Muskoka Antiquing; Collecting and Selling Historic Documents and Paper Collectables

Recipe from the kitchen of Harriet Shea, Ufford, wife of Watt Township Clerk John Shea.

The undated township election ballot used as surplus paper for Harriet Sheas recipe.

COLLECTING IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS - SOME ARE VALUABLE, OTHERS ARE HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT

LET'S JUST LOOK AT THE ART AND CULTURE OF COOKERY HERITAGE - HANDWRITTEN RECIPES AND WHAT THEY WERE WRITTEN ON


     FOR THE PAST YEAR, I'VE BEEN WRITING FEVERISHLY, ABOUT THE ART AND KITCHEN CULTURE, OF ALL ASPECTS AND DEGREES OF COOKERY HERITAGE. I'VE SPENT A LOT OF EDITORIAL SPACE, HIGHLIGHTING HANDWRITTEN RECIPES, AND WHAT THEY MEAN IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THE TOTAL HOME COOKING CHRONICLE. THE PICTURES PUBLISHED ABOVE, ARE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT I HAVE BEEN WRITING ABOUT, IN REFERENCE TO THE KIND OF PAPER MATERIALS, USED TO COPY DOWN PASSED-ALONG RECIPES. WHILE I'VE SEEN MANY UNIQUE WRITING SURFACES USED, INCLUDING PENNED ONTO THE WOOD INTERIOR OF A HOOSIER CUPBOARD, THE RECIPE ABOVE, IS ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE WE HAVE IN OUR COLLECTION. THIS ONE, OF COURSE, IS PART OF SUZANNE'S FAMILY ARCHIVES, FROM THE HAMLET OF UFFORD, CRADLING THE WATERS OF THREE MILE LAKE, IN THE PRESENT TOWNSHIP OF MUSKOKA LAKES. IT IS A CENTRE PIECE, YOU MIGHT SAY, FOR OUR DEVELOPING COOKING ARCHIVES, IN SUZANNE'S NEW BUSINESS (AND RESOURCE COLLECTION), KNOWN AS THE "COOKERY NOOKERY." SHE IS STARTING YEAR TWO OF HER BID TO BECOME THE LARGEST COOKERY RESOURCE IN THIS REGION OF ONTARIO, AND POSSIBLY, ONE DAY, THE ENTIRE PROVINCE, EXCEPT FOR GOVERNMENT SUPPORTED ARCHIVES. A BIG PROJECT BUT WHEN YOU'RE BOOK COLLECTORS LIKE WE ARE, IT IS WITHIN THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY. WE'RE ALSO DOING IT ON A BUDGET, WHICH DOES MAKE THE PROJECT A TAD MORE CHALLENGING. IT'S WHY WE'RE PICKERS IN THE FIRST PLACE. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY TO EXPEND, SO WE HAVE TO MAKE UP FOR IT, BY BEING SUPERB HUNTER-GATHERERS, WHO CAN SECURE FINDS FOR PENNIES INSTEAD OF HUNDREDS.
