Turner Antiques, Hot
Springs, Ariz. Start of Manchester.
Antiques
Week in New Hampshire
By R. Scudder Smith
Americana Celebration in Deerfield
DEERFIELD, N.H. - "I will take the first building and you check
out the dealers set-up behind it," one lady shouted to her
husband as both ran with the first bunch of people to enter Nan
Gurley's Americana Celebration earlier this month. The couple,
each armed with a walkie-talkie, split off like fighter planes,
each with a definite target in sight. And the hunt had begun.
"We could have done with a lot less heat," Nan said at the close
of her show on Tuesday, August 7, adding, "It slowed a great many
of our customers down, and it really slowed me down."
Thes one-day show, Americana Celebration, is the first of six
shows scheduled for Antiques Week in New Hampshire to get things
rolling. Early buying happens at 8 am, causing Nan to comment,
"We like to start early, especially when the temperature is far
above normal during this first full week in August."
Early buying lasts for two hours, giving visitors a chance to
shop the four buildings in use on the Deerfield Fairgrounds as
well as the displays of forty exhibitors set-up, some under
tents, on the grounds. In total, 135 dealers exhibited at the
show and offered a wide array of furniture, fabrics and
accessories, mostly American in origin.
"We were up only two people in early buying," Nan said, "but we
were well over 100 more visitors during the regular hours, 10 am
to 4 pm." The gate for this show has increased each year and many
of the dealers are finding that their customers are from all
parts of the country.
"Antiques Week in New Hampshire is no longer a local or even a
New England happening, it is a national event," pronounced Nan,
while looking over her sales slips and recalling the reports from
many of her exhibitors. She added that the dates for the shows
will never change, that "they are cast in stone." Her Americana
Celebration is set for August 6 next year.
A scrolled arm sofa with bold striped fabric was at the front of
the booth of Nan Gurley-Peter Mavris, a very formal piece in
comparison to the country store bins shown against the back wall.
From this corner booth, just inside the first building, Nan keeps
an eye on the show in general and is always there to answer
questions from either her dealers or customers. The sofa sold to
a person who had seen it when visiting her shop.
Shirley Quinn of Cootoocook, N.H. had a colorful schoolhouse
quilt hung against the back wall of her booth, and her furniture
included a tapered lag drop leaf table in old red paint and a
ladderback side chair in white.
David and Bonnie Ferris of Lake Luzerne, N.Y., showed a
collection of garden-related objects, including a square of cast
iron fencing, a large wooden trellis, several cast iron patio
tables, and a series of early signs. Jean Cook, Lititz, Penn.,
had two large racks hung with quilts, as well as stacks of them
on a table. Log cabin, sunburst, and floral patterns were among
the examples offered. According to reports, the quilt market is
still going strong.
Early splint baskets with carved handles, including one log
basket, were shown by Nook n' Cranny Antiques, Chipopee, Mass.,
and Jim and Jean Mountain of Ashburnham, Mass., offered a
selection of drums including several military examples and some
children's toys. All were in good condition with the original
paint decoration.
Ron Chambers of Higganum, Conn., was in his regular corner of one
of the front buildings and showed a collection of pewter and some
furniture.
"Chairs are my thing," he said, pointing out a New Hampshire bat
wing bannisterback side chair, circa 1760, and a bannisterback
armchair with splint seat, either Northeastern Connecticut or
Massachusetts.
"My favorite chair this time is the mushroom cap armchair dating
from the Pilgrim Century," he said. With rush seat, this chair
was made on Cape Cod by Tinkam.
The Quartzsite Bread Man, Ernest Lueder from Quartzsite, Ariz.,
set up an interesting display of early bread wrappers.
"I have a couple of hundred different brands of bread, including
the popular Donald Duck brand," he said. "In my own collection I
have 360 different kinds." The wrappers come in rolls and The
Bread Man wraps blocks of foam to simulate a loaf of bread.
Before the day was over many loaves had changed hands.
Grey Goose Antiques of Buzzards Bay, Mass., had a table filled
with china with many different scenes and colors, with shapes
ranging from large platters to fancy teapots. A basket quilt in
perfect condition was displayed in the booth of Davidian
Americana, Holden, Mass., along with painted furniture which
included a couple of six board chests, a graduated set of three
footstools, and an eight-leg Pennsylvania settee with bamboo
turnings and yellow paint.
"There were ten new dealers in my show this year," Nan said, "and
indications are that all will be returning next year."
It was 92 degrees on Monday when the dealers were moving onto the
fairgrounds and setting up their booths, and the temperature was
even hotter the day of the show. But judging from the red tags
which appeared as the first wave of visitors ran into the show
area, it was also a hot spot to buy. Americana Celebration, a
nice way to kick off a grand week of antiquing.
Start of Manchester
MANCHESTER, N.H. - The Start of Manchester Antiques Show at the
JFK Coliseum opened at noon and the heat seemed to do little in
keeping people away from the show. A large crowd was on hand for
a first look at the show and Kay Puchstein, show manager, said,
"Our opening gate was better than both days combined last year."
The Coliseum is not air conditioned but it did have large ceiling
fans which were in use, sucking the hot air from the top of the
building and drawing cooler air in through the doorways.
Fiske & Freeman, Belmont, Vt. Riverside.
Eighty dealers take part in the show and, for the most part,
offer country and painted things. There was one booth filled with
well-polished oak furniture and several pieces were sold during
the run of the show. Fifteen new exhibitors were in the show this
time around and the 80 dealers in the show represented 30 states.
"We manage 27 shows per year; 25 we own and we manage two in
Nashville, thus we know a great many dealers and draw them from
all over the country for this event," Bill Puchstein said.
Bill Smith traveled to the show from Carey, N.C., and offered a
large Connecticut pewter shelf, circa 1800, which hung on the
back wall of his booth. A corner cupboard of Virginia origin,
circa 1830, was of cherrywood and walnut and had one long drawer
over two doors and pierced tin on the sides. A two-board tavern
table with turned legs was displayed at the front of the booth.
R. Zollinhofer of Medina, Ohio, offered a Pilgrim century gate
leg table, Upper Hudson River, and a flat-top highboy, red
stained with cabriole legs, from Stonington, Conn. A William and
Mary desk on frame, circa 1740, had an old red surface and one
long drawer in the frame.
A collection of seven white painted finials, all from the same
building, were shown in the booth of Don and Marta Orwig,
Corunna, Ind. A pair of large cast iron urns added to the
offering of outdoor material, and a wooden trade sign, six feet
long, was in the form of a double barrel shotgun. Fresh from a
country store were two spool cabinets, one advertising Richardson
Silk Co and the other from M. Hemingway & Sons, Art
Newedlework Silks.
A Pennsylvania dry sink in blue/gray paint was at the front of
the booth of Country Treasures, Preston, Md. This piece dated
circa 1830 and had a hand pump attached to the side. Five wooden
bowls of good size were painted in shades of red, blue, and
green, and a two piece stepback cupboard was in mustard paint
over the old red. This piece was of Pennsylvania origin, circa
1850, and had two six-light doors over two drawers and two doors
in the lower section. Blue painted furniture included a
one-drawer blanket chest, a country table with three board top, a
corner cupboard, and a six-board chest.
An eight-leg Windsor settee, medallion back and bamboo turnings,
was shown by the 1848 House of Hamilton, Ohio. This piece dated
1808 and was attributed to Jacob Fedder of Lancaster, Penn. A
nice bucket bench with good yellow graining was built with two
doors in the base, and a shoe foot hutch table with lift seat
dated to the late Seventeenth Century.
Cherry Hill Antiques from Grafton, N.H., offered a large drop
leaf table which measured 74 by 51½ inches with the leaves up,
and a set of four yellow painted and decorated Windsor side
chairs. A graduated stack of blanket boxes included a large blue
painted one with cut-out ends on the bottom, with a small dome
top painted green on the top. In between was a box with yellow
surface.
Bette and Melvin Wolf of Flint, Mich., dealers in fine pewter,
showed an oval tray with strainer, 24 inches long, John Townsend,
1748-66, and a rack of pewter porringers were by makers such as
Samuel Danforth of Hartford and Joseph Belcker of Newport and New
London. It would be difficult to come up with a shape for pewter
that was not represented in this large display.
