Turner Antiques, Hot Springs, Ariz. Start of Manchester.

Fiske & Freeman, Belmont, Vt. Riverside.

Kent Farms, Aurora, Ohio. Riverside.

David Wheatcroft, Westborough, Mass. Mid*Week in Manchester.

Bert Savage, Larch Lodge, Center Strafford, N.H. The New Hampshire Antiques Show. The trade was saddened by the news of Mr Savage’s death on August 19.

Wayne Pratt & Co., Woodbury, Conn. The New Hampshire Antiques Show.

Antiques Week in New Hampshire

By R. Scudder Smith

Americana Celebration in Deerfield

DEERFIELD, N.H. – “I will take the first building and you check out the dealers set-up behind it,” one lady shouted to her husband as both ran with the first bunch of people to enter Nan Gurley’s Americana Celebration earlier this month. The couple, each armed with a walkie-talkie, split off like fighter planes, each with a definite target in sight. And the hunt had begun.

“We could have done with a lot less heat,” Nan said at the close of her show on Tuesday, August 7, adding, “It slowed a great many of our customers down, and it really slowed me down.”

Thes one-day show, Americana Celebration, is the first of six shows scheduled for Antiques Week in New Hampshire to get things rolling. Early buying happens at 8 am, causing Nan to comment, “We like to start early, especially when the temperature is far above normal during this first full week in August.”

Early buying lasts for two hours, giving visitors a chance to shop the four buildings in use on the Deerfield Fairgrounds as well as the displays of forty exhibitors set-up, some under tents, on the grounds. In total, 135 dealers exhibited at the show and offered a wide array of furniture, fabrics and accessories, mostly American in origin.

“We were up only two people in early buying,” Nan said, “but we were well over 100 more visitors during the regular hours, 10 am to 4 pm.” The gate for this show has increased each year and many of the dealers are finding that their customers are from all parts of the country.

“Antiques Week in New Hampshire is no longer a local or even a New England happening, it is a national event,” pronounced Nan, while looking over her sales slips and recalling the reports from many of her exhibitors. She added that the dates for the shows will never change, that “they are cast in stone.” Her Americana Celebration is set for August 6 next year.

A scrolled arm sofa with bold striped fabric was at the front of the booth of Nan Gurley-Peter Mavris, a very formal piece in comparison to the country store bins shown against the back wall. From this corner booth, just inside the first building, Nan keeps an eye on the show in general and is always there to answer questions from either her dealers or customers. The sofa sold to a person who had seen it when visiting her shop.

Shirley Quinn of Cootoocook, N.H. had a colorful schoolhouse quilt hung against the back wall of her booth, and her furniture included a tapered lag drop leaf table in old red paint and a ladderback side chair in white.

David and Bonnie Ferris of Lake Luzerne, N.Y., showed a collection of garden-related objects, including a square of cast iron fencing, a large wooden trellis, several cast iron patio tables, and a series of early signs. Jean Cook, Lititz, Penn., had two large racks hung with quilts, as well as stacks of them on a table. Log cabin, sunburst, and floral patterns were among the examples offered. According to reports, the quilt market is still going strong.

Early splint baskets with carved handles, including one log basket, were shown by Nook n’ Cranny Antiques, Chipopee, Mass., and Jim and Jean Mountain of Ashburnham, Mass., offered a selection of drums including several military examples and some children’s toys. All were in good condition with the original paint decoration.

Ron Chambers of Higganum, Conn., was in his regular corner of one of the front buildings and showed a collection of pewter and some furniture.

“Chairs are my thing,” he said, pointing out a New Hampshire bat wing bannisterback side chair, circa 1760, and a bannisterback armchair with splint seat, either Northeastern Connecticut or Massachusetts.

“My favorite chair this time is the mushroom cap armchair dating from the Pilgrim Century,” he said. With rush seat, this chair was made on Cape Cod by Tinkam.

The Quartzsite Bread Man, Ernest Lueder from Quartzsite, Ariz., set up an interesting display of early bread wrappers.

“I have a couple of hundred different brands of bread, including the popular Donald Duck brand,” he said. “In my own collection I have 360 different kinds.” The wrappers come in rolls and The Bread Man wraps blocks of foam to simulate a loaf of bread. Before the day was over many loaves had changed hands.

Grey Goose Antiques of Buzzards Bay, Mass., had a table filled with china with many different scenes and colors, with shapes ranging from large platters to fancy teapots. A basket quilt in perfect condition was displayed in the booth of Davidian Americana, Holden, Mass., along with painted furniture which included a couple of six board chests, a graduated set of three footstools, and an eight-leg Pennsylvania settee with bamboo turnings and yellow paint.

“There were ten new dealers in my show this year,” Nan said, “and indications are that all will be returning next year.”

It was 92 degrees on Monday when the dealers were moving onto the fairgrounds and setting up their booths, and the temperature was even hotter the day of the show. But judging from the red tags which appeared as the first wave of visitors ran into the show area, it was also a hot spot to buy. Americana Celebration, a nice way to kick off a grand week of antiquing.

Start of Manchester

MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Start of Manchester Antiques Show at the JFK Coliseum opened at noon and the heat seemed to do little in keeping people away from the show. A large crowd was on hand for a first look at the show and Kay Puchstein, show manager, said, “Our opening gate was better than both days combined last year.” The Coliseum is not air conditioned but it did have large ceiling fans which were in use, sucking the hot air from the top of the building and drawing cooler air in through the doorways.

Eighty dealers take part in the show and, for the most part, offer country and painted things. There was one booth filled with well-polished oak furniture and several pieces were sold during the run of the show. Fifteen new exhibitors were in the show this time around and the 80 dealers in the show represented 30 states. “We manage 27 shows per year; 25 we own and we manage two in Nashville, thus we know a great many dealers and draw them from all over the country for this event,” Bill Puchstein said.

Bill Smith traveled to the show from Carey, N.C., and offered a large Connecticut pewter shelf, circa 1800, which hung on the back wall of his booth. A corner cupboard of Virginia origin, circa 1830, was of cherrywood and walnut and had one long drawer over two doors and pierced tin on the sides. A two-board tavern table with turned legs was displayed at the front of the booth.

R. Zollinhofer of Medina, Ohio, offered a Pilgrim century gate leg table, Upper Hudson River, and a flat-top highboy, red stained with cabriole legs, from Stonington, Conn. A William and Mary desk on frame, circa 1740, had an old red surface and one long drawer in the frame.

A collection of seven white painted finials, all from the same building, were shown in the booth of Don and Marta Orwig, Corunna, Ind. A pair of large cast iron urns added to the offering of outdoor material, and a wooden trade sign, six feet long, was in the form of a double barrel shotgun. Fresh from a country store were two spool cabinets, one advertising Richardson Silk Co and the other from M. Hemingway & Sons, Art Newedlework Silks.

A Pennsylvania dry sink in blue/gray paint was at the front of the booth of Country Treasures, Preston, Md. This piece dated circa 1830 and had a hand pump attached to the side. Five wooden bowls of good size were painted in shades of red, blue, and green, and a two piece stepback cupboard was in mustard paint over the old red. This piece was of Pennsylvania origin, circa 1850, and had two six-light doors over two drawers and two doors in the lower section. Blue painted furniture included a one-drawer blanket chest, a country table with three board top, a corner cupboard, and a six-board chest.

An eight-leg Windsor settee, medallion back and bamboo turnings, was shown by the 1848 House of Hamilton, Ohio. This piece dated 1808 and was attributed to Jacob Fedder of Lancaster, Penn. A nice bucket bench with good yellow graining was built with two doors in the base, and a shoe foot hutch table with lift seat dated to the late Seventeenth Century.

Cherry Hill Antiques from Grafton, N.H., offered a large drop leaf table which measured 74 by 51½ inches with the leaves up, and a set of four yellow painted and decorated Windsor side chairs. A graduated stack of blanket boxes included a large blue painted one with cut-out ends on the bottom, with a small dome top painted green on the top. In between was a box with yellow surface.

