October 1, 2015
If you came to the Bluemont Fair, you may have seen our recent acquisitions, including the Merklen Brothers library table that’s this month’s first featured item. This fantastic table, which features open barley twist carved legs with large wood brass feet, was made by the Merklen Brothers. They were a small furniture company in New York City between 1885 and 1897. Interestingly, their work is sometimes confused with that of George Jakob Hunzinger, who came to the US from Germany in 1855 and also made furniture in New York City until his death in 1898. Our second featured item is a Hunzinger platform rocker. (When you see the photo of the rocker below, keep in mind that we sell fabric and do upholstery, so the piece can be customized to match your room.) Both the Merklens and Hunzinger frequently used spirals in their work. More photos of these pieces and those of other recent acquisitions are on our website at Recent Acquisitions
In case you hadn’t noticed, there’s a lot going on in Loudoun County this month! Our favorites include a couple that feature traditional handicrafts, specifically the Waterford Fair the 2nd through the 4th and Joshua’s Hands Fall Festival on the 10th. Discount tickets are available on line for the Waterford Fair at http://www.waterfordfoundation.org/waterford-fair. More info on the Joshua’s Hands event, which is completely FREE, is available at http://joshuashands.org/Fall_Festival.html. Purcellville’s town-wide treasure sale is also on the 10th and 11th; this is another opportunity to keep in mind that Iron Gate can restore furniture treasures that need a little “love!” The following weekend, the 17th-18th, is the Fall Farm Tour. This event features local agri-businesses and is a great chance to see what’s happening locally. Brochures are available at local libraries, community centers and county government offices, or info is on line at http://loudounfarms.org/index.aspx?NID=161. If you miss the Fall Farm Tour, you can check out the Fall Harvest Festival all month at Bluemont’s own Great Country Farm. Too much fun!
There are also multiple opportunities to have some fun while contributing to charity. For example, there’s a Hike with Hope at Franklin Park on the 3rd to benefit the Friends of Loudoun Mental Health. The Leesburg 5K and 10K on the 4th benefits the Wounded Warrior Project. Also on the 4th is a Wine & Walk at 8 Chains North Winery to benefit the Loudoun Community Cat Coalition. (While our dog would no doubt enjoy the walk in the vineyard, he may not appreciate that he’s saving the lives of cats & kittens! J) On the 24th, Woodgrove High School will host a 5K to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. And, planning ahead, there’s a trail 10K to benefit our neighbor, the Boulder Crest Wounded Warrior Retreat, on November 8th; they say the course isn’t too hard, with only rolling hills . . .
Have a great month! Lynne & Bob McCann