THE LANDSCAPE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE STRONGEST PULL ON THE ANTIQUE HUNT
ONE PASSION FEEDS THE OTHER
FROM MY EARLIEST MEMORY OF COLLECTING THINGS…..CURIOUS AND UNIQUE STUFF, I HAVE ALWAYS HAD A STRONG UNYIELDING TIE WITH THE NATURE AROUND ME. I'M NOT SURE IF ANY OTHER BIOGRAPHY, OF AN ANTIQUE DEALER / COLLECTOR, WILL CREDIT THE ENVIRONMENT AS HAVING A PARALLEL INFLUENCE. I WOULDN'T HAVE HALF THE INTEREST IN ANTIQUES, IF IT WASN'T FOR THE FACT I LOVE MY TRAVELS TO FIND THEM. EVEN AS A KID, THE OUTDOORS WAS THE PRIMARY ALLURE.
IT'S WHAT I WANTED MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. AN ESCAPE FROM THE APARTMENT BOX, WHERE I LIVED, THE SCHOOL BOX, WHERE I WAS TRAPPED FIVE DAYS OUT OF SEVEN, AND SUNDRY OTHER COMMITMENTS THAT BOXED ME IN; THEN CAME THE EMPLOYMENT BOX, AND OF COURSE, THE SOCIAL BOX WHICH I FOUND EVEN MORE COMPRESSING AND CLAUSTROPHOBIC THAN ANYTHING ELSE. I DIDN'T WANT SOCIAL OBLIGATIONS, STOPPING UP MY COLLECTING ADVENTURES. MY IDEA OF SOCIAL INTERCOURSE, WAS TO MEET-UP WITH ANTIQUE SHOP PROPRIETORS, AND OTHER DEALER / COLLECTORS ALONG THE WAY. NOW THAT'S FREEDOM. I'M LIKE A DAVID GRAYSON STORY COME TO LIFE (ADVENTURES IN CONTENTMENT)
IT'S NOT THE CASE THAT I WAS A LONER, EITHER AS A ROOKIE OR EVEN CONTEMPORARY COLLECTOR. I WASN'T A TRUE LONE WOLF THEN, OR NOW. BUT I AM EMPOWERED BY MY FREEDOM, AND THIS INVOLVES, THE CAPABILITY OF HEADING OFF DOWN THE ROAD WHEN I FEEL LIKE IT. MY FAVORITE SHOW AS A KID, WAS THE "LITTLEST HOBO," ABOUT THIS WAYWARD, CRIME BUSTING GERMAN SHEPHERD. IN FACT, AS A WEE BIT OF IRONY, I STILL WATCH THE CANADIAN RE-MAKE OF THE SHOW, ON SATURDAY MORNINGS ON CTV. SUZANNE SAID TO ME THE OTHER MORNING, REGARDING THE SHOW, "YOU SEE, YOU HAVE LIVED A DOG'S LIFE." I'M NOT GOING TO READ TOO MUCH INTO THIS. SUZANNE HAS BEEN TRAVELLING DOWN THE ROAD WITH ME FOR A LOT OF YEARS NOW, AND WE'RE STILL UP TO OUR SAME OLD TRICKS. WE WERE OUT ON THE ANTIQUE HUSTINGS ON SUNDAY, WITH THE LADS, TO SEEK OUT SOME VINTAGE VINYL, OLD GUITARS, DRUMS, AND FOR US, SIGNIFICANT BOOKS, SEWING COLLECTIBLES, ART WORK, AND VINTAGE WOOL BLANKETS. SUZANNE HAS BEEN RESTORING WOOL BLANKETS SINCE BACK IN THE 1990'S; BRANDS LIKE HUDSON'S BAY, KENWOOD, FROM ARNPRIOR, AYERS, AND OF COURSE BIRD'S MILL BLANKETS, FORMERLY MADE IN BRACEBRIDGE. WE SOLD OFF FIFTY OR SO BLANKETS IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, MOSTLY TO COTTAGERS AND BOATERS, WHO LIKE TO HAVE SOME OLD FASHIONED COMFORT ITEMS, FOR THOSE CHILLY NIGHTS ON THE VERANDAH, OR FOR OUT ON CRUISES. SUZANNE BOUGHT THREE NICE WOOL BLANKETS AT ONE SECOND HAND SHOP, THAT WILL REQUIRE MINOR RESTORATION. HEY, IT'S THE WINTER MONTHS. LOTS OF TIME BETWEEN CUSTOMERS TO DO REPAIR WORK.
