WILTON IN THE SPRING

For nearly 30 years, the Wilton Historical Society Antiques Show has been in March. Everyone called it “The March Show” and it was a staple on the antiques calendar. Change is always difficult, but we have had to make a significant change in date to the end of April, and fit it around the Philadelphia shows, Easter and Passover.

Though we are not pleased about it, the current difficulty of using the Wilton High School Field House has forced us to change the date and to make it a one-day show, instead of two days as it has always been. Unfortunately, there is no other venue in Wilton, and so we must play the hand we’ve been dealt.

But let’s look on the bright side! If the show had been on its usual weekend, March 17 & 18, we would have been snowed out – again! We all remember several significant March Show weather events, such as the Blizzard of ’93! April 29 is sure to be a better day than March 17 was!

WILTON COLLECTORS WEEKEND

Though the show is open for only one day, we invite you to make a weekend visit to Wilton. The Society’s Board of Trustees is hosting a reception for dealers and collectors at the Museum on Saturday, April 28, from 5 to 8 pm.

Volunteers will present a hearty hors d’oeuvre buffet and wine and beer service, and visitors will have an opportunity to be the first to see the important toy exhibition, “Made in Connecticut: Toys for American Kids, 1850–2007.” The toys, mostly on loan from private collections and seldom seen, will illustrate the work of significant Connecticut makers, George Brown, Stevens & Brown, Ives & Blakeslee, J&E Stevens and Gong Bell. In addition, examples by Merriam, N.N. Hill, A.L. Gilbert and others will be included. One section of the exhibit will highlight toys made by companies in New England and New York that were popular in Connecticut in the Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries. The exhibition will not be open to the public on Sunday, so the early showing on opening week will be at the reception on Saturday evening.

Visitors may also tour the 14 period rooms (1740–1910), see the outstanding collection of Norwalk redware and stoneware; the permanent doll, dollhouse and toy collection; a major assemblage of more than 600 tools; even visit the blacksmith at work in his shop; and mingle with the dealers (perhaps they will clue you in on what you’ll see the next morning!) It will be an informal event and a pleasant thing to do after traveling to Wilton.

Guests may purchase their early buying tickets ($25) at the museum that night, expediting show entry the next morning. It will include a delicious spring brunch with quiche, fresh fruit salad, home made coffee breads and the usual beverages, made and served by volunteers.

The weekend package will also include hotel and restaurant discounts. For reservations, call Marilyn Gould at the museum, 203-762-7257.

The quality of the show will be exemplary, the diversity of dealers will be interesting and the presentation just as good as multi-day shows.

Join us in Wilton for a lovely spring Sunday show!

                                                                                                             Marilyn