There was a line with a big rush as the gates opened at 9 am, though Biszko reported a steady stream of new shoppers entering throughout the day.

Review & Onsite Photos by Carly Timpson

TIVERTON, R.I. — While many across the country were packing coolers for the beach or prepping the yard for a cookout, antiques aficionados from southern New England were traveling to the quiet seaside neighborhood of Tiverton for the annual Tiverton Four Corners 4th of July Antique and Artisan Show held in the backyard of the Tiverton Meeting House at Four Corners. With show hours running from 9 am to 4 pm, it was the perfect way to kick off the holiday weekend’s festivities. Though the show has been a holiday staple for around 30 years, this was Ted Biszko’s second year at the event’s helm.

Following the show, Biszko reported, “We had a steady stream of shoppers for most of the day. All the dealers provided a lot of good feedback and were happy with the turnout of attendees. This year was my second year promoting the show. I hope to grow the show both in dealers and attendees. This year was a bit better than last (weather is always a big factor), but if I continue the small gains yearly, I will be happy.”

Given that the show was hosted in a quaint community on a holiday, one may expect fewer shoppers and a more local crowd. However, the demographics were varied, with plenty of long-time pickers mixed with young families, both local to the area and those looking for something to do after traveling to the seaside for the long weekend.

Ted Biszko didn’t bring as many items as other dealers since he was busy running the show, but he reported books and maps doing well. Brimfield, Mass.

In addition to managing the show, Biszko also had a booth set up. However, while Biszko was busy with those other duties, his son stood guard over the booth. Afterwards, Biszko told us, “I usually don’t bring much because I can’t be there most of the time. My son did better than expected with the books and maps.”

Books were also a focus in the booth of Mallory Bedard, who was showing for her first time ever. She told us, “My grandma loved books, so I’m just spreading the love by selling some of her collection. I also love antiques, so I have some of that too!” Her shelves of books were accented by smaller antique items like a tea set, salt and pepper shakers, candlesticks, crates, vases and some local maps.

Across from Bedard were Steve and Doris McKell, who are Tradewinds Fine Art. While it was Bedard’s first time at any antiques show, the McKells are longtime dealers. Doris noted “We’ve been doing this show since the beginning. We took a few years off around Covid and now there’s a new promoter, but it’s always a great show and it’s so beautiful here.” The art they had on offer varied from marine scenes to winter landscapes to portraits, though on our way out we noticed that paintings featuring water — those with boats, docks, waves, beaches — were the ones most prominently displaying “sold” tags.

Steve and Doris McKell are Tradewinds Fine Art, Charlestown, R.I.

As the McKells noted, the show has changed management several times since its inception. While Biszko is has been in charge the past two years, he was not the only showrunner to have a booth this year. Brian Ferguson of Swansea, Mass., took over after Jackie Sideli, who started the show more than 30 years ago. Ferguson filled his booth with an assortment of antiques, including decoys, an arched window, a pair of riding boots, door stops, a blanket chest, mirrors, jugs and jars, a decorated organ pipe and a wall-mounted tin kitchen, which had two mirrored panels and 10 pull-out compartments for dry goods that would be filled from the top.

While most of the show took place in the yard and sculpture garden, the main building of The Meeting House had space for three dealers. Those lucky enough to be out of the sun were Ginger Lyons de Neufville, Richard Lawrence Greene and Cathy Cwilichoski. Lyons is a textile dealer and she brought many antique pieces, though some were new. One contemporary example she showed off was a set of Indian block-printed curtains by Brigitte Singh. She also had antique quilts, suzani pillows, French antique sheets, embroideries and Chinese bed covers. “This is my second year here. It’s a very nice fair and I did well last year,” she shared.

Ginger Lyons de Neufville posed with an early 1800s English strippy quilt. Cambridge & Westport, Mass.

Richard Lawrence Greene is a Providence, R.I.-based art dealer who has been doing the show “for a number of years.” He specializes in “antique drawings, watercolors and prints,” though he brought a few other antique items to meet shoppers where they were at. Also in his booth were fireplace andirons, a basket, spoons, tiles and maps. One of the most notable items he pointed out was a framed book page from Jamestown, R.I., which he said was a very hard-to-find town. All of the items hanging in his booth were archival materials that he framed, or framed as found.

Cwilichoski had done the show years ago, but this was her first time back in a while. The Ansonia, Conn., dealer had a table of assorted small items, including glassware, pottery, animal figures, salt and pepper shakers and prints, but she also had a table with framed works from paintings to prints to embroideries.

Back outside, Roland Morgan, who has been dealing at the show for 30 years, had much of his booth set up like it was in someone’s backyard. He draped flags over a pair of outdoor chairs and punctuated the setup with wicker pieces that included a goblet-shaped chip and dip bowl, a chest and a basket. He also had some garden statuary and a bocce game ready to go. After the show, he shared that the chairs sold, as did some of the flags they displayed. Morgan is from nearby Portsmouth, R.I., and said that he likes that this is a small, local show.

Roland Morgan sold the pair of chairs and some of the flags in this photo. Portsmouth R.I.

Next to Morgan was Jonathan Cottrell of Blazer Antiques, who had a diverse array of items including, oil cans, ship models, concert and advertising posters, glass bottles, flags and banners, a diving mask, framed prints and paintings, antique tools and a small wood stove/oven.

