Antiques in Muskoka; New Age Antique Dealers Will Have To Be Entertainers

Bollywood Sound Tracks Just in for our "Vinyl Heads"

NEW AGE ANTIQUE DEALERS WILL HAVE TO PUT ON BETTER SHOWS - I MEAN....BE MORE ENTERTAINING

CUSTOMERS WILL EXPECT A LITTLE BIT MORE - AND WHY NOT?  WE ALL SHOULD TRY A LITTLE HARDER TO UPDATE OUR PERSPECTIVES


      "NO ONE HAS EVER ACCUSED ME OF BEING SARTORIALLY ELEGANT. NOT IN MY OWN CLOTHES, ANYWAY. FOR SOME REASON, BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY I SUPPOSE, I TOOK TO RENTING OUTLANDISH FORMAL WEAR FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS, SUCH AS THE TIME I ENTERED THE WORLD MONOPOLY CHAMPIONSHIPS. PERHAPS I KEPT DRESSING THAT WAY BECAUSE IT WAS SORT OF A DISGUISE THAT WOULD ALLOW ME TO ACT OUTRAGEOUSLY WHEN I HAPPENED TO BE IN THAT MOOD. UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS TOO OFTEN OUTRAGEOUS. BACK IN THE DAYS WHEN DOCTORS WOULD LET ME DRINK, I TOOK FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY AND, WELL, ONE THING LED TO ANOTHER."
     IF PAUL RIMSTEAD HAD BEEN AN ANTIQUE DEALER, INSTEAD OF A CELEBRATED NEWSPAPER COLUMNIST, MAYBE HE WOULD HAVE DEVELOPED A MUCH STRONGER, AND POINTED TREND IN THE "OUTRAGEOUS," TO IMPLANT IN A PROFESSION, KNOWN FOR HAVING A FEW PERPETUALLY CONSTIPATED MEMBERS, ON ITS UNOFFICIAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS. I'VE COME TO LOOK AT MY PROFESSION, ON THE ANTIQUE SIDE, AS A LITTLE TOO PREDICTABLE, AND A TAD CONSERVATIVE IN JUST ABOUT EVERY SENSE. I'VE HAD MY YEARS OF CONSERVATISM IN ANTIQUES AS WELL, BUT I MADE UP FOR IT, BY WRITING NEWSPAPER COLUMNS THAT ALLOWED ME TO EXPRESS MY FEELINGS; I CALL IT THE WILD SIDE OF JOURNALISM; THE SIDE RIMMER USED TO POPULARIZE THAT WAS ALSO BAD FOR ONE'S HEALTH. I WAS A SORT OF JEKYLL AND HYDE. TWO DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES. ONE SMOKING THE KEYS OF A TYPEWRITER IN THE BURNING MIDNIGHT OIL; THE OTHER, WELL, DISTRESSING A PINE TABLE-TOP IN THE BACK SHED. ONLY KIDDING ABOUT THAT ONE. IT'S AN INSIDE JOKE.
      SO WHEN I WAS RUNNING OUR FORMER ANTIQUE SHOP, IN BRACEBRIDGE, I POSSESSED THE PERFECT ATTRIBUTES OF A MORTICIAN. I THINK, AT THAT TIME, AND MISTAKENLY SO, I BELIEVED IT WAS THE KIND OF PROPER, PROTOCOL POLITENESS, OUR CUSTOMERS WANTED, WHEN THEY SHOPPED FOR ANTIQUITIES. WHEN I WAS OFF ON A WRITING JAG FOR ONE OF THE PUBLICATIONS I WAS ASSOCIATED, AT SOME POINT OF THE ADVENTURE (AS MANY OF THE STORIES I COVERED WERE INCLINED TO BE), I'D BE INVITED TO A VICTORY PARTY, AS IN THE CASE OF A SPORTS CHAMPIONSHIP; AND BEFORE THE NIGHT WAS OVER, THERE WOULD BE A PICTURE CIRCULATING OF ME WEARING A LAMPSHADE, OR WORSE. I'M JUST GLAD, AT THAT WILD TIME OF MY LIFE, NO ONE EVER ASKED ME IF I WAS AN ANTIQUE DEALER.
