Gate Up, Spirits High At The American Antiques Show

New York City

:Sometimes it is safe to say that "Change is not what it's cracked up to be." But you cannot say that this year when you are talking about The American Antiques Show. A new floor plan gave it a real shot in the arm this time around and won strong approval from both the participating exhibitors and the general public. The show, run annually during Americana Week in New York City, benefits the American Folk Art Museum.

Ned Jalbert, an interior designer with offices in Westborough and Nantucket, Mass., and a four-year exhibitor at TAAS, volunteered to reshape the show and initially submitted three floor plans to the show committee for inspection. "We picked one and then went to work fine-tuning it and adapting it to some of the particular needs of the dealers," Karen DiSaia, show manager, said.

"Most shows, with the dealers all lined up in rows, makes me feel as if I am strolling through the San Diego Zoo, and I don't like that," Ned said. In his new design, sight lines were important, aisles were wider, color zones were created, an awning spanned the entrance, and food and drink were moved off the exhibition floor, thus eliminating a variety of smells. Every dealer was also offered the opportunity to feature an object on a poster that was hung in the expanded entrance to the show, giving visitors a preview of what was being offered inside.

With this open floor plan, visitors could view any number of booths at one time, making it more engaging and encouraging people to meander freely from one dealer to the next. "It was also a challenge to the dealer and the openness forced dealers to step up a bit with display, which they did," Ned said. He added that "it was a pleasure to do it and there was great support from the museum and the show management."

"For months now I have been telling the exhibitors that the show is going to be fine, and it turned out really, really well," Karen said. She added that attendance was up for both the preview on Wednesday evening, January 20, and for the following four days. "We had a very good weekend, both for sales and for visitors," she said.

"This new layout is great and it really makes you want to go into a booth and look at things," Sam Herrup of Sheffield, Mass., said. His booth, a well-designed display of furniture, folk art and pottery, featured three weathervanes made by Peter Degman, or his father, of Newark, N.J. Together with a ship weathervane, that also served as a trade sign for the firm, were a large eagle and a tall sailing ship, both in a bright surface of yellow paint sizing that was applied to the copper before gilding.

Three portraits — father, mother and daughter — attributed to William Matthew Prior, circa 1845, measuring 34 by 29 inches including frames, hung on one wall, and an interesting figural tape loom of New England origin, circa 1800, 17½ inches high, was displayed on a tea table. Sales included a portrait by Field, a blue painted candlestand, several pieces of redware and other smalls, and a quartetto table attributed to Thomas Seymour, circa 1816, with a stenciled basket of fruit design on the top.

Susan Baerwald and Marcy Carsey of Just Folk, Summerland, Calif., covered one wall with early musical instruments, while at the other end of the booth a collection of anniversary tin was shown. This grouping, ex-Mendelsohn Collection, dated circa 1880–1900 and included hats, eyeglasses, watches on chains, a necklace and a trombone. Of interest were two mechanical boxing figures, circa 1930–1940, unknown maker, also from the Mendelsohn Collection. They had rubber heads and hands and were in the original fabric clothing, one dressed in Spanish attire, the other as a farmer.

An American Federal breakfront of Philadelphia origin, circa 1815–1820, with the original glass, was at the back of the booth of Artemis Gallery, North Salem, N.Y. This piece measured 7 feet 8½ inches high, 69 inches wide and 17 inches deep. A Federal marble top server, probably of Massachusetts origin, measured 35 inches high, 48 inches wide and 23 inches deep.

Classical furniture, lighting and accessories set the tone for the display of Charles and Rebekah Clark of Woodbury, Conn. A set of four New York chairs, circa 1830, was of mahogany and poplar and from the shop of Duncan Phyfe, while a center table, 28½ inches in diameter, mahogany, chestnut and pine, was of Boston origin.

Greg K. Kramer of Robesonia, Penn., had his usual vast number of objects ranging in size from a small piece of iron to what appeared to be a larger-than-life-size alligator carved from brown sandstone. This impressive sculpture was created by Ernest "Popeye" Reed, Columbus, Ohio, circa 1960. Also taking up its share of the booth was a full-bodied copper figure of Mercury, found near Philadelphia, and ex-Merritt's Museum Collection of Douglassville, Penn. It dated mid- to late Nineteenth Century and measured 54 inches tall.

