Lancaster County Edition
December 2014
Vol. 20 No. 12
A Treasure Chest of Stories Historic Home Now Houses Collection of Local Antiques By Rebecca Hanlon Andy Leh’s fascination with antiques started as a teenager. In the summer of 1972, construction crews were digging along a nearby street when they discovered what was left of a glass-recycling facility. The working men would leave at 4 p.m., and the local kids would jump in the pit, digging until dark to collect the unwanted bottles for themselves. “It was a summer fad for most kids, but it stuck with me,” said Leh, now 56. It was the start of a 42-year-long obsession with antiques. Even as a young boy, Leh remembers spending hours in his grandparents’ basement rooting through boxes and examining random items—from glasses to stoneware and furniture. When he started digging up bottles in the streets of his neighborhood, he unknowingly dug up history. If he found bottles he didn’t want, or duplicates, he would sell them to friends. At 16, Leh’s father let him drive the family station wagon to the flea market to sell the bottles, using the profits to buy better ones. By early high school, his collection was worth several thousand dollars. “My dad thought I was crazy,” Leh said. “He was angry with me for wasting my money on frivolous stuff. Now, he stands back and smiles, please see TREASURE page 21 Andy Leh in front of one of his historic home’s seven fireplaces (six in working order). The 1798 home is the perfect setting for Leh’s extensive antiques collection.
Inside:
She Took a Call from Churchill page 8
Niagara Falls’ New Year’s Bash page 12