Date: Fri 21-May-1999

Publication: Ant

Author: LAURAB

Quick Words:

Wendy-Armory-Beach

Full Text:

New York Armory Antiques Show

(with cuts)

By Laura Beach

NEW YORK CITY -- Firmly planted in the heart of 10021, one of the world's most

coveted zip codes, the New York Armory Shows are a window on life on upper

Park Avenue. One of the idle pleasures of walking through this fair is

imagining its 100 room setting booths lofted high above the city, in the

skyscrapers and townhouses where much of this merchandise ultimately ends up.

Another pastime is people watching. The Architectural Digest set scours this

venue, and not just in the opening hours of the show. On the day after the

last Armory Show opened on April 28, the decorator Kitty Hawk was busy

learning a thing or two about fun, 1940s painted metal floral ornament from

Lou Marotta, an artful New York City dealer who designer Victoria Hagen

recently named as her favorite source.

To these hardworking professionals, the New York Armory Antiques shows provide

reliable product, whether it be well-trained eyes, imaginative flair or

practical decor like dining tables and dinner services.

Deluxe Dining

Of course, the ultimate Manhattan status symbol is a mahogany dining table

long enough to feed dozens of friends and cousins at Thanksgiving. First stop

for anyone in the market for such an item is Good & Hutchinson Associates. The

Sheffield, Mass. dealers featured an English three-pedestal dining table with

two leaves, 44« wide by 13 feet long, for $12,500. A second table was ten feet

long. Covering the tables and sideboards in the spacious display were loo

chips and Chinese Export porcelain, both Good & Hutchinson trademarks.

An even larger table was for sale by Michael Kessler, who maintains a 5,000

square foot showroom in Stamford, Conn. His five-pedestal, 20-foot expanse of

mahogany dated to 1910, had four leaves and was $32,500. "I do all the New

York Armory Antiques Shows," Kessler said. "A sale generally starts with lots

of photos and measurements. The show gets busy over the weekend."

When combined in a room, several center or breakfast tables can provide ample

seating, plus flexibility. Woldman & Woldman demonstrated the advantages of

the arrangement by pairing two complementary tables. The Alexandria, Va.

dealers also retailed a New York Classical lift-top writing desk attributed to

Duncan Phyfe or Michael Allison, circa 1820.

Several other fine Classical dealers regularly participate in the New York

Armory Antiques Shows. Enhanced by a collection of early Twentieth Century

American landscape paintings, Artemis Gallery of South Salem, N.Y. showed a

New York City pier table with a marble top and elegant marble supports dated

to circa 1820, $13,500.

One of the rarest pieces on the floor was a New York center table in the

Restoration taste, featured by Charles and Rebekah Clark. The Woodbury, Conn.

dealers were asking $14,500 for the curvaceous item that supported a selection

of Parian figures. Also on offer was a New York City pier table of 1825,

$17,500.

A sumptuous Regency mantel clock was for sale at John and Patricia Snead,

McLean, Va. The oversized timepiece with bronze and gilt mounts was made by

Peter des Grange of London, circa 1825. "It is in tremendously original

condition," noted John Snead. "It could have been made for either a private

home or a gentlemen's club."

A Neat Dish

Of course, crates of silver, crystal, porcelain and pottery are needed to

dress all the table tops on the floor of the Armory at any one time. The Spare

Room of Baltimore, Md., provided part of the solution in the form of "Japan"

pattern orange and blue dinnerwares by Hicks & Meigh, Davenport and others. G.

Evans of Lambertville, N.J. expanded the range with a partial service of

French Limoge. The prettily painted dinner and dessert plates were $4,800.

Jeffrey Purtell's extensive range of Steuben glass contained a rare set of

Strawberry Mansion tableware made between 1930 and 1940. The delicate glass

had copperwheel-etched and impressed decorations. Less traditional was "Salmon

Run," an art glass sculpture by James Houston.

Mirrors are hot, judging by the number shown. They were displayed in groups

for visual impact. "We've always had luck selling them here," noted Harry

Weaver of the firm G. Evans. The company featured a Louis XVI giltwood mirror

of circa 1780, $22,000.

Henry and Nancy Fender of Glen Cove, N.Y. covered their walls with mirrors in

lustrous gilt frames. A William IV gilt overmantel mirror of circa 1830 was

$9,600.

Summer Fun

The last New York Armory Antiques Show signals a return to home and garden for

many of the exhibitors, who are on the road from September to May. For Jim

Gallagher and Ruth Zager, summer means rolled sleeves and hours spent in the

garden. Perhaps with the months ahead in mind, the North Norwich, N.Y. dealers

featured a charming English picnic hamper with a portable tea kettle and

burner, and jars for butter and preserves; spring-steel garden chairs; and

cast iron garden bunnies.

The lushest of garden settings was concocted by DHS Designs. The Annapolis,

Md. dealers put together a pair of French enamel-over-iron urns dating to the

Eighteenth Century, $22,000; mirrored-panel French doors in original green

paint, $1,800; and French Aubusson Chinoiserie cartoon figures of circa 1830,

$8,500.

Flights Of Fancy

The ultimate bridal assortment was arrayed at Ellagem, Inc., a New York City

dealer who paired up with the Italian firm Papadato Antichita to show fans,

lace and antique jewelry dating from the Eighteenth Century.

Deals On Wheels

Some exhibitors work hard to pass along savings to their customers. This can

mean some excellent buys, even on the floors of a very upscale market. Didier

Lorence of St Tropez, France and New York City tempted shoppers with a pair of

circa 1900 wrought iron French baker's racks, $4,800, and a late Nineteenth

Century Empire girdon with its original marble top, $1,450.

After the close of the New York Amrory Antiques Show, many exhibitors were

reappearing at the White Plains Antiques Show on May 7. Wendy Management

returns to the Seventh Regiment Armory on September 29.