"It is the largest and most populated Noah's Ark we have ever seen and owned, and it took hours to set it all up," Susan Hart of Otto & Susan Hart, Arlington, Vt., said of the display that filled the best part of one of the lighted cases in the booth. Carefully arranged, and leading up to the large ark, were 123 pairs of animals, along with Noah and his wife. It was sold, along with a number of other things that included a teaching board, doorstops, banks, windup toys and an early bird pin cushion.

At the front of their booth stood an impressive blacksmith trade sign, a 54-inch-high figure of a man with tall conical hat, articulated arms, painted wood and metal and made by F.R. Beckman. Dating from the late Nineteenth Century, this figure once stood on the roof of a blacksmith shop in Chatsworth, Ill. Another trade sign was in the form of a boneshaker of iron, mostly rusted surface with some showing of the original white paint, dating from the second half of the Nineteenth Century and from Cape Cod.

"It is one of the largest known examples of puzzlework-style frames known," Clifford A. Wallach of Greenwich, Conn., said of the piece hanging on the outside wall of his booth. This piece, with puzzlework put together with no glue, and carving that included shields and snakes, was from Richland Center, Wis., circa 1880s. And everyone interested in tramp art should watch for a documentary movie about Aldolf Vandertie of Green Bay, Wis., a tramp art carver of many things, including the longest chain in the world. The film is called Westbound and features Clifford as the tramp art expert.

The makings of a complete living room, including a fireplace hood, andirons and fire tools, facing a large sofa, was displayed in a portion of the booth of Dalton's American Decorative Arts, Syracuse, N.Y. The hood, of hand formed copper, was by Gustav Stickley, Craftsman Workshops, circa 1903, and removed from the Yates Hotel in 1971. The andirons and fire tools, 1904, hand wrought iron, were signed Stickley pieces.

"The show has been great so far, and I love my new location," Amy Finkel of M. Finkel & Daughter, Philadelphia, said from her end booth that fronted an aisle. She also had additional space across from her booth, where she offered a pair of painted settees from a Masonic lodge in Evans Mills. The pair dated circa 1830–1840 and were in the original yellow paint with red striping. One of the many samplers decorating the walls was by Mary F. Wisler, 1826, Columbia, Lancaster County, Penn., in the original frame and with a family history. A large house was centered in the sampler, flanked by two large figures, and many pots of flowers. Before the weekend even began, sales had been strong. "I sold ten of my samplers, including examples from Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Brooklyn, N.Y.," Amy said.

The tallest weathervane in the show, and one of the first to sell, was a life-size, 6-foot, 1-inch tall, Native American offered by John Keith Russell of South Salem, N.Y. The vane was of sheet and wrought iron and retained some traces of the original paint. The figure, with three decorative feathers on his head, held a fully drawn bow with pointed arrow. An expert on Shaker, John offered a classical Shaker one-drawer blanket chest in an old or original yellow stained finish, circa 1840, New Lebanon, N.Y., and a Shaker pantry cupboard in pine with original brown painted surface, Sabbathday Lake, Maine, circa 1860. This piece measured 791/8 inches high, 37 inches wide and 17½ inches deep.

John will be giving a talk on March 11, 6 pm, on Shaker at the New Britain (Connecticut) Museum of American Art.

"The show went well for both of us, starting off slowly, but we saw good sales late Friday afternoon and Saturday," Peter Eaton of Newbury, Mass., said, speaking for himself and Joan Brownstein. A fine selection of paintings and furniture filled their booth, including a Queen Anne high chest of maple with burl walnut and maple veneered drawer fronts, North Shore, circa 1735. Four watercolor portraits of the Waterhouse family of Pembroke, N.H., two adults and two children, were attributed to Mr Wilson.

"I originally bought this Queen Anne tea table with scrubbed oval top from the Roger Bacon sale in 1982. I have acquired it back twice, and it is now sold again," Peter said. The table, with double splayed lags ending in "hocked" pad feet, probably northeastern Massachusetts or New Hampshire, is of birch and dates from the third quarter of the Eighteenth Century.

