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About US
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About TwoJJs
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TwoJJs is: Venanzio Jelenic and Wanda Jimenez,
a loving and dynamic couple dedicated to bring the finest antique items
available to the market.
We have specific interests as both collectors and dealers
and this is comprised of antique miniature furniture and accessories.
We are among the few antique dealers in the world who make an activity
of specializing in antique miniatures and offering them for sale.
We bring a long history of restoring Antiques
to our clients.
Our history: We have been expertly trained and restoring
antiques since 1979, and currently based at our Cambridge
location.
in 1979 Venanzio Jelenic travelled to Italy to apprentice
in the fine artisan trade as an "Antique Restoration expert".
This was not a career choice, it was to fulfill a love of this type of
work.
Since the apprenticeship systems had broken down by that
time, he offered to work for free,. At the measly rate of FREE at first,
then $50/week he worked for GianPietro Lambertini, in Via Torleone, Bologna,
for over a year, learning and stealing the craft at breakneck speed.
Venanzio's father, Vinko, was a carpenter by trade, so Venanzio learned
very quickly, wood was in his blood. Through GianPietro's contacts Venanzio
was quickly introduced to and exposed to the finest workshops in Italy.
Adding museums, markets, and dealer's warehouses to his experience quickly
exposed Venanzio to the entire gamut of antique furniture available from
the 1500's through to the 20th century.
Venanzio opened his first workshop in Via Algardi, Bologna,
Italy, in 1981 and quickly built a fine reputation among the dealers of
this city. Business picked up and Venanzio moved his workshop into
a store location in Via Cartoleria, Bologna,
the next year, in 1982. There he worked on show pieces for dealers
and private individuals. The experience gained in Italy cannot be
matched in Canada and would be of great use to Venanzio throughout his
life.
There was only ONE rule for work done: that it be
done respecting the antiquity of the item, and that work be done "up
to spec", i.e. as best possible at the highest level of the
trade. As a foreigner in a strange country, Venanzio was very
proud to maintain a fine reputation and business despite all the obstacles
as a foreigner. However, with two children and wife in tow Venanzio's
heart-strings were tugging to return to Canada once again.
Venanzio and family returned to Canada in 1988, to Toronto.
Olde Boote Antiques was born in a warehouse near Weston/finch area, and
business began in Canada. Containers were imported from Europe and sold
wholesale to dealers/auctioneers/private individuals until 1990 at this
location. Family considerations brought Venanzio to move to Cambridge.
In Cambridge a home workshop was set up, and again wholesale work continued.
Venanzio hooked up with Manny Silviera of "Cricket Antiques",
Ainslie Street, Cambridge, and we proceeded to restore and sell items
from this store as partners for a year. In 1991 the Gulf War happened
and business slowed to a crawl due to the great uncertainty in the air.
Manny and Venanzio decided to part ways, and Venanzio went back to wholesaling
once again.
Venanzio opened a booth at the Circle M market on Highway
5, and maintained it for a few years as a sales outlet. Venanzio
was soon to develop an interest in computer software for children and
school applications. A detour in career happened and from 1993 to
1996 Venanzio was involved in developing software for SimulNet Learning
Concepts, Cambridge. In 1996 Venanzio gained a position as a systems
manager and programmer for Sage Design, Toronto and worked there till
October of 2003.
All this time antiques, his first love, had been tugging
at Venanzio's conscience, but he did not want to go back to just restoring
simple everyday antiques. They did not present the same level of challenge
and excitement as the European pieces did. A change was needed,
something extraordinary.
Back in 1980's in Bologna, Venanzio noted that there
were a few dealers who had MINIATURES of furniture. He fell in love
with these but could not afford them, and they were exceedingly hard to
find. NOW, here in Canada, he could apply that love to the many
canadian and american pieces which are still available at reasonable cost.
Thus was born TwoJJs, a dealer in antique miniature furniture.
And Venanzio now returns to one of his first loves.
Venanzio brings Wanda, his other love, into this venture,
as the other "j". Wanda has been a people person all her
life, and brings a "people" perspective to Venanzio's expertise
which is much appreciated. Together we bring expertise, excellent customer
service, and excitement into this industry.
Look for us at these locations: and EXPERIENCE the difference
our history makes.
Locations &
Show Calendar 
email: info@twojjs.com
Cambridge, Ontario, N1R 5B7,CANADA
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