colleen

As most of our regular customers know, I just spent ten days moving my daughter to Memphis, TN (Billie was accepted into the Teach for America program and will spend the next two years teaching first grade Memphis). With the help of two dear friends, we rented a U-Haul trailer, hitched it to my van, and loaded both with an apartment’s worth of furnishings. We broke the trip into 3 parts–3 days to drive down; 4 days to get Billie settled, see some sights, and do some antiquing; and 3 days to drive home (which turned into 2 days for various reasons).

I bought lots of interesting stuff for the shop including garden antiques, vintage clothing, 2 iron baker’s racks, a mid-century modern yellow damask sofa & matching love seat (both still in original plastic covers), lighting, and lots of cool smalls. In terms of pricing, I visited six shops–three were too pricey to buy for resale but the picking was really good in the others. The dealers and shopkeepers were very kind and helpful. (One shopkeeper actually helped me unload & repack my U-Haul. I guess that’s what they mean by “southern hospitality!”)

Aside from antiquing, we got Billie settled into her apartment ( a very cute spot in the Midtown section of Memphis), did some grocery shopping, and still managed to squeeze in some sightseeing. We visited the Memphis Zoo (pandas!), Beale Street, and Graceland (I had to see the MCM decor). But the most memorable spot was the National Civil Rights Museum. The museum tells the story of the American Civil Rights Movement with artifacts, films, and interactive exhibitions. The walk thru the museum ends when visitors stand between the MLK’s Lorraine Motel bedroom & living room looking out at the spot on the balcony where he died. As overwhelming as the museum is, I was more overwhelmed by my own ignorance. As with most things, the more you learn, the more you realize how much you still need to learn.

Billie will be in Memphis for at least two years so I know that I will visit again. I will definitely hunt down more antiques for the shop, visit the pandas, and hang out in a Beale Street bar. But most importantly, I will go back to the National Civil Rights Museum because “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” MLK

It’s been one month since we reopened and we want to thank you all for coming back to shop with us. We are especially appreciative of everyone’s willingness to wear masks and maintain social distancing. This is our home environment so, in addition to protecting our customers, we are also focused on protecting ourselves so that we can stay open throughout the Covid-19 outbreak. We continue to be open daily and we continue our quest to bring you the funkiest, grooviest, coolest stuff we can find! So we soldier on, masks in place, and we send you all our love & gratitude! Colleen & Don

If you follow our Facebook and Instagram pages, you probably already know that we worked with the set designers of the new film “Little Women” as they set up shoots in various locations in Massachusetts. Over the course of many visits (and even more texts), we selected an array of furniture and props to help designers complete the movie’s Victorian aesthetic.  In the world of antiques & design, the Victorian aesthetic has fallen out of trend, but this movie may bring the era back into favor. Little Women designers gave “Formal Victorian” a bohemian twist by layering the sets with textiles, natural elements, and vibrant colors that give the sets a loose, casual, comfortable feeling while staying true to the period.

I saw the film with my daughter who is currently a senior at Barnard College (just 14 years behind Director Greta Gerwig). One of our favorite scenes is the porch dance scene with Jo and Laurie. If you look carefully, you’ll see a set of black Victorian wireware “peacock” furniture that designers rented from us. (The wireware bench is currently in use in the shop as a rack for vintage jeans.) We saw many pieces that came from our shop–quilts, clothing, lighting, furniture, baskets, and unique pieces like an antique book press and a chalkware owl. It was a real privilege to make a small contribution to an enormously important story. But the best part of the film, for those of us who loved the book when we were young, is being reminded of the power of girls.

It’s always fun (and surprising) to read about ourselves! The current issue of New Hampshire Home magazine features the recent renovation of an antique Kittery, Maine home and we are happy to be included in the article. The owner, Deb Coffin, and her designer, Annie Ballin, spent many afternoons in the shop picking out accessories for the final touches for this beautiful home. Their taste is always eclectic and open-minded. They gravitate to pieces based on color story & vibe rather than to pieces that would typically be found in a house of this style & age. In addition to an amazing sense of style, these ladies also share an amazing sense of humor!

So thank you to Deb & Annie & NH Home Magazine for including us! Hope to see you soon.

It’s no exaggeration to say that, in this business, there is always something new to learn. I recently acquired a collection of pre-1950 Alaskan work wear. Over the years, I’ve had an occasional pair of moccasins or a Victorian black seal coat, but I’ve never had an authentic collection of Native Alaskan clothing. This collection came to me from a favorite picker who bought an old steamer trunk filled with antique Alaskan clothing and artifacts. This particular picker was most interested in the artifacts and knew he could flip the clothing to me.

Included in the collection is a wolf fur coat, men’s seal skin work pants, various pairs of fur & bead moccasins, a pair of seal skin boots, a two piece woman’s dress (the underdress is hide & fur and the overdress is cotton), a seal skin vest, numerous fur boot liners, and several handmade leather & fur belts. Pricing these pieces was challenging because there aren’t a lot of comparable items out there. So I based my pricing on two factors: my gut and my investment!

Whether or not you are interested in buying these pieces, feel free to stop in and see the collection. I’ve learned something new and now, it’s your turn!

NHPR reached out to Antique Alley a couple of months ago with regard to their series on the history of New Hampshire’s Route 4. Todd Bookman spent time interviewing the owners of four of Antique Alley’s 18 shops including Charlie at The Betty House, Rich at Parker-French, Bill at Fern Eldridge and me (Colleen at RS Butler’s). If you’ve visited our shops, you know that we’re all very different but we also have a lot in common and these things are highlighted in this piece. Here’s a link to the interview.