Return of the Asparagus Man: Heaven on Earth for WADA and Friends

Published January 11, 2015 Leave a comment

“Asparagus Man” painting donated to

2016 30th Star Benefit Antiques Auction;

Heaven on Earth to be displayed at

Wisconsin Antiques Dealers Assn. Show

Feb. 6 & 7, 2015, Waukesha

Anyone familiar with Wild Rose, Wisconsin, will remember it is as a tiny, picturesque town, smack dab in the middle of the state. If you ever traveled down County Highway K between 1947 and 1975, you may have encountered the tiny one-bedroom farm home of Adam and Anna Berg with signs “Odd Job Work” and “Asparagus” hanging on the clapboards. Adam had just retired as a Chicago cab driver in 1947 when he and Anna made Wild Rose their home, selling asparagus and charging 10-cent admission to their art gallery to generate a small cash income. He soon became known locally as the “Asparagus Man.”

A self-taught folk artist, Berg believed isolation from the cultural mainstream allowed him to develop a technique to “carve” his paintings using the medium of oil. By adding multiple layers of oil paint over a period of years, he painstakingly transformed his detailed paintings into low reliefs up to ½” thick. Berg described Heaven on Earth, completed in 1963 after five years of paint layering, as “the masterpiece of his life’s work.”

Kozlowski - Berg Heaven on Earth 1 (2)

Kozlowski - Berg Heaven on Earth 3 (3)Kozlowski - Berg Heaven on Earth 6 (2)

This most impressive 60″ x 48″ piece, which was purchased in 1973 for $2,300 ($13,000 in 2014 dollars!) and which traveled throughout Wisconsin as part of the exhibit Grass Roots Art: Wisconsin, has been generously donated to the Friends of the Wisconsin Historical Society for their 2016 30th Star Benefit Antiques Auction, which will raise important funding for Wisconsin historic preservation.

Furthermore, before Heaven on Earth reaches its auction destination, it first will be displayed at the Wisconsin Antiques Dealers Association (WADA) Show on February 6 & 7, 2015 at the Waukesha County Expo Center!

WADA is kindly providing the Friends of the Wisconsin Historical Society with a free booth at this antiques show, where volunteers will accept tax-deductible donations of antique and vintage items for the 2016 auction. Tax-deductible receipts will be provided at the show to each donor. WADA also has provided their fourth grant to the Friends of the Wisconsin Historical Society as founding & continuing sponsors of the 30th Star Benefit Antiques Auction. To learn more about WADA antiques shows and the grants and scholarships they provide, see www.wisconsinantiquesdealers.com.

Carol Miller of Bailey’s Honor Auction Service in Oconomowoc has once again volunteered to call the auction. You can follow her many auctions throughout the year at www.baileyshonor.com.

For questions about  the 2016 30th Star Benefit Antiques Auction, or to make a donation of an antique or vintage item, please contact Riene Wells at 262-363-4700, info@eagle-house.com,or Debbie McArdle at 815-575-1272, jjmcard@comcast.net.

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Recapping the Great River Road: Autumn Excursion 2014

Published September 29, 2014 Leave a comment

The 2014 Autumn Excursion, sponsored by FWHS, traveled the Great River Road along the mighty Mississippi River from September 4-6. The 28 travelers on the excursion enjoyed the fascinating history and beautiful scenery of the river.

Traveling first to La Crosse, the group enjoyed the breathtaking vistas of Grandad Bluff, a personal tour of historic Hixton House, and lunch aboard a paddle wheeler that “locked thru” on the Mississippi. Dr. Frank “White Beaver” Powell mesmerized the group as he told of his life in the “Gateway City” of La Crosse. After heading south and hearing the story of the Black Hawk War along the way, the group stopped for the night in host city Prairie du Chien, where a delicious supper at The Angus Supper Club was followed by Mary Antoine, President of the PDC Historical Society, telling all about the earliest days of her historic hometown.

Day 2 of the Autumn Excursion began with a ride to Dubuque’s Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, followed by a narrated tour of the city of Dubuque and a delicious lunch at the city’s Eagle Point Park overlooking the Mississippi River below. In the afternoon, the group stopped at Moundview Park in Platteville to see a historic reenactment of the War of 1812. A stop at Jamison Museum included a tour of the museum, a descent deep down into a once-working lead mine, a mining tram ride around the grounds, and an interesting presentation on the ethnic settlement of the lead mining region. Back in Prairie du Chien for the evening and after a pasta supper at the motel, the group learned about the 19th century Ho-Chunk Treaties.

