Careless and Callous - Accumulation of Inherited (Antiquarian) Art - Part Five - "Ample"

Careless and Callous:

Accumulation of Inherited (Antiquarian) Art

Part Five

"Ample"

            I do not

            Worry about it

            Much

            Anymore:

            The “keep”

            Or the abandonment

            Of inherited (antiquarian) art

            In the home.

            The pattern is established to my eye and the formula of that pattern has been shown to you (Parts One through Four) so

            More often then naught I am a ‘merely’ “again” looking over and through some other old antiques picker’s craft and slight of hand.  “Okay” I say to all that and noting that “markets change” (in their short terms) for the various ‘old things’ but the classics and standard bearers of the realm of ‘good’ ‘antiques’ has not faltered.  And does not.  Tawdry users of the that word; “antiques”, continue the old school traditions of beeline value valuations (careless and callous) and ‘don’t know’.  The ratio is about the same as from when I started all this (antiques hunting) now fifty years ago.  I would like to say I find it vulgar... that in this day and age they be so that; ‘careless and callous’ but... I don’t.  I find it pathetic and amusing.

            The ‘ample’ of my now long work experience ‘in the houses’ and with the keepers of the keep... or the their abandonment of the ‘their things’ is

            As natural as puddles after rain.

            So natural is the domestic domain of the variable of careless and callous and the resulting ‘keep’ or abandonment... that I harvest the singular result that is “I cannot fail”.  So much ‘is in there’; the old New England private homes... in such disarray... and in the handling-of-all-this... beeline value... that it (the contents of the old homes) has more often become a messy baby’s diaper.  It is so messy that one, alone, ‘cannot change it’.

            I don’t do anything about that.  I do not try to be reasonable about that.  I do not even ‘get in the way’.

            Usually, when I finally do arrive on the scene, it has taken a while for the true ‘careless and callous’; the established pure décor (Part Four), to be bandied in its wholeness to message the principals (heirs and executer, etc) that their special needs... need me.  I am speaking of a ‘really’; the décor of true careless and callous; the depth of that (Part Four), that is ‘so that’ that... oddly... I do get ‘in there’.  After dispersing the less experienced (and less professional) rabble; the “I want to be” and “I CAN DO THIS” (they cannot), I soon find myself alone ‘in there’ wrapping cordage around drawers full of ‘not looked at’ and “getting it all... out of there”.

            That may take years; decades.  That is the part most hidden in a careless and callous décor distribution.  It all just does not ‘get dumped’ in one swoop.  No.  It is ‘pieced’.  I do that: the ‘pieced’.  Everyone enjoys that; it is not a bumpy road or a violent rip.  It is not a scream, a horror show, a trashing or a crass rummage.  In fact, managed amply, ‘rummage’ is ‘never’ ‘anything’.  Even the worst (a TV table, for example) leaves on ‘fair terms’ with no screaming and, often, a friendly pat.  The drawer may be tied shut and never looked in but ‘amply’ is a satisfactory ‘carry out’ the front door.

            The first time I purchased (purloined?) a true ‘careless and callous’ estate’s contents, I, after a period of mired in abundance, discerned that ‘one may live off these’ estates for years.  That is what is ‘done with them’.  If I don’t get (by contents purchase agreement) the estate contents all up front, the estate contents usually becomes ‘a mine’ that I ... mine... for decades.  The heirs may ‘do that too’.  Mining; a mining operation.  Over decades.  There is that much stuff... ‘in there’.  Long term mining is easier on everyone; a flock of small decisions are easier than a ‘battle plan’ clean out that often, in fact, requires an army and precise maneuvers.  I know of what I speak.  Well.

            The steady hand on the helm of the old New England ‘careless and callous’ ‘accumulation of (antiquarian) art’... allows the whole to slip through the shallow harbors, avoid prying eyes, avoid ‘dock fees’, avoid consumer disclosures and, taking the last a little further, avoid inventory of... and lists of... “anything”.  Presented properly below radar, a careless and callous ‘old New England’ estate contents is one of the richest ‘surface deposits’ of undistributed assets... in old New England.  But again; note the ‘steady hand on the helm’ phrase.  I do not need or want a dizzy wrecking ball yabbering about ‘VALUE’, ‘MONEY’ and... “ME”.

            Around.

