The Blogging from A to Z Challenge is to post everyday (except Sunday) in the month of April 2020 starting with the letter A and going all the way to Z. My theme is...
Ancestor Occupations
ANTIQUES DEALER
My Mom, Audrey Mavor Seale was a stay at home mom until I started high school. For many years her and my Dad went to country auctions and brought home some pretty odd things. They used to put an object on the table and we kids had to guess what it was. I remember when they put out a foot warmer for a sleigh. I had no idea what it was!!
My Mom bought lots of books on all sorts of antiques to expand her knowledge. Finally they bought a shop and some of the stock from a dealer and they were in business. My Dad was jack-of-all-trades and could fix anything in his spare time.
Dad and Mom
They dealt in mostly Canadiana furniture with a mixture of small items including lamps, glassware, jewelry and silver.
Mom's shop was in the city, but in about 1972 they moved shop to the old stone house they bought and restored in Hemmingford. My Dad soon retired from his job at Bell Canada and helped with the business full time.
It was a good time to be in the antique business as you could still buy low at country auction estate sales and sell high. Mom would participate in Antique Shows all over Canada and the United States. I often went to help - I liked showing the jewelry!
My Mom asked why there was no antique show in Montreal and everyone told her it couldn't be done as there was not enough interest in the province. Well, she begged to differ and decided, with two of her friends, to organize a show at the Montreal forum.
It was a huge success. They didn't organize the show again, but left it to another antique dealer friend to take on.
I went with Mom to do a show at Quebec City one time. All the dealers set up the night before in the mall, and there was security watching our stuff. Right! We arrived in the morning and had been robbed! When we were home Mom got a call from the police that they found her wares and we had to go to court. We drove back to Quebec city but didn't have to testify. The robber finally confessed and everything was returned.
Mom retired from the Antiques business in 1983 and in August they held a 2 day auction at the house in Hemmingford to sell all their wares, except the few pieces they kept to furnish their suite.
Dianne - a theme that is right up my street and which I will featured in some posts in my own A-Z Challenge. I am intrigued as to how you will fill each letter - a zookeeper in the family perhaps? I was interested in your mother’s antiques experiences. I would love to browse round antique shop, but unfortunately do not live in such an area, so make do with TV programmes. I look forward to reading more of your ancestors at work.
ReplyDeleteHaha no zookeeper, but I’ll think of something!
DeleteI look forward to reading your posts also.
Enjoy your memories so much Dianne. Great picture of your handsome father and your beautiful mother :D Know it is not in the Terrace but it brings back memories of you there before I married. :D
ReplyDeleteThanks Cathern. In the Terrace is where it all started! Good times!
DeleteWhat an interesting theme and first post. Wondering if your Mum's business which dealt in old things encouraged you to take up family history research.
ReplyDeleteHi Jill. Mostly is was my Granny telling me family stories that got me interested, but my Mum’s business sure gave me an appreciation for old and well made things.
DeleteWhat a wonderful time for antiques the '70s was! Everyone was busy restoring old furniture, sanding the paint off wood and brick to get back to the natural surface. There were beamed ceilings and dark wood walls. Such a contrast to the light, minimalist look of today.
ReplyDeleteMy dad even made his own furniture polish. He got the recipe from his father who was a traveling salesman for paint and varnish companies, and the ingredients from Moms mother who owned a paint and varnish plant.
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