Antique and Collectable Pricing is an Issue

FINDING THE "SLEEPERS" IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT THESE DAYS - GRAVENHURST'S RUBBERSET

A SUNDAY TOUR WITH SOME FRINGE BENEFITS-

THIS MORNING WE HEADED OUT ON THE OPEN ROAD, AND HAD ANOTHER GREAT FAMILY ADVENTURE, HUNTING HIGH AND LOW FOR ELUSIVE ANTIQUES AND COLLETABLES. OF COURSE, NOW WHEN I SAY OR WRITE "ELUSIVE" I MEAN IT. WE TRAVEL TWICE AS FAR TO GET THE SAME AMOUNT AS WE DID FIVE YEARS AGO. SOMETIMES THIS ISN'T EVEN POSSIBLE. TODAY WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE. A WONDERFUL NO STRESS TRIP. GENERALLY CRAPPY OUTCOME AS FAR AS FINDS. BUT REGARDLESS OF PROFIT MARGINS, WHEN WE CURRIES CAN GET TOGETHER NOW, WHICH IS A LOT HARDER WITH OUR WORK AND BUSINESS SCHEDULES, IT'S ALWAYS NOSTALGIC GOOD FUN, WHETHER WE FIND ANYTHING OR JUST ENJOY A LUNCH OUT. WE NEVER LET BUSINESS SCREW UP AN OUTING LIKE THIS. LIFE'S TOO SHORT.

WHEN WE HEAD OUT ON AN ANTIQUE HUNT, THERE'S ONE THING WE KNOW IN ADVANCE. BY TODAY'S MARKET CONDITION, WE WILL CRINGE ABOUT THE ASKING PRICES. WHETHER IT IS IN A SECOND-HAND SHOP, THRIFT SHOP OR OTHER CHARITY SHOP, CHANCES ARE, WE WILL HAVE TO TRIM OUR EXPECTATIONS. IF WE GO TO ANTIQUE SHOPS, WELL, THERE ARE SOME CO-OPS WE CAN ONLY GO TO BROWSE, BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD ANYTHING. NOW DON'T GET ME WRONG. WE DON'T EXPECT ANY SHOP, OR CHARITY TO LOSE ITS PROFIT MARGIN, JUST TO PLEASE US. ON THE OTHER HAND, HOWEVER, THESE SHOPS ALSO DO PRETTY WELL IN THE PERCENTAGE GAME, WHICH ON DONATED ITEMS IS OFTEN HUGE. YOU'D BE SHOCKED TO KNOW THE ACTUAL PROFIT MARGINS, WITH STORE COSTS FACTORED IN OF COURSE. IF BREAD WAS PRICED AS SUCH, WITH THIS KIND OF STAGGERING PROFIT MARGIN, FEW WOULD BE EATING IT….EVER AGAIN. ESPECIALLY SO ON COLLECTIBLE ITEMS AND ANTIQUES, THAT ARE WAY OVER-PRICED. IN MANY CASES, PRICED THE SAME AS IF ON THE SHELF OF AN ANTIQUE SHOP. BUT THE PEOPLE STAFFING THESE THRIFT SHOPS ARE NOT TRAINED TO IDENTIFY OR PRICE ANTIQUES ACCURATELY. I'VE HAD A FEW OF THESE CLERKS POINT OUT THE PRICE GUIDES, THEY FUMBLE THROUGH FOR REFERENCE, STUFFED BEHIND THE COUNTER. I CRINGE FOR A SECOND AND THIRD TIME, BEFORE I FINALLY SHRUG AND LEAVE THE PREMISES.

MANY OF THESE SHOPS HAVE SOUGHT OUT PROPER APPRAISAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE ANTIQUE COMMUNITY, TO GET ASSESSMENTS ON SOME SIGNIFICANT PIECES. WE OFFER OUR KNOWLEDGE AND GENERAL APPRAISALS WHENEVER WE'RE ASKED. WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS. MY ONLY COMPLAINT, IS THAT A LOT OF CHARITY SHOPS, AND QUITE A FEW SECOND HAND SHOPS, TAKE THE ANTIQUE THING TO EXCESS. MANY ITEMS ARE PRICED EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH, WELL OVER WHAT THE ACTUAL MARKET VALUE REPRESENTS. THIS ISN'T GOOD BUSINESS. SOME WOULD SAY, WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE ANTIQUE PIECES THAT ARE PRICED TOO LOW? ISN'T THAT BAD BUSINESS TOO? IT'S NO TOO MUCH OF AN ISSUE, FROM OUR INVESTIGATION, STORE TO STORE. RIGHT NOW, THE PRICES IN A MAJORITY OF THESE CHARITY SHOPS, ARE SO HIGH, THAT THEY ARE DISCOURAGING ALL WALKS OF CUSTOMERS….. EVERY INCOME AND PROFESSIONAL SECTOR. BEWARE WHEN EVEN THE FOLKS OF MODEST INCOME, ARE EQUALLY THWARTED, TRYING TO PURCHASE BASIC CLOTHING AND NECESSARY HOUSEHOLD ITEMS. GETTING GOOD PRICES? NOT SO MUCH ANY MORE….ANY WHERE!

THE PEOPLE WHO SHOP THERE REGULARLY, TO BUY ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES, JUST LOOK FOR ANYTHING THAT'S BEEN PRICED TOO LOW, AND SETTLE FOR MODEST GAINS. WE HAVE NO CHOICE OR SIMPLY CLOSE UP OUR BUSINESSES.

IT'S LIKE THIS. AS STEWARDS OF THE DONATIONS, IT IS INCUMBENT ON THEM, TO GET THE BEST PRICE THEY CAN FOR AN ITEM. I DON'T QUESTION THIS AT ALL. ON THE OTHER HAND, WHEN YOU START PRICING, BASED ON A COLLECTIBLE OR ANTIQUE VALUE, IT IS EQUALLY INCUMBENT, TO KNOW THE CORRECT (AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE) PRICE. YOU WILL FIND MANY OF THESE SHOP STAFFERS, RELYING FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES, ON THE ONLINE AUCTION SITES…..WHICH IS OKAY FOR REFERENCE, BUT CERTAINLY NOT ACCEPTING THE HIGHEST PRICE YOU SEE, AS THE BEST PLACE TO INK A SALE STICKER. JUST BECAUSE THERE IS A BUY-IT-NOW PRICE, DOESN'T MEAN WHAT THEY'RE OFFERING WILL SELL FOR THAT AMOUNT. THE SAME WITH STARTING AUCTION BIDS. THE BUYERS SET THE MARGINS. THE DEALERS GO "FISHING." THEY ULTIMATELY WITHDRAW THE PIECE OR DROP THE PRICE. NOT COMPLICATED BY ANY MEANS. DEALERS KNOW HOW TO PLAY-BALL IN THE PRICE-ANGLING SPORT OF SELLING ANTIQUE AND COLLECTIBLE INVENTORY.

MANY OF THESE INEXPERIENCED STAFFERS, WILL LOOK AT A "BUY-IT-NOW" PRICE, AND BELIEVE THAT GOD ESTABLISHED THAT VALUATION. ON VINTAGE VINYL, FOR EXAMPLE. THE RANGE OF PRICES ON RE-SALE RECORDS IS ALL OVER THE PLACE, AND VARIES SO MUCH FROM STORE TO STORE……YOU KNOW POSITIVELY THERE IS NO LONGER "COMPARISON SHOPPING" BETWEEN VENDORS, OFFERING SIMILAR OR IDENTICAL PRODUCTS. THESE VENDOR WIND-UP LOOKING PARTICULARLY DAFT, WHEN YOU ASK WHY A PRICE FOR A GUY LOMBARDO RECORD, IS SET AT FOUR DOLLARS HIGHER THAN RECORDS FROM "AC/DC", "THE DOORS," OR EVEN "THE BEATLES." WE SEE IT ALL THE TIME. IT'S MADDENING, BECAUSE IN MANY CASES, WE WOULD HAVE PURCHASED DOUBLE OR TRIPLE THE RECORDS, ON A BUYING TRIP, IF THERE WASN'T ABSURD PRICE DISCREPANCIES. IT'S A DISCONNECT WITH THE CUSTOMERS. PLAINLY, IT'S AN ONGOING SHORTFALL OF MANAGEMENT. IN THE OLD DAYS, YOU COULD BE PUT IN JAIL FOR OVER-PRICING MEAT OR BREAD, SUCH THAT THE CUSTOMER DIDN'T GET THE ACCURATE WEIGHT FOR THE PRICE PAID.

AS WE LIVE AND BREATH ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES, IF WE APPEAR A LITTLE HARSH ABOUT THINGS LIKE PRICING, WELL, WE COULDN'T APOLOGIZE EVEN IF TORTURED. IT ISN'T AN ACROSS THE BOARD THING, BECAUSE THERE ARE MILLIONS OF ANTIQUE PIECES, JEWELLRY, FURNITURE, PAINTINGS, PRIMITIVES, THAT I HAVE NO DEFINITIVE PRICE IN MY MIND….WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, I POP MY HEAD AROUND A CORNER, AND THERE IT IS…….A NICE PIECE OF SOMETHING OR OTHER THAT IS PRICED IN THE NOSE BLEED CATEGORY. I CAN'T SAY THAT THESE PIECES ARE OVER-PRICED, BECAUSE THEY ARE WAY OUT OF MY LEAGUE. BUT ON A LOT OF OTHER STUFF, WE ARE BANG-ON, AND FRANKLY, IT MAKES US CRINGE. WE LIKE THE VENUES, AND WE DO LIKE TO BUY, BUT MORE AND MORE THESE DAYS, WE COME OUT OF THESE SHOPS AND MALLS WITH A COUPLE OF LITTLE BAGS OF THIS AND THAT…..WHEN WE'D REALLY LIKE TO FILL OUR VAN. AS ANTIQUE DEALERS, WE RESEARCH CONSTANTLY. WE WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR INDUSTRY. WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE TRENDS, AND THE MOST POPULAR PIECES AT THE TIME. SO WHEN WE SUGGEST THAT ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES ARE STARTING TO BECOME OVER-PRICED, AS RELATED TO THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY GENERALLY, IT'S BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN IT BEFORE. IF AND WHEN THINGS GET A LITTLE TIGHTER IN OUR ECONOMY…..WHEN WE FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF CUT-BACKS WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT, FROM BOTH THE FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL BUDGETS, IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO……MAYBE WE WILL ALL NEED TO RE-EVALUATE PRICES WE ARE WILLING TO PAY, FOR THINGS WE DON'T REALLY NEED.

THESE VENDORS, INCLUDING SECOND HAND SHOPS AND THRIFT STORES, WILL HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR PRICE STRATEGY, JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER RETAIL OPERATION. IT'S ECONOMICS 101. IF YOU OWN AN ANTIQUE PIECE, YOU CAN PUT A PRICE ON IT TO EITHER SELL, OR TO SHOW PEOPLE HOW VALUABLE YOU THINK IT IS……AND LET IT COLLECT DUST FOR EVER AND EVER. THERE ARE A LOT OF ANTIQUE ENTERPRISES WHERE THIS HAPPENS. I CAN GO IN ONE YEAR INTERVALS, AND FIND THE SAME ITEMS, OFTEN IN THE SAME FLOOR SPACE, PRICED EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE YEAR PREVIOUS. THIS ISN'T BUSINESS. AND IT'S DEFINITELY NOT THE WAY TO RUN A BUSINESS.

ONE OF THE PROBLEMS, IS THAT MANY ANTIQUE MALL VENDORS TEND TO PRICE HIGH TO MAKE SURE THEY COVER THEIR RENT, PERCENTAGES IF APPLICABLE, AND GET THEIR PROFIT. BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE, AS AN ANTIQUE DEALER MYSELF, MOST OF THE TIME WE DO GET OUR INVENTORY AT A FRACTION OF THE PRICE ON THE STICKER. WHY IS THE MARK-UP SO HIGH? IS IT BASED ON AN ACCURATE APPRAISAL OR BALL PARK ESTIMATION? HERE'S THE REAL PROBLEM. THESE SAME CO-OP SHOPKEEPS, AND SOME MALL PROPRIETORS, ARE NOT ASKING VENDORS TO JUSTIFY THEIR EXCESSIVE PRICING ON ITEMS. AND IF THEY WERE TO LOOK AROUND THEIR OWN MALLS, THEY WOULD FIND NUMEROUS IDENTICAL PIECES…..CONDITION WISE, WITH WIDELY DIFFERENT PRICES. THERE'S NOTHING THAT TURNS US OFF MORE, THAN FINDING THIS OUT FROM BOOTH TO BOOTH. IN THE OLDEN DAYS, YOU GOT TO MEET WITH SHOP OWNERS…..THE ONES WHO ACTUALLY SET THE PRICE OF INVENTORY, AND OWNED THE SHOP ITSELF. THERE WAS ALWAYS SOMEONE TO TALK WITH, AND DISCUSS A PARTICULAR PIECE. I KNOW THAT MALL STAFF TRY THEIR BEST, BUT IT DOESN'T WORK AS IT SHOULD. THERE IS A VITAL IMPORTANCE, IN ANTIQUES, TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT SUBJECT PIECES…..ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE PRICED VERY HIGH. WHAT ABOUT THE PROVENANCE? YOU AREN'T LIKELY TO FIND MUCH ON THE PRICE TAG. HOW CAN VENDORS EXPECT TO GET MAXIMUM PRICE FOR THEIR WARES, WITHOUT DETAILED EXPLANATIONS? IF THEY WERE TO SELL THESE SAME ITEMS, ON ONLINE AUCTIONS, THEY WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE TO DO BETTER WITH THEIR BUDGET OF INFORMATION. THERE ARE A LOT OF PIECES I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT, BUT DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO WAIT IN LINE, TO FIND A CLERK, WHO MOST LIKELY WON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT THE PIECE IS….OR WHERE IT MIGHT HAVE COME FROM, IN A VEDOR'S INADEQUATELY REFERENCED BOOTH.

THIS IS THE REALITY OF OUR MUTUAL COMPLAINTS. AS DEALERS WANTING TO STICK WITH THE BUSINESS, AND HAVING TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE PRICE TRAPS OUT THERE ON THE HUSTINGS, WE HAVE HAD TO EMPLOY EVERY RESOURCE OF EDUCATION IN THE FIELD, AND ON-THE-JOB TRAINING, TO FIND THE "SLEEPER" PIECES. SIMPLY STATED, THE UNRECOGNIZED GEMS THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON, HAVE BEEN MISIDENTIFIED, MISUNDERSTOOD, AND GENERALLY UNDER-PRICED. WHILE WE WOULD LIKE TO BUY MANY MORE PIECES WE LIKE, WE JUST CAN'T ABANDON COMMON SENSE ECONOMICS….WHICH ALL BUSINESSES EVENTUALLY HAVE TO COMPLY, OR FAIL. SO WE LOOK HIGH AND LOW FOR UNDETECTED VALUES. IT'S THE ONLY WAY WE CAN RUN OUR COMBINED MUSIC AND ANTIQUE BUSINESS. AS WE WILL NOT HAGGLE WITH ANY OF THE VENDORS WE DEAL WITH…..EVER, EVER, WE ONLY HAVE ONE OTHER OPTION IF WE WANT TO MAKE EVEN THE SLIGHTEST PROFIT….AND THAT'S FINDING THE "SLEEPER" PIECES THAT FOR HIGH QUALITY, AND COLLECTIBLE VALUE, ARE PRICED EITHER SENSIBLY, OR VERY LOW.

NOW IN CASE SHOP OWNERS ARE READING THIS, DON'T THINK THAT THIS HASN'T BEEN HAPPENING FOR AS LONG AS YOU'VE HAD THE SHOP. WE DIDN'T INVENT THE "SLEEPER" SCENARIO. IT'S BEEN AROUND, AS AN OPERATIONAL STRATEGY FOREVER. IT'S WHAT DRIVES DEALERS NUTS….THINKING ABOUT THE BIG ONE THEY SOLD FOR LESS THAN IT WAS WORTH. THE RIDICULOUS ASPECT OF THIS, SIMPLY STATED, IS THAT UNLESS IT WAS AN ORIGINAL GROUP OF SEVEN, SOLD FOR FIFTY BUCKS INSTEAD OF $50,000, MOST OF THE TIME THE AMOUNT WOULDN'T BE MUCH MORE THAN THE USUAL PERCENTAGE OF A TYPICAL DEPARTMENT STORE "LOSS LEADER."

WHAT'S LOST HERE, AND SO MANY VENDORS, AND SECOND HAND SHOP FOLKS, AND OF COURSE CHARITY SHOP STAFF, MISUNDERSTAND HOW MUCH CAPITAL IS SPENT BY ANTIQUE DEALERS AND COLLECTORS, EVERY YEAR IN THEIR SHOPS. WHEN THEY START BUMPING UP PRICES, JUST BECAUSE THEY FEAR WHAT ANTIQUE BUYERS MIGHT KNOW, THAT THEY DON'T, THE CYCLE OF ECONOMICS GETS JAMMED UP REAL GOOD. THEN THE VENDOR STARTS STACKING TROPHY PIECES THAT ARE PRICED TOO HIGH TO SELL. I'VE SEEN IT OVER AND OVER FOR THE PAST THIRTY-FIVE YEARS IN THIS TRADE. INSTEAD OF TREATING ALL CUSTOMERS EQUALLY, THERE IS THIS ATTRACTION TO GOOSE "THE PATRONS WITH DEEP POCKETS." WHO BY THE WAY, WILL ALWAYS COME THROUGH, FOUR SEASONS A YEAR, IF THEY SENSE FAIRNESS AND EQUALITY TO ONE AND ALL.