Bette and Melvin Wolf of Flint, Mich., dealers in fine pewter, showed an oval tray with strainer, 24 inches long, John Townsend, 1748-66, and a rack of pewter porringers were by makers such as Samuel Danforth of Hartford and Joseph Belcker of Newport and New London. It would be difficult to come up with a shape for pewter that was not represented in this large display.

Illinois dealers Rod and Susan Bartha offered a three foot high statue of Lincoln, composition, and an interesting cast iron planter in the form of a creeping vine designed to hold 12 flower pots. Antique toys filled to booth of Jim Yeager from Missouri. He displayed a large collection of still banks in many forms, including roosters, pigs, donkey, cows, horses, and ducks. Military figures, including policemen, were also still banks and among the buildings shown was a large rendering of Independence Hall.

Liberty Tree Antiques of Collierville, Tenn., showed a jelly cupboard in the original blue paint that was filled with stoneware pieces including crocks from West Virginia and Greensboro, Penn. Also in blue paint was a pie safe with six tin panels in the two front doors. JHP Quilts and Antiques of Missouri had a very colorful tulip quilt in red and green, along with a 25 drawer apothecary in gray paint with recessed wooden knobs. Several hooked rugs were shown, including ones with roosters and cats and dogs, and a red painted water cooler on stand had eagle decoration on the side and a cast eagle on the top.

Buck McCool Antiques made the trip from Mississippi to take part in the show and displayed a green painted bucket bench and a chair table with red painted base and original blue top. A nice whale-end shelf hung on the side wall, opposite a grouping of five silhouettes of the Hager family, including the pet dog. Gaines and Associates of Placida, Fla., had cornered the market on firkins, offering 17 of them in colors such as red, green, olive, tan, and cream. A small sawbuck table, Tennessee origin, had a scrubbed top and salmon and orange painted base.

A French carousel duck was at the front of the booth of Murfield Antiques, Wayzata, Minn., and a painted fall-front secretary with the original surface, Mid-Nineteenth Century, was among the furniture offered.

There did not seem to be a shortage of dry sinks on the floor, for another one was in the booth of Sheppheard’s Antiques of Cape Haze, Fla. This one had two doors in the bottom, with one small drawer in the left portion of the piece. Three painted children’s sleds hung against the back wall, and a Windsor nanny’s bench was in yellow paint with floral decoration.

“I try to bring in dealers who are both new to the area and also have the kind of things people in New England are looking for,” Kay Puchstein said. And according to reports, her dealers did well for the most part. Again the heat had to have some effect on the show and steps to remedy the situation are now being taken. She is working with the people at the ice rink and there is some consideration being given to reducing the temperature in the building by cooling down the floor. However, there is a point at which condensation starts forming, and this would have to be avoided by some fine tuning. In any case, “We will be back again next year and our hours will probably remain the same,” Kay said, allowing that “we always study a show after it is over and only then do we know of any changes that will be made to better it.”

Riverside Antique Show

MANCHESTER, N.H. – “It sure is comfortable up here in Bath, Maine,” said Linda Turner the week after her Riverside Antiques Show closed, adding, “It sure would have been nice if we had had these temperatures in Manchester for Antiques Week in New Hampshire.”

But such was not the case and the thermometer pushed very close to 100 degrees in the State Armory on Canal Street.

“Without question the heat affected some sales and had much to do with the time people spent at the show,” Turner said. “But all in all both the dealers and the public handled it well. There was nothing that could be done to make it any better in the armory. Our fans helped, but were not the complete answer.”

The answer, which has been agreed upon by all concerned, is air conditioning and there are companies who can handle the task. Dealer responses to the end-of-show questionnaires overwhelmingly favored a rate hike to the booth rent in order to gain air conditioning and Linda Turner is exploring the matter.

“It has to gain approval from the armory people,” she said, noting that “being a military facility they are not in the rental business.” However she believes this year has finally proven that the added amenity is necessary and she is hoping to have it in place by next year.

One important change that was made in the time schedule for Riverside this year was a Tuesday evening opening instead of the regular Wednesday time.

“I was thrilled with the Tuesday opening,” Turner said at the end of the show, adding, “We had more people at the show on Tuesday this year than we had on opening day [Wednesday] last year.” The same Tuesday opening will be used again next year, however there is talk to keep the show open past 8:30 pm. Several dealers commented that 6 to 8:30 pm is not long enough, especially if the place is air-conditioned and comfortable.

Of the 72 exhibitors in the show, seven were new this year along with two last-minute replacements. Those who chalked up an unsuccessful show were few and far between, with most of the dealers reporting good sales despite the heat.

“It was great for me, and I think it could have been so much better were the weather more pleasant,” one dealer said as the show was closing on Wednesday afternoon.

“We have had lots of interest in our shutters and I am surprised they did not sell,” Sharon Kace said referring to the three pieces hanging on the back wall of the booth. The shutters, with architectural fans over them, were in salmon over dark green paint and were offered by the piece. Despite them not selling, Kace noted that “we have had our second best show ever and our second best show here.”

Sales for DBA Klassic Kace, one of the local dealers taking part in Antiques Week in New Hampshire, included a wonderful pair of cast iron andirons with large sunflowers, a two-drawer blanket chest, an Arts & Crafts fireplace screen, a Federal sewing box, a tapered leg table with red base and scrubbed top, and a blue painted trencher that “two people grabbed onto at the same time which almost resulted in a tug of war,” she said. The man finally gave in and the lady walked away with it.

Howard Graff of The Colt Barn Antiques, Townshend, Vt., felt the show was not up to last year, but still good for him. His sales included a blue grained blanket box, a Pennsylvania bench painted blue and measuring eight feet long, lots of smalls and some signs including one that read “For Thrifty People.” A wrought iron handmade blacksmith sign, with anvil and horse worked in the design, was also sold. At the end of the show his large “S Scream Tonight at Wampsville” sign, red and black lettering on cloth, had not sold, nor had a nice one-drawer table with blue base, scrubbed top and tapered legs.

Stoneware and redware, along with a twig table, a ladderback side chair, a child’s chair, southern pottery, and a small Continental chest were sold by John Long of Mineral, Va. A large cast iron eagle from a Connecticut building, with wonderful patina did not sell, however, nor did a Virginia food safe, yellow pine with green over red painted surface and punched tin panels.

Pine Tree Hill Antiques of Wilmington, Vt., positioned at the front of the show, offered a colorful collection of folk art rdf_Descriptions including a sign with cow and rooster advertising The Barn Yard, A Department of The General Store, and a pair of cast iron flying duck andirons. A horse and rider, mounted on a large arrow, circa 1800, was one of the weathervanes in the booth, and an apothecary in yellow paint had 15 drawers. Steve Gerben noted that sales had been fair, not up to last year, and he felt the weather had much to do with it.

“We got both the spice and flour bin in the original gray/blue paint and the stepback cupboard in the original blue/green paint from the same house,” Ken Scott of Malone, N.Y. said. The cupboard was filled with a selection of mocha and spongeware, along with chalk figures in the form of a cat and dog.

Odd Fellows Antiques of Mount Vernon, Me., offered a large barber pole with glass globe on top, an ax, painted green with gold lettering from a lodge, and a North Central Ohio two-door cupboard, walnut and popular with painted surface, dating from the mid Nineteenth Century.

The front booth was filled with furniture from the shop of Judd Gregory of Dorset, Vt. A white painted doorway from the Deerfield Valley, Sunderland, Mass., dated 1750-1770, framed a Queen Anne New England highboy, flat top with cabriole legs. Several tables were in the booth including a Chippendale drop leaf example, circa 1770, Massachusetts origin.

Around the corner Michael Regan of Greensboro, N.C., offered a two-drawer blanket chest from the Connecticut shoreline, circa 1750, with the original surface and brasses, along with a Massachusetts gate-leg table found in the furnishings of Gays Tavern, Dedham, Mass. It retained traces of the original red stain and dated 1690-1730.

