Adam Tamsky, Providence, R.I.
:The historic village of Four Corners in Tiverton, R.I., was abuzz with activity on Independence Day morning where 31 dealers set up for Jackie Sideli's 15th anniversary Tiverton Four Corners Antiques Show. The event was small and select, but the energy was high and buying was brisk. The folk and country objects were well suited to the location.
Approaching the show, we observed long lines of parked cars and a good number of obviously pleased shoppers already hauling away their purchases. Still more arrived and departed with purchases throughout the day.
Just inside the gate was show manager Jackie Sideli's booth, which afforded her an eagle's-eye view of the gate. She reported that from her vantage point, "I watched stuff being carried out all day, and that felt good." Early buying was also busy. Dealers were unanimous in reporting strong sales.
Sideli filled her booth with the paintings and folky objects for which she has such a good eye, along with ceramics, books and jewelry. Several hours later when we headed for the exit, her booth had been picked clean — only a few objects remained for sale. A noteworthy sale was a signed photograph of the Brooklyn Bridge by Alfred Eisenstadt that had been deaccessioned from the Seagram collection. She also sold a Nineteenth Century painting with an angel and a Provincetown abstract to very happy buyers.
Jack and Daphne Mruz of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., who trade as Daphne Antiques, have done Sideli shows since 1993. The Tiverton show was their tenth in that location and Jack Mruz reported that it was their best ever. Their booth was filled with an eclectic range of choice silver, antique tools, a pair of Chinese doors, canes and architectural elements. They also offered a cast iron child's bed in white paint that was filled with folky dolls. Sales were steady throughout the show, beginning with a pair of granite curling stones at opening and closing with a pair of sterling grape shears.
The serenity of white ironstone and white wicker furniture drew a lot of eyes to the booth of Holly Lane Antiques of Little Compton, R.I. The booth also featured a selection of blue and white, a set of Haviland china and silver accent pieces. In an email after the show, Marie Maguire of Holly Lane responded, "We had a good show; it was the best show we have had in a while."
Wickford (R.I.) Antiques showed a burl root stand from about 1900.
Camille Buda and Matt King of Sandwich, Mass., also attracted a good crowd to their booth. An hour into the show they had good results, numbering among their early sales a maple tea table that was probably a Massachusetts piece made circa 1740–60. Appealing smalls included a step stool, probably Shaker, that displayed a Staffordshire spaniel; a tole box; a French vase; and a wooden toy with birds. They also had for sale a selection of ceramic animal figures, including a Rouen example and a rare delft lizard; pewter plates; a gleaming Sandwich mercury glass goblet; a gurgling cod majolica pitcher; and an unusual pair of andirons in the form of a woman, perhaps representing a young Queen Victoria.
Providence, R.I., dealer Adam Tamsky specializes in art from 1900 to 1960, according to his website. He also carries a wide selection of Nineteenth and Twentieth Century frames, of which he sold about 30 during the show. He also sold a collection of early Twentieth Century turning tools and an 1840s sea chest in blue paint.
Richard DeMaio and Marian Gund, who trade as Wickford (R.I.) Antiques, had a terrific circa 1900 Adirondack stand made of root wood that attracted much interest. They also had duck and fish decoys, one of which was aluminum; a collection of Connecticut flies; and a key rack made from a smallish animal horn. The booth also featured a crunchy tool box, a cribbage board, a knife box and pewter sconces. A folky frog sold early.
Hope Antiques, also of Wickford, had a nice inlaid games table atop which an 1887 oil on canvas sunset landscape with a farmer and a cow rested. The picture was dated and bore an indistinct monogram. Dealer Terry Cormier also had an interesting Connecticut snake foot tea table in cherry or perhaps apple wood, the nature of which he and area auctioneer Will Henry debated. Cormier showed a folky painted box with drawers, possibly made in Maine, that later in the show, Henry regretted not having purchased. Cormier said sales were strong; he had already sold a set of chairs when we happened along.
Mad River Antiques of North Granby, Conn., offered a selection of stoneware. Two of the three on the bottom were made in Boston, the one on the left is from Charlestown.
Sarah Harkness of Little Compton, R.I., set up her books beneath a stand of trees that afforded quiet protection for browsing. She had books on local and greater New England subjects and a nice case of Indian jewelry.
Miller-Robinson Antiques of Ashfield, Mass., filled a booth with dandy folk objects that included a carefully crafted Norwegian storage box of bent and stitched wood from the 1870s to 1900. Decoys, stoneware, redware and ship models vied for space with a Hudson River School painting on tin of a moonlit river scene, a pine worktable with breadboard ends and an exceptional tiger maple dovetailed and scalloped wall box. A set of eight side chairs with rush seats, each of which was slightly different, but all of which retained the original paint, sold early in the show.
The porch of the Eighteenth Century meeting house was an arresting setting for the stoneware and textiles for sale from North Granby, Conn., dealer Mad River Antiques. The weather-beaten exterior walls were hung with quilts and hooked rugs, a 48-star flag that set off the stoneware jugs and redware, small furniture and decorative accessories for sale.
A fine rod back Windsor chair had a neat old repair that only added to its appeal. Dealer Lorraine German said she was pleased with the number of people who came to the show to shop. She and Steve German had sales throughout the day of stoneware, textiles, paintings and furniture.
Michael Miller of Miller Robinson Antiques, Ashfield, Mass., is pictured with a Norwegian storage box.
The Brewster Shop, Orleans, Mass., specializes in garden furniture and ornaments and brought an appetizing selection. Shoppers really liked the white Empire-style center table with a zinc lining for plants that was occupied by a concrete garden girl and three lead dolphin figures.
Charming window boxes were for sale along with an unusual nautical clock. A nest of three delicate wrought iron porch tables were painted white and had mirrored tops — great for reflecting greenery. Flowering plants were placed around the booth as decorative touches and were for sale.
Sport and Spool Antiques came from Goldsboro, N.C., with vintage sporting equipment of every persuasion.
Fairfield, Conn., dealer Patricia Barger had a double booth laid out in room setting, with four fine tall clocks and a well-edited selection of furniture.
The tall clocks included a circa 1800 walnut example with shell carving and pinwheels by Christian Winters of Easton, Penn.; a circa 1800 Newport example by David Williams; a circa 1790 Pennsylvania clock by Thomas Norton, who identified his place of business on the dial, "At the Sign of the Rising Sun"; and a circa 1800 mahogany and burl mahogany New Jersey tall clock. Furniture offerings included a Hepplewhite card table and a Chester County, Penn., walnut card table.
For more information, 508-801-6063 or
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