It’s a whole new thing for us,” commented Lynn Ryan, as the Bedford Antiques & Design Show prepared to open on October 13. “We have introduced a new contemporary look to an old traditional antiques show,” she said.
Returning after a brief hiatus, the Bedford show was not conducted last year. Ryan, the executive director of the Bedford Historical Society, and show manager Daphne Ghiriskey pulled out all of the stops for this year’s event with a new focus on design †and with the celebrity backing of both Martha Stewart and designer and author Jeffery Bilhuber.
The two-day show, originally managed by Russell Carrell in the 1970s, took place in the Historic Hall on the green in the center of Bedford. The early building is so diminutive that there is space for only nine exhibitors, one of which must set up in a small foyer and two others in a balcony. A tent was erected outside of the structure this year that allowed for an additional four exhibitors. Another tent was erected in the center of the Bedford Green, this one utilized for a well-attended cocktail reception and presentation conducted after the show closed on Saturday evening.
The Yellow Monkey, Cross River, N.Y., has been a mainstay in the area for as long as the Bedford show has been in existence. Long known for their designer flair, the dealers did not disappoint with a smart-looking display featuring antiques for both interior and exterior purposes. Several good-looking pairs of lanterns in various forms were offered, including a classic pair of large gate lanterns in an old and pleasing green paint. French pottery with colorful glazes was attractively displayed atop a wrought iron table that was flanked by a pair of Edwardian chairs.
At Avant Garden, Pound Ridge, N.Y., items ranged from contemporary sculpture and wall art to a midcentury Danish dining room set. A neat set of five large wall dividers with turquoise and translucent Art Deco panels in the top and louvered bottoms added a splash of color to the stand.
Forget about the old proverb that advises one “not to take any wooden nickels,” a monumental wooden nickel was a “must have” item at Hunter Bee, Millerton, N.Y., along with a primitive secretary desk that had been scraped down to an early white layer of paint. A large trade sign in the form of a horse’s head was displayed above an ornate wood and wire architectural birdcage.
Next door at Clover Design, Bedford, N.Y., a good assortment of Midcentury Modern was offered with a mirrored sideboard displayed along one wall, while the other featured a 1950s style settee in the original gold fabric.
Design took on a new meaning at Brad Reh, Southampton, N.Y., where works by Van Cleef and Arpels, Tiffany, David Webb were abundant and ready to become ornaments for the ladies shopping the show. An impressive looking large Cartier domed diamond ring was among a vast assortment of bracelets and pendants festooned with sparkling stones.
Contemporary pottery was displayed at Puzz Pottery, Stamford, Conn., where the fare ranged from original works in crystalline and iridescent glazes to table lamps with wonderful texture and appeal that echoed Midcentury Modern designs.
