“We had 475 people come through the gate, even on a brutally hot day,” said Rachel Gurley.”It was great crowd and our dealers were, too.”
Review and Photos by Rick Russack
DEERFIELD, N.H. – The Gurley family success story at Deerfield continued on a hot August 6. Brother and sister Rachel and Josh Gurley run the show established by their late mother, Nan Gurley. About 75 exhibitors filled two buildings at the Deerfield Fairgrounds, with some set up outside under tents. The emphasis of the show is Americana, but there is more: automotive signs and memorabilia, toys, games, early photography and a small selection of mid-Twentieth Century art and furniture. Traditional Americana included furniture, hooked rugs and other textiles, early glass, redware, stoneware, early English ceramics, folk art and a wide variety of treen and other woodenware, much of it in old paint.
The Deerfield show has always had the reputation of offering Americana and folk art and it continues to do so. Many of the more than 400 shoppers were dealers from other New Hampshire Antiques Week shows. Some of the first-time exhibitors broadened the offerings, especially in the categories of early English ceramics and early American glass. Robert E. French, South Portland, Maine, was one of those dealers exhibiting in Deerfield for the first time. French and his wife, Deanna, had a large booth filled with dozens of pieces of early English creamware and pearlware, along with Delft and transfer-decorated wares. One section of their booth offered more than a dozen pieces with the American eagle. Their selection of early glass included twisted stem wine glasses, flasks, blown glass, early bottles, pressed glass salts and more. Their early wine glasses were priced from $250 up. Creamware plates included a 1770 example decorated with a hand painted portrait of the Prince of Orange, priced at $305, and Delft and creamware plates depicted William and Mary.
Several interesting pieces of folk art were offered. Pillars Antiques, Freeport, Maine, had a Nineteenth Century carved wooden figure, about 5 feet tall, of a Royal Navy officer priced at $2,400. Charles and Susan Sorrentino, S.B. Adams Antiques, Salem, Mass., showed a distinctive, large ram weathervane that had been made in France. It was priced at $1,100. Cheryl Anne Reed, Locanto, Fla., brought an unusual puffy quilt done in Bucks County, Penn., with a name, possibly the maker, spelled out. She was asking $475 for the quilt. Bud Hughes, Stratham, N.H., offered several hooked rugs depicting farm animals, such as chickens and horses, and he also had a pastel portrait of a gentleman with a label on the back that read “Young Man Jellison by Peter Derby, Salem, Mass.” It was $1,100.
There was a wide assortment of early country furniture. Bob Zollinhoffer used to be seen at many New England shows but now lives in Ohio and was exhibiting at his only New England show this year. His selection included what may have been the earliest piece of furniture in the show. It was a tulip, pine and poplar paint-decorated bible box that he said dated about 1670 and was from Guilford, Conn. Its price was $4,500. His booth included an early shoe-foot hutch table, banister back chairs, other early furniture and weathervanes. Allan Green, American Jazz, Ossining, N.Y., had a six-board blanket chest in old green paint, decorated with a Star of David. Log Cabin Country Primitives, Meredith, N.H. brought some early cupboards. A North Shore open hutch in old red paint, circa 1820, was priced at $1,395, and a smaller earlier cupboard in old blue was priced at $950. Its booth always has a large selection of treen and this show was no exception – chopping bowls, mugs, plates, trenchers and more. Windsor chairs abounded, as did small, one- and two-drawer painted stands and painted blanket chests.
The ram weathervane may look a little different than others seen from time to time. That’s because, according to dealer S.B. Adams, Salem, Mass., this one was made in France.
Stoneware was available in several booths. Ralph and Lynn Ridolfino showcased a number of pieces, including an unusual pitcher with vertical tulip decoration made by the Remmey family of Philadelphia. It was priced at $2,150. Bud Hughes had a number of blue decorated crocks and jugs, as did Eagle Antiques and others.
An assortment of toys were offered by Richard and Dianne Angelo, Keystone Antiques, including a scarce lithographed paper and wood carousel produced by the W.S. Reed Toy Company, along with wooden pull toys and cloth dolls. Mike Cafferrela, Lancaster, Penn., had a circa 1890-1900 fine wooden barn or stable, probably made in Germany, which included a horse, a groom and an open carriage. It seemed quite reasonable, priced at $595.
After the show, Rachel Gurley said, “We had 475 people come through the gate, even on a brutally hot day like that. It was great crowd and our dealers were, too. No one complained about the heat and it didn’t slow down business. I know that most of our dealers had a very good show. Mom started this show more than 30 years ago, and I can’t remember a summer without Deerfield. Josh and I appreciate the support of the dealers and the shoppers who have been with us through the years and we look forward to running the Thanksgiving weekend show in Marlboro again. That’s also been a family tradition, although we haven’t run it for the past couple of years. We’ve adjusted booth rents for that show to increase the number of dealers. We have 75 signed up as of now and we still have space available so we may have more by the time November rolls around. We also have three of our Boxboro ‘Picker’s Market’ shows scheduled, which will resume on October 28.”
For information, 207-396-4255, 207-229-0403 or www.gurleyantiqueshows.com.
