: - The Nantucket August Antiques Show, sponsored by the Nantucket
Historical Association opened with a benefit preview party on
Thursday, August 7, and continued throughout the weekend, ending
on Sunday, August 10. The show takes place at the Nantucket High
School and is produced by the Antiques Council, this year headed
up by exhibiting dealer Diana H. Bittel from Bryn Mawr, Penn.
Christine Vining was the Antiques Council co-chair. Vining has
her gallery in Marblehead, Mass. This very elegant show showcased
approximately 33 antiques dealers from 12 states and England. In
the middle of the blistering heat wave that was sweeping across
the entire Northeast, this show was doing very well indeed.
According to antiques dealer Andrew Maynard, The Cooley Gallery,
Old Lyme, Conn., "Sales have been good." Maynard was showing a
painting entitled "Twilight" by Dwight William Tryon, circa 1872,
which was priced at $85,000. Guy Bush, GKS Bush Inc, from New
York City and Nantucket, was exhibiting formal furniture and
appropriate accessories in his booth near the entrance to the
show.
The Finnegan Gallery had come to Nantucket to exhibit at the show
from Chicago and proprietors Marty Shapiro and Kaye Gregg had
assembled a stylish and elegant grouping of English and French
garden and architectural items, dating from the Nineteenth
Century.
The Finnegan Gallery, Chicago, Ill.
The Hallers of Silver Plus, New York City, Kathleen and Roger
Haller, were "very happy" with the show. Stephen O'Brien Jr Fine
Arts from Newbury Street, Boston, had sold "a lot of decoys and
paintings," including a watercolor by Aiden Lassell Ripley,
1896-1969. Diana Bittel, the Antiques Council liaison for the 2003
show, had a very fine selection of Nineteenth Century British
sailor's woolwork pictures, including one example that was priced
at $18,500. According to Bittel, "It's been good."
Veteran Antiques dealer Victor Weinblatt has been exhibiting in
the show for 25 years. Weinblatt, who has his business located in
South Hadley, Mass., said of the Nantucket Historical Society
Show "It's a very good show -- with a real loyal coterie of
customers who follow the show from year to year -- wait for it,
and support it." Weinblatt continued, "Our very best customers
from all our other shows are all here in August."
Randall Decoteau, Warren Mass., said there had been a "good gate,
and a good opening." Oriental Rugs LTD from Old Lyme Conn., Karen
Di Saia, and Ralph Di Saia. were showing at this antiques fair.
The pair was exhibiting, among other things a 7- by 12-foot
Sennebend Malayer, circa 1930, which was priced at $14,500.
Hyland Granby, from Hyannis Port, Mass., who was exhibiting a
collection of period American nautical antiques and accessories,
said, "The show is going very well; a lot of people are doing
well."
The always stylish and innovative Forager House Collection,
George Korn and Richard Kemble from Nantucket, Mass., was showing
a very compelling collection of colorful American pottery -- a
30-year collection made by Peters and Reed Pottery, Zanesville,
Ohio, from the late Nineteenth to early Twentieth Century.
Also exhibiting at the show was Nina Hellman from Nantucket, who
was showing American Nineteenth Century nautical antiques.
Leatherwood Antiques, from Sandwich, Mass., Mo Wajselfish from
Leatherwood, had a phenomenal painted folky kas from Bavaria,
which he had priced at $28,500.
Nineteenth Century British sailor's woolwork picture at Diana
Bittel, Bryn Mawr, Pa.
After the show Diana Bittel said the show had been " strong
for some people -- despite the brutally hot weather" which,
according to some dealers interviewed at the show, affected
attendance and sales. According to Bittel, it was "spotty in
general."
Bittel herself had a great show, selling a collection of
valentines and woolies mostly to one customer who flew in from
Newport. "It's fun to do a nautical booth," she said.
This event benefits the Nantucket Historical Association, which
is, according to Bittel "strong and fabulous." It has been at its
current location for about ten years. It certainly was a very
high quality, top of the line event, with the very best American
and Continental furniture offered, as well as fine paintings,
decoys, and great garden material, and definitely worth a trip.
For information call Diana H Bittel, at 610-525-1160.