    WHEN THIS ELECTION BALLOT BECAME AVAILABLE OF COURSE, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE USED BY A CONSTITUENT. THIS ONE WAS SURPLUS, NEVER BEING MARKED AND SUBMITTED FOR ELECTION PURPOSES. SUZANNE'S GRANDFATHER, JOHN SHEA, WAS A CLERK FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF WATT, MANY YEARS BEFORE THE 1969 AMALGAMATION OF THE SMALL TOWNSHIPS, INTO THE PRESENT SIX, REPRESENTATIVE, MUSKOKA DISTRICT MUNICIPALITIES. IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE CASE, JOHN HAD MORE BALLOTS PRINTED THAN WERE USED DURING THE ELECTION, SO BEING RESOURCEFUL, DECIDED TO RE-USE THEM FOR OTHER PURPOSES. THE GOOD HARRIET SHEA (SUZANNE'S GRANDMOTHER) PROBABLY DECIDED IT WOULD MAKE AN IDEAL BLANK SPACE, ON THE REVERSE, TO JOT DOWN THIS SPECIAL RECIPE. SO HERE IS THE CASE, WHERE YOU HAVE A CLASSIC PIECE OF MUSKOKA MEMORABILIA, AND COOKERY HERITAGE WITH A LOCAL FLAVOR, ON ONE SMALL TIME-WORN PIECE OF PAPER. IT'S NOT IN GREAT SHAPE, BUT IT WILL SURVIVE MOST OF THE NEXT CENTURY, AFTER WE GET IT HOUSED IN AN ACID FREE CASING, OPEN FOR VIEWING FROM EITHER SIDE. THE VALUE OF THE PAPER HERITAGE IN ANTIQUE TERMS? FIFTY DOLLARS. IT IS OF MUSEUM SIGNIFICANCE BY ALL MEANS. WITH THE RECIPE ON THE BACK, HOW MUCH WOULD IT ADD TO THE VALUE? HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH ON THE OPEN MARKET? NOT A CENT MORE THAN FIFTY DOLLARS. THE HANDWRITTEN RECIPE, UNLESS IT WAS WRITTEN BY THE PROPRIETOR OF ONE OF MUSKOKA'S LEGENDARY HOTELS, OR BY DR. NORMAN BETHUNE HIMSELF..., THE VALUATION WOULDN'T INCREASE JUST BECAUSE OF WHAT IS WRITTEN ON THE BACK. IT JUST ISN'T A STAND-ALONE PIECE....EXCEPT FOR US, BECAUSE WE COLLECT THIS KIND OF MATERIAL. AS FOR THE BALLOT, WELL, BECAUSE IT BELONGED TO SUZANNE'S GRANDFATHER, AND OF COURSE HER GRANDMOTHER, WE WON'T BE SELLING IT ANY TIME SOON.
   AS PART OF OUR ONGOING STORY ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HANDWRITTEN RECIPES, THIS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAS BEEN EXCITING US ABOUT THIS ASPECT OF COOKERY HERITAGE, THAT HAS BEEN RIDING US HARD SINCE THE MID 1980'S. THAT'S WHEN SUZANNE AND I WERE ATTENDING TWENTY TO THIRTY COUNTRY AND ESTATE AUCTIONS EACH YEAR, AND BUYING TRUCK LOADS OF OLD BOOKS AND DOCUMENTS. WE STILL DO THIS, JUST NOT FROM LOCAL AUCTIONS. I'M SORRY ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE WE LOVED TO ATTEND THESE EVENTS AS WE ENJOYED THE SOCIAL / CULTURAL ATMOSPHERE, WHICH I WROTE ABOUT FREQUENTLY, IN MY PUBLISHED COLUMN IN THE LOCAL PRESS, KNOWN AS "THE AUCTION ROLL," CIRCA THE 1980'S. I CAN CREDIT OUR ADVANCED AND LARGE COLLECTION OF COOKERY HERITAGE, TO OUR LATE AUCTIONEER FRIENDS, SUCH AS LES RUTLEDGE, HIS SON WAYNE RUTLEDGE, AND ART CAMPBELL, ALL GREAT FRIENDS OF OURS IN THE ANTIQUE FIELD. WE TOOK A LOT OF BOOKS OFF THEIR HANDS LET ME TELL YOU. AND IN THOSE BOOKS, WE WOULD FIND SOME AMAZING RELICS OF HISTORY.....IN PAPER FORM; BOOKS RANGING FROM FAMILY BIBLES TO PHOTO ALBUMS. WE'D FIND AN INTERESTING ARRAY OF PAPER WORK, LETTERS, HOCKEY AND BASEBALL CARDS, MAPS, PRESSED DOLLAR BILLS, INVOICES, BUS, TRAIN AND STEAMBOAT TICKETS, AND YES, LOTS AND LOTS OF HANDWRITTEN RECIPES. BUT THEY WEREN'T CONFINED TO THE PAGES OF COOKBOOKS. THE ONLY THING YOU COULD PREDICT, WHEN WEEDING THROUGH OLD BOOKS, WAS THAT THERE WOULD BE A PILE OF PAPER HERITAGE WHEN ALL THE PURCHASES HAD BEEN CLEANED COVER TO COVER. I STILL FOLD UP PAPER AND STUFF THEM IN MY BOOKS, AND THEN, YOU GUESSED IT! SUZANNE WILL ASK ME WHERE I PUT THE INVOICE OR LETTER THAT I HAD BEEN READING A WEEK OR SO EARLIER. THAT MIGHT BE OKAY FOR SOMEONE WITH FIVE BOOKS. I HAVE A FEW MORE THAN THAT IN MY PERSONAL LIBRARY. SO IF I DO IT, IN THE MODERN SENSE, FOLDING UP PAPER INTO BOOKS, I GUESS IT MAKES SENSE THAT FROM THE BEGINNING OF BOUND PAGES INTO WHAT WE KNOW AS BOOKS, OWNERS WOULD BE STUFFING THEM WITH THEIR IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS; AND RECIPES, WERE TO SOME HOME COOKS, OF VITAL IMPORTANCE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND FAMILY.
