Canadian Pickers' Sheldon Smithens appears at Heritage Acres

Sheldon Smithens at Heritage Acres
C. Davis photos

Chris Davis - The Livingstone Ladies Social Club presented Canadian tv star Sheldon Smithens for a talk at Heritage Acres on May 11 which culminated in a question and answer session and a Fun Auction.

Heritage Acres' historic red Doukhobor Barn (c 1919) was packed with an attentive and appreciative audience.  A community garage sale also draw a sizeable crowd.

Smithens cohosts the popular Cineflix production Canadian Pickers with Scott Cozens, and much of his talk centred around humorous anecdotes from behind the scenes of that show.   "Our show has evolved, and it's no longer Canadian Pickers. Now in the United States, Australia, and Europe, the show is known as 'Cash Calgary'," he told the crowd. He said they have just finished filming episodes 7 and 8 out of 13 for the fourth season, which concludes in August of this year.  "They send Scott and I off every morning to shoot.  An episode usually involves three days, full days of picking."

"Five to ten percent of what we shoot ends up on tv."

Smithens said it takes about 10 people to create the show, including a Director, 2 camera men, a camera assistant, a sound guy, and the cat herder (organizer), plus 2 assistants for detail tasks, spending at least 7 hours at a location.


"It's pretty lean and mean."

Cozens has playfully referred to Smithens' poor driving on the show several times.  "I got a phone call from a long lost girlfriend from Vancouver who left a message on my machine to say 'I didn't think you were that bad a driver. My insurance agent that I play hockey with phoning me to say we're going to have to review your policy.  I swiftly found out that anything you say on television becomes reality."

Smithens expressed his respect and admiration for his co-host several times.  "I often comment that I think he has too many creases in his brain.  If something goes in, it is retained."  As for himself, he said he suffers from spillage.  "If something comes in, something goes out."

Smithens is a third-generation auctioneer, appraiser, and antiques dealer who also teaches continuing education courses in antique collecting at the University of Calgary. His encyclopedic knowledge of the ins and outs of the picking-for-profit trade were quite evident during his talk.  His career as an auctioneer started in the 1980's.  Smithens said teaching  'Antiques, Art, and Auctions' gave him a solid background for becoming a Canadian Picker.


In between anecdotes that were sometimes slightly scandalous and always humorous, Smithens defined what made the show special for him. "I love that our show shows us actually buying the stuff, but it also shows us selling the stuff. Buying isn't so hard. Buying right isn't such an easy thing."

"One of the things Scott and I get to do is to reveal Canadian history.  I feel really fortunate to be able to do what I do. It's been a great experience."

He also appreciates that his contract allows his wife to travel with him, making for many shared adventures.


Spoiler alert

Watch for a future episode where the Pickers will be able to return a First Nations historical artifact to the tribe and family that it originally belonged to.

Livingstone Ladies Social Club

The Livingstone Ladies Social Club will be celebrating their 100th year with a Tea Social at Cowley Community Hall (122 Cameron Street Cowley, Alberta) on Saturday July 1 from 1-3 pm.  Everyone is welcome to attend.

Related links:

Heritage Acres Farm Museum

Canadian Pickers.com

Wikipedia: Canadian Pickers