The show welcomed back David Proctor from Brownsville, Va. after a long absence.

MANCHESTER CENTER, VT. – The capstone of Antiques in Vermontweek is the one-day show by the same name that springs up in RileyRink at Hunter Park under the watchful management of PhyllisCarlson and Tim Stevenson. This year’s show opened on October 2with 76 dealers.

The Manchester show, however, did not have the day to itself as in the past. This year, Newcastle, Maine, show promoter Paul Davis revived a former event at the luxe Equinox Resort Hotel in Manchester Village. About 40 dealers exhibited a variety of merchandise ranging from formal and country to primitive and decorative, according to Davis. The show, which is not reviewed here, will undoubtedly lend critical mass to the whole Vermont Antiques Week going forward. Davis reported that his inaugural show had an “average” turnout, not over the top, but he pointed out that 40 to 60 percent of the sales were to hotel guests, who, paying about $350 per night with a five-night minimum, are just the kind of clientele one would want at a high-end antiques show.

New to the Riley Rink show, Greene, Maine, dealers Lew Alessio and Jim Shaffer of Plenty and Grace Be To This Place brought their eclectic, often dramatic sensibility of “country and sophisticated antiques” to the show. “We sold reasonably well, given the economy and that it was our first time at the show. Phyllis and Tim are such good people and careful promoters,” they said. “We sold an unusual double quilt rack immediately, then several smalls, including early books, a marquetry box and an early store counter platform for cheese in original green paint.”

Raccoon Creek at Oley Forge, Oley, Penn.

The most fun moment for Alessio and Shaffer came when a boy,about 7 years of age, from 30 feet away spotted the Victorian operahelmet and shield they had on display with other whimsicalheadgear. “Wow!” he called out. “We tried the helmet on him and itfit perfectly,” said the dealers. “Please, please, can I have them,please?” the boy entreated. Alessio and Shaffer said, “Mom and dadbought them for his Halloween costume, but he did not take themoff. He spent the next couple of hours bravely protecting all thelords and ladies at the antiques show from the dragons and monsterslurking behind the pewter cupboards and under drop leaf tables forsale on the floor. He could not have been happier, and we were onceagain reminded that we are not just dealers in antiques. We aredealers in dreams.”

Another dealer new to show was Mary de Buhr, coming all the way from Downers Grove, Ill., with a range of early American antiques. Many people might question why she would travel such a long distance to do just one show – and a one-day show at that. “The opportunity to buy and sell is important to me, but so is presentation,” she explained. “I like to have a different room setting at each show, one that feels comfortable enough to live in, if only for a day.”

De Buhr reported that the show was a success for her. She sold a paint decorated step back cupboard early in the morning. “It was one of those meant-to-be, feel good experiences for both the buyer and seller,” said de Buhr. “Because we were delivering the cupboard on our way home across New York, it remained in the booth and drew attention and admiring long looks and comments all day.”

Dave and Bonnie Ferriss Antiques, Lake Luzerne, N.Y.

Another significant sale was a signed and dated all woolpatchwork quilt. “It was brown on one side and a mix of vibrantreds, blues, greens, browns and salmon on the quilt top and inexcellent condition,” said de Buhr. Another significant sale was a91/2-foot-long red bench and a chair along with some smalls. “Thiswas my first time to exhibit at Riley Rink and I hope to returnnext year. I love one day shows.”

The Manchester event was the first time Jeff and Cathy Amon, specialists in American country antiques from Jamestown, Penn., had done this show, or any show in Vermont for that matter. “Tim and Phyllis are to be commended for the manner in which they manage the show and how they meet the needs of both the dealers and the buying public,” said the Amons. “The show was, by far, the smoothest we have ever done.”

The Amons sold mostly smalls to both dealers and collectors and each sale was to a new customer. “As far as our larger items are concerned, we had a lot of interest in our early Nineteenth Century New England chest and a strong dealer callback concerning our mid Nineteenth Century painted hutch table. We were pleased with the results of the show and are already looking forward to returning next year.”

Well-situated at the show’s entrance, book dealer Rick Russack, Danville, N.H., was well stocked with new titles and his usual inventory of reference books. “The show was very good for me,” reported Russack. “I’ve done the show for 5 to 6 years and it is always worth the effort. I sold a book on American silver, priced at a little under $1,000. I sold a group of scarce books on American furniture to a couple with a second home in Manchester – a very good sale. And the day was steady for me. It’s a well-run show, easy to do, with people coming in all day and customers carrying stuff out all day long. So, all in all, a very pleasant day.”

“We had a very good show and always enjoy doing Tim and Phyllis’ show at the Riley Rink,” said Tom Jewett of Jewett-Berdan Antiques, Newcastle, Maine. “It’s an easy, no pressure show to do with a good group of hard working dealers, and you never know what may show up there for a great antique treasure, it’s just a great time to be in Vermont. We sold well this time with a great Philadelphia sampler selling right off the bat. It was in the original frame and glass and backboard, and had many special details on it, including a wonderful folky cat. We also sold a tavern table, portrait, several pieces of burl, doll and many other country smalls.”

Mary de Buhr American Antiques, Downers Grove, Ill.

Buyers and sellers of country primitives, Barry and NancyYodis of Quakerstown, Penn., arrived with a New England farm tablewith breadboard ends from the mid to late 1800s and a paintdecorated wall box, circa late 1700s from Vermont, among otheritems. “The promoters make it as pleasant as possible to do theshow from set up to pack out,” the dealers said. “As far as theshow, we were quite pleased with sales. Sold was an early blanketchest over two drawers in mustard green paint with snipe hinges, anearly six-board blanket chest in red wash with all of the moldingsin place and snipe hinges, eight-drawer spice box in attic surface,early Maine tabletop wooden candlestand in original surface andother smalls.”

George Allen and Gordon Wyckoff of Raccoon Creek at Oley Forge, Oley, Penn., characterized the weekend as “always a fun thing…the show has something for every type of buyer – from the sophisticated buyer to the beginning collector. The dealers added that they always enjoy meeting the people, and discussing their collections. “Sales were very good, with primitive items seeming to grab the crowd more than the Pennsylvania-type antiques – something you would anticipate in Vermont,” said Wyckoff. “We did sell a set of paint decorated country Sheraton chairs, however, that were of Pennsylvania origin.”

For information, 802-362-3668.