Linden Gallery
Hwy. 42 & Mink River Rd.
Ellison Bay, WI  54210
920-854-2487
brianlinden@charter.net

If you go to Linden Gallery, you don’t have to go to Asia for an exotic vacation. But, then again, maybe you will. 

Linden is an Asian art and antiques gallery and well worth your travel to the tip of the Door Peninsula in Ellison Bay. There are a number of reasons why. 

First, the pieces for sale are displayed in visually arresting and intriguing way.  Still, you feel comfortable wandering in and taking it all in.

It’s an educational experience, too.  Gallery pieces are well marked with age, price and country of origin.  Also, the staff--four on the floor during the summer-- are knowledge about how the pieces were acquired and used.

Linden is kid friendly, too. Because many Asian artifacts are protected in cases, it’s OK to bring children with you.  No worries. 

Owners Brian and Jeanee Linden are also installing touch-screen computers, so children, as well as adults, can peruse programs about blue-and-white porcelain craftsmanship, special regions of China and even the Lindens’ plan to build an educational retreat in China.

Also, the entire feel of the place is soothing and calming. Maybe it’s the bronze Buddhas' way of serenely greeting you, or the warmth of the Tibetan rugs on the floor and the way the decorative furniture is positioned and adorned.  It’s also largely due to the fact that Linden Gallery is housed in a former Lutheran Church. 

It’s actually a fantastic backdrop for all things Asian. As Brian put it, “Come in and prepare to see things that are almost museum-quality, where everything is for sale. Where else can you find a 1,000 year-old vase for $200?” he says.

“It gives people an opportunity to come and see things and touch them. This stuff is incredible.”

Gallery collection
Indeed. Don’t miss the collection of ancient pottery from the Han Dynasty in China, 206 BC to 220 AD. “It was fashionable during this time to portray realistic scenes of social life. So this pottery gives you a glimpse into what the Chinese believed was important in everyday life over a thousand years ago,” Jeanee says.
Throughout the store are carved decorative door panels—you can use them as room screens, wall art, or repurpose them as a headboard or piece on your fireplace mantel.

We also liked the display of scholar’s stones—slices of marble carved by Chinese in a way that replicates mountain landscapes.

“It is something for them to come up with this. They are slicing the marble and looking at veins in the stone,” Brian explains.

Linden also has a lovely collection of Chinese porcelain—tea cups, vases, statues, even blue-and-white porcelain table and chairs. Stunning!

There are two levels to the gallery, so as you enter prepare to make a decision.  Head down a few steps to see that porcelain table and chairs and much more, or go up a few stairs to check out the majority of the collection.  Included on the upper level are textiles—gowns, runners and more.

While we were there, a couple of university professors from Austin, Texas, were perusing the pieces.  “We just love them. The variety and the different ways they do the weaving. The workmanship is beautiful,” one said.

Nearby the textiles are captivating paintings by Chinese artists. Linden Gallery has represented artists with work increasing in value.  “And most of the artists will have an auction record through a major auction hall,” Brian adds.

There are things here at all price ranges—sweet little dishes for $3; rice bowls, $9; a stone Buddha, $150; red lacquer offering bowl, $245; teak temple posts, $980; Chinese door panels (180 years old), $1,200.

Overseas buying trips
You may be wondering by now, “How did everything get here? And that’s quite another story. Brian and Jeanee’s love for China calls them overseas every year. They spend up to five months a year, traveling thousands of miles through China as well as Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Burma and Cambodia. They meet with people and artists they know and trust all toward a goal of bringing back treasures to sell at Linden Gallery.

“You can’t do this by flying into Beijing and Shanghai and going to the warehouses,” Brian says. “Everything we have is handpicked in the countryside. We speak the language, and we know usually what is indigenous to that region.” 

And how do they handle being so far away from the U.S. so often? “The culture is so exotic. It is fun to be overseas and unbelievably challenging,” Brian responds. 

Because the Lindens are making frequent trips, the art and antiques change, so if you saw the collection once, you, well, saw only one collection.

And even if you have a contemporary or traditional decorating style, think about adding a decorative Asian piece to your home or office as a focal point.

Experienced owners
Before establishing Linden Gallery in 1996 with Jeanee, Brian had a diverse career in television media, financial services and antiques (his parents owned an antique store in Illinois northwest suburbs, so he grew up going to auctions). Brian and Jeanee, who also own an Asian gallery in Madison, Wi. since 2001, are well-prepared to help customers and collectors.

“We have been involved in art so long.  This goes beyond the regional in Door County. Our gallery can be transposed anywhere in the world,” Brian says. “We chose Door County, because we like the quality of life here.”

We are glad the Lindens are here and highly recommend you visit Linden Gallery. And when you go, you may feel as though you have traveled to the other side of the world.

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