Pawn Stars (2009–…): Season 3, Episode 21 - Darth Pawn - full transcript

Male announcer: ON THIS
EPISODE OF PAWN STARS...

- THIS IS A DEVICE A NAVIGATOR
WOULD USE IN WORLD WAR Il.

- THERE'S SOME SORT OF
LEVER IN HERE SOMEWHERE.

YOU GET HORIZON, THEN, UH...

- RICK, PARDON THE EXPRESSION:
YOU'RE TALKING OUT OF YOUR ASS.

- WE HAVE TWO LIFE-SIZED
STAR WARS FIGURES.

- WELL, IT'S DEFINITELY COOL.

- MARKET VALUE IS $4,000.

RICK, USE THE FORCE.

- I HAVE A VIOLIN DATED 1763.

- THIS IS A STRADIVARIUS.



- YEAH.

- AND HOW MUCH
DID YOU WANT FOR IT?

- $1 MILLION.

- I'M RICK HARRISON, AND
THIS IS MY PAWN SHOP.

I WORK HERE WITH MY OLD
MAN AND MY SON, BIG HOSS.

EVERYTHING IN HERE
HAS A STORY AND A PRICE.

ONE THING I'VE
LEARNED AFTER 21 YEARS,

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IS
GONNA COME THROUGH THAT DOOR.

HOW CAN I HELP YOU?

- HEY, WHAT YOU GOT TODAY, GUY?

- WELL, I'D LIKE
YOU TO TAKE A LOOK

AT MY GRANDFATHER'S
AIRCRAFT OCTANT.

- AIRCRAFT OCTANT.
- YEAH.

- IT'S A NAVIGATIONAL
AID IS WHAT IT IS, SON.



I CAN REMEMBER BACK
WHEN THE NAVY THOUGHT

IT WAS THE GREATEST THING
SINCE HOMEMADE LYE SOAP.

- I DECIDED TO COME TO
THE PAWN SHOP TODAY

TO TRY TO SELL MY
GRANDFATHER'S AIRCRAFT OCTANT.

IT PRETTY MUCH JUST SITS
ON A SHELF NOW IN A BOX.

HOPEFULLY I CAN LEARN WHAT IT
IS WORTH HERE AT THE PAWN SHOP.

- SO DO YOU KNOW
ANYTHING ABOUT IT?

- MY GRANDFATHER, HE STARTED
WORKING FOR PAN AM IN '37.

AND THIS IS A DEVICE THAT A
NAVIGATOR WOULD USE ON A PLANE

TO CHART THEIR POSITION.

I BELIEVE IT DATES BACK TO 1942.

IT DOES HAVE A U.S.
ARMY AIR CORPS TAG ON IT.

- BACK IN THE DAY,
THERE WAS NO GPS.

IF YOU WAS FLYING AN AIRPLANE

AND YOU WANTED TO
KNOW WHERE YOU WAS AT,

YOU HAD TO USE AN OCTANT.

THEY WERE DIFFICULT TO USE,

AND I HAVE NO CLUE
HOW TO USE ONE.

- DOES IT STILL WORK?
- I HAVE NO IDEA.

- I MEAN, I IMAGINE
WHAT YOU DO IS,

THERE'S SOME SORT OF
LEVER IN HERE SOMEWHERE

WHERE YOU GET THE
HORIZON, THEN, UH,

EITHER THE SUN
OR A SPECIFIC STAR.

- RICK, PARDON THE EXPRESSION:
YOU'RE TALKING OUT OF YOUR ASS.

- SOMETIMES THAT
IDIOT SON OF MINE

DON'T KNOW HIS
ASS FROM HIS ELBOW.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S
COMPLETELY OUT OF OUR REALM.

- IT'S NOT COMPLETELY
OUT OF MY REALM.

- IT'S COMPLETELY
OUT OF YOUR REALM.

- OKAY, ALL RIGHT,
I HAVE A BUDDY.

HE RUNS AN AVIATION MUSEUM.

HE'S, LI, THE
SMARTEST DUDE I KNOW.

