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Robert Bahssin With a very heavy heart I have to report the passing of my father, Bob Bahssin, who died on May 27th, after a short, but cruel fight with lung cancer. He was a great father, friend and business leader. He loved antiques and art, sports, the thrill of the chase but most of all he loved family and friends. There is a quote which says "choose a job you love and you will never work a day in your life." I'm not sure that is completely true, but I can say there was nothing my father would rather do than make the next great find and sit and enjoy that object in his store. |
At the outbreak of the Korean War, Robert entered the Armed Services serving as a sergeant in the 224 Infantry Regiment. After serving for two years, he returned to New York and the antiques trade. In the early 1950’s antiquing was becoming popular. For people from New York City, the most common country antiques route was Route 1 north to Connecticut to Route 7 and north again from there. Robert thought to move the business to the Post Road in Larchmont, making it one of the first stops for customers on the trip out of town. After this move, and due to his father’s failing health, Robert took over the business and named his shop Post Road Antiques. After 62 years his gallery is still on the same block in Larchmont. The antiques trade is an industry of individuals. Every shop and gallery takes on the character of its owner. Every shop has it's stories of the great and unusual things that come through the door. Here's a bit of the tales my dad used to tell. Soon after my father was married my father got a call to see some bronzes on Long Island. Accompanied by his wife, Robert went on the call where there were also four paintings by Alfred Jacob Miller of Indians hunting buffalo on the plains. I'm not really sure if my father knew who Miller was but he recognized the quality and the subject matter and bought the four paintings for $2,500. That was probably about $2,200. more than the young newlyweds had in their combined savings. Supposedly, my mother cried all the way home. The deal turned out quite well. Robert sold the four paintings immediately to Kennedy Galleries for a handsome profit. Sculpture was always a focus for Robert. I don't remember the story of how it came or went, but there is a wonderful picture of me with my younger sister, Jennifer, posing behind a Frederic Remington bronze of "The Scalp". The bronze made a good prop to photograph young children with. Today we think a bit more of it. In the back of our store is a work table that we have used for years. In that table is a drawer with a group photographs of taken by my father of bronzes he had in his store. In this group there are images of a Shrady moose and buffalo, a Bela Pratt "Nathan Hale," "Appeal to the Great Spirit" by Cyrus Dallin and "Jungle Football" by Carl Akeley. I was always impressed by this group of photos. A few years ago I said to my father. "Gee Dad, Look at all this great stuff you had." His response was, "Yeah, and I had them all on one day!" |