East Dennis Antiques, East
Dennis, Mass.
Yields a
Sales Event
By W.A. Demers
WILTON, CONN. - Halfway around the world from the Kuwait-Iraq
border on Saturday, March 15, another "coalition of the willing"
was waiting restively for permission to attack. A long line of
antiques enthusiasts formed up outside the Wilton High School
Field House, eager to liberate fresh inventory from the legion of
more than 100 dealers participating in the Wilton Historical
Society Antiques Show, March 15-16. Bolstering the crowd's
numbers was the decision by Marilyn Gould, the show's manager, to
forgo early buying for the spring event, letting the action begin
for everyone at 10 am.
That decision may have seemed to come as a blessing to shoppers
coming from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut's
neighboring New England states, but Gould said reactions were
decidedly negative. "Just before we began letting people in, I
went down the line to talk with them and there were some really
unhappy people," she said.
Many of the show's dealers did not seem to miss the ritual of
admitting early hunter-gatherers.
"People I spoke with really liked the absence of early buying,"
said Priscilla Hutchinson of Wiscasset, Maine. "Everyone has an
equal shot at finding a special treasure without the sense the
show has been 'picked.' The early buying concept does a
disservice to loyal customers - retail couples, for example, who
choose not to pay the premium admission times two. As a dealer I
like the rush of everyone coming in at once. It adds excitement
to the show." Hutchinson said she sold smalls and flats,
including needlework and paintings. "The show is well promoted
and has a strong dealer and retail following," she said. "I
missed some familiar faces, but that was probably due to school
vacation week and the Triple Pier show running at the same time."
Gould acknowledged that school vacations, balmy March weekend
weather and the overlapping Triple Pier event had an effect of
lowering her show's attendance by about 15 percent over the
previous year. "It affected us, and I'm sure it affected them
[Stella Show Mgmt., Triple Pier show promoter]," she said. "We
missed a lot of our regular New York buyers."
Art and Kathy Green, Newton Centre, Mass., who deal in early
glass and ceramics, were among the few dealers who said they
missed having the usual early buying feature, although the Greens
reported having their best Wilton ever.
"My best sales were to dealers on the floor," said Art Green.
"That accounted for more than half of my sales." Green sold some
Chinese export as well as both of the major pieces he had brought
- a large baluster vase to a dealer, and washbowl and water
bottle to retail.
"Wilton remains a serious buying show," concluded Green. "This is
not a social event, but a sales event. Anyone serious within the
area - and many from far away - do and should make it a point to
get there."
For Merle Koblenz, South Kent, Conn., a dealer in estate and
antique jewelry, the absence of early buying was a favorable
factor. "There were more sales early on than usual, the dealers
were in a much better frame of mind. We are expensive dealers
with great things and to have an early buying rush is flea market
mentality," she said.
Koblenz said one of her most interesting sales occurred to "a
gentleman enamored with what we had to offer from the retro
period. He needed a special gift for his wife for a special
anniversary. After having him describe her wardrobe, we guided
him toward a substantial unique two-tone gold choker. He was
delighted," said Koblenz.
For Americana dealers George and Debbie Spiecker from North
Hampton, N.H., the absence of early buying "is probably good, but
this was not a normal show," said George Spiecker, citing prewar
jitters as a possible factor in preventing shoppers from spending
money.
"It is exciting for a dealer to have a lot of fresh inventory,
but it is disappointing when customers respond but quote the
world situation when they don't buy," said Spiecker. The
Spieckers sold two weathervanes and three chests of drawers as
well as a few decorative items. Their slow show at Wilton is not,
however, preventing the couple from acquiring new inventory.
"People are waiting to get on with life," said Spiecker, adding,
"when they do, there will be a strong pent up demand. We are out
everyday buying."
"I was happy with the elimination of early buying, as it makes it
much easier on the exhibitors," said Nina Hellman of Nantucket,
Mass., whose focus is marine antiques and Americana. "It does
take away from a sense of urgency that early buyers often feel."
Nina Hellman, Nantucket, Mass.
Hellman said she did not see "the usual crowd from further away
than New York or Connecticut," and sensed some resistance to
spending money. "I had a few good sales," she said, "but given
the economic climate and the state of the world, I was not at all
surprised that I did not have as good a show as I usually do at
Wilton."
Conversely, Barbara and Charles Adams, Dennisport, Mass.,
reported having a "very good Wilton show." Barbara Adams said the
lack of early buyers had little effect as the Adamses began
selling as soon as the doors opened.
