Treasures interviewed Bill and Bente Picken, owners of Heirlooms Antiques Calgary, a 3500 square foot showroom located at #101, 7004 MacLeod Tr SE and an online antique store. Bill and Bente are appraisers and estate evaluators with 40 years of experience. Bill and Bente Picken, owners of Heirlooms Antiques Calgary. –photo by John Syratt

Treasures (T): When and how did your interest in antiques start? (Bill): Bente and I have always been collectors. As kids, it was our toys, books and stamps. We could find antique treasures on our meager budgets while we were dating. (Bente): At first it was my dolls, I still have them. I have always loved my mother’s Danish porcelain and with my father being an old country cabinet maker, I inherited a true appreciation for wood. (T): What do you personally collect? (Bill): We have many collections of varying sizes, some tucked away in a drawer and some have their own rooms. The iron room houses over 2,000 pressing irons, and the collection is recognized as one of the more advanced in the world. (Bente): The dolls have their own room, but share it with my teddy bears and other antique toys like Bill’s cast iron banks and tin windups. (T): When did you open your store and why the name Heirlooms? (Bente): We opened the store on MacLeod Trail in April 2006, but have been selling antiques on a regular basis for over 40 years. Progressing from monthly to weekly to daily, this is our most ambitious endeavor, it really keeps us busy. (Bill): The name Heirlooms is just a little play on words, we didn’t want to name the store after ourselves, and the word heirlooms, adds a personal connection to an antique. Now people say, ‘Thank you Mr. Heirlooms.’ (T): What have you learned as an antique store owner? (Bill): I’d like to say don’t tease the staff, but they love it. They have been known to say that every day is like April Fools day around here. We are very lucky to have such good staff. (Bente): It’s all about loving antiques, the people and the collecting process. (T): What are some of the most interesting memories from your store? (Bill): Working with the movie industry, the unique experience of striving to recreate a period in history, bringing it all together. (Bente): Having friends and customers stopping in for a visit and sharing a giggle. (T): Do you recall any historical pieces that came through your store? (Bill): Our oldest piece was a 2,000 year old bronze vase from the Han Dynasty, it had passed through Christie’s Auction in the 1990’s, to a local estate, to us and is now back in China. Local interest items include pieces from the Prince, Lougheed and Nickle families. (T): What advice would you give to anyone thinking of opening an antique store? (Bente): Variety, you need something for everyone, in all price ranges. (Bill): Location is very important, but so is cheerful friendly knowledgeable service.