    HONESTLY, I FELT THAT BEING WILD AND CRAZY, WAS INCOMPATIBLE WITH BEING OF THE ILK OF "THE ANTIQUE DEALER." IT IS TRUE THOUGH, THAT YOU'D BE HARD PRESSED TO USE "WILD," OR "CRAZY" WHEN DESCRIBING THE ANTIQUE DEALERS YOU KNOW. YET METHINKS THERE IS A TIME COMING, WHEN WE WILL NEED TO UP-OUR-GAME IN THIS PROFESSION, TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS. THOSE WHO DO KNOW WHAT IT MEANS, TO LIVE ON THE WILD SIDE. THEY ARE THE NATION OF MORTALS, KNOWN AS "THE TECK SAVY." I THINK THE TRANSITION COULD BE QUITE EXTREME, BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, A CHANGE THAT IS NEEDED IN AN INDUSTRY THAT HASN'T EVOLVED A WHOLE LOT IN THE PAST FIVE HUNDRED YEARS. AS CHARLES DICKENS WROTE ABOUT "THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP," GEEZ, WE HAVEN'T GONE TOO MUCH BEYOND. WE NOT ONLY SELL ANTIQUES AND THE MATERIAL GOOD GRACES OF HISTORY, BUT WE'VE ANTIQUATED OURSELVES BY ASSOCIATION. AT WHAT POINT DURING A RAUCOUS PARTY, DOES THE ANTIQUE DEALER DON THE DEER ANTLERS, OR DRINK THE WATER OUT OF THE FLOWER VASE? HAVE YOU EVER ONCE, HEARD AN ANTIQUE DEALER YELL OUT, WITH EXCITEMENT "TOGA, TOGA, TOGA," (AS IN TOGA PARTY) OR EVEN KNOW WHAT THE MOVIE "ANIMAL HOUSE" WAS ALL ABOUT? SOME MAY SUGGEST WE'VE LIVE SHELTERED LIVES, AND BEEN NERDS FOR SO LONG, WE REPEL REFORMATION LIKE WATER ROLLS OFF A DUCK'S BACK. MORE AND MORE OF OUR CUSTOMERS, ARE FOLKS GOING TO THOSE PARTIES, AND LIVING THE TECH-LIVES THAT GIVES THEM SUCH GREAT COMMUNICATION ADVANTAGE, AND IN ORDER TO RELATE TO THEIR INTERESTS, NOW AND IN THE FUTURE, I THINK IT IS BECOMING MUCH CLEARER TO SOME OF US OLD FARTS, THAT CHANGE IS INEVITABLE.....AND ALTHOUGH IT DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULD CHANGE OUR WHOLE PROFESSION, TO ACCOMMODATE THE PASSIONS OF THE YOUNG GENERATION, IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO, FIRST OF ALL, LIGHTEN UP A BIT. THAT'S A START.
     "I HAVE ALWAYS HAD THIS GREAT PASSION FOR PARTIES. NOT LITTLE PARTIES - GREAT BIG PARTIES. AND, I ENJOYED BEING THE HOST. IT SURPRISES NO ONE THAT I HAVE NO MONEY IN THE BANK TODAY. I WOULD JUST SHRUG AND SAY THAT MY LOVE FOR EXCESSES WAS MERELY THE RESULT OF THE CONSTANT PRESSURE OF BEING A MAGAZINE WRITER. HELL, I JUST LIKE A GOOD TIME." THIS RIMSTEAD QUOTE WAS TAKEN FROM HIS BOOK, "COCKTAILS AND JOCKSTRAPS," PUBLISHED BY PRENTICE-HALL IN 1980. NO, I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD MODEL FOR FUTURE ANTIQUE DEALERS....ALTHOUGH, WELL, I THINK I'D LIKE THE INDUSTRY TO LOOSEN UP ENOUGH, SO I COULD ENJOY, WITHOUT FEELING I'VE BETRAYED MY MENTORS, A BIT MORE WIGGLE ROOM, FOR WHAT I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE FUTURE. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO EMBRACE ALL THAT IS CONTEMPORARY, AND FEEL COMFORTABLE, IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO; IN ORDER TO KEEP PACE WITH OUR CHANGING SOCIETY AND ITS DEMANDS.
