The Flow Blue Brothers

Forget bass fishing and deer hunting, these three men are pursuing their passion for flow blue china

The beginning of the Flow Blue Brothers began over 20 years ago! “Little Brother” Doy Knightstep who is the youngest in the family had a garage sale and sold hundreds of dollars of the Flow Blue China that he and his wife had been collecting. He called his “Big Brother” James, the oldest brother of the family who along with his wife, Sharon (that’s me), were avid collectors as well and stated, “There is money in these old blue dishes so let’s do somethin’ with ‘em! Therefore, the name of Flow Blue Brothers was born, along with a new tax number!

A month later, little brother called and said, “Donald Webb wants to be a brother!” Big brother said, “Bring him in, he has more experience, more merchandise and more money than we do!” Mr. Webb’s famous line is that he had a big van and lots of money when he joined the brothers and he still has the old van! The brothers are sometimes called “The Blues Brothers” and are one of the largest Flow Blue dealers in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. They are members of the Associated Antique Dealers of America, Inc and are members of the national and International Flow Blue Society which meets once a year in the United States.

Within a short period, the bass boat was sold, the deer lease was no longer sought after and the brothers were hunting Flow Blue big time—well– that is when they weren’t working on their regular jobs! They did Antique shows on the weekends and on vacation time until James retired from Allstate and Doy retired from Peterbilt motors. Donald Webb still runs a part-time car-parts business that he created soon after WWII.

Our senior partner, Donald Webb was a WWII fighter-plane pilot and has been married to his wife Zan for over 60 years. James Knightstep is a Navy man who did accounting for his helicopter squadron and has been married to his wife, Sharon for over 50 years and Doy served his country in Vietnam and has been married over 25 years to Jeri Ann. So…we are not talking about little old ladies who love their dishes but 3 guys who sit for hours at auctions to buy their beloved blue, negotiate on the phone with sellers in faraway places and then travel halfway across the US to sell the approximately 2000 pieces of their wares that they have cleaned, priced and had repaired. Each piece is packed individually, unpacked carefully and sometimes placed on as many as 30 tables. They have managed to do this for over 30 shows this year and I have yet to hear any of them complain that they are leaving their wives early Thursday mornings and returning on Sunday nights! Imagine that!

Being the wife of the “Big Brother James” I have traveled many miles with these guys and I can truthfully say that I have almost enjoyed every minute of eating at those out-of-the-way places, staying at motels that I pray earnestly for God to keep me healthy and sitting in a corner at a makeshift church service singing the old hymns and hearing God’s word taught. But most of all, the love and respect they show each other, the other antique dealers and their customers is a testimony that God can use old men to let their lights shine for Him and even make a little money now and then!

By Sharon K.