At every annual filming of a new season of Chesapeake Collectibles, we here at Maryland Public Television get reminded of both the joys and challenges of owning and caring for nostalgic or personally prized memorabilia.
And in October, when the segments for next year’s 13th season of the show were compiled, we definitely heard it all.
We absorbed the story of the couple whose unusual sports item has two adult sons squabbling over who will inherit it.
We were tickled by the tale of a man with a 1960s bicycle that a friend asked him to store for him, um, “temporarily” 30 years ago.
We loved the details of what a woman DIDN’T bring — not even one of almost 200 figurines of a certain animal, well-displayed at her home in a dedicated cabinet for them.
How resonant are those issues? The mainstream press has headlined trends about children NOT wanting their parents’ “stuff,” but where are the stories about successfully mediating the transfer of a one-of-a-kind sentimental collectible? And would you even still be in contact with someone who said “hold on to this for me” three decades ago? We’re pretty sure of this: Some of you feel very inadequate about YOUR 200-piece collection that’s completely disorganized and never displayed.
There was more. The woman calling an ex-husband from the MPT studio to try to get answers to the appraiser’s questions about an exotic item. The wide-eyed reaction – WIDE! – of an appraiser hearing about a $10,000 rug still on a floor in daily use. The man who said he was almost overcome by sadness learning that his heirloom was “mourning” jewelry.
"The excitement of our guests, and the enthusiasm of our appraisers, is infectious,” says series executive producer Patrick Keegan. “I found myself in deep conversations about the patterns woven into Imperial German tapestries, the history of the personal computer, and fine china painted with Soviet propaganda. Every item we see comes with a story, and I look forward to sharing those with our viewers."
With scores of new stories recorded, it will take the production team months to edit, refine, and package content for the 13 episodes that will comprise Chesapeake Collectibles’ 13th season in 2026.
If there’s one thing you can do for certain by watching and re-watching Chesapeake Collectibles, it’s get an education about artifacts and objects across an enormous range of categories. And we spend a lot of time on this blog discussing preservation tips and resources.
While you’re waiting for the new season, watch encore episodes of past seasons of anytime on the free PBS app and online at video.mpt.tv/show/chesapeake-collectibles/.
