Ben Lennox holds a circa 1920 trade sign from the New Dundee Tire Hospital in New Dundee, Ontario. A move prompted Lennox to consign this and other folk art from his collection to Miller & Miller in 2021. Photo courtesy Jon Dunford, Miller & MIller Auctions.

Antiques are a way of life for Ben Lennox, an information technologies professional from Port Dover, Ontario, who moonlights as a collector, dealer, show promoter and part-time associate at Miller & Miller, an Ontario auction house specializing in antiques and collectibles. Since purchasing the Bowmanville Antiques and Folk Art Show in 2017 with fellow exhibitor Chris Spick, the promoters have worked to expand the 49-year-old fair, a foremost destination for country furniture and folk art. Their enhancements include themed loan shows with guest curators, larger booths, better lighting and this year more convenient dates. Planned for Saturday and Sunday, April 20 and 21, at the GB Rickard Recreation Complex, one hour east of Toronto, the 2024 Bowmanville Show looks to be a winner.

When did you start collecting?

I was obsessed with baseball cards by the time I was 10. My younger brother and I would take the bus to the card shows in downtown Hamilton, On. Our parents, while not collectors, took us to garage sales. I continued going to shops, shows and sales of all kinds after moving to Kitchener, On., in 2000. I had a 1,200-square-foot apartment with a gas pump, three pinball machines, stoneware, bottles and old signs. My now wife, Sarah, called it “the gift shop.”

What do you collect now?

I’ve become spoiled by working with Miller & Miller Auctions for almost seven years and being part of the Bowmanville Antiques and Folk Art Show for over 12 years. I keep a note in my wallet that says, “Keep the best, sell the rest.” It keeps me focused. My main collections are wooden trade signs and weathervanes, with Canadian art and country furniture, other folk art and comic books all factoring in heavily, as well. The comic books are something I do with my son, Fischer, who’s 15.

Are you a show dealer, online dealer, auction consignor or all three?

I suppose I’m all three, but I like to think of myself as primarily a collector. I’d rather be buying than selling, but I also don’t want to have a 10,000-square-foot barn full of stuff. If I buy and I’m not keeping it, it has to go. I do five or six shows and markets a year, among them Bowmanville, Aberfoyle and Cookstown. My online sales are mostly on Facebook or Instagram. I sell a wide mix via auction — some higher-end pieces via Miller & Miller and smalls via another local auction that does well with things like comics, sports cards, military items, etc.

Facebook, Instagram or eBay?

Facebook all the way. I like the sense of community with Facebook. Adrian Tinline started Canadiana Antiques on Facebook in 2009. It now has more than 7,000 members. The Canadiana Antiques Virtual Antique Show was an idea that popped into my head on April 1, 2020. We launched the show nine days later. During the early days of the pandemic, we were running the shows with 30-plus dealers participating every few weeks, no charge to the buyers or sellers. It was a way to keep the Canadian antiques world operating during a time of uncertainty.

What do you do for Miller & Miller?

I came to know the Miller family via Jim Miller, an iconic Canadian antiques dealer and someone I’m proud to say was a mentor in my formative years in the field. Jim passed in 2010, however his legacy continues with his sons Ethan and Justin, co-owners of Miller & Miller. I attended one of their first auctions in 2017 and knew then that they were going to be a major force in the industry. I’ve helped out since auction #5. I’ve done pretty much everything except call the sale — from cataloging to setting up, taking phone bids and making deliveries.

Lennox and fellow exhibitor Chris Spick purchased the Bowmanville Antiques and Folk Art Show in 2017 and will share a stand in the April 2024 fair. Here, a view of their 2023 booth. Photo courtesy Ben Lennox.

What’s in store for Bowmanville?

This year we will have 25 exhibitors in mostly pre-1900 antiques with a focus on handcrafted items, including folk art and country furniture. Most of the dealers are from Ontario and Quebec. A few, such as Clay Benson and Michael Rowan, have done Bowmanville from the beginning. Two years ago, we moved from a small hall to an arena floor within the same sports complex. People like the upgraded lighting and bigger booths. We expect this year’s new dates to draw a larger crowd and have expanded our hours on opening night. Chris and I began organizing the special exhibits in 2016. Since taking over as promoters we’ve asked others to do so. For this year’s loan show, collector Don Hewson is reassembling Cleophas Lachance’s “Village,” an impressive undertaking by a great Quebec folk artist.

Other loves?

My #1 passion is my family. My wife and I love traveling and our children are very active in sports. When I’m not coaching, which brings me a lot of joy, I’m in the stands as a superfan. The whole family loves music. We attend concerts whenever we can. Rock and hip-hop are my mainstays.

—Laura Beach

Editor’s note: For more information, www.bowmanvilleantiqueshow.ca.