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by Helen Ingram People who seek out and preserve the flot- sam of the ages are called antique dealers. . They do us a great favour. Through their activities we are provided with an understan- . ding of how people lived and conducted their lives on a day to day basis, during the settle- ment of our part of this continent. This is im- portant knowledge to have, not only to evaluate the progress that has been made in settlement, growth and living conditions. But also in preserving the artifacts of the past we are able to correctly identify the antiques which we ac- quire or. inherit. In 1967, the anniversary year of our na- tionhood, it was said that it was possible still to "touch the hand that touched the hand." Now, almost a generation later, there are fewer people of whom we can ask, "how was this done?" Or, "how did this object do this or that job?"' We do have a legacy of letters, books, and diaries left to us by observant people who took time to record their observations. Still, these provide only a base; for the rest of us must re- ly upon our research and common sense for identification of those antique bits and pieces which are not immediately recognizable. With the possible exception of the person who inherits a fine old antique and goes out in- tending to find another like it, I doubt whether anyone makes a conscious, deliberate, decision to collect antiques. Most of us drift into it, for the lure is sub- tle. Once contracted it appears to be incurable! One has only to acquire one unusual item, perhaps a tea box, or a pretty dish and it is not long before the urge to see if there are more like it has you chasing off to auctions and anti- que shows. As time goes on, the accumulation in- creases and the need to have smore space forces a change. It is necessary to become selective and to sort out the less desirable items. At this point many collectors refine their accumulations and limit themselves to one type or category. A collector of glass, for instance, may decide that out of a wide variety of goblets, bowls or spoonholders, only spoonholders real- ly interest. Of those, perhaps only floral pat- terns, or a special shape holds appeal. That per- son is on the way to bécoming a very knowledgeable and selective collector. Sometimes, the surplus finds it way back onto the market, sometimes not. Excess material is good for swapping and often it is possible to make a deal with another collector whereby both benefit. The search is the thing. Visiting farm auc- tions, poking around in junk shops, going to an- tique shows, it's all time consuming and it's all fun. Except when the desk you bought in mint condition doesn't quite fit the car trunk and the skies open on the way home and a deluge THE LURE OF ANTIQUES descends that would have surprised Noah. Of course, these wonderful finds only occur on the day vou weren't actually looking for anything, $0 you are dressed in your best, and the usual assortment of ropes, tarpaulins, and blankets that have been to every auction are safely at home. However, the friends made along the way, the experience shared, the adventures, sometimes funny, often poignant, all add to the compelling fascination of this great pre- occupation. Fads abound, and it is a good idea to know whether your particular interest has antique value, before you spend a lot of money on it. A few years ago, insulators from telephone poles were a great fad. The prices rose higher, some people paid very highly for special ones. Today, insulators can be had very cheaply. No one seems interested in them anymore. Anything, that enjoys popularity for a time, - but lacks antique value is called "a collec- table." Japanese china, depression glass, oak furniture, odds and bods from the early part of this century (with the expection of Art Nouveau). These things which are expensive now will give way to other fads and the prices will drop. There is a bed and breakfast house in Cor- ning N.Y, the owners are dedicated antique collectors. One of the rooms in their house is furnished with memorabilia of the famous singer Jenny Lind. The furniture belong to the era during which she was most famous, on the wall hung a framed program from the concert she gave in Toronto. On the dresser, a scarf and a pair of her gloves were displayed. There was even a Jenny Lind rocker to complete the pic- ture. The owner told me she had picked up all this memorabilia from one end of the States to the other and had found the program in Toron- to. It was a charming way to use the collection. Sometimes, memorabilia is antique as well as collectable! No one who buys old things is content to know only the object. Sooner or later the desire to know more takes hold. It is a good idea to invest in reading material and better still to have a copy of Gerald Stevens "In A Canadian Attic" in your glove compartment for quick reference. There are many other books available and a visit to the library will show you what to look for. Also at the library you may find copies of local histories of the various townships. These frequently are prime sources of information. Collecting is fun, interesting, compulsive, educational, not as inexpensive as it once was (although finds do occur). and well worth the effort. Happy Hunting! Mrs. Ingram is a buyer and seller of anti- ques, and an active collector for more than 30 vears. She resides in Seagrave. " AND THE at .. Still lots of Great Bargains In Winter Clothing Sorry No charges layaways or return on sale merchandise BOTH StoRts WiLL BE OPEN FRIDAY 10 3 00PM. DOGGIE SALON - Dog Washing & Grooming 19 SUNRISE DR, BLACKSTOCK For Appointment Call: 986-4989 ~ ance LLANE 0 14) 19) QUEEN ST PORT PERRY (016: 985 7306 ALL LINES OF GENERAL INSURANCE VICTORIA TRUST Since Bs 11% 5 Yr Annual Interest 229 QUEEN ST. - 985-8551 f PORT PERRY 7 80 BROCK ST. 852-368 UXBRIDGE 10v:% Semi-Annually Rates Subject to Change Without Notice y ------- Seagrave Cub Pack camps out in the cold Seagrave and Area News by Liz Smith I didn't get a lot of calls this week - matter of fact I only got one - so this will be a short column. " The Seagrave Cub Pack spent the weekend of the 18th to 20th of January at Camp Samac for their Annual Winter Camp. The weather was perfect and the boys and leaders had a great time. We were pleased to have a visit from the Dane Gibson, a Scouter with 54 years service, who works on the Outreach program of the Metro Toronto Zoo. The Gibson gave the boys a fascinating presentatjon on en- dangered species in Canada, and the zoo's work. Attention - a correction for the Robinglade Ladies Group. There was. an error in last weeks news. The Woman's group will meet Feb. 6th' at Sandi Jonahs. The March meeting is Wed. March 27 Joan Gordon's home. As you know, good attendance would really be ap- preciated at the Feb. meeting. Those in- terested in joining this group please call Diane Cooke at 985-3722. Members of the Good Neighbours - don't forget the family sleigh ride at Joan and Earl Durwards at 1:30 on Sunday, Feb. 10th. Bring cookies to go with the hot chocolate, and dress warmly! Roy Smith would like to hear from those plan- ning to attend the annual February get together by Feb. 10th. This event will be held on Sunday, Feb. 17th at 1:00 pm at the Feedlot in Manchester. If you have any news, please call Patty Williams at 985-2453 for next weeks column. Remember - if you don't call we can't write it! 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