By Kathryn Schiliro
Managing Editor

The Madison-Morgan Cultural Center's (MMCC) yearly Antiques Show & Sale last Friday and Saturday drew about 500 people to Madison. About 150 attended
last Thursday's Preview Party, according to MMCC Marketing Assistant Erin Garrett, and attendance at Friday and Saturday's morning lectures broke records
with 83 attendees and 47 attendees respectively.
"Wonderful lectures, more people than we have ever had attending our lectures," writes Paulette Long, Antiques Show & Sale co-chair, in an e-mail. "This event raises well-needed money for the center, but lectures fulfill our mission of education."

The show saw about 250 people each of the two days. Attendance remained steady compared to last year, which also saw about 500 people attend.
Both the Preview Party and the Antiques Show & Sale saw visitors from throughout the state and the Southeast. For the first time, the show drew a tour group– 57
people from Augusta. And many out-of-state collectors, from Alabama, South Carolina and Florida, were in attendance, according to Don Lane, Antiques Show
& Sale co-chair."One guest said she only shops for antiques once a year, and it is at this show," writes Lane, in an e-mail.

"We were very happy with attendance," Garrett said.

Garrett said she believed the event's more than 20
dealers were pleased with turnout as well, but that much of a dealer's success at an antiques show like this one has to do with the customer."I feel that it's part the style, what dealers bring and it depends on who comes," Garrett said. "People that came to look to buy definitely knew what they wanted... It depends on who comes and what they're looking for, and that's a factor you can't
control." Highlights of furniture sales at the show included a very important Georgia hunt board, a tall case clock with elaborate inlay, a Connecticut River
Valley chest of drawers, a very rare Virginia brandy cupboard, Georgia coin silver, a rare Kentucky sugar press and English Stafford Shire, Lane writes.
There were also "great sales" of ceramics, folk art and accessories.

"We had some wonderful new dealers this year and, of course, our returning dealers are so faithful to show," Long writes.More than attendees, a number of in-state and out-of-state dealers came to survey the show, too.
Regardless of their success, Garrett said the dealers themselves enjoy visiting Madison.

"I feel all the dealers were very pleased; they love coming to Madison," Garrett said. "One dealer said it's like Christmas when they come to Madison because they have such a wonderful time."

Source: www.morgancountycitizen.com

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http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20130227/new-york-city/how-restore-antique-chair-for-cost-of-sandwich

Enjoy!

A new antique store offers  nostalgia-minded customers a unique shopping experience.

Co-owners Janet Joyner and Deb Wachowicz opened 
Uniques, Antiques & Gifts Boutique at 2950 Whiskey Road in Aiken on Jan.  26.

Joyner and Wachowicz agreed one of the shop’s biggest 
draws is its assortment of hard-to-find novelty items.

“We have a very big variety,” Joyner said. “It’s 
everything from glassware to household items such as furniture and a lot of other little knick-knacks that you might not be able to find at other places.”

Joyner, a native Texan who formerly repaired oil 
fields in her home state, handles the accounting for the boutique and said she has enjoyed working alongside Wachowicz, with whom she has been a close friend 
for several years.

Wachowicz, a South Carolina transplant from Saginaw, 
Mich., works as a medical transcriptionist in the cancer center at Aiken Regional Medical Centers. She said she inherited her passion for antiques from her parents and that she had long coveted the opportunity to own a boutique of this kind.

“I’ve been into antiques my whole life,” she said.
“This is my dream.”

About five years ago, the co-owners started going to 
garage sales every Saturday. During these outings, Wachowicz said her love for antiques rubbed off on Joyner.

“She’s really dived into it,” Wachowicz said. “I do 
things like cleaning and refinishing the furniture and painting, and Janet has tried to learn more about those things and get really involved with them.”

The duo’s dedication seems to be paying off, as the 
shop enjoyed its most profitable day of business since it has been in operation  on Sunday, consigner Casey Jones said.

The boutique is open seven days a week and operates 
from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on  Sundays.

Source: www.aikenstandard.com

Owner and operator Mary Ellen Shia has owned the Wrentham Country Store for six years now, but she said she’s always been a collector.

“I grew up with it,” she said. “My mother always collected. After we moved here we started going to yards. When I was 10, she used to take me out to yard
sales, estate sales and flea markets. I’ve always had older things around me. It was in my blood”

Shia said she was renting a space for two years from the store’s previous owner, when he moved to California. Six years ago, she took over the store.