Illinois dealers Rod and Susan Bartha offered a three foot high
statue of Lincoln, composition, and an interesting cast iron
planter in the form of a creeping vine designed to hold 12 flower
pots. Antique toys filled to booth of Jim Yeager from Missouri.
He displayed a large collection of still banks in many forms,
including roosters, pigs, donkey, cows, horses, and ducks.
Military figures, including policemen, were also still banks and
among the buildings shown was a large rendering of Independence
Hall.
Liberty Tree Antiques of Collierville, Tenn., showed a jelly
cupboard in the original blue paint that was filled with
stoneware pieces including crocks from West Virginia and
Greensboro, Penn. Also in blue paint was a pie safe with six tin
panels in the two front doors. JHP Quilts and Antiques of
Missouri had a very colorful tulip quilt in red and green, along
with a 25 drawer apothecary in gray paint with recessed wooden
knobs. Several hooked rugs were shown, including ones with
roosters and cats and dogs, and a red painted water cooler on
stand had eagle decoration on the side and a cast eagle on the
top.
Buck McCool Antiques made the trip from Mississippi to take part
in the show and displayed a green painted bucket bench and a
chair table with red painted base and original blue top. A nice
whale-end shelf hung on the side wall, opposite a grouping of
five silhouettes of the Hager family, including the pet dog.
Gaines and Associates of Placida, Fla., had cornered the market
on firkins, offering 17 of them in colors such as red, green,
olive, tan, and cream. A small sawbuck table, Tennessee origin,
had a scrubbed top and salmon and orange painted base.
A French carousel duck was at the front of the booth of Murfield
Antiques, Wayzata, Minn., and a painted fall-front secretary with
the original surface, Mid-Nineteenth Century, was among the
furniture offered.
There did not seem to be a shortage of dry sinks on the floor,
for another one was in the booth of Sheppheard's Antiques of Cape
Haze, Fla. This one had two doors in the bottom, with one small
drawer in the left portion of the piece. Three painted children's
sleds hung against the back wall, and a Windsor nanny's bench was
in yellow paint with floral decoration.
"I try to bring in dealers who are both new to the area and also
have the kind of things people in New England are looking for,"
Kay Puchstein said. And according to reports, her dealers did
well for the most part. Again the heat had to have some effect on
the show and steps to remedy the situation are now being taken.
She is working with the people at the ice rink and there is some
consideration being given to reducing the temperature in the
building by cooling down the floor. However, there is a point at
which condensation starts forming, and this would have to be
avoided by some fine tuning. In any case, "We will be back again
next year and our hours will probably remain the same," Kay said,
allowing that "we always study a show after it is over and only
then do we know of any changes that will be made to better it."
Riverside Antique Show
MANCHESTER, N.H. - "It sure is comfortable up here in Bath,
Maine," said Linda Turner the week after her Riverside Antiques
Show closed, adding, "It sure would have been nice if we had had
these temperatures in Manchester for Antiques Week in New
Hampshire."
But such was not the case and the thermometer pushed very close
to 100 degrees in the State Armory on Canal Street.
Kent Farms, Aurora, Ohio. Riverside.
"Without question the heat affected some sales and had much to do
with the time people spent at the show," Turner said. "But all in
all both the dealers and the public handled it well. There was
nothing that could be done to make it any better in the armory.
Our fans helped, but were not the complete answer."
The answer, which has been agreed upon by all concerned, is air
conditioning and there are companies who can handle the task.
Dealer responses to the end-of-show questionnaires overwhelmingly
favored a rate hike to the booth rent in order to gain air
conditioning and Linda Turner is exploring the matter.
"It has to gain approval from the armory people," she said,
noting that "being a military facility they are not in the rental
business." However she believes this year has finally proven that
the added amenity is necessary and she is hoping to have it in
place by next year.
One important change that was made in the time schedule for
Riverside this year was a Tuesday evening opening instead of the
regular Wednesday time.
"I was thrilled with the Tuesday opening," Turner said at the end
of the show, adding, "We had more people at the show on Tuesday
this year than we had on opening day [Wednesday] last year." The
same Tuesday opening will be used again next year, however there
is talk to keep the show open past 8:30 pm. Several dealers
commented that 6 to 8:30 pm is not long enough, especially if the
place is air-conditioned and comfortable.
Of the 72 exhibitors in the show, seven were new this year along
with two last-minute replacements. Those who chalked up an
unsuccessful show were few and far between, with most of the
dealers reporting good sales despite the heat.
"It was great for me, and I think it could have been so much
better were the weather more pleasant," one dealer said as the
show was closing on Wednesday afternoon.
"We have had lots of interest in our shutters and I am surprised
they did not sell," Sharon Kace said referring to the three
pieces hanging on the back wall of the booth. The shutters, with
architectural fans over them, were in salmon over dark green
paint and were offered by the piece. Despite them not selling,
Kace noted that "we have had our second best show ever and our
second best show here."
Sales for DBA Klassic Kace, one of the local dealers taking part
in Antiques Week in New Hampshire, included a wonderful pair of
cast iron andirons with large sunflowers, a two-drawer blanket
chest, an Arts & Crafts fireplace screen, a Federal sewing
box, a tapered leg table with red base and scrubbed top, and a
blue painted trencher that "two people grabbed onto at the same
time which almost resulted in a tug of war," she said. The man
finally gave in and the lady walked away with it.
Howard Graff of The Colt Barn Antiques, Townshend, Vt., felt the
show was not up to last year, but still good for him. His sales
included a blue grained blanket box, a Pennsylvania bench painted
blue and measuring eight feet long, lots of smalls and some signs
including one that read "For Thrifty People." A wrought iron
handmade blacksmith sign, with anvil and horse worked in the
design, was also sold. At the end of the show his large "S Scream
Tonight at Wampsville" sign, red and black lettering on cloth,
had not sold, nor had a nice one-drawer table with blue base,
scrubbed top and tapered legs.
Stoneware and redware, along with a twig table, a ladderback side
chair, a child's chair, southern pottery, and a small Continental
chest were sold by John Long of Mineral, Va. A large cast iron
eagle from a Connecticut building, with wonderful patina did not
sell, however, nor did a Virginia food safe, yellow pine with
green over red painted surface and punched tin panels.
Pine Tree Hill Antiques of Wilmington, Vt., positioned at the
front of the show, offered a colorful collection of folk art
items including a sign with cow and rooster advertising The Barn
Yard, A Department of The General Store, and a pair of cast iron
flying duck andirons. A horse and rider, mounted on a large
arrow, circa 1800, was one of the weathervanes in the booth, and
an apothecary in yellow paint had 15 drawers. Steve Gerben noted
that sales had been fair, not up to last year, and he felt the
weather had much to do with it.
"We got both the spice and flour bin in the original gray/blue
paint and the stepback cupboard in the original blue/green paint
from the same house," Ken Scott of Malone, N.Y. said. The
cupboard was filled with a selection of mocha and spongeware,
along with chalk figures in the form of a cat and dog.
Odd Fellows Antiques of Mount Vernon, Me., offered a large barber
pole with glass globe on top, an ax, painted green with gold
lettering from a lodge, and a North Central Ohio two-door
cupboard, walnut and popular with painted surface, dating from
the mid Nineteenth Century.
The front booth was filled with furniture from the shop of Judd
Gregory of Dorset, Vt. A white painted doorway from the Deerfield
Valley, Sunderland, Mass., dated 1750-1770, framed a Queen Anne
New England highboy, flat top with cabriole legs. Several tables
were in the booth including a Chippendale drop leaf example,
circa 1770, Massachusetts origin.
Around the corner Michael Regan of Greensboro, N.C., offered a
two-drawer blanket chest from the Connecticut shoreline, circa
1750, with the original surface and brasses, along with a
Massachusetts gate-leg table found in the furnishings of Gays
Tavern, Dedham, Mass. It retained traces of the original red
stain and dated 1690-1730.
