Visiting Chester Americana Antiques And Gallery, Chester, CT

Collecting Americana

Many collectors today are falling in love with Americana collectibles, mixing primitives, folk art, ephemera, textiles, antique toys and more with contemporary home decor and furnishings. Antique quilts, old photographs,wooden chests and shelves, hand carved objects, vintage tools etc. provide warmth and texture to a variety of home styles.


Americana Antique Objets d'Art  Americana is finding a home among younger collectors who categorize many of these pre- industrial functional objects as a hybrid of art and antique. A simple old wooden tool chest becomes an exciting podium for a piece of sculpture or a rusty intricate wheel is mounted on a wall  becoming a lovely focal point.

Meet Owner Bill Vollers

In the charming village of Chester, Connecticut you will find "Chester Americana Antiques and Gallery", owned by graphic artist Bill Vollers. Bill is as warm and folksy as his splendid  collection which is elegantly displayed in a series of engaging vignettes in his store on 4 Water Street in Chester, CT.

 Functional Objects Now Collectible "Art"

Bill's digital imagery and wooden assemblages are showcased throughout his shop along with his collection of antique toys, games, vintage tins, primitives, wood tables, old office equipment, wooden kitchenware, tools, farm collectibles etc.
Every now and then Bill has mixed in some Mid-Century Retro wares such as a chrome canister set or a metal stool.

The look works and Bill has certainly mastered the art of combining whimsical and traditional styles in his neatly organized and beautifully styled store.

Chester Americana Antiques and Gallery
4 Water Street
Chester, CT
860-322-4259

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

How To Carefully Price Vintage Cloth Children's Books: Tips For Antique Dealers

Using A Ribbon To Attach A Price Tag To Vintage Books

Have you wondered about how to carefully price vintage cloth children's books? You have to be very careful not to write on the cover or any of the inside pages. You also do not want to add any stickers or labels to any of the pages.  I am even cautious about writing on an old book with a pencil. 

Attach A Charming Ribbon With Your Price Tag

Many  sellers  have found that adding a cute ribbon  with an attached price tag is a good solution to pricing older paper goods. Another idea that is often used is placing a sticky note  with price information on the first inside page.  Remember sticky notes can come off. If you have the time, you can of course place your book in a cellophane or plastic bag. But I can tell you, that many buyers like to examine books carefully and will take the book right out of  your plastic packaging and leave the book and plastic separated. I like the ribbon idea very much! 

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

Collecting Vintage Beauty And Salon Appliances, Accessories And Advertising

Beauty And Vanity Collectibles Are Hot

Vintage  beauty appliances, accessories and advertising are very collectible today. There are several different types of collectors who buy salon and vanity collectibles. Many gals (and guys) enjoy decorating their home bathrooms in Retro and vintage style. You will also meet many hair stylists who decorate their salons with vintage beauty items such as original packaging of with hair nets, Bobby pins, rollers, facial creams, magazine advertising and more.

Be on the look out for old hair blowers, talc tins, salon decor etc..

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

What A Good Junk Should Be: Not A Wannabee Antique Store

Hunting For Junk In All The Right Places

 When I go out junking, I  am always hoping that the junk shop that I visit is truly a Junk shop and not a wannabee Antique shop. For me, the best Junk stores mix together all their stuff in random combinations of goodies! When STUFF is too organized and too nicely displayed, the buyer begins to wonder if they are in a JUNK shop or a Vintage shop. There is a difference of course. 

Hunting For A Bargain

Those of us who live to go out junking for fabulous finds want to poke around in piles looking for our treasures.  Psychologically we feel that if we hunt for collectibles buried in dusty stacks of odds and ends then we deserve to get a bargain. If the owner of the shop has taken the time to clean and feature their items for sale in charming displays, you can generally assume that someone is going to have to pay for the "merchandising". 

Poking Through Piles of Junk 

Junk  shoppers are not interested in sweet vignettes. We want junk in the raw. A box of doll heads; a pile of cigar boxes; a drawer filled with old magazines. It doesn't bother us one bit, to walk into a back room loaded with everything jumbled together or unpacked boxes fresh off the truck.  Most of us  would be in junk heaven to be allowed to help a junk dealer sort through a new load. Oh...how I  can't wait to go picking in the morning!

Images courtesy of  Junk Shop Of Canton, Canton, CT

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

The Farmington Valley Arts Center Features The Reggio Magnet School Of The Arts Student Art Show April 5-14th, 2012, Fisher Gallery

Fisher Gallery Features Reggio Magnet School of Avon, CT

I strolled into the Fisher Gallery of The Farmington Valley Arts Center, Avon, CT and was wowed with excitement as faculty from The Reggio Magnet School of Avon were hanging their Student Art Show which opens Thursday. April 5th, 2012 from 5-6:30 pm. The show will be running from April 6-14.