An inboard speed boat, fashioned in great detail and looking like an old Chris Craft, was shown in the booth of Praiseworthy Antiques, Guilford, N.Y. Doug Taylor noted that “this boat is one of four made by an executive of IBM who was spending time in jail for some shady dealings.” A model boat collector came into the show, fell in love with the piece, and spent four hours looking it over before making the purchase. A walled German village, complete with many buildings, people and animals, also attracted the attention of many show visitors.

A country Chippendale side chair with rush seat, North Shore, Massachusetts, circa 1750, was shown by Windle’s Antiques of Wilmington, Del. A Hepplewhite chest in this booth had mahogany drawer fronts, ellipical line inlay, French feet, and was dated circa 1790.

A five-drawer chest in maple with bracket base was one of the first things sold from the booth of Dan and Karen Olson of Newburgh, N.Y. Other furniture included a set of six New England side chairs, three slats with splint seats, circa 1800, and a painting from Orange County, N.Y. of a lady with white lace cuffs and collar. It dated circa 1845.

A collection of Staffordshire dogs in many sizes was offered by Weybridge Antiques of Middlebury, Vt., and one of the pictures in the booth was a cow in a landscape by the Maine artist Harry Cochrane, circa 1887, in a bird’s eye frame. Local dealer Manchester Antiques had a pair of Classical figures, painted on canvas and mounted on wood, Nineteenth Century and probably used as props in the theatre. An American Federal mantel was against the back wall of the booth, and a shoe repairing sign was in the shape of a shoe.

Gene and JoSue Coppa of Avon, Conn., showed a set of six Windsor side chairs, gray/green paint with decoration on the top splat, positioned around a round chair table with old painted surface.

J. Hanscom & Co, Banker and Brokers in Stocks, Grain, was lettered on a sign in the booth of Celia Bowers Antiques of Ithaca, N.Y., and Nancy Knudsen of Orange, Conn., was having a good show with Sold tags on a good number of things including a model building of Limington Academy, a hooked rug with a house design, and a colorful floral hooked rug.

Don Abarbanel of Ashley Falls, Mass., showed a tea table in mahogany, one-board dish top, pineapple baluster stem with carved acanthus knees and ball and claw feet, circa 1765, along with a pair of side chairs, circa 1750, with ball and claw feet.

Mary Carden Quinn of Floral Park, N.Y., noted that “the show was off from last year, but we were pleased considering the state of the nation.” Neil Quinn mentioned that sales included a country Sheraton blanket chest, grain painted, a decorated Windsor side chair, a vinegar grained document box, and seven good hooked rugs.

One of the largest pieces of furniture in the entire show was offered by American Decorative Arts of Canaan, N.H. It was a Shaker retiring room cupboard in three parts from Enfield, Conn. , measuring 7’3″ high and 18½ inches deep. A multi-use store counter with 36 apothecary drawers, 1870-1890, 7 feet long, was at the front of the booth, and to the side was a sand automation with two figures at the top through which sand poured and ended up turning a wheel at the bottom of the piece. It was among the earliest automations made, dating 1880-90.

“We lost some business to the heat,” Bruce Emond of The Village Braider, Plymouth, Mass., said, who conceded the show did well under the hot weather conditions. Among his sales were a pair of marble top wash stands, a tavern table, and a pair of arrow andirons.

A pair of brightly painted round birdhouses hung in the corner of the booth of Mark Moody, Shohola, Pa., and one of the two barber poles shown measured seven feet tall. Among his trade signs was one promoting United States Tires.

John Jenner of Kelly & Jenner, Sherman, Conn., noted that the show had been “OK.” Sales included a collection of six silhouettes, all one family, circa 1820-30, the oldest member born in 1786, and a paint decorated two-drawer blanket chest.

Each year Riverside proves that it has strong drawing power and records an ever increasing gate. Without question, if air conditioning does happen next year, the rash of good sales this year will become even better next August.

Even Ray VanGelder, looking a bit tired as the show was entering its last hour on Thursday, faced the heat with her chin up and said, “That’s what makes an antiques dealer: stamina.”

Mid*Week in Manchester

BEDFORD, N.H. – “Despite the financial woes of the country, Antiques Week in New Hampshire took on its own beat,” said Frank Gaglio, president of Barn Star Production and manager of Mid*Week in Manchester Antiques Show. He added, “Overall everything went well, but there certainly was some effect on both the buying and the gate because of the heat.” Temperatures rose to the 100 degree mark under the large tent area in the parking lot of the Wayfarer Inn, causing both the dealers and the show visitors to pause for a breather in front of one of the large fans and to take glass after glass of water from the coolers located all about the tent.

“We knew that the heat was a health risk for both dealers and customers and we encouraged people to drink lots of water and rest from time to time,” Frank said. And during the run of his shows, Wednesday through Friday, with setup on Tuesday, no health related problems were experienced.

Don Buckley, at his regular spot near the entrance of the tent, said, “We drank a large glass of water every half hour during the show and never had to go to the john one time.”

This show is divided into two areas, the large tent and the fully air conditioned exhibition space in the Wayfarer Inn. “We are going to air condition the tent next year,” Frank said, “and we have already talked to firms who are able to accomplish this.” Without question, during weeks such as the one just experienced in Manchester, air conditioning will keep people at the show longer, which should result in better sales for the dealers. As it was, the gate was very strong for the opening, but fell away towards the middle of the afternoon.

For the most part, the show was filled with choice pieces of Americana ranging from early furniture and accessories to samplers and lots of fabrics. A pair of Chippendale tap or tavern tables with one board pine tops, painted green, circa 1770-80, 48 by 27 inch top, found in northeastern Connecticut near the Massachusetts border, was offered from the booth of Susie Burmann of New London, N.H. She also had an Eighteenth Century banister back armchair with the original dry red surface, Chelmsford, Mass., among the furniture offered. At the close of the show Susie said, “Things went very well and there was a good gate and many active collectors.” She sold a bowback Windsor side chair, several baskets including a green painted example, and a wonderful painted Rhode Island pipe box “which came out of our collection.”

Colette Donovan of Merrimacport, Mass., had a booth on one of the outside walls of the tent and filled it with early New England furniture including a William and Mary ball foot blanket chest, old paint over the original red, circa 1700-20, chestnut and pine, and another one-drawer blanket chest in dry Spanish brown paint, circa 1700-30, hard pine, and listed on the ticket as “A Soulful Survivor.” Dating from the Eighteenth Century was a pine table top desk with the original surface and butterfly hinges from Beverly, Mass., North Shore.

Howard and Linda Stein of Solebury, Penn., showed a selection of things for the garden including a pair of cement basket planters, French, and a French wheelbarrow in iron dating from the late Nineteenth Century. A pair of comfortable and well designed “Westport” lawn chairs were in black paint, signed, and circa 1906. Yellowware was on tables and in a cupboard in the booth of Barry and Lisa McAllister of Clear Spring, Md. Included was a collection of seven pitchers with various colors of stripping. Of Maine origin was a desk in dark red with chrome yellow interior, circa 1850, which was also a display spot for more yellowware.

Robert Snyder/Judy Wilson of Wiscasset, Maine, offered a nice stepback cupboard in old gray/blue paint, cherrywood and pine with square nails, 73 inches tall and found in Vermont; a narrow open top stepback cupboard with single door in the bottom section, old paint and from Central Maine; and a set of six paint decorated side chairs by Walter Corey, Portland, Maine, black surface with the original stencils on the seat bottoms.

There were a great many trade signs at the New Hampshire shows and several, including one in the shape of a shoe, was shown by Missouri Plain Folk of Sikeston, Mo. An interesting coin toss game from a carnival hung on the back wall, a colorful piece with lettering on each side which read “coin must clear line to win.” A pair of cast iron urns in blue/green paint was unusual with free swinging handles.

