goers today.  As the film celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025, a wave of movie treasures hit the auction block, including a rare, shark-toothed clapperboard discovered on ANTIQUES ROADSHOW in 2021 and at the time appraised for a whopping $25,000 to $35,000. Join host Adam Monahan as he dips his toes back into the auction pool to find out if the clapperboard would have financial teeth at auction, or if the imagined “ROADSHOW jinx” would claim another victim!

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.