Village Squire, 1974-12, Page 16The Niblock's church.
las
So many people in our area are living in
converted school houses, churches and log
cabins, that it has almost become
commonplace. It's also commonplace that
nearly all of the people living in this sort of
building are very interesting, imaginative
people.
So Ernie and Pat Niblock are not really
exceptional on either of the above accounts.
Their home in the former Baptist church ont
the main street of the pretty village of Auburn
is -a -Beautiful place and getting better all the
time as they work on it, and they are
.interesting " people, but what is most
interesting about them is the many facets of
their talent. Ernie, is a painter of
considerable skill (one of his paintings was
featured on the cover of Village Squire's May
1973 issue). He is experienced in silk screen
work. He does excellent work refinishing
antiques and for a time bought and sold
antiques to help pay the bills. But now he's
left these talents behind at least temporarily
and he's making antiques. Well...at least
he's making reproductions of antiques that
many people would be hard pressed to tell
from the real thing.
Ernie makes everything as like the original
piece as possible, using wood that is at least
one hundred years old, using square nails and
old hardware to make the pieces as authentic
as possible. In fact, he worries that his pieces
may be too authentic. Already he has had
antique dealers asking him about selling his
reproductions though they normally stay far
away from reproduction. He's afraid people
may buy his reproductions and re -sell them as
authentic antiques. Because he works so hard
to make them like the original in every way, it
is almost impossible to tell the difference.
Even tests on the age of the wood would be
fooled since the wood is usually from the
same period as the original would have been
made.
He got interested in the reproductions
because he was alarmed and disgusted at the
price of antiques. It used to be interesting
going to a local auction, he says, but now
there are so many dealers present, ready to
14, VILLAGE SQUIRE/NOVEMBER 1974
ERNIE NIBLOCK:
creating new
old furniture
Ernie and wife Pat Niblock and a pine settle, one of his authentic reproductions.