Antique of the Week

Our Monday Afternoon series features an antique from our inventory for sale at a special price. Many of these are quality "entry level" antiques or accessories that are great for the Old House restorer who may be a little short of cash but it trying to decorate in Period style. Regular readers have a chance to get a good quality antique at a very attractive price.

One of the most difficult tasks in restoration is finding proper art for your wall. One of our specialties is antique lithos and gravures form the 1870-1900's. Today's selection is an authentic period gravure called "By the Seaside" by Delobbe. This is a great way to decorate your home at a very attractive price. this print is offered at 24.50. Please check out our other lithos and gravures shipping is 7.50 and we can combine shipping on multiple print orders.

http://www.blujay.com/item/By-the-Seaside-by-Delobbe-ANTIQUE-GRAVURE-FROM-the-1880-s-1040500-2008303&keywords=

Looking for something special? Please let us know chances are we may have it or can locate it for you.

Victorian Period Design: Egyptian Revival

Egyptian Revival is perhaps the 'rarest of the rare' in terms of Victorian Period Interior design. Egyptian Revival ran concurrent with Renaissance Revival. In may ways Egyptian revival was "fad" but it was typically a fad reserved for the very rich. Manufactures like Pottier & Stymus, Marcotte and Herter Bros. Cabinet makers Kimbus and Cabell and the Allen Bros produced high end pieces as well.

The opening of the Suez Canal really inspired people to acquire "things Egyptian" the style found its way into jewelry, and stained glass and art. Today Egyptian Revival pieces are the most sought after and coveted by serious collectors. The style was an "American Thing" and did not catch on in Europe.

Stylistically most pieces follow standard Renaissance revival forms but with Egyptian ornamentation. The Richard Ruetlinger House in San Francisco may have one of the best Egyptian Victorian parlors in the country. The style featured a resurgence in 1922 when Tutankhamen's Tomb was discovered.

Now most will never own a Pottier and Stymus Egyptian parlor set or chairm but it is possible by mixing Renaissance revival furniture with Egyptian busts, Tapestries and Egyptian reproduction accessories to recreate the "look" of the Egyptian Revival.

Victorian Egyptian Style was the rarest of the rare, just like the Egyptian artifacts that inspired it.

3rd Annual "Antiques at the Willows" Tag sale

This Saturday and Sunday will be our 3rd annual "Antiques at the Willows" Tag sale. This sale held at our home features Art, Antiques and "stuff". with years selling antiques and moving to cincinnati later this summer we have TONS of stuff we arent keeping! from 9-5 both days (between the raindrops)

Historic Covered Bridge Destroyed!

A tornado destroyed the Historic Moscow Covered Bridge which crossed Big Flatrock River , in Moscow, Rush County. This double span Burr Arch Truss structure had a length of 330 feet, or 346 feet including the 8-foot overhang at each end, with a portal clearance 15 feet 6 inches wide by 13 feet 6 inches high. Built in 1886 by Emmet L. Kennedy, this was the only double span bridge still standing which the Kennedy family constructed.

The F3 tornado with winds up to 150 MPH ripped through Rush County on Tuesday and destroyed several historic buildings in the town as well. This occurred just a few short weeks before the annual covered bridge festival. State and Federal authorities are still surveying the damage left by the tornado. It is unknown at this time if the bridge will be reconstructed.

May is Preservation Month

Just a reminder that May is Historic Preservation Month in Indiana. there are events across the State. Some particular events of interest in the Indianapolis area are:

May 17th :The Restore Indy workshops , if you have an old house that needs work, this workshop is for you. Experts cover topics ranging from masonry and window repair to researching a house's history. The event takes place at the Irvington Presbyterian Church, 55 Johnson Avenue in Indianapolis's historic Irvington neighborhood. Box lunch is provided.

May 24th:Architectural Styles of the Old NorthsideQueen Anne or Italianate? Learn to distinguish between basic architectural styles at a workshop led by Suzanne Stanis, Historic Landmarks Foundation's Director of Heritage Education and Information. Put your knowledge to the test on a guided walking tour through Indianapolis’ Old Northside, one of the city’s premier historic neighborhoods

A complete calendar of events and post may be found at http://www.historiclandmarks.org/tours/pages/calendar.aspx

Vote!!! On historic Preservation?

As you all probably know if you regularly read this blog, I am in Indiana and today is our primary. We all know the candidates positions on things like the war, gas prices and such but what do we know about their historic preservation positions? Clearly with the importance of this Election this is an "Off the Radar" issue but I thought Id just try to see what I could find out. Because it is such a "niche" issue I could find little out on the campaign sites. So I had to look at other resources.

Hillary Clinton: Save America’s Treasures is a program of the White House Millennium Council created in 1997 by the President and First Lady to celebrate the accomplishments of this American century, and to engage every sector of our society in giving "gifts to the future" that convey our rich heritage. Save America’s Treasures is a bipartisan partnership between the U.S. Government and private individuals, corporations, foundations and experts in the fields of architecture and historic preservation. Hillary Clinton was activly involved in the program. According to her Senate voting record she supported preservation issues 100 percent for all years available.

Barak Obama: Co-introduced legislation would designate Illinois' 17 southernmost counties as a National Heritage Area, qualifying the region for Interior Department grants for preservation, education and economic development related to tourism. According to project vote smart, Obama supported historic presrvation issues 100 percent for all years available.

John McCain: Supported efforts in 1999 regarding the National Parks Improvement Act. According to project vote smart John McCain scored a zero rating in 2005 and 2004. He did get a 60 percent rating in 2003.

In the interests of full disclosure I voted for Hillary Clinton in the Indiana Primary today