Maryland's Hunt Valley Antiques Show Enjoys a Gallic Twist

TIMONIUM, MD.

:Celebrating its 35th successful year in the Baltimore suburbs, the Hunt Valley Antiques Show, held February 25-27, is an excellent example a well-established charity show. The roster of 43 exhibitors is remarkably stable - only four new faces this year.

The show is now in its second year at the Holiday Inn Select, conveniently located on Baltimore's outerbelt expressway. The current layout on the Holiday Inn's main floor has dealers divided between four meetings rooms of various sizes, all just a few steps from free parking.

Show promoter Robert Armacost points out that Hunt Valley is particularly strong in American furniture and decorative arts, adding, "I think the show looked great this year with a great variety of material from formal furniture to garden ornament and folk art." English ceramics, glass, and minor arts were strongly represented, but this year's theme of "French Country Style" provided a Gallic twist to the special events.

Exhibitor Joan Datesman of Merry Walk Antiques in Annapolis put together a loan exhibit in the corridor with Quimper faience pottery and other French antiques from her personal collection. For this year's Friday breakfast lecture, interior designer Charles Faudree of Tulsa, Okla. - author of the book French Country Signature - shared images and ideas from his design projects.

Exhibitors Joy and Palmer Shannon, Cape Elizabeth, Maine, who always carry French as well as American pieces, created a "French corner" in their booth with a carved Nineteenth Century chair, $1,600, a metal anthemion finial from a Classical Revival building, circa 1850, $2,600, and a pair of very French country stable doors, circa 1880, $2,500.

New exhibitor Cunha-St John Antiques, Essex, Mass., displayed a finely carved and painted French figure of Liberty for $8,500 and a French cherry and rosewood cupboard, circa 1800, $5,850. The dealer also had purchased a single owner collection of crystal newel post knobs - individually priced from $800 to $1,800 - which were displayed on a painted tole tray on stand, $5,500.

No one, of course, is more French than Olivier Fleury, who brought country furniture from his gallery in Malvern, Penn. He described the centerpiece of the booth, an oak marriage armoire from Normandy, 1800-1810, $12,000: "I chose to bring it to this show because it really represents typical French country with the two doves kissing on the top and carved apron and carved doors."

Longtime exhibitor Ed Weissman, Portsmouth, N.H., demonstrated how a judiciously selected mix of American, English and Continental material accompanied by a selection of fine art can lead to good sales. In one corner, he displayed a Hepplewhite bow front chest from New England, circa 1800, $7,900, accented by a Middle Eastern street scene by Paul Jean-Baptiste Lazerges, $5,800, and a reverse painted glass portrait of A.W. Thayer, age 22, by Benjamin Greenleaf (1786-1864), $7,400.

Later from his winter home in Naples, Fla., Mr Weissman said, "I have been doing that show since 1982 and it's been a consistently strong show for us. They happen to like our merchandise - I sold several good paintings, of which three were in five-figures.

"I sold a wonderful burl walnut Queen Anne secretary with herringbone cross-banding and the original mirrored doors, a Massachusetts mahogany tilt-top tea table with claw and ball feet, and a good dish-top candlestand," he continued.

When possible, exhibitors tried to save interesting Baltimore pieces for local collectors. Silver dealers Spen-cer Marks, East Walpole, Mass., had sold an early pitcher in the exuberant "Etruscan" pattern by Samuel Kirk of Baltimore, circa 1835-45. On the shelf nearby was the catalog of Winterthur's silver collection, which contains a matching tea and coffee service with the same marks.

Virginia dealer Malcolm Magruder had a classical mixing table with marble top, circa 1830, for $4,900, which had come out of a house on Charles Street in Baltimore. Nearby was a pair of yellow-ground painted klismos fancy chairs and a handsome child's high chair with a wonderful original surface of decorative dark green and yellow paint, circa 1830-1840, for $2,250.

Over the years, other charity shows in the area have come and gone but Hunt Valley has retained its special position as the Baltimore show. For more information, contact Armacost Antiques Shows in Baltimore at 410-435-2292 or bob@arma costantiquesshows.com.