Antiques

The presence of these old relics of bygone days, reminders of the intimate
home life of our fore-fathers "antiques", creates for most of us a sort
of atmosphere that can be more easily recognized than described. It is
easier for us to picture the pouring of candles into their molds than
the gathering of the minute-men at Concord. The crackling of the
back-log on the old fire-dogs is clearer in our ears than the ringing
words of Samuel Adams. And to associate, day by day, with the household
belongings of a past generation is a heart-warming and a
heart-softening thing. Their influence is subtle, but it makes for joy
and a chastened pride. It is good for us to set up our tabernacle among
them.
another antiques blog
It is difficult to give any general advice about
collecting, it is so largely a matter of taste. If you really mean to
become a collector, and not merely a possessor, it is wisest to choose
a somewhat limited field. To collect everything antique means to
ac-quire a hodge-podge, unless you mean to stock a town museum. Also it
is discouraging. The more you get the more you find there is to be
gotten, and the farther you seem to be from a constantly receding goal.
Decide what interests you most, and then tackle a subdivision of it. If
it is old china, try specializing on something like antique jewelry
or maybe books, antique furniture etc. or con-fine yourself to old
mirrors or old clocks. In this way you may in time be able to assemble
a collection that will really be worth while as a collection, in which
completeness and continuity are always desiderata.

Take old furniture, for example. I suppose if I were a collector, with this as my great hobby, I might say that
Antiques
existed for their own sake, to be treasured and admired. But I do not
believe that. I believe that antique furniture can be made to serve a
distinct purpose in the modern home, particularly the spacious country
home. Let it be strong, useful, and beautiful, as much of it certainly
is. No other sort of furniture can be more. But the antique means
something. It interests and it charms.


Add little by little,
and in each piece acquired there will be a twofold value in association
as the years go by. I fancy that the very lack of unlimited means will
make the selection more careful and the possession more keenly
appreciated.

Make your antique furniture

a means, not an end. There is a charm and beauty in it, when it is
chosen with good taste and good judgment, which the devotee can never
adequately express, nor the Philistine ever understand. It is desirable
only when it is real, when it is beautiful, when it is good for
something, when it means something. In short, when it is good, it is
very, very good, and when it is bad, it is horrid.