Home and Garden, and Real Estate- September 10, 2023

ANTIQUING: Loetz received patents for iridescent glass shortly after Tiffany, F3

& Real Estate

LAWN LOVE: Diagnose your grass problems before pulling out the shovel (and your hair), F4

SMALL DROP: 30-year US mortgage rate falls to 7.12%, F7

DEEDS, INDEED: Who sold what to whom and where, F7

How to get the best-looking digits on your home. Page F2

‘They start the story’

House numbers, once utilitarian, are now form of personal branding

By R achel Kurzius

The Washington Post

The sole purpose of house numbers used to be to convey whether you were in the right place. These days, they’re doing much heavier lifting.

In some neighborhoods, a particular typography signals that a house has been flipped. In other cases, address signs alter an exterior’s overall vibe — sleek copper numbers on a reclaimed wood background can signal “modern farmhouse” even if they’re attached to a traditional Colonial revival. As other parts of our homes have been HGTV-ified and terms like “curb appeal” have seeped into the lexicon of average homeowners, house numbers have become almost as loaded with meaning as the white-picket fence.

They “start the story: Who is this? What does this say about the people who live here?” says Renée Stevens, a designer and chair of visual communications at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School. “What they do, beyond function, is they add personality.”

House numbers were once a foregone conclusion. Throughout the 20th century, entire neighborhoods would order the same style from a door-to-door salesperson, or install the model their civic association chose.

People now have nearly unlimited options; search Etsy and you’ll find more than 34,000 choices. The only U.S. Postal Service regulation is that numbers exceed one inch in size.

Interior designer Betsy Burnham, principal of Burnham Design in Los Angeles, says house numbers never used to be part of her conversations with clients. But now it’s common to carve out time at the end of a job to pick the perfect ones. This attention to a previously overlooked detail, she speculates, is simply

part of a larger cultural shift over the past two decades toward appreciating design: “We’re conscious of it, we’re inundated with it.”

Allison Vaccaro, founder of exterior design firm Brick&Batten, says she saw interest in house numbers intensify even more during the pandemic. The odd coupling of economic uncertainty and a surging housing market meant “people were looking for ways to update their houses that weren’t going to cost a lot of money,” she says. Small, do-it-yourself upgrades like switching up house numbers and planters were easy ways to “make a big difference with curb appeal.”

She offers another theory, too. As various flavors of modernism have surgedfrom the Mad Men craze of the 2000s to Joanna Gaines’s rustic-slash-industrial version

of the 2010s — “the house numbers came with it.” You’re probably not going to bulldoze your traditional home, she explains, but “you might use house numbers to tell the world, ‘Yeah, I might live in this Colonial, but I’m not that. My personality is modern.”

This would explain why sans serif numerals are dominant. (Serifs are the little tails and flourishes that extend off a letter’s edges — for example, the ledges at the top and bottom of a letter “I.” So, a typeface that is “sans” those fussier details generally come across as modern.)

One sans serif typeface, Neutraface, has become so ubiquitous in fast-changing urban areas that it has earned the nickname “gentrification font.”

“These older neighborhoods are being revamped

and redeveloped, and one of the first things that you notice is that these modern house numbers are going up,” says Will Zhang, director of design and product innovation at Emtek, a decorative hardware company.

Enough developers have slapped Neutraface (or a look-alike) onto their builder-grade flips that designers who work on higher-end projects are seeking alternatives. Vaccaro says her company has slightly adjusted which typography it uses.

“Everybody was doing the exact same modern sans serif — very clean, very straightforward,” she says. Instead,

she has moved toward a more retro, mid-century spin - for instance with zeros that are circular, rather than ovalshaped. “Ours was more about differentiating that look because it was becoming so overpopulated.”

At Tucson-based Modern House Numbers, the only serif — i.e., more traditional — option among the company’s seven available fonts has lately experienced a sales boost, says co-founder Brandy McLain. Still, the most popular style remains a sans serif called Palm Springs, described on the website as “Neutra-inspired.”

A home in Palm Springs, Calif. (COURTESY OF MODERN HOUSE NUMBERS)

Sans-serif numbers are en vogue. (COURTESY OF MODERN HOUSE NUMBERS)

Iridescent glassware received award in 1900

IDENTIFYING ANtique glass isn’t always easy. If you’re lucky, a piece may be marked, like this Phanomen vase, which is signed “Loetz Austria” on its pontil (the spot on the base where the blown molten glass was attached to a pontil for shaping).

Proof of its maker, not to mention its complex shape and silvery iridescent sheen, brought its price to $4,940 at a Rago/Wright auction. But glass isn’t always marked. While it can take an expert to authenticate glass, it’s helpful to be able to recognize some of the characteristic shapes and colors made by particular glassmakers.

Loetz received patents for iridescent glass in 1895 and 1896, shortly after Tiffany launched the fashion with its famous Favrile glass. Loetz produced several lines of iridescent glass, and Phanomen was its triumph, winning a Grand Prix award at the Paris Universal Exposition in 1900. It combines the beauty of iridescence with the technical expertise required to create its organic shapes and silvery pulled threads.

Q. I picked up an antique set of furniture at an auction, and I have looked for

years online to identify and see what it used to look like back in 1894. I got that date from the casters. I want to make it look like whatever it did when it was made. Can you please help me? All three pieces are gold-velvet upholstered, the chair has leaves carved, and the other chair is similar to a barrel style with no arms. It’s just a high back like the settee.

A. A word of caution: 1894 may be the patent date for the casters, not the date the furniture was made. An appraiser or antique furniture dealer would have to see your furniture in person to be able to accurately date it. Remember that furniture styles have been revived, copied and reproduced for hundreds of years, and some reproductions are so well-done, even experts have a hard time telling them apart from originals!

Q. I inherited a pair of lamps and would like to know the value of them. I have attached some pictures. There is a signature on one of the lamps that I can’t make out and painted numbers on the bottom of each of the lamps. There

is nothing wrong with them. They work and have no chips, etc.

A. Your lamps look like banquet lamps, a type of lamp used in the late 19th century with a pedestal base and a glass globe shade. They originally burned kerosene, but

many, like yours, have been electrified for modern use. Banquet lamps usually have a bronze base, or one made of decorated glass that matches the shade. Yours are unusual, with porcelain figures for the base.

There is a mark visible on the underside of the figure

in one of your pictures with a crown over the letter “N” and the word “Capodimonte.” Capodimonte porcelain (also spelled “Capo-di-monte”) was first made in Naples, Italy, in 1743. It is still being made today, and still uses the crown over “N.”

Terry & Kim Kovel | Antiques & Collecting

Loetz is one of the most famous European glassmakers of the late 19th to early 20th centuries. This vase is from its popular Phanomen line.

Diagnose lawn problems before reaching for the shovel

SLIGHT ANEMIA OR bare patches in a lawn do not warrant digging up the whole ground and starting anew. What the lawn might need is renovation, and, just as now is the best time to start a lawn from scratch, likewise now is the best time to renovate a lawn.

Before you grab for a shovel, rake, or bag of grass seed, determine the cause of the lawn’s imminent decline.

