The Wilton Historical Society’s American Craftsmanship show has earned a reputation for showcasing the country’s finest artisans and artists, and that was never more in evidence than at the November 10 and 11 outing for the show.
With about 120 exhibitors, the show was as good looking as ever.
“It was a little more challenging,” show promoter Marilyn Gould said of the show this year. “We started on Saturday like gangbusters and it was just packed for the first few hours and then we ran out of parking.
“We had a wonderful array of craftsmen, the show came out well in appearance,” she said. Whimsical and old-fashioned crafts of all kinds from dolls and hand blown glass to brightly painted game boards caught shoppers’ eyes at every turn, and in each aisle one could find stunning textiles, fine art and examples of furniture making at its best, be it Eighteenth Century-style clocks to paint-decorated chests, tables and more.
The Whimsical Whittler, Northville, Mich., had a stellar performance in its debut at the show. “Since most of our carvings are seasonal, I think it crosses a wide variety of buyers, age groups, incomes and most certainly collectors. This was one of the few shows where you see younger buyers † 30-something age group,” said carver Stephanie Rawson.
“One customer had seen our work in magazines and books for many years and was thrilled to see it in person, and left the booth with nine carvings,” she said. “Another customer who has purchased in the past, but whom we have never met, told us that the style of our work fits perfectly into his Eighteenth Century home. Wilton customers seem to be a knowledgeable group and do not hesitate to buy if they like what they see.”
K. William Kautz American Folk Art, Hartland, Vt., reported having an excellent show this time around. “We’ve all felt somewhat vulnerable in this present economy and there seems to be a lot of anxiety out there, but I was especially encouraged by the buyers’ responses this year,” Kautz said.
“The show itself has enjoyed a great reputation for years and it is no longer simply a regional show. I am shipping orders to Colorado, South Carolina and California.”
Kathie Ratcliffe of Nine Patch Studio, Waterford, Va., said she had repeat customers who have taken joy in previous purchases and come back for more. “It’s always a pleasure to exhibit at the Wilton show, where the clientele seek out unique Americana and appreciate quality craftsmanship. My top-dollar miniature quilts seemed to sell well there, such as an intricate Ohio Star inspired by the 1840s block-style chintz quilts,” she said.
Asked about notable sales, she said one highlight was the seven-month-old, her eyes dancing, as she pointed tiny fingers to a display of little quilts made up of bright contrasting colors. “I’ll have to wait a few years for that sale,” she quipped.
Stephen Earp Redware, Shelburne Falls, Mass., looks forward to attending annually, not only for the prestige of the show, but to gather with fellow artisans.
A memorable sale came Saturday when a couple visited his booth several times with the wife whispering to Earp on the last time that she was trying to ditch her husband so she could buy him a present there in secret. Minutes after they left, the husband showed up and hurriedly bought the items they had been looking at repeatedly.
Shortly after he paid for his purchase and left the booth, the wife appeared and wanted to buy the same items. Earp debated what to do as the purchase was to be a secret. Concluding that the items †in duplicate †made a lovely set, he made the two secret sales.
Dan and Marlene Coble, D.R. Coble & Company, Angola, Ind., reported a solid performance at the show. “We were happy that four of our larger sales were made to new buyers and two were sold to young couples, something that we always like to see,” said Marlene Coble. “A lot of our sales are made to older collectors, so the new and younger buyers were very welcome.”
Antiques dealer turned folk artist Helen Howard, Woodstock, Conn., reported a very successful show, with 90 percent of her sales going to new clients, two of whom ordered an additional painting after the show.
Howard, known for her nautical paintings of schooners and square riggers, as well as village scenes with mermaids that pay homage to Ralph Cahoon, paints exclusively in watercolor and gouache on heavy acid-free paper that she ages to replicate foxing.
Howard explains that she chooses the frame before beginning a painting to ensure a match, and that her background in antiques and studies of Nineteenth Century art informs her work. Regular antiquing forays ensure she has a sizable stock of antique frames on hand with which to work.
A colorful nautical village scene with a ship went to a customer on Martha’s Vineyard, and a whimsical mermaid in a bathtub riding on a whale went to a customer from Nantucket. She also wrote up sales for a very large ship portrait and many small people silhouettes.
Three Points Design, Virginia Beach, Va., welcomed a new artist into the family this year, born November 1, so artist Jac Johnson set up a compact booth with less inventory than in years past. Sales included a white whale carving that, despite measuring 3 feet long, was apparently successfully hidden from the husband of the woman who bought it. An older couple that collects the artist’s work purchased a new mermaid design.
Mark E. Perry Folk Art Sculptor, East Sandwich, Mass., was pleased to see known folk art dealers and knowledgeable collectors perusing his booth and expects a number of follow-up commissions and sales from the show. During the show, he sold a popular running dog with a crimping wheel between his front paws, and a commission of a figurative work. Those two sales accounted for 30 percent of the work in his booth where each piece was given its due and displayed to full advantage.
A long line formed at times in the cafeteria as folk artist Warren Kimble made a return engagement to the show, signing calendars and posters for next year’s retrospective of his work at the Shelburne Museum.
The American Craftsmanship show will return in 2008 a week later on November 15 and 16. For information, 203-762-7257.
