Hundreds Banish Winter Blahs At Cabin Fever Show In Vermont

QUECHEE, VT.

: For the 27th consecutive year Cabin Fever Antique Show was a successful small show held in the depth of winter in the small Vermont village of Quechee. Show manager Jim Dunn, a Springfield, Vt., dealer and promoter, assembled about 30 dealers at the Mid-Vermont Christian School, for the one-day event on Saturday, February 18.

Sales were good according to the promoter and the dealers polled. Richard Hovey of Peacham, Vt., is new to the business of selling antiques. This was his first show and his exhibit was very simple, just a collection of wonderful early primitive and country antique furniture.

During the show set up on Friday afternoon he and his wife came in with a rental truck filled to the maximum capacity. While bringing the collection to their booth space, several pieces were sold including a corner cupboard with Palladian front in early blue milk paint; a small candlestand, Hepplewhite style, circa 1790, with one drawer, in red milk paint; a farm table and several small accessories. There were enough sales during this time that they came back on Saturday with more to fill the spaces made by Friday's sales. Upon their arrival the sales continued with a shoe foot hutch and a winnowing table, among other pieces.

Andover, N.H., dealer Kenneth Reid was offering and selling small accessories very well all day long. His collection included dishes of various styles including ironstone and Leeds featheredge, some early lighting and a collection of Nineteenth Century still banks which had originally been the premiums given away to young savings account holders to encourage their thrift.

Jean Tudhope had a collection of interesting wall hangings including some early advertising and native furniture. The East Middlebury, Vt., dealer has been a regular at the show for many years with a collection of early Vermont articles.

George B. Johnson and his wife retired recently from their former careers and left Long Island, New York for Montpelier, Vt. This new home is their base for their antiques business which now includes shows in Vermont and their old home area. Among their offerings was a collection of miniature furniture for a country kitchen, so well scaled in a close up photo it would seem full size.

There were a few dealers who came to this show seemingly with an overstock of furniture. Sales for the day seemed to show that it was all for the good as they went home with less.

The Chandlers offered a collection of pieces from before the Civil War and also a collection of yellowware bowls in assorted sizes. Liberty Hill Antiques, Reading, Vt., sold a set of early painted Hitchcock chairs and a very large workbench made of maple and walnut.

Hand Picked is the Stowe, Vt., business of Richard Fuller and Annette Colletti. The show for them was very successful with several furniture pieces including a blue milk painted cupboard finding new homes. He was pleased with this show for sales included a valuable weathervane and a variety of small antiques.

Lyme Creamery Antiques is the shop of Marcia Armstrong from Lyme, N.H. During the winter the shop is closed so she participates in a few shows as an opportunity to show and sell but also to remind the public of her shop. She was also telling the visitors about the shop's upcoming tenth anniversary celebration in late May.

Marilyn Bierylo gave up her shop, Falcon's Roost Antiques, in the not too distant past and just does shows with her son in New England. For this event she was offering an apothecary cabinet, a tavern table and an early bookkeeper's desk. Meanwhile her son was in Marlboro, Vt., organizing their exhibit for a Nan Gurley show there on Sunday.

Bob and Mary Fraser were the founders of the Cabin Fever show, and while they do not still run this show, they do enjoy exhibiting at it. In addition to their collection of antiques they were offering their book on Vermont coin silver.

Granby, Conn., dealers, Lorraine and Steve German, had a varied collection of textiles including bunting from when the US troops were being welcomed home after World War I. Westfield, Mass., dealer Paula Patterson was also exhibiting; she was offering primitive furniture and a room-size round braided rug in excellent condition.

Cabin Fever has been a popular part of the President's Holiday Weekend for 27 years in Vermont. It gives both local people and weekenders an extra dimension of activities on a long winter weekend.

Jim Dunn said in a post show interview, "the gate was good, better than last year and frankly it has been growing a little each year." He added "dealers are always interested in doing this show perhaps because it is little; they know they can sell to the crowd."

Look for the show again next year or check with him at 802-885-3705 for information on this and his other show at Bromley Mountain in the fall.