Another trade sign which once drew business into a haberdashery shop in Columbus, Ind., hung in the booth of Charles Wilson of West Chester, Penn. This sign, a wooden arm with pointing hand, six feet long, had its original painted surface and the name “M. Strause” carved into the base. Probably the best of the cast iron mill weights in his collection was a large mogul rooster, white with red head, circa 1880-1920, in excellent condition. “We really like this show and do very well, but I have one serious problem this time. My tags keep falling off the wall due to the humidity,” Charles said as another one drifted to the floor.

George and Debbie Spiecker of North Hampton, N.H., were all smiles Thursday afternoon as they looked about their booth and figured it would take about 15 minutes to pack out. “It has been great, much better than last year, and we have only a few things left to take home,” George said. An American Hepplewhite Tall chest in tiger maple and cherrywood, old refinish, was among the first pieces of furniture to sell, followed by a pair of small Windsor side chairs, a bowback Windsor armchair, a Pembroke table, and a wall shelf. Six large cast iron stars had a “sold” sign attached, as did a stoneware crock and a ship portrait. Unless he sold his American corner cupboard in two parts, cherrywood, probably Lancaster County, Penn., circa 1820, in the last hour of the show, that was the only piece of furniture remaining to pack into the truck.

“I sold the best things I brought to the show,” Stephen Score of Boston said. “Interest was across the board.” Stephen noted, “Both years at this show have been terrific for me and you can feel the energy on the floor. Bring first class things here and you will sell them.” Game boards, hooked rugs, a fine quilt, and several pieces of furniture all sold, but unsold at the middle of the last day was a large trade sign for Dr J.A. Richan, Dentist, gold letters on a black ground; a handsome prancing horse weathervane with gold leaf surface; and a pair of white painted finials, beautifully carved, from Salem or Portsmouth.

Julie Lindberg Antiques of Wayne, Penn., showed a German Noah’s Ark with 120 animals and six figures, all hand carved and painted, along with what appeared to be a one-of-a-kind molded fish weathervane with good surface. Her corner cupboard in cherrywood had a broken arch, Gothic doors, and was from York, Penn. A New England hearth rug, wool on linen, with large compote of flowers in the center and a castle off to the right, hung against the back wall in the booth of Jan Whitlock Textiles of Chadds Ford, Penn. This rug, measuring 64 by 32 inches, listed Don Walters, Millie Megehee, and Virginia cave in the provenance. Many of the fabrics offered were displayed against a late Eighteenth Century four-post bed in old red from Lehigh County, Penn.

Maruie Plummer/John Philbrick of North Berwick, Maine, displayed an American pine corner cupboard, tombstone shaped opening for three butterfly shelves, keystone ornament on arch, with traces of the original yellow, red, brown, and blue paint. A pair of country Queen Anne side chairs with turned bases had a Russell Carrell provenance, and a portrait of a lady in white with blue shawl, American School, oil on canvas, dated from the early Eighteenth Century. John Philbrick noted that in addition to some ceramics and textiles sold, other rdf_Descriptions included an early English sconce, a candlestand, and a side chair.

People were giving lots of attention to a painted New England cant back cupboard with snipe hinges, circa 1740-60, green paint, in the booth of Samuel Herrup of Sheffield, Mass. This cupboard was filled with a collection of fine redware, including a large Pennsylvania loaf dish with slip decoration, circa 1860. A Pennsylvania blanket chest, probably Berks County, Penn., with ball feet, original hinges, lock, and escutcheon was against a side wall with a pair of portraits on panel, circa 1830, hanging over it. The portraits had an Indiana history and retained the label from the Downtown Gallery.

John Sideli of Hillsdale, N.Y., posted a fine show and noted, “I sold well over 25 things and it has been great.” One of the first things to go was a large paintbrush with red handle, a trade sign, which hung in the middle of his booth. Other advertising to find a market included a clock sign, a pawn shop sign, and a feed store sign. A pair of fanback Windsor side chairs was also sold, as was a carved and painted whirligig.

Buckley & Buckley, between taking time to drink lots of water, had a great show. “One of our best here,” Don said Thursday afternoon. These Salisbury, Conn., dealers parted with an early child’s high chair, a ship model, an early theorem, four pairs of tole mirrored sconces, and a tall case clock in grained case, Whiting, with wooden works which kept time to within a few seconds a day. An American oil on canvas dating from the Nineteenth Century showed a shepherd’s dog chasing a rabbit away from the flock of sheep, 45 by 25 inches, and a handkerchief top chair table in the original red, two board top, pine and maple, dated from the late Eighteenth Century.

Susan Stella of Manchester, Mass., boasted about having a great show and added, “I set the record in the tent for drinking water with 30 glasses.” Little wonder the staff was constantly refilling the water station near her booth. Her sales included furniture such as a New England candlestand and side chair, and a number of hooked rugs and quilts sold depleted her line of fabrics. “People were in the mood for baskets,” she said, indicating that she sold five including a costly red painted one with swing handle.

Autumn Pond of Bolton, Conn., experienced “a smash” of a show. Norma Chick noted that it was as good, if not a little bit better, than last year and sales included a six drawer chest in maple, several pieces of delft, a pair of arrowback Windsor side chairs painted in yellow, oval farm table, and a hanging lamp, among other things.

Garthoeffner Gallery of Lititz, Penn., sold and sold, and in the end had a great show. Items which left the booth included a cigar store Indian, four Pennsylvania decorated side chairs, a horse-drawn toy, a twig high chair, several watercolors, a covered Indian basket, lots of smalls, and a jockey hitching post with wonderful paint, a piece cast during the Civil War period in Georgia.

“This is the best show we have ever had here,” Joanne Boardman of DeKalb, Ill., said. She added, “Opening day was great and people were really here to buy. The place was exciting and many of the dealers around me were also selling well.” A ball foot chest left the booth, as did two pieces of English combware, a hand tape loom from the collection of Roger Bacon, two banister back side chairs, and a terp-back wall cupboard. Six pieces of velvet fruit went to a collector from Texas, and two pieces of early lighting and lots of treenware also sold. Among the furniture still in her booth on the second day of the show was a Massachusetts saw-buck table wit two board top and rosehead nails, scrubbed surface, 4’9″ inches long, and an Eighteenth Century miniature slant-front desk in pine with the original brasses and untouched surface.

A corner cupboard attributed to the collection of Roger Bacon was in the booth of Margaret Canavan of Silver Spring, Md. This piece dated from the Eighteenth Century, had rosehead nails, Massachusetts origin, and had been in the Mallory collection since 1957. A colorful hooked rug showed a large rooster, and a nice pair of green painted baskets from New England had red-painted handles.

James and Nancy Glazer from Bailey Island, Maine, had a rare pair of Victorian horn chairs, circa 1875-90, in white oak and leather seats. They were by the San Francisco Furniture Co. A two-tier sewing box with drawer had colorful decoration including a sea serpent, shield, and berries, Rockport, Maine origin, circa 1860-70. A folk art rack with six polychromed mallard duck heads, New England, circa 1930, was probably used for fly fishing rods and was among the very first things sold.

A Connecticut Queen Anne side chair in old red painted surface with decoration, circa 1810, came from a house in Coventry, Conn., and was offered from the booth of John Kieth Russell of South Salem, N.Y. A Riley Whiting, Winchester, Conn., tall case clock was against the back wall, red and black painted pine case and 30-hour wooden works. “It is in running condition,” John said, “and keeps time to within a few minutes each day.”

Hilary and Paulette Nolan of Falmouth, Mass., put a great deal of effort into their booth, enclosing it behind three sets of cast iron arched window doors. One was open, leading visitors into the booth via a stone path set in mulch. The outside of the booth was covered in greenery which Paulette misted several times a day to keep it looking fresh. People were drawn into the booth and early sales included a Hudson River Valley landscape, a ship diorama, a Windsor fanback side chair, and a pair of gateposts which were sunk in large pieces of granite.

