Clerestory windows running the length of the monitor roofline flood the Jones River Trading Post with natural sunlight, giving the Kingston, Mass., venue a unique lighting profile highly sought-after for events.
Review & Onsite Photos by Jordan J. Estrada
KINGSTON, MASS. — There’s a new antiques show in town, and the organizers bring five and a half decades of experience to the art. For 56 years, The Cape Cod Antique Dealers Association (CCADA) has organized summer shows, usually occurring early in the months of July and August. Operating out of Eastham, Mass., CCADA is a “regional and professional non-profit association of antiques and fine art dealers.” Their membership includes over 70 dealers from Cape Cod (Mass.), New England, New York and New Jersey, and their operational goals include a mission to “increase and enrich the knowledge of antiques while offering fine quality and authentic antique merchandise.”
On October 25, CCADA added a new show to its calendar of events — a fall iteration building on their half century resume of orchestrating fine gatherings.
The clear and crisp Sunday morning on the South Shore, a half-hour or so from the base of Cape Cod, brought 24 vendors and 400 visitors to the Jones River Trading Post’s historic mill building. An antique edifice itself, this mill was constructed in 1890 and has since been beautifully and lavishly converted into a highly sought-after event venue.
The mill building has a monitor roof, with clerestory windows running the length of the roofline. On a clear day, the interior space is flooded with natural sunlight, and the show’s collection of assembled antiques was dramatically bathed in this morning light to great effect.
A vintage birdhouse built in the style of a New England church catches the light just right at the Gatherings at Home table, Dennis, Mass.
On the table of Gatherings at Home, Dennis, Mass., a birdhouse from the 1950s caught this light just right. Built in the style of a country New England church, with stained glass windows, a steeple, brick chimney and very steep pitched roof, the slanting morning rays lit up the white siding of the diminutive chapel, just the way morning light illuminates so many picturesque New England churches in historic towns across the region.
This was just one of many instances where the venue enhanced the aspects of the show. The mill building has been meticulously restored while keeping many historic features intact. Above the gathering, vintage rowing shells and local boats hung suspended, cementing the coastal and nautical themes embodied in this structure.
Unsurprisingly for a coastal show, nautical items abounded in both quantity and quality. Jonathan Cottrell of Blazer Antiques in Swansea, Mass., offered a collection of authentic harpoons — including an original Louis Temple toggle iron head. Temple was an African American blacksmith who revolutionized the Nineteenth Century whaling industry by creating a harpoon head that pivoted on impact, preventing struck whales from escaping. Cottrell was eager to point out the many features of his harpoons, including the rolled cones, demonstrating that the harpoon heads had been fabricated on an anvil, instead of using modern welded construction. Another example had been bent and straightened, suggesting that the tool had seen heavy action in the past.
On offer with Jonathan Cottrell of Blazer Antiques was a Nineteenth Century harpoon, featuring an original Louis Temple toggle-iron design, which pivoted upon striking a target, and revolutionized the whaling industry. Unlike modern versions with welded-on cones, this antique piece features a rolled cone fabricated on an anvil horn. Swansea, Mass.
Vendors were quick to praise the decision to add a third show to CCADA’s calendar of events, as well as the choice of venue.
“CCADA did a wonderful job launching this new show,” said Donna Kmetz of Douglas, Mass. “There were signs to the show all over the area, and the show drew a crowd that kept coming all day long. Strangely, I saw very few people I know from other shows, so it was definitely a new audience. Very cool facility, great natural light and I did sell a mix of things, all small. It was a pleasure to be with the CCADA members. They are a dedicated group!”
Randi O’Meara — also known as “Barnacle Betty” — from West Dennis, Mass., agreed. “It was a very well-attended show, even crowded at times, and held in a beautiful venue,” she said. “I would definitely do it again if we continue at that location.”
CCADA president Carl Goveia is highly passionate about continuing and growing the role of his organization both in the antique community, and also as an extension of Cape Cod historical preservation. Under Goveia’s leadership, the CCADA shows have held an increased appeal to younger audiences, including young families. This is a demographic that sometimes eludes the antiques industry but seems increasingly open to looking back in time for historical home goods.
