The Toronto Harbourfront Market in its Heyday

Posted on May 6, 2016 by shadflyguy

Our Harbourfront offerings circa 1983

Every Sunday morning from the early 80’s to the late 90’s, the alarm would go off at our house at 4 a.m. The truck would be packed and the load tied down the day before, the lunch would be made and ready in the fridge, and our cloths would be set out. We would hop out of bed, get dressed, grab a coffee and get underway. An hour and a half later we would be pulling in to the Toronto Harbourfront Market, ready for another day of buying and selling. Rain or shine, we would make the journey, full of hope that the furniture and small items that we were offering would meet the approval of someone there.

When we started in the early 80’s the market would be held on about an acre of parkland near the terminal building, with the 100 or so vendors being set up in parking lots and green spaces right alongside the water. In the winter we would go across the road and inside an old one story warehouse. These were the glory days. It’s hard to imagine now just how “hot” the market was. The boomers in general had done well enough that their Toronto houses were paid for and they were madly buying up all the charming little farms and cottages within about a three-hour drive of Toronto. These rural places demanded antiques of course, being sympathetic to the rural environment, and a refreshing contrast to the city digs.

A loaded truck ready to go.

So in these days there was a large number of motivated collectors and dealers arriving about 6 a.m. vying to pick the best of what was being offered as it arrived. It was a thrill to arrive in our open pick-up truck, and have people run along beside us, racing up to the window to ask the price of the pieces they could see tied to the load. Often they would just say “yes, I’ll take it” even before it was unloaded, because they knew the competition was right behind them. It would happen occasionally that by the time we arrived at our spot, most of the furniture which could be seen was sold. Sometimes we had completely sold out by noon, but would still have to stay until five as to not create a disruption. We had our regular dealers whom we got to know would buy certain items without hesitation if the price was reasonable. You had to pay close attention. Sometimes two or three dealers would be right there as a piece was coming off and you had to be very conscious of who asked about the piece first, and who was next in line. It was easy with two people selling, under this kind of pressure to even sell the same piece to two different people. Tempers would flare. It was not always easy to sort out, and have everyone be happy with the results. It didn’t happen often, but it was difficult to avoid altogether.

Then by the mid-nineties, the Harbourfront development had other plans for the summertime parkland, and the wintertime warehouse, and so they built a brand new market at 390 Queen’s Quay W. As so often is the case, these new quarters under new management meant higher rents and lower sales. It continued to deteriorate until it was not profitable for us by the late nineties, and it eventually closed in early 2003.

Our friend, and avid collector Rod Brook used to say that he wanted to produce a book which presented exclusively all the incredible pieces that had been bought by collectors at the Harbourfront market during those glory years. Sadly, he died before he could accomplish this, but I’ll bet if someone took up the cause it would be an amazing document. For a while there it felt like it would never end, but then like everything else in life, it did.

loading the truck for another Harbourfront Sunday.

Finding Fournier – how we met the acclaimed Quebec folk artist, Leo Fournier

Posted on April 22, 2016 by shadflyguy

Leo and Jeanette Fournier at home

Leo Fournier has always been one of our all time, favorite folk artist for his whimsy, elegance and balance. Leo’s sculptures cover a wide range of subjects from the religious to the erotic, as well as animals and everyday life scenes. The work is composed mostly of figures and animals in various forms of shared or confrontational activities. .

pig, by Leo Fournier

He had a keen eye for detail, a great sense of fun and a love of life. You can recognize a Fournier from across the room, and we would purchase the work when we came across it, in picker’s barns, shows, or auction. It was always our desire to find and meet Leo, but of course the pickers were not anxious to have us contact him directly so would not provide information, and his address was not listed in the reference books. All we had to go on was that he lived in the town of La Prarie (pop 23,000), on the south side of the St. Lawrence River, across from Montreal.