The last day of the tour began with Mary Antoine rejoining us for a tour of Prairie du Chien, which included a visit to the oldest house in the city (a fascinating restored French-Canadian log cabin), stops at the oldest cemetery and church in the state, and a tour of the historic Ft. Crawford museum. The group was then led on a personally-guided tour of the magnificent Villa Louis mansion and participated in the Carriage Classic event on the grounds. The excursion then traveled to Cassville for guided tours of several different sites in Stonefield Village and the Governor Nelson Dewey House.

Once again FWHS has hosted a wonderful historic tour of a great part of the Badger State (the name taken from those early lead miners digging their homes in the ground). Thanks go out to FWHS board members JoEllen Hegwood, Frances Kravenik, and Brad Steinmetz for arranging the excursion and making it such a memorable experience for all the participants!

2014-09-04 13.00.10 (2) excursion2014-09-05 13.53.54 (2) excursion CANNON2014-09-05 16.02.55 (2) excursion2014 excursion - FWHS Mem. Frank chats with Twain

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How to Become an Auction Expert

Published September 17, 2014 1 Comment

Are you considering coming to the Friends 2016 Benefit Auction (or any auction, for that matter), but nervous because you’ve never been to one before? Don’t worry — let FWHS secretary Philip Schauer guide you through it! Below are Phil’s tips for a successful auction experience.

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Before you go to an auction:

-Check your newspaper’s local classified sections for auction listings, especially on Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday. For more complete and detailed listings of area and regional sales, you may want to subscribe to a publication such as the Jefferson County Advertiser (covering areas east of Madison, WI) or Auction Action News (covering statewide auctions as well as those in Minnesota and Michigan).

-When looking at an auction ad, regard information about an item’s age, authenticity, and condition as speculation only. Auctions are “buyer beware,” so don’t get too excited about a great-sounding item until you’re inspecting it in person!

-If you are planning to attend an auction and bid on items, remember that terms of sale are usually cash or approved check only, and that not all auctions will accept credit cards. Local and state taxes may apply, and some auctions also charge a buyer’s premium (usually 5-10% over the highest bid).

-Auction purchases are expected to be removed the day of the sale, so be prepared to transport anything you might bid on.

-Consult a map; auctions are sometimes in hard-to-find locations and listed with only vague directions, and you wouldn’t want to be lost or late!

-Try to arrive at least an hour before the auction is scheduled to begin so you will have time to inspect the items and register for your bidding number.

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At the auction, before it begins:

-If you plan on bidding, visit the clerk or cashier to register for your bidding number. Bring a photo ID, and register early to avoid long lines. Purchases are recorded under these bidding numbers, so keep yours handy and don’t lose it!

-If you are interested in an item, examine it carefully. If you are able to do so, pick it up, turn it over, open it, and otherwise check its functionality, preferably in natural light. Be clear with your intentions, and be sure to put the item back in its place when you are finished; theft is unfortunately not unheard of at auctions, so you must take care to be above suspicion.

-Periodically check back on items you’ve already inspected; other attendees will be handling these items too, and new scratches, chips, and other signs of wear may appear as a result. Keep tabs on the locations of the itmes as well, as the other potential bidders might inadvertently or even unscrupulously move things around. Remain vigilant!

-Ask the auction staffers any questions you have about the items and the order in which they will likely be sold.

-Decide which items you’re going to bid on, and how much you would be willing to pay for them.

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During the auction:

-Auction regulars often bid with a variety of signals including winks, grunts, and nods, but a simple signal such as a wave of your number card works best.

-Don’t jump in with a bid right away; the auctioneer will probably lower the starting price of an item if no one responds at first.

-Even with popular items with many people offering bids, bidding usually thins out to just two people. Know your limits, and don’t let yourself bid more than you should in the heat of the moment.

-Sometimes a group of items will be sold as “choice,” meaning that the highest bidder gets to choose which items in the group to buy at the winning price, and the remaining items will be bid on again. If you are interested in only a select item from a choice group, be patient; other high bidders might take some of the other items from the group, thus lowering the total price of the remaining items for you.

-Remember that the auctioneer gets a percentage of the auction proceeds, and as such has extra incentive to push for higher bids. Again, know your limits!

-For efficiency’s sake, don’t hold up a sale with idle chitchat or by having to search for your bidding number. Keep focused!

-Finally, don’t be discouraged if you see items you’d like slip away; patience will eventually prevail…and there will always be another auction. You never know what you might find!

Auctin graphics - vintage

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And for those not in the know, here are some terms to remember:

Auctioneer: the licensed conductor of auction sales. Large auctions may have more than one auctioneer selling at a time, so note if the auction ad suggests bringing a “bidding partner” along with you!