About The  Reggio Magnet School, Avon, CT

This was my first time being introduced to The Reggio Magnet School of Avon, CT.  The Reggio school  embraces  an educational approach exported from the villages of Reggio Emilia Italy in the 1940s that has gained popularity all over the world, serving as a model for innovative learning systems.  The Reggio approach which shares some of the beliefs in how children learn  from noted schools such as Waldorf and Montessori is different in it's interpretation and execution of  "core values".



The Importance Of The Child's Environment

The child's "environment" is a key ingredient in the learning process. A core principle is that the child as was the case back in Italy, should be surrounded by natural and beautiful things. Classrooms include  a studio  or "ateler" filled with found objects, art materials, pain, writing instruments, clay, stones etc.

According to the Reggio Magnet School website:

At Reggio Magnet School children from Pre K to Grade 5 learn through their experiences including touching, moving, listening, seeing, hearing, and working with other children. The school itself plays a role in learning providing an environment that transforms, educates an d inspires the viewer".


Reggio Magnet School Student Art Show

The upcoming Student Art Show is a testament to the creative expression fostered at The Reggio School. The show is vibrant, multi-faceted, colorful, attractively presented. Your eyes wander from wall to wall, ceiling to floor,  corner to corner. You will be dazzled, excited, delighted and inspired by   works on paper, sculpture, assemblages and  lots more created by these young hands. I strongly urge my readers to visit this wonderful show.

Student Art Show

This exhibit features student works from The Reggio Magnet School of Avon, Ct

Gallery Hours: 

Wednesday-Saturday, Noon -4:00 pm or

by appointment 860-676-1867     

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

A Look At Inside Out Book Collages "Weekend Mixed Media Workshops At The Farmington Valley Arts Center

Making Art From Old Books

 Artist C. Dianne Zweig "doodles" on a book page

Collectors of old books, stay calm, I am about to tell you how I "de-constructed an old book" while attending a weekend art workshop at the Farmington Valley Arts Center, Avon by New York artist Lynn Gall. The two day workshop conducted at FVAC was titled "Inside Out Book Collages". I'm not sure exactly what I had in my mind when I considered taking this class, but by the end of the workshop, I had explored this topic not only "inside/out" but from every angle, perspective and medium one could work in.


Mixed Media Art And Old Books

Artist C. Dianne Zweig reconstructs an old book 

Book collectors will probably snarl at the idea of  pulling apart a lovely old book to re-purpose into a work of art, but mixed media enthusiasts operate like surgeons with precision and skill. o.k., let me   back up a bit.....skill?   O.k. maybe skill is not the key word. I would substitute enthusiasm for ripping things apart. By the way...in case "Mixed Media" is not a term you are familiar with, think collage, paints, inks, embellishments etc. In other words...mixed media is working with the kitsch n sink!

Armed With A Sharpie Pen

 Class participants during a critique session.

So back to the workshop at hand. No pun intended. We had a nice group of gals who  participated in Lynn's workshop. Each one of us working in our own unique style. For me, a doodler at heart, I approached this challenge armed with my Sharpie pen I brought along with me to the workshop, I began doodling on the pages of this old book at the very beginning of the class while I was listening to Lynn talk abut the various approaches to deconstructing books.

 Artist Candace Abbott

Using Painted Papers In Mixed Media

Other attending this weekend workshop, brought along hand painted papers they had made previously  or images that they cut out from other books . The idea was to pull apart the pages of  an old book and re-use the components of the book such as the pages, illustrations, book cover, book board etc.


Reconstructing Old Books Into Collage Art 

After the book was taken apart, the pages and parts are reassembled in a collage like style as a new piece of work. Lynn Gall is an accomplished Mixed Media artist who resides in Manhattan and comes to the Farmington Valley Arts Center several times a year to conduct wonderful Mixed Media classes and workshops.

About The Farmington Valley Arts Center

Bunny Milan busy at work 

The campus of the Farmington Valley Arts Center is in a park like setting right off Route 44 in Avon, CT. The center houses artist studios, two galleries and offers year round classes for adults, teens and children. In the artist studios which are on two levels, you will find a lovely collection of landscapes, abstracts. Mixed Media, photography, textiles, pottery, illustrations,  cartoons, paper cuttings, etchings,  printmaking,

Visit  http://artsfvac.org/

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists