Episode 32 | Van‐Side Collector’s Guide to Fishersville
In this episode of House of Folk Art, Matt, Kyle, and Sully squeeze into the back of the van just as the Fishersville Antique Expo winds down, surrounded by every treasure they scored that weekend. What starts with Matt flipping through his “Little by Little” reference book quickly becomes an all-out field lesson in Americana and folk art. From a perfectly aged 1860 Piedmont salt-glazed jug and Sully’s first walking stick—handed down by Matt himself—to Kyle’s on-camera $400 pie safe purchase from Wade, they unpack each piece with contagious enthusiasm. You’ll learn how to read stamps on a craned jug, spot a genuine diamond willow cane, and weigh the merits of a painted basket’s three-color finish. Along the way, they debate pricing philosophies, the “new money” concept in collecting, and why a tiny seven-inch basket can outshine its larger cousins. By the time they reveal a quilt rack find, you’ll understand why every expo score is a story waiting to be told.
As the van doors close on festival season, Matt and Sully remind us that collecting isn’t just about filling shelves—it’s about preserving the hands-on craftsmanship and local history behind each item. Whether it’s a humble walking stick, a curated pie safe, or a rare jug, these pieces connect maker to collector in ways no auction catalog ever could. Tune in for the full episode to catch every tip, trade-off, and “aha” moment as they wrap up Fishersville and look ahead to the next hunt.
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Cold Open: Matt flips through “Little by Little” as Kyle sets up the cameras
01:29 – Podcast Kickoff: Matt and Sully introduce the House of Folk Art episode from the van
01:57 – Piedmont NC Salt Glaze Jug: Examining an 1860 jug, its stamps, and why Sullivan’s find matters
05:21 – Folk Art & Antiques at Shows: Why Americana and folk art go hand in hand at antique festivals
05:34 – Walking Sticks: Lessons on tape, surface wear, and why you never put tape on folk art canes
07:47 – Diamond Willow Canes: Identifying diamond willow, what surface tells you, and carving origins
11:06 – Swan Lake Central Park Painting: Discovering provenance on the back and valuing an 1880s artwork
16:04 – Jug sniff test takes Sully back to a hog farm cellar
18:42 – New Money Concept: How “new money” works in the antique business and enjoying pieces over time
20:29 – Walking Stick Gift: Matt gives Sully his first walking stick
22:00 – Painted Baskets: Evaluating paint quality, size, and why smaller baskets can be more valuable
23:04 – Pie Safe Purchase: Kyle buys a pie safe from Wade for $400 on camera
26:40 – Guess That Basket: Revealing three baskets from a single bag and discussing form versus age
28:28 – Quilt Rack Reveal: A surprise necessity for any collection and how to display folk textiles
28:51 – Wrap-Up: Reflections on Fishersville Antique Expo, end of festival season, and why Americana and folk art belong together
00:00 – Cold Open: Matt flips through “Little by Little” as Kyle sets up the cameras
In this cold open, Matt quietly leafs through his freshly purchased copy of Little by Little while Kyle hustles to position mics and cameras. You can hear the soft rustle of pages as Matt pauses on photographs of early American decorative arts. Before any formal introduction begins, you already sense the excitement that comes with every festival find and scholarly reference—setting the tone for the van-sized deep dive to come.
01:29 – Podcast Kickoff: Matt and Sully introduce the House of Folk Art episode from the van
Once the cameras roll, Matt welcomes listeners to another House of Folk Art podcast recorded straight from the back of the van. He hands the mic to Sully, who jokes that nothing screams authenticity like talking folk art between a stack of crates and a half-set tripod. Together they note that this episode wraps up festival season and promises a show-and-tell of their best Fishersville Expo scores.
01:57 – Piedmont NC Salt Glaze Jug: Examining an 1860 jug, its stamps, and why Sullivan’s find matters
Matt pulls out a salt-glazed jug stamped with a “2” over “2” and a tiny cargo wheel motif on the shoulder. As Sully holds it up to the light, Matt explains how to read the double “2” stamp to date it around 1860. They debate whether the cobalt lines on the shoulder denote a North Carolina origin or if it was made in Virginia and slipped across state lines. Sully chimes in about his first solo purchase—a jug stamped “SC Milburn”—which Matt says could be a rare variant worth saving.
05:21 – Folk Art & Antiques at Shows: Why Americana and folk art go hand in hand at antique festivals
Between sips of coffee, Matt reminds Sully that any show selling Americana antiques almost certainly has folk art hiding nearby. He emphasizes that the collector who knows one genre usually understands the other—because both tell local stories and share the same maker-made spirit. This segues into a broader discussion of why festival booths often group primitive furniture with baskets, stoneware, and handmade tools.
05:34 – Walking Sticks: Lessons on tape, surface wear, and why you never put tape on folk art canes
The conversation shifts to walking sticks. Matt laments the person who wrapped old cane handles in duct tape, revealing how that kind of repair destroys original patina and surface patterns. Sully holds up a walking stick covered in cracked bark, and Matt shows how natural wear appears where hands gripped the wood. They agree that any careful collector will look for root-crooked bases and subtle vine curves, not just the carving on the handle.
07:47 – Diamond Willow Canes: Identifying diamond willow, what surface tells you, and carving origins
Sully unveils a pristine diamond willow cane with the classic diamond-shaped ridges. Matt explains how those patterns form when the vine grows around the tree trunk. They talk about the difference between carved diamond patterns and naturally formed ones—and how to spot a modern carving versus genuine—it’s all in how the wood fibers twist. Listeners pick up tips on when to pay extra for a stick with minimal bark loss and signs that the carver used a drawknife rather than a power tool.
