Many of you know that I am best friends with Roche and we have been pals for over 40 years.
Her family is from Waumandee and over the years I came to her know her parents and family very well.
I called Betty "My Other Mother" and the brothers "My Other Brothers".
I called Betty "My Other Mother" and the brothers "My Other Brothers".
We have always teased (well was I really teasing?) about me getting into 'the will'.
gh
After I moved to Wisconsin, I made several visits to see Roche's Mom, Betty, and on one of those visits we stopped at Paul's house to see his remodeling progress. During my stay, Rochelle's brother, My Other Brother Paul, asked if I wanted 3 old chairs that he had no use for.
I thought Betty told me that those chairs belonged to her Mom, so I scooped them up.
I thought Betty told me that those chairs belonged to her Mom, so I scooped them up.
Then, I hung them up in my garage as they needed repair and refinish.
And there they hung for almost 4 years.
gh
And there they hung for almost 4 years.
gh
This spring, when I was cleaning and organizing the garage,
I decided it was time that those chairs came out of the light of day.
I brought one into the house, but since it was not strong enough to sit on,
I used it just for display.
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| The chairs were very dark, with an uneven finish. Each of the 3 chairs had at least one broken or missing rung. |
Then, I found a furniture restoration expert in Siren, Wisconsin
Not only are Jeff and Dawn Richter very nice people, but his work is quite remarkable.
gh
I wish I would have taken more 'before' pictures, but here are a couple of 'during' pics.
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| Jeff put a little sample stain on the chair on the right so I could pick a color. |
Each chair had been completely disassembled, sanded and re-glued / re-assembled.
A week later, Dawn delivered the chairs to me.
She said she is always looking for an excuse to come to Rice Lake, so pick up and delivery is certainly an option for customers in this area.
These are the finished chairs.
Just beautiful.
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| Sweet! |
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| The chairs are solid now and very charming |
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| The backs of the chairs had that old fashioned painted on fake grain. After stripping, the beautiful grain of the ash came to light. |
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| At my dining room table, these chairs look great. |
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| Betty's chairs at home in Rice Lake |
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| The only chair with any damage that was not repaired, is this one with the burn. We left it alone, it adds character. |
Jeff Richter told me that the backs of the chairs are made of ash, the seat pans maple and there is some oak as well.
gh
As to the story of the original owners of the chairs, Roche's brother, Paul, sent me this note.
Wanda,
As far as I am concerned other sister, the chairs were gifted to you and they are yours.
I want to let you know I still have the dining room table and had it completely refinished and you ate Thanksgiving dinner on it in 2010 with Mom. The table has double family lineage to it since the table came from Jacob & Lydia Senty (double relatives: Senty brother and sister married sister and brother Rosenow). Jacob Senty is our grandmother Anna Rosenow’s brother and Lydia is our grandfather Louis Rosenow’s sister ) who lived next door to the Montana Church (still do - but in the cemetery).
As mother told the story to me, all my older siblings sat around that table when they were young for Sunday School and/or catechism classes before the church basement was usable for anything besides storing wood for the church furnace. Mom said I may have sat at the table on her lap when after church our family would stop in to visit.
But I agree with John that you should maybe go to the Antique Road Show to find out their value. More importantly, I want to see you on the TV show as you explain to the show’s curator of antique chairs the story behind them starting with how you met the girls 40+ years ago!
Sincerely,
Your Other Brother,
Paul
So, while I may not have made it officially into 'the will',
I did receive a very nice inheritance!
gh
Thank you to the Rosenows,
these chairs are now part of the Johansen family and will be heirlooms for generations to come.
gh
