The Painted Crock, The Unknown Folk Artist

THE PAINTED CROCK - THE UNKNOWN FOLK ARTIST - AND MY VERY SURPRISED WIFE

WHEN THE ANTIQUE DEALER IS AT FAULT - AND THE ARTIST IS BASHFUL

     AFTER WE PURCHASED OUR FIRST HOUSE, A SIMPLE VICTORIAN ERA STRUCTURE THAT HAD BEEN BUILT FOR TANNERY EMPLOYEES, IN THE TOWN OF BRACEBRIDGE CIRCA 1895), SUZANNE WAS ENAMORED BY THE DECORATING IDEAS BEING PUT FORWARD, IN VARIOUS PUBLICATIONS, BY MARTHA STEWART. WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY, AFTER WE SCRAPED UP THE DOWNPAYMENT, AND KEPT UP OUR MONTHLY CAR PAYMENTS. SHE HAD TO DECORATE ON A TIGHT BUDGET…..IF YOU COULD EVEN CALL IT A BUDGET. SUZANNE IS A BARGAIN HUNTER AND WE WERE ALWAYS GOING TO SECOND HAND SHOPS AND FLEA MARKETS, NOT TO MENTION OCCASIONAL SUMMER AUCTIONS, SO WE COULD DECORATE "ON THE CHEAP," AND MAKE THE REMODELED HOME LOOK LIKE ONE YOU'D FIND IN A "COUNTRY LIVING" MAGAZINE PHOTO SPREAD. ONE OF HER FAVORITE PROJECTS WAS TO STENCIL THE HUGE WHITE WALLS OF THE HALL AND SECOND FLOOR BEDROOMS. SHE USED THE PRE-CUT PANELS, SHE FOUND IN LOCAL CRAFT SUPPLY SHOPS, AND SHE HAD A CONSERVATIVE ARRAY OF PAINTS. "SOFT HUES" SHE USED TO TELL ME……"WE WANT THE BABY (ANDREW) TO BE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WITH SOFT HUES." I JUST LISTENED AND HELPED WHERE I WAS NEEDED. ACTUALLY, I'D TRY TO FIND A HIDING PLACE DOWNSTAIRS, WITH THE NEWSPAPER AND A PINT OF ALE. ACTUALLY, SEEING AS I WAS USELESS AS A DECORATOR, SHE'D LET ME THINK I'D PULLED OFF THE GREAT ESCAPE. SHE LIKED THE PEACE AND QUIET OF THE ART ENTERPRISE ANYWAY. UNTIL ANDREW WOULD WAKE UP FROM HIS AFTERNOON NAP. THE VERY NEXT BELLOW, WAS FROM THE ARTIST AT WORK……."TED, YOU LAZY BUM……WILL YOU PLEASE FEED ANDREW?" "YES DEAR," I REPLIED….WHICH WAS A LINE I HAD TO GET USED TO, AS IT WOULD SAVE OUR MARRIAGE UP TO AN INCLUDING THE PRESENT.

     AFTER AWHILE, THERE WAS NO WHITE SPACE LEFT ON THE WALLS, ANYWHERE IN THE HOUSE. SHE WAS ADDICTED TO STENCILING. IT WAS A GREAT HOBBY FOR HER, AFTER ANDREW WAS BORN, AND WE HAD STENCILED FLORALS AND VINES, TEDDY BEARS AND RABBITS ALL OVER THE PLACE. I USED TO HAVE MY HOCKEY AND FOOTBALL BUDDIES OVER, UNTIL THE KIDDING GOT TOO MUCH……BECAUSE SUZANNE WAS ONLY TOO THRILLED TO TELL THEM I WAS HER DECORATING ADVISOR. NO, THAT WASN'T TRUE. I WAS THE GUY HAULING THE FURNITURE INTO THE HOUSE, THAT I BOUGHT AT SALES, CARRYING ON MY OWN OBSESSION, TO OPEN UP OUR FIRST (IN MARRIED LIFE) ANTIQUE BUSINESS. MY FIRST ANTIQUE FORAY WAS WITH "OLD MILL ANTIQUES," IN BRACEBRIDGE, A BUSINESS STARTED WITH MY PARENTS ON UPPER MANITOBA STREET. BIRCH HOLLOW ANTIQUES WAS COMMENCED IN OUR HOUSE AS A MUNICIPALLY APPROVED "HOME OCCUPATION." WE ONLY KEPT IT IN THE HOUSE FOR TWO YEARS BEFORE WE MOVED TO THE RURAL CLIME. OUR NEW ABODE HAD PANELLING. NO STENCILS NEEDED. SUZANNE STILL THINKS I WANTED THAT HOUSE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO DRYWALL TO PAINT. I REPEAT, "TO THIS, I HAVE NO COMMENT."

