Nor'East Architectural Antiques

Mill Building

In two weeks this 1890's mill building went from this...

to this...

Salvaged along the way included all of the antique bricks, the heart pine beams, and the decking.  The guys have been very busy. 

Country Home Magazine

Check out the April issue of Country Home Magazine.  We are excited to be listed in the "Best Salvage Web Sites and Products" article in the Green Guide. 

Busy Busy Busy

Well it looks like it is going to be a very busy spring here at Nor'East.  Today is Saturday, and this coming weeks schedule is already full.  The past two weeks are a blur (and we apologize for not updating this blog sooner) 

This week phase 2 of the Catholic Rectory Job will begin and the large main staircase will finally be removed as well as the beautiful brownstone columns with corinthian capitals.    Also this week, we  start salvaging an Edwardian town house in Brookline, Ma. 

A few items new to the shop this week are...

a butlers pantry

a 1929 Kohler soaking tub

and this fantastic 2 pc. victorian mantel

New England Dream House

We would like to congratulate two of our favorite customers, Bruce and Melanie Rosenbaum.  Their home  was featured on this weeks episode of New England Dream House.  They have purchased several items from us over the years, including their kitchen island and the small stand beside it and their fireplace mantel / television stand. Take a look!

~Donna

here is a link

A Salvagers Dream

Since Tuesday we've brought in several truckloads of southern yellow pine timbers, another load of items from the Chestnut Hill mansion, and we did walk through on several up-coming projects. 

We started our latest project today and it turned out to be a salvagers dream.  It started off as all typical salvage days do, with us removing great kitchen sinks and other standard items.  Around 8:30 we moved on to a building we had not yet walked through and discovered that it had been locked and untouched for 30+ years.  It looked like someone had just shut the door and left.  We spent half the morning just investigating and it seemed around every corner we found something more amazing.  A beautiful Eastlake cupboard, a huge oak worktable with paneled front and sides, bead board backed bookcase w/base (say that 3 times fast!), a large multi-drawer shop piece and many other items. 

Pictures and details coming soon…

John

What a whirlwind week it's been.

Finishing up our two most recent salvage jobs has been very rewarding.  Phase I of the Chestnut Hill Mansion job has concluded nicely, yielding many treasures.  Brian and Lil John worked feverishly in a race against the demo crews who were working one floor above them, trying to get everything out before the demo guys smashed it.  Phase II will pick up in a week or so, when we go back to remove all of the exterior french doors and casement windows with bronze hardware. 

The Catholic Rectory job turned into a 2-day salvage marathon.  Picture 5 guys starting on the top floor, removing all of the lighting, mantels, doors w/trim and casings, running up 3 flights of stairs all...day....long.  Add to that an endless parade of bystanders walking through the building looking for anything they could get their hands on...for free. By the end of the second day, this pristine building looked like something out of a war zone.  That's a good thing though, because it means we have done our job well. 

We were a little disappointed when the general contractor told us we could not take front entryway out just yet so we will have to go back to get that and the main staircase during phase II. 

Saturday started with yet more snow to clean up as a storm moved through our area dropping another 8" on the ground.  We then moved on to unloading our box truck,  which was filled to the roof, front to back. 

Its always interesting to see how everything takes on a different look once it reaches the shop.  Three of my favorite items salvaged from the rectory were a big base cabinet with drawers and a huge blanket cabinet above, a pair of 1910 hall lanterns, and the vestibule double doors with transom window.

C'ya next week.
John

ps...next weeks salvage job just might be insane.

What A Week!

Working on back to back, large-scale salvage jobs can be exhausting. 

As promised, here are some pictures from the Catholic Rectory job. 

Slate Mantel (I think there were four)

More Fantastic Lighting

I've lost track of how many truck loads have arrived at the shop in the last two weeks, but a dozen would probably be a good guess.  Everyone has been working very hard and the shop is a bit of a mess but we hope to have everything organized, photographed and listed on the website soon. 

~Donna

Just In Time!

Our box truck is back - sporting a new transmission (among other things!)

and just in time too!  Tomorrow we start out next salvage job. 

Phase I of the Chestnut Hill Mansion is over so we have a few weeks until we have to go back for Phase II so we are moving on to our next job - a former rectory. I'll post more info on that job tomorrow along with pictures!!!

~Donna

Progress With The Mansion Salvage Job

The Chestnut Hill Mansion salvage job is progressing nicely and items are starting to be listed on the website.  Here are a few pictures...

Brian and Little John hard at work on-site.  As you can see the bathtubs were removed yesterday!

And  Kevin looking exhausted after spending literally hours cleaning this fantastic chandelier! 

See Us In Renovation Style Magazine

Pick up a copy of the spring issue of Renovation Style Magazine!! We are featured in the article "The New Yankee Salvage Shop". 

This issue hit the newsstands on Friday and should be available until mid-April.