Date: Fri 28-May-1999

Publication: Ant

Author: JUDIR

Quick Words:

Montgomery-Haynes

Full Text:

Montgomery County Antiques Show New Location

(with 34 cuts)

By Joyce Haynes

VALLEY FORGE, PENN. -- How many antiques organizations can claim a history of

95 previous shows? One such group is the Montgomery County Antiques Dealers

Association of Pennsylvania, an association of local dealers who for the last

42 years have hosted a show twice a year. This year's event was a new venture

for the group, with a new location and an expanded group of exhibitors. It

took place on the weekend of May 1-2.

In the past, the show was mostly a "table top" event, with approximately 45

exhibitors. For many years the event took place in the Sunnybrook Ballroom in

Pottstown, a place most older residents remember fondly as the setting for

many dances, and where high school proms are still held. The show was losing

luster, and began to look repetitious. Looking for a change of venue, it was

moved to Mercy College for two years. This location was lost when the college

decided to expand some of its buildings.

The show committee, headed by Craig Smith and Dick Schafer, decided to look

for a location where the show could be expanded and improved. According to

Smith, they were looking for three things in a new location: accessibility for

the public, easy loading for the dealers, and a facility that could

accommodate varying numbers of the dealers, allowing for the show to grow if

necessary. Such a facility was founded in the Valley Forge Convention Center,

a large hotel and convention complex at the crossroads of several major

interstates, and not far from the King of Prussia Mall outside Philadelphia.

The committee actively looked for out-of-state "guests," dealers not in the

organization who could set up a room setting, with furniture and other

appropriate accessories. The goal was to expand and upgrade the show, and in

the process they changed the dates from the middle of the week to a weekend.

The result of all this hard work was a beautifully laid out show with 77

exhibitors in 76 booths, one booth was shared by two exhibitors. The program

proudly stated "Select Dealers in Distinctive Room Settings." There were

several dealers who only have smalls who did not create room settings, yet

still made the extra effort to have nicely displayed and well-lit exhibits.

Variety was a large factor in this fair. One visitor noted, "You could come to

this show and buy a vintage linen handkerchief for $2.50, or a Queen Anne

highboy for $20,000," And everything in between.

Sally Good of Lahaska had a booth filled with Pennsylvania furniture and

English ceramics. She had been president of the Montgomery County Antiques

Dealers Association until two years ago and chairman of the show from 1996-98.

She noted a renewed interest on the part of dealers from all over the country,

saying that the quality was immensely improved. She also stressed that the

show was run entirely by dealer-volunteers. "There is a kindness about the

show, and a gentle quality about the people who are part of the association,"

she said.

One of the most exciting pieces of furniture at the show was a New England

writing arm Windsor chair in the booth of Irvin and Dolores Boyd of Fort

Washington. The chair was a fanback armchair with a beautifully shaped crest

and slightly bowed spindles. Oftentimes writing arm chairs are awkward and

ungraceful; this one is just the opposite, retaining delicate proportions that

indicate a fine craftsman. The chair was available for $16,700.

Craig Smith, president of the association, who runs Temora Farms Antiques in

Newtown, Pennsylvania displayed a selection of Chinese Export porcelain, glass

and furniture. A Pennsylvania tilt-top birdcage table in mahogany, with no

restoration, had a one-board top, and was priced at $3,500.

Paul D. Phillips Co. of Bryn Mawr is a clock specialist, and showed everything

from American tall clocks to French mantel clocks. Of note was a Connecticut

tall clock with a cherry case with works similar to known examples by

Nathaniel Shipman of Norwich, Conn. The case was recognizable as Wethersfield,

circa 1800-1820. The clock was ticketed $9,250.

Other exhibitors with country furniture were Thomas and Julia Barringer of

Stockton, N.J., who displayed a dower chest of German origin found in

Lancaster County. It retained its original decoration, along with the owner's

name: Joseph Schweggfofer, and the date 1848. Ann and Pete Tyler of Eagleville

(about ten minutes from the show) showed a Pennsylvania hutch table, circa

1850, in old yellow paint for $3,600. Raccoon Creek Antiques of Bridgeport,

N.J., had a decorated New Jersey settee, circa 1840, priced at $3,850, with a

miniature version, circa 1870, priced $6,350, sitting on top of it.

