Antique Collecting and The Real World; The War in Syria

ANTIQUE COLLECTING AND THE REAL WORLD……FOREVER IN AND OUT OF CRISIS

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT? DOES COLLECTING SOMEHOW INSULATE US FROM REALITY? OR DRAW US DEEPER WITHIN?

     I WAS READING THE NEWS LAST NIGHT, HALF THINKING ABOUT THE WEEK'S BURDEN OF WORK IN THE ANTIQUE PROFESSION, (WE'RE EXPANDING OUR SHOP) AND THE REALITY THAT THE WAR IN SYRIA IS QUICKLY BECOMING A MAJOR WORLD CRISIS. ON ONE HAND, I'M TIRED OF HAULING STUFF INTO THE NEW SHOP SPACE. ON THE OTHER, I REALLY DON'T WANT TO GET BLOWN-UP ANY TIME SOON. OR EVER! YET THERE'S SOMETHING VERY COMPELLING ABOUT THE STORY AT MY FINGERTIP, THAT SUGGESTS WE ENJOY WHAT LITTLE TIME WE MAY HAVE LEFT BEFORE THE GREAT FLASH AND BURN OF ARMAGEDDON.

   HOW DOES ANYONE REACT, THESE DAYS OF SUPPOSED ENLIGHTENMENT, WHO HAS SOME BASIC BACKGROUND IN WORLD POLITICS, AND INTERNATIONAL HISTORY, WHEN SUDDENLY, AT THE TURN OF A NEWS PAGE, WE'RE READING ABOUT RUSSIAN MISSILE DELIVERIES; AND ANOTHER COUNTRY, ISRAEL, IN THIS CASE, TELLING THEM, RATHER, WARNING THEM, TO CEASE AND DESIST. THE QUESTION OF WHICH COUNTRY IS RIGHT, WILL HAVE A LOT TO DO, I SUPPOSE, WITH THE STOCK OF WEAPONS THEY POSSESS. THE MORAL HIGH GROUND IS ONE THING. BIG BOMBS, AND LOTS OF THEM, QUITE ANOTHER. THE HIGH GROUND CAN BE LEVELED RATHER QUICKLY.

    I WASN'T VERY OLD WHEN THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS OCCURRED, BUT I KNOW THAT NEIGHBORS IN BURLINGTON, WERE CARRYING OUT PLANS TO BUILD FALL-OUT SHELTERS. I WAS NEVER ACTUALLY INSIDE ONE, BUT I DID SEE ONE BEING CONSTRUCTED. THIS WEEK'S NEWS THAT RUSSIA PLANS ON SENDING A WHACK OF MISSILES TO SYRIA, AND THAT ISRAEL HAS MADE IT CLEAR THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA, SHOULD MAKE US PAUSE FOR A MOMENT, AND THINK A LITTLE ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF TWO MAJOR WORLD POWERS, IN A PRECARIOUS DEBATE, IN A VERY DANGEROUS PART OF THE WORLD. ALL OF A SUDDEN, BEING AN ANTIQUE DEALER IS LIKE BEING A GNAT ON A MOUNTAINSIDE, PONDERING WHETHER IT WILL BE MORE PROSPEROUS TO GO UP, OR SCALE BACK DOWN. WHAT WILL BE BETTER FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, WHEN THE MATTER OF PROFIT IS SET ASIDE? CRIPES, THERE'S ENOUGH BOMBS BETWEEN THESE COUNTRIES, TO BREAK THE WORLD INTO ROCKY CHUNKS.

