Todd Harper, Athens, Ga.
Review and Photos by Tom O’Hara
ATLANTA – Scott Antiques Market, Atlanta, held firm for the four-day event, March 12-15, hosting several thousand exhibitors and shoppers. “It was evident that the number of visitors to our regular monthly event was below the usual, but there were enough for most exhibitors to sell from their collected inventories,” according to Don Scott, owner and founder of the show.
This show is so large that there is practically every style exhibited somewhere in the two buildings. For example, there was the traditional American style from the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries showing in the Sharon Green Antiques collection. This dealer from Litchfield, Conn., was showing an early drop leaf table, probably made by the first user in all mortise and tenon or pegged joinery and still showing much of its original red wash. It was set between a pair of painted ladderback chairs, all from New England.
Across the aisle, Atomic Rocket Vintage offered a collection of midcentury American designer furniture and accessories appropriate to the style. The owner, Temple Miller, came to the show from her home in Morganton, N.C., with two stylish 1950s sofas, a pair of comfortable armchairs and various lamps, all sporting strong, bright color. Her sales included wicker baskets and dining accessories, posters and paintings.
Macon, Ga., exhibitor Darrel Tomberlin was successful on the first day of the show, selling his large European hutch with intricately carved decorations. Tomberlin had a large collection of furniture from his shop where it is his habit to restore the finish and working parts of most of his inventory to a near original condition. His other pieces this weekend included two Hepplewhite chests of drawers, an English server from the George III period and much more.
Terri Lightmas, an Atlanta native, has been buying small antiques during her frequent trips to Western Europe. Most of her collection is small tea boxes, household ceramic objects, such as bowls and platters, and some that are purely decorative, such as Staffordshire animals.
John Crews, Atlanta, Ga.
Helen Deasy of Turnage Place Estate Sales said she was pleased with her weekend as a reasonable amount of her furniture sold. The Atlantan moved her Sheraton mahogany secretary with many inlays and original circa 1800 glass and hardware; a Hepplewhite sideboard; a Nineteenth Century wing chair and several oils on canvas, large folio landscape paintings.
Tiffany glass made for the best sales for Norman Weingarden of Morrow, Ga. His inventory this month included one showcase filled with an assortment of pieces of Favrile glass by the famed maker, all more than 120 years old and several pieces sold this weekend to one collector.
Todd Harper has been in the antiques business for the last four years, but always collected for his own use before that. Hailing from Athens Ga., he is able to do this show conveniently with his English Georgian furniture and related small accessories. This week he offered several chests of drawers, including a tall chest, two-over-six drawers, in mahogany, Chippendale style; two smaller chests from George III period and several stands and tables. His sales included a Hepplewhite chest on chest and an American Federal card table.
Letha Polk, Charleston, S.C., was selling a collection of Twentieth Century home décor and furnishings. Woodstock, Ga., dealer Linden Prentice showed great variety in her merchandise, including American Federal furniture with later European accessories. Paul Boulus. Augusta, Ga., offered a more than 100-year-old laminated room dividing screen with a Renaissance scene carved into it. Golden Oldies from Queens, N.Y., sold from an assortment of furniture covering the last 300 years.
Some of the dealers reported that this was not the usual successful show in terms of sales as the nation was listening to all the news about coronavirus and COVID-19 and perhaps showing less interest in antiques and décor. Most did agree, however, that they have weathered previous storms when there has been a distraction from the business of antiques and it always seems to come back strong soon thereafter.
In a call with Don Scott immediately after this most recent show, he said, “We are not going to have the April show due to all the turmoil and government rules with the coronavirus COVID-19 disease. In the interest of our shoppers, dealers and staff, it is just not worth putting at risk all who have been participating these 30 years of our monthly gathering.” He did say that they are expecting to return May 7-10 with again a full house of exhibitors and shoppers. He added, “We have been through distractions and difficult times before, so I am sure we will get through this as well.”
For additional information, www.scottantiquemarket.com or 740-569-4112.
