Episodes
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Today I’m in East Hampton, New York to sit down with arguably one of the greatest collectors of all time. In fact, his career has revolved around collecting as the Head of Vintage, now consultant, for Ralph Lauren and we can attribute our love for western and layered looks to him. Doug Bihlmaier is my guest today, and for his first ever video interview and podcast, I was more than thrilled to sit down with him in his home and spend the day together with him and his wife. Growing up in Kansas, Doug fell in love with denim and began collecting early on. But it’s not that simple. Doug noticed Levis’ started to change their fit, so as one collector does, he starts hunting for the old stuff. But that’s what has made Doug the person we all look up to today.
He’s always had the foresight as to what’s next, which is exactly what happened when he was introduced to the Ralph Lauren brand early on. Doug has spent his career traveling the world hunting for vintage goods for the stores and had anyone looked behind the curtain of the early days at the RRL store, you would have seen Doug curating one of the most impressive collections around. He recalls going to warehouses in the UK and finding old equestrian and oil paintings in gilt frames that no one wanted, and riding boots, and wool blankets from the 20’s and 30’s, and just about everything else that makes up the Ralph Lauren brand today.
However, it’s not just searching the world for objects that makes Doug, well Doug. His design, architecture, and merchandising prowess have all played a big role in why we all admire Doug, and you can feel, touch, and breathe that when you walk into any Ralph Lauren and RRL store. As for Doug, well, his home is filled and layered with wool blankets, vintage denim and flannels, Native American jewelry and objects, books, you name it. And he can tell you everything you need to know about each of them.
I truly feel honored to share this interview with you all, but even more grateful to call Doug a friend. So without great honor, this is Doug Bihlmaier, for Collectors Gene Radio.
YouTube Video - https://youtu.be/O-dEkHd01gQ?si=ys_nbCdiXy9vvgy- -
Kevin O’Leary aka Mr. Wonderful is my guest today. The Shark Tank star and collector truly needs no introduction. He’s become a collector extraordinaire getting the stamp of approval from envy-worthy brands and artisans ranging from Simon Brette and FP Journe, to Fender & Montblanc. We talk about the importance of relationship building, the nuances between all the things he collects, and how brands should be looking at their future customer base. He’s a story teller, investor in many ways other than the conventional, and always there to tell you like it is, in true Mr. Wonderful fashion. And to top it all off, we did it inside the walls of a place my Grandfather built. So without further adieu, this is Kevin O’Leary, aka Mr. Wonderful, for Collectors Gene Radio.
YouTube Video - https://youtu.be/6vJPc2qOkHw
CollectorsGene.com - https://collectorsgene.com/
Cameron's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cameronrosssteiner/?hl=en
Collectors Gene YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7fZDvQUNBCunvCe_ieXeYA
Kevin O'Leary's TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@kevinolearytv?lang=en
Kevin O'Leary's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kevinolearytv/
Kevin O'Leary's YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/KevinOLeary
Manhattan Motorcars - https://www.manhattanmotorcars.com/
Edited by Rego - https://www.instagram.com/r.ego?igsh=bzR6eWVhZGhpcGQz
Filmed by Enock Brothers - https://www.aenock.com/ -
Episodes manquant?