ADMITTEDLY, FIVE YEARS AGO, WE COULD GO ON AN ANTIQUE HUNT, ON A TYPICAL SATURDAY OR SUNDAY, AND FILL AT LEAST HALF OF OUR LARGE VAN. SOMETIMES WE'D HAVE FIVE OR SIX PIECES OF FURNITURE STUFFED IN THE BACK. ON OTHER OCCASIONS, WE MIGHT HAVE TEN GUITARS AND FOUR OR FIVE AMPLIFIERS. MAYBE EVEN A DRUM KIT OR TWO. TODAY WE CAME BACK WITH A COUPLE OF THIN PAPER BAGS, A HANDFUL OF RECORDS, A COUPLE OF INTERESTING SMALL-FORMAT, ORIGINAL PAINTINGS, AND A LOCAL SOUVENIR FROM THE FORMER GRAVENHURST RUBBERSET PLANT…..THAT USED TO MAKE SHAVING BRUSHES FOR THE MASSES, AND BRUSHES FOR PAINTERS. IT'S BEEN GONE FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS NOW. POINT IS, THE PRICES HAVE GONE UP SO MUCH, IN ALL OUR OLD HAUNTS, WE SIMPLY HAVE TO WALK AWAY. IF YOU KNEW WHAT OUR ANNUAL BUDGET FOR INVENTORY PURCHASES IS, YOU WOULD CERTAINLY FEEL LIKE WE DO…..SOME VENDORS ARE GETTING SILLY ASS, AND IT'S COSTING THEM. IF THEY USE THE ARGUMENT THAT THEIR STORE OPERATIONAL COSTS HAVE GONE UP, AND THEIR ACQUISITION COSTS HAVE ESCALATED, WELL, THEN RELATE THAT TO CUSTOMERS WALKING AWAY WITHOUT SPENDING A DIME……WHEN IN THE PAST, THEY WERE GOOD CUSTOMERS, WHO SELDOM LEFT WITHOUT MAKING PURCHASES. IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE, AND LIKE I WROTE ABOUT EARLIER, THE MARKET WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'VE PRICED TOO HIGH. I'VE SEEN A LOT OF GREAT SHOPS CLOSE, BECAUSE THEY JUST WOULDN'T BUDGE ON WHAT WAS SO OBVIOUSLY THE LOGGER-HEAD OF THE WHOLE SITUATION. IF WE LEAVE YOUR STORE WITH SEVERAL LITTLE PARCELS, WELL, YOU SHOULD BE CONCERNED. WE CURRIES ARE KEEN BUYERS BUT WE WON'T PUT UP WITH NONSENSICAL PRICING….I DON'T CARE WHERE OR WHY. BUT WE WON'T OFFER A COMPLAINT. WE JUST WON'T COME BACK. IT'S YOUR CHOICE AS A VENDOR, TO EITHER CONNECT WITH THE REALITIES OF THE MARKET PLACE, OR OPEN A MUSEUM WHERE YOU CAN EXHIBIT ALL YOUR BEST PIECES…..AND CHARGE ADMISSION. BET YOU IT WON'T FLY.

WE FOUND A NUMBER OF SLEEPERS TODAY, BASED ON THE ASKING PRICE AND THE QUALITY OF THE ITEMS. THE FIRST GREAT FIND OF THE DAY, WAS WHEN SUZANNE FOUND A BEAUTIFULLY PRESERVED SHAVING BRUSH, WITH ORIGINAL BOX AND PRINTED INSERT, FROM THE FORMER RUBBERSET COMPANY OF GRAVENHURST, WHERE FORMER PREMIER OF ONTARIO, FRANK MILLER, USED TO WORK IN HIS YOUNGER DAYS. THE INDUSTRY WAS TORN DOWN MANY YEARS AGO NOW, AND MY SONS, ANDREW AND ROBERT, ACTUALLY MADE A DAY OUT OF IT……WATCHING, AS THE CLAW USED BY THE DEMOLITION CREW, LEVELED ONE OF OUR HISTORIC INDUSTRIES…….TO MAKE WAY FOR A NEW GROCERY STORE. THE PRICE OF THE BRUSH… $20. THIS WAS ENORMOUSLY FAIR, AND WE WILL LIKELY HANG ONTO THIS WITH OUR OTHER MUSKOKA COLLECTIBLES. WE FOUND ANOTHER GEM OF ART, AN OIL ON CLOTH, DEPICTING A FLOWER, PROBABLY FROM THE EARLY 1940'S, JUDGING BY THE FRAME. IT IS A WELL EXECUTED ART PIECE. THE PRICE WAS $2.99 FROM A SECOND HAND SHOP, AND I'VE GOT NO ISSUE WITH PRICING. THEY SIMPLY DIDN'T STUDY IT WITH A MAGNIFYING GLASS, TO DETECT WHETHER IT WAS A PRINT OR AN ORIGINAL. IT WILL RETAIL EVENTUAL FOR AROUND $25.00. A NICE ORIGINAL, SIGNED, CANADIAN WATER COLOR, WITHOUT THE FRAME, BUT IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, COST US $35.00 BUT WITH THE $1.99 FRAME AND MATTING I BOUGHT YESTERDAY AT A THRIFT SHOP, I CAN NICELY MERGE THE TWO INTO A $75.00 ASKING PRICE. ADDITIONALLY TODAY, I WAS ABLE TO FIND A REALLY NICE SOOTHEBY'S AUCTION LISTING OF CANADIAN ART, THAT I COLLECT AND USE FOR REFERENCE, AND AN EXCELLENT GUIDE BOOK ON FIRST NATIONS' ART AND ARTIFACTS, WHICH I CONSULT CONSTANTLY TO RESEARCH FINDS….AND IN PREPARATION TO MAKE A FEW….AS WELL. THE BOYS GOT A FEW RECORDS BUT NARY A GUITAR, AMP OR DRUM. WE SAW THEM. JUST COULDN'T AFFORD THEM.

WHEN WE, AS A FAMILY, SELL OUR ARRAY OF ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES, WHETHER IN THE FIELD OF VINTAGE MUSIC, OR CANADIANA, ART OR ARTIFACT, WE WILL EXPLAIN OUR PRICING, AND OFFER FULL DISCLOSURE OF CONDITION ISSUES AND PARAMETERS OF VALUATIONS…..COMPARISONS WITH OTHER AVAILABLE, PARALLEL, SIMILAR PIECES ON THE MARKET. AND WHILE WE WON'T HAGGLE OURSELVES, WE WILL NEVER CONDEMN ANY OF OUR CUSTOMERS FOR NEGOTIATING A FAIR PRICE.

WHILE IT MAY SEEM WE HAVE A HIGH AND MIGHTY ATTITUDE, A DEEPLY ROOTED ARROGANCE, AND PARTICULARLY CRITICAL OVERVIEW OF OUR CONTEMPORARIES IN THE BUSINESS OF BUYING AND SELLING OLD STUFF……IT COMES WITH EXPERIENCE. WE ARE NOT BRAGGARTS ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE THAT OTHERS DON'T. WE ARE JUST EAGER BUYERS WHO WANT TO SHOP IN THESE STORES, THE MALLS, THE ANTIQUE SHOPS, AND COME HOME WITH SOME INTERESTING PURCHASES…..JUST AS WE ALWAYS HAVE. I DO SUGGEST, MORE OF THESE VENDORS PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT CUSTOMERS ARE SAYING, AND NOT JUST THOSE WHO VOICE PRAISE. THE CRITICAL APPROACH IS THE BETTER WAY, TO FIND OUT JUST HOW MANY PATRONS, ARE DOING THE SAME AS US, AND LEAVING LESS AND LESS MONEY BEHIND. THRIFT AND CHARITY SHOPS SHOULD TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY, BECAUSE THEY ARE LOSING CUSTOMERS, BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE OVER-PRICING.

Muskoka and Canadian Antique Symbols

MAKING SMALL GAINS COLLECTING CANADIAN SYMBOLS - AND "REMEMBERING THE MINETT-SHIELDS WORK CABINET"

THE INTERESTING MUSKOKA COLLECTIBLES WE HAD….ONCE UPON A TIME

OUT ON THE ANTIQUE HUNT, THIS MORNING, ONE OF THE MOST STRIKINGLY BEAUTIFUL DAYS THIS WINTER, THE "PYTHONESQUE" QUEST FOR VINTAGE ITEMS, CARRYING THE NATIONAL SYMBOLS OF "THE MAPLE LEAF, THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE, AND THE BEAVER," WAS FUN, BUT ONLY MODESTLY SUCCESSFUL. CONSIDERING I MADE THIS A TWO TERM PROJECT, FOR SUZANNE AND I (YOU'RE WELCOME TO JOIN AS WELL), FOR SIX MONTHS, AS AN INTERIM "SHOW AND TELL," AND THEN AT YEAR'S END, WHEN IT WILL BE DETERMINED, WHICH PARTNER DID THE BEST AT FINDING OUR NATIONAL SYMBOLS…..ADORNING COLLECTIBLE, AND VINTAGE ITEMS RANGING FROM OLD TIN ADVERTISING SIGNS, ADVERTISING ON OLD FOOD, BEVERAGE AND TOBACCO TINS, WOOD CARVINGS, SOAP STONE, OR PAINTED ON EVERYTHING FROM MILK CANS TO CHUNKS OF BARN BOARD, AND OF COURSE, CANADIAN SYMBOL FOLK ART. WE WERE INSPIRED BY THE TERRIFIC BOOK BY DONNA & NIGEL HUTCHINS, ENTITLED "THE MAPLE LEAF FOREVER - A CELEBRATION OF CANADIAN SYMBOLS," WITH PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATTHEW BEVERLY; PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON MILLS PRESS, IN 2006. IT IS A MAGNIFICENTLY ILLUSTRATED BOOK, SHOWING A PLETHORA OF VINTAGE AND NOSTALGIC SOUVENIR AND (CANADA-PROUD) PIECES, DISPLAYING THE PRIMARY, WELL RECOGNIZED SYMBOLS, OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE, THE MAPLE LEAF, AND OF COURSE, THE BEAVER (NOT "LEAVE IT TO," OR THE "BEIBER"). WE STARTED EARLY IN JANUARY, MAKING IT A LITTLE HUSBAND / WIFE COMPETITION, TO SEE WHO COULD COME UP WITH MORE QUALIFYING SYMBOLS. WE STARTED OFF PRETTY WELL, BUT IN THE OFF SEASON HERE, AND NO YARD SALES AND FLEA MARKETS TO SHOP AT, THE PICKINGS HAVE BEEN THIN. WE RESPOND TO TOUGH CIRCUMSTANCES. WE'RE MUSKOKANS! NOTHING CAN DISTRACT US FROM THE JOB AT HAND. WELL MAYBE SKOKIE, THE WINTER OTTER. (SEE YOU AT THE GRAVENHURST WINTER CARNIVAL, THE END OF FEBRUARY.) OUR BOYS HAVE NOW HIT 1,000 VIEWS, FOR THEIR YOUTUBE MUSIC VIDEO IN SUPPORT OF THE CARNIVAL. MAYBE WE SHOULD INCLUDE SKOKIE AS A CANADIAN SYMBOL OF WINTER RECREATION HERE IN GOD'S COUNTRY? (HOW'S THIS FOR SHAMEFUL, SELF-SERVING NEPOTISM) YOU CAN SEE IT BY CLICKING ON http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuwE6cFlRCg

WE HAVE RESTRICTED OURSELVES TO MUSKOKA ONLY SHOPPING, FOR THESE SYMBOLS. IF WE HAPPEN TO STRAY OUT OF THE AREA, AS WE MUST OCCASIONALLY FOR OUR BOYS' MUSIC BUSINESS, ANYTHING WE DO FIND WITH CANADIAN SYMBOLS, WILL BE PRESENTED ON THIS BLOG, BUT WON'T COUNT WHEN WE DO OUR TWO PART "EXHIBITION," FOR EVERYONE TO SEE. IT'S BEEN FUN SO FAR, AND HAS ADDED A LITTLE "FOR FUN" COMPETITION TO THE WEEKLY ANTIQUE HUNTS. JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE ARE TWO OF THE MOST COMPETITIVE PEOPLE YOU WILL MEET……WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE. NO KIDDING. SUZANNE IS NOT SHY AT ALL, ABOUT PUSHING ME OUT OF THE WAY, WHEN SHE DIVES FOR A GOOD PIECE. I'VE ASKED HER NOT TO DO THIS NEAR STAIRWAYS, AFTER THE LAST TIME. "WHAT WAS ALL THE NOISE," SHE ASKED THE SALES CLERK AT THE THRIFT SHOP. "OH, IT WAS JUST YOUR HUSBAND FALLING DOWN THE STAIRS." "IS HE GOING TO BE OKAY," SHE ENQUIRED, WHILE CAREFULLY EXAMINING THE TRILLIUM CUP AND SAUCER, FOR CHIPS. "WELL, HE'S MOVING HIS LEGS, AND YUP, HE JUST TURNED HIS HEAD TO LOOK UP THE STAIRS. HE'LL BE FINE MRS. CURRIE."

WE HAVE A LOT OF FUN OUT THERE, AND SOME GOOD NATURED RIBBING, ABOUT THE BIG FINDS OF THE DAY. WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE WE HITCHED-UP, ABOUT EIGHTY YEARS AGO, OR SO IT SEEMS. YOU SEE, I GET A LITTLE RECKLESS WITH THIS BLOG, BECAUSE SHE WON'T READ IT, UNLESS I ASK HER TO PROOFREAD SOME ASPECT OF IT…..SO I CAN WRITE WHAT I WANT……AND THE ONLY REAL RISK I FACE, IS WHEN ONE OF HER COLLEAGUES MENTIONS, "TED'S BEEN AT IT AGAIN SUZANNE." WHEN SHE GETS HOME FFOM WORK, SHE WALKS RIGHT THROUGH THE HOUSE INTO THE OFFICE, SITS DOWN AT THIS CLUTTERED, MOMENTOE-FILLED DESK, AND STARTS GRUMBLING ABOUT THE WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE, TAKING CHEAP SHOTS. GUILTY AS CHARGED. I DIDN'T KNOCK HER DOWN THE STAIRS, TO GET AT THE CUP AND SAUCER AHEAD OF ANYBODY ELSE. BEFORE WE WERE MARRIED, 1983 IF MEMORY SERVES, SHE STARTED COLLECTING THE ROYAL ALBERT "TRILLIUM" SET OF DISHES, AND IT HAS TAKEN THIS LONG TO GET HALF THE COLLECTION. WE'VE LITERALLY BEEN BUYING ONE PIECE AT A TIME. I CAN GET MYSELF OUT OF THE PROVERBIAL DOGHOUSE, ON MOST OCCASIONS THESE DAYS, BY FINDING A TRILLIUM CUP, SAUCER OR PLATE, WHICH IN MY APPRAISAL, ARE SELLING THESE DAY'S FOR A "KING'S RANSOM." WHEN I GIVE HER A "FOUND" PIECE, SHE JUST SMILES, SLAPS ME ON THE BACK, AND PUTS IT SAFELY AWAY IN THE CHINA CUPBOARD IN THE CORNER. SHE TELLS ME THEY'RE WORTH TOO MUCH TO ACTUALLY USE. WE'VE GOT THREE CHINA CUPBOARDS LOADED WITH STUFF WE CAN'T USE FOR THE SAME REASON. I'M EATING MY DINNER OFF "MELMAC" PLATES (MADE FAMOUS IN THE "ALF" TELEVISION SHOW, AS BEING THE PLANET HE WAS FROM), AND SIPPING MY CHEAP WINE FROM COMMEMORATIVE GLASSES FROM THE OLD 1970'S "MUSKOKA FEST" WE STILL HAVE IN ACTIVE SERVICE.

ANYWAY, WE DID MAKE SOME FINDS TODAY, IN THE CANADIAN SYMBOLS CHALLENGE, AND THEY INCLUDED FOUR VERY NICE, HIGH QUALITY SOUVENIR SPOONS, THREE WITH SILVER MAPLE LEAVES, AND ONE WITH THE RCMP LOGO. I'M WAITING FOR A FEW MORE SPOONS TO FINISH OFF THE WOODEN "MAPLE LEAF SPOON HOLDER" I FOUND LAST WEEK, AT THE SALVATION ARMY THRIFT SHOP, IN BRACEBRIDGE. WE FOUND ALL BUT TWO OF THE SOUVENIR SPOONS AT THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RE-STORE, ON MUSKOKA BEACH ROAD, ON THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN BRACEBRIDGE AND GRAVENHURST…..WHICH IS ABOUT A CHIP SHOT BETWEEN MUNICIPALITIES, IF YOU MEASURE IN GOLF STROKES. I DID GET A LOVELY LITTLE HEART-SHAPED, PRESSED METAL ORNAMENT, DEPICTING THE OLD "TORONTO CITY HALL", SET IN A WREATH OF FLOWERS, ONE BEING THE IRIS MOTIFF. WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT THE FLOWERS ARE AROUND THE TOP PORTION. WE FOUND THIS WHILE LOOKING FOR CANADIAN SYMBOL PIECES, BUT DARN IT ALL - THERE ISN'T A MAPLE LEAF, BEAVER OR RCMP TRACE INSIGNIA, ANYWHERE ON THE ELABORATELY DECORATED, EARLY 1900'S SOUVENIR. STILL A NICE BIT OF TORONTO HISTORY. THERE IS A DIGITAL IMAGE OF THIS COPPER COLORED PIECE PICTURED ABOVE. I ALSO FOUND A WELL CRAFTED, SILVER SOUVENIR BELL, WITH A NICE RING, WITH A MAPLE LEAF DESIGN, AND A THREE DIMENSIONAL STEAM LOCOMOTIVE, AS A FINIAL ON THE HANDLE (AT THE BRACEBRIDGE THRIFT SHOP). AT THE GRAVENHURST SALVATION ARMY THRIFT SHOP, WELL, I GOT A "THISTLE" MOLD IN PINE, THAT SUZANNE TELLS ME WAS FOR IMPRINTING SHORTBREAD. I'VE INCLUDED A PHOTOGRAPH OF THIS AS WELL. ANY IDEAS? I DON'T SUSPECT IT'S VERY OLD, BUT WHAT A NEAT PIECE TO DECORATE A HARVEST TABLE WITH, OR HOOSIER CUPBOARD…..SUZANNE HAS A NICE ONE IN THE KITCHEN. SUZANNE GOT A COUPLE OF MAPLE LEAF SOUVENIR SPOONS HERE, IN GRAVENHURST, TODAY AS WELL. THE REALLY NEAT FIND OF THE DAY, WAS A HUGE WOODEN LEVEL, FROM ABOUT THE 1930'S, WITH JUST A FEW TRACES OF ITS ORIGINAL RED PAINT. THIS IS ONE I PLAN TO RESTORE AND REFINISH IF POSSIBLE. IT HAS FOUR GLASS WINDOWS AND THE LIQUID IN THE LEVELS IS STILL VISIBLE, AS IS THE ALL IMPORTANT BUBBLE. IT CAME COURTESY THE NEAT INVENTORY OF COLLECTIBLES AND USEFUL MATERIALS ALWAYS IN STOCK AT THE RE-STORE.

DID I TELL YOU THE ONE ABOUT THE MINETT-SHEILDS WORK-ORDER CABINET? I FOUND IT!

