Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 62, Number 185, Decatur, Adams County, 6 August 1964 — Page 2

PAGE TWO

Twenty-Five Year Career - Local Antique Dealer Searches U.S., Europe For Wares

Twenty-five years ago a Swedish - born Indiana insurance agent, recuperating from an operation, decidi*d to wile away his idle time by collecting antique copperware. An extensive search, which carried him across the thresholds of

i ’ I TH ' 1 1111 * * W IHHI ■ I liHli h'• ■ * I III' I , ,'L ■. r* I ill I Ax'' HISTORIC BED— This bed, in the home of Mr. and Mrs. S. E, Leonardson, once belonged to Gene Stratton Porter and her husband. The bed is con truck'd from Indiana woods which were selected by Mrs. Porter. It is trimmed with detailed carvings and woodwork.—(Photo by Mac Lean) I RED HAVEN \ I I PEACHES k J1 FOR CANNING OR FREEZING! I Now it the time to buy Red Haven 4 I Peaches) Extreme heat is forcing B growers to pick fruit now and ‘ .A B M the crop will not last as long as T^ ; ■ I normal. W I I WILLIAMS - RED 2" I ( . HOME GROWN . I PSRSk I SWEETCORN IS f K AS/ ■“Picked Daily For Freshness”! I Wir I °°‘ 39c || I Fine For Eating! *>•»• No. I DUCHESS I I A* CQc APPLES Sshel 1991 *» bag >7V FOR CANN | NG OR FREEZING I U.S. No. 1 A Size I I POTATOES 20,:, 98c [ I CANTALOUPE I TEAK OF FLAVOR’ _ ; , r 4 «• $ 1 ■ WkOw- . '**o*^: ! •■• aB&ONiiIIMF/ « > // I ■ grade a WWjjb I MILK I I Gal - INDIANA - SUGAR SWEET ■ WE FEATURE - ECKRICH WATERMELONS I LUNCH MEAT _ I | Sliced To Order For red ripe 3 gFw up H _ Freshness. & B No Pre-Package! » HAMMOND.;;.. 240 N. 13th Street ■ ; YEAR AROUND STORE HOURS — g;3O A.M. to 9:30 P.M. g

many second-hand stores and antique shops, failed to net much copper but did spawn an interest in all types of antiques which has made the formt;r insurance man, S. E. Leonardson of Decatur, a busy, much-traveled, fulltime antique dealer.

Leonar dson and his wife, Mary, presently maintain a full-time antique business and shop in their home on North Second street, and supplement this activity with enough Aide interests for six jx-ople. In between making European buying trips and staging an-

THE DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT, DECATUR, INDIANA

tique shows in Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, Leonardson finds time to publish an annual 600 page directory of Great Lakes area antique dealers, writes newspaper articles on antiques, compiled brochures on his European travels and upcoming shows and sales, <*nd spends a little time at amateur photography. Mrs. Leonardson has one of the nation’s leading collections of buttons of all types — coats of arms, state militias, railroad and military. The collection, never counuted, includes at least a hundred thousand lauttons. She also has a collection of several thousand old postcards. Born In Sweden Leonardson was born in Uddevalla, Sweden in 1900. When he was four his father came to America. By 1908 he had saved enough money to send for the rest of the family. They settled in Ashtabula county, Ohio, in the northeastern part of the state. He remembers an early association was antiques — his mother had a few, among them a spinning wheel. Eventually he entered the insurance business and after working for a time in Ohio was transferred to Indiana. It was in 1937 that he had the operation which, indirectly, was to be responsible for changing his occupation from insurance to antiqfies. ' The' doctor prescribed a long period without working, so to fill the gap Leonardson decided to expand a small collection of antiques which he had. He thought that collecting old

F J * RARE PlTCHEß— Decatur antique dealer S. E. Leonardson holds a pitcher which was once given as a souvenir at the Chicago world’s fair. Only 500 of the pitchers were made.—(Photo by Mac Lean)

