The Springfield Antiques Show and Flea Market filled Clark County Fairgrounds with more than 2,000 dealers and 20,000 customers for the four days, September 15‱8, according to management.
Steve Jenkins, show manager and president of Jenkins Management, said, “We are so fortunate to have had good weather that encouraged dealers to give us a new high for the September Extravaganza, with dealers coming from Iowa, Colorado, Texas and all the eastern states to sell and also to be here to restock.”
The buyers “are dealers, collectors and also homeowners buying for inventory, to fill their collections or furnish their homes and they made this their destination. One California couple has been here with a rental van for the last four years using our onsite shipper to get their purchases home,” he said.
The affair began Thursday morning at about 6 am with the line of exhibiting dealers opening the backs of trailers, vans and pickups to show some of their inventories to early bird shoppers “picking the line,” as Steve called it. While only a fraction of the collections can be seen at that time, there was quick selling among the hundreds who arrived early.
Later that day at noon, dealers moved into the buildings and onto the fields at 5 pm for outside dealers. Through all of this, there were no restrictions on shopping, and there was a great deal of merchandise that changed hands.
For example, a large collection of very early painted pantry boxes was picked over by customers quickly on the first day. Susan Johnson, Athens, Ohio, brought them from a friend’s collection and the sales began as she was trying to set up. Sales were so hot, in one case a purchaser was looking at three boxes, put two down and bought only one. Another customer picked the two castoffs up, bought them and then eventually bought the box the first customer had acquired. Johnson also sold many valuable early baskets, New York Taconics and Nantuckets from her collection.
Gary Gordon, Burton, Ohio, was selling from his collection of Federal and Victorian-era furniture. Included was a four-drawer chest in tiger maple with decorative veneers and inlays, turnip feet and cut-out backsplash, circa 1820, with a Sheraton influence. Gordon said it was from New York and priced at $900.
Period Antiques, Scottsburg, Ind., brought its collection of early painted firkins, which the dealers displayed in a tapered stack, with the firkins ranging from $575 to $950. Tom Cheap, co-owner with his wife Rose, sold well with early furniture.
Depot Antiques, Spring Lake, Mich., was offering a Nineteenth Century child’s rocking horse with an unusual articulated base, all in original paint, but missing some of the original mane and tail and saddlery.
Jeffrey’s Antique Gallery, Findlay, Ohio, sold several industrial carts, each made with six rugged iron wheels and heavy hardwood bodies, showing years of handling, at $450 each. At the back of the tent was a three-piece grouping of Art Nouveau upholstered pieces, a sofa, a lounge chair and a rocker, oak veneer and in early coverings.
Sherry Spehar, Brighton, Mich., exhibits here at all nine of Jenkins’ shows during the year, setting up in the Youth Building. Her collection invariably includes early antique smalls. At this most recent show, she had a collection of seven Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century purses, two of which were Shaker. Another piece she was offering was a wedding certificate in calligraphy with watercolor decorations in an early frame.
Susan Mick, Otto, N.C., was showing her assorted collection of smalls as well. Included were early ceramics, kitchen tools, treen and a few textile novelties, such as a stuffed black cat doorstop.
Darwin Green, Fairborn, Ohio, brought an early Nineteenth Century jelly cupboard to the show. In walnut with a secondary wood of poplar underneath, it was coated in shellac that had turned an early red paint into a very dark maroon color. All original, including the hardware, the piece dated to about 1820 and had an Ohio provenance; it was priced at $425.
Jeffrey Fath, Sugarcreek [Ohio] Antiques, offered “The Hydraulic Chair,” probably made for a dentist or barber for its handy pumping action. It was going for $1,800.
Dr Bob McIntire, Tucson, Ariz., offered some Nineteenth Century sewing machines produced before the addition of electric motors. Prices varied according to the rarity and condition but all were in good working order.
Sproules Antiques, Freeport, Ill., brought a big load of big furniture, including a polychrome tall step back hutch, a dry sink, several jelly cupboards and a kitchen table with chairs. Sold early was a Victorian tall cupboard in oak.
Sharon Stafford was showing several tables full of small antiques that she has collected from estate sales in the Springfield area. One of her early sales was a decorated oval hat box, which had wallpaper on the side and a primitive painting of a wedding scene, circa 1810, on the top.
That is the nature of Springfield, according to Jenkins, who said, “People come here to find great antiques and collectibles which are fresh to the market and at very reasonable prices. That is what makes this such a popular show!”
Springfield is held on the third weekend of the month, except in July, when it is the second weekend. There is no show in December, February and June. For information, www.springfieldantiqueshow.com or 937-325-0053.