An inboard speed boat, fashioned in great detail and looking like
an old Chris Craft, was shown in the booth of Praiseworthy
Antiques, Guilford, N.Y. Doug Taylor noted that "this boat is one
of four made by an executive of IBM who was spending time in jail
for some shady dealings." A model boat collector came into the
show, fell in love with the piece, and spent four hours looking
it over before making the purchase. A walled German village,
complete with many buildings, people and animals, also attracted
the attention of many show visitors.
A country Chippendale side chair with rush seat, North Shore,
Massachusetts, circa 1750, was shown by Windle's Antiques of
Wilmington, Del. A Hepplewhite chest in this booth had mahogany
drawer fronts, ellipical line inlay, French feet, and was dated
circa 1790.
A five-drawer chest in maple with bracket base was one of the
first things sold from the booth of Dan and Karen Olson of
Newburgh, N.Y. Other furniture included a set of six New England
side chairs, three slats with splint seats, circa 1800, and a
painting from Orange County, N.Y. of a lady with white lace cuffs
and collar. It dated circa 1845.
A collection of Staffordshire dogs in many sizes was offered by
Weybridge Antiques of Middlebury, Vt., and one of the pictures in
the booth was a cow in a landscape by the Maine artist Harry
Cochrane, circa 1887, in a bird's eye frame. Local dealer
Manchester Antiques had a pair of Classical figures, painted on
canvas and mounted on wood, Nineteenth Century and probably used
as props in the theatre. An American Federal mantel was against
the back wall of the booth, and a shoe repairing sign was in the
shape of a shoe.
Gene and JoSue Coppa of Avon, Conn., showed a set of six Windsor
side chairs, gray/green paint with decoration on the top splat,
positioned around a round chair table with old painted surface.
J. Hanscom & Co, Banker and Brokers in Stocks, Grain, was
lettered on a sign in the booth of Celia Bowers Antiques of
Ithaca, N.Y., and Nancy Knudsen of Orange, Conn., was having a
good show with Sold tags on a good number of things including a
model building of Limington Academy, a hooked rug with a house
design, and a colorful floral hooked rug.
Don Abarbanel of Ashley Falls, Mass., showed a tea table in
mahogany, one-board dish top, pineapple baluster stem with carved
acanthus knees and ball and claw feet, circa 1765, along with a
pair of side chairs, circa 1750, with ball and claw feet.
Mary Carden Quinn of Floral Park, N.Y., noted that "the show was
off from last year, but we were pleased considering the state of
the nation." Neil Quinn mentioned that sales included a country
Sheraton blanket chest, grain painted, a decorated Windsor side
chair, a vinegar grained document box, and seven good hooked
rugs.
One of the largest pieces of furniture in the entire show was
offered by American Decorative Arts of Canaan, N.H. It was a
Shaker retiring room cupboard in three parts from Enfield, Conn.
, measuring 7'3" high and 18½ inches deep. A multi-use store
counter with 36 apothecary drawers, 1870-1890, 7 feet long, was
at the front of the booth, and to the side was a sand automation
with two figures at the top through which sand poured and ended
up turning a wheel at the bottom of the piece. It was among the
earliest automations made, dating 1880-90.
"We lost some business to the heat," Bruce Emond of The Village
Braider, Plymouth, Mass., said, who conceded the show did well
under the hot weather conditions. Among his sales were a pair of
marble top wash stands, a tavern table, and a pair of arrow
andirons.
A pair of brightly painted round birdhouses hung in the corner of
the booth of Mark Moody, Shohola, Pa., and one of the two barber
poles shown measured seven feet tall. Among his trade signs was
one promoting United States Tires.
John Jenner of Kelly & Jenner, Sherman, Conn., noted that the
show had been "OK." Sales included a collection of six
silhouettes, all one family, circa 1820-30, the oldest member
born in 1786, and a paint decorated two-drawer blanket chest.
Each year Riverside proves that it has strong drawing power and
records an ever increasing gate. Without question, if air
conditioning does happen next year, the rash of good sales this
year will become even better next August.
Even Ray VanGelder, looking a bit tired as the show was entering
its last hour on Thursday, faced the heat with her chin up and
said, "That's what makes an antiques dealer: stamina."
Mid*Week in Manchester
BEDFORD, N.H. - "Despite the financial woes of the country,
Antiques Week in New Hampshire took on its own beat," said Frank
Gaglio, president of Barn Star Production and manager of Mid*Week
in Manchester Antiques Show. He added, "Overall everything went
well, but there certainly was some effect on both the buying and
the gate because of the heat." Temperatures rose to the 100
degree mark under the large tent area in the parking lot of the
Wayfarer Inn, causing both the dealers and the show visitors to
pause for a breather in front of one of the large fans and to
take glass after glass of water from the coolers located all
about the tent.
David Wheatcroft, Westborough, Mass. Mid*Week in Manchester.
"We knew that the heat was a health risk for both dealers and
customers and we encouraged people to drink lots of water and
rest from time to time," Frank said. And during the run of his
shows, Wednesday through Friday, with setup on Tuesday, no health
related problems were experienced.
Don Buckley, at his regular spot near the entrance of the tent,
said, "We drank a large glass of water every half hour during the
show and never had to go to the john one time."
This show is divided into two areas, the large tent and the fully
air conditioned exhibition space in the Wayfarer Inn. "We are
going to air condition the tent next year," Frank said, "and we
have already talked to firms who are able to accomplish this."
Without question, during weeks such as the one just experienced
in Manchester, air conditioning will keep people at the show
longer, which should result in better sales for the dealers. As
it was, the gate was very strong for the opening, but fell away
towards the middle of the afternoon.
For the most part, the show was filled with choice pieces of
Americana ranging from early furniture and accessories to
samplers and lots of fabrics. A pair of Chippendale tap or tavern
tables with one board pine tops, painted green, circa 1770-80, 48
by 27 inch top, found in northeastern Connecticut near the
Massachusetts border, was offered from the booth of Susie Burmann
of New London, N.H. She also had an Eighteenth Century banister
back armchair with the original dry red surface, Chelmsford,
Mass., among the furniture offered. At the close of the show
Susie said, "Things went very well and there was a good gate and
many active collectors." She sold a bowback Windsor side chair,
several baskets including a green painted example, and a
wonderful painted Rhode Island pipe box "which came out of our
collection."
Colette Donovan of Merrimacport, Mass., had a booth on one of the
outside walls of the tent and filled it with early New England
furniture including a William and Mary ball foot blanket chest,
old paint over the original red, circa 1700-20, chestnut and
pine, and another one-drawer blanket chest in dry Spanish brown
paint, circa 1700-30, hard pine, and listed on the ticket as "A
Soulful Survivor." Dating from the Eighteenth Century was a pine
table top desk with the original surface and butterfly hinges
from Beverly, Mass., North Shore.
Howard and Linda Stein of Solebury, Penn., showed a selection of
things for the garden including a pair of cement basket planters,
French, and a French wheelbarrow in iron dating from the late
Nineteenth Century. A pair of comfortable and well designed
"Westport" lawn chairs were in black paint, signed, and circa
1906. Yellowware was on tables and in a cupboard in the booth of
Barry and Lisa McAllister of Clear Spring, Md. Included was a
collection of seven pitchers with various colors of stripping. Of
Maine origin was a desk in dark red with chrome yellow interior,
circa 1850, which was also a display spot for more yellowware.
Robert Snyder/Judy Wilson of Wiscasset, Maine, offered a nice
stepback cupboard in old gray/blue paint, cherrywood and pine
with square nails, 73 inches tall and found in Vermont; a narrow
open top stepback cupboard with single door in the bottom
section, old paint and from Central Maine; and a set of six paint
decorated side chairs by Walter Corey, Portland, Maine, black
surface with the original stencils on the seat bottoms.
There were a great many trade signs at the New Hampshire shows
and several, including one in the shape of a shoe, was shown by
Missouri Plain Folk of Sikeston, Mo. An interesting coin toss
game from a carnival hung on the back wall, a colorful piece with
lettering on each side which read "coin must clear line to win."
A pair of cast iron urns in blue/green paint was unusual with
free swinging handles.
Another trade sign which once drew business into a haberdashery
shop in Columbus, Ind., hung in the booth of Charles Wilson of
West Chester, Penn. This sign, a wooden arm with pointing hand,
six feet long, had its original painted surface and the name "M.
