Lewis and the Radio and Setting Goals

The internet is now.  Radio is almost a thing of the past.  This morning; however, Lewis is bridging the gap.  He is being interviewed as I write this by our local radio host, Fredrick Johnson.  Fredrick is an old friend, father of four delightful daughters and husband to Jenny Johnson, who works for the American Red Cross.  Lewis is not a stranger to Radio.  He was a radio host, himself, while he attended Virginia Tech.  He is never at a lost for words and mesmerizes ladies in the shop with his rhetoric. 

It is easy to talk about something that you are knowledgeable about.  Lewis definitely knows his subject and loves it.  It is remarkable how he has honed in on the period and designers that we represent.  This is not something that he learned in college, however, he did learn the skills that enabled him to pursue his interest.  Antiquing is an art and a game.  The more you know about your subject the better you will perform.  This can apply to anything in life.  Set yourself goals and set out to accomplish those goals.

I have seen this in my father who on his own became an authority in American Art.  I see this in my son Chris, who seems to have unending knowledge about American Military items, Civil War and Revolutionary war items.  He has become very knowledgeable about American Antique furniture.  He is able to repair and to build furniture.

Lewis has built a shop showing off his love of the deco designers and the early modernist period.  He has helped me understand and appreciate the uniqueness of the designers of the early and mid twentieth century.  The architects of this period designed homes the likes of which had not been seen before, and as a result the existing furniture did not fit well into these homes.  These architects  had another challenge, that was to design furnishing that would complement their new concept of buildings.  The furniture of this period tends to be timeless built with the care given to the great furniture of the past.  True this furniture was often manufactured, but with quality woods and attention given to details.

These pieces represented new ideas and therefore the masses had yet to accept them.  There were not great numbers manufactured, and there was only a short period that they were made before another trend came about.  The pieces made during the 18th century and the 19th century were made over an extended period of time.  An interesting side here is that some of the furniture companies of today are beginning to reproduce some of the good early modernist designs.  This is a true sign that these pieces will endure.  Imitation is a form of flattery.