This story begins in the 1940s, when young newlyweds Margaret and Herbert Schiffer settled down on a dairy farm in Pocopson. Herbert, a New York native, had just graduated from Cornell's agriculture program and was lured to the area by Chester County's remarkable soil and climate. In 1953 they relocated to an eighteenth-century farmhouse in West Chester.Margaret, who was from Bryn Mawr, wanted to furnish the home with period pieces. This desire spurred a lifelong love of antiques that defined both of them. With the help of Bart Anderson, the Chester County Historical Society's director, and others, she researched early inventories and archival documents to understand the actual items used hundreds of years ago. From candlesticks to fine furniture, she collected these wares and sent photographers out to document those she didn't own. .