“I knew that the store could be bigger and better than it was at the time. I was really driven,” she said.

Shia said she wanted to do something a bit different as well. She said that many antique stores sell high quality, but also high priced pieces. At the Country Store, she said she wanted to do something a little more accessible.

“We try to keep our prices lower here if you have 10 dollars you can buy something here,” she said.

Before staying in one place, she said that she lived in Brimfield and went to flea markets. The Brimfield Antique Show, she said, was a huge market-style
event.

“Acres and acres,” she said.  “It was crazy, but I decided at that point that I didn’t want to be lugging my stuff for a one day show. I saw a space for rent outside [The Country Store] nine years ago. They rented me a little space and that’s how it started.”

Shia said that her favorite style is called Shabby Chic, a French Farmhouse look composed mostly of white pieces. She said she has 20 other vendors in the store who come in with all shapes, sizes and styles of pieces as well.

“There’s a couple that lives on South Street who have a huge collection of vintage toys they’re always bringing in,” she said. “We have someone who has a  lot of estate jewelry. Some people are constantly painting. They have all one of kind pieces they bring in. Most of the paintings here are one of a kind.”

Tthe store has been getting a good deal of press as well. She said that the store has been mentioned in the National Flea Market Magazine as a must see stop
in Massachusetts.

“In three or four issues they list the best places in the country to buy vintage goods,” she said. “There are no other places around here listed.”

Shia added that in many vintage stores there are many reproduction pieces for sale and she also she tries to keep a full stock of authentic pieces.

Source: www.wrentham.patch.com

HOLLISTON — At 9:30 a.m. Saturday, half an hour before the start of the Citizen Scholarship Foundation of Holliston's annual Antique Show, patrons were already 
standing in line waiting to get into Holliston High School.

Foundation president Robert McGrath said it took ticket collectors about half an hour to get everyone through.

Waiting in the high school gym for the patrons were antique exhibitors from around the region selling a variety of items, including toys, jewelry, furniture, campaign buttons, pictures, maps and glassware.

Sharon residents Jill and John Horwitz were visiting the show for the first time, and were going home with a few pieces, including a decorative wooden shovel and a dresser for a doll.

"Things we obviously can't live without," Jill said with a laugh.

The pair decided to go to the show because it was something to do. Plus, it hadn't started snowing yet.

"This is a great show," said Jill. "There are so many treasures and we aren't done yet."

The show raises money for annual scholarships the foundation awards every year to Holliston students. By the end of the weekend, between 2,000 and 3,000 
people are expected to attend. Earlier in the week, organizers were concerned the weekend storm could affect attendance. But new forecasts predicting a small 
storm had McGrath optimistic.

"It's getting better," he said.

A couple antique exhibitors did cancel because of the storm, but almost all of the 80 or so exhibitors set up shop at Holliston High.

The local show is the only one collector Denise Broderich, of Holliston, rents a booth for. She has only been in the business for about four years, recently realizing she needed to start selling some of her collectibles in order 
to buy new ones.

"I like buying things and selling things," she said. "You never know what people might like."

Broderich does sell items at a number of local businesses, including The Stray Cat in Medway and House at 755 in Holliston. She said she collects all types of items, but is usually drawn to antique toys and medical supplies. While Broderich was busy helping customers during the day, her wife Reenie attracted a  number of onlookers while she spun yarn using a spinning wheel.

This year's show was the first in about 15 years for Joseph Rice, who does gilding and frame restoration and owns Fort Hill Studios in Northborough. He also sells antique silver and china. In recent years, Rice said he came to the show to shop, and would be reminded how great it was to be an exhibitor.

"I finally said instead of thinking about it, I'm going to call them and get a contract," said Rice. "I think they get a good crowd."

The show continues today from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Source: www.metrowestdailynews.com

Ever wonder what those old Tonka trucks, sports cards or marbles are worth?

Maybe you have a Tiffany lamp or silver tea set that grandma passed down to her kin when she cleaned out her attic.

Whatever your treasure or collectible is, one way to learn more about its value is to bring it to the Beloit Historical Society’s Antiques Appraisal event set for 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday, March 2.

The fundraising event will be held at the Lincoln Center, 845 Hackett St. Those who attend can bring one item for appraisal for $5 or two for $10. Popcorn will be offered for free and bottled water will be available. Three auctioneers — Rich Ranft, Shirley Baumann and Peter Dast — will be set up at three tables.