      I'VE WRITTEN QUITE A LOT IN THE PAST YEAR, ABOUT THE HUNTING AND GATHERING OF PAPER HERITAGE. IN MY OPINION, IT IS THE ONE AREA OF COLLECTING, THAT IS LEAST UNDERSTOOD. I OFTEN GET MYSELF IN A POSITION, BECAUSE I FEEL IT INCUMBENT TO TALK ABOUT ANTIQUES AND NOSTALGIA, WITH CUSTOMERS, OF TRYING TO EXPLAIN WHAT EPHEMERA MEANS. PAPER NOSTALGIA. DOCUMENTS. LETTERS. ADVERTISING MEMORABILIA. CORRESPONDENCE. IT'S A LOT EASIER EXPLAINING HAND WRITTEN RECIPES, AND THE PAPER USED TO WRITE THEM ON, THAN IT IS, TRYING TO CLEAR UP THE MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE VALUE OF PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE, OR FOR EXAMPLE, OLD FREIGHT INVOICES FROM THE RAILWAY OR STEAMSHIPS. EVEN OLD AIRLINE TICKERS AND BAGGAGE TAGS. IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN WHAT GIVES THESE PAPER COLLECTABLES THEIR SIGNIFICANT VALUES, OTHER THAN TO SAY, "IT'S THE COLLECTORS DRIVING THE MARKETPLACE." PART OF MY EXTENDED KNOWLEDGE IN THIS AREA, (AS A BONUS) IS DUE TO THE FACT, MY GRUNT WORK AS AN HISTORIAN, WILL KICK IN, WHEN WE START GOING THROUGH PILES OF OLD PAPER WE'VE ACQUIRED, OR FOUND AT A FLEA MARKET OR RUMMAGE SALE. DEALER-COLLECTOR-HISTORIAN IN ONE BODY. SUZANNE IS THE SAME. THESE PAPER FINDS, FOR ME, INCLUDE VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPHS, WHICH ARE NOT CLASSIFIED AS EPHEMERA, BUT WE OFTEN FIND THESE IMAGES, IN THE SAME BOOKS AND BOXES OF PAPER, WE BUY IN BULK.
