American Beaty: A Philadelphia Salvaging Legend Deconstructs His 50-Plus Year Career

For 76-year-old Beaty, people and their histories are the intangibles that drive him in the salvaging business. Known for his dedication to recycling, reusing, and reselling unearthed and forgotten treasures, Bob Beaty has been working in reclaiming—high end and low end, both in Philadelphia and beyond—since childhood.