Clerks and Cashiers: auction staffers who register bidders, record transactions, and accept the money to finalize sales.

Ringmen: auction staffers who assist during a sale by identifying the item up for bid, and helping the auctioneer check the crowd for bids.

Box Lot: a group of items sold together for one price.

Choice Lot: a group of items bid for together but sold by the piece at that price.

Bidding Number: a bidder’s identification number, printed on a card. Hold it up during the auction so the auction staffers can record your bid.

Century Farm Auction: an auction held at a farm where a family has lived for 100 years or more. A rare event, but one sure to have plenty or interesting items.

Auction Fever: the temporary compulsive feeling that one must outbid all competing bidders for an item at any cost. A condition to be avoided, for sure!

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We’re Wacky for WADA!

Published September 10, 2014 Leave a comment

Antiques Show Raises Important Funding

for Historic Preservation and Scholarships

October 3 & 4, 2014

Waukesha (Milwaukee), Wisconsin

Ever wonder what happens to the money you pay for admission to an antiques show? If it’s a Wisconsin Antiques Dealers Association show, the “gate” funds historic preservation and scholarships within Wisconsin!

Acting since 2009 as the founding and continuing sponsor of the 30th Star Benefit Antiques Auction (produced by the Friends of the Wisconsin Historical Society), WADA provides “seed money” for their biennial auctions. The most recent historic preservation project involved window treatments and upholstery at Black Point Estate in Lake Geneva, built in the 1880s by the wildly successful brewer, Conrad Seipp. WADA’s grant dollars were designated specifically to aid in the restoration of a portrait of Mrs. Catharina Seipp, matriarch of Black Point. That restored portrait has resumed its original position in the main entrance of the Victorian summer home. Textile restoration and/or replacement is in the planning stage now that funding is available. In addition, members of the Wisconsin Antiques Dealers Association helped procure a rare Seipp Brewery advertising stein, now on display at Black Point.

Auction Publicity; Black Point d (2)Auction Publicity; Painting RestoredSeipp Stein (2)

As a public service at their October show, WADA is providing a free booth to the Friends of the Wisconsin Historical Society. Visitors to the show may bring their donations of items more than 50 years old for the next 30th Star Benefit Antiques Auction. Volunteers will be on hand to provide tax deductible receipts for antique and vintage donations.

Other recent recipients of grants from the Wisconsin Antiques Dealers Association are: Price County Historical Society, Fifield; Israel Stowell Temperance House, Delavan; Rock County Historical Society, Janesville; Richfield Historical Society, Richfield; New Holstein Historical Society, New Holstein; and Hawks Inn Historical Society, Delafield. Click here for details on grant applications, or visit the WADA show.

Scholarships are also a priority with the Wisconsin Antiques Dealers Association. During the 2013-2014 school year, WADA provided scholarships to high school seniors at Moraine High School, Mukwonago High School and Oconomowoc High School. Click here for details about the 2014-2015 scholarship competition.

Attend the upcoming 63rd Fall Wisconsin Antiques Dealers Association Show on October 3 & 4, and show your support for the scholarship and preservation projects so important to our state.

The Waukesha County Expo Center’s Forum Building, 1000 Northview Road, Waukesha, WI 53188, is the home of this event.  Show hours are Friday, 11-9 and Saturday, 10-5. In addition to the good food customers have come to expect, a Friday Night Fish Fry will be served late Friday afternoon and evening, so bring your appetite! Remember, admission of $6.00 funds scholarships for high school students as well as grants to Wisconsin historic and heritage groups. Parking is free, and an ATM is located on the premises. Click here for a $1.00 discount coupon for the show!

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A Fond Look Back at Auction 2014

Published May 8, 2014 Leave a comment

On the last weekend in April 2014, all those who supported the 30th Star Benefit Antiques Auction helped another dream to come true!

Funds from the auction will be donated to Black Point Historic Site for needed restoration projects, thus helping Black Point continue to be one of the finest remaining examples of its kind!

We’d like to extend special thanks to auctioneer Carol Miller of Bailey’s Honor Auction Service, who once again volunteered her time and energy to make the auction a success; the Wisconsin Antique Dealers Association, our founding and continuing sponsors; and Delafield Brewhaus, providers of the beer on Preview Night.

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Friday, April 25th: Preview Night

The Black Point Story: As Delafield Brewhaus’ specialty amber beer flowed from the spigot into Seipp Brewing Company reproduction mugs, we were taken back to summers on Lake Geneva when Chicago beer baron Conrad Seipp built his family’s summer home. Site Director David Desimone drew a fascinating picture of the Seipp family, and took us on a virtual tour of the Estate and Lake Geneva area.