last supper, by Leo Fournier

Sometimes our trips to Quebec were straight there and back affairs, but on other occasions we would take a few days to meander and explore, and it was on one such occasion in the early nineties that we found ourselves in La Prarie late in the afternoon with some time to kill before we hit one of our favored road side motels. I pulled up to a phone booth, and said to Jeanine “let’s see if we can find Leo Fournier in the book. Maybe we’ll get lucky.” Our hearts sank a little when we realized there were over thirty Fourniers listed in town and only one L. Fournier. Of course we tried this number first and it was not Leo, and furthermore they did not know of him, but we were not so easily discouraged and just started with the first listing and kept dialing. Jeanine was getting a little tired after about a dozen dead ends, with not everyone being delighted to participate in our little search, but she persevered, and low and behold after about another six calls she spoke to someone who was a relative, and she was happy to provide his number. “Well that was sort of easy.” I quipped. “O.K. well not that easy, and yes it was you doing all the calling”. In any case we dialed him up directly. and spoke to his wife Jeanette who said he was out momentarily but would be home soon, and he would be happy to meet us. She gave us good directions to their house which we soon found on a quiet little street right across from a Depanneur , or variety store.

Old man fantasy by Leo Fournier

Leo met us at the door and warmly invited us in to the sunporch, where he liked to entertain visitors. Leo was a very charismatic storyteller, and he launched right into some great stories while sit ting in his rocking chair sipping on a big can of Molson Export. “ I like my beer but I only buy them one at a time. That’s why I’m happy there is a depanneur right across the street” he laughed.” I noticed there were four empty cans next to his chair, but then again it was getting on in the day. Jeanette arrived directly with some coffee for us and we spent a very pleasant hour or so listening to his stories. He was a retired auto body man of good reputation, and was involved in the scrap business. He told us about and showed us his first carving which was a crucifix done in 1967 when he was 43 yrs. old. Since that time until his death in 2007 he continued to be a prolific carver, selling to friends and the occasional picker, Nettie Sharpe among others who would come by to see what he had been up to.. He was aware that his work was included in books and exhibits, but he never felt he was really appreciated until sometime in the nineties when the Quebec government commissioned him to produce a series of about a dozen sculptures on food production.(See the butcher with hog’s head below) With this big pay cheque he chose to go to Leningrad on his own where he spent two weeks at the Hermitage studying the art there, rather than fix the roof on the house which was what the rest of the family was pushing for. Leo was that kind of guy. He lived his life the way he wanted to and never thought twice about convention. We bought the six or seven pieces he had available that day and his house became a favorite stop on subsequent trips. We always took the time to stop and listen to his stories. According to his pal Andre Laport who phoned to tell us of his death in 2007 “he lived his life just the way he wanted to right to the end, with no lingering illness, and a beer in his hand”. Like so many others who knew him, we really miss him , and his infectious spirit. One of the greats.

one of the works commissioned by the Quebec government

“Your Cat is on Fire” – adventures with Albert

Posted on April 15, 2016 by shadflyguy

Our adjoining shed workshops

We were just on the phone with our daughter Cassandra, and she reminded me it’s Friday. Somehow with the jet lag I was thinking it’s still Thursday. It always takes me a couple of days to get back in to swing of things. So as not to tax my tired brain too much, rather than going into something more serious, I turn to a little tale of barely averted disaster from back in the days when we lived and worked at the old church in Wyecombe Ontario. Back in the days when we were called Old Church Trading.

Albert

This story involves our faithful, for the past thirty years, assistant Albert. Albert is a wonderful guy. We continue to be good friends. He is actually more a member of the family at this point, and at 70 years old he is still happy as a clam to come over from time to time to help us with the garden or whatever, and he can still out work a man half his age. We met him early on after moving to the church when we bought some children’s yard chairs that he was making and selling from his trailer home in nearby Courtland. During the conversation over the chair purchase he became aware that we had lots of work to do on the property and asked if we would be interested in hiring him. He seemed like a nice fellow and his price was right so we said “sure let’s give it a try.’ Well Albert turned out to be a real blessing. He would come on time very morning and work hard with enthusiasm and dedication, without ever a complaint. I have always been more likely to say to Albert to slow down and take it a little easy, rather than to hurry up and get on with it. Salt of the earth kind of guy. We soon noticed that he never brought or ate a lunch, and so asked him why, and expressed our concern as to his well being. He said, “oh I eat a good breakfast and then have dinner when I get home so it’s o.k. That’s when Albert started having lunch with us. Albert we came to find out, was a ward of the court and had never learned to read or write. He had lived almost as a slave on a nearby farm until he was 18 and legally able to leave. I will not denigrate him by suggesting that he is unintelligent because in spite of his lack of education he is very creative in finding ways to do things his own way, and very capable at many things. Let’s just say that he is an original thinker, and because he is always working so hard to please, everything is great as long as you don’t leave him too long unattended, because sometimes he is a bit overzealous. So understanding this, we come to our story.