     NOW OF COURSE, ONE OF THE BIG PROBLEMS, EXPLAINING THE VALUE OF EPHEMERA, IS THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF COLLECTABLE, THAT MAKES ONE PIECE OF PAPER, WITH AN ADVERTISEMENT ON IT, WORTH MORE THAN A PARALLEL INVOICE, ALSO WITH A BUSINESS LETTER-HEAD. LET'S JUST SAY ONE INVOICE, IS FOR SHIPPING ON ONE OF THE MUSKOKA LAKES STEAMSHIPS FROM THE 1930'S, WEIGHED IN VALUE AGAINST A SIMILAR INVOICE FOR THE TRAIN, DATED EXACTLY THE SAME. IN OUR STORE, HERE IN GRAVENHURST, THE MUSKOKA LAKES STEAMSHIP INVOICE, WOULD BE TWICE TO THREE TIMES THE VALUE OF THE TRAIN DOCUMENT. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE, IS IF THERE WAS REFERENCE TO THE "MUSKOKA WHARF," ON THE RAILWAY INVOICE. EVEN IN AN ONLINE AUCTION, I BELIEVE MUSKOKA COLLECTORS, WHO SPECIALIZE IN LAKELAND RELICS, WOULD PAY CONSIDERABLY MORE, THAN A COMMON INVOICE FOR RAILWAY FREIGHT DELIVERY, EVEN IF IT WAS FROM THE GRAVENHURST TRAIN STATION. SO IF YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND ANY STEAMSHIP INVOICES OR TICKETS, YOU ARE GOING TO LIKE THE EVALUATION. TRAINS AND ALL THE PAPERWORK THAT GOES WITH THEM, ARE HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT, AND ARE OF MORE INTERNATIONAL INTEREST, THAN MUSKOKA MEMORABILIA; EXCEPT OF COURSE, WHEN YOU ARE DEALING WITH RABID COLLECTORS....AND THIS IS HOW I WOULD DESCRIBE THOSE FOLKS BUILDING THEIR NAVIGATION-BOATING COLLECTIONS HERE IN OUR REGION OF ONTARIO. I HAVE SOLD HUNDREDS OF NAVIGATION COMPANY EPHEMERA OVER THE PAST THIRTY YEARS, AND THIS INCLUDED VOLUMES OF MUSKOKA BOAT BUILDING HERITAGE. I MUST ADMIT TO BEING REGULARLY SHOCKED AT THE ASKING PRICES I HEAR, FOR SOME OF THIS SAME MATERIAL TODAY, BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A LOT MORE SPECULATION ON THE PART OF DEALERS, TRYING TO GET THE LONG-BUCK FOR WHAT ISN'T EVEN IN THE SHORT SUPPLY; WHICH THEY OFTEN MAINTAIN WHEN SETTING THEIR PRICES. THE MEANING OF THE WORD "RARE" HAS BECOME QUITE WATERED-DOWN IN RECENT YEARS. THE REASON WE DON'T ADVERTISE THAT WE ARE BUYING THIS MATERIAL, IS THAT WE DON'T WANT TO PLAY A ROLE IN ESCALATING THESE PRICES, MORE THAN THEY ALREADY HAVE BEEN BUMPED-UP TO SUGH RIDICULOUS, AND FRANKLY, UNJUSTIFIABLE LEVELS, AT LEAST FROM AN APPRAISAL POINT OF VIEW. YOU CAN PAY FIFTY DOLLARS FOR A POST CARD IF YOU WANT, BUT AS A MUSKOKA COLLECTABLE APPRAISER, I MAY NOT GOING TO AGREE WITH THE VALUATION, IF YOU WANT MY OPINION. IF THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF THIS PAPER HERITAGE, I WISH SOMEONE HAD TOLD US SOONER. IN THE NORMAL DAY TO  DAY LIFE OF AN ANTIQUE HUNTER, IT'S NATURAL TO HAVE  LULLS IN THE ACTION. WE CAN GO AN ENTIRE YEAR, AND NOT FIND EVEN ONE DECENT NAVIGATION COMPANY, OR MUSKOKA BOAT COMPANY LETTERHEAD, ADVERTISING OR INVOICE. THEN WE'LL GET A BOX OF OLD PAPER, FROM A LOCAL ESTATE, AND WE CAN FILL OUR SHOWCASES AGAIN. IT'S THE FEAST OR FAMINE SITUATION, FOR US WORKING THE LOCAL HUSTINGS; AND EVERY DEALER / COLLECTOR WORTH IS OR HER SALT, HAS EXPERIENCED A DROUGHT IN ONE AREA, A FEAST IN ANOTHER. IT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO ME SINCE I GOT INTO THE BUSINESS, BACK IN THE MID 1970'S. YOU JUST LEARN TO LIVE WITH IT, AND BENEFIT WHERE YOU CAN, WHEN YOU CAN. POINT IS, EPHEMERA IS A GREAT PLACE TO BE BOTH "HISTORICALLY RABID," AND "COLLECTABLE SAVY."
