Offered to show patrons at Griffon’s Medieval Manuscripts, St Petersburg, Fla., for $5,800 was this 1430 leaf from the French Book of Hours that showed the Holy Father holding his crucified son.

“Longevity” seemed to be the theme at last month’s Birchwood Manor Antiques Show,. For example, there was a period portrait of Queen Victoria, one of history’s longest reigning monarchs. There were also medieval illuminated pages with their timeless aura. Then there was the show, celebrating its 100th edition – epitomizing longevity itself.

Therefore it was not surprising when JMK Show Director Allison Kohler confirmed, “Our attendance reached almost 4,000 customers, sales were great, a majority of the dealers were thrilled and the customers were making comments all weekend about how pleased they were with the diversity, overall quality, beauty and presentation. The show brought customers and dealer satisfaction.”

Allison added, “It was a wonderful experience to be a part of the crowds and excitement on the floor, it reminded me of old times.”

One of the booths generating the crowds and excitement that Allison mentioned was Scott Condello of The Sword and Pen, North Wales, Penn. It is not a surprise given his expertise and affability, coupled with the breath and quality of his merchandise. Upon entering Scott’s booth, show patron and New Jersey Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen noted, “This could be highly addictive.” Some of the attendees found the merchandise “intoxicating.”

Some of the “must-haves” in Condello’s booth included Union Civil War daguerreotypes, Roman and Egyptian antiquities and Indian trade beads. Some of the historical ephemera decorating the booth walls included signed documents by our sixth president, John Quincy Adams, a dated 1811 note from Napoleon I and another document signed by Confederate Major General Pierre Beauregard, who was the commander of the bombardment of Fort Sumter.

Show promoter Rona Kohler as she visited in the booth of Katherine King, Milwaukee, Wis. The oil on canvas pastoral scene behind Rona is by German artist Wilhelm Melchoir (1817-1860) and carried a price tag of $15,000.

For Scott’s neighbor Jim Kennedy, a regular exhibitor from Illinois, prolific Pablo Picasso once again proved to be popular as witnessed by the sale of a $50,000 drawing with crayon. The subject matter of this original 1961 work was of a “tete de femme (head of a woman).”

Entering the booth of Griffon Medieval Manuscripts it is no wonder why centuries ago books were chained to either walls or furniture. The revered place they held during the Renaissance was witnessed during the Twenty-first Century in the booth of this St Petersburg, Fla., exhibitor. As true works of art, each of the framed Fifteenth Century book leaves could also grace the walls of the Cloisters in New York City.

Offered to show patrons for $5,800 was one framed leaf from the Book of Hours (France, circa 1430), in Latin on vellum. Measuring 7 1/3 by 5 1/2 inches in size, the artwork was of the Holy Father under a gold canopy holding the crucified son. A white dove in flight on the top of the cross symbolized the Holy Spirit. Another leaf, also from the Book of Hours, featured an image of St Martin (the last pope to be martyred in 665) in a liquid gold and terra cotta ground and a three-sided border in the trompe l’oeil style. Another medieval manuscript leaf featured “The Visitation” of Mary with Elizabeth.

Prolific Pablo Picasso once again proved to be popular, as witnessed by the sale of this $50,000 drawing from the booth of Illinois dealer Jim Kennedy.

The works of artist Rosa Bonheur are found in the museums of Paris and London. But at this show, a work by her talented brother, Francois Auguste Bonheur (1824-1884), was found in the booth of Stephen M. Foster Fine Art, Washington, D.C. Titled “Cattle Watering,” this oil on canvas was offered for $32,500. In his 1866 Paris Salon review, Emile Zola noted, “The two paintings of Auguste Bonheur take the top spot among the animaliers. One finds in them all the qualities of a serious talent developed through conscientious studies.”

Also exhibited by Foster was a Carl Wuermer (American, 1900-1983) oil, “Birches in Winter,” for $12,500. Foster noted that the style of this work is similar to French pointillism, but resulted in a finished look that bordered on photorealism.

There was also the work of the self-taught artist Antoine Guillaume Minartz (French, 1870-1944), who was influenced by Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. While his work titled, “The Intermission,” $15,500, hung in the Foster’s booth, more of his accomplishments can be seen in The Hermitage Museum. The works by French artists continued with an oil on canvas, “The Artist’s Salon,” by Rene Xavier Prinet (1861-1946) for $17,500.

