When Helen Richards isn't manning the desk at Odesmith and Richards Antiques on South Avenue in New Canaan, she's likely jaunting around Europe, picking up new finds.
The 16-year-old shop draws its antiques from across the Atlantic, Richards said. Four times a year, she will trek to Germany, France, Iceland and beyond, carting treasures back to suburban Connecticut. And with the help of a team of pickers, Richards has filled Odesmith and Richards to the brim—plus, packed a basement and barn with antiques, too.
So, what's the priciest piece on the menu?
"It's a French oil painting for $5,600," Richards said. The portrait hangs in the shop's fore, to the right of the main entrance. Scattered around the business' shelves are other European baubles—a fruit lamp from Czech Republic ($1,195), and various globes, chandeliers, mirrors and furniture.
On the other end of the spectrum are intricate figures shoppers can pick up for about $20 each. If you're a history buff, Richards has lead figurines from the Revolutionary War or a man purported to be Julius Caesar driving a horse-drawn carriage available for sale—though Richards suspected Caesar would be chauffeured.
"Lead figures start at $22," Richards said. "After that, the sky's the limit."
Adjacent to the figures is a hand-crafted bride-and-groom wedding cake topper for $65.
Richards said antiques are a seasonal business, and the winter wares are currently on display.
"Gardening pieces and statues are popular in the summer," she added.
So for now, the statues will sit quietly in the barn.
Justin Reynolds contributed to this report.
