WorthPoint likes to construct group. A method we will do that’s to introduce our readers to actual folks who’ve constructed careers out of shopping for and promoting and highlighting actual locations to discover on thrifting adventures. The top purpose: We would like our readers to have some actual enjoyable on the planet of antiques and collectibles.
When a city has existed since 1649, was dwelling to a minimum of one Vice President (Elbridge Gerry, the fifth VP of the US, from 1814 to his demise in 1815), and has been visited by a number of US Presidents, all the best way again to George Washington, you already know there will likely be important bits of historical past round each nook. Marblehead, MA, is strictly that city. Located twelve miles north of Boston, it’s an oceanside group with a wealthy historical past of fishing, seafaring, and involvement in shaping the nation alongside most of the founding fathers.
WorthPoint lately visited Outdated City Antiques, a small store within the historic district that opened in June of 2024. Owned by resident Tim Swigor, it carries furnishings, décor, ephemera, and artwork, largely centered round Marblehead historical past. With many historic properties, museums, and retailers, Marblehead is a well-liked vacation spot for sellers, pickers, and classic fans. The day I visited the store, I arrived a couple of minutes early to seek out an vintage seller sitting on the steps, ready for the store to open. He stated he’d heard in regards to the store from associates and colleagues and needed to see it himself.
Swigor bought the first-floor retail rental in June of 2023 and renovated it so his house can be precisely how he needed it, and he may showcase his merchandise in an applicable setting. It’s chock-full of work, ephemera, historic books, décor, and furnishings, nevertheless it’s not crowded or overstocked. Objects are displayed in a home-like setting and grouped with related genres. Nautical maps are alongside crusing ephemera and work of crusing vessels from the 18th century.
Swigor talked about his love for historical past and desirous to open his enterprise in a location surrounded by historic properties and generations of households who grew up there, lived their lives there, and had antiques and recollections that informed the tales of 1 small city and its improvement as a vacation spot for vintage followers and historical past buffs. Tim informed us how he started and what he hopes to do locally.
A Chat with the Proprietor
WorthPoint: Thanks for taking the time to speak to us about what you are promoting. Our readers love listening to about sellers, retailers, and the way they discover the perfect objects. What began you off within the antiques enterprise?
Tim Swigor: My father was an Natural Chemist for Bristol-Myers Squibb in Syracuse. Nevertheless, his weekends had been consumed with antiques, auctions, and refinishing furnishings. So, in essence, I grew up round antiques. My mom helped out as nicely. They rented an area within the Bouckville Depot Vintage Gallery the place they might promote what they refinished.
WP: The place do you supply your stock?
TS: Objects come from in every single place! I’ve been gathering for a very long time. Some come from auctions lengthy earlier than the web, the place you truly needed to go in particular person to bid, pay for, and take what you purchased with you that day. Others come from property gross sales and yard gross sales, and now that I’ve a store, objects have come to me. I promote in numerous publications that I’m seeking to purchase Marblehead, MA, classic and historic objects.
Only a few weeks in the past, a picker in New Hampshire contacted me and introduced in plenty of Marblehead objects he had. I bought every thing he introduced from a classic Marblehead Magicians license plate to a Winslow Chip tin. Moreover, I’ve folks come into the store who’re downsizing and ask me to return to their home to buy Marblehead objects. The fantastic Nineties Marblehead North Shore Cadet Band drum I’ve within the store (which isn’t on the market) got here from a beautiful couple on the town. One of many causes I benefit from the enterprise a lot is that I purchase what I like. Every single day, I sit in my store surrounded by objects I like that protect the previous. I do know the background, historical past, and particulars about every bit I promote.
WP: What are some traits that you simply see within the antiques house?
TS: I see a macro development (the trade) and a micro development (native). On the macro stage, mid-century trendy remains to be very fashionable, although I don’t promote a lot of it—I favor artwork deco and earlier. Brown furnishings remains to be “down.” At a micro stage, I’m seeing folks coming into the store who reside in Marblehead and are redoing a room of their home. They need to make it their “Marblehead room” and have Marblehead objects in it.
WP: Inform us about your target market.
TS: Properly, for consumers, as I stated, they’re usually native and looking out so as to add paintings, maps, décor, and furnishings that replicate this city. For that purpose, I be certain that to inventory nautical objects, Marblehead Pottery, and copies of native publications and historic data since consumers on the town need their properties to signify among the historical past that’s occurred right here. I additionally attempt to keep linked to pickers and different sellers. The antiques group could be very linked, and it’s necessary to remain conscious of different sellers. In case I’ve a buyer searching for an merchandise I don’t have, I’m typically capable of refer them to a different seller.
One factor each sellers and consumers have in frequent is a purpose to protect. It’s type of unhappy that once I’m taking a look at somebody who’s promoting objects due to a transfer or a downsizing, and their youngsters and households don’t need their collections. If sellers and collectors weren’t round to protect a few of it, a lot can be misplaced.
WP: Do you personally accumulate something particular?
TS: I accumulate paperwork and manuscripts. I’ve a uncommon copy of the very first census performed in 1790, which is signed by Thomas Jefferson. I’ve forty-five of the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence. I additionally accumulate Marblehead objects for myself (that I don’t promote on the store), I’ve a 1820s watercolor of the Ship Columbus captained by Marbleheader Samuel Tucker, paperwork signed by Jeremiah Lee, John Glover, Elbridge Gerry, and James Mugford.
WP: For these desirous to hunt for their very own treasures, what are some good locations to look?
TS: Collectors ought to look in every single place for what they accumulate—I do! It actually comes all the way down to value/value. You usually get the perfect costs at auctions, property gross sales, and yard gross sales. Shops and vintage malls usually promote at “retail” costs. It’s good to watch out at public sale. Typically, a number of folks will bid on the identical merchandise, and in some circumstances, they are going to overpay for the merchandise as a result of they had been emotionally connected to it.
Swigor’s store is situated at 134 Washington Road, Marblehead, MA. He’s open “most weekends, and by likelihood or appointment.”
Brenda Kelley Kim lives within the Boston space. She is the creator of Sink or Swim: Tales From the Deep Finish of In all places and writes a weekly syndicated column for The Marblehead Weekly Information/Essex Media Group. When not writing or strolling her snorty pug, Penny, she enjoys yard gross sales, flea markets, and badminton.
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