Nan Gurley's Antiques Show - 'Had It All'

MARLBOROUGH, MASS.

:Nan Gurley produced a very fine antiques show at the Royal Plaza Trade Center in Marlborough, Mass., on Sunday, November 27 - Thanksgiving weekend. The show was vintage Gurley - lots of booths of great period paint, folk art, good, early hooked rugs, weathervanes - it was all here.

Richard's Antiques and Art from Barrington, R.I., is a relative newcomer to the antiques business, although the owners have been collecting for years. They were very happy with the Gurley show.

Lucinda Seward from Vermont said, "We had a good, steady day, all day. It's a fun show to do, very good buying, a terrific gate and we have done well. We sold a nice rooster weathervane, a Nineteenth Century farm table and two miniatures on ivory."

More positive reviews came from Mackay and Field from Chaplin, Conn., who said, "This show is probably the best in the ten years we've been doing it." Otto and Susan Hart from Arlington, Vt., said "It was terrific, good quality and good attendance."

Show promoter Nan Gurley and her husband Peter Mavis from Cornish, Maine, were exhibiting a fine, early step back cupboard, in original, worn brown paint. Veteran antiques dealer and marine specialist Paul DeCoste from Newburyport, Mass., had a late Eighteenth or early Nineteenth Century piece of colorful New England redware in his booth, along with an early sextant, a ship's model, some Eighteenth Century brass candlesticks and an early silk needlework picture depicting a sailing ship.

Many of the exhibitors had their booths decorated and the material offered was centered around the upcoming Christmas holiday. Colleen Nordengren, antiques dealer from Pepperell, Mass., was showing a wooden horse with a Christmas wreath around its neck. Maria O'Brien had her entire booth done in Christmas material - old trees, balls, decorations, wreaths and miniature trees. Mary White from Rowley, Mass., had little mittens, a stuffed velvet elephant, small pieces of pottery, including redware and yellowware.

Joseph Collins from Cobalt, Conn., had some good period weathervanes exhibited, including one spectacular bannerette vane in old gold finish. He also had a Queen Anne highboy in his booth.

Dave and Bonnie Ferris came all the way from Lake Luzerne, N.Y., to exhibit at the show. They had a booth full of interesting vintage signage, including one black on white painted example which said "Maple Lawn Dairy Bar, Farm Made Ten Cent Ice Cream." They also had a pair of painted wooden red, white and blue Uncle Sam ornaments.

Lucinda and Michael Seward come from Arlington, Vt., to do the show. "We have done well," said a pleased Lucinda, "it's a fun show to do and we did some very good buying." The pair sold a good American Nineteenth Century rooster weathervane, an American Nineteenth Century farm table and two miniatures on ivory.

A punched American Nineteenth Century step back cupboard, with glass doors on the top, and good, old yellow paint was seen in the booth of David Amarell, Waldoboro, Maine. Sandy Jacobs and Scott Bassoff from New Hampshire had some terrific period American things offered. She had a strong Greenfeld rug, which had the original paper label, signed Rosie K.

Otto and Susan Hart had found a collection of vintage cast iron banks, in old surfaces, which they were exhibiting in their booth, along with some period signs and other good smalls.

Exhibitors and customers alike commented on the consistent high quality level of the show. The gate was strong and while some dealers did not meet their sales goals, many dealers did extremely well.

For information, 207-625-3577.