A FRIEND CAME INTO MY SHOP ONE DAY, AND ASKED IF I HAD ANY INTEREST IN A WOOD FILING CABINET HE HAD STORED IN HIS SHED, FROM ONE OF THE OLD MUSKOKA BOAT WORKS. HE MAY HAVE SEEN THE LARGE INSURANCE MAPPING BOOK (IN HARDCOVER), I HAD ON THE SHOP COUNTER. IT WAS FROM EARLIER IN THE CENTURY, THAT SHOWED THE BREAKDOWN OF THE BUILDINGS AT MUSKOKA WHARF, HERE IN GRAVENHURST, AND HAD DETAILED PLANS OF THE FORMER DITCHBURN BOAT WORKS. IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION, HAD THE COMPANY NAME WITH AN "E" AT THE END….DITCHBURNE. I'D PICKED THE BOOK UP FROM MY OLD BOOK CHUM, DAVE BROWN OF HAMILTON. HE HAD A SECOND ONE, HE'D PURCHASED AT A CITY AUCTION, WITH SIMILAR INSURANCE MAPPING OF PORT CARLING, ALSO BACK IN THE EARLY YEARS OF THE 1900'S. I'M NOT SURE IF HE SOLD IT TO THE MUSKOKA LAKES MUSEUM IN PORT CARLING OR NOT. IT WAS HIS INTENTION. I WAS MORE INTERESTED IN THE DITCHBURN MAPPING. I SOLD IT THE FIRST YEAR WE JOINED AS VENDORS, AT THE ANNUAL ANTIQUE BOAT SHOW, HELD AT SAGAMO PARK, HERE IN GRAVENHURST. NOW GETTING BACK TO THE CABINET.

I WAS SOLD AT THE MENTION OF "OLD MUSKOKA BOAT WORKS." I ALMOST JUMPED ON THE GUY'S BACK, TO TAKE ME TO SEE THIS FABULOUS PIECE, OOZING WITH PROVENANCE. THE MULTI-DRAWER UNIT, HAD BEEN PART OF THE OFFICE FURNITURE OF THE FAMOUS MINETT-SHIELDS BOAT WORKS, ONCE LOCATED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO BRACEBRIDGE FALLS. IT WAS MORE THAN SIX FEET TALL I BELIEVE, AND THE BONUS WAS, OF COURSE, THAT IT CAME WITH MINETT-SHIELDS "WORK ORDER" CARDS, WITH THE NAMES OF THE BOATS AND CLIENTS NOTED AT THE TOP, AND THE INDIVIDUAL STAFF MEMBER RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT PARTICULAR WATERCRAFT. THIS WAS BACK IN THE EARLY 1990'S, SO I'M A LITTLE FUZZY ON THE DETAILS, AND I DON'T REMEMBER EVER TAKING A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE PIECE. WE DID SELL SOME OF THE CARDS SEPARATELY, FOR ABOUT TWENTY DOLLARS EACH, WHICH MORE THAN PAID THE PURCHASE PRICE FOR THE CABINET.

ONE AFTENOON, MY FATHER-IN-LAW, NORM STRIPP, A WELL KNOWN MAHOGANY BOAT RESTORER, CAME INTO OUR MAIN STREET ANTIQUE SHOP, TWISTED AROUND THE TIGHT CORNER, AND STOPPED DEAD IN HIS TRACKS……JAW CLENCHED, WITH A TWINKLE IN HIS EYE, AND THE VERY REAL NECESSITY TO SAY….."BY GOLLY TED, YOU DID SOMETHING RIGHT." HE KNEW IT WAS FROM THE MINETT-SHIELDS BUILDING, AND AS HE LOOKED AT IT MORE CLOSELY, I REALLY THINK HE WAS LOOKING FOR THE SMUDGE, OR FINGERPRINTS HE'D LEFT ON IT…….LEANING UP AGAINST IT ON HIS MANY VISITS TO THE SHOP IN THE PAST. "HOW DID YOU EVER GET THIS," HE ASKED. WHEN I TOLD HIM WHO HAD SOLD IT, AND THE FAMILY MEMBER WHO HAD ONCE WORKED THERE, HE KNEW THE CONNECTION IMMEDIATELY. HE COULD EVEN REMEMBER WHERE IT STOOD IN THE BUILDING. HE OFFERED AN ALMOST IDENTICAL OBSERVATION, WHEN HE CAME INTO THE SHOP ONE DAY, AND WENT RIGHT OVER TO THE HUGE "NATIONAL" CASH REGISTER, ON AN OAK PEDESTAL STAND, WITH DRAWERS (THAT POPPED OUT WHEN THE RIGHT KEY WAS HIT), AND HE STOOD LEANING UP AGAINST IT, JUST AS HE USED TO AS A YOUNG MAN, HANGING AROUND BRACEBRIDGE'S "MUSKOKA GARAGE," ON MANITOBA STREET. WE NEVER HAD TO EXPLAIN TO NORM, WHERE IT HAD COME FROM. HE ALREADY KNEW HOW TO WORK THE DRAWERS. HE HADN'T SEEN IT IN DECADES, BUT HE KNEW ITS PRECISE PROVENANCE, AND TOLD ME WHERE IT HAD BEEN ON ITS LAST TOUR OF DUTY, AFTER MANY YEARS AT MUSKOKA GARAGE. HE WAS RIGHT. HE WAS REALLY IMPRESSED BY THE FACT WE HAD THIS OLD WORK CABINET FROM THE MINETT-SHIELDS BOAT WORKS, HE HAD BEEN SO FAMILIAR IN HIS YOUTH. AND HE KNEW ALL THE NAMES ON THE TOPS OF THE WORK-ORDER CARDS. YUP, TED DID WELL. I DIDN'T COME OUT ON TOP, DURING MANY OF THESE LITTLE HISTORY SESSIONS, BECAUSE HE COULD OBVIOUSLY "BEST" ALMOST ANYTHING I COULD MUSTER, FROM MY BRIEF PERIOD AS AN ANTIQUARIAN…..BUT THIS ONE WAS MEMORABLE FOR BOTH OF US.

THE PROUDEST MOMENT, WAS WHEN WE SOLD THE CABINET TO SOMEONE WITH AN INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE, AND LOVE FOR MUSKOKA'S OLD BOATS. BELIEVE ME. IT WASN'T SOLD AS A DECORATOR PIECE, AND I DON'T SUPPOSE THE PATINA WAS ALTERED MUCH….AS IT STILL HAD THAT AROMA OF MUSKOKA'S MARINE HERITAGE, AFTER ALL THOSE YEARS. IT'S ALWAYS NICE IN OUR BUSINESS, TO SELL THESE PIECES, WITH PROVENANCE, TO THOSE WHO HAVE ALL INTENTIONS OF PURSUING CONSERVATION AND BESTOWING ADMIRATION. I WAS SORRY TO SEE IT GO, BUT PLEASED IT WENT TO A GOOD AND CARING HOME.

I'VE JUST BEEN ADVISED SUZANNE HAS SET OUT A BOWL OF STEAMING GRUEL FOR ME, SO I MUST SIGN OFF FOR TODAY. THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING THIS BLOG. THERE ARE MANY STORIES YET TO TELL. PLEASE JOIN ME AGAIN. GOOD NIGHT!

Muskoka, Windermere and a Ditchburn

NORM STRIPP, A DITCHBURN, A MARINA AND THE "BIOGRAPHER" DAUGHTER

IT TOOK A BLOG TO SHAKE-UP STATUS QUO

WHEN SUZANNE BROUGHT ME HOME TO MEET HER PARENTS, THAT FIRST TIME, MY REPUTATION AS A WRITER-KIND PRECEDED ME. THEY KNEW WHO I WAS, BECAUSE OF THE FACT I WAS EDITOR OF THE NEWSPAPER THEY SUBSCRIBED. THEY WERE ALSO RELATED, BY MARRIAGE, TO MY ASSISTANT EDITOR, BOB BOYER, A WELL KNOWN REGIONAL HISTORIAN, AND TOOK A GENUINE INTEREST IN THE WRITERS ON STAFF. ESPECIALLY ONE WHO WAS DATING THEIR DAUGHTER. WHILE I'VE MENTIONED, PREVIOUSLY, THAT SUZANNE'S MOTHER HARRIET, WAS ALSO A PART TIME WRITER, AND ARTIST, IT WAS THE BIG "IN" FOR ME; THAT AND HER GENUINE INTEREST IN LOCAL HISTORY. I GOT ALONG WITH HER FROM THE BEGINNING…….WITH NARY AN AWKWARD PREAMBLE. SHE WELCOMED ME INTO THE HOMESTEAD WITH A BIG HUG, AND THE KIND OF FRIENDLY CONVERSATION THAT TOLD ME WE WERE GOING TO BE GOOD FRIENDS, AND AS IT TURNED OUT, WRITING MATES ON A SMALL PUBLISHING PROJECT, WE CALLED "THE LEGEND OF TALL PINES."

HARRIET SHARED AN INTEREST IN LOCAL HERITAGE, AND AS HER FAMILY WERE GIANT STAKE-HOLDERS IN THE HISTORY OF THE UFFORD AND THREE MILE LAKE AREA, OF THE PRESENT TOWNSHIP OF MUSKOKA LAKES, WE HAD LOTS TO TALK ABOUT. I WAS, AT THAT POINT, A FLEDGLING HISTORIAN, WITH A FEW CREDITS….. BUT AS BOB BOYER USED TO TELL ME…."TED, YOU'VE GOT A LONG, LONG WAY TO GO." I TRUSTED BOB'S ADVICE ABOUT THIS, AND SURRENDERED TO HIS ONGOING TUTORIALS. I ALWAYS HAVE FELT QUITE PRIVILEGED, TO TELL MY CONTEMPORARIES, BOB BOYER WAS MY PROFESSOR. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES, HE GRABBED ME OUT OF THE MAIN OFFICE, ON AN INNOCENT FLY-BY, TO READ SOME SNIPIT OF LOCAL HISTORY, HE THOUGHT OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE AT THE TIME. POINT IS, HE WANTED ME TO KNOW ABOUT IT, AND BY GOLLY, HE'D FOLLOW UP ON IT, TO MAKE SURE I REMEMBERED. HIS OFFICE LOOKED LIKE IT WAS DESIGNED AS A STAGE, FOR A CHARLES DICKENS STORY. THE POINT OF MENTIONING THIS ONCE MORE, IS THAT THE CONNECTION, AND APPROVAL OF BOB, HELPED CONVINCE HARRIET I WAS A DECENT SORT…..SUCH THAT I DIDN'T GET THE BUM'S RUSH OUT OF THEIR WINDERMERE HOME THAT DAY. NORMAN BOWED TO HARRIET'S INSTINCTS. I THINK HE FIGURED I'D BOLT IF THE GOING GOT TOUGH. SO NATURALLY, HE DIDN'T MAKE IT AN EASY FIRST MEETING. SO I JUST TALKED TO HARRIET, AND LET HIM READ HIS NEWSPAPER. I TOO CAN BE INTUITIVE TO PENDING DISASTERS.

NORMAN WAS NOT AS FUSSY ABOUT REPORTERS, ESPECIALLY ONES SITTING ACROSS FROM HIM ON A SOFA. HE MIGHT HAVE ENJOYED READING WHAT REPORTERS WROTE ABOUT, IN HIS DAILY PAPER, BUT I WAS FROM A WEEKLY. THAT WAS DIFFERENT. I WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH TO WORK ON A DAILY. I COULD SEE THE DOUBT IN HIS EYES……WHEN HE LOWERED THE PAPER TO OCCASIONALLY GLANCE AT ME, WONDERING, I SUPPOSE NOW, WHY I WAS STILL THERE. COULDN'T I TAKE A HINT? OBVIOUSLY I LOVED HIS DAUGHTER MORE, THAN MY FEAR HE WOULDN'T APPROVE, MY INTENTION TO MARRY HER

FIRST OF ALL, I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT BOATS. SECONDLY, I DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE ABOUT ENGINES. IF HIS GRANDSONS, AND SON-IN-LAW UNDERSTOOD ENGINES, AND WHAT MAKES THEM WORK BEYOND A KEY IN THE IGNITION, THEN THE BLOKE WHO MARRIES HIS YOUNGEST DAUGHTER, SHOULD KNOW HOW TO CHANGE THE OIL IN HIS CAR. WELL SIR, I DID KNOW HOW TO DO THAT. I TOLD HIM, "I JUST MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE GARAGE, AND THEY DO A DAMN FINE JOB." IF YOU KNEW NORMAN, OR KNEW OF HIM, GETTING LIPPY WAS NOT THE BEST WAY TO ENDEAR HIM…..OR TAKE THAT FIRST SENSIBLE STEP TO ASKING FOR HIS DAUGHTER'S HAND IN MARRIAGE. I WON'T SAY HE ROLLED HIS EYES, WHEN I EXPLAINED MY LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ANYTHING MECHANICAL (INCLUDING AN ALARM CLOCK), EVEN MY MANUAL TYPEWRITER. I ALWAYS HAD TO ASK SOMEONE ELSE IN THE OFFICE POOL, IF THEY'D FIX MY BUNGED-UP TYPEWRITER FOR ME. SUZANNE CAN ATTEST TO THIS, BECAUSE SHE HAD HER HEAD IN THAT TYPEWRITER CARRIAGE, AS MUCH AS I HAD MY FINGERS ON THE KEYBOARD. SO NORM WAS WARY OF A GUY, GETTING INVOLVED WITH HIS DAUGHTER, WHO COULDN'T FIX A DAMAGED MUFFLER, REPLACE THE BRAKES, OR EVEN REPLACE A TAIL-LIGHT. I SAID TO HIM FRANKLY, "I COME FROM A LONG LINE OF FAMILY WHO HAVE NO APTITUDE FOR MAKING AUTOMOTIVE REPAIRS." NORM, BY WAY, COULD PRETTY MUCH TELL, WHAT BOAT WAS COMING DOWN THE LAKE, BY THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE. NO ONE DOUBTED HIM EITHER. MY GRANDFATHER COULD BUILD A HOUSE, BUT NOT FIX HIS OWN CAR…..EVEN IF IT WAS A MINOR REPAIR. MY OTHER GRANDFATHER, EDDIE, ON MY FATHER'S SIDE, WAS A HARD LIVING, HEAVY DRINKING IRISHMAN, WHO WOULD SIT ON THE STEP OF THEIR CABBAGETOWN BUNGALOW, AND EAT A POTATO OR AN ONION RAW, BUT NEVER OFFER TO HELP A NEIGHBOR CHANGE A TIRE. I THOUGHT I'D HOLD BACK ON THIS FAMILY HISTORY FOR THE TIME BEING. I DIDN'T WANT TO ADD TO THE CONSTERNATION.

NORM SEEMED SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN MY CONFESSIONAL HONESTY, AND THAT WITH ME, HE WAS GOING TO GET A SON-IN-LAW WHO KNEW HIS PLACE AT LEAST. IF I COULDN'T FIX A CAR OR BOAT ENGINE, I WOULDN'T BE TRYING TO "BEST" HIM IN AN ARGUMENT ABOUT THE BEST METHODOLOGY TO EMPLOY, TO INCREASE ENGINE PERFORMANCE…..OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I FIGURED THAT IF I DIDN'T CHALLENGE HIS NEAR-ALCHEMY KNOWLEDGE, OF ENGINE AND WOODEN BOAT RESTORATION, THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE THOSE AWKWARD GLARING MOMENTS AT THE DINNER TABLE. I LISTENED A LOT, AND FOLLOWED SUZANNE'S SAGE ADVICE. "DON'T GIVE HIM ANYTHING TO GET MAD AT…….SO JUST SHUT UP." HEY, IT WORKED. I STAYED UNDER HIS RADAR FOR YEARS, AND HE LIKED THAT ABOUT ME. EXCEPT ONE TIME.

ONE DAY, WHEN I DID GET INTO HIS WORKSHOP, BEHIND THE FAMILY HOME IN WINDERMERE, I WAS ADMIRING THE FINAL COAT OF VARNISH HE HAD, THE DAY BEFORE, APPLIED TO A BEAUTIFUL WOODEN LAUNCH, ALTHOUGH I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS A DITCHBURN OR NOT. IN A PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIP, WITH A YOUNG LADY, I HAD FOUND MYSELF IN A SIMILAR SITUATION, AS I WAS ON THAT DAY. INSTEAD OF A NEWLY VARNISHED BOAT, GORD SMITH, A TALENTED WOOD-WORKER, WAS SHOWING ME AN EXTREMELY HANDSOME, ROUND DININGROOM TABLE, WITH PRESS-BACK CHAIRS, HE HAD STRIPPED FREE OF AT LEAST FOUR LAYERS OF ENAMEL PAINT. IT WAS A GOOD JOB, AND GORD WAS SO PROUD OF THAT PIECE. GAIL HAD ALSO WARNED ME TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT OFF-HAND COMMENTS, THAT MAY BE MISCONSTRUED BY HER FATHER AS, "THE SNEAK ATTACK" OF A SMART ASS. I FORGOT. SO AS GORD WAS CAREFULLY DUSTING THE GLIMMERING SURFACE OF THE TABLE, JUST ABOUT TO BE SET FOR THAT NIGHT'S DINNER, I HAPPENED TO MAKE ONE TINY LITTLE OBSERVATION……THAT TURNED OUT TO BE THE PROVERBIAL GAME CHANGER. "SAY GORD, TOO BAD ABOUT THAT BRUSH HAIR EH?"

IT WAS LIKE I'D KICKED A WHIRLING DERVISH. "WHAT BRUSH HAIR," HE DEMAND, JUMPING ALL OVER THE KITCHEN, TO GET A BETTER LOOK AT THE TABLE-TOP. "RIGHT THERE," I POINTED. "CAN'T YOU SEE IT GORD. I THINK THERE ARE TWO OF THEM. NO THREE!" POOR GAIL. SHE KNEW BY THE ATMOSPHERIC CHANGE IN THAT ROOM, I WAS IN DEEP, DEEP DO! HE WOULDN'T TALK TO ME FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AFTER THAT CANDID AND UNSOLICITED OBSERVATION. HERE'S WHAT'S REALLY FUNNY, AT LEAST IN RETROSPECT. WE PLAYED EUCHRE THAT NIGHT, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES…..EXCEPT TO SUGGEST "A LOT," THAT THOSE PLAYING CARDS, SLIDING ACROSS THE TABLE WHEN THEY WERE DEALT, WERE BEING THUSLY STOPPED BY THAT WEE TANGLE OF VARNISHED BRUSH HAIR. EVERY SINGLE TIME, IT STABBED HIM IN THE HEART. I SWEAR TO GOD, HE THOUGHT I PUT THEM THERE ON PURPOSE. I DON'T THINK HE EVER SACRIFICED THAT OTHERWISE BEAUTIFUL FINISH, TO REMOVE THE BRUSH HAIRS.

