Americana…Front, Center & Forward Looking – Antiques and the Arts Online

“I feel like the serious Americana collectors are looking to the museum affiliated shows as their source among the more traditional fairs.” – Patrick Bell, Olde Hope

“Delaware is always a place where I feel good about the market and the future of collecting American antiques.”

– Frank Levy, Bernard & S. Dean Levy

WILMINGTON, DEL. – The Delaware Antiques Show, recently celebrating its 56th anniversary, has always been a destination for collectors and scholars of American furniture, folk art and fine art as well as English, European and Chinese export decorative arts that were a large part of the material culture of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century United States. The show, which is located less than 10 miles from Winterthur museum, library and garden, benefits the educational programming at that institution, which is arguably the epicenter of scholarship on American material culture.

Carol Cadou, Winterthur’s Charles F. Montgomery director and CEO, told Antiques and The Arts Weekly in an email, “Winterthur was thrilled by the energy and excitement surrounding this year’s Delaware Antiques Show. The show patrons were pleased by the high quality and relative affordability of the dealers’ offerings, and we saw a younger demographic turning out to visit with dealers and learn about American antiques. This bodes very well for the field and the future of collecting Americana.”

At a time when antique shows are dropping the word “antique” from their titles and broadening their date lines to offer “something for everyone,” the Delaware show has resolutely stuck to its roots yet continues to attract a crowd passionate for traditional – what some might call “serious” – furniture and small pieces geared to appeal to curators and collectors of every ilk and spending level.

One need not be academically minded in order to attend – or enjoy – the show, but for those that are, the show schedule includes lectures given by current or former Winterthur students as well as scholars in the field. These take the place of talks by decorators or tastemakers popular at other shows but nonetheless attracts large crowds who come to the show, pocketbooks at the ready, to peruse – and buy – things the 63 dealers bring to whet their collecting appetites.

“The Winterthur group is fabulous; no other show has that dynamic,” said Diana Bittel, the show’s manager. “While the entire market is changing and in flux, they have stuck to their guns and maintained their mission and integrity, which is amazing in this day and age when it has become more and more difficult to attract younger clients with the material we have always included in the longstanding shows.”

Alexandria, Va., dealer, Sumpter Priddy III had a lot of interest in a recently acquired – and not yet for sale – tray top tea table he thought was probably from Virginia, circa 1715-25. Priddy has recently moved and will spend upcoming months focused on finishing three books, one on “Mrs Jefferson’s Three Chairs,” one on Baroque Norfolk and the third on the iconography of back country Southern furniture. He reassured this reporter that he will still be dealing.

Formal furniture filled the booth of Bernard & S. Dean Levy, which enjoyed immediacy in the exhibition space leading from the show’s entrance to the larger main floor. “I thought the show went very well, and there were a lot of very established collectors and a lot of people looking to get started in the world of American decorative arts. Delaware is always a place where I feel good about the market and the future of collecting American antiques,” said Frank Levy, who said his big sale was the George C. Curtis Philadelphia Chippendale card table with carving by Bernard and Jugiez, circa 1760-65, which he had advertised in the show’s catalog and which sold on opening night. When Antiques and The Arts Weekly reached him after the show, Levy reported selling a sofa and a pair of chairs since the show closed, with additional interest that may see additional sales in the coming weeks.

“Delaware has always been an important venue for us,” commented Philip Bradley, who said the show went well, citing a tall chest with herringbone inlay attributed to Hugh Alexander of Chester County, a rare lowback Windsor chair branded by Thomas Gilpin and a labeled John Elliott mirror among his sales. Bradley’s wife, Lisa Minardi, shared the breaking news of a merger between the Speaker’s House and the Trappe Historical Society, which will be official as of January 1 and named “Historic Trappe,” of which she will be the executive director. Minardi said she is working on acquiring for Historic Trappe a silver teapot seen at the show that was made by Christian Wiltberger, the go-to silversmith for the Muhlenberg family.

Kelly Kinzle had been the source of media attention immediately prior to the show when he helped return – after nearly 50 years – a stolen Oerter Revolutionary War rifle to the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution. The FBI has started a campaign to assist in the return of other stolen antiques and artwork, and attorney Jay Robert Stiefel – who had helped Kinzle investigate the history of the weapon – was handing out buttons at the show that read “Be Like Kelly.” In an email to Antiques and The Arts Weekly afterwards, Kinzle said the show “was great. I sold a painted corner cupboard, child size dower chest, sterling silver fire horn, a pair of Queen Anne chairs…and even a tall case clock.”

James “Jim” Kilvington characterized the show as good. “I thought we had a really strong crowd. I sold well. I sold a lot of stuff, and I was pleased. I picked up one new client, from Maryland, the rest of the stuff I sold to existing clients.” Items that sold on opening night included a New England Queen Anne tavern table, a prospect of Philadelphia from New Jersey, a pair of mirrored candle boxes and a set of four Sheffield plated Neoclassical candlesticks.

Jamie Price of James L. Price Antiques reporting selling a tall case clock to a new client who was a descendant of the clockmaker, as well as a Chippendale dressing table and an Oriental rug to other new clients. A Jacob Eichholtz portrait was sold to an existing client, and sales were made to other dealers during setup. Another exhibitor who sold to new clients was AJ Warren of Maria & Peter Warren Antiques.

Back at the show after a few years off, Olde Hope sold on opening night a harvest table with provenance to Marguerite Riordan and Harry Hartman. Following up by email after the show closed, Patrick Bell said, “Ed (Hild) and I were pleased with the show, both in the quantity and quality of the attendees as well as sales. We made sales every day…and we had two calls after the show resulting in sales. We are discussing more items from the show with potential buyers, so the energy is still going. I feel like the serious Americana collectors are looking to the museum affiliated shows as their source among the more traditional fairs.”

Martyn Edgell said this edition was the “best yet” of the years he’s done the show, saying he sold all across the board, to both new and existing clients, with a client in Virginia buying “practically all the mocha ware we had. Echoing the sentiment was A Bird In Hand Antiques’ Joyce and Ron Bassin, who said “Last year, we had a great show; this year, we had a better show!” The Florham, N.J., dealers reported selling an outstanding Grenfell mat, an early painted box, a free-standing brass telescope, a sculptured tree, two sets of shore birds and a folk art snake, plus numerous smalls.

Grace and Elliott Snyder also thought this was their best Delaware show yet, making sales of both some of the best American and European material they had brought. Sales included an early slat-back armchair, an early yarn sewn rug on the American side, and a carved footwarmer and a Fifteenth Century candlestick on the European side, in addition to other things. “What was interesting was that we had more interest in New England country furniture and folk art than we’ve generally had at this show. It’s become a great show, a show that’s clearly on the upswing, that people are coming for from all over the country, not merely because of Delaware’s tax-free status, but really because it’s become the purest antiques show in the whole country. Winterthur does an incredible job,” Grace said after the show.

“Joan did the heavy lifting for us at the Delaware Show this year,” said Peter Eaton, who noted a lack of interest in case furniture. “She sold three portrait miniatures, a pair of portraits by an Ohio artist, a pair of portraits signed by a Philadelphia artist, a watercolor called ‘He Returns No More’ that had been in the Garbisch collection, a carved and decorated box made to look like an Eighteenth Century Chester County stone house, and a decorated footstool. I sold a Chippendale card table, a Sheraton card table, a Queen Anne lolling chair, a pair of mirrored sconces and a half dozen bottles.”

“People want visual” said Tom Jewett, describing what he and Charles “Butch” Berdan bring to the shows they do these days. Their booth had “visual” in spades, from colorful hooked rugs and folk paintings to a pale green cupboard and spectacular Maine folk counter with original polychrome paint and carved decoration. After the show closed, Jewett reported selling a paper cut elaborate valentine, a large sail cloth of a ship, another small decorated nautical sail cloth, an early ship weathervane, a carved architectural figure of a lady from Bath, Maine, a folky hooked rug of a horse with a bird and pots of flowers, many smalls and jewelry.

Philadelphia needleworks dealer Amy Finkel said it was, overall, a very good show for her. She sold the focal piece of her booth on opening night as well as several other samplers, including an 1821 Philadelphia sampler by Elizabeth Kline and a family group for four samplers from Burlington County, N.J., which included a pair of sister samplers, each dated 1784.

Another concentrated selection of needlework was to be found in the booth of Old Saybrook, Conn., dealers Stephen and Carol Huber, who said they save pieces for this show and had brought several things they had never shown before. Speaking after the show, Carol said Winterthur had acquired a watercolor and penmanship book by Ann Dearborn from the Mrs Saunders and Miss Beach’s School to add to its collection of embroideries from the same school. Other sales included a few miscellaneous samplers and a Pennsylvania Dutch sampler to Lisa Minardi.

“Attendees know they can find excellent examples of Americana and relics of our material culture at this Winterthur Museum sponsored show,” was Colette Donovan’s comment. “It was a good show for me. I enjoyed lots of interest and a very good show in sales of many unusual items.” The same sentiment was expressed by Hilary Nolan, who said he and Paulette had a good show, which is his favorite of the year, noting a “very sophisticated audience for early Americana.” They reported selling a set of Windsors late in the show and are already thinking about next year’s show.

The majority of formal furniture on the show floor is Eighteenth or very early Nineteenth Century, so the Classical furniture with debuting exhibitor Charles Clark provided not only a visual counterpoint but an opportunity to follow the development of styles. Clark sold a pair of Lenox family klismos chairs on opening night, as well as a pier table attributed to Anthony Quervelle and a hall lantern from a Salem, Mass., home to a collector from Philadelphia. A collector visiting from San Francisco acquired a set of 12 Classical tie backs, and a new collector purchased an engraving of Romulus after Jacques-Louis David. A collector from Baltimore came to the show – and bought! – after seeing a set of late Classical dining chairs attributed to Duncan Phyfe that Clark had posted on Instagram.

What do Classical furniture and garden statuary have in common? Barbara Israel, who is the only dealer at the show to carry almost exclusively garden ornaments sold a statue from an Instagram post as well. Israel, who was set up in the center of the floor, said she had a good show. “We created a woodland setting populated with various figural statues and lots of creatures.” Ball finials and French gates sold, while an alligator and turtle were sold to a buyer from Florida.

Another dealer who regularly makes good use of Instagram was John Chaski, who reported one small sale and several inquiries from his posts. He said he sold smalls and pictures all three days, mostly to new clients, but that furniture was “soft.” Chaski summed up the show succinctly, saying, “It gets a well-balanced crowd from casual observers to retail customers furnishing homes to the best collectors in the country.”

Mo Wajselfish of Leatherwood Antiques deals primarily in smalls and small furniture, bringing a varied mix of styles and periods to tempt every palate and pocketbook. “I was very busy and had more sales than last year,” he said when Antiques and The Arts Weekly spoke with him after the show, “though money-wise, it was not as good as it has been in previous years.” He noted that buyers seemed more cautious and that the majority of his sales were for items priced less than $1,000, many to new buyers.

Show manager Diana Bittel, who specializes in Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century nautical works, sailor’s woolies and valentines and marine watercolors in addition to Eighteenth Century American furniture, said the show was fine. Despite limited appreciation, she said she “sold the best Prisoner of War model I’ve ever had.”

“The Delaware Show is always a blast. The best Americana always shows up,” said Taylor Thistlethwaite, who had brought a modern Paul Evans cabinet to add some diversity to his booth. “This year, I sold a wonderful Eastern Virginia one drawer stand, along with a War of 1812 musket by Knipps of Philadelphia and an engraving of the Scotsman Peter Williamson dressed as a Delaware Indian. The Paul Evans Cabinet was one of the things most asked about in booth. I had old collectors express great interest and people who were new to collecting show lots of interest. The funny thing is how well it worked with all my period pieces. Let’s face it, great American design knows no limit on date!”

Arlie Sulka of Lillian Nassau had the same idea, bringing as booth dressing a black leather Midcentury Modern settee and Nakashima small table – neither of which were for sale – that looked amazing next to her characteristically dramatic selection of Tiffany lamps. Sulka was coming straight from TEFAF New York, where she had sold a Tiffany-designed iron fireplace from Laurelton Hall to an American institution. Elle Shushan had also exhibited in TEFAF New York and said she had a brief turnaround and quickly packed her American miniatures to bring to Delaware, which she does not take to TEFAF New York.

The show fields a few booths featuring fine art almost exclusively. John Schoonover is one such exhibitor, who said that though the response to his display was enthusiastic, he did not have the same level of sales he has enjoyed in previous years. He noted an overall lack of interest in his inventory from millennials and Gen Xers, regardless of price.

Stella Rubin was back at the show after a five-year sabbatical. The quilt and jewelry dealer reported “excellent” sales of jewelry, including pieces by Tiffany, Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels.

Despite arguably the showiest of jewelry, tiaras are imminently practical, as they can often be converted into necklaces or broken apart to make pins, or so said Damon Powell with James Robinson Inc, enjoying their first year at the show. Powell said that they had “a good show, and our sales were all to new clients. Everyone made us feel welcome and said they were glad to have us join the show. We look forward to participating next year.”