When was the last time the lawn was fertilized or limed? The soil acidity may have been satisfactory when the lawn was originally seeded, but since most soils here become more acidic naturally with time, additional lime still is needed every two or three years. Water will not dissolve lime to bring it down to the roots, but if lime is applied now, it will sift down into the ground through little cracks that form as the soil alternately freezes and thaws during the next few months.

Sick areas of lawn also result when grass roots are starved of air, which occurs wherever

AGAWAM Garden club

The Agawam Garden Club will meet Sept. 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Agawam Public Library, 750 Cooper St., in the Feeding Hills section. After a short business meeting, Jacqueline Clark will present a program titled “Put Your Garden to Sleep.” Clark, a certified landscape designer and horticulturalist, started her own business in 2005, “Garden Designs by Jacqueline.” A ticket for the bus trip to the New York Botanical Garden on Sept. 17 also will be raffled at this meeting. Club meetings are open to the public and not restricted to Agawam residents. More information about the club can be found online at agawamgardenclub. com or on Facebook.

the soil is compacted, inundated with water, or poorly drained. Commonly, these conditions occur beneath gutter downspouts, where cars periodically run over part of

STOCKBRIDGE Upcoming events

Berkshire Botanical Garden presents “Qigong at Berkshire Botanical Garden,” Saturdays through Sept. 30 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Enjoy the ancient Chinese mind-body practice of Qigong in the Berkshire Botanical Garden. Qigong, a simpler form of Tai Chi, combines gentle movements that mimic

the lawn, or where foot-traffic is constant. After redirecting water or traffic, such areas, if small, can be fluffed up by sliding a garden fork into the soil at a 45-degree angle, then

levering the fork up slightly. Do this every foot. Larger areas can be treated by walking over the lawn with spiked aerators strapped to your shoes, or with an aerifying machine.

If a lawn has dry, dead patches which are springy underfoot, the problem could be thatch, which is the buildup of an impenetrable layer of undecomposed, cut grass on the soil surface. Thatch can be avoided by correct liming and aeration to promote the growth of microorganisms which “eat” thatch, and by mowing the lawn each time before it gets too long. Once thatch occurs, it can be removed by going over the lawn with a power de-thatcher or de-thatching rake.

If insects and diseases are responsible for lawn problems, first determine the specific cause, then treat accordingly.

Treatment does not necessarily mean dousing the lawn with chemicals. For instance, many disease problems are averted by not over-fertilizing with nitrogen, not mowing too low, not watering late in the day, and, of course, by choosing a type of grass appropriate to the site.

nature, self-applied massage, breathwork, and meditation with the goal of improving and maintaining our health and well-being. This self-care practice has been found to relieve stress, calm the mind, and may help reduce pain, improve mobility, balance, posture, strength, immunity, and sleep. Wear comfortable shoes or bring a mat and practice barefoot. Bring a chair/stool

if you prefer to practice seated. Beginners welcome. Cost is $65 members, $80 non-members. To register or for more information, visit www.berkshirebotanical.

org. Berkshire Botanical Garden is located at 5 West Stockbridge Road. Send items for Garden Notes to pmastriano@repub.com two weeks prior to publication.

A good seedbed, good seed, cotton cheesecloth covering, and consistent watering will soon repair this patch of lawn. (LEE REICH PHOTO)

Celebrating annuals, the type of friend every gardener can use

By JESSICA DAMIANO Associated Press

Summer annuals are the champions of the late-season garden.

Perennials are the majority residents in my flower gardens, and each year, I welcome the reliable, repeat performers when they arrive to spend summer like a dear, old friend who comes to visit.

Most bloom intermittently from late spring through August, but as I flip my calendar to September, it’s apparent that many of them have one foot out the door.

However, the annuals that share their beds don’t care that Halloween decorations are appearing in the stores or that pumpkin spice lattes are back. They’re still showing up every day like it’s mid-July.

I didn’t always plant annuals in the ground, instead relegating a few seasonal purchases of petunias, impatiens and calibrachoas to hanging baskets and window boxes. But I always regretted that decision when the shoulder season between summer and fall crept in.

This year, the annual Beacon impatiens, Superbena verbenas and Queen Lime

zinnias I planted in spring are carrying the late-season garden.

By R AChEl KurzIuS

The Washington Post

No one expects an Ikea bookcase or West Elm sofa to last for generations, or maybe even to survive another move.

But walk into a vintage furniture store and you’ll find all types of old pieces that were inexpensive and mass-produced in their day, yet have still managed to achieve heirloom status.

Furniture isn’t what it used to be. Fifty or 60 years ago, people thought of it as some-

True annuals or tender perennials

True annuals, like zinnias

and marigolds, are plants that complete their entire life cycles, from seed to senescence — or death — in one year.

They exist to reproduce, sometimes self-sowing, or dropping seeds on the ground that sprout the following year. But those second-year plants are offspring, not a re-emergence of last season’s annuals.

Most plants regarded as annuals in four-season regions are actually tender perennials from the tropics that can’t withstand frosts and freezes.

Popular tender perennials grown as annuals include browallia, celosia, impatiens, lantana, Madagascar periwinkle, snapdragon and Pelargonium, the annual commonly called “geranium” (not to be confused with the perennial Geranium commonly called “cranesbill”).

Pros and cons of annuals

Over the past few years, I’ve grown to appreciate annuals and tender perennials as the garden workhorses they are. None of this waxing and waning stuff — most bloom nonstop from spring straight through frost, relentlessly holding down the fort while

Why has furniture gotten so bad?

thing they’d have for life — a dresser that a grown kid could take to college, a dining table where future grandchildren would have Thanksgiving. Today? Not so much.

Modern consumers are often all too happy to ditch last year’s Wayfair shipment for whatever new trend is sweeping their social media feeds. At the other end of that cycle is an industry relying on cheap labor and flimsy materials to fatten profit margins and keep prices down.

Even higher-end chains aren’t always a safe bet. Michael Brotman has designed for several of them, but he recently quit Big Furniture to open his own studio. Of one past employer, he says: “Without giving away any secrets, their margins are high and their quality is not good at all. I had a big discount working there — I didn’t buy anything.”

To understand the decline in quality, first consider what most furniture is actually made of. In the mid-20th cen-

tury, the more affordable stuff was typically made domestically of American plywood — i.e., thin layers of wood glued together — while fancier pieces might be solid cherry or oak, and could be made in the United States or come from Italy or Denmark.

Today, most of what’s on the market consists of Chinese-made press board and plywood, while pieces marketed as “solid wood” might be rubber wood with glued-on veneer.

their perennial bedmates take intermittent rests.

Of course, there are downsides.

Some annuals require regular deadheading, the removal of unsightly spent blooms, to prevent seed production that would divert their energy away from blooming.

But in recent years, breeders have been developing “self-cleaning” varieties that eliminate the need for this chore, and those are worth seeking out.

Although they are less expensive than perennials, annual plants must be purchased yearly.

That cost can become prohibitive, especially for those gardening on large properties.

But after the perennials start winding down, as is happening right now in my own garden, both types of annuals will remain loyal until breathing their final, frosty breath, likely sometime in November. And that’s the type of friend every garden can use.

Jessica Damiano writes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter and regular gardening columns for The Associated Press.

