On a sunny day in June the focus of antiques in the Delaware Valley was on the Gloucester County 4-H Fairgrounds, where just under 100 dealers from throughout the Northeast and Middle Atlantic set-up on June 9. Whether under pavilion roofs or in the field, this was a show that has reemerged after a 20-year hiatus. Promoted by The Yellow Garage Antiques Marketplace of Mullica Hill and The Coffman’s Show Promotions of Great Barrington, Mass., the show benefited the Harrison Township Historical Society.
“The show had an excellent mix of dealers and merchandise,” commented Steve Lipman, who owns The Yellow Garage Antiques with his wife, Tracy Dodge. “There was something for every taste and level of collector, from country to formal. The four pavilions also had a great mix of country, folk art and formal.”
Some of the items that sold off the fairgrounds early in the day, were a Fort Edwards, N.Y., 4-gallon stoneware crock with a bird on branch decoration in cobalt blue; a New Egypt, N.J., sampler dated 1817; several Pennsylvania blanket chests; a round pine Nineteenth Century tavern table in green; several cupboards; trade signs and other decorated stoneware. An early South Jersey armchair made by the Ware family from Roadstown also sold, along with baskets, Staffordshire pottery, art pottery, decoys, hooked rugs and oil paintings.
A Nineteenth Century apothecary chest, along with other furniture, was sold by Boggs Boynton of Clarksboro, N.J. George Allen and Gordon Wyckoff, Raccoon Creek Antiques, Oley, Penn., reported that they sold furniture and smalls, including an Eighteenth Century leather fire bucket to a local collector.
Ken and Jan Silveri of Hamburg, Penn., also had an excellent show. Their booth had a lot of classic country antiques against a backdrop of wonderful quilts. They sold a paint decorated sled and a “Jersey Coffee” store bin, among other things.
In pavilion number one, there was a strong contingent of Maryland dealers including Paul Thien of Firehouse Antiques in Galena, Jacqueline Walker of Aberdeen; Donald and Barbara Osburn, The Old Board, Easton; George and Carol Meekins of Country Treasures, Preston; Marilyn Klompus of The Chestertown Antiques Mall; and Nancy Holleny of Granthum 1863, Denton.
The dealers who had traveled the farthest were Doug and Diane McElwain of Goldsboro, N.C. They trade under the name Sport and Spool Antiques and were set-up with a great display of their vintage sporting goods.
There were quite a few Yellow Garage dealers at the show: Len and Mary Benson, Irongate Antiques, had an elaborate booth displaying everything from Deldare pottery to Civil War artifacts to fine art. He brought a very large silk and linen sampler that drew a lot of interest. Wayne Gotwals brought country furniture and smalls including early lighting and redware. Image specialist, Craig Pflug, brought a huge assortment of Nineteenth Century daguerreotypes, ambrotypes and tintypes. Veteran dealer Roger Crawford of Stony Run, Penn., remarked that his sales were good †about what he has done lately at most of his other good shows.
Gordon and Normandie Schell had an extensive collection of period furniture, fireplace iron, copper, brass and early English china, along with some county baskets and other primitives. Other Yellow Garage dealers, Sam and Brenda Priem offered a Havana, N.Y., stoneware jug with a large slip-trailed fish decoration; it was tagged at five figures and caught many dealers’ and patrons’ attention.
The Gloucester County 4-H Fairgrounds are on Route 77. Call 856-478-0300 or www.yellowgarageantiques.com for information.
