Ron Lotz’s Antiques, Inc., St. Louis, Mo.

Big Beaver Antiques, Traverse City, Mich.

Randall Hopkins Antiques, Madison, Wis.

By Susan and Al Bagdade

WINNETKA, ILL. – Now in its fourth year, the Winnetka Woman’s Club Antiques Shows held at the main Clubhouse and across the street in Christ Church Hall has become firmly established on the Chicagoland antiques show calendar on the first weekend in March. Initial friction between this show and the more established Winnetka Community House Antiques Show held on the same dates and separated by only several blocks has lessened, since they are really two independent events showcasing different exhibitors.

This year’s luncheon/lecture kickoff featured Susan and Al Bagdade, authors and HGTV personalities, doing appraisals and a lecture on “Antique French Pottery.” Honorary show chairman Leslie Hindman, host of At the Auction and The Appraisal Fair on HGTV, attended the preview walk-through that included a catered “picnic” along with early buying privileges during the dealers unpacking and setup. Attendance was excellent at these two events.

Dealers were quite worried when a late Friday and Saturday snowstorm hit the area with heavy snow; however, most of the antiquers were not dissuaded from checking out what was for sale. Forty-one dealers were divided between the two buildings. For the most part, exhibitors were pleased with their sales.

At Treasure Chest from nearby Highland Park, owner Judy Rosenbloom summed up her sales in two words: “diamond earrings.” For some reason, diamond earrings were exceptionally popular this year, and she sold quite a few pairs. She also sold chunky antique gold suit pins, some with bloodstones. Platinum and diamond pendants were also selling well.

Joseph Hayes Antiques from Columbus, Ohio, was pleased to sell some nice pieces to both old and new customers. Sales included a tall-case clock, a blanket chest, some paintings, and a good Biedermeier armchair.

In addition to selling a ton of smalls, Legacy Antiques from Clarkston, Mich., sold paintings and a large French mirror. Martyn Hessey reported selling less garden and architectural pieces than he did last year. Nevertheless, he did have a strong showing.

C.L. Nelson from Spring Park, Minn., specializes in excellent quality English ceramics. They sold very well in all areas including one of their specialties, Gaudy Welsh.

Mary Beth Schmalz of Cherrywood Antiques from Madison, Wis., reported “a great show despite the weather.” Major sales included a cherry corner cupboard, a Sheraton cherry chest of drawers, an 1840s cherry drop leaf table, prints, iron pieces and wooden boxes. She was also featuring a wonderful selection of brass skimmers.

Although American Spirit Antiques from Shwanee Mission, Kan., had a good show revenue wise, he was selling paintings and smalls, not furniture. Drawing a lot of attention was a circa 1760-80 Chippendale tiger maple slant lid desk in a small size from Rhode Island or southeastern Connecticut. It had dovetailed top and sides open to molded stepped interior, two center drawers, three valanced compartments over two short drawers and one large drawer. A dovetailed bracket base and secondary woods of chestnut and pine completed this piece, which was tagged $17,500.

Halsey Munson Americana from Decatur, Ill., reported really good attendance on Friday and a lot of interest. His Sunday was exceptionally active, too, resulting in excellent sales that “surprised” him. Sales included a 1720 Wethersfield side chair, a peafowl painting, a cherry stand with button foot, an English early Eighteenth Century tavern table with a turned base, and smalls.

American Eagle Antiques from Harrison Township, Mich., was very pleased with strong sales. Bim Byers reported selling a George III leather bench, a George III kneehole desk, a listed oil painting, needlepoint wall hangings, a selection of porce-lains, large, carved Italian gilt shelves and an English Regency child’s highchair. These dealers were pleased that they had a lot of interest from interior decorators who both bought for clients and came with clients.

Furniture dealers Neil Zuehlke Antiques and Lake Shore Antiques from Milwaukee, Wisc., reported “a fabulous show all around.” Sales included a Federal lady’s tambour writing desk, several landscapes, six work tables with one and two drawers, a Pennsylvania tiger maple candlestand, several country Hepplewhite pieces, a Nineteenth Century English mahogany Chippendale period dining table, and some Victorian framed textiles. Neil and Ralph related that they got “a lot of comments that the show complements the Community House nicely.”

Heritage Collections, Inc from Fort Atkinson, Wisc., had a strong show this year. Lorraine Millette said she “sold a boat load of Art Deco Quimper” as a result of the French pottery lecture on Quimper. Other pieces of Quimper also sold along with doll furniture and textile printing blocks. At the entrance to this booth was a circa 1860 Champagne region country French wine table with lyre shaped stretcher and mortised and pegged trestle oak base with a fruitwood top tagged $2,800.

From St Louis, Lotz’s Antiques, Inc saw some return customers at this show. Sales included a tall-case clock, a wall clock and two mantel clocks. Ron told us he usually gets a lot of follow-ups from this show.

There was always a crowd in the booth of Cothren House Antiques from Lanark, Ill. Richard Peterson and Frank Colson, Jr, had a long list of sales to report. Going to new homes were a New England Sheraton Pembroke table, a Massachusetts figured birch, scrub top drop leaf dining table, a small trestle table, a Nineteenth Century redware jug, a hooked rug with a wishing well and fruit pattern, a pillowback armchair, a Nineteenth Century portrait with a period frame, two very good blown glass fish bowls, a chicken push toy, a Nineteenth Century chalk kitty form, Sheffield knives, plus lots of very nice other smalls. They also had a hold on a great cupboard. “This show gets better for us each year,” they concluded.

Marcia Petrella from Birmingham, Mich., was pleased to sell a blanket chest, two large tables, and paintings. Another booth that was constantly mobbed was Prairie House Antiques from Wheaton, Ill. When we saw Diane Eyre a week later at another show, she reported that when they counted up their sales from Winnetka, they had sold 336 pieces of silver.

From nearby Northfield, Circa Antiques, Ltd was selling a lot of jewelry, brass picture frames, blue and white porcelains, wooden boxes, Bakelite, and silver. Stephen Reid Antiques from DeKalb, Ill., was pleased to see paintings of the Norwegian fjords, botanical prints, a New York mahogany server and an 1820s New England Sheraton chest.

Show manager Judith Anderson was happy to report that almost all of the antiques dealers were pleased with both attendance and sales at this year’s event. Each year improvements are made to the show, and the Woman’s Club should be pleased with their results.