   AND HERE'S THE THING. WHEN SUZANNE AND I DECIDED TO JOIN WITH OUR SONS, ANDREW AND ROBERT, AS THE BACK QUARTERS, SO TO SPEAK, OF THEIR MAIN STREET VINTAGE MUSIC SHOP, I TOLD HER BLUNTLY, THAT I COULD NEVER AGAIN RETURN TO THE HUMDRUM, AND TRADITIONAL PROTOCOLS OF OLD-SCHOOL ANTIQUE SELLING. IN MY FIRST TWO MAIN STREET SHOPS, I DIDN'T ENJOY DAY TO DAY BUSINESS, EXCEPT WHEN SOME OF MY CRONIES DROPPED IN FOR A VISIT. SOME WERE THERE BECAUSE OF THE ANTIQUES, AND THEIR INTEREST IN SPECIFIC COLLECTABLES, SUCH A MILITARIA. OTHERS WERE THERE, BECAUSE THEY KNEW ME BEST AS A LOCAL NEWSPAPER EDITOR AND COLUMNIST, WHO HAD A REPUTATION OF TURNING EVENTS INTO UNRECOGNIZABLE OCCURRENCES. YES, LIKE RIMSTEAD, I DRANK TOO MUCH, AND WAS SELDOM HELD TO ACCOUNT FOR THE COLLATERAL CARNAGE. SO I STOPPED DRINKING TOO. I STILL ENJOY THE INFREQUENT ENGLISH ALE, SITTING BY THE HEARTH AT BIRCH HOLLOW, BUT I NO LONGER HANG OUT WITH PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED I WAS A FUN-GUY WHEN LOADED. THEY DIDN'T CARE FOR ME WHEN I SOBERED UP, AND STARTED PREACHING ABOUT ABSTINENCE. APPARENTLY I RESORTED BACK TO BEING THE HUMORLOUS ANTIQUE DEALER, WHO WOULD RATHER REFINISH A DRESSER, THAN DRINK WITH THE LOCAL HOCKEY LADS. THEN, IF I DID HAVE A LAMPSHADE, IT WAS FOR A REAL LAMP....NOT MY HEAD.
     SO THE COMPROMISE I MADE WITH SUZANNE, WHO KNOWS ALL TOO WELL WHAT BOREDOM CAN INSPIRE IN ME, ALLOWS US TO BE MORE SPONTANEOUS AND ADAPTABLE TO THE "NEW NORMALS" OF MODERN SOCIETY. WE TOOK A BIG FIRST STEP, IN THIS REGARD, BY JOINING THE BOYS IN THEIR MUSIC VENTURE, WHICH HAD AN EIGHT YEAR HEAD START, BUILDING A CLIENTELE.....WHICH BY THE WAY, HAS BEEN GROWING STEADILY IN THE PAST TWO YEARS; TO THE POINT THEY HARDLY RECOGNIZE, IN RETROSPECT, THE MEMORIES OF THEIR FIRST YEARS ON THE MAINSTREET. I MUST FOOTNOTE, THAT A GOODLY PORTION OF THEIR SUCCESS, HAS BEEN THE FULL UTILIZATION OF ONLINE MARKETING, AND COMMUNICATION WITH THEIR FRIENDS.....AND BY THIS I MEAN IN BOTH THE SENSE OF "MATES" IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, AND "PATRONS," WHO WANT TO KEEP UP ON OUR LATEST ACQUISITIONS COMING UP FOR SALE.    