AS I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS WEE BIOGRAPHY, OF A COMMONPLACE ANTIQUE DEALER, COLLECTOR, I FELT COMPELLED TO EMPHASIZE THE POINT, THAT THE NATURAL QUALITIES AND QUANTITIES OF OUR PROVINCE, AND ESPECIALLY THE MUSKOKA, ALGONQUIN AND HURONIA REGION, ARE SO IMBEDDED IN MY PSYCHE, THAT HONESTLY, IT'S PART OF THE PROFESSION. I CAN'T IMAGINE MANY DEALERS AND COLLECTORS ADMITTING THAT IF THE ENVIRONMENT WAS COMPROMISED, AND THE LANDSCAPE A LESSER PART OF THEIR INDUSTRY, THEY WOULD FIND THE WHOLE PROFESSION OF LESSER INTEREST. I UNDERSTAND THIS. THE HINTERLAND IS THE BACKDROP. YOU HAVE TO GO OUT IN IT, TO GET FROM AUCTION TO YARD SALE; FLEA MARKET TO ESTATE SALE. ONLY FOR ME, IT'S FAR MORE THAN JUST A LANDSCAPE, A FOREST, LAKE OR BOG FOR THAT MATTER. THE TRIP FOR ME, ON ANY DAY, INVOLVES AN APPRECIATION OF THE NATURE OF OUR REGION. I COULDN'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED, BECAUSE THAT WOULD MEAN, TAKING MY PROFESSION THE SAME WAY; AND BECAUSE THE TWO HAVE BECOME TIGHTLY INTERTWINED, BY TRADITION, IT JUST WOULD DEPRESS ME RIGHT OUT OF THE BUSINESS……..IF I ONLY HAD TO STEP A FEW FEET FROM MY HOUSE, INTO A HUGE WAREHOUSE FULL OF ANTIQUES IN WHICH TO BROWSE AND MAKE PURCHASES. I NEED THE WONDERFUL SPACE BETWEEN THE STOPS.
IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I HAVE ALWAYS ADORED OUTDOOR AUCTIONS, ESPECIALLY FARM SALES. I'D LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE NOW-RARE OPPORTUNITIES, TO SETTLE MYSELF OUT IN A FARM-YARD OR ABUTTING PASTURE, WHERE ALL THE ANTIQUE AND COLLECTIBLES WERE TABLED-UP, FOR THE EASE OF MOVEMENT BY THE AUCTIONEER…..AND THE CLEAR VIEW AFFORDED TO THE BUYERS, CLUSTERED AMONGST THE WILDFLOWERS; AND THE EVERGREEN BACKDROP WITH A BLUE CLOUDLESS SKY RISING TO ETERNITY. I THINK BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A WRITER, FOR EVERY DAY OF MY PROFESSIONAL "ANTIQUE DEALING" LIFE, I HAVE ALWAYS PAID EXTRA ATTENTION TO THE SURROUNDINGS OF THESE SALES, AND ALONG THE MANY MILES TRAVELLED TO GET THERE. I AM CONSTANTLY ASSESSING THE SCENERY, AND ENJOYING ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES AFFORDED ME AS A TRAVELLING ANTIQUE ADVENTURER. ON A TYPICAL SPRING SEASON JUNKET, WE WILL SPOT NUMEROUS AMBLING DEER, ESPECIALLY ALONG THE MAPLE-LINED SECTION OF MUSKOKA BEACH ROAD, ALONG WITH AT LEAST ONE OWL, POSSIBLY SOME WILD TURKEYS AT ROADSIDE, AND MOST LIKELY, A RESIDENT BEAVER IN ONE OF THE LOWLANDS WE PASS BY SLOWLY. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT LOCAL ROAD WE TRAVEL, WE WILL ENCOUNTER WILDLIFE AMIDST THESE MAGNIFICENTLY ALLURING WOODLANDS, HILLS AND DALES, SPRAWLING PASTURES AND WILDFLOWER-FILLED UPLANDS. AS A WRITER, I NEVER RETURN WITHOUT LOTS TO ADD INTO MY DAILY BLOGS, ABOUT WHAT I'VE WITNESSED…..JUST DOING MY JOB. SUZANNE AND I MIGHT COME BACK WITH A WILD ASSORTMENT OF COLLECTIBLES, AND A COUPLE OF QUILTS, MAYBE A WATERCOLOR PAINTING, A PIECE OF FOLK ART, OR A SMALL VICTORIAN TABLE; BUT WHAT MAKES IT SO MUCH MORE "STORIED" AND INTERESTING, IS THE TOTAL EXPERIENCE OF THE QUEST. IT'S WHAT TIES WORK AND RECREATION TOGETHER, AND HONESTLY, IT CONTINUES TO INSPIRE US ABOUT THE AMAZING DISTRICT IN WHICH WE RESIDE. FAR TOO MANY PEOPLE, EVEN RESIDENTS, TAKE THIS FOR GRANTED, AND IF OUR REGION NEEDED DEFENSE FROM INDISCRIMINATE DEVELOPMENT, AND DESTRUCTION OF THIS LAKELAND, WE WOULD BE TOO COMPLACENT TO MUSTER MUCH OF A PROTEST…..AT LEAST QUICKLY.