It was an unusually hot, and windy spring morning, and I had spent it working indoors, while Albert on instruction raked up the leaves and limbs that had fallen on the yard over the winter. At noon Jeanine had prepared some delicious soup and so we called Albert in for lunch. As usual we had enjoyed our lunch together and conversation and was just finishing a cup of coffee when there came a frantic knock on the door. We opened it to find a local farmer shouting “your cats on fire, your cat’s on fire”. We looked across the room and saw our cat Elvis sleeping there so we were puzzled to say the least. “He’s o.k. he’s right over there.” We had misunderstood. “Oh, our shack is on fire” What the…?

We ran out and indeed one of our three little out buildings was indeed engulfed in flames along one wall. It didn’t take long to realize that Albert had piled up the refuse at the edge of the property, and had taken the initiative to light it. Then when called him he had then come in for lunch, assuming I guess that it would be fine. Well the wind had picked up and it wasn’t fine. The fire had run along the dry weeds and caught under the edge of the little building. The dry hot wind had fanned it, and it was already burning pretty convincingly all along the wood siding. Yikes! Crap. Albert get out the hose and shovels and get over here pronto. Albert is pretty darn fast when he needs to be so within seconds he was back and we were throwing dirt on the fire and spraying the side of the building with all the water that our little well pump could muster. It didn’t take a minute to realize it was a losing battle so Jeanine ran in and phoned the fire department. Albert and I continued to fight the blaze as best we could but it had now jumped on to the pile of one hundred year old pine barn planks which we had stacked neatly with two inch spacers in between so they would not rot. Well let me tell you, when that hot dry wind blew the flames across that dry stacked wood, whoosh, up she went like a match shooting flames into the sky. Holy Crap! Our main effort at this point was to just stop the flames from reaching our two adjoined work shop buildings which were a mere three feet away. All we could do was to spray the walls to try to keep it from igniting. Of course the work shop was full of valuable antiques and combustible chemicals, and also was just a few feet away from the church so things were beginning to look pretty bad. Just when it seemed hopeless the entire Langton volunteer fire department arrived with both their trucks because they had understood from Jeanine’s frantic call that the whole church was on fire. They got out one of their big hoses and within five minutes extinguished the burning pile of boards and the burning shack, and left us with a cautionary note and a bill for $175. Whew, thanks fellows for coming out so quickly and getting this situation back in control. I lost my two big pile of pine boards and we had to restore one side of our little shack but we were so grateful that things had not been worse that we just took a moment to thank our lucky stars and the brave men who volunteer to fight fires. Albert, of course felt bad enough as it was without reprimanding him further, so we just got on with cleaning up the mess. However, we all learned a valuable lesson that day.

Folk art arrives at the door – The Barbara Browne Collection

Posted on March 25, 2016 by shadflyguy

drawing by Liz Barrett-Milner

It was a sunny, August day in 1995, and we had just finished our lunch when there came a knock on the back door. We weren’t expecting anyone, and it was rare for anyone to visit without calling ahead. This, because we were so often on the road that our friends knew to give us the heads up before coming by. We opened to find a small elderly lady standing there with a big smile and a portfolio under her arm. “Are you the folks who buy folk art?” “Well yes, we have been known to do so. How can we help you?” “My name is Barbara Browne, and I live down the road in Port Rowan, and I have a collection of folk art which I would like to sell.” “Come right in and tell us about it.”