Other sales included a red gate leg table, Abeil White four-drawer chest, Portsmouth octagonal-top candlestand, a great Chippendale candlestand, miniature sofa, Westerwald jug, pair of brass candlesticks, an Eighteenth Century embroidered book cover, pair of Nailsea decanters and a rare English carved bible box. "We post a preview of what we will be taking to the show on our website a few days prior to packing for New York," Peter said. He noted that response was very good and eight of the items sold. "It is interesting also that of the eight buyers, six of them came to the show in New York to shop," he said.

It was like a snow storm of red dots as the preview to the show opened in the booth of Allan Katz Americana, Woodbridge, Conn. As Penny Katz stood her ground in the aisle, Allan ushered his clients about the booth with a constant flow of descriptions, often adding a red dot to the label closest at hand. Among his fine display of folk art objects, and sold before the preview ended, was a unique cow weathervane, New York State, wood with metal bracing and iron horns, 23 inches high and 31 inches long, dating from the late Nineteenth to early Twentieth Century; a carved peacock, American, Saco Biddeford, Maine, polychrome decoration on pine, circa 1920, 40 inches long; a New York State rooster weathervane, heavy sheet and cast iron, original weathered surface, circa 1850, measuring 30 inches high, 36 inches long; cast iron fireback panels, American, designed and copyrighted by E.T. Harris, Chicago; a tobacco trade figure, American, unknown carver, circa 1845, 50 inches tall with an "in use" painted surface, and more.

Not picking up a new home was a very heavy cast iron and painted meat market trade sign in the form of a bull's head, American, circa 1890, measuring 25 inches high and 27 inches wide. Between selling, Allan had time to speak highly of the new show design and noted, "There is real life on the floor, lots of interest, and I think it's spectacular."

Stepping out of the folk art world, Spencer Marks of Southampton, Mass., offered several case of silver in all shapes and forms. One of the stars of the booth was a very large sterling silver waiter or tray, a special order piece from Gorham, March 1893, for the World's Columbia Exposition. It was probably designed by William C. Codman, taking 125 hours of making and then another 620 hours of chasing. The design includes a representation of Columbia in each corner and dolphin handles. "We had a nice sale to the Detroit Institute of Art, an American silver Aesthetic Movement six-piece tea and coffee service by Dominick & Haff, New York, circa 1881," Spencer Gordon said.

"The museum did a great job getting people out to the show; it was crowded every day, and they were even coming in a 4 pm on Sunday when the show was closing in an hour," George Allen of Raccoon Creek at Oley Forge, Oley, Penn., said. The booth, right at the front of the show, was filled with countless Pennsylvania objects, including an appliquéd summer spread, circa 1840–50, whimsical basket design with pots of flowers, stars and crescent moons, and a Berks County bucket bench, circa 1840–1850, with the original brown over red painted surface. A whale end shelf held a collection of carved and painted song birds, mounted on stands or small tree limbs. "We bought all 16 of them at once, and they even came with the shelf," George said. Gordon Wyckoff added, "It turned out to be a very strong weekend for us, selling a bucket bench, lots of redware, butter prints, Nantucket baskets, several pieces of furniture and numerous textiles."

Hill Gallery, Birmingham, Mich., was just inside the entrance to the show and offered a selection of folk art and paintings from a very open space. "It is fine here with lots of room for people to view things from close and far, as well as from different angles," Tim Hill said. An Indian princess cigar store figure was shown on a turntable so that this wonderful carving could be examined from any side. The figure dated circa 1875, was attributed to Charles Robb, New York City, measured 70 inches tall, and retained the original painted and gold leaf surface.

A sold tag went up quickly on a large confidence decoy, a great blue heron, circa 1900, that was originally mounted on the prow of a St Clair flat sneak-boat. Of carved pine and with the original white painted surface, it measured 19 inches high, 66 inches long and 11 inches deep. The star of the Hill Gallery booth was a relief carved pilot house figure of Liberty, pine with the original paint and gold leaf, circa 1860, measuring 65 inches high, 24 inches wide and 3 inches deep. It was originally from the Great Lakes region and had spent time in the well-known Barenholtz Collection.