MY FIRST PROFESSIONAL ANTIQUE VENTURE, WAS IN BRACEBRIDGE, IN THE DISTRICT OF MUSKOKA. MY LAST PROFESSIONAL STAND AS AN ANTIQUE DEALER, WILL BE WHERE WE ARE TODAY……PLEASANTLY SITUATED IN THE CHARMING TOWN OF GRAVENHURST, TUCKED INTO THE BEAUTIFUL HINTERLAND OF SOUTH MUSKOKA. MY BUSINESS COMPOSITION AND TRADITIONS IN THE ANTIQUE TRADE, ARE REFLECTIONS OF THE PLACE I DWELL. IT'S BEEN A COMMON THREAD AS A COLLECTOR, EVEN FROM CHILDHOOD, HAUNTING THE RAVINE OF BURLINGTON'S RAMBLE CREEK. COLLECTING INTERESTING FOSSILS AND COLORED ROCKS WAS THE WAY IT BEGAN ON A BUDGET. BUT IT WAS ALWAYS BACKDROPPED BY GRATEFUL IMMERSION IN THE NATURE OF EACH BLESSED DAY.
FOR SOME I KNOW, IN THE ANTIQUE FIELD, THEY NEVER STOP HUSTLING. BUT DO THEY REALLY ENJOY THEIR PROFESSION
I have antique dealer colleagues who think I pay far too much attention to the scenery, and a lot less to the business of the day. Hustling for good buys to make high profits. I am most certainly guilty, of spending a lot of my travel time, between antique shops and assorted collectible venues, enjoying the view. In return, I wonder if these antiquing gadabouts actually enjoy the fast pace of their enterprise. I remind them that it doesn't have to be this way. They could actually benefit, from roadside picnics, and occasional minor trail hikes, when passing interesting park sites…..or beckoning forest trails. To them, this is antique-hunting blasphemy. The early bird always gets the worm, they remind me…..but I'm not listening. "It's hard work out there Currie," my contemporaries scold. "You're like that old cartoon character….Ferdinand the Bull, always stopping to smell the flowers." I don't consider this a critical overview. I do smell the flowers, and get the antiques as well.
Suzanne and I can never get past the Brunel locks in Huntsville, without stopping for a picnic, and a casual walk around the property. It's beautiful all seasons of the year. In fact, when the boys travelled with us, most weekends, we'd have fishing rods in the car, just in case we found a nice spot to drop a line. Right in the middle of antique hunting. We would do exactly the same thing, when we used to camp regularly up at Algonquin Park's Tea and Rock Lakes. We hit every antique and collectible hot spot, from Gravenhurst to the park gates. When we got to the camp site, and erected the tent and set out the first campfire of the weekend, I'd bring out several of the paintings I bought, on the way, and hang them in the low branches of the border trees. Which by the way used to freak out the park rangers and other campers, who would stop to get a better look, of the oil paintings in the light of an early evening fire. It wasn't just the paintings hauled out of the van either. We might have a rocker in there, purchased in Bracebridge, a steamer trunk picked-up in Baysville, a press back chair in Dwight. Well sir, that would mean one of us got to rock in the soft pine needles of the campsite, and two could sit up on the trunk, to enjoy the campfire ambience……and by golly, I've always loved press back chairs.
There was a time in my early collecting period, when I would get all wound-up before auctions and yard sales; fearing that if I didn't get there before every one else, I'd lose a Group of Seven painting, a pine harvest table, or Quebec made cupboard. What I discovered, by experience, and a lot of venues attended, was that early birds at sales, didn't always buy those pieces and for good reason. Early on in estate and yard sales, vendors generally set prices high, and are usually unwilling to yield too much with the asking price. By time they've endured the first hour of low ball offers, they become a little soft on their stance, and should the right person come along, they might well be offered a deal, by just standing next to the subject piece. "If you're interested in the table, feel free to make me an offer." Yet twenty minutes earlier, they turned down an unsolicited offer, that was maybe fifty or so dollars off the asking price. Frustration with the public will break a vendor down sooner or later. And if I'm interested in the table? "I've also got six pine chairs to go with the table if you're interested. I just didn't get a chance to bring them out this morning, before it got busy," reports the half-exhausted vendor, now sitting in a lawn chair, wiping sweat from his brow. It's the pine buffet that's also inside, with the chairs, that is the real treasure, of being slightly more relaxed and flexible to all eventualities. Believe me. From my years of traveling about this region, and beyond, I've got into the inner sanctums where the really old stuff is stored, simply because I didn't harass or attempt to beat-down a sale host. That's where the hustling all over the place thing, has its flaws, on not only the potential to make really big finds……, but also leading one to have a heart attack.