"We sold very well both days," said Adams. "Our lucky spot seemed
to be the walls. We sold 11 paintings and redecorated that wall
over and over. We always bring lots of extra things for the walls
so as soon as something sells we replace it." Among their sales
was a signed Boyer Nantucket basket and an unusual eel basket.
"Our large iron hay rake on the wall sold immediately and caused
lots of interest," said Adams. Other sales included a child's
chair, silhouettes, doorstops, pieces of iron, yellowware and
Bennington pottery. "Customers were upbeat despite the then
pending war," said Adams. "Several good days in the stock market
may have helped too."
Mo Wajelfish of Leatherwood Antiques, Sandwich, Mass., was busy
on both Saturday and Sunday selling his woolies, Vienna bronzes,
wall pieces, children's pottery, Black Forest carvings and
furniture.
"Some buyers were missing and some people hesitated with
purchases because of the political conditions but we still had a
good show." A couple of treasures in his booth included a wrought
iron French wine-shop sign shaped like a shield from the late
Eighteenth Century and framed four cut/edged colored Sturbridge
glass panels with "Dorothy Dimple," "Punch & Judy," "The
Soldier/Drummer Boy" and "Fido, the Dog." Among the items that
left Wajelfish's well-stocked dealer space was an unusual
red-painted Tramp Art mirror, an automaton singing bird in a
cage.
"In addition, we've made several after-show sales from attendees
who viewed our website after the show," said Wajelfish.
Darwin dealers Carolinn Pocher and William Woody of Philadelphia
lived up to their credo of displaying "compelling & resonant
objects": Showcased in their booth was a Nineteenth Century
narwhal tusk mounted on a turned mahogany base. Having attended
the Wilton show for the past five or six years, Pocher was
pleased by the strong traffic on Saturday's opening but added
that Sunday's spectacular weather may have kept some people "out
getting their gardens back into shape." The pair was grateful for
the absence of early buying.
"I think the gate was stronger for it," said Pocher. "Several
people mentioned to me that they enjoyed the opportunity to
'sleep in' on Saturday. And the dealers who were the usual early
buyers came and bought." Interesting sales at Darwin included a
Nineteenth Century turned and inlaid ship's wheel measuring five
feet across and a mid-Nineteenth Century shoe foot ship's table
with original brass and wrought iron fittings, probably from a
South Jersey oyster boat, according to Pocher.
At the Wilton show for the first time, the Herrs - Donald and
Trish from Lancaster, Penn., - specialize in Southeastern
Pennsylvania decorative arts with an emphasis on Pennsylvania
German folk art, textiles and pewter. The Herrs were very
impressed by the knowledgeable crowd.
"They knew what they were looking at. They responded to quality,"
said Trish Herr. "The things of quality sold well. But people
were not impulse buying. They carefully considered and needed to
make decisions on how they would spend their money."
Coverlets that sold included examples such as a stunning dark
blue jacquard patterned coverlet by the Brosey weaving family of
Manheim, Lancaster County, Penn., and an early three-color
double-woven Pennsylvania coverlet. Pewter, which also is a
specialty for the Herrs, drew much interest, especially an
Eighteenth Century British pewter creamer that sold early in the
show.
"We had the opportunity to sell to new customers and meet new
people with a great deal of knowledge about their collecting
interests," said Trish Herr. "Dealers and show management made us
feel at home and were so helpful during our first time there."
Mario Pollo, an Americana dealer from Bearsville, N.Y., thought
the effect of no early buying was good. "There was overall more
energy on the floor when the show opened," he said. "People were
buying cautiously," he added, pointing out that art and
decorative items were definitely favored over furniture.
"We sold a wonderful painting of a dog," said Pollo. "Actually we
sold almost everything we had on the walls."
Tranquil Time, Orange, Conn.
Proceeds from the show are used to further The Wilton Historical
Society's mission of restoring historical buildings, and
acquiring and presenting collections of historical items to the
public. Thus, it was fitting that this year's special show
exhibit was a fetching display of garments from the Wilton
Historical Society collection that showed how fashions changed
from the turn-of-the-century to the 1930s.
"If people read my essay in the special show section, they'll
also think about the extraordinary changes in women's lives
during that period," said Gould.
There were changes to the food service too. Gould brought in
local contractor Picchione Farms to cater food and beverages. The
service had previously been provided by the school cafeteria, and
Gould said everybody preferred the new caterer.
As for early buying, Gould has decided to bring it back for the
June and September shows. She said she has not yet concluded
whether or not it will be a feature of next year's spring show.
The next Wilton show is the two-day Wilton Outdoor Antiques
Marketplace on June 21-22 featuring about 180 dealers in "The
Meadows," just north of the Wilton High School on Route 7. For
information, 203-762-3525.
