By Marianne Salza
Hundred-year-old heirlooms are prone to scratches and tarnish.
A chair may need tightening and reupholstering; and delicate stemware might be chipped.
Appraiser Lori Hedtler, owner of Devonia Antiques, has been collaborating with Trefler’s restoration company to revive treasured pieces since she has been in business.
“A lot of times, antiques are such high quality that you want to invest in keeping them that way,” said Hedtler, whose boutique has been located on Charles Street for 20 years. “One of the great resources that we have in our backyard is Trefler’s restoration studio. They started in Beacon Hill 97 years ago.”
Family owned since 1921, the skilled artisans of Trefler’s conserve paintings, ceramics, and textiles. Hedtler encourages customers to contact her for a convenient consultation with a Trefler’s professional at Devonia Antiques.
“They restore everything, from repairing a candelabra to polishing silver,” boasted Hedtler. “They restored a table split in two. Somebody just brought in a book: a first edition Huckleberry Finn. I can’t tell you how many of my glasses have gone to them with nicks. They can hand-paint to match porcelain.”
Hedtler specializes in early 20th Century American, English, and European glass stemware and porcelain dishes. Her shop on the corner of Beacon and Charles Streets is stocked with a wide selection of Venetian and Continental glass, candlesticks, and platters.
“This shop is small, but powerful,” declared Hedtler, who will search through a thousand items before choosing a set to display in her gallery. “We keep a well-edited, curated collection on our shelves.”
Hedtler loves mixing antiques with modern pieces, visiting estate sales and working with dealers and traders around the country to compile her sets. She believes that blending antiques with modern accents brings soul to the dining experience.
“We do antiques for today’s table,” explained Hedtler, who formerly worked as a hotel manager in Denver before opening Devonia Antiques.
Hedtler grew up in Newton, and remembers her father bringing home bags of shiny silver that he collected in addition to American coins. Her mother had an appreciation for antiques as well, matching discontinued China patterns. Hedtler’s parents also partnered with Trefler’s.
“The restoration studio and the antiques have synergy. It’s important to preserve and protect,” emphasized Hedtler. Trefler’s is “the largest, full-service studio in the United States. There’s nothing like them anywhere.”
Visit Devonia Antiques at 15 Charles Street, Beacon Hill, or contact Lori Hedtler at (617) 523-8313, and [email protected] for a free estimate on an item.