CINCINNATI, Ohio — Last month a 1925 school designed by well-known Cincinnati architect Samuel Hannaford was demolished. Its treasures, however, have found other homes.

Wooden Nickel Antiques was able to salvage 300 lb. cast iron newel posts, fancy iron gates, built-in bookcases, matching clocks, and other items.

Most of the historic pieces are already sold to homeowners, who will re-purpose them. The master clock and 20 matching clocks from the classrooms are now displayed in a retail chain in California.

“I really enjoy finding and saving these things ... We are the original green before it was hip,” said Michael Williams, co-owner of Wooden Nickel Antiques in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio.

When Williams and co-owner Tim Miller started their business in 1976, the sole focus was architectural salvage when a historic building was coming down, such as the aforementioned school.

While they have expanded into furniture, decorative arts and industrial furniture, Wooden Nickel still does this highly specialized and difficult work.

“Removing this architecture is complicated. Michael is a natural-born engineer for these jobs. When they installed a 1,000 lb. finial on top of a building, they were not planning for it to come down,” said Patty Williams, a manager for Wooden Nickel and wife to Michael. 

Patty said the business is expensive to run as it requires a trained staff who are specialized, bonded and insured.

The business has been called upon by the state of Ohio to remove original stained glass windows after a fire destroyed a church, Patty said. Their specialists were the only people the police and building inspectors allowed on site due to the danger, Patty said.

Along with danger, the work carries with it satisfaction and surprises, she noted. “We removed artifacts from a mental hospital in Columbus. It was a huge building, which was richly (embellished),” Patty said.

Wooden Nickel also acquired the rights to the original Wheatley Decorative Tile Showroom, which featured an elaborate tile wall fountain, 88 inches high. The tile depicting a weeping willow and the brick wall to which it was attached were carefully preserved and removed before demolition.

“If salvagers are not encouraged to bid (on a condemned property), all of the carved stonework, finials, doors, stained glass and decorative arts of the building will go to a landfill,” Patty said.

Some of Wooden Nickel’s clients have included actor George Clooney, whose parents are regular customers, and Hollywood producers looking for props for movies and commercials.

Added to architectural salvage, Wooden Nickel sells custom stained glass windows and ceilings, back and front bars, American and European furniture and direct imports of European antiques.

“At least once a month we find something that’s really unique. We’re still pickers. We go and try and find things. Demolition contractors, estates, auctions, downsizing, even buybacks are other sources for us,” Michael said.

Bars from 1830-1920 are the number one seller. Buyers are usually homeowners or restaurant developers, Michael said.

Wooden Nickel Antiques will bring a few of their bars to the AntiqueWeek Antique Show on Jan. 21-22, opening weekend of the Indianapolis Home Show at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The AntiqueWeek Show is included in the ticketed price of admission to the Home Show.

“We will probably bring what we call one of our smaller bars, which is 10 feet wide. If we get crazy, we might bring a 20 footer,” Patty said.

“Its hilarious to see the popularity of these bars. Everybody goes nuts for them at a show,” Patty said.

Other probable offerings at their booth will be furniture and fireplace mantels, she said.

“This will be a good home show with a lot of foot traffic. People who go to this type of show are not antique savvy. The attendance will be good, and in our business you always have to attract new customers,” Michael said.

“If your customer has already bought four fireplace mantels, they’re probably done. They can only buy so much furniture. We do what we do, and I like what we do,” Michael said.

Wooden Nickel is located at 1400-1414 Central Parkway in Cincinnati, next to the Hannaford-designed Music Hall.

For more details, call 513-241-2985 or visit www.woodennickelantiques.net