A Historic Beginning
I’ve been drawn to history since I was a young child. My father, a teacher, shared history with me wherever we traveled. We didn’t have a lot of money but what we did have, we would spend it on was traveling all over the western United States in a 1958 GMC Carryall. It was a rough and bouncy ride sans seatbelts.
It wasn’t so much dates and historic figures that caught my attention, but artifacts. My childhood friend Ginger and I would dig in the earth at a burnt out foundation at an abandoned property in search of a chard of glass or china or maybe a rusted nail. I wanted to taste history through my hands.
The search to find something was in my blood. How did I go from child treasure hunter to an estate liquidator?
It was the summer of 2016 when I was given an opportunity by an estate trust lawyer to purchase an entire estate. I had one estate sale (my own after selling my home in January that year due to divorce) and a buyout of a garage under my belt. I had been buying and selling antiques and vintage wares for decades though and wasn’t ever afraid of hard work. My dad raised me on a ten acre farm and I spent most of my childhood by his side assisting him.
I was nervous on all counts, but especially going into my savings and spending so much money on the contents of a home. I was on the verge of a divorce and a single mother of two children. I wondered if I could survive on this business of buying and selling alone. Was it a mistake to invest so much money on the contents of a home?
My dad, my son and my daughter and I worked side by side digging through boxes that had been in the attic for years. The contents of the attic came from the Santa Rosa Electric store on 4th Street. The property was filled with shelving units, tables, display pieces, lighting fixtures and advertising ephemera. It was a time capsule from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s and I owned every bit of it. I loved every inch of it.
If you have been to our showroom in Sebastopol we still have some pieces from this estate. The tall green shelves along the back wall and the holding area (now moved near the door). These were a part of the store in Santa Rosa. I came across the photos of the original store in a box recently and was reminded of my humble, nerve wracking, historic beginnings.
Every estate we buy has been touched by history in some way. Sometimes it is very historic such as the Thomas H. Ince Estate. A man that was a producer and director in Hollywood in the early part of last century. He made hundreds of films. Or Charles Bailey who helped invent a method for making the Catalytic Convertor. Or Sophie Porter who was an incredible artist and painter. Our customers feel in love with her story and her artwork.
When we liquidate a home, we want to make note of the lives of the people that lived there. Not only make note, but to share their stories. As liquidators we are immersed in their lives by sorting through their belongings and we start to piece together a story. Who they were, what they did and even how they lived their last years. These were people that touched the lives of many and we want to preserve their stories after they have gone.
While we specialize in Historic Estates in Sonoma County, all stories are worth understanding and sharing. David and I love what we do and are honored each time someone chooses us to assist them with their family’s estate. We also appreciate our customers who want a soulful shopping experience. So many of you ask questions about the people that owned these items. You are a part of preserving this history and we thank you.