The White Plains Winter Antiques Show

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.

:With a timeless name like the White Plains Winter Antiques Show, you would expect that the mid-January gathering of about 50 high-end antiques dealers at the White Plains High School must have marked the event's 40-somethingth edition. You would be wrong.

The two-day show conducted January 15 and 16 inside the spacious, well-lighted White Plains High School atop a scenic Westchester hill opened for the first time at a venue that many dealers predicted will surely build into an annual, much-anticipated event. "Jackie Graber [owner of White Plains-based antiques business Lunatiques and whose daughter attends the school] approached me about doing this show," said show manager Martin Greenstein of The Last Detail. "After giving it some thought, I said, 'Let's give it a try.'"

The show was a fundraiser for the school's Parent Teacher Association (PTA), and Greenstein's penchant for cautiously trying something new dovetailed nicely with a project the PTA was trying to fund. Schedule-wise, it was a serendipitous fit with a holiday weekend (Martin Luther King Jr's birthday) and the week before the Americana pilgrimage to New York City. "I am always anxious, curious and optimistic," said Greenstein, "but you never really know what to expect until the show is over. Relative to other shows I've been involved with, this show was easy to do. It was good looking and everything went smoothly from a logistics standpoint. The gate was strong, with numbers close to Bedford and constant traffic all weekend."

Greenstein said he believed that the seeds for a mid-January show will take. "Some people were surprised at how high end the show was." He said. "As word gets out, it will quickly become established."

"For a first year show, I think the White Plains Winter Antiques Show has good potential for future success," agreed Shelley Brown of Blue Heron Interiors, Cohasset, Mass. "The gate was strong on both Saturday and Sunday."

Brown and her partner James Puzinas said they met many knowledgeable and interesting people. Their booth was filled with American paintings from the Nineteenth and early Twentieth Century, and their exhibit was very well received, according to Brown. "We sold a beautiful Johann Berthelsen painting of a snowy New York City street scene to a local client. We also have several follow-ups to make," she said. "I think sales across the board for all dealers could have been better. However, keep in mind, this was the first year for the show, and customers needed to discover what a fine looking show it was."

Also presenting fine art at the show, Donna Kmetz of Douglas, Mass., concurred that the show went beautifully, especially for a first-time event in a new location. "The management and organization were flawless," she said. "I saw a few of my regular customers, but for the most part I was making new contacts, including people from Massachusetts, so there's some nice potential. My sales were to existing customers, including a charming couple who I first met at Marty's Bedford Hills show. They purchased a small portrait that they've been considering for a little while, so it was meant to be."

Kmetz had an Edmund Franklin Ward painting of Christmas Cove, Maine, that got lots of attention and admiration. Ward (1872-1991), was born in White Plains, and worked as a professional illustrator. Kmetz speculated that this vibrant coastal scene measuring 20 by 24 inches may have been done for Down East magazine. "It's hard to find large paintings that I like, and this is fresh from the artist's family," said Kmetz.

Bruce and Deborah Phillips, whose eclectic collection assembled under the Fair Trade aegis greeted showgoers at the entrance of one of three areas devoted to the show, said there seemed to be a steady stream of customers showing interest in a variety of items and price points. "As with every first-time show, the dealers seemed to be sizing up the clientele as well as the reverse," said Bruce Phillips. "I am sure that with Marty''s aggressive advertising and the good location, this show will build."

The Shelburne Falls, Mass.-based antiques dealers reported selling a unique set of five Indian musicians, each playing a different instrument. "They were made of nickel, hammered over carved wood and date to the early Twentieth Century," said Phillips. "I sold these to one of my favorite, longtime customers from West Hartford, Conn. She stared at these pieces for many minutes trying to decide if she would buy them. She actually left the show to drive home, but returned from the parking lot moments later, to say 'I'll take them.' I guess they were playing her song."

Such diversity is key to creating a show environment in which there truly seems to be something for everyone. Certainly, Meg Chalmers and Judy Young - collectively, Crones Collectibles of Brewster, Mass. - experienced this over the weekend. "We sold three wonderful artist-signed Rookwood pieces during a flurry of sales on Sunday. And although our inventory is 85 percent art pottery, we sold several pieces of art work and folk art," they said. "We feel that the show was quite successful for a first-time venue. The promoter has a knack for this kind of event and made it a pleasant experience for everyone - customers and dealers. The gate seemed quite strong and we met many new people and some regular customers."

A lacquered Swedish tall clock and phalanxes of chairs drew customers to the diverse furnishings displayed at Lerebours Antiques, New York City. Owner Cathy Lerebours commented on the interest shown for some of her pieces, "particularly the six whimsical Venetian chairs and the 12 Louis XVl-style dining chairs," she said. "I sold the lacquered Swedish tall case clock. It is a highly unusual clock because most Swedish clocks are painted but very few are lacquered in the Oriental manner."

Both jewelry and paintings were on display at Fine Arts Ltd. Owners James and Susan Vatell of Greenwich, Conn., reported selling a variety of items ranging from an exquisite small cameo to a 22K gold choker and earring ensemble. "Both customers fell in love with the items immediately for their uniqueness," said Susan Vatell. "Buyers said that age and rarity, and not size or cost, was what attracted them to their ultimate selections."

Antique maps and prints specialist Maile Allen was sidelined by illness on the first day of the show, but the Poughquag, N.Y.-based exhibitor said the show still turned out to be "fantastic." Allen's father, George Dickinson, set up the booth and handled sales on Saturday. "The dealers were very professional and were especially kind to my dad during my absence," said Allen. "The show was also a success financially, and I was able to complete two major residual sales shortly afterward."

The highlight of Jackie Nuccio's sales was in hand painted Limoges teapots and a chocolate pot that a client wanted to be made into a one-of-a-kind lamp. Nuccio, who operates as Keepers of the Past in Sandwich, Mass., presented a booth that was filled with an assortment of furniture, fine glass and china. "One thing that is great about doing these shows is the promoter Marty Greenstein and Jackie Graber did a great job on a first-time show - perhaps the word of mouth will make the next one better for sales," said Nuccio.

As for Greenstein, he said he cannot think of any changes to make next year, although he is considering extending it to a three-day show. For information, 914-572-4132.