Thursday, August 10, is a busy day for Barn Star Productions during Antiques Week in New Hampshire. Mid(Week exhibitors are busy packing out of the convention center and tent pavilion, while the Bedford Pickers Market dealers are anxious to get the next show on the road. Frank Gaglio and crew, including a large group of porters, keep things on the move and by 9 am on Friday the early buyers flock into the show, hoping to, as the advertisement say, “End your week with a great antique.”
A small portion of one of the aisles in the convention center was closed off for the Pickers Market, but otherwise the booths were filled in this portion of the show as well as the entire tented space. As with Mid(Week, many favorable comments were generated by the presence of air-conditioning, new in the tent this year and a welcomed perk. While the weather cooperated temperaturewise this season, the AC was still used and resulted in longer visits by those attending.
“Things went very well, we had only four vacant booths, and many of the dealers reported strong sales and an active day,” Frank Gaglio said.
A nice Nineteenth Century sawbuck table with a three-board scrubbed top, green painted base, was shown by McClellan Elms Antiques of South Woodstock, Conn., and an early sale from this booth was a two-door cabinet, cutout ends, in old blue paint.
Harvey Weinstein of New York City added extra brilliance to the room with his lamp display, including a 14-inch Pairpoint Puffy Ravenna table lamp. A portrait of a girl with flute, oil on canvas measuring 35½ by 28½ inches, dated from the mid 1800s and was in the original frame.
Susan and Sy Rapaport, New York City, had a sparse booth but well-decorated with a selection of ten nautical watercolors by Sandor Bernath. “I have been collecting this artist for many years and decided I would bring out some of them for this show,” Sy said.
Donna East Antiques of Worcester, Mass., showed a collection of seven eagles, carved and painted, some with gilt remaining, while Gary Klinger of York, Penn., offered a tiger maple chest, four drawers, of Pennsylvania origin, circa 1830–40, with turned feet. The piece was signed by the maker, J. Eline. A card table in mahogany, circa 1800, was of Rhode Island origin.
A step back cupboard, old red painted surface, was filled with redware in the booth of Hagadones Antiques, Charlottesville, Va., and a sold ticket was attached to a chair table with red base and round scrubbed top. A set of four rod back Windsor side chairs was offered by Different Drummer Antiques, Wiscasset, Maine, along with other country things, including a large selection of early baskets.
Ramsey, N.J., exhibitor Robert Simpson had a booth filled with customers shortly after the show opened and one had bought his blue painted cupboard with two over two doors. The Rathbun Gallery, Wakefield, R.I., showed a one-drawer pine Hepplewhite side table in the original yellow paint with green stripes, one board top with breadboard ends, tapering legs. Dog lovers should have been attracted to a couple of hooked rugs in the booth of Dog Eat Dog Antiques, New York City, one depicting a bull dog, circa 1924, the other a puppy surrounded by flowers.
Frank Martin of Mertztown, Penn., had a sold sign on his twig stand, and another on his yellow corner cupboard, nine-pane door over one long drawer over two doors in the lower section. It was on turned feet. An early advertising piece urged people to “Smoke Mark Twain Cigars” at only 10 cents each.
David Polleck of Sherman, Conn., offered a large collection of vintage posters including Saturday Evening Post covers, recruiting posters for the US Army, travel destinations and “Labor’s Choice — Union Made Clothing.”
From Franklin, Texas, Bill Powell filled a corner booth with many advertising items including a baseball bat about 6 feet long, a “Coon’s Ice Cream” sign, and a life-size cowboy who stood at the entrance of the display.
“We have had a good show, lots of interest, and the day is just beginning,” Steve Shapiro of SAJE Americana, Short Hills, N.J., said. Early sales included a hooked runner, a tiger maple tea table, and a decorated document box, probably of Maine origin.
A wonderful folding game board, small size but with great paint, was among the first things sold by Bonnie and Dave Ferriss, Cambridge, N.Y. A pair of large Gothic columns, an arch window, a green-painted louver and a oversized birdhouse were also shown.
An elephant weathervane, in red paint with “GOP” painted on the side, was offered by Joseph Collins of Cobalt, Conn., and it went to Wilton with Marilyn Gould. A selection of mocha and some spatter were displayed on the large hanging shelf in the booth of Ken and Susan Scott, Malone, N.Y., and two horses were offered, standing horse weathervane, full bodied with good surface, and a pull toy with large wheels.
A heads of a hippo and rhino stuck out from the wall in the booth of Mark Moody, Shohola, Penn., and fortunately the rest of the animal was not on the other side of the wall. They drew lots of attention, but as of midday they were still waiting for a new home.
“After the show I get lots of comments from both visitors and from our exhibitors, some good and some bad, but that is the way it goes,” Frank Gaglio said. Pat and Bob Martin of Home Farm Antiques, New Paltz, N.Y., wrote, “Pickers is a wonderful venue and has become our favorite show. See you in the Cow Pasture.” “Now those are the ones I really like,” Frank said.
