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Howdy Folks!
Deadline is fast approaching and I can feel the hot breath from my editor on the back of my neck, even though she is miles and miles away. But that's ok, because writing this monthly diatribe has become fun for me. I get to make notes to myself all through the month - nowadays, often in the computer - of things I want to tell you, stuff I hope you'd like to know or would just enjoy reading about. In fact, I often do things just to be able to write to you about them.
Frankly this report often assists me in gaining entry, just because I will tell you about the event, place or activity! This year I will be at the British Museum, The London Museum, the reopening of the American History Museum- Bering Center (aka Smithsonian History and Tech) in Washington, D.C., and a whole lot more. Life is good.
But first let's look at the shows. Now while my December trip to the U.K. was for shows, first, let me report on the shows that took place here.
The first show in the report was the last show of the year, the Richmond, Virginia Spectacular, December 29-30. Again The Showplace on the east side of the Virginia capitol city was filled with antiques and their dealer owners all hoping for good sales to another big crowd. For most their hopes were fulfilled, as is usual for the Spectacular. Richmond has a faithful crowd of antiques collectors, people who come to the show often without a preconceived notion of what they are looking for. They come, find something they love, and then they figure out how to buy it, pay for it, and where or how to use it.
In one case, a couple found a work bench, probably used by a cobbler or harness maker in the early nineteenth century and just had to have it. When they bought the piece, they were still discussing which house it would go to, the 'in-town' home, or the vacation place. The point here is they are like the buyers we all need and love; they find some antique and want to add it to their collection for it adds to their home, and what they perceive as the atmosphere of their home and life style.
Works for me!
If you wish to join the Spectacular, contact Louise Jesse at 804-462-6190. The next event dates are March 29-30 and November 22-23 (note: in some calendars the November date is incorrect; this is the correct date).
From Richmond it was off to the New Year's Holiday in East Hampton, New York with my adult children and grandchildren for a couple days. Happy New Year, by the way.
January 5-6 we were at Mystic, Connecticut where Trish McElroy was producing a show, new for her at the Hilton Hotel. With 50 dealers in two function rooms and the foyer, she had a full house. Customers at the Saturday morning opening included many dealers from southeastern New England who came both in curiosity and to buy, if there was anything they liked. There were also many regular folks too, also ready to buy.
The weekend has been an antique show weekend in New England for generations, and there has been a Mystic show at the Hilton for more than 20 years. The first was started by Sally VanDenBossche who managed it for several years, together with a few others in that area. She sold her show business about 1990, continuing as Ashaway Antiques to this day, exhibiting at this most recent Mystic show. The new buyers sold several years ago, and the last show promoters let it go. As such, Trish only had to contract with the Hilton for this event, and it worked.
The visitors were there to do some good buying as most dealers did OK. Sally, who set up with her son, Kris, had a good variety of sales, furniture, and smalls. Newcomers Renee and Terry Cormier had a very good time selling great folk art during the show, and a few days later to people who saw some objects at the show. One really great piece of their folk art was a self supported barber pole in very good early paint.
Look for Trish to start a few more shows in Southern New England this year. Her philosophy or market plan is to have several short events, low dealer rents and admissions, combined with very high quality antiques. Of course, she can be expected to have this show again next year too.
The following weekend was a run to Washington, D.C and northern Virginia to visit a couple of events, but not set up. We will be doing a little more of that this year, visiting but not setting up, as there are only so many shows I can do!
The first was the important Washington Antiques Show, now for the 53rd year at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. Produced by Thrift Shop Charities in cooperation with the Antiques Council, the show had over 50 dealers exhibiting some of the finest antiques to be offered in that city for the year. According to Hannah Cox, Chairwoman of the Trustees for Thrift Shop Charities, the show raised about $250,000 for the work their organization supports; several groups supporting children and families.
Dealers to the show were very pleased to have been there as they were successful in their sales. Running Battle, formerly from Mill Brook, New York and now in Maine, had good sales of valuable small antiques. Gary Young, Centreville, Maryland, sold several pieces of furniture including a very unusual round table that had leaves to nearly double its size and remain round. Fletcher/Copenhaver Fine Art was selling so many pieces they had to plan another trip to France to buy more in the coming spring.