IF ANYBODY IN THE WORLD
KNOWS ABOUT THIS THING, IT'S HIM.

BECAUSE IT'S REALLY
AN OBSCURE PIECE.

- OKAY.

- I MEAN, IT'S
EXTREMELY OBSCURE.

- AND MARK WILL PROBABLY
COME IN AND TELL US THAT,

"OH, THAT'S A COMMON PIECE."

- OKAY, SO LET ME
GET HIM DOWN HERE.

IF YOU CAN HANG
OUT A LITTLE BIT,

I'LL SEE IF HE CAN
COME DOWN NOW.

- OKAY, GREAT.
- THANKS.

- I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
HAVING THE EXPERT COME IN

AND LOOK AT THIS ITEM.

I'D KIND OF LIKE TO LEARN
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT,

HOW IT WORKS AND
WHAT ITS VALUE IS.

- HEY, HOW'S IT GOING?

- GOOD. HOW ARE YOU DOING?

- I HAVEN'T SEEN ONE
OF THESE FOR A WHILE.

- OH, YEAH. NINTENDO
VIRTUAL BOY.

THIS THING WAS A
CRITICAL FAILURE,

ONE OF THE FEW NINTENDO
SYSTEMS THAT DID NOT SUCCEED.

- WELL, I KNOW THEY WERE
REALLY, REALLY BAD FOR YOUR EYES,

SO YOU COULD ONLY PLAY
THEM 20 MINUTES AT A TIME.

- YES, A LOT OF THE GAMES
THEY PUT OUT FOR THIS,

THEY'RE ALL JUST QUICK,
CASUAL-PLAYING GAMES

BECAUSE WHO WANTS TO SPEND
HOURS ON END STARING INTO THIS THING?

- I WOULD.

- I DECIDED TO COME TO
THE PAWN SHOP TODAY

TO SELL MY NINTENDO VIRTUAL BOY.

I GOT THIS THING
FOR CHRISTMAS OF '95,

AND IT'S KIND OF AN ODDITY.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING
YOU SEE EVERY DAY.

IT'S AT THE POINT WHERE
I NEED TO LOSE THE GIRL

OR LOSE THE SYSTEM.

THE GUY WHO INVENTED THIS HAD
BEEN WITH NINTENDO FOR 30 YEARS,

AND HE ACTUALLY
BECAME THE MENTOR

TO SHIGERU MIYAMOTO,

WHO'S THE GUY
THAT CREATED MARIO,

PROBABLY THE MOST ICONIC
CHARACTER OUT THERE.

THEY MORE OR LESS BLAMED HIM
FOR THE FAILURE OF THIS THING.

- I COULD LISTEN TO
YOU TALK ALL DAY.

- WELL, THERE'S PLENTY
MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM.

- WHEN NINTENDO INTRODUCED
THE VIRTUAL BOY IN 1995,

IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE
FIRST TRUE 3-D VIDEO GAME.

BUT THE GRAPHICS
JUST WEREN'T THAT COOL,

AND IT HURTS YOUR EYES.

I MEAN, THE THING
TOTALLY BOMBED.

SO DO YOU MIND IF WE HOOK IT UP

AND MY FRIEND CHUMLEE
HERE TESTS IT OUT?

- ABSOLUTELY.

AND THIS HAS TO PLUG
INTO THE CONTROLLER.

- THIS IS GONNA BE SWEET.

- PUT THE STAND HERE.

THIS THING'S GOT TO
FIT IN HE JUST RIGHT.

- DON'T BREAK IT.

- ALL RIGHT, WE
GOT POWER IN HERE.

THERE WE GO.

WE GOT SOMETHING GOING ON.

- YOU WANT TO LOOK IN
THERE AND SEE IF IT WORKS?

♪♪

CHUM, I JUST WANT YOU
TO TEST IT, BRO, THAT'S ALL.

- SO WHAT DO YOU
WANT TO DO WITH IT?

YOU WANT TO PAWN IT OR SELL IT?

- I'D LIKE TO SELL IT.

- WHAT ARE YOU
LOOKING TO GET FOR IT?

- I WOULD LIKE TO GET $200.

