'Ere Winter's Darkets Days, Antiquarius Antiques Show Glitters

OLD GREENWICH, CONN.

: Winter solstice for 2004 may have occurred at 7:42 am EST on December 21, but, locally, the start of the winter holiday season is always marked by Antiquarius, the annual weeklong series of events that benefit the Bush-Holley Historic Site and the historical society of the town of Greenwich. Beginning with its gala preview party on December 2, the Antiquarius Antiques Show - the centerpiece of activities that range from holiday house tours to gift boutiques, lectures, a guided gallery tour and more - drew some 3,000 show attendees to the Greenwich Civic Center. Decorated for the holiday crowd, the generally utilitarian-looking center was transformed into a glittering jewel box for the show's 47th year. Inside, nearly 50 top-ranked antiques dealers displayed their merchandise in room-sized settings.

According to the historical society, this year's popular preview party was attended by more than 500 people, including more than 250 patrons and corporate sponsors. Attendance figures for both the show and gala preview were up from last year, when a severe snowstorm seemingly kept all but Hummer owners at home. Antiquarius raises more than $400,000 each year to support the society.

Managed by Susie McMillan, this year's well-balanced show presented a wide range of antique furniture, paintings, silver, porcelain, prints and rugs.

Fletcher/Copenhaver Fine Art, Fredericksburg, Va., made seven sales in just the first hour of Thursday evening's preview party. A centerpiece of its booth, an sweeping oil on canvas landscape by French artist Paulin Andre Bertrand (1852-1940) titled "A Field of Poppies in Normandy," priced at $28,000, was among the gallery's sales. "We had an excellent show, selling steadily throughout," said Joel Fletcher. "We sold about 20 paintings, watercolors and drawings, including the Paulin Bertrand oil, three works by Alix Aymé, three by Chas Laborde, several of the interiors, an Oscar Daniel Soellner oil, all four of the watercolors we had brought by Marie Nel de Cougny, and a number of other pieces. We sold to a good mix of old and new customers. It was a very good way to end the year. We greatly appreciate the committee and the energy and enthusiasm they bring to the show."

"The show certainly is an attractive one and gets everyone in the Christmas spirit," said 15-year show veteran Schuyler Field, who with Elizabeth Ruprecht of New Canaan, Conn., set up a warm and inviting tableau of antiques and decorative objects in an area off the main show floor. During the gala preview the pair was toting up sales for mostly smaller items - books, mirrors, decorative carved wood pieces and the like. "We sold things pretty steadily, although the gate didn't seem as strong as in other years," said Field. "We sold, among other things, a carved wood shell motif mirror, a Regency cabinet, tea caddies, vintage books and a pair of Tommi Parzinger leather topped tables headed for New York."

The fine antique silver of Spencer Marks, East Walpole, Mass., is always a hallmark of the Antiquarius show, and Spencer Gordon and Mark McHugh had assembled a gleaming array of treasures. A complete coffee and tea service by William B. Durgin, Concord, N.H., circa 1900, and sold in Pittsburgh by Grogan & Co. was a highlight and sold during the show, as did a three-piece Durgin after dinner service with tray. "We wound up having a very good show - in fact, the best that we've had in eight years of setting up at Antiquarius," said Gordon. "While I would not consider the gate strong, it was high quality and that is what was selling for us. We sold many other fine objects and have some real interest in more."

Chinese and Oriental antiques were represented by KoKo, New York City, which was testing the show's waters again after a brief hiatus. Along with a massive pair of lacquer cabinets from late Nineteenth Century northern China were many wood and pottery figures, including an amber glazed red pottery Han dynasty figure of a dog, a large wooden figure of a Guanyin Goddess of Mercy from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) and a unique lacquer figure of a Drama in orange-red lacquer from Nineteenth Century Japan. Co-owner Ko reported limited sales, but said he enjoyed "the entire process, from setting up, meeting people, selling and even moving out of the show. Everything went quite smoothly. I found that the people who bought from me were fascinated by the workmanship and the history behind the Chinese works of art," he said.

For example, he promised a couple that he would send them a book on pottery that was created in Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) so that they will learn more. "I am sure that they would enjoy them a lot," he said.

Hastings House Antiques, Essex, Conn., returned to Antiquarius after a 20-year hiatus, according to Philip H. McNemer. McNemer said he sold a good many items across the board, including lamps, a Tibetan chest, rare Japanese paneled doors, a campaign chair and collectible lacquer boxes. "It's a nice show, an exciting show, with buyers that are as sophisticated as any show we've participated in," said McNemer.

An invitingly positioned Grecian couch, circa 1810-20, of faux rosewood grained maple and classical gilt decoration beckoned at the booth of Aileen Minor American Antiques, Centreville, Md. With caned scrolled end and seat and saber legs with original brass paw feet on casters, the piece looked as much at home in Greenwich as it had in either Baltimore or Philadelphia. Nearby, an American architectural classical giltwood mirror, circa 1825, with bold, full ring turned columns and decorative metal floral garlands also looked quite at home. It had been found in a Vermont estate, said Minor.

She said that she and her husband, Joe, had "a pretty good show" and they have done the show since 1984. "It is always an exciting show and beautifully presented with the holiday theme," said Minor. "We sold our large bold giltwood classical mirror that had original gilt and mirror plate. It went to a home in Greenwich. I also sold lots of curtain tie backs, one of my specialties, and there were many sales of glass pieces: a set of four Eighteenth Century cut glass candlesticks, an amethyst glass compote and reverse paintings on glass. I do notice a big resurgence of interest in good glass pieces recently. We also had several sales of art pieces. I was very happy and look forward to being there again next year."

This was the first year participating at the show for antique, period and estate jewelry specialist Camilla Dietz Bergeron, New York City. "We very impressed by the quality of the entire show," said Gus Davis. "Most important, we found what sold at the show was more unusual pieces that real connoisseurs buy." These included such items as a plique ajour and diamond butterfly brooch, a pair of French gold and diamond insect brooches from the 1950s by Van Cleef & Arpels and a strand of multicolored Tahitian pearls.

"We also did a brisk business in wearable earrings, such as a gold and diamond earring by Schlumberger. We also sold a gold and diamond bracelet by Boucheron," said Davis. "We felt that many of the people that came by our booth at the show will make an effort to come and see us in our office in New York."

Eve Stone Antiques, metal ware specialist from Woodbridge, Conn., has been an Antiquarius fixture for 17 years. Shelves of gleaming copper, brass and silver greeted shoppers as in years past, and for Susan Stone, Eve's daughter, it was not the amount of people that came, it was the quality of those that did come to buy. "We have a loyal following that returns year after year," said Susan Stone. "The reputation of the show and the commitment of the committee all contribute to make it one of the best shows in the country."

Among the pair's most interesting sales was an Eighteenth Century tortoise box that once belonged to Queen Charlotte featuring the coat of arms of King George III. The Stones also sold a French brass coal box, French, Nineteenth Century, with Queen Anne legs that Eve Stone remarked would "make a great side table." Both items went to the same seasoned collectors, according to Susan Stone.

For information, 203-869-6899 or www.hstg.org.