     ANYWAY, WHEN SUZANNE RAN OUT OF WALL TO STENCIL, SHE DECIDED TO STENCIL OTHER THINGS, INCLUDING CROCKS, MAPLE SAP BUCKETS, CHAIR BACKS AND OLD SLEIGHS. OH, THERE WERE OTHER THINGS, LIKE FABRIC, AND BED SHEETS, BUT LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE ANTIQUES SHE UPGRADED WITH HER FOLK ART. FIRST OF ALL, EVEN WITH OUR BUSINESS, WE STILL HAD AT LEAST ONE ANNUAL YARD SALE, EACH SUMMER, WHILE LIVING ON ONTARIO STREET. WE WOULD RUN IT OVER TWO DAYS, AND WE PUT OUT THE BEST OF THE BEST, IN ORDER TO DRAW ATTENTION TO OUR STAKE IN THE ANTIQUE PROFESSION. WE'D GET A HUGE CROWD AND THE FINANCIAL TAKE OVER TWO DAYS, COULD HIT THREE TO FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS. I REMEMBER HER BEING SO EXCITED ON ONE OF THESE YARD SALE SATURDAYS, WHEN SHE RUSHED INTO THE HOUSE TO TELL ME, SHE HAD JUST THAT MOMENT, SOLD THREE OF HER STENCILED CROCKS, AND TWO CHAIRS SPORTING HER HANDIWORK……TO THREE DIFFERENT BUYERS.  I WAS THRILLED FOR HER, AND THERE WERE LOTS OF OTHER THINGS TO STENCIL, THAT WERE IN STORAGE. SHE WAS LIVING THE LIFE OF A FOLK ARTIST. A SORT OF MUSKOKA MAUD LEWIS. AS GOD WAS OUR WITNESS, WE NEVER ONCE THOUGHT ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY, THE STENCILS WOULD BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED LEGITIMATE ORIGINAL ART, FROM THE PERIOD OF THE ANTIQUE, CROCK, POTTERY OR WOOD THEY ADORNED. IT NEVER CAME UP IN CONVERSATION. IT SHOULD HAVE, BUT IT DIDN'T. SUZANNE WAS BASKING IN HER NEW FAME, AND THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE AS A STENCIL ARTIST. TO HECK WITH TEACHING, WHEN YOU COULD LIVE LIKE AN "R---TEEST!"

     SO ONE LOVELY AUTUMN DAY, OUT FOR A LITTLE MOTOR TRIP, WITH OUR NEW BORN SON, WE STOPPED IN TO SEE A CHARMING LITTLE SHOP, RUN BY SOMEONE WE WERE FAMILIAR WITH, AND TRUSTED, IN THE ANTIQUE PROFESSION. IT WAS WELL STOCKED AND THE ARRAY OF BEAUTIFULLY REFINISHED ANTIQUE FURNITURE WAS STUNNING; IT WAS ONE OF THE FINEST LITTLE COLLECTABLE BUSINESSES IN THE DISTRICT. I TALKED WITH THE OWNER FOR SOME TIME, AND CONGRATULATED HIM ON HIS NEWLY OPENED VENTURE. HE HAD BEEN IN THE BUSINESS FOR MANY YEARS ELSEWHERE, BUT FOUND THIS URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD SHOP BETTER FOR YEAR-ROUND TRADE. IN THE MIDDLE OF A CONVERSATION, SUZANNE WHISPERED IN MY EAR THAT SHE WANTED ME TO COME WITH HER, TO ANOTHER PART OF THE SHOP. IN FACT, SHE STARTED TUGGING AT MY COAT SLEEVE, IN CASE THE VERBAL DIRECTIVE HADN'T REGISTERED. EVENTUALLY, I EXCUSED MYSELF FROM THE CONVERSATION, AND FOLLOWED MY WIFE, AS IS USUAL IN ANTIQUE SHOPS WE VISIT. JUST INSIDE THE DOORWAY OF A BACK-ROOM, SHE POINTED TO A SHELF LOADED WITH CROCKS. I THOUGHT SHE WAS LOOKING TO BUY SOME MORE TO APPLY HER STENCILS. "LOOK, LOOK, THERE'S MY CROCK, OVER THERE……..AND IT'S PRICED AT $75.00," SHE SAID, GOING OVER TO WHERE IT WAS SITUATED, AND PICKING IT UP TO SHOW ME HER STENCIL WORK. WHEN SHE DID THAT, SHE ACTUALLY EXPOSED A SECOND CROCK, ALSO WITH ONE OF HER ART PIECES ON THE SIDE; THIS ONE, BIGGER, WAS PRICED AT $85.00. WHAT WAS REALLY BAD, WAS THAT THEY WERE IDENTIFIED AS ORIGINAL FOLK ART. THE TWO CROCKS, BY 1985-86 PRICES, WOULD HAVE MAYBE BEEN TWENTY AND THIRTY DOLLARS RESPECTIVELY. THEY WEREN'T A BIG DEAL. THE TRUTH? HONESTLY? YOU WON'T TELL MY WIFE, WILL YOU? I WOULDN'T HAVE LET HER PAINT ON A REALLY GOOD, AND VINTAGE CROCK, AS I AM AN ANTIQUE PURIST. I ADORE ORIGINAL FINISHES…..SO THERE WAS NO CHANCE I WOULD LET HER EXPERIMENT ON A MORE HISTORIC, VALUABLE CROCK. IN FACT, IT WOULD HAVE SERIOUSLY DEVALUATED THE CROCKERY. WHAT SHE HAD DECORATED WERE OF THE VINEGAR CROCK VARIETY. EVEN THE PINE CHAIRS AND OLD SLEIGH WERE COMMON PIECES, AND THE FOLK ART STENCILS JUST MADE THEM INTERESTING DECORATOR ITEMS. NOT CANADIANA WITH ORIGINAL FOLK ART! GADS, WHAT HAD WE DONE?

