#Liam #Evans #Antiques #Arts #Weekly
Liam Evans in his role as gatekeeper for the 2023 New Hampshire Antiques Dealers Association show in Manchester, N.H. —Antiques and The Arts Weekly photo.
Antiques and The Arts Weekly has had its eye on Liam Evans — the son of Waynesboro, Va., dealers Christopher and Bernadette Evans — for a few years, ever since he joined his parents at antiques shows we’ve covered, particularly the New Hampshire Antiques Dealers Association’s (NHADA) annual antiques show in Manchester, N.H. There, he sat behind the front desk or manned the front door like a pro. In what we hope develops into a regular feature of interviewing those who may become the next generation in the antiques field, we reached out to Liam who took time out of a busy school schedule to answer some questions about what it’s like growing up in the business, what he likes about it, and if he sees antiques in his future.
Your parents are antiques dealers — what are some of your earliest antiques-related memories?
One of my earliest memories with antiques was probably when I used to play “kitchen” with antique dreidels and stoneware crocks.
What do you like about antiques?
I like thinking about the first owners of the stuff and how they actually used them day to day.
Do you collect things yourself? If so, tell us about some of the things you’ve collected and why you liked them?
I really like miniature redware. I like the size and the color of it all. One of my favorite pieces in my collection is a lead glazed redware master salt, made in Shenandoah County, Va., possibly by Isaac Good or George Schweinfurt, circa 1865.
Liam with one of his favorite pieces, a redware master salt, made in Shenandoah County, Va., possibly by Isaac Good or George Schweinfurt, circa 1865.
Can you share any of those stories with our readers? An example of a piece you and your parents have handled and the fun or interesting story behind it?
The previous owner of the redware master salt was Ms Judy Warren, a dealer near where we live. She got it from her father, who bought it probably around the 1930s.
It’s probably a fair statement to say that many kids your age might not be interested in antiques. Do you have friends like that? Do you try to explain your interests to them?
None of my friends really know what my parents do. It isn’t really a thing we talk about, but I find it’s really interesting and that’s what matters.
What’s your favorite part of working with your parents?
My favorite part is probably the road trips and the fun that comes with them. It isn’t all antiques 24/7, we always make some time for us to get away and make memories.
Behind Liam are very closely matched pairs by the same hand. The taller jar is by the Brown Family, Southwest Virginia, circa 1860. There is a second one (also closely matched) on the opposite side just out of frame; they were made by hand with some variability, but clearly intended to be the same item.
What are some non-antiques related things you and your parents like to do? Are there memories from the past year or so you’re willing to share with our readers?
When we go up to the NHADA show every year we make sure to also spend some time camping up in Maine the week before the show. When we go, we normally go to the beach and eat a ton of lobster and ice cream from “The Beach Plum.”
It may be too early to say if this is what you want to do for a living…but are you considering a career in antiques?
Probably not, but who knows. My father certainly did not know that he wanted to get into the antiques business at my age, so maybe I will continue the family business.
—Madelia Hickman Ring
