Music Valley Antiques Market attracted a large audience that spent well at the most recent meeting, October 25′7. Kay Puchstein, co-manager of the show, reported that more than 140 dealers exhibited to traffic that was about equal in size to last fall’s gate. She did note that rain may have reduced the number of returning visitors after the first day. Show patrons were protected from the weather in a heated tent with room settings and raised floor, but some may not have taken full advantage of their multiday entry tickets, she said.
Dealers reported brisk sales over the three days in spite of the weather. Karan Oberg of Richmond House Antiques from Ashford, Conn., said she sold five cupboards and a variety of other furniture and small accessories.
The show has a nearly 20-year tradition with many changes over the years. Its roots trace back to a show begun by Ann Jennings in what was once the Ramada Inn across the street. When Jennings retired, Jenkins Show Management booked the dates for this twice-each-year event, usually February and late October. Hotel management and policies changed over the years until finally there was a conflict with other activities, so Jenkins moved the show to its current site. The tent is approximately the same size as a football field with walled booths and a raised floor keeping the surface dry in the event of rain.
Co-manager Jon Jenkins said, “The tent last year was good, but with rain there was a problem with wet feet, some exhibits getting wet and the wallpaper absorbing the water. This floor, while it is expensive, is worth every penny in dealer and customer satisfaction. We expect to keep it.”
Most other dealers were also pleased with the facilities and their success at the show. Shirley Padula had good sales for the three days, including a Nineteenth Century settle bench, which was tagged at $2,200. She added, “It was in original surface and very good condition.” Her business is Log House Antiques of Lititz, Penn., and other sales included small accessory items.
A majority of the show’s dealers have been with it for many years and worked through the changes. When the show was in the hotel, exhibits were in the small ballroom, a center enclosed court called the Atrium, several small meeting rooms and many of the guest sleeping rooms. Dealers were sometimes missed by the visitors simply because they could not be found, or the customers became tired before finishing touring the maze. Now with the tent, everyone is in one facility.
Exhibiting at Nashville is very important, according to comments made at an informal gathering of the antiques dealers conducted Wednesday evening after all day setup. Dealers from both Music Valley and the nearby Fiddlers Tailgate show were visiting, gathering to wind down with refreshments. The consensus was that they had been assembling special inventories that were saved for these shows; and the dealers did not show those special antiques until unloading their trucks, vans and trailers at the show’s parking lot.
Jude and Cy Stallmach of Blue Dog Antiques, Stafford Springs, Conn., and their friend Marion Atten, Antiques at Hillwood Farm, Pecatonica, Ill., were exhibiting in side-by-side booths with compatible collections of fresh merchandise. Both dealers specialize in early primitive furniture, for the most part. Cy Stallmach offered two early tall case clocks, both from Massachusetts, with wooden works at about $2,200 each. Also shown was a chair table, circa 1740, owned by the Stallmachs and Atten, in original paint with shoe feet for $2,000. Atten offered an early sawbuck table with single board scrubbed top and early oxidized greenish-blue painted base. Her sales included an American tall case clock that was priced at $2,500.
Another longtime dealer at Music Valley, Myrleen Harper of Harper Antiques does only a limited number of shows so this becomes one of great importance to her. Offering country and primitive style furniture and household accessories, this Pasadena, Texas, dealer sold some of the furniture offered, which included a small blue wall shelf and a day bed. Also in her inventory was a sawbuck table more than 5 five feet wide in red buttermilk but with a top so well scrubbed there was little paint left, a roped fainting couch, some Windsor chairs and an early blanket chest.
Folk art has become very popular for the exhibitors over the past several years. Bob Brown, Hope, Ind., had a small collection of large train models, all designed as copies of the Ringling Brothers Circus train. He suggested their original purpose was probably as a window display in the towns where the circus would be performing. Each was priced at $1,650. Tom DeLash was exhibiting with Nick Domenick, both from Columbus, Ohio, and offered a carousel horse, while Bob Ketelhut, West Bloomfield, Mich., had a collection of early advertising.
Show dates for the next Music Valley are February 14‱6. For information, 317-598-0012 or www.jenkinsshows.com .