Environmental sustainability, protecting and conserving the earth’s natural resources, has recently become a top priority among governments and companies. Individuals, young and old, are also seeking ways to minimize their carbon footprint, the total amount of greenhouse gases generated by their actions.
Our consumer-based society produces quantities of hastily made, low-quality goods with built-in obsolescence to ensure a steady stream of customers. Unfortunately, these typically last fewer than 15 years—less than a single generation, even when well cared for.
Many are produced overseas in countries lacking protective air, water, and forest management regulations. As a result, their manufacturing procedures may decimate woodlands and pollute waters. In addition, coating, spraying, or treating with paint or glue may contaminate the air with toxic emissions. Wasteful packaging has long-term damaging effects on the environment as well. Moreover, recent material shortages, factory closures, rising labor costs, and lengthy long-distance transport have complicated matters further.
Yet when people relocate, many discard their “fast furnishings,” replacing them with sets of similar, cookie-cutter disposables. Non-recyclables are typically machine-crushed and buried in landfills. Hopefully, as they disintegrate, they will become part of the ecosystem rather than pollute the water table.
Recyclables—though they reduce landfills, lower energy consumption, ensure sustainable use of natural resources, and minimize global warming—may not be better. Transporting, sorting, cleaning, and treating them may harm the environment.
However, reusing, re-purposing, or restoring high-quality antiques and collectibles helps protect the earth’s natural materials. In the past, craftsmen used wood, clay, and other materials found close at hand and made their own tools. Their manual skills, like spinning, dyeing, carving, or casting, were also climate-friendly. Moreover, their creations were built to last a lifetime.
Traditionally-made creations not only reflect man’s harmony with nature. They also embody individual artistic fulfillment, pride, and reverence for the earth’s natural resources. Thus, reusing them is a personal, eco-conscious way to furnish an attractive, sustainable home.
Decorative fashions tend to come and go. So customers often seek the same types of glassware, ceramics, metalwork, textiles, and furniture that older folks remember from their youth. Because these items have become much more affordable in recent years, they may command considerably less money than new items available in big-box stores. In addition, their unique hues, textures, patterns, and other design aesthetics not only celebrate the beauty of their material. They also lend rich, beautifully hand-crafted warmth and charm to any décor.
From the early 1900s, for example, Hoosier pantries functioned much like modern, built-in kitchen cabinets. Though many versions were available, all featured two primary components—a top with open shelving and a deep bottom containing built-in accessories like storage cabinets, bread drawers, and combination flour bin/sifters. These well-loved, iconic pieces also boasted pull-out work surfaces with roll-down tambour doors—perfect for hiding kitchen clutter when neighbors dropped in. Today, low-tech Hoosiers—as is or gussied up—serve as anything from sewing centers or coffee hubs to high-tech computer corners.
Vintage steamer trunks, some that circled the globe, have become coffee or bedside tables. Oak treadle sewing machine cabinets (minus their machines) have become delightful dressing, foyer, or garden tables. However, those featuring brightly painted cast iron stands flaunt the most POP!!
After choosing basic tables, chairs, desks, wardrobes, beds, and bureaus, many enjoy personalizing them with vintage décors like glassware, ceramic, art prints, textiles, or other collectibles. With so many choices from so many eras, anything goes.
Some furnish their homes with shabby chic touches like a hand-crafted picnic basket, hand-hewn wooden bowl, or vintage fruit crate labels. Others choose kitchen canister sets, primitive stoneware jugs, embroidered pillows, or folk art hooked rugs. In addition, countless collectors assemble charming tabletop items like apothecary bottles, Dinky toys, or strutting ceramic geese and ganders.
Others mix and match whatever tickles their fancy. Some, for example, might juxtapose a 19th-century floral paperweight with an edgy New Jersey license plate, a Bakelite domino set, and a 20th-century globe. Do-it-your-selfers might envision Stangl red-clay dinner plates as kitchen accents, decoupaged violins as bold wall statements, and pre-owned aluminum pie pans as striking clocks.
These days, antiques as far-fetched as a Russian lacquer trinket box, African trade beads, and Zildjian Turkish cymbals are also readily available. At this point, wherever they’ve come from, they’re here in America. So buying someone else’s treasure at a local auction supports the American economy—which has a lot of value in itself. Bypassing overseas shipping and local transport furthers sustainability.
“As a result,” explains Jim Weigl, licensed auctioneer and owner at Blue Box Auction Gallery, “we’re seeing more and more people participating in auctions. They offer some fantastic pieces and some fantastic deals—and those in the know are taking great advantage of that. True, people who are eager to learn about antiques and collectibles may have a lot to uncover—but they also have a lot to look forward to.”
Acquiring antiques and collectibles may also be an acceptable way to invest in the future. Those dating from the 17th or 18th-century, for example, are becoming not only increasingly rare but increasingly valuable. Even pieces produced through the 1970s, ‘80s, and ’90s may eventually yield excellent returns.
“Just the same,” Weigl continues, “ Buy what you like, buy what makes you feel good, buy what makes you smile. Don’t worry if it’s cool or trendy—buy whatever exemplifies you or your personality. That’s the neat thing about buying antiques. They can be unique not only in style but also in their characteristics. Some may have chewed-up edges, others may be pristine, but they’re distinctive either way. Because if an antique’s got chewed-up edges, it’s got character. And if it’s pristine, it’s survived or been rehabilitated over time. That, too, is fascinating.”
Actually, extending the lives of antiques not only protects precious natural resources. It also preserves their unique histories—their style, craftsmanship, and heritage—for future generations. To promote sustainability, add your story. Then pass it on.
Melody Amsel-Arieli, an Israeli-American, writes extensively about antiques, collectibles, social history, and genealogy. In addition to numerous online articles, she’s authored Between Galicia: The Jews of Stropkov (Avotaynu) and Jewish Lives: Britain 1750-1950 (Pen & Sword). Visit her at www.amselbird.com.
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