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Today I’m sitting down with Goldin Auctions founder and The King Of Collectibles Netflix star, Ken Goldin. Ken and his company Goldin Auctions have been highly regarded for a long time as the go-to auction house for sports memorabilia, and more recently getting acquainted in other spaces like pop-culture and historical artifacts. But Ken and his team have staked their flag as a go-to for a reason. See, Ken has the knowledge, enthusiasm, and tenacity of a specific trait that all of his biggest clients have, and that’s being a collector. Ken’s been collecting and dealing sports cards since he was a little kid, learning how to make money from the hobby early on. His parents' support pushed him to where he is today both as a collector, and founder of one of the largest and fastest growing auction houses around. Goldin has sold the rarest of the rare, from the original T206 Honus Wagner cards, to game used bats from the greats, and most recently, the highly sought after Shohei Ohtani 50/50 ball which has 15 days left on the auction with a current bid of 1.5 Million. They’ve done over a billion dollars in deals and we’re recently acquired by ebay. Ken’s been seen with the likes of Drake doing card breaks, where he happened to stumble upon three Jordan rookie cards, and sitting down with the greats like Ken Kendrick to review arguably the greatest card collection of all time. He’s a collector himself, with possessions like a game used Babe Ruth bat and other Smithsonian-worthy provenance pieces. At the end of the day, he’s the guy you want to buy memorabilia from, simply because he has the collector mindset. So without further adieu, this is Ken Goldin, for Collectors Gene Radio.
Goldin Auctions - https://goldin.co/
Ken Goldin's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kengoldin?igsh=MXIyb2I3dmYzYXFtNQ==Goldin Auctions Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/goldinco?igsh=c2d5eXd2aWRzdG9l
Shohei Ohtani Auction - https://goldin.co/item/sept-19-2024-shohei-ohtani-becomes-first-member-of-50-50-club-actual-553vh1?queryId=eyJxdWVyeUlkIjoiNmNjMWFjZGFjOGVlZGJiNmUxMGQzOWU4NThiYWE3MTUiLCJjYXJkSW5kZXgiOjl9 -
Sitting down with me today is artist and designer Josh Young. Josh’s new book, Artful Home just launched and it’s a masterclass in authenticity. He’s been collecting and curating since he was 5 years old, and growing up next to a small auction house didn’t hurt either. After studying art in Milan, Josh garnered the art of mixing old and new. His neo-classical meets contemporary portraiture became widely known to collectors and designers, forging a path to work with some of the biggest names in the industry. Josh’s collections range across multiple different categories, but they all have one thing in common, cohesiveness. So without further adieu, this is Josh Young, for Collectors Gene Radio.
Josh Young - https://www.joshyoungdesignhouse.com/
Josh Young x Williams Sonoma Home - https://www.williams-sonoma.com/shop/design-inspiration/josh-young/?cm_ven=afshoppromo&irgwc=1&clickid=xY3z2gyYUxyKT9I2Qh2KvSx-UkCUR-38N1btWI0&cm_ite=Landing&cm_pla=ir&cm_cat=5747747&irpid=5747747
Josh's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jyoungdesignhouse?igsh=NTBxamNhMzM5cGlx
Josh's Book - https://www.amazon.com/Artful-Home-Josh-Young/dp/084783039X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=12LV0V2F0STYA&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.6hlwSN6xLccRxgo4CsfVXR_J-uu4VetEgi3hcEmxI0jXCCQUtfouJnonzlA9FJE0MDcnOiyNd61sX9KyocAZXo_BBKRkG9HETmrnKRQrYmGFvpU_PKxjonxpAvG3EY6BsPIGaqGu1IVb9qhQVlNtAzfZA7Thpc_FmejxuoQsA6cDvuAZtj4npHaEUibiny9y4enCd2KC47rChcp-AYe7JzUxWLGbhFM0gNhCdChpG4g.SbCN_U8GyKlKG01piRjdvrJO7Fss1_eKQXK1PKresuY&dib_tag=se&keywords=artful+home&qid=1727820243&sprefix=artful+home%2Caps%2C181&sr=8-1 -
Today we’re hearing from plant designer and rare plant collector, Rob Moffitt. He founded his company Haus Plant just a few short years ago, on the rare occasion that he didn’t previously collect plants at all. Fast forward a few years and Rob’s a go-to in the plant design world, sourcing and collecting rare plants for some of the biggest interior design projects. These aren’t just your typical nursery plants, either. Rob’s sourcing from some of the most esteemed plant collectors, estates, and even plants that come from the jungles of Brazil and Southeast Asia. It’s not just about finding the right plant though. Rob is known for manipulating roots to be more architectural and displaying them in more organic materials and vessels. This is a first for the show, so without further adieu, this is Rob Moffitt, for Collectors Gene Radio.
