Antique of The Week: Estey Parlor Organ

Before there was TV and radio, and computers, Wii's and IPOD's and all the other 'stuff' we have to keep us entertained. No self respecting Victorian Homeowner would be caught dead without a Parlor Organ. These were the home entertainment center of the 1800's

This "high style" model would have been found in an prominent place in the formal parlor. This one as Estey is about as high style as you would find. Impressive detailing abounds with numerous carvings, burled walnut and just an exceptional renaissance casework.  8 stops, nice keyboard, just a beautiful display piece for all your "sitabouts". This will need a bellows reseal if you choose to use it for playing purposes but a minor repair. The real value is in this impressive casework and details.

We obtained this piece several years ago, and its been in my private collection ever since. This piece came from  Northern Indiana and had been in a small church for many years so it was lovingly maintained.. I have too many pump organs in my collection (I've been "hoarding" them for years) and we are picking up a  couple of large scale sideboards and dressers so something has to go.

Priced at a very reasonable 475.00, less than you would pay for one that has been sitting in an attic or garage for many years and would need refinishing.  I've sold comparable quality pieces for 750-950 in our shop so this is a great deal. Must be picked up in Indy. We will help you load it. We have several organ stools in a variety of styles and prices range from 75-250.00 if you need one.

With the holidays coming, this might be the perfect gift for your house restoration and its a piece that will only go up in value and rarity. For more information please contact me at victiques@hotmail.com.

Organization and record keeping of your antique collection

We all know if you live in an old house you also have a fondness for "Old Things". For some it's simply 'clutter' for others it may become a collection. At some point you will find yourself needing to "manage' all that stuff.

Right now I am in the process of "decluttering' our Indy House, "The Willows", built in 1895 as a shingled style late Victorian cottage, the house has a major remodel in 1915 to the craftsman style. When we bought this particular home, it had "no style', in fact every piece of woodwork was gone, doorways between rooms a had been closed up and the house suffered the indignity of the room between the kitchen and formal dining being opened up and a "breakfast bar" installed.



Our "high style'  will not translate to the typical buyer so we have to take things "down several notches" to furniture the typical buyer will have.



We elected to take the house back to its 1915 roots. With the brick porch and other changes made during the 1915 remodel it made the most sense to restore to this period as everyone except maybe the most clever of Victorian architectural buffs would recognize it as a shingle style bungalow and this house as well as the other homes on the block all the other houses around it underwent the same high style "Craftsman makeover". We actually never intended to live in this house but rather bought it to 'rescue' it from the clutches of a slumlord who was looking at it to turn into an illegal duplex.. We actually lived in a large Victorian home around the corner which we put on the market during the "real estate heydays' and watched in amazement as it sold in a few days for far more than ( in my opinion) it was worth and we found our self shoehorning 3000 square feet of "stuff' into a 2200 square foot house. Thankfully we had just built a new  oversize carriage house with an office above that was perfect to store the overflow......besides who needs to actually keep a car in a garage anyway? Apparently the house wasn't too bad as it was on HGTV as an inspiration house on the series "Rate my space" and has been the subject of a couple of feature articles. Pictures of the House are here: http://picasaweb.google.com/victiques/Listing# and certainly if you know anyone moving to Indy, send them our way!



We have had the house on the market for while and I finally decided the "restage era' has come so the high style Victorian/craftsman furnishings must go to be replaced with "Ikea Crap" so it will appeal to the 'typical buyer of a 225K house.

So I am going through the packing stage, which is a good thing as it means our final transition to Cincinnati is not that far away. I am sure the City of Cincinnati "spies/employees" who read this blog are probably refilling their Valium prescription's about now with the thought of having to deal with me ON AN EVERYDAY BASIS!



I am not going to talk allot about packing antiques there are plenty of articles out there about that. But rather how you keep things organized. Everything, and I mean everything is listed on an access database I put together. You could just as easily do the same thing in excel spreadsheets and there are even some household inventory control programs out there that you can use too. I use the same program as I use for my antique business but in a different database. Since I keep the 'best stuff' for me I can shift between the two. I keep a copy for my insurance agent so he can update my coverage. I have riders for the antiques and one for the art. It is also a good idea to keep backups and I keep a copy ona secures server off site as well.

