George and Mary Bittner, Chester, Vt., displayed many things, among them an oversized alligator bag or small suitcase. It wasn’t in the best condition and was priced $350. It was displayed open and invited a look inside, where there was a circa 1930s “artistic” photograph of a young lady standing by the bag.
Review and Photos by Rick Russack
QUECHEE, VT. – A show doesn’t get to be 42 years old unless it has been doing something right, and the event now under the management of Lori Scotnicki has done that. Running on February 16 at Mid-Vermont Christian School, it called itself “The Best Little Winter Antiques Show in Vermont” and lived up to its billing. It’s not a big show – it had 26 good dealers – and the taste is definitely Americana, but that definition is broad. Furniture spanned from the Eighteenth Century to the Twentieth, there was silver, paintings, toys, folk art, early ceramics, photographica and lots of just interesting things. Several dealers brought items specifically related to Vermont. The parking lot was overflowing, and dealers were wrapping items shortly after the show opened. The show has had a number of managers and a number of locations over the years, but exhibitors and buyers obviously are ready to get out and connect at this time of year. Booth rents were inexpensive, and the material offered was reasonably priced.
Selling was active as soon as the show opened. Hilary Nolan sold a pair of early lanterns and a weaver’s stool, along with other items. Martin Ferrick sold a blanket chest; Charlie Landon and Sandy Belko were selling toys. Kyle Scanlon said that he had done well during setup. Bob Foley sold well, as did Nancy Cummings.
Nolan from Falmouth, Mass., had some of the earliest furniture at the show. He offered an Eighteenth Century Pennsylvania walnut armchair with a carved top rail, splat back and well-carved trifid feet. He priced it at $2,800. He also had a pair of Eighteenth Century square-legged, carved splat back Chippendale side chairs, which were priced at $225 for the pair. At the other end of the time spectrum, Osgood Hill Antiques, Essex, Vt., showed a pair of unsigned 1960s vinyl-covered armchairs that resembled ram’s horns. In between, timewise, Martin Ferrick, Lincolnville, Maine, had a mahogany bow front Hepplewhite four-drawer chest priced at $1,650, along with other pieces of the period. One of the first things buyers entering the show would have seen was a Mission period round oak table and set of four chairs. Greg Hamilton, Stone Block Antiques, Vergennes, Vt., said that he had not been able to identify the maker of either the table or the chairs. The set of four chairs was priced $950, as was the table. An unusual Mission-style smoking stand was in the booth of Spotted Horse Antiques, West Windsor, Vt. The corners were iron bound, the legs were curved and the top had three hinged compartments for smoking accessories.
As mentioned, several dealers brought items related to Vermont. A Vermont painted blanket chest was in the booth of John Smart, Mendon, Vt., priced at $1,050. Dave Thompson of South Dennis, Mass., brought a group of Vermont stereoviews priced between $10 and $40. He also had an early framed map of Wales, dated 1804. He said that he thought it might have local interest, as many of the quarry workers who had settled in Vermont originally came from Wales, which had a long tradition of quarrying. He also commented that he thought it interesting, as it showed Wales alone, whereas most maps of the period show Wales as part of Great Britain.
Lynn and Dennis Chrin, Partridge Hollow Antiques, Milton, Vt., specialize in chocolate molds, and they always have a large selection of silver. Dennis pointed out that they had brought a selection of silver by Vermont makers, including coin silver spoons by C. Childs, a scarce maker who worked in St Johnsbury for a few years between 1859 and 1868. He said that the style of handle used by Childs was distinctive, and he priced the spoons at $75 each.
Osgood Hill Antiques, Essex, Vt., had what might have been the latest pieces of furniture in the show. The pair of 1960s vinyl chairs, with the interesting ram’s head backs, were not identified as to maker.
There were a number of hooked rugs in the show. A particularly nice one belonged to Ken Arthur of Spotted Horse Antiques, West Windsor, Vt. It was a colorful western scene of mountains, a waterfall, snow-capped mountains, trees, a river, and there were Native Americans camped on the shore. Arthur thought that it might have been inspired by a Thomas Moran painting of Yosemite and priced it at $950. He also had a large carved pair of young deer priced at $550. He said that a large maple burl bowl with carved handles was one the best he had ever owned and was asking $950 .
Other folk art pieces included a well-painted pair of merganser decoys that Up Your Attic Antiques, Framingham, Mass., priced at $995, and Greg Hamilton had a hooked rug with an unusual subject – a stork. Mike and Lucinda Seward, St Albans, Vt., displayed a particularly unusual piece of folk art. It was a carved and painted mechanical bank, perhaps carved by a father for his son. With two figures and a painted surface, it seemed like a good buy at $295. Penguins seem to be popular these days, and Bob Foley, Gray, Maine, had two brightly painted pairs. One was papier-mache and priced at $295, while a pair made of concrete was priced at $395.
Michael Weinberg, West Pelham Antiques, Pelham, Mass., grouped about a dozen samplers, including one that he described as being quite rare. It was a small, round sampler, known as a “watch sampler.” He explained that they were made by wives or lovers, meant to be carried inside a gentleman’s pocket watch, so surviving examples are not common. Some, he said, had personal decorations or names. The one he had was about 2 inches in diameter and was priced at $375.
It was the second time that Lori Scotnicki, an appraiser from Shelburne, Vt, was in charge of the show. Also active in the Vermont Antiques Dealers Association, she took over the show two years ago from Greg Hamilton, who had run it for several years. She said that she had grown up in a “show-managing family” since her grandmother was in that business. She remembers helping her grandmother measure and lay out booths as a youngster. And now her teenage son, Dylan Jopp, is helping her. “We were fortunate with the weather, and we had a good turnout,” said Scotnicki. “It was actually up a bit from last year. I didn’t hear any complaints about sales from the dealers, and several said to me that there had been a good retail crowd and they were buying. We really went out of our way to get show posters up in as many places as we could in the surrounding towns. Next year, I plan to promote the show on social media.” There are two active antiques centers close to the show, and Woodstock, with several shops and restaurants, is just a few miles away.
For information, email Lori Scotnicki at lscotnicki@gmail.com.
