Tag Archives: Shadfly Antiques

Vintage

Prix d’Ami -Discovering Antique Pickers Barns

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Kojak’s young helper. image: courtesy of P. Ross

Discovering the Picker’s barns…after visiting Marcel Gosselin [last issue- http://tinyurl.com/7g4oxnk CP ] we went on to a large picker’s barn we had noticed on the way into Victoriaville which is where we met Jean (Kojak) Deshaies. As we arrived, the place was buzzing with activity as several pickers clamored for the attention of a completely bald man; pointing at, and demanding prices of items still being unloaded from his pickup truck. Not being used to this type of “pressure” buying we went inside and started to peruse the rows of furniture and items there.

Nothing was priced. We made note of several things of interest, and waited.

After several minutes the bald man came in and approached us introducing himself in a distinctive, low raspy voice as Kojak, and started simply “how can I help you?”. I was slightly taken aback by the intensity of his voice, abrupt manner, powerful short build, and the fact that he had absolutely no facial hair including eyebrows. He seemed….slightly hostile. We explained that we were dealers from Ontario, and that this was our first trip to Quebec. He immediately broke into a big smile and grabbed my hand and gave it a firm shake, and after introductions asked us what we found interesting. As we pointed out several pieces of early furniture, rugs, carvings, etc., he would offer a short description and then bark out the prices. As we said yes to an item, a young helper would grab the piece and haul it off to a place by the entrance where he started to make a pile. Kojak wrote the prices on a piece of scrap paper. He warmed with every item chosen and before long would sometimes follow the price quoted with a second lower price he called “prix d’ami” or “friend’s price”.

After awhile I noticed the large pile we had accumulated. I expressed my concern that I might not have enough cash for everything, but he said not to worry because a cheque would be fine. I was surprised at this sign of trust but he joked that he knew I would be back, and besides if the cheque was not good he would soon be at my door to collect, and I wouldn’t want that to happen.

He told us that he and a few of the other local dealers were just back from New York City where they had marched unannounced into the office of a downtown lawyer who had bought several items in the area with bad cheques, and had not answered their calls. “We just walked into his office, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and told him we wanted our stuff back.  We didn’t have to do more. He took us right to the warehouse. We were back home ten hours later.”If you had trouble covering a cheque it was fine as longs as you were up front about it, and made it right. No problem.”

Getting all of the stuff we bought into the truck was another thing but we managed. For the Silo, Phil Ross. Visit Phil’s blog at www.shadflyguy.com

Culture

Folk Art In Cyberspace

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It is interesting to consider how the development of the World Wide Web has affected the work of the untrained artist.  Like all artists, folk artists reflect the world they see around them, and have always been affected by the media.  An example is in the work of Ewald Rentz who liked watching Sesame Street on t.v., and so produced sculptures of many of the main characters.   But internet access does not have the same effect as watching television.  Television focuses our attention, sometimes helping to create cultural icons such as Kermit the Frog.

The internet spreads our attention, giving us access to a much wider, but therefore more unfocused body of information.   Things go “viral” and disappear within days, being replaced by the next “flash in the pan”.  But more importantly the web also provides an interested individual the possibility to easily research any given subject. It is reasonable to assume that most modern folk artists will at some point use the internet to look at the work of other folk artists.

Previously this information would have been available only to those who had access to reference books, or could travel to an exhibition or sale. Overall this means that if they are so inclined, artists are being more influenced by each other, and if their motivation is to sell more folk art, they will look at and emulate what’s selling.  This encourages fashion or trends which might be considered a negative. However, to a large extent ‘twas ever thus.  Artists have always looked at each other’s work, and if they like what they see, they will consciously or unconsciously emulate it.  The more interesting affect therefore is on the potential for an artist to develop an audience or market for his or her work from their home by creating a web site, and/ or joining a communal web site specializing in their type of work.  This has the potential to encourage and support many who would otherwise never be discovered.  A real God send to those who live in remote places.  Of course it isn’t as simple as throwing up a few pictures up and waiting for the phone to ring.

One still has to promote and be reliable in transactions, etc., but the potential is now much greater for a talented individual to  be discovered by  their audience, and thus support their output. For the Silo, Phil Ross.