Kelter-Malce of New York City could not say enough about the success of the show, noting that sales included a Gabriel sheet metal weathervane, several game boards, three small paintings, a pair of portraits, a single Windsor side chair, decoys, and a hotdog trade sign. “It was much better than last year,” Michael Malce said. “We were surprised we did not sell our paint decorated chest of drawers from New York State.” It was very colorful, circa 1850, and “will go right back into our house if it does not sell here.”

Elliott and Grace Snyder of South Egremont, Mass., offered a Chippendale serpentine chest with ogee bracket base, shell carved center drops, and in the original surface, and a watercolor and silk needlework on silk by Samuel Folwell, Philadelphia, circa 1850, was hung over the chest. A New England pine corner cupboard with the original scalloping and carved pinwheel decoration was among the other pieces of furniture shown.

The birth and baptismal certificate for Adam Leonard Kirchstetter, 26 June 1854, Hains Township, Center Co., by Rev Henry Young, was among the Pennsylvania pieces in the booth of David Wheatcroft of Westborough, Mass. An interesting oil on canvas dating from the mid-Nineteenth Century pictured the home of Dr Mills in Burnt Mills, N.J., a yellow house with barns in the background.

A Pennsylvania sampler by Hannah Beazel, 1815, and a canvas-work picture, circa 1760, Boston or Salem, were two of nine samplers sold by M. Finkel and Daughter of Philadelphia on the first day. “We sold five of them to one client,” Amy Finkel said, “and this has been a great show for us. A wide area of interests are reflected in the different things we have sold.” At the front of the booth an American drop leaf table with turned legs, circa 1830, carried a red “sold” sign.

“Our nautical silhouette of a sea captain with sexton, New Bedford origin, was the first thing we sold, and that seemed to trigger a stream of sales, making this a great show for us,” Barbara Adams of South Yarmouth, Mass., said. Husband Charles noted that sales included 19 pieces of Bennington pottery, several blue and white spongeware pitchers, fireplace tools and related rdf_Descriptions, and trade signs including an important one related to the insurance business.

A bright crib quilt in perfect condition, an adaptation of the sunburst or sunflower pattern, hung in the booth of Joan Brownstein of Ithaca, N.Y. It dated circa 1830 and was probably from New York State. A Chippendale slant-front desk in tiger maple was from southeastern Massachusetts or Rhode Island, ogee bracket feet, and a pair of oil on board portraits in the original block corner frames dated circa 1820 and had a New Hampshire history. This pair passed through a Richard Withington auction in 1966.

Lincoln and Jean Sander of Redding, Conn., known for early furniture, sold several pieces on the first day including a Bergen County, N.J., child’s high chair, a candlestand and blanket chest, both of Connecticut origin. A couple of pieces of Eighteenth Century lighting were also sold. This show was “excellent” according to the report from the booth of Red Griffin Antiques of Georgetown, Conn. Sales here were again across the board and included furniture, guns, and jewelry.

“I try to put on the best show I can,” Frank Gaglio said, “and I am pleased at the number of people who come up to me with compliments concerning the high quality of merchandise presented by the dealers.” And those compliments do ring true. An impressive roster of dealers do present an impressive spread of antiques. Few, if any, areas of collecting in American antiques are not to be found at Mid*Week in Manchester. Its popularity grows annually.

Activity at Mid*Week runs high, as demonstrated by one lady with several packages who happened to come out of a booth and run directly into the strong flow of air coming from one of the fans. “Lucky I was not wearing a wig or it would be well down the aisles ahead of me,” she said, and with that turned on her heels, darted off in the flow of warm air, certainly in hopes of finding yet a few more things.

The New Hampshire Antiques Show

MANCHESTER, N.H. – “It seems to take longer to recover these days,” Carole Hayward, chairman of the New Hampshire Antiques Show, said several days after the show closed on Saturday, August 11. She was not complaining, nor were any of the other 64 exhibitors who left Manchester tired after taking part in this antiques feeding frenzy which happens early in August. The New Hampshire Show, now heading for its 45th year, draws an audience eager to buy, and it does, over and over again.

The signs in the lobby of the Center of New Hampshire Holiday Inn, site of the show, say no loitering prior to 4 o’clock Thursday morning. This is to curtail the formation of a line for the show which had, in the past, started to form as early as 8 pm on Wednesday. The sign this year did not carry much weight, for the officer in charge of night duty said that people were out there in line as early a 2 am. By 7 pm the line had started to snake around the entry hall, and just before the show opened at 10 am the line ran through the hotel lobby, past the cafeteria, through the doors leading to the underground parking, and out towards the second exhibition space in the hotel. Pre-sold tickets numbered close to 600, and an hour later people were still buying tickets to enter the show.

Those who first rushed onto to floor headed off towards the booth of their favorite dealers; and one customer was seen doubling back towards the front entrance muttering, “I read the floor plan wrong. He is on the other side.”

In any case, people were quick to check out all of the booths and it took little time for “sold” tags to start appearing throughout the show. “I have not heard anyone complain about having a poor show,” Carole Hayward said. “It seemed to go well for everyone.” She said that the show ran smoothly, easy in and out, and that one of the dealers changed his booth three times. “He kept selling and bringing in more,” she said. Carole has served as chairman of the show for the past three years and is stepping down. “It is very demanding and time to go back to just being an exhibitor in the show,” she said. The chairman duties will be in the hand of Terri Steingrebe in 2002.

Steven J. Rowe of Newton, N.H., has a distinct advantage due to his booth location right at the entrance of the show. Everyone, it seems, comes to the glass doors of the show, peeks in, and checks him out. Possibly this is the reason red “sold” signs seem to pop onto rdf_Descriptions with great haste; and it appeared to take only seconds for an Eagle Shoe Store trade sign to find a buyer. This yellow and red sign from Lowell, Mass., hung like a beacon against his blue covered walls. A colorful folk art painting of Jay A. Hubbell School Building, circa 1930, had a Maine origin, and furniture included a grained schoolmaster’s desk with lift top, tile inside, circa 1810, New England origin, and a painted server/sideboard in classical country form, European, circa 1840.

In the other front booth, but out of sight to the waiting crowd, is the booth of Peter Eaton of Newburyport, Mass. A William and Mary tavern table in old red with scrubbed top, probably New Hampshire, third quarter of the Eighteenth Century, was at the front of the booth, a piece that “I was able to repurchase after 20 years,” Peter said. He also added that he decided to make his booth “colorful for me” with a display of Dutch onion bottles, circa 1720-40, found in Dutch Guinea by divers in a river about 100 miles inland. Other New Hampshire furniture included a William and Mary gate leg table with elongated oval top, birch and maple, circa 1740.

Another gate leg table was in the booth of Ed Weissman of Portsmouth, N.H., of Massachusetts origin, circa 1730, with vase and ring turned legs and one drawer. Opened it measured 46 by 53 inches. A Hepplewhite secretary from the Connecticut River Valley was of small size, dentil molding above two paneled doors, fitted interior, in soft mellow color. This high style country piece measured 80½ inches high and 38 inches wide.

Linda and Michael Whittemore of Hampton, Conn., showed an apothecary cupboard in mustard paint, dovetailed construction, with a configuration of 20 small drawers, 16 medium drawers, and 14 large drawers. Four gameboards, three of them Parcheesi, hung beside a Vermont dresser cupboard with yellow surface, two large doors over three drawers on the left side and a single door on the right. A cast iron life size dog, white with black spots, would compliment any garden setting. Nancy and Craig Cheney of Delaware, Ohio, were former exhibitors in the New Hampshire Show and returned this year after an absence. They showed a Indiana quilt with Christian and Fraternal symbols, circa 1875-85, the tag noting, “The best folk art quilt we ever owned,” and a child’s chest, black with decoration, circa 1840. One wall was hung with five horse weathervanes including a running horse measuring 42 inches long and two black hawk examples. Priscilla Hutchinson Antiques of Wiscasset, Maine, had a pine blanket box, aqua over old red, pine, Nineteenth Century, and a country serving table in pine, 37 by 20 inch top, Maine origin, circa 1840. A small sign read, “We like it,” easily her feelings towards being a part of the New Hampshire Show.

