: The Sturbridge Host Hotel was the setting for the first of this
year's series of Nan Gurley Antiques Shows conducted during
Brimfield Week. Last year Gurley began the Thursday afternoon
series of shows as an indoor venue for dealers, collectors and
customers to shop while visiting the world famous outdoor
antiques flea market five miles down the road, a place to exhibit
without fear of weather problems.
Dealers moved in their antique merchandise and props for
comfortably furnished room settings or full shops of early
household accessories. Newsome and Berdan, Hallowell, Maine,
dealers of early American folk art and home furnishings, created
in their space a country kitchen, circa 1800, with a dry sink in
light blue milk paint, a stretcher based small tap table in red
milk wash and period accessories. Dealer Betty Berdan has a
reputation for finding art in some typical and useful house-hold
items including a corn straw broom with a bowed arm that she
offered.
Mary de Buhr, Downers Grove, Ill.
Gurley's shows attract dealers of Americana, objects with a
special aura that say without question the item was made in
America, used in America, from materials gathered in America. These
items appeal to that special New World taste and need for utility
while still wanting something appealing to see, use and hold.
A quilt offered by Ken Pike, Rustic Accents, was one such object.
The Nashua, N.H., dealer hung the piece to show the detail of its
diamond pattern and carefully worked repeat of the patterned
fabrics used. As the piece was smaller than a full-size bed, one
could imagine a mother or grandmother making the treasure to keep
her beloved child warm.
Earlier in the week Dunbarton, N.H., dealer Michael Malloy was
exhibiting at one of Brimfield's outdoor markets but he had
sufficient inventory to display a different collection here. The
centerpiece was a green painted dry sink in excellent condition.
There were several game boards and a large collection of useful
things from early American households.
Sandy Hart of Hart's Country Antiques, New Oxford, Penn., had a
collection of "Mammie Dolls" recalling an image from our past,
not politically correct today, of African American housekeepers
and nannies. She also had a large collection of primitive early
garments and kitchen tools.
N.E. South, Roswell, Ga.
Arlene Rich, Fitzwilliam, N.H., offered an array of what she
termed "all smalls," antiques that could be carried in one hand,
such as a well carved yarn winder, decoys, hooked mats and some
wall hanging art.
Tom Joseph Limington, Maine, brought an early shoe sign in the
shape of a shoe advertising "Casper's Shoes" that was about six
feet tall and made of two-inch-thick boards. He priced it at
$2,800.
Cat Lady Antiques, Ackermanville, Penn., is mostly antiques from
textiles including hooked and braided rugs, and vintage clothing.
Tina Mortimer, Falmouth, Maine, offered head masks of Mickey and
Minnie Mouse. Falcon's Roost Antiques, Grantham N.H., was showing
a large corner cupboard, refinished.
Gurley felt the show is gaining the strength necessary for it to
continue. "The gate was much better than last year, up 30
percent, and for May we filled all the spaces with about 90
dealers."
The Sturbridge show will take place again on Thursday, July 8,
with the opening at 2 pm, early buying at 1 pm. For further
information call 207-625-3577.