Strause" carved into the base. Probably the best of the cast iron
mill weights in his collection was a large mogul rooster, white
with red head, circa 1880-1920, in excellent condition. "We
really like this show and do very well, but I have one serious
problem this time. My tags keep falling off the wall due to the
humidity," Charles said as another one drifted to the floor.
George and Debbie Spiecker of North Hampton, N.H., were all
smiles Thursday afternoon as they looked about their booth and
figured it would take about 15 minutes to pack out. "It has been
great, much better than last year, and we have only a few things
left to take home," George said. An American Hepplewhite Tall
chest in tiger maple and cherrywood, old refinish, was among the
first pieces of furniture to sell, followed by a pair of small
Windsor side chairs, a bowback Windsor armchair, a Pembroke
table, and a wall shelf. Six large cast iron stars had a "sold"
sign attached, as did a stoneware crock and a ship portrait.
Unless he sold his American corner cupboard in two parts,
cherrywood, probably Lancaster County, Penn., circa 1820, in the
last hour of the show, that was the only piece of furniture
remaining to pack into the truck.
"I sold the best things I brought to the show," Stephen Score of
Boston said. "Interest was across the board." Stephen noted,
"Both years at this show have been terrific for me and you can
feel the energy on the floor. Bring first class things here and
you will sell them." Game boards, hooked rugs, a fine quilt, and
several pieces of furniture all sold, but unsold at the middle of
the last day was a large trade sign for Dr J.A. Richan, Dentist,
gold letters on a black ground; a handsome prancing horse
weathervane with gold leaf surface; and a pair of white painted
finials, beautifully carved, from Salem or Portsmouth.
Julie Lindberg Antiques of Wayne, Penn., showed a German Noah's
Ark with 120 animals and six figures, all hand carved and
painted, along with what appeared to be a one-of-a-kind molded
fish weathervane with good surface. Her corner cupboard in
cherrywood had a broken arch, Gothic doors, and was from York,
Penn. A New England hearth rug, wool on linen, with large compote
of flowers in the center and a castle off to the right, hung
against the back wall in the booth of Jan Whitlock Textiles of
Chadds Ford, Penn. This rug, measuring 64 by 32 inches, listed
Don Walters, Millie Megehee, and Virginia cave in the provenance.
Many of the fabrics offered were displayed against a late
Eighteenth Century four-post bed in old red from Lehigh County,
Penn.
Maruie Plummer/John Philbrick of North Berwick, Maine, displayed
an American pine corner cupboard, tombstone shaped opening for
three butterfly shelves, keystone ornament on arch, with traces
of the original yellow, red, brown, and blue paint. A pair of
country Queen Anne side chairs with turned bases had a Russell
Carrell provenance, and a portrait of a lady in white with blue
shawl, American School, oil on canvas, dated from the early
Eighteenth Century. John Philbrick noted that in addition to some
ceramics and textiles sold, other items included an early English
sconce, a candlestand, and a side chair.
People were giving lots of attention to a painted New England
cant back cupboard with snipe hinges, circa 1740-60, green paint,
in the booth of Samuel Herrup of Sheffield, Mass. This cupboard
was filled with a collection of fine redware, including a large
Pennsylvania loaf dish with slip decoration, circa 1860. A
Pennsylvania blanket chest, probably Berks County, Penn., with
ball feet, original hinges, lock, and escutcheon was against a
side wall with a pair of portraits on panel, circa 1830, hanging
over it. The portraits had an Indiana history and retained the
label from the Downtown Gallery.
John Sideli of Hillsdale, N.Y., posted a fine show and noted, "I
sold well over 25 things and it has been great." One of the first
things to go was a large paintbrush with red handle, a trade
sign, which hung in the middle of his booth. Other advertising to
find a market included a clock sign, a pawn shop sign, and a feed
store sign. A pair of fanback Windsor side chairs was also sold,
as was a carved and painted whirligig.
Buckley & Buckley, between taking time to drink lots of
water, had a great show. "One of our best here," Don said
Thursday afternoon. These Salisbury, Conn., dealers parted with
an early child's high chair, a ship model, an early theorem, four
pairs of tole mirrored sconces, and a tall case clock in grained
case, Whiting, with wooden works which kept time to within a few
seconds a day. An American oil on canvas dating from the
Nineteenth Century showed a shepherd's dog chasing a rabbit away
from the flock of sheep, 45 by 25 inches, and a handkerchief top
chair table in the original red, two board top, pine and maple,
dated from the late Eighteenth Century.
Susan Stella of Manchester, Mass., boasted about having a great
show and added, "I set the record in the tent for drinking water
with 30 glasses." Little wonder the staff was constantly
refilling the water station near her booth. Her sales included
furniture such as a New England candlestand and side chair, and a
number of hooked rugs and quilts sold depleted her line of
fabrics. "People were in the mood for baskets," she said,
indicating that she sold five including a costly red painted one
with swing handle.
Autumn Pond of Bolton, Conn., experienced "a smash" of a show.
Norma Chick noted that it was as good, if not a little bit
better, than last year and sales included a six drawer chest in
maple, several pieces of delft, a pair of arrowback Windsor side
chairs painted in yellow, oval farm table, and a hanging lamp,
among other things.
Garthoeffner Gallery of Lititz, Penn., sold and sold, and in the
end had a great show. Items which left the booth included a cigar
store Indian, four Pennsylvania decorated side chairs, a
horse-drawn toy, a twig high chair, several watercolors, a
covered Indian basket, lots of smalls, and a jockey hitching post
with wonderful paint, a piece cast during the Civil War period in
Georgia.
"This is the best show we have ever had here," Joanne Boardman of
DeKalb, Ill., said. She added, "Opening day was great and people
were really here to buy. The place was exciting and many of the
dealers around me were also selling well." A ball foot chest left
the booth, as did two pieces of English combware, a hand tape
loom from the collection of Roger Bacon, two banister back side
chairs, and a terp-back wall cupboard. Six pieces of velvet fruit
went to a collector from Texas, and two pieces of early lighting
and lots of treenware also sold. Among the furniture still in her
booth on the second day of the show was a Massachusetts saw-buck
table wit two board top and rosehead nails, scrubbed surface,
4'9" inches long, and an Eighteenth Century miniature slant-front
desk in pine with the original brasses and untouched surface.
A corner cupboard attributed to the collection of Roger Bacon was
in the booth of Margaret Canavan of Silver Spring, Md. This piece
dated from the Eighteenth Century, had rosehead nails,
Massachusetts origin, and had been in the Mallory collection
since 1957. A colorful hooked rug showed a large rooster, and a
nice pair of green painted baskets from New England had
red-painted handles.
James and Nancy Glazer from Bailey Island, Maine, had a rare pair
of Victorian horn chairs, circa 1875-90, in white oak and leather
seats. They were by the San Francisco Furniture Co. A two-tier
sewing box with drawer had colorful decoration including a sea
serpent, shield, and berries, Rockport, Maine origin, circa
1860-70. A folk art rack with six polychromed mallard duck heads,
New England, circa 1930, was probably used for fly fishing rods
and was among the very first things sold.
A Connecticut Queen Anne side chair in old red painted surface
with decoration, circa 1810, came from a house in Coventry,
Conn., and was offered from the booth of John Kieth Russell of
South Salem, N.Y. A Riley Whiting, Winchester, Conn., tall case
clock was against the back wall, red and black painted pine case
and 30-hour wooden works. "It is in running condition," John
said, "and keeps time to within a few minutes each day."
Hilary and Paulette Nolan of Falmouth, Mass., put a great deal of
effort into their booth, enclosing it behind three sets of cast
iron arched window doors. One was open, leading visitors into the
booth via a stone path set in mulch. The outside of the booth was
covered in greenery which Paulette misted several times a day to
keep it looking fresh. People were drawn into the booth and early
sales included a Hudson River Valley landscape, a ship diorama, a
Windsor fanback side chair, and a pair of gateposts which were
sunk in large pieces of granite.