Two horse paintings hung in the booth of Constance Greer of Amherst, N.H., including a large standing black horse with stable in the background, a work signed and dated by Ed Burns. An early Nineteenth Century corner cupboard, Pennsylvania, 83 inches tall, was in two pieces and had two paneled doors with 12 lights each in the top portion. It was in mustard paint over the old red. Thomas Thompson of Northfield, N.H., had a large gold lettered sign for Willis D. Thompson (“No relative of mine,” he said) and a nice doll house in yellow with green roof, complete with a garage. For the garden he offered a hitching post, wooden planters, an urn, and a painted trellis.

Ron and Penny Dionne, Willington, Conn., had a small size apothecary in blue paint, 36 drawers, and a very colorful pair of game wheels, bright red with green and yellow decoration, black lettering, that easily found a buyer. A black cat was depicted on a hooked rug and this year only four weathervanes were offered as the show opened. In that number were three roosters, one sheet iron, one with a zinc head, and one painted metal. Jeannine Dobbs Antiques, Merrimack, N.H., fit everything neatly into her regular corner booth. A schoolhouse quilt, red buildings on a white ground with blue and red border, was on a side wall, and a New England pie safe with six tin panels, two drawers on top, was in old red and dated from the second quarter of the Nineteenth Century.

“I had about 20 sales in the first half hour of the show,” Tom Longacre of Marlborough, N.H., said, listing a fan back Windsor side chair from Nantucket, a whale weathervane, three decorated Indian baskets, a hearth rug and a hooked rug showing a large lion, a roadster car weathervane, and a trade sign in the form of a clock. This piece was quite unusual, brightly painted yellow with black numbers on one side, time reading 4:07, and a depiction of the clock works on the other side. Another trade sign was in the form of a gun, 6 feet long, black double barrel with gold stock. The model of a small house with picket fence around it served as a Christmas tree stand when the roof was removed.

Lee Burgess of New London, N.H., had a large selection of Canton and a nice set of four thumb-back Windsor side chairs, circa 1820, yellow with grained seats and leaf design on the back splats, and a large sign which read “LEE.” “How can you sell that,” we asked, to which she replied, “Easy, but it has not moved yet.” Husband Bob Burgess was not at the show this year, but home celebrating his 85th birthday and contemplating a few rounds of golf.

An early Nineteenth century rocking horse in dapple paint, original mane and tail, painted red rockers and platform, was shown by Candlewick Antiques of Milford, N.H. Dating from the Eighteenth Century was a pair of banister back side chairs in old black paint, and a pair of figural andirons depicting seated cats with glass eyes. A large saw fish bill, mounted vertically, was displayed on the top of a Boston tilt top table in mahogany, paw feet, carved pedestal, in the booth of Seaver and McClellan Antiques of Dublin, N.H.

Wayne Pratt Antiques had one of the rarest game boards in the show. Not only was it colorful with red ground and yellow stars in the corners, but it came with its own box. When slipped inside, the box and the board took on the form of a slim wooden book. Colchester, Conn., furniture maker Benjamin Burnham was represented by a Queen Anne bonnet-top high chest of drawers, circa 1770-90, in cherrywood and maple, rope finials and pinwheel rosettes, and other furniture included a Chippendale blockfront chest in mahogany, Boston, circa 1760-80, in old finish and with what appeared to be the original brasses. Causing a smile here and there were four paintings by Ralph E. Cahoon. This show continues to be a strong one for this Woodbury, Conn., dealer and sales included a secretary, knife box, several side chairs, a wing chair, and two paintings.

Hawk’s Nest Antiques and Decoys of Hinesburg, Vt., is always an interesting booth and one which must be visited several times during a show in order not to miss anything. The booth was packed with furniture such as a faux decorated candlestand, yellow, circa 1840; birdcage with snake feet; and a slatback armchair rocker, circa 1780, Delaware River Valley, that was just purchased from a Charlotte, Vt., home. Weathervanes in the display included a Fiske leaping stag with zinc head, 32 inches long, circa 1890, and an Ethan Allen horse vane by Harris, great surface, 36 inches long.

Two card tables from the American Empire period were shown by Betty Willis Antiques, Marlborough, N.H. One had a top with reeded edges, mahogany veneer, pineapple pedestal with foliate carving, paw feet, circa 1825, probably from Philadelphia, and a mahogany example, painted and decorated, paw feet, turned pedestal on scrolled legs with carved acanthus leaves, New York, circa 1820-30. Jim Jordan Antiques of Pembroke, N.H., new to the show this year, offered a two door cupboard in old blue, fresh to the market from a New Hampshire estate, and an R. Whiting clock in old paint with floral painted face. A trade sign advertised S&C Paint & Hardware, a double sided sign from Vermont.

Large yellow painted wooden letters spelling out “AMOUR” stood out strong against the black paper covering the walls in the booth of Cheryl and Paul Scott of Hillsborough, N.H., and they were among the first of many things sold opening day. A tiger maple tall case clock, a Vermont sewing stand, three gilt mirrors, two game boards, a green painted basket with carved handle, and a large cutting board helped make this one of the best New Hampshire shows for the Scotts. And that was only part of the first day. Richard Smith of Axtel Antiques was shopping the show and bought their small burl bowl, a collection of 14 ginger jars sold from a broken arch corner cupboard, and three of the five weathervanes offered went to new homes. Among the vanes was a horse, Black Hawk form, which had a wonderful surface.

Bert Savage of Larch Lodge, Center Strafford, N.H., has been in the show for well over 20 years and mentioned, “When I moved in 1982 from Connecticut to New Hampshire I had to reapply for the show, since I was becoming an in-state exhibitor.” His attendance remained unbroken, and he said, “This was probably the best New Hampshire Show for me ever.” He sold nine pieces of lighting, all to different customers, and a wonderful small canvas model canoe on stand. An oil on canvas signed Harry Smith, circa 1880, an artist known for his paintings of brook trout, old frame, was among the three paintings sold from the booth. This work showed a large trout, along with a reel, other fish, and two people in a canoe on the river in the background. Around 1880 the address for Smith was 185 Dudley Street in Boston. Rustic furniture included a signed Old Hickory desk with letter holder, original finish and solid oak top, and a totem pole, North West Coast Native American, 32 inches, in the original paint, dated circa 1910.

Another “best ever here” show was reported by Sandy Jacobs of Rindge, N.H. Her sales included a heavily carved with eagle decoration blanket chest, two Windsor side chairs, several pieces of redware, a number of hooked rugs, a tiger maple sofa, a country tea table, and a two-piece glazed door cupboard in blue paint, Canada or upstate New York. Of great interest was an album at the back of the booth, a very colorful piece from the Baltimore School with some trapunto work. It featured an eagle, birds, baskets, and compotes of flowers, and many other designs within a red and green vine border. A large pair of zinc flame finials flanked the entrance to the booth.

John and Deborah Melby of Sunapee, N.H., again had six shelves of old leather-bound books with such titles as Life of Bishop Seabury, Anecdotes for the Family, and Guide for Young Disciples. Rudkin-Cooke family portraits, found in Newburyport, Mass., hung on the side wall, and a stepback cupboard in bright blue paint with two paneled doors showed all the proper wear from years of opening and closing.

Judith and James Milne of New York City, second year dealers at the show, had a large flat wooden cow sign on the middle of the back wall, a piece that measured 49 inches wide and came from a barn in East Haddam, Conn. A pair of wooden angels were in old paint, and a rare weathervane, steeplechase with horse jumping over a fence, sported a fine patina and dated circa 1870. Another vane, a Jewell, was a horse jumping through a hoop. In the center of the booth was an oval hutch table in old red, New England origin.