“People probably should know the value of things to pass down to their children,” said Nancy Wallace, president of the Beloit Historical Society Board  of Directors.

And, the event is also for fun and to help fund a good cause, she said.

Proceeds will go toward improvements being made to the kitchen at the Hanchett-Bartlett Homestead, 2149 St. Lawrence Ave. to make it more functional and useful.

Ranft, of United Country Beloit Auction and Realty, said recently he has seen many changes in the value of antiques and collectibles over the years and that
taste changes with generations.

“Most people collect what they grew up with,” he said.

Especially popular collectible items presently are boys’ toys, for example.

Regardless, “I believe there’s a collector for everything.”

While the worth of many antiques is not what it was a decade or so ago, quality or high-end items with names like Tiffany, for instance, still have value. Guns also retain their value, Ranft said.

Overall, on acquiring antiques he said, “They’re worth having if you like them.”

The March 2 event will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis and volunteers will help direct people to the appraisal tables.

Source: www.beloitdailynews.com

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. -
Police say they are looking for a woman who shot at the owner of a small South Jersey antique shop Thursday.

The shooting happened around 2:30 p.m. at the Antiques Only store on the 200 block of Ganttown Road in Washington Township.

Owner Joy Piddleton tells FOX 29's Shawnette Wilson an angry customer fired into her store after demanding the money she put down on a layaway over a year ago.

"She said I want my money and I said, 'we don't do that' even though she had the gun pointed right at me," Piddleton said.

The gun wielding woman wouldn't back down and was willing to risk it all for a mere $35, Piddleton said.

"So, I gave her $35, not nicely crumpled it up and gave it to her and I pushed the gun out of the way."

Piddleton says the customer wanted interest, so she gave her the money plus $20 in interest and the woman ran off.

Piddleton says she followed, threatening to call police - that's when she says the customer snapped.

"That's when she turned around and shot me.

The woman sped off in a car.

Piddleton says she's lucky to be alive. She now wants the woman caught, but even more than that she says she wants her to get help.

"I want her helped because I think she's insane to do something for $35."

Police say the woman was seen getting into a 2012 Toyota sedan with Pennsylvania license plates that read "JBP 2859."

Source: www.myfoxphilly.com

Two Hollywood prop guns stolen from a Southeast Portland movie store last July have been recovered.

Mike Clark, owner of  Movie Madness, located at 4320 Southeast Belmont Street, told KOIN Wednesday
that an unidentified man brought the Winchester rifle and Winchester shotgun into the store on Sunday, Feb. 17. The man told employees that he found the guns
on Mount Tabor.

The man provided employees with his name and email
address, but no phone number. Clark said that the man did not appear to match the description of the suspect.

The guns were reportedly used by actors John Wayne and William Holden in two 1960s movies. The shotgun was allegedly used by Holden in 1969’s ‘The Wild Bunch,’ and the rifle by Wayne in 1962’s ‘The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence.’

On July 24, 2012, Clark told investigators that a man loitered in his store for about 25 minutes before breaking into a locked display cabinet and stealing the two guns.

Portland police used surveillance video and tips from the public to identify the suspect as 47-year-old Erick Duane
Johnson. He is wanted on a parole violation warrant. If caught he faces a charge of first-degree aggravated theft. 

Johnson is described as white, 5-foot-7, 185 pounds, blue eyes, and is either balding or with short brown hair. On the day of the theft, he rode away from the store on a
dark-colored mountain bike.

Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward
for information leading to Johnson’s arrest. Anyone with information should call  503-823-HELP.

Source: www.koinlocal6.com

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An early Monday two-alarm fire severely damaged an antique store in Old Town Clovis, fire officials said.
The fire at Country Rose Antiques & Accents, 530 Fifth St., was reported at at 2:56 a.m. Preliminary estimates set damages at $1.5 million for the structure and $500,000 for the contents, fire officials said.

Because the building was made of unreinforced masonry, it will have to be demolished, fire officials said.

The cause of the fire is undetermined; it is being investigated by Clovis Fire Department investigators.

When the first alarm rang, more than a dozen Clovis firefighters were dispatched. They reported heavy smoke coming from the front of the building. 

The Fresno Fire Department and Fresno County Fire Department responded to the second alarm. In all, about 10 fire engines and 33 firefighters responded. No injuries were reported.
 
Source: www.Fresnobee.com