Sherman Alden Antiques, East Falmouth, Mass.

Review and Photos by Tom O’Hara

MARLBOROUGH, MASS. – Peter Mavris is continuing a tradition he and his late wife Nan Gurley began 20 years ago with a Thanksgiving Celebration that included an antiques show at the Royal Plaza Trade Center. On hand were about 75 of their best friends – exhibiting dealers – and hundreds more of their favorite shoppers. The Thanksgiving show came off as always, only Nan was missing; but she would have loved it and enjoyed all the friendships and great antiques and folk art at the one-day event on Sunday, November 27.

Pillars Antiques, Freeport, Maine

Just inside the door of the trade center, Michael Weinberg offered a great collection of early American curiosities – he trades as West Pelham Antiques from Pelham, Mass. One of the first eye-catchers was a display of 15 handcarved clothes pins from the Nineteenth Century, carefully mounted as folk art. Next was an assortment of miniature woven baskets in excellent condition and then there was a really cool homemade pull toy elephant, probably 100 years old and way out of proportion, but just delightful to see.

East Falmouth, Mass., is home and the prime-picking place for Mary Lou and Carl Peterson, who trade under the name Sherman Alden Antiques. What they sold at the show reflected their successful searches in the area: an early sale of a homemade “Christmas Trees for sale” sign was followed by the sale of a primitive, probably Eighteenth Century, hutch table in red milk paint. Additional sales for the Cape Cod couple included a period Chippendale mirror and small antique accessories.

Greg Hamilton of Stoneblock Antiques, Vergennes, Vt., was pleased with his efforts for the weekend -“good sales” and, he said, “good buying, too.” He sold several 100-year-old posters early Sunday morning, then also red and gold framed panels, export porcelain, various antique prints, Staffordshire, a rooster weathervane and an old anchor.

Another exhibitor with a good mix of sales was Pantry Box Antiques from Stafford Springs, Conn. The sales here included a circa 1800 hutch table in original surface, and a good number of circa 1900 Christmas decorations.

Beverly and Tom Longacre, Marlborough, N.H., were focused on their Christmas collections, more than their toy collection, but they offered some of both. Delighting visitors were several feather trees covered with century-old German and Czech blown glass ornaments, which were all for sale, and other decorations made with cloth, paper and plaster, including several Santa Claus ornaments, which she sold.

Brett Cabral, Salem, N.H.

Folk art and early advertising filled Mario Pollo’s booth. The Holliston, Mass., exhibitor offered some of his collection of store signs and roadway advertising signs from days gone by – including several with painted pictures on them.

Woodview Antiques, Sandwich, Mass., was selling small antique accessories with a country flair, such as burl bowls, quilts, a rocking horse and red stocking hanging on a painted fireplace mantel. Laura McCarthy, Bayberry Antiques, Rockland, Mass., offered early Nineteenth Century textiles, including hooked mats and quilts. Log House Antiques, Doylestown, Penn., was showing its collection of utilitarian and small folk art pieces from the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries.

Al Benting and his wife Jane had a very large display along the back row where they set up a large collection of English cast metal figures, soldiers for the most part, and pull toys. Benting and Jarvis, as their business is called, of Barrington, N.H., also showed furniture from Chippendale through Regency styles.

Twenty years for the show is a good tradition for the holiday weekend, according to Mavris. He expects to continue this into the future along with his other Nan Gurley Shows, including Portsmouth, N.H., through the winter months, and Concord, Mass., on April 30.

For more information on upcoming shows, call Peter Mavris at 207-625-5028 or 207-608-3086.