Summer Magic In Rhinebeck

RHINEBECK, N.Y.

:Photos By R. Scudder Smith, Editor

When Rhinebeck's Summer Magic pulls into town, it is as if a colorful and multifaceted circus has suddenly arrived at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds. Amazingly staged for one-day only, the antiques show is a kind of teaser for the larger two-day events that take place in the spring and fall, but it also has a look and feel all its own. As nearly 180 exhibitors gathered in the four main halls at the fairgrounds on July 23, the summer show's original ringmaster, the late Jimi Barton, would have been pleased to see that the fanciful confection he conceived seven years ago is still going strong.

Show manager Bruce Garrett found a way to recapture some of the show's old excitement by opening an hour later this year - 10 am versus 9 am. "It made all the difference in the world," said Garrett. While Garrett did not supply specific crowd numbers, he said, "We had bigger crowds than last summer. And, of course, Mother Nature cooperated with gorgeous weather."

Fine art dealer Donna Kmetz of Douglas, Mass., was one of the show exhibitors noting the excitement on the floor, and she reported a "very good show" at Rhinebeck. "It is unlike any other show I do, much larger and a tremendous gate. It's very hard to leave the booth at Rhinebeck because there are always people there, often six or more at a time, and they are really looking, reading my descriptions. It is simply one lively show."

Kmetz's sales ranged from a few of her lowest price paintings to two of her best works, plus lots of interest and appreciation. "I sold a charming scene of children in a field with turkeys painted by American artist Lillian Abbot when she was an art student - a copy of a work in the Corcoran, a very folksy piece, and, of course, once it was sold, five more people wanted to buy it," said Kmetz. "At the higher end, I sold a gorgeous little gem of roses in the rain by Abbott Fuller Graves, this to a favorite customer, which makes me very happy. And as the show was closing, a new customer simply could not walk away from a beautiful tonalist sunset painting by Edward Loyal Field. I was breaking down the booth and turned the lights back on to show the painting."

Kmetz said she also sold a Bernard Corey landscape to a new customer from Connecticut. "People come from all over to attend Rhinebeck, which is just wonderful," she concluded.

"This was the best of all the Summer Magic shows we have done," said Larry and Marie Miller, Dorset, Vt. The Millers specialize in American quilts, and they displayed a large and colorful collection of their staple textiles. "It seemed like an incredibly strong gate, with the people coming all day until the close of the show. We sold across the board - furniture, smalls and quilts," they said.

For Kevin Decker of Montgomery House Antiques and Gifts, Warwick, N.Y., the event's gate seemed reasonable, and a steady crowd appeared to be milling about the show areas. "My booth seemed particularly busy, mostly with questions and curiosity," said Decker.

Decker's offerings differ from those of most of the other dealers at the show, as he brings merchandise that is more formal, less country. Lending his booth exceptional richness this year were several antique chairs that had been reupholstered with Scalamandre fabrics. "Speaking with some other dealers, furniture sales seemed low; indeed, last year I did much better with furniture," said Decker. "This year it was smalls."

Most of Decker's sales were of Eighteenth and early Nineteenth Century English and American glass. An air twist wine glass from the Eighteenth Century sold for $400, a diminutive decanter of the late Eighteenth Century sold for $150 and a pair of American federal period decanters went out at $350.

"Perhaps the item that most caught the attention of showgoers was the chair that I affectionately called 'the Beast,' an American Federal Revival-style cornucopia chair with winged paw feet," said Decker. "It sold to a young couple that came back to my booth five times to look at it. They said they really could not afford it and walked away. Then another couple was going to buy it, but I said it was sold. The first couple came back, as I thought they would, so I made a deal with them. It is now at home in their living room." Added Decker, "I also had a repeat customer that purchased a small inlaid tea caddy just to keep her lipstick in on her dressing table. That was one use I would have never thought of, but why not?"

Pat and Bob Martin, proprietors of Home Farm Antiques, New Paltz, N.Y., specialize in late Eighteenth, Nineteenth and early Twentieth Century decorative arts, fine art, fine jewelry, antique clothing and textiles and folk art. On display was a Nineteenth Century fireplace surround from an early home in Kingston, N.Y., exemplifying classic simplicity; a leaded cast iron window with green, blue and red glass from the Saratoga Springs, N.Y., region; and a 16-inch American cloth doll, circa 1880, with stitched facial features, an example of the one-of-a-kind dolls made from patterns issued in 1870.

"Our Rhinebeck show was a complete success," said the Martins. "We had a fine show. There was a strong gate, and the enthusiasm of the customers was most heartening. During the day, there was hardly any lapse to the crowd coming through. To tell you the truth, we at Home Farm Antiques were not able to actually sit down and take a breather until late afternoon. That is just the way we want a show to be."

The Martins sold from almost all their categories, and they noted that fine Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century jewelry sales were strong, along with folk art. "We sold a circa 1840 gold stacking ring studded with turquoise, a magnificent gutta percha cross encrusted with symbolism on a knee-length gutta chain, two late Eighteenth Century ivory boxes, one with a signed miniature portrait on ivory set within the lid, a fine circa 1820 papier mache and cloth doll, among many other things."

The Germans, Steve and Lorraine, had recently been shopping for the trademark stoneware they specialize in under the aegis of Mad River Antiques, North Granby, Conn. Displayed at their booth was an extremely rare 11/2 -gallon J & E Norton, Bennington, Vt., piece depicting a thin-tailed pheasant on a stump. Because there are only between four to nine examples known to exist, according to Steve German, the circa 1850-59 jar was priced at $3,500. Also on view was a four-gallon J & E Norton basket of flowers, circa 1850-59.