Dairy Show Winners Are Announced** The Adams county extension office today released a list of additional winners for the Open Dairy show held Friday. July 31 at the Adams county 4-H fairgrounds in Monroe. The winners are as follows: Holstein Senior yearling heifers: first, Ned Liechty: second, Lee Osborn —and third,.. Gregg .Liechty Junior champion heifer: Lee Oslxyrn and family. Two year olds: first. Dean Beer: second. Clem Wulliman and Sons; third. Richard Harris. Three year olds: first. Richarc Harris: second. Loren Caftee: third. Dale Caffee. Four year olds: first. Harry Wulliman & Son: Second, Dale Caffee; third, Lee Osborn and. family. Senior champion Holstein cow: Dtati Beer. Grand champion: Dean Beer. Produce of dam: first, Kenneth and Dean Beer: second. Dale Caffee & Son: third. Lee Osborn, and family. Get of sire, first. Dale Caffee: second,—Rolandes Liechty and Harry Wulliman: third, Norman Becher. Ron Habegger. Dale ATHLETE'S FOOT GERM HOW TO KILL IT. IN 3 DAYS If not 'pleased With strong T-l-L liquid, your 4'c back at any drug store Watch Infected skin slough off. Watch healthy sk, replace it No more itch anil burning! I’se antiseptic. Moth-, ingc T-t-1. FDOT POWDBR (hotitle lor sweaty feel, foot odor;. sl. active In the skin for hours. Nt>W at Kohne Drug Store.

copper utensils, especially ones from his native Sweden, would be enough to interest him. He began browsing through second - hand stores and antique dealerships, but found that there was little copper available. Other things began to interest him. He purchased various articles, including several Currier and Ives prints and was well on his way to a career in antiques. From the start he decided that he was more interested in being a dealer than a collector. H e maintained his insurance business while buying and selling antiques in his spare time. In 1939 he moved to Decatur. In 1943 he and his wife were mafried. In 1949 he made the decision to become a full-time antique dealer. It was a decision which he evidently has not regretted, as he can still talk long and enthusiastically about the antique business. No 'Personal Collection Though thousands of unusual articles have passed through his hands he has still not become a collector in the true sense, and virtually all the items which he has are for sale. “I never make ’any effort to collect for myself,” he says. “I'm more interested in antiques as a dealer than as a collector.” — “My wants are simple," he added. The items he displays tfT his office include some ’ Cur- ’' rier and Ives prints and a number of rare German steins. One of the greatest highlights of his business are the European buying trips which he now makes

Portland Cheerleader Wins 'Shoe Title GREENVILLE. 0 (UPD — Sue Gillespie. 17-year-old Portland girl, won her 'second women’s title in three years in the World Horseshoe Tourna'ment Wednesday night by defeating defending champion Vicki Winston, of Laomnte, Mo. Miss Gillespie, • a cheerleader for the Portland basketball team last winter, may be remembered locally for her acrobatic stunts during halftime at the Portland holiday tournament last season. She won the horseshoe title in 1962 and placed third last year. Caffee. Jersey Senior yearling heifers: first. Roger -Pyle; second, Kenneth Pyle: third. Ronnie Mosser. Junior champion heifer, first; Roger Pyle. Two year old Jerseys: first, Claude Marckel and family: second. Kenneth Pyle: third, Claude Marckel and family. Three year olds: first, Dennis Bollenbacher; second, Roger Pyle. Four year olds: first, Roger Pyle; second, Kenneth Pyle; third Ronnie Mosser. Senior chamnion Jersey cow: first, Roger Pyle. j Produce of dam: first, Everett Pyle and Sons; second, Ronnie Mosser and third, Ronnie Mosser. p Produce of dam: first. Everett Pyle and Sons: second. Ronnie Mosser and third. Ronnie Mos- ” ser. Get of sire: first. Kenneth Pyle and Sons: second. Claude Marckel and family. .»

