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Timeless Traditions

Filled with Early American antiques and fine reproductions, a furniture maker's Pennsylvania farmhouse serves as a tangible link to a time when every household item, however humble, was made to stand the test of time.

Past Preserved. Have you ever visited a friend's home and fallen in love with a comfortable armchair? If you’re visiting Bryce and Linda Ritter's 1790 Pennsylvania stone farmhouse, you're in luck, because many of the furnishings in it are for sale. Bryce, a talented craftsman whose home doubles as his showroom, creates historically accurate reproductions of 18th- and 19th-century American furniture with his son Kevin by using reclaimed wood, glass, and hardware. So if you spot the fan-back Windsor of your dreams, talk to Bryce. He can make one just for you.

Tomorrow's Antiques. Bryce Ritter and his wife, Linda, also collect the work of contemporary craftspeople who share their dedication to reviving the artistry of the potters, painters, and quilters who came before them. "Our pieces are the antiques of the future," says Bryce. "The exceptional quality of the work, the extensive research these artists do, and the limited number of pieces made by each one of them means each item will grow in value." To find working artists and craftpeople who are the "creme de le crème," Bryce says, try to become familiar with period antiques and educate your eye to recognize quality reproductions. A good place to begin is the American Artist Show, which the Ritters host on their Downingtown, Pa., property every June. Other top-flight craft shows: Philadelphia Designer Craftsman Show, in Valley Forge, Pa. • Designer Craftsman Show of Boston, in Wakefield, Mass. • Mid-Atlantic Crafts Show, in Wilmington, Del • Celebration of American Craftsmanship, in Wilmington, Conn. • Country Folk Art Festival, in Marlborough, Mass. • Americana Artisans at Hancock Shaker Village, near Pittsfield, Mass.