Everyone needs a friend in business. We've made many... here's one of them.

Al Benting

When Linda and I decided to jump in with both feet and open RAND PECK ANTIQUES, we drove north to Concord, NH and wandered along antique alley, routes 4 & 202 to see just how this business is done. We met Jane Benting at one of the nicer shops on the route and explained that we were new dealers looking to learn the business. She advised, "you need to meet my husband Al." So off we went to Barrington, NH to meet Al Benting.

Some twenty minutes later we pulled into the driveway of this massive, beautiful, antique colonial built in 1780. What you can't see are the ell's, porches and outbuildings that further define their home and business. I wish that I could bring you inside to enjoy all of its architectural detail and years of painstaking antique collections.  

This building out back houses their antique business and is full of interesting antiques collected by this husband and wife team who have been in the business for a very long time, understand that business and have hundreds of wonderful contacts.

Al was kind enough to let me roam through his storage facility and just take it in.

Then he gave me the guided tour, pointed out many hard to find treasures and then taught me how he how he acquired them and how he plans to market them. I should have been taking notes.

Isn't this globe beautiful? With cast iron legs, glass ball feet and other navigational parts, it would enhance any private library.

Some of what I bought from Al and Jane to get our business off the ground. Would you like to contact Al and purchase inventory? Give him a call at 978.376.7515 and say hello for me.

On our way to the Homestead Bookshop

Marlborough, NH.

Friday, 28 Feb, 2014, Linda and I left home in Amherst and drove to Marlborough, NH to visit The Homestead Bookshop, one of my favorite destinations. I've written about the Homestead previously, but certainly consider it worth another post. Rob has a fantastic array of books, well presented and easy to find. Another reason we enjoy this trek is the drive over Pack Monadnock with great views of Mt. Monadnock. 

Rt 101 also brings us through the Town of Dublin, NH. founded in 1752. This is a small New Hampshire town with a population of about 1,600 that touches Mt Monadnock and rests comfortably at about 2,800 feet above seal level. It's also home to Yankee Publishing. You may recall a piece I wrote some time ago  concerning Yankee editor-in-chief Judson Hale visiting Amherst, NH. Anyway, it's a beautiful little town as you can see from the photo above of the town center.

Here's a 1906 postcard view of the center of Dublin with it's long view to the south upon the Wapack Range.

This is interesting. This blackboard is attached to one of Yankee's buildings that fronts on Rt 101 and serves as a "notification center" for the town. I'm sorry to announce that Peter Hewitt died Saturday, but a memorial service will be announced. Facebook has nothing on Dublin, NH!                                      

                                      

Across the street from the Yankee Publishing consortium, is the Dublin Town Hall. Just to the right and out of view is the town library.

This is Peter Pap Oriental Rugs located just south of Dublin center on Route 101. We love orientals, have driven past Peter's for years and finally, today, made the effort to stop in. And I'm glad we did. Before we go inside though, Peter, with 30 years experience is recognized internationally and has another shop too that probably see's higher traffic volume than here in Dublin. It's in San Francisco! Here's a LINK to his business.

Not what you expected to see from the simple colonial exterior? Me either. The interior is spectacular and it's full of Persian rugs, beautifully displayed, from though out the Middle East. Prices ranged from what I saw, from $1,500 to $120,000.

But don't be put off by the prices. Leslie was more than happy to speak with us, give us the tour and advise that "education" or "knowledge" acquired before a purchase is very important. 

Before we leave Pap's Oriental Rugs and continue to Marlborough, here's a picture of Peter inspecting a rug. You may recognize him from Antiques Roadshow.

When leaving Peters turn right on to Rt 101 north, heading towards the center and you'll soon happen upon the Dublin Historical Society museum. This is Schoolhouse "number 1" built in 1841 with the towns Civil War Monument (erected in 1870) out in front.

Only ten miles or so past Dublin on Route 101 on the way to Keene and you'll stumble upon HOMESTEAD BOOKSHOP. I've written about this place before so won't go too deeply into it here. 

Other than to say, that if you love old books and other ephemera... you'll love this place. I've visited old bookstores around the world and this is clean, well laid out and run by Rob and his sister Judy who are friendly and well informed. 

Among other things, I'm a Samuel Chamberlain and Wallace Nutting collector who looks for first editions with well cared for dust jackets and have found most of my collection right here. It's taken a few years, but that's half the fun and we enjoy the drive over as well. I could have easily purchased them on Amazon or eBay (I do look there and have occasionally purchased there too) but much prefer the hunt over in Marlborough, NH. 

You may have noticed that I purchased The Spirit of St. Louis by Charles Lindbergh. What the heck, I'm a pilot and couldn't resist owning this 1953 first edition (of the book of the month club) with a very nice dust jacket. A few years ago, while on a Maui layover, I rented a Jeep and with great difficulty located Colonel Lindbergh's grave site.

It's a little off subject, but if you're interested, here's the Colonels grave marker. Another Northwest pilot learned that I was planning a visit to the Colonel's grave and asked me to leave these/his wings behind as a gift. I did so. I thought about linking you to a site with information but decided to let you enjoy the search/education as much as I did.

Although Homestead has an excellent collection of New England town histories, I found this, "Secomb's 1883 History of Amherst, NH" something I've been in search of for a long while, at the New Hampshire Antique CO-OP in Milford, NH. Linda and I also display at the CO-OP (what a coincidence) so please stop in and visit.

Thanks very much for reading my blog.

Rand