It may have been the first Delaware show for James Robinson Inc, but it was the last Delaware show – the last show period – for Bette and Melvyn Wolf, who have defined the pewter market since they began doing shows in 1975 but who went out with a bittersweet bang. “It was sorta sad knowing this would be our last antiques show. We will miss seeing the friends we have made during our long years of exhibiting and the dealers who have become our friends. Our show was very good, with over 60 pieces of pewter sold, besides two sets of copper measures and one set of brass measures. Had five empty boxes coming home. Even sold our red display cupboards after the show ended. We appreciated all the folks who came up to us to wish us farewell and their kind words.”

The 57th edition in 2020 will take place November 6-8, with a preview party on Thursday, November 5. For more information, www.winterthur.org/das.

Sales with Christopher T. Rebollo Antiques, Lahaska, Penn., included the pair of Chippendale side chairs with yellow seats, shown here in the front right. His show advertisement featured the Saint-Memin chalk portrait shown to the right of the secretary.

Bette & Melvyn Wolf Inc, Flint, Mich.

The big sale of the show for Bernard & S. Dean Levy Inc was the George C. Curtis Philadelphia Chippendale card table. It is shown on the plinth in the center right of this photograph and sold on opening night.

Miniature white pumpkins in a wall cupboard looked seasonally festive. Christopher H. Jones Early American Antiques, Folk and Fine Art, Alexandria, Va.

Front and center in the booth of Jim Kilvington was an early George II lowboy and an early Philadelphia side chair. The set of four Sheffield plated Neoclassical candlesticks on the shelf at left were sold early in the show. James M. Kilvington Inc, Greenville, Del.

Jim Kilvington with Winterthur Board member and Trustee Marjorie McGraw. James M. Kilvington Inc, Greenville, Del.

Bill Stahl perusing some of the offerings with Jonathan Trace, Portsmouth, N.H.

Leatherwood Antiques, Sandwich, Mass.

Sales with M. Finkel & Daughter included a 1768 sampler worked by Hannah Johnson of West Newbury, Essex County, Mass., shown here flanked by silver wall sconces, and the one directly above it, which had been worked in 1821 in Philadelphia by Elizabeth Kline. Philadelphia, Penn.

The blue beads of this Lakota Northern Plains pipe bag make it extremely desirable, as is the thunderbird pictorial decoration. Marcy Burns American Indian Arts LLC, New York City.

New Oxford, Penn., dealer Kelly Kinzle was hailed for his recent work identifying and returning a stolen Revolutionary War rifle by Pennsylvania gunsmith JC Oerter to the FBI which, in turn, returned it to its rightful owners, the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution. The FBI has started a campaign for others to “Be Like Kelly” and help return stolen goods. Kinzle’s attorney, J. Robert Stiefel had these buttons. #BeLikeKelly.

Lillian Nassau LLC, New York City.

Maria and Peter Warren had some great paintings in addition to their usual diverse offerings of ceramics. From left, “Lovell’s Pond” by J. Weston, a large still life attributed to the circle of Severin Roesen, and a still life with anemones by Edward Chalmers Leavitt (1842-1904). Monroe, Conn.

“Irresistibly Irish Decorative Arts from the Winterthur Collection” was the title of the loan exhibition and featured, among other things, a circa 1847-50 commemorative earthenware jug, a 1715-25 mezzotint of Sir John Percivale Baronet of Burton in County Cork, a certificate of the Hibernian Society of Philadelphia, a mahogany tray top tea table and an impressive 12-light silver chandelier made in Galway between 1730-42.

Rich and Gail Mellin have just published their first book, “Collecting Canton: In Pursuit of the Best,” and they had copies of it for sale. Mellin’s Antiques, Redding, Conn.

A pair of Dutch brass wall sconces flanks a ship painting while a late Eighteenth Century five-piece Delft garniture set sits atop an early Nineteenth Century paint-decorated chest made in South Paris, Maine. Mark & Marjorie Allen, Laconia, N.H.

Martyn Edgell Antiques Ltd, Nassington, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom.

The Classical mahogany window seat from New York, 1810-25 was the piece advertised in the show catalog. Nathan Liverant and Son LLC Colchester, Conn.