     NOW THE ABSURDITY OF THIS, AND THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE STUDIED THE STENCILS MORE CLOSELY…….., THEY WERE DONE OVER THE CROCK'S ORIGINAL GLAZE, WITH NO SURFACE PREPARATION…..SANDING OR ANYTHING ELSE. WHICH OF COURSE, MEANT THAT YOU COULD SCRATCH IT ALL OFF WITH A FINGERNAIL. FOLK ART ON THE OLDEST CROCKS WOULD HAVE BEEN APPLIED TO A LOW LUSTER OR BARE SURFACE, AND THEN SUBJECTED TO A GLAZE BAKED OVER-TOP. THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS OF COURSE, BUT NOT IN THE CASE OF FOLK ART STENCILING OVER A HIGH GLOSS FINISH. SO HERE WERE THESE TWO RIDICULOUSLY PRICED VINEGAR JUGS, WITH SUZANNE'S HANDIWORK ON THE SIDES, WITH PRICES ATTACHED THAT WERE OBSCENELY HIGH. AND HERE WAS A DEALER WE RESPECTED FOR HIS OPINIONS AND KNOWLEDGE OF ANTIQUE COLLECTING….SELLING MODERN APPLICATION STENCILS AS ORIGINAL, PERIOD (PROPORTIONAL TO THE JUGS) FOLK ART. AS I WROTE ABOUT IN MY PREVIOUS BLOG, ANTIQUE DEALERS TEND TO SHY AWAY FROM CONFRONTING ASSOCIATES IN THE TRADE, OUT OF PROFESSIONAL COURTESY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME THIS IS WRONG. IS IT EVER WRONG! WE SHOULD HAVE DEMANDED HE CHANGE HIS NOTES ON EACH OF THE JUGS, AND THE ASKING PRICES. WHAT IF HE JUST LAUGHED AT US, OR TO THE CONTRARY, GOT VERY ANGRY AND TURFED US OUT ONTO THE FRONT SIDEWALK? WHAT WE DID DO, WAS BID HIM FAREWELL, AND VOWED TO NEVER COME BACK TO HIS SHOP. I REALLY FEEL BAD ABOUT ADMITTING THIS, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A GOOD POSSIBILITY HE SOLD THOSE OVER-PRICED JUGS, WITH FOLK ART (BY SUZANNE), TO SOME LESS TUTORED CUSTOMER, THINKING THEY HAD MADE A GREAT PURCHASE OF CANADIANA. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS AN INTIMATE SECRET OF THE ANTIQUE COMMUNITY, MOST DEALERS DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT…..LET ALONE OFFER AS A CONFESSIONAL, OF THEIR OWN BEHAVIOR, OR AS A CONFRONTATION, FOR DEALERS WHO REGULARLY MISLEAD CUSTOMERS FOR PROFIT. THE FACT WE DIDN'T CONFRONT THE DEALER MEANS WE ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM. THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE PROFESSION, WHEN IT HAPPENS WITH SUCH FREQUENCY, AND VOLUME.