- YEAH, WE'RE A LITTLE
FAR APART THERE.

YOU ONLY GOT ONE GAME.

AND THEY FOUND 500
OF THESE BRAND-NEW

SEALED IN A SHIPPING
CONTAINER NOT THAT LONG AGO,

AND IT KIND OF POLLUTED
THE MARKET A LITTLE BIT.

SO 200 BUCKS IS JUST
WAY TOO MUCH FOR ME.

IF YOU WANT TO DO
ABOUT $80, I COULD DO THAT.

- COULD YOU MAYBE MEET
ME IN THE MIDDLE AT $110?

- NO, $80'S GONNA
BE WHAT I CAN DO.

- HMM.

ALL RIGHT, 80 BUCKS.

- ALL RIGHT, DEAL.

MY MAN CHUM HERE
WILL WRITE YOU UP.

- LET'S GO OVER HERE
AND DO SOME PAPERWORK.

- ALL RIGHT.

- LET ME GRAB THE SYSTEM.
I'LL MEET YOU OVER THERE.

- YOU BET.

- EARLIER, I GOT A
CALL FROM A WOMAN

SELLING AN ANTIQUE CARRIAGE,

SO CHUM AND I ARE ON OUR
WAY TO GO CHECK IT OUT.

- HEY, GUYS. THIS
IS WHY I CALLED YOU.

- SO WHERE IN THE
WORLD DID YOU GET THIS?

- ACTUALLY, I BOUGHT
IT OFF THE INTERNET.

- OKAY.

THAT'S TWO WORLDS COLLIDING.

UM...

- I CALLED THE GUYS
FROM THE PAWN SHOP

BECAUSE I WANTED TO
SELL MY DOCTOR'S BUGGY

THAT WAS BUILT IN THE 1880s.

MY DAUGHTER'S GETTING MARRIED,

AND I THOUGHT MAYBE I
COULD GET ENOUGH MONEY

TO HELP PAY FOR HER WEDDING.

- DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT?

- IT'S AN 1880s CARRIAGE.

IT'S A DOCTOR'S BUGGY.

IT DOESN'T HAVE THE TOP ON IT.

- WHY IS IT A DOCTOR'S BUGGY?

- IT'S A LOT FASTER
THAN, LIKE, A BIG WAGON

OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BACK IN THE 19TH CENTURY WHEN
DOCTORS STILL MADE HOUSE CALLS,

THIS IS WHAT THEY
WOULD MAKE THEM IN.

IT WAS LIGHTER AND FASTER

THAN YOUR TYPICAL
HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE.

AND THAT WAY, THE
DOCTOR COULD GET THERE

BEFORE THE BABY DID.

DO YOU KNOW IF ALL
THE PARTS ARE HERE?

- ALL THE HUBS ARE ORIGINAL,
WHICH ARE VERY HARD TO FIND.

AND IT'S THE ORIGINAL SEAT,

AND THIS IS THE ORIGINAL
DASHBOARD, WHICH IS LEATHER.

- THIS THING'S IN
PRETTY GOOD SHAPE.

IT NEEDS SOME
PAINT IN A FEW PLACES

AND A LITTLE METALWORK,

BUT ALL THE PIECES ARE THERE,

AND THAT'S WHAT COLLECTORS LOVE.

OKAY, DID YOU WANT
TO PAWN IT OR SELL IT?

- OH, I WANT TO SELL IT.

- OKAY, AND HOW MUCH
DID YOU WANT FOR IT?

- I'D LIKE TO GET $800 FOR IT.

- YOU KNOW, IT'S
PRETTY AND EVERYTHING,

BUT THE PROBLEM IS WITH IT,

THEY'RE REALLY NOT
WORTH RESTORING.

THEY'RE REALLY NOT, SO I
HAVE TO SELL IT LIKE IT IS.

AND AT THIS POINT, IT'S
JUST A DECORATIVE THING.

- WELL, YOU COULD
SELL IT FOR PARTS.

I MEAN, THE WHEELS
ARE WORTH $200 APIECE.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.

I'LL GIVE YOU 500 BUCKS FOR IT.

