Playhouse Presents Plenty At 47th Weston Antiques Show

SOUTHERN VERMONT - Jane F. Wargo was frantically rehanging her vintage textiles in her booth at the Okemo Antiques Show just minutes after the preview crowd rushed through the door at the ski resort in Ludlow, Vt. A case of decorator second thoughts? No, it was just that the early Nineteenth Century painted peg rack from New Paltz, N.Y., on which the garments had been displayed had quickly been sold, so the Wallingford, Conn., dealer had to find another means to display her merchandise.

Such moments seem to sum up the series of five shows that make up Vermont Antiques Week, this year conducted from September 29 to October 2. Like harvested apples, the best rarities get plucked quickly by the 230 or so dealers who shop the shows between their own exhibiting stints.

That kind of dealer Darwinism may be predictable, but the shows themselves are diverse, each having its own flavor and personality - and that is what makes this long early fall weekend such a treat as the Green Mountains slowly begin to turn russet and yellow.

The first show to open - the belle of the ball - is the Weston Antiques Show, which this year marked its 47th season on September 29. The show takes place each year in the historic Weston Playhouse, Vermont's oldest professional theater establishment (founded in 1936 in what was once a congregational church) on the village green. Because of that, it is perhaps the most logistically challenging environment to display antiques and fine art. Oriental rugs hang over seats facing the stage, garden ornaments line the porch and barometers and fine linens squeeze into quarters that were once actors' dressing rooms.

Featuring 39 exhibitors, Weston throws the glitziest preview event, an evening benefit gala for the town's historic preservation society.

Show chair Patti Prairie reported that about 2,000 people attended the show over the weekend, which "for the climate we're in, is more than many shows," she said. "Saturday attendance was strong all day, and there were some major sales made on Sunday."

"The Weston Playhouse Show seems to be the highlight of the season for many vacationers as they plan their getaway around the show dates," said Marsha L. Manchester, Gardiner, Maine, whose crisp linens were on display on the playhouse's upper level. "I had many, many repeat customers from the past five years who said they came to the show just to shop my linen booth as they are not able to get such quality where they live.

"After talking to my lady customers," she continued, "it also seems as if it was their husbands who were buying the big ticket items. Since the men were spending big money on art and furniture, the women felt justified by also buying my best items, such as large tablecloth and napkin sets, fancy linen sheet sets, and lacy bedspreads. I would say that 90 percent of my sales were retail sales. And, about 35 percent of my sales were from men."

Manchester added that after viewing the other shows in the area, she believes the Weston show is "by far the finest and most diversified of all the shows, and I am very pleased to have been invited back once again."

Not every dealer reported strong results. Exhibitor Thelma Zak of Sylvan Hill Antiques, Grafton, Vt., said that for her, the show was a bit soft. "My sales were about a third of what they normally are," said Zak, who specializes in American and English period furniture, ironstone and paintings. "However, I believe some of the dealers did quite well. Many of the people who usually search me out were not in attendance. Out-of-state clients normally come a week later when the color is at a peak and the early date of the show this year was probably one determining factor in my low sales. I thought all the booths were professionally presented and the show management was superb."

Zak said her most interesting sale was an American primitive oil of a snow scene, which went to a Dorset, Vt., client. "Many people were intrigued by the pot lids and small child-size bureau desk. There were several new dealers to the show this year, which I felt gave the show a new and positive energy. My disappointing sales didn't dampen my enthusiasm."

Fine art dealer Donna Kmetz, Douglas, Mass., some years shivers inside the entry to the show whenever the door opens. This year's unseasonably warm weekend was for her "the warmest weekend I can remember, making it very pleasant to be set up at the entry to the show." Characterizing the event as "lively and more beautiful than ever," Kmetz reported, "Turnout was fantastic, especially on Saturday. My sales included nice little painting by N.A. Moore to a couple from Toronto who come to the show every year, and an impressionistic seaside painting by Alice Prebles Tucker DeHaas. I was also able to purchase a few things during the course of the weekend while visiting other shows. With a loyal dealer following and a dedicated show committee, the show is a bit like attending a family reunion."

A rare Julius Norton Bennington three-gallon jug, circa 1841-44, with unusual pod decoration was a highlight among the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century collection of stoneware, textiles, baskets and furniture shown by Steve and Loraine German of Mad River Antiques. "The show was really beautiful, and we had many comments from customers regarding the great quality and fair prices of the antiques that were for sale," said the North Granby, Conn., couple. "The traffic was steady throughout the show, and we did about the same this year as we've done in the past. Among the things we sold include Bennington stoneware, an early coverlet, a basket, a hooked rug and books."

Eleventh-hour sales stories are legion at many antiques shows these days, and Charles and Barbara Adams said the show was so busy and successful for them that they continued to sell until the last moment, with a sale at 3:55 pm - the show closed at 4 pm. "We sold to many of our old customers who come faithfully to the show each year. Several sales were from the Midwest, and we sold to two different people from California and one from Arizona."

Bennington pottery was the Adamses' biggest seller, although they also offer hooked rugs, furniture, baskets, stoneware and paintings. On preview night, they sold a stand with an unusual configuration of three tiger maple drawers. An interesting small in their booth was a sailor-style sewing box that they found on the Cape, well crafted of maple and pine, decorated with ivory and with whalebone finials and featuring a small pull-out mirror that would allow the sewer to see his or her handiwork as it progressed.

"A pair of beautiful tulip vases went to Florida and these were new customers," said the Adamses. "We sold paintings, blue sponge, yellowware, baskets, furniture and hooked rugs." They also had a sale of two more Bennington pieces after they got home from the show. "Weston is one of our favorite shows," they said.

Behind the show's continual success is the fact that it is one of the few remaining antiques events in New England that is run by volunteers. About 100 of them executed the behind-the-scenes stagecraft that not only contributed to this year's presentation but will ensure next year's encore performance.

For information, 802-824-5307 or www.westonantiquesshow.org.