Charlie Guinipero, Pantry Box Antiques, Stafford Springs, Conn., priced the large blue barrel $200. In this photo one can see some of his many Steiff animals.
Review & Onsite Photos by Rick Russack
BROOKFIELD, MASS. — Kris Casucci and her husband, Paul, advertise their twice annual Walker Homestead show as an Antiques and Primitive Show and that’s what it is. If you’re looking for Midcentury Modern, you probably won’t find it there. What you will find is booths full of painted woodenware, early country furniture, baskets, stoneware, redware, early lighting, paintings and folk art. Taking place on June 15, the show is now in its 15th year and has a waiting list of exhibitors who would like to do the show. However, before being accepted into the show, both antique dealers and craftspeople have to be vetted.
The dealer-friendly show is on the grounds of the Casuccis’ restored Seventeenth Century home. It’s also their shop, which is open during the show. The parking area is a sheep pasture when not filled with cars. Live bluegrass music was provided by Grade “A” Fancy, out of Worcester, Mass. One of the reasons we used the words “dealer friendly” is that the evening before the show, after dealers have set-up their booths, the Casuccis put-on a home-made dinner for the dealers with Paul doing most of the cooking. Dealers were still talking about it the morning after. Cars of shoppers from several states filled the sheep pasture and many of those shoppers were writing checks within minutes of the show opening.
Those interested in stoneware would have had numerous choices from three specialist dealers and additional pieces in several other booths. Near the entrance was one of the specialist dealers, Lorraine German, Mad River Antiques, North Granby, Conn. She said that one of the more unusual pieces she had was a 2-gallon jug with the mark “Bennington Factory,” which indicated that it had been made prior to 1823. In addition to the mark, she said that the cobalt blue number “2,” along with the cobalt tree or floral design, made it a stand-out piece; she was asking $1,200. Her selections included redware and a small, late Nineteenth Century Rockingham teapot priced at $395. Her article on Eighteenth Century Boston stoneware was published in the 2019 edition of Ceramics in America.
Lorraine German, Mad River Antiques, North Granby, Conn., specializes in stoneware and redware. Her hand is on a 2-gallon stoneware jug signed “Bennington Factory” and the price was $1,200.
George Browning III, Swanzey, N.H., sells almost nothing other than stoneware. He had several stoneware bottles priced from $35 to $145, depending on the maker. Those with advertising were at the higher end of the range. He also had a covered stoneware jar marked “Swampscott Mineral Spring Water,” for which he was asking $650. Kris Casucci was another of the specialist dealers with dozens of pieces of stoneware and redware displayed on the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century pieces of painted furniture in her home and shop.
In the booth of the Nathan Hale Antiques Center, Coventry, Conn., was a selection of woodenware that included several covered bowls of various sizes. Although probably not American, they were inexpensive, ranging in price from $35 to $55 and each had a pleasing patina. Several were sold and taken from the display within the first hour of the show. The booth included firkins with old painted surfaces, simple benches, tool carriers and more. There was also a set of four Windsor chairs and a very nice carved wooden child’s horse that was $275. It had been found in the Danbury, Conn., area.
Hometown Antiques, West Brookfield, Mass., also had a selection of painted woodenware and an unusual “make-do.” Someone had taken a large Nineteenth Century green bucket and turned it into a birdhouse. It had been given a conical metal roof and a hanger and a hole had been cut into the side to allow its feathered residents to get in and out. It was priced at $160.
Hometown Antiques, West Brookfield, Mass., offered a variety of painted woodenware. One unusual item was a bird house made from a painted green bucket. A conical tin cover kept out the elements and a hole cut into the side let the birds in and out. The price was $160.
Laura McCarthy, Bayberry Antiques, Rockland, Mass., brought an early, probably unique, decorated and paneled two-door cabinet, which was filled with a collection of 31 small German toy lambs; she had marked it $575. Her collection of stone fruit was individually priced, from $50 or less; a bunch of red grapes was, at $145, an exception. She was also one of the dealers with baskets: she was asking $395 for a very large buttocks basket and had two others.