These changes result from the same directive: “Everyone is just trying to reduce cost,” says CoCo Ree Lemery, a furniture designer who has worked for brands such as Pottery Barn and West Elm, and is currently a visiting professor of furniture design at Purdue University. Rubber wood, for example, is less expensive than most other lumber because it’s a byproduct of latex manufacturing, but it’s prone to decay.

A border of Landmark Rose Sunrise lantanas are pictured growing on Long Island in New York on Aug. 29. Together with other annuals and tender perennials, the plants carry the late-summer garden as hardy perennials begin to fade. (JESSICA

DAMIANO VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS)

30-year US mortgage rate falls to 7.12%

By T he Associated P ress

The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate fell again this week, but remains near the 22-year high it hit three weeks ago, little relief for house hunters facing persistently high prices and a near-historic low number of homes for sale.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on the benchmark 30-year home loan fell to 7.12% from 7.18% last week. A year ago, the rate averaged 5.89%.

The average rate on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with those refinancing their homes, fell to 6.52% from 6.55% last week. A year ago, it averaged 5.16%, Freddie Mac said.

High rates can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, limiting how much they can afford in a market already unaffordable to many Americans. They also discourage homeowners who locked in low rates two years ago from selling.

Mortgage rates have been climbing in recent weeks, echoing moves in the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing loans.

The average rate on a 30year mortgage remains more than double what it was two years ago, when it was just 2.88%. Those ultra-low rates spurred a wave of home sales and refinancing. The sharply higher rates now are contributing to a dearth of available homes, as homeowners who locked in those lower borrowing costs two years ago are now reluctant to sell and jump into a higher rate on a new property.

The lack of housing supply has weighed on sales of previously occupied U.S. homes, which are down 22.3% through the first seven months of the year versus the same stretch in 2022.

Deeds

AGAWAM

Barbara J. Cox and James M. Cox to Anthony Muskus and Christina Muskus, 608 Cooper St., $255,000.

Betsy E. Misialek, representative, Gertrude Carolyn Westfort, estate, and Gertrude G. Westfort, estate, to Elbis Del Rio Jr., 59 Horsham Place, $299,900.

Carey G. Sheehan and Robin Sheehan to Alexander Cramphorn, 64 Simpson Circle, $293,000.

Dominic Costanzi, Michelle Costanzi and Michelle Butcher to Matthew Joseph Montano and Donna Irene Santabarbara, 86 Forest Hill Road, $421,000.

Michael A. Remy and Shannon L. Remy to Christian Ryder and Danielle Ryder, 205 Southwick St., $285,900.

Richard D. Normandeau, representative, and Marjorie V. Wilmes, estate, to Plata O Plomo Inc., 107 Homer St., $250,000.

Roman Barabolkin to Bhaskar Sarma and Mona Sarma, 58 Sheri Lane, Unit 58, $215,000.

AMHERST

Amir Mikhchi, trustee, Amir Mikhchi Investment Trust, Fatemeh Giahi, trustee, and Fatemeh Giahi Investment Trust to Lincoln Ward and Yolanda Covington-Ward, 18 Foxglove Lane, $750,000.

Peter Ching-Tze Ip and Qiong Chen to Nayeon Lee and Brian Lee, 7 Eaton Court, $340,000.

Paula A. Frant and Roger D. Frant to Greg Priest and Ana Fragoso, 56 Hunters Hill Circle, $525,000.

Alexandra Barlow and Gregory Barlow to NP Amherst LLC, 90 Belchertown Road, $400,000.

Hani Karanouh and Nora Junaid to Susan M. Flint, trustee, Nicholas

F. Haddad Jr., trustee, and Susan

M. Flint Revocable Trust, 12 Poets

Corner, $692,900.

Sarah Siddons Bowers and Hal Gregory Bowers to Laura Figueroa, 52 Pine Grove, $316,000.

Katherine J. Atkinson and Stephen M. Atkinson to Benjamin Nelson and Adrienne Wells, 24 Trillium Way, $638,000.

Jean Paul Maitinsky, trustee, Andrea Keins, trustee, and Vera Maitinsky Family Trust to Maitinsky-Keins Properties LLC, 12 Greenleaves Drive, $100.

Jennifer E. Brown, Jennifer E. Tassoni and Jason L. Kahn to Jennifer E. Brown and Jason L. Kahn, 170 Iduna Lane, $100.

BELCHERTOWN

Christine R. Nolan, trustee, and Christine R. Nolan Investment Trust to Zhu Chen, 2 Cadwell Lane, $440,000.

Orin L. Bracey Jr., and MaryEllen O’Reilly-Bracey to Colleen A. Matte, Colleen Matte and Ryan Matte, 110 Munsell St., $389,000. Tang Properties LLC, to David Kenneth Bugbee and Sarah Amy Hafele Bugbee, 5 Old Amherst Road, $370,000.

Eric R. Devine, Jennifer Lynn Devine and Jennifer L. Dulak to Eric Richard Devine and Jennifer Lynn Devine, 43 Meadow Pond Road, $100.

Kerry K. Strong, Kerry K. Strong, personal representative, Carol A. Hebert, estate, and Carol A. Baker, estate, to Mark Raymond Lewandowski and Sarah Dawn Hickey, 32 Rita Lane, $256,000.

Marc E. Cavigioli to Marc E. Cavigioli, trustee, and Marc E. Cavigioli Living Trust, 25 Grela Terrace, $100.

BRIMFIELD

Shelly A. Taft, representative, and Judith A. Loconto, estate, to Stephen P. Sandstrom Jr., and Stephen P. Sandstrom Sr., 23 Lyman Barnes Road, $475,000.

BUCKLAND

Susan D. McDonald to Gavin B. Scott, 57 Clesson Brook Road. $155,000.

Paul J. St. Martin to Elizabeth Mary Boltz and Tyler Dee Franklin, 1 Crittenden Hill Road, $238,500.

Allen W. Dean, personal representative of the Estate of Gordon Joy Dean, “aka” Gordon J. Dean, to Lesley A. Reid and Satto R. Rugg, 10 Fox Road, “aka” 10 Fox Hill Road, $561,000.

CHARLEMONT

Ronald A. Del Priore to Bay Path Homes LLC, Potter Road Extension, $10,000.

CHESTER

Hilltown Community Development Corp., to Chester Commons LLC, 1 School St., $655,000.

CHICOPEE

Ansh Arya Inc., to Memorial Drive Holdings LLC, 1869 Memorial Drive, $600,000.

Dawn Bourbeau, Tiffany Martin and Tiffany Lariviere to Michael Santos, 61 Fuller St., $303,000.

Erin M. Dodd, representative, Catherine A. Devoe, representative, and Neil P. Dodd, estate, to Kayla L. Gonzalez, 30 Colonial Circle, Unit A, $140,000.

Janice B. Korona, Janice Bertha Korona and Janice Bertha Vezina to Joseph A. Rizzo & Bernadette Rizzo Irrevocable Trust, trustee of, Keith P. O’Brien, trustee, and Scott A. Rizzo, trustee, 76 Kelley Road, Unit W8, $193,000.

John Christopher Brault and Lisabeth R. Brault to Joselito Ortiz Jr., and Julie Ortiz, 75 St. Jacques Ave., $330,000.

Joselito Ortiz Jr., and Julie M. Ortiz to Gabriel L. Fagen, 108 Langevin St., $290,000.