Impossible to miss were this pair of 64-inch-tall zinc statues — of Winter and Autumn — attributed to J.W. Fiske & Co, which had come from the Mahlon Fisher home in Williamsport, Penn., circa 1875. Kelly Kinzle, New Oxford, Penn.

John Chaski Inc, Camden, Del.

The Norwoods Spirit of America, Timonium, Md.

The Grenfell hooked rug and stoneware crock by CM Evans both sold and looked great next to a Pennsylvania German decorated chest attributed to Lehigh County; a cow weathervane attributed to L.W. Cushing & Sons; a pair of portraits of Pauline Darling Denton and Samuel Denton by Ammi Phillips; and a tablet-top Windsor settee attributed to William F. Snyder, Mifflintown Chairworks, Juniata County, Penn. Olde Hope, New York City and New Hope, Penn.

Tis the season for jewelry buying! Johanna Antiques, Kingsville, Md., located towards the front of the show, was popular with show visitors.

A future collector? This young girl was captivated by the colorful smalls with Jewett-Berdan Antiques, Newcastle, Maine.

Newsom & Berdan Antiques & Folk Art, Thomasville, Penn.

Peter Eaton was busy showing this Coastal New England tea table with removable legs to a client. It was dated 1741, and Eaton said he had acquired it from a house sale on Cape Cod. Eaton and his wife, Joan Brownstein, reported several sales after the show, though this table was not among them. Peter H. Eaton Antiques and Joan R. Brownstein American Folk Paintings, Wiscasset, Maine.

Philip Bradley Antiques, Sumneytown, Penn.

Polly Lathan Asian Art, Boston.

Steven Chait with a rare Chinese blue and white porcelain Rouleau vase, Kangxi period, circa late Seventeenth Century. It is decorated with reserves depicting the eight scholars of the wine cup and relates to a bowl in the Palace Museum in Beijing. Ralph M. Chait Galleries Inc, New York City.

“One of a kind” was how Tom Jewett described a folk carved and painted counter discovered in Madison, Maine from the 1860s-70s, shown to the right here. The horse hooked rug, shown upper left corner here, was one of many sales. Jewett-Berdan Antiques, Newcastle, Maine.

This carved family crest was made for the Carr family of Virginia and relates to similar carved crests at Mount Vernon, for the Washington family, and at Stratford Hall, for the Lee family. RM Worth Antiques, Chadds Ford, Penn.

With James Robinson Inc, was this George IV circa 1825 diamond tiara, Eighteenth Century necklace with rose-cut diamonds and a circa 1815 English silver, gold and diamond pin. New York City and Nantucket, Mass.

Gretchen and Ralph Franzese packing up a sale Opening Night. R.G.L. Antiques, Pittstown, N.J.

Sales on opening night included a Foster Caddell oil on board of Long John Silver. Schoonover Studios, Ltd., Wilmington, Del.

James and Nancy Glazer American Antiques, Bailey Island, Maine.

James L. Price Antiques, Carlisle, Penn.

To tempt local collectors — or collectors of Philadelphia material — was this pair of portraits of Mr and Mrs George Alexander Kennedy and their son by Charles Peale Polk, which had been exhibited at the Corcoran Gallery in 1981. Schwarz Gallery, Philadelphia, Penn.

Ben Miller with arguably two of the oldest pieces in the show: an Elizabethan silver gilt mounted Tigerware jug circa 1559-60 and an Elizabethan silver child’s seal-top spoon by James Feake dated 1569. S.J. Shrubsole Antique Silver and Jewelry, New York City.

Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, Del.

On the left, a Clemens Friedell Arts & Crafts sterling silver poppy centerpiece bowl, made in Pasadena, Calif., circa 1920. It is identical to one owned by the owner of the Gamble House. On the right, a monumental antique coin silver urn by William Adams, New York City, circa 1840s, that had once been in the collection of Andy Warhol. Spencer Marks Ltd, Southampton, Mass.

James Lowery brings more historically oriented, academic and formal furniture to the Delaware show. He is shown here with a fall front desk attributed to Duncan Phyfe, New York, circa 1830s. James Wm. Lowery Fine Antiques, Baldwinsville, N.Y.

Stella Rubin called the circa 1850 Pennsylvania album quilt on her back wall “whimsical.” Darnestown, Md.

