The Brewer family acquired the abacus from an antique store in Tokyo, and is estimated to have been made in the 1920s. (Photo by Rasy Ran)
First launched in 1979, “Antiques Roadshow” is a television juggernaut — one of the pioneers of reality TV. Its addictive treasure-hunting format makes every viewer feel like those heirloom items in the attic might actually be secret pots of gold.
In October, Advocate columnist Patti Vinson spotlighted a handful of East Dallas neighbors who made the trek to Fort Worth when PBS and its crew of antique experts made a visit last year, its first since 2008.
Melissa Brewer and her 11-year-old son Zach didn’t strike it rich off of their 200-year-old candlestick or 1920 Japanese abacus, but they had a memorable experience. Junius Heights neighbor Brian Jackson learned his 1899 Texas State Fair & Dallas Exposition votive holder was rare, but not valuable.
While they didn’t make it to the televised portion of the show, these neighbors may be visible in the background, along with a few other familiar faces, when the Fort Worth show airs this Monday, Jan. 16, at 8 p.m. on PBS. Episodes can also be watched online.Â