Judith A. Pride, Debra A. Han-

num-Auman, John S. Mrzyglod, Edward C. Charbonneau, Edward L. Charnonneau and Edward L. Charbonneau to James G. Wiernasz, 127 Falmouth Road, $220,000.

Kim S. Thong and Sokhom Ping to Pah Properties LLC, 93 Davenport St., $110,000.

Melphy Antuna to Grant Drain and Remy Drain, 67 Pervier Ave., $490,000.

Pah Properties LLC, to Michelle Kurtz, 100 Mitchell Drive, Unit U5, $229,900.

Pah Properties LLC, to Timothy D. Corser, 107 Britton St., $300,000. Shirley C. Champagne and Jodi L. Orcutt to Michael Cormier and Jennifer Kenny, 1183 James St., Unit X12, $210,000.

Timothy P. Sullivan and Regina M. Shea-Sullivan to Kevin Offerrall-Rivera, 563 New Ludlow Road, $286,000.

CUMMINGTON

Sandra Streeter and Sandra S. Streeter to Jonathan G. Cranston and Carrie L. Cranston, 45 Stage Road, $390,000.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Douglas G. McAdoo and Sarah P. McAdoo to Jacqueline A. Schmidt, 33 Pondview Drive, $1,010,000.

Lori A. Bousquet and Lori A. Forbes to Chad E. Borden, 388 Elm St., $320,000.

Timothy Ricky Shink, Kylie Marie Shink and Kylie Marie White to Sarahi Aguilar Perez, 52 Schuyler Drive, $365,000.

EASTHAMPTON

Michael Packard to Shinyoung Cho and Byung Wook Chung, 351 Main St., $326,500.

Elephant Shoes LLC, to Sarah D. Prall and Roxanne C. Mariani-Prall, 90-92 Maple St., $487,500.

SEE DEEDS, PAGE F8

parties). “Call for Rates” means actual rates were not available at press time. All rates are quoted on a minimum FICO score of 740. Conventional loans are based on loan amounts of $165,000. Jumbo loans are based on loan amounts of $548.250. Points quoted include discount and/or origination. Lock Days: 30-60. Annual percentage rates (APRs) are based on fully indexed rates for adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs). The APR on your specific loan may differ from the sample used. Fees reflect charges relative to the APR. If your down payment is less

Deeds

Investment Trust, Number Nine Road, $35,000.

Sean Hazen to Kimberly Therrien and Thomas Therrien, 26 Cascade Drive, $10,000.

Swayamsidha Shee, 29 Terry Drive, $610,000.

Rosenthal, 793B Burts Pit Road, $230,000.

Timothy Michael Brault to Darrick T. Kustra, 2 Carter St., $276,900.

GILL

Maria S. Koenigsbauer to Paul D. Lawn and Kathleen M. MacMunn-Lawn, 76 Main Road, $445,000.

GRANBY

Pawlowski Irrevocable Trust and Daniel J. Pawlowski, trustee, to Lora Premont Os, 40 High St., $350,000.

GRANVILLE

Mark McCarty, representative, and Elizabeth Mary Lawrence, estate, to David Meyer, 198 Silver St., $225,000.

GREENFIELD

Pamala Cutler and Silas Cutler to Jennifer Liebel and Vanessa Roberts Liebel, 30 Lovers Lane, $410,000

Richard Roccio, trustee of the 313315 Davis Street Real Estate Trust, to Thomas Merle Richardson, trustee of the 313 Davis Street Realty Trust, 313-315 Davis St., $369,000.

Judith A. Ciszewski, personal representative of the Estate of Helen J. Lopatka, to Joanna Moest, 18 Walnut St., $249,900.

Amy D. Dwight to John Luke Waynelovich and Susan Marie Waynelovich, trustees of the Waynelovich Trust, 111 Meadow Lane, $531,000.

P&M Radio LLC, to Francesca M. Passiglia and John S. Passiglia, 346 Chapman St., $70,000. Homestead Connections LLC, to Todd Sullivan, 200 Elm St., $310,000.

Tina A. Michel, “fka” Tina A. Durham, “fka” Tina A. Bailey, “fka” Tina A. Norwood, to Daniel Andre Cloutier II, 288 Silver St., $245,000.

HADLEY

Hamed Zamani to Hamed Zamani and Helia Hashemi, 41 Roosevelt St., $100.

David W. Kozera, Jessica F. Kozera and Donald G. Kozera to 119 West LLC, 119 West St., $100.

HATFIELD

Valerie Caro to Michael Packard, 113 Depot Road, $380,000. Heath Jeffry Moore and Stacy Moore to Brian M. Devriese, trustee of the Brian M. Devriese Investment Trust, and Pamela Porter, trustee of the Pamela Porter

HOLLAND

Oren Johnson, trustee, Rachel L. Johnson, trustee, and Johnson Family Revocable Trust, trustee of, to Matthew P. Flores, trustee, and 128 Eton Road Land Trust, trustee of, 128 Eton Road, $809,900.

Elizabeth A. Maguire, personal representative, and Kathleen E. Dunn, estate, to Samuel Walker Craig, 52 Woodbine Ave., $530,000.

SHELBURNE

Arthur H. Skalski and Magdalena A. Skalski to Samantha Gadoury and Tyler Gadoury, 40 Over The Top Road, $533,000.

Douglas N. Bachand and Laura K. Bachand to Daniel Macera and Lauren Macera, 11 Vinton Road, $220,000.

Randy J. Romitelli and Joanne Romitelli to Douglas N. Bachand and Laura K. Bachand, 1 Vinton Lane, $520,000.

HOLYOKE

Alexandra J. Rowland to Kanon Karys, 8 Liberty St., $334,900.

Ariel Ruiz to Wendelys Smith Diaz, 75-77 Ely St., $260,000.

Carmen J. Martinez and Sixto E. Sanchez to Henry Eliza, 147-149 Suffolk St., $215,000.

Couture Partners LLC, to 23 Place LLC, 13-23 Worcester Place, $1,500,000.

Danny S. Larochelle, trustee, David N. Larochelle, trustee, and 948 Dwight Street Realty Trust, trustee of, to M Tran Properties LLC, 0 Whiting Avenue, $1,062,500.

Donald Vershon, Peter Vershon and Ellen McGillicuddy to Hannah Harris, 50 St. James Ave., $240,000.

Revampit LLC, to Bryan Santiago and Odali Amparo, 426 Homestead Ave., $287,000.

Thomas B. Cook to Jesus Candelario, 18-20 O’Connor Ave., $262,000.

HUNTINGTON

Walter O. Schorer and Jane M. Schorer to Charles H. Tobin Jr., and Kimberly A. Tobin, 107 Norwich Lake, $165,000.

LONGMEADOW

Bryan P. Travers and Randi D. Travers to Alexander David Ostrom and Lucy Elizabeth Stoll, 179 Wimbleton Drive, $510,000.

David G. Kayiatos, David Gregory

Kayiatos, Kari D. Kayiatos and Kari

Diamond Kayiatos to William R. Maybury and Maura A. Maybury, 162 Blueberry Hill Road, $698,000.

