This summer we visited this jewel of an antique shop set in the middle of the historic town of Sag Harbor. Black Swan Antiques' team welcomed our design group with a warm welcome, nibbles of delicious food and Champagne. Then we heard first-hand from shop owner, Randy Kolhoff who gave us a thorough tour of his wares, while sharing his knowledge on the subject of antiques. Randy has been in the industry for over 20 years and having worked in all aspects from antique buying to furniture designing and manufacturing, he shared a wealth of knowledge on the business and passion for antiques with us. We noted that Black Swan is the perfect spot to find the unusual, hard to find pieces. Many offer unique statement pieces in a home, and the shop has a long list of loyal patrons. They comfortably work with A-list Celebrities, but it is refreshing to see the shop is accessible to everyone in the community, and we like the warm, convivial atmosphere in the shop.
Lobster motifs, American flags, whales and ship paintings-- no shortage of channeling the nautical at Black Swan, and these items are perfectly suited for a home in the East End. I was particularly smitten with this painting depicting the long whaling history in Sag Harbor.
But, then just when you see what you'd expect, you turn a corner and the shop is chock-filled with the absurd, unusual and hard to find items-- vintage signs, industrial pieces, colorful lighting and more.
This large flag is a rare, historical find-- it became the official US Flag in 1877, and a star was added for Colorado. Made of linen, and all by the hand, the stars were hand-sewn onto the textile then framed in clear, Plexiglas and wood.
The shop regularly showcases local artists as well, paying homage to the many talents in the East End.
My personal favorite item of the day was this wooden, antique mermaid, a prime example of Primitive Folk Art. Hung prominently over the main desk, the team told us it was originally part of a the infamous Hagenbeck-Wallace circus. The mermaid originally held a mirror and comb in her hand, but rumor has it the piece was partially burnt in an infamous fire during the circus' train crash in 1918.
another beauty caught my eye was this wooden carved console with dolphins and a separate marble top. From the 1800s, this is a solid piece and with classic details.
as designers often do, we started putting together design ideas, and these Duralee fabric patterns worked well with the antiques in the shop. Follow our musings of this two-day design whirlwind tour I led in the Hamptons at #AntiquesDivaUSA #nestbytamara.
Stop into Black Swan Antiques-- it is open all year long. Maybe you are not in the neighborhood? Not to worry, because you can purchase their antiques on 1st Dibs.