There’s no doubt that what makes Antique Plaza special is our assemblage of awesome dealers! We have more than 100 antique dealers who put their heart and soul into what they do, making their booths shine. We truly appreciate them and think you should get to know them too!
It’s time to meet another one of Antique Plaza’s special dealers! Today we’re talking to Jeri Holly who is a well-rounded antique collector and seller! She and her sister Vicki started their antique selling business, Retired Sisters, five years ago, and what a great collaboration it has been! They live in the same neighborhood and hunt for deals together on the weekends. Once a month they have dinner together while they price and catalog their items, turning a boring job into a fun bonding experience! They’re both such sweet ladies and they sell the most charming greeting cards, perfect for Valentine’s Day!
{Jeri, a master organizer, sells cards for every occasion}
Antique Plaza: How did you get into selling antiques and what kinds of things do you sell?
Jeri Holly: “I was an antique collector for 25 years before I started selling at the Antique Plaza five years ago with my sister Vicki. I shopped in the Northeast and I loved to go on antique tours with my friends. I have so collected so many things, including Christmas decorations, Mccoy and Hull figures, egg cups, books and more. I sell mostly paper though; books, valentines, maps, menus, etc.”
{Left: Vintage valentines for your sweetheart. Right: A more humorous approach to Valentine’s Day?}
AP: Your collections sound so vast. Tell us more about them.
JH: “Well, I have a globe collection, I have 63 of them in my living room. When I retired from teaching I got to keep the globes in my classroom and that’s how it started. I also collect black tea cups because they’re hard to find, so that way I don’t get too many of them. I wanted to make it a challenge. I also have a Christmas tree solely decorated with humpty dumpty ornaments. But my biggest collection is paper products. I like to collect George Washington and Abraham Lincoln postcards, Mother Goose children’s books and 1920s single-sheet Christmas cards. My collections are spilling over! That’s why I don’t collect anything that’s large.”
AP: What makes paper products so special to you?
JH: “I just love the graphics and artwork. I taught school for 34 years and I was familiar with a lot of illustrators and I just love their work. They have beautiful graphics and colors and they inspire me when I decorate my booth.”
{There’s always time for a good book}
AP: In your opinion, do you prefer messages to be written in old cards or are they a better find when the inside is blank?
JH: “Postcards, I love to have them written on because that’s part of the fascination, especially postcards. It’s part of the charm of collecting them. I prefer to see the date on them and have some message to keep.”
“I still use cards, the blank vintage ones or sometimes I will buy from the store. I don’t use email and I like to send personal cards. I have a file cabinet full of them and I can just pick out a Christmas or birthday to send.”
{Left: Jeri can often be found tucked away in her downstairs booth, working tirelessly, or catching up on some light reading! Right: Photographs, classic novels, albums, maps and children’s books.}
AP: What does your husband think of all of your collections?
JH: “My husband likes all the things I have but he’s not a collector himself. He does collect candy jars but that’s all. He’s more of an outdoors person. But all of my friends and family are so supportive. It’s especially great to have my sister with me. She likes to collect purple and green depression glass and quails. So we like to look for each other.”
{They aren’t black, so Jeri couldn’t keep them 
}
AP: What has been your best find?
JH: “The hunt is always one of the things I enjoy. One time I bought a bronze figure at an estate sale. And once I found an 1880s scrapbook. It even had some civil war pictures in it and it was a wonderful find. It’s still on my shelf.”
AP: What do you like to do when you’re not at the AP?
JH: ”We’re much more active, we go kayaking and like traveling. We love to go on cruises and my favorite is a two-week cruise. Next month were cruising to Hawaii and to the South Pacific for my husband’s birthday. He loves the ocean and water activities. My favorite has been Alaska, it is the most beautiful state besides Arizona. I don’t like the cold but it has been the best cruise so far.”
{Beautiful jewelry from Jeri’s case upstairs}
AP: Any last thoughts?
JH: “I think everyone should come in here and do their gift shopping for something unusual and interesting instead of the ordinary. It’s a wonderful experience for all ages, there’s something for everyone here.”
Thanks Jeri! You were a great subject to interview
Until next time,