     I BUY VERY LITTLE OF THIS MATERIAL OVER THE COUNTER. I WILL BUY BULK LOTS IF I FIND THEM OF GENERAL INTEREST, BECAUSE WE BENEFIT FROM A WIDE DIVERSITY OF PAPER HERITAGE; WE HAVE MANY CUSTOMERS WHO ASK US TO KEEP CERTAIN MATERIALS ASIDE. WE HAVE TRAIN NOSTALGIA COLLECTORS, AND THOSE ACUTELY INTERESTED IN BUS HERITAGE....THE PAPER OF COURSE, BUT WE ALWAYS SEEM TO BE ABLE TO FIND COMPANY BUTTONS, FROM RETIRED UNIFORMS. THE UNIFORMS WERE TOSSED LONG AGO, BUT SOMEONE CLIPPED THE BUTTONS OFF, AND IT'S THE REASON WE ALSO BUY MASON JARS FULL OF THEM. YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO KNOW, WHAT KIND OF MILITARY BUTTONS CAN BE FOUND IN THOSE COLLECTIONS, OFTEN KEPT FOR GENERATIONS, BY FAMILY MEMBERS WHO CUT OFF BUTTONS FROM USED CLOTHING.....JUST IN CASE A BUTTON WAS NEEDED FOR SOME OTHER PIECE OF CLOTHING. A JAR OF BUTTONS THAT MIGHT COST US BETWEEN FIVE AND TEN DOLLARS, CAN PRODUCE SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS, IF CERTAIN BUTTONS ARE FOUND. THIS ISN'T TO DISMISS, THE LIKELIHOOD THAT SOME RARE BUTTONS THEMSELVES, COULD ESCALATE THE VALUE INTO THE THOUSANDS, IF THERE ARE ENOUGH OF THEM. WE WON'T BUY THEM OVER THE COUNTER, BECAUSE WE DO NOT WANT TO RIP ANY ONE OFF....FOR OFFERING LESS; OR EVEN WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE MARKET VALUE FOR BULK PURCHASES.... LIKE BUTTONS, FOR EXAMPLE. WHEN A FLEA MARKET VENDOR, OR THRIFT SHOP PRICES A JAR OF BUTTONS, IT WILL TAKE US ABOUT TWO MINUTES TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE VALUE IS, AND IF WE WILL MAKE ENOUGH AS AN INVESTMENT, TO MAKE IT WORTHWHILE. SUZANNE OR I WOULD NEVER THINK TO EXAMINE BUTTON BY BUTTON ON AN OVER-THE-COUNTER PURCHASE, AND IT'S WHY WE GENERALLY STAY AWAY FROM THESE KIND OF HAPPENSTANCE SITUATIONS. WE BUY JARS OF BUTTONS, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, BECAUSE OF THE ESTIMATED VALUE WITHIN. (WITHOUT ONCE OPENING THE LID)  A PRICE FOR WHAT CONTENTS WE CAN JUDGE, AT A GLANCE, THAT WE CAN MAKE MONEY FROM TO PAY BACK THE PURCHASE PRICE; OR AT LEAST FIND USE FOR, IN VINTAGE CLOTHING REPAIRS. WE LIVE BY THE RULE, THAT AS A FIRST STEP IN ACQUISITION, HOW FAST CAN WE MAKE THE PURCHASE PRICE BACK. IT WILL ALWAYS BE THE CASE, THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY NEARLY TRIPLE THE SHELF PRICE OF A THRIFT SHOP, TO SATISFY SOMEONE SELLING THEM TO US DIRECTLY. EVEN IF THERE WERE BUTTONS WE MIGHT DESIRE, UNLESS THEY GIVE US THE PRICE (THEY WANT), WITHIN THE RANGE WE WOULD NORMALLY PAY RETAIL, OUT ON THE HUNT, WE WOULD JUST SUGGEST THEY TAKE THEM TO ANOTHER SHOP INSTEAD.