Kelter-Malce of New York City could not say enough about the
success of the show, noting that sales included a Gabriel sheet
metal weathervane, several game boards, three small paintings, a
pair of portraits, a single Windsor side chair, decoys, and a
hotdog trade sign. "It was much better than last year," Michael
Malce said. "We were surprised we did not sell our paint
decorated chest of drawers from New York State." It was very
colorful, circa 1850, and "will go right back into our house if
it does not sell here."
Elliott and Grace Snyder of South Egremont, Mass., offered a
Chippendale serpentine chest with ogee bracket base, shell carved
center drops, and in the original surface, and a watercolor and
silk needlework on silk by Samuel Folwell, Philadelphia, circa
1850, was hung over the chest. A New England pine corner cupboard
with the original scalloping and carved pinwheel decoration was
among the other pieces of furniture shown.
The birth and baptismal certificate for Adam Leonard
Kirchstetter, 26 June 1854, Hains Township, Center Co., by Rev
Henry Young, was among the Pennsylvania pieces in the booth of
David Wheatcroft of Westborough, Mass. An interesting oil on
canvas dating from the mid-Nineteenth Century pictured the home
of Dr Mills in Burnt Mills, N.J., a yellow house with barns in
the background.
A Pennsylvania sampler by Hannah Beazel, 1815, and a canvas-work
picture, circa 1760, Boston or Salem, were two of nine samplers
sold by M. Finkel and Daughter of Philadelphia on the first day.
"We sold five of them to one client," Amy Finkel said, "and this
has been a great show for us. A wide area of interests are
reflected in the different things we have sold." At the front of
the booth an American drop leaf table with turned legs, circa
1830, carried a red "sold" sign.
"Our nautical silhouette of a sea captain with sexton, New
Bedford origin, was the first thing we sold, and that seemed to
trigger a stream of sales, making this a great show for us,"
Barbara Adams of South Yarmouth, Mass., said. Husband Charles
noted that sales included 19 pieces of Bennington pottery,
several blue and white spongeware pitchers, fireplace tools and
related items, and trade signs including an important one related
to the insurance business.
A bright crib quilt in perfect condition, an adaptation of the
sunburst or sunflower pattern, hung in the booth of Joan
Brownstein of Ithaca, N.Y. It dated circa 1830 and was probably
from New York State. A Chippendale slant-front desk in tiger
maple was from southeastern Massachusetts or Rhode Island, ogee
bracket feet, and a pair of oil on board portraits in the
original block corner frames dated circa 1820 and had a New
Hampshire history. This pair passed through a Richard Withington
auction in 1966.
Lincoln and Jean Sander of Redding, Conn., known for early
furniture, sold several pieces on the first day including a
Bergen County, N.J., child's high chair, a candlestand and
blanket chest, both of Connecticut origin. A couple of pieces of
Eighteenth Century lighting were also sold. This show was
"excellent" according to the report from the booth of Red Griffin
Antiques of Georgetown, Conn. Sales here were again across the
board and included furniture, guns, and jewelry.
"I try to put on the best show I can," Frank Gaglio said, "and I
am pleased at the number of people who come up to me with
compliments concerning the high quality of merchandise presented
by the dealers." And those compliments do ring true. An
impressive roster of dealers do present an impressive spread of
antiques. Few, if any, areas of collecting in American antiques
are not to be found at Mid*Week in Manchester. Its popularity
grows annually.
Activity at Mid*Week runs high, as demonstrated by one lady with
several packages who happened to come out of a booth and run
directly into the strong flow of air coming from one of the fans.
"Lucky I was not wearing a wig or it would be well down the
aisles ahead of me," she said, and with that turned on her heels,
darted off in the flow of warm air, certainly in hopes of finding
yet a few more things.
The New Hampshire Antiques Show
MANCHESTER, N.H. - "It seems to take longer to recover these
days," Carole Hayward, chairman of the New Hampshire Antiques
Show, said several days after the show closed on Saturday, August
11. She was not complaining, nor were any of the other 64
exhibitors who left Manchester tired after taking part in this
antiques feeding frenzy which happens early in August. The New
Hampshire Show, now heading for its 45th year, draws an audience
eager to buy, and it does, over and over again.
Bert Savage, Larch Lodge, Center Strafford, N.H. The New
Hampshire Antiques Show. The trade was saddened by the news of
Mr Savage's death on August 19.
The signs in the lobby of the Center of New Hampshire Holiday
Inn, site of the show, say no loitering prior to 4 o'clock
Thursday morning. This is to curtail the formation of a line for
the show which had, in the past, started to form as early as 8 pm
on Wednesday. The sign this year did not carry much weight, for
the officer in charge of night duty said that people were out
there in line as early a 2 am. By 7 pm the line had started to
snake around the entry hall, and just before the show opened at
10 am the line ran through the hotel lobby, past the cafeteria,
through the doors leading to the underground parking, and out
towards the second exhibition space in the hotel. Pre-sold
tickets numbered close to 600, and an hour later people were
still buying tickets to enter the show.
Those who first rushed onto to floor headed off towards the booth
of their favorite dealers; and one customer was seen doubling
back towards the front entrance muttering, "I read the floor plan
wrong. He is on the other side."
In any case, people were quick to check out all of the booths and
it took little time for "sold" tags to start appearing throughout
the show. "I have not heard anyone complain about having a poor
show," Carole Hayward said. "It seemed to go well for everyone."
She said that the show ran smoothly, easy in and out, and that
one of the dealers changed his booth three times. "He kept
selling and bringing in more," she said. Carole has served as
chairman of the show for the past three years and is stepping
down. "It is very demanding and time to go back to just being an
exhibitor in the show," she said. The chairman duties will be in
the hand of Terri Steingrebe in 2002.
Steven J. Rowe of Newton, N.H., has a distinct advantage due to
his booth location right at the entrance of the show. Everyone,
it seems, comes to the glass doors of the show, peeks in, and
checks him out. Possibly this is the reason red "sold" signs seem
to pop onto items with great haste; and it appeared to take only
seconds for an Eagle Shoe Store trade sign to find a buyer. This
yellow and red sign from Lowell, Mass., hung like a beacon
against his blue covered walls. A colorful folk art painting of
Jay A. Hubbell School Building, circa 1930, had a Maine origin,
and furniture included a grained schoolmaster's desk with lift
top, tile inside, circa 1810, New England origin, and a painted
server/sideboard in classical country form, European, circa 1840.
In the other front booth, but out of sight to the waiting crowd,
is the booth of Peter Eaton of Newburyport, Mass. A William and
Mary tavern table in old red with scrubbed top, probably New
Hampshire, third quarter of the Eighteenth Century, was at the
front of the booth, a piece that "I was able to repurchase after
20 years," Peter said. He also added that he decided to make his
booth "colorful for me" with a display of Dutch onion bottles,
circa 1720-40, found in Dutch Guinea by divers in a river about
100 miles inland. Other New Hampshire furniture included a
William and Mary gate leg table with elongated oval top, birch
and maple, circa 1740.
Another gate leg table was in the booth of Ed Weissman of
Portsmouth, N.H., of Massachusetts origin, circa 1730, with vase
and ring turned legs and one drawer. Opened it measured 46 by 53
inches. A Hepplewhite secretary from the Connecticut River Valley
was of small size, dentil molding above two paneled doors, fitted
interior, in soft mellow color. This high style country piece
measured 80½ inches high and 38 inches wide.
Linda and Michael Whittemore of Hampton, Conn., showed an
apothecary cupboard in mustard paint, dovetailed construction,
with a configuration of 20 small drawers, 16 medium drawers, and
14 large drawers. Four gameboards, three of them Parcheesi, hung
beside a Vermont dresser cupboard with yellow surface, two large
doors over three drawers on the left side and a single door on
the right. A cast iron life size dog, white with black spots,
would compliment any garden setting. Nancy and Craig Cheney of
Delaware, Ohio, were former exhibitors in the New Hampshire Show
and returned this year after an absence. They showed a Indiana
quilt with Christian and Fraternal symbols, circa 1875-85, the
tag noting, "The best folk art quilt we ever owned," and a
child's chest, black with decoration, circa 1840. One wall was
hung with five horse weathervanes including a running horse
measuring 42 inches long and two black hawk examples. Priscilla
Hutchinson Antiques of Wiscasset, Maine, had a pine blanket box,
aqua over old red, pine, Nineteenth Century, and a country
serving table in pine, 37 by 20 inch top, Maine origin, circa
1840. A small sign read, "We like it," easily her feelings
towards being a part of the New Hampshire Show.
