Saturday, September 10, was the fifth stampede for the reinstated Antiques in a Cow Pasture show with 68 dealers displaying predominantly early American antiques meant to appeal to customers principally from the immediate area. Frank Gaglio, show manager for Barn Star Productions, was very pleased with this year’s results for the dealers and the Salisbury Visiting Nurse Association.

Steve Smoot, Lancaster, Penn.

The history of the show goes back to the 1950s when RussellCarrel began it in what was then his back yard in Salisbury for asmall collection of dealer friends. Mr Carrell was a very popularantiques show promoter for most of his adult life, producing andmanaging many of the best antiques shows throughout the country.Held on the Saturday after Labor Day, it continued until after hisdeath into the mid-nineties. For the next few years there was noshow on the field, then in 2001 Mr Gaglio reinstated it with goodresults for the dealers and customers alike.

The number of visitors to the Cow Pasture was about the same as last year and Mr Gaglio said dealer participation was also similar to last year’s show.

Attracting many dealers from the nearby vicinity and some from throughout New York and New England, the show has a faithful following of customers. Buyers come from the Central Berkshires and from as far as New York City to acquire new additions to their collections and to refurnish their homes.

The Dahlfreds from Londonderry, N.H., have been trading as Manchester Antiques at shows around the country for many years. Recently they opened a shop in York, Maine, but they still enjoy the activity of the shows. Their collection included very early American-made chairs, ladder backs with sausage turned legs, and also a pair of Queen Anne chairs.

Marilyn Salant, Scarsdale, N.Y.

More chairs were in Paula Patterson’s exhibit; a set of sixpainted and decorated, Pennsylvania-made, fiddle back, plank seatchairs were offered for $895. She and her husband Dick sold a largehanging hutch that was tagged at $1,400.

Some architectural pieces sold for Bonnie and Dave Ferriss of Lake Luzerne, N.Y., including a mantel and a pair of very large half circle Palladian windows. Trade Winds Antiques from Forestville, Conn., offered an English server, late Victorian style in walnut with a dark marble top and decorative backsplash, for $550. Field and Stream Antiques, Mansfield, Conn., was offering a restored outboard motor for a small boat and a cigar store Indian among other items, mostly with a sporting motif.

A highly skilled grandfather made the dollhouse offer by Atwater, Ohio, dealer Gary Promey. The entry for the little hands to arrange the furniture was at the back of the roof rather than with a more common open back.

Robert Gifford, Huntington, N.Y.

Newburgh, N.Y., dealers Karen and Dan Olson brought a largecollection of American country furniture that seemed to keep thembusy with the visitors. A pen and ink rendering of a house wasoffered by Jan and John Maggs, Conway, Mass. Jan commented that ithad been hanging in their home for many years but was now for saleat $650. She added, “It is believed to be of a house in Deerfield[Mass.], which has been modified from what is in the picture.”

The Holdens, Naples, Fla., can be found at most of the major shows from Maine to Texas shopping for fresh acquisitions to their collections and inventory. They are especially fond of American folk art and were exhibiting at the Cow Pasture. Among their offerings were trade symbols for a locksmith and a barber along with some early furniture and small antique accessories.

The Brewster Shop from Cape Cod was selling funky painted furniture and a wide variety of accessories. Kim Kassner, the proprietor, moved her shop from Old Kings Highway to her home and is now doing more shows. Here she did “very well”

Steve Smoot, Lancaster, Penn., was offering a dome top chest, small and probably a bride’s box. Platypus Antiques, Dix Hills, N.Y., was offering a blue collection; Marilyn Salant, Scarsdale, N.Y., had a charming ensemble including candlestand, a sausage turned post arm chair and even the brass candleholders. Another New Yorker, Bob Gifford, centered a multicolored dry sink with a variety of stoneware in his exhibit.

Look for all of them to return next year, for as a Baltimore dealer said, “The show is too much fun to miss.”