01/29/2010 10:00 am
Culture
A Fresh Look at Antiques, by Erin L. Jones
Hanging out with Lady Bird's daughter and Martha Stewart at the American Antiques Show ...
All Photos © Patrick McMullan Company
Editor’s Note: Erin L. Jones is a wOw reporter, freelance writer and online producer at L’Oreal USA and Redken 5th Ave.
There are two types of people in this world: those who enjoy antiques, and those who don’t. Until this past week, I regarded antiques mostly as "old things," so you can guess in which camp I stood firmly entrenched. I decided to see what all the fuss was about at this year’s The American Antiques Show, which is essentially an exhibit of the country’s most fabulous antiques and antiques dealers.
The truth is, I’m a bit of a klutz. As a child I broke most of my mother’s valuables; her curio cabinets are filled with figurines held together by ochre-colored lines of decades-old dried glue, many of which she was forced to buy from touristy stores after I’d accidentally dropped the merchandise. I also carved my name into her rare redwood coffee table at the age of four. Hence, we were never the antique-collecting type of
family — the liability was just too high. So I share a laugh with Lynda Johnson Robb, daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson, when she tells me with a smile, "Once, at the governor’s mansion, I saw someone sit in and break an antique chair! After that I figured I needed to make my house grandchildren-friendly." (Clearly, she’s met my type before.)
As a lover of antiques, Ms. Johnson Robb is serving as the grand chair of the American Antiques Show, but tonight she’s on hand mostly to admire the antiques and raise money for the American Folk Art Museum (which is where the proceeds from the event will go). Dressed in a shimmery gold suit with the distinct air of a president’s daughter, it occurs to me how proud her mother must have been of her dedication to the arts; Lady Bird Johnson spent much of her life promoting the aesthetic beauty of this nation.
While meandering through the exhibit, I notice that everything old is new once again. The jazz band plays a rendition of Etta James’s "Manhattan," a song that itself could be considered an antique (and that I recently just heard on an episode of "Mad Men"). The atmosphere resembles a lively and exotic bazaar: exhibitors eager to show off their treasures for sale, and curious admirers shuffling through at a slow pace. Perhaps this is the draw of antiques — the transportation from our everyday lives into a sort of grand circus production. And if you’ve ever seen even five minutes of "Antiques Roadshow’ or been to a flea market, you know what I mean by "circus." We live in an era when everything has to be new — better — improved … or obsolete. Today’s furniture is mostly represented by rectangular-shaped plywood from Ikea, or textiles adorned with a "Made in China" sticker stitched immaculately on machines. Standing in this exhibit can make one feel like they have just stumbled out of a time machine. Paintings and sculptures can illustrate what a previous era looked like, books can tell the story, but antiques portray what it really felt like to be in that time period. The uncomfortable couches and perfectly erect chairs demonstrate a type of resilience of the people who made, and used, these items. In 1867, the focus of life was clearly not on comfort! And judging by the thousands of crooked, hand-sewn stitches on a massive antebellum American flag that most likely took months and/or years to create, it’s almost embarrassing to realize how patient the women were who came before me (who gets antsy waiting in line more than ten minutes to purchase my mass-produced blue jeans).
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I have a sleigh bed that belonged to my great-great grandparents. I have a piece of that great-great grandmothers jewelry and a quilt that she made. They are dear to my heart. The bed is in the guest room and all who sleep there appreciate it’s beauty and longevity.
So much is disposable and lost in our world today. We have lost some valuable lessons from those who came before us.
Loved the article too! It’s a blast hunting for old treasures. A friend and I decorated our first apartments in "early garage sale". We spent Friday nights mapping out all of the Saturday garage sales. We would get up at 5:00am and pack a thermous of hot coffee and buns because we wanted to be the first in line when the sales opened.
We had a plan. As soon as the doors opened, we headed off in separate directions scanning all of the tables for "potential antiques". We could cover a place inside of 10 minutes to locate the great finds before the antique dealers got to them. We discovered wonderful treasures and for a reasonable price. I do love going through antique stores, but it is far more fun antique hunting at local garage sales.
Been in the antique business most of my life. I even became an auctioneer. I could not ever have enough of "old things". My daughters shipped their grandmother’s furniture from Belgium to the US when she passed. For me, at home, I cherish everything that my ancestors touched. We all looked in the same mirror. We all used the same armoire.
The goodies I kept (all dealers do ) I try and figure on who belonged to them to begin with.I am not so much enamored about the workmaship like Martha but where the piece has been, who touched it with great loving care. What history was taking place around that time. Who had dinners on my Limoges china before we started to enjoy ours on them.
You need to try and feel the aura of the antique ( can’t find another word) . I never did buy according to the trends but what my soul responded to.
I had to sell quite a few lovely pieces over the past few years. Mostly these were pieces I had purchased for my retirement. The family pieces are already being eyed by my grandchildren.
Are they all museum pieces? Not at all. However my Mom had carved chairs from La Belle Epoque. My grandfather had traded sugar for them during ww1. That means more to me than any fancy provenance.
When I started in this business I probably sold 5 to 10 sets of gorgeous China every month. Now try and sell your set. The "young" want something which can go in the dishwasher. Sterling flatware? Do I have to polish it? Forget it! is the new attitude.Like most trends it will turn around again..at least I hope so.