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Building a dream.....

A

Anonymous

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For many years I have been a collector of and lover of antiques and collectables.My wife shares my interest and during summer months we travel the country visiting flea markets,garage sales,and dusty little small town junk stores looking for bargins on little items from yester-year.I especially like to find and repair-restore the neglected broken items that have been cast aside.Bringing new life to an old item that many people may not even know what was used for.
We own a fairly large collection that is for the most part stored away in a couple of outbuildings here at our home and in a large barn at my fathers home.We are not very picky about what we collect and have everything from furniture to firearms,old tools,carnival glass,depression glass,oil lamps,baseball cards,antique toys,fishing plugs and hundreds of other things we have aquired and packed away over the last 30 years.I also have a fairly large collection of metal detecting finds-old coins,relics,jewelry-that I have found over the last 12 years or so.
When I got a computer and learned how to use it a few years ago I was amazed to find out how high some of our "treasures" sell for on Ebay and other on line auctions.It has always been in our mind to someday sell our collection-perhaps to supplement our retirement income or perhaps to allow us to retire a little early.
A couple of weeks ago with a limited amount of money to work with,I broke ground to build a 2000 square foot building on property we own behind our home.After getting a couple of bids for excavation and concrete work I found out the dollars wouldn't stetch far enough.A change in plans was called for with a lot more of the work to be done by me.
Among other things in my life I worked in construction and concrete for a while as a young man.After getting the bids for the concrete I rented a small bobcat digger a couple of weeks ago and dug and poured the concrete footing to build the building on.I got some help from my son and son-in-law.(They don't know much,but they work cheap! <img src="/metal/html/lol.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":lol">) As soon as the weather drys up some a local construction co. will build the building,complete the outside and get it under roof for me it will be a 40'X 50' metal pre fabricated structure.
I will do all the interior work including,wiring,plumbing,insulation,drywall and pouring a concrete floor.This may take a year os so to complete as this is a "pay as I go " project <img src="/metal/html/lol.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":lol">
If all goes as planned the building will be broken into 3 sections.The largest section will be reservered to display and sell items.The middle section will be used for storage and as a place to repair and restore items to get them ready for sale.It will also be ventilated so furniture refinishing can be done.The smallest section will be finished as a small studio apartment.A place to keep a computer and to photograph and list items on ebay.It will also serve as a place for me to sleep if my wife ever reads some of the things I have posted on this forum in the past..... <img src="/metal/html/shocked.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":shock"> <img src="/metal/html/shocked.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":shock"> <img src="/metal/html/lol.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":lol"> .
We have a ways to go before we go into business but are excited about the possibilitys.Time will tell.
 
You will enjoy building it and it sounds like it will serve your purpose. I would not be surprised if you out grow it. Please keep us posted on the progress...this is interesting. Please have a great day! Kelley (Texas) <img src="/metal/html/smile.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":)">
 
Be sure to post some good photos at various stages on the forum for us.
Then when it's finished we'll have to come up (and down) and give you a good house-warming.
Thanks for the post. I'm GREEN with envy! <><
Arkie
 
watch those ladders and putting on trusses huh? <img src="/metal/html/grin.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":grin">
Wayne
 
of an old section of lockers that we just finished last week. My daddy brought it home from an old Kroger's store they were remodeling. He kept it in his shop with various tools and and such in it. I always told mother I was going to strip it and turn it into a nice piece of furniture! We just moved it in last week. We use it for a pantry and it just fit in the spot we chose to put it. The old knobs are wooden, and the numbers were black, and turned out to be brass when we finished.
Have you ever heard of Niloak Pottery?
 
People who have never stripped and refinished a piece of furniture can't appreciate how much work is involved in the process.That piece turned out great.Is it oak? One of my favorite things to do is to refinish old furniture.After all the old paint and varnish are removed a thing of beauty is often revealed that is often more beautiful than most any new furniture that can be bought.We have a oak dining room table made in the 1800s that I bought at an estate sale several years ago.It had been stored in a barn for several years and was covered in bird droppings.When I went to strip the paint from it I counted 7 coats of paint where it had been painted over the years.I worked on that thing for a month or longer before I finished.My mother-in-law is using it now and it will never be for sale....I have too much work invested in it!
I have heard of Niloak pottery.I believe it was made in your neighborhood in the early 1900s.We have a couple pieces stored away somewhere....Some of the swirl patterns are pretty high dollar stuff.We also have a few pieces of early Roseville and lots of pieces of McCoy.
 
more familiar with Niloak than I am. Although we practically lived on the old site that the plant was on. When I cleaned out my daddy's gun cabinet, he had been using a Niloak swirl round dish for SHOTGUN shells! I now have it in a glass front cabinet. Then at a flea market, I picked up a camel, with a small round holder made out of the same clay attached to the back of it, perhaps for a very small plant. I have no idea what it is worth.
 
At the value of some of the things laying around in older peoples homes.I once went to a elderly- obviously poor-couples home to set up some medical equipment.While there I noticed a very expensive depression glass cookie jar that was still being used to store cookies in.When I told them that it was probably worth $700.00 or more they were amazed.To them it was just an old cookie jar that had belonged to their parents.They had several more pieces of the same pattern glass in the cupboards.I set them up with a glass collector I knew who gave them a fair price for the lot.They were thrilled.Some people would probably try to take advantage of folks like this but I could never do so.
If I found it in a junk store or bought it at an estate sale then it would be a different story..... <img src="/metal/html/lol.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":lol"> <img src="/metal/html/lol.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":lol">
 
<img src="/metal/html/smile.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":)">
 
too many look back and say "if only." Follow your dream!
Dave
 
that is what keeps us going, looking ahead. My mother is going on 89 and she talks about what she is going to do to her flowers next year and the next.
I am gonna be putting up a garage this coming year, I hope, as soon as I sell this place and move to Roscommon. I am not planning on one as big as yours but I have to have a place for my wood working.
I am no good at it but still like to do it <img src="/metal/html/grin.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":grin">
 
under all the crud on some of those old pieces.
That turned out great <img src="/metal/html/super.gif" border=0 width=26 height=28 alt=":super">
 
I started refinishing an old pump organ about 3 years ago and it like to wore me out! Never got the tall mirrored part finished. But I don't even have a place for it in this new place. It will probably get sold in a yard sale we're planning for the spring. We still have a storage unit full of stuff.
Mary M.
 
Dan, You and the wife will have a ball. Only, instead of browsing through someone else's antique shop, it will be your own. I envy you! <img src="/metal/html/wink.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=";)"> I love antique shops!!!
Mary M.
 
how some people do not realize what they have. Of course, my mother always said she didn't want anything old to restore. She grew up with the stuff and didn't want any part of it! I always wanted an old fashion bathtub with the claw feet. She said I hadn't swept under enough of them or I might feel differently! "lol
 
Sounds like youve been pretty busy and will probably stay that way!
God Bless,
Lil Brother <img src="/metal/html/smile.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":)"> <img src="/metal/html/smile.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":)">
 
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