Morgan MacWhinnie assembled 88 exhibiting dealers of early Americana, Victoriana and Mid-Century antiques and décor for the Bridgehampton Historical Society’s annual spring show June 20′1. This year, the show occurred later in June and its cycle was altered from Friday and Saturday to Saturday and Sunday. These seemingly minor changes may have been the big contributions to this year’s success, for in spite of heavy rain Saturday in the middle of the afternoon and early Sunday morning, the attendance was 50 percent higher than last year, according to MacWhinnie.
MacWhinnie has been an antiques dealer most of his life, even when working for the phone company more than 20 years ago. He has had a shop in North Sea, one of the villages of Southampton, and has been an antiques show promoter for many years. His shows have usually had a charity sponsor and beneficiary, as with this show where the Bridgehampton Historical Society received the profits.
On Saturday, the show started with an early crowd waiting for the 8 am opening, their cash or check books in hand. Sales were reported by several dealers as good or better than expected, for it looked like a bad combination early that morning with heavy dark skies and a pre-rain dampness.
According to MacWhinnie, early sales included some Mid-Century offerings from the Big Top Tents that had been erected for the sale. Dishes from several sources sold well, and Al Conti of Vintage Matters, Mount Bethel, Penn., was offering his collection of just about everything.
From Wild Rose Antiques of Northport, N.Y., a Sheffield Farms toy truck dating to about 1930 and tagged at $450 was among the early sales. The buyer, a dealer, was expecting it would go to a milk bottle collector, a very popular specialty in antiques and collectibles. Sharing a tent, Mary Ross sold an early portrait with an attribution of being a Long Island piece on that first morning.
George’s Art and Antiques, Wading River, N.Y., exhibits with an extensive collection of early antiques and collectibles. On this weekend he brought a great deal of wood, including several chairs of different heritage and periods, a very large dough bowl and implements for the kitchen and barn. There was also an assortment of early oil paintings.
Featuring fine linens from Europe, Susan Oostdyk of Island Heights, N.J., was selling well. Her collection comprises assembled antique and vintage fabrics dating from 1860 to before World War II. In many cases, her sales are pillows she makes from the vintage fabrics.
Galena, Md., dealer Firehouse Antiques was showing a collection of antique and vintage furniture, which looked ready for an all-weather sun porch. Robert Trites, Red Rock, N.Y., was selling early iron garden benches.
Michael Moore came from his Nashville, Tenn., home and shop with a collection of Mid-Century home furnishings.
There were enough dry times over the weekend for the visitor traffic to be the highest total in many years, creating a good total of sales for the show.
The historical society sponsors another show, managed by Stella Show Mgmt Co., August 14‱6. For information, 973-808-5015 or www.stellashows.com . MacWhinnie manages another show August 1 at Mulford Farm for the East Hampton Historical Society several miles east of this site. His phone numbers are 631-283-3366 and 516-769-2939.
