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My wife  and I  are 3rd generation glass collectors. Several years ago we decided we were having so much fun collecting and going antiquing that we would open our own shop and be able to spend more time together doing what we loved. What a great decision!!! We have meet so many nice people in this business.

Our favorite items to collect are Victorian Pickle Castors, Lacy Period Salt Cellars and Early Opalescent Glass.  We enjoy the excitement of finding the rare examples that it sometimes takes us years to obtain.  Our two daughters go with us from time to time and have very good eyes for finding these items. After finding rare pieces comes the hard part, deciding if we are buying for the shop or our own collection.  Decisions like this can tear a person apart. The shop usually wins as we have come to realize, when raising two young ladies, you can't afford to keep everything.

We live in a nice peaceful little town called Mercersburg in Pennsylvania. Its where the 15th president of the United States, James Buchanan, was born.

Being on the Mason-Dixon line between Maryland and Pennsylvania, (not far from Gettysburg) this area acquired a lot of history during the American Civil War. Also during its early settlement days there were quite a number of Indian raids, and the settlers built many Forts near hear.

Rob & Staci 

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Condition and Value of Antiques

    We try to be as knowledgeable about the items we sell as we can.  However, nobody knows everything.  We are constantly learning about new areas of collecting and we are glad to share what we learn with others.  Some of the items we sell are being sold on consignment and we have to rely on the sellers knowledge of those items and hope they have them properly identified.   Remember, Nobody knows everything.  It is after all the buyers responsibility to know what they are buying.

    Another thing we must always remember is that antiques are old used items.  Therefore they usually have some sort of wear acquired over the years, some call this character.  Early glass usually has bubbles, lines, dirt and other imperfections in it from the manufacturing process.  Silver, Brass and other metals usually have age patina unless they have been cleaned.  Furniture will have scuffs, wear around knobs and latches and sometimes with primitive kitchen furniture even mouse holes or chew marks.  Again it is the buyers choice on how much character the want on an item they are buying.

    We always take condition into consideration when pricing any item. And you should also when buying an item for your collection.   However, some items are so rare that even in fair condition they can bring a high premium.  An example would be the lacy period salt cellars that we collect.  With most glassware if an item has a chip or a crack it is almost worthless.  But, when it comes to Early American Lacy period Salts, chips and cracks do play a role in their value, However some examples are so rare that collectors will sometimes pay several hundred dollars for a piece that is missing a foot or has been broken and glued back together.  This is because some items are so rare that you may never find an example in good condition. 

    When buying Antiques for an investment, you should always try and buy items in the best condition available.  Items in very good condition almost always continue to go up in value.  

Antiques also have a decorative value, after all, we have all stopped at a Cracker Barrel for breakfast or had dinner at one of the now popular sports bars.  They are all decorated with antiques of different conditions just because we love to remember the past and the memories they bring back. 

If buying items to decorate, then all that really maters is that you like the appearance of the item and will enjoy looking at it time and time again.  Sometimes the decorative value of an item is higher than its collectible value.  In this case it is simply the enjoyment we get from looking at it that determines what we are willing to pay for it,  and its resale value doesn't mean as much.  Enjoy life, after all it is very short and you only get to live it once.

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God Bless America

Please remember that we live in a country that gives us the right to make our own decisions.  What we do with our lives and were we end up usually comes from the choices we make in our every day life.  Some things are beyond our control such as car accidents, illness and acts upon us by other people.  But most other things we have  a little control over. This is our right to choose.  These rights have been paid for with the blood, sweat and tears of those who served our great country in the military. These rights are guaranteed to us by our constitution that they have died both to get and to keep.  We honor them on Veterans day and Memorial day, we make movies and write books about what they have done.  We fly the American Flag as a show of pride and patriotism.  Now...Think about it, do you really want to Honor the Brave Men &  Women that have risked everything, and in some cases died, so that YOU would be able to live, love and raise a family in a country that allows YOU the choice of what tomorrow may bring.  Then Register to vote!!!  Its not just our right, we owe it to those who earned us this right and also to those who serve every day to keep this right for us.

Register Today and this country will always have a tomorrow.