The Haus Plant - https://thehausplant.com/
Haus Plant Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thehausplant?igsh=NXprbGVzYWs1ZGNy
Rob Moffitt's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rmoffitt?igsh=c2MzYmhmaXB1cmY3 -
Jason Saft is my guest today, and as the proprietor behind the award winning firm, Staged To Sell Home, it’s not often I get to chat with a collector whose job is to well, collect. Jason’s company Staged To Sell home is responsible for helping sell some of New Yorks most prominent real estate. His firm has risen to fame for their beautifully staged interiors, good enough for New York's wealthiest buyers. His job is to take a stale home and turn it into something a potential buyer can see themselves living in. We chat about the amazing case studies on his website which showcase how homes sat on the market sometimes for two years before his team comes in, subsequently selling in less than a week by the time he’s done with it, and usually over asking. As for his collecting, there’s a new 23000 square foot warehouse that holds the ever growing collection of furniture and objet, all of which he gets to look at on a daily basis. So without further adieu, this is Jason Saft, for collectors gene radio.
Staged To Sell - https://www.stagedtosellhome.com/
Case Studies - https://www.stagedtosellhome.com/casestudies
Staged To Sell Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/stagedtosellhome?igsh=MW8wNmk5Yjh1ZXd2NA==
Jason Saft's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jasonsaft?igsh=MXV5NXVkZ21udGZmZg== -
Artist Michael McGregor joined me today, right on the heels of launching his new book, Room Service, a collection of still life drawings on hotel stationary. We spoke about soaking up inspiration from everyday objects, and why it’s ok to reinvent yourself in your 30’s. Michael’s a collector of many things but nothing sits on a pedestal. In fact, a lot of what he collects shows up in his art. We chat about his other book, The Greece Notebook and how he manages to tell a story through the things that most of the world disregards. Cool, calm, collected, and a knack for finding the moment in the mundane is McGregor’s m.o., and we’re here for it. So without further adieu, this is Michael McGregor, for Collectors Gene Radio.
Michael's Website - https://mcgregor.world/
Drakes Interview - https://us.drakes.com/blogs/news/michael-mcgregor-artist-interview-drakes?srsltid=AfmBOorVZ4OK84IlSvCUwfTUpfk_bh3NDArjD05g7XzfH4G03G4by0h2
Michael's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/themcgregor/?hl=en
Room Service - https://a.co/d/gsShjCU -
Roy Davidoff is no stranger to the watch community, so I figured it would be great to sit down, and understand more as to why that is. Roy’s love for watches is no accident, having discovered his passion for them early on, eventually making a career out of it. However, luxury things are in Roy’s blood, as his family were prominent wholesale gem dealers several decades ago to some of the biggest names in the game. After Roy’s father gifted him his Omega Speedmaster, his love for the brand took off, earning him and his brother, conveniently named, Davidoff Brother’s, a spot as a go to for the brand. They’ve sold as many as 150 Speedmasters in a year, and even wrote a book on them. They’ve since expanded their inventory across multiple brands and categories, and are still after the good stuff. At the end of the day, it’s all about passion and their roots. So please enjoy, this is Roy Davidoff, for Collectors Gene Radio.
Roy's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/roydavidoff/
Davidoff Brothers - https://www.instagram.com/roydavidoff/
David Brothers Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/davidoffbrothers/?hl=en -
Today I’m sitting down with Douglas Friedman, to discuss the commonalities between a collector and one of the most sought after photographers in the residential architecture space. His name commonly shows up on Architectural Digest’s top articles and there’s a good reason for it. Friedman always used his gut instinct, whether it was studying anthropology or discovering Marfa, Texas as a place to call home. But I wanted to know how he thinks about creating a story from the photographs he chooses to use from a shoot, and how he preserves moments in time through his work, much like us collectors do respectively. At the end of the day, Douglas wasn’t sure whether he was a collector or not but I think we worked that out. So without further adieu, this is Douglas Friedman, for Collectors Gene Radio.
