Opinion Peace....DISCUSS!

What did you think of our two-part series on dealing with mis-identified or poorly catalogued items and shows and/or auctions? Have you encountered this? If so, how did you deal with it?

Okay, really, I'm sure you ALL have encountered this. The fact is, there are thousands of folks out there selling antiques and while many are very very expert in what they sell, many are generalists who do there best, but can't possibly be expected to know everything. Is there a way we can create a marketplace that inspires confidence on the part of buyers rather than the "caveat emptor" attitude that has been used in the past?

Michigan schrank

I told you that I would show it off, so here it is...the Bleicher family schrank from Washtenaw County, Michigan, circa 1835.




Victorian oak graining over original blue (someday I may have it cleaned down to that blue, but not now). That part of Michigan saw much German settlement in the 2nd quarter of the 19th century. I was fortunate enough to purchase this right out of the family by way of Eric and Gary at The Chelsea Collection.

Did anyone notice this cartoon in the November issue of Maine Antique Digest?

I think a non-intrusive "conversion" of a Hudson Valley kast would be a perfect way to make it relevant to a 30-something and his/her lifestyle. If you don't believe me, read below in our August 22 post. (And for the record, I'll take my Indiana schrank over a New York kast any day of the week.) And when I get it in the house, I'll even post photos of our new schrank...from Michigan.

Catching up...

Yep, the date is right on this post. It's been an embarrassingly long time since we've posted. It's been a good summer here in the Midwest. Nora is growing like a weed and the antiques market continues to see improvement (no, it's not 1995 again, but it probably won't be for a very long time). Garth's is looking towards a good fall with a big Labor Day auction (guns, medical antiques, and, of course, Americana), and half of our Thanksgiving and January Americana auctions are already booked with single-owner collections. And as fall approaches, so does our fall travel season: the Deerfield and Delaware shows--two of our favorites.

In 2012, we're looking to head west for some shows. Anyone have any thoughts on good Midwestern shows that are west of Ohio?

You might recall the wonderful Indiana wardrobe I mentioned in our post about the Midwest Antiques Forum. I'm very pleased to say that I've tracked it down and we now own it! I have found that many buyers don't like wardrobes because they're big and bulky. And certainly when you live in a converted one-room schoolhouse, you don't necessarily have room for big and bulky. But in a recent rearrangement of our downstairs, we created a better office space, and our new wardrobe is what we call our hide-a-office. See the photos below. You don't just have to store clothing in wardrobes!!

In honor (?) of Indedependence Day....

And as a preview for our upcoming column, we invite you to read this article about the sorry state of history knowledge in America.

We've heard lots of folks grumble about how "young people just don't care about history," and clearly this article suggests that the lack of history knowledge is far more widespread. What do you think? Has this played a role in the diminishing interest in antiques? And if so, what's the solution?

Local matters, especially in antiques!

In our newest column, we talk about how a grassroots movement, a la the local food movement, may be very useful in galvanizing interest in antiques beyond traditional collectors. Here are some of our favorite spots, both antiques and not, that focus on "local":

Garth's Auctions, of course, and their annual Ohio Valley Auctions in May
Jeffrey S. Evans and Associates, they have great focus on Shenandoah Valley antiques and arts
Neal Auctions and the Historic New Orleans Collection, both great places for NOLA stuff


Local Matters, a great central Ohio local food resource
Sippel Family Farm, where we get our produce (you likely have CSAs in your area...check them out)
3/50 Project, great plan to support your local businesses


These represent just a tiny scratch in the surface. What local places do you enthusiastically support?

The First Midwest Antiques Forum

I'll admit, with only 35 paid attendees, we were a teensy bit disappointed going into last weekend's inaugural event, but once folks arrived and the enthusiasm filled the room, any disappointment quickly dissipated.

We don't want to boast, but I think we can say that the MAF was a tremendous success. The speakers were fantastic, and they showcased some tremendously important objects. (Really, have you ever seen 18th century carved furniture from Indiana?? Or 1890s wardrobes made by Euro-Russian Mennonites in Kansas? Okay, I have a thing for wardrobes, check out the Oldenburg, Indiana example below.) And the crowd more than made up for the small-ish size with their unsurpassed enthusiasm.




Many kudos to our speakers, our gracious host (the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio), our sponsors (p4A.com, Garth's, Cowan's, Maine Antique Digest, Antique Week, and the Ohio Historical Decorative Arts Association), our conference staff (Jennifer Castle, Mimi Morgan, Cheryl-Lynn May, and Kristin Crump), and everyone else who helped make the MAF such a success. I think we may have started something here....