     I WROTE QUITE A BIT ABOUT THIS LAST YEAR, BUT IT DOES NEED TO BE REITERATED ONCE MORE. SUZANNE AND I, AS WELL AS THE BOYS, ANDREW AND ROBERT, ARE PICKERS, AND WE ARE CANADIAN. NO WE DON'T WATCH THE SHOW; OR ANTIQUE ROAD SHOWS GENERALLY. WE HAVE BEEN PICKING FOR LONG ENOUGH, TO REALIZE, THAT THE BEST VALUES WE CAN GET, AND THE MOST WE CAN HELP OUR SHOP, IS TO ELIMINATE CERTAIN PITFALLS OF THE ANTIQUE INDUSTRY. OVER THE COUNTER IS TOUGH AND WE HATE THE THOUGHT OF FOLKS GETTING MAD AT US, BECAUSE WE WON'T PAY ENORMOUS PRICES FOR THE WARES THEY'RE TRYING TO FLOG. WE HAD A CHAP RECENTLY, WHO ACTUALLY EXPECTED, THAT FOR WHAT COLLECTABLES HE HAD BROUGHT TO US, IN A MUSTY BOX, WE WOULD WANT TO CALL OUT OUR ASSOCIATE PICKERS, AS THEY APPARENTLY DO ON TELEVISION, AND CROWD AROUND THE BIG PRIZE. HE HONESTLY COULDN'T UNDERSTAND, THAT WE WOULDN'T, (EVEN RAGING DRUNK WE WOULDN'T HAVE), BUY ONE PIECE OF HIS FLEA MARKET CAST-OFFS. HE FIGURED THAT WE'D PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, FOR WHAT WASN'T WORK A SHINY QUARTER. WELL, NOT EVEN A DIME, BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO WASTE MONEY ON A GARBAGE BAG TO THROW THE STUFF OUT. BUT WHAT IS SO CRAZY ABOUT THIS, IS HOW THEY ARGUE WITH US, ABOUT VALUATIONS, AND TELL US WHAT WE SHOULD BE THINKING. "I CAN TELL THE WAY YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT JUG, THAT YOU REALLY LIKE IT!" BY THE WAY, THIS IS THE FIRST LINE OF THE LAST THING WE LISTEN TO, BEFORE MAKING OUR MINDS UP, THAT THE ITEM MUST BE PUT BACK INTO THE MUSTY BOX, AND THE CARDBOARD FLAPS FOLDED OVER TOP. WE DON'T CARRY ON PAST THIS POINT. OUR CUSTOMERS CAN'T READ OUR MINDS, THANK GOODNESS. AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY KNOW THIS RULE OF CONDUCT, JUST IN CASE, THEY WERE TO TRY THE SAME THING ON ANOTHER DAY. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY THEY WOULD HAVE SOME DECENT TREASURES ONE DAY? WELL, WE'RE READY TO SACRIFICE THIS, BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT, AS A MATTER OF SHOP HISTORY, THEY WOULD WANT A KING'S RANSOM FOR ANYTHING THEY BROUGHT IN FOR SALE. IT HAPPENS A LOT. SO THERE IS NO STARTING POINT, OTHER THAN TO SAY, "NO THANKS."
