Of York antiquarian Joe Kindig III: ‘He is generous with his knowledge’
Joe Kindig III, noted York, Pa., antique dealer, will receive the 2008 award of merit from the Antiques Association of American on April 12 in Philadelphia. He was featured with multiple photos and a long story in the April 4 edition of “Antiques and The Arts Weekly.” Background posts: Bottle & jug enthusiasts must dig for their York County gold, Springetts collector attracts ‘Antiques Roadshow’s’ Kenos and Flag expert: ‘I was interested in my nation’s heritage’.
Ask anyone in York County’s historical community about Joe Kindig III, and they speak in respectful tones about his vast knowledge of antiquing and history surrounding his artifacts.
A story in “Antiques and the Arts Weekly,” tells how the Kindig family got its start in the antique world:
A maternal aunt took Joe Kindig Jr. (1898-1971) to yard sales. As a teenager, Kindig Jr. was selling old guns, pistols, swords by mail. He opened a shop at 304 W. Market St. in York and moved to the 325 W. Market St. location, the business’ present address, in the depths of the Depression.
Kindig Jr. had the fortune to operate in the Depression with liquid funds and low overhead. He harvested Southern antiques, helped by proximity to Baltimore, and developed a reputation as a foremost expert in that area.
While competitors shed stock in the early 1930s, Kindig Jr. accumulated inventory. He waited, sometimes for years, for the right price.
And he often got it.
Kindig III joined his father in business after he served in World War II and worked with him for two decades.
Today, Joe Kindig III continues to build his family’s national reputation in the antique world.
Peter Tillou is a friend of Kindig III.
“One of the nicest things about Joe is that if he respects you and sees your passion, he is generous with his knowledge,” he said. “One of my great joys over the years has been his willingness to spend time.”