SUZANNE STOPPED HER BRIEF FOLK ART CAREER, TO THWART DEALERS FROM SPECULATING ON HER WORK

     Suzanne told me that she sold those crocks to a woman, during that yard sale event, and had no idea she was connected with this particular antique dealer. We don't even know that they were related, and it might have been the case she was a picker, and just peddled them to the dealer as the "finds of the day." Still, he could have taken the time to examine the stencils more closely, and scratched at them to determine whether they were sealed onto the surface or not. The entire stencil could have been removed in about five minutes with just one worthy fingernail. So that should have been a giant tip-off, that the art work wasn't original. So as far as due diligence, it was half-ass, and we had a hard time believing these decorated jugs could fool a veteran dealer. What happened was a less than thorough examination, and more attention was directed at writing the price tags, than making sure the crockery was legitimately sporting an original folk art depiction. The image on the crockery was a pheasant I believe. On both vinegar jugs, but in different color combinations. You know, the art work was scratched, even after only several months of handling. So imagining that they were a hundred years of age, was totally negligent in the research and inspection process…..that comes before purchase, and is reassessed before the price tag is finally attached. As well, very few vinegar jugs were decorated with folk art. The ones I've ever seen, were courtesy of my charming bride.

     For two years after that folk art yard sale, we were finding Suzanne's handiwork in antique shops around the region. It was so embarrassing, but I think Suzanne figured there was a future here in duping the antique dealers of this part of Ontario. I had to remind her that we were part of the antique dealer community, and we couldn't let this continue. We kept on having lots of yard sales, but the folk artist had hung up her stencil, paints and brushes. On an occasion, a few years ago, I went into a friend's house, and geez, there they were, bold and beautiful. Two early pine chairs with Suzanne's stencil work on the backs. I didn't say a word, when she pointed them out, telling me that she had bought them a number of years ago from a local antique dealer…..who I also knew, wondering if I could give her an appraisal. I gave her a price on the chairs themselves, and made no mention of the stencils that were original "Suzanne's." Once again, the antique dealer should have known that the folk art on the back, which added value to the chairs' in-store valuation (I hate to admit we were part of this equation), was newly painted. Even with her choice of soft hues, you could tell by the lack of age patina, that it wasn't more than a few years old at the most. Actually, Suzanne decided to put the chairs out for the yard sale, before I could apply a couple of coats of varnish to seal the artwork……meaning, it would wear off quite as quickly without. Honestly folks, the crocks and chairs were for home-use initially, and it was only because our yard sales were so popular back then, that Suzanne went rummaging through the house to find more inventory that fateful morning.

     Now let's be clear. If ten dealers had been exposed to those folk art adorned chairs, crocks and a sleigh, five of them might have suspected modern day tampering of a bored stenciler. The others were just looking for quick inventories, and felt that because they were vintage crockery, they were worth the asking price at the yard sale. This was true. Suzanne was selling them for about ten bucks each, and the chairs weren't more than twenty bucks each. The sleigh was probably twenty-five bucks. So she definitely wasn't speculating on her folk art. The buyers, on the other hand, were, as reflected by the asking prices, and the notes attached to the price tags in respective shops. It was the first time we really had concerns about our role in the profession, and who we would mentor with after this. If these dealers could be fooled by a simple watercolor stencil, then they weren't the professionals we were going to seek advice from. We didn't want to embarrass these dealers by pointing out their folly. By refusing to correct this situation, we became part of the deceitful enterprise we claim to loathe. It is a contradiction we still admit to, when we visit shops and mall vendors, who are doing roughly the same thing……misrepresenting pieces for sale, as original, when we know absolutely, that they are reproductions. It's kind of a vicious cycle you might say. As for associate dealers, who are profoundly concerned about maintaining high quality and reliable businesses, attention to detail and due diligence are daily requirements of operation……never an exceptional circumstance…..by strict retail standard, based on high regard for their reputation. It's our way of compensating, I suppose, to model ourselves accordingly……and keep it in the forefront of our operation, to label appropriate to age, and whether original or reproduction.

     I'm sure if Suzanne had continued her folk art, on vintage articles, she would have flooded the market with her soft hues, and bird and grape-vine motifs. She backed out gracefully, for the good of the antique and art profession. Thanks for visiting with me today, and I hope if you have one of Suzanne's folk art painted jugs or chairs, you will cherish it as the "storied" pieces they are now……after this confessional. See you again, I hope.