After 53 years at the Shoreham, next year the show will be moving to the Katzen Center at American University, where services for the visitors will be much more convenient, and the site easier to find. Dealers were shown the facilities during this year's show, and they generally had high praise for the new space. As the show is primarily volunteer managed, go to the website for details: www.washingtonantiques.org.
On the day following, we visited D'Amore Promotions D.C. Big Flea Antiques and Collectibles Market at Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, Virginia. This January 12-13, 2008 marked the tenth anniversary for the show, with excellent results for most of the dealers. Dulles Expo Center is two very large buildings, formerly discount retail stores which now are used for really big shows. Not too many shows can fill both buildings, but the D.C. Flea had more than 2,500 measured booths, and was sold out.
Sales were a mixture of merchandise; antiques, decorator materials too late to be antique, and collectibles with some age. For example, Buck and Barb's Oak Cupboard, Cape May, New Jersey was selling late nineteenth century oak furniture; Arthur Tarbell had a collection of Colonial and Federal furniture, although his best sales were in Native American artifacts and jewelry, most made in the first quarter of the twentieth century for the tourist trade; early Staffordshire dishes were selling very well for Mike Biggers of Cary, North Carolina, and Alexandria, Virginia dealer Mary Finnegan was selling all kinds of furniture, covering the last 300 years.
The last of the shows for this month's report are three of the New York Americana Week events: Stella's Gramercy Park Armory, Barry Cohen's Antiques Manhattan, and The American Antiques Show.
WOW! What a great triple play.
These shows are produced by promoters who are conscious of the need to be working on the same field, the same playground. While they do not make joint ads, they do seem to like one another and create an atmosphere which feels like these shows are each at their maximum capacity, which they were, and selling great antiques. All together there were only about 200 exhibiting dealers in close proximity. Antiques Manhattan, produced by Barry Cohen, b4rtime, was next door to the Folk Art Museum's American Antiques Show (TAAS) on 18th Street in Manhattan. Stella's show at the 69th Regiment Armory was at 25th Street and Lexington, even on a cold winter day a ten minute walk.
Dealers at all three shows were thrilled with their results, great sales in folk art, furniture, household accessories and more. Perkins and Menson were in Antiques Manhattan with most of their case pieces, furniture that was sold by Sunday morning. Richard Heanue of Wilcox & Wells sold so well the first day he was restocking Saturday morning, and did the same thing again for Sunday morning. There were empty spaces and empty hooks all over TAAS as well.
We also had some reports of the Sotheby's sale Saturday which appears to have been good, but we will be getting more on that after the printing of this month's edition of Northeast: we'll try to remember to include it next month. Ditto on the world famous Winter Show in New York; we'll arrive there Tuesday or Wednesday this coming week.
Antiquing in the U.K., December 2007 Edition
As indicated previously, this past December we traveled to England for another round of antiques hunting. The first stops, since we arrived on a Wednesday, were shops in the Midlands and Peak District. Now until this most recent trip, this novice would have simply said, the central and northern parts of England.
Driving around the first day was to shops in several towns including St. Albans, Hitchin and eventually the Corby-Kettering Holiday Inn. The second day, Friday, was more of the same, eventually arriving at the Buckingham Hotel in Buxton. The point of this destination was a show Saturday morning in the Pavilion Gardens of that town. The show had about 50 dealers in the typical English fashion, small spaces, about five by six feet, and most antiques fitting on the tables. Here we began spending serious money for the small valuable antiques such as silver, tea caddies, early brass candlesticks, etc. We also learned of a new multi-dealer shop in Bakewell, Rutland Antiques, which was opening for its first weekend the following day.
Buxton is a big town or small city, with a lot going on there including a variety of small shops. Maggie May's was good for some more spending. From there we were off to Bakewell and the Rutland Antiques Center. It had been open for a few days upon our arrival but that Saturday, December 1 was a big shopping day in the little town with a lot going on. There was a real calliope in the center of town playing its happy tunes and selling the CD's (I bought three - listen for them at upcoming shows). There was time at several shops in the village and then in Rutland proper. The signage was so bad that we actually walked by it first, then came back and found it. This can be a problem in the U.K. as it is very old, and in many cases, streets and alleys are very narrow and you can miss something. It was good not to miss this one, though, because there were about a dozen items which became ours from just this stop.
Saturday night accommodations were at Buckingham's in Chesterfield, no connection to the Buckingham Hotel of the prior night. This is a small hotel, just 10 hotel rooms, but the food was outstanding. The owner, named Buckingham, is a chef who asked what we wanted for supper. Salmon was my choice, and Chef Buckingham did something with it that was melt in your mouth good.