THEY'RE A TOUGH SELL.

- GEE, I GOT WAY MORE
INTO IT THAN THAT.

MAYBE I SHOULD
JUST HOLD ON TO IT

AND FIND SOMEBODY THAT
WANTS TO BUY IT FOR YARD ART.

- WHY DON'T WE JUST
MEET IN THE MIDDLE

AND I'LL GIVE YOU $650?

- NO, YOU KNOW WHAT?
I'M GONNA HOLD ON TO IT.

- WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

- I'M JUST THINKING
WHAT I COULD DO WITH IT,

IF I COULD MAKE ANY
MONEY OFF OF IT IF I SELL IT.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST...

THIS BUGGY IS IN
ROUGH CONDITION,

BUT PEOPLE USUALLY BUY THESE

AS DISPLAY PIECES IN
FRONT OF THEIR BUSINESS.

THEY GENERALLY WANT THEM TO
LOOK OLD AND RUSTIC JUST LIKE THIS.

I SHOULD BE ABLE TO
GET BETWEEN A GRAND

AND $1,500 FOR THIS
THING LIKE IT SITS.

I'LL GO 700 BUCKS ON IT.

OKAY.

- ALL RIGHT, YOU GOT A DEAL.

- THANK YOU.

- YOU GOT A HORSE WE CAN BORROW

TO GET THIS THING
BACK TO THE SHOP?

- NO, I THINK YOU'LL
HAVE TO PULL IT.

- YEAH, I COULD PUT A
HARNESS RIGHT ON YOU, MAN.

- I ALMOST DIDN'T LET IT GO

BECAUSE I REALLY
KIND OF LIKE IT.

WHEN HE OFFERED $700, I THOUGHT,

WELL, THAT'S PRETTY
CLOSE TO WHAT I WANTED.

SO I TOOK IT.

EARLIER TODAY, A GUY CAME IN

WITH A 1930s AIRCRAFT OCTANT.

SO I CALLED IN MY BUDDY MARK

TO COME DOWN AND
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK.

, I'M THE ADMINISTRATOR

OF THE CLARK COUNTY
MUSEUM SYSTEM.

THE COOLEST THING ABOUT
BEING A MUSEUM ADMINISTRATOR

IS BEING ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND THEIR OWN HISTORY.

I'D SORT OF LIKE TO
KNOW WHAT IT IS EXACTLY.

ALL I KNOW IS, IT'S SORT
OF A NAVIGATIONAL THINGY.

- IT IS AN INTACT A-7 OCTANT.

IT'S WORLD WAR II,
BENDIX-MANUFACTURED.

THEY GOT A CONTRACT.

THEY BUILT 2,400
OF THESE THINGS.

THEY WERE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT

WHEN YOU WERE FLYING
LONG-RANGE FLIGHTS

OVER EITHER THE OCEAN OR
OVER LARGE STRETCHES OF DESERT

TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN YOU GOT
TO THE OTHER END OF YOUR FLIGHT,

YOU WERE WHERE YOU WANTED TO BE.

THIS THING HAS
INSIDE OF IT A BUBBLE

THAT GIVES YOU A FALSE HORIZON.

YOU CAN USE IT
WHILE YOU'RE FLYING

TO FIND OUT WHAT
YOUR LONGITUDE IS.

AS YOU WOULD TAKE READINGS,

YOU COULD GET TO
WITHIN A FEW MILES

OF WHERE YOU WERE
GOING TO HIT LAND.

IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE
GOT ALL THE PIECES

AND THE ORIGINAL BOX.

THIS IS WONDERFUL.

THIS IS A GREAT LITTLE PIECE.

- SO HOW RARE ARE THESE THINGS?

- THEY'RE NOT UNIQUE.
IT'S NOT A UNIQUE PIECE.

BUT I DON'T KNOW WHETHER
THERE'S 100 OUT THERE

OR 1,000 OUT THERE.

- OKAY.

THANKS A LOT MARK.
I APPRECIATE IT.

- THANK YOU.

- SEE HOW EASY THAT WAS?

