Framont of Greenwich, Conn., had an elegant booth combining both modern and traditional.

Review and Photos by Madelia Hickman Ring

KATONAH, N.Y. – The 33rd edition of the Bedford Spring Antiques Show (BSAS), conducted April 14-15 at the Harvey School, held its preview party the evening of April 13. The warm weather contributed to a summery atmosphere on the floor, where champagne and hors d’oevres circulated to an enthusiastic crowd and a band played in the background. The preview party is a social event and draws an elegant crowd, and noted Bedford, N.Y. resident, Martha Stewart, was spotted in the crowd.

Rather than ask dealers to point out the most expensive or rarest things in their booth, I asked them to point out which piece(s) were their favorites.

Paul Vandekar, Earle D. Vandekar of Knightsbridge, Inc, White Plains, N.Y., pointed out a rare set of four Piero Fornasetti fish plates from the 1950s-60s; Paul’s fiancée, Deidre Healey said her favorite piece was a small cabinet painted by Ralph Cahoon with sailor and mermaid decoration, dated 1979.

The show draws few furniture dealers but Roberto Freitas of Roberto Freitas American Antiques & Decorative Arts, Stonington, Conn., was front and center. He said it would be hard to settle on just one favorite and pointed out two things he’d acquired from a Florida collection: an Aaron Willard shelf clock and a Queen Anne Cherrywood lowboy from Hartford County, Connecticut that had been acquired from Nathan Liverant and Son, Colchester, Conn.

Gary Sergeant, G. Sergeant Antiques, Woodbury, Conn., was a last-minute addition to the show but he had pulled together an impressive looking booth. He had several favorites but most striking was a pair of circa 1760 carved and giltwood wall brackets attributed to Thomas Johnson that had been in the collection of Runnymede Farm of Coatesville, Penn. He had owned them before and was delighted to have a chance to place them again.

Harry Newman II of the Old Print Shop, New York City, showed off an etching titled “Chance Meeting” by Martin Lewis, who he called “a major Twentieth Century etcher.” An important collector had given it to him to sell on consignment. Sharing Newman’s booth was Frank Oppel, Stamford, Conn., who pointed out an 1879 chromolithograph of a salmon by S.A. Kilbourne. Oppel, who likes to fish in his spare time, said many of these fishing prints had been in hunting lodges where conditions were not always optimal for works on paper, but the one he showed me was in great condition.

William “Bill” Union of Art and Antique Gallery, Hopkinton, Mass., featured on his back wall a striking Parisian street scene by Constantine Kluge (French / Russian, 1912-2003) that evoked a spring day while Ann Wilbanks of Find Weatherly, Westport, Conn., was eager to show an 1885 hunting scene by John Lewis Brown (French, 1829-1890). Taking it off the wall, she pointed out the wax gallery seals of noted art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel. Centered in the booth of American Antique Wicker, Nashua, N.H., was a stunning landscape titled “Marblehead Harbor from Marblehead Neck.” Painted by Gertrude M. Knox, it was in a charming wicker and giltwood frame.

Deidre Healy of Earle D. Vandekar of Knightsbridge, Inc, White Plains, N.Y., said her favorite thing was this small cabinet painted by Ralph Cahoon in 1979. Featured are “Bob’s chowder” and “Carol’s jam.”

Charles Edwin Puckett, Akron, Ohio, brought a great selection of antique maps, prints and classical antiquities. When asked to point out his favorite, Puckett showed an Apulian Greek red-figure bell krater, circa 350 CE, that had been in the collection of Harvey Sarner, a lawyer and doctor in Palm Springs, Calif. He said it was in exceptionally good condition, with no repairs.

The only rug dealer at the show was Darius Nemati of the Nemati Collection, New York City. His favorite was a small red rug from Finland, which had a pattern evocative of Scottish tartans. He thought it was from 1930s-50s. Vintage silver was the focus in the booth of Ginger Kilbane of Hôtel, Darien, Conn.

The show attracts decorators and there were several booths full of vintage decorations, including an eclectic mix with Debbie Turi, Roseland, N.J.; fun outdoor and architectural elements with Apples of Islesboro, Maine; cozy upholstered furniture and botanical prints in the booth of Schuyler Field Antiques, New Canaan, Conn., while a huge European birdcage was hard to miss in the booth of Lady Rabbit, New Canaan, Conn.

Jewelry offerings came in all shapes, sizes, price points and ages, from antique to vintage to new. Brad and Vandy Reh Fine Jewelry of New Canaan, Conn., had glittering cases near the front of the show and were busy throughout the evening. Vandy Reh’s favorite was a gold cuff bracelet. Valerie Peyton Horn of Valerie Peyton Horn Collection, Rowayton, Conn., repurposes decorative mounts and other small objects into striking statement pieces. One of her favorites was a carved Chinese snuff bottle that she’d turned into a pendant necklace. Michael Weinstein of Artifacts, Binghampton, N.Y., had trays of watches, necklaces, rings, bracelets, pins and earrings. Weinstein said his favorites were the cameos, which he said were works of art by themselves.

The Bedford show is popular for dealers selling vintage accessories. Michelle Fox of Weston, Conn., Nula Thanhauser Antique Handbags, New York City and Ward Vintage, Bernardsville, N.J. were busy throughout the evening party.

Managed by Kathy Abbott, the show is sponsored by St Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Bedford, N.Y.

Nula Thanhauser Antique Handbags, New York City