This past weekend, I finally was able to drive up to an antique shop in Northern Wisconsin on the recommendation of a dealer. I had mentioned to this dealer while at their shop that I was disappointed in the lack of paper ephemera at Wisconsin antique malls and shops and the dealer stated, "That if I liked paper, I needed to visit ?????". I am hesitant to provide the shop name right now, as I feel as if it is my personal gold mine. Although, other collectors and dealers surely know about it. Until I can make another trip to buy the items I left behind and can’t stop dreaming about, I will leave it unnamed as of now, with the promise that I will reveal it in the very near future.
On Saturday, I drove approximately three hours to get to this place with my fingers crossed that it would be worth it. I initially walked in and was slightly disappointed as all I saw was prints and paintings (if you like these items this place was loaded with them - pricing was reasonable, but not cheap). The Tomah dealer told me the second floor was the where all the paper was. So I trumped up the stairs and went to my right. Still not seeing this "cache" of paper I was expecting. As I do a u-turn and head toward the other side of the floor - there is was - paper galore. So much paper that in four hours of sitting at a table and looking through binders and boxes and drawers, I in no way covered even a third of it. I am going to be showing in the next few posts all the billheads I purchased at this shop. Most are going on ebay tonight (my moniker is cbowler27 if you are interested in purchasing any). While I keep a fair amount, I sell billheads that don’t fit my collection area to keep my collecting coffers full.
At about 2:30 pm, I finally pulled myself away from the paper and went to look at the books. I turned into book stack and my mouth dropped - there were probably 30 Victorian scrapbooks on one wall. The most I have ever seen. While most were okay, there were a few gems in the group (chuck full of trade cards). Then, from there, I turned into another book stack and saw the piles of ledgers and bound 19th century periodicals - including an invoice book that was 12 inches thick and full of pasted billheads. This is the item I have been dreaming about. I might be heading back up this Saturday to take a better look at it (I was exhausted by the time I found this) and hopefully purchase it.
I finally left the shop at 3:30 p.m. - again after 4 hours of searching. This is going to be a monthly stop for me (cross your fingers gas prices stay where they are at). I spoke with the clerk who checked me out and he said the owner has been frequenting the East Coast for years and buying paper. No wonder there was such a great assortment of paper. Truly a treasure to have in Northern Wisconsin - I hope to be able to give my business to this shop for years to come! And after I have visited one more time, I promise I will reveal the shop name and location.
On Saturday, I drove approximately three hours to get to this place with my fingers crossed that it would be worth it. I initially walked in and was slightly disappointed as all I saw was prints and paintings (if you like these items this place was loaded with them - pricing was reasonable, but not cheap). The Tomah dealer told me the second floor was the where all the paper was. So I trumped up the stairs and went to my right. Still not seeing this "cache" of paper I was expecting. As I do a u-turn and head toward the other side of the floor - there is was - paper galore. So much paper that in four hours of sitting at a table and looking through binders and boxes and drawers, I in no way covered even a third of it. I am going to be showing in the next few posts all the billheads I purchased at this shop. Most are going on ebay tonight (my moniker is cbowler27 if you are interested in purchasing any). While I keep a fair amount, I sell billheads that don’t fit my collection area to keep my collecting coffers full.
At about 2:30 pm, I finally pulled myself away from the paper and went to look at the books. I turned into book stack and my mouth dropped - there were probably 30 Victorian scrapbooks on one wall. The most I have ever seen. While most were okay, there were a few gems in the group (chuck full of trade cards). Then, from there, I turned into another book stack and saw the piles of ledgers and bound 19th century periodicals - including an invoice book that was 12 inches thick and full of pasted billheads. This is the item I have been dreaming about. I might be heading back up this Saturday to take a better look at it (I was exhausted by the time I found this) and hopefully purchase it.
I finally left the shop at 3:30 p.m. - again after 4 hours of searching. This is going to be a monthly stop for me (cross your fingers gas prices stay where they are at). I spoke with the clerk who checked me out and he said the owner has been frequenting the East Coast for years and buying paper. No wonder there was such a great assortment of paper. Truly a treasure to have in Northern Wisconsin - I hope to be able to give my business to this shop for years to come! And after I have visited one more time, I promise I will reveal the shop name and location.
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