SO WHAT DO THINK? HOW WISE WOULD IT BE THEN, CONSIDERING THE ABOVE PASSAGE, (AND WHAT I'D PERVIOUSLY LEARNED) TO SAY TO NORM, IN THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF THE WORKSHOP, STARING DOWN THE LOVELY LINES OF THAT GRAND LAUNCH, "IS THAT A BRUSH HAIR?" NOT QUITE THE WHIRLING DERVISH I'D STIRRED AT THE SMITH HOMESTEAD, BUT THE KIND OF MINOR PANIC A REFINISHER DOESN'T NEED AT THIS STAGE OF RESTORATION. "WHERE? WHERE? A HAIR? WHERE IS IT," HE DEMANDED, WITH HIS FACE ALMOST PRESSED AGAINST THE SHIMMERING MAHOGANY. SUZANNE HAD THAT LOOK OF SHOCK I'VE LEARNED TO LIVE WITH, FOR ALL THESE YEARS. IT WAS NEW TO ME THEN. "I WAS ONLY KIDDING NORM," I RESPONDED, WHILE ON THE FIRST ROLL OF WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A LENGTHY, AND HARDY LAUGH. FROM BEING BENT OVER, WITH HIS BAD BACK, TWISTING HIS HEAD LIKE A COBRA ABOUT TO STRIKE, HE LOOKED UP AT SUZANNE WITH THAT LOOK OF ABSOLUTE TERROR, "YOU'RE GOING TO MARRY THIS WISE GUY?" I GOT SUCH A BAD RECEPTION THAT DAY, REGARDING THE HAIR, I'VE GOT TO BE HONEST…..THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A WHOLE BRUSH VARNISHED TO THE BOAT, AND I WOULDN'T HAVE SAID A WORD. IT'S NOT THAT NORM AND I COULDN'T KID ABOUT THINGS…..JUST NOT ABOUT STUFF AS CRITICAL AS THE VARNISH ON A FULLY RESTORED MAHOGANY LAUNCH.

WHEN SUZANNE PROOFREAD THE PAST TWO BLOGS ABOUT HER FAMILY, PARTICULARLY YESTERDAY'S STORY ABOUT MY RELATIONSHIP WITH NORMAN, SHE HAD TO ADMIT, TO HAVING A RESTORED INTEREST IN DOING A SOMEWHAT MORE INVOLVED BIOGRAPHY OF HER FATHER……A PROJECT, FOLKS WHO KNEW NORMAN'S WORK, HAVE BEEN ASKING ABOUT FOR A WHILE NOW. SHE HAS LOTS OF INSIDE STORIES ABOUT THEIR YEARS OF OPERATING THE WINDERMERE MARINA, AND THE MANY BOAT RESTORATION PROJECTS THAT WENT ON IN THAT CURIOSITY SHOP……AT THE REAR OF THE HOUSE. IN THE PAST, WHEN THIS ISSUE HAS COME UP, SHE'S BEGGED-OUT, CLAIMING SHE DOESN'T KNOW ENOUGH TO WRITE A SENSIBLE, RESPONSIBLE BIOGRAPHY. I THINK A LOT OF SONS AND DAUGHTERS FEEL THIS WAY, AND ARE MORE LIKELY TO RELENT INSTEAD, TO SOMEONE UNRELATED TO THE FAMILY, TO TELL THE STORY. I CAN'T REPLICATE WHAT SHE COULD ACCOMPLISH IN SUCH A PERSONAL, INSIDER, BIOGRAPHICAL EFFORT. UNTIL NOW. SHE HAS A LOT OF OLD PHOTOGRAPHS SHE'S BEEN GOING THROUGH, WHILE DOING HER ANCESTRY RESEARCH, ON OUR FAMILY TREES, AND I THINK THIS HAS HELPED STIR UP MORE INTIMATE DETAILS OF LIFE WITH NORMAN. I'M DELIGHTED SHE HAS DECIDED TO DO SOME WORK ON IT, FOR RELEASE ON THIS BLOGSITE…..POSSIBLY AS EARLY AS JULY OF THIS YEAR. IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE HISTORY OF MUSKOKA, AND BOATING ON THE MUSKOKA LAKES GENERALLY. I THINK SHE NOW APPRECIATES, HOW NORMAN FACTORED INTO OUR MARINE HERITAGE, AND HIS FATHER BEFOR HIM. I KNOW FOR YEARS, SHE HAD THE "I'M NOT WORTHY" ATTITUDE, WHEN IT COMES TO WRITING MORE ABOUT HER FATHER'S EXPERIENCES. IN THE LATE 1990'S, SUZANNE AND I CO-WROTE A SHORT HISTORY OF "THE SKIPPER," THE UPSTAIRS SNACKBAR AT THE WINDERMERE MARINA…..WHICH HAD AN ALMOST CULT FOLLOWING, DURING THOSE WONDERFUL SUMMER SEASONS BACK IN THE MID 1960'S, INTO THE EARLY 1970'S. WE HAD A BLAST WRITING THEM, AND IT WAS QUITE THERAPEUTIC FOR SUZANNE, WHO REALLY DOES MISS THE GOOD OLD DAYS LIVING AND WORKING ON THE SHORE OF LAKE ROSSEAU, IN THE VILLAGE OF WINDERMERE.

THE COTTAGE AT WINDERMERE

I HAVE LIVED IN THREE AMAZING LAKESIDE COTTAGES IN MY LIFE. THE FIRST ONE, WAS ON ALPORT BAY, OF LAKE MUSKOKA, ON THE EXTENSION OF BEAUMONT DRIVE, IN BRACEBRIDGE. THE SECOND, WAS IN A MINIATURE ENGLISH MANOR HOUSE, CALLED "SEVEN PERSONS COTTAGE," AT FOOTES BAY, LAKE JOSEPH, AND THEN FINALLY, AT THE COTTAGE SAM STRIPP BUILT, ACROSS THE CHANNEL OF LAKE ROSSEAU'S "WELLSLEY ISLAND." IT'S WHERE SUZANNE AND I SPENT OUR WEDDING NIGHT, THAT BLESSED OCCASION BACK IN SEPTEMBER 1983. IT WAS A TRADITIONAL MUSKOKA COTTAGE-TYPE ABODE, EXCEPT THAT IT HAD BEEN BUILT AS A HOME BY HER GRANDFATHER SAM STRIPP, CIRCA 1914. IT SAT UP ON A ROCK FACE, ABOVE THE CHANNEL, AND FROM THE VERANDAH, IT WAS A TRULY INSPIRING VIEW ONTO THE LAKE AND ISLAND. I USED TO ENJOY SITTING IN THE SMALL "SUN ROOM," FILLED WITH NAUTICAL MEMORABILIA, AND IN THE EVENINGS, I WOULD HUNKER DOWN IN FRONT OF THE STONE FIREPLACE IN THE LIVINGROOM, AND MAKE MY COPIOUS NOTES ABOUT COTTAGE LIFE. I WROTE HUNDREDS OF MUSKOKA SUN FEATURE COLUMNS, SITTING BY THAT HEARTH, IN A CHAIR ROBERT STILL HAS IN HIS ROOM TODAY. IT WAS A SOLID HOUSE, BUILT BY CAPABLE HANDS, AND IT WAS DEARLY LOVED BY NORM AND HARRIET THAT'S FOR SURE. BUT AT A TIME WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ENJOY SUMMERS AT THE COTTAGE, HARRIET WAS SERIOUSLY ILL, WITH NO CHANCE OF RECOVERY. SHE WOULD COME OVER TO THE COTTAGE TO HOST A FAMILY BARBECUE, BUT SHE NEEDED HOME COMFORTS AT THAT STAGE OF HER ILLNESS. THE STRIPP FAMILY HOME WAS IN THE VILLAGE, ABOUT FIVE MINUTES WEST OF THE COTTAGE.

THE REASON I BRING THE COTTAGE UP, IS NOT TO BRAG ABOUT THE FAMILY I MARRIED INTO, BUT TO QUALIFY OURSELVES GENERALLY, AS ANTIQUE DEALER / COLLECTORS, WHO ARE REASONABLY WELL VERSED IN MUSKOKA LIVING, BY PROFOUNDLY DEEP IMMERSION. SUZANNE AND I SPENT MANY INCREDIBLE DAYS, IN THOSE FEW YEARS BEFORE THE KIDS ARRIVED, HOLED-UP AT THE STRIPP COTTAGE, LOUNGING ON THE BOATHOUSE DOCK, WATCHING THE PARADE OF OLD MAHOGANY BOATS GO UP AND DOWN THE CHANNEL. SUZANNE WAVING TO MOST OF THEM, AS THE OWNERS WERE, AT THAT TIME, VERY FAMILIAR WITH HER FATHER AND MOTHER, FROM BOTH THE MARINA DAYS, AND OF COURSE, AS NEIGHBOR COTTAGERS.

"DAD REFINISHED THAT ONE," SHE'D SAY. "YUP, THAT ONE TOO." WHEN A LITTLE STEAM YACHT WENT CHUGGING BY, AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, "HE REFINISHED THAT ONE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO." IT WAS CONSTANT, AND I WAS ENJOYING EVERY MOMENT OF IT. I'D NEVER BEEN SO INVOLVED IN LOCAL HISTORY, EVEN AS DIRECTOR OF THE BRACEBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND WOODCHESTER VILLA AND MUSEUM. THIS WAS BY FAR, MY OWN MOST INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP, WITH THE MARINE, COTTAGE HERITAGE OF MUSKOKA. I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN HAPPIER. IT WAS OBVIOUS, SUZANNE WANTED TO LIVE AT THE COTTAGE…..FOREVER. IT'S NOT THAT WE DIDN'T TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THIS, AND EVEN WENT AS FAR AS PRICING INSULATION IMPROVEMENTS, AND A SNOWMOBILE TO GET US IN THROUGH THE WINTER. WE WERE JUST CRAZY NEWLYWEDS, AND HARRIET LET US KNOW IT WOULDN'T WORK, CONSIDERING THE KIND OF LIVES WE WERE LIVING AT THE TIME. SUZANNE A FLEDGLING TEACHER, ME, AN EDITOR WITH WILD HOURS. WE OFTEN PONDER THE "WHAT IFS" AND SPECULATE ON WHERE WE WOULD BE TODAY, HAD WE FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH THE IDEA OF LIVING IN THE COTTAGE OVER THE WINTER. "YOU'D NEVER HAVE MADE IT TED," SAYS SUZANNE. "YOU WOULD HAVE DIED WITHOUT CABLE TELEVISION. WE MADE THE RIGHT DECISION TO BUY A SENSIBLE HOUSE, A SHORT DRIVE TO WHERE WE WORKED." OF COURSE SHE WAS RIGHT. HARRIET WAS RIGHT. NORM NEVER OFFERED AN OPINION ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. HE KNEW HIS DAUGHTER WOULDN'T LET IMAGINARY SPLENDOR GET IN THE WAY OF SENSIBLE PROPORTION. I'D HAVE HAVE TREED A SNOWMOBILE, I CAN TELL YOU THAT…….LONG BEFORE I EITHER FELL THROUGH THE ICE, OR WAS LOST IN A BLIZZARD, BURIED SOMEWHERE IN THE PASTURE OF THE LONGHURST FARM…..BETWEEN WINDERMERE AND THE COTTAGE.

I HAVE A LOT OF REMINISCENCES ABOUT OUR SUMMER LIVING AT THE COTTAGE. WE LIVED THERE WITH ANDREW AND ROBERT, FOR THREE MONTHS IN THE LATE SUMMER AND EARLY AUTUMN OF 1989, JUST BEFORE MOVING HERE TO BIRCH HOLLOW, IN GRAVENHURST. BUT AS I'VE HALF-CONVINCED SUZANNE TO RE-TELL HER FAMILY'S WINDERMERE / LAKE ROSSEAU HISTORY, I'M GOING TO LEAVE THIS ASPECT OF OUR HERITAGE EXPERIENCES, FOR HER TO PRESENT LATER THIS YEAR, ON THIS BLOGSITE.

IF YOU ASKED SUZANNE, OR MY BOYS, ANDREW OR ROBERT, WHAT IT HAS BEEN LIKE LIVING WITH A WRITER /HISTORIAN…..ANTIQUE DEALER, FOR ALL THESE YEARS, THEY'D GET PRETTY ANIMATED, TRYING TO SORT OUT THE TUMBLE OF WORDS BANGING ABOUT THEIR MINDS. EACH COULD WRITE A "WAR AND PEACE" SIZED TEXT ABOUT "LIFE WITH FATHER." WHEN IT COMES TO NORM STRIPP HOWEVER, IT IS MARKEDLY DIFFERENT. WHEN HE WENT TO WORK, OFTEN NOT MORE THAN THIRTY OR FORTY STEPS TO THE BACK OF THE HOUSE, OR DOWN FROM THE COTTAGE VERANDAH, HE KEPT TO HIMSELF….OR CONVERSED WITH HIS HELPERS IF HE HAD ANY AT THE TIME. HIS WAS NOT A PUBLIC-DISPLAY EXISTENCE. NO SHOWMANSHIP, NO GRANDSTANDING, NO PUBLIC SPEAKING VENUES, TO TALK ABOUT THE MARINE INDUSTRY. HE KEPT TO HIS WORK SCHEDULE, AND DID NOT LIKE DISTRACTION……AND I WAS THE BIG "D". AS SUZANNE AND I WERE LEADING VERY PUBLIC LIVES, AND INVOLVED IN A LOT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS /MEDIA EVENTS, WE GOT USED TO MIXING IT UP ON THE LOCAL SOCIAL SCENE. WHEN SUZANNE'S FATHER DID THIS, ON RARE OCCASIONS, IT WAS ALWAYS AS "LION NORM," WORKING ON COMMUNITY SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE WINDERMERE AND DISTRICT LIONS CLUB. HE DIDN'T CARRY THE "BOAT REFINISHER" THING AROUND LIKE A BADGE OF HONOR. IT'S JUST WHAT HE DID AS A PROFESSION. NOTHING FANCY. NOTHING SPECIAL. AND HE CERTAINLY NEVER BRAGGED ABOUT BEING THE BEST AT THIS PROFESSION. NOT ONCE. IN FACT, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW HIM, IT WOULD TAKE WEEKS OF DIALOGUE TO GET HIM TO ADMIT HE WORKED ON THE RESTORATION OF VINTAGE MAHOGANY BOATS. EVEN THOUGH HE WAS WELL KNOWN, AND RESPECTED, AMONGST BOAT OWNERS AND LOCAL MARINE HISTORIANS, MANY OF THEM WEALTHY COTTAGERS AROUND THE MUSKOKA LAKES; YOU'D NEVER KNOW IT BY HIS DEMEANOR. HE WOULD SOONER TALK ABOUT HOCKEY OR LIONS PROJECTS THAN WHAT HE WORKED ON, IN HIS SHED. THIS IS WHAT SUZANNE NOW REALIZES NEEDS TO BE RECTIFIED, EVEN FOR THE BENEFIT OF HIS GRANDSONS, AND THEIR EVENTUAL FAMILIES. WHEN SHE SEES ANDREW WORKING ON A VINTAGE GUITAR, SO PATIENTLY HANDLING THE INTRICATE REPAIRS, OFTEN HAVING TO BE MADE THROUGH THE SMALL SOUND HOLE OF A HOLLOW-BODY ACOUSTIC, I'M SURE SHE SEE TRACES OF HER OWN FATHER…..AS HE CAREFULLY INSERTED A REPLACEMENT BOARD IN AN ELEGANT OLD MUSKOKA BOAT.

I WILL LEAVE THE SUBJECT OF SUZANNE'S FAMILY, AND LET HER SORT OUT THE BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL AND CONTEXT, HOPEFULLY TO BE PUBLISHED BY ABOUT THE FIRST OF JULY, WITH SOME OF THE FAMILY PICTURES SHE HAS TUCKED INTO ARCHIVES BOXES, STACKED IN OUR BEDROOM. IT WILL BE AN INTERESTING STORY. I GUARANTEE IT!

THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING TODAY'S BLOG. PLEASE VISIT AGAIN TOMORROW, FOR ANOTHER GLIMPSE OF ANTIQUE HUNTING IN THE MUSKOKA REGION.

Ditchburn of Muskoka, Norm Stripp Boat Refinisher

NORM STRIPP PORTRAIT BY GEORGE MARQUIS

ANTIQUE BOATS IN MUSKOKA, AND THE GUY WHO USED TO REPAIR THEM

NORM STRIPP, THE WINDERMERE MARINA, AND THE DITCHBURN KNOWN AS THE "SHIRL-EVON"

A NOTE OF EXPLANATION:

AS HARD AND LONG AS YOU LOOK OUT THERE, IN THE BOOK PUBLISHING INDUSTRY, PAST AND PRESENT, ONE THING IS FOR SURE. YOU WILL FIND VERY FEW ATTEMPTS, THAT BOAST BEING LESS THAN SERIOUS, BORDERING ON THE ANECDOTAL, AND ENTIRELY COMEDY-LADEN. BIOGRAPHIES OF ANTIQUE DEALERS? INTERESTING BUT NOT LIKELY TO MAKE YOU LAUGH. HERE THEN IS A DEVIATION FROM THE NORMAL, WEIGHTY, "LIFE'S A GOOD STORY" DIATRIBE, DECKED BENEATH A HARD COVER AND A FANCY WRAPPER.

HERE NOW, IS A BIOGRAPHY THAT IS BRUTALLY HONEST, FULL OF THE WILD AND WHACKY ADVENTURES, AN ANTIQUE DEALER / WRITER / HISTORIAN LIKE ME, CAN GET UP TO…..FRANKLY, WITHOUT TRYING VERY HARD. IF I ONLY PRESENTED THE HIGHLIGHTS AND THE BIGGEST OF THE BIG ANTIQUE DISCOVERIES, THEN YOU WOULD FIND THIS LIKE ALL THE OTHER BIOGRAPHIES…… THAT WHILE REMARKABLE, AND FULL OF CURIOUS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WOULD BE MUCH LESS HUMOROUS, AND ENTIRELY VOID OF THE INTIMACY YOU'RE GOING TO GET IN THE FUTURE. I GUARANTEE THIS. AND I DON'T HOLD BACK, WHICH MAKES MY ULTRA CONSERVATIVE WIFE CRINGE. SHE ALWAYS REMINDS ME, "TED, MY MOTHER USED TO TELL ME, YOU DON'T NEED TO TELL EVERYTHING YOU KNOW." I FIRE BACK, THAT THIS WOULD CONFINE ME TO THE RANK AND FILE OF THE "DULL" AND "PLEASANTLY SATISFIED." I TELL HER BLUNTLY, "I CAN'T LET THE TRUTH GET IN THE WAY OF A REALLY GOOD STORY." SHE LOOKS AT ME, AS IF I'VE JUST HAD A STROKE. "WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING," SHE BARKS, IN THE NETHER REGION OF EITHER A STATEMENT OR A QUESTION. I JUST SMILE, LOOK LIKE I'M SMARTER THAN HER, BECAUSE I GOT IT AND SHE DIDN'T, AND RETURN TO WHAT I DO BEST…….LAY OUT THE FAMILY SECRETS FOR PUBLIC SCRUTINY. "WORTS AND ALL," THEY SAY.

