I began knocking on doors, or “picking,” for antiques over 50 years ago. I had a proven method; I would knock on 20 doors per day. Out of these 20, I would get into five or six houses. I would buy antiques from two or three of these houses. I picked six days a week.
Perkinsville
One summer day, about 50 years ago, I was picking on the Upper Falls Road in Perkinsville. I stopped at an old place to see if I could buy anything. The old guy was friendly enough, but he didn’t want to sell anything.
I remember he collected antique bells of all kinds, cow bells, sleigh bells, school bells, etc. We stepped into a shed where I saw a large anvil. I asked if it was for sale. “Why yes,” he said. “If you can pick it up the way I did when I was your age.” I bent over and grabbed the anvil by the horn with my left hand, my right hand to the rear, and picked it up.
“No,” he said. “Pick it with your thumb and forefinger of your left hand on the left front foot, and with your right hand grab the rear right foot with your thumb and forefinger. Then pick it straight up and touch the horn to my nose. If you can do that I’ll sell it to you.” Of course it’s impossible. When I said, “Show me,” he said, “I’m too old now.”
I was about 21, and even though I knew he was playing me, deep down, I wondered if he really could have done it. I was still wet behind the ears. Some of these old Vermonters were storytellers. We are still here.
Mr. Farnsworth
Another summer day, I was on a dirt road in Vergennes when I stopped at an old place. I walked up on the porch and knocked on the door. A nice old gent came to the door. I introduced myself, and told him I was buying antiques. I could see antiques in the kitchen behind him. He let me in and showed me around.
I probably spent 45 minutes with him going from one room to another. I made many offers, but he wouldn’t sell anything. I had to get back on the road, so I stepped out onto the porch to leave. He said, “Wait, I want to show you something.” I wanted to get going, but I could tell the old guy was lonely, so I humored him a little longer.
There was an ell on one end of the house. We started up these creaky old stairs when I looked up to the upper floor. I could see shelves loaded with Edison record players. There were over 70 Edison machines. He had two figures of Nipper, Edison posters and signs, extra horns, and thousands of records.
He asked, “What would you like to hear?” Having already struck out and knowing he wouldn’t want to sell his machines I said, “I’d like to hear you’d take a hundred dollars for the contents of this room.” He bent over double laughing at such absurdity, and invited me to sit in his antique wicker rocker.
He played “Uncle Josh” records, and told me about them and their value. Any questions I had, he answered. I learned a lot that day. When I said, “I need to get going,” he said he would sell many of the antiques I had made offers on. I loaded the truck that day. I remember his name was Farnsworth, and he wanted to open a museum. We became friendly as time went by. I later learned every picker in the north-country had tried to buy antiques from him. Mr. Farnsworth liked my sense of humor.
This week’s old saying I was told by an old-time antiques dealer 50 years ago. I asked him what something was worth. “It depends whether you’re buying or selling.”