FOR SUZANNE AND I, WELL, WE'RE JUST IN AWE OF THE WHOLE THING. CONSIDER ME....THE INTREPID COLUMNIST, WHO CAN'T EVEN FILE HIS OWN COPY ON THIS LAPTOP. IT'S NOT THAT I CAN'T. BUT I'VE BEEN BURNED SO MANY TIMES TRYING, IT'S SEEMED INFINITELY MORE SENSIBLE, TO LET ONE OF MY COMPUTER SAVY FAMILY MEMBERS, FILE IT FOR ME. HONESTLY, I'VE LOST THOUSANDS OF PIECES, AND HAD TO RE-WRITE MYSELF INTO A STUPOR, BECAUSE I HIT A WRONG KEY WITH MY ELBOW OR THUMB ACCIDENTALLY.....AND FOUND MYSELF STARING AT A BLANK SCREEN. AT THIS POINT, EVEN THE CUSSING OF THE DEVIL HIMSELF, ISN'T GOING TO BRING ONE WORD BACK TO THE SCREE. IT DOESN'T MEAN I DON'T UNDERSTAND COMPUTERS AND THE INTERNET / CYBERSPACE REALITIES OF THE DAY, BUT RATHER, I'D LIKE TO BE LED, AT MY TIME OF LIFE, INTO ALICE'S GARDEN, INSTEAD OF ME FUMBLING AROUND, TRYING TO GET IN ON MY OWN. I LIKE WHAT I SEE IN THIS MAGIC PLACE OF TECHNOLOGICAL ALCHEMY, AND AS IT HAS BENEFITTED THE BOYS' ENTERPRISE IN SO MANY WAYS, AND INCREASED THEIR MARKETING AREA, IT IS ALREADY WORKING ON OUR BEHALF.....ALL SUCH A MARVELLOUS WAY TO INCREASE EXPOSURE WITHOUT PAYING A KING'S RANSOM FOR TRADITIONAL ADVERTISING. "WE READ ABOUT YOU ON THE INTERNET," WAS WHAT WE HEARD LAST YEAR. "WE'VE GOT A HUNDRED NEW FRIENDS," IS WHAT WE HEAR TODAY; AND I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, IT'S ALL PRETTY EXCITING, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THAT THIS NEW FACEBOOK SITUATION, THE BOYS HAVE JUST LAUNCHED, (THAT I'M A SMALL PART OF), HAS ALREADY BOOSTED MY READERSHIP BY TWENTY PERCENT, FROM JUST THE NORMAL BLOG FORMAT.
    I FINALLY HIT A LONG DESIRED MARK OF 180,000 "VIEWS" SINCE I BEGAN POSTING, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WHEN I ONLY WROTE ABOUT POLITICAL STUFF AND OUR PETS. DOCUMENTING SOMEWHAT, THE NEWS EVENTS GOING ON HERE IN GRAVENHURST, AND THE WIDER DISTRICT OF MUSKOKA. WHEN I INCORPORATED REGIONAL HISTORY, THE NUMBERS WENT UP, AND WHENEVER I'VE TAKEN A MONTH OR SO, TO WRITE ABOUT ANTIQUES, I'VE DONE EVEN BETTER IN VIEWERSHIP. A WRITER LIKES TO KNOW THESE THINGS. IT HELPS INSPIRE US FOR THE NEXT WRITING JAG, WHICH AT TIMES, CAN BE PRETTY DRAINING. SORT OF LIKE SLIDING ONE'S BARE BEHIND ACROSS A CARPET OF SANDPAPER. SO FROM THE EARLY GOING, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS MAY BE THE CONDUIT BY WHICH I FINALLY ACHIEVE THAT MEANINGFUL FIRST (AND A LITTLE RISKY) FANTASY-LEAP-OF-FAITH, INTO A NEW AGE ANTIQUE ENTERPRISE, THAT BREAKS SOME BOUNDARIES IN THE FUTURE. SLOWLY. CAREFULLY. WITH THE HELP FOR OUR LADS IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, WHO DEFINITELY HAVE BROKEN TRAIL FOR US OLDTIMERS OF THE COLLECTABLE INDUSTRY.
