Antique Auctions - Robert C. Eldred Co.

For the seller, auctions are a preferred and reliable means of liquidating property because prices realized at auction are the most accurate reflections of an item's current market value. For the buyer, auctions provide access to well-researched, authenticated pieces presented in a competitive environment that can quickly build to high drama. (Impassioned collectors can be very competitive.)

A fixture on Cape Cod for more than 50 years, Robert C. Eldred Co. conducts specialized auctions throughout the year. Located 15 minutes from Blueberry Manor, Eldred's attracts a wide variety of collectors, dealers and private buyers from the United States, Europe and the Far East. Their auction expertise covers many areas of fine art, antiques, and decorative arts including Americana, Marine art, American and European decorative arts and paintings, Asian Art, Oriental rugs, decoys, antique tools, and collectibles. Preview upcoming sales on their website or by catalog, and bid in person, by phone or on eBay (on some pieces). Eldred's also offers appraisal services, for insurance or estate purposes, with complete description and value of each item, including medium, dimensions, condition, and identifying signature or symbol.

There is something quintessentially American about the buzz and excitement of an auction house on a cool, colorful autumn morning. Whether you have your sight set on a particular item or just love to experience an abundance of beautiful things, Eldred’s auction is a fascinating way to spend an autumn weekend. Check out their upcoming auctions (http://www.eldred’s.com/) and reserve your favorite room at Blueberry Manor. To round out your weekend, we'll happily recommend equally dazzling dining and entertainment experiences.

Happy hunting!

Rare Books - Parnassus Book Service

The shadows are longer, the days shorter, and the weather is coolly buoyant, but heavy with the scent of the sea. Summer’s loosened days of delicious indulgence and unaccounted-for meanderings, give way to autumn’s re-commitment to the purposeful. For me, it’s time to put away the fluffy, inconsequential Krispy Kremes of summer reads and look for something with a little more gravitas. I’m not sure exactly what I’m looking for, but I know where to look…

Just a short walk from Blueberry Manor, nestled among the sea captains' houses in the heart of the historic district is a completely unique bookstore. Parnassus Book Service opened in 1960, when owner, Benjamin Muse, moved into this 19th century building on Old Kings Highway in Yarmouth Port, with the idea of selling new and old (often rare) books and specialty catalogs. The used books come from private owners who are downsizing, library duplicate book sales, estate sales--and from Ben’s travels, where his keen eye is always focused on finding unusual volumes for the store. Not simply a quaint attraction for tourists, Parnassas has served Cape Cod as a resource for academics and avid readers of “books you didn’t know you were looking for”, and are surprised to find.

On my most recent visit, Ben had just left for Alaska, but Paul Noonan and Ben’s daughter, Sarah Muse Romano, both passionate about books, kindly helped me navigate the collection. Parnassus contains tens of thousands of volumes, covering Cape families, sea captains, architecture, Cape ghosts, and religious enthusiasms, as well as second-hand fiction, art and art history, music, embroidery and needlepoint, photography, gardening, biography, an omnibus of murder mysteries, anthologies, and superior collections of maritime subjects and poetry, to name just a few.

Visit the store when you have the luxury of time to peruse and you will be well rewarded. You may be fortunate to see the oldest book currently there, a pre-printing press Ethiopian monastic breviary with hand-colored illuminations. The most obscure is a dictionary of the Northwestern Tlinglit Indian tribe. First editions (some signed) and special editions include works by Hemingway, Willa Cather, Provincetown poet Stanley Kunitz, Edward Rowe Snow and many works by Yarmouth Port writer and illustrator, Edward Gorey. The Childrens’ section contains both new and old books, including, “Mr. Popper’s Penguins”, which bounced me right back into the sweetness of second grade for a moment.

Historians will be thrilled at the unusual breadth of subjects covered. Among the collections, a couple caught my eye: a beautifully bound and gently aged “Historian’s History of the World” in 23 black and gold volumes, starting with Eqypt and Mesopotamia and ending with US & Spanish America: and the comprehensive “Photographic History of the Civil War in 10 volumes, with tens of thousands of photographs of the Civil War. Ben (a Russian Studies major at Columbia University) made a point of rescuing books in Russian, about Russia, when he realized that Stalin was determined to burn books—and some of these have made their way to Parnassus.