A late Nineteenth Century copper racing horse and sulky sits at the center of the display by Carl Goveia, whoa represents Nauset Antiques of Eastham, Mass., and serves as president of the CCADA.
“The last few shows had a lot of younger people,” said Goveia. “They get tired of the IKEA stuff. They want good furniture that lasts forever.” He later added, “It’s heartwarming to see young people attending shows lately.”
In addition to all his work in organizing and promoting the show, Goveia was also involved in an unplanned coincidence that occurred between two vendor booths. On the table of Nauset Antiques, run by Goveia, there was a ceremonial Knights Templar sword from the 1920s. It was unique due to its leather transportation case, which is rarely seen alongside these display swords.
Only a few tables down the hall, Suzanne MacDonald from Middletown, R.I., was displaying a matching piece of Templar memorabilia. MacDonald showcased a Knights Templar ceremonial hat, also from the 1920s. She commented on its unique red cross insignia — which exactly matched the cross emblem on Goveia’s sword. Neither vendor had planned to bring the matching items, but if anyone was looking to collect Knights Templar souvenirs, the show handed them a serendipitous opportunity.
A rare and early 1800s French bottle corker handmade from French oak was displayed by McGrory Antiques. The primitive tabletop machine features an adjustable leveling device for different bottle sizes and a hand-operated press. Falmouth, Mass.
There were other poignant moments fostered under the morning hustle and bustle. The McGrory family from Falmouth, Mass., has been an icon in the Cape antiques scene for decades, and the community mourned with them this spring when Regina McGrory passed away unexpectedly on May 2. Despite this loss, Regina’s bereaved husband Ray continues to keep McGrory Antiques up and running. He was at the show with his two daughters, Cory and Jennifer, whose admiration for their father’s work was evident. The McGrorys were especially excited to display a rare French commercial bottle corker. This one-of-a-kind piece dated back to the early 1800s and was hand-made from French oak. Designed to sit on a tabletop in a winery and seal bottles, the primitive machine included an adjustable leveling device to hold different-sized bottles and a hand-operated press for inserting the corks. Despite their loss earlier this year, the family continues to bless those around them with their love and passion for antiques and history.
For Dolores Gilbert from Brewster, Mass., it is the moments of personal connection that make the events meaningful to her. “I had a successful show and really enjoyed the setting,” she said afterwards. “One of my favorite sales was a Nineteenth Century Chinese silk kimono that went to a lovely woman from Newport, R.I. She sent a picture of herself wearing it with her gorgeous home in the background. It was a particularly satisfying sale as I purchased it in the home of another elegant woman who told stories of the times and places her aunt had swanned around in it. She wanted it to have another life and it now does! Sometimes this is personal and that is magic,” Gilbert concluded. “I never tire of the interesting customers.”
A monumental turkey platter with a matching dishware set, brought to the show by Pat Anderson of Cummaquid Farm Antiques, Cummaquid, Mass.
Pat Anderson of Cummaquid Farm Antiques, Cummaquid, Mass., brought something that was guaranteed to brighten a Thanksgiving Day celebration. “It’s the largest I’ve ever seen,” said Anderson, gesturing to a monumental turkey platter on her table. The turkey platter was almost two feet wide, and in spotless condition, despite dating back to the early 1900s. Stamped with the renowned Copeland Spode brand mark, the never-before-used platter included a set of matching dishes, each decorated with different types of game birds. “I sold the monumental turkey platter and accompanying plates,” Anderson was happy to report after the show. The platter and dish set will happily bring joy to a new family’s holiday gathering next month.
In addition to their goal of facilitating the enjoyment and availability of high-quality antiques, CCADA has a charitable purpose as well. Proceeds from their shows go to fund the Association’s scholarship fund as well as the Charles and Barbara Adams Cultural Enrichment Fund. Both of these programs foster awareness, discovery and preservation of history as told through the lenses of antiques.
The next CCADA show will obe in Falmouth this coming June; date to be announced. The fall show will return to Kingston in October on a Sunday of that month. For information, www.ccada.com.
