Huntington Historical Society volunteers produced the fifth annual Heritage Antiques Show May 30″1 for more than 40 exhibitors in Huntington High School’s gymnasium and halls. Toby Kissam, antiques show chairman for the society, said he was pleased with the continued efforts of the exhibitors and all society’s members, who together raised money for the maintenance of five historic properties it owns.
At the show’s entrance, visitors were met by Soheil Sasanian with his extensive collection of antique Persian rugs. He took the lobby as an area where he could spread out his inventory over 30 feet of temporary walls. The assortment included tribal and Caucasian pieces, many Hamadans and an assortment of Kermans and Hariz examples.
At the entrance to the school’s gymnasium, Dave Nelz of Platypus Antiques offered his inventory of folk art and early American primitives. Nelz said customers at the show “were not taking away much wood [furniture], but we did well with sales of paintings, prints and the folk art.” Nelz also maintains Antiques at Northport, a multidealer shop in that historic Long Island waterfront village.
Mary Ross is a full-time school teacher from Great Neck, N.Y., but also a very active antiques dealer exhibiting at many shows in the summer when she has the freedom to travel. She also exhibits during the school year on weekends at the New York City Pier shows. Her sales included a large step back cupboard in old red paint and several pieces from her collection of small household antiques.
Jacques Fray and Jody Wilson are part-time residents of Tucson, Ariz., where they collect their inventory for shows in the Northeast from May to October. Navajo and other Native American jewelry is their focus, both early antique pieces when they can find them and some later material.
Business partners David Ramsey and Christian Zulli are from Brooklyn, N.Y., with an extensive variety in their collection of antiques. One of their first sales at this show was a coin silver coffeepot made in New York City about 1840 and priced at $900. They were also offering numerous oil on canvas paintings and Nineteenth and Twentieth Century figurines and household items.
A former New Yorker now living in Frederick, Md., Jean Herlihy showed a collection of upholstered pieces along with period accessories in her room setting. Small antiques including Flow Blue earthenware, gaudy Welsh, ironstone and several silhouettes were on display with Woodmere, N.Y., dealer Laurie Sheinberg.
Fine early hardwood furniture was available from several exhibitors. Carlton Antiques, Ltd showed a collection of early American and English furniture, including several side tables, candlestands and a desk, all typical of the Georgian periods. This Rockville Centre, N.Y., dealer sold art at the show, including several oil on canvas scenic paintings. There were several Hepplewhite stands offered by Plandome, N.Y., dealer Mary Brickell. She also filled a showcase with small Victorian pieces, such as the tiny perfume bottles.
Various forms of art and fine art were exhibited, including Carlo Giovannelli’s collection of oil paintings. At his gallery in New York City, he favors Impressionist and Realist styles from late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries, which he brought to this show. Anne Hall Antique Prints brought selections of early art from Sturbridge, Mass. The firm’s business is selling finely crafted antique prints in frames that the customers choose. Mark Brady, Hall’s husband, said their sales at this show over the last several years have been good.
Show manager Kissam has a long family lineage on Long Island; one of the society’s properties is the Kissam House. He favors a collection of early maps of the area, which highlight the early settlers’ homes and villages. Exhibiting his collection and some furniture pieces that have local provenances was a part of his weekend. He said that while his furniture did not sell, he had several of his maps find new homes.
In the New York City area, Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles have become very popular with the consumers. This has created greater emphasis for exhibiting dealers to offer pieces and accessories in that style. Julie Schars was selling a booth filled with early Art Deco lighting: light fixtures and lamps from the first half of the Twentieth Century, which were in ready-to-use condition. Bill Grotheir and Brandon Levine showed their Late Nineteenth Century Victorian and Continental-style furniture. Their business is in Huntington at the Huntington Antiques Center.
For information, www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org or 631-427-7045.
