Transmenu powered by JoomlArt.com - Mambo Joomla Professional Templates Club

Special to Tropical Breeze

What a summer! First, husband Peter and I went to Chicago, visited my son Robert and his wife, Adriana, and then boarded a lake cruiser, the sleek Grande Mariner, for six nights out around Lake Michigan, the only Great Lake entirely in the United States. After departing Chicago’s Navy Pier, we put in at five ports, three in Michigan, two in Wisconsin, and, of course, Illinois. We hoped we’d cool off on this get-away. We did. The farther north we went, however, we encountered hot (as in exciting) fun participating once again in the interactive collecting world.We collected antiquing adventures as we were regaled by our 63 fellow passengers. Antiquing folks on various shores gifted us as well. 

We met folks who lived on islands and collected items from their new, but very old houses. There were others aboard who collect books, one guitars.

While ashore at Manistee Island, Michigan, we visited a modern — but historic firehouse, and also the National Historic Site, First Congregational Church of Christ, which has two magnificent Louis Comfort Tiffany windows.

On Beaver Island, MI, I met an older couple who first came ashore years ago as family campers — and then returned to stay. They talked of gathering their large collection of china, boat books and artifacts, even debris salvaged from the beach nearby.

There also was a local art and gift dealer who shared that her family cherishes a large wooden bowl made by her great-grandfather, an island pioneer — a serving vessel her family still uses.

While at Mackinac Island, MI, and after touring the island in horse-drawn carriages and winding through a lovely, piney state park, viewing the Grand Hotel — featured, along with many artifacts and antiques, in Christopher Reeve’s haunting and romantic film, “Somewhere in Time,” we had an early lunch back down on Main Street by the dock at Horn’s Gaslight Bar/Restaurant, where we viewed an extensive collection of decorative Jim Beam bottles and decanters. This busy dining spot was reportedly the first bar to reopen after Prohibition was lifted.

Cast off to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin!

This place was/is big on ship-building and refitting. I don’t know when I’ve visited more possible collecting venues in one day — a winery in an old school house, a cheese factory, Bay Ship Building shipyard, the Door County Maritime Museum, a working dairy farm, and an ever-growing church, its building filled with lovely antiques and precious memories.

At the winery there was old-fashioned school memorabilia, at the cheese factory, yum, at the museum, numerous Great Lakes ship photos and real artifacts, including wheels, bells, rope, whistles!

Lucky us!

We were guests of dairy farmers, Richard Hannemann and his wife, Matilda, who gave us the grand car tour starting from dockside. Richard’s brother Chuck is my Miami writing colleague.

Richard knew about my collecting adventures passion so he managed a real coup.

Suddenly, in addition to all the other picturesque stops, when we were beginning to think we best get back to the boat for departure, he wheeled us in to visit unique Cornerstone Antiques And Lodging at Egg Harbor.

Long-time friends, Darrell and Mettie Lautenbach, own it, the it being a barn and a silo converted to wonderful rustic lodgings! Within the barn’s first floor is tucked a wonderful country/rustic antiques and collectibles store!

We so enjoyed walking about and looking at old postcards and signs, and crockery. I bought a small brown Heinz bean pot made by McCoy and Peter so liked a metal sign that we bought it at once. It tickled us. It had been posted somewhere by an agricultural union and was very official, especially in its first two lines which read:

  No sooner had we returned to Tennessee from Illinois when I had an opportunity to visit San Francisco and the home of my other son Kenyon and his wife Irma. There we really enjoyed a quilting collection experience. Not only did we use and plan the repair of a quilt I had handmade for them for their wedding, but we attended “The Gees Bend Quilt” exhibition at the DeYoung Museum in Golden Gate Park. On display were 40 very homey and colorful quilts made in one small river bend community in Alabama called Gees Bend.

These fabulous black quilters, impoverished, didn’t waste a thing. The quilts made from old jeans, work shirts and feed sacks, provided warmth to their families, some money at sales, but, importantly, historically, something social to do together. Leave it to creative women anywhere!

This fall you may have the opportunity to recognize the wonderful level of the Gees Bend’s women’s enterprise. One of the forthcoming USPS stamps is called Gees Bend Quilts. It depicts one of the bright and beautiful quilts so honored in the traveling museum collection in California.

Walking back to our bus stop from the DeYoung Museum, I could not help but notice some of the art located outside of the recently redesigned building with its striking aluminum mesh exterior. In one courtyard there is this giant safety pin. In another, a turtle sundial reveres early marine explorers.

How exciting! No end to the collections, collectibles, and antiquing adventures!

Get on board! Go cross city, county, or country! Don’t miss this always conversation-starting, history-sharing passion for antiques practical and pretty. Can’t go anywhere without it happening!

© 2006 Rosemary Lee Potter. All Rights Reserved.

 Rosemary Lee Potter is a confirmed victim of the collecting bug and can be reached by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or write to her in care of Tropical Breeze, P.O. Box 585, Safety Harbor, FL 34695.