She explained that she was an artist who had collected Canadian folk art for the past twenty years, and she was about to buy a smaller house in Simcoe, and thus needed to downsize, and recoup her investment to help with the purchase. “What is the nature of your collection?” She reached into her portfolio and produced a twenty-page booklet of meticulously hand drawn illustrations of folk art with dimensions, which we later learned were produced for her by her niece, well-know Norfolk artist Liz Barrett-Milner. “It’s all in here. There are 185 pieces all told, and I am only interested in sell the whole thing. No picking and choosing.” There was some mind blowing stuff, including works by Nova Scotia artists Charlie Atkinson, Charlie Tanner, and Everett Lewis; as well as many Ontario artists such as Clarence Webster, Joe Lloyd, Steve Sutch, and Robert McCairns. Most pieces were smaller in nature, but there was also a big wall-mounted cow’s head, a couple of 8’ totem poles, a full size deer, and last but not least, the best folk art hooked rug I had ever set eyes on, depicting a fat man and dated 1916.

head by Robert McCairns

“We won’t beat around the bush. It’s all of interest, but of course it depends on your expectations” She then produced an itemized price list of what she felt would be current list prices. “I understand you need to make money, so this is what I think it is worth, and I would therefore expect half”. “In principle that sounds fair so let us go over it and get back to you.”

What followed was four or five meetings at her house where we viewed the items and discussed the prices. It became a bit complicated as each time we arrived we she had decided that there were a few more items that she felt she needed to keep, but it came to pass that we arrived at a final list and a final price, and so a date was set to complete the deal and pick up the pieces.

On that day, she informed us that she didn’t want to be there as we removed the pieces as it would be sad for her, so she wanted to go for a walk and return when we were finished. We weren’t at all comfortable with this, but agreed on the condition that we would line up the pieces outside by the truck, and she would review the load before we left, and that’s how we did it.

Barbara Browne and Cassandra by the truck

Barbara was an excellent artist in herself, and continued to be a friend and inspiration until her death several years later. The collection sold well, and the fat man rug was featured prominently in the John Fleming/ Michael Rowan book on Canadian folk art.

the fat man rug

Finding Lajeunesse

Posted on March 4, 2016 by shadflyguy

“Chien Mechant”

You know how sometimes when you meet a person you feel a real connection to their inner spirit, and recognize in them something which represents basic goodness and beauty? Something rare and special. Well that’s the way I feel about having met Henri Lajeunesse, and I am grateful for having had the experience.

Over the ten plus years of regular buying trips to Quebec we would very occasionally run across a signed work of Mr. Lajeunesse, and we began to covet them and seek them out because we really connected with his expressiveness and vision. Although we asked everyone we knew, we could never find out much about him. Not in books or from other collectors. Then one day we bought the piece above, “Chien Mechant” or “mean dog” as it was titled in pencil along the base. I say “was” because unfortunately one day an overzealous housekeeper scrubbed the words off while cleaning it. There’s a cautionary tale for you.

showing the bottom of “Chien Mechant”

So it happened that one day shortly after buying the piece, in a rare mood of domesticity, and in preparation of Jeanine’s imminent return home from visiting her mother in France, I was cleaning, and I happened to turn the piece over. There it was. Not only his signature but his address and phone number. Well Hallelujah. As it happened we were just about to go on a Quebec buying trip so we figured what the heck , lets give him a call. Jeanine dialed he number, not expecting much; but suddenly Henri Lajeunesse was on the line. After establishing that he was the Henri Lajeunesse we sought, Jeanine told him of our love of his work and our imminent trip, and asked if it might be alright to drop by on him. “Of course, I’d be delighted”. When should we come?. “Oh anytime is fine, I am always here.” We are coming on the fifth, and perhaps we should call that morning to check that you will be in? “It’s not necessary. Just come anytime, but I’ll expect you on the fifth.”

We stayed overnight in Montreal on the fourth, and then in the morning,after breakfast we headed out on the two and a half hour drive north east to the village of St. Melanie. When we arrived at 611 Chemin du Lac Sud, we looked at each other and laughed because of course he was going to be home; he lived in a retirement lodge.