Two horse paintings hung in the booth of Constance Greer of
Amherst, N.H., including a large standing black horse with stable
in the background, a work signed and dated by Ed Burns. An early
Nineteenth Century corner cupboard, Pennsylvania, 83 inches tall,
was in two pieces and had two paneled doors with 12 lights each
in the top portion. It was in mustard paint over the old red.
Thomas Thompson of Northfield, N.H., had a large gold lettered
sign for Willis D. Thompson ("No relative of mine," he said) and
a nice doll house in yellow with green roof, complete with a
garage. For the garden he offered a hitching post, wooden
planters, an urn, and a painted trellis.
Ron and Penny Dionne, Willington, Conn., had a small size
apothecary in blue paint, 36 drawers, and a very colorful pair of
game wheels, bright red with green and yellow decoration, black
lettering, that easily found a buyer. A black cat was depicted on
a hooked rug and this year only four weathervanes were offered as
the show opened. In that number were three roosters, one sheet
iron, one with a zinc head, and one painted metal. Jeannine Dobbs
Antiques, Merrimack, N.H., fit everything neatly into her regular
corner booth. A schoolhouse quilt, red buildings on a white
ground with blue and red border, was on a side wall, and a New
England pie safe with six tin panels, two drawers on top, was in
old red and dated from the second quarter of the Nineteenth
Century.
"I had about 20 sales in the first half hour of the show," Tom
Longacre of Marlborough, N.H., said, listing a fan back Windsor
side chair from Nantucket, a whale weathervane, three decorated
Indian baskets, a hearth rug and a hooked rug showing a large
lion, a roadster car weathervane, and a trade sign in the form of
a clock. This piece was quite unusual, brightly painted yellow
with black numbers on one side, time reading 4:07, and a
depiction of the clock works on the other side. Another trade
sign was in the form of a gun, 6 feet long, black double barrel
with gold stock. The model of a small house with picket fence
around it served as a Christmas tree stand when the roof was
removed.
Lee Burgess of New London, N.H., had a large selection of Canton
and a nice set of four thumb-back Windsor side chairs, circa
1820, yellow with grained seats and leaf design on the back
splats, and a large sign which read "LEE." "How can you sell
that," we asked, to which she replied, "Easy, but it has not
moved yet." Husband Bob Burgess was not at the show this year,
but home celebrating his 85th birthday and contemplating a few
rounds of golf.
An early Nineteenth century rocking horse in dapple paint,
original mane and tail, painted red rockers and platform, was
shown by Candlewick Antiques of Milford, N.H. Dating from the
Eighteenth Century was a pair of banister back side chairs in old
black paint, and a pair of figural andirons depicting seated cats
with glass eyes. A large saw fish bill, mounted vertically, was
displayed on the top of a Boston tilt top table in mahogany, paw
feet, carved pedestal, in the booth of Seaver and McClellan
Antiques of Dublin, N.H.
Wayne Pratt Antiques had one of the rarest game boards in the
show. Not only was it colorful with red ground and yellow stars
in the corners, but it came with its own box. When slipped
inside, the box and the board took on the form of a slim wooden
book. Colchester, Conn., furniture maker Benjamin Burnham was
represented by a Queen Anne bonnet-top high chest of drawers,
circa 1770-90, in cherrywood and maple, rope finials and pinwheel
rosettes, and other furniture included a Chippendale blockfront
chest in mahogany, Boston, circa 1760-80, in old finish and with
what appeared to be the original brasses. Causing a smile here
and there were four paintings by Ralph E. Cahoon. This show
continues to be a strong one for this Woodbury, Conn., dealer and
sales included a secretary, knife box, several side chairs, a
wing chair, and two paintings.
Hawk's Nest Antiques and Decoys of Hinesburg, Vt., is always an
interesting booth and one which must be visited several times
during a show in order not to miss anything. The booth was packed
with furniture such as a faux decorated candlestand, yellow,
circa 1840; birdcage with snake feet; and a slatback armchair
rocker, circa 1780, Delaware River Valley, that was just
purchased from a Charlotte, Vt., home. Weathervanes in the
display included a Fiske leaping stag with zinc head, 32 inches
long, circa 1890, and an Ethan Allen horse vane by Harris, great
surface, 36 inches long.
Two card tables from the American Empire period were shown by
Betty Willis Antiques, Marlborough, N.H. One had a top with
reeded edges, mahogany veneer, pineapple pedestal with foliate
carving, paw feet, circa 1825, probably from Philadelphia, and a
mahogany example, painted and decorated, paw feet, turned
pedestal on scrolled legs with carved acanthus leaves, New York,
circa 1820-30. Jim Jordan Antiques of Pembroke, N.H., new to the
show this year, offered a two door cupboard in old blue, fresh to
the market from a New Hampshire estate, and an R. Whiting clock
in old paint with floral painted face. A trade sign advertised
S&C Paint & Hardware, a double sided sign from Vermont.
Large yellow painted wooden letters spelling out "AMOUR" stood
out strong against the black paper covering the walls in the
booth of Cheryl and Paul Scott of Hillsborough, N.H., and they
were among the first of many things sold opening day. A tiger
maple tall case clock, a Vermont sewing stand, three gilt
mirrors, two game boards, a green painted basket with carved
handle, and a large cutting board helped make this one of the
best New Hampshire shows for the Scotts. And that was only part
of the first day. Richard Smith of Axtel Antiques was shopping
the show and bought their small burl bowl, a collection of 14
ginger jars sold from a broken arch corner cupboard, and three of
the five weathervanes offered went to new homes. Among the vanes
was a horse, Black Hawk form, which had a wonderful surface.
Bert Savage of Larch Lodge, Center Strafford, N.H., has been in
the show for well over 20 years and mentioned, "When I moved in
1982 from Connecticut to New Hampshire I had to reapply for the
show, since I was becoming an in-state exhibitor." His attendance
remained unbroken, and he said, "This was probably the best New
Hampshire Show for me ever." He sold nine pieces of lighting, all
to different customers, and a wonderful small canvas model canoe
on stand. An oil on canvas signed Harry Smith, circa 1880, an
artist known for his paintings of brook trout, old frame, was
among the three paintings sold from the booth. This work showed a
large trout, along with a reel, other fish, and two people in a
canoe on the river in the background. Around 1880 the address for
Smith was 185 Dudley Street in Boston. Rustic furniture included
a signed Old Hickory desk with letter holder, original finish and
solid oak top, and a totem pole, North West Coast Native
American, 32 inches, in the original paint, dated circa 1910.
Another "best ever here" show was reported by Sandy Jacobs of
Rindge, N.H. Her sales included a heavily carved with eagle
decoration blanket chest, two Windsor side chairs, several pieces
of redware, a number of hooked rugs, a tiger maple sofa, a
country tea table, and a two-piece glazed door cupboard in blue
paint, Canada or upstate New York. Of great interest was an album
at the back of the booth, a very colorful piece from the
Baltimore School with some trapunto work. It featured an eagle,
birds, baskets, and compotes of flowers, and many other designs
within a red and green vine border. A large pair of zinc flame
finials flanked the entrance to the booth.
John and Deborah Melby of Sunapee, N.H., again had six shelves of
old leather-bound books with such titles as Life of Bishop
Seabury, Anecdotes for the Family, and Guide for
Young Disciples. Rudkin-Cooke family portraits, found in
Newburyport, Mass., hung on the side wall, and a stepback
cupboard in bright blue paint with two paneled doors showed all
the proper wear from years of opening and closing.
Judith and James Milne of New York City, second year dealers at
the show, had a large flat wooden cow sign on the middle of the
back wall, a piece that measured 49 inches wide and came from a
barn in East Haddam, Conn. A pair of wooden angels were in old
paint, and a rare weathervane, steeplechase with horse jumping
over a fence, sported a fine patina and dated circa 1870. Another
vane, a Jewell, was a horse jumping through a hoop. In the center
of the booth was an oval hutch table in old red, New England
origin.
