OCTOBER MORRISTOWN ANTIQUES SHOW HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

November 20, 2012

The Morristown Armory Antiques Show takes place October 27 and 28 at 430 Western Avenue in Morristown, New Jersey. This is an extremely popular show for collectors of all types of antiques. Over 100 exhibitors will have their wares on display, covering a broad spectrum of merchandise, from American, European and Asian furniture to art glass, prints and posters, and vintage fashions. Are you looking for silver, porcelain, lamps, oriental rugs, scientific instruments, and netsuke? The Morristown show is known for its wide variety and affordable prices.
Morristown is one of the longest-running antiques shows in New Jersey, in an historic area featuring Revolutionary War sites which include Washington’s headquarters from December 1779 to June of 1780, all the way up to fabulous Victorian and Gothic Revival homes.
The show is always popular for its high energy, constant crowds of attendees, and always a “buzz” on the show floor. There will be several special features. Paul Nulton will be on hand for a glass repair clinic. Paul can make all of your chipped and damaged glass new and usable again. From grinding off rough edges to replacing stoppers in perfume bottles, Paul’s work is done with precision and artistry. He also has a technique to restore “sick” glass - glass that has turned milky or cloudy. With his special tumbling method, he can bring it back to its original clear surface.
Another expert who will be on hand during the show is Louis Pirello, whose business is named “Restorations by Louis.” He specializes in pottery and porcelain restoration, and prides himself on his meticulous methods of matching colors and glazes. Unlike many restorers, he assures his clients that he will not discolor or overspray their valued pieces.
Always popular is Linda Roberts of White Orchid Appraisals LLC, who will be on hand to appraise your treasures for a fee of $5. She is an accredited member of the International Society of Appraisers, and has 20 years’ experience in the antiques and appraisal field.
Returning to the show after an absence of five years is Michael Millard, whose business is Vent D'Est, and Akin Kolawole who owns Embellish Antiques. Akin had participated in the Morristown Antiques Show for about 15 years, and had a shop on Boston’s famous Charles Street, which has been known for its antiques shops for nearly a century. He moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and quit his business for five years, running a FedEx route in the interim. “After the last Christmas, when I was getting home every night at 8 p.m. or 9 p.m., I decided that was enough, so I sold the route and returned full time to antiques,” he said. Morristown will be his first show in the Northeast since he came back into the business. He has just returned from France with a large container of art deco furniture and accessories, and will be setting up an intriguing booth with all of his new finds.
Charles Bruel and his wife Lori, Glenmont, New York, are five year veterans of the show. Lori recounted the adventure of a big snowstorm at last year’s show. “The armory lost power, as all of the trees came down in the area, bringing down the wires as well. We thought we’d have to spend the night in the Armory. Allison (Kohler) was terrific. She kept everyone calm, trying to figure out how to handle the evening if we had to stay. She checked to see who had food and beverages so we wouldn’t go hungry. Finally they cleared a road so we could all go back to our motels, but we all trooped back to the armory the next day. There still wasn’t any power there, but we managed to have a decent show anyway.” She continued with her comments on the show: “the people who come to the Morristown show are very knowledgeable; perhaps more so than any other show we do.” The Breuels will be bringing clocks, artwork and boxes. An oil on canvas board signed by Cecil Chichester is evocative of last year’s snow storm. Chichester was a prominent member of the Woodstock Art Colony, and this painting is done in an impressionistic style with lovely muted colors. They will also be featuring a German tall clock with a mahogany case in solid mahogany featuring cross band and floral inlays; a broken arch pediment with turned wood finial; ogee feet; beveled glass door; an 8 day 3 weight movement and a musical chime on 5 tubes. The brass dial has pierced spandrels, a moon phase disc, a seconds bit and calendar, and best of all, it's in excellent running condition.
Zane Moss, New York, New York, will be exhibiting a varied selection of fine 18th- and 19th-century furniture and wonderful accessories, paintings, porcelain. One of his specialties is Staffordshire animals from the 19th century, and Moss has one of the largest selections available. Included in his display will be a rare pair of elephant spill vases, circa 1860. The elephants were based on the famous “Jumbo” who was an African elephant, sold to P.T. Barnum in 1860 for $10,000. Also featured in Moss’ booth will be a number of Black Forest carvings. Most people think of Black Forest carvings as bears, but Moss will be showing dogs, owls, roosters, and even a carved boar’s head mounted onto a pipe rack.
Katherine King of King Art, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, specializes in fine art from the 16th to the 20th century. One of her featured items at the show will be an oil on canvas by Edward Redfield (1865-1965) showing another snow scene in the impressionist style. Redfield was a premier painter of the New Hope School of American Impressionism, and, in his time, was considered one of the best landscape painters in the country. Throughout his career, he won many awards for his art, including a bronze medal at the Paris Exposition of 1900, a bronze medal at the Pan-American Exposition in 1901, the Gold Medal of Honor in 1907, a silver medal in 1904 from the St. Louis Exposition, and many more. His works can be found in most major American museums.
Essex Antiquarians of Essex, Massachusetts, will be showing 18th- and 19th-century Amreican, English, Continental and Asian antiques, featuring period furniture and fine and decorative arts. A recent find, according to partner Rick Bevilaqua, is a ship portrait of the bark “Respigadera” of Liverpool, England, painted by Francis Hustwick (British, 1797-1865), It is most interesting because the work of this 19th-century artist has only recently come to light. Many of his works are not signed, and it is hypothesized that he worked part time for another artist (perhaps Joseph Heard), so that when he had his own commissions, he was forbidden to sign his name lest Heard should lose a client. Interestingly, the portraits of American ships that have been discovered are nearly all signed by Hustwick. Hustwick lived in a somewhat seedy section of Liverpool, where he had moved from Hull. It is assumed that there was far more work to be done in the port of Liverpool.
Other dealers in fine art include Nicholas DiBenedetto from East Quogue, New York; Patrick Hastings of Pennsylvania; Art and Antique Gallery from Massachusetts; Jaffe & Thurston of New York; and Tradewinds of Rhode Island. There will also be four exhibitors with prints: Joyce Krieg, Yosha Graphics, Antique Prints & Paper, and Maile Allen.
Brad Reh of Southampton, New York, will be displaying his wonderful high end estate jewelry, and Lady Bag International will be showing vintage and designer handbags. David Pownall Willis will be exhibiting his usual breathtaking display of rare 18th- and early 19th-century porcelain, pottery and silver.
There will be exhibitors with art glass, nautical items, Louis Icart prints, furniture, Asian art, porcelain and furniture. The Morristown Armory Antiques Show has something for everyone, and is definitely worth the trip.

 

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