Mary Elliot, Pepperell, Mass., has been selling painted woodenware for years and brought a selection of painted bowls of various sizes. An outstanding large one, measuring well over 20 inches in diameter, had old blue paint and an interior that showed it had been used, was priced $300; red ones were priced from $150; and a large red example with a turned rim was tagged $725.
Painted furniture was available in several booths. Ian McKelvey Antiques, South Windham, Conn., had a small primitive dry sink with two simple panel doors and a well-worn surface, for which he was asking $1,800. He also had a 10-foot-long harvest table with a worn green surface listed at $595. Deb Lerner and Rick Martin, who also run the bi-weekly Granite State Antique Show in Milford, N.H., had three blanket chests with old red surfaces. Each was priced $375 and their booth included an assortment of other woodenware.
Ian McKelvey, South Windham, Conn., is a very active dealer and will always have an interesting group of furniture and other items. His offerings included this small painted dry sink, for which he was asking $1,800.
There was much more at the show. Cloth and Steiff animals were available from several dealers. Twisted Sisters Primitives, Brookfield, Conn., had a selection of early bears, some Steiff and some by other makers; all had been well-loved. Charlie Guinipero, Pantry Box Antiques, Stafford Springs, Conn., always has a large selection of Steiff animals and this show was no exception, with dozens available. His inventory always has more than just Steiff, although he has developed an enviable reputation for that. For non-Steiff shoppers, his booth included a large blue barrel, stoneware, redware, textiles and an assortment of decorative items.
There was a selection of lighting devices to be had, ranging from hog-scraper candle holders to pierced tin lanterns. An exceptional early tin chandelier was in the booth of John Melby Antiques, Eastport, Maine; he asked we not quote his asking price. Melby has also developed an interesting sideline, for which he has little, if any, competition. He makes wooden “books” that perfectly mimic early leather-bound books. He had two large ones that looked like Eighteenth Century bibles. They would have fooled most people and they were priced at $200 each; smaller examples were priced accordingly. For those who want stone books, he had some of those, too. Fielding an eclectic booth, he also had a variety of woodenware and small painted furniture.
Rick Hamelin and his spouse, Garine Arakelian, operate American Redware, Warren, Mass. Both are experienced potters and offered a large selection of contemporary redware and slip decorated pottery. Much of their work is priced less than $100.
The show includes a few makers of items that go well in historic period settings. For example, Rick Hamelin, better known as the Pied Potter Hamelin, Warren, Mass., produces authentic reproductions of redware and slipware, as well as some of his own designs. He has worked at Old Sturbridge Village and participates in workshops at Historic Deerfield and elsewhere. There have been numerous exhibitions of his work and he shares his studio space with his spouse, Garine Arakelian, who also produces redware, slipware and sgraffito decorated pieces. Together, they operate American Redware. Most of their pieces are priced for less than $100 but some larger pieces such as teapots, which require more work, may sell for more than $200. Another craftsperson is Cathy Lee Amis, Kinfolk, Terryville, Conn. Her creations include cloth fruit such as strawberries, which were priced at $6 — and fully feathered chickens on baskets, marked $45 each. Lucille Festa, East Rupert, VT., creates hooked rugs with animal designs that look like they’re from the Nineteenth Century rugs. She told us their production is time consuming because she makes her own dyes and searches out the material for the rugs and the backing.
Not all the “new” things are meant for indoors. Milltown Primitives, North Stonington, Conn., creates things for the garden. Birdhouses made from gourds were priced $34 each; 4-foot sections of “twig” fencing — to keep the chickens out of the garden — were $49.
After the show, Kris Casucci said, “It was nearly a perfect day. The weather was great, the crowd was enthusiastic, and the weather encouraged them to spend time shopping. We had about 500 attendees. Our business was fine. Paul and I sold a stepback cupboard, an early sampler and more. We’re really fortunate to have the dealers we have and, from what I heard, they sold well. Our next show here will be September 28.”
For additional information, www.walkerhomestead.com or 508-867-4466.