As we ventured deeper into the grounds — and further under the shady cover of trees — we got to the booth of M. B. Westman Antiques. Like Cottrell, Westman’s selection was diverse. One table was covered with a rug, a duck decoy, a silver tureen, a beaded mask, Native American pottery, a small inlaid wooden box, Asian porcelain and a large hand-painted chest. On the table beside that one was a set of dishes, several vases or urns, a bronze canine figure, an Orthodox icon, a tribal mask and a Civil War commission signed by Abraham Lincoln. Westman said the large chest and the Lincoln signature were generating the most attention, but after doing this show for 30 years, he knew to bring an eclectic mix for all kinds of shoppers.

Ginger Lyons was not the only dealer who specialized in textiles. Liz Hendey, who sells out of Acushnet River Antiques in New Bedford, Mass., had a large selection that included bedcovers, wall hangings, pillows, suzanis and more. She unfolded one exceptional piece, an Indian block-printed bedcover, or palampore, dated “Sept. 1955” and featuring a large and vibrant tree of life motif. Other examples she pointed out came from Japan, Indonesia, Finland, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. “I also have an assortment of Scandinavian goods — Finnish and Swedish bowls and artworks. And I also sell Midcentury Modern furniture — mostly Danish Modern and Italian.”

It was Liz Hendey’s first show and she brought textiles, art, ceramics and various accessories.

This summer, a clear collecting pattern has shown itself: people are drawn to jewelry. Show after show, dealers report “jewelry is hot!” Luckily for these eager buyers, the Tiverton show had plenty to choose from. Cynthia Marland of Two Hunters Antiques had, among various smalls, beaded earrings, silver and gold cuff bracelets, a pair of Alexis hoop earrings, a vintage scarab bracelet and more. Mercy Masumbe of Hyde Park, Mass., also had fashionable finds. It was her second time vending at this show and she brought vintage footwear, scarves, handbags and lots of jewelry from well-known designers.

Alvin Lindo, who sells under the name Alvin’s Collectibles, had an accessory for everyone. Half of his booth was dedicated to traditionally feminine tastes while the other was traditionally masculine, and neutral accessories and furnishings connected the two sides. For the ladies, he had jewelry, stick pins and purses; for the men, he had ties, watches, cufflinks, lighters and belt buckles. Bridging the selection, he had embroideries, baskets, lamps, a turn of the century punched lantern, a washboard and more. “I’ve been doing this for more than 20 years and I’ve had a really good day today. A friend of Jay Leno came and bought all of my bow ties. I’ve sold lots of jewelry, some paintings and a fabulous ship model that sold to an older gentleman.” As we were talking, a young couple inquired about a pair of lamps. Lindo said, “If they weren’t in working condition, I wouldn’t be selling them!” That was good enough for the couple, and they decided to take the lamps home with them.

Fashionable finds from Alvin Lindo, Alvin’s Collectibles, Somerville, Mass.

Amanda Lynn Orefice reported that, in addition to jewelry, her shoppers were drawn to advertisement items, prints and primitives — “I’m very diversified,” she joked. One of the most exceptional pieces on offer was a “very old Victorian sewing box with all original mother-of-pearl bobbins, separate compartments, sewing doodads and old leather pin cushions. It’s all inlaid with mother-of-pearl and the compartment covers’ buttons are mother-of-pearl too.”

Alan Herman of New Bedford, Mass., has been coming to this show for at least 20 years. “We were very busy right off the bat. We had this big ‘ol iron goose but that went right off the bat, and we had a great wooden sailboat but that went too.” What was left? He still had a large carousel panel from Poland Spring, Maine, and a great selection of nautical-themed wooden signs, including one, at least five feet long, that read “Daily Catch.”

If you wanted something smaller, or perhaps more fragile, Gregory Lovell’s booth would be a good place to look. Lovell, who is a porcelain and china dealer, told us, “I sold a beautiful, big nautical jug and people have been interested in blue and white porcelain.” He also had a great basalt ware piece that was catching the eye of many, though it had not yet sold.

Of all the diverse porcelain options in his booth, Gregory Lovell pointed out this miniature Wedgwood set as the most photogenic. Hyde Park, Mass.

A dealer with a similar report was Shiela Gediman of Stone Bridge Antiques. “I’ve sold nautical stuff and the blues are doing really well. People love the glass candy jars, too.” She had a selection of white ceramic Hotel Ware pitchers, a Rogers silver plate butler’s tray, blue water glasses with white sailboats, wine glasses, serving bowls, plates, silverware, linens and Nantucket baskets.

Scott Ciardi, who is Brass from the Past out of South Dartmouth, Mass., said this was only his second-ever antiques show. However, he is in the business of antiques — a family business that has spanned more than 100 years. Ciardi’s business offers cleaning, repairing, polishing, plating and lacquering of an assortment of brass, copper and silver items. He also does lighting repair and re-wiring. He told us that antiques shows can be hard for him, as a lot of traditionalists would prefer to see the age and wear on an object and might look down upon what he does. However, with the sunlight shining down on his booth and the brasses sparkling, he was certainly attracting a lot of attention. Some of the restored pieces he had on display included fire extinguishers, candlesticks, lamps, scales and bells.

The show will return to The Meeting House at 3852 Main Road on July 4 next year. For information, 774-526-0829 or twb452@hotmail.com.