A set of four white painted wooden architectural fans were across the back of the booth of Bob Withington, York, Maine, along with two slate game boards, one in black and white and the other multi-colored. A New Hampshire chair table in old red had a two-board top. Peter Sawyer Antiques, Exeter, N.H., had a Pennsylvania corner cupboard in bold tiger maple with inlaid panels of figured walnut on the doors and drawers, circa 1820, and a blind door secretary, circa 1810, probably of New Hampshire origin. Silas Parsons of Swanzey, N.H., was the maker of a cherrywood tall case clock, circa 1800, with signed face.

“The show has been great, as good or even better than last year,” Jef Steingrebe of Bradford, Vt., said on the second day of the show. He had sold his large rooster weathervane, the sandwiches/hot dog sign, many smalls, and a pair of andirons in the shape of a golf bag with several clubs showing at the top. The andirons were from New Jersey and dated circa 1920. And while Jef was minding the booth, wife Terri was busy all over the show learning the ropes to be next year’s chairman.

Jane and Phil Workman, New Boston, N.H., were new to the show this year and had used up the best part of a sales slip book before the second day ended. “We really looked forward to becoming a part of this show and it is really an experience,” Phil said as he recalled their sales. A Chamberlain silhouette, stepback New England cupboard, diorama, green painted Windsor side chair, carved wooden lion, document box, fire bucket, tin parade hat, lantern, and an apothecary were among the rdf_Descriptions sold. A William Prior portrait of Mrs Nathaniel Todd, circa 1837, was from the Weld Collection; and written on the back of the frame was $2.92, the price Prior charged for painting the portrait, complete with frame.

An interesting piece of furniture in the show was the flat-top highboy from Salem, Mass., in the booth of Stephen/Douglas of Rockingham, Vt. It was carved with shells, the one on top flanked by two small drawers, cabriole legs and a wonderful old red surface. A New Hampshire Queen Anne tea table with button feet and scrubbed top was sold, along with a fireboard, cupboard, onion lantern, and hat box with a beaver on the side.

The Yankee Smuggler of Richmond, N.H., offered a stack of ten pantry boxes in various shades of blue. “We put a new cupboard in the kitchen, taller than the one we took out, and the stack would no longer fit,” Ted Hayward said. Thus the stack came to the show along with a stack of eight oval Shaker finger boxes in red, yellow, blue, green, and salmon. A stand-up desk in the original red paint had a slide shelf, and a herb drying rack in old blue/green paint was of unusual shape, six rungs and a rounded top. “The show was great for us and we really enjoy seeing the people who come back here year after year. We have built a strong customer base as a result of it,” Carole said.

Rustic Antiques of Nashua, N.H., had two children’s sleds on the back wall, both red but one with a running horse painted on the top. A brightly painted document box, early Nineteenth Century, was spotted with mustard and bittersweet paint, and a pair of wooden window valences, circa 1830, was decorated with country scenes.

Michael Newson and Betty Berdan Newson, Hallowell, Maine, offered a number of pieces of furniture including a Pennsylvania dry sink in robin egg blue, mid-Nineteenth Century, cut-out well with two doors on the left side and four drawers on the right, and a Maine chair table in old green over first red, early Nineteenth Century, pine and maple from the Dresser family farm in Turner, Maine. “We believe that it ranks with the best Maine pieces,” Betty said. A New England gate leg table in untouched condition was of maple, circa 1710-30.

Louis Scranton, Killingworth, Conn., showed a grain bin in old green paint, a grain painted three drawer blanket chest, and a pair of banister back side chairs, whales tail, in old surface, from Stonington, Conn. Two fish weathervanes included one with a copper tail, tin fins, and a knothole for an eye. Joel and Betty Schatzberg, Riverside, Conn., again filled their booth with many trade signs, including advertising for beauty salons, barbershops, billiard parlor, dentist, and camping sites. As the show opened, Joel was busy writing sales slips and said, “[I] hope Betty gets here soon to help with all this paperwork.” Evidently, sales were good from the very start.

A stack of 11 graduated New England pantry boxes in many colors was offered by Bob Jessen and Jim Hohnwald, Fitzwilliam, N.H., and case pieces included a two-part open cant back cupboard with two blind doors, original sage paint, Maine origin, and a Connecticut River Valley grain bin, circa 1800, in the original mustard paint.

Walters-Benisek of Northampton, Mass., was on a selling streak from the opening gun. Among the rdf_Descriptions in this popular booth were a decorated New England dressing table with strong decoration, circa 1830; a trade sign, gold on black, for Meadow House, 1848, a Massachusetts hotel; a tall case clock in walnut, either New Jersey or Pennsylvania; a tall lidded feather basket, red painted; and two child’s chairs, one a Pennsylvania hoop back, circa 1840, and the other a captain’s chair, circa 1860.

“This is our 19th year doing this show and it is really unbelievable,” Gail Piatt of Contoocook, N.H., said. Don Piatt added, “We do only three shows per year, and this is the best show we have ever had.” A two-board top shoe foot chair table was among the first things sold on Thursday, and, “Before the dealer could remove it from our booth it sold again,” Gail said. Other rdf_Descriptions sold were a jelly cupboard, a bucket bench, landscape portrait, quilt, cat painting, hooked rug, lots of ceramics, several canes, and two sets of shelves.

Linda Tate, president of the New Hampshire Antiques Dealers Association, said, “I have had as good a first day as ever,” and sales included several paintings, a drop leaf table which extended to eight feet, and a Seventeenth Century double portrait. David C. Morey American Antiques, Thomaston, Maine, showed a high back Windsor armchair, probably New Hampshire, inscribed in chalk “Gov. Bartlett,” and a three-panel joined chest with molded stiles and rails, Essex County, Mass., red oak and pine and dating circa 1660.

William Lewan of Fitzwilliam, N.H., again had the largest collection of mocha in the show, four shelves full, and a wood carved whirligig in blue jacket with seven brass buttons. A lap box advertised H.S. Chapins Liniment, slant lid and decorated, and a set of six black painted ladderback side chairs with rush seats was shown at the front of the booth.

Pam and Martha Boynton, Groton, Mass., were doing lots of business and having fun at it. “We have been doing this show for 38 years and this one is the best ever,” Pam said. “We even ran out of bags,” Martha added. According to Pam a few things that had been put away for a rainy day were brought out for this show, and they all sold. One was a cow weathervane with the original yellow sizing. No gilt had ever been applied and the vane sold in an instant. New Hampshire fire buckets with the name John Osborn were offered, along with a Sheldon Peck painting, a grouping of spongeware, a button foot tea table which found a new home, a bucket bench in the original red paint, and a drop leaf harvest table from Maine.

Ferguson & D’Arruda from Swansea, Mass., echoed the Boyntons, saying, “This was the best show by far in our ten years here.” Sales ranged from a lowboy, Empire chest, and painted tall case clock to a number of paintings and early mirrors.

A Hepplewhite hutch table in old red, New England, circa 1820, three board pine scrubbed top, was among the first things sold in the booth of Russ and Karen Goldberger of Rye, N.H. “We are very pleased with the show, lot of great sales for us,” Russ said at the end of the second day. Around the table was a matched set of four Windsor fanback side chairs, probably Massachusetts, late Eighteenth Century, with the original dark green surface. Other painted furniture included a chrome yellow decorated dressing table, probably from Portsmouth, N.H., circa 1820, ex Samaha Collection. A selection of pantry boxes sold, as did a yellow painted stepback cupboard, wall boxes, pictures, game boards, and an early tavern table. “Antiques Week in New Hampshire has really turned into an event,” Russ said.

