Bridgehampton Antiques Show Kicks Off Summer Season

BRIDGEHAMPTON, N.Y.

:The first weekend of June is the opening of summer season for weekenders in this resort town a hundred miles from New York City and it is also the beginning of antiques show season in the Hamptons. Two shows across the street from one another on the same weekend start it with great gusto. This show was the Bridgehampton Historical Society Antique Show, June 2-3, on the society's grounds, which for the first time in its 12-year history extended to two days, Friday and Saturday.

Show manager Morgan Mac Whinnie, a fellow antiques dealer with a shop in nearby Southampton, said, "We had over 70 dealers for the best support to date." He arranged for two large tents to accommodate exhibiting dealers and also keep the visitors dry in the event of rain. As the weather was not the best, this turned out to be good planning for it helped in attracting the dealers and customers.

Karin and Bill Podmore, Centerport, N.Y., were taking a large tented area just inside the main entrance of the grounds for their eclectic mixture of furniture and decorative objects.

Their collection could pass for outsider art in functional forms such as a table with a round concrete top resting on a printer's adjustable table base. It sold during the show and so too did a more traditional garden table and chairs set. Jean Sinenberg, the show promoter and antiques dealer who was producing the show across the street, was shopping early and bought a pair of riding boots with stretcher forms from the Podmores.

The show attracts dealers from much further afield than Long Island. Tom Joseph came down from Limington, Maine, for the show with a collection of early furniture, some Art Deco and Modern accessories and some Continental style upholstered furniture from the mid-Twentieth Century.

Maggie Milgrim is a New York City dealer with country and folk art pieces as her focus. She offered a painted box, about the size of a breadbox with very interesting decoration, faux grain paint with an eagle on the front. She also carried a variety of early porcelain, soft paste and pottery dishes, most with strong color and decoration.

Robert Kissam of Northport, better known as Toby, is the show manager of two shows in Huntington. A dealer specializing in early maps of Long Island, his display included some of his maps and a selection of early hardwood furniture, suitable for a gentleman's office or the reading room.

There was no pattern to the antiques offered, just whatever the dealers had collected, in many cases over the winter on house calls with this show as their first opportunity to sell.

Nancy McCarthy of Bridgehampton had an elegant birdcage, not for a big bird but more ornate than oversized. A pair of knife boxes in mahogany veneer from the Eighteenth Century and a pair of Regency upholstered chairs were part of Thomas Cornell's collection. This Patchogue, N.Y., exhibitor also had a Victorian fainting couch in leopard skin patterned covering.

Morgan Mac Whinnie was exhibiting in the backyard of the historical society's grounds with some friends and his wife. His most important piece was an American highboy, from about 1760 in maple, some tiger and some curly. Although the brass drawer pulls were not original, all the wood was, and the finish was also good; the price at $9,500 seemed reasonable.

An American Chippendale chest of drawers was in good condition but poor finish in the tent for Platypus Antiques of Dix Hills, N.Y. The surface appeared to have oil on the butternut wood with varnish over it but the varnish had been removed, giving the piece a dull look, a diamond in the rough, easily restorable and the price would allow the work by a professional and still have good value. Owner David Nelz said he "had a pretty good show, sold some yellowware, a framed blue print and some other small items."

"The weather was threatening Friday but not bad and Saturday morning was OK but in the afternoon the heavens opened up, raining. Even so, the people who came were there to get something," he added.

Boxes of all shapes and sizes were offered by Robert Gifford, Huntington, N.Y. The Frame Lady from Mount Sinai, N.Y., was selling early photo frames and many other small antiques. On one table she offered a chip carved bookshelf, some pottery, a small variety of porcelain dishes, some sandwich glass dishes and the tools found on the top of a lady's dressing table.

From East Moriches, East Bay Auctions owner Henry Broggi came with a truckload of early furniture and small antique accessories. While there, he sold a pair of putties, chipped stone and concrete statues, not very large, about 2 feet tall, which would have been garden ornaments. Additional sales included some planters, benches and pewter platters.

Fearing weather problems, Nick DiBenedetto was using his trailer to display most of his furniture. Hailing from East Quogue he was doing well early Friday with sales including an early Windsor sack back armchair and several case pieces.

There was a collection of early four-leg stands, most of Sheraton style and American made; a drop leaf table; some Windsor side chairs and a washstand. His neighbor to the east in Patchogue was Ed Stephani, who had a large collection with a standout piece, an Indian cut out of sheet iron and paint decorated, probably to advertise cigars.

Next year's dates will likely be June 1-2, but call the promoter to confirm at 631-283-3366. On the site the historical society has an upcoming antiques and design shows produced by Stella Show Mgmt, August 19-20. For information, www.stellashows.com or 212-255-0020.