     I BELIEVE QUITE A FEW ANTIQUE DEALERS, BECOME PHILOSOPHICALLY SAGE, AND HISTORICALLY PRUDENT AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN IT COMES TO SUCH INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, AND SHARPLY DANGEROUS POLITICS. MOST FOLKS WHO SPEND THEIR LIVES DELVING INTO THE PAST, TO COLLECT ITS HEIRLOOM PIECES, HAVE AN INTEREST, AT THE SAME TIME, EQUATING AND UNDERSTANDING THE EVENTS OF THIS LIFE AND TIMES CHRONICLE; WITH A GENUINE INTEREST IN THE RESPONSIVE AND REACTIVE WAYS OF THE FUTURE. I HAVEN'T KNOWN A DEALER YET, WHO WASN'T TUNED IN TO THE LATEST NEWS, AND I MEAN THAT! I HAVE FOUND THAT ANTIQUE DEALERS, AND COLLECTORS, WANT TO KNOW THE DAILY NEWS, AND HAVE A PROFOUND INTEREST IN GLOBAL ACTIVITIES, WHETHER IT IS GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS, NEWS ABOUT SUCCESSES, OR NEWS ABOUT HUMAN TRAGEDY. THEY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, AND EVENTS THAT CAUSE THE ENVIRONMENT TO BE STRESSED. THEY ARE DRAWN TO HISTORY, AND THEY WANT TO KNOW MORE; WHETHER IT IS ABOUT WORLD WAR, OR CULTURAL HERITAGE…..ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY, OR TRENDS IN ART. THEY ARE CURIOUS FOLKS, THESE ASTUTE ANTIQUE DEALERS AND COLLECTORS, AND I REALLY DO BELIEVE, THEY FEEL IT IS ENTIRELY NECESSARY, TO BE GROUNDED IN PREVAILING REALITIES, BECAUSE IT DOES INFLUENCE BUSINESS, AND MOST CERTAINLY PREVAILING TRENDS. HISTORY MAKES A STRANGE BEDFELLOW, THAT'S FOR SURE. SOMETIMES, ADMITTEDLY, IT CAN BE A LITTLE OVERWHELMING…..BEING SO CLOSE TO WORK, DAY AND NIGHT. AT TIMES, AS WELL, IT IS HARD TO STEP OUT OF HISTORY, AND THE WORLD OF OLD THINGS IN WHICH WE DWELL. IT'S OUR COMFORT ZONE. OUR RESPECTIVE WALDENS. IT'S PARTICULARLY HARD TO TAKE THE PRESENT AT FACE VALUE ANYWAY, BECAUSE IT IS ALWAYS COLORED BY THE EVENTS OF THE PAST. WE MAY EVEN BE A LITTLE CRITICAL OF THOSE WHO SKIM OVER THE SURFACE OF LIFE, WITHOUT EVER FEELING THE NECESSITY OF DELVING BELOW THE SURFACE……TO SEE WHAT TIME HAS ETCHED ON THE PLACES WE NOW DWELL. I CALL IT GARDEN VARIETY APATHY. IT MAY BE THAT APATHY IS EVEN MORE DANGEROUS THAN LOTS OF BIG BOMBS.

     FOR EXAMPLE, THE MOST POPULAR COLLECTABLES WE HAVE TODAY, ARE KITCHEN RELATED, AND NOSTALGIA THEMES, RANGING FROM KITCHEN GADGETS, AND VINTAGE APPLIANCES (HAMILTON BEACH MILKSHAKE MAKERS TO MIX-MASTERS), TO OLD RADIOS, STEREOS, RECORD PLAYERS, VINTAGE VINYL AND 78'S, LIGHTING, AND RETRO FURNITURE. AND YES, EVEN FROM THE PERIOD OF THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS, WHICH WAS VERY POIGNANT TO US BABY BOOMERS. THE STYLES OF THE 1950'S THROUGH TO 1980'S, ARE BECOMING MAINSTAYS FOR FOLKS LIKE US, WHO SELL A LOT OF ANTIQUES TO HOME AND CONDO DECORATORS. AND YES COTTAGES, AND BUSINESSES, FROM LODGES TO RESTAURANTS. WE UNDERSTAND THE TRENDS, AND WE FOLLOW AS CLOSELY AS WE CAN, ESPECIALLY THE NEWS THAT MIGHT EVENTUALLY CREATE A NEW INTEREST, AND MOVEMENT IN THE COLLECTING FIELD. ANTIQUE AND COLLECTABLE DEALERS NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND THEM, IF THEY PLAN ON STAYING IN THE BUSINESS FOR AWHILE LONGER. I KNOW MANY DEALER FRIENDS, WHO WERE BURNED WHEN TRENDS SUDDENLY TRAILED OFF INTO THE ABYSS, LEAVING THEM HOLDING THE BAG, ON THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF UNSALEABLE INVENTORY. I'VE BEEN TRAPPED MYSELF, AND YES, IT WAS THE RESULT OF SPORTS CARD MANIA BACK IN THE EARLY 1990'S. THERE ARE A LOT OF COLLECTORS WITH STACKED BOXES OF HOCKEY AND BASEBALL CARDS THEY COULDN'T SELL THEN, WHO HAVE HUNG ONTO THE HOPE THAT "ONE DAY……THEY'LL ACTUALLY BE WORTH SOMETHING." RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE PRICED BY THE POUND, FROM THOSE YEARS WHEN COMPANIES PRODUCED WAY TO MUCH PRODUCT FOR THE MARKET TO SUSTAIN.

