Freelance
Shopping
(Editor’s note: This column was written before Gannett announced that it would not close the Citizen on March 21 as planned.)
This is the second installment of a list of sources that have been requested most often by our readers.
PAINTINGS AND ART WORK
Wayne Kielsmeier, owner of The Covington Art Gallery is one of the more knowledgeable dealers in the region when it comes to American and European paintings and other artwork. His contact info is 298-7878, 6530 E. Tanque Verde Road, No. 140, and covingtongallery@comcast.net.
POSTCARDS
The Tucson Post Card Exchange is one of the region’s premier organizations for postcard collectors. Joan Gentry is one of the club’s organizers. You can reach her at 297-0980 and 820 Via Lucitas, Tucson 85718.
RADIO AND TELEVISION REPAIR
If your Zenith is on the fritz or your Victrola needs a new spring, Dave Vaughn is your man. The owner of Dave’s Antiques, 449 W. 29th St., 790-2618, Vaughn buys, sells and repairs vintage radios and television sets. He is one of the few sources in town for steel needles for older phonographs.
SHABBY CHIC
The Grey House is housed in a small cottage that is filled to the rafters with antiques and vintage home accessories. Several months ago, the shop moved to a new location at 2301 N. Country Club Road, 325-0400.
SILVER
One of my favorite Tucson shops is Darlene Morris Antiques, 2940 N. Swan Road, 322-9050. In addition to specializing in estate silver, porcelain and Victorian-era “smallies,” she also appraises. She is one of the region’s better dealers.
SILVER MATCHING SERVICE
For those trying to complete a retired pattern of flatware, the Silver Queen is a godsend. The company, which has hundreds of retired patterns in its impressive inventory, is at 1350 W. Bay Drive, Largo, FL 33770. The toll-free number is 800-262-3134.
STOVES AND REFRIGERATORS
One of the more impressive inventories of vintage stoves and refrigerators in the American West is at Antique Vintage Appliances, 5020 E. Speedway Blvd., 326-8849. Appliances that have not been restored are available as well as ones that are ready for service. If you’re looking for a stove to accent a 1940s kitchen, this is the place.
THIMBLES
The Cactus Thimblers is one of the area’s newer clubs for collectors. The contact person is Merry Lewis, merrysl@aol.com.
TOYS
Bernie Resnick is a former dealer who is one of the nation’s recognized authorities when it comes to older toys. His expertise and his collection are impressive. Contact him at 885-6307 and bernresn@aol.com.
Some final words . . .
In October 2002, I was hired to write two weekly columns for the Tucson Citizen. “Treasures and Trends,” a column name that I incidentally hated, was driven by antique and collectible questions from our readers. “Shelf Life” featured my reviews of new books. No contract was ever signed. In fact, my agreement with Michael Chihak, the paper’s editor and publisher, was verbal and sealed with a handshake.
My columns would continue for only as long as my editors were pleased with my work and it remained fun for me. Although I can’t speak for my editors, I can honestly say that the last eight years have been one of the most fun, productive periods of my life, ironic since I considered myself retired when I moved to Arizona in 1996.
During the years I have written this column, I have answered more than 1,000 questions, found approximately 500 “best buys” in shops and malls, and worked with some of the finest newspaper people on the planet.
I was able to answer every single question submitted to me except for one. A reader, the daughter of a former Tucson dentist, inherited a collection of 300 pairs of false teeth from her dad. She contacted me to see if I could find a collector or club so she could dispose of them. Even though my column is ending, I still have her letter from 2004 on my desk and I will continue to search – just in case.
Goodbye and thank you for your interest in this column. My final hope is that you found our weekly visits both informative and fun.
LARRY COX