Dirk
Heinze
Born
in Hamburg Germany, Dirk moved to Guelph, Ontario at a young age.
“In
grade school I would spend my after-school time hanging around
the only used bookstore that existed there. It was my haven from
the school yard bullies. The owner was Walter Tyson, a distinguished
older man with a shock of white hair. I would sit in his shop
and listen to his stories of the circus; he was once in Barnum
and Bailey. He would always haul out his circus poster collection
and books to show me.”
This
relationship accomplished two things for Dirk. It piqued his interest
in magic and he soon began touring southern Ontario doing magic
shows and also, when it came time to go off to university he studied
literature and drama.
“When
I graduated I attended York University to study film production
and finished at University of Toronto studying Canadian Literature
and Language,” says Dirk.
His entry into the business of antiques began as a way to pay
for his tuition. “During off hours in the week I would go
to country auctions and then sell my goods at the then well-known
Harbourfront Antique Market. Selling mostly early Canadiana I
soon started specializing in old books and posters and eventually
photography.”
”After
university I interned for two years at The Canadian Centre of
Photography where I honed my research and archival skills.”
Dirk
says that the antiques business has changed considerably since
he began.
”The
business has changed immensely with the availability of material
on the internet. As a result I have built a client base that I
provide for on an ongoing basis,” he says. “Specialization
and focus in my area of expertise has allowed me to work with
a plethora of collectors as well as many galleries, museums etc.”
Working
with the Roadshow allows Dirk to “see what people perceive
to be of value and the sheer amount of material -- not only of
collectable value but also of historical significance.
“The most interesting item and also one of great value was
a photograph inscribed by Darcy McGee who was later assassinated.
However we could not put it on camera as it did not belong to
the person who brought it in.”
As
for people who are interested in collecting books or photos, Dirk
advises them to “specialize in one area either by theme
or item i.e. early photography of Toronto, tintypes etc. A collection
with cohesiveness is of greater value in the long run.”
In
his spare time Dirk enjoys writing and exploring remote areas
Canada.
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