With springs official arrival (according to the calendar at least), I know there are many of you, like myself who are dying to get out there and start 'working the land' or start landscaping or gardening projects. 

Looking for something substantial and unique, perhaps a water feature, look no further....it has arrived!

Pictured here is one of a pair of dolphin fountains from the Lilly Estate in Bloomington Indiana, which recently has found their way into our store. 

Oh Limestone!  Known for its durability and strength, limestone was a popular medium for ornamentation on buildings and the facades throughout architecture.  Limestone has a wonderful texture as it is a sedimentary rock mostly of calcite minerals.  The details of carved limestone are especially lovely as one can easily take notice of the craftsmanship it took to produce right down to the chisel marks.  Each piece is unique and a lost art.

In the early 1900’s less and less Limestone was used because of its weight (2080kg/m3) and the intense labor costs.    Terracotta, which was lighter and made in molds, meaning it could be reproduced many times replaced the need for limestone ornamentation. 

With that said, you maybe can understand the excitement I feel when pieces like these fountains arrive at the store.     Come in a take a look at these beauties before they find a new home.
 

My favorite days to come to work are when the big truck comes back from salvage. 






This time, a small town in Iowa and a truck filled with goods from a
freemasons lodge which includes some wonderful chairs and
benches, a variety of unique lighting and the beginning a gothic
collection in walnut. 



Here's a little glimsp of new pieces or check out www.archantiques.com for more info. 


Learn more about the free-masons at their national site at
www.co-masonry.org

Yak & Yeti, the Newest Theme Restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom®, opened on November 14, 2007 at 775 Werikhe Way in Lake Buena Vista.  This unique Asian-fusion restaurant and quick-service market offers full-service table dining, as well as quick-service food, a beer garden and a full-service bar all set amongst an authentic Asian décor reminiscent of an Indian village or ‘kampong’ where community and family interaction is centered.  Mysterious delights will unfold as visitors explore the exciting village of Anandapur, and make their way through the artifacts, furniture and Vintage Lighting (over 30 of which were found at Architectural Antiques) in the fictional ‘Guest House’ open to travelers, pilgrims and thrill-seekers.

The concept features ‘warangs’ or traditional market food stands, the B&B Bar Beer Garden for thirsty backpackers, the Terrace Baga communal gathering spot, the River Nadi, which flows through the Terrace Baga, and the Yak & Yeti Bazaar, an exciting retail component designed to mimic a bustling Southeast Asian marketplace, which will feature exotic Pan-Asian goods ranging from chopsticks to saris for explorers of all ages. 

The Menu: The adventurous menu showcases a mouth-watering assortment of Asian-inspired appetizers, soups & salads, noodles, sides, desserts and wok-prepared delicacies. Highlights include delicious dishes ranging from old favorites like tangy sweet & sour pork to new fusion delights like fresh dynamite fish, not to mention the decadent fried wontons dessert featuring skewers of fresh pineapple and cream cheese wontons served over vanilla ice cream with a honey vanilla drizzle.

Visit Yak & Yeti at:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/reviews/Yak-and-Yeti.htm

Stephanie and Cory Lake excel at integrating antique and vintage “finds” into their home, but they just couldn’t find a place for a 5 foot tall, 4-sided clock they discovered at Architectural Antiques, until they built their new music store in Maple Grove, Minnesota. They found that the new headquarters of American Guitar & Band, a beautifully appointed 5,400 square foot shop and lesson facility that opened in August 2007, offered just enough ceiling height to accommodate the Hollywood Regency style piece.  Stephanie, a curator and designer by trade, knew it would be the perfect focal point for the store.  “Originally we planned to feature a huge chandelier, and actually purchased a piece from a New York dealer, but the clock was a much more intriguing option.  It’s the first clue that this is not your typical music store.” 

Vintage and estate pieces of furniture are featured throughout, including cast iron urns also from Architectural Antiques at the store entrance.  In terms of design, though, it is the clock that gets the most attention.  It draws people through the main showroom and into the mahogany-walled, in-store “Boutique” featuring high-end, limited edition, and custom instruments.  “There is hardly a person who walks in for the first time and does not comment on the clock” says Stephanie.  It is a functional element, with time zones set to major centers of instrument building, including Los Angeles and Tokyo, and the Lakes also find that it is a great surface to decorate according to the holiday calendar.

 

Check it Out:

American Guitar & Band

13777 Grove Drive North

Maple Grove, MN 55311

763.424.4888

www.AmericanGuitarandBand.com

There is wonderful commonality which we, the antique enthusiasts have that I find very exciting.  There is a certain passion we share that involves these treasures.  Whether its the thrill of the hunt, the wonder about the skill or technique that it took to create a certain object or seeing something you have never seen before...this passion is always evident when I have the opportunity to talk customers and collectors alike here at the store, on the phone or on-line. 
As the antique enthusiast, we are all in-tune with our environment, style, design and creative aspects that the re-use of these objects present.  The knowledge of this creative community is sometimes astounding and always inspirational. Our stories of what we have or found and how we used it creates enthusiasm for all and allows for growth in the creative use of the unique, the classic and the beautiful.  
Please take the opportunity to share what your passionate about, what you have found and how you have integrated it.  Expand others knowledge with what you know or ask about what you don't.  Lets continue to create beautiful spaces, re-use these treasures (save some space in the landfills) and celebrate American craftsmanship at its best.