    I LIKE THE POSSIBILITIES HERE, AND EVEN THOUGH I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WILL ALL MEAN, TO THE NATURE AND CHARACTER OF OUR INVENTORY IN THE FUTURE, I AT LEAST WANT TO BELIEVE IT WILL BE MORE "FESTIVUS-LIKE" AND EXCITING, THAN DULL AND PREDICTABLE. YES, I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE, THAT A CUSTOMER, WHO HAS JUST BEEN THOROUGHLY ENTERTAINED IN OUR SHOP, WILL VOLUNTEER THE COMMENT.... "WHAT A SWELL PLACE," ON DEPARTURE. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A CIRCUS ENVIRONS....JUST A PLACE THAT THE WORD "REMARKABLE" AND "STIMULATING" ARE USED TO DESCRIBE, WHAT CHANGES WE'VE MADE TO THE PLACE. I'VE BEEN A CONFORMIST IN THE ANTIQUE TRADE FOR FAR TOO LONG. I'D LIKE TO SEE HOW THE BUSINESS COULD RUN, IF WE DESTINED OURSELVES, LIKE RIMSTEAD'S IDEA OF A PARTY ATMOSPHERE, TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE FUN DOING WHAT WE ADMITTEDLY LOVE. WHILE I MIGHT STIR UP THE ANTIQUE COMMUNITY A BIT, (AND THEY NEED IT) BY SUGGESTING THEY SHOULD REFLECT MORE EXCITEMENT AND ADVENTURE IN THEIR SHOPS, OR MALL BOOTHS, AT THE VERY LEAST, THEY SHOULD BE LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD, TO A TIME IN OUR CHRONICLE, WHEN IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO MEET THE NEW TRENDS FACE TO FACE.....AND SELECT INVENTORY THAT IS SUITED TO A MUCH MORE CONNECTED, AND YES, YOUNGER CLIENTELE. HOW ABOUT FOR STARTERS, "OLD TECHNOLOGIES." IT'S A BIG DEAL FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. BUT HOW DO WE FIT THESE ITEMS IN, WHILE EVERYTHING ELSE SEEMS A MILLION DEGREES OPPOSITE? CONSIDER THE DECORATOR'S HOME, WHERE A NEW TABLET IS POSITIONED, AT NO COMPROMISE OF APPEARANCE, OR HISTORICAL EFFECT, ON A DICKENSIAN OFFICE DESK.....BESIDE AN ANTIQUATED SMITH-CORONA LIKE THE ONE I USED TO EMPLOY AT THE NEWSPAPER? IT SEEMS PROFOUND AT TIMES, BUT IN FIVE MORE MINUTES, NOT SO MUCH. THE OLD AND NEW ARE MINGLING LIKE NEVER BEFORE, AND I THINK OUR YOUNGER GENERATIONS ARE DEVELOPING, BY IMMERSION, A TOLERATION FOR OLD THINGS.
     CONSIDER FOR A MOMENT, THE AVERAGE AGE OF VENDORS AT ANTIQUE SHOWS. DO I NEED TO WRITE MORE ABOUT THIS? IT'S TOO ELDERLY, TO BE CONSIDERED PARTICULARLY WELCOMING TO YOUNG ADULTS. HOW MANY TWENTY-SOMETHINGS ARE OPERATING THOSE ANTIQUE BOOTHS? THE THIRTY AND UPS? OR ARE THERE WAY MORE FIFTY AND UP VENDORS? IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH THIS? ONLY IF THE ELDERS OF OUR INDUSTRY REFUSE TO CHANGE WITH THE TIMES; BECAUSE FOLKS, LIKE IT OR NOT, THERE'S NO AVOIDING IT. IF ANTIQUE VENDORS WANT KEEP-UP AN AUDIENCE, IT'S OBVIOUS, THEY HAVE TO FIND WAYS OF ATTRACTING A YOUNGER CLIENTELE. IN OUR SHOP, WE ARE BEING FORCED TO ADAPT TO THIS EXCITING NEW AUDIENCE, THE PLEASANT RESULT, OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION VISITING THE MUSIC COMPONENT, OF THE COMBINED SHOP. THEY'VE BECOME OUR CUSTOMERS AS WELL. IF SOMEONE ASKED US, BEFORE WE OPENED THIS NEW LOCATION, WHAT WE EXPECTED TO BE THE AVERAGE AGE OF OUR VISITORS TO COME, WE'D HAVE TO AGREE, IT WOULD BE WELL OVER AGE FORTY OR GREATER. WELL INTO OUR SECOND YEAR, WE'VE DROPPED THAT AVERAGE TO THIRTY-SOMETHING AND IT'S GETTING LOWER. WITHOUT REALLY TRYING TO LOWER THE AGE OF OUR CUSTOMERS, OUR ASSOCIATION WITH A "HIP" CROWD, OF MUSICIAN AND VINYL-HEADS, HAS GIVEN OUR BUSINESS A MORE YOUTHFUL EXCITEMENT, AND WE LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENING. SO WE'VE BEGUN ADAPTING, ESPECIALLY IN VINTAGE CLOTHING, ACCESSORIES AND HATS, WHICH FLY OUT OF HERE ON THE BODIES OF OUR MUCH YOUNGER AUDIENCE. THESE CUSTOMERS, BY THE WAY, WOULDN'T BE COMING INTO OUR ANTIQUE SHOP, AS SUCH, IF IT WASN'T FOR THE RECORD, GUITAR AND NOSTALGIA SIDE OF THINGS, NOW SO FIRMLY ESTABLISHED BY OUR SONS.....WHO ARE HAVING WAY TOO MUCH FUN TO CONSIDER THIS DAY TO DAY WORK A GRIND.
