Review and Photos By Tom O’Hara

BOUCKVILLE, N.Y. — The sun shone brightly as buyers and dealers enjoyed mostly good weather during a weeklong of sales during Madison-Bouckville Antique Week, with shows set up in fields throughout the second week of August. Headlining the event was the Big Field Antiques Show, conducted August 14–16, whose manager Steve Allman reported a 20 percent increase in attendance over last year and more than 300 exhibitors, also an improvement of more than 10 percent.

White & White Antiques, Skaneateles, N.Y.

In his second year managing the show, Allman has kept tents similar to the show’s longtime setup, but has tightened up the area, bringing dealers closer together so shoppers have less walking. This allows parking to be closer to the shopping, a big plus for all. Allman also allows the exhibitors to set up Thursday before the opening so that with the opening early Friday morning all the merchandise is out and ready for the shoppers. This presents a level playing field for all dealers, whether offering just a few pieces of furniture or needing to place a thousand smalls, commented one dealer.

Steve White, White & White Antiques, Skaneateles, N.Y., was pleased with the week’s results. He sells Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century furniture, both American and English, along with fine smalls, and at the show both were going out in good quantity: an American tall case clock, an English tall case clock, two tables, a chair, several paintings and a good supply of silver were among his sales.

Sport & Spool Antiques, Goldsboro, N.C.

Sport & Spool Antiques, Goldsboro, N.C., was busy selling. Pick your favorite college and the dealers probably have a banner or some form of memorabilia from it — maybe not the exact year of your parent’s graduation, but close. Vintage sporting equipment is here, too, from baseball and cricket to rugby and football (or futbol if you prefer), alongside the spool cabinets, needles and more. Sales included a special spool cabinet with four drawers in walnut, some furniture and sporting goods, of course.

Mike Pheffer of Two Sides of a River Antiques, New London, N.H., was waxing poetic about the weekend and the results. “Sales were very good; made pack-out easy! I sold two dry sinks, one was a very nice early pine piece, in a dark finish, the other had a high top; sold a one-drawer stand, an early dough box on stand, a desk and the settle bench with storage beneath the seat.”

P.D. Murphy Antiques, Bath, Maine

Among Bath, Maine, dealer Peter Murphy’s early sales were a Victorian game puzzle and a lithograph of similar vintage. He then sold an Ingraham gingerbread clock, an Empire drop leaf table and a card table from the same period, some vases and silver.

Caulkins House Antiques, Plainwell, Mich., has been a regular at the field for a great many years, under several promoters. This year dealer Ron Broughman was offering furniture at very reasonable prices. His specialty has always been painted furniture dating to about 1800. Sales included a couple painted jelly cupboards and blanket boxes.

Quilts, earthenware and early Pennsylvania furniture are the specialty of Ken and Jan Silveri, Hamburg, Penn., who have set up here for more than 20 years. Their booth this time featured a large display of quilts and coverlets as a backdrop. A large A-frame display on one side was filled with transfer ware from floor to ceiling. Early sales included a large pantry cupboard in original surface.

Ken and Jan Silveri Antiques, Hamburg, Penn.

Tom Nagy of Chelsea Hill Antiques, Hampton, Conn., filled a large tent with fine early hardwood furniture from America and Europe. His prize piece for the week was the American pewter cupboard in oak. Interestingly, when he bought the piece he was given its full provenance from the former owner, tracing its life from the construction in New York in 1640 through its moves to Rhode Island and Connecticut. It was sold at the end of the show, to stay in its native New York. Other sales included two Eighteenth Century gate leg tables, one American the other English, several paintings and a good deal of smalls.

Allman Promotions LLC produces a variety of other shows in New York, Massachusetts and Florida. The next shows are Salt City Fall Antiques Show in Syracuse, N.Y, October 17–18, and the Syracuse Thanksgiving Antique Show November 28–29. The Madison-Bouckville Big Field Antiques Show returns next summer, August 19–21.

For additional information, www.allmanpromotions.com or 315-686-5789.