Although several dealers reported strong preshow sales, George and Sandi Goldring said their dealer sales during setup were actually better than their retail sales during the show. "This is the first Summer Magic Rhinebeck that was 'down' for us," said Sandi Goldring "We have always done very well in Rhinebeck shows prior to this one. We sold a cupboard, a wire garden bench, a few miniature baskets and a pair of female torso busts. The crowd seemed moderate but kind of lackluster - no buying frenzy, very few decorators. But, as always, we enjoy the Rhinebeck shows, the other dealers, the staff and ambience."

The Goldrings' experience was contrasted by that of Bev and Doug Norwood, whose Norwoods' Spirit Of America, Timonium, Md., had its second best Rhinebeck ever at the recent one-day show. "The Rhinebeck antiques fairs are a constant source of delight and consistent success for us," said Bev Norwood. She said the key to their accomplishments is a strong client base, coupled with a number of interested new customers at each show.

The Norwoods sold two exceptional samplers, wrought by the same young girl in the 1830s with documented local provenance, to a customer who is building an Americana collection. Another return customer purchased two intricately detailed American hollow cut silhouettes from the first quarter of the Nineteenth Century. Other sales included three eye-catching trade signs, an appealing side table, two pieces of painted Pennsylvania tin ware, two paintings with endearing subjects, a diminutive theorem on velvet and two lovely portrait miniatures of a young sister and her infant brother.

The Norwoods always include a "fun" wall at the July show. This year, they sold from this arena a vibrant carnival "knockdown" of six clowns, an entire collection of target practice figures and three folksy diner signs.

According to show manager Garrett, there were 34 new dealers at this year's event, up from 25 first-time exhibitors last year. Two new faces were those of Janice and Jerry Bonk. Bonkey's Treasures is the name of their business, which is based in Richboro, Penn. "Although it was the first time with the Rhinebeck organization, Jerry and I are veterans of many shows," said Janice Bonk. "I can't emphasize enough how important to a dealer's overall success a good promoter and their organization is. The Rhinebeck organization is one of the best. Everything from check-in to the pack-out is handled professionally and personally. Bruce Garrett made us feel right at home."

The show went well for Bonkey's. "We sold merchandise from all 'categories' of our collections," said Janice Bonk. "We sold several pieces of our vintage French graniteware, some of the magnificent late 1800s boules, a couple of the fun French street signs, and the wonderful and huge early 1900s horse-drawn working sled, which had so much interest I only wish I had a dozen to keep everyone happy. The roulette wheel found a home, too, as did other pieces."

Also new to the show were Michael Rackis and Mary Meyer doing business as Dottie & Cuto's Antiques of Wentworth, N.H. The pair are known for antique lighting and early American glass, and there were many great examples of both categories in their booth, including a rare New England tall trumpet-form Sandwich vase in cobalt blue from the mid-Nineteenth Century and an ornate Bradley & Hubbard piano lamp reflecting Victorian tastes.

"All in all, the show was somewhat slow for us," said Rackis, who added, however, that it would not deter them from doing the show again. "We were very impressed with the gate, with new shoppers arriving throughout the day, not just that initial big rush. The caliber of the folks shopping the show impressed me as well, with the usual assortment of focused collectors supplemented by a good crowd of shoppers with no particular area of interest, but with a seeming universal 'good eye' to quality.

"And that's what we sold - quality." Among their sales were colored lithos, prints, pen and ink drawings and decorator items. They also sold the Sandwich trumpet vase, which went to a focused collector of early glass, and the piano lamp to people decorating their Victorian home.

Name your sport, and it was probably represented in the booth of Doug and Diane McElwain, whose Sport & Spool Antiques, based in Goldsboro, N.C., collects antique sports equipment. On their walls and tucked into corners were vintage badminton and tennis rackets, medicine balls, Indian clubs, golf accessories, punching bags, fishing creels, boxing gloves, early baseball gear, croquet mallets and polo sticks. A new category for the McElwains is antique fishing gear, and a wooden creel, circa 1920s, with a metal latch in the shape of a fish attracted interest. Also noted was an early Bean brand trapper's backpack from the late 1920s in mint condition complete with canvas cover. "The show went well for us as it always does," said Diane McElwain. "There was a good customer turnout and a lot of interest in our classification. Our sales were good for the one-day show. Fishing, golf and baseball items were particularly strong."

Roy Ladd from Paducah, Ky., has been participating in the summer show for five-six years, and likes it because "it's easy and fun and has a good crowd." In his Antique Americana booth he displayed such items as cast iron and wood gate posts, circa 1850-60, from a church or cemetery and a wooden double-sided trade sign, about 51/2 feet long, that he had found in Ohio bearing the legend "Milton R. Ziehn - The Tailor."

"We had lots of fun - as always - at Rhinebeck," reported Ladd after the show. "Sales were off a bit, but we sold a nice art pottery vase and several small items. I do lots of shows, and the management at Rhinebeck is always the best. It's top of the line."

For Joan Bogart of Rockville Centre, N.Y., whose space on the end of a row in Building A bristled with cast iron and cement bird baths, wire planters, wicker wading birds, garden furniture and architectural elements, the summer show was better than the spring version. "There was Summer Magic in Rhinebeck. The crowds kept coming until 4 pm and those there lingered until the 5 pm closing," said Bogart. "As always, the staff is most accommodating, which is one of the reasons I think dealers enjoy doing the Rhinebeck shows. Even though we are in the country, the show still draws heavily from a sophisticated Manhattan audience of dealers and collectors."

As summer greenery begins to take on autumn's golden glow, show manager Garrett plans to reprise the Rhinebeck experience on October 8 and 9 when he will conduct the fall show.

For information, 845-876-1989 or www.rhinebeckantiquesfair.com.