Edward Ryan Gaudreau, Edward

R. Gandreau and Colleen Mary Danahey to Diego Saavedra, 174 Meadowlark Drive, $390,000.

Lisa M. Humiston, representative, and Rio P. Leone to Lets Rendezvous LLC, 31 Meadowlark Drive, $387,500.

Mashrafi Ahmed and Tahmina Begum to Kapil Chauhan and

Thomas Weldon, Susan Weldon and Susan B. Weldon to Craig A. Marcks and Jennifer H. Marcks, 108 Greenacre Ave., $508,450.

LUDLOW

Benjamin N. Michalski to Lupa Real Estate LLC, Nash Hill Road, Lot 3, $115,000.

Cathy A. Jameson to John N. Manos, 290 Ventura St., $550,000. Geovanni Vazquez and Jessica M. Vazquez to Geovanni Vazquez, 33 Lazarz St., $20,000.

Mark D. Simonds to Alyse Enderle, Lyon Street, Par B, $669,900.

Raymond L. Belden, Ruth Ann Belden, Jacob R. Belden and Joshua R. Belden to Kurt Verteramo, Sunset Ridge, Lot 13, $141,000.

Rebecca C. Wyllie and Rebecca L. Chapin to James C .Wyllie, 7 Parker Lane, $40,000.

Todd Ely to Sergio Dacruz and Brittany Dacruz, 577 Lyon St., $380,000.

MONSON

Aaron K. Rittlinger, Courtney A. Rittlinger and Courtney A. Wells to Louise I. Barber, 19 Harrison Ave., $310,000.

Yan Ting Li to Autumn Smith and John Slachetka, 34 1/2 Paradise Lake Road, $340,000.

MONTAGUE

Cynthia J. Weir, “fka” Cynthia J. Wartel, to David L. Bunting, 23 North Leverett Road, $330,000.

MONTGOMERY

Matthew A. Frye and Kelsey Marie Frye to Scott M. Szpila, 67 Pine Ridge Road, $385,000.

NEW SALEM

Leo J. Paradis Jr., and Jeannette L. Tibbetts to Jason D. Rocheford., 60 North Main St., $325,000.

NORTHAMPTON

Richard D. Chiminello, trustee, Sandra R. Chiminello, trustee, and Chiminello Revocable Trust to Veteran Stan LLC, 28 Longview Drive, $231,000.

Margaret E. D’Amour to Karen Laice Axelsson, 13 Edwards Square, $500,000. Emerson Way LLC, to Emma K.

Carrie A. Shelffo and Andrew Shelffo to Si Ci Zhu, 200 Prospect St., $400,000.

Margaret D. Laselle to Peter Ryan, 11 Chestnut St., $290,000.

Yayoi Kushida to Lorna Ximena Aristizabal Clavijo and Alejandro Galindo Castro, 167 South St., $205,000.

Lesley A. Gray and Craig O. Wieden to Christopher C. Stratton, 25 Redford Drive, $377,025.

Aiswerya Madanam Sampath and Jayashankar Rajasekaran to David M. Vidmar and Daniella C. Bardalez Gagliuffi, 202 North Main St., $800,000.

Patrick Livingston and Heather Livingston to Thomas Novack, 68 Blackberry Lane, $850,000.

Arnold B. Zar-Kessler and Lorel E. Zar-Kessler to John T. Thorpe, 215 Prospect St., and Lawn Street, $420,000.

NORTHFIELD

Kiwanis Club of Northfield Massachusetts Inc., to Thomas F. Chappuis, Warwick Avenue and School Street, $100,000.

ORANGE

Brenda S. Woodbury to Maximus Belmont and Roger Dirth, 91 West Myrtle St.,“fka” 89A West Myrtle St., $201,000.

Stephen J. Oliver to Jeffrey Swenson and Suzanne Swenson, 58 Benham St., $279,900.

Matthew Tarlin to Lance Budka and Sheila Hebert-Budka, 23 Pleasant St., $247,500.

Courtney Fifield and Elissa Fifield, “fka” Elissa Murphy, to Roxanne M. Melanson and Laura Walker, 24-26 Summit St., $300,000.

PALMER

Alan Gregoire to Nexus Apartments LLC, 21-23 Arnold St., $155,000.

Carl L. Benson, trustee, and Carl L. Benson Revocable Trust, trustee of, to Benjamin Bubar, 136 Flynt St., $158,000.

George A. Richardson and Karen L. Richardson to Anthony Santos and Kelley Santos, 215 Breckenridge St., $65,000.

Mike Henry Construction LLC, to 2022 Main Street LLC, 2022-2026 Main St., $250,000.

Richard A. Lavigne and Stephen P. Concannon to Natalie A. Long, 4024 School St., $340,400.

Carol Angus, Evan F. Angus and Jason R. Angus to Cornelia A. Carey and Paul W. Hannan, 120 Bridge St., $662,120.

Hitor LLC, to Laura Mitchell, 94 Patten Road, $350,000.

Residences @ Mill Falls LLC, to Loraine R. Grignaffini-Gordon, trustee of the Mill Falls Grignaffini-Gordon Nominee Trust, 10 Deerfield Ave., Unit 9 Residences at Mill Falls Condominium. $480,000.

SHUTESBURY

Judith L. Remmel and Jennifer Wallace to Michael P. Connors, Patricia M. Connors and Jennifer M. Orifice, 20 Pine Drive, $475,000.

SOUTH HADLEY

James Bloom and Jane Bloom to John B. Stewart and Joan Stewart, 15 Ranger St., $347,500.

John Martin Nizio to Benjamin C. Nyzio, Seth R. Nyzio and William V. Heyn, 98 Willimansett St., $349,500.

Gail S. Bielizna to Rebecca J. Rivenburgh, 15 Central Ave., $365,000.

Norman Rademacher, guardian, Lorraine Rademacher, guardian, and Heidi Rademacher to Sarah Gubala and Robert Gubala, 1 Hillside Ave., $270,000.

SOUTHAMPTON

Brian J. Ford and Jennifer T. Ford to Megan Marie Whalin and Allison Claire Tisdale, 20 Coleman Road, $518,700.

Kevin M. Bean, Kevin M. Bean, trustee, Laura L. Bean, Laura L. Bean, trustee, and Bean Revocable Trust to Estelle Kasal and Thomas Fallon Jr., 66 Rattle Hill Road, $465,000.

SOUTHWICK

Hamelin Framing Inc., to William Whitcher and Angela Whitcher, 9 Tall Pines Trail, $660,000.

J. Patrick Ayotte to Jeffrey A. Dunlap and Joyce O. Correia, 158 Vining Hill, $300,000.

Susan A. Hupfer to Anatoliy Ovdiychuk and Galyna Ovdiychuk, 19 Foster Road, $60,000.

SPRINGFIELD

CONTINUES FROM PAGE F7 SEE MORE DEEDS, PAGE

AJN Rentals LLC, to Nolava LLC, 62-64 Alderman St., $225,000. Alonzo Williams to Tyheshia Williams, 81 Bessemer St., $280,000. Alphonse F. Calvanese to Mercy

Numbers

CONTINUES FROM PAGE F2

Starting at $24.50 per number, the company’s signage typically appeals to homeowners and custom builders, rather than to flippers doing things on the cheap.