each year. He left July 26 on his sixth one — this time to the British Isles where he will seek out dealers he knows in London, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Mrs. Leonardson has accompanied him on four of these trips. They have visited nearly all the countries of Europe on their previous forays. They find the trips a welcome change and enjoy buying even more than selling. The articles which they purchase are carefully packed by European shipping agencies and sent home to be displayed in the Leonardson’s small, crowded shop or sold quickly to other dealers half as much as the price which in this country. Customs fees on most of the items are about half as much as the price which the Leonardsons pay for them. When buying, he seeks things he knows will sell readily and is not guided to any great degree by personal taste. On rare occasions he purchases an item for himself. Leonardson began presenting antique shows after he became established in the business. At one time he managed ten shows every year, but the demands of his business have now limited him to two shows annually — one

--in w I , w MB* • -SB Mb I xa 'wW I ' ' .. ——jOl Bf f «• ok BY THE THOUSANDS— Mrs. S. E. Leonardson works at cataloging, and mounting her collection of buttons, one of the largest in the nation. — (Photo by Mac Lean)

- 5 :—: a FINAL REDUCTION SUMMER DRESSES AND Z ' ■ n . SPORTWEAR PRICES SLASHED? Aft/ AFF up to jU/o Urr JUST ARRIVED PRE-SEASON MC ™ OOL COAT SALE rnp tatc h tcpmc SIMULATED LEATHER FOR TOTS and TEENS WWVMMVWWMMAMVMAMMAMMA — fynft (USE our * ONLY *l7™ UP FREE LAVAWAY 1 FLAN PETITE & MISSES SITES WWWMWWWWWWWWWWWW « miajca 3IXXB IT’S VAL-U FOR VALUESI

in Fort Wayne and one in Indianapolis. Common Items Beat His policy for displaying items is much the same as the one he follows in buying. “Extremely rare items don’t always create interest,” he says. “More often it's the very common thing which everybody has and understands.” The antique business, he explained, tends to follow fads and fancies of the moment. From time to time certain items become overwhelmingly popular. In some cases the popularity lasts and such items become consistent good-sellers. More often they do not. Anticipating the market is extremely difficult. A dealer is always plagued with problem of deciding whether to hold an article on the chance that it will increase in value, or sell it immediately so the money can be used used to purchase and sell other items. Leonardson is a firm believer in selling as quickly as possible. He recalls that when he first went into business he bought a sofa which he believed would appreciate in value. “Eventually,” he said ,‘‘my wj/e paid to have it hauled away.” Leonardson’s quest for inter-

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 1964

esting antiques has taken him into many strange places and situations. He has explored, often on his hands and knees, the dusty cellars, attics and closets of hundreds of old homes. He rarely ignores opportunities to explore likely-looking old buildings. Another important phase of his business is sales. He conducts antique sales, usually auctions, throughout the year, despite the fact that he considers auctions a risky and not altogether pleasant means of selling antiques. Auctions Tough "Auctions are no joke. They’re tough,” he said. “Tbo many people have an exaggerated idea of the worth of the thing they are offering for sale. They get offended if things don’t bring a big price.” He also pointed out that a deal- « er can lose his shirt if there are . no big buyers in an auction i crowd. Leonardson has a host of tales . of his interesting unusual and often humorous experiences in the ■ antique business. One of the best concerns a souvenir pitcher from the Columbian Exposition at the . 1895 Chicago World’s fair. Only 500 of the pitchers were made and each was numbered; Most of them were given to members ‘ of the fair’s board of directors and their friends. They are now very rare and, have- considerable value. Leonardson has one and he relates the following experience which occurred when he displayed it to a woman customer. “Oh, my brother has one of those,” she said. "Really? Where?” he asked. “In his garage,” she replied. “In his garage?” “That’s right. He uses it to fill the radiator of his car.” I o ' h li ELABORATE WOODWORK, like this handcarved owl, decorates the bed which was once owned by Mrs. Gene Stratton Porter and her husband.—(Photo by Mac Lean)