The Bedford Historical Society’s “Antiques & Autumn Weekend” antiques show drew hundreds of visitors to Historical Hall for the fall harvest of antiques offered that ranged from fine furniture to estate and designer jewelry to paintings and Export porcelain.
The hall, one of ten properties the society maintains, is not spacious but the society makes it work for the show, with a dozen-plus dealers set up downstairs, upstairs and up on the stage, with a few more in an adjacent tent. It works well and the dealers respond in kind by making good use of their spaces, always seeming to find eye-catching wares to pull people into their booths.
For Ron and Marilyn Saland, Scarsdale, N.Y., an attention grabber was a folky trade sign that read “Wild Honey” and was painted on a salvaged oak cabinet door. The lettering was adorned with two yellow painted flowers. A choice grouping of Limoges porcelain figural boxes was also on display along with a Nineteenth Century Currier & Ives small folio, hand colored lithograph of “The California Wonder, Occident.”
Marc Witus, Gladstone, N.J., offered a fine painting in a gilt frame titled “The Landing, Sebec Lake, Maine,” circa 1887, and a lovely Arts and Crafts period table lamp.
One of several “hometown” dealers at the show, the Caravan Connection of Bedford Hills drove from across town and set up a fetching display of Oriental rugs on the stage.
Fair Trade, Shelburne, Mass., featured a Japanese bronze vase with scenic repoussé panels, Nineteenth Century, measuring 16½ inches tall, along with “Le Garde-Meuble Ancien et Moderne,” a black and white lithograph with hand coloring and touches of gum arabic, published in Paris.
Vintage With A Twist, Bedford, N.Y., presented a seasonal display in touch with the changing colors seen outside the show. Dealer Elaine Klausman featured a plaid lady’s coat in hues of pumpkin, sienna and maroon along with a reddish-green pocketbook and an orange-caramel hat.
Maile Allen, Colonia, N.J., offered a Mappe-Monde Geo-Hydrographique&†map by Gerald Valk, circa 1686, double hemispheres with polar inserts, while a circa 1900 Chinese wall shelf in the Chippendale style was offered at Witchtree Antiques, Woodbury, Conn.
Brad Reh, Southampton, N.Y., featured a Van Cleef & Arpels diamond and onyx ring and a Van Cleef sapphire and citrine. Fine costume pieces were on view at Jamie’s Antiques, Croton-on-Hudson, who also had a fetching display of Bakelite as well, for which she is known.
For more information, 914-234-9751 or www.bedfordhistoricalsociety.org .