     IS IT POSSIBLE TO SELL A PINE DRY SINK WITH A BACKGROUND OF PINK FLOYD? IS IT COOL TO SELL VINTAGE LACE WHILE THE RADIO AT THE COUNTER IS POUNDING OUT "ACDC'S" HIT "THUNDERSTRUCK?" I MEAN REALLY. WHAT'S A CONSERVATIVE ANTIQUE DEALER TO DO? WELL, HERE'S AN IDEA. START CHAIR DANCING. WHY THE HELL NOT? FOR THE OLDTIMERS, WHO GET A LITTLE FRENZIED, HEARING THIS KIND OF MUSIC, WE JUST LET THEM ENJOY THE SOUNDS OF SILENCE WHILE THEY'RE VISITING. WE WANT TO BE ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE. OF COURSE, WE'VE HAD RAGING GRANNIES, WHO'VE ASKED US TO "CRANK IT UP," AND NOT JUST THE STYLINGS OF LAWRENCE WELK. CONSIDER THIS LITTLE TALE, AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW STARCHED WE CAN GET IN THIS BUSINESS....EVEN OUR UNDERWEAR.
     THE LAST ANTIQUE SHOW WE ATTENDED, WE OPTED, WITH SOME MINOR TREPIDATION, TO START THE TRANSITION.....AND LIKE SMOKING IN THE WASHROOM, AT SCHOOL, WE DECIDED TO TEST THE RULES. THE BOYS SET US UP WITH A CD PLAYER, HIDDEN IN AN OLD STEAMER TRUNK, AND SOME SMALL SPEAKERS THAT WERE HEARD BUT NOT SEEN. THE IDEA, YOU SEE, WAS TO OFFER OUR BOOTH-GOERS A LITTLE GENTLE, TRADITIONAL, CANADIAN MUSIC, TO LIGHTEN THE MOOD. THE ONLY AUDIBLE NOISES IN THE WHOLE CAVERNOUS BUILDING, WAS THE SCUFFLING OF SHOES ON THE FLOOR, SOME DEALER COUGHING AND SNEEZING, A SMALL AMOUNT OF CHATTER BETWEEN VENDORS, AND THE OCCASIONAL SMASH AND "DAMMIT," THAT IS PRETTY MUCH ROUTINE FOR SALES WITH SO MUCH GLASS AND CHINA. TO FIT WITH OUR ANTIQUES AND VINTAGE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, WE BROUGHT ALONG CD'S WITH MUSIC PERFORMED BY "THE GOOD BROTHERS," AND "TANGLEFOOT." WE ARE FRIENDS WITH THE GOOD BROTHERS, WHO ARE INDUCTED MEMBERS OF THE CANADIAN COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME, AND TANGLEFOOT, WE KNOW FROM THEIR ANNUAL SUMMER-TIME PERFORMANCE ON "THE BARGE," HERE IN GRAVENHURST; AND HONEST TO GOD, THEIR MUSIC IS BOTH TRADITIONAL AND INSPIRES GOOD VIBES. HARDLY ROCK 'N ROLL. TANGLEFOOT PERFORMS MANY CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT FOLK SONGS, FROM CANADA'S PAST, AND THEY HAVE PERFORMED AT PLACES LIKE FORT YORK. SO BOTH GROUPS' MUSIC FIT OUR BOOTH, AND FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, THE REST OF THE ANTIQUE SHOW. SO WE STARTED PLAYING THE CD'S. AFTER AN HOUR OR SO, WE HAD NEIGHBORING VENDORS COME TO US, ASKING IF WE COULD PLEASE TURN UP THE VOLUME, SO THEY COULD ALSO HEAR THE MUSIC. WE COUNTED TEN VENDORS, IN OUR VICINITY, WHO LIKED THE CHANGE OF ATMOSPHERE FROM SILENCE TO MUSICAL PLEASURE. I BET YOU COULD PREDICT WHAT HAPPENED NEXT!