Step into the show, look to the left, and you will be drawn to a burst of color coming from the booth of Colette Donovan of Merrimacport, Mass. "Some people came into my booth saying that so much color was an exception for me," Colette said after the show. She was referring to a sunburst pieced and quilted cotton quilt, 96 inches in diameter, with an original scalloped shape and bound in hand-loomed tape. It is a masterpiece from the estate of Benjamin Perely Poore, West Newbury, Mass., and dates circa 1830. "I sold every day, and it was a very beautiful and uplifting show for me," Colette said. On the first day she sold a sofa and a wing chair, and on Saturday a blue painted cupboard. Sprinkled along the way were pieces of lighting, baskets and a rooster weathervane, to name a few of the sales.

"I am thrilled with the show; it was a great preview, and I have been selling well," Gary Sullivan of Sharon, Mass., said on Friday, adding, "We hold things and tell people to come to the preview, which is good for us and for the show." He offered a selection of clocks, a total of 16, including two by John Wilder of Hingham, Mass. One was a tall case clock in a mahogany case, attributed to Abiel White, Weymouth, Mass., 93½ inches tall and with the original bill of sale. Beside it was a Hepplewhite dwarf clock measuring 50¾ inches tall. Halfway through the show, he had sold five clocks, including his most expensive one, a Hepplewhite shelf clock by David Wood, Newburyport, Mass., circa 1815, measuring 35 inches high, as well as four other clocks, a Philadelphia armchair, a Chippendale high chest and a triple bowfront chest.

A long, shallow booth was well appointed with a selection of treen and other small objects by Steven S. Powers of Brooklyn, N.Y. Displayed on a pedestal was an ash burl portrait bust of a young man, circa 1840, measuring 14¼ inches high, while a pair of goblin andirons, initialed and dated W.A.H., 1938, black painted iron, found in Hawkins County, Tenn., was drawing attention.

In addition to their collection of early American glass, Jeff and Holly Noordsy of Cornwall, Vt., displayed an Eighteenth Century New England or New York State Windsor armchair in the original red paint, and a deeply carved and painted cod fish trade sign, circa 1910.

"The show is so well laid out, we love it this year," Trish Herr of Lancaster, Penn., said, standing in front of her booth that was filled with colorful quilts, rugs and coverlets. Taking wall space was a four block appliquéd quilt in the Christmas cactus pattern, Ellicott City, Md., circa 1885, shown next to a 15-by-57-inch hooked rug, Small Town USA pattern, wool on burlap, dating from the mid-Twentieth Century.

It was not possible to walk past the booth of Judith and James Milne, New York City, without noticing a graphic knitted circular rug, circa 1920, bright colors in a target pattern, hanging on the side wall of the booth. Toward the front of the display stood a Nineteenth Century tobacconist figure of a camel, dressed in original paint, circa 1888, of New York City origin. A large wooden owl decoy in the original paint, early Nineteenth Century, had just come out of a private Connecticut collection, and one of the trade signs offered was in the form of a trumpet, originally from a music store in Kansas City, Mo.

Gemini Antiques Ltd, Oldwick, N.J., not only had a good-sized booth, but had filled a set of shelves on a facing wall with a large collection of still banks, mostly buildings. Steven Weiss spoke highly of the new design, the attendance and the interest people were showing this year as compared to a year ago. "We have had a great show, with several good clients coming back for the weekend," Steven said on Friday. Up to that time Gemini had sold five mechanical banks, several still banks, a trade sign, doorstops and four of the ten artist's mannequins offered.

One of the strongest eye-catchers in the show was a finely restored Duesenberg pedal car by Toledo Super Quality Line displayed on a table in the booth of HL Chalfant, West Chester, Penn. "This car really brings people into the booth," Skip Chalfant said, noting that people have been checking it out since the show opened. This car, circa 1930, 64 inches long and weighing 81 pounds, cost just under $300 when it was new. "I paid more to have it restored than for the car itself," Skip said.

So without question, it was a very positive year for TAAS. As with all shows, not every dealer goes home with lots of cash in the pocket. But 2010 will be remembered as a step up from the previous year, a time when the energy on the floor could really be felt, and a new, exciting floor layout was introduced. Barry Briskin, one of the co-chairs and a strong supporter of the museum, probably spoke for a host of others when he said, "I sure wish I could take all the credit for the show this year."