Sunday entailed more driving, this time toward Newark, which offered shows that sort of tailgated the two big events, Swinderby Antiques Fair and dmg's Newark International Antiques and Collectors Fair. One such Newark show is in the Magnus Sports Centre, Bowbridge Road. Held each Sunday prior to the two big fairs, there were about 50 dealers selling small antiques. It was a good place to buy.
Monday through Thursday was the usual week of all the things at the two big ones, with some other shopping included. Lincoln is a town about 20 miles east of Newark which was an afternoon visit, with some tough driving - the streets are very narrow, and very steep. Once you find a place to park, it's best to leave the car and do a lot of walking. One shop in particular was the Old Curiosity Shop, across from a church courtyard, where a carnival was being set up for the Christmas Days in Lincoln. This shop was a place where the guy had more stuff than even he knew about! And a few less things after we left him with some cash.
Friday was the drive to Heathrow Airport, to return the rental car and get a cab into London. No time for shopping - the plan was to just get there, since we would be in London for nine days.
In London, there is some sort of antiques market every day of the week, and a show somewhere just about every weekend. The itinerary for this trip was to be at Portobello Road early Saturday morning, and that was accomplished arriving about seven in the morning. On that particular Saturday, the weather was not great - light rain in the December air meant running in and out of the buildings, lots of covered goods on the street, and slightly reduced crowds.
Sunday was a show at the Park Lane Hotel with an open air market at Chelsea Town Hall, but sadly, this reporter was down for the count with the flu, so it was sleep in, soup and liquids for the day.
By going online we found some antiques market every day of the week, some were fleas, some gems, but all were interesting. When they were not located in a place where we wanted to spend a lot of time, it was off to the museums, including on this trip, The British, Victoria & Albert, and the British Tate.
This report was going to include some tips and experiences for the travelers, but there is still some other news to report, and the next trip to the U.K. is a couple of months away so we will get it into a later report.
Donald R. Coffman
Donald R. Coffman died in his home on Saturday January 19, 2008. Don was born in Swiftwater, Pennsylvania, on October 9, 1937, and is the son of Alta M. Coffman and the late Francis R. Coffman.
He earned his B.S. in Business Education at Bloomsburg State College, in
Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, and a M.S. in Education at Syracuse University.
He began his teaching career at Morris Hills Regional High School, Rockaway, New Jersey, in 1958, and quickly advanced into supervisory positions during his 30 years in education in Hunterdon County. During those years, he served as President of the New Jersey Business Education Association and President of the Association of Adult Education of New Jersey. He also served six years on the Clinton Township Board of Education.
In 1988, Don and his wife Joyce retired and moved to Massachusetts where they purchased and ran the Red Bird Inn in New Marlborough for 12 years. They also opened an antique market at the Buggy Whip Factory in Southfield which they expanded to over 100 dealers at the Jennifer House Commons in Great Barrington, until they closed in the summer of 2007. He served on the Executive Board of the Berkshire County Antique and Art Dealers Association.
While living in New Jersey, Don and Joyce began managing antique shows, beginning with the "Antiques at Christmas" in Lebanon, New Jersey, which benefited ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). This show ran for 25 years. Don and Joyce managed as many as 22 shows a year in the New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania area, all for charity, before turning the management of the remaining shows over to their son and daughter-in-law.
In addition to Don's mother, Alta, of Cresco, Pennsylvania, and Joyce, his wife of 47years, he is also survived by three children and three grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests all donations and gifts be made to the Hospice Care in the Berkshires, in care of the Roche Funeral Home, 120 Main Street, Lenox, Massachusetts 01240.
Last June, knowing his illness was terminal, Don granted an interview for a story which was on the front page of the July issue of Northeast Journal.
During the visit with my friend, I got to like him even more, a man of sterling character, with good judgment and great empathy for all he encountered - this in spite of living with pain for most of the last 30 years due to a variety of ailments. He did not complain, he just kept his family and his work out in front, dedicated to completing the task at hand whether it was selling something at the shop in Great Barrington, getting a porter for a dealer at one of his many shows or visiting with his family.
I am pleased to have had him as my friend, and there are many who will join me in missing him.
Happy trails, Don, and everyone else.
T.O'H.