– “The show went well, many of the dealers told me they had good shows, but the gate was not a strong as last year,” said Frank Gaglio, show manager. He also mentioned that the number of early buyers about doubled this year.

Dealers were let onto the field starting at 6 am, and by 7:30 all 104 exhibitors were in place are ready to go. At this show dealers can only remove tables and tents from their vehicles prior to the 8 am start, at which time unpacking begins as the early buyers invade the field. Many things quickly passed hands as boxes were unloaded and furniture was pulled from trucks and vans.

In the process of moving the dealers onto the field, Cynthia Saniewski, Frank’s executive assistant, tripped, broke a leg, and left in an ambulance. She will spend the next two weeks with her leg up and has already asked for some paperwork to do to pass the time.

It was like alumni day for Northeast auctioneer Ron Bourgeault who put on a “dealer’s hat” for the day and exhibited in Salisbury for the first in time many years. He brought in two boxes of things, about 40 objects, and was sold out by 1 pm. He found being a dealer more exhausting than being an auctioneer, and gave in to a nap, complete with snoring.

For the most part dealers brought country pieces of furniture and related accessories, lots of painted objects and a smattering of folk art. And with fall close at hand, about five pairs of andirons left the field. Candlesticks were popular, a number of weathervanes sold and furniture ranging in size from chests of drawers to small stools found buyers.

So what does a show manager do after the show is underway? “Lots of things,” says Frank Gaglio, who is pictured here on the right end of a chest and heading for a customer’s car in the parking lot.