Bluebird

The front desk soon confirmed that he was waiting for us in his room. We were taken there and sure enough after knocking, the attendant opened the door and there he was sitting in his rocking chair surrounded with pieces of his work on every available surface. We counted over forty carvings. Mostly birds, animals, and people, and all of a small or medium size. What a wonder to behold. His eyes lit up as he explained that in anticipation of our visit he had his son bring everything he had left in storage, and also his carving tools, because now that someone was showing interest again, he felt he had a few more carvings in him, which he wanted to explore. We had a lovely talk about his life, and work. He and his wife had eleven kids, he had spent his entire life in St. Melanie, etc. While he spoke my eyes kept scanning the room, taking in all that was before me. Wonderful examples of different periods of his work. We noted that the little bluebird above was his most recent piece and there is an obvious difference between this later piece and the earlier pieces like the leopards below.

an earlier leopard

He exuded warmth and humility while answering our many questions, and telling us a few of his life’s stories. Then eventually , almost timidly, he suggested that we could buy a piece if we wanted something to remember our visit by. “well of course Mr. Lajeuness, . Could you please tell us your prices.”. He went around the room quoting prices from memory. Everything was from about $15 to $65 dollars. Then he offered, “So is there a piece you think you might like to have?”. Jeanine and I threw each other a knowing glance, and said “Well actually , we’d like to take all of them”. The depth of his smile cannot be described as we started a list of the pieces and their prices. Soon I was heading out to the truck where we had prepared ourselves for a possible happy outcome by bringing many cardboard boxes and.0

paper.

another example of a leopard. This one bought from Jean Lacasse many years later.

He told us that many of his fellow housemates had suggested that he would be lucky to sell even one piece, so we shared in his delight observing the dropped jaws and wide eyes of the residents in the lobby as we hauled out box after box of carvings. Eventually, we shook hands and told him we would try to get back for a visit in a year or so, but sadly soon after his family contacted us to inform us of his passing. Eventually his daughter sent us a multi-page biography in which we learned that legendary collector dealer Nettie Sharpe was a regular visitor in his productive years, and I find it strange considering this, and the excellent quality of his work, and the uniqueness of his vision that so little has been written about him. The only major publication where I can find any mention is “Les Paradis du Monde, L’art populaire du Quebec” by Pascale Galipeau which includes a full page photo of his carving of Maurice Duplessis on page 111.

Maurice Duplessis,
circa 1970

footnote:

“Chien Mechant” is the French warning for “Beware of dog” as you would see on a sign.

“Lajeunesse” is the French word for “youth”

Canadian Contemporary Folk Art Festival -part 2

Posted on January 29, 2016 by shadflyguy

digby ferry

June 1994. Stephen Outhouse (middle with cap), Mark Robichaud (right), and David Stephens standing with the purser on the Digby ferry – on our way to Paris! We had this shark – a carving by Stephen – mounted to the top of the the truck cab.

I received this photo and note from Nova Scotia artist David Stephens shortly after last weeks post was published. Thanks David for permitting me to post it here. It’s a long drive from Nova Scotia for a one day show. This illustrates the dedication of all involved to this unique folk art event.

In looking over my support material, I came across some interesting definitions of folk art in the initial correspondence from promoter Michael Hennigan. I include them here to add to the dialogue which we as collectors and enthusiasts continue to have on what constitutes folk art; and what of this art is worthy of study and preservation.

“The working definition of folk art for this show is: “the personal or naive expression of untutored creators”. You will note that this definition deviates from those presented by folklorists and material culturalists which tend to emphasize context and tradition over aesthetics and individuality. Rather it adheres to the connoisseurs or Art Historian’s definition with emphasis on form, line, and color.”

“I am trying to avoid ethnically based arts and crafts such as knife making, canoe building, basketry, newly made fish and duck decoys, or any mass produced craft lacking creative inspiration. For the purposes of this show, Craft involves head and hand, while art involves head, and hand and heart.”

“I am also avoiding highly commercialized or slick assembly line work, or neo-folk art. Which is defined as work made by self taught artists who get their ideas from seeing folk art elsewhere such as in books or museums. For purposes of the show such art is not folk art, but rather is about folk art.”

“Also, I am avoiding faux naif art, which is defined as art produced in a naif style by fine artists. Finally I am avoiding amateur or so called “Sunday” painting, as difficult as it may occasionally be to distinguish such art from folk art. Folk Craft is also not allowed. Folk craft is the folksy, cutesy pie, overly sentimentalized stuff seen at craft shows.”