            Usually, the historic tradition of the contents; its careless and callous strength, and the maturity of the heirs in the community (a sixth sense) allows the steady hand process.  Annual distributions from the contents (“mining”) over... several decades... is a “the best way”.  Eventually it gets down to ‘the dregs’?  Reminding of “THE (kitchen) DRAWERS ARE FULL” (Part Three) state and the “rich enough” clause (Part Four), one may denote that any ‘dregs’ may well be ‘way above’ in quality from comparison with ‘any old average’ estates kitchen drawer contents.  If the contents is as it should be; a true careless and callous contents, then ‘there are no dregs’ in there.  The mine... is gold.  Commercially, ‘it is all good’.

            If sterling silver butter knives are scattered in the closed drawers of the estate’s furniture... after once being called to serve to ‘pry open’ or act as if a screwdriver... now “bent” and tossed into a closed drawer...:  If one discerns that... and has that status complimented by the discernment of scattered sterling silver teaspoons... “here and there” too... one may take that train of discernment for a very inclusive grasp of the... logical... deductive... status of the whole (true careless and callous old New England estate contents).  And bet on that.

            Again:  And bet on that.

            Yes, that is right:  Gamble.

            If the careless and callous estate’s qualities are symbolically represented by old bent sterling silver butter knives ‘tossed’... then one may take that to show the wealth and quality of the whole estate?  Then turn with that informed deduction and

            Buy it all

            By gamble (“sight unseen”).

            This very last is where the “you” are not “there” and only a scattered few “I” show up with the abilities to market this gamble.  If... one has actually seen those butter knives in a careless and callous décor as I describe... then, possibly, “you know”... but may still be hesitant to gamble.  If one ‘has not seen this’ (tossed sterling silver butter knives)... then all of this will probably appear to be a vague confusion that would, at a ‘least’, “require” you look it over (examine the contents carefully; the beeline value valuation noted earlier).  That alone; consideration of doing that, in my realm, takes you out.  The “they” of the estate rarely want a “you” “doing that”.  I am saying I put my money down, tie the drawer shut and carry it all (the estate contents) off ‘without looking’.  Most ‘would never’ (have the... well... ‘bone of back’ to) ‘do that’.  And... THAT

            IS THAT.

            Now that I have spoken (in five blog post chapters) of and about ‘careless and callous inheritance of (antiquarian) art, I feel confident that I have, at the least, taken this estate setting to an expanded definition of its neglect.  I have too... turned this estate form back on itself to show it as a true state of estate contents wealth; a singular and notable ‘rich peoples’ way.  Between these two realms one finds very little wiggle room if one is trying to squeeze through the ‘door opened a crack’.  Most visitors have only an accidental and momentary ‘peek’.  Others have the residue gleanings of

            What ‘they’

            “Got”  (“From my mother’s house”)

            that they “think is good”

            And want to “SHOW THAT TO YOU” (me)

            Yuck.

            I prefer the pure strain... and pursue only that.  Messy inheritance with the ‘come and go’ distribution... assures a hurried and definitively stated “I WANT” then taken out and... taken away... leaving

            “The Rest”.

            This ‘the rest’ is so dense and of such consistent quality that my “I” (eye) needs only a blurred view, rapidly ‘walked through’ to, these days, assure a ‘gamble’.  It is little gamble I suspect the reader now discerns.  Simply that much, that good, that dense and I get it all... ALL... out.  Too.  I don’t talk about it:

            The “careless and callous accumulation of inherited (antiquarian) art” and

The estates from whence it comes.

            This is the first time I have ever spoken or written of it at all.

Maine Critters. After the Fourth of July

Maine Critters

After the Fourth of July

            Maine Critters:

            You don’t know what I mean by that and you don’t have any contact with them.  You could have seen one.  See one.  Think you see one.  Wonder if ‘that’s one’

            “There”

            “That Fella.”  You wouldn’t even say that.  Out loud.

            “You’ve been BY ‘em; been CLOSE to one?  You say?

            I don’t think so.  Mister.

            They don’t like July.  “Too hot”.  So they are ornery.  And circulate amongst themselves.  They don’t “do anything like that” (“put the boat in”) (“crap”).  They “GO UP TO CAMP.”  Mostly... if they have one.  A camp.  But MOST of the Maine Critters... do not have a ‘camp’ to ‘go to’ and

            LIVE IN a ‘camp like’.... NO IT AIN’T ‘camp like’:  Those are OTHER camps other people “OWN” that are... ‘camp like...’ sort of ...like a Maine Critter’s

            HOUSE (HOME).

