Skip and his longtime partner, Elisabeth Anderson.
By Madelia Hickman Ring
WILMINGTON, DEL. — The pinnacle of the American antiques trade is the Antiques Dealers’ Association of America (ADA), and the ADA’s highest honor is its annual Award of Merit, which was awarded this year to West Chester, Penn., dealer, H.L. “Skip” Chalfant. Continuing its tradition, the award — a carved wood finial — was presented to Chalfant at the ADA’s banquet, held on Friday, November 7, at the Chase Center, where the 62nd Annual Delaware Antiques Show was underway.
Arthur Liverant, the ADA’s Award of Merit winner in 2024, opened the evening with the definition of a “mensch”; Skip Chalfant, he said, was the personification of the term.
Judith Livingston Loto, the ADA’s executive director, followed with welcoming remarks and posed the question so many people may have wondered: “What do his initials ‘H.L.’ stand for?’” Loto joked “Hairy Legs?” or “Hot Lips?” before telling those present that they stand for Harold Leslie.
From left, Kristin Chalfant, Chadd Chalfont, Scott Chalfant, Avery Chalfant, Skip Chalfant, Elisabeth Anderson, Richard Chalfant and Owen Chalfant.
After dinner, Liverant once again took to the rostrum for “Part Two,” calling to the stage Skip’s son, Scott, and Chalfant’s colleague for more than two decades, John Welch. The two shared a scripted, light-hearted banter, noting that, like many, Skip became an antiques dealer because “he either couldn’t stand the idea of doing — or couldn’t do — anything else.” Talk of Chalfant’s early days working with dealer Phil Bradley at “Bradley University” and contributions to the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s “Worldly Goods” exhibition in 2000 gave way, inevitably, to anecdotes about Skip’s other love: racing vintage Porsche cars. Welch and Chalfant closed their remarks with a testimony of the attributes behind Skip’s career: S.P.I.R.I.T.: Sacrifice, Passion, Intuition, Relationships, Imagination and Trust.
When Skip came to the stage, he quipped, “When people ask me what I do, I tell them I’m a professional gambler. Every time I buy something, I hope people will pay me more money for it!” He regaled the banquet’s attendees with stories of many of the people he had met, including movie star Harrison Ford and various members of the duPont family.
The carved finial that is the association’s award, was presented to Skip by Liverant. The two dealers are close friends, speak often and share a proclivity for off-color jokes. Liverant recalled his attorney once told him to delete any digital conversations with Skip he’d saved. The two also share a good-natured rivalry over the merits of New England furniture, which Arthur has a penchant for, and Pennsylvania forms, which Skip favors. In handing over the award, Liverant couldn’t resist comparing Connecticut finials to Pennsylvania ones
Arthur Liverant couldn’t resist comparing Connecticut finials to Pennsylvania ones when he presented the finial-shaped award to Skip.
After thanking the ADA for the award, and for everyone for attending, Skip closed the evening by saying, “I’m so honored for being here and being nominated. I’m thankful that so many of my good friends are here. Thank you all.”