With the inclusion of contemporary folk art at such distinguished shows as Cabin Fever, coming up February 6 and 7, 2016 in Kingston, Ontario, and the Bowmanville show which every year is on Good Friday, we have an opportunity to compare the work presented there to these definitions. I think that you will find that for the most part these shows rise to these standards. I wish I could say the same for the field shows, but perhaps they will be inspired to improve as the knowledge of what constitutes folk art is understood by more and more people. Here’s hoping.

I went through my photos and found a picture of one of the dinosaurs we brought to the show. Imagine being greeted by two of these 9′ monsters.

9′ dinosaur by Roger Raymond

Canadian Contemporary Folk Art Festival- remembering a significant, one time, folk art happening

Posted on January 22, 2016 by shadflyguy

Back on Sunday, June 26, 1994, my wife Jeanine and I as Old Church Trading participated in an ambitious, extensive, and ultimately one time special event that was, and remains the largest and most exciting folk art festival ever to take place in Ontario, if not all of Canada. Acknowledging here the annual Nova Scotia Folk Art Festival. It included 2 lectures, displays by a half a dozen folk art dealers, and the work of about 25 Contemporary Canadian Folk Artists, many who were in attendance. It all took place on one glorious summer day from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. at the Paris Ontario fairgrounds. It was an extraordinary opportunity for collectors, dealers, and folk artists to interact and network and to honor and support Canadian Folk Artists. I remain enormously grateful for having been included in this great event; and we sold a lot of folk art too.

The whole thing was conceived, organized, executed and financed by Canadian Folk Art collectors Michael and Peggy Hennigan, of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, and it was a giant undertaking. Not only for the set-up, and extensive promotion associated with a first time show, but also for organizing and paying for many artists to come from as far away as Alberta, and Nova Scotia. Many folk artists chipped in to help get the word out. I remember Michael’s gratitude to Joe Lloyd of Brantford who made up and distributed signs. We brought 25 of our best pieces by Ewald Rentz, Edmond Chatigny, Aime, Desmeules, Jacob Roth, and others, and were particularity happy to bring along two recently acquired six foot tall dinosaurs created by Quebec folk artist, Roger Raymond. They looked fantastic gracing each side of the entrance walk. Looking back it felt like it was over in a flash, but at the time it was a long day of exciting exchanges, sales, connecting with new (to us) artists, and last but not least, education. We met and started to carry the work of Woodstock area artist Barbara Clark-Fleming, and I was delighted with the opportunity to meet and hang out with the likes of Joe Lloyd, Garnet McPhail, Stephen Outhouse, and Mark Robichaud, not to mention all of those passionate collectors.

It was well attended for a first time event. A few hundred people as I recall, and most of those being driven and engaged; but it was less than anticipated, and less than required for the Hennigans to consider doing it again when weighed against the enormous workload, and expense. No one could blame them, as they certainly gave it their all, and none of this diminishes the fact that this event lives on in the memories of those involved as a unique and exciting day for collectors, dealers and artists alike, and a prime example of just how rich, fun, and informative a folk art festival can be.

I am reproducing the program here, and next Friday I will post a further look at some exciting and defining ideas about folk art brought about by this event. I am even going to look through my old photos and see if I can find a shot of those dragons. No promises I’ll do my best.

Thoughts and observations on the 2013 Bowmanville Antique Show

Posted on April 5, 2013 by shadflyguy

This is a picture of my booth at the 40th Edition of the Bowmanville Antique show. which was held Good Friday, March 29, and Saturday March 30th. As you can see I went heavy on the folk art and light on furniture. I love antique furniture, but I just don’t have the back for it anymore. If you want to see a slew of good pictures of the show please follow this link – http://www.facebook.com/groups/126697675589/ to Adrian Tinline’s Canadiana Antiques facebook page. If you are unfamiliar, this also serves to introduce you to this lively and informative forum. Join, if you will.

This year Bowmanville was, as always a beautiful show, full of exceptional works of antique and folk art, and early handmade Canadian furniture and accessories. All 24 exhibitors took special care to select and present their. best wares. Many dealers put aside special pieces all year to present them here for the first time.

