Do You Have "Antique" Friends: Chums Who You Know Only From Making The Same Antique Rounds?

[C. Dianne Zweig Editor's Desk]

I often bump into the same people when I'm out antiquing. Or I get to know antique dealers at shows cause I visit the same show year after year. Has anyone started a friendship or even married someone you met originally as antique friend?

[C. Dianne Zweig Editor's Desk]

Charles , I set myself up on that one.

[Les Beyer]

Like how young people today 'collect' friends on Facebook... I have, perhaps, 200 friends about whom I know very little.

There are people I see at flea markets regularly... if I know their name, I only know their first name.

There are people who are regular customers of mine from antiques shows where my wife and I are vendors. Again, I know a lot of first names and if I know the last name its only because they gave me a check. Also from shows I know the faces of many browsers... those who just walk around aimlessly looking at every little thing in every little booth but never buying anything, but we have a 'nodding aquaintence'.

Oh my, do I have friends at the auction halls. Those regulars who come to bid/buy at every sale... they all know my name but I don't know most of theirs (I am getting better about that) but I do know their bidder numbers by heart.

Then there are the people who are my competition when I am a buyer at other auctions. Its funny, at first they look at you like an enemy but, in time, they realize its just business. Its nice when you can sit down with a cup of coffee and swap auction 'tall tales'.

Most important of all are the friends who are also antiques dealers and live in my region. Yeah, we do shows together, call eachother with hot tips about upcoming auctions/sales/shows. We appraise things for eachother, there's always a little room in somebody's van if yours is full, we carry absentee bids for eachother at auctions, and we sometimes meet for dinner at a diner or someone's house. Ya can't beat that. 

 

 

[C. Dianne Zweig Editor's Desk]

Nice post Les,

Over the years I have met many dealers who have gotten to see my kids as toddlers being scooted around in strollers and later on watched them grow up . do I have to mention that mist kids are not happy campers when being shlepped around to antique shiows. Now some of these same dealers will inquire about the kids ( who are now grown ups) . It's a nice feeling having an extended "antique family" .