Washington Crosses The Hudson For Americana Week

NEW YORK CITY

:"George Washington's Mount Vernon," the Winter Antiques Show's loan exhibition, set theme for this year's Americana Week in New York.

The tribute to the Founding Father began on Tuesday, January 17, at the New York Ceramics Fair, where a prominent Virginia collector acquired a rare Staffordshire figure of Washington from Long Island dealer Elinor Penna, and culminated on Saturday, January 21, when Christie's auctioned "George Washington at Princeton" by Philadelphia painter Charles Willson Peale for a record $21.3 million.

At the Winter Antiques Show, which opened on Thursday evening, January 19, with a party for nearly 3,000 benefiting the East Side House Settlement, Washingtonia large and small abounded, from portraits of the commander-in-chief at returning exhibitor Alexander Gallery to a Washington parade hat of circa 1850 at James and Nancy Glazer.

New York dealer Stuart Feld lined his booth with French-made Washington clocks, portraits by Rembrandt Peale and a follower of the Chinese painter Spoilum, and Chinese Export porcelain from the Washington memorial service.

"Washington memorabilia has always been treasured," said letters and manuscripts dealer Kenneth Rendell, whose offerings ranged from a document, $22,500, signed by the Revolutionary War General, to a 1780 letter, $100,000, from the President lamenting insufficient militia troops.

One of the most admired pieces on the floor was not for sale: Mount Vernon's Dove of Peace weathervane. Made around 1787 by Joseph Rakestraw, the gilded-sheet iron bird with a molded head and an olive sprig in its beak flew above Washington's Virginia mansion for two centuries before it was removed for safekeeping in 1946.

"Our opening night proceeds increased 27 percent from last year. Saturday's gate was up 58 percent from a year ago and the increase on Sunday was of the same magnitude," said the show's executive director, Catherine Sweeney Singer. The surge in attendance was only partly attributable to better weather.

A record 19 catered events planned in conjunction of the show - among them a Designers Night, a Museum Night, a Washington-inspired whiskey tasting party and a school children's tour of the show with George Washington character actor William Sommerfield - drew new visitors by the dozens. In another innovation, 11 windows at Saks Fifth Avenue currently promote the show with displays of art and antiques lent by exhibitors Peter Finer, Hirschl & Adler, Macklowe Gallery and Barbara Israel Garden Antiques, among others.

To date, dealers are reporting robust business across a spectrum of disciplines. Opening weekend sales included a 1069-715 BC Egyptian faience pectoral of the winged goddess Isis at Rupert Wace, a "Peaceable Kingdom" painting by Edward Hicks at Peter and Jeffrey Tillou, a Boston Queen Anne tray-top tea table and a Willard bridal clock at Leigh Keno, and a Jacobsen painting of the ship Connecticut at Hyland-Granby Antiques.

The 74-dealer Winter Antiques Show continues through Sunday, January 29, at the Seventh Regiment Armory, Park Avenue and 67th Street. Hours are noon to 8 pm; except Thursday and Sunday, when they are noon to 6 pm.