McLain founded Modern House Numbers with her husband 15 years ago.

“We really wanted some bold house numbers out front,” she says of their newly remodeled home at the time. But the market overwhelmed them — hundreds of typefaces and dozens of finishes, yet none that spoke to them.

More deeds

CONTINUES FROM PAGE F8

Hospital Inc., 299 Carew St., Unit 422, $223,000.

Anthony F. Geary and Anthony Geary to Shanaya Crapps and Sean Young, 34 Portulaca Drive, $320,000.

Briell E. Pierce-Stone and Calli A. Stone to Carlos Collazo and Michael Ellegard, 431 Hancock St., $205,000.

Cheryl A. King to Steven Noska and Lauren Rawson, 110 Lorimer St., $250,000.

Federal National Mortgage Association and Fannie Mae to Black Rock Capital Investments LLC,, 31 Denton Circle, $225,000. Courageous Lion LLC, to Forest Park LLC, 24-28 Wilcox St., $1,375,000.

Crystal Everett and Crystal M. Everett Torres to Carlos Wady Gonzalez-Santos, 81-83 Prospect St., $285,000.

Dennis M. Hayden and Catherine R. Hayden to Christopher Hunt Gross and Mariel Gross, 43 Brunswick St., $262,720.

Dias Properties LLC, to Junior P. Swaby, 209-211 Verge St., $290,000.

Eich Estates Inc., to Brigely Nieves and Dulce M. Figueroa Benitez, 54 Norfolk St., $226,000.

Frank Stefanik, Alison F. Stefanik, Alison T. Stefanik and Robin S. Green to Karen Roos and Michael Roos, 39 Olmsted Drive, $325,000.

Jean Arce Torres and Glorielma Arce Torres to Crystal Rose Woodbury, 242 Gilbert Ave., $281,000.

Jets Property Development LLC, to Jane Maye, 43 Crest St., $400,000.

The couple opted to make their own out of aluminum cut with a water jet.

When strangers began knocking on the door to inquire about the numbers,

McLain says they realized “maybe this is our mission.”

Today, the couple sells about 300 residential orders per week.

Aside from typeface, a slew of other attributes can factor into the message that house numbers send. Typical digits run about 6 inches in size, but opting for a larger scale is particularly en vogue, Vaccaro says.

Part of that is about function — bigger numbers are easier to read — but it’s also a way to draw more attention to whatever aesthetic you’ve chosen.

Another increasingly popular flex: Building a standalone wall just as a place to mount your house number.

“You can do a whole landscape positioning and up-lighting onto a number that’s been placed on a wall,” Vaccaro says. “That’s how big house numbers are getting. It’s not just that they don’t live on the mailbox anymore, they sometimes have their own wall.”

More people are also using letters to spell out their address, such as FIFTY-FOUR TWENTY-ONE instead of 5421. It isn’t exactly practical — think about an ambulance driver trying to quickly decipher that.

But “it speaks to the fact that people want their homes to be unique,” Zhang says.

John Duffey and Maria Duffey to Mahmood Realty LLC, 34 Sumner Ave., Unit 403, $180,000.

Jose R. Vargas Gonzalez to Marcos Perlera, 30 Armory St., $420,000.

Junior Properties LLC, to Nolava LLC, 51-53 Eloise St., $240,000.

Lahoussine Akanour and Meriam Elgarf to Benjamin Todd Poynter, 94 Gillette Ave., $357,500.

Laura Rando and Joshua H. Rando to Angel E. Blas and Rosario M. Blas, 40 Ingersoll Grove, $429,900.

Leonard Desmarais to Gui Zeng, 431 Orange St., $325,000.

Linda G. Singer and Gerald Singer to Alexandra Rowland, 66 Dartmouth St., $310,000.

Luis A. Torres and Luz V. Estrada to Sareen Properties LLC, 43 Ontario St., $190,000.

Mercy Jenkins and Aaron Jenkins to Reina Y. Landaverde, 45 Eton St., $260,000.

Michael C. Paul and Darlene W. Paul to Cynthia L. Curtis, 239 Ellendale Circle, $351,000.

Patricia Agnes Sullivan to Tara A. Bressette, 74 Judith St., $260,000.

Ralph J. Cocchi and Rosemary Ann Cocchi to Jose Aponte, 208 Groveland St., $340,000.

Rodney Harris, representative, Sylvester Stephen Harris, estate, and Sylvester S. Harris, estate, to Marangely Richiez and Keishly De Leon, 48 Blueberry Hill St., $290,000.

Ryan C. Mickiewicz and Sydney Mickiewicz to Kelsey M. Coughlin, 115 South Tallyho Drive, $325,000.

Sharon Y. Taylor-Brown to Appleton Grove LLC, 76 Athol St., $120,000.

Sinan Hastorun and Francesca E. Leader-Hastorun to Lahoussine Akanour and Meriam Elgarf, 92

Barrington Drive, $430,000. SLC Associates LLC, to Carlos Aponte-Roque, 62 Eddy St., $240,000.

Theresa M. Conklin and Ann M. Pirnie to Ann M. Pirnie and Dale B. Pirnie, 39 Judson St., $85,000.

Yariza Santana and Jorge A. Guevara to Jose A. Ayala and Mayra A. Ayala, 30-32 Lebanon St., $305,000.

Zhou Ji Ni to Andy Yue, 86 Merrill Road, $50,000.

SUNDERLAND

Lawrence S. Hepburn and Paula R. Hepburn to Robyn Rodman, trustee of the Linda J. Cutler Trust, 357 Montague Road, $670,000.

TOLLAND

George P. Damico to Richard Duquette and Noranne Duquette, 302 Fox Den Road, $402,500.

WALES

Joseph A. Boyle to Dawn D. Gilliatt, 15 Sichols Colony Road, $218,000. Rasheed Warab, trustee, and Shore Drive Realty Trust, trustee of, to Paola V. Tierinni, 19 Shore Drive, $240,000.

WARE

Judith Piche to Kelly C. Grout, 34 Monroe St., $100,000.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Abdul Karim A. Khider and Juwan Omar to Guidewire Inc., 14 Burke Ave., $402,000.

David J. Bryson and Lucy Bryson to Abdul Karim Khider and Juwan Omar, 203 Hannoush Drive, $1,020,000.

Edward P. Welker Revocable Indenture of Trust Of, trustee of, and Kurt D. Welker, trustee, to Garrett Lee Welker and Hannah Leigh Welker, 114 Edgewood Road, $350,000.

Kathleen Murray, Kathleen M. Paquette and Christina Murray to Tanya L. Lyon and Brittany Lyon, 86 Albert St., $215,000.

Liam M. Browne and Lauren E. Browne to Charles Romboletti and Lauren Caney, 125 Orchardview St., $345,000.

Lorraine B. Zaleski to Brian J. Kolodziej, 153 Bonnie Brae Drive, $315,000.

Michael A. Stasack and June M. Stasack to Aziza Radzhabova, 260 Jeffrey Lane, $565,000.

Michael J. Budri, Eileen M. Budri and Robert F. Budri to Cheryl King, 292 Dewey St., $330,000.

Molly S. Moynihan, Molly M. Panek and Andrew D. Panek to Aislynn Rosario and Stephen Guzman, 33 Woodmont St., $285,000.

