In this small farming center three times each year, Renningers presents its Extravaganza, this spring with more than 600 dealers filling the open-sided sheds with antiques, vintage collectibles and some decorator’s treasures for the several thousand visitors who came to see and buy. On the weekend of April 22′4, the Kutztown Farmers Market was expanded and transformed into a prime source for shoppers with the special passion for American antiques. Filling the site’s more than ten acres were antiques such as hooked rugs from Maine, early lighting from Massachusetts, iron kitchen implements from Pennsylvania and Eighteenth Century furniture from throughout the Eastern colonies.
Renningers was begun by Jim Renninger more than 40 years ago near the Renninger family’s Schuylkill Haven, Penn., home with farmers’ markets that attracted antiques dealers. Soon they made antiques the specific focus for several of their markets when they acquired Kutztown, Adamstown, Penn., and Mount Dora, Fla., to their list of shows. After Jim Renninger died in 1992, his wife, Joan, and three sons, Rick, Ed and Jim, continued to manage and expand the business.
For many shoppers and dealers, the Kutztown Extravaganza has become a harbinger of spring; the first outdoor antiques show of significant size known for great collections to pick pieces for home, inventories, collections and simply wonderful things to possess.
Bennington and other stoneware items were the inventory for Early American Stoneware of East Troy, Wis. The firm’s owner, Warren Hartmann, is formerly from New York where he began his collection. He offered a small portion for the Renningers clientele, showing early pieces of the more interesting shapes and sizes that would be prized additions to a collection.
Norman Hall restores player pianos. Trading as American Player Pianos, North Attleboro, Mass., he was exhibiting at Renningers with several of the musical devices that had been restored to play either with foot-pumping action or by an electric mechanism.
Early oil lighting devices and spare parts are part of the collection offered by Dottie & Cuto’s Antiques, Wentworth, N.H. Co-owner Michael Rackis was offering the missing pieces for many light fixtures, along with a collection of early English Staffordshire and glass. Mapleside Antiques, Titusville, Penn., is Cid Paden and Tom Varney’s business, with great early home accessories. Paden was showing a matching pair of Eighteenth Century tinware candleholders with sand-weighted bases in the shape of funnels turned wide-side down and in original green paint.
Barbara Thompson, New Oxford, Penn., specializes in Nineteenth Century dolls, dollhouses and dollhouse furniture. Rick Borgman, across the aisle from her, and from nearby New Tripoli, Penn., was offering a selection of glassware and porcelain from the Nineteenth Century along with American fine art, predominantly oil on canvas paintings from the same time period.
Several dealers from the Northeast were exhibiting nearby one another with similar collections. Martin Webster, trading as West Branch Antiques, Delhi, N.Y., showed early country furniture and a selection of hooked rugs. Richard Fuller Antiques, Randolph, Vt., offered early painted furniture and accessories collected in his home area.
Higganum House Antiques, Higganum, Conn., is Pat and Neal Blodgett’s collection of small antiques.
Sharon Renninger, wife of one of the show owners, Jim Renninger, has her own distinctive merchandise in the show, country furniture and accessories. Sharon also keeps a booth in the contiguous Farmers Market with modern reproductions of the early accessories.
Some auctioneers are so “into” antiques they have to do shows as well as auctions. Keith Meissner, New Lebanon, N.Y., exhibits at many shows in addition to selling at frequent auctions from his gallery in the Taconics. At Renningers, he was offering early furniture, which he said was selling well.
The Farmers Market building has more than 100 antiques and collectibles exhibitors who participate in the weekly sales. Jim and Sharon Renninger have one of those exhibits, selling some décor items such as lighting, but also antique dolls and early furniture.
Joan Renninger said she was thrilled with the exhibitors’ response. “Our dealers were pleased with the sales, saying the market seems to have come back,” she said.
Kutztown Extravaganza is conducted three times each year. June 24′6 and September 23′5 are the remaining dates in 2010. Located about 20 miles from the Delaware River crossing at Interstate 78, it is easily accessible from New York and New England, helping to draw good crowds. Renningers also produces the Adamstown Market every Sunday through the fall and Mount Dora on the third weekend of the month through October. For information, www.renningers.com or 570-385-0104.