Douglas's Website - https://www.douglasfriedman.net/
Douglas's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/douglasfriedman/?hl=en
Douglas's Latest Work - https://www.architecturaldigest.com/contributor/douglas-friedman -
Today’s guest is Scott Rogowsky. If the name sounds familiar, that’s because you’re probably one of the 35 million people to have downloaded HQ Trivia just a few years ago, trying to answer the rather difficult questions Scott threw at us. And while we all may be used to seeing Scott in a suit through the screen of our phones, he’s actually been amassing one of the largest vintage clothing collections since 2003. So much so that he had to open up a store just to start offloading some of it. While he’s in the process of moving the business online, the hunt continues, adding new niches to the ever growing collection including some items from the late Alex Trebek’s estate. Scott’s pretty much seen it all and if you’re hunting for a vintage tee or hat, don’t hesitate to reach out to him, as he probably has it somewhere in the collection. With that said, please enjoy, this is Scott Rogowsky, for Collectors Gene Radio.
- Quiz Daddy's - https://quizdaddys.com/
- Scott Rogowsky's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/scottrogowsky/?hl=en -
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Ewan Morgan, Head of Whiskey Outreach and National Luxury Ambassador for Diageo who owns some of the largest liquor brands in the world, from Tanqueray & Casamigos, to Guiness and Non-Alcoholic brand Seedlip. But what most may not know, is that Diageo also owns a fair share of high end labels too, like Lagavulin and Mortlach. And after four decades of closure, the iconic Port Ellen distillery in the Island of Islay is reopening with Diageo in a historic moment for the Scotch industry. Ewan and I chat about the Scotch Whiskey collecting market, growing up in a family who lives and breathes the spirit, and he even takes me through a tasting of the new Port Ellen Gemini release, retailing for fifty thousand dollars. And to top it all off, we recorded at an amazing ten million dollar apartment on One Wall Street thanks to our friends at Optimist. Ewan is truly an expert which is why he’s worked his way up to have what most would consider one of the greatest jobs in the world. So without further adieu, this is Ewan Morgan, for Collectors Gene Radio.
Diageo - https://www.diageo.com/
One Wall Street - https://onewallstreet.com/
Optimist - https://www.optimistconsulting.com/
Ewan Morgan - https://www.instagram.com/ewanmorgan/?hl=en
Port Ellen - https://www.diageo.com/en/news-and-media/stories/2024/port-ellen-reborn-the-reopening-of-islay-s-legendary-ghost-distillery -
Mark Haddawy is my guest today and it’s not very common you meet a collector with such refined taste in multiple categories. Everything from his cars & art, to architecture & watches, it should come as no shock that the founder of Resurrection Vintage & restorer of some of the most important homes in history, has his collecting down to a science. While a lot of things in life are about being in the right place at the right time, you simply couldn’t achieve what Mark has achieved if you didn’t have the fervor to do so. Growing up in a family of collectors, he was bound to catch the bug himself, but a Ferrari 250 Short Wheel Base parked outside the Lautner Harpel House still requires a “pinch me” moment when he takes the car out to breakfast on the weekend. He’s as curated as it gets and truly believes that incorporating his collections into his everyday life is of the utmost importance. So without further adieu, this is Mark Haddawy, for Collectors Gene Radio.
