My Story

My love of antiques began long before Under the Live Oaks.

I grew up in a small town in southern New Hampshire where every Sunday brought a large local antiques and flea market. As a child, my family would spend Sunday mornings there “picking,” and as I got older, I would hop on my bike with a few dollars in my pocket and head there on my own. I loved the hunt - the possibility that something wonderful might be waiting beneath a pile or tucked away on a dealer’s table.

As my love of history grew, so did my appreciation for antiques. I came to understand that these weren't simply old things. Each one carried a story of a family, an artisan, a craftsman or a way of life. I became fascinated by learning how pieces were made and used, studying their construction and surfaces, and developing an eye for distinguishing an authentic antique from a reproduction.

In my late twenties, I opened my first antique booth in New Hampshire. Before long, I was exhibiting at antique shows throughout the Northeast, from Maine to New Jersey, and eventually opened my own group antiques shop in a beautiful old mill with more than 60 dealers.

That chapter didn't end the way I had hoped. Difficult circumstances surrounding the building ultimately led me to close the shop, and I stepped away from selling antiques for nearly 15 years.

But I never stepped away from antiques.

During those years, I continued to collect, learn and fill our home with pieces I loved. When we eventually moved to South Carolina, downsizing meant parting with some of that collection. As those pieces found new homes, something unexpected happened: I rediscovered how much I loved connecting people with antiques that spoke to them.

And so, in 2020, Under the Live Oaks was born.

Gathered with an Eye for History

Today, I thoughtfully gather early country antiques, primitives, folk art, Americana and early textiles, with a particular love for original painted surfaces, antique quilts and coverlets, and pieces that show the unmistakable hand of their maker.

I believe the wear, fading, irregularities and signs of use found in old pieces aren't flaws to erase - they are part of their history. They are what make antiques wonderfully individual and, as I like to say, perfectly imperfect.

Buying an antique online requires trust, and that's something I take seriously. I carefully photograph and describe each piece, including its age, construction, condition and imperfections. I want you to know what you're buying and, most importantly, to be thrilled when you open the box.

My antique quilts receive a little extra care. Each is gently hand-laundered before being offered whenever its condition allows, so these beautiful old textiles can arrive fresh, clean and ready to be enjoyed in a new home.

One of my greatest pleasures is seeing where these pieces go next - the photographs customers send of an old quilt on a bed, a primitive tucked into just the right corner, or a piece of folk art finding its place among a treasured collection.

Under the Live Oaks is truly a labor of love. After all these years, I still feel the same excitement I did as that little girl heading to the Sunday market with a few dollars in her pocket, wondering what I might find.

Thank you for allowing me to share my love of the old, storied and beautifully imperfect and for helping these pieces continue their stories for another generation.

Suzanne
Under the Live Oaks