     THE MANAGEMENT OF THE SHOW, CAME TO TELL US, THEY'D HAD VENDOR COMPLAINTS ABOUT OUR MUSIC. I LOOKED AT THE CHAP, AND REALLY WANTED TO ASK, WHICH DEALERS WERE DISTURBED BY THE GENTLE INTRUSION. AND BELIEVE ME, THE VOLUME WAS MODEST, AND NON-INTRUSIVE. EVEN THE PATRONS WERE COMPLIMENTING THE MUSIC, AND WE HAD A LOT OF REQUESTS FOR THE NAMES OF THE GROUPS. WE COULD HAVE SOLD THEIR CD'S. I HAD THIS VISION OF SOME PRUNE-FACED ANTIQUARIAN, BEING DISTRACTED FROM THEIR CROSSWORD PUZZLE, WHINING ABOUT THE INCONSIDERATION OF THE YOUNG GENERATION, PLAYING THE DEVIL'S MUSIC. WELL SIR, I DECIDED THEN AND THERE, WE WOULD END OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH ANTIQUE SHOWS. ALL THE ONES I'VE GONE TO IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, STILL HAVE THAT CODE OF SILENCE, THAT REALLY KEEPS THESE EVENTS FROM BEING CONTEMPORARY, THE WAY THEY SHOULD BE....IN THIS NEW CENTURY. ON THAT DAY, WE TURNED THE MUSIC OFF ENTIRELY, AND DIRECTED COMPLAINTS TO THE THOSE IN CHARGE. THEN THEY COULD EXPLAIN WHY BUSINESS IS SO MUCH BETTER WHEN THE ONLY SOUND, IS THAT OF TIME ETCHING ON OUR RESPECTIVE BODIES....AND THE OCCASIONAL ONE CHEEK SNEAK NO ONE WILL CLAIM AS THEIR OWN.
     I'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION MANY TIMES IN THE PAST DECADE, AS WE GROW OLDER IN THE PROFESSION....AND WONDER ABOUT THE UNDERLINGS WHO WILL GRAB-UP THE FLAG, WHEN WE DROP IN THE FIELD OF BATTLE. TOO DRAMATIC? WHO WILL WANT OUR OLD STUFF WHEN WE'RE GONE? WHO WILL WANT TO STAFF THESE SHOW AND MALL BOOTHS IN THE FUTURE? OR WILL THEY BECOME AS ANTIQUATED AS THE INVENTORY THEY SELL.
     SO IN PARTING, HERE'S A SMALL, SNIPIT-SIZED NEWS UPDATE, ABOUT THE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE YOUNG GENERATION, AND THE MUSIC THEY LIKE (WHICH IS OFTEN VINTAGE ANYWAY), AND US OLDSTERS IN AN ANCIENT PROFESSION. SUZANNE TOOK A CLIPPING FROM AN OLD NEWSPAPER, OF AN ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE FAMOUS "KEE TO BALA," CIRCA 1974....FROM OUR ANTIQUE COLLECTION OF OLD PAPER. SHE GAVE IT TO THE BOYS LAST EVENING, AND THEY POSTED A PHOTO REPRODUCTION OF THE AD, ON THEIR FACEBOOK GROUP, AND WITHIN SECONDS OF DOING SO, GOT FEEDBACK FROM ALL KINDS OF VETERAN MUSICIANS, WHO HAD SOME STAKE IN THE LEGACY OF THAT PARTICULAR MUSKOKA CONCERT. THE CONCERT THAT NIGHT, FEATURED THE YOUNG, ASPIRING BAND "RUSH," AND THE "GREASEBALL BOOGIE BAND," WHICH AFTER THIS, BECAME "SHOOTER," OPENING FOR "CROWBAR." SO WE HAVE BEEN GETTING NEAT COMMENTS ALL DAY, ON THE SITE, FROM FORMER MEMBERS OF "CROWBAR" AND THE "GREASEBALL BOOGIE BAND"....SHOWING THEIR SINCERE APPROVAL, THAT WE HAD FOUND, AND POSTED, THIS CANADIAN MUSIC NOSTALGIA. IT'S NOT JUST A CREDIT TO OUR COMBINED BUSINESSES....IT'S A CREDIT TO THE NEW TREND OF KINSHIP, IN A VERY OLD AND TRADITIONAL BUSINESS....THAT COULD BE THE START OF SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL. NOW WOULDN'T THAT BE REFRESHING?
