Collectors stop by a dealer display.
Review & Onsite Photos by Jordan J. Estrada
WESTMORELAND, N.H. — The time was 8:39 on a Saturday morning and there was an air of anticipation among the gathering crowd. Dealer vans and trucks were lining up, but there wasn’t an antique in sight. That’s because there’s a unique twist to The Tailgate, which occurs once a month at Flying Pig Antiques. At the entrance, Paul Casucci wore a neon green hoodie displaying the show’s important rule: “Nothing out before 9.”
Arriving dealers were greeted at the entrance by Paul Casucci, who runs the show along with his wife, Kris, and their business partner Ian McKelvey.
At 9 o’clock sharp, a signal was given and collectors could enter the area. At that point — and not a minute before — dealers rushed to pull out their wares. Trunks opened, tailgates dropped and the buying, selling and bargaining commenced, even as vendors hurriedly arranged their collections on folding tables behind their vehicles.
Folks trickled in during the minutes before the signal, and there was plenty of milling around and chatting. Many wandered inside Flying Pig Antiques to check out the well-stocked shop or enjoy the free pastries and coffee provided by McKelvey and the Casuccis. Everybody seemed to know each other, and it was immediately clear this crowd consisted of many regulars. The Flying Pig owners have cultivated a community gathering, and it was apparent that many attendees were there for the social aspects as well as collecting opportunities.
Collectors gathered as a dealer rushed to display more antiques at The Tailgate.
“It’s short and sweet,” reads the event description on the Flying Pig Facebook page. “It’s over when it’s over. It’s where Americana happens. It’s ANTIQUES ONLY.” One could do much worse on a beautiful Saturday morning in late summer.
When the vuvuzela blew at 9 am, previously concealed antiques sprang into view, and in just a few minutes, tables were crowded with items of all descriptions.
As treasures emerged, there was a good sampling of items from the 1700s through early 1900s. True to the show’s prediction, Americana was the predominant theme. “A lot of good country deals,” commented Paul Casucci. “A lot of good collections come in.”
Jon and Carla Magoun of Paris, Maine, produced a full vintage dining set from the back of their van and set it up. Jon guessed this table and chair ensemble must be 60 years old, artfully wrought from rustic timbers, branches and what appeared to be hand-sawn planks. A complete set of matching chairs were included, and their basket-weave seats were still solid and functional. “I need a lake house for this!” commented one impressed collector.
In the spotlight here is a vintage handmade dining set. Jon & Carla Magoun Antiques, Paris, Maine.
Charlie Lane of Surry Mountain Antiques & Salvage, Surry, N.H., also had something historic yet functional. Beside his table sat an immaculately preserved red wooden wheelbarrow dating back to the 1880s. It immediately called to mind the immortal words of modernist William Carlos Williams, published in 1923: “so much depends / upon a red wheel barrow / glazed with rain water / beside the white Chickens.” Perhaps this was the wheelbarrow Williams was talking about?
Al Benting of Benting and Jarvis Antiques, Barrington, N.H., showcased a Seventeenth Century axe with a hand-forged head and long handle. It was apparent this was no wood splitting axe. Instead, it imitated a style reminiscent of a Viking war axe. Benting assured his visitors that this axe was made for combat. Eight notches and an “X” were ominously engraved on the side of the iron blade. One could only wonder what adventures this axe witnessed in the hands of early American pioneers and explorers.
Another trending category was vintage children’s toys, and many functional but miniature models of adult items were on display. At one table, there was a diminutive green metal sewing machine, dating to the 1920s.
A diminutive lathe, drill press, tachometer and crimper from German toy manufacturer Märklin, dated between 1904-14.
Elsewhere, there was a complete set of machinist reproductions — a miniature lathe, drill press, tachometer and crimper from Märklin. The German toy manufacturer is well known in the vintage world as a producer of high-fidelity models of trains, machines and industrial playthings for children. The specific olive-green on cast iron aesthetic of these models likely placed them between 1904 to 1914.
There was also a miniature cast iron stove with matching pots and pans, and — in a completely different category — a 1930s ray gun that looked straight out of Irwin Allen’s Lost in Space.
A significant buzz surrounded one item in particular: a Kentucky swivel-breach rifle. It is a highly sought-after firearm with two barrels, both fired by the same hammer. After firing the top barrel, the operator would rotate the barrels, bringing the lower barrel in line with the upper hammer, enabling a second shot without reloading. The use of a percussion cap firing mechanism dated this specimen back to the 1820-50s. At any given time during The Tailgate, there was a knot of people gathered around and admiring the rifle. The seller did not permit any photographs of this item, so if one wants to see this firearm, they’ll have to visit the next Tailgate — presuming, of course, that another collector hasn’t already taken it home.
Two mast hoops (front left) from the mid Nineteenth Century were on offer.
After getting their sale items out, many dealers also visited other tables to check out their neighbors’ collections. The chatting and socializing continued, interspersed with bargaining and negotiations. There was a decidedly friendly air over the whole event.
“I always ask for the friendliest price,” one of the attendees, Jack McMackin said. When asked if he was a dealer or collector, he replied, “I’m a little bit of everything. I buy, sell, trade and give away to my kids.”
Around 10:30-11 am, folks began packing up. As intended, the show is a quick microburst of buying and selling. Acting as a group, dealers and collectors began to head out.
“A lot of people told me they did well, both buying and selling,” said Kris Casucci afterwards. “The weather was perfect; it’s nice when everything pans out. It’s always fun. We love picking, we love antiques and we love seeing the property filled with people.”
The Tailgate at Flying Pig will return on Saturday, September 19, but the Flying Pig Antiques shop is open daily at 867 Route 12.
For information, www.flyingpigantiquesnh.com.
