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Robbie Wolfe Purchases Items From Clines
Local artist and entertainer Mark Cline welcomed the crew of the long-running television series “American Pickers” last Thursday, July 18. Leading the search at Cline’s Enchanted Castle Studios in Natural Bridge was one half of the “American Pickers” team, Robbie Wolfe.
Wolfe and the crew’s visit was pointed towards Cline’s artwork — namely his large fiberglass creations known as “Muffler Men,” giant-sized male and female figures that have graced roadsides across the United States since the 1960s.
Serving the dual purpose of advertisements and roadside attractions, “Muffler Men” come in many forms and have become iconic symbols of the American southwest. Cline has shipped his “Muffler Men” all across the U.S., contributing a space cowboy, a chef and an Uncle Sam, among many others.
The process of creating the giants consists of a complex fiberglass mold making technique — a craft Cline has been perfecting since he was a teenager. His work on the “Muffler Men” was sparked in the 1990s when he made his first mold of a 14-foot- tall lumberjack.
While not the original creator of the “Muffler Men,” Cline is a key player in keeping their tradition alive. “They’ve made a big comeback, and I’m the only one building these things,” Cline said.
Wolfe expressed interest in purchasing Cline’s “Muffler Men”-related work over a year ago, and after several months of conversation, formally invited Cline to be on his show. Airing on the History Channel since 2010, “American Pickers” follows Wolfe and his brother Mike as they travel across America to search through collections of rare and historically significant items.
Prior to the invitation, Cline had no knowledge of Wolfe’s connection to the show, but was open to making an appearance. “He said, ‘Oh we need to have you on our show,’ and I said ‘What show?’” said Cline. “I thought he was just a client interested in my work.”
The visit, lasting the bulk of the day, ended in a successful sale. Cline and his wife Sherry were the ones making the deals, which included a complete 14-foottall unfinished giant, two complete fiberglass heads of American folktale hero Paul Bunyan and a cowboy, and several smaller items.
“They loaded them up in the van that afternoon and they took off with them,” said Cline.
While not revealing the exact amount of money Wolfe traded for the pieces, Cline notes that both parties were happy with the outcome. “It was a long day,” Cline said. “We had a lot of fun and I’m glad we did it. Glad we can move on to other projects.”
These other projects include four new “Muffler Men” that will soon be added to the existing nine statues of Cline’s that line Route 66. These new installations will join the others in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Route 66, which will arrive in 2026.
In the meantime, fans of Cline’s work have only around six months to wait for his episode to air on the newest season of “American Pickers.”
