Ike Burstein, owner of Blue Stove Antiques, stands in front of a case containing clocks ranging from 19th-century carriage clocks to Cartier clocks from the early 20th century. A Morbier French farm clock (below), that is more than 200 years old, commands a lot of attention from customers visiting the Fair Haven shop.
Ike Burstein knows exactly what time it is pretty much every minute of the day. At the Fair Haven antique shop that he and his wife, Myra, have owned and run for 30 years, he’s virtually surrounded by clocks and watches, some of them dating back to the 18th century.
For many years, Burstein has overseen the restoration of many of those clocks, whether they are the old family heirloom pocket watch that was hidden for years in a drawer, or that large attention-grabbing clock that was always such a conversation piece in the house of a grandparent. Today, the clock and watch restoration business is booming – and Burstein finds himself busier than ever.
It’s only slightly ironic that a man with so much time on his mind has so little time on his hands!
For sure, time doesn’t stand still for Burstein. On the contrary, he’s always on the go, seeking out fine antique timepieces from around the globe.
“We have been serving watch collectors and buyers, internationally, for over 30 years,” said Burstein, from Aberdeen. “We provide guaranteed authenticity on all preowned watches. Our extensive collection of watches bring buyers and admirers from all over the world. We buy, sell, and take trade of modern, vintage, preowned and estate pieces, such as Rolex, Patek-Philippe, Cartier and Omega. We also offer highly skilled repair and restoration services. We have a selection of unique American and European clocks that are a true find for collectors and decorators alike. Whether it’s pocket watches or estate jewelry, I think you’ll find just what you want here.”
Burstein has been interested in the study of clocks and watches for a half century. (The Latin word “horology” means “the study of clocks and watches,” so that makes Burstein a real live “horologist!”)
But, most of Burstein’s customers just know him as “Ike at Blue Stove Antiques” – the guy with all the old watches and clocks. And, just like it read on a political button some 50 years ago, his many friends and loyal customers over the years have been known to say, from time to time, “I Like Ike!”
“I was always fascinated by the intricacy and the precision of early watches and clocks,” said Burstein. “You’ve got to remember that, before computers, each of these fine instruments were made by truly gifted individuals using very delicate – but very difficult – tools. All of the mathematics and geometry was done on pencil and paper. And, the amazing thing about it all is that the watches and clocks made some 100 years ago are – generally speaking – better than many of them made today.”
Burstein says that most American companies, such as the Waltham Watch Co., in Waltham, Mass., made excellent watches for which collectors today pay thousands of dollars. And, when it comes to restoring old watches to their original glory, that’s when Burstein calls on the team of craftspeople with whom he has worked for years.
“They’re the best in the business,” said Burstein, “and they know antique watches inside and out. When we have a watch or a clock restored, it’s restored in the proper fashion. We guarantee authenticity and we only use authentic parts. Different individuals work on the restoration of different parts of the watch. It’s really a highly specialized craft.”
Burstein spends a lot of his time on time, so to speak.
“In this business,” he said, “you work seven days a week. When you do business all over the world, you get calls and e-mails at all hours. Be it from Denmark, Germany, Singapore, Hong Kong – they call when they’re working – and all the calls to the shop are forwarded to the house. It’s part of the deal, but I really love what I do. And, I most love to see the look on a customer’s face when he or she first sees a completely restored watch – especially one that has, for them, sentimental value.”
Burstein said that antique watches range in price from a few hundred dollars to well into the thousands, and he offered some advice to prospective watch buyers.
“Among the current crop of watches,” said Burstein, “I believe Rolex is a top-quality watch, and Patek-Philippe is generally regarded as the most prestigious watch company in the business. People think they need to go to Switzerland to get a quality watch at a bargain price, but really, the best place to buy a good watch is here in the United States. I sell watches that are made in America to Switzerland all the time. And, a preowned restored watch costs about one-third less than what a new one costs. You honestly can’t tell the difference, if the restoration is done in a quality fashion.”
Though 18th- and 19th-century clock and watch sales and restorations represent a lion’s share of Burstein’s business at Blue Stove Antiques, he also buys and sells quality sterling silver, porcelain, furniture and art.
A quick look around the attractively designed shop affords antique browsers the opportunity to find glassware, china, sterling silver silverware, creamers and sugar pitchers, quilts, and 19th- and 20th-century furniture.
But, it’s usually the clocks that grab much of the customer’s attention at Blue Stove Antiques – which, by the way, actually does have a blue stove sitting by the front door!
Clocks like the 1960 Le Coultre Skeleton clock, the Tiffany Carriage clock from 1910, the Cartier eight-day clock from the 1930s, or the French Carriage clock from the late 1900s are among the time-telling treasures there that often command a second or third look from customers.
When you visit Blue Stove Antiques, allow yourself a lot of time to look around.
Blue Stove Antiques is located at 769 River Road at the River Shops in Fair Haven. Blue Stove Antiques is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and other times by appointment. The phone number is (732) 747-6777.
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