“It’s like shows used to be in the old days †great antiques, good friends and good food,” remarked a dealer from St Michaels, Md., who has attended the June Festival of Antiques every year since its inception in 2007.
June 11 marked the fifth year for the event, which is conducted at the Gloucester County 4-H Fairgrounds under four large open-air pavilions with many more dealers on lawn spaces.
This year’s show featured many of previous year’s Americana dealers, as well as many new faces, including Tex Johnson & Son Antiques of Adamstown, Penn.; Stephen-Douglas Antiques of Rockingham, Vt.; Dordy Fontinel of Nellysford, Va.; Nadine Pechmann of Mendham, N.J.; Emmajean’s General Store of Silver Spring, Md.; Doug and Cindy Robinson of Lower Gwynedd, Penn.; Lovrinic Antiques of Lambertville, N.J.; William Grotheer of Huntington, N.Y.; Sandbrook Antiques of Flemington, N.J.; and David Dallas trading under the name of Treasures of the Tribes, Oriental Rugs, Paoli, Penn.
A few of the dealers returning from previous years shows included George Allen and Gordon Wyckoff of Raccoon Creek Antiques, Oley, Penn.; A. Robb Stevens of Boggs Boynton Antiques, Clarksboro, N.J.; Olde Country Antiques, Hightstown, N.J.; Elizabeth Ayscough Antiques, Chadds Ford, Penn.; Todd Kibler of Country Antiques Two, Mullica Hill, N.J.; Linda Grier Antiques, Langhorne, Penn.; Pat and Merry Tobin, Stevensville, Md.; Susan Goldsweig of Yonkers, N.Y.; and Randy Ona of Wayne, N.J.
The reports during and after the show indicated that there was strong buying across the board, with an emphasis on smalls. That said, there were many more vehicles seen entering the grounds picking up larger items than seen in previous shows. Although there were many purchases of stoneware, jewelry, samplers, woodenware, baskets, textiles and the like, there were many larger items, including furniture, an early tall case clock, a large corn crib, a pair of market wagons and industrial design forms and workbenches.
More than 1,200 attendees walked the fairgrounds taking in the array of antiques, enjoyed a barbeque lunch served by the local Amish Market and watched the horse show, which took place in the area adjacent to the antiques show. This combination of activities makes the June festival one of the most popular shows in the area, according to its organizers. The transformation of the venue for the few hours once a year is something that has to be seen, organizers said. And since it is only once a year, the buyers are geared up and ready to spend.
Despite the fact that a 3 pm thunderstorm rolled through and cut the show an hour short (and made for a soggy pack-out), the weather was otherwise good. Dealers and attendees were very positive and are already looking forward to next year’s show, the organizers said.
The June Festival of Antiques takes place the second Saturday in June every year and is sponsored and promoted by Yellow Garage Antiques of 66 South Main Street in Mullica Hill and benefits the Harrison Township Historical Society. For information, 856-478-0300 or www.yellowgarageantiques.com .