            There we go:  NOW we are starting off the trail and into ‘the brush beside that trail.  NOT that you’d KNOW THAT (you going off the trail) even when

            YOU SMELL IT.

            So we’ll go back and walk through again.

            Maine Critters do not like July.  It is too hot.  They stay home at what fancy folk try to emulate and title their “camp”.  But Critter Camps are THEIR HOME.  What does that mean?  Well we start with “no power” (electricity) “except”.  That last word, when linked to “power” is a whole ‘on-going’ subject.  That I don’t have to touch.  Because it is JULY so

            A Maine Critter “doesn’t need it” (power) “Now”.

            Then there is “water” (at a Critter’s home).  Explanation words include “well”, “spring”, “carry in” and “don’t have it” (“running water”)

            No bathroom (in the B, B and Beyond) sense.  Or in your mind’s eye “camp” sense.

            Nope:  There is a ‘shit house’ (outhouse) that... in July... is not seeing the same usage it sees in January.  “IN JULY... I GOT THE WHOLE DAMN MAINE WOODS to SHIT IN so what do I want to USE (mess up) THAT (the outhouse) FOR?”.

            Food:  Crackers.  Peanut butter.  Cheese.  And:  “There IS a LOT of food around” for Critters... in Maine... in July.  They probably are not as “interested” in a salad dressing  you “I MADE” and would probably eat ALL the radishes on a “BUNCH” without your notice or comment until “AFTER” “THEY WERE GONE”.  YES they (Maine Critters) stew Dandelion greens but that was

            BACK IN THE SPRING.

            This is JULY.  “TOO HOT” to stew anything.  Or is it?

            When I know ‘critters’ are ‘about’ during the heat of July mornings I know because I am told.  They say to me, for an example...; a come forth from the mouth of a retired barber from ‘around Boston’ (a ‘Masshole’):  “YOUR MAKING ME HOT JUST LOOKING AT YOU”.  He means the wool cap I am wearing.  The cotton bandana (old Boy Scout neckerchief) I am wearing.  The wool “FILSON” shirt I am wearing.  The long leg ‘old chino’ (Bean’s) VERY LOOSE (“too big”) fit (and field use dirty) “pants” (Critters do not wear ‘blue jeans’) WITH SUSPENDERS... and a belt... (all critters wear them both) and... wear the, traditionally, tall  (full standard lace) Bean Boots... I am too... wearing.  For the record this is too... a... standard... ‘not worried about ticks’ outfit.

            HE (the barber from Masshole) is wearing... “camp moccasins” with no socks, faux Madras shorts, a shirt that suggests he plays polo and an up front belly the size of a small beer keg ‘hanging over’ “his balls”.  No hat.  That ‘this’, then, is the separation of church and state of...

            Maine Critters.

            I ain’t taking my shirt off to please that guy.  NO I am not taking my BOOTS off.  I don’t care if you ‘get bit’ from not wearing a bandana.  YOU can get the damn tick at your hair line off.  I don’t want to... and never do (find one) “ON ME”.

            So at five in the morning one critter confided to me that he’d “started a fire’ when he got up.  That morning.  It is a ‘hotter than Hell’ July ‘didn’t go below seventy last night’ morning in Maine and this guy (critter) ‘started a fire’ in his woodstove to KEEP WARM.  Okay now we’re getting somewhere.  RIGHT?

            How many layers is he wearing?

            NOW we’re getting somewhere.  RIGHT?  Five layers? (shirts).  DOWN from seven layers a “MONTH AGO”.  Oh you don’t think so?  Yeah well when you get to ‘peel off’ layer FOUR your gonna know by nostril your getting into ‘old’ territory.  His bare chest has, simply, NEVER seen daylight that ‘anyone can remember’.

            In July, Maine Critters... “come out from camp” (leave their remote home) and “of course” (as always, year round “anyway”) attend the flea markets.  July offers ‘outdoor’ flea markets in addition to the year round ‘indoor’ flea markets.  Critters attend both in July.  And.