A set of four white painted wooden architectural fans were across
the back of the booth of Bob Withington, York, Maine, along with
two slate game boards, one in black and white and the other
multi-colored. A New Hampshire chair table in old red had a
two-board top. Peter Sawyer Antiques, Exeter, N.H., had a
Pennsylvania corner cupboard in bold tiger maple with inlaid
panels of figured walnut on the doors and drawers, circa 1820,
and a blind door secretary, circa 1810, probably of New Hampshire
origin. Silas Parsons of Swanzey, N.H., was the maker of a
cherrywood tall case clock, circa 1800, with signed face.
"The show has been great, as good or even better than last year,"
Jef Steingrebe of Bradford, Vt., said on the second day of the
show. He had sold his large rooster weathervane, the
sandwiches/hot dog sign, many smalls, and a pair of andirons in
the shape of a golf bag with several clubs showing at the top.
The andirons were from New Jersey and dated circa 1920. And while
Jef was minding the booth, wife Terri was busy all over the show
learning the ropes to be next year's chairman.
Jane and Phil Workman, New Boston, N.H., were new to the show
this year and had used up the best part of a sales slip book
before the second day ended. "We really looked forward to
becoming a part of this show and it is really an experience,"
Phil said as he recalled their sales. A Chamberlain silhouette,
stepback New England cupboard, diorama, green painted Windsor
side chair, carved wooden lion, document box, fire bucket, tin
parade hat, lantern, and an apothecary were among the items sold.
A William Prior portrait of Mrs Nathaniel Todd, circa 1837, was
from the Weld Collection; and written on the back of the frame
was $2.92, the price Prior charged for painting the portrait,
complete with frame.
An interesting piece of furniture in the show was the flat-top
highboy from Salem, Mass., in the booth of Stephen/Douglas of
Rockingham, Vt. It was carved with shells, the one on top flanked
by two small drawers, cabriole legs and a wonderful old red
surface. A New Hampshire Queen Anne tea table with button feet
and scrubbed top was sold, along with a fireboard, cupboard,
onion lantern, and hat box with a beaver on the side.
The Yankee Smuggler of Richmond, N.H., offered a stack of ten
pantry boxes in various shades of blue. "We put a new cupboard in
the kitchen, taller than the one we took out, and the stack would
no longer fit," Ted Hayward said. Thus the stack came to the show
along with a stack of eight oval Shaker finger boxes in red,
yellow, blue, green, and salmon. A stand-up desk in the original
red paint had a slide shelf, and a herb drying rack in old
blue/green paint was of unusual shape, six rungs and a rounded
top. "The show was great for us and we really enjoy seeing the
people who come back here year after year. We have built a strong
customer base as a result of it," Carole said.
Rustic Antiques of Nashua, N.H., had two children's sleds on the
back wall, both red but one with a running horse painted on the
top. A brightly painted document box, early Nineteenth Century,
was spotted with mustard and bittersweet paint, and a pair of
wooden window valences, circa 1830, was decorated with country
scenes.
Michael Newson and Betty Berdan Newson, Hallowell, Maine, offered
a number of pieces of furniture including a Pennsylvania dry sink
in robin egg blue, mid-Nineteenth Century, cut-out well with two
doors on the left side and four drawers on the right, and a Maine
chair table in old green over first red, early Nineteenth
Century, pine and maple from the Dresser family farm in Turner,
Maine. "We believe that it ranks with the best Maine pieces,"
Betty said. A New England gate leg table in untouched condition
was of maple, circa 1710-30.
Louis Scranton, Killingworth, Conn., showed a grain bin in old
green paint, a grain painted three drawer blanket chest, and a
pair of banister back side chairs, whales tail, in old surface,
from Stonington, Conn. Two fish weathervanes included one with a
copper tail, tin fins, and a knothole for an eye. Joel and Betty
Schatzberg, Riverside, Conn., again filled their booth with many
trade signs, including advertising for beauty salons,
barbershops, billiard parlor, dentist, and camping sites. As the
show opened, Joel was busy writing sales slips and said, "[I]
hope Betty gets here soon to help with all this paperwork."
Evidently, sales were good from the very start.
A stack of 11 graduated New England pantry boxes in many colors
was offered by Bob Jessen and Jim Hohnwald, Fitzwilliam, N.H.,
and case pieces included a two-part open cant back cupboard with
two blind doors, original sage paint, Maine origin, and a
Connecticut River Valley grain bin, circa 1800, in the original
mustard paint.
Walters-Benisek of Northampton, Mass., was on a selling streak
from the opening gun. Among the items in this popular booth were
a decorated New England dressing table with strong decoration,
circa 1830; a trade sign, gold on black, for Meadow House, 1848,
a Massachusetts hotel; a tall case clock in walnut, either New
Jersey or Pennsylvania; a tall lidded feather basket, red
painted; and two child's chairs, one a Pennsylvania hoop back,
circa 1840, and the other a captain's chair, circa 1860.
"This is our 19th year doing this show and it is really
unbelievable," Gail Piatt of Contoocook, N.H., said. Don Piatt
added, "We do only three shows per year, and this is the best
show we have ever had." A two-board top shoe foot chair table was
among the first things sold on Thursday, and, "Before the dealer
could remove it from our booth it sold again," Gail said. Other
items sold were a jelly cupboard, a bucket bench, landscape
portrait, quilt, cat painting, hooked rug, lots of ceramics,
several canes, and two sets of shelves.
Linda Tate, president of the New Hampshire Antiques Dealers
Association, said, "I have had as good a first day as ever," and
sales included several paintings, a drop leaf table which
extended to eight feet, and a Seventeenth Century double
portrait. David C. Morey American Antiques, Thomaston, Maine,
showed a high back Windsor armchair, probably New Hampshire,
inscribed in chalk "Gov. Bartlett," and a three-panel joined
chest with molded stiles and rails, Essex County, Mass., red oak
and pine and dating circa 1660.
William Lewan of Fitzwilliam, N.H., again had the largest
collection of mocha in the show, four shelves full, and a wood
carved whirligig in blue jacket with seven brass buttons. A lap
box advertised H.S. Chapins Liniment, slant lid and decorated,
and a set of six black painted ladderback side chairs with rush
seats was shown at the front of the booth.
Pam and Martha Boynton, Groton, Mass., were doing lots of
business and having fun at it. "We have been doing this show for
38 years and this one is the best ever," Pam said. "We even ran
out of bags," Martha added. According to Pam a few things that
had been put away for a rainy day were brought out for this show,
and they all sold. One was a cow weathervane with the original
yellow sizing. No gilt had ever been applied and the vane sold in
an instant. New Hampshire fire buckets with the name John Osborn
were offered, along with a Sheldon Peck painting, a grouping of
spongeware, a button foot tea table which found a new home, a
bucket bench in the original red paint, and a drop leaf harvest
table from Maine.
Ferguson & D'Arruda from Swansea, Mass., echoed the Boyntons,
saying, "This was the best show by far in our ten years here."
Sales ranged from a lowboy, Empire chest, and painted tall case
clock to a number of paintings and early mirrors.
A Hepplewhite hutch table in old red, New England, circa 1820,
three board pine scrubbed top, was among the first things sold in
the booth of Russ and Karen Goldberger of Rye, N.H. "We are very
pleased with the show, lot of great sales for us," Russ said at
the end of the second day. Around the table was a matched set of
four Windsor fanback side chairs, probably Massachusetts, late
Eighteenth Century, with the original dark green surface. Other
painted furniture included a chrome yellow decorated dressing
table, probably from Portsmouth, N.H., circa 1820, ex Samaha
Collection. A selection of pantry boxes sold, as did a yellow
painted stepback cupboard, wall boxes, pictures, game boards, and
an early tavern table. "Antiques Week in New Hampshire has really
turned into an event," Russ said.
This same sentiment was echoed by Robert Wilkins of Courcier and
Wilkins, well-known Shaker dealers from Austerlitz, N.Y. "Frank's
show turned this whole thing around, proving that more is more,"
Bob said. "Now the whole is greater than the sum of its parts."