I needed to clarify this relationship with nature, that Suzanne and I have practiced for our entire married lives. We're not naturists, nudists or folks who like to run bare, even from room to room, here at Birch Hollow. We are nature lovers who adore "country antiques." Pine primitives, chairs, cupboards, dressers, dry sinks, flat-to-the-walls, pie safes, tables, pews and cradles. We are mesmerized by open air antique and collectible sales, where there are maple syrup making implements and containers, pails and trays. How magnificent to see a row of oil paintings from an old farmhouse, leaning up against a split rail fence, of a pasture, priced and awaiting a good and caring home. The environment is at least fifty percent of the antique hunting equation, and frankly, I can't imagine it being less…..but I could accept it being more. We are travelers, and adventure seekers, who judge the success and prosperity of the antique hunt, by how we arrived home. Feeling contented by what we saw and witnessed, and what we were able to purchase along the way.
I could still feel satisfied with a day's outing, if we only had the picnic at the base of a beautiful cataract, like at Bracebridge's High Falls Park, or had a wander of the trails at the Brunel Locks. Or stood out on the dam, in Baysville, admiring the scenery, licking our ice cream cones. It's nice to find some interesting antique pieces to bring home, but even if we just visit these shops, and talk about what we saw, while having a pop at a nearby park picnic table, it's been a worthwhile business / recreational outing…..worth the effort to mind, body and soul. If we don't come home with anything more than good stories, and the feeling we've had fun together shopping, then nothing ventured nothing gained.
I can't tell other antique dealers how to act out there. I don't suppose they've changed their minds about my tardiness, and status quo way of doing business. They probably look at Suzanne and I as leftovers from the hippy era, still in the flower-power, love-in mindset, satisfied with reading poetry at picnics, and ambling from venue to venue, holding hands and humming songs we used to know. I know we can survive the condemnations. Whether we will be more successful, at the profession, than they will, is of course debatable; and I happily draw reference to the story of the "tortoise and the hare." We will never know, you see, because we could never make this a competition. It's a profession. We must all work hard and be resourceful, in order to stay in business. That's really the bottom line. We have no need for a fancy car, or a huge estate in which to live, so our only measure of success, other than having enough money to pay the bills, and pursue what we have enjoyed most of our lives, is to feel our precious time has been invested wisely and profitably. I may be a hopeless romantic, and a leftover from another era, but the antique profession would be a much less prosperous venture, without my partner alongside, a long stretch of winding Muskoka road ahead, and the chance to stop awhile, for a wee respite…..just to enjoy the sights. I have never once, found such an impressive piece of antique furniture, heritage glass, or original oil painting, that would negate the importance of such countryside sojourns, when all was said and done. This is the background story of this collector, and his family of antique hunters. We are proud Muskokans. Eager collectors. Always gadabouts. We have no interest in changing what has always worked for us.
I would like to thank the readers of this blog, for the milestone they will help me achieve, well before the end of this month. In my blog records to date, which I have kept an eye on, for the past fourteen months, since starting this daily project of blog writing, I now have passed 45,000 hits, and will, if support continues, arrive at 50,000 before January wraps up. A year ago, I was averaging 35 to 45 hits each day, to the present, when I am close to 300 for most days, on an average. I have now committed two other columns in regional publications, to antique hunting themes (with a paranormal flavor), both expected to impact this blog site. I have monthly columns in "The Great North Arrow," and "Curious; The Tourist Guide," both fabulous little publications serving the readers of Ontario. I don't take a single reader for granted. On occasion, I will certainly be offering some news updates, and political opinions from the Gravenhurst beat…..especially now that we lost our main street newspaper office. I don't know how many consecutive years it's been with a newspaper office, anchored on Muskoka Road, but this makes some of us feel kind of naked, and under-serviced, without the traditional shingle of the local newspaper. Losing the office was an historic event, but the publication didn't feel obliged to let us know, in the paper, they were shifting staff to their central office in Bracebridge.
Anyway, stuff happens. But I really appreciate all the support and comments I've received over the past year, from readers and local politicians. If I can be critical of them, they certainly have the right to be critical of me. It's a good balance for democracy. I hope you will come back again, as I share some of my more interesting recollections, of a life spent in the quest for antiques and collectibles…..and the occasional holy grail. Farewell for now. And thanks again for your kind support.
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