Smooth Selling

NEW YORK CITY

: Two Weeks of Antiques at Stella's Triple Pier

Two weeks of smooth sailing selling antiques at Stella's Triple Pier Shows recently concluded. About 600 dealers set up shop on New York City's passenger ship terminals, better known as The Piers, under the management and promotion of Stella Shows Mgmt. Co., on each of two consecutive weekends, November 8-9 and 15-16.

Just to be sure customers get their money's worth, each weekend features a different set of dealers in each pier. The fact of the matter is that there are some dealers who participate both weekends, but if they do, they agree to have different inventory and exhibit on a different pier. This is emphasized by the fact that each pier has a different look.

Pier 90 is, as founder Irene Stella describes it, "Americana and decorative arts." Early American furniture, vintage textiles, early painted antiques, porcelain and other household items found or used in colonial times are the focus. On Pier 92, Stella has dealers of classical and small antiques. European furniture, jewelry, later items for the dining table are for sale. Pier 94 this time featured Twentieth Century style, including furniture, radios from the 1940s, vintage clothing and more. In recent years, Pier 88 was filling this function but it is smaller than the others and there was a cruise ship docking each of the weekends, so Stella took the larger Pier 94.

So what was there? Each weekend was similar but different. The dealers known as Olde Good Things of New York City and Scranton, Penn., had an extremely attractive oval dining table, the base of which was four bronze dolphin fish and the top mahogany veneer. While no price tag was found, the table was not there on Sunday, presumably sold from the Pier 90 booth.

Lost City Arts, New York City, in Pier 94 had a dining room and sitting room right out of 1950 modern, with each piece priced individually. Toby Chittum, Charley Horse Antiques of Ruther Glen, Va., had a sitting room right out of 1750. At the end of the first weekend each of these dealers claimed a decent show.

Jeff Bridgman, Dillsburg, Penn., has been into painted furniture and wall hangings prior to 1850 and, in fact, mostly prior to 1800. He also trades in early American flags. One piece found in his booth was an early corner cupboard in early red milk paint.

The Linen Merchant had come in from Walnut Creek, Calif., with a crewel table cover and bed coverlets. John Sholl, Norwood, N.Y., specializes in tramp art, those wooden objects such as picture frames, birdcages, small stands and tables made from chip-carved pieces of wood. Marc Witus, Gladstone, N.J., always has a large collection of small antiques but he had some furniture in the first week. One piece was a Canterbury, a kind of book library with shelves on several levels that rotate.

Harry Hepburn turns up at shows throughout the East, such as Nashville, Tenn., some weeks ago and at The Piers during that show's first weekend. That means a lot of traveling for a fellow from Maine with tall-case clocks and furniture.

Some booths are just filled with early stuff without regard for a single theme, just antiques of value and use. Rediscovered Treasures, New York City, had Flow Blue porcelain dishes, vintage textiles, early Twentieth Century electric lamps and more. Mary Saidel, Leeds, Mass., had iron stone dishes, early tin sconces, Victorian frames, even a wooden carved bear. And they sold well.

Steve and Barbara Jenkins are the producers of shows in Nashville, Farmington, Conn., Springfield, Ohio, and more but they still find time for shows. In the first week they had a French carved hutch, circa 1840, in excellent condition along with a set of painted Dutch chairs, Steve said.

Web and Jill Wilson, Portsmouth, R.I., specialize in early plumbing fixtures and call their business Loo Loo Design.

Jim Hirsheimer specializes in early sculptures that had function such as birdbaths and weathervanes. David Nelz took early retirement, formed Platypus Antiques and now does shows with an inventory of early American country period antiques. Myron Glaser is a retired New York City school principal who shops in England for small antiques, which he offered at The Piers.

Josh Lowenfels and Scott Pilar were found offering drugs - a sign, that is - during setup. Bakelite bracelets and wrist watches are a favorite item at Mood Indigo's booth and its New York City shop.

Josh and Mary Steenburgh, Pike, N.H., were there with a varied collection of American folk art, including store window decorations and game boards. Josh has been working with his dad, Archie, an auctioneer in northern New Hampshire, since graduating from Bates in 1994.

Modern is the style offered by Karin Podmore, Centerport, N.Y. In checking her booth during setup, then again on Sunday, her sales seemed good.

In postshow interviews, Irene Stella and president Leanne Stella said their visitor count was the best since the tragic 9/11 terrorist attack, and dealers seemed to leave happy. Dealers sold "lots of small expensive personal and pretty antiques. They [the customers] were not buying to redecorate houses but dealers sold accessories well," said Irene Stella.

Triple Piers will repeat March 20-21 for one weekend only, and there is Antiques at the Piers on January 17-18. Currently all dealer spaces are booked, but Stella does have a wait list procedure. For information, 212-255-0020 or www.stellashows.com.