Wednesday, August 14, 2013

It's been 10 years!

You may have read our latest MAD column reflecting on our first decade in the antiques business.  If not, you can check it out here.

If you did read this month's column, then you are likely here for the promised pictures of some nifty Ohio Valley objects that came to Garth's, in part, because of my (Andrew) master's thesis research, which was on the early furniture of the Marietta area.  In doing that research, I encountered Henderson Hall, a Virginian (now West Virginian) plantation that survives phenomenally intact...with much of the original furnishings and household objects not only in the house, but in some cases, where they have sat for over a century.

When one branch of the family left the home in the late 19th century, they didn't go far...just about 500 yard down the road.  And when the descendant who owned that home decided to sell, through a local referral who knew of my interest in local material culture, she called me.  On the one hand, I hated to see these things leave the old homeplace.  But if it was to be done, I was thrilled to be charged with doing it.  And, just so you know...the three most important items, all pictured below, all came back home, so to speak--all were purchased by locals wanting to keep them there.

For the full story on each object, click the link to see the original Garth's catalog descriptions.




Friday, December 28, 2012

We're Moving...Sort Of....

Hi folks! I (Andrew) have just been awful at providing you with regular, decent blog postings.  So, I think I'm going to try a new strategy by largely moving TYC's internet presence to Facebook (www.facebook.com/TheYoungAntiquesCollectors).  So, like us and follow our feed.  I should be able to put up a few posts per week.  

We'll still blog from time to time, so don't delete this bookmark just yet!

Sunday, November 25, 2012

The Newest Young Collector...

Just a quick note to announce the arrival of Nathaniel Byrne Davis Richmond (aka Nat) on November 16.  Everything went perfectly and we are enjoying some peaceful family time at home.  Pics to follow....

Monday, November 12, 2012

Any day now....

If you've read our column, you might have caught a couple of references to an impending addition to our family.  That day will soon be upon us.  Baby #2 (gender is not known) is due any day. And Andrew's work is very busy--Garth's has 2 January auctions, and BOTH catalogs are due to the printer on December 7, which also happens to be the day of an Eclectic auction and 2 weeks after our marathon Thanksgiving auction.

So....our postings here in the coming months may be even fewer and farther between, for which we apologize, though I will post something about the baby when he/she arrives.  We appreciate you reading (and your patience!), and we wish you all the most joyous and peaceful holiday season!

Sunday, October 14, 2012

The Cincinnati Windsor Chair

In our recent column (and in at least two earlier columns), we mentioned our Cincinnati windsor chairs.  We purchased four of these ages ago at the Cowan's sale of the collection of John Auraden and have happily used them around our dining room ever since.


This pair retains its original finish.  The other "pair" has one with original finish and the other has been refinished (this is the one that Nora sits in).  I say "finish," because it's so grunged up, I'm not even sure what color they were, but I think dark red.

The firm of Jabez Waters and Silas Barret began manufacturing goods in 1859 using steam to bend wood, and producing all manner of goods.  They received a patent on this type of windsor chair, which they call The Oriental, in 1873.  Their partnership ended in 1880.  This is their mark on the underside of one of the chairs.



They are fairly distinctive chairs--heavy, stout turnings, backward leaning--exactly the type of chair that would be perfectly suited to riverboats.  And active toddlers.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Just announced!

A date for the 2013 Midwest Antiques Forum! April 26-28 in Cincinnati. We're looking to add more programming and, potentially, a way to participate in the panel discussion even if you can't make the Forum! Keep your eyes HERE for more info as it becomes available.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Yep, Still Here.

I won't even try to explain our absence.  Okay, well, just a little: busy at work, toddler at home, baby on the way.  We'll try to do better.

At any rate, just a quick update on a the Michigan schrank (wardrobe) I posted about a while back.  As Hollie was sitting in front of it working, she noticed something.


Do you see it, too?  Over the original blue paint (visible here on the diamond panel), a later family member, probably in the late 19th or early 20th century, added a much more, at the time, chic paint treatment: oak graining.  We had thought about having it removed to show off the original blue (there are plenty of things with original oak graining, but not many in original blue).  There was much debate, including a lively debate at the Midwest Antiques Forum.  We were comfortable with our decision to have the wardrobe cleaned down to the blue, but then Hollie noticed the word "Michigan" clearly integrated into the oak graining.  I guess with the family repainted it, they wanted to express a little regional pride.  The family that sold it didn't know about this, nor did the very knowledgeable dealers from whom we purchased it.  And we lived with it for months before Hollie noticed it.  But now...it's going to stay right where it is.