Muhammad Dawood Sabir, Muhammad Daiyaan Sabir and Sanah Bibi to Dominic Costanzi and Michelle Costanzi, 8 Cataumet Lane, $620,000.

RM Blerman LLC, and R M Blerman LLC, to Alicia Rivera, 64 New Bridge St., $300,000.

Robert C. Kelly and Dawn M. McDonald to Alyssa A. Danilow, 571 Dewey St., $309,000.

WESTFIELD

Christopher M. Coach and Michelle A. Coach to James Kelley, 46 Radisson Lane, $530,000.

Geoffrey Parenteau and Deborah L. Parenteau to Emily Kate Gauger and Thomas Lee Gauger II, 46 Kittredge Drive, $375,000.

Glenn E. Miemiec, Shirley L. Mie-

miec and Cheryl L. Brock to Debora L. Stein and Edward F. Stein, 10 Shadow Lane, $349,900.

John D. Colapietro to Christopher Coach and Michelle Coach, 99 Kane Brothers Circle, $421,000. Muradbek Usmonov to Dayton Ducharme and Lauren Ducharme, 11 Kellogg St., $290,000.

Stephen J. Gonglik and Nancy M. Gonglik to Michael S. Cianciola and Heather A. Ciancioloa, 291 Steiger Drive, $450,000.

WESTHAMPTON

Regina M. Theroux, trustee, and Marilyn C. Theroux Irrevocable Trust to Carolyn Marie Monteriro, 266 Southampton Road, $360,000. Regina M. Theroux, trustee, and Marilyn C. Theroux Irrevocable Trust to Carolyn Marie Monteiro, 266 Southampton Road, $360,000.

Kenneth L. Richard and Maria Del Carmen Barbuzza to Patrick Livingston and Heather Livingston, 12 Turkey Hill Road, $1,210,700.

WILBRAHAM

Dorothy A. Allen, trustee, Allen Family Revocable Trust of 2022, trustee of, to Sean Murphy and Jennifer Murphy, 32 Soule Road, $350,000.

Joan W. Florian to James Dassatti, 2205 Boston Road, Unit I-79, $320,000.

Wayne Herbert Dennehy and Robin Dennehy to Livia L. Pontes Costa, 1 Lebel Ave, $285,000.

WORTHINGTON

Amanda Dewey, trustee, Michael Dewey, trustee, and Dewey Family Irrevocable Trust to Gregory Schadel and Mackenzie Raucher, 615 Old North Road, $435,000.

A home in Palm Springs, Calif. (COURTESY OF MODERN HOUSE NUMBERS)

Antiques

CONTINUES FROM PAGE F3

Other factories are also making “Capodimonte-style” porcelain and marking them with a crown and an N. These pieces are usually less expensive than authentic Capodimonte. Your mark looks like it is a Capodimonte-style mark. Authentic Capodimonte marks are blue underglaze; yours looks stamped on. Early marks were very simple, with a stylized crown.

Pairs of lamps with porcelain figure bases tend to sell from about $50 to $200. Individual lamps with shades like yours, opaque art glass globes with painted flowers, can sell for similar prices. The shades alone can sell for between $50 and $100.

Q. I inherited some ivory from my grandmother. I know there are lots of restrictions and regulations on selling or trading ivory. I was pointed to you to see if you can help. I’m not looking to keep it.

A. Federal laws concerning ivory have been amended over time, and state laws can vary. Check with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (www.fws.gov) and your state’s department of fish and wildlife for the current laws. If you want to sell your ivory, you may need proof of what type of animal the ivory came from. An appraiser, an auction house that sells ivory, or an art or natural history museum in your area may be able to help. You may also need to know and be able to prove the item’s age, or have documentation, like a dated photo, that shows when it was originally acquired or how long you have had it.

TIP: Be sure that any restorer, refinisher or upholsterer working on your antique is insured.

Terry Kovel and Kim Kovel answer readers’ questions sent to the column. Send a letter with one question describing the size, material (glass, pottery) and what you know about the item. Include only two pictures,

the object and a closeup of any marks or damage. Be sure your name and return address are included. Questions that are answered will appear in Kovels Publications. Write to Kovels, The Republican, King Features Syndicate, 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803 or email us at collectorsgallery@kovels.com.

CURRENT PRICES

Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.

Depression glass, Mayfair Open Rose, tumbler, footed, pink, Anchor Hocking, 5 1/4 inches, 8 pieces, $60.

Pottery vase, squat, tapered base, side handles, three horizontal stripes of drip glaze, tan, blue, green, cream ground, miniature, Billy Ray Hussey, 2 1/2 inches, $70.

Toy, bus, school, ride on, Belltown U.S.A., blue, yellow trim, driver and children in windows, red seat and handle, no. 124, Gong Bell Mfg. Co., 20 inches, $125.

Game, carnival, “Game of Fortune,” bicycle wheel, red, yellow, blue, painted, 48 x 33 inches, $255.

Sampler, needlework, verse, red brick manor house, black feathered bird, plants, flowers, birds, animals, frame, Jane Adey, England, 1829, 20 x 17 inches, $295.

Furniture, table, serving, butterfly leaves, folding X-shaped base, Baker, mid-20th century, 27 x 31 x 21 inches, $330.

Medical, cabinet, optical, four drawers, caster feet, Optical Cabinet Co., Babylon, N.Y., contains 80 pairs eyeglasses, 32 x 23 1/2 x 17 inches, $360.

Pewter, bowl, lid, figural, fish, scale texture, three red stones, oval interior, oval stand with side bail handles and round foot, marked, Chinese Export, 6 x 15 1/2 x 8 inches, $375.

Lalique, perfume bottle, Papillon, allover molded butterflies, frosted, gourd shaped, triangular stopper, signed, R. Lalique, 4 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches, $610.

Rug, Persian, allover horseback riders, midnight blue field, brown and cream border, silk, hand tied, 7 feet x 4 feet 8 inches, $1,300.

Furniture

CONTINUES FROM PAGE F6

Chinese-made wood products are similarly cheap, but the quality is wildly inconsistent.

“The whole industry has just changed so dramatically,” Lemery says. She describes the constant grind of the design process for major retailers as “soul crushing.” When she dared to create pieces that cost more to make, and thus were more expensive for consumers, she says her employers would take them out of production quickly. “My most successful products, sadly, have always had the biggest margin, so they’ve had the lowest cost.”

Today’s cheaper materials and construction go handin-hand with the voyage that most new furniture takes across the ocean. The mainstreaming of container shipping in the 1970s “effectively erased distance” as a manufacturing concern, says Christopher Mims, author of “Arriving Today: From Factory to Front Door.” “It’s just so mind-bogglingly efficient and cheap” to transport goods around the world.

Labor is cheapest in China and Southeast Asia, so those are the places mega furniture companies tend to make their products.

To drive costs down even more, they aim to cram as many of those products into as few containers as they possibly can.

The result: “flat-pack” furniture that you, the lucky consumer, get to assemble at home, amid a mess of Allen wrenches and screws.

“Every inch and every pound counts when you’re shipping things,” Mims says.