AS I'VE OFFERED, AS AN EXPLANATION EARLIER IN THIS BLOG COLLECTION (AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ROAM BACK IN THE FILE OF BLOGS), IN ALL MY 35 PLUS YEARS WRITING, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF REGULAR COLUMNS ON ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES, FOR SEVERAL PUBLICATIONS, I'VE NEVER EVEN CONSIDERED A BIOGRAPHICAL COLLECTION OF STORIES FOR MY FAMILY……AND THEY DESERVE AN EXPLANATION AFTER THESE MANY YEARS DEALING WITH THE MADNESS OF THE COLLECTOR. SO WHEN I WRAPPED UP MY LAST FEATURE SERIES, ON MUSKOKA ARTIST ADA FLORENCE KINTON, THAT I'D BEEN PUBLISHING OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR IN "CURIOUS: THE TOURIST GUIDE," (YOU CAN READ IT ONLINE EVERY MONTH), I ANNOUNCED THAT IT WAS TIME TO WRITE ABOUT MY EXPERIENCES…..BETTER STATED, "ADVENTURES," IN ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES, FOR THE COMING 2012 PUBLISHING SEASON. WHILE IT WASN'T ALL THAT UNUSUAL TO WRITE AN ANTIQUES RELATED COLUMN, AS I'VE HAD DOZENS OVER THE DECADES, THIS WAS GOING TO BE THE FIRST BIOGRAPHICAL ACCOUNT OF MY YEARS SPENT IN THE PROFESSION. I ANNOUNCED THAT I WOULD BACK IT UP, WITH A YEAR LONG COLLECTION OF BLOGS, ALSO BIOGRAPHICAL. THE COLUMNS ARE ALL DIFFERENT THAN WHAT APPEARS ON THIS BLOG SITE. MY PRIMARY REASON, AS THE REASON FOR MOST BIOGRAPHIES….., GEEZE, I'M GETTING OLD LIKE THE ANTIQUES I COLLECT. I STARTED TO WORRY THAT I HADN'T LEFT OUR BOYS ANYTHING TANGIBLE, AS REFERENCE MATERIAL, ABOUT HOW I BEGAN COLLECTING IN THE FIRST PLACE. IT WAS WHEN I STARTED THINKING ABOUT THEIR GRANDFATHER, NORM STRIPP, MY WIFE SUZANNE'S FATHER, THAT I FOUND MY WRITING MOJO, TO START HAMMERING THESE RECOLLECTIONS DOWN…..BEFORE THE GRIM REAPER STARTS CHASING ME AROUND BIRCH HOLLOW TO FILL OUT THE NEED FOR OLD SOULS.

THE REASON NORM STRIPP CAME TO MIND, SPECIFICALLY, IS THAT WHAT WE FEARED WOULD HAPPEN….DID SO. SUZANNE AND I HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR YEARS AND YEARS, BEFORE NORMAN GOT SICK. WE WANTED TO TALK WITH HIM ABOUT HIS LONG-TIME WORK RESTORING THE OLD WOODEN BOATS ON THE MUSKOKA LAKES. WE WANTED HIM TO TAKE US THROUGH HIS JAMMED BOAT HOUSE, AT THE FAMILY COTTAGE ON LAKE ROSSEAU, AT WINDERMERE, AND INTO THE MYSTERIES OF HIS WORKSHOP AT HOME, JUST A FEW MILES AWAY…… A SOLID HIT WITH A ONE WOOD, (AND A COUPLE OF BOUNCES) FROM THE FIRST HOLE AT THE WINDERMERE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB. WE WANTED HIM TO EXPLAIN THE MATERIALS HE HAD IN THE GARAGE. THE TOOLS HE CUSTOMIZED TO SUIT HIS REFINISHING CHALLENGES, ON DIFFICULT WOOD WORKING PROJECTS, TO FIX SOME OF THE MOST DISTINGUISHED VINTAGE WATERCRAFT IN THE AREA. HE WAS WELL KNOWN AS A HIGHLY SKILLED CRAFTSMAN, WHEN IT CAME TO REPAIRING THE OLD MAHOGANY LAUNCHES, WITH LEGENDARY NAMES LIKE DITCHBURN, MINNET-SHEILDS, GREAVETTE AND DUKE. SOMEWHERE IN THAT MAZE OF CONTRAPTIONS, BOAT PARTS, TOOLS, OUTBOARD AND INBOARD ENGINES, WAS, FOR EXAMPLE,…..(IF YOU CAN BELIEVE), PIECES OF THE 999TH FORD ENGINE (OF THE FIRST EVER PRODUCED), THAT HAD ONCE BEEN USED AS A BOAT ENGINE BY A FAMILY FRIEND. NORM HAD SCAVENGED IT, WHEN IT WAS NO LONGER NEEDED. WELL, NORMAN WAS A TAD RESISTANT TO THIS KIND OF INTERVENTION, AND I SUPPOSE, FIGURED THAT OFFERING THIS KIND OF BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION, MIGHT HAVE BEEN A SORT OF JINX……BAD KARMA, AS IF HE WOULD HAVE BEEN RELENTING TO THE RIGORS OF OLD AGE, BY LAYING OUT HIS PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS. HE MAY HAVE THOUGHT IT UNLUCKY TO ADMIT REACHING RETIREMENT AGE. TRUTH WAS, NORMAN NEVER REALLY RETIRED, AND PASSED AWAY IN HIS LATE-EIGHTIES, NEVER ONCE SAYING "I'M RETIRED." SO THE REALITY IS, WE NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO DO THAT BIOGRAPHY-THING, AND WHEN WORKING ON THE DISPERSAL OF HIS ESTATE, AFTER HE PASSED AWAY, HAD NOTHING MORE THAN A SURFACE KNOWLEDGE, OF THE ITEMS HE KEPT IN HIS UNBELIEVABLE COLLECTION……INCLUDING THE FORD ENGINE, THAT WAS NEVER IDENTIFIED AS SUCH. SOMEONE FROM THAT ESTATE AUCTION, OWNS PARTS FROM THAT ENGINE AND DOESN'T KNOW IT!

I DIDN'T WANT MY BOYS TO GO WITHOUT, YOU MIGHT SAY, SO THIS BIOGRAPHY SIMPLY HAD TO BE WRITTEN. IT INCLUDES STORIES ABOUT THEIR MOM, AND THEIR GRANDPARENTS AND EVEN BEYOND……WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY LINK WITH A FAMILY TREE SUZANNE IS WORKING ON AT PRESENT, THROUGH ANCESTRY.CA, WHICH FILLS IN A HUGE NUMBER OF DETAILS ABOUT WHERE THE HECK WE CAME FROM……AND WHY, OH WHY, WE'RE SO WILDLY OBSESSED WITH OLD WAYS AND OLD STUFF. IT'S AS MUCH A RIGOROUS SELF EXAMINATION, TO OFFER OUR YOUNG LADS, A WEE EXPLANATION ABOUT THEIR OWN CURIOUS COLLECTING HABITS…….THAT JUST POSSIBLY MAY RUN IN THE FAMILY. THIS MATERIAL WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL POTENTIAL DAUGHTERS-IN-LAW, WHO MAY WISH TO INFORM THEMSELVES PROPERLY, ABOUT WHAT LIFE CHALLENGES THEY MAY FACE……BEING PART OF THE CLAN "CURRIE." WE'VE CHASED A FEW AWAY ALREADY, EVEN BEFORE THEY HAD ANYTHING TO READ. I'M TELLING YOU. WE'RE "THE ADAMS FAMILY," OF COLLECTING. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU, ON A HOME VISIT. OF COURSE, IF WE DON'T LIKE WHO THEY BRING HOME, I WON'T LIE TO YOU. I MAY WHIP OUT MY COLLECTION OF TRIBAL MASKS WITH HORRIBLE GRIMACES…..OR SHOW THEM MY COLLECTION OF NATIVE (STONE) SCRAPERS. NOT SCARY. JUST TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT TURNS US ON AROUND HERE. THE LAST THING YOU'LL SEE OF THEM, IS THE SOLES OF THEIR SHOES, AS THEY'RE RUNNING DOWN THE LANE AS FAST AS THEY CAN……TO GET AWAY FROM THIS STRANGE ABODE, AND STRANGER CURATOR. KEEPS OUR VISITORS TO A MINIMUM, BUT IT'S NOT HELPING OUR BOYS' SOCIAL LIFE. KNOW WHAT? THEY'RE JUST AS WHACKY IN THE COLLECTING GAME AS MOM AND DAD. THEY NEED TO FIND, AS I DID IN SUZANNE, A VERY ACCOMMODATING INDIVIDUAL, WHO THINKS OF EXCESS AS AN ADVENTURE FULFILLED.

NORM STRIPP AND HIS MUSKOKA BOATS

ONE AFTERNOON, SHORTLY AFTER SUZANNE AND I BECAME ENGAGED, HER MOTHER HARRIET, DECIDED TO ARRANGE A CELEBRATORY BARBECUE OVER AT THE COTTAGE…..SITUATED ON A CHANNEL OF LAKE ROSSEAU, OPPOSITE WELLESLEY ISLAND….NOT FAR FROM THE BEACHFRONT IN WINDERMERE. WHEN SOME OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS LEFT THAT DAY, HARRIET TURNED TO NORMAN AND SAID, "GIVE TED THE KEYS TO THE S.S. SO HE CAN TAKE SUZANNE FOR A BOAT RIDE." WELL SIR, I THOUGHT NORMAN WAS HAVING "THE BIG ONE," AS REDD FOX USED TO SAY ON HIS TELEVISION SHOW. HE SPUTTERED, CHOKED A LITTLE, GOT RED FACED, AND LOOKED AT HARRIET, AS IF SHE HAD SAID THE MOST DRAMATICALLY SILLY THING, IN ALL THE YEARS THEY'D BEEN MARRIED. "GIVE HIM THE KEYS," HE ASKED, POINTING A SHAKING FINGER AT THIS FUTURE SON-IN-LAW….WHO HE ALWAYS SUSPECTED WAS KIND OF A KNOB. "NO, I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA," HE ANSWERED. "IT HASN'T BEEN RUNNING FOR AWHILE, AND I'D BE SCARED THEY'D GET STRANDED OUT ON THE LAKE. I'LL TAKE THEM OUT IN IT MYSELF."

FIRST OF ALL, THE BOAT HARRIET HAD REFERRED TO, WAS A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE MAHOGANY SPEED BOAT, NORM HAD BUILT WITH HIS FATHER SAM. THE "S.S" REFERRED, WE BELIEVE, TO "SAM STRIPP." NO GREAT MYSTERY. IT WAS A POWERFUL WATERCRAFT, AND WHEN HE TOOK US OUT, I FELT AS IF I WAS SITTING IN A WIND-TUNNEL, AS BOTH MY CHEEKS WERE HITTING MY EARS. TO THINK THAT HARRIET FELT I COULD HANDLE THE "S.S." WAS EITHER A MASSIVE SHOW OF CONFIDENCE IN ME, TO LOOK AFTER HER DAUGHTER AND ANTIQUE BOAT, OR JUST THE EXCITEMENT OF THE MOMENT TO WELCOME A NEW MEMBER OF THE FAMILY. NORM READ THE SITUATION CORRECTLY. I'D HAVE WRAPPED THAT BOAT AROUND A ROCK, AND ENDED OUR COURTSHIP. I THINK I HEARD NORM MUMBLE, SOMETHING OR OTHER THAT SOUNDED LIKE, "THERE'S NO WAY IN HELL, THAT GUY IS GOING TO DRIVE MY BOAT." FAIR ENOUGH. WELL BY GOLLY, THAT'S HOW OUR RELATIONSHIP CONTINUED FOR MANY YEARS. MY FACE PRESSED UP AGAINST THE WORKSHOP WINDOW……HIS DETERMINATION THAT THIS IS THE WAY IT HAD TO BE. ME AT ARM'S LENGTH OR FURTHER AWAY. I COULDN'T REALLY BLAME HIM, AS I WAS ABOUT AS "HANDY AS A FOOT," OR AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT SUZANNE HAD BEEN TELLING ME SINCE WE GOT MARRIED…….AS I TRIED TO FIX THINGS AROUND THE HOUSE, INCLUDING THE CAR…..AND CONTINUALLY FAILED.

NORM WAS JUST POSSESSIVE ABOUT THE THINGS IMPORTANT TO HIS PROFESSION. I WAS THE PAIN IN THE ASS SON-IN-LAW, ALWAYS LOOKING OVER HIS SHOULDER. "CAN I HELP NORM," I'D OCCASIONALLY ASK, BUT KNOWING THE ANSWER BEFORE I MADE THE INQUIRY IN THE FIRST PLACE. "NO, IT'S OKAY TED. JUST SIT DOWN AND RELAX……," ALWAYS POINTING TO THE FURTHEST LOCATION IN A YARD OR A ROOM….WHICH WITH ME, HE ALWAYS FOUND A LITTLE CONFINING. I WAS OKAY WITH OUR RATHER DISTANT RELATIONSHIP. HARRIET SEEMED TO LIKE ME. WE EVEN CO-AUTHORED A LITTLE BOOK, ENTITLED "THE LEGEND OF TALL PINES." WE SOLD THEM OUT WITHIN MONTHS. NORM SEEMED HAPPY I WAS PRE-OCCUPIED WITH OTHER THINGS, AND PROJECTS, SUCH THAT I NEVER ASKED TO BORROW ONE OF HIS BOATS AGAIN.

WHETHER NORM WAS WARY OF ME CALLING MYSELF AN "ANTIQUE COLLECTOR," OR PART-TIME DEALER, OR NOT, I DON'T KNOW. BUT FROM VERY EARLY ON IN OUR MARRIAGE, SUZANNE BECAME A PARTNER IN THE PROFESSION….AT FIRST RELUCTANTLY….KICKING AND SCREAMING MIGHT DESCRIBE IT BETTER. SO FOR MOST OF THE TIME I SPENT WITH NORM, FOR YEARS AFTER MARRIAGE, "HE KNEW WHAT I KNEW, AND WHAT SUZANNE HAD KNOWN FOR YEARS AHEAD OF ME." NORMAN WAS SITTING ON THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF HIGHLY DESIRABLE, EASILY MARKETED MARINE COLLECTIBLES. BUT I CAN TELL YOU ONE THING, IT WAS A SUBJECT NOT EASILY WORKED INTO A CONVERSATION. NORM HAD A PRETTY EFFECTIVE WAY OF LETTING ME KNOW IF AND WHEN I WAS GETTING INTRUSIVE WITH MY QUESTIONING. THE NEWSPAPER WOULD GET HIGHER AND HIGHER, SUCH THAT HE NO LONGER HAD TO STARE AT ME. HARRIET WAS FAR MORE PATIENT AND INTERESTED IN TALKING ABOUT HISTORY, AND HER UPBRINGING ON THE FAMILY FARM IN UFFORD. IF SHE THOUGHT I WAS A PAIN IN THE BEHIND, SHE NEVER SHOWED THAT SIDE, AND WITH SUZANNE, WE HAD QUITE A FEW MEMORABLE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT LOTS OF THINGS. THIS GAVE NORMAN A CHANCE TO SNEAK OUT TO HIS GARAGE…..AND WORK AT SOMETHING OR OTHER, OR JUST SIT AND RELAX AWAY FROM THE INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, HUNKERED-DOWN IN HIS LIVING ROOM.

THE REASON FOR INCLUDING THIS BRIEF GLIMPSE INTO THE STRIPP AND SHEA FAMILY, IS TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA HOW DEEP OUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE HISTORY OF MUSKOKA;…… FROM HAVING FAMILY MEMBERS WHO CLEARED THE PINE OFF THOSE ROCKY ACRES, ON THE FIRST CULTIVATED FARMSTEADS, TO THE CORE-HISTORY OF BOAT BUILDING ON THE MUSKOKA LAKES, AND ALL THE INTRICATE WEAVING OF FAMILY ACTIVITIES IN SO MANY CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS THAT MADE UP THE SOCIAL / CULTURAL FABRIC OF OUR DISTRICT. AS MY RESEARCH PARTNER, ON MANY HISTORY-RELATED PROJECTS, SUZANNE AND I STARTED AS NEWLYWEDS, IMMERSING OURSELVES EVER-DEEPER IN REGIONAL HERITAGE, AND THERE WAS NO TELLING WHAT FIELD THE NEXT BIG ADVENTURE WOULD PRE-OCCUPY, BUSYING THE PARENTS OF TWO YOUNGSTERS, WHO HAD LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO JOIN-IN. SOMETIMES IT WAS SPORTS RELATED, AS WITH THE N.H.L.'S ROGER CROZIER, AND IRVIN "ACE" BAILEY, AND AT OTHER TIMES IT WAS BIOGRAPHICAL, IN THE ART WORLD, SUCH AS IN THE CASE OF THE TOM THOMSON MYSTERY…….AND THE STORY OF ARTIST / MISSIONARY, ADA FLORENCE KINTON, OF HUNTSVILLE. SO IT WAS THE SAME SORT OF STUDY OF NORM STRIPP, WITHOUT HIM REALLY KNOWING ABOUT IT……CAUSE I CAN TELL YOU, HE WOULDN'T HAVE APPROVED. SO ALTHOUGH WE COULDN'T REALLY SIT DOWN AND POUND OUT A MEANINGFUL BIOGRAPHY OF THE BOAT RESTORER, SUFFICE TO SAY, THE INFORMATION HE PROVIDED US, BY SHEER ASSOCIATION AND KINSHIP, HAS HELPED US IMMEASURABLY IN THE ANTIQUE TRADE IN MUSKOKA.

WHILE WE AREN'T PUSHY ABOUT WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT OLD BOATS, AND THE WORK NORM USED TO GET UP TO IN ANY GIVEN WEEK, SUZANNE IS THE KEEPER OF QUITE A STORE OF INSIDER INFORMATION, THAT WE BENEFIT FROM WHENEVER WE'RE OUT ON THE ANTIQUE HUSTINGS, HERE OR ANYWHERE REALLY. NOT ONLY DO WE KNOW ABOUT MUSKOKA COLLECTIBLES AND HOMEGROWN ANTIQUES, WE CAN IDENTIFY TOOLS AND BOAT HARDWARE FAIRLY QUICKLY…..AND HAUL AWAY A MARINE ARTIFACT WITHOUT CAUSING A RIPPLE IN THE WATER. CALL IT STEALTH PURCHASES. A LOT OF SECOND HAND TRADERS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THESE BOAT PARTS AND TOOLS LOOK LIKE, OR HOW TO SPOT AN ORNAMENT OFF A DITCHBURN, MINNET-SHIELDS, DUKE, OR SEABIRD. SUZANNE DOESN'T NEED A GUIDE BOOK. WHEN SHE WAS ALLOWED INTO THE BOAT HOUSE WORKROOM, OR IN THE GARAGE, SHE WAS PAYING ATTENTION TO DETAIL. SHE'S GOOD AT THAT. I'M MUCH SLOWER ON THE UP-TAKE. HER KNOWLEDGE OF THE INDUSTRY, FROM THE RESTORER'S POINT OF VIEW, HAS ENTITLED US TO GRAB UP A LOT OF PIECES OVER THE YEARS, FOUND AT OUT-OF-THE-WAY ESTATE SALES, FLEA MARKETS, AUCTIONS AND AT ANTIQUE SHOPS UNFAMILIAR WITH LOCAL MARINE HERITAGE.