NOW WE KNOW WHAT
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

THIS OCTANT IS REALLY COOL.

IT'S WORLD WAR Il ERA,
AND IT'S AVIATION-RELATED.

SO THERE SHOULD BE PLENTY
OF COLLECTORS OUT THERE

WHO ARE INTERESTED.

BUT I STILL HAVE NO
IDEA HOW TO PRICE IT,

SO IF I'M GONNA
GAMBLE ON THIS THING,

I HAVE TO GET IT FOR CHEAP.

SO WHAT DO YOU WANT TO
DO WITH IT, PAWN IT OR SELL IT?

- WELL, I WAS KIND
OF HOPING TO SELL IT

IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT.

- HOW MUCH DID YOU WANT FOR IT?

- THERE'S NOT A LOT OF
REFERENCE MATERIAL OUT THERE

TO GET A PRICE.

I WAS HOPING YOU
GUYS WOULD HAVE A...

- YOU KNOW, DUDE, THE FACT IS,

I HAVE NO IDEA THE
COLLECTABILITY OF THESE THINGS.

I'M TAKING A SHOT IN THE DARK.

I'LL GIVE YOU 200 BUCKS FOR IT.

- WOULD YOU PAY $300?

- I DON'T KNOW IF THIS
THING WOULD SELL IN A WEEK.

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS THING
WOULD SIT AROUND HERE

FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

I MEAN, IT IS SO DIFFICULT

COMING UP WITH A PRICE
OF SOMETHING SOMETIMES.

- RIGHT.

- I'LL MEET YOU IN THE
MIDDLE. I'LL DO $250.

- HMM.

$250.

OKAY, I THINK I CAN DO THAT.

- OKAY, ALL RIGHT, RIGHT
OVER HERE, I'LL WRITE YOU UP.

- OKAY, THANK YOU.

- ALL RIGHT, COME ON THIS WAY.

- HEY, THANKS, GUY.

- YOU'RE WELCOME.

- I FEEL THAT $250 WAS A
FAIR PRICE FOR THE OCTANT.

HEY, WE'RE HERE IN VEGAS,

SO A LITTLE EXTRA
SPENDING CASH, I DON'T KNOW.

WE'LL SEE.

- EARLIER, I GOT A
CALL FROM A GUY

WANTING TO SELL SOME
MOVIE MEMORABILIA,

SO CHUM AND I ARE GONNA
GO SEE WHAT HE'S GOT.

YOU CALLED ON THE PHONE?

- COME ON IN.

SO THIS IS IT, HUH?

- WE HAVE TWO LIFE-SIZED
STAR WARS FIGURES.

DARTH MAUL WAS
ONE OF THE VILLAINS.

- OKAY.

- AND JAR JAR WAS ONE OF THE
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY GOOD GUYS,

I GUESS YOU COULD SAY.

YEAH, HE'S A LITTLE
SLOW AND A LITTLE DINGY.

- JAR JAR IS A LITTLE
BIT LIKE CHUM HERE.

- UH, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?

- I'M REALLY SMART.

- I DECIDED TO CALL THE
GUYS FROM THE PAWN SHOP

TO COME TO MY HOUSE TO
SEE IF THEY'D BE INTERESTED

IN BUYING MY TWO LIFE-SIZED
STAR WARS FIGURES.

THESE CHARACTERS ARE FROM THE
1999 EPISODE 1: PHANTOM MENACE.

THE REASON I WANT
TO SELL THESE IS,

I'M THINKING ABOUT MOVING,

AND THEY'RE JUST
TOO BIG TO TRANSPORT

AND LUG AROUND.

- SO WHAT CAN YOU TELL
ME ABOUT THESE THINGS?

- THEY WERE A PROMOTION
THAT PEPSI AND FRITO-LAY PUT ON.

AND THEY WERE AROUND IN
GROCERY STORES AROUND TOWN,

AND I JUST HAPPENED TO
PUT A COUPLE ENTRY FORMS IN

AND WON THEM.

- OKAY.

SO WE GOT JAR JAR
AND DARTH MAUL.

- DARTH MAUL IS SCARY.

