Diana Glasgow, “Uncanny talent”

 

When pressed for an answer, Charlottesville resident Diana Glasgow will tell you she’s from Houston, Texas. That’s where her family lives, after all. But her path from Texas to Charlottesville, Va, wasn’t linear, and along the way she learned some things about regional differences in what people value from the past. The story of her relationship with antiques, though, begins in Texas when she was just a teenager.

Like many dealers, Diana started out as a collector, simply collecting what she liked at yard sales and flea markets, but as she relocated to seven different cities across the US, her tastes grew to include local favorites.

In Florida, Diana explained, vintage finds like 1950’s kitchen items are popular. Houston, on the other hand, expressed its cultural variety though unusual antiques with Spanish and Mexican influences. Central Virginia, of course, has its Civil War era favorites, which are prevalent in Huntsville, Alabama and Chattanooga, Tennessee as well. Boston is also rich in its own historical artifacts, while St. Paul, Minnesota, surrounded by farmland, has items with a primitive twist.

As Diana’s collections grew larger and more varied so did her knowledge base, as she read extensively. “I carry a very broad spectrum of antiques and collectibles in my booths.  I really like paper paraphernalia — old magazines, comics, advertisements, books, etc. — and especially unusual rare kitchen related items. Since my interests are so diverse and varied, I really don’t have a specialty, and if I did, it seems to change weekly.”

Diana’s fiancé, Eric, had been an antiques dealer in California and finally convinced her to become a dealer in 2011, when she started selling her collections at Ruckersville Gallery.

“I have never met anyone who had such a natural talent for picking quality antiques and collectibles.  It was amazing.  Even though Diana didn’t know what she had found, she knew it had value.  It was uncanny,” Eric explained.

Diana’s unique knowledge of the regional differences in antiques and her breadth of knowledge qualify her as a very special kind of expert, and we’re very happy to have her with us here at the Ruckersville Gallery. She loves working with people, too, so come by, take a look at her offerings, and have a chat about some of the interesting things you’ll find!

Feel free to call the Gallery first to confirm she’s there, at 434-985-1944.