The Prallsville Mills Spring Antiques Show Hosts 33 Exhibitors

STOCKTON, N.J.

:The Prallsville Mills Antiques Show, under the management of Ellen Katona and Bob Lutz, was open for two days, June 18 and 19, with 33 exhibitors offering a variety of antiques.

Christopher Brey, who travels from York, Penn., to participant twice a year at this south Jersey show, created a mini art gallery environment in his booth with the number of fine oil paintings. In many ways the subject matter of his selections mirrored the picturesque and tranquil Delaware River bank setting for this show, including a pastoral scene ($3,400) by Patrick Vincent Berry (Troy, N.Y., 1852-1922), a path to the lake oil by Rhode Island artist G.W. Whitaker and a landscape with stream by Cullen Bryan Yates (American, 1866-1945).

Complementing Brey's paintings were furnishing that included a kidney-shaped mahogany Hepple-white game table, Philadelphia area, late Eighteenth Century, inlaid and constructed of oak and pine secondary woods. Other furniture included a mid-Nineteenth Century paint decorated blanket chest from the mid-Atlantic region with turned feet, an Eighteenth Century fan back Windsor chair with pe-tite proportions and an American turn-of-the-century mahogany Federal-style three-part dining table with bellflowers and string inlay. Among his decorative items were a circa 1820 pitcher and wash bowl set by Joseph Stubbs with a scene of the Upper Ferry Bridge over the Schukill River, and a circa 1820 English, ship captain's liquor box with beautifully decorated bottles.

Neighbor Jim Woodruff of Chester, N.J., sold two important New Jersey antiques - a yellowware pie plate signed "A. Cadmus, Congress Pottery, South Amboy, N.J.," and a Van Doren Millstone, N.J., signed coverlet. Woodruff's sales continued throughout the weekend as he lightened his inventory of a late Nineteenth Century grain painted plantation desk, a paint decorated pedestal, an apple butter crock with handle and a decorated redware, one quart pouring cup with spout.

An unusual item found in the booth of first-time exhibitor Sharon Pittenger of Dark Moon Antiques, Johnsonburg, N.J., was a circa 1740 English spoon mold, with a Queen Anne Rose motif handle, that was used for casting pewter spoons. Sharon explained that once spoons were no longer functional the lead was remelted, and then recast, into new spoons. Sold along with this mold were two examples of pewter spoons that were, in fact, recast from this mold. As Sharon added, "It was a great utilitarian piece that was commonly used, and yet you just don't see them around today."

Other items in Dark Moon's booth included a circa 1780-1800 Pennsylvania cherry candlestand with snake legs and a fixed top, a circa 1840 two-piece cupboard with good detail and proportions, and a circa 1800 solid pine sawbuck table 72 inches long by 36 inches wide by 30 inches high. Some of the sales reported included a painted dome top box, a linen bed throw that was embroidered with bluebirds and flowers, manganese decorated redware, fishing lures and early primitives.

To the Point Antiques from Richmond, Va., was another first-time exhibitor. Singling out a circa 1840 Rose Medallion bowl, 141/2 inches in diameter, dealer Roberta Van Orden noted, "This lovely Chinese Export bowl has both great deep colors and a continuous scene on both the interior and exterior of the bowl." The Van Ordens offered this bowl to show patrons for $3,800. Examples of fine craftsmanship continued with a circa 1795 American tall case clock. Along with well-placed line inlay set in figured mahogany, the painted moon phase dial on this early timekeeper illustrated both a land scene of a boy fishing and a sea scene of a ship flying Old Glory ($12,500).

Also offered was a circa 1800, Connecticut River Valley Federal cherry bow front chest of drawers (original brasses and no repairs), which was "an excellent example of our emerging wealth in the Colo-nies," an Eighteenth Century, Queen Anne tilt-top tea table, a circa 1760 New England banister arm chair in old black paint and an English, circa 1780-1810, mahogany bow front hanging corner cup-board. The Van Ordens artwork included "Nor'easter," an oil by Emile A. Gruppe (1896-1978), and a Nineteenth Century itinerant artist's oil of a ship named the Fanny Lewis, which was captained by John Gillian.

"It's the perfect venue and the dealers are wonderful," said Annette Coletti and Richard Fuller from Hand Picked Antiques. While they call Stowe, Vt., home, included in their inventory was a circa 1880 pie safe from southern New Jersey. "It's a good regional piece with its original screening and in a won-derful pumpkin color," added Richard. It was on the market for $950. Positioned on top of this pie safe was a Vermont whirligig of a farmer milking a cow. Also offered was a circa 1735 blanket chest with early snipe hinges. One customer could not resist a mid-1800s, Upstate New York seed sorting table that was constructed with square nails. Several other patrons purchased quilts.

A number of hand forged items displayed in the booth of Helen and Larry Bryan from Princeton, N.J., mirrored the rustic interior of the historic grist mill setting in which they were showcased. Displayed on top of a one-board, pine sawbuck table with cherry legs, was an early handwrought fowl rack. Next to this rack was a wrought iron trivet/candleholder that had an elaborately twisted design.

"Look at the great hand forging of this piece. This was made by a skilled craftsman," noted Larry Bryan. Commenting on a wooden foot warmer complete with its original tray, hand punched tin with heart motifs, and barb wire handle, Larry added, "Thank goodness the maker removed the barbs from the handle." Also noted was a mule chest with handwrought hardware, original drawer pulls, rose-cut nails and "great cutouts on both the front and sides."

The next Prallsville Mills Antiques Show will be October 15 and 16 on Route 29 in Stockton, with admission helping to benefit the Delaware River Mill Society.

For more information, 856-459-2229.