“It is one of our most culturally interesting pieces,” said Stephen Huber of a silk and paint on silk picnic scene worked by Harriet Clark circa 1815. Shortly after Harriet died at the age of 35, her husband, John DeWitt, wrote his children a long letter describing their mother from the time they met until her death so that they would know of her beauty, grace and charm. A copy of that letter accompanies the needlework and can be read at this link: www.antiquesamplers.com/silkpict/clark-harrett.htm. Stephen & Carol Huber American Needlework Samplers, Old Saybrook, Conn.

Ita J. Howe, Bethlehem, Penn.

A featured item with Stephen / Douglas Antiques was this eight-inch creamware bowl inscribed “Prosperity to John Dickinson and all his Family 1780.” Dickinson (1732-1808) was a Founding Father from Philadelphia and Wilmington who was a member of the first and second Continental Congresses. Stephen/Douglas Antiques, Rockingham Vt., and Walpole, N.H.

H.L. Chalfant had works by American artists that complimented their offerings of Pennsylvania or New York furniture. Shown left to right are a William Francis Landscape, a seascape by Frederick Judd Waugh and a landscape by Edward Moran. A Chippendale armchair from Pennsylvania or New York had a delightful applied heart-shaped decoration in the crest, next to a circa 1775 walnut spice box on a Pennsylvania Queen Anne tiger maple lowboy, next to a Philadelphia Chippendale walnut armchair. West Chester, Penn.

Steven F. Still Antiques, Manheim, Penn.

When the sponsor of the show also happens to be the epicenter for research in the field of American decorative arts, there are no shortage of experts willing to look and give their opinion on unusual pieces at the show. Wendy Cooper, Sumpter Priddy and a few lookers on are examining an unusual table he had brought. Sumpter Priddy, III, Inc, Alexandria, Va.

This is the tea table Sumpter Priddy had brought that attracted so much attention. He said it was early, from 1715-25, and probably from Virginia, noting the horsebone leg and cloven hoof. It was not yet for sale, and Priddy was happy to hear any opinions.

A pair of Salem card tables, a New Hampshire tiger maple chest on chest, a Paul Evans cabinet and a Connecticut high chest with china steps were among the notable pieces with Taylor Thistlethwaite, Thistlethwaite Americana, Alexandria, Va., and Glasgow, Ky.

Hilary Nolan, right, discussing the merits of a large Colonial New England carved oak tape loom. It had been discovered in the wall of a house in Leeds, Maine, and was the featured item in the Nolan’s show ad. Hilary & Paulette Nolan, Falmouth, Mass.

Greg K. Kramer & Co, Robesonia, Penn.

Dierdre Vandekar explained that not only were these two woolies exceptionally large and rare, but both were highly detailed and both depicted the Royal Standard, indicating that a member of the Royal family was on board. Earle D. Vandekar of Knightsbridge Inc, Downingtown, Penn.

Whitman Antiques, Flourtown, Penn.

William R. & Teresa F. Kurau, Lampeter, Penn.

Elliott & Grace Snyder, South Egremont, Mass.

At the front of the booth of The Federalist Antiques, Kenilworth, Ill., was a Pennsylvania black walnut dower chest, circa 1820.

Diana Bittel discussing a Pennsylvania Queen Anne walnut box with a client. Bryn Mawr, Penn.

Sales on opening night with Jeffrey Tillou Antiques, Litchfield, Conn., included a Jewell horse and rider weathervane and an eagle-painted panel from New England or New York.

Leigh Keno and Winterthur’s senior furniture conservator, Mark Anderson, examining an Eighteenth Century New England Chippendale corner armchair that was with Elliott and Grace Snyder, South Egremont, Mass.

Dixon-Hall Fine Art, Phoenixville, Penn.

Ron Bassin discussing the merits of a frog fish decoy to a visitor on opening night. A Bird In Hand Antiques, Florham Park, N.J.

Elle Shushan, Philadelphia, Penn., had brought a selection of works by Maxine Helfman as well as the American portrait miniatures she typically features at the Delaware show.

J. Thomas Savage, Winterthur’s director of external affairs, and Diana Bittel, the show’s manager.

Barbara Israel Garden Antiques, Katonah, N.Y.

Arader Galleries, Philadelphia, Penn.

The show opened Friday, December 8, after a keynote lecture that morning. It attracted a lot of show visitors afterwards.

Colette Donovan, Merrimacport, Mass.

Teri Hay and Charles Clark with one of a pair of Philadelphia Klismos chairs from a set of ten made for the Lennox family. Clark had acquired the pair before the show opened. Woodbury, Conn.

The wall inside the Chase Center said it all….