| Antiques, from floor to ceiling
They had nearly 200 chairs and no place to sit. More than 60 platters but rarely hosted guests. Above all, they had an obsession with antique Americana, a passion that defined their lives for more than 50 years. As compulsive collectors, Marie and the late Harold Futch spent a lifetime scouring flea markets and antiques malls, haunting auctions and estate sales. Ultimately, they packed their 2,000-square-foot home in Lancaster with so many collectibles that, according to their daughter, "there was a trail from the bedroom to the kitchen and that was it. You simply couldn't fit in the rest of the rooms." The spoils of a life on the prowl will be unveiled Thursday through Feb. 3 at the East Texas Fairgrounds in Tyler. John Sauls, longtime acquaintance of the couple and proprietor of the antique venue Marburger Farm in Round Top, has spent months cataloging the Futch collection.
Serious Inc. Scores $14M
Serious, a maker of CD- and DVD-based interactive sports trading cards and gift cards, has landed a $14-million financing round. New York-based Greenhill SAVP, which announced the funding Wednesday, led the round along with North Hill Ventures. Serious, based in New York City, has more than 100 optical card patents in 60 countries. Its client roster includes Disney, Nickelodeon, BBC Worldwide, Virgin, ESPN, Manchester United, and Sony Pictures. It has licenses with the NFL and the NBA. “GSAVP's investment in Serious is consistent with the fund's focus on technology-enabled services businesses," Brian Hirsch, managing director of Greenhill SAVP, said in a statement. He sees applications for Serious' technology and intellectual property across a variety of markets including stored-value cards, direct mail, promotional marketing, and collectibles.
Modern uses abound for sumptuous seat
A discreet little chair has been making the rounds since the days when men wore swords at their sides. The corner chair has a back and one side, but the other side is missing to allow those men with swords to sit without removing their weapons. Although wearing a sword is not so common these days, the corner chair is making a comeback. "Theyve been around. Every now and then you see an antique piece," said interior designer Thomas Pheasant, who designed a corner chair for his Baker collection. Pheasants design features a rectangular seat topped with a scroll along the low back and arm. He compares sitting in a corner chair to slouching back into the corner made by the arm and back of a couch. "You kind of lean into it," he said. Brunschwig & Fils designed a corner chair as well, this one in leather with a diamond-shaped seat and a slight scroll at the top.
Residents' reactions to merger mixed
CONCORD - News traveled quickly Thursday about the merger of NorthEast Medical Center in Concord and Carolinas HealthCare System in Charlotte. Residents in downtown Concord were talking about the merger. Lou Andersen of Concord said his wife works at NorthEast. He said he was worried about her job. "I said this morning that if someone at (Carolinas Medical Center) University works the same job, would they be able to get your job?" Andersen said. "I just don't know. I wonder if they are going to start cutting back." Numerous phone calls left with NorthEast physicians and employees were not returned Thursday. Sandra Nunn, owner of The Antique Market of Concord, retired six years ago from NorthEast's human resources department. She said she trusts the hospital administration to do what is right.
|
