PewterSep 7th, 2004 "Pewter at Colonial Williamsburg," a long-running exhibition at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, assembles for display more than 250 pieces from the notable collection, many of which are usually kept in storage. A traveling exhibition at the Lyman Allyn Art Museum, organized by the Tweed Museum of Art in Duluth, Minn., showcases the work of this lesser-known Hudson River School artist. The Long Beach Museum of Art presents more than 50 examples of American folk art intended for use in middle class homes in the United States in the late Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries. Yale presents the first major exhibition devoted to Hunt since the memorial shows following his death in 1896. The museum reopened on June 13 after 14 months of major renovation and expansion. Paul Davis of Coastal Promotions reported near record numbers of both dealers and visitors in spite of dire weather predictions. The heart of an antiques show is the dealer list, but there are also some frills that are greatly appreciated by those who attend, and this event has a number of those to offer. The highlight came early in the furniture session, when a remarkable Victorian white painted cast-iron potting stand, with a very Gothic look to it, came on the block. Bill Spicer unearthed some fine Eighteenth Century Americana from a home in nearby Massachusetts. As previously reported, good pottery heated up the salesroom when a rare New York stoneware cooler with a mermaid decoration realized $63,250 from a New Jersey collector. From the Revolutionary War to modern-day Iraq, those who have gone forth from "The Point" have not only made an undeniable impact in our military history, but they have also been a key element in its preservation. While the room and the display at West Point may be diminutive in size, the contents and the meaning behind the exhibition are anything but. From whimsical bottles to contemporary artists, the museum's exhibits run the gamut. The museum is kicking off its 85th anniversary celebration with an exhibition hung salon-style throughout the building. It is the first public showing of a distinguished, little-known private collection. Management reports that 80 percent of the dealers still doing the show were with the Gipsteins when they first started in 1977. The well-received, one-day show features primarily country furniture and accessories displayed by more than 120 dealers. Now in its third year, the show is increasingly popular with dealers and collectors who both appreciate the perfect blend of buyers and sellers that it offers. As usual, Russ Carlsen had turned up some pretty notable things for his mid-summer antiques auction, off the beaten track in the Catskill Mountains. Asked how the sale was received by collectors, gallery principal Jim Hagenbuch commented, "As the English would say, 'It went over the moon.'" This auction has become a cornerstone of the season in mid-coastal Maine, and with four other major auctions and one show in the area, it brings people from near and far. David Schorsch and his partner Eileen Smiles "jumped in a little over $100,000." Urns, eagles and shields - timeless emblems of American democracy - are the nonpartisan order of the day at the Columbus Museum. The Collins collection will be unveiled October 3 at the BMA. The museum will present a series of special events, programs and a new installation to mark the occasion. The revival of interest in recent years in the achievements of the Pennsylvania Impressionists has focused much deserved attention on the work of their leader. The event has a group of dealers loyal to the market who save their best Americana and Shaker antiques. Few wanted to go home empty-handed and were busy sorting through the merchandise presented by the 77 exhibitors. All is endured while in search of the elusive treasure that may or may not appear in the fields and yards of America's first and foremost mega-flea market town. Moore commented that the crowd was primarily made up of dealers that were "hungry for fresh merch." Two collectors slugged it out on the phone so fiercely for Philip Leslie Hale's "Girl with Gulls" that they drove it to what may be a record price. David Rago, who considered it the finest example of its kind, commented that the lamp had been brought in by a local homeowner who was renovating. How a distinctly English pottery became a uniquely American one is the subject of the new exhibit at the University of Richmond. The Currier will feature 52 watercolors and two temperas painted by the artist during the first 15 years of his career. Many have not been exhibited publicly. The Cleveland Museum of Art displays 80 examples of Books of Hours, psalters, missals, breviaries, and antiphonals. "Drawn By the Brush" explores Ruben's creative process and his successful career. The combination of a nice day and a popular show pulled a crowd of just over 3,000, with a large opening gates and a steady stream of people until closing. The Jenkins family has been recruiting new dealers to bring the event back to its position as one of the most prominent antiques shows in the country. Change is not always a bad thing, and the makeover that Wilton received for this particular show seemed beneficial. The price makes it one of the top five jerseys of all time. The sale's three-day total was $3,984,260, exceeding the high estimate of $1.5 million, and was 99 percent sold by lot and 98.4 percent by amount. The hand-colored engraving of the 1770 Boston Massacre turned up in a trunk from the estate of Elizabeth Storer. |
