Columnist Susan Snyder: Couple has antiquated approach

Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2000 | 8:59 a.m.

Susan Snyder's column appears Tuesdays and Sundays. Reach her at snyder@lasvegassun.com or 259-4082.

Some people might call Rema and Trev Brady pack rats.

Phooey on those people. They won't be on public television's "Antiques Roadshow" when its Las Vegas edition airs in January.

The Bradys aren't sure they will be on, either, but theirs is a better shot than most. They were among the lucky 50 collectors chosen for filming from the 7,000 hopefuls who showed up for last weekend's taping of the popular PBS show.

For those who think PBS stands for "peanut butter sandwich," "Roadshow" revolves around a pack of expert appraisers who travel the country telling people whether the stuff they got from Grandma or found in the attic is treasure or trash.

Part of the fun is finding out how people obtained the objects. Another part of it is wondering: What kind of people are these collectors anyway?

Rema Brady was indoctrinated into antiquing when she was about 5. Her mother began collecting when they lived in England, where her dad was in the military.

"Roadshow" experts were intrigued by the 100 19th-century, decorative hair combs she showed them. Estimated value was set at $5,000-$6,000. Not bad for a little hobby, eh?

"I was shocked," she said.

The combs date to the mid-to-late 1800s and are made of celluloid, plastic composites or metal and are set with semiprecious stones or glass.

They represent 35 years of meandering through antique shops and shows. And they started with just one -- a small, flower-shaped comb Brady's grandmother bought while they browsed in a Whittier, Calif., antique store.

"She said she'd buy it for me if I'd wear it," Brady said. "I've collected them ever since."

Collections typically start with admiration of a single item. Brady says she once admired a barber's tray and ended up scouting for the brushes, mugs and razors that go with it. Same goes for the 75 to 100 miniature lamps she has.

"It's like a snowball," she says.

The key is staying ahead of the curve. Once someone writes a book about a type of item, prices skyrocket. And Brady finds a new interest.

Her hunts elicit images of country auctions and cute little shops. Her husband's antique forays, however, may elicit something else.

Trev Brady's "Roadshow" offering was a pair of Dallas streetcar signs used during segregation. One is a white enamel sign explaining the rules about who could sit where on the trolley. The other, smaller and made of wood, says "whites" on one side and "coloreds" on the other. It fit the back of the seat and was moved back as whites needed more room.

He found them years ago at the bottom of an old trunk stashed in the garage of his rented house.

"It was so humid that everything was rotted," he said. "There was an old tarp on top and when I pulled it out millions of roaches came running out of there. They were everywhere."

Yet, he kept looking in the trunk. "Roadshow" experts valued the signs at $2,700.

The appeal is wonder, Rema Brady said. What was it like to live when they lived?

"I like the history. People were so inventive," she said. "Just think about how they got through life."