SUZANNE GREW UP IN THE MARINE INDUSTRY. HER FATHER WAS ALWAYS WORKING ON SOME TYPE OF BOAT RESTORATION IN HIS WORKSHOP. AT A YOUNG AGE, HER FAMILY PURCHASED THE WINDERMERE MARINA, IN THE MID 1960'S, AND THE BOAT THAT CAME AS PART OF THE SALE, WAS THE LARGE, MAGNIFICENTLY APPOINTED DITCHBURN, KNOWN AS THE "SHIRL-EVON," A SLEEK MAHOGANY LAUNCH STILL CRUISING LAKE ROSSEAU. THE SHIRL-EVON WAS USED THEN, AS A LIVERY BOAT, TAKING FOLKS TO THEIR COTTAGES, MANY ON TOBIN'S ISLAND. HE ALSO USED IT AS A DELIVERY BOAT, AND ON OCCASION, IT WAS HIRED BY ONTARIO HYDRO, TO FERRY CREWS TO LOCATIONS AROUND THE LAKE NOT ACCESSIBLY BY ROAD. IT MAY HAVE SEEMED AN EXTRAVAGANT BOAT FOR THIS KIND OF SERVICE, BUT WE HAVE A SLIDE, FROM THE ESTATE OF NORM'S FRIEND, AND NEIGHBOR, BILL SKINNER, SHOWING A WATER-SKIER BEING TOWED BY ONE OF THE WIGWASAN LODGE, DITCHBURNS, KNOWN AS THE "WIGGY I" (AND THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHERS IN THE LODGE FLEET). BILL SKINNER IS DRIVING THE "WIGGY" IN OUR PHOTOGRAPH. SO DITCHBURNS WERE USED AS COMMON WATERCRAFT IN THOSE YEARS, AT THE SAME TIME AS THEY WERE PRIZED LAUNCHES, STORED SAFELY IN THE BOATHOUSES OF MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR COTTAGES. NOT MANY PEOPLE THINK OF THIS CONTRAST OF USES, WHEN THEY SEE THE BEAUTIFUL ARRAY OF RESTORED WOODEN BOATS, AT THE ANNUAL BOAT SHOWS IN MUSKOKA, EACH SUMMER SEASON.

SUZANNE IS QUITE AN AUTHORITY ON THE BOATS OF LAKE ROSSEAU, FROM HER TIME SPENT LIVING AND WORKING IN WINDERMERE. SHE KNEW THE NAMES OF THE BOATS, FROM THEIR LANDINGS AT THE MARINA, AND THEIR USAGE AT THIS TIME, FOR RECREATION, GENERAL USE, RESORT TOURS, AND THOSE WITH A MORE UTILITY FUNCTION, WORKING IN AND AROUND THE MARINA AND VILLAGE WHARF. THE FAMILY ALSO OWNED A LARGE HUNTER-MADE LAUNCH, WITH ENCLOSED CABIN, THAT HAD BEEN FORMERLY USED AS A REGATTA BOAT, TO START SAILING RACES, SPONSORED BY THE MUSKOKA LAKES ASSOCIATION. THERE WAS A SPECIAL BRACKET, MOUNTED ON THE WOODEN TOP OF THE BOAT, WHERE A SMALL CANON HAD BEEN PLACED, WHICH WAS FIRED TO START THE EVENTS.

SHE AND HER MOTHER HARRIET, RAN THE SNACK BAR ABOVE THE MARINA, KNOWN AS "THE SKIPPER." SHE HAD AN IDEAL VANTAGE POINT, TO WATCH THE LAKES AND THE BOAT TRAFFIC COMING INTO THE MARINA. THE TIME WASN'T WASTED. I REMEMBER HER TELLING ME THAT BOB BOYER HAD PHONED HER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, AFTER WE WERE MARRIED, TO ASK FOR ASSISTANCE ON A MATTER OF LAKE ROSSEAU RESORT HERITAGE, FOR SOMETHING HE WAS WRITING FOR THE MUSKOKA SUN. THIS IS FUNNY, BECAUSE I WORKED WITH BOB AT THE HERALD-GAZETTE, AT THE SAME TIME, BUT HE PREFERRED TALKING TO THE PERSON WHO INTIMATELY KNEW THE COMMUNITY'S HISTORY….WITHOUT HAVING TO FIRST CONSULT A FORMAL TEXT, OR GO SEARCHING THROUGH RECORDS. HE'D PHONE HER TO REFUTE INFORMATION PUBLISHED IN OTHER BOOKS, SUCH AS THE DEMISE OF WIGWASSAN LODGE…..WHETHER IT WAS TORN DOWN, OR BURNED IN A FIRE. BOB, AT THE TIME, WAS ONE OF THE BEST KNOWN REGIONAL HISTORIANS, AND HE WAS VERY MUCH MY TUTOR, DURING MY TENURE AS EDITOR OF THE HERALD-GAZETTE. HE PREFERRED MY STRAIGHT-SHOOTING, FACT-PERSNICKETY WIFE, SUZANNE, TO CLEAR UP MISINFORMATION, BEFORE HE'D INSERT A FRESH PAPER INTO THE TYPEWRITER CARRIAGE. NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW THIS ABOUT MY WIFE. SHE BITES HER TONGUE A LOT, AT WORK AND WHILE WE'RE ATTENDING COMMUNITY EVENTS, WHEN HEARING FALSEHOODS ABOUT LOCAL HISTORY…..AND NOT WISHING TO START THE GREAT DEBATE, WITH FOLKS WHO ARE RELATIVE NEWCOMERS TO THE REGION.

WE HAVE LIVED AND BREATHED LOCAL HISTORY FROM THE FIRST DAYS OF OUR MARRIAGE. I HAVE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE EARLY DAYS IN MUSKOKA, BY READING THE BOOKS HER UNCLE BERT SHEA WROTE, ABOUT PIONEERING IN MUSKOKA…..SPECIFICALLY THE THREE MILE LAKE AREA OF THE PRESENT TOWNSHIP OF MUSKOKA LAKES. I'VE SPENT MANY ENJOYABLE HOURS IN HER GRANDFATHER, JOHN SHEA'S FARMSTEAD, IN UFFORD, VISITING WITH SUZANNE'S AUNT ADA, AND HUSBAND JACK, WHO INHERITED THE PROPERTY WHEN JOHN DIED. I'VE STOOD IN THE BARN THE SHEA FAMILY BUILT, AND WANDERED THE BEAUTIFUL LITTLE PROPERTY WITH EYES WIDE OPEN, TO THE HARSH REALITIES OF FORESTS AND ROCKY TERRAIN THEY WERE FORCED TO CONTEND WITH, IN THOSE EARLY HOMESTEAD YEARS. I'VE SAT WITH NORM AND HARRIET, AND TALKED ABOUT THEIR EARLIER DAYS, LIVING IN THIS LITTLE PARADISE KNOWN AS WINDERMERE. I LISTENED WITH GREAT INTEREST, TO NORM DESCRIBING THE PAINTING WORK HE AND HIS FATHER DID FOR THE EATON FAMILY, REFURBISHING THEIR STEAM YACHT, "THE WANDA" NOW PART OF THE FLEET OF VESSELS ON DISPLAY, AT THE WHARF, ON GRAVENHURST'S MUSKOKA BAY. HE TOLD ME ABOUT THE TIME HE WAS COMING BACK FROM GRAVENHURST, ON LAKE MUSKOKA, AT THE TIME OF THE GREAT WIND STORM, THAT OVER-TURNED THE SMALL STEAMER "WAOME," RESULTING IN A LOSS OF LIFE. HE SAVED THE BOAT HE WAS OPERATING, AND HIMSELF, BY CAREFULLY TARPING OVER THE LAUNCH, TO MAKE IT LESS WIND RESISTANT….WHILE STILL HEADING HOME TO WINDERMERE. HE MIGHT NOT HAVE LET ME PLAY AROUND IN HIS WORKSHOP, AND DOWN AT THE COTTAGE BOAT HOUSE, BUT TRUTH IS, HE WAS ENORMOUSLY GENEROUS WITH THE STORIES HE SHARED WITH BOTH OF US….AND HIS GRANDSONS, ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCES WORKING ON THE MUSKOKA LAKES, IN SO MANY DIFFERENT CAPACITIES. AS ANTIQUE DEALERS, LET ME TELL YOU, WE HAD A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF EDUCATION, BECAUSE OF THESE REGULAR, COMFORTABLE LIVINGROOM TUTORIALS.

WHEN SUZANNE OCCASIONALLY INTERJECTS HER OPINION, WHEN ONE OF HER COLLEAGUES MISREPRESENTS SOME ASPECT OF MUSKOKA'S MARINE HERITAGE, SHE EXPECTS THE LOOK OF "OH SURE……OF COURSE YOU HAD A DITCHBURN….RIGHT…..I HAD FIVE OF THEM!" IT'S WHY SHE HAS A SORE TONGUE A LOT. "SOMETIMES IT'S JUST BETTER TO LET IT GO," SHE ADMITS. "THEY WOULDN'T BELIEVE ME ANYWAY."

THANKS FOR JOINING TODAY'S BLOG. PLEASE JOIN ME AGAIN FOR SOME ANTIQUE AND COLLECTIBLE ADVENTURES……YOU HAVEN'T READ BEFORE.

Family Heirlooms in Muskoka Collection

THE HISTORY OF THE SHEAS AND PATHS OF ADVENTURE -

SUZANNE AND HER FAMILY OF MUSKOKA BUILDERS

NOTE: SUZANNE'S MOTHER, HARRIET STRIPP, NEE SHEA, AS A HEARTFELT GIFT, BEFORE SHE PASSED AWAY, GAVE ME HER FATHER JOHN SHEA'S COPY OF ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOKS IN MUSKOKA HISTORY……THE 1871 RELEASE OF THOMAS MCMURAY'S "MUSKOKA AND PARRY SOUND," WHICH WAS A SETTLER'S GUIDEBOOK, MODELED AFTER EARLIER BOOKS IN CANADA, AIMED AT ATTRACTING SETTLERS TO CANADA EAST AND WEST. THIS BEGAN A LONG TERM HISTORICAL INTEREST IN COLLECTING MUSKOKA REGIONAL HISTORIES, AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE SETTLERS WHO CREATED OUR PIONEER HAMLETS, IN THE MOST ADVERSE CONDITIONS IMAGINABLE. HARRIET GOT US STARTED, ON THE BUILDING OF A WORTHY MUSKOKA COLLECTION, THAT WE USE ALMOST DAILY….THE MCMURRAY BOOK, BEING THE MOST PRECIOUS IN THE COLLECTION. I DEDICATE THE FOLLOWING SEVERAL BLOGS TO HARRIET STRIPP, AN ARTIST AND WRITER, WHO DEARLY LOVED HER FAMILY'S PLACE, IN THE HERITAGE OF OUR REGION OF ONTARIO.

WE HAVE A PORTRAIT OF THE ELDERLY JOHN SHEA, HANGING IN OUR LIVING ROOM, HERE AT BIRCH HOLLOW. HE WAS SUZANNE'S GRANDFATHER, WHO HAD A SMALL FARM IN UFFORD, WHERE THE SHEA AND VEITCH FAMILIES BEGAN HOMESTEADING, DATING FROM THE DECLARATION OF THE FREE GRANT LANDS, OF THE 1860'S……THE GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE TO OPEN UP NEW LANDS TO IMMIGRANTS. JOHN WAS A FORMER WATT TOWNSHIP (MUSKOKA LAKES) CLERK, AND A WELL KNOWN AND RESPECTED MEMBER OF THE ORANGE LODGE, FROM THE THREE MILE LAKE COMMUNITY……AS WERE MANY OF THE SHEAS FROM THE EARLIEST DAYS, FARMING IN MUSKOKA. ONE STORY I ALWAYS REMEMBER ABOUT JOHN, WAS HIS INITIATIVE TO FENCE A SMALL, OTHERWISE UNMARKED FAMILY GRAVES, ON THE DOUGHERTY ROAD, NEAR THE PRESENT UFFORD CEMETERY. A MAJORITY OF THE YOUNG "DOUGHERTY" FAMILY HAD PERISHED, DURING A RAGING SICKNESS ONE NIGHT, MANY DECADES EARLIER, SUCCUMBING TO DIPHTHERIA,; ALTHOUGH I HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO CONFIRM IT WAS THIS PARTICULAR ILLNESS AND NOT INFLUENZA. JOHN MAY ALSO HAVE PLANTED THE LILACS THAT MARKED THE PLOT. THE FENCE IS NOW GONE, BUT SUZANNE AND I OFTEN VISIT THE SPOT, THAT VERY FEW FOLKS KNOW ABOUT.

SHORTLY AFTER MY OWN FAMILY MOVED TO MUSKOKA, FROM BURLINGTON, ONTARIO, IN THE WINTER OF 1966, SOMEBODY MADE A COMMENT TO MY FATHER, ABOUT HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO GET ACCEPTED BY THE COMMUNITY. WE'D NEVER LIVED IN A SMALL TOWN, SO ED WASN'T QUITE SURE HOW TO TAKE THE ADVICE. THE CHAP WENT ON TO EXPLAIN THAT OUR FAMILY WOULD BE "NEW TO THE AREA" BASICALLY FOREVER. IN RETROSPECT, I THINK HE WAS SAYING IT SARCASTICALLY, ALTHOUGH SIMILAR STATEMENTS WERE MADE, AT OTHER TIMES, IN OTHER PLACES, THAT SEEMED TO REINFORCE THE ADVISORY.

I GOT BEAT-UP A LOT BECAUSE I WAS NEW TO BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOL. THAT WAS MADE CLEAR TO ME. I REMEMBER ONE OF THE BIG-SHOT KIDS, FROM ONE OF THE UPPER ECHELON FAMILIES, KNOCKING ME OVER IN THE SCHOOL YARD JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT. HE WOULDN'T LET ME UP. OBVIOUSLY, I WAS PAYING THE PRICE OF BEING THE "FRESH FISH" TO BORROW THE LINE FROM THE MOVIE "ANDERSONVILLE," ABOUT THE BRUTALITY OF A CIVIL WAR PRISON. OUT OF NOWHERE, CAME A LARGER STUDENT, WHO INTERVENED ON MY BEHALF, KNOCKING MY ADVERSARY ON HIS BEHIND. HE LET HIM KNOW, IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS, THAT HE WAS TO LEAVE THE "NEW KID" ALONE FROM THAT POINT ON. MY DEFENDER, ON THAT DAY, WAS A KINDLY GENTLEMAN NAMED PAUL DUFF, WHO WENT ON TO BE MY PROTECTOR EVEN IN THE RANKS OF MINOR HOCKEY. WHILE MY TEAM-MATES LET ME KNOW HOW CRAPPY A GOALTENDER I WAS, WHEN A PUCK HIT THE MESH BEHIND, MY DEFENSEMAN, PAUL DUFF, WOULD COME BACK, HIT MY PADS WITH HIS STICK, AND SAY SOMETHING LIKE, "IT'S OKAY TED. IT'S JUST A GOAL. DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE GUYS." THAT WAS ABOUT 45 YEARS AGO, AND WHEN I MEET HIM AROUND THE AREA, EVEN TODAY, HE'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME GUY AS I REMEMBER. THE ONE WHO NEVER TREATED ME DIFFERENTLY, BECAUSE I WAS A CITY KID TRANSPLANTED INTO THE RURAL WAY OF LIFE.

I DIGRESS, AS USUAL. THE POINT IS, WHETHER IT WAS TRUE THAT NEWBIES WERE TREATED AS INTERLOPERS, UPON THE TRADITIONAL RANK AND FILE CITIZENRY, WHO ALSO DOMINATED LOCAL COUNCIL, I DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHETHER THIS WAS A VALID CRITIQUE. I NEVER DID A POLL TO FIND OUT. I WAS TOO SCARED! EVEN IF THAT COMMENT CAME FROM ONE OF THE LOCAL FAMILIES, DATING BACK TO THE FIRST LOG SHANTY OF THE 1860'S HAMLET, I COULDN'T GENERALIZE THAT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY FELT THE SAME WAY. PAUL DUFF DIDN'T CARE WHERE I CAME FROM, BEFORE ARRIVING IN THE GRAVEL YARD OF BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOL. BUT, OTHER STUDENTS WEREN'T SO KINDLY, AS I FOUND OUT.

WHAT I CAN RELAY, WITH CONSIDERABLE KNOWLEDGE, IS THAT MY EDITORIAL TIME IN MUSKOKA, IN THE EARLY GOING OF MY CAREER, WAS HAMPERED BY THE FACT I HAD NO FAMILY ANCHOR IN THIS REGION. THIS WAS PREVALENT ESPECIALLY WHEN I WOULD ATTEMPT TO ARRANGE INTERVIEWS FOR FEATURE STORIES, FOR THE HERALD-GAZETTE. IF I WAS CONDUCTING AN INTERVIEW WITH AN OLDTIMER, I WAS GENERALLY RAKED-OVER-THE-COALS, BECAUSE THE PAPER HADN'T SENT A REPORTER WITH MUCH DEEPER ROOTS, THAN THE ONE (ME), SITTING IN THEIR KITCHEN, WHO HAD ARRIVED HERE IN THE MID 1960'S. I CAN REMEMBER COUNCILLORS, WHEN I'D GO TO CONDUCT A NEWS RELATED INTERVIEW, QUESTIONING ME BEFORE I HAD A CHANCE TO DIRECT EVEN ONE AT THEM. THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHO I WAS, WHERE I CAME FROM, AND WHY I HAD DECIDED TO LIVE IN BRACEBRIDGE. I BECAME EDITOR OF THE HERALD-GAZETTE IN THE EARLY 1980'S, AND THIS WAS A MAJOR COUP, AND I OWE IT TO MY SENSITIVITY TO LOCAL HERITAGE AND TRADITIONS, THANKS TO MY MENTOR, ROBERT BOYER, ONE OF OUR BEST KNOWN REGIONAL HISTORIANS. BOB WAS AN ASSISTANT EDITOR OF THE HERALD-GAZETTE, AND EDITOR OF THE MUSKOKA SUN. I THOUGHT SO HIGHLY OF BOB, AND WHAT HE HAD DONE FOR ME OVER THE YEARS, THAT OUR SECOND SON, ROBERT, WAS NAMED IN HIS HONOR. BOB SHOWED ME HOW TO WIN THE LOCALS OVER….AND WHEN I WENT OUT ON INTERVIEWS, USING HIS NAME, AS MY MENTOR, IT OPENED A LOT OF DOORS THAT WERE PRETTY MUCH NAILED SHUT. THEY TRUSTED THE BOYER FAMILY NAME. THEY'D KNOWN HIS FATHER GEORGE AND MOTHER VICTORIA, FROM THIER TENURE AT THE NEWSPAPER….AND THEIR FAMILY'S TIES TO THE EARLY BUILDING OF THE TOWN ITSELF.