This same sentiment was echoed by Robert Wilkins of Courcier and Wilkins, well-known Shaker dealers from Austerlitz, N.Y. “Frank’s show turned this whole thing around, proving that more is more,” Bob said. “Now the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” For Courcier and Wilkins, the show was “going great.” Shaker painted boxes and textiles, a nautical diorama, a half hull model, and furniture including Shaker tilt chairs all sold during the early hours of the show, and “buying was good right through closing,” Suzanne said. At the back of the booth was a two-door cupboard, tulip under the original stain, New Jersey or Eastern Pennsylvania, circa 1830, and on the right wall a Shaker sewing desk in butternut, birch, walnut, and cherrywood from Canterbury, N.H. It dated circa 1880 and was in impeccable condition.

When the dealers packed out what was left in their booths late Saturday afternoon, it brought to a close another Antiques Week in New Hampshire. And it certainly was a grand time for all. Dealers sold well, many customers left with more than they bargained for, and the heat did not cause any serious health problems.

The New Hampshire Antiques Show has been a summer success for 44 years and it has become the show not to be missed. Due to its fine reputation and drawing power, other shows have come into being and now hundreds of people flock to Antiques Week in New Hampshire. It is an important time in the antiques business and the New Hampshire Antiques Show continues to put the spark into this special New England happening.

The Bedford Pickers Market

BEDFORD, N.H. – “The sun got up this morning like a ball of fire,” one of the Pickers Market exhibitors said as he made his way across the covered bridge from the Wayfarer Inn into the antiques show exhibition area.

But that seemed to be the order of the day for Antiques Week in New Hampshire. Temperatures on Friday, August 10, pushed the 100-degree mark in the large exhibition tent, yet customers were right there in line when early buying opened at 9 am.

“Our double tickets, which allowed customers into both Mid*Week in Manchester and early buying at the Bedford Pickers Market, took a big jump this year,” said Frank Gaglio, the president of Barn Star Productions and manager of the two shows. Gaglio also noted that last year fewer that 300 such tickets were sold, while this year 413 people took advantage of the price break.

The Pickers Market brings to the area 102 antiques dealers who have not taken part in any of the Antiques Week events. These dealers take over both the air-conditioned space in the convention hall of the inn as well as the booths in the spacious tents set-up in the parking lot.

Dealers are allowed to move in at about 8 pm, right after the Mid*Week dealers have packed out, and work continues until midnight. The facility is open again at 4 am and as the gate moves in at 9 am, all is ready.

People react to the Pickers Market with renewed vigor and do not seem worn out or tired from “the quest” which has taken place for the past three days for many of them. There is the usual rushing about, a fast check of the booths for a particular rdf_Description, and generally a second time around for a closer look.

It took only a matter of seconds for a trade sign in the shape of a poster bed to be removed from the walls in the booth of Mad Parade of Chicago. A Sold sign also appeared on a set of three captain’s chairs with red painted surface. Also of interest in this booth was a large wooden bowl from Stonington, Conn., dating from the early Nineteenth Century.

New Paltz, N.Y. dealer William Lohrman offered one of the nicest trade signs in the show, a large carved wooden watch offering watch and clock repairing by D. Wolff. A large chest on chest, circa 1770, in walnut was against one wall of his booth, while a corner cupboard dating from the Eighteenth Century, Hudson Valley origin, ten lights in each of the two top doors, was on the opposite wall.

A collection of trout fishing flies was shown by The Fishing Room, West Cornwall, Conn., and a wall eyed pike, weighing seven pounds when pulled from the water, was mounted on a long plaque.

Among the painted pieces of furniture in the booth of Patriot House Antiques, West Chicago, Ill., was an open pewter cupboard in old blue, eastern Ohio or Pennsylvania origin, one door on the bottom, and a drysink in mustard paint with one drawer on the left side.

“It took five years to put this collection together,” Mary Elliott of Pepperell, Mass., said of the stack of 18 pantry boxes towering on a table in her booth. All early colors were represented and it appeared as though every person passing the booth stopped for a look. Early ferkins were also available in this display.

There was a good selection of stoneware at the Pickers Market, including some large collections and a piece here and there. An impressive show was put on by Early American Stoneware of New Paltz, N.Y., offering pieces which included a four-gallon handled pot with incised floral decoration, Clark and Fox, Athens, N.Y., circa 1828, and a stoneware keg with cobalt accents, 13½ inches high, Smith & Day, Norwalk, circa 1840.

Signs offering watch repair and cigars hung in the booth of H & L Antiques of Marlton, N.J., and furniture included an early cottage chest in the original blue paint. A pie safe in old red, bells and hearts punched into the tin panels, was shown by John and Eileen Smart of Rutland, Vt., along with a box in green and mustard with diamond decoration.

A very colorful quilt with floral decoration surrounding a medallion with an eagle in the center hung on the back wall of the booth of Latcham House Antiques, Waterville, Ohio. A Pennsylvania settee, eight legs with turned spindles across the back, was also offered, along with a set of three tin reflector lanterns and a black bear rug.

A wide selection of furniture was encountered in the booth of Holden Antiques, Sherman, Conn., including a Federal four-drawer chest with tiger maple fronts and turned legs, a tea table with scalloped base and two-board scrubbed top, a nice corner chair with an interesting box stretcher base, and a snake foot candlestand in mahogany with cut-out corners.

It seems all areas of collecting were covered in this show, even for those interested in full size canoes. Two were in the display of Spotted Horse Antiques of West Windsor, Vt., and both seemed to be in perfect shape and ready for the water. This booth also displayed some rustic furniture as well as a couple of Grenfel mats, fishing rods, and shotguns.

A boldly turned tiger maple tester bed filled the center of the booth of East Dennis Antiques, East Dennis, Mass., the front of it framing a colorful geometric hooked rug which hung on the back wall. Two sets of chairs offered included a set of six yellow painted Windsor plank-seat side chairs and a set of four pillow-back side chairs with rush seats. A yellow painted and decorated dressing table was among the first things sold from the booth. And by the way, Schooner was there taking charge of greeting customers.

Those in search of early trade signs had many to pick from including a selection offered by Charles Wibel Antiques of Farmington, N.H. Painters, shoe stores, clothing establishments and construction workers were all represented, along with a round Odd Fellows lodge sign from Mauston, Wisc.

Tranquil Time from Orange, Conn., continues to show up with several collections, this time with Victorian wooden round breadboards, fishing reels, highly polished padlocks, and a paint decorated children’s spinning top.

Donna Finnegan came all the way from Palatine, Ill., and offered a nice selection of early clothing, mostly for women, including a fancy silk dress with white lace collar.

Travelling up from Laurel, Md., Colleen Kinloch offered a wide selection of American country furniture such as a good sized sawbuck table, an unpainted drysink, a painted one-drawer stand with slender tapering legs, a one-door jelly cupboard with light painted surface, and a pair of yellow painted arrowback Windsor side chairs with decoration of the back splat.

“We are always looking for ways to broaden the interest in our shows and this year we have added a free appraisal clinic to the Pickers Market,” said Frank Gaglio. On hand for the offering’s debut were Dick Withington, the dean of auctioneers; Patricia Coughlin, a dealer and appraiser with over thirty years of experience who will also brought along her associate, Ken Southard, and Charlie Cobb of The Cobbs Auctioneers of Peterborough, N.H. Over fifty people came out for this service with a varied selection of treasures.

The “Pickers Corner” is also a feature of this show, a booth which offers rdf_Descriptions from the dealers in the show and no object is priced over $200.

“This booth has been very popular,” Gaglio said, but added that next year “it just might be history.” There is a long list of dealers wanting to take part in the market and management is considering using this space for a new exhibitors.

“All of the things which would have been in the Pickers Corner will still be at the show, just spread about in the 102 booths,” explained the show promoter. Also under consideration, and more than likely a positive, is the air conditioning of the tent.

“We were lucky this year and did not have any heat related health problems,” said Gaglio, who added that “for the comfort of both the dealers and the general public, air conditioning is needed when we have those hot weeks in New Hampshire.”

And judging from the crowd and the buying, this one-day, fast-paced Pickers Market has carved a popular spot in Antiques Week in New Hampshire.