If, after working your way through the maze of stacks, you’re still unwilling to part with the paperback romances of summer, you can re-stock at Parnassus’ outdoor book stall (slide your money through the slot in the door after hours).

Whatever your interests, you're sure to find a book to satisfy them. Bring an open and curious mind and see where Parnassus will lead you!

Stay with us at Blueberry Manor , where you will find both historic ambiance and modern comforts--just steps away from the antique treasures of the Cape!

Happy hunting!

Chatham Antique Show and Sale

There is great buzz about the 11th Annual Chatham Historical Society Antique Show and Sale, which is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, September 19th and 20th, from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm at the Chatham Elementary School on Depot Road in Chatham, MA.

Supplementing the Antique Show and Sale are many other engaging activities planned to keep interest high: on Friday evening an Antiques Preview will be offered to invited guests; on Saturday and Sunday there will be raffles and a silent auction with appealing items from exhibitors and Society members, along with a book signing. Food will be available to patrons of the show outside the school. What all this adds up to is something other than just "another antiques show."

This is a major fund-raising event for the Chatham Historical Society. Because of generous support from many members of the Society, the costs of dealers' booths and general admission will be held to the very attractive levels of the past four years. The Historical Society expects more than 1,000 antique lovers, and more than 35 exhibitors from Cape Cod and New England. It will be an opportunity to see and learn about, and choose from a richly rewarding array of fine antiques.

Dr. Robert Zaremba, Owner of Maps of Antiquity, has exhibited at the show since its second year. He says, “The show attracts dealers from out of town who enjoy being in Chatham during this special time of the year. It’s a more relaxed show than other shows throughout the year because the busiest season has passed and many Chatham residents who were away for the summer have returned to enjoy the beautiful fall weather.” He mentioned that dealers make an effort to show their most unusual and distinctive Cape Cod antiques with an emphasis on pieces specific to Chatham. Bob cites a museum quality grain-painted blanket box from Spyglass Antiques in Brewster that was acquired for the Atwood House collection as a result of this show.

Discounted tickets can be purchased in advance of the show at Maps of Antiquity at 1409 Main Street in Chatham. Interested dealers are encouraged to call the Chatham Historical Society at 508-945-2493, or Reed Hertford, Chairperson of the event, at 508-945-3980.

Blueberry Manor is offering a show special that includes 2 free tickets to the Antique Show and Sale when booking a two-night stay in our Willow Garden Suite with fireplace, or our lovely and economical Hazelnut Room. Call us toll-free (866-637-2905) to book now to enjoy this major antique event at the loveliest time of year on Cape Cod.

Happy hunting!

Cape Cod Estate Sales

Cape Cod, with its large retirement population is a great place to shop estate sales for unusual, high quality antiques and collectibles.

An estate sale company is called in to sort, appraise, price, display and sell entire households or selected pieces in exchange for a percentage of the sale. These companies combine their knowledge of antiques and consideration of the condition of the pieces, with a certain sense of urgency to clear the property (usually in two days or less), so the starting prices are somewhat lower than antique shops, and there is usually room to negotiate. If you are willing to take a chance on losing the piece by waiting, you often find prices reduced by half on Day 2.

Blueberry Manor (ever committed to recycling) is largely furnished with well cared-for antiques and furnishings from estate sales and auctions. The lovely Eastlake antique bed in our Eastern Rose Room and the pair of ruby glass lamps on the night tables are two such examples. We shop this way because we love a bargain, we appreciate the craftsmanship and vintage materials in these older, cherished pieces and, if truth be told, we love the thrill of the hunt!

Pat Busch, owner of Bittersweet Estate Sales says that even after 15 years of sales up and down the Cape, she continues to find rare and unusual pieces, sometimes in the most unexpected places. She cites a recent sale at a small apartment that had the largest concentration of fine antiques she had ever seen in a home of any size. She has done sales for the descendants of a signer of the Declaration of Independence and for the family of the maker of the inkwell used to sign the Declaration; for the families of painter John Singer Sargent and other famous artists, war heroes and colonial craftsmen.

