DBR, Doug Ramsay, Hadley, Mass.

REVIEW AND PHOTOS BY R. SCUDDER SMITH

GOSHEN, CONN. — “We seem to attract the rain,” Fritz Rohn, co-manager of The Dealer’s Fair Antiques Show said, while standing at the Goshen Fairgrounds on a cloud-covered, misty Tuesday, June 9. But what Fritz and partner Tom Seaver also attracted was a respectable roster of antiques dealers to participate in their four-hour show, 9 am to 1 pm, with dealers set up indoors and outside. Two large buildings accommodated 72 exhibitors, while another 15 dealers braved the weather. “We were able to move a few of the dealers who had signed up for outdoor space into the buildings,” Tom said.

Tom noted that the show went very smoothly and about 250 people, up from last fall, came out in the rain to shop, and many of the dealers reported a successful show. “We had more retail buyers this time, which is always a good sign,” Tom added.

Dealers came from all parts of New England, New York and Pennsylvania, mostly with objects to display tabletop, such as pottery and porcelain, decoys, tin and iron, a few toys, trade signs, architectural elements, lighting, quilts, painted boxes, a good number of weathervanes, both large and small, and even a collection of colorful cloth-covered coat hangers. Furniture played a small role, but there were several tall chests, a few tea tables, stands and various styles of chairs. A number of things for the garden were also on offer, such as figures, cast iron urns and benches, all cleaned up and ready for immediate planting.

The Dealer’s Fair is a no-frills show. There are no booth walls, all lighting comes from an open door or the overhead lamps which are part of the building, and it is a short walk to the bathrooms.

But still the show has lots to offer and the dealers do their best to bring interesting things. “We have only a few hours to sell, so we try to bring what will catch the collector’s eye and not just a bunch of stuff visitors have to plow through,” one exhibitor said.

The Dealer’s Fair is run only twice a year, once in the spring and again in the fall.

“Two of our past shows have been on wet days, so we are looking for bright skies for the next one on Tuesday, September 22,” Fritz said. For more information, 603-532-8500 or 203-263-3775.

Read article and see more images inside June 26, 2015 E-edition