     I CAN COMFORTABLY DWELL HERE, IN MY OWN GENTLE AND FORGIVING NEVER-LAND, FEELING MOMENTARILY, THAT LIKE PETER PAN, I DON'T HAVE TO GROW UP. I DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH BAD THINGS, AND IMPOSING DIFFICULTIES, BECAUSE I'VE GOT MY BALANCE IN THE HISTORY I PREFER. THEN I WAKE UP FROM THIS TEMPORARY DELUSION, AND SUDDENLY BREAK OUT INTO A COLD SWEAT, BECAUSE WE COLLECTORS KNOW THAT THE TIME IN HISTORY, WHICH GAVE US THIS CHARMING NOSTALGIA, ALSO HAD THE ATTACHMENT OF GREAT PERIL INFUSED INTO ITS DAILY CHRONICLE…..OF HOW IT CAME ABOUT, AND HOW IT SURVIVED……. TO NOW SO PRETTILY, DECORATE MY LIVING SPACE. 

WORLD EVENTS ALWAYS INFLUENCE TRENDS

     I sat there on our retro sofa, looking at our plethora of nostalgia pieces here at Birch Hollow, documenting the past two hundred years of history, trying to imagine what it might look like, up close and personal, when two super-powers point missiles at one another, and mean it! There have been lots of threats, and tense moments in the past twenty years, in the Middle East, (North Korea, in their part of the globe, also likes to threaten nuclear winter on its so called enemies), but not quite like this latest stand-off, if you can even call it that…..because things are escalating as I write this piece. When you put your knowledge of international history, and precedents of the years of war in the Middle East, even the recent incursions all over the region, it is crazy-frightening, to appreciate, just what carnage could ensue, because of what I can only think of as delusional reckoning, of what it might be like to be the surviving country, dictator and the enduring religion, of a smoldering ruins of dead earth. Just think of the risk to the entire world, caused by one small country, a dictator, religious extremism, and way too many weapons, including chemical and biological warfare. It just isn't a situation that is conducive at all, to buying and selling antiques and collectables, because our industry, whether you believe it or not, has to constantly reckon with the mood of those who companion themselves with history; those who prefer to sit in their homes and cottages, surrounded by friendly and nostalgic reminders of the past. Folks like us. We like our history to be peaceful and respectful.

   In war time, the imprint of history, minute by minute, is deep and cavernous, and a reality that is impossible to defer or ignore because it's unpleasant. I am surprised, frankly, by the number of people who have no idea just how dangerous it is becoming in this part of the world……more than most of us have seen in our lifetimes. It is the powder keg of the world. It has a vein of horror, that could prevail upon us, a most disastrous future. Then the movies that highlight end-of-the-world scenarios, would be seen as predictors, and having bestowed upon the public, a reality cloaked in a flimsily vail of fiction. Is this the final narrow, winding path, to the next world war? Will it be noted by historians in the future, if there are any left to make copious noters, how a brutal dictator drew the whole planet into a religious conflict of Biblical proportion, a real Holy War, but with the twist of new age tools of human destruction?

