Snowflakes were falling sporadically as the sun crested the horizon throughout the northern-most regions of Connecticut on Saturday morning, March 31, the day the 22nd Country Antiques In Connecticut’s Quiet Corner opened to the public. The one-day show was unaffected, however, as by opening the storm-front had all but passed and all that remained was a light rain falling throughout the area.
Presented by, and a benefit for, the Ellis Tech parent faculty organization, this show attracts large crowds †all devotees of New England country antiques. A crowd appearing to be about 100 people strong was on line waiting for the show to open for early buyers at 9 am, and another line of anxious shoppers was on hand for the regular opening at 10. There are 56 dealers that set up here, coming from as far away as Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont, as well as “local” dealers from Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Due to construction at the school, the show was attractively housed in the gymnasium and cafeteria, several displays set up in an adjacent hallway. “I love the way the show looks this year,” was heard from several of the customers as they greeted their favorite dealers.
The show was inviting, and there was something country on display for virtually every shopper’s country taste. Cupboards, tables and blanket boxes were plentiful in original or scraped-down paints. There was a good selection of chairs, which included banister backs and Windsor armchairs. Early signs were in several booths, as were yellowware, Bennington Pottery, early beehives, boots and barrels, painted firkins, paintings and portraits, silhouettes, pewter and several nice pieces of great paint decorated tole.
Felton, Penn., dealer Stephen Burkhardt was set up in the foyer at the entrance to the show, and his booth featured a nice Queen Anne stretcher base tavern table in an old reddish-brown color with a scrubbed top. At its side was an elegant Windsor fanback side chair in what appeared to be the original finish. As the show opened, his booth was packed with shoppers looking at everything from turned wooden bowls to a large pewter basin that was displayed on top of the table. The dealer also offered a folky model of a paddle-wheeler, a nice painted blanket box in vibrant red paint and a well-used jelly cupboard in the original green paint.
Exhibitor Barbara Adams, South Yarmouth, Mass., was pleased with the show, calling it, “Just a little country show which is really fun and has a great following. It was amazing to see the very large attendance that supports this show.” She and her husband Charles reported a good day. “We were able to sell two pieces of wood, a yellow grained library lectern and a two-door wall cupboard, as well as several smalls,” she said. “Surprisingly, we sold nautical things here, too!”
Lewis Scranton, Killingworth, Conn., displayed a nice oval top Queen Anne tavern table with splayed legs and button feet. A nice wooden trencher was on top of the table and a wooden swift with chrome yellow painted accents was attached to the side. Scranton reported the sale of some smalls, and also sold the swift to a client that “had forgotten to go back to my booth and buy it,” but called and completed the deal in the days following the show.
The Frasers, Chester, Vt., set up an attractive display with a well-heeled and good-looking teddy bear standing guard over their display from his perch on a primitive painted milk stool. A nice painted tole birdcage sat alongside, displayed on top of a painted storage box with stenciled name and dated 1873.
Brookfield Corners, N.H., dealer David Proctor showed a nice tilt-top chair table in early red paint. A blanket chest in blue paint was also featured, along with a large goose decoy, a redware jug with green glaze and a nice pair of yoke back Queen Anne chairs. Tommy Thompson, Pembroke, N.H., was set up next door with sweet smalls prevalent, including a great pair of cast iron sprinklers.
DBR Antiques, Hadley, Mass., had a stellar selection of folk art ranging from a winking moon wall plaque to a barber shop sign. The dealer also displayed a small-sized eagle weathervane, early candle box and a vibrantly painted Chinese checkers board.
For those that missed this edition of the Quiet Corner antiques show in Danielson, it will be a yearlong wait for its return, but one worth waiting for.
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