- YEAH, GEORGE LUCAS WAS GREAT

AT COMING UP WITH WEIRD
CHARACTERS, WASN'T HE?

I MEAN, THEY WERE
JUST REALLY INTERESTING.

WHEN IT COMES TO
MOVIE MEMORABILIA,

THERE IS NOTHING
BIGGER THAN STAR WARS.

SINCE THE MOVIE
CAME OUT IN 1977,

THEY'VE CREATED OVER
$20 BILLION IN REVENUE.

DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING
ABOUT THEM OR...

- WHEN I WON THEM,
THE PAPERWORK SAYS

THE MARKET VALUE ON
THEM WAS $1,000 EACH.

- OKAY.

HOW MUCH WERE YOU
LOOKING TO GET OUT OF THEM?

- I'M LOOKING TO GET
$600 EACH OUT OF THEM.

STUFF LIKE THIS IS A TOUGH CALL.

ON ONE HAND, THEY'RE
FROM STAR WARS.

AND STAR WARS
STUFF ALWAYS SELLS.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THEY'RE HUGE.

WHO'S GONNA HAVE ROOM
FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS?

I'M INTERESTED BUT ONLY IF I
CAN GET THEM FOR A DECENT PRICE.

THEY TAKE UP A
LOT OF REAL ESTATE.

- BUT THEY'RE COOL.

- YEAH, I GUESS YOU GOT A POINT.

- RICK, USE THE FORCE.

IT'LL HELP GUIDE YOU
TO THE RIGHT ANSWER.

- YOU GOT TO BUY THESE.

I MEAN, EVERYONE
LOVES STAR WARS.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.

I'LL GIVE YOU 200
BUCKS APIECE FOR THEM.

- NO, I HAVE TO GIVE...

YOU HAVE TO GIVE ME
AT LEAST $600 FOR THEM.

I'LL GIVE YOU $300 APIECE.

- NO, I'M GONNA HAVE TO PASS.

- OKAY, YOU KNOW,
I DON'T BLAME YOU.

LIKE I SAID, THEY'D JUST TAKE UP
WAY TOO MUCH ROOM IN MY SHOP.

AND RIGHT NOW, I DON'T
KNOW IF THEY'D SELL.

THANKS FOR SHOWING
THEM TO ME, THOUGH, MAN.

- I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED
THEY DIDN'T OFFER ME MORE,

BUT JUST COULDN'T
DO IT FOR $300.

I THINK, IN THE LONG RUN,

THEY'LL BE SORRY
THEY DIDN'T TAKE THEM,

BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT GOES.

- WHAT DO WE GOT HERE?

- I HAVE A STRADIVARIUS VIOLIN,

DATED 1763.

- A STRADIVARIUS?

- STRADIVARIUS VIOLIN.

- THAT'S WHAT I
THOUGHT YOU SAID.

- I BOUGHT A NEW HOUSE
A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.

THERE WAS AN OLD CEDAR CHEST,
AND I WAS GOING THROUGH IT.

THERE WAS A VIOLIN
AT THE BOTTOM OF IT.

SO I PULLED IT OUT,
TOOK A LOOK AT IT,

AND MY HEART JUST
STARTED BEATING.

I THOUGHT I FOUND A
REAL STRADIVARIUS FIDDLE,

AND I'M GONNA MAKE
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OFF OF IT.

- SO WHERE'D YOU GET THIS AT?

- IT WAS ACTUALLY IN A
HOUSE THAT I BOUGHT.

IT WAS WAY AT THE
BACK OF THE BARN.

AN OLD CEDAR CHEST, HAD A
BUNCH OF OLD QUILTS ON TOP OF IT.

- AND YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT?

THERE WAS NO PAPERWORK
IN THE BOX OR ANYTHING?

- NO.

- ACTUALLY, HIS
NAME WAS STRADIVARI.

IT WASN'T STRADIVARIUS.

- STRADIVARIA, OH, OKAY.

- HE LATINIZED HIS NAME.

IT WAS REALLY COMMON BACK THEN.

LIKE, CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS?