            It’s the ‘and’ I nuance.  Foremost, understand that in July (and year round for that matter) a ‘flea market’ is not only considered a safe haven to appear in public for a Maine Critter but is also a sort of dock in the ‘out and about’ world of a Maine Critter that they may, at any time of need ...paddle over to and hold on to when paddling their canoe upon the lake of ‘out and about’.  NOW that may be of little consideration especially if one views the Maine Critter’s world as being socially misfit, miss begot and ...just simply (you) missed (it).  Maine Critters are very sensitive to NOT attracting your attention.  So a “beat ass back to the flea market” is the full blown game plan ‘emergency evacuation route’.  NOT that you’d notice.

            Until we get to the “It’s the ‘and’ I nuance”.

            The Maine Critter’s world view includes a heavy view value placed on ‘food’... notably ‘bear bait’ food such as cookies, donuts, breads, breads filled with anything, breads made by farmer’s daughters neatly wrapped with little handmade labels saying ‘what it is’ including the visual support of a big gob of homemade ‘her raspberry jam’...  And...:

            Pie.

            In July

            Rhubarb pie.

            No ‘Rhubarb and’ pie.  JUST

            RHUBARB

            PIE.

But the nuance is the source... of the bear bait offerings:  “Farmer’s Markets”, so called... and often found suspiciously (conveniently) close to a ‘flea market’.  This, applied to the ‘paddle to’ dock denoted above, allows the Maine Critter an irresistible ‘drawn to’ bear bait trap that forges, as a blacksmith hammers a horseshoe on an anvil, a singular world of Maine Critter notice.  These old critters and the farmer’s market farmer’s daughters have a mutual border world they share, inclusive of the ‘known-to-critters’ denotation that the critters “ogle” a bit too.  But the nuance

            Is the Rhubarb Pie

            In July. (“Is she still making ‘em?”)

            I won’t go so far as to say “I SEE” a whole rhubarb pie ‘set out’ in a truck cab for a “MISTER WILLARD WHEN HE COMES BY YOU KNOW HE (can talk with wild ducks he says)”.  Mr. Willard has five shirts on

            In July.

            But he also brought along a little ‘witch stick’ he whittled himself and that ends up sitting on the truck seat when he leaves.  His cash payment for the “He buys one from me every week” pie is always “put in her pocket I watch her do that”.  I said ‘ogle’ above.  “I’ve always liked milk maids” Mister Willard told me once.

            It’s a special relationship, now quite common in Maine... at flea markets and farmer’s markets:  Critters and local baked goods.  “Coffee” is another ‘plus’.  Yes, Mister Willard and his fellows know a ‘good cup’ of “her coffee”.  They retreat back to the flea market to “eat” and then

            “GO BACK”.

            Yep... the whole damn morning is filled with what I just... it is NOT a ‘five minute deal’.  The critters know who, what, why, how and ‘did she MAKE’ “THIS WEEK”.  They know.  They hunt.  They track.  They sight in.  And don’t get their belly too full for then they don’t shut-up.  And that includes the ‘ogle’.  You can see it coming.  Send in the tow truck and tow the critter away before he...:  “Time for you to go back to camp Mr. Willard.”

            It is a fine line

            But it is real human interaction.  It is not on the cyber space.  It is, too, a mutual fascination.  For example:  What starts as a suggestion that including a ‘strip of bacon’ to go with a broccoli / spinach stuffed “roll” (every baked good, excepting ‘cookie’, ‘donut’ and ‘pie’ is a “roll” to a critter.) ends in a ‘I know those bugs too mine had it I got rid of them with that LAVENDER dish soap the GAL sells down at the WATERFRONT (farmer’s) market”.  You don’t need to understand what they are talking about.  It’s just a couple of Maine Critters chatting at ‘the market’.

Cowboy Down - A Conversation Between Two Professional Thrift Shoppers - Part Fourteen - "How Cheap It Is"

Cowboy Down

A Conversation Between Two Professional Thrift Shoppers

Part Fourteen

"How Cheap It Is"

            “It’s time now... for you to go back to the plates; the pie plate and... well... what do I call it... its surrounding plates?  Is that it?”

            “Well...the OTHER plates, at least.  The OTHER plates that relate to that pie plate that could as well have been sitting TOO... right next to the Rouen Delft charger (Part 12 [B])... in the thrift store china isle.  Ha, ha.  This... is it a feature of antiques (and art)... for an object to spin away from a single object’s design merit by bringing the design of other related objects into play?”