     This is a miserable, and I dare say, depressing attempt, at writing a column about antiques and collectables. I offer this then, as a humble apology, for my current worries about our general state of well being…..even in Canada, a long way from the war zone. But it is also a relevance in our profession, we can not avoid, and still call ourselves antique collectors. It is what "it's all about!" that we are lovers of history. We respect what history has created; how the peoples of the world have survived despite the chaos and carnage inherent of the ages. I'm not suggesting that other professions, and folks outside of the antique trade, aren't eager to know the prevailing realities of international affairs. What I'm pointing out, is that we very much depend, in our profession, on a knowledge of world affairs…..cultures, religions, social / economic realities, past and present, and what is pending out there, that will change the prevailing moods and trends…….and it's not just about the compromises to our way of earning a living. Being passionate about history, and its heirloom pieces, stretches well beyond what you might expect of businessmen and women, trying to protect their interests. Many of us are also world travelers and hunt and gather all around the globe. A world in crisis does very much influence the way we plan out our future enterprises, and sometimes, like me, this week, we just sit here thoughtfully, and let the ink seep slowly into our finger tips……., our bloodstream, because, as historically savvy, as we think we are, nothing addresses the fear we have……..and know so well, about how often history does repeat. And there are millions of people today, who haven't the slightest concern, news of this latest middle east debacle, will make page one of the daily press tomorrow. Us antiquarians do our homework, so we know, from our knowledge of world affairs over the centuries, how, day by day, this one-country conflict, of a year ago, is now….at this precise moment in history, a dire global event, with a hellish potential.

     I think an antique road-trip this weekend might be acceptable. I think the pastoral scenes, and lakeland vistas, might cheer me up. Maybe a picnic at one of our beautiful little Muskoka parks would be nice. As far as being overly interested in big time buying, honestly, for this dealer, it will depend on the news of the day. I'm not a doomsayer, and I am the last person you'd label as "negative," or even overly "critical," but my knowledge of history carries most weight these days; and I ponder a lot, what will eventually sort it all out, over there, before there are many craters dotting the countryside……and a new alarm in this world, about the relevance of building fall-out shelters in our backyards. If we were scared enough then, in the 1960's, to plan exit strategies, we should be petrified by the latest turn of events, because now we have religious extremism at the fore-front, and a lot more weapons of mass destruction in between.

     I love antiques, and I find great comfort sitting amongst our many collectables, most coming from our respective families over the generations. These pieces, as inanimate as they all are, are still the jazzed survivors of yesteryear's strife…..so, there is mild comfort, that we may survive with them, past this latest world crisis……and remember 2013 as the great year we prevented a nuclear winter from its first blizzard.

     We often have little gatherings of dealers and collectors, huddled in our shop, talking about current events, and world history as it applies to the present. We are all, in our own way, hobby historians by profession…..and even though some of us collect china and glass, and others prefer the company of vintage game boards, toys and old buttons, doesn't mean we don't appreciate the sharp barbs of chronology…..and not just our own. Most of us have grown up, with one hand on the daily news, while listening to the latest news broadcast, and sharing information with our contemporaries, because ours is the business of historical preservation. Before it's preserved, it needs to be understood. So this is where I am today, once again, trying to figure out how our family of antique hunters, buyers and sellers, fit into the latest world history…..of which we can not escape, but we may be able to survive. Just as Suzanne and I, and our respective parents, survived the Cuban Missile Crisis, without a single bomb landing on our heads. I do remember being taught how to climb under our school desks, in case there was a missile strike. So I do remember the social / educational impact, of the world in peril, once, long ago. Today? I don't think a fall-out shelter is going to help much.

     Thanks for joining this rather morose, slightly self-indulgent overview, of what we should all be conscious of…….as the precarious path ahead.