Hardy Antiquers Defy Blizzard for New Jersey Show

LEBANON, N.J.

: The winds howled, snow blew, cars and trucks slipped and slid, but the show still went on - antiques, that is, for antiques collectors, dealers and some show promoters are a hardy bunch.

In the middle of the December 5-6 East Coast blizzard, Katona and Lutz's Christmas Antiques Show at Round Valley Middle School came off nearly as planned. According to co-promoter Bob Lutz, about 45 of the more than 50 dealers who were scheduled to participate in the show made it to the school, set up and were ready for the weekend's show times.

This was a weekend of snow, about one to two feet from Washington, D.C., north to Boston and Maine. On Friday evening, dealers who would normally have set up and driven home had all they could do to drive one-half mile to a Courtyard Marriott Hotel.

But on Saturday the show was ready, and although Lutz contended that the visitor numbers were far short of expectations, "those people who came were really serious buyers." Reports by him and postshow dealer interviews made it clear there were too many good deals to pass up, sales were pretty good and, in fact, a good deal of antique furniture sold at this show.

Glen Rice, a native Californian who with his wife Jeanne recently moved to Connecticut, had a collection of early lighting, stoneware and primitive printed furniture there. Rice's sales included some stoneware and a bucket bench. Jim Woodruff, Chester, N.J., also had primitive or early country furniture. A favorite piece in his offerings was an early hutch table with a small top; this is the kind of table having a top that tilts up revealing a seat with storage. Often used in front of the fireplace, the top would deflect the heat back to the person sitting on the bench.

The Apgar Brothers, Manheim, Penn., often a mix of antiques with some collectibles. At this show they brought an extensive collection of Christmas decorations and novelties.

Kitchen Cupboard Antiques, Andover, N.J., had furniture and accessories for the kitchen of about 1825, including a 12-light chandelier in tin that appeared to be in good original condition, priced at $4,200.

This show had a good deal of excellent furniture. Brenda Farmer brought several pieces from home in Langhorne, Penn., including a Sheraton side table in mahogany and three pedestal candlestands.

Jean Torrie had a mix of furniture and accessories. This Martinsville, N.J., dealer sold a tavern table, a child's rocker and an early quilt, as well as some small accessory items, according to Lutz.

There was a good collection of Native American artifacts offered by Langhorne, Penn., dealer Linda Grier. Her show neighbor Lynne Oppenheimer took a large double booth and filled it with early furniture and accessories. One item that she sold early was a small painted box, the kind that would have sat on top of a table or chest filled with special keepsakes.

Bob Campbell brought his traveling road show, Antiques at Olcutt Square (N.J.), which featured pewter tankards and pitchers, early copper kitchen utensils and furniture.

Mad River Antiques, North Granby, Conn., is the business of Steve and Lorraine German. Lorraine is a serious collector of early textiles, i.e., quilts, coverlets, hooked and braided rugs and wall hangings, and they also are into stoneware. At this show their sales included a valuable stoneware milk bowl priced at more than $600, a coverlet and a sandpaper drawing. Irma and Emily Lambert, Wenham Cross Antiques of Topsfield, Mass., made it down through the snow with an excellent collection of New England country furniture, textiles and accessories.

Ken Silveri is among the hardest working dealers in the East, setting up shop about 40 or more times each year. When possible, his wife Jan and son Guy join him, but not this weekend. He offered a large collection of English porcelain (dishes), mostly transfer ware and furniture. As the Silveris live in Hamburg, Penn., much of their furniture is early painted examples; this show included a set of lime green decorated chairs and a painted blanket box. He also sold a big bench.

From Burke, Va., came Bob Hartman with more painted furniture. He is often seen in the Northeast and he will be at Music Valley in Nashville, February 4-7. But some of the dealers did not travel too far from their home area.

Thompson and Thompson Antiques, Chester, N.J., offered a Sheraton-style grain painted desk with a step back Windsor side chair. His brother, William Thompson, Gladstone, N.J., brought an early corner cupboard in excellent restored condition, poplar wood, priced at only $1,800, and a tall jelly cupboard in old paint. He sold among other things a painted dough box and a valuable bale handled basket.

Heather Brownell, Bernardsville, N.J., offered several pieces that could have outfitted a shop, including a counter top cabinet and display case. Michael Olsen, Oldwick, N.J., had a period Sheraton drop leaf table in mahogany.

Partners Ellen Katona and Bob Lutz will have their next show, Heart of Bucks, on March 27 at the George School in Newtown, Penn. For information, 856-459-2229 or email ellenbob@snip.net.