Reich

CONTINUES FROM PAGE F4

Once the cause for lawn problems are corrected, the grass plants will spread to form a uniform, green carpet. But if sick or bare patches are a foot square or larger,

If you’re trying to transport a container filled with disassembled desks, reducing the thickness of each package by just a fraction of an inch can amount to squeezing in dozens more of them. But that calculus comes at the expense of quality.

For starters, lighter, thinner materials work much better for these purposes - so even if solid oak was plentiful and inexpensive, furniture makers would still probably opt for press board. On top of that, Lemery says, “It’s very hard to design something that can disassemble and assemble and have the same level of longevity that a fully assembled piece can have.”

Stuck in a cycle

And now we’re just kind of stuck in a self-perpetuating cycle.

Cheap manufacturing practices have conditioned consumers to expect that furniture should be inexpensive and fall apart in a few years. So not many shoppers are willing to pay for good quality even when it is available.

Designers, not surprisingly, find this distressing.

Lemery says the never-ending pressure to keep costs down meant she and her colleagues were constantly making compromises and revising their ideas.

“You are working so ruthlessly to keep the price, that initial cost, low,” she says. “When you get back the drawing from overseas, whether that’s India or China or Indonesia, you’re reworking the drawings to make them cheaper or you are saying, ‘Can we substitute this for this?’ . . . so that I can get this product into a price point that the consumer is willing to pay.”

these areas will need re-seeding.

Before reseeding, first rough up the patch with a rake, or, if you are truly determined to have a perfect lawn, dig into the area three inches of peat moss or compost, and a bit of fertilizer. Then spread the seed, cover with a thin mulch, and water.

Brotman laments that some people are willing to shell out “thousands of dollars on jewelry” while balking at spending the same amount “for a piece of furniture that their family sits around and eats around every single day.”

As seems to be the case with most things, much of the blame falls on social media. Rather than seeing furniture as an investment — and seeking more timeless styles — customers often look for trendier pieces that fit the online micro-aesthetic of the moment. A fuchsia “Barbiecore” sofa, for example, might wear out its welcome before the movie’s sequel, and reupholstering it would cost more than simply buying a whole new couch.

“Factories are so much more nimble and they can be retooled very quickly to make a new thing in a new shape,” Mims says. “And then those things are communicated to us more quickly through the internet. It has created a material culture which is just more and more disposable.”

And this, in turn, creates a huge amount of waste. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that nearly 10 million tons of furniture ended up in landfills in 2018. If you don’t want to trash your coffee table after your next move, designers say there are some ways to know you’re getting a product that will last. High price alone does not determine quality. But buying something that comes fully assembled or that was made domestically are good signs.

A piece made “out of solid wood ... that you’ve heard of,” such as walnut, oak or cherry, will almost certainly endure for the long haul, Brotman says.

Mow this area, and the rest of the lawn for that matter, higher than you normally do during summer, and the lawn is all set for next spring.

Any gardening questions?

Email them to me at garden@ leereich.com and I’ll try answering them directly or in this column. Come visit my garden at leereich.com/blog.

MORTGAGEE’S

PUBLIC AUCTION

Monday, September 11, 2023

Associates, P.C. 900 Chelmsford Street, Suite 3102, Lowell, MA 01851, Attorney for the Mortgagee. Auctioneer makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information contained herein.

Aaron Posnik

info@towneauction.com / 781.790.7870 www.towneauction.com

MORTGAGEE’S FORECLOSURE AUCTION HELD ON THE PREMISES

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023

12 PM 154 Tyler Street, Springfield, MA

Aaron Posnik

Kittenforsale,male,2 monthold,lookslikeatiger,$200,callfordetails 413-244-8046

11montholdfemaleGermanShepherd/Labmix, Goodtemperament, walksonleash,very friendly,$250,callortext 802-323-2538

6Yorkshiremix,home raised,$550orbestoffer, maleandfemaleavail. hypoallergenic,dewormed,callortext413291-4429

8 weeks, AKC pure bred Boston Terrier Puppies, 4 available (2M & 2F) Call 413-207-4664

AKCGermanShepherd Pups,4m&3f,Black& tan,black&red,andsables.AKCpaperwork&all shots/wormingupto date,writtenhip-andhealthguarantee,parentsonpremises,raised incountrysetting,$1400, call 978-249-3724

MiniatureSchnauzers,1M &1F,Salt&Peppercolor, currentvaccinations, 7yrsold,$300each,call 413-596-8190

Teddy

Bear Puppies, pure white $650/ea. For info. text or call Lori

1,000’s

box.

Antiques/Collectibles Appliances Articles for Rent Articles For Sale Audio Building Materials Cameras Camping Equipment Clothing Coins and Stamps Construction Equipment Do-In-Yourself Materials Electronics/Compuiters Fitness Equipment Flea Markets Forklifts and Equipment Fuel Furniture, Etc. Good Things To Eat Hot Ticket Items Jewelry Lawn & Garden Lawnmower & Snowblower Machinery & Tools Med. Equipment Sales/Wanted Miscellaneous Musical Instruments Office Equipment Pools, Spas & Accessories Professional Equipment Restaurant Equipment Seasonal Snowmobiles Sports Television Tickets Video Vintage Clothing Wanted to Buy Wood-Burning Stoves Merchandise Articles for Sale Birds Cats Dogs Exotic Animals Feed Fish Horses Livestock Pet Services Pet Shows Pet Supplies Pets - Lost & Found Pets Wanted Animals Tag Sales Cats Dogs Tag Sales 2:00 a.m. Perfect time to place your classified ad. We’re ready to take your ad 24/7 Call 413-788-1234,or go to masslive.com/repubclassifieds F11 | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2023 THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

Couch Sleeper, like new, used 4 times $275. firm. Desk, lg wood, 6 drawers, ex. shape, 30Hx60Wx33D comes apart $200 firm. Call 860-741-2768

sneakers,7N,Neverworn, $45 or B/O, 413-583-4266 10FootMetalswingwith newcushion,askiingfor $45, Call 413-739-4641

Cash paid, LP records 45’s, CD’s, reel-to-reel tapes. Rock, Jazz, Blues, Classical. Scott 518-424-8228

AARON POSNIK & CO. INC. Indust & Comm. Auctions 31 Capital Dr. W. Spfld. 733-5238 www.posnik.com

DouglasAuctioneers.com

ESTATES-ANTIQUES 413-665-2877

MORTGAGEES’ REAL ESTATE AUCTIONS TO BE SOLD ON THEIR RESPECTIVE PREMISE MONDAY SEPT. 18, 2023

10:00 AM - HOLLAND, MA 9 AMBER ROADDEPOSIT $5,000 MONDAY SEPT. 25, 2023

1:00 PMEAST LONGMEADOW, MA 1 JENNIFER LANEDEPOSIT $5,000

TERMSOFSALES000DEPOSITSINTHEAMOUNTS SPECIFIEDABOVEARETO BEPAIDBYTHEPURCHASER(S)ATTHETIME ANDPLACEOFEACH SALEBYCERTIFIEDOR BANKCHECK.ALLBALANCESDUEARETOBE PAIDWITHIN30DAYSOF EACHINDIVIDUALSALE. OTHERTERMS,IFANY, TOBEANNOUNCEDAT EACH SALE. CALL OUR AUCTION SCHEDULE LINE AT (617) 964-1282