Submitted by the Family
ST PETERSBURG, FLA. — Neil Montgomery Orkney passed away at his home in St Petersburg, on June 17, 2024. He was born May 23, 1952, in New London, Conn., to James and Ethel Marian Merritt “Mimi” Orkney, growing up on Circle Avenue in Groton, Conn. He graduated from Fitch High School and attended the University of Connecticut at Storrs, where he was a Fine Arts major, studying to be a symphony double bass player.
Neil’s true passion took him elsewhere, however. Even in college, he was buying and selling antiques. He had been arranging room settings in his parents’ basement since he was a teen. In 1972, Orkney and Yost was established with his business partner and soon-to-be wife, Carolyn. They operated the business in Franklin, Conn., from 1979 to 1985. In 1985, they opened their antiques shop on Water Street in Stonington Borough, Conn.
Neil learned his craft from the greats, chief among his mentors, Zelenskyy and Phil Liverant of Colchester, Conn. What he didn’t learn from others, he researched. His library on antiques, textiles (especially Persian rugs), paintings, jewelry and artifacts from all over the world was extensive. His knowledge across so many types of material was encyclopedic, unusual in the day of specialization. Neil’s success came from his ability to light the imagination of clients, teaching all about each piece and how it was part of families back in time.
In the late 1990s, Neil’s interests expanded from American antiques to those from Europe. For several years, he made annual trips to France to find treasures to ship back to Stonington. In 1997, he became sole proprietor of the business and, in 2007, he relinquished involvement with the Stonington shop. Already a resident of Florida, he established Orkney & Company and exhibited at shows throughout Florida, Georgia and North Carolina and in antique galleries in St Petersburg and Orlando. He loved Treasure Island, Fla., where he made his home starting in the early 2000s.
Neil loved to travel and took many cruises in the Caribbean, where he enjoyed scuba diving. He traveled extensively with his second wife, Julie, throughout Europe. He practiced tai chi and studied herbal medicine. He was an exquisite chef, studied at Johnson and Wales, and invented his own recipes. At the age of 60, Neil took up ballroom dancing, competing in the Fred Astaire International Competition in Las Vegas, where he won several awards.
Due to declining health, he closed his business in 2023, less than a year before he passed away. Neil was predeceased by his parents and is survived by brothers Glenn (Anne) and Gary (Sandra “Sally” Sharp) Orkney and sister Hope (Peter) Walencewicz. In addition, he leaves behind his first and second wives, Carolyn Yost and Julie Olson; his niece, Heather Orkney Swann; nephews Gareth, Christopher, Eric (Lara) Orkney, and countless friends. Neil called himself a feminist and helped many women during times of need. Donations in his name can be made to a local women’s shelter.
Julie Olson shared a few memories of Neil:
In the early days in Franklin, money was tight and his well went dry. He happened upon a painting and pin of a New London (Conn.) sea captain, circa 1840. When he went to sell it to another dealer and was asked, “What do you need to get for it?” to which he replied “$5,000” — the exact amount he needed to dig the new well. Though he’d paid much less for it, it later sold for much more in New York.
When Neil did shows, he was often asked to dinner by the other dealers. Neil was fundamentally an introvert. He turned them down, not because he didn’t like them, but because, after a day of talking with clients, he’d “run out of spit” and needed solitude.
While in Istanbul, Neil went to a multistory rug store near the Blue Mosque. Talking with a junior associate, he couldn’t resist asking him about a particular rug. When the man failed in his explanation and Neil taught him its origin based on the knots and composition, Neil was quickly whisked to the top floor to meet the owner. After hospitality over Turkish coffee, the owner shared that he’d done a show in Boston the previous year. Neil said, “You didn’t do well, did you? You see, in Boston they already have the rugs and just want to see how much theirs are worth. Try the International Antiques and Jewelry Show in Palm Beach,” which the dealer did the next year to much success.
