Our Heritage

Townhouse Antiques & Vintage is built on the remarkable legacy of Ed’s grandmother, Jane Murphy — a woman whose life in antiques spanned more than seventy-five years and whose influence continues to shape everything we do. Jane was one of a kind: a dealer, a mentor, a storyteller, and a force of nature whose passion for old things never faded. She lived independently until just a few weeks shy of her 102nd birthday, still buying, selling, and sharing antiques with the same curiosity and joy she had in her twenties.

Jane Murphy on steps of The Town House Antiques, circa 1945.

A Life Shaped by Antiques

Jane began selling antiques in her twenties and opened her first shop in her early thirties. She often said she inherited her love and respect for old things from her grandmother — a lineage of appreciation that now spans four generations.

Always in a dress with hose, a hat and a coat when she went out — vintage in her style as much as in her surroundings. Even in her late eighties, when most would have chosen comfort or retirement, she moved into an 1850s three‑story brick house. She was never old in spirit, curiosity, or the way she lived her life

Her home was a world unto itself: filled with one-of-a-kind pieces, barns packed with treasures she had owned for more than fifty years, and rooms with collections of someone who lived with antiques every day. She used her antique dishes, flatware, and linens not for display, but for living — teaching everyone around her that old things are meant to be enjoyed, not stored away.

Christmas at her home was unforgettable. Every gift was an antique, wrapped in vintage paper and tied with vintage tags. She gave objects with stories, and in doing so, she taught her family to value history, craftsmanship, and the beauty of things made to last. Antique German feather trees with delicate glass ornaments filled the side tables--and old Santas decorated the mantle.

Jane never drove, yet she knew the roads of Southern Indiana like the back of her hand — every farm, every village, every place where a treasure might be waiting. Saturdays were always for auctions, rising early and out the door before the sun was up. If an auction started at 9 o'clock, she was there two hours early to pick through the lots. When she didn't find an item that caught her interest, it was back on the road with the day spent visiting with antique friends and shops.

At auctions, other bidders watched her closely. They knew she had an eye. When she began to bid, they followed. Sometimes she would have one of the family bid incognito — a quiet strategy that always made her smile. 

Jane had more friends than most people collect in a lifetime. Visitors came to her home daily — not just to buy, but to sit, talk, and learn. She mentored young dealers, collectors, and auctioneers, sharing her knowledge freely and believing that the trade was richer when people learned from one another.

Visits to her house were an experience. She would hand you a box she’d just picked up from a farm sale, and you’d spend the afternoon sorting through it for treasures. For a treat, she offered chocolates or peppermint candy — and always a warm Coca‑Cola in a bottle.