European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 1, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Collecting Antiques with a is photos by Gus Scheftler Perso an aged typewriter in her collection. Seiger with a 1913 vacuum cleaner amid her House of Antiques by Leah Larkin travel editor \ the Home in England houses the european actions. Collages made by Rusty Seiger include souvenirs of family trips to various countries old and new Kitchen utensils along with a menu in Seiger s Kitchen. Rusty Seiger is talented she makes cloth Sand collages builds furniture weaves rugs paints  this is a Story about  buys Antiques. Her House near Oxford England is full of them. There Are old timey gadgets that Core apples and pit cherries measure Heads for hats clean knives and warm bustles. She has ancient Scales Cash registers typewriters Vic Trolas and vacuum cleaners. There Are shiny Copper pots of every size and shape old eyeglasses and binoculars games and toys. And  work. There is something so Basic in these old things. You can t find things like this today. They Are so Beautiful. I get such a Joy out of using them she says then proceeds to wind up one of the old Victor Las. How about a demonstration of a vacuum cleaner circa 1913? it sucks in the dirt All right but blows it All right out in the process of getting ready to take in More. A pair of extendable tongs Lazy tongs Seiger says with a smile in the old Days ladies dresses were such that they could t Bend Over. So they used these Topick up  All of the things she collects have a personality a sense of humor. They have to make me smile. I like everything  her collection of old treasure seems to include just about any and everything but her speciality is Kitchen gadgets household objects toys and games from 1860 to1930. Seiger whose husband Sells insurance at the air base at upper Heyford has been collecting Antiques for 23 years. We were dirt poor when we got married " she re Calls. We had to furnish an apartment. My husband told me to go to the salvation army and buy cheap things. I was outraged. Me buy other people s stuff but he won and i discovered these Beautiful  the Seigers Are from California but they have also lived in Hawaii and Spain. Rusty Seiner s an Tique collection is International. Her american Antiques Are in storage in two different places in the w a o a ka1 b Ai do 1 at Ai Tif u us h to re is so much it seems As if it would be a full time St to keep it All dust free and polished Seiger does s Well As tend to her other interests. It is not old in the House is most Likely something As made. Paintings of Flowers line living room the hallway is full of collages she has made with Urs from each family trip to a different country. Ving room Coffee table is a piece of Lucite resting of sections of plumber s pipe she put together. She most of the colourful rugs on the floors. Her match in skirt and Blouse Are decorated with huge Flowers t out of printed sheets then appliqued on the outfit. Ion t buy anything if i can help it. I make it. It takes but i be got a helluva lot of it. I Don t work. All this a of life for me. I trained As an artist then i got  Are doing. By everywhere a lot on the Street from Flea mar Church bazaars and junk shops. I never buy from an in shop. The Mark ups Are too  has been to every Flea Market in Europe she says in considers Madrid s Castro the Best. Then Italy Reece Are Good too she says because it s easy to in in those countries. 1 bargaining is really what it s All about. Too Many icons walk into a shop with the attitude that they tier. Then they try to bargain. That s an immediate of Nice kind and courteous. Tell them How Beautiful Ings in the shop Are. If you find something you like Iem you just can t afford 12 pounds for example is so Beautiful and you really would like to have it. Isk if they would take 9 pounds for  that technique does not always work Seiger admits. This game is dangerous. Sometimes you have to fudge a Little bit. Take a walk outside. Hide All the Money in your purse except for example a 10-Pound note. Then go Back in and Tell them All you have is 10 pounds. Take it out and show it. Money talks. People love to look at Cash. Checks will kill  another bad mistake is to Start the bargaining too Low. Don t be ridiculous. You can t insult them. You re lost if you Start too  when bargaining for old things look for broken spots or flaws. Point them out. Let that be the reason for a lower Price she suggests. And when you Are in a junk store or at a Flea Market keep your eyes Down. My Best buys come from the floor or the Gutter. They cram so much on the  there Are items not to buy Seiger cautions that is if you want to buy something old that will increase in value turkish Copper. Gis love it. It s very accessible. Air Force pilots Fly Down and get it. My advice is Don t touch it. Reproductions Are being manufactured in factories. Some of it is cheaper in America. It s not unique. It has no value in the antique  Rusty Seiger is making a study of the orgin of some of her purchases. She has been working with the curator of the natural science museum in London who has seen Many of her Antiques including her most valuable piece a 100-year-old slide viewer Complete with the old slides that is in perfect condition. But when she bought it it was in terrible condition. I got it for $60." that is another tip. Don t reject old things that Are broken and dirty. You can clean them and often repair them. Seiger recalls trips when she has purchased huge and heavy old things and had to hold them on her Lap during the return plane ride. My biggest problem is getting this stuff into an air plane. My husband can t stand it. He won t even sit next to me. He considers All this junk she says As she glances into the living room full of the old. He is suffocated by All of  old games rest on Coffee table she built. Page 12 the stars and stripes sunday the stars and stripes Page 13