Colorful, whimsical birdcage shaped as a red-roof house in wood and iron with original paint, French, circa 1860, 30 by 21½ by 12 inches. Courtesy Leatherwood Antiques.

WILTON, CONN. — Karen DiSaia’s recent press release announcing a new show for the late spring seemed to be missing a key word in its title — antiques. “That was on purpose,” she told Antiques and The Arts Weekly in discussing the new show set to debut on the grounds of the Wilton Historical Society June 1–3. Objects of Desire: Style for the Garden and Home is a show that has no dateline. To be sure, there will be antiques, but there will also be unique, one-of-kind items that may be only 30 to 40 years old, objects made by artisans or artists and, most important, things that even novice collectors can find to enhance their environment.

According to DiSaia, the show “brings a carefully edited, eclectic mix of outstanding pieces for the garden and home to a two-day show. With offerings ranging from antique to midcentury to contemporary, Objects of Desire features a treasure trove of one-of-a-kind garden accents, fine furniture, accessories, found objects and art, beautifully presented on the verdant grounds of the Wilton Historical Society by more than 25 top dealers.”
Some of the participating dealers include James and Judith Milne, A Bird in Hand, Firehouse Antiques, Leatherwood Antiques, Newsom & Berdan, Colette Donovan, Village Braider, Bob Withington and Company and Warren Antiques.

Bruce Emond of the Village Braider, Plymouth, Mass., contacted for this article while setting up at the Connecticut Spring Antiques Show in Hartford, said he was still thinking about what to bring to the Wilton show, “but you can be sure they will be things with energy, that are whimsical, colorful, fairly contemporary.”

Some of the dealers who will participate in Objects of Desire gathered for a photo op at the Connecticut Spring Antiques Show. From left, Bruce Emond of The Village Braider, show manager Karen DiSaia, Sandy Jacobs, Laura Carrigan; Bob Withington and Kevin Rita.

Sandwich, Mass., folk art dealer Mo Wajselfish of Leatherwood Antiques observed that the upcoming Wilton show is very much in the spirit of Thatcher Freund’s 1995 book Objects of Desire that focused on three of the most highly valued pieces at the 1991 Americana Week in New York and how each came into the dealer’s life. “You know, it could be a chair, a painting, a carving, but most important is that it comes from an artistic or singular point of view. It’s what catches the dealer’s eye.”

DiSaia said that she was approached by the Wilton Historical Society to conceptualize something that would combine elements of her successful New York Botanical Garden Show with “objects that have a story to tell” — a key mission of the society. “This is an entirely new kind of show,” said DiSaia, “the spotlight is on amazing objects. These are the one-of-a-kind pieces that can transform your garden and home, giving distinct style and visual pop.”

Allison Sanders, co-director at the society, said, “The idea is that sometimes what can transform a room or space in the home is an object that is unexpected, that has a style evoking a reaction of ‘Wow, what’s that?’ — something that adds one’s own personality to a space.”

The show will be staged with some dealers inside the society’s 1740 house and others set up in walled tents interconnected on the property. “The grounds are pretty and easy to see from the road,” said Sanders. A food truck will be available during the show’s run. Sanders said that Connecticut Cottages and Gardens magazine is the show’s media sponsor, and the Wilton Garden Club, of which she is vice president, will also participate with gardening-related demonstrations.

Show hours will be Saturday and Sunday, June 2 and 3, 10 am to 5 pm. A festive preview party for early buying will be conducted on Friday, June 1, 6 to 8 pm, with tickets at $125 per person.

Regular show admission is $10. Proceeds will benefit the society.

Wilton Historical Society is at 224 Danbury Road (Route 7).

For additional information, www.wiltonhistorical.org or 860-908-0076.

—W.A. Demers