BY THE MID 1980'S, I'D MARRIED A GAL I HAD KNOWN BRIEFLY FROM HIGH SCHOOL GEOGRAPHY CLASS, BACK IN 1974. WE HAD NEVER DATED IN THOSE YEARS, BUT BY CIRCUMSTANCE OF MUTUAL FRIENDSHIPS, WE HAD REKINDLED OUR SCHOOL DAYS, DURING AN EVENT OF THE MUSKOKA WINTER CARNIVAL. SUZANNE STRIPP AGREED TO MARRY ME, AND THE REST IS A HUGE TEXT OF FAMILY HISTORY. I WENT FROM BEING RELATED TO A VERY FEW, TO BEING RELATED TO A FAMILY BORDERING ON AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY. IT WAS HER UNCLE BERT SHEA, WHO WROTE THE ABOVE MENTIONED FAMILY CHRONICLE, "HISTORY OF THE SHEAS AND THE PATHS OF ADVENTURE," WHICH WAS THE SECOND OF HIS FAMILY TOMES. I BECAME AN IN-LAW TO MANY FROM THE SHEA AND VEITCH FAMILIES, SPREAD OUT FROM THE THREE MILE LAKE, UFFORD AREA OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MUSKOKA LAKES. I BECAME A DISTANT IN-LAW OF SEVERAL MEMBERS OF OUR NEWSPAPER STAFF, AT THE TIME, INCLUDING MR. BOYER. HIS DAUGHTER VICKY HAD MARRIED SUZANNE'S COUSIN, DOUG BILLINGSLEY. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY OF THOSE BOLTED-SHUT DOORS STARTED TO OPEN. IT WASN'T JUST THE SHEA AND VEITCH CONNECTION, BUT THE STRIPP FAMILY INFLUENCES AS WELL. SUZANNE'S FATHER NORM, WAS KNOWN AS AN EXPERT ON VINTAGE WOODEN BOAT RESTORATIONS IN MUSKOKA. HIS FATHER, SAM STRIPP, HAD BEEN THE WELL KNOWN ICE-PAINTER, FOR MANY OF BRACEBRIDGE'S HISTORIC FIGURE SKATING CARNIVALS…..SOMETHING HE DID AS A VOLUNTEER. SAM WAS A HOUSE PAINTER, AND WORKED ON BOATS AS WELL, INCLUDING THE PRESENT DAY STEAM YACHT, "WANDA," (NOW IN GRAVENHURST), FORMERLY OWNED BY THE EATON FAMILY OF RAVENSCRAG, AT WINDERMERE. THE STRIPPS ARE LONGTIME RESIDENTS OF WINDERMERE.

I DIDN'T HAVE MUCH LOCAL HERITAGE TO BRING TO THE TABLE. I WAS A DIRECTOR OF THE NEWLY FORMED BRACEBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND EDITOR OF THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER, BUT I WAS STILL A GLOWING EXAMPLE OF A NEWBIE TO TOWN. THIS WAS ABOUT TO CHANGE. AND I'M ENORMOUSLY PROUD OF OUR FAMILY CONNECTION, TO THE EARLY HERITAGE OF THE DISTRICT OF MUSKOKA. IN FACT, WHEN I'M QUESTIONED, EVEN TODAY, ABOUT MY FAMILY'S ROOTS IN MUSKOKA, I LOVE TO RESPOND, ASKING THEM WHETHER OR NOT THEY'VE SEEN THE DUG-OUT CANOE ON DISPLAY AT THE MUSKOKA LAKES MUSEUM. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW GREAT IT IS, TO RESPOND THAT "MY BOY'S KIN CARVED OUT THAT CANOE." IT WAS MADE BY A GREAT, GREAT GRANDFATHER ON THE SHEA SIDE. NOW IF THEY WERE TO ASK ABOUT THE CURRIE CLAN, WITH SUSPICION OF OUR CONNECTION TO A BROTHEL IN THE OLD COUNTRY, I WON'T BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT ONE THE GROUNDS IN MIGHT INCRIMINATE ME. MY FATHER WAS FROM THE LEGENDARY CABBAGETOWN NEIGHBORHOOD IN TORONTO…..AND IT WAS THE FIGHTING IRISH I'LL TELL YOU THAT. I HEARD LOTS OF STORIES ABOUT MY GRANDFATHER EDDIE, AND THE SCRAPS HE USED TO GET INTO….AND MY DAD, A SAILOR, WAS NO STRANGER TO FISTICUFFS, FIGHTING FOR ANY ONE OF A NUMBER OF THINGS…..IRISH PRIDE AND MY MOTHER'S HONOR…..AND BY THE LOOKS OF HIS CROOKED NOSE, FIGHTING JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT.

I REMEMBER TELLING OUR BOYS, BACK IN THEIR EARLY TEENS, ONE OF THE FAMOUS SHEA FAMILY STORIES, AS TOLD BY THEIR GREAT UNCLE, BERT SHEA….., AND WATCHING THEM WINCE. I LOVE DOING THAT TO FOLKS, WITH AN HISTORICAL "BELIEVE IT OR NOT." I SAID "BOYS, YOU HAVEN'T KNOWN THIS UNTIL NOW, BUT YOU ARE DESCENDANTS OF THE 'THREE MILE LAKE WOLVES'." "WHAT?" WAS ANDREW'S RESPONSE, WHILE ROBERT JUST STARED AT ME, WITH MOUTH GAPING OPEN, WAITING FOR THE PUNCH LINE. "HOW ARE WE RELATED TO WOLVES," ANDREW ASKED. I REPLIED THAT, YOU GUYS, BECAUSE OF YOUR FAMILY, ON MOM'S SIDE, ARE RELATED TO THE "THREE MILE LAKE WOLVES." "WAS IT A HOCKEY TEAM," ROBERT ASKED HIS MOM. "MORE VIOLENT," I INTERJECTED. THE THREE MILE LAKES WOLVES WERE ACTUALLY MALE MEMBERS OF THE SHEA FAMILY OF UFFORD. A FEARED GROUP OF ORANGEMEN, WITH A STORMY IRISH DISPOSITION, WHO WOULD COME INTO BRACEBRIDGE, FOR SUPPLIES, AND WALK ARM AND ARM DOWN THE CENTRE OF MANITOBA STREET (MAIN BUSINESS CORRIDOR), AS A DIRECT CHALLENGE TO ANY LOCAL PUGILIST, OR GROUP LOOKING FOR A DUST-UP, FOR ENTERTAINMENT, TO STAND IN THEIR WAY…..,WHILE CHEERFULLY HEADING DOWN TO THE QUEEN'S HOTEL FOR A BITE OF LUNCH. A FEW DID THINK IT WORTH A CHALLENGE, BUT NEVER REPEATED THE ERROR IN JUDGEMENT A SECOND TIME. THERE WAS ONE INCIDENT, DETAILED MY BERT SHEA, OF HIS KIN, WHEN A WAITOR AT THE QUEEN'S HOTEL, KICKED THEIR DOG AWAY FROM A DINING TABLE…..AND THAT CAUSED A MINOR DONNYBROOK BEFORE LUNCH COULD BE SERVED. I THINK THE BOYS REALLY DID BELIEVE THEIR FAMILY WERE ACTUALLY WOLVES. THERE WAS NO MISTAKING, THAT THEY HAVE BEEN QUITE PROUD OF THEIR HERITAGE IN THIS REGARD. NOT BECAUSE THEIR FAMILY WERE BRUTALLY HONEST WITH OPPONENTS, BUT BECAUSE THEY WERE OF HARDY PIONEER STOCK, WHO DIDN'T SHY AWAY FROM THE CHALLENGES OF THE DAY, THE MONTH OR THE YEAR.

ONE DAY, QUITE UNEXPECTEDLY, A CUSTOMER CAME INTO THE BOYS' GRAVENHURST MUSIC SHOP, AND BEGAN TALKING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF MUSKOKA. ANDREW, AFTER LISTENING TO THIS CUSTOMER'S CONNECTION TO THE PIONEER PAST, SAID WITH A WEE GRIN, "MY FAMILY WERE MEMBERS OF THE THREE MILE LAKE WOLVES." "HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE THREE MILE LAKE WOLVES," SHE SHOT BACK, AS IF SHE'D SEEN A GHOST. TURNS OUT, SHE WAS ALSO RELATED TO THE SHEA FAMILY, BUT WE'RE NOT SURE JUST HOW EMBEDDED SHE WAS. THEY SEEMED QUITE DELIGHTED, THE WOMAN KNEW ABOUT THE WOLVES; WHO WAS POSSIBLY SURPRISED BY THE LIKENESS OF THE TWO LARGE LADS, STANDING IN THEIR SHOP, ARMS FOLDED, AS IF PROTECTING THE FAMILY CREST. THEY PROBABLY REMINDED HER OF THE WOLVES POSTURING, ON THOSE MAIN STREET STROLLS. SUZANNE, WHO HAS ALWAYS SHIED AWAY FROM TALKING ABOUT "THE WOLVES," WAS QUITE IMPRESSED, BY HOW PROUD THE BOYS ACTUALLY WERE, OF THEIR FAMILY HERITAGE.

SUZANNE IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON OUR COMBINED FAMILY TREES, THROUGH ANCESTRY.CA, AND WILL SOON PUBLISH HER FINDINGS, ON A NEW BLOG-SITE, WHICH WE HOPE WILL HELP OTHER DISTANT FAMILY MEMBERS, PIECE TOGETHER THEIR OWN LINKAGE TO OUR DESCENDANTS. IT'S A FASCINATING STUDY. GREAT FOR A COUPLE OF HISTORIANS, WHO ALSO HAPPEN TO BE ANTIQUE DEALERS.

THE POINT OF THIS INTRODUCTION, TO A BROADER MUSKOKA COLLECTIBLES PROFILE, IS THAT BY FAMILY CONNECTION, WE HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN MUSKOKA HISTORY, DATING BACK TO THE EARLY 1860'S. WE HAVE QUITE ENJOYED STRETCHING BACK THROUGH THE DECADES, FINDING ALL KINDS OF ASSOCIATED FAMILY RELICS TO ACCOMPANY THE WRITTEN HISTORY, CAPABLY DONE BY BERT SHEA, AND HIS SISTER (SUZANNE'S AUNT), LEAH FITTON; WHO DID A GREAT DEAL OF WORK ON THE SHEA AND VEITCH FAMILY TREE, BEFORE SHE PASSED AWAY, SEVERAL YEARS AGO. ANTIQUE COLLECTING IS SO MUCH MORE INTERESTING, IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS, WHEN YOU FEEL ATTACHED TO A TOWN AND REGION…….AS IT WAS HARD FOR ME, WHEN ALL MY CONNECTIONS WERE IN THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF TORONTO. NOT THAT MY FAMILY HISTORY HASN'T ALSO INSPIRED MY COLLECTING INTERESTS, BECAUSE IT HAS, BUT AS OUR BUSINESS OPERATION, AND COLLECTING AREA, IS LARGELY WITHIN THE DISTRICT OF MUSKOKA, IT IS NEAT TO HAVE THIS WEB OF FAMILY CONNECTIONS, THAT MAY ONE DAY TURN UP SOME INTERESTING FAMILY HEIRLOOMS…..FROM HOME CRAFTED TABLES AND FLAT-TO-THE WALLS, DRESSERS, CHAIRS THAT WERE MADE TO OUTFIT THOSE FIRST ROUGHLY HEWN LOG SHANTIES IN THE THREE MILE LAKE COMMUNITY OF THE PRESENT TOWNSHIP OF MUSKOKA LAKES.

SUZANNE SAYS IN AN OFF-HAND MANNER, "SEE, I WAS THE MAKING OF YOU." IN MANY WAYS, FOR THE SAKE OF ARGUMENT, SHE'S RIGHT. AS A LOCAL HISTORIAN, THE FACT THAT SO MANY FOLKS DIDN'T TRUST AN OUTSIDER, WITH THEIR FAMILY HERITAGE IN MUSKOKA, IT CERTAINLY CUT-DOWN MY RESEARCH MATERIAL, FOR THE FEATURE ARTICLES I WAS HIRED TO WRITE FOR THE LOCAL PRESS. WHEN I'D TELL INTERVIEW SUBJECTS, THAT I MARRIED A LOCAL GIRL, FROM WINDERMERE, YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE HOW MANY OF THESE PEOPLE WANTED TO KNOW MORE…..AND MANY OF THEM KNEW THE SHEA, VEITCH AND STRIPP FAMILY……IF NOT FROM LONG-TIME ENCOUNTERS IN THE SAME COMMUNITY, THEN LIKELY BECAUSE OF ASSOCIATION WITH THE ORANGE LODGE, AND FOR MY FATHER-IN-LAW, NORMAN, THE WINDERMERE AND DISTRICT LIONS CLUB. WE HAVE ALL OF NORM'S LION PINS AND AWARDS, AND WE'RE ALL PROUD OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS HE MADE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE, OVER HIS LIFETIME, RESIDING IN THE VILLAGE OF WINDERMERE, ON THE SHORE OF BEAUTIFUL LAKE ROSSEAU.

THANKS FOR JOINING TODAY'S BLOG. TOMORROW, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO NORM STRIPP, WOOD BOAT RESTORER, FORMER OWNER OF THE WINDERMERE MARINA, AND THE WELL KNOWN MAHOGANY LAUNCH………ONE OF THE LONGEST EVER MADE BY THE DITCHBURN BOAT WORKS, MADE IN THE TOWN OF GRAVENHURST, KNOWN AS THE "SHIRL-EVON." IT'S STILL CRUISING THE MUSKOKA LAKES. I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT ITS YEARS OF IT YEARS OF SERVICE AS A LIVERY BOAT FOR CUSTOMERS OF THE WINDERMERE MARINA.

Ontario's Historic Sites with Mom and Dad

AN UPBRINGING IN ANTIQUES - NOT BLOODY LIKELY - AS MY MOTHER WOULD SAY

BUT MOM AND POP GAVE ME AN EDUCATION IN CANADIAN HISTORY -

A LOT OF PEOPLE I TALK TO THESE DAYS, ABOUT ANTIQUES, AND THE ANTIQUE BUSINESS, FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT I DIDN'T COME FROM A RELIC-LADEN HOUSEHOLD. MY BOYS HOWEVER, CAN HONESTLY CLAIM TO HAVE COME FROM AN ANTIQUE-LADEN HOUSEHOLD. IN MY DAY, ON THE WISHES OF MY MOTHER MERLE, EVERYTHING HAD TO BE NEW. OUR APARTMENT IN BURLINGTON, IN THE LATE 1950'S, TO THE MID 1960's, WAS A PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE OF THAT PERIOD OF HOME DECORATING. THE FURNITURE, PURCHASED NEW, WAS MODEST IN STYLE, CORRECTLY PROPORTIONAL TO THE LIVING SPACE, AND FEW IN NUMBER. IN PHOTOGRAPHS I HAVE OF THIS PERIOD, THERE WAS INFINITELY MORE OPEN SPACE, THAN FURNITURE AND SUNDRY ADORNMENTS. AT CHRISTMAS, THE LIGHTLY DECORATED SPRUCE, WAS THE MOST PROMINENT "BIG THING" IN THE LIVINGROOM. WE HAD A COUPLE OF CHAIRS, A CHESTERFIELD, A FEW END TABLES, ONE COFFEE TABLE MY DAD ACTUALLY MADE, A CABINET TELEVISION, AND A COUPLE OF ART PIECES ON THE WALLS. IN COMPARISON, I HAVE MUCH LESS AIR SPACE IN OUR ROOMS HERE AT BIRCH HOLLOW. IF YOU LOOKED AT THE PICTURES THEN, AND WHAT THEIR SON HAS INFILLED, AS A COMFORT ZONE TODAY, YOU'D SWEAR I WAS ADOPTED. THESE "LESS IS BEST" PEOPLE COULDN'T POSSIBLY HAVE GIVEN BIRTH TO A HOARDER LIKE ME.

THE HINT SOMETHING WAS WRONG, WAS WHEN I HAULED SO MUCH STUFF HOME, DURING MY GAD-ABOUTS AS A KID. BROKEN HOCKEY STICKS, HALF ROLLS OF FRICTION TAPE, OLD NAILS, A FEW BRICKS, BAGS OF CHESTNUTS (WHEN IN SEASON), AND OLD CLOTHES I TOOK FROM THE SCHOOL'S LOST AND FOUND. I HAD THE HOARDER MENTALITY. "I CAN USE THIS SWEATER, AND THAT ONE OVER THERE, AND THE ONE DOWN HERE," I'D WHISPER TO MYSELF, AS I WAS LEANING HEAD FIRST IN THE GIANT BIN OF LOST ITEMS AT LAKESHORE PUBLIC SCHOOL, IN BURLINGTON. THE TEACHERS WOULD HAVE TO PULL ME OUT BY MY FEET. "IT'S TIME TO GO HOME NOW TEDDY. I'M SURE YOU'RE MOTHER WILL BE EXCITED TO SEE WHAT YOU'VE FOUND…..THAT YOU DIDN'T REALLY LOSE."

I CAN REMEMBER ONE GREAT EXCEPTION TO MY MOTHER'S RULE. FOR WHATEVER CRAZY REASON, MERLE DECIDED TO GO WITH A FRIEND, TO A YARD SALE JUST OUTSIDE THE URBAN AREA OF BRACEBRIDGE. I THOUGHT SHE'D LOST HER MIND. SHE BOUGHT A CIRCA 1930'S CHINA CUPBOARD. SHE TOLD HER FRIEND THAT SHE HAD ALWAYS WANTED ONE TO KEEP HER GOOD CHINA SAFE. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY GOOD CHINA. SERIOUSLY. AND THAT'S EXACTLY HOW THE CABINET WAS USED. JUST AS AN ADDITIONAL CUPBOARD, TO HOUSE WHAT WE ALREADY POSSESSED. SHE JUST SPREAD IT OUT, BUT TOLD ALL HER FRIENDS, SHE HAD JUST BOUGHT "A DARLING ANTIQUE CHINA CABINET." NOT ONLY THAT! SHE ALSO BOUGHT TWO FAIRLY NICE PRESS-BACK CHAIRS FOR THE KITCHEN. FUNNY THING THOUGH. THERE WASN'T ENOUGH ROOM IN THE KITCHEN, SO SHE GAVE THEM TO ME. THUS, THE LOCAL LADS AND I, HAD TWO NICE CHAIRS, SET UP IN THE END-ZONES, TO PLAY MY MUNRO TABLE-TOP HOCKEY GAME.

