The second annual East Hampton Antiques Show, July 12‱3, raised funds for the Long Island resort town’s historical society again this year. Tom D’Arruda reported, “The show was terrific! We had full tents, and, according to the historical society, this was the largest number of visitors to any event they have had at Mulford Farm.”
Mulford Farm is one of several properties owned and managed by the East Hampton Historical Society. With several acres of open fields behind the house, which was built about 1680, there was plenty of space for the assorted large tents that housed the antiques exhibits for the weekend. Also used for the activities was the circa 1721 barn, where there were several short lectures and book signings.
The town has many well-known entertainment and business personalities living there who participated in the show in some way. This year, Ralph Lauren again offered some help with special East Hampton Historical Society T-shirts for sale at his company’s shop in town with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting the Mulford Farm restoration.
More than 60 exhibitors offered their collections in elegant room settings or organized as well-appointed shops. Among the first seen upon entering the show grounds was Kent, Conn., dealer Marianne Stikas, who had created an elaborate Impressionist wall mural, which seemed to resemble a frolicking ocean with shades of blue and white. This was a fine contrast for the early Twentieth Century furniture on offer, including an oversized leather chair, early tables and stands and a Modern-style garden dining set.
Next to her on the left was Bridges Over Time, the business of Ed and Betty Koren from Walden, N.Y. Their booth also featured primarily designs from the Twentieth Century, for, as Ed Koren said, “This is what the Hamptons market wants. We have found that quality pieces from midcentury sell well here.” His sales included a decorative cast iron dog from Grey Iron Works in Poultney, Vt.
Carolyn Wilson, Mendon, N.Y., has a collection that is often considered outsider art, and for this show she brought some of that, as well as more traditional antiques. There was a wallpaper hanger’s table filled with an assortment of vessels that seemed to have had an industrial function in a prior life. Paintings in a style similar to Edward Hopper and early ceramics in stark contrast to the rest of her exhibits all came together in a decorative style that would be just right in a large loft or beach house.
“We were selling accessories very well,” said Tim Bergeron of Partners In Time, a Glens Falls, N.Y., antiques dealer. The collection he assembled featured some very traditional antiques, some midcentury and even some pieces freshly made as decorative art from old materials. In this last category, there were a couple of palm fronds about 6 feet tall made from old porch lattice work.
There were sweetheart boxes †small containers made from small seashells for the tops of tables and dressers †offered by Circa Antiques, Rockport, Mass. Dealer Deb Meiselman said some can be identified as to their origin by the shells used in their construction. Nula Thanhauser had lady’s handbags as the majority of her inventory. This Bridgehampton, N.Y., dealer was selling fine purses, most from the Nineteenth Century, that could be used as evening dress accessories.
Sold tags were abloom at the exhibit of Firehouse Antiques, Galena, Md. Early Saturday afternoon, Paul Thiem said, “The matching mirrors, some architectural pieces and furniture have all gone already to new homes.”
There was a set of bentwood chairs, eight in total, offered by Andrew Spindler of Essex, Mass., for $3,200. Fair Trade, Inc, of Shelburne Falls, Mass., offered a set of early Twentieth Century leather and formed wood chairs, so massive that they resembled chairs from the club cars of railroad trains of a time gone by Brennan & Mouilleseaux of Northfield, Conn., said its sales were very good in small accessories during the preview party Friday evening.
Filling two exhibit areas, James Butterworth had a variety of vintage rattan and wicker. This Nashua, N.H., dealer has been specializing in this furniture for some time, selling well to this audience.
While many exhibitors offered later period furniture, traditional antiques were there, too. Morgan MacWhinnie, a Southampton, N.Y., shopkeeper, exhibited early English and American furniture and appropriate period accessories. J. Gallagher, North Norwich, N.Y., is well known for its collection of early American brass andirons and furniture. The Brewster Shop, now located in Orleans, Mass., offered some early wood furniture and garden antiques found in America and England in the Nineteenth Century. Jon Rider was mixing early and later periods in his exhibit. A Welsh dresser, also called a pewter cupboard, was in the background, with French provincial chairs and a modern coffee table making a fashion statement for this Essex, Mass., exhibitor.
Kelter Malce displayed a collection of outsider art. Michael Malce and Jolie Kelter have been known for their ability to see more function and purpose in common objects and art in many things. Now living in Bridgehampton, they exhibit at several shows there and in New England.
The East Hampton Antiques Show, now only two years old, was so successful that D’Arruda expects to conduct it over the same weekend next year. While the date has not been set, show management’s website will have it as soon as confirmed. Ferguson & D’Arruda’s upcoming shows include Golden Ball Tavern in Weston, Mass., on September 24.
For additional information, www.ferguson-darruda.com or 401-273-5550.