Militia Hill Antiques of Lahaska exhibited a variety of needlework and

furniture, including a Sheraton four-drawer chest in bird's eye and tiger

maple and walnut, circa 1830, for $4,800. Richard Suydam, also of Lahaska, as

well as Bar Harbor, Me., in the summer, specializes in silver, along with

doorstops, iron banks, and country furniture. His student workbench with a

drawer in old yellow was the type you might have found in ship class many

years ago, and now would serve as a great kitchen table. It was priced at a

reasonable $825.

Gloria Greenwald of Lambertville, N.J., is known for her country look and

early surfaces. A bench table, circa 1850, was $4,250, and a pair of New

England Windsor sidechairs, circa 1810-20, was $900. An early game board was

set up for a game of checkers using miniature apples and pears as the playing

pieces. The board measured 32 by 23 inches and sold right away. "It was the

fruit that sold it," Greenwald commented.

Thurston Nichols of Breinigsville, Penn., had folk art and country furniture

in old surface, mostly of Pennsylvania origin. He featured a set of six-plank

seat chairs from the Snow Hill Nunnery of Franklin County, which sold. "I went

around the floor and counted 20 sets of chairs," he remarked. "My set was the

only one that sold, which was quite an accomplishment with all that

competition."

Several of the dealers were specialists in ceramics. Among these was Margaret

Johnson Sutor of nearby Flourtown. She has English pottery of the late

Eighteenth and early Nineteenth Centuries. A variety of pink luster jugs

ranged in price from $295-445. There was a wonderful collection of

hollow-based sheep dating from the early Nineteenth Century, and a good

variety of historical blue Staffordshire and Staffordshire figures.

Century House Antiques and Toys traveled to the show from Alfred, N.Y. They

specialize in children's china, as well as interesting early toys. Two cases

were filled with ABC plates and name mugs, and several shelves held the toys.

A Victorian toy country store diorama had a grain painted counter, and shelves

lined with all the accoutrements appropriate to its period. Caroline Edelman

of Royersford also has a fondness for children's items. She displayed dolls

and doll furniture, including a pair of Victorian metal folding park chairs.

She also displayed silhouettes, candle molds, stoneware crocks and other

country accessories.

Dennis K. Moyer is both an antiques dealer and an author. He had a booth

containing Pennsylvania country furniture and accessories, and each day of the

show he was available to sign copies of his new book, Fraktur Writings and

Folk Art Drawings of the Schwenkfelder Library Collection. Moyer, who hails

from Zionsville, Penn., had worked at the Library, which is in Pennsburg,

until two and one half years ago, and had become quite familiar with the

collection. It encompasses fraktur produced in Southeastern Pennsylvania by

the Schwenkfelder, a small religious denomination who had come to the area in

the 1730s from Silesia. The book covers the period between 1750-1850. There

are still five Schwenkfelder churches in the area.

Having an exhibitor/author available is the kind of thing that makes this show

special. The thought that went into producing a show of this quality was

evident from the response of the public as well as the exhibitors. Not

everyone had a good show -- it was a very mixed success, partly because the

gate wasn't what the committee had hoped for. "The weather was just too good,"

was Craig Smith's take on it. It was the first perfect weekend of the spring,

with no clouds, and a temperature of around 65-70 degrees. The committee could

not be faulted for lack of publicity, however. A detailed list was passed out

to all of the exhibitors itemizing the advertising for the show. The list was

extensive, including all local newspapers and radio stations, as well as trade

papers and several national magazines.

According to Smith, "the show was wounded and now it's on the mend. The

attitude of the dealers is it's a great show and might take a year or two to

get back on its feet. The quality of the dealers is up compared to former

shows, and everyone brought upscale and diverse merchandise." Those with good

sales were very pleased, while the others felt that the show has much

potential, which will surely be realized in the future through the enthusiasm

of the committee, the exhibitors and the public.