11:06 – Swan Lake Central Park Painting: Discovering provenance on the back and valuing an 1880s artwork
Next, Matt flips a small framed painting to reveal a worn paper label reading “Swan Lake, Central Park, 1875.” Sully paid $300; now they debate whether dirt and missing frame corners actually increase authenticity. Matt points out the original brass hardware on the back and the nails that date to the 1880s. They agree that the provenance makes it a steal, even if the canvas has a few pinholes—showing how buyers should lean into imperfections when they prove age.
16:04 – Jug sniff test takes Sully back to a hog farm cellar
Mid-episode, Matt presents a signed J.W. Triplett stoneware jug embossed “Canfield, Ohio.” Before any close inspection, he does the classic “sniff test,” explaining how salt-glazed jugs often hold a faint farm-yard scent from decades in a cellar. That olfactory clue reminds him of his grandparents’ hog farm cellar as a kid. Sully listens in admiration, learning that smell can be as revealing as any stamp when dating pieces.
18:42 – New Money Concept: How “new money” works in the antique business and enjoying pieces over time
As the jug discussion winds down, Matt outlines “new money” in more detail—encouraging collectors to buy pieces they enjoy now and let them appreciate naturally over seasons. Sully agrees that part of collecting is living with a jug or basket for a few years before selling it. They share anecdotes of finds that tripled in value after a decade, emphasizing that good finds aren’t just about flipping; they’re about personal enjoyment first.
20:29 – Walking Stick Gift: Matt gives Sully his first walking stick
At 20:29, Matt surprises Sully by gifting him his very first walking stick. Sully beams as Matt explains why he chose that particular stick—pointing out the aged patina where hands gripped the wood and the subtle curvature of the root-crooked base. It’s a rite of passage: Sully now owns something Matt once carried to shows, and Matt reminds him that it’s not just a prop—it’s a testament to the craft and to passing knowledge down to the next collector.
22:00 – Painted Baskets: Evaluating paint quality, size, and why smaller baskets can be more valuable
Shortly after, Sully reaches into a paper bag and pulls out a painted basket featuring three layers of paint—black, green, and red. Matt inspects brush strokes and points out where a previous owner tried to “touch up” a flake, demonstrating how amateur paint repairs drop a basket’s value. They then debate whether its 14-inch diameter justifies a $400 price tag. Matt argues that small, tightly woven baskets often signal skill, so size doesn’t always equate to higher value.
23:04 – Pie Safe Purchase: Kyle buys a pie safe from Wade for $400 on camera
At 23:04, Kyle emerges from the front of the van holding a pine‐paneled, tin‐drilled pie safe he bought from Wade at the expo. The tag still reads “$400.” As Kyle opens the tiny door, Matt and Sully talk through the ventilation holes, the original wire mesh behind the tin, and how to detect if the wood is a later replacement. They note that a pie safe with intact mesh and minimal shrinkage can easily become the centerpiece of a folk debutante’s kitchen—worth every dollar.
26:40 – Guess That Basket: Revealing three baskets from a single bag and discussing form versus age
Matt tells Sully, “Okay, close your eyes,” and asks him to identify which of three nested baskets is oldest based on weave tension and slight warping. Sully touches each one, guessing by feel. They reveal the winner: a seven-inch basket with diagonal ribs showing hand-split hickory. Matt explains that older baskets often have subtle irregularities where the maker learned the craft, teaching listeners how form can sometimes hint at age better than stamps or marks.
28:28 – Quilt Rack Reveal: A surprise necessity for any collection and how to display folk textiles
Just when they think they’ve covered it all, Sully lifts a folding quilt rack made of bent hickory rods. It’s a simple “X-frame” design, but Matt beams, saying every serious folk art collector needs one to display textiles without folding them on a shelf. They discuss how this utilitarian find was priced under $50 at the expo—and how much more it could sell for as a standalone piece.
28:51 – Wrap-Up: Reflections on Fishersville Antique Expo, end of festival season, and why Americana and folk art belong together
To close out the episode, Matt and Sully lean back, surrounded by jugs, canes, baskets, that quilt rack, and Kyle’s newly purchased pie safe. They reflect on how the Fishersville Antique Expo signals the end of festival season and share plans to catch up at the next show in six months. Matt reminds listeners that Americana antiques and folk art are inseparable: one reveals the other’s story. As they sign off, you can almost hear the van doors closing, knowing the hunt resumes when the next fair rolls into town.
This episode reminds us that collecting is not just about acquiring; it is about learning to see. A well-crafted jug does not shout, it resonates. You feel it in the cool, salt-glazed curve of a Piedmont piece, in the aged patina of a walking stick passed down by a mentor, and in the solid heft of a pine-paneled pie safe balanced on a van floor. It is the slight give of hand-split splints in a painted basket, the whispered history in a worn cane handle, and the way a quilt rack stands ready to honor the textiles it supports.
What Matt, Kyle, and Sully uncover here is more than rarity; it is reverence. Reverence for the maker’s quiet skill, for the patient years spent shaping wood and clay, and for the near-impossible harmony between beauty and purpose. And when the right object finds its way into the right hands, something shifts. You recognize excellence not because someone tells you it is valuable, but because it makes you hold your breath.
For anyone who has ever walked past a basket, a jug, or a walking stick without thinking twice, this episode is an invitation to look closer. To pick it up. To feel the difference. In the end, the most extraordinary pieces do not need explanation; they simply need to be held.