- YEAH.

- HIS REAL NAME WAS
CHRISTOPHER COLOMBO.

- AH.

- BUT AFTER HE BECAME IMPORTANT,

HE MADE IT LATIN-SOUNDING,
SO THE "US" ON THE END OF IT.

- LEARN SOMETHING NEW
EVERY DAY, DON'T YOU?

- ANTONIO STRADIVARI
WAS AN INSTRUMENT MAKER

BACK IN THE EARLY 1700s.

HIS INSTRUMENTS WERE
CONSIDERED THE BEST EVER MADE.

MANY PEOPLE WOULD
ARGUE THAT EVEN TODAY,

THE SOUND QUALITY AND THE
PRECISION CANNOT BE MATCHED.

THAT'S WHY THEY GO
FOR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

- YOU'RE EITHER THE
LUCKIEST MAN ALIVE OR...

I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE.

- WELL, IF IT WAS A
REAL STRADIVARIUS,

IT WOULD BE WORTH MILLIONS.

- YEAH, YOU GOT A BETTER CHANCE

OF HITTING THE LOTTERY,
THOUGH, MY FRIEND.

- ANTONIO STRADIVARI MADE

OVER 1,000 VIOLINS
IN HIS LIFETIME.

SO IS IT POSSIBLE ONE
ENDED UP IN THIS GUY'S ATTIC?

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, BUT
IT'S EXTREMELY UNLIKELY.

IT IS OLD.

I DON'T THINK IT'S
A STRADIVARIUS.

EVERY STRADIVARIUS
HAS BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR.

THE DATE'S COMPLETELY WRONG.

STRADIVARIUS DIED
LONG BEFORE 1763.

- YEAH, BUT HIS KIDS CARRIED ON.

THEY MADE SOME MORE.

- I'M 99% SURE
THAT THIS IS A COPY.

BUT SOME COPIES
WERE SO WELL MADE,

THEY'RE STILL WORTH
A LOT OF MONEY,

NOT MILLIONS BUT THOUSANDS.

SO WHAT DID YOU
WANT TO DO WITH IT?

- I'D LIKE TO SELL IT.

- AND HOW MUCH
DID YOU WANT FOR IT?

- WELL, IF IT'S A REAL ONE,

IF I CAN GET $1 MILLION FOR IT.

I DO HAVE A BUDDY.

I CAN CALL HIM IN.

HE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

THERE COULD BE SOMETHING HERE.

- ALL RIGHT, AND WHEN HE
CONFIRMS IT'S A STRADIVARIUS,

I WANT MY MILLION DOLLARS.

- WELL, IF IT'S A
REAL STRADIVARIUS,

I'D GIVE YOU $1
MILLION IN A MINUTE.

LET ME GET HIM IN HERE.

HE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT,

AND MAYBE WE CAN FIGURE IT OUT.

- I DON'T KNOW MUCH
ABOUT STRADIVARI VIOLINS

OR ANY VIOLINS PERIOD,

BUT I'M NOT LEAVING HERE
TILL THEY CALL IN AN EXPERT,

'CAUSE I HAVE A GUT
FEELING THAT THIS IS ONE.

- EARLIER, A GUY BROUGHT IN
A VIOLIN HE FOUND IN HIS ATTIC.

HE THINKS IT'S A STRADIVARIUS.

I HAD MY OBVIOUS DOUBTS,

SO I CALLED IN MY BUDDY KEVIN

TO COME AND TAKE
A CLOSER LOOK AT IT.

- I'M A VIOLIN MAKER,

AND I'VE BEEN DOING
IT FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

IF YOU FIND A REAL
STRADIVARI IN AN ATTIC,

IT'S A MIRACLE.

ANTONIO STRADIVARI GAVE US
THE MODERN VIOLIN, ESSENTIALLY.

HE IMPROVED UPON THE SOUND.

HE GAVE THE
INSTRUMENT MORE POWER.

HE WANTED A VIOLIN
THAT COULD PROJECT

OVER A BAROQUE-SIZED ORCHESTRA.

