Pierce Archer II Antiques, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.

Ribbehege & Azevedo, Toronto, Ontario.

With an optimistic name and premise, this First Annual Locust Valley Antiques Show, October 22-24, showed promise as an active market for antiques, art and high-end collectables. This new show at the Chelsea Manor Mansion on the Muttontown Preserve replaces the former Long Island Antiques Show in the similar area and time of year. The mansion as a setting for the event was a touch of elegance for 28 dealers in room setting offering a very high grade of antiques from early America, Europe, the Orient and Asia. There was even a dealer of early sporting goods.

Sponsored by the Locust Valley Chamber of Commerce as a fundraising activity, this year money went toward the restoration of Locust Valley Park. The chamber has many members actively participating in the show’s successful operation in addition to the professional show manager Sam Halpern and its current president, antiques dealer Roland Cotter-Krobeth.

Halpern was candid in his remarks after the show when he said attendance could have been better but both he and various dealers were looking forward to working together at the show next year. It was felt the show had good first time results in an area that appreciates the broad selection and high quality of the antiques offered.

Dealers to the show included David Beauchamp from Hancock, N.H., who brought a large selection of Nineteenth Century furniture, all in excellent condition. David does his own restoration when necessary, using period hardware or reproductions and original finishes on a wide variety of mostly American furniture.

Toronto Canada dealer Sharon McLean brought a large selection of furniture and accessories and in a postshow interview she said her sales were very good. Among the antiques she sold were a pair of armchairs, a wine tasting table and various small objects.

A&M Raphael principles brought their inventory of Old Sheffield Plate silver from their London home to this show. They had a booth filled with only that material and a small selection of paintings and prints. Another dealer with mostly English antiques was Pierce Archer II, carrying Staffordshire figurines and boscages. He did not have to travel nearly as far, however, as his home is Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, N.Y.

Gary Holt brought his collection from Missoula, Mont. His taste and style is primarily Nineteenth Century painted furniture, often in slightly faded colors. The center of his exhibit in Locust Valley was a 150-year-old kitchen step back cupboard in pale green paint. T.J. Antorino is a local resident with a national reputation for great quality and variety in his collection. Here he did well, selling to past customers who came to the show looking for his freshest inventory.

There were numerous dealers from Canada for show manager Sam Halpern is an ex-New Yorker now residing in Toronto, managing and promoting about a dozen antiques shows there. Fred Loucks, St Catherines, was there with an extensive collection of early silver. Ribbehege & Azevedo came from Toronto and Elleke Claassen van Steen from Greenwood, all in Ontario.

In recruiting for this show Sam also brought Black Sheep from Highpoint, N.C., which is the business name for David and Susan Byerly. Their collection is very English and generally late Georgian, Regency and early Victorian. Michael Caden was in from Cody, Wyo., with rare photos and art. John Orban, Cadiz, Ohio, does a big business in clocks, Black Forest carvings and art, and Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century furniture. His favorite piece at this show was a clock attributed to Englishman James Smith, circa 1770 with small moving figures just above the face and priced at $45,000.

Soheil Sasanian and his wife Farah are dealers in fine quality antique Persian rugs. Soheil came to America about 30 years ago and established himself in the business trading with other dealers at first, then eventually to the public in a few shops. He and his wife, residents of nearby Rosslyn, do some New York area shows now with a large collection of very fine early Persian rugs, often museum-grade quality.

Henry and Nancy Fender, Glen Cove, N.Y., were there with several of their signature pieces, girandole mirrors (also known as eyeball or parabolic mirrors) as well as some early hardwood furniture. Glen Cove resident Sally Orent had an English study as her room setting, complete with leather covered wing chair and ottoman, tall secretary desk and more. Even her chess set seemed to be period. Anita Taub was there from home in New York City with the latest in her sterling silver collection. Akin Lighting was from Boston with early candlesticks and candle lanterns. Fine art dealer Jeselyn James is formerly from New York, but now makes her home in Paris.

And Julie Harris is from Kansas City, Mo., with her specialty, sporting goods. Among the sales she had were a collection of women’s competition swim suits from the 1920s, baseball equipment, boxing gloves and more, all from before 1935.

The show is already set for next year and Sam Halpern, S&A Events, expects to slowly add more dealers over the next few years. He said the plan will again be the third weekend of October and the Chamber of Commerce will set it at the Muttontown Preserve Mansion. For information, 888-498-8613.