This Sunday, now that we are back in the area, we decided to hit the markets in Adamstown. This was my first time back in more than three years, and so it was a great homecoming. Most of the malls and shops were still there, and so we started at one end of the antiques mile and went up and down, punctuated with lunch at Isaacs. The good news was that the malls and co-ops were full of people. The buyers were my age or older, which is not surprising. Millenials still do not pursue collecting the way Boomers or Gen Xers do, but I did see a lot of parents with kids in tow. We have always had a habit of giving our children some money to spend on antiques or collectibles to get them excited. Today, Mary was interested in Snoopy, and so a Joe cool figurine came home along with a vintage mixer and an early eggbeater. She is not quite as passionate yet as her sister or old man about collecting, but it will come in time. I continue to hope that parents are starting early to infect their children with the collecting bug. The bad news was how many of my old friends had passed away in the last few years. It feels like a change in generations for sure, as booths that I had associated with various dealers were now occupied by others or just empty. Of course, changes happen in the trade, but it did strike me hard. I stopped to see my friend Josh Unruh at Black Angus. Josh and I have worked together on many projects over the years, and he sells lots of quality furnishings. We were talking not only about the changes as dealers pass but also how few younger dealers are emerging. Many of the protgs and children of dealers that we both knew are no longer in the business. It was a hard conversation in so far as we both realized that the torch doesnt seem to be passing onward to new generations. While most are decrying the decline in the antiques market, I still believe that great and very good things do well. Auctions are booming, and sales are strong in many categories if the materials is quality. Even for lesser things, I still argue there is a market. I was showing my former staff in Cody, Wy., an early 20th century sideboard that we had purchased for $200. I explained to them that for the price, this was a bargain. A modern sideboard would be more expensive, and certainly getting solid wood trumps pressboard. So did we buy? Of course! Two antique light fixtures came home since, frankly, I think most modern lighting is just hideous. Wrought-iron beats industrial aluminum for quality any day. Oh, and we snagged a really nice John Brosey coverlet from 1847 since I still think American woven coverlets are incredibly undervalued and some odd pieces of china and glass since even I cannot resist a 50-percent off sale. I encourage you if you are within driving distance to visit Adamstown. There are some ghosts but a lot of life left! Peter Seibert, a native Pennsylvanian, grew up in the antiques business and remains closely tied to auction houses, collectors, and dealers. Professionally, he has served as a museum director and public historian in Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Virginia, and Wyoming. He holds a Master of Arts in American Studies from Penn State and has authored two books and numerous articles on decorative arts, interior design, and history.