The Success of Our Antique Business Depends on the Appreciation of Current Affairs Yet With One Foot Faithful to History

 

Photos by Suzanne Currie

     When we operated our antique business in Bracebridge, from 1989 until the mid 1990's, before re-locating to Gravenhurst, our basement shop in the old W.W. Kinsey building, on Manitoba Street, was a recognized and even popular hangout for story spinners. If only we had been as popular with customers we might have still be situated in that uptown location. But we had great debates in front of that sales desk, in the main room, which was the perfect height to lean against or lean on an elbow to ponder the next most profound comeback to an argument presented. Most of our chats then were about history and the participants were all older and wiser than me, and gosh what a wonderful tutorials I received without paying tuition.

     We talked about the years of the Second World War with those who had been in the war, and we shared stories about the tragedy that unfolded upon those battlefields, and in the air over Britain, and Germany, and the sailors who had been lost at sea the result of U-Boat attacks on convoys. My father Ed was a sailor in the famed North Atlantic Squadron guarding the merchant convoy ships, and he witnessed ships being sunk, and the sailors cast adrift. He used to tell me about the sailors they couldn't pluck out of the sea, after a sinking, because their navy ship could not afford to drop behind the fleet they were protecting; and how these struggling sailors, even knowing death was inevitable, managed to salute those who were passing, to keep up the good fight for home and country and democracy in the world. I loved my father's stories, even though they were strained, and he didn't really feel comfortable re-telling them. I needed to know. I was enormously respectful of what information he did allow me access, up until the final days of his life in hospital. Some of his stories were shared with my cluster of buddies, some of whom could validate what he had related to me.

     Most of my collection of friends were drawn to our dingy little basement shop because they were collectors of militaria, and we always had a few select pieces to offer. Not much, really, but we did have quite a few books on the war years as well as some pieces of military ephemera (old paper) including war letters and related correspondence. It wasn't just war we talked about in those afternoon gab sessions. We discussed all kinds of world affairs and political situations from local administration to the wider global village. I learned a lot from those generously talkative blokes, who let me in on historical secrets that I had not previously known, and the general sharing of information that I have always desired as a citizen of the world; who truthfully has led a rather sheltered life when it comes down to involvements and adventures others have participated. I rather enjoy my life and times as both a writer and antique dealer, but truthfully, I have dwelled more on a passive, gentle relationship with history and its chronicle at home and abroad.

     Our family members are news junkies. We might dwell a little too long for our own good in times past, and the relics of those other times which we like to seek out, preserve, conserve and offer to others who share of interest in olden times and olden ways. But we would like it to be known, that in the continuation of what my antique shop mates established many years back, being the afternoon news and history scrum, we Curries continue to encourage and appreciate for our own enlightenment. Two out of four of us are avid CNN watchers, and since the change of Presidency in the United States four years ago, up to and including the present, we are rabidly keen on knowing how our neighbors are faring in these difficult times. As for the Covid watch, you probably wouldn't believe how tuned we were each day, to every statistic local, provincial, national and international. It was important from the beginning, more than fifteen months ago, and right up to this afternoon, when the final Currie was vaccinated with our first shot, the latest breaking news, in the most factual, truthful sense of course, has been read, consumed and added to our "information cart." Our dread is that we fall behind on the news cycle, and the latest occurrences we should be aware of, as not only responsive citizens, but as main street business owners who have a keen interest in being up to date on the news of the day, week and month. If you have spoken to us about current affairs, locally or otherwise, you will appreciate our commitment to remain up to speed; and I suppose it has a lot to do with the way we have always run our main street businesses, feeling it is incumbent upon us to know what's going on around us, that may, as it often does, draw us into a vortex of conflict or contenting resolution.

     As of late, we have been, at times, quite overwhelmed by the latest breaking news, that comes the result of uncovered evil of the past, and the manifestation of hate in the present tense. We are all, in our family, interested in history and historical events, and we know a great deal more about the tragedies and prejudices of the past, than we may present in a casual meeting with customers, who may believe we are in this profession to make big money exploiting other folks despatched heirlooms. Whether or not they feel we are believers in the "whole story," and are true historians who can discern truth from accepted fictions, it might surprise them to know we are perpetually active when it comes to fully appreciating what we buy and sell, and who we might offend offering some particularly sensitive articles and relics. We often acquire materials by donation, that we offer to museums and archives that can benefit from the controversial content, such as war time images we will never offer for sale; but will consider, for historical research, to place them in the hands of experts.

     The purpose of mentioning all of the above, is to assure our customers and friends, that we do take the news of the day with great seriousness, because in one way or another, our ongoing education and enlightenment, assists us be better stewards of certain realities of history that can and does arrive on our doorstep as materials to content with, and problem solve to avoid potential conflict and hurt feelings of those most intimate to the material context. I believe many antique dealers are equally interested to know more about the history they come in contact with, often by happenstance on their travels. I've had many interesting conversations with well known antique professionals since I began in the business in the mid 1970's, and in quite a few cases in my own career, I've drawn from their experiences and their wise approach to such sensitive matters. Additionally, it has been a wonderful liaison over these many years to have come in contact with so many well informed dealers who have assisted folks like us, be better at our enterprise, and much more aware of the sensitivities amongst our clientele that otherwise, we might never have suspected. We are, as a result, very much attentive to our friends and neighbors here at Birch Hollow, and we will never change our opinion, that it is much preferred to be in touch and in tune with the past and present, than to ever believe that commerce alone over-rides the all important social interaction with people. Real people who have suffered from tragedy and misfortune in their lives and families, dating well back in the past, and deserve the basic respect of folks like us, not to callously re-introduce something we should have known could be hurtful. Common sense is a pretty basic resource in these matters. Even with the precautions, can we still cross the line in what we offer for sale. It's impossible to avoid everything that can make folks uncomfortable, but it is responsible to listen to concerns visitors might have, such that you can appreciate their point of view, as related to what we believe to be a fair protocol of sensitivity.

     We recoil many times each month when we hear about terrible news events and share sadness routinely, with the sad reckoning we can only be sympathetic watchers from afar. But it is all a part of our business regardless, because we are purveyors of history and its artifacts, and inevitably, some of these events, at some point, will be represented by us in the context of, for example, a book on the subject that we will profit from when sold. It is why we feel it necessary to handle it all with heightened respect and dignity, as we have been doing since we put our our shingle so many years ago now.

     As time waits for no one, news is what it is, but we should never dismiss it casually as being irrelevant to our daily lives. We've found out differently a thousand times or more in our antiquing years on the road and in the shop.