For the summer session, Brimfield was a good show with great antiques and good sales. Held from sunrise Tuesday, July 13, through sundown Sunday, July 18, the 20-plus shows/fields were showing antiques and decorative collectibles that were clearly meeting the market demands, with sales being reported as “good” by many an exhibitor.
The action started Tuesday morning in the Vermont tent at Green Acres as soon as there was sufficient light to differentiate a print from an oil painting at Stoneblock Antiques. Greg Hamilton was selling as quickly as he could confirm the final prices for his inventory, with an English Victorian painter’s oil on canvas in original frame selling quickly. The buyer, a dealer exhibiting Wednesday at Hertan’s, sold it again for a modest profit, to another dealer, a gallery owner in New York City.
Shoppers were gathering at Collins Apple Barn for a cup of coffee and a peek at the antiques offered in the parking lot. Ted Crisan and Liz Curry have been there for many years with a collection that includes early small antiques and fun collectibles, such as a group of neon signs on the back wall of their tent.
At 11 that morning, Dealer’s Choice threw back the gates to a big crowd of shoppers, who quickly filled its field of exhibitors. Sales were good, with furniture finding a resurgence, as well as fine art and folk art. Richmond House Antiques, Ashford, Conn., sold a very large cupboard that dealer Edd Oberg was happy not have to haul again.
Folk art was even hotter than the weather, with sales going to homes and decorators, as well as other dealers for their own inventories. At Brimfield Acres North, Ken and Jan Silveri, Hamburg, Penn., had a pair of signs that were once part of a miniature golf arcade. Their condition was very good, only minor wear, and priced reasonably. The hand painted signs appear to have been arcade barricades and depicted cartoon golfers.
Brimfield Acres North continues to celebrate its 20th anniversary as an exhibition field this year. The show, opening Tuesday afternoon, has long been popular with shoppers for the great finds it offers, as well as its late-day start, ensuring buyers can also shop the earlier open fields.
Wednesday’s weather was hot, with light showers around 8 am, or as one visitor described it, “The rain wasn’t coming down; it was like walking into it, with the heat very oppressive.” That said, the buyer was, however, filling a cloth bag with smalls bought at New England Motel. She was seen later at Heart of the Mart and again at Hertan’s, so the rain must have not been sufficient to distract her from the task at hand.
Jon Magoun, Magoun Bros, South Paris, Maine, was in his usual spot at Faxon’s Midway with Maine country furniture and a large assortment of canoes. By week’s end, the tents and yard space he was using were showing a great deal of grass, reflecting his sales success over the week.
The Meadows is one of the fields open all week. Virginia dealer Chris Trimble, Trimble’s Tavern Antiques specializes in collection of relics from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, including long-lost uniform parts and early weapons, which sold very well. He also carried early furniture, selling an Eighteenth Century deacon’s bench, several very early American chairs and Indian artifacts. Chris also said he “bought really well early in the week; a Confederate belt buckle in good condition, flintlock pistols and some other furniture, including a Queen Anne table.”
On Thursday, the activity began with customers spending the early morning hours at already open fields, including Hertan’s, which had opened during Wednesday’s rain. While sales that day were somewhat slow, the customers were checking things out, looking for what they would indeed come back to negotiate the purchase later in the day.
A Connecticut dealer gave prices for three braided rugs to a Pennsylvania couple who came back for them after shopping May’s Antiques Market, which opened that morning. An Indiana dealer sold a hanging corner cupboard he had purchased at May’s to a Pennsylvania dealer, each gaining the benefit of a modest profit. The piece was a very good example of Massachusetts cabinet crafting, circa 1700, not rising above $1,000 in the final price of that day’s trading.
Also offered at Hertan’s by Ian McKelvey was a four-drawer chest in excellent original condition with butternut on the face and top, and pine and chestnut as secondary woods. Found by the Windham, Conn., dealer, it came recently from the Captain John Smith House in Montville, Conn.
Bruce Miller is an avid collector of small antiques. His collection has grown so large that recently he had to obtain a larger truck to get back and forth to shows. From Raymond, N.H., he was offering enough to fill the tables in a 20-by-10-foot tent. His collection included early lighting fueled by whale oil, rush and candles, as well as wooden measures and firkins, many with original advertising, and many early household tools for kitchen and sewing.
May’s Antiques Market opened with a tremendous effort put forward by the exhibiting dealers, who had a mere 20 minutes to erect their tents prior to the opening and then start setting up merchandise at 9 am sharp.
The push is worth it, however, as the field was usually strong for sales. For example, the cupboard sold above by a West Springfield, Mass., dealer was on display for only a moment, never making it off its trailer before it was spoken for, and then immediately covered.
Sandy Doig, Somers, Conn., was showing furniture that had not previously been offered and was selling well. A very delicate candlestand in excellent condition was offered at $750 and it did not last long in his inventory. Across the aisle, Mike Boyer was showing great folky pieces including a whirligig. He said it was Mennonite, originally from near his Campbelltown, Penn., home, but found in Ohio. Auctioneer Josh Steenburgh, Pike, N.H., has been exhibiting at a small selection of shows, including May’s. Here, he was offering early furniture and folk art.
Friday started even earlier with the original Brimfield show, J&J Promotions, which opened at 8 am, although this year’s opening time has been two hours later than the traditional 6 am opening. With about 200 exhibitors on the field, the gates had long lines waiting for entry, according to Judy Reed Mathieu, co-owner of the field.
At the front for many years has been Nipper’s Choice, Keene, N.H. Ken Woodbury’s exhibit and traveling showroom of early Edison phonographs has been his primary business for many years. He sells them in excellent condition, and during shows like Brimfield, one can hear the sweet melodies emanating from his booth.
Also near the front is Bob Baranowsky, Rockfall, Conn., who was offering a large collection of everything for the home: furniture, accessories, folk art and fine art. Pete Lukesh, husband to one of the J’s of J&J, Jill Reed Lukesh, was exhibiting his collection. Pete has a specialty in very early glass, most of it from the Eighteenth Century, along with complementary furniture.
With more smalls than even he can count, Neal Blodgett, Higganum (Conn.) House Antiques, was rushing to finish for the morning opening. One wall was devoted to patriotic folk art, and there were more than 20 showcases of interesting early antiques.
Bunny Gorfinkle, Bunny’s Place, has been at J&J for so long she has a front row space for her collection, which includes great sewing tools and equipment, most of it from a time long before sewing machines.
After the early morning rush at J&J, several other fields were also continuing their weeklong activity. Mahogany Ridge is the eastern-most field, right on the first corner of the markets, with dealers filling the front, back and side yards of the house. Sturtevant’s and Shelton’s are the next fields, with more depth in their backyards to accommodate exhibitors all week long.
The final show in the Brimfield trilogy will be September 7‱2, immediately following Labor Day weekend. For information, www.brimfieldshow.com or call the local Chamber of Commerce at 413-283-2418. For a video slide show of Brimfield photographs,