Mark Haddawy - https://www.markhaddawy.com/
Resurrection Vintage - https://resurrectionvintage.com/ -
You may recognize today’s guest as the rare book specialist, dealer, and collector from the hit show Pawn Stars, Rebecca Romney. Rebecca got started in the world of rare books quite haphazardly when she applied for a managerial position at age 23 for a rare book retailer, and you can pretty much guess what happens next. Rebecca is one of the most respected dealers in the rare book space with her company Type Punch Matrix, and she is the co-founder of the Honey & Wax Book Collecting Prize. She’s sold and handled some of the rarest books in the world, like Shakespeare Folios and first editions of Newton’s Principia Mathematica. We dispel the myths of how books should be handled and chat about the diligent and detailed process of buying and cataloging entire libraries. In such a subjective space, Rebecca has not only made a name for herself, but as a trusted source in the industry who is willing to always point clients in the right direction. So please enjoy, this is Rebecca Romney, for Collectors Gene Radio.
Type Punch Matrix - https://www.typepunchmatrix.com/
Rebecca's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rebecca.romney/
Honey & Wax Prize - https://www.honeyandwaxbooks.com/prize.php -
Wesley Smith is my guest today and as the founder of Standard H, I knew we were bound to have some overlap in our interests. Wesley is a collector of many things, like every hotel room key he’s ever received, to golf scorecard pencils and bag tags, he even collected every GQ magazine at one point, amassing a collection of 700 issues. As you can tell, it’s all about nostalgia and memories for Wesley, which is a direct correlation between his collections and the brand he’s created at Standard H. He’s an enthusiast in many subjects and details are what matter most. What I love most about his collections is that it is a testament that you can collect the things that just make you happy, whether you shell out a dollar or not. Alright, please enjoy, this is Wesley Smith, for Collectors Gene Radio.
Standard H - https://www.standard-h.com/
Standard H Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/standardh_ -
Today’s guest is jewelry collector, JJ Owens. The founder of Daily Grail may be best known for her work in the watch industry, but her love for collecting jewelry predates all of that. In fact, for as long as she can remember, jewelry collecting has been a part of her childhood. I was eager to learn about the drastic differences between working with jewelry brands versus watch brands, and just how easy it is to get custom pieces made from designers. JJ is living proof that when it comes to collecting jewelry, there is no idea too big or too small, and some of the biggest names would be happy to execute it for you. Honestly, I find it hard to believe that you won’t feel even the slightest inkling to delve deeper into the world for jewelry collecting after listening to this episode. So without further adieu, my friend JJ Owens, for Collectors Gene Radio.
Daily Grail Official - https://www.dailygrailofficial.com/
Jessica "JJ" Owens Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jessicajjo/?hl=en
Daily Grail Official Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dailygrailofficial/?hl=en -
Sylvain Berneron is my guest today and I am not sure there is a watch or a brand that has received this much attention in a long time, and it’s well deserved. A designer at heart, Sylvian worked for brands like BMW & Porsche before starting his own firm, and eventually becoming the Chief Product Officer at Breitling. But as a creative, Sylvain was taught by his mother, an artist herself, to turn a constraint or restriction into an opportunity, and that’s exactly what he did with the Mirage watch. He has designed every single component of the watch and spared no expense, all the way down to the solid gold spring bars. Every supplier tried to talk him out of this endeavor, but he persevered into what is one of the most sought after and recognized independent watch brands existing today. His creativity and thoughtfulness has landed the brand with allocated orders all the way through 2028. We chat about the perfect timing of his avant garde design with the current market demands, what it’s like to be on the other side of the collecting market, and the future plans of Berneron to which we got some sneak peaks. To be honest, there's not a person in this hobby and trade that deserves it more. So without further adieu, this is Sylvain Berneron, for Collectors Gene Radio.