The show started humbly in 1973 when picker and collector extraordinaire Rob Lambert decided to invite the best dealers in the field of Canadiana to hold an annual spring show near his home in Bowmanville, Ontario. In those early days dealers set up their offerings in their rooms at the Flying Dutchman hotel. When the starting bell rang, people would run (quite literally) from room to room to get ahead of their rivals, and purchase the treasures presented. It was wild and hectic, with occasional incidents of pushing and near fisticuffs. People were passionate about their collections back then. It quickly gained the reputation of being “the” Canadiana show and it’s numbers and reputation grew from year to year.

Eventually the show moved to the G.B. Rickard Recreation Complex where it has continued to be held until present day. For the past several years it has been expertly run by Bill and Linda Dobson. They have worked hard to maintain it’s tradition as a high quality, vetted show. The vetting process is carried out before the show by a group of experts who go from booth to booth checking everything out for authenticity, quality, and accuracy of presentation. Any repros, rebuilds, or items not meeting the criteria of the show are removed at this time.

I’ve been doing the show for about twenty years. I’ve always been happy to do it, but I’ve also always fretted about doing well. It all happens so fast. The bulk of the business is done within the first two hours of the show, People line up well ahead of time. From time to time people even camp outside the door overnight to be first in line. With so many beautiful items competing for attention, you have to be ready to rumble when they come running through the door at 6 pm. Chances are that by eight o’clock you will have sold the bulk of what you are going to sell. You are on your feet and on your toes selling, wrapping, and doing the math during those first two hours and then everyone clears out. By 9 pm you are either happy or concerned, but at least there is a good meal waiting for you. Bill and Linda have always had wine and beer and food ready to bring out as the show closes, and for the last couple of years Mary Jo Field has been producing absolutely fabulous meals that in themselves are good enough reason to book the show.

Although many come to see the show on Saturday the atmosphere is considerably more relaxed. This is fine because it allows you an opportunity to see the show, and chat with other dealers. Many of who I now see only once a year at this show. These chats often result in a few more sales or swaps. Then it’s all over at 4, and within a couple of hours you’re packed and on your way home, either feeling great, or not so great, or disappointed. It’s that kind of show. Some people will always do well, and some people not so well.

I’d say that for the past couple of years, like everywhere else, sales have been slower, but there are positive signs too, Prices are noticeably more reasonable, and interesting pieces, priced right do sell. It’s also great to see the show now includes three young dealers, Ben Lennox, Adrian Tinline, and Fairfield’s Antiques. All had excellent booths, and added to the excitement with their enthusiasm and knowledge. I also find it encouraging to see more young faces in the crowd, attendance figures are up over last year.

Here’s hoping that the Bowmanville show will continue to be a great place to see and buy the best in early Canadian antiques and folk art for at least another forty years.

My happy time with Mr. Joly’s whirligig

Posted on February 18, 2013 by shadflyguy

Gig on display at the church

It was 1984 when I crossed paths with this whirligig; during the period when I was going to the picker’s barns of the Victoriaville area of Quebec every other week. The drill was to leave home at 4 a.m., drive the ten hours, buy a truckload of furniture as quickly as possible, and get on home. It was in late November, and I remember the trip well because the temperature dropped quickly, and the Drummondville bridge froze up before the roadway. When I hit the bridge, I did a perfect 360 pirouette the entire length, coming back on course and continuing as though nothing had happened; frazzled but undeterred. Soon, the snow had come on so strong that for moments which seemed like eternity, I became completely lost, with no sense of direction within a big white cloud. All you can do when this happens is to slow down and listen for when the tires hit the gravel, thinking the whole time that a transport will come out of nowhere and drive right through you. Nasty. This was followed by long periods of the dreaded “hypno” snow, which is when the big fluffy flakes swirl over and over in spiral patterns until you think you’re going to loose it. Tough sledding.