So what do I keep track of? Well for example take this wall sconce: I know from my inventory report the following. I bought this in 2001 from an auction house, I know exactly what a paid (surprisingly wasn't much) and I know this piece came from the estate sale of an old building  that was once a small hotel on US40. I've also done some research on just who made it and I acquired a matching one in 2006 (slightly different globe). In addition to  the photo on my database I scanned the original receipt. If you have an inherited piece it is critical to document that, which family member gave it to you , and if  there is a specific family history etc. While it doesn't seem important now, your great, great grandchildren will appreciate it more if they know the story.



Rare pieces, like this open back Rennaisance Revival barrel chair, should always have an independent appraisal done



Why go to all this trouble? Well look around you, how many things are in your room right now? If lightening struck your house, how would you know what you had. Documentation is critical. Also I am already planning where everything in this house will go in our house down there, I know what pieces will go into our warehouse storage and I can figure what pieces will come out of our warehouse and go into our house  down there as well.. Serious collecting is about more than just owning a  lot of stuff, it is about management and knowing what you have , where its at. In my case it is not only antiques I am concerned about but an art and rare book collection as well.

Soooo......someday if the Knox Hill Cottage is landmarked, it can easily become  the Nagele-Merz House Museum  of decorative Victorian design.



Make your own "no sew" Victorian Mantle Scarf.

Your mantle may look a little bare or the Holidays are coming up and you'd like something different that a piece of garland taped on you mantle. More than likely an original mantle scarf is a piece of Victoriana that you'd like to have but they are almost impossible to find. It's very likely that you are "Sewing Challenged". Sewing is not something "taught' to young people today whose only dexterity is the ability to text at lightening speed, or you might just never have figured out how that sewing machine with the 500 page manual actually works.

Well this project is easy (NO SEWING REQUIRED) and can be made with scrap material you already may have and  a couple of dollars of fringe you can buy at a craft store. The only tool you will need? A hot glue gun and just about everybody has one of those stuffed a drawer somewhere.

This is the basic pattern. Measure the length of the area you want to cover. the width should be the width of your shelf plus an inch or so, No more than 2 if you are using fringe on the edge. Add 2 inches to whatever that length is. Your front fringe should be the length you need plus 2 inches and if you want a piece of  gimp at the back the same two inches apply.

Construction is easy take your cut fabric and turn in over to the back side fold all your edges over 1 inch and if you have an iron handy iron that to make a crisp edge. Simply lift up the flaps and fold them back. Take your glue gun and run a bead of glue , then fold over the edges. REMEMBER glue guns are hot so use caution. Once the edges are glued, flip the fabric over to the front side and glue your fring and  gimp on..

You can also use this technique to make matching table runners with fringe on the short ends, a table runner or even a piano scarf.

Indianapolis: Crane falls on Historic Landmank

A 90 foot crane fell Monday on the Historic Antheneum Building on Mass Ave in Indianapolis yesterday.

The Athenæum/Das Deutsche Haus was built by the Indianapolis Socialer Turnverein (1893-1898) as a "house of culture" for the mind and body. Many liberal minded Germans, who immigrated to the United States after the failed revolution of 1848, believed in the philosophy of Friedrich Jahn - "a sound mind in a sound body."

The landmark building was built by the noted architectural firm of Vonnegut and Bohn in two phases, the East Wing in 1893-94 and the West Wing in 1897-98. in 1918 the name was changed from Das Deutsche Haus in 1918 because of anti German sentiment due to the first world war. Today the building houses the Rathskeller Restaurant and Beer Garden and the downtown YMCA.

In this photo I took yesterday you can see the crane "arm' is against the side of the building

The exterior damage was contained to the East wing where the 90 foot crane fell against the side of the building. The damage seemed to be confined to a large soffit/gutter on one side of the building. The impact damaged water pipes in the building and there was some flooding of one portion of the building and reports of some plaster damage. The building was immediately evacuated and according to a report issued late yesterday the restaurant will reopen in a few days but the YMCA may be closed for up to two weeks ans repairs are made.

The crane was on site as a crew was tuckpointing part of the building.

The East Wing facade (front of a building) is in the German Romanesque style - architecture developed in Italy and Western Europe between the Roman and the Gothic styles. The West Wing facade is in the German Renaissance Revival style - incorporating German architecture with Renaissance elements focusing on a highly decorated gable. The Building is constructed of brick with limestone detailing and features a prominent 3 storied brick tower with a conical slate roof that anchored the eastern end of the structure and an Elaborate Gables (the vertical triangular end of a building from cornice or eaves to ridge) that rises above the roof line on the Western end.

