Robert and I have long been collectors of 18th century American decorative arts. The urge to collect started with a modest wedding gift of a colonial “dry sink” that functioned as a bar, became a baby changing table (for a second generation too), and finally, storage for toys. However, that gift started us on a lifelong passion for collecting American antiques. At first our purchases were modest, chosen simply to furnish our home. But our curiosity about more authentic objects and a higher level of craftsmanship led to visiting countless antiques shows and museums, building lifelong friendships with other collectors and dealers and a job at the Yale Art Gallery.