     I HAD A WOMAN COME IN TO THE SHOP, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WITH FOUR BAGS OF POSTERS THAT SHE TOLD ANDREW, THE ANTIQUE DEALER WILL DEFINITELY WANT TO BUY. AT THAT MOMENT, I WAS STILL TRYING TO GET THE SHOP OPEN, AND I SHOWED UP, WHILE HE WAS STILL EXPLAINING TO THE WOMAN, OUT IN THE HALL, THAT HIS DAD WAS REAL FUSSY ABOUT WHAT HE WANTED AS INVENTORY. SHE PERSISTED, AS IF SHE KNEW BETTER THAN HE DID, WHAT I WOULD WANT TO ACQUIRE. THAT'S A MISTAKE ALL ON ITS OWN, BECAUSE WE ARE A LIKE-MINDED FAMILY, THAT STICKS TOGETHER ON MATTERS AS SUCH. SO HE WAS RIGHT TO QUESTION HER ASSERTION. I HAD ALREADY HEARD HER BOLD SALES' DIRECTIVES, THAT SHE SIMPLY HAD TO SEE THE ANTIQUE DEALER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I HEARD HIM SAY "HE'S NOT GOING TO WANT POSTERS OF THE SNOWBIRDS." (UNSIGNED BY THE WAY)
      WHEN I MET HER IN THE HALL, AND SHE SMILED, THE WAY ANYONE WHO IS ABUNDANTLY OVER-CONFIDENT WOULD, PREPARING THEIR PITCH..., I STOPPED HER FROM UNLOADING HER BAGS OF POSTERS IN THE HALL. "DON'T BOTHER REMOVING ALL THE POSTERS MISS, BECAUSE I DON'T WISH TO PURCHASE THEM," I SAID IN A CLEAR, UNFALTERING VOICE. "BUT YOU HAVEN'T EVEN SEEN THEM YET," SHE COMPLAINED. "I DON'T NEED TO SEE THEM, TO KNOW, THAT I DON'T BUY POSTERS," I RESPONDED. THEN SHE TOLD ME HOW MUCH THEY WERE WORTH, WHICH IS ANOTHER ANTIQUE DEALER TURN-OFF. "I DON'T SELL POSTERS IN MY SHOP.....SO WHY WOULD I WANT TO BUY THEM FROM YOU?" SHE WASN'T DONE YET, BECAUSE IT SEEMED INCUMBENT, TO CALL ME A DINK BECAUSE I WOULDN'T GO GA-GA OVER HER MODERN ERA POSTERS, OF NOTHING THAT EVEN REMOTELY INTERESTED ME. IF I DID WANT A POSTER, IT WOULD BE ON MY TERMS, OUT ON THE PROWL, AND NOT ON HER URGING.
     WHILE I'M ALWAYS INTERESTED IN ACQUIRING CERTAIN HIGH QUALITY MUSKOKA COLLECTABLES, AND ARTIFACTS, I STILL SELDOM GET LURED TO BUY THEM OVER THE COUNTER, BECAUSE I HAVE TO APPRAISE THEM ACCORDINGLY, BEFORE EVEN TALKING ABOUT AN ACQUISITION VALUATION. I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE BEING PART OF THE SPECULATIVE GAMES THAT GO ON, WITH MUSKOKA COLLECTABLES. THIS MEANS, I HAVE TO FIND MY OWN MUSKOKA RELICS, ON MY TERMS, FOR WHAT I CAN AFFORD TO PAY; THROUGH MY ABILITIES TO FIND SOURCES, AND HARVEST WHAT I NEED TO RUN A BUSINESS. IF I WAS TO ONLY BUY OVER THE COUNTER, I'D BE BROKE SOON ENOUGH, AND OPERATING A SHORT TERM BUSINESS DESTINED TO FAIL. SO IT'S WHY WE HAVE ALL HAD TO BECOME PICKERS AND FRONT LINE DEALERS, IN THIS FAMILY, IN ORDER TO BUY LOW AND SELL FOR THE KIND OF PROFIT THAT WE NEED TO KEEP THE DOORS OPEN. IN THE CASE OF ESTATES, THIS WORKS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, AND WE OFTEN COME UP WITH A BULK PRICE BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE OVERVIEWED OF THE COLLECTION; VERSUS AN ITEM BY ITEM BREAKDOWN, WHICH ALWAYS TURNS OUT TO COST US TWICE AS MUCH TIME AND MONEY TO HANDLE. WE DID AN ITEM BY ITEM SELL OFF FOR A LOCAL ESTATE, AND FOR SEVERAL MONTHS INTENSIVE WORK, TO SELL IT OFF "ONLINE," IT TOOK YEARS OFF OUR LIVES. WE ACTUALLY CAME TO HATE BEING DEALERS FOR THAT PERIOD, BECAUSE IT WAS ALL WE COULD THINK ABOUT....AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES, TO HANDLE THE ESTATE WERE TEN TIMES MORE THAN WE IMAGINED, WHEN WE BEGAN THE PROCESS. BUYING ESTATES OUTRIGHT GIVES US THE TIME WE NEED TO GET THROUGH THOUSANDS OF ANTIQUE AND COLLECTABLE PIECES. AND WHEN I WRITE "THOUSANDS OF PIECES," THAT COULD BE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ITEMS. WE DON'T BUY ESTATES OFTEN BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY STAFF EXCEPT OURSELVES, AND WE'RE KIND OF BUSY WITH OTHER RETAIL PROJECTS. SO BY BEING PICKERS OURSELVES, WE HAVE MADE IT POSSIBLE, TO AVOID HAVING TO GET INTO MAJOR PROJECTS LIKE THIS, OR DEPENDING ON WALK-IN TO BOLSTER OUR STORE INVENTORY. IT DOES MEAN, WE HAVE TO BE EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD AT PICKING, IN ORDER TO HAVE A SALABLE INVENTORY....BECAUSE WE'RE NOT RUNNING A MUSEUM.
