Auction House is a Doorway
to American History
June 15, 2010
CANTON, Ct.-Canton Barn, LLC prides itself on sticking
to the Webster definition of auction house: a sale
of property to the highest bidder. Since its inception
more than 50 years ago, the Nutmeg State landmark
is among the last of its kind, with no reserves or
buyer's premium. Co-owners Richard and Susan Wacht
buy each piece outright; acquiring merchandise largely
through word-of-mouth, estate bankers and attorneys.
Items generally range from Victorian and Colonial-era
antiques to 1950s collectibles.
Second-generation auctioneer Richard Wacht literally
grew up in the business, adopting his ailing father's
place at the podium in his mid-30s. "My father
was a banker, and sometimes used antiques as collateral,"
Wacht said. "It grew from there." He recalls
his father buying a portion of Samuel Clemens' New
Preston, Ct. farmhouse estate for $2,000 in the 1950s.
Clemens, of course, is better known to millions as
author Mark Twain.
Canton Barn itself is a doorway to American history.
The family's property dates back to the 18th century.
Each Saturday at 7:30 p.m, buyers converge in a barn
built in 1820. There are no numbers on paddles. Registration
is by name; seats reserved by pillow. An 1845 Glenwood
stove burns cheerfully each winter.
"We never will have a buyer's premium or set
a reserve," Wacht said. "Why should I charge
money to the people who help me make my living?"
Although he's worked on a local version of Antiques
Roadshow with Hartford's Channel 3 WFSB reporter Scot
Haney, Wacht has only stepped in another auction house
once.
Yet, many consider him among the best auctioneers
alive.
"I've been to hundreds of auctions," said
Newton Emerson of Westford, Ct. "Most auctioneers
refer to a book. [Wacht] could teach a course."
Wacht is as renowned for his showmanship as his reputation.
It's not unusual for pieces to become props. While
auctioning off a Victorian-era porcelain doll ($90),
Wacht transformed into puppeteer, using the doll's
delicate arms to point to competing bidders. He often
leaves the stand to display pieces across stage, swinging
a vintage lamp to "hypnotize" the audience.
"You will bid higher," he playfully intones.
Donning a Top Hat or twirling a 19th century umbrella,
Wacht is both entertainer and expert.
Although divorced, Richard and Susan Wacht remain
business partners and, both confirm, "best friends."
While Richard breathes his father's passion onstage,
Susan shares her former mother-in-law's behind-the-scenes
talent. In addition to helping Richard conduct auctions,
Susan bakes up to 20 fresh fruit pies each week-just
like Richard's mother did. For $3.75 a slice, visitors
can enjoy a number of selections, including Strawberry-Rhubarb,
Pumpkin and Pecan Pie (with or without whipped cream).
Hamburgers, Grote and Weigel hot dogs and similar
picnic-style items are also available.
"When I first met Richard, I knew nothing about
the business," Susan said. "We used to go
to the Antiques Store at the Hartford Civic Center
and Richard would point out reproductions. I asked,
'How can you tell?' He told me he just did, and I
would, too, one day."
Years later, the two were antiquing when Susan spotted
her first replica. "How can you tell?" Richard
teased.
Both Wachts are collectors. Richard describes his
taste as mint-quality "eclectic." Susan
is more specific. "I like Native American baskets,"
she said.
Each Sunday, Richard Wacht offers free appraisals
of virtually any item. "I'm waiting for people
to pick up their stuff from the night before,"
he said dryly. "What else can I do?"
On a recent Saturday evening, Canton's offerings included
a 1930s unframed French street scene oil painting
on a 20" X 22" canvas signed Rocco ($30),
a kerosene lamp with mushroom shade ($75) and an early
20th century hand-tooled brass chestnut roaster ($80).
A box lot of 19th century compasses sold for $45.
"When putting box lots together, we take one
or two items that could command a price on their own
and include it in a box lot to raise its value,"
Susan Wacht explained. One of the evening's highlights
was a 1790 Red-Blanket Shaker Chest ($1,250).
David and Kristen Keller of Burlington, Ct., purchased
a Karastan rug for $360 and a Victorian-era cast-iron
bench for $250. "We've been coming here about
eight years," Kristen Keller said. "We love
the great deals." Recently, the couple refinished
their home and wanted to decorate it with one-of-a-kind
pieces. Incidentally, it was also the night before
their 18th wedding anniversary. After purchasing the
rug, Kristen Keller joked to her husband, "Should
we leave now before we buy more?"
"People are more interested in 'going green'
these days," Susan Wacht said. "We offer
a way for people to recycle by purchasing something
they won't find anywhere else."
Lorraine German of East Granby, Ct., said Canton is
among her favorite Saturday night destinations. Co-owner
of Mad River Antiques, LLC, with her husband, Steve,
German specializes in antique stoneware. "We
love the rare finds," she said.
Canton Barn's generations of history includes a lineage
of loyal staff. Susan Wacht's nephew, Tim Melechinsky,
of New Britain, Ct., has been a runner at the auction
for 10 years. "It's a great place to learn the
business," Melechinsky, an aspiring teacher,
said.
Mother-and-daughter team Laura and Miranda Arvidson
of Simsbury, Ct. work regularly behind the pie counter.
Laura's mother, Ethel Arvidson, an avid collector,
began attending Canton Barn three decades ago.
"I really love the family atmosphere," Laura
Arvidson said. "You get to know everyone well."
"I grew up with my grandmother's antiques,"
added Miranda Arvidson, a student at Humboldt State
University in California. "I've worked [at Canton]
since I was 16 and love coming back."
Cashier Jackie Flagg of Suffield, Ct., has been working
at Canton almost as long as Richard Wacht. "My
family owned an antiques shop," Flagg said. Although
a banker by trade, Flagg began working for Wacht's
father in her late teens. "It's a nice place
to know everyone's names," she said.
While the Wachts have built a reputation for being
among the best in the trade, Susan Wacht advised prospective
estate sellers to review at last three bids before
making a decision or holding a sale. "We often
hear about Estate Sales coming up," she said.
"But we don't go to them. By the time an Estate
Sale is held, everything has likely been picked over."
Depending on the estate owners' needs, the Wachts
will offer a price for the estate "as is,"
or do what's known in the industry as "broom-cleaning,"
helping with every aspect of the move until there's
nothing left but empty floorboards. Richard Wacht
moves all the pieces himself. "During the week
I'm traveling to estates," he said. "That's
why Canton is only held once a week." Richard
Wacht travels throughout the Northeast, from Boston
to New York City.
While Canton Barn is a piece of living history in
the antiques world, it could one day be a mere relic.
The Wachts never had children. The future of the business
remains uncertain.
"Right now [Wacht] could charge tuition,"
Emerson said. "It would be wonderful if he could
acquire an apprentice to carry on his legacy."
Canton Barn, LLC is located at 75 Old Canton Road,
Canton, Ct. Doors open every Saturday at 5 p.m., year-round,
for previews. Auctions begin at 7:30 p.m.and end at
approximately 10:30 p.m. Complimentary parking. Cash,
Cashier's or Traveler's Checks Only with proper ID.
No children under 16. No cell phone use permitted
during the auction. For more information, visit www.cantonbarn.com
or call (860) 693-0601.
Auction
House is a Doorway to American History
