Tiny Fitzwilliam, N.H.’s town common was filled with antiques on Saturday, July 21, with about 50 exhibiting dealers jostling to display their special pieces. There were so many dealers that several shared spaces in order to participate in the 37th consecutive year of the Fitzwilliam Historical Society’s antiques show, with revenue from the dealer rents and admission charges benefiting the society.
Managed for many years by Arlene Rich, she turned the reins over to Ann Berard and Claire Borowski who have coordinated the affair for the last six years. This year they filled the common with an assortment of early American antiques dealers who brought art, furniture, smalls and even a few dealers who featured collectibles.
Exhibitors are generally New Englanders, in fact many are local, such as David Proctor from Brookfield, N.H. He brought a large assortment of small furniture and early tools and household items. His sales included an early pierced tin demilune lantern with a glass front and some iron tools. He also sold early glass fishing net floats in good condition.
Richard Fuller from Royalton, Vt., said he was selling rather well right from the start of the show. His collection was early primitive New England farm objects. One item getting a great deal of attention was an early corn planter that resembled a small wheelbarrow; it had a small capacity bin and long handles enabling the farmer to plant the corn while walking erect.
Stone Block Antiques, Vergennes, Vt., was showing its latest collection of early grass baskets with about 20 stored in an old lift top blanket chest. The baskets, according to business owner Greg Hamilton, sold very well. He also sold a 1920s painting by the listed artist, Gardner Symons, a rocking horse, some smalls and a mid-Twentieth Century chair he bought on his way to the show. As Hamilton said, “It was not a bad show!”
Perkins & Menson Antiques, from Ashby, Mass., just 20 minutes away, was pleased with the day. Martha Perkins was showing a large collection of early lightweight quilts, pale colors for spring and summer use which sold fairly well for the day. She said she had several smalls that found new homes as well.
Candlewick Antiques came with a large collection of early New England primitive furniture. Jesse Anderson and her son John from Milford, N.H., have been collecting and trading for a few generations now, and are for many shoppers the “Go To” dealers: exhibitors with good stuff and prices that work for other customers who may either keep the pieces or resell them. This weekend their collection included an assortment of early painted firkins and pantry boxes, a grain painted lift top blanket chest, an eagle weathervane and a table filled with early smalls.
White is the theme for Kay Linkkila, from Orleans, Mass. Her collection featured many white and pale colored small accessories for the home. She had a pair of architectural columns in white, white dishes, white cupboard and some white textiles. These were set off on white draped tables with beige covers, all to enhance the affect of her merchandise. Her sales included an early white garden urn; several painted accessories such as a wooden bowl and a knife box; an early tape loom and a sconce. She had high praise for the show that she has been doing for more years than she could recall †as she said, “I do pretty well here, for it is just like the old country shows with a loyal following of customers.”
Fitzwilliam Antiques Show is sponsored by the Fitzwilliam Historical Society, on the third weekend of July each year. Look for it again next year with the same two coordinators again working hard for the exhibitors and getting the word out to the public. For more information, call the historical society at 603-585-7742.
