Tina M. Jockel, Indiana, Penn.
Review and Photos by Tom O’Hara
STURBRIDGE, MASS. – Linda Zukas again began the Brimfield Week a day early for the 28th year with her Antique Textiles Vintage Fashions Show & Sale at the Sturbridge Host Hotel, Monday, May 13. All the available spaces were filled with her exhibiting dealers’ inventories of fashions from the last 200 years or more, exotic textiles from all around the world and antique objects made from them and related materials.
While the material at this very popular event does not change very much, the emphasis over the years has changed somewhat to be more oriented to the vintage fashions and trendy clothing from years past. Linda was quick to point out how among the hottest sellers now are vintage work clothes such as blue jeans, pants and jackets. So when the gate was released at 9:30 am Monday morning, many of the shoppers were running to exhibitors they knew would be offering these items.
Danielle Ciandella, a New York City exhibitor was showing and selling from the first moments out of her mixed collection of vintage fashions of the Twentieth Century and assorted textiles. Her assorted inventory of textiles included finished pieces such as coverlets and scarves and also yard goods for the buyer to make into their own objects.
Old As Adam is a Portsmouth, N.H., shop which exhibits at the show with sports and gentlemen’s attire from 75 to 100 years ago. One part of its display for this session of the show featured men’s jerseys from the Philadelphia rowing team for the 1936 Olympics.
Michele Fox, Weston, Conn. was offering her collection of table covers, American flags, quilts and textiles. The depth of her collection is extensive, so at each show she can bring the same but with different selections, all vintage and antique materials.
More & More, New York City
Martha Perkins, Ashby, Mass, started out with a Bang! The dealer of mostly antique quilts and bed covers was selling so well that her partner Barrett Menson had to be there to help with bagging them up. One of the early sales was a 100-year-old quilt, New England found, with an unusual fan repeat pattern which was pictured in her booth.
Maria Niforos, Irvington, N.Y., has given up her Portobello Road, London, activity, but she still has her sources there supplying her with Nineteenth Century English ladies’ fashions. Frequently she is into wedding dresses, but this time the outfits were more party outfits, in pastels.
From Midland, Texas, The Cats Meow again filled an oversized space with fashions for the ladies from the last 200 years. The owner, Steven Porterfield, a sometimes appraiser on Antiques Roadshow, sold well with early Twentieth Century as dominant; a turquoise evening gown was front and center at his exhibit.
Another New Yorker, Eileen Rosenberger was having fun for the first time at the show. She was selling well with vintage outfits from the middle of the Twentieth Century, all for the ladies but both fancy evening gowns and everyday fashions.
Nearby, Hula Cowboys of Boston was also having a great day with their successful sales. The styles that owner Cindi St Clair offered included those wild and crazy Hawaiian prints in dresses and shirts, which she practically sold out the supply, cowboy or perhaps cowgirl outfits also selling very well and more charming styles from the midcentury.
Tina M. Jockel, Indiana, Penn., offered a collection of gentlemen’s hats, including bowlers, skimmers and fedoras, all selling well.
Jennifer Osner, San Francisco, brought lacy children’s clothing from the Victorian era.
Raw textiles from West Africa were the inventory for Oumaru Swary of New York City. He said the material, 100 percent cotton, was loomed and hand dyed in Africa and he personally imported all of his collection.
Linda has been producing this extremely popular show for nearly three decades, now twice each year, on the Monday of Brimfield Week in May and September. Always a sell out by show time, the next date is Monday September 2. For more information, 207-363-1320 or www.vintagefashionandtextileshow.com.