We learned that after Mr. Seipp immigrated to the United States from Hessen, Germany in the 1840s, he drove a beer wagon for Miller Brothers brewery. He later started his own brewery, and eventually the Seipp Brewery become one of the largest in the United States. Conrad unfortunately died in 1890, soon after Black Point was completed, but his family was able to still enjoy the estate for decades to come.

Even as examples of luxurious architecture disappeared from Lake Geneva over time, the Black Point Estate remained minimally altered, making it a rare gem of its period. Director Desimone illustrated our “virtual visit” to the estate with a vivid slide presentation, revealing one of the most intact collections of Victorian furnishings in the Midwest. We thank Mr. Desimone for this personal insight!

Spring 2014a

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Treated to a Sneak Peek: Our Preview Night guests were the first to check out the Auction offerings (and those who were not able to attend the auction proper were able to submit proxy bids). It’s enlightening to observe the kind of connections people feel to these “objects with a past,” and to hear the stories of their own about the things they are drawn to!

Spring 2014b

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What You Were Looking For: You never know when you’ll find just what you are looking for as you go through an auction collection! In between his sumptuous Wisconsin fish fry dinner and the Black Point presentation, Director Desimone was checking out the offerings for the next day’s auction…and BINGO, found just what he was looking for!

Spring 2014cSpring 2014d

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Culmination of a Festive Evening: At the finale of this historic gala, dozens of door prize baskets were awarded. Prizes ranged form jewelry, china, and vintage gifts, to current period delights, like this selection of Green Bay Packer memorabilia.

Spring 2014e

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Saturday, April 26th: The 30th Star Benefit Antiques Auction

Shazam!: Auctioneer Carol Miller of Bailey’s Honor Auction Service worked her magic again! The Clausing Barn at Old World Wisconsin rang with excitement as offerings were sold to the highest bidders. The variety of vintage and antique items and collections presented bidders with opportunities galore!

Spring 2014f

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The Right Fit: Finding something to treasure that was just the “right fit” was easy for everyone. Or maybe not…maybe there were way too many choices!

Spring 2014i

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Perfect Sound: When it came time for the record player to be demonstrated, the audience couldn’t believe their ears when perfect sound wafted from this wood-and-brass old-timer!

Spring 2014g

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Clever Device: Tom Kleist is famous for challenging students with a “whatz-it” quiz to introduce them to the gadgets from long ago that made a difference in folks’ lives. When asked what he thought was the treasured find at the auction, he replied, “The cheese press! It is not only a clever device, but is a perfect piece of art in itself!”

Spring 2014h

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Thanks again to all you fellow history lovers for making this year’s auction a success! You’ve helped keep history alive!

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FWHS Thanks WADA for Their Outstanding Support

Published November 18, 2013 Leave a comment

FRIENDS’ “30th Star Benefit Antiques Auction” coming up April 26, 2014, gets a Helping Hand from the WisconsinFWHS WADA BOOTH

Antiques Dealers Association as event sponsors ~ AGAIN!

Wisconsin Antiques Dealers Association is the oldest, continually-functioning state antiques organization in America, and now are active with 48 of the top antiques professionals in the area.

Funded by admissions charged at their February & October antiques shows, the Wisconsin Antiques Dealers Association has been able to provide grants for Wisconsin preservation endeavors and scholarships for college-bound Wisconsin students.

This autumn with a grant provided by W.A.D.A., FRIENDS was able to restore an important oil painting at Wisconsin Historical Society’s newest Historic Site, the Black Point Estate, on Lake Geneva, amail.google.comlso the site that the FRIENDS’ “30th Star Benefit Antiques Auction” will benefit in 2014.

FWHS is also grateful for a booth at WADA’s show, October 4 & 5 in Waukesha to promote the FWHA 2014 benefit Auction.

For a list of dealers, scholarship recipients, and Antique Show dates, go to: www.WisconsinAntiquesDealers.com.

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Rose

Published November 17, 2013 Leave a comment

Too soon we lost our Rose to Heaven.

Too soon we miss her smile ~ROSE STERK

 

And her ideas and her energy

That took us through every trial.

 

Not afraid to speak her mind

And keep us on the right trail,

 

That blooming Rose is in our hearts

As she has always been ~

 

There is no one to take her place ~

We know that without fail.

 

A FRIEND of ours forever…

Until we meet again.

