Discovery Press Web United States

• Print

(Silver Spring, MD)-"Buy low and sell high" is any successful businessman's mantra, but for antique dealers, the thrill of the hunt and the art of finding gold need to be in the blood. Enter Jerry and Jeremiah Pasternak - a loving, bickering, father and son duo who buys, sells and trades antiques and vintage gems. The two are modern day treasure hunters, sifting through dusty antique stores, neglected garages and old storage barns in the pursuit of cool kitsch. They specialize in "mantiques" (aka manly antiques) -- from a 1950s jukebox to classic cars, and old-fashioned barber chairs to signature Eames furniture, nothing seems to be off limits for these lords of loot. Family dynamics, the search for hidden treasures and an unusual form of professional hoarding combine in Planet Green's new six-part series BORN DEALERS, making its US television debut on Saturday, November 5 from 10-11 PM (e/p).

"Americana and classic collections come to life in BORN DEALERS, proving that you should always take a second look at the 'junk' your family has held onto for generations," said Marc Etkind, SVP of content strategy for Planet Green. "Each episode captures the art of negotiation while providing viewers with historical knowledge and pop culture takeaway that makes this series a perfect fit for the network's always curious audience." 

Some think that father Jerry Pasternak's lifetime trade of buying and selling memorabilia might just border on an obsession... after all, who needs nine vintage jukeboxes or a 15-foot plane propeller?  But to Jerry, these are pieces of Americana just too good to pass up. And given the right buyer, he'll sell them to good homes or other collectors for a pretty penny. Son Jeremiah, on the other hand, approaches the profession with a more contemporary flare. After receiving a master's degree in art history from Scotland's prestigious University of St. Andrews, Jeremiah is on the hunt for more modern pieces - mid-century modern, to be exact - and he has the connections with New York designers to make his "product" move into swanky lofts and downtown apartments. Helping the duo through it all is Nadeen Lightbody, part assistant, part Pasternak referee. An antique novice trying to learn the tricks of the trade from these career collectors, Nadeen is often caught between the two and their differing business models and styles.

Despite their clashing tastes, these sultans of swap share the same mission: to score the best deal possible and then flip those sales into profit for their store, Antique & Unique, located in Rockland, ME. It's an unusual business model: the family spends their winters in Florida collecting the very best inventory where merchandise is plentiful and buyers are scarce, then drive their collection up to their Maine warehouse where they sell as much as possible during the sizzling summer season. The trio rounds out their eclectic merchandise with amazing finds discovered throughout New England, including the "Olympics of antiquing," Brimfield in Massachusetts. But whether they're working with sellers looking for quick cash or buyers in search of a must-have coveted item, the art of negotiation is always at the heart of the deal.

Here is a preview of what's coming in the collectors' corner this season on BORN DEALERS:

• Big Changes in Store: Premieres Saturday, November 5 at 10 PM Jeremiah's plans to grow the family business are tested when he opens a temporary Florida store against his father's advice. Their new assistant Nadeen hopes to prove herself in the process, helping him exceed his $5,000 target.
• On the Road Again: Premieres Saturday, November 12 at 10 PM Jerry's patience is tested when Jeremiah insists on chasing down the history of a car that may (or may not) be the vehicle that inspired the 1964 original Batmobile. After solving the mystery, they begin their road trip back north to Maine, scoring some amazing deals on the east coast along the way.
• Buy Big or Go Home: Premieres Saturday, November 19 at 10 PM Jerry, Jeremiah and Nadeen are setting up for the summer in Maine at the Pasternak's "warehouse of wonders" - that is already overflowing with items to sell. But for Jerry, there's no resisting the widest domestic sedan ever made or a 20 foot stained glass lobster window he's had his eye on for six years.
• Brimfield Antique Show - Nadeen Gets Schooled: Premieres Saturday, November 26 at 10 PM The trio set up a tent at the annual Brimfield Antique Fair in Massachusetts. As the biggest fair in New England for antique buyers and sellers, it poses the perfect place for a beginner like Nadeen to get her feet wet. But when Jeremiah questions her dedication, tempers flare.
• Boston or Bust: Premieres Saturday, December 3 at 10 PM Jerry is on a mission to clear out the warehouse and mandates a "selling only" policy, but Jeremiah can't resist two dozen free drafting tables in Boston. Can he sell them on the way back home or will he face Jerry's wrath?
• It Pays to Wait: Premieres Saturday, December 10 at 10 PM Nadeen and Jeremiah talk Jerry into a road trip. The carrot? They'll be visiting dealer friends whose stuff Jerry has been coveting for years.

BORN DEALERS is produced for Planet Green by Proper Television. For Proper, Guy O'Sullivan and Cathie James are executive producers. For Planet Green, Fay Yu is executive producer, Marc Etkind is SVP of content strategy and Henry Schleiff is president and general manager.