For the 41st year, the Chappaqua Antiques Show opened its doors on the first weekend of November †this year, November 1 and 2. The classic show benefits the New Castle Historical Society, and with two new features, several new dealers and a new focus, the show was vibrant and well-attended.
“The gate was almost the same as last year; we had 1,300 paid entrants,” said Ali Klein, publicity director and one of the myriad of volunteers who make this show run like clockwork.
There were a couple of novel aspects to this two-day show. Set up on the stage at the Westorchard Elementary school was “Ask Our Expert,” featuring Liz Davidson of Paris Interiors, an interior home designer, and an Antiques Roadshow -like appraisal session by Stephen Van Klein.
The show’s new focus was on design, or how antiques and modern objects can be combined for an elegant look. According to Betsy Guardenier, co-chair, the results were a vigorous show with dealers who went home satisfied with sales and showgoers who left with new ideas and objects for redesigning their spaces. “Dealer space was totally full, with turnaways, and almost everyone has signed up for next year already,” Guardenier said of the 60 dealers who filled the cafeteria, gym and hallways.
“It was a lovely show,” said Roslyn Marett of Oak Beach, N.Y. “I sold a beautiful Moorcroft vase in the highly sought-after leaf and berry pattern; also, I sold two pieces of unusual Weller pottery to a serious Weller collector.”
Marett had a large number of pieces of Roseville pottery, including Future and Sunflower patterns, as well as Moorcroft Pomegranate and Weller Louwelsa. She said that the show was not just for experienced collectors. “I also spoke to a number of entry level collectors who are interested in learning more about highly collectible art pottery,” she said.
Paul Martinez is another collector of art pottery who is gracious and informative. He has acquired an Amphora collection from the well-known expert Richard Scott, and was showing pieces that could be seen in Scott’s The House of Amphora. Many were by Paul Dachsel, who was considered to be among the most creative designers at Amphora. Martinez had an Art Deco Amphora head of a countess, which was looking benignly over his impeccably arranged booth, along with numerous vases, plates and jars, all well-researched and priced.
Another Chappaqua regular is James Dolph, Durham, N.H., who deals in ancient Asian art and decorative works. He reported a relatively good show with quite a few good sales, although he was amused that everything he sold could “fit in the palm of your hand! I sold a lot of miniatures.”
He had several pieces from the Duke of Gloucester’s collection of late Nineteenth Century ivory netsuke, several of which he reported sold. From a Han dynasty tomb, Dolph was showing some 2,000-year-old unglazed pottery pieces: one was a man with his hands clasped in prayer †the mourner was about a half-inch tall. Dolph said he sold snuff bottles and other ivory.
James Levinson’s booth was right in front of the stage where appraiser Stephen Van Klein was set up and attracting a long line of people. The New York City dealer said this was his best show ever at Chappaqua.
“I normally do well here, but didn’t know what to expect this year. I was happily amazed,” he said. Many repeat customers bought a one-of-a-kind pearl, white and yellow diamond parrot pin; a David Yurman gold and diamond necklace; and lots of rings †”not necessarily expensive ones, but nice, interesting rings,” he said.
He also sold several Janet Mavec pieces. Mavek is a retired designer who used to sell through Bergdorf Goodman, and Levinson sold three pairs of her earrings to three different people. One, from the Rain Drop collection, had a multifaceted stone that sits on the ear with a turquoise drop hanging.
He was also showing a set of items from Van Cleef & Arpels †pink sapphires set in pink gold; a pin from the 1970s and a bracelet and ring, circa 1990s, that seemed to match the pin.
Marty Fribush also offered some jewelry, as well as other items, and he said, “We had several sales, including a Tiffany gold and diamond necklace and ring by noted designer Angela Cummings, an 1830 blue and white transfer ware teapot by Adams, a rare Arts and Crafts candleholder and a fine Vienna portrait plate by Wagner.”
Other high level items that left the booth included a pair of figural scent bottles by Jacob Petit of Paris, circa 1830, of a king and queen of Scotland; a Hudson River School painting attributed to Degrailly; an oval painting attributed to George Durrie; and a lovely pair of Royal Crown Derby figurines representing “The Elements †Water and Earth.”
Marilyn Saland, Scarsdale, N.Y., had her customary elegant booth set up. In a nod to the design focus, she was showing a pair of blue and red cocktail shakers with a vintage aluminum ice bucket set on a circa 1910 Swedish Gustavian-style occasional table with a carved skirt. Next door, at Nosegay Antiques, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Lorraine Galinsky, for her first time at Chappaqua, had several early samplers. One was dated August 13, 1830, and was marked for $3,850; a Navaho squash blossom silver and turquoise necklace at $675 and many smalls, Flow Blue, some Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century glass and majolica.
At Terry’s Treasures, Teresa Toussaint was set up in her “good luck” spot, directly across from the entrance. She was showing a circa 1880s Santa Puzzle Box with two puzzles by Milton Bradley.
Within the first half hour of the show, the Mahopac, N.Y., dealer sold a six-board blanket chest from the mid-1800s with an inside tray that was dovetailed and chamfered. “The second great item I had that sold was a pair of scrimshaw walrus tusks from the 1800s depicting an American Indian on one, reaching out his hand to an American settler, who also was reaching out to shake the Indian’s hand.” Her other sales included some furniture, a tin chandelier, china, glass and jewelry. “I am looking forward to next year, and will begin tucking away my extra special items for this show.”
Next year’s show will be November 7 and 8. For additional information, www.newcastlehistoricalsociety.org or 914-238-4666.