     SO AS PICKERS, GETTING BACK TO THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF TODAY'S COLUMN, WE BUY PAPER LOTS BY THE BOX FULL, AND UNLESS IT IS A SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE, INVOLVING MUSKOKA MEMORABILIA, WE DON'T BUY OVER THE COUNTER TO BUILD OUR INVENTORY. SO IT'S WHY, IN OUR FIRST YEARS AS COOKBOOK COLLECTORS, WE SPENT SO MANY HOURS STANDING AROUND AUCTION SALES. AT AN AVERAGE ESTATE AUCTION, WE COULD OFTEN BUY TWENTY OR THIRTY BOXES OF BOOKS AND OLD PAPER FOR UNDER A HUNDRED DOLLARS. WE HAVE SOME CUSTOMERS, WHO WANT THAT VALUATION FOR HALF A BOX, OF PAPER ITEMS, THAT HAVE VERY LITTLE MARKETABLE QUALITIES. SO I DO WIND-UP TRYING TO EXPLAIN THIS TO THOSE SELLERS WHO WANT TO KNOW MORE.....AND FEEL KINDLY TOWARD US,  EVEN AFTER WE REFUSE TO BUY WHAT THEY ARE OFFERING US. I CAN UNDERSTAND, WITH ALL THE ANTIQUE RELATED SHOWS ON TELEVISION, HOW FOLKS ARE CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT HAS VALUE AND WHAT DOESN'T. IT'LL NEVER BE SAID, THAT WE WON'T TRY TO HELP YOU OUT, UNDER SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES....BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE PACIFIED BY THE EXPLANATION. I SEE A LOT OF PATRONS LEAVING OUR CONVERSATIONS SHAKING THEIR HEADS. "THAT'S NOT WHAT THE ANTIQUE DEALER SAID ON THAT ROAD SHOW PROGRAM," I HEARD THEM SAY ON THE WAY OUT THE DOOR. HONESTLY, WHILE THESE SHOWS SERVE A PURPOSE OF ENTERTAINMENT, THEY'VE ALSO BEEN A PAIN IN THE ASS FOR A LOT OF US SHOP-KEEPS, HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE CARNAGE OF HIGH HOPES, DASHED BY MARKET-PLACE REALITIES. I'LL OFFER SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THIS IN A FUTURE COLUMN.
     THANKS SO MUCH FOR TUNING IN FOR TODAY'S BLOG. TOMORROW, I WANT TO PROFILE A NEAT LITTLE BOOK I PICKED UP, ON MY WEEKEND TRAVELS, ENTITLED "HORSE-DRAWN VEHICLES - THE HOUSE ON THE ROCK CARRIAGE COLLECTION," WHICH HAS SOME FASCINATING PHOTOGRAPHS OF THESE WONDERFUL RELICS OF PAST TRANSPORTATION SERVICES. KEEPING IN MIND, THAT WE OFTEN PURCHASE LEFTOVER OIL LANTERNS AND DECORATIVE FINIALS THAT ONCE ADORNED THESE WAGONS AND SLEIGHS....AND YES, EVEN HEARSES. SO ALTHOUGH WE DON'T HAVE THE WHOLE SLEIGH OR WAGON, WE MOST DEFINITELY SELL OFF THE REMNANTS OF HORSE AND BUGGY (SLEIGH) DAYS. SEE YOU AGAIN TOMORROW.