ONE OF THE FIRST
THINGS I LIKE TO LOOK AT

IS THE STYLE OF
THE VIOLIN-MAKING.

THE BACK IS CURLY
MAPLE OF A MEDIUM CURL.

THE TOP IS
MEDIUM-WIDE-GRAINED SPRUCE.

SO THE WOOD IS WHAT
STRADIVARI WOULD HAVE USED.

BUT IT'S ALSO WHAT ANY
VIOLIN MAKER WOULD USE.

- OKAY.

- SO THAT DOESN'T PROVE ANYTHING

PRO OR CON.

- SO THERE'S A CHANCE?

- MAYBE.

WHAT I'M GONNA DO
NEXT IS GET A LITTLE FEEL

OF THE STYLE OF THE
INSTRUMENT INSIDE

AND SEE IF I CAN SEE ANY
INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION.

WELL, THIS IS
REALLY INTERESTING.

I THINK I MIGHT HAVE
FOUND SOMETHING.

I SEE IT DOES HAVE A BASS BAR

THAT'S A SEPARATE PIECE
OF WOOD FROM THE TOP.

SO THAT'S GOOD.

- MAN, YOU'RE KILLING ME.

- THE BLOCKS ARE SPRUCE...

WHICH WOULD NOT BE
TYPICAL OF STRADIVARI.

WILLOW WOULD BE MORE LIKELY.

MY CONCLUSION IS...

THAT THIS VIOLIN IS A
COPY OF A STRADIVARI,

AND IT WAS MADE AROUND 1920

IN EITHER GERMANY
OR CZECHOSLOVAKIA.

- MEANING...

- IT'S NOT A
MILLION-DOLLAR VIOLIN.

- WE WENT FROM $1
MILLION TO NOTHING.

TO NOTHING.

- SOMETIMES THESE VIOLINS

CAN MAKE GOOD
STUDENT INSTRUMENTS.

THEY CAN SELL IN THE PRICE
RANGE OF $1,500 TO $2,500.

IN THIS CONDITION, NOT
ANYWHERE NEAR THAT.

- SO WHAT'S THE VALUE
IN THE CONDITION IT'S IN?

- NO MORE THAN $500.

- THANKS, MAN. I APPRECIATE IT.

- OKAY.
- THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP.

- THEY MADE THOUSANDS OF
COPIES OF STRADIVARI VIOLINS.

JUST BECAUSE
SOMETHING HAS A LABEL

DOESN'T MEAN IT'S REAL.

- SO HOW MUCH YOU
GONNA GIVE ME FOR IT?

- NOTHING.

- NOTHING?

- FOR ME TO BUY IT OFF YOU,

FIX IT UP, AND
TRY AND RESELL IT,

IT'S JUST NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

IT'S A LOSING PROPOSITION
ALL THE WAY DOWN THE LINE.

THANKS FOR BRINGING
IT IN, THOUGH, MAN.

- THANK YOU. WELL,
I'M DISAPPOINTED.

I COULD HAVE SWORN THIS THING

WAS GONNA BE A
REAL STRADIVARI VIOLIN.

AND THAT'S WHAT
I WAS HOPING FOR,

AND IT TURNED OUT IT
DIDN'T, BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS.

- GRANDPA, YOU GOT TO TRY THIS.

- WHAT IS IT?

- IT'S VIRTUAL
REALITY. IT'S TENNIS.

- WELL, I DON'T LIKE
TENNIS TO START WITH.

- WELL, YOU CAN
PLAY IT WITH THIS,

SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO
ACTUALLY GO ANYWHERE.

- BETTER THAN SOLITAIRE.

- NO, NOTHING'S
BETTER THAN SOLITAIRE.

- JUST TRY IT OUT.

- LOOK INTO HERE.

- I DON'T SEE NOTHING.

- YOU GOT TO PUT YOUR
HEAD ALL THE WAY IN.

- HEY, THIS IS KIND OF NEAT.

MARIO'S TENNIS.

WHOOPEE.

TOO MANY BUTTONS, THOUGH.

THIS DAMN THING'S
GIVING ME A HEADACHE.

HOLES.

COREY.