Theme Is Decidedly Country At Mount Bromley Antiques Show

PERU, VT. - On day three of the Vermont Antiques Week spectacular, early risers were treated to a breakfast opening nosh inside the base lodge of the Bromley Ski Area. But the crowd coming through the door at 8 am on October 1 had more than bagels and coffee on their minds. The two-day show, managed by Jim and Betty Dunn, presented about 30 Americana dealers with a wide range of country antiques and decorative items, most in room settings.

The show featured some new dealers, among them Larry and Marie Miller of Dorset, Vt. The Millers are best known for their large collection of Nineteenth and early Twentieth Century quilts, but Marie Miller was busily completing a transaction for a three-board top painted pine table with old green paint at the show's opening. She also displayed a pine Dutch cupboard with original glass, circa 1820, and three schoolgirl samplers. "We did very well and sold across the board," said Miller. "Furniture appeared to sell especially well at the show. We sold a nice J&E Norton two-gallon bird jug with especially strong blue color. A visitor from California bought all three of our Nineteenth Century schoolgirl samplers. The show is well run and always a pleasure to do."

This was also the first Bromley show for the Norwoods' Spirit of America. Of the show's 30 dealers, the Norwoods, Bev and Doug, based in Timonium, Md., traveled the most miles to reach Bromley, but said they were delighted to be part of such a fine show - a strong first outing, with sales to clients from nine states, including California, Illinois and Michigan. Their booth displays always include an array of early New England objects as well as carefully selected items from the Mid-Atlantic region.

Their sales included seven portrait miniatures, two pre-1835 schoolgirl samplers, an early theorem on velvet, two paint-decorated game boards, four wallpapered bandboxes and a circa 1820 portrait of a young female.

"A couple from California was especially attracted to a well wrought schoolgirl sampler from Plymouth, Mass.," said Bev Norwood. "When the couple discovered that the young sampler maker had the same birthday (although not birth year) as the husband, they knew the sampler was 'meant to be' theirs."

Also their first time at Bromley, Ellen Katona and Bob Lutz of Greenwich, N.J., said they were impressed by the gate and interest and in their total sales. Some notable items were a pair of Chippendale chairs; two good benches; and lots of accessories, according to Lutz. "We had a very good show," he said. "Sold 20 items. However, none of our big higher priced items sold. There was a lot of interest in them, but I think retail people are still holding back on major purchases."

"Outstanding" was the word John Rogers used to describe his Bromley show experience. Rogers, who deals in American country furniture and accessories and hails form Elkins, N.H., said the crowd seemed "big, knowledgeable - for the most part - interested and acquisitive." His offerings ranged from large - a Vermont Sheraton four-drawer chest, circa 1830, for example - to small, such as an early Eighteenth Century butter ball maker that had superb form and featured chip carving. "I sold two pieces of furniture, several important butter stamps, including a rare double sided lollipop, and an important wood sign that had been in my personal collection for years," said Rogers

From Cambridge, N.Y., Robert and Janet Sherwood came with their usual self-described "mixed bag of merchandise." "We had an exceptional show at Bromley. We sold across the board - early furniture; paintings; good prints; and oodles of genuine American folk art from the late Nineteenth Century and early Twentieth Century. I sold just about everything I offered that had red paint on it. Most all of my sales were items under $500," said Janet Sherwood,

The dealer reported that one of her favorite - and least expensive - items was a circa 1920s "fortune telling" machine. "It was a fun, little, fancifully painted gizmo that, for the price of a nickel inserted into a slot, would allow you to peer inside to see 'what the future holds for you,'" she said. While most of the Sherwoods' sales were on Saturday, they also had a few sales on Sunday, "which is always an unexpected surprise," said Sherwood.

The setting, time of year and the good small number of dealers make the Bromley show a delight for Jane and Phil Workman, New Boston, N.H. "We have always done well there," said Phil Workman. "In watching the weekend unfold, we saw a lot of good activity and a good number of large pieces making their way out of the door. We sold a wonderful hanging cupboard in red paint with a secret drawer, a pastel portrait of a gentlemen, two signs, one a 'school' sign and the other in the shape of a bear with black paint saying 'Please don't feed the bears,' a large red bowl and a number of smalls."

A last-minute replacement for a regular dealer who was unable to be there, The Dog and Pony Show, operated by Carol Brown, came from Walpole, N.H. "We are less than an hour away, and were able to put things together quickly," said Brown. "It was a pleasure to be a part of the Bromley Mountain Show. I found it to be a very friendly show - dealers and visitors alike. The lodge is an attractive, atmospheric venue; the setting beautiful. Saturday was busy and sales brisk all around. I sold a variety of pieces - furniture, paintings and prints, some smalls and quite a few of my English horse brasses over the two days, and although Sunday, with four shows going on close by, was quieter, there was still a nice crowd. I actually had some repeat business Monday at my Walpole shop."

Ken and Susan Scott, Malone, N.Y., said that although the show was just about what they expected, it was not strong, but well worth doing. "I'm still getting emails about the Windsor high chair and the painted Indian baskets we displayed," said Ken Scott. "It may turn out to be very good show in the end. The market has changed so much for us as dealers - we are not buying like we were before 9/11. The gamble of buying a piece has gone, if we don't have a sure sale for it or the profit margin is a gamble, we are leaving it behind."

"It was our best Bromley ever," enthused Lynn and Dennis Chrin of Partridge Hollow Antiques, Milton, Vt. "The people who came wanted to buy. We sold items across the board, blue decorated stoneware, hand painted Limoges, a Fitchburg railroad lantern and quite a bit of sterling."

One customer came to Bromley at 8 am on Saturday and looked at the Chrins' silver before heading off to other shows going on in the area. "Sunday afternoon she came back and bought 26 pieces of Gorham flatware," said the Chrins. "She was pleased and so were we."

For Bob and Mary Fraser, who keep shop in Taftsville, Vt., the Bromley event holds a special spot in the constellation of antiques show - they began it more than 20 years ago. "The Bromley Mountain Show renewed everyone's faith in the antiques business," they said. "With only one or two exceptions, everyone had terrific sales. Sales were across the board with both furniture and smalls selling. We began the show with the sale of a 7-foot harvest table and ended with the sale of a small red dry sink. We sold silver, antique reference books and country primitives. Jim and Elizabeth are terrific show managers and the dealers in this show all work well together."

For information, 802-885-3705.