From Out Of The Woods Antique Center

I am Donna Welch - an antique dealer with an Antique Center in Southern New Hampshire for and have been for the
past 20 years. I conduct my business by buying from local estates and then selling back into the community. Approximately seven
years ago I purchase a simple but useful piece of furniture from an estate. The piece was called an oak commode in it’s time.

Commodes were used in the 1800’s and even earlier, for wash basins and towels. They were very important pieces of furniture in a time when you needed to have water inside available for washing.

As you can see the piece was around a lot longer than the seven years that I’ve traced its travels.

I purchased the oak commode, which had been in the seller’s family for several generations. The seller said she had remembered it in her grandmother’s bed room and then passed to her mom, who had it in her front hall - then to her. She had used it in her den to display a quilt.

After deciding to move South and lighten her amount of furniture for the move, she called me and I purchased it from her.

I brought it back to the store in the original finish that it has had on it since the late 1800’s when it was manufactured. I cleaned it up and put it on the floor for sale.

Within a short time I sold the commode to a couple who were about to have a baby. They purchased it to use as a changing table and place to store baby items. That was seven years ago; they continued to be regular customer to the store and have changed their use of the piece of furniture twice since they purchased it. After using it as a changing table they moved it to the kitchen and used it for their micro-wave and kitchen towels. Then, later, after moving into their new condo they changed the use again and placed it in the bathroom using it to display a Victorian bowl and pitcher (the type of wash basin and bowl for which it was made). That’s where the piece had been for the past couple of years.

Now just recently the couple has come back to me to sell it back because they are now moving to Germany due to the husband’s job.

Important note here is that I purchased the item approximately seven years ago for $220.00 then sold it to them for $300.00. I bought it back from them for $240.00

Because I have known these customers for the past several years, they asked how to get rid of the other items they didn’t want to bring with them. The antique items I told them they would have no problem selling. The newer might be able to be sold in a consignment store. They did, and were successful in selling some of the modern, mass produced furniture at 5% of what they paid for it.

The down side to this story is that a lot of the modern, mass produced items (furniture, dishes, and decorative items) were not easily marketable at this time (they did give some to shelters and other donating agencies). So the rest went to the local landfill.

My reason for writing this story is to show people that a way to help keep the planet GREEN is to purchase what we already have here. The new, (most of it) while it has its place, is not made to withstand the test of time. The old has been here, has established its value and found modern day uses. It is a smart way of making an investment in your furnishings, old keeps its value and has a market to sell to. The old becomes “new “again with each reuse.

So if you want to help keep it Green. Get out there and buy what we already have and mix it up a bit with the new. Antiques have proven to be worth it, collect part of our history.

Dear Kathy,

As you may know, I often have an opinion - especially when it pertains to antiques. I wanted to share with you my observations on this year's Antiques Week in Manchester. I made it a point to attend all shows this year, and was impressed. I observed lots of traffic and many desirable red "sold" tags on merchandise. And can I say “WOW” how impressive some of the presentations were. The dealers represent New Hampshire well.

Recently I read an article in the Union Leader, the theme of which was that people are nervous this year with the economy, higher gas prices, etc. There is no doubt that the economy is changing and that this change is having a real impact on our business (and every other business for that matter). However, in my Goffstown shop we had very strong year and great sales during Antiques Week. Sales figures were comparable to those of the last couple of years.

With the changing times, I think it is absolutely imperative that we realize that unusual and good items sell! These items must be carefully selected and priced to accommodate the times. This means we all must constantly adjust our perspectives and natural inclinations. I am lucky to have several foresighted dealers in partnership with me in the shop, and many of them reached far into the four digit dollar range during Antiques Week.

I tried hard to listen to what visitors to the shop were saying this year. Lots of out-of-state shoppers said they find many closed shops, and more shops with declining quality and merchandise, reproductions and just plain junk -- OR -- dusty old merchandise that nobody is interested in today - still with yesterday's faded price tags attached! There's no doubt we are facing difficult times, but we are often our own worst enemy. I constantly work hard to get out of my own way, not only to survive in these times, but to prosper during them.

Luckily, there are still some very good shops here in New Hampshire. That is indeed not the case in many parts of the country. However, New England's quality shops are diminishing. How many shops do you personally know that have closed or slid downhill during the past year? We _must _ work hard, individually and mutually, to continue bringing good customers to New England. This year demonstrated to me that they will continue to come, and they will continue to buy in spite of gasoline prices! New Hampshire and New England in general continues to be the best antiques shopping in America - and we need to work smarter and harder to hold onto this heritage.

Thank you, Kathy, for letting me express my opinion.

Sincerely,
Donna Welch
From Out Of The Woods Antiques Center

1- What you bought this weekend will be worth what you paid for it or more within a short period of time.

2-That something you find - might be the start of the next trend in decorating (and impress your friends)

3- Your collection might be the talk of your neighborhood

4- That you would be doing your part in keeping everything GREEN

5- That what you are buying today was once used in someone's life and comes with a whole lot of History

Have fun with it! - Donna Welch