Parker’s Antiques and Architectural Details at 9 Eagle St. in North Adams is a treasure-house of furniture and decor.
A quick glance reveals a green velvet c. 1830s American Second Empire sofa and matching armchair, whose armrests culminate in splendid lions’ heads and whose feet are suitably fierce claws.
Another sofa combines restrained Victorian carving with serpentine Empire curves. A spool bed is propped against a wall. A deco kitchen table from the 1920s has a windmill scene in black on its white enamel top and six matching chairs.
And then there are the architectural details which set this shop apart. Three faux marble slate mantels were salvaged from a New Jersey mansion that burned; a massive oak mantel with columns was once in a Williams College building, now demolished. Toward the rear of the shop, porch columns are propped against the wall, and display cases contain dozens of ornate vintage doorknobs.
“I started doing architectural salvage to help people restore and renovate old houses in North Adams,†said owner Chris Parker.
Parker and his wife, who is originally from Pittsfield, live in a Victorian house on Cady Hill which they have been enthusiastically restoring.
“I had three to three-and-a-half years’ worth of architectural salvage in my carriage barn, and I couldn’t find my car anymore,†quipped Parker.
He cheerfully calls his hunting and gathering “scavenging,†and said, “I know a lot of contractors who let me know when they’re going to be demolishing a house.â€
“I try to get the owners’ permission to salvage doors, windows, glass, columns, spindles, and so forth. Wrecking crews don’t mind, because they’ll have less to haul away.â€
Parker also frequents tag sales and auctions to find, for example, light fixtures that can be repaired or serve for parts.
He often works with finish carpenter Tom Warren, for example building a desk for a doctor’s office in Pittsfield from three old doors, a custom cabinet from old wood for a Williamstown customer, and a banister for a house on Holbrook Street in North Adams.
“It’s nice to basically recycle,†he said.
Parker’s business has expanded its reach because, he said, an increasingly vibrant North Adams downtown draws people who come home to visit for the holidays. One such customer is buying an art deco bathtub and having it shipped to Buffalo, N.Y.
Parker’s shop has been open nine weeks, but he has a long resume of salvaging and renovating. Before moving to Berkshire County four years ago, he was part of a neighborhood revitalization effort in Grand Rapids, Mich., where he bought — for $38,000 — and restored an asymmetrical Queen Anne house
In that resurgent Cherry Hill neighborhood, he recalled, “We all helped each other.â€
“We created and restored the neighborhood, which was then designated a historic district,†said Parker.
He had earlier started restoring an apartment he rented in a massive Victorian house in Michigan.
And he carries over his cooperative spirit in his shop.
“I sell salvage basically for what I have in it, time and money,†he said. “If I get a good deal on something, I’ll pass it on.â€
And he will give advice, as well as sell items needed for, restorations.
Parker’s upbringing took him to North America, the Caribbean and Europe. Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Parker moved with his family to Port of Spain, Trinidad, then to Oslo, Norway as his father worked for General Telephone, now GTE. Parker’s previous salvaging also included marine salvage in the U.S. Virgin Islands, as part of the contract clean-up after Hurricane Marilyn.
While the shop has a massive mahogany Empire sideboard, on the grand scale, it also has a 1962 Barbie and Ken and a pre-World War II handcarved German toy village. Salvaged items include a mop sink from the old Newberry’s and ice cream stools from the former Rice’s drug store on the corner of Eagle and Main streets, and old school desks.
His current favorite architectural find is, he said, a set of doors rescued from a Bracewell Avenue demolition, doors with carved moldings, beveled glass and ruby glass panels.
About one-third of his items are on consignment, he said. He will also be on the lookout for specific items on customers’ wish lists.
Parker’s Antiques is open Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; telephone 663-5444, website www.parkersantiques.com.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Winter Storm Warning Issued for Berkshires
Another snowstorm is expected to move through the region overnight on Friday, bringing 5 to 8 inches of snow. This is updated from Thursday's winter weather advisory.
The National Weather Service in Albany, N.Y., has posted a winter storm warning for all of Berkshire County and parts of eastern New York State beginning Friday at 4 p.m. through Saturday at 1 p.m.
The region could see heavy to moderate snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour overnight, tapering off Saturday morning to flurries.
Drivers should exercise caution on Friday night and Saturday morning, as travel conditions may be hazardous.
Saturday night should be clear and calm, but warming temperatures means freezing rain Sunday night and rain through Monday with highs in the 40s. The forecast isn't much better through the week as temperatures dip back into the teens with New Year's Eve looking cloudy and frigid.
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
click for more
