“I buy what I like, so I like it all,” said Bruce Emond, Village Braider, Plymouth, Mass., when asked about his favorite piece in the booth. His garden sculptures and plant potters were doing especially well — many with “sold” stickers already attached — but he also offered tribal masks and modern art for those with less of a green thumb.
Review & Photos by Kiersten Busch
EAST HAMPTON, N.Y. — From July 12 through 14, the beautiful and historic property at Mulford Farm, part of the East Hampton Historical Society (EHHS), nestled in the heart of East Hampton Village, was home to The East Hampton Antiques & Design Show — what is known as “the premier show of its kind on the East End.”
Celebrating its 18th year, the show began with a preview cocktail party on Friday, July 12, which hosted more than 400 guests, including honorary chairmen and famed design duo, Tony Ingrao and Randy Kemper, as well as board president of the EHHS, Debbie Druker and other trustees. Celebrities in attendance included Canadian actress, Kim Cattrall, American heiress and businesswoman, Aerin Lauder and interior designer and author, Charlotte Moss, among other prominent figures in the industry.
Beginning at 10 am on Saturday, July 13, the Antiques & Design Show kicked off with cars lining up and down James Lane, all trying to secure a good parking spot near the entrance. Buyers braved the dreary on-and-off rain that lasted the majority of the first day, covering themselves and their newly acquired goods with umbrellas, rain jackets, tarps and plastic. Despite the weather, Lynn Stefanelli, press contact for the EHHS, told Antiques and The Arts Weekly, “The East Hampton Antiques & Design show was a huge success! Despite the rainy weather on Saturday, Jennifer Lopez enjoyed the show!”
Despite the humid and rainy weather at the beginning of the show, potential buyers were still browsing in full force.
Even the 45 dealers, set up in four different locations across the property, had to adjust for the rain, tucking outdoor furniture displays into the corners of their booth spaces or covering pieces with tarps to prevent damage. Despite this, they were ready for the crowds and, by Saturday’s opening, many had already secured sales from the previous night or from eager early morning customers.
“We’re hot,” was one of the first things Philip Norkeliunas, Gracious Tables, New York City, said when asked how he was doing less than an hour into the first show day. The humidity from the inconsistent rain had dealers and buyers alike wishing they had a fan like Norkeliunas’, which he said, “has been wonderful.” What was also wonderful was customers’ interest in his vintage silver and jewelry. “I was really excited to launch jewelry this year,” he added, noting that it had a lot of steady interest with show attendees. His vintage silver — serving platters, kettles, candelabras, small serving plates, etc. — had sold well the previous night. Norkeliunas was particularly proud to offer a 1761 George III silver kettle by London manufacturers Whipham & Wright, which he professed was “one of the most important pieces of English chinoiserie.” He also displayed a white gold ring with a large carved aquamarine stone, inlaid with white sapphires, which he called a “showstopper.”
Ronald Wells, Wells and Company, Hudson, N.Y., was already having a busy day an hour into the show. As we approached his booth, he was immersed in his eighth sale of the morning. “It’s always busy!” he exclaimed happily. Wells, who also has a showroom in Great Barrington, Mass., has been attending the Antiques & Design Show for 18 years. He offered an assortment of Midcentury Modern furniture, mirrors and fine art, including two identical metal snake sculptures which already had red “sold” tags attached. “My picks are individual, yet they could be together,” Wells explained when asked about the aesthetic of his booth. “Just like how you style jewelry!”
Wells and Company, Hudson, N.Y.
This was Cynthia Murphy’s first show ever. Through her business, Cynthia Murphy Designs, based in New York City, she “collects antique textiles and designs special pillows and mounting pieces with her collection.” Murphy enjoys adding new and interesting elements to old textiles; “I’m into recycling,” she admitted. Notable at her booth was a wall-mounted display piece cut from French Art Deco fabric. The fabric previously belonged to a piece of furniture designed by Paul Follot. Additionally, Murphy offered a set of three throw pillows made from Japanese Meiji period silk and a wall-mounted piece repurposed from a Yoruba tribe ceremonial costume, among other items. “I like to tell the stories of these textiles,” she shared.
Back for their second show was the eclectic Newlyn Lowly, Great Barrington, Mass., owned by Ryan Wagner and his partner, Kassie Keith. It was Keith’s first time at Mulford Farm and she said, “It’s been really good so far. It feels great that we’re establishing connections with people who understand our aesthetic.” What exactly is their aesthetic? “A little creepy and eclectic, a bit unusual and out there,” said Keith. The business’ aesthetic was perfectly encapsulated by their “mascot” on display: a Nineteenth Century bronze bust of a woman with a three-eyed mask covering the top half of her face. Keith and Wagner offered an array of eclectic indoor furniture, knick-knacks, sculptures and mixed media artwork.
Ann Parke Collection, Darien, Conn.
With an expertly arranged mix of garden ornaments, fine art, furniture and ceramics, the booth of Sheryl Dunleavy, Ann Parke Collection, Darien, Conn., looked like a set piece for a movie. The most impressive thing on display, however, was an early 1900s English crewelwork four-panel room divider designed by Kathleen Harris, an authority on early Twentieth Century English embroidery design. The wool on linen panels incorporated “a variety of stitches and floral patterns,” said Dunleavy, who excitedly showed off the impressive details of the large work.
The small barn in the middle of the field offered a safe haven from the rain, which was coming down heavily a few hours into the show. It also housed the booths of Andrew Spindler and William Drucker. Spindler, whose business is Andrew Spindler Antiques & Design, based in Essex, Mass., was busy making sales all morning. He has spent 26 years attending shows in the Hamptons and said of the community of collectors and designers in the region, “It’s a great group of people, lots of wonderful connections. Everyone had such a great sense of style and taste.” A Nineteenth Century gilt iron day bed and a Seventeenth Century Franco-Flemish stone top table were two of Spindler’s biggest draws, the epitome of his eclectic style. The table had been sold just a few hours before.
Drucker, on the other hand, representing Drucker Antiques Inc., Mount Kisco, N.Y., was selling an assortment of Georg Jensen jewelry and silver — serving pieces, flatware sets and other accessories for the table. “I specialize in American Arts & Crafts and jewelry; a lot of different colors,” Drucker explained. He was particularly excited to show off a Georg Jensen “master brooch” with multiple orange-hued stones and, also attributed to Jensen, an Art Deco sterling silver coffee set in pristine condition from 1925.
Many buyers found shelter from the on-and-off torrential rain in this small barn on the Mulford Farm property — an advantage for Andrew Spindler and William Drucker, whose respective booths were stationed here.
It was very easy to spot the booth of Joseph Collins, Antiques & Modern Design, West Palm Beach, Fla., even from the other side of the showgrounds. Why? The giant sculpture of a stack of three olives on a cocktail spear attracting buyers to his booth like a beacon, of course. “It’s going good,” Collins said when asked around midday about how he was fairing so far. “The olives are attracting people, as well as Omar’s artwork.” Collins was referring to the abstract paintings of Peruvian-Palestinian artist Omar Ananias, adorning the back wall of the booth. According to Ananias’ business card, “his artwork has drawn inspiration from various sources including: the natural world, his personal encounters with marginalized communities and the indigenous knowledge of the rainforest.”
The East Hampton Historical Society’s Mulford Farm Museum is at 10 James Lane. For information, www.easthamptonhistory.org or 631-324-6869.