An hour later, when I finally arrived at Paul Prince’s place near Defoy it was dark and snowing hard, but I was just so damn happy to be alive. The lights were on but Paul had gone home. I was about to leave when a picker I knew named Jimmy pulled in behind me. A great guy, and a legendary picker, he had been at it since he was a teenager. On this night he was on his way home from picking around Montreal, and he was really excited by something “special” he wanted to show me. Jimmy was never a guy to suppress his enthusiasm. Under the yard light, there in the back of his truck I could just make out this funky metal rocking boat gig in vivid paint. All 4 feet in length of it. I got excited too. When he showed me how the window cranking mechanism from an old Ford provided the gears for the rocking up and down of the boat, and the turning of the steering wheel I was a goner.

I had to think hard and fast because it was a lot of money, but a really cool thing; and I knew if I didn’t go for it, Paul, or the next guy would. “O.K. Jimmy here you go, but put it on my back seat so it doesn’t get smashed by the furniture”. “I’m doing you a favour by selling you this. You’re gonna make good money”. “Ya right, if I wait 25 years”. At this point Jimmy punched me in the arm and laughed, and the transaction was complete. I was delighted, but I had that slightly sick feeling I get when I stretch beyond my comfort range to acquire something special. I loved it, but I could have bought 4 or 5 cupboards for the same money, and at that point cupboards were selling well, at a good profit. Oh,what the hey. You’ve got to trust your instincts, and great things don’t come along every day.

The next day was snowy and cold, and I filled the truck quickly, thinking all day of the money spent, and wondering whether Jeanine would share my enthusiasm. I arrived home about 2 in the morning, so I left everything in the truck and went straight to bed. The next morning, over coffee, Jeanine asked me about the trip. I replied, “Oh good overall, but pretty intense”. I told her about the bridge incident, etc. and then casually mentioned that I bought something special that I hoped she would lke. I find it better to give confession right away, as delaying only adds to the suffering. “Well, go get it, and let’s see what you’ve done”. The moment of truth had arrived. Happily she loved it too, and we decided there and then to keep it for a good long time so we could appreciate it everyday. “Too bad we don’t know who made it”.

Fast forward to the next summer and we are enjoying a weekend in Quebec, our favourite North American city. We had heard of a bookstore where it was possible to buy a rare book, Les Patenteux du Quebec, which we knew to be the “bible” of Quebec folk art, .

page 19 of “les Patenteux du Quebec”

Published in 1978, it is the work of three young Quebec women who spent a summer or so traveling all over Quebec documenting, and recording the stories of every Quebec folk artist they could trace. We found the shop and bought the book, and when we cracked it open, it opened to page 19, and behold there was our whirligig. With a picture of it in it’s original location, and statement by the artist. Extraordinary.

We placed the piece on a low cupboard in front of the low wall which separated our kitchen from dining area, and there it sat for the next twenty years or so. We never offered it for sale but we had various offers over the years. The best was when a friend was returning to live in Italy, and he offered us his recent model Jeep in exchange. We thought about that one quite seriously, but refused figuring that the Jeep would rust out and be finished in a few years, where as the gig would just keep on going.

When we moved from the church to our current residence in Port Dover in 2003, we found it difficult to find the right place to display it. We considered mounting it high on a shelf above our front bay window, but that posed a risk of falling and crowning someone. It moved from place to place being a bit in the way, and ended up sitting on a ledge behind the couch, which is when we more or less forgot about it. I still noticed it, but it no longer “engaged” me, if you catch my drift. Jeanine felt the same. So it came to pass that last year in a mood of downsizing we decided that although we had really enjoyed owning the piece, it was time to pass it along. My friend, and serious collector Dr. Martin Osler had always coveted it, and had asked for first refusal, so I gave him a call. Because we can both be convoluted at times, and because there was no particular hurry, it took just about a full year to complete the transaction, but it now sits proudly on a high cupboard in the back of Marty’s office. A striking location in an important collection, and I am happy because I can visit it occasionally. Here is a photo of Marty, and his friend, contemporary artist Alex Cameron admiring the gig in it’s new home.

Marty and Alex enjoying his newest acquisition.

For me, after thirty years as a full time dealer I consider that I truly don’t own, or need to own anything. My job is to find it, to recognize it, and then to be a good custodian until I have found it a decent home, where it will be loved and preserved. It’s kind of liberating, actually.

shadflyguy

seeking authentic

Category Archives: the Old Church Trading days