One of my guilty pleasures is visiting antique shops and watching antiques shows on television. I blame this pleasure on my mother, who despite a generally poor sense of direction could locate the nearest antique shop in a new town in a matter of minutes. As a child, trying not to touch the old and dusty items while waiting for her was a trial, and I had more sympathy for my father’s view that many of the pieces should have been dropped from a great height some decades earlier… However, as I got older my attitude changed! I’ve begun to realize that things that have stood the test of time have something to teach us.
I was recently looking through some boxes in the basement and found some forgotten treasures I had accumulated during these antiquing trips. I recalled how intrigued I was with things that had a second purpose integrated, such as a needle case shaped like an umbrella, with a panoramic view of a Victorian seafront through a tiny hole in the handle, or an antler horn spoon that had a whistle carved into the handle. The creativity and craftsmanship required to make these items still amazes me, and makes it clear how badly made mass-produced items are in comparison.
In our world where time is money and we don’t like to wait for anything, it is refreshing to look closely at things that took hours for someone to make. Too often we can now buy the quick version of a product that saves us the tedium of going through the whole process for ourselves – think cake mixes. I have to admit that I have given up doing many things that require long hours of effort – unless I can multi-task and do something else at the same time – and could stand to relearn the values of patience and perseverance.
At the risk of sounding like a Hallmark card, it also makes me realize that who we are today also reflects the lives we’ve led and the values we’ve adopted. Like it or not, we tend to show by our actions and beliefs what we have experienced. We can process the information, deal with the issues these experiences may have raised, but that past is always there for those who look to see. Like the Victorian artifacts, we also hold important knowledge about the values of the times, people and experiences that formed us.
So, back to the antiques and the lessons they offer; if you have something old you admire in your house, take it out and look at it carefully. What can you tell about the designer and creator from their work? Did they invest enough time and effort for the final product to look good from every angle? Is it interesting and intriguing or beautifully simple? Is there a lesson in what you see for you?
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Our house is filled with antiques gathered from antique stores and auctions. Not only is it a wonder to look at the craftmanship but I love “wondering” about the owners who came before us. What were their stories? It gives me great satisfaction to know that my children will take these pieces into their homes (recycling at its best) with the same appreciation.
Like you I often wonder about previous owners, especially when things show signs of years of loving care and signs of use. It helps get things into perspective to realize that this item was around before my appearance, and stands every chance of being useful long after I’ve gone!
I love antiques also Gillian . When I was young and first married my exhusband , a cabinetmaker , met a class A antique dealer and did some repair and touch up work for him . That led to attending at his expense the New York Antique Show back in the 60s . I had a ball seeing close up the furniture I would never be able to afford but that didn’t dim my appreciation of it . Now I have as many old pieces as I could afford to collect over the years , nothing like the stately things you see at the New York show but things that have a warmth and a history that new things just don’t have . Neither do they have the construction of present day furnishings . I will happily leave these things to my daughters and hope they get passed down thru our family . It makes me smile to imagine greatgrand chidren tucked into some of the old beds . I wholeheartedly agree with you . Blessings .
Thank you, I agree that it is wonderful to have something we treasure to pass down to the next generation knowing they have enjoyed it in our homes over the years.
We have several antiques that came from our families. The history of the furniture is as valuable as the workmanship. My children are excited that one day they will possess items that have a personal connection. This has led them to study the places where our families have lived and to study each decade to see what it was like to have lived then.
What a wonderful way for your children to understand of how others lived. No wonder they are excited to be the next to have those pieces of furniture in their homes!
I loved your post. I wrote something very similar recently, about what a treasure it is to revisit items from my past. My favorite thing to seek out in antique stores, in addition to the quality furniture, is old photographs. Is it my age? Is that why I hanker for things from the past? I enjoyed reading your take on the hobby.
Thank you. I certainly feel that as I get older I have developed a greater sympathy for other older things too!
Thank you for this thoughtful post. I to love antiques, browsing through antique shops & especially making that special find at flea markets. As a fan of Antiques Roadshow, I’m often amazed by what people have found, or have been fortunate to have had passed down through their families.
Whether or not one can afford them, no matter how much they worth – money wise – they are a piece of history right in front of the viewer. If only they could talk & share where they’ve been & what they’ve been witness to!
Some items can take you back to the days of childhood, when those antiques were everyday household items. Others exhibit such a fine eye for detail & beauty, from their maker, that I can’t help but wish I could have watched it being made. Each & every item that been carefully designed, handcrafted, or painted carries with it something of the people involved in the process.
If we are lucky enough to become the steward of such pieces, may we remember to treasure them while they are with us and pass them along to someone who will love & enjoy them as we did. And may we also hold whatever & whoever is most precious to us in our hearts and appreciate the beauty that lays within, every moment, every day of our lives.