18 Feb 2016 Kids collect vintage treasures
Story and styling by Donna Benton
In today’s world, everything is bright, shiny and super fast. Here are a few kids that are stepping back in time, hunting and collecting vintage treasures from former generations while exploring the past and making it their own. They are happy to share their stories, along with some picking tips, with anyone who might be interested in starting a collection of their own.
Emily Harvison, 17, is a daughter of Brian and Jayna Harvison of Greenbrier. Emily started picking at yard sales and flea markets with her mother. Her favorite place to pick is at Jenifer’s Antiques in Downtown Conway. “I am a huge DIY gal, so I am always on the lookout for something that I can make into something better!”
It seems that her penchant for do-it-yourself furniture has been passed down for at least four generations. Emily tells of a time when her Granny found the perfect end table in the Sears & Roebuck catalog. “Granny couldn’t afford to buy the table, so she built one just like it from some scrap wood.”
One of Emily’s favorite finds was a vintage headboard that was covered in tattered yellow velvet. She fell in love with its elegant curves, but the fabric was just too far gone. She stripped off the velvet and got it down to its bare bones. She used boards that she salvaged from an old fence at her grandparents’ home, and she covered the bed in the reclaimed wood. “I like the idea that I gave a new life to that old bed, and it is extra special because I used wood from my grandparent’s home.”
Now Emily is on the hunt for the perfect sparkly chandelier to hang over her new bed.
Sawyer Henderson, 13, of Greenbrier recalls picking trips with his Mimi and Pawpaw. He can remember the excitement of his first purchase, a John Deere Marble.
Now Sawyer collects cast iron, tin and rubber transportation toys, and he loves the thrill of the hunt. He does research on the web to determine which toys are the most collectable. He says you have to be an educated shopper so you can be sure to spend your money on things that you love.
“If you are not sure about it, let it pass, but if you find something you like, you better buy it then or you may never see it again.”
He likes to pick locally at the Arkansas Peddlers Antique Mall in Springhill, and when he travels with his parents, Shannon and Traci Henderson, he is always looking for a new place to shop. He is currently looking for a cast iron boat to add to his collection.
Lars Westmoreland, 13, from Conway, has grown up around the picking business. His parents, Shane and Ursula Westmoreland, are the owners of Andrew’s Antiques and Estate Sales and LaLa Land – A Vintage Eclectic Experience, opening soon in Downtown Conway. Lars likes to collect knives, and he is always looking to add to his collection. “At one time, all men carried a knife in their pocket or on their belt. I like to think about who owned the knives and what they used them for.”
Several years ago, Lars found a box of very small knives at an estate sale. A particular gold colored one caught his eye. “I asked the lady how much for the knife and she said, ‘How does $2 sound?’ I had heard my dad do this many times, so I replied ‘One dollar sounds better’ and we had a deal. On the way home, my dad said it was probably gold plated and worth about $20. I was celebrating my purchase and looking the little knife over when I saw a tiny ‘14k’ on the handle. I asked Dad what it meant, and he had to pull the truck over to take a look for himself. My new $1 knife had a solid gold handle and was worth about $100! My Dad called the seller back to be fair. I thought she was going to be mad, but she just congratulated me on my new treasure.”
Lars notes that being a kid picker has its advantages. “Sometimes I think people like to sell to kids, and I can get a better deal than even my dad can.”
Ben Benton, 17, of Greenbrier has one thing on his mind when he goes to an antique store. “Every store almost always has at least one rusty old axe head to add to my collection. You just have to take your time and find it. Old axe heads are usually stamped with a maker’s mark, and I am learning to look for the more collectable ones.”
Ben uses a chemical process and some elbow grease to bring the axe heads back to life. Then he adds a new handle. Ben likes to personalize the handles with colors painted in vintage styles. Ben keeps a collection of about a dozen of his favorites, but also likes to give them away. He recently restored the axe that his granddad had used for years. Although the restored axes are fully functional, Ben admits that except for an occasional tree chopping, his axes don’t get used that much. They are mostly for display. Ben has tried his hand at carving his own handles and even blacksmithing axe heads, but he says his technique still needs work.
Mikayla Sellers, 16, is a daughter of Travis and Caroline Sellers of Conway. She has been dropping in at flea markets and antique stores for as long as she can remember. For Mikayla, picking is a family affair and her favorite shopping partners are her mother and grandmother. Mikayla loves vintage clothing. She always has an eye out for costumes that she uses in theatrical productions at Blackbird Academy. She loves to shop at America Jane Vintage in Downtown Conway where she recently found a 1950s small-waisted plaid dress that was perfect for her 16th birthday murder mystery party. Mikayla often incorporates vintage pieces together with modern pieces for a unique style. “Some of the vintage styles are coming back into fashion, and vintage fabrics are better quality and the clothing is better made than what we have today.”
She has a pair of white gloves that her grandmother found at the estate sale of a millionaire. She likes to imagine who has shaken hands with these gloves at fancy dinner parties.