            “It’s a feature.  One object relating to other objects... by design... and those objects having merit too.  Some having more merit.  Some having less.  Identification and perception of design heritage must be applied and that’s with the understanding that we (she speaking and I), for the most part, automatically apply design relations to one object with other objects right when we find the object.  You (referring the conversation recorder I) just didn’t mention it.”

            “I said I was going to bring in more plates (Part 12 [C]).”

“Yeah but then you went off on the risk tangent (Parts Twelve [A-D]).  I know that’s important to this too.  Funny how cash valuation is affected by the reach of design beyond a single object; by its, sort of, ‘fellow travelers’.”
            “Well... this does affect an object’s value and, too, its marketplace status.”

            “What’s that.”

            “It means, beyond cash value, how an object fits into the antiques or art marketplace.  It’s place beyond cash:  The who sells it to who for how much and why.  That includes an object... not being able to be... sold at all.  That; this last, is very prevalent in the marketplace but very few follow it.  We have to.”

            “Absolutely have to.  We have to know exactly where and how one object’s design relates to it’s ...related... object’s design.  And how that affects it in the marketplace.”

            “It’s nasty.  But for most people, they never notice the influence.  That’s because either they don’t have the object or ...they don’t understand (the design relation of an object they have to) the other objects, related by their design, to their object.  And how it affects their object in the marketplace including the cash value and even as to if that object can be sold at all.”

            “This all takes place for us in seconds and we don’t even dwell on it.  Right?”

            “Right.  It’s the biggest qualifier of the ‘getting top dollar’.  Your not going to get it.  We’re not going to get it.  We don’t even try.  Why?  Well... we just told everyone that what WE find in thrift stores, although ‘good’ and ‘valuable’, is not actually that GOOD (Part 12 [D]).  So... it will not sell for ‘a real lot’.  NOW we’re coming back to qualify that by saying that PAST our initial design identification of the object, we also surround that object with design considerations from other related design objects.  That is... we are applying a THIRD factor to our single thrift shop find here being the Rouen Delft charger that was used as a pie plate.  First we apply design identification, then we apply the marketplace understanding that it (any object we find in a thrift store) ISN’T that good and NOW we are applying design again.  This time it’s the design of the other objects related to our find by THEIR design.  Once we do that, we have a further marketplace (cash) valuation... and that we have... mentioned... may include that object... being unable to be sold for ANY cash value in the market place.”

            “WHAT?  Ha, ha.  NOW you find out that after doing all this hunting for antiques and art in thrift shops that after you do all that and find something you think (feel) is ‘good’ and can prove it... you cannot sell it?  Yeah:  That’s it.”

            “That’s it alright.  I’m gonna notice some companion plates to the design of this find (the Rouen charger)... and it’s marketplace value.  Starting with the Rouen French Delft charger that was used as a pie plate, I first, in my mind’s design-I-know eye... compare that to old 18^th century ‘Delft’:  English, Dutch, other (Belgian), French, Southern European... Mediterranean, Spanish... and... I know that English is best (by design standards and market value) with the others following in order.  The Rouen charger is ‘way down’ on the ‘good design’ scale.  I’m not going to explain that.

(Dutch)

            “You know what:  I AM gonna take a dig here.  English is better than Dutch. The market supports that. Why?  Because English Delft decoration is... I choose this word... ‘dainty’ compared to Dutch.  Dutch Delft decoration tends to ...feel... ‘forced’.  My word again.  It is, when first observed, very subtle.  The design eye, educated, turns this ‘subtle’ into ‘severe’ once... studied.  What is the dig?  This same dainty – forced ratio is found... in old New England... home... interiors.  Dainty is old New England.  Forced is when ‘they’ ‘try’ to ...old New England... their interior.  The educated eye... cannot miss this... faux pas of New England home decoration.  Decoration of the home in old New England must have a VERY dainty hand... following the same dainty school of English Delft decoration versus the ‘forced’ ‘Dutch’.  And... this is noticed ‘beneath the clutter’.  This last is a signiture... upon... the dainty interiors.  This is not learned overnight but when it is learned... it is severe... to the eye... when discerned.  What’s the marketplace (cash value) on THIS?  Old New England is not... and cannot be... bought at a store.  Decorating an old New England home is... ‘I can’t buy it’.  One 'collects' it.  A lot of people try... to do this (buy it)... and it ‘looks wrong’ because it is ‘forced’.  This may not seem like much of a dig... but it’s a real stinger,  As I said relative to the third issue of the thrift store finds... it, too, is ‘very few follow it’ and ‘nasty’.”

