Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
Clark County Museum administrator Mark Hall Patton speaks as Richard Harrison from Gold and Silver Pawn is honored by the Clark County Commission Tuesday, July 17, 2012.
By Dave Toplikar (contact) 
Tuesday, July 17, 2012 | 11:44 a.m.
Richard Harrison and Rick Harrison at Borders in Town Square to sign copies of the latter's new book License to Pawn on June 10, 2011.
Richard Harrison, Shaun Phillips and Corey Harrison at Gold & Silver Pawn.
Richard Harrison at 2012 Celebrity Bingo Bow Wow at Silverton Casino Lodge on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012.
Wearing sunglasses and a no-nonsense air of authority, Richard “The Old Man” Harrison from TV’s “Pawn Stars” made his way Tuesday morning into the Clark County Commission chambers to be honored — and to leave behind a couple of gifts.
One was a check for $1,000 for the Clark County Museum.
And the other was the loan of a piece of historical furniture for the museum — the U.S. Senate floor chair used from 1933 to 1954 by former U.S. Sen. Patrick McCarran of Nevada.
“It’s one of the few items, that when I looked at it, where I really needed a drool cloth, because it was so cool,” said Mark Hall-Patton, Clark County Museum administrator.
Hall-Patton watched outside the commission chambers as the heavy wooden chair with a leather seat was being carried out to be taken to the museum.
“Any other Senate chair, who would care?” Hall-Patton said. “Patrick McCarran’s Senate chair, coming into Las Vegas into the shop here, that was incredible.”
The chair will be displayed in the lobby of the museum, at 1830 S. Boulder Highway, as part of a display about McCarran, the namesake of McCarran International Airport.
Hall-Patton said the chair is of interest because questions have been raised about changing the name of the airport to Las Vegas International Airport. McCarran was controversial for his witch hunts for communists but was revered for his efforts to promote aviation.
Harrison, patriarch of the family that owns Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, presented the money and the chair during the commission’s regular meeting in the Clark County Government Center.
Harrison, the appraiser on the show, gave the OK for his son, Rick, to purchase the chair for $3,100 on the episode titled "Take a Seat," which premiered on April 18, 2011. The chair was acquired by a man from the estate of Eva Adams, who managed McCarran’s office.
In accepting the gifts, the commission proclaimed July 17, 2012, at “Pawn Stars/Gold & Silver Pawn Day” on the Las Vegas Strip and throughout Clark County.
“Who would have ever thought it was going to go as big as it has,” Harrison said of his No. 1 show on cable TV, which has almost 8 million viewers on Monday nights on the History Channel.
“To be honest, I’m proud of my accomplishments,” said Harrison, who started his pawn shop 30 years ago on Las Vegas Boulevard. The TV show has had three seasons and has been renewed for a fourth.
Harrison said they get about 4,000 people coming through the shop each day. Those visitors can be seen lining up along the sidewalk of the shop each day at 713 Las Vegas Boulevard South.
“It’s phenomenal what happened,” Harrison said. “I feel blessed because of it.”
The show has also been a boon for the museum because Hall-Patton and the museum are featured regularly on the show.
Commissioner Mary Beth Scow, who presented the proclamation to Harrison, said the show has generated much interest in the museum, which has seen its attendance grow by 84 percent this year.
“The visitation to the museum has been incredible and it’s only been because of this show,” Hall-Patton said. “Who would have thought that a show about a pawn shop in Vegas would become the No. 1 show on cable in all of North and South America, Great Britain and Italy, the Philippines and Singapore? We’re in 150 countries now.
“People are actually coming to Las Vegas to come to a pawn shop — not because they have to but because they want to — and to come to the county museum,” Hall-Patton said. “The advertising value of this is just incredible.”
Great a day to honor a business that is legally allowed to loan out money at 13% per month which equals 156% per annum. And yet we call the banks and bankers crooks!
Why does the "old man" have sun glasses on? Grow up sir. Dont fall into Big (dumb)Hoss and Chumlees mode
The old man looks like a movie star!! Good for him, sure hope Corey's bad attitude and ego don't ruin the show because it sure is heading in that direction.
I watch all the time and have learned a lot so thank you Rick. I was there once and after being inside for less than 10 minutes we got thrown out because they were getting ready to start filming. I thought we should have been allowed to stay after waiting outside so long but hey, thats life.
Love the show
All that money and the "old man" is still a crotchety person. Yeesh, you think he would crack a smile once a year. He seems to be one of those cases where his on air demeanor isn't any different than his real one. Chumlee, Hoss..both high school dropouts. Rick is the brains behind the operation, everyone else is just ridiing along. Chumlee has to be the best case I've seen where you drop out of high school, do meth, float along working at Subway and eventually step in ****. He's driving around in a Maserati and lives by Sheldon Adelson. LOL. "Only in Amerika"
That's great for the museum. But I am sick and tired of these "pawn stars" (what a joke) and how they rip off every person who comes into their store to sell something. The check should have been for a lot more than $1,000. They are making a fortune off the ignorance of individuals willing to "give away" their family heirlooms for a pittance to these schmucks.
Read the book. The old man was the king of getting himself a deal. Even in the Navy he was running a loan/pawn operation. Rick is a master of knowing how to negotiate. He's also greedy as hell. The stores motto is "make Rick money". How's that for greed? These guys are entertaining, they provide many jobs in Las Vegas buts there's also something sleazy about the business. It attracts some of the lowest of low lifes hawking their goods for their next gambling junket or crack hit. The TV show legitimized them somewhat. The early filming was deemed "low life's on camera". It wasn't going well, so they changed the format to what it is now.
It is a pawn shop, not a church
God Bless you Mr. Harrison, you're a class act!
Comment removed by moderator. Off Topic
It is a business but I don't think they operate with the integrity that others on the "Pawn/Pickers" shows do. Watch the show. How many times do you see the negotiation of a purchase and they low ball the customer, give every excuse in the world as to how "tough" it's going to be to sell the item, and in the follow up interview, Rick is glowing cos he got a low price and will make a big profit. It comes off as very seamy. Contrast that with Mike and Frank on American Pickers. Many times they've gotten an item at a low price had it appraised and gone back to give the seller more money cos they underestimated the value themselves and want to be fair? Mike and Frank are very ethical. The Harrison's could be a lot better, and should have donated Pat McCarran's chair to the museum. Not just "loaned" it.
that show has already jumped the shark.
The old man calls his employees "idiots", "fools" among other things. I can't condone that in any way shape or form. I know it's played up for the show somewhat but what you see with the old man on the show is probably true to life. It's an odd pairing with the 3 generations..but there's something not right in how they treat each other. Idiot, fool, are not words I've ever used within my family. Maybe it's just me, but there's something uncomfortable in some of the dialogue to each other.
@mickeba...these guys are all about the Benjamin's. It's in their blood. They love money. Of course it's not going to be donated. As Rick likes to say "everything has a price"
It is amazing how many people try to pawn fake merchandise and say they bought it at an auction. Where do they hold these fake stuff auctions?