MASSACHUSETTS, BUT RIGHT BY THE CONNECTICUT AND NEW YORK ORDER.
SOME OF ITS CITIZENS BRING A GLOBAL OUTLOOK.
THE TOWN OF GREAT BARRINGTON IS A METROPOLIS COMPARED TO ITS NEIGHBOR TO THE SOUTH, BUT WHAT SHEFFIELD LACKS IN GROCERY STORES AND RESTAURANTS IT MORE THAN MAKES UP FOR IN ANTIQUE
SHOPS.
CORNER HOUSE AND TAKES IS A SHOWCASE FOR ALL THINGS WICKER.
THE TWO-STORY BARN WITH ITS MUSEUM QUALITY COLLECTION HAS GARNERED A NATIONAL FOLLOWING.
SURE COUNTY IS A PURVEYOR OF SO MANY FINE OLD THINGS THE STATE MADE IT OFFICIAL.
>> WE ARE NOW THE ANTIQUES CAPITAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
>> SHE OWNS CUPBOARDS AND ROSES ANTIQUES AND IS PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL ANTIQUES AND ART DEALERS ASSOCIATION.
>> IN THE 1970’S THIS AREA HAD THE FIRST ANTIQUE ASSOCIATION IN THIS COUNTRY.
>> SHE CALLS THE BERKSHIRES HOME FOR 25 YEARS.
>> I GREW UP IN THE MOUNTAINS OF BAVARIA AND GERMANY.
THEN I WENT TO NEW YORK.
I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE PLAY OF LIGHT.
IT REMINDED ME OF MY CHILDHOOD.
>> HER ANTIQUES BUSINESS GREW OUT OF AN INTEREST IN FOLK ART.
>> I LIKE THE PAINTED PIECES.
WHY DON’T I DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS HERE?
PEOPLE SAID EDITH, YOU ARE CRAZY.
THERE IS NO MARKET FOR IT.
>> THEY WERE WRONG.
CUSTOMERS COME FROM NEAR AND FAR.
>> THE SAME PEOPLE THAT COME HERE FOR THE CULTURE, THE MUSIC.
AND SAME PEOPLE THAT COME HERE HAVE WEEKEND HOMES.
PAUL NEWMAN WAS HERE.
HE WAS ABSOLUTELY CHARMING WITH HIS BLUE EYES.
>> THE SHOP IS IN SHEFFIELD, BUT GILSON’S BUSINESS IS WORLDWIDE.
>> YOU CAN SELL TO PEOPLE IN AUSTRALIA, SWEDEN, GERMANY, FRANCE, ENGLAND, ALASKA.
I KNOW MANY NEW YORK ANTIQUE DEALERS MOVE TO BROOKLYN AND WAREHOUSES WHERE THEY HAVE THE INTERNET OR BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.
I AM NOT QUITE THERE YET.
NUMBER ONE, I LOVE BEING HERE.
REPORTER: IT IS ONE THING TO LIVE WITH ANTIQUES.
ANOTHER TO LIVE IN ONE.
SHEFFIELD HAS ITS FAIR SHARE OF PERIOE -- PERIOD HELMS, BUT FEW ARE AS WELL PRESERVED AS THIS HOUSE.
>> WE WERE LUCKY IN THAT NOT A BIG DEAL WAS DONE TO IT.
IT WAS BILLED FOR COLONEL ASHLEY FOR HIS SON.
HE MADE A LOT OF MONEY.
HE WANTED TO KNOCK HIS NEIGHBORS EYES OUT.
REPORTER: BUILT PRIOR TO THE REVOLUTION, IT SITS AT THE BEND IN THE RIVER.
>> BECAUSE IT HAS NOT CHANGED MUCH.
IT COULD BE 200 YEARS AGO.
REPORTER: THEY WERE METICULOUS IN MAINTAINING THE HISTORIC ELEMENTS, AT THE SAME TIME ADDING MORE MODERN LIVING SPACES.
>> IT IS VERY AUTHENTIC.
REPORTER: ENOUGH WITH THE OLD.
HERE IS SOMETHING SOMEWHAT NEW PUTTING SHEFFIELD ON THE GLOBAL MUSICAL MAP.
REAPING THE BENEFITS OF THE COMEBACK OF THE UKULELE.
>> THEY ARE BACK AND THEY ARE BIG, FOR LITTLE INSTRUMENTS.
REPORTER: THEY GOT THE IDEA TO MAKE UKULELES FROM HER BROTHER, COMPOSER, TEACHER AND PERFORMER.
>> I HAPPEN TO BE WORKING AS AN ENGINEER AND LOOKING FOR AN OUT AND DECIDED TO MAKE AN INSTRUMENT THAT WAS DIFFICULT -- DIFFERENT AND EASY TO PUT TOGETHER AND HAD MANUFACTURING
CAPABILITY.
DID SOME PROTOTYPES.
BUSINESS BOOMED FROM THE START.
THE MATERIALS ALLOW IT TO BE LIGHTWEIGHT.
IT HAS BEEN A FAVORITE FOR BACKPACKING AND TRAVEL.
PEOPLE SEND US PICTURES FROM THEIR BOAT, MOTORCYCLE.
REPORTER: THE BUSINESS BEGAN IN CONNECTICUT AND SHIFTED TO SHEFFIELD.
>> MASSACHUSETTS, NEW YORK AND CONNECTICUT IS WHERE RESOURCE MOST OF OUR MATERIAL AND PARTS.
WE ARE PROUD OF THAT BECAUSE WE ARE KEEPING THE ECONOMY FLOWING, USING SMALL VENDORS, SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE OURSELVES.
REPORTER: THE UKES ARE ASSEMBLED HERE AND ANYONE CAN SHOP FOR AN INSTRUMENT.
>> YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM A MENU OF COLORS AND OPTIONS AND WE WILL BUILD A UKULELE JUST FOR YOU THE WAY YOU WANT IT.
REPORTER: SHEFFIELD TURNS OUT TO BE A PERFECT MATCH FOR THEIR LINE OF INSTRUMENTS, WHICH INCLUDES THIS UNIQUE VIOLIN.
>> ONE OF THE PARTS OF THE MAGIC OF THE BERKSHIRES IS THE DRAMATIC ARTS AND THEATER.
IT HAS BEEN A FABULOUS FACE TO BRING OUR FAMILY.
THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN SPECTACULAR AND WELCOMED US.
THEY WERE BANGING ON THE DOOR BEFORE WE GOT HERE.
ANTHONY: THE FLUKES, AS UKE PLAYERS CALL THEM, ATTRACTED THE ATTENTION OF BETTE MIDLER WHO HAD A CUSTOM INSTRUMENT MADE FOR HER DIVINE INTERVENTION TOUR.
THIS YEAR THE COMPANY CELEBRATES ITS 20TH YEAR, AND NOW HAS BANJOS AND MANDOLINS IN THEIR REPERTOIRE, PLUS THEY STARTED A UKULELES IN LIBRARIES LENDING PROGRAM NATIONWIDE.
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