A love for old things

By Mary Alice Garrett

This story originally appeared August 19, 2004 in The News Journal of Wilmington, Delaware.

MIDDLETOWN — After 30 years of dreaded office work, Jan Butler found her calling when she opened her antiques shop 20 years ago.

"Butler and Cooke Antique Shoppe," offering mostly country furniture, originated in Odessa. After a fire gutted the small shop in 1986, Butler reopened in Middletown’s Town Square. In 1992, the shop moved to its present site in the old Peoples National Bank Building at 13 E. Main St.

The shop’s name and logo came from Butler and her husband, Peter Cooke.

"I was the butler who married the cook," said Butler, a Wilmington native. And the fact that the shop is in a historic building is even more meaningful. The bank vault and safety deposit boxes still are in the back of the late 1800s building.

"It makes the building fun," she said.

Butler’s love for old things and ability to do repairs came in handy when her antiques business took a different turn. Between sales, Butler began making lampshades. Soon her customers wanted to buy her lampshades, but not necessarily her vintage lamps.

"The lampshades [and lamps] soon took on a life of their own," said Butler. Now, more than half of her shop is devoted to lamps, chandeliers, lampshades and lamp parts.

She’s also provided lampshades for the Nemours Mansion in Rockland.

"My business is becoming more and more lampshades. I wanted to get into what is not offered in retail stores," Butler said.

Not only is her current inventory of lampshades and lamp parts larger than most lighting and department stores, customers also bring in lamps for Butler to repair, rewire or to make shades from their own fabrics. Some of the lamps are antiques and some from the 1950s and 1960s.

Butler taught herself to repair lamps as well as other household items.

"When something breaks at home, my husband asks me to fix it. I’ve always been able to fix things," she said.

Landenberg, Pa., resident Marilyn Becker recently visited the shop to buy a shade for her Oriental lamp. She was overwhelmed by the selection.

"I’ve never seen so many different [lamp] harps of different sizes in my entire life," she said. "She has quite a selection. The prices were right."

Butler also must spot trends in antiques buying. While country and French country used to be hot, customers now are moving toward "fancy" and "shabby chic."

An example is crystal chandeliers that Butler carries. The "retro look" — a throwback to the 1940s and 1950s — also is in vogue, Butler said.

One customer outfitted his entire new house in antique light fixtures. However, he had to leave them when he later sold the house and the new owners wouldn’t accept new replacements.

One unusual ceiling fixture in Butler’s shop is a 1902 silver-plated transitional fixture which originally used both gas and electricity A large brass fixture with fringe is suitable for hanging over a pool table.

Butler finds her wares at auction, sales and other antiques shops. She recently stumbled on a pair of 1802 snowbirds at Cowtown in Woodstown, N.J. The pair in the shape of birds, was designed to go at the edge of a roof to hold back snow The original red paint is still intact.

Her shop’s inventory ranges from lamp finials to vintage dolls, to brass candlesticks to a glass painting of the Titanic. The dolls include figure skater Sonja Henie and actress Margaret O’Brien. Butler says while shoppers love to look at dolls, they seldom buy them.

"What I find that sells in here is anything unusual. Things that are different go out very fast," Butler said.

Butler personally is fond of early candlesticks. She has trouble parting with some of her inventory but says, “You can’t keep everything."

The popular TV program "Antiques Road Show" has been both a blessing and a curse, she said.

"It’s made people very aware of antiques, but it’s given people the impression that what they have is worth a whole lot more than it really is," Butler said.

A lack of space prevents her from carrying much furniture in her shop. However Butler furnished her 1740 house with antiques and traditional furniture.

The couple’s home also has been open during the annual "Christmas in Odessa" event.

Even though Cooke wasn’t fond of old houses and antiques when he and Butler married 30 years ago, he has grown to like both.

"He enjoys our old house" said Butler "and he has come to appreciate antiques. I guess he got tired of being dragged to so many flea markets."

Cooke now collects early toys.

PROFILE

August 19, 2004

Janet (Jan) C. Butler

AGE: 68

FAMILY: Husband Peter Cooke; one stepdaughter and five stepsons.

RESIDENCE: Odessa

EDUCATION: Graduate of St. Elizabeth High School; selected courses at University of Delaware.

POSITION: Owner of Butler and Cooke Antique Shoppe in Middletown.

HOBBIES: Collecting dolls and antiques.

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: "Running my own business."