For Courcier and Wilkins, the show was "going great." Shaker
painted boxes and textiles, a nautical diorama, a half hull
model, and furniture including Shaker tilt chairs all sold during
the early hours of the show, and "buying was good right through
closing," Suzanne said. At the back of the booth was a two-door
cupboard, tulip under the original stain, New Jersey or Eastern
Pennsylvania, circa 1830, and on the right wall a Shaker sewing
desk in butternut, birch, walnut, and cherrywood from Canterbury,
N.H. It dated circa 1880 and was in impeccable condition.
When the dealers packed out what was left in their booths late
Saturday afternoon, it brought to a close another Antiques Week
in New Hampshire. And it certainly was a grand time for all.
Dealers sold well, many customers left with more than they
bargained for, and the heat did not cause any serious health
problems.
The New Hampshire Antiques Show has been a summer success for 44
years and it has become the show not to be missed. Due to its
fine reputation and drawing power, other shows have come into
being and now hundreds of people flock to Antiques Week in New
Hampshire. It is an important time in the antiques business and
the New Hampshire Antiques Show continues to put the spark into
this special New England happening.
The Bedford Pickers Market
BEDFORD, N.H. - "The sun got up this morning like a ball of
fire," one of the Pickers Market exhibitors said as he made his
way across the covered bridge from the Wayfarer Inn into the
antiques show exhibition area.
But that seemed to be the order of the day for Antiques Week in
New Hampshire. Temperatures on Friday, August 10, pushed the
100-degree mark in the large exhibition tent, yet customers were
right there in line when early buying opened at 9 am.
"Our double tickets, which allowed customers into both Mid*Week
in Manchester and early buying at the Bedford Pickers Market,
took a big jump this year," said Frank Gaglio, the president of
Barn Star Productions and manager of the two shows. Gaglio also
noted that last year fewer that 300 such tickets were sold, while
this year 413 people took advantage of the price break.
The Pickers Market brings to the area 102 antiques dealers who
have not taken part in any of the Antiques Week events. These
dealers take over both the air-conditioned space in the
convention hall of the inn as well as the booths in the spacious
tents set-up in the parking lot.
Dealers are allowed to move in at about 8 pm, right after the
Mid*Week dealers have packed out, and work continues until
midnight. The facility is open again at 4 am and as the gate
moves in at 9 am, all is ready.
People react to the Pickers Market with renewed vigor and do not
seem worn out or tired from "the quest" which has taken place for
the past three days for many of them. There is the usual rushing
about, a fast check of the booths for a particular item, and
generally a second time around for a closer look.
It took only a matter of seconds for a trade sign in the shape of
a poster bed to be removed from the walls in the booth of Mad
Parade of Chicago. A Sold sign also appeared on a set of three
captain's chairs with red painted surface. Also of interest in
this booth was a large wooden bowl from Stonington, Conn., dating
from the early Nineteenth Century.
New Paltz, N.Y. dealer William Lohrman offered one of the nicest
trade signs in the show, a large carved wooden watch offering
watch and clock repairing by D. Wolff. A large chest on chest,
circa 1770, in walnut was against one wall of his booth, while a
corner cupboard dating from the Eighteenth Century, Hudson Valley
origin, ten lights in each of the two top doors, was on the
opposite wall.
A collection of trout fishing flies was shown by The Fishing
Room, West Cornwall, Conn., and a wall eyed pike, weighing seven
pounds when pulled from the water, was mounted on a long plaque.
Among the painted pieces of furniture in the booth of Patriot
House Antiques, West Chicago, Ill., was an open pewter cupboard
in old blue, eastern Ohio or Pennsylvania origin, one door on the
bottom, and a drysink in mustard paint with one drawer on the
left side.
"It took five years to put this collection together," Mary
Elliott of Pepperell, Mass., said of the stack of 18 pantry boxes
towering on a table in her booth. All early colors were
represented and it appeared as though every person passing the
booth stopped for a look. Early ferkins were also available in
this display.
There was a good selection of stoneware at the Pickers Market,
including some large collections and a piece here and there. An
impressive show was put on by Early American Stoneware of New
Paltz, N.Y., offering pieces which included a four-gallon handled
pot with incised floral decoration, Clark and Fox, Athens, N.Y.,
circa 1828, and a stoneware keg with cobalt accents, 13½ inches
high, Smith & Day, Norwalk, circa 1840.
Signs offering watch repair and cigars hung in the booth of H
& L Antiques of Marlton, N.J., and furniture included an
early cottage chest in the original blue paint. A pie safe in old
red, bells and hearts punched into the tin panels, was shown by
John and Eileen Smart of Rutland, Vt., along with a box in green
and mustard with diamond decoration.
A very colorful quilt with floral decoration surrounding a
medallion with an eagle in the center hung on the back wall of
the booth of Latcham House Antiques, Waterville, Ohio. A
Pennsylvania settee, eight legs with turned spindles across the
back, was also offered, along with a set of three tin reflector
lanterns and a black bear rug.
A wide selection of furniture was encountered in the booth of
Holden Antiques, Sherman, Conn., including a Federal four-drawer
chest with tiger maple fronts and turned legs, a tea table with
scalloped base and two-board scrubbed top, a nice corner chair
with an interesting box stretcher base, and a snake foot
candlestand in mahogany with cut-out corners.
It seems all areas of collecting were covered in this show, even
for those interested in full size canoes. Two were in the display
of Spotted Horse Antiques of West Windsor, Vt., and both seemed
to be in perfect shape and ready for the water. This booth also
displayed some rustic furniture as well as a couple of Grenfel
mats, fishing rods, and shotguns.
A boldly turned tiger maple tester bed filled the center of the
booth of East Dennis Antiques, East Dennis, Mass., the front of
it framing a colorful geometric hooked rug which hung on the back
wall. Two sets of chairs offered included a set of six yellow
painted Windsor plank-seat side chairs and a set of four
pillow-back side chairs with rush seats. A yellow painted and
decorated dressing table was among the first things sold from the
booth. And by the way, Schooner was there taking charge of
greeting customers.
Those in search of early trade signs had many to pick from
including a selection offered by Charles Wibel Antiques of
Farmington, N.H. Painters, shoe stores, clothing establishments
and construction workers were all represented, along with a round
Odd Fellows lodge sign from Mauston, Wisc.
Tranquil Time from Orange, Conn., continues to show up with
several collections, this time with Victorian wooden round
breadboards, fishing reels, highly polished padlocks, and a paint
decorated children's spinning top.
Donna Finnegan came all the way from Palatine, Ill., and offered
a nice selection of early clothing, mostly for women, including a
fancy silk dress with white lace collar.
Travelling up from Laurel, Md., Colleen Kinloch offered a wide
selection of American country furniture such as a good sized
sawbuck table, an unpainted drysink, a painted one-drawer stand
with slender tapering legs, a one-door jelly cupboard with light
painted surface, and a pair of yellow painted arrowback Windsor
side chairs with decoration of the back splat.
Wayne Pratt & Co., Woodbury, Conn. The New Hampshire
Antiques Show.
"We are always looking for ways to broaden the interest in our
shows and this year we have added a free appraisal clinic to the
Pickers Market," said Frank Gaglio. On hand for the offering's
debut were Dick Withington, the dean of auctioneers; Patricia
Coughlin, a dealer and appraiser with over thirty years of
experience who will also brought along her associate, Ken
Southard, and Charlie Cobb of The Cobbs Auctioneers of
Peterborough, N.H. Over fifty people came out for this service
with a varied selection of treasures.
The "Pickers Corner" is also a feature of this show, a booth
which offers items from the dealers in the show and no object is
priced over $200.
"This booth has been very popular," Gaglio said, but added that
next year "it just might be history." There is a long list of
dealers wanting to take part in the market and management is
considering using this space for a new exhibitors.
"All of the things which would have been in the Pickers Corner
will still be at the show, just spread about in the 102 booths,"
explained the show promoter. Also under consideration, and more
than likely a positive, is the air conditioning of the tent.
"We were lucky this year and did not have any heat related health
problems," said Gaglio, who added that "for the comfort of both
the dealers and the general public, air conditioning is needed
when we have those hot weeks in New Hampshire."
And judging from the crowd and the buying, this one-day,
fast-paced Pickers Market has carved a popular spot in Antiques
Week in New Hampshire.
