“The New Year is here, come celebrate the best” proclaimed promoters Newman Chittenden and Martin Fasack in regard to their popular East Coast Fine Arms Show. Close to 100 exhibitors packed the exhibition area over the weekend of January 4‶, offering a diverse display of antique and high-end collectible firearms and accessories, Native American artifacts, Revolutionary- and Civil War-related relics and hunting-related items.
The third annual event, the show relocated from Stamford to the Hyatt Regency Greenwich, conveniently located on Route 1 in the glitziest region of Connecticut’s “Gold Coast.” Touted by the promoters as offering the “best of the best,” the show lived up to the reputation it has established during its short tenure.
Chittenden and Fasack have been promoting firearm and knife shows together since 1984. Chittenden proposed creating the shows to Fasack at a diner in Elmsford, N.Y. The pair had met previously when Chittenden bought a Lionel train car from Fasack, who in turn purchased a Browning shotgun from Chittenden. Their premier gun show took place a few short months later at the Westchester County Center, conducted under the Westchester Collectors Inc company name.
Now with 15 shows scheduled for 2008, this, the newest event on their schedule, has become their premium venue.
Carol Chittenden commented that management was extremely pleased with the new location, which, unlike previous years, allowed all of the arms and collectibles vendors to be set up inside of the main display room. Knife, merchandise and hunting/sport-clothing dealers displayed their wares in the foyer bordering the entrance.
Newman Chittenden commented that everyone he spoke with was delighted with the upscale venue, as well as the show itself. Perhaps a bit more focused than the show had been in the past, the manager commented, “We want this to be the finest show on the East Coast.” He quickly added that response had been strong from collectors and he further noted a high level of enthusiasm among the dealers.
One dealer on the floor commented about the numerous major collectors throughout the lower region of affluent Fairfield County that “would not make the trip” to shows elsewhere, that “will come to a show in Greenwich.” Optimistic, dealers were prepared with merchandise to please a wide variety of tastes, yet they seemingly listed with a weighted selection of top-of-the-line merchandise.
Boasting 240 tables, dealers were on hand from throughout the Northeast, as far west as Arizona, as far north as Wisconsin, and as far south as South Carolina. At least one international exhibitor participated in the show, with Best Gun and Rifle Manufacturer making the trip from Brescia, Italy.
Those in the market for a quality shotgun were likely to be roaming the show for quite a while, as the selection of examples to choose from was extensive. Best guns, new and old, by Parker, Holland and Holland, Westley Richards and a host of others were prevalent, as were numerous Winchester, Browning, L.C. Smith and Remington sporting, field, trap and skeet guns in a wide variety of gauges. Also on hand was Tony Galazan of Connecticut Shotgun, a manufacturer that specializes in bringing back modern versions of old classic sporting shotguns, such as newly manufactured, and often highly engraved and embellished, Fox double-barrels, as well its own RBL models.
Western-related items proved to be popular at the show, with interesting items appearing in quite a few booths. Of particular note was a historic revolver with the original holster that was owned by “Bat” Masterson’s deputy, offered by Gettysburg, Penn., dealer John Hayes. A Dodge City lawman from 1877 to 1879, “Major” H.P. Myton also worked as a land agent in Kansas and an Indian agent in Utah. Myton’s revolver was embellished with a circular silver cartouche and also a silvered inlaid star and crescent moon on the handle.
Also displayed by Hayes was an early lawmaker’s revolver that retained the Apache Police badge and a holster decorated with silvered buttons. Native American pieces in the booth included a Plains bow and quiver.
Winsted, Conn., dealer Joe Hajec displayed a colorful Plains Indian beaded knife sheath, circa 1880, with flags running the length of the front and rawhide fringed decoration on the side. One item that Hajec was particularly excited about was a recently discovered Civil War Model 1849 Colt revolver that had belonged to Lieutenant George W. Barnes, who served with a Connecticut regiment. Barnes’s name was inscribed across the bottom of the butt plate. An early Hawkens .36 caliber rifle was also offered by the dealer, an unusual example with octagonal barrel, silvered banding and extensive checkering.
One of the highlights of the show was an exquisite early Nineteenth Century drum painted in bright red with a large spread-winged eagle emblazoned across the front and “U.S. Marines” painted above the eagle’s wings. Displayed by Dave Kliener, Bloomingburg, N.Y., the drum retained its original label on the interior, identifying it as made by William Ent, Germantown, Penn. Although Ent had a number of contracts with the US military, his last known contract with the Marines was in 1838, prompting thoughts that this example could possibly be the earliest known regulation USMC drum.
Among the other rare and desirable items displayed by Kliener was a LeMat second model nine-shot revolver, complete and in excellent condition. The second lower barrel that fired a shot-gun shell prompted the dealer to proclaim it a “popular and deadly” weapon in close quarters combat. Early powder horns in the booth included several with provenance of the Bill Guthman collection, and another early example had a large spread-winged eagle, sun, moon and ship scrimshawed around its surface.
Numerous items from the Confederate collection of arms of Edward Simmons were offered by New Jersey dealer Don Jones, including a rare sword by New Orleans maker Thomas Griswold that was inscribed “Captain Fielden L. Hale,” who served with Louisiana’s Partisan Rangers Signal Corps †Secret Service of Magruder and Beauregard’s staff. Another edged example from the collection was a rare Froelich “CSA,” Confederate States Army, cutout sword.
The author of two books on Confederate arms, Simmons had illustrated many of the examples from his collection in the books. Several were offered by Jones, including revolvers by Griswold and Gunnison, Rigdon and Ansley and Spiller and Burr. Also from the Simmons collection was a rare signal flag that had been used by the Confederates at Fort St Phillip in New Orleans, captured when it was taken in 1862 and occupied by the 30th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.
Lancaster, Penn., dealer Stephen Hench, a dealer known equally as well for his offering of Eighteenth Century American furniture as he is for the early rifles that he fancies, was on hand with a good selection of Kentucky-style long rifles. A well-figured tiger maple and ornately carved long rifle by Canaan, Conn., maker Hiram Deming was among the offerings and, according to the dealer, was one of the better examples known. Also offered were two Pennsylvania examples, including a long rifle by Peter Berry and another by David Riddick.
One of the most unusual long guns offered by the dealer was a Revolutionary period musket that had been made in the style of an English “Brown Bess” in one of the mid-Atlantic states, possibly New Jersey, decorated with an ornate matchbox in the stock that was fancifully cut out with a silhouette of a man, possibly a commemorative tribute to George Washington.
This event can hardly be considered an ordinary gun show and it is well on its way to establishing itself as a premier marketplace for historical and quality forearms. The show will continue to be presented over the first weekend of the New Year, scheduled for the weekend of January 2‴, 2009. For information, Westchester Collectors Inc, www.northeastgunshows.com or 914-248-1000.