Berneron's Website - https://www.berneron.ch/
Berneron's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/berneron/?hl=en
On The Dash Interview - http://www.onthedash.com/berneron-mirage-interview/ -
Today’s guest is the most optimistic guy I know in watches, Mr. Justin Hast. He’s a journalist, consultant, and creative in many facets of the watch industry and he’s got the collection to prove it. His passion has led him down many paths, ultimately carving out a niche for himself as a trusted source, not only from collectors, but from some of the biggest brands in the industry. He cherishes not only the emotions and experiences that watches bring, but also the memories and relationships that have come to fruition as a result of it. If his work as a creative in the industry wasn’t enough, he even publishes a yearly book called The Watch Annual which is a compendium of each year's best watches. At the end of the day, there’s not many guys like Justin who mix work and passion like he does, and it shows. So without further adieu, my friend Justin Hast, for Collectors Gene Radio.
Justin Hast's Website - https://www.justinhast.com/
Justin Hast's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/justinhast/
George Bamford's Podcast Episode with Justin - https://www.bamfordwatchdepartment.com/?p=12114
The Watch Annual - https://thewatchannual.com/
The Watch Journey Podcast - https://www.justinhast.com/thewatchjourney -
You might recognize today's guest from the ever popular show Antiques Roadshow. Nicholas Lowry isn’t just the vintage poster appraisal for the hit show, he’s also the President, Principal Auctioneer, and Director of Vintage Posters at Swann Auction Galleries and for all intents and purposes, he’s a collector. Nicho grew up around collectors, and his family still runs one of the oldest books shops in New York to this day. After a stint in Prague, he found himself falling in love with vintage Czech posters and the rest is history. Vintage posters is a new category to Collectors Gene Radio so I really had a lot of questions to understand the market better. Unlike most collectibles, there isn’t really a modern version of the category today, making these vintage posters even more rare as time goes on. Lowry is a collector of many things, but with a busy schedule, I was curious to find out how in the world he has time to collect anything. Full of life, stories, and knowledge, please enjoy, this is Nicholas Lowry, for Collectors Gene Radio.
Swann Auction Galleries - https://www.swanngalleries.com/
Poster Museum New York - https://posterhouse.org/
Nicho's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nicholowry/?hl=en
Antiques Roadshow - https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/
Homeworthy Tour - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb0-iL4YlqA
IVPDA - https://www.ivpda.com/
Nicho's Book - https://www.amazon.com/Wonder-City-World-Travel-Posters-ebook/dp/B0CVQ6YZRK?ref_=ast_author_mpb -
Nadine Ghosn joined me on Collectors Gene Radio today and I am not sure there is someone who is making as much noise as she is in fine jewelry. After a stint at Hermes, Nadine found herself yearning for a creativity spark and man did she get it right. Her designs are all about creating a sense of nostalgia from the things we recognize most and using luxurious materials and stones to turn them into functional jewelry pieces. Like her stackable burger ring, or her rose gold pencil bracelet, or her custom designs for the likes of Drake & Lil Yachty. If that’s not enough, her pieces have been worn by Beyonce, the late Karl Lagerfeld, and she’s been making custom croissants out of gold for Cedric Grolet. The best part of it all? She’s a one woman show who is willing to do whatever it takes. With her favorite saying being “Don’t think outside the box, think like there is no box”, Nadine has proven the counterarguments most jewelers told her from day 1 and continues to push the boundaries. So without further adieu, this is Nadine Ghosn, for Collectors Gene Radio.
Nadine Ghosn Fine Jewelry - https://nadineghosn.com/ -
Yoni Ben-Yehuda is my guest today and we’re chatting about what it’s like to be the Head of Watches for Material Good, one of the most curated jewelry stores around. With a star-studded clientele and friend list, Yoni may just be everyone's confidant in watches. His energy and knowledge for this stuff is immense, and he’s got a pulse on it all. I wanted to find out what it’s like to have a direct partnership with Audemars Piguet, how everyone at Material Good either joins the team as a collector or unintentionally becomes one, and more importantly, how in the world he finds time to collect for himself. Part two is in the works, but for now, please enjoy, this is Yoni Ben-Yehuda, Head of Watches at Material Good, for Collectors Gene Radio.
Material Good - https://materialgood.com/
Yoni's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lifeofyoni/?hl=en - Montre plus