 

FWHS Board Member Rose Ellen Sterk ~ laid to rest November 12, 2013

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FRIENDS Time-Travel into the Civil War

Published November 12, 2013 Leave a comment

The 2013 Fall Three-Lincoln GrandDay Excursion was centered on Wisconsin in the Civil War.

Mysteries were unraveled along the way. Like how did Confederate Soldiers end up in a Wisconsin Cemetery? How did Runaway Slaves enter and leave the state safely? What part did our state play in the Civil War? What was life like during that time?

Some of these questions were answered personally for the FWHS travelers by people deeply involved in the war like: President Lincoln (Fritz Klein), General Grant (Frank Beaman), and Wisconsin’s First Lady Cordelia Harvey (Mary Kabakik.)

At one of the dinners, Costume Designer, Bev Wassam, along with volunteers (including some of our FWHS Board members) put on an 1860’s Fashion Show.excursion2

As our Excursionists were visiting Wade House and our Union Camps, a skirmish broke out as the Confederate artillery opened fire. A rousing cavalry battle repelled the Rebel advance, but the 1863 Battle of Chickamauga had begun.

excursion5Later that afternoon, the battle began in earnest with an artillery duel between the Union and Rebel artillery pieces. Cannons blasted away at each other. A sudden infantry attack by a large army of Confederates from the woods lead to the death of all our Wisconsin Artillery Unit.

The cannon from the Wisconsin artillery unit was captured and all members of the ordinance crew were killed.  Charge after charge by the Rebels was repulsed, but eventually the Confederacy carried the day and drove the Boys in Blue from the field.

The Southern army had won the battle and stopped the Union campaign from moving into Georgia, and the Union, with the help of our staunchly brave soldiers from the Wisconsin Iron Brigade, would have a hard time ahead of them to defeat the South.

 

 

 

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September Updates!

Published September 5, 2013 Leave a comment

Autumn Excursion:

Did you miss the deadline? If You Hurry You Can Still Get In!

civil war

There is still a small window of opportunity to join the FRIENDS on this year’s Annual Excursion.
The adventure into “Hands On” History this year is Wisconsin’s connections to the Civil War.
It’s a Three Day Tour with all meals included.
Questions? Call Chuck Hatfield 608-625-4042.
Brochure and Registration Form (click here)

 

 

30th Star Benefit Antique Auction: 

Got Junque? Get a Tax Break!

FWHS is seeking Vintage and Antique Items for their 2014 Benefit Auction.
Pass your story along through the donation of these items and get your tax deduction too!
To offer an item, call Riene Wells 262-363-2225.

 

 

Columbus Carriage Festival:

Bands, Balls, Contests, and Tons of Fun!

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FRIENDS brought the First Brigade Band to the Columbus Wisconsin Carriage Festival in June.
The Festival this year had a Civil War theme and carriage driving competitions in true antique style!
Our booth had contests running for the two days and Skylar and Wyatt Nelson won the prizes for the Kid’s Competition and David Triebold and Earl Busse won the Adult Challenge. Congratulations!!!!
The Brigade Band also played at the Civil War Ball at the end of the festivities.
And a grand time was had by all!

 

Annual Meeting:

FWHS See What THEY DID !

annual meeting
In June all were invited to join the Board at Old World Wisconsin to witness for themselves how we are helping to bring St. Peter’s Church – the first church in Milwaukee – back to its original period and purpose.
Guests Ma & Pa also showed us how to build a log cabin by hand after we were also finished helping with some farm chores at the German Farms.
Next we road The East Troy Electric Rail Road (yes – electric! One of the last remaining originals) and danced to the juke box as we gobbled down old fashioned sundaes at Lauber’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor – filled with memories of the past!
And a great tine was had by all!

 

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Columbus Horse and Carriage Festival

Published May 16, 2013 2 Comments

Here are some of the highlights for the 15th & 16th:

 

Saturday, June 15th

 

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  • 10am & 2pm: General Grant and his wife, Julia, speak about their lives at the Friends of the State Historical Society booth

     

    Noon:  President Lincoln, General Grant and Governor Lewis arrive by horse drawn carriage at the arena

     

    columbus_carriage_festival
    3:00 p.m.: 1st Brigade Band plays at the encampment. Picture opportunity with President Lincoln, General Grant and the soldiers at the encampment.

     

    5pm: parade

     

    8:00-11:00 p.m. Dance to the music of the 1st Brigade Band – Ticket price: $10/person

     
     
     

    Sunday, June 16th:walcott_fashion

     

    Noon: President Lincoln and General Grant visit encampment.

     

    1p.m: Civil War Fashion Show

     

    Tell us in the comment section what you are looking forward to the most!

     

    Complete schedule of event here

     

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