Victorian Cottage Architecture : Making a comeback as we try to live 'greener'

Simple but classic colorful cottages like this one evoke a simpler time

The McMansion is dead Long live the cottage! Victorian cottage architecture is making a comeback. While many still lust for that 9 bedroom Victorian mansion many are discovering that cottages make more sense.

Not all 'cottages' are small. This one in San Francisco is elegantly detailed but needs paint and interior restoration and was on the market for well over a million dollars.

While many equate cottages with the modern tract home, the facts are that owning a cottage in the Victorian era was hardly considered a 'bad thing'. Home ownership was sign of prosperity at a time when most people lived in flats and tenements. While it is true that cottages were often built from what were termed "pattern books", there was a plethora of accessories one could add to their home to make it a unique creation. Elaborate fireplaces and fretwork were available, Thanks to "modern" manufacturing, tin work or wooden millwork was lavishly applied to the exteriors. Stained glass windows could be ordered from a catalog. In short "small' did not necessarily mean cheap.

Cottages surrounded by gardens allow people top get closer to nature while living in an urban world..

In fact in my neighborhood of Knox Hill the cottages, built as weekend houses for the wealthy, often share the same interior details as the grand mansions of Dayton street with stencilling , cast iron or slate mantles and elaborate trim details. My favorite cottages are the ones that were built by and for craftsmens of the era. These houses often have the most incredible workmanship.

Note the wonderful trimwork and "gingerbread" on this house. All available via catalogs of the local millwork shop or lumberyard in larger cities during the Victorian era.

In this day of 'going green' and reducing or footprint smaller houses make sense. By restoring them we save them from demolition and being put in a landfill. they are cheaper to heat and cool and can be effectively insulated at lower costs. by effective window rebuilding and storms they can be comfortable and non drafty.

The shotgun cottage was often built by shop keepers or clerks who worked downtown. This one close to an urban core and probaly built originally for few hundred dollards is now worth over 350K because of its convenient location

Cottages are a viable alternative to condo ownership as instead of living in a 900 square foot condo one can for about the same money own a 1500-2000 square foot cottage and have things like a real dining room and guest rooms and space for a home office and a small yard. For empty nesters scaling down or younger people starting out Cottages make more sense and we are seeing cottages being looked at with fresh eyes and greater respect.

Antique of the week

Each week we feature an antique of the week from our inventory. Often these are great antiques at affordable prices for all you old house restorers who need to furnish your restoration. Today we feature a lovely 1870's Renaissance Revival Formal Parlour Chair Upholstered in a very presentable neutral paisley fabric.

This chair is constructed of a very attractive burl walnut and this would be a great chair anywhere in your Victorian home. Offered at 150.00. For questions, or to buy this chair please contact us at Victiques@hotmail.com We accept payment via Paypal or cash and this can be picked up in Indianapolis or Cincinnati. Sorry we do not offer shipping on this but are happy to work with your shipper.

National Night Out Celebration

All across the country neighborhood groups got together for National Night Out.

We were part of the "night out" festivities in the Holy Cross neighborhood where our Indy house is. The 400 Block of Arsenal has been putting on this event for several years and despite the almost 100 degree heat index, about 30 residents braved the heat.

Streets are closed off so the kids can play and local police officers stop by so they can meet the residents. These linkages are important so the local police officers know the people that they serve in the community and local residents know who to call and who patrols their area.

Indy Jazz Artist Gregg Bacon, who used to live on the block, performed for area residents. You can learn more about his music at http://www.greggbacon.com/

One of our newest residents, who is originally from china also serenaded the audience with a traditional Chinese instrument,(which i couldnt even begin to pronounce so I wont try). She and her husband are restoring a classic Craftsman house up the street.

It was a great time and even thought it was very hot, it was great to see all our friends out in one place.

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.

Series: 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.

Great pair of Late Victorian early Arts and Crafts Andirons. 75.00. These can be shipped but they are heavy, if you are local to Indy or Cincinnati we can arrange pickup. More details here and yes we accept paypal and all major credit cards.

http://www.blujay.com/item/Wonderful-Pair-Of-Arts-and-Crafts-Andirons-27010000-2013800&keywords=

Indianapolis: Arsenal Avenue Arts, Antiques and Yard sale Saturday!

Indianapolis: The 400 block of Arsenal Avenue becomes one big sale as the block club will host an Art, Antiques, and Yard sale Saturday.

The 400 block of Arsenal is between New York and Michigan streets in the Holy Cross neighborhood. Lots of bargains and something for everyone!