It’s Story Time at Thistlethwaite Americana

It’s Story Time at Thistlethwaite Americana

By Leslie VanSant

“Every piece in here has a story, let me take you on a tour,” says Taylor Thistlethwaite with a smile. He’s the proprietor, or “collectorin-charge,” at Thistlethwaite Americana, a recently opened fine antique shop in Middleburg.

On this day, he’s there with Beckett, his four-year-old English Cocker Spaniel. Taylor and his wife, Rebecca, left Alexandria for Upperville at the start of the pandemic and haven’t looked back. He’s something of a phenom in the art and antiques world, who, at age 35, already has a reputation for his fine eye, his insistence on high quality items and his obvious passion for history.

He starts at a chest of drawers. It’s beautiful—mahogany with flame birch panels. The finish is buffed to a fantastic luster that allows the richness of the wood and the magic of the flame birch to dance.

As he begins to talk about the chest, Taylor sounds more like a storyteller than a purveyor of decorative arts. “This chest is from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, made in the federal style in around 1810,” he said. “It was made for a baker, Nathaniel Souther.” “A baker owned this?” he’s asked.

“Yes, he must have been one hell of a baker to own a piece like this.” Then it’s on to the next must-see stop.

Taylor Thistlethwaite grew up splitting time between Bethesda, and summers on his family’s farm in Glasgow, Kentucky. The property there has been in the family since 1792. History surrounded him as a child and became his passion. He graduated from Center College with a degree in American history, focusing on the colonial period, then went to the University of Kentucky for a Masters in historic preservation.

The tour continues with a small chest on frame, unique because of its small size. The chest was made in Bermuda in the mid-18th century primarily from cedar. This small blanket chest is juxtaposed with a fantastic painted ‘hope’ chest made in Pennsylvania for Elizabeth Bindern in 1788. Thistlethwaite points out that each of these chests is important for the style and time that they represent.

Thistlethwaite is animated talking about decorative arts. The interpretation of style would vary craftsperson to craftsperson and differences could be tied to location and use. “You don’t see this today, the sofa you buy at Pottery Barn here in Virginia is the same as the one available in California.”

Admire or use? The furniture and pieces in the shop are all beautiful, but show proudly the passage of time and use, if you know where and how to look.

For example, the color is slightly darker in the decorative edges of a highboy which are hard to clean over time. The patina of the wood differs slightly where it was touched by hundreds of fingers through daily use over the years. A ring on a sideboard left by water long ago. Ink spots on a secretary from pens long dry.

Thistlethwaite leans to using finely made furniture. He suggests that before you refinish that table your great-aunt gave you, consult a professional.

Prior to opening the shop, Thistlethwaite mostly traveled to elite antique shows where he would set up a booth to sell his wares. He’s thrilled to have his first “brick and mortar” presence in a town like Middleburg, resplendent in history, tradition, and of course, horses. A Kentucky boy at heart, he loves the races, and would sometimes skip class to attend the meet at Keeneland. The shop was closed on Gold Cup Day so he and his wife could attend.

Our tour concludes in the back corner of the shop where there’s a wall hanging featuring a horse. Upon closer inspection, it’s a hook rug. It was made in 1880, but looks all together modern and funky. The dark, black horse, poses on a background that includes pinks, greens, greys, blues and eggplant colors.

“Making hook rugs was a ladies’ hobby during the Victorian era,” he said. “It allowed people to be creative. This one has lots of different fabrics and yarns, which gives it great color and texture.”

Every piece in the shop has a story.

Thistlethwaite Americana. Located in Middleburg at 116 Washington Street, and at www.thistleamericana.com The shop is open most days and by appointment.