WHEN MY PARENTS MOVED TO A SMALL COTTAGE, ON ALLPORT BAY, OF THE WIDER LAKE MUSKOKA, IN THE FALL OF 1974, AND I WENT OFF TO UNIVERSITY, MERLE GAVE THE CHINA CUPBOARD TO A FRIEND. EVEN THOUGH I REALLY LIKED IT, AS MODEST AS IT WAS, SHE WANTED RID OF IT ENTIRELY. NOT JUST TO SHIFT IT INTO MY BEDROOM, WHICH WOULD HAVE LOOKED GREAT WITH MY ARRAY OF COLLECTIBLES. THEN WHEN I WENT LOOKING FOR THE PRESS BACK CHAIRS, "I THREW THEM OUT." "WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR," I DEMANDED, ONCE AGAIN, HAVING REALLY LIKED THOSE TWO HIGH BACKED CHAIRS. "IT'S JUST OLD STUFF. WE'VE GOT ENOUGH JUNK AROUND HERE," SHE SAID, IN THAT SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED MANNER, SHE HAD USED THROUGHOUT MY CHILDHOOD, TO COVER MANY TIMELY ISSUES. IN FACT, SHE ONLY THREW THOSE CHAIRS AS FAR AS THE GARBAGE BOXES OUTSIDE OF THE APARTMENT, WHERE THEY WERE SCOOPED UP BY ANOTHER RESIDENT, SENSING THERE WAS SOME VALUE HANGING ONTO THEM. JUST LIKE I WOULD HAVE, IF GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY.

YET STRANGELY ENOUGH, MERLE AND ED GAVE ME SOMETHING BETTER THAN A CHINA CUPBOARD, AND TWO PRESS-BACK CHAIRS. THEY TOOK ME PLACES. WE TRAVELLED A LOT IN MY YOUTH, BECAUSE MY DAD, LIKE ME, FOUND A SORT OF SPIRITUAL RELEASE OUT ON THE OPEN ROAD. EVEN FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE, MERLE AND ED WOULD MOTOR ME ALL OVER THE PROVINCE. I WAS AFFORDED OPPORTUNITIES TO VISIT FORT HENRY, FORT YORK, FORT NIAGARA, MACKENZIE HOUSE IN TORONTO, THE ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM, UPPER CANADA VILLAGE, AND HISTORIC SITES DOTTED FROM BUFFALO TO DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA. EVERY YEAR THEY TOOK ME TO THE CANADIAN NATIONAL EXHIBITION, WITHOUT FAIL, WHERE WE VISITED THE SPORTS HALL OF FAME, ED'S FAVORITE STOP IN A BUSY DAY. THEY TOOK ME TO EXPO IN MONTREAL, AND IT WAS A BLAST. WE STAYED WITH FAMILY IN LACHINE, AND WE GOT TO SEE A LOT OF THE LOCAL ATTRACTIONS, AND HERITAGE SITES. THEY JUST LOVED TO TAKE ME TO HISTORICAL SITES, AND THAT INCLUDED EVEN ROADSIDE SIGNS WE HAD TO STOP AND READ. THEY LIKED HISTORY AS LONG AS IT DIDN'T CREATE A CLUTTER IN THEIR APARTMENT, OR HOUSE.

SO IT WAS A RATHER CONTRADICTORY HOUSEHOLD. I GOT A LOT OF MY INTEREST IN ANTIQUES FROM VISITING THOSE IMPORTANT HISTORIC SITES. BUT WE NEVER, EVER CROSSED THE THRESHOLD OF AN ANTIQUE SHOP. GOD FORBID. I MIGHT WANT TO BUY SOMETHING TO CLUTTER UP THE HOUSE. I THINK MERLE, WHO HAD COME FROM A RATHER PRIVILEGED BACKGROUND, DEVELOPED A BAD ATTITUDE ABOUT POSSESSIONS, AFTER MY GRANDFATHER, STANLEY JACKSON, PASSED ON, IN THE EARLY 1970'S. SHE HAD LIVED IN A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE, STAN HAD BUILT FOR THEM, AND IT WAS LOADED WITH MANY BEAUTIFUL ANTIQUE PIECES, BROUGHT FROM THE FAMILY FARM THEY ONCE OWNED IN TRENTON, ONTARIO. STAN WAS A GIANT OF A MAN, OR HE ALWAYS SEEMED A MASSIVE HUMAN BEING, WHEN I'D LOOK UP AT HIM. HE HAD BEEN A CAREER BUILDER. IN TORONTO TODAY, NEAR JANE AND BLOOR, (OLD MILL AREA), THERE IS A STREET KNOWN AS "JACKSON AVENUE," WHICH WAS ALLEGEDLY NAMED AFTER HIM. HE BUILT MOST OF THE HOUSES ON THE STREET, SO I GUESS IT MADE SOME SENSE TO AFFORD THE NAME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

WHEN MY GRANDMOTHER, BLANCHE DIED, STAN DECIDED TO PUT THE HOUSE UP FOR SALE. HE TOLD MY MOTHER HE COULDN'T LIVE IN THE SAME HOUSE, WITHOUT HIS WIFE….AS IT WOULD BE HAUNTED BY MEMORIES OF THEIR LIFE TOGETHER. I CAN REMEMBER HIM CALLING MY MOTHER, AND ASKING HER TO COME TO TORONTO (FROM BURLINGTON), TO PICK THINGS SHE WANTED TO HAVE, FROM HER MOTHER'S KEEPSAKES AND THE HOUSE IN GENERAL. I VIVIDLY RECALL GOING IN THE HOUSE, AND FINDING OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS RUNNING WILDLY THROUGH THE ROOMS CLAIMING THINGS THEY WANTED. THEY WERE DASHING UPSTAIRS AND DOWNSTAIRS, EVEN INTO THE BASEMENT, WITH PIECES OF TAPE, TO IDENTIFY WHAT ITEMS HAD ALREADY BEEN SPOKEN FOR. MY MOTHER WANTED ONE THING. HER FATHER'S VIOLIN. IT HAD ALREADY BEEN GIVEN TO HER SISTER'S SON. HER SECOND CHOICE, WAS A SMALL PRINT OF A PASTURE, HER MOTHER USED TO HAVE HUNG ON THE WALL, IN HER BEDROOM. AS A YOUNG GIRL SHE HAD ALWAYS ADMIRED IT. THERE WAS A BROACH AND A NECKLESS MERLE WAS ABLE TO GRAB, AMIDST THE FRENZY OF FAMILY CLAIMING THEIR HEIRLOOMS. I REMEMBER JUST SITTING ON A SOFA WITH STAN, AND WAITING FOR MY MOTHER TO COME BACK FOR ME. IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG. SHE SHOWED HER FATHER WHAT SHE WANTED OF HER MOTHERS, AND SAID, "DAD, I JUST CAN'T BE PART OF THIS ANY LONGER. I DON'T LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE. I SHOULDN'T HAVE COME. THIS IS GOING TO BE THE LAST MEMORY I HAVE OF THIS BEAUTIFUL HOUSE, AND MY MOTHER." I DON'T THINK STAN WAS IN ANY POSITION TO COMMENT, AS I'M PRETTY SURE THERE WERE TEARS ON HIS CHEEK. AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT AT THE TIME. I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND MUCH ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. I KNEW MY GRANDMOTHER HAD DIED, AND WE'D BEEN HERE, AT HER PARLOR BEDSIDE, ONLY HOURS BEFORE SHE PASSED. I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY STAN WAS MOVING AWAY. I REALLY LIKED VISITING, ESPECIALLY WHEN HE TOOK US OUT IN HIS NEAT OLD CAR, WITH THE WIRE "CURB FINDERS" ON THE SIDE OF THE CAR. THAT'S HOW I KNEW HE'D ARRIVED AT OUR PLACE. I COULD HEAR THE WIRE "FEELERS" HITTING THE CONCRETE.

I THINK THIS WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE REASONS, MY MOTHER HAD AN AVERSION TO HAVING TOO MANY COLLECTIBLE ITEMS, AND BURDENSOME FURNITURE PIECES. I THINK THERE WERE ANTIQUE PIECES THAT REMINDED HER OF THE FAMILY HOUSE IN TORONTO, AND OF THIS, SHE WANTED NO PART. WHEN SUZANNE AND I CLEANED OUT MY PARENTS' ESTATE, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE ONLY OLDER PIECES AND ART, WERE ONES WE HAD GIVEN TO THEM AS GIFTS AT CHRISTMAS AND ON BIRTHDAYS. THEY HAD A FEW VALUELESS OLD CHAIRS BUT MOST PIECES WERE MODERN WITHOUT EVEN A HINT OF HEIRLOOM PATINA ANYWHERE….EXCEPT THE THREE PAINTINGS ALL FROM THE 1970'S, I'D GIVEN THEM AS GIFTS. I DID FIND THE BROACH, NECKLESS AND SMALL PASTORAL PRINT, I REMEMBER HER PICKING UP FROM STAN'S HOUSE THAT DAY, STILL TUCKED SAFELY, IN A TIGHT WRAP OF LINEN, BURIED DEEP IN A DRESSER DRAWER. OUTSIDE OF BEING MOVED AROUND A BIT, IN THE YEARS SINCE HER MOTHER'S DEMISE, I DON'T IMAGINE MUCH CHANGED WITH THOSE PIECES….LOCKED AWAY FOR SOME UNIDENTIFIED POSTERITY. WE HAVE THEM NOW, AND WILL PASS THEM ON TO OUR BOYS WHEN THE TIME COMES. THEY LOVED THEIR OWN VISITS WITH MERLE AND ED, WHO SPOILED THEM WITH SO MANY TOYS AND WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES, AS I HAD ENJOYED AS A YOUNGSTER.

I REMEMBER A STORY MY MOTHER TOLD ME, A FEW YEARS BEFORE HER STROKE. STAN HAD BEEN HIRED TO BUILD A CHURCH IN TORONTO. "WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY THEN, AS IT WAS IN THE DEPRESSION THAT HE BEGAN CONSTRUCTION. HE PUT A LOT OF PERSONAL MONEY INTO IT, THINKING THE CHURCH WOULD PAY THEIR BILLS AFTER SOME FUNDRAISING EFFORTS. HE FINISHED THE CHURCH BUILDING, HANDED OVER THE KEYS BEFORE GETTING PAID. THEY NEVER DID. IN FACT, THEY REFUSED TO PAY. STAN WAS SO MAD THAT HE DROPPED RELIGION ALL TOGETHER DURING THAT TIME, AND VOWED TO NEVER ENTER A CHURCH AGAIN." JUST AS MERLE REFUSED TO HAVE MUCH IF ANYTHING TO DO WITH ANTIQUES, BECAUSE OF A SIMILARLY BAD EXPERIENCE, FOLLOWING HER MOTHER'S DEATH. AS SOME IRONY TO THIS STORY, IS THE FACT MY GRANDFATHER DIED ON THE STEPS OF A CHURCH IN FLORIDA, AFTER SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE, AND LEFT HIS ENTIRE ESTATE TO ASSIST THE SAME CHURCH THROUGH SOME TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES. OBVIOUSLY STAN HAD FORGIVEN RELIGION, FOR A FORMER CHURCH JOB UNPAID.

I BELIEVE THEIR RESOLVE TO GIVE ME AN EDUCATION IN CANADIAN AND AMERICAN HISTORY, PLAYED A LARGE ROLE IN MY FUTURE INTERESTS, NOT JUST IN HERITAGE MATTERS, BUT IN ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES GENERALLY. WHAT I SAW AT THESE HISTORIC SITES AND MUSEUMS, I WANTED FOR MY OWN MUSEUM ONE DAY. I'VE COME CLOSE TO FULFILLING THAT AMBITION, AND IF YOU WERE TO ASK MY BOYS WHAT RECENT MOVIE IS SOMEWHAT BIOGRAPHICAL, THEY WOULD TELL YOU, WITHOUT EVEN THE SLIGHTEST GRIN, "A NIGHT AT THE MUSUEM." NOW THEY'RE REPEATING THE SINS (AS MY MOTHER MIGHT REFER) OF THE FATHER. SUZANNE IS NOT A HARD-CORE COLLECTOR, WHICH IS ALSO ODD, BECAUSE SHE COMES FROM A FAMILY THAT POSSESSED SOME AMAZING PIECES OF HISTORY….MUCH OF IT MARINE HERITAGE FROM MUSKOKA. HER MODEST RELATIONSHIP WITH ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES HAS ALWAYS PUT US ON A COLLISION COURSE, HERE A BIRCH HOLLOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN I COME HOME WITH A VAN LOAD OF PRIMITIVES I'D LIKE FOR THE LIVINGROOM. "AIN'T GOING TO HAPPEN TED….GET OVER IT!" SHE YELLS FROM THE VERANDAH.

I DON'T REMEMBER EITHER MY MOTHER OR FATHER, CELEBRATING THE FACT I HAD BECOME AN ANTIQUE DEALER. THEY DID PARTNER WITH ME IN OUR FIRST BUSINESS, CALLED OLD MILL ANTIQUES, ON THE MAIN STREET OF BRACEBRIDGE, CIRCA 1977, BUT THEY KEPT TO BUYING AND SELLING GIFTWARE, EVEN THOUGH MY COLLECTION SOLD QUICKLY AND REGULARLY. I WAS WASTING MY TIME TRYING TO CHANGE MY MOTHER'S OPINION OF OLD STUFF. THEY WERE BOTH IMPRESSED THAT I GRADUATED UNIVERSITY WITH A DEGREE IN HISTORY, AND THAT I BECAME A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE BRACEBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND AN EVENTUAL MANAGER OF WOODCHESTER VILLA AND MUSEUM. THIS, I THINK, WAS WHAT THEY HAD HOPED FOR, BY HAULING ME TO ALL THOSE HISTORIC SITES AS A KID. NOT TO BE AN ANTIQUE DEALER. YET I'VE BEEN AN ANTIQUE HOBBYIST FOR MOST OF MY LIFE, AND I'VE NEVER HAD A SINGLE REGRET. OH, JUST ONE. (NOT INCLUDING BEING ANGRY ABOUT LOSING THOSE PRESS BACK CHAIRS) I WENT TO A YARD SALE, ONE DAY, ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO NOW, AND I FOUND OUR OLD CHINA CUPBOARD FOR SALE. THE FOLKS WHO GOT IT FOR NOTHING, WERE SELLING IT FOR $150. I HAD ABOUT TEN BUCKS LEFT, AND A MISERABLE BUDGET FOR THE NEXT WEEK, AND HAD TO DRIVE AWAY WITHOUT IT JAMMED INTO THE VAN. IT WASN'T WORTH THE ASKING PRICE. I COULDN'T JUSTIFY PAYING THIS FOR MEMORY ALONE. WE HADN'T OWNED IT LONG ENOUGH TO DEVELOP ANY REAL HEARTFELT ATTACHMENT. IT WAS JUST A PIECE OF VINTAGE FURNITURE? WHY THEN DID I GRUMBLE ANGRILY ALL THE WAY HOME? IF YOU'RE AN ANTIQUE

OR COLLECTIBLE DEALER, YOU WILL HAVE FELT THIS EMOTION MANY TIMES, LEAVING A PIECE BEHIND….DUE TO LACK OF RESOURCES.

IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE OF "CURIOUS; THE TOURIST GUIDE," IN MY REGULAR MONTHLY COLUMN, I MAKE REFERENCE TO THE FACT, IT HAS BEEN INCREASINGLY OBVIOUS, OVER THE PAST TWENTY YEARS, THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT GETTING INVOLVED IN THE ANTIQUE PROFESSION, IN THE KIND OF NUMBERS THAT WILL FILL OUT THE RANKS OF DEALER-KIND IN THE FUTURE. THE AVERAGE AGE OF PRESENT ANTIQUE DEALERS SHOWS THAT THE INDUSTRY REQUIRES AN URGENT INFUSION OF YOUTH…..NEW BLOOD, NEW IDEAS, AND A NEW FUTURE FOR ALL THE OLD STUFF OUR GANG HAS CONSERVED FOR THE FUTURE. AS I BECAME INVOLVED IN THE ANTIQUE TRADE BY ABOUT EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE, AND OUR BOYS, ANDREW AND ROBERT, MUCH EARLIER THAN THIS, I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER WHAT THE ACTUAL NUMBERS ARE, OF UNDER AGE "THIRTY" DEALERS, BREAKING INTO THE PROFESSION. I WAS INTRODUCED TO THE JOY AND ADVENTURES OF HISTORY WHILE I WAS STILL IN THE EARLY GRADES OF PUBLIC SCHOOL, AS WERE MY LADS. WHILE I'VE ALWAYS SUSPECTED WE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO WHAT IS ACTUALLY TRANSPIRING AMONGST COLLECTORS AND DEALERS, AND THEIR FAMILIES, I'M GENUINELY WORRIED THAT THIS GREAT INDUSTRY WILL ONE DAY BE SERIOUSLY UNDER STAFFED, DUE TO THE FACT IT'S NOT BEING SOLD TO YOUNG ADULTS TODAY, AS A REWARDING, ADVENTURE-FILLED CAREER OPPORTUNITY. MAYBE I'M WORRIED ABOUT NOTHING. BUT TELL ME, HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU KNOW, WOULD WANT THEIR KIDS TO GROW UP LIKE ME? STILL CHASING A HOPEFUL PROFIT, ONE DAY SOON; STILL GETTING EXCITED BY AN ANTIQUE HUNT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE; STILL BEING ENTHRALLED BY MUSEUMS AND HERITAGE SITES? WELL, MY SONS, AT LEAST, HAVE FOUND ME SOMETHING OF A ROLE MODEL, AS THEY HUSTLE OFF TO WORK EACH DAY, GLORIOUSLY HAPPY, ABOUT THE ADVENTURES THEY'RE ENJOYING WEEKLY, SELLING ANTIQUE INSTRUMENTS, COLLECTIBLE GUITARS, VINTAGE DRUMS, BANJOS, UKES AND OLD VINYL, FROM THEIR GRAVENHURST MUSIC SHOP. I'M GLAD THEY'RE HAPPY. THAT MEANS A LOT. WORK AND PLAY, ALL IN ONE CURIOSITY-FILLED, LITTLE SHOP, IN THE BEAUTIFUL HINTERLAND OF SOUTH MUSKOKA.

IN THE NEXT BLOG, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO MY WIFE'S FAMILY, OF WINDERMERE, AND UFFORD, ONTARIO, SOME OF THE EARLIEST PIONEERS TO THE NEWLY OPENED DISTRICT OF MUSKOKA, BACK IN THE PIONEERING BOOM OF THE 1860's. THANK FOR JOINING ME TODAY. MUCH MORE TO COME.