     I BEGAN WRITING ABOUT ANTIQUES AND COLLECTABLES, IN THE SPRING OF 1978, FOR THE BRACEBRIDGE EXAMINER. OVER THE YEARS SINCE, I'VE WRITTEN THOUSANDS OF COLUMNS, AND FEATURE ARTICLES, ABOUT COLLECTING IN CANADA. I HAVE PISSED OFF A LOT OF DEALERS AND AUCTIONEERS, WHO FELT I WAS TOO GENERAL, AND RADICAL FOR MY OWN GOOD. I'VE BEEN TOLD TO BUD-OUT, GET-LOST, GO-FOR-A-HIKE, AND "SHUT THE HELL UP!" AS A FELLOW DEALER, IT HURTS. AS A WRITER, IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN A TICKLE. I HAVE STUDIED THE INDUSTRY FOR A LONG TIME, AND I'VE PAID ATTENTION TO MY PEERS. I HAVE GREAT REVERENCE TO THOSE OF TENURE, AND MY EARLY YEARS WERE SPENT HAUNTING THEIR RESPECTIVE SHOPS, TRYING TO LEARN MORE. EVEN NOW, IN SUCH A STORIED BUSINESS AS THIS, I AM STILL PENSIVE ABOUT BEING OVERLY CRITICAL, AND YET, FROM WHAT I SEE AND EXPERIENCE DAILY, IT'S OBVIOUS THE INDUSTRY IS OVERDUE ITS REQUIRED MODERNIZATION. THERE'S NOTHING MANDATED, OF THE ANTIQUE INDUSTRY, TO COMMAND IT TO CHANGE ITS WAYS. THERE'S NOT ONE SENTENCE OF ANY INDUSTRY BYLAW, THAT SETS OUT A RETIREMENT AGE. IN FULL DEMOCRACY AND IN THE SPIRIT OF CAPITALISM, NO ONE IS GOING TO DEMAND ANTIQUE SHOP OWNERS, PLAY ROCK'N ROLL, OR CLOSE DOWN IMMEDIATELY IF THEY DON'T HAVE STROBE LIGHTS AND MIRROR BALLS. IT'S A PRETTY LOOSE ARRANGEMENT FOR MOST OF US, FOLLOWING OUR INTERESTS AND A LOVE OF TRADITION. BUT IT WOULD BE FOOLISH TO BELIEVE, FOR ONE MINUTE, THAT THE STEWARDS OF OUR PROFESSION IN THE FUTURE, WILL HAVE UNYIELDING RESPECT FOR WHAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED, AS OUR ETERNAL FLAME. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN EVEN THE MOST ARDENT TRADITIONALIST, HAS TO LOOK IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR, AND SEE THE CHANGE OF GUARD COMING UP FROM BEHIND. THEY LOOK PRETTY YOUNG AND RECKLESS....JUST LIKE WE WERE, WAY BACK WHEN. I PERSONALLY LIKE THE IDEA, OF TRYING TO UP-THE-TEMPO, TO KEEP STEP WITH CHANGE....AS A WELCOME ADVENTURE TO THE TRAPPINGS OF THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD. MAYBE I'LL LIKE IT, AND POSSIBLY NOT!     I DO RATHER LIKE THE THOUGHT THAT I COULD BE A TORCH BEARER, FOR THAT NEW GENERATION OF ANTIQUE DEALERS...KEEPING PACE FOR SOME DISTANCE AT LEAST. THEN I WOULD AT LEAST FEEL A PART OF THE FUTURE TREND....AND NOT THAT I WAS JUST AN OLD AND GNARLY OBSTACLE; A BROKEN-OFF CHUNK OF THE PAST, THAT BY HAPPENSTANCE, FELL INTO THE SPOKES OF PROGRESS.
     THANKS SO MUCH FOR VISITING WITH ME TODAY. JUST SO YOU KNOW....OUR BUSINESS ISN'T REVOLUTIONIZING THE INDUSTRY. CUSTOMERS ARE DOING THIS FOR US. SEE YOU AGAIN SOON.