Canadian antique hunter becomes YouTube sensation

Antique shop owner buys house for collectibles A local antique shop owner has grown popular on YouTube after buying an old house for its collectibles. CTV’s Bill Fortier reports.

An antique dealer from Western Canada has gained a huge following online by documenting his search for collectibles.

Alex Archbold, who runs the antiques and collectibles store Curiosity Inc. in Edmonton, recently bought a rural Alberta farmhouse filled with garbage in the hope he could find some treasure among the trash.

“On first sight, looking at the house, you would’ve seen a layer of newspaper and garbage and clothing and thought there’s nothing of value in here,” Archbold said.

The farmhouse was previously owned by a pottery artist and hoarder.

“My theory is that there's always something good in every household. You just have to dig for it.”

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Archbold’s sorting has led to the discovery of diamond jewelry and pottery valued in the thousands of dollars.

He’s posted videos of him sorting through the clutter to his YouTube channel.

Some of Archbold’s 140,000 YouTube subscribers have already been in touch about purchasing some of the finds from the property.

One such find, a belt from Las Vegas, is going to a customer in Delaware. A collector in England has also bought a Mr. T cereal box salvaged from the mess.

“It’s insane, the amount of people that are watching and following,” he said.

An estimated nine tonnes of house contents will end up at the dump, while two vans will take other items to charity.

Archbold plans to eventually sell the house.

--- With files from CTV Edmonton’s Alex Antoneshyn and Bill Fortier