11/30/09 - New Blog for Dragonflies Antiques

NEW DOMAIN - NEW WEBSITE - NEW EMAIL - Well finally after 5 years of waiting I finally was able to secure the domain name http://www.dragonfliesantiques.com/ . It had been registered but not used by someone who was hoping I'd pay for the privilege of the name but I just waited them out and jumped on the name the day they let it expire.

So now that I have a new dominion name, and a new computer I've decided to re-direct my marketing strategy a bit to include this blog which I hope to keep up to date each evening or every couple of days.

My husband Frank and I are gearing up to go away this winter in search of great American Pop Icons, Flea Markets, Green Markets, Antiques Shows, etc. We hope to find and write about all sorts of things that happen in an antiquarians day. It's not always easy being a dealer but it's always lots of fun.

Sunday we went to the dump which is staying open longer on Sunday and while Frank was recycling our bottles and cans down below I went up above to the big metal and wood dumpster containers to see a local contractor throwing out a big piece of plywood. It was just exactly perfect for a Christmas project we've been working on to decorate the barn. I should say that I'm directing and Frank is tolerating. Don't ya love it!?!?!?

It has been so cold and rainy all spring that we finally have one warm summer day and it's excrutiating. The towels aren't drying, the chips are limp and it's hard to breathe it's so humid. There is lots and lots of moisture in the air.

Traffic over the past weekend was heavy but the folks didn't seem to have much money to spend. There were many appreciative lookers though and we had such a successful week last week it didn't really matter about the weekend.

Here are more barn shots for now. I'm off to do an appraisasl in Holderness tonite for insurance purposes. Have you considered your collections and what they're worth? Make sure they are properly listed and insured on your home-owners because it can be a simple nightmare to re-create after the fact. If nothing else, be sure you go around your house and shoot pictures of every nook and cranny and open every drawer, cupboard, etc. It's very important.

Happy 5th of July!

It's been a busy week or more here in Wolfeboro.

A week ago I was part of an appraisal clinic & happy hour event at the Coe House in Center Harbor which was wonderful. It was a fundraiser for the Community Caregiveres of Center Harbor and cost attendees $35 pp and they received my free verbal appraisal and wonderful wine and a bevy of appetizers. It was all Delicious and I do mean with a capital D I believe there were more then 90 people who came.
I especially loved the breadth and quality of the items. I found 2 wonderful Lancaster County PA jacquard coverlets - one of which was signed and dated. They were in fabulous condition with bold, vibrant patterns and graphics. I appraised them at $2,000 & $3,000 each.

I also found quite a few oil paintings, etchings, lithographs, and even a folio size Currier & Ives of Lake Winnipesaukee. It was an enjoyable evening and all for a good cause.

Well it's been another interesting few days in the antiques business. The motorcycles are gone which means we can actually speak and hear one another again. We love to see them come and we love it even more when we see them go. Kind of like fish and company which stink after 3 days.
So Father's Day was Sunday, which is my normal day to try and get some R&R, but I left Frank napping in his favorite easy chair watching tv through his eyelids and headed south 75 miles to a small town outside of Concord to one of the most interesting abodes I've had the pleasure to visit.

This geodesic dome was built in the 1970's and was the home of Joseph Scannell whose art we are representing. We hope to have a retrospective of his work and that of many other mid-20th century NH Artisans coming up this summer in our gallery. More on this later but suffice it to say that every visit yeilds some wonderful treasures - both old and contemporary.

One of my favorite parts of this business is the learning and I have sure had a wonderful time learning new things from Josephs widow Ellen. Joseph and Ellen were not only into art and architecture but were both deeply religous and knowledgeable about Catholics and mythology. Very interesting folks!

Joe & Ellen Scannell and their Geodesic Dome Home !

Well it's been another interesting few days in the antiques business. The motorcycles are gone which means we can actually speak and hear one another again. We love to see them come and we love it even more when we see them go. Kind of like fish and company which stink after 3 days.

So Father's Day was Sunday, which is my normal day to try and get some R&R, but I left Frank napping in his favorite easy chair watching tv through his eyelids and headed south 75 miles to a small town outside of Concord to one of the most interesting abodes I've had the pleasure to visit.

This geodesic dome was built in the 1970's and was the home of Joseph Scannell whose art we are representing. We hope to have a retrospective of his work and that of many other mid-20th century NH Artisans coming up this summer in our gallery. More on this later but suffice it to say that every visit yeilds some wonderful treasures - both old and contemporary.

One of my favorite parts of this business is the learning and I have sure had a wonderful time learning new things from Josephs widow Ellen. Joseph and Ellen were not only into art and architecture but were both deeply religous and knowledgeable about Catholics and mythology. Very interesting folks!

Years ago an Alabama grandmother gave the new bride the following recipe:
This is an exact copy as written and found in an old scrapbook - with spelling errors and all.

WASHING CLOTHES
Build fire in backyard to heat kettle of rain water.
Set tubs so smoke wont blow in eyes if wind is pert.
Shave one hole cake of lie soap in boilin water.
Sort things, make 3 piles 1 pile white, 1 pile colored, 1 pile work britches and rags.
To make starch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin down with boiling water.
Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, and boil, then rub colored don't boil just wrench and starch.
Take things out of kettle with broom stick handle, then wrench, and starch.
Hang old rags on fence.
Spread tea towels on grass.
Pore wrench water in flower bed.
Scrub porch with hot soapy water.
Turn tubs upside down.
Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs.
Brew cup of tea, sit and rock a spell and count your blessings. ================================================

Paste this over your washer and dryer. Next time when you think things are bleak, read it again, kiss that washing machine and dryer, and give thanks. First thing each morning you should run and hug your washer and dryer, also your toilet---those two-holers used to get mighty cold!