It was apropos that an energetic and entertaining oil painting of a Spanish dancer was seen front and center in the booth of New Jersey dealers Linda Brannagan, Harvey Moledzky and Jack Franks – trading under the name Ammerman House Antiques – since these three exhibitors are themselves quite energetic and entertaining. By American artist Ada Romer Shawhan (1865-1947) the dancer was ready to dance her way into a new home for $4,500. Other paintings included a work by Hudson River School painter Peter Hanson, “Hudson River Valley Looking Toward the Catskills,” $9,000, and a James Brade Sword (American, 1839-1915), oil on board, “By a Woodland Pool,” $5,800.

Donald Storrar Bethune, Macon, Ga.

Complementing the artwork was a splendid assortment of art glass. “A huge, unforgettable piece of French glass,” was how Ammerman House Antiques described a monumental “Richard” cameo glass vase. Made in Lorraine, France, in the 1920s, it carried a price tag of $3,800.

Also noted was a Mont Joye French cameo gilded glass vase in a pale green “chipped ice” glass with large cameo flowers and leaves and a full Mont Joye priest and shield mark. “The best piece of Mont Joye you will ever see,” was how Ammerman House Antiques singled out a circa 1900 monumental enameled cameo vase with a twist formed body. In the cameo chipped ice effect, it was covered with rich, gold enameled scrolls and heavily enameled pink and white dahlias, $2,900. Also noted was an oversized Art Nouveau jardinière by the French potter Delphin Massier. Decorated with sculptured, three-dimensional purple iris blossoms along the sides and rim, it carried a price tag of $4,500.

Art glass also proved popular with West Coast dealers Jeff Myers and David Huffman. Specializing in Lalique, Loetz and Italian glass, they lightened their return trip home with the sale of a Lalique car mascot of St Christopher, a Lalique perfume and a large Lalique dahlia bowl.

An exhibitor who was most gracious and generous with her time was Danielle Ann Mullican, Florham Park, N.J. One of the show-stoppers with this first-time exhibitor was a set of seven maps (Planisphere), from 1847, that illustrated the world and continents by Leuasseur, Paris.

Adding a regal touch to the booth of Artavia Antiques, Largo, Fla., was a 4-foot by 6-foot copy of Franz Xavier Winterhalter’s portrait of Queen Victoria. “There are only seven or eight copies of this work,” noted Luis Artavia, adding, “Queen Victoria sat for this oil painting in June and July of 1842.” Early in the show Luis reported sales that included a turn-of-the-century signed Morroe gilt bronze of a child, a 1920s still life of roses in a vase by Vizmian and a crystal chandelier from a church in Barcelona.

Reminiscing with show promoter Jessie Kohler, left, is dealer Bernie Krauss. Bernie holds the distinction of being part of this show since its 1973 inception.

“It’s an American icon,” was how J&M Antiques introduced one of its mint condition, 1878 double posted student lamps by Manhattan Brass Company. As specialists and soon-to-be book authors on student lamps, the East Amherst, N.Y., dealers added that “Grant, Garfield and Rutherford B. Hayes all had lamps like this.” Some of the furniture that complemented their collection of rare, fancy, all-original student lamps included a Nineteenth Century cherry and tiger maple chest and a Nineteenth Century corner cupboard.

A sterling selection of silver could be found in the booth of Donald Storrar Bethune, Macon, Ga. There were circa 1810, five-light, Old Sheffield candelabra that were offered for $5,900. Also Old Sheffield was a circa 1810 boat-shape hot water urn with lion mask handles and a circa 1790 epergne. Front and center in Donald’s booth was a period George III English mahogany highboy with ogee feet and finger molded cornice, $7,500. A circa 1858 Minton dessert service was waiting for the right buyer at $4,500.

Artwork abounded in the booth of Art & Antiques Gallery, Worcester, Mass. Included in its mix was a still life by Levi Wells Prentice (American, 1851-1935) and a Charles W. Hawthorne (American, 1872-1930) portrait of Ruth Wilkinson.

“It’s an attempt at early slip pottery,” said Dale Sherman referring to a 2,000-year-old lying horse and rider from the Han Dynasty. The Heathsville, Va., dealer, who trades under the name Phoenix & Dragon, filled his booth with many tomb pottery pieces. Several of his items included a Tang dynasty (618-906), half glazed jar with its original lid, an Eastern Wei comparisoned horse and rider (534-550), a Tang court lady, a Tang horse, a Han horse and rider (206 BCE-220 CE) and a Northern Qui horse and rider.

For information, www.jmkshows.com or 973-927-2794.