Living Museum
by Mary Beth Schwartz
When homeowners need a new toilet, hardware, or decorative accessories, they often head to the local home box store, where they will discover the standard 100,000 items. When historic homeowners need to locate a set of window latches, a one-of-a-kind handcrafted fireplace mantle, a weathervane, or a Moravian barn star, they take the trek to Perkasie’s Architectural Antiques. At this living museum they can hunt through 100,000 different artifacts from the 18th, 19th, and 20th century, organized in 28 rooms in an 1870 converted barn, as well as outdoors in two accessory buildings and a yard.
Before visiting an architectural salvage company, it pays to do your homework. Home improvement guru Bob Vila offers these helpful tips. First: find the salvage materials and then let the contractor craft to fit. It is harder if the contractor first cuts a hole and you then need to find something to fit it. Second: keep in mind that an item may not look great yet, but much can be restored. Third: be sure to measure the piece you are interested in to ensure that it will fit and function as you need it to. Forth: make sure your contractor appreciates repurposing salvage to make it special. Fifth: get the most out of your dollar with focal point purchases, such as an antique front door or a dazzling entryway chandelier. Sixth: investigate porch, deck, patio, and garden accessories to make sure they are sound, solid, and do not have cracks. Seventh: retro tubs, such as cast iron claw foot tubs, can be a steal. A new tub can costs thousands of dollars, while an older one hundreds. Eight, watch for reproductions, especially with items like marble mantles, stained glass, and iron work. Nineth: check antique doors well for rot or warping. Be sure to choose solid wood doors for interiors and exteriors. Tenth: keep in mind that many salvage pieces are ready for a different second life.
Why are architectural antiques so popular? According to Architectural Antiques Owner Wayne Rickert, the artifacts allow hunters, whether architect, designer, builder, or homeowner, to bring both character and quality into their home. Items of the past were handmade and often used the best materials. They were unique, sometimes on-off, versus the same-old, same-old products of today. “We are more than just a store. People find this a place to connect with others who share a similar fascination for old things,” Rickert says.
There is a massive labyrinth of treasures at Architectural Antiques, and the inventory constantly changes. It is all here, from cabinets, electrical lighting, shutters, reclaimed wood, windows, and balusters and newel posts, to wrought iron fencing and gates, to steam and hot water radiators of all shapes and sizes. Need a tub, sink, or faucet? They are here too. How about hardware? There are hooks, latches, locks, cut nails, door knobs, keys, the list goes on. How about some doors? Choose from entry, French, pocket, screen, four-paneled, stained glass, turned, you get the idea. Does your fireplace need a retouch? Architectural Antiques has andirons, mantles, surrounds, grills, backs, even inserts. And then there are the thousands of miscellaneous items—lightning rods, metal signs, cast iron pots, antique yardsticks, license plates, wooden boxes, powdered Real Milk Paint, lanterns, weathervanes, sconces, furniture, ice boxes, coal stoves, wooden chests, candleholders, even a phone booth.
Wayne Rickert and his family offer qualified professional advice and friendly service. Rickert is a building contractor with more than 25 years of experience. “You can count on architectural expertise that goes beyond theory to a thorough understanding of classic building techniques and their many variations, earned through decades of hands-on learning,” Rickert says.
The number one question customers ask at Architectural Antiques is: How do you obtain your materials? “Any way we possibly can. In the early days, it was through salvage and demolition work. I recycled materials while I had my construction business. Eventually I got busier with the salvage business without doing the carpentry. Now I run around a couple of days during the week in my famous 1946 International green truck to find things. The truck itself is recycled, with some modern updates. We buy, sell, trade, and accept donations. Our practice is to salvage and reclaim architectural related items so that they can be reused or repurposed and kept out of the landfill. Our mission statement is to praise and worship the Father, by being good stewards of the resources of planet earth. To provide service that exemplifies that of the Son, and to give in a way which is lead by the Spirit,” Rickert says.
“A majority of the items that we have are from the mid-1700s, Early America, to 1940 or so. We have a wooden chest from the 1500s. Twenty years ago, I put one item aside every time I saw a unique one. Now we have a box lock collection that probably rivals one of the best in the world. I put one Victorian window latch aside. Pretty soon we had hundreds of them. We have thousands of pieces of hardware on display that are not for sale. Once we have one, then we can sell the rest of them. It is a historic record of what has gone by, a way to protect the area’s rich history,” Rickert says.The barn at Architectural Antiques is historic itself. “The barn is one of the oldest continuously used as a commercial establishment in Bucks County since 1870. The barn has been owned three times in the entire last century.
It is only one of two in Pennsylvania that has a cantilevered bank on the non-farm side. That is unique because farmers would always put the bank on the farm side. Next-door is a building that used to be a general store. I am currently converting the front of the store to what it was like in 1898 for use as a rental space,” Rickert says. (Speaking of barns, Architectural Antiques will be featured on an upcoming episode of HGTV’s Barn Hunters. Rickert says they have several items for barn restoration, as well.)
So the next time you have a day free to wander through collection after collection of salvaged building materials and restoration supplies for old homes, Architectural Antiques is the one-stop shop waiting for you. “Everybody comes here because it is a fun place. There are only a handful of places like this left,” Rickert says. Their hours are Thursday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and by appointment. Architectural Antiques is located at 3080 Bedminster Road (Route 113) in Perkasie, PA. Their phone number is 215-795-2616. You can like them on Facebook, or visit their Website, www.oldhomeparts.com. A freshly baked goodie and a hot cup of Joe will be ready at the coffee station upon your arrival.
Mary Beth Schwartz is a freelance editor who frequently contributes to regional publications.