Items for sale can be as varied and eclectic as their owners and can span decades of styles and functions: from the sublime--exquisite jewelry, perfectly luminous Limoges dinnerware, masterpiece clocks, to the slightly surreal contents of an interior designer’s loft with 10 sewing machines and hundreds of yards of upholstery fabric, to vintage cars and boats...Pat says, “Everybody has a little tacky and at least a couple of really fine pieces that have been kept in the family for years” that suddenly come up for sale.

To improve your chances of finding the treasures, a little advance prep is advisable. Create a wish list and consult the Cape Cod Times or websites of the major estate sale companies on the Cape. Get to know the dealers and alert them to what you’re looking for. Pat Busch keeps a running wish list for customers and gives them right of first refusal when she comes across the item to sell. (She has called us several times to let us know that our Edme pattern of Wedgwood, which is used for our breakfast service, is coming up in the next sale.) With a little help from a friendly dealer, a practiced eye and a sense of purpose, you’ll be surprised what antique treasures you may find.

Check out the websites of our favorite companies (below) to see what’s coming up over the next few weeks, and then call Blueberry Manor, our bed and breakfast inn on Cape Cod, to reserve your room for a weekend or a week!

Happy hunting!

Bittersweet Estate Sales: 508-241-6410 (after 9/6/09) www.bittersweetestatesales.com
The Early Birds: www.earlybirdsestatesales.com
Stem to Stern: www.stemtosternsales.com
Capewide Estate Sales: 508-775-6549

Cape Cod's Objects of Desire

If you have ever felt that electric jolt of recognition that comes at the discovery of an indescribably lovely antique or artifact, you know how powerless you can be to resist its call. What is it about the graceful curve of the back of a carved shore bird, the clean and forthright presence of a Sheraton settee, the innocent storytelling of a folk artist’s brushwork or the unpredictably rich and simple color palette of an Amish quilt that just knocks us out? The pursuit of this “love at first sight” is a noble one, increasing our understanding of the unfolding of history and improving our appreciation of beauty, materials and ingenuity. It is among the most delicious temptations we humans enjoy.

Antique Mystique is dedicated to that joyous moment of connection with objects of desire from another time, when talent had the luxury of time to play itself out in the celebration of form and function.

Cape Cod is rich with opportunities to connect with remarkable examples from the 17^th, 18^th, 19^thth centuries, including furniture, oriental rugs, musical instruments, prints and paintings, scrimshaw, carved decoys, hand made tools, samplers and quilts, paper ephemera, painted chests, glassware, sailor’s valentines, weather vanes and thousands of one-of-a-kind gadgets that defy classification. Meander with us through fine antique shops, estate sales, frenetic auctions and secret stashes in dusty attics to discover treasures and gain insight into the lives that sourced these pieces.

If you are planning a trip to the Cape, contact Blueberry Manor in advance for availability, so that we can scope out the best sources for your browsing and buying. Look for our spring and fall “Antiques Road Show” weekends, when an expert will be available to appraise items you bring from home. Check our blog often to see what wonders our travels have uncovered. In the meantime, happy hunting!

Cape Cod Antiques & Collectibles

Welcome to the inaugural blog of Blueberry Manor, a bed and breakfast inn in Cape Cod, MA. Located in the historic district, on Old King's Highway in Yarmouth Port, Blueberry Manor is an 1840 home built in the Greek Revival style. The home has been completely restored to be elegant, yet comfortable. It is a showcase for the many antiques we have collected, and family heirlooms we have been fortunate to receive into our keeping.

When you visit Blueberry Manor you will find an eclectic and changeable display of American folkart, Oriental carpets, fine art and artifacts, quilts and embroideries, vintage linens, pottery and stoneware, fish and fowl decoys, paper ephemera, weathervanes, furniture of many styles, and decorative accessories. More than a few of our guests have developed an interest in antiques when touring the property or sharing breakfast with antique afficionados who can't contain their passion for collecting.

In this blog, we will recommend sources of quality antiques and artifacts on Cape Cod and offer opportunities to learn more about their origins, care, and use or display. We hope to share our love of this pastime with our friends, our guests and our future guests from around the world. Check back with us often to see what's happening in and around Blueberry Manor to help you in your quest to acquire, or simply admire-the timeless expressions of another era.

Happy hunting!