            “Ok enough of that.  Back to the plates, Toto.  They don’t want to hear about how much their home décor sucks.  But that’s easy to avoid:  Never let an art professional in your home.  That way the card will never be turned over and no one will ever know. Ha, ha.”

            “Ok:  Plates.  Next, after Delft, we have the old New England true slip decorated and clear lead glazed ‘redware’ ‘pie plate’.  This is the classic New England pie plate.  ‘Late,’ it first appeared as a design form after 1760 although apple pie was a table staple by then.  Most New England pie plates were made in Connecticut.  While that was taking place, Delft as table china was ‘disappearing’ due to English Staffordshire type earthenware (design) innovation.  Unable to adopt those innovations, the French ‘improved’ the decoration of their ‘Delft’ by, simply, taking more time to decorate ‘more carefully’.  The Rouen basket of flowers logo continues but is on a ‘prettier’ plate.  This does not compete well and ...slowly... disappears as a design form as the French ‘copy’ the English earthenware - transferware.  But... the French ‘Rouen’ flower basket design becomes an iconic design classic... still found in thrift shop china isles as ‘new’ plates to this day.  That is... it (this design logo) is on... NEW china.  Too.  Meanwhile, the ‘Pie Plate’ as a design form becomes imbedded in New England and... can be found in... very... many design traditions... most commonly understood as ‘old’ ‘pie’ (cooking) ‘tin’.

            “Yikes.  What’s the dollar value on those?”

            “An old tin pie plate?  Well... they do sell.  And:  People still use them (old pie tins).

            “Do you sell them?”

            “Of course.”

            “Do you buy them?”

            “No.  Those I ‘get’.  And I know the difference between ‘buy’ and ‘get’.”

            “So do I.  THAT is a marketplace just by itself.”

            “So what does all this mean to the ...old French Delft charger... in the junk china isle of the local thrift store?  Huh?  What?  Well... it means that in terms of the ...antiquarian marketplace dollar-to-spend...  that old charger has competition ‘in the market’.  OTHER design, including ‘signiture’ or near ‘logo’ design types DIRECTLY compete for the same... ‘turn that thrift store find into cash’ dollar.  Dollars... interest, decorative values... the ‘I like it’ factor... often headed off by the ‘I DON’T like it’ factor on to ‘stupid’, ‘ignorant’, ‘don’t know’ on to... on to... on to the privileged echelon of ‘I know but who cares?” continuing to the THRONE seat of ‘NO ONE CARES!’... with their wallet about... my ‘God damn stupid old busted 18^th century charger-pie plate even if it is pictured TWICE by historic Deerfield'... AND has ‘fragments’ dug up in an old outhouse.”

            “That means what?  They (a buyer) would rather have a ‘new one’?”

            “No... it means that the actual cash value I can ‘get’ ‘now’ for a thrift shop find, of any sort, IS affected by this second realm of design criteria combining with the ‘not that good’ feature to... slow... the ACTIVE buyers down by including the ‘depends on how cheap the price is’.  I ...and you too (She)... constantly sell ‘below market’ on virtually all of our finds simply to ...actually sell it.”

            “Constantly.  The only price I give.  It has to be ‘cheap’... unless it is ‘actually good’.”

            “What’s an actually good?”

            “Here... it would be a true English polychrome (color) charger... ‘perfect’.  That’s the only thing these days that I can push (put a high dollar price).  Even great Dutch polychrome Delft ‘falls back’ in the market.  I can’t push it.  They (the collector)... for their dollar will ‘wait’ for ‘English’.  EVEN IF THEY WILL NEVER FIND IT they ‘will wait’.  It’s as simple as that.  But... if you show the books around on that Rouen charger and... AND... give a ‘Huh... that’s not so bad’ price... it sells.  Right?”

            “Right.  Are we cheap (antiquarian) whores.”

            “I think so.  But... WE get to FIND the stuff... and that’s a gas.”