Dan Dennis, Thanksgiving 2012

DAN DENNIS

April 18, 1945 - September 16, 2011

Dan Dennis passed away unexpectedly on a Friday night, after loading his truck for the Springield show and grilling steaks for he and his beloved wife, Vicki.  We have a feeling that Dan would have said that he passed the way he had  always hoped - doing the thing he loved, with the person he loved.  We can’t remember an auction that Dan missed,  and there is no doubt that his friends at Garth’s will miss his friendly smile and great stories.  While we are proud to handle ine examples from Dan and Vicki’s collection, the moment is bittersweet, as we mourn the loss of a dear friend.

Collection of Jim & Susie Widder, Thanksgiving 2011

For some, antiques are not just objects to buy, sell, and collect, but instead they are truly a way of life.  For nearly five decades, such as been the case with Jim and Susan Widder.  They met at The Ohio State University when Jim was a graduate student (and Susan's lab instructor), and when Jim completed his doctoral work, the couple settled in Cincinnati, where Jim spent over thirty years in research and management at Procter and Gamble and as a professor at the University of Cincinnati, while Susan spent
fifteen years as a research assistant at Children's and University Hospitals. When the Widders decided to move away from the then-popular trend of Danish Modern decor, a friend, who also happened to be
a local antiques dealer, introduced them to the world of painted furniture and folk art, and they soon began filling their suburban Cincinnati home with brightly decorated furniture, folk portraiture of all sizes and a veritable menagerie of carved animals.  They also began to participate in antique shows, using their growing knowledge to sell some of their discoveries to their fellow collectors. To Jim and Susan, however, the things that filled their home were not just neat things to look at, but rather objects with stories to
discover and to tell.  Through diligent research in libraries and, later, online, Jim and Susan breathed new life into many of their antiques by making new connections and unraveling the mysteries of their makers.  This commitment to research even led them to the front door of the 92-year-old great-great-granddaughter of folk portraitist Ruth Whittier Shute, a moment that was one of the highlights in their life in the world of antiques (and the portrait by Shute is one of the highlights of their collection). After nearly fifty years of living with antiques (and 52 years of marriage), Jim and Susan have decided to allow the objects in their
collection to ind new homes.  Selling now has not only allowed them the opportunity to participate fully in the cataloging of their collection, but to also simplify their lives in order to spend more time with their two daughters and four grandchildren.  We at Garth's are honored to have been chosen to represent this deeply
personal collection, the result of years of a shared love of both  antiques and each other, and we remain grateful for the Widders' contribution to the catalog you now hold in your hands and for their many years as good clients and even better friends.

To everything there is a season...December 2011

As the December Eclectic Auction booklet goes to press, cold weather is settling over the Midwest.

Despite the natural rhythm of this season - shorter days, a sleepy chill in the evening inviting hibernation -  the staff at Garth's is (much like the rest of the antiques and art community) bustling about, preparing for a

busy winter auction season:

•  We are but a week away from the Thanksgiving Americana auction;

•  The finishing touches are being made to the January Americana and Firearms catalog;

•  The final additions are being accepted for the late January Chinese and Continental auction.

It seems the days fly by more quickly than we can mark them off the calendar.  Fortunately, Justin, Cheryl-Lynn and many other members of our team cruise right along, noses to the grindstone, producing top-notch Eclectic Auctions.  It's a busy, but good time, to be at Garth's.  In the coming 10 weeks, we will sell four lifetime collections - three of whom have been Garth's regulars for longer than any of us can remember.  The care with which these collections have been assembled is awe-inspiring; and, definitely inspires us to take care as we bring them to market.  It is a good time to be here, and we are thankful.  Thankful for a team that  is passionate about getting it right - thorough research, world-class photography and design, and (not to be underestimated) service with a smile. Thankful for clients who trust us with their buying and selling needs.  Whatever the pace of your winter season, we hope your days are filled with passionate pursuits, satisfying accomplishments and moments of thankfulness.  

We look forward to connecting with you soon.

- Jeff & Amelia Jeffers

For Auld Lang Syne

Re-published from December, 2009:

One of our favorite songs and one of our favorite times of the year.
Fall ushers in the hectic auction season, with a brief break for the
holidays, followed by a busy winter. Somewhere in the craziness, we always
find a time for reflection and connection, and hope you do, too.

As I type, preparations for the 49th Annual Thanksgiving Auction are nearly
complete. As close to a homecoming weekend as an auction house can get,
those two days (and the days leading up) are full of warm welcomes, big hellos
and the typical game-day excitement. We relish opportunities to share
memories of auctions past, and encourage you to share yours.
2010 draws quickly near, and we would like to take a moment to thank you for
your patronage and friendship. From the Jeffers family, and everyone at Garth’s:
we wish you all the best in health, happiness and prosperity.

Amelia & Jeff Jeffers