Amid the rolling hills and meandering fields here, Madison Bouckville Antiques Week spread out to 15 fields, front yards, back yards and barns †all filled with antiques and the dealers selling them again this summer along the stretch of Route 20 between the towns of Bouckville and Madison.
While the official dates were August 13‱9, exhibitors began their setups on Saturday, August 11, as there were so many people wandering about, whether they were dealers or simply shoppers getting a head start, that sales began strong that first Saturday, according to Paul Polce, one of the week’s dealers.
Polce, trading as Ponzi’s Antiques from Trumansburg, N.Y., was showing his collection of early American furniture, mostly from the Northeast. His centerpiece was a corner cupboard in mixed native woods with matchstick dentil and volutes, which he said had been restored some years ago. He was also offering an early Hepplewhite chest of drawers with French feet in very dark mahogany veneer with unusual inlays, including a fan in the base. Ponzi’s was exhibiting at East Expo, a field open all week.
Nearby was Blue Dog Antiques from Stafford Springs, Conn. Judi Stallmach, co-owner with her husband Cy, said she had great sales for the week. Her neighbors at the show, Mapleside Antiques of Titusville, Penn., and Stephanie Chiappa, Flemington, N.J., were also selling well.
East Expo is among the larger fields, with several hundred dealers arriving August 11‱2. The field has become one of the more popular exhibit areas in part due to its large size for both exhibiting and parking.
Some of the exhibitors were there with more than just antique furniture and household accessories. Dwight Saxton of Pine Brook Antiques, Selinsgrove, Penn., brought two Old Town canoes that had been restored. From Cazenovia, N.Y., Kathleen Copeletti showed a large and unique plant stand in good condition. Karl Semmel, Naples, N.Y., sold from his collection of restored early Nineteenth Century furniture, mostly New York State crafted pieces. The Adams, Charlestown, West Va., sold early oil lanterns.
Across the street at Butternut Hill Field, Dennis Austin, Central Square, N.Y., sold his early Whizzer motorbike. Among the dealers at that field was Brad Robertson from Clio, Mich., who specializes in cast iron cookware.
Vermonters George and Mary Bittner were selling big and little things from their Chester shop. Among their offerings was a set of ten pressed back oak dining chairs and a table big enough to use them.
Whistle Post Show was next door, with Madison (N.Y) Auction Service holding forth in an oversize tent. As their home and business were at the other end of all these shows, the company had an auction on Tuesday during Antiques Week, which has become an annual affair, according to owners Dennis and Amanda Taylor. Their sales on the field were very good, Amanda reported, and included a set of 12 Queen Anne chairs, a great many frames, including carved and lemon gold, and many small antiques.
Madison Bouckville has been going for a long time, more than 40 years, and so have many of the dealers. Francis Grippe, Frankfort, N.Y., has been on the same spot at Stone Lodge for 31 years, selling antiques and collectibles. His collection now includes a great deal of the “latest trends in folky and funky stuff that sells well,” he said.
The Indian Acres shop fills its yard for the week with tent-covered exhibitors. John Gage came here from Rochester, N.Y., with early Twentieth Century toys.
Steampunk lamps were the inventory for Ed Correia of Under the Pine Antiques, Sterling, Conn., who repurposes old materials to form an interesting new object.
Not all the fields are big. Roycroft Antiques, East Aurora, N.Y., is the only dealer in the front yard of one house in the heart of Bouckville. Susan and Chester Dylenski have been renting the front yard for 20 years as their only show, and as the only exhibitor at this site. Their inventory is primarily early porcelain dishes.
All these fields have a personality of their own but field owners generally work together to publicize the week and draw customers for their dealers. They have begun their publicity for next year, the show dates are August 12‱8. For more information, www.madison-bouckville.com .
