Do You Remember?

By R. Scudder Smith

Ever start to clean out an old cabinet, the top shelf in a closet, or the center drawer of your desk and you come across something that stirs old memories and virtually brings a halt to your project? That just happened at The Bee office last weekend when I decided it was time to clean up the mess that had spread from crowded bookcases to stacks on the floor.

Lo and behold, there was a pile of old show catalogs, and right on top was one for The Newtown Antiques Show. It was dated September 18-21, 1969. The run of that show was limited; however, it did enjoy a few good years both in Newtown and at the War Memorial building in Danbury.

In less than a year that catalog will be 40 years old and it is filled with names of wonderful dealers and old friends, many of whom are no longer with us, including the legendary manager of the show, Russell Carrell. The Newtown Show was just one of 15 antiques events he managed that year, including shows and flea markets in Topsfield, Mass.; Lake Forest, Ill.; Riverton, Conn.; Grosse Pointe, Mich.; Rye, N.Y.; Weston, Mass.; and the Winter Antiques Show in New York City. He also managed the popular Southport-Westport Show in Westport, his summer show at Kent, and of course his Original One-Day Flea Market in his own backyard in Salisbury.

The Newtown Show, a benefit for The Western Connecticut Smith Club, was at Edmond Town Hall in the center of town and it filled every available space in the building, from the large gymnasium on the subground level to the Alexandria Room on the top floor. An unreliable elevator ran between floors and those familiar with the history of that elevator generally elected to take the stairs.

For our readers who were antiquing in the late 1960s, most of the names will ring a familiar bell. For those who came along much later, well, some of the exhibitors are still in business. So here we go in alphabetical order.

Leonard Balish of Englewood, N.J., together with his wife Jackie, was known for graphic Americana, books, and some good pieces of redware pottery; Blue Decoy Antiques, Jill and Bob Leckie of Wilton, had many decorative pieces; and Mr and Mrs Jerome Blum, then Willow Corners Antiques, Lisbon, carried furniture, brass, and ceramics.

Ron Bourgeault, then a resident of Hampton, N.H., and not yet in the auction business, was strong on American furniture and accessories; Ethel Brady, one of the Woodbury dealers in the show, had refinished furniture in maple, pine, and cherry; Ben and June Carde lived in the Old Bull House, Centerbrook, and were known for 18th Century furniture and accessories and pewter; and Alicia Ludlow Cavanagh, East Norwalk, leaned to the very fancy, formal side.

James and Audrey Conniff lived across from the Village Green in Perkinsville, Vt., and brought to the show pottery, blown glass, decoys, still and mechanical banks, toys, and furniture; Julie C. Corr of New Britain was mostly glass, fine china and bric-a-brac; Crossway Antiques, from a corner shop at the blinker light in Woodbury, had interesting American and English furniture and smalls; while Gallery Forty Four, located opposite the Post Office, Route 44, New Hartford, showed quality paintings.

There was no telling what treasures Frank Ganci, Schooley’s Mountain, N.J., and his sidekick Walter, would show up with, be it a great weathervane or a miniature on ivory; Sandra Grimes came from Wilton with a load of pewter; and Robert Wallin, then known as Half House Antiques, Woodbury, was operating out of his home on Flanders Road and is presently selling American antiques from a shop on Woodbury’s Main Street with Tucker Frey.

Hazel Hayes was from Somers and advertised “Country Furniture Before 1840” along with Shaker things and early lighting. Newtown’s Jack Kipp of Heron House was an early dealer in bird carvings; Hunterdon Antiques was run by Celina and John Lehne in Somerville, N.J.; Celeste and Edward Koster, Old Chatham, N.Y., were highly respected dealers in Shaker furniture and artifacts, as well as Canton china; and Bryce George Muir of Higganum showed both English and American antiques and decorations and today is alive and well living in Hadlyme.

Nimmo & Hart of Middletown Springs, Vt., in addition to country furniture had Leeds, early Staffordshire, Pratt, salt glaze and delft. John Hart is long retired and is also living in the Hadlyme area. Emil Rahhal, still a resident of Woodbury, retains his strong interest in Oriental rugs and is seen frequently at auctions around Connecticut.

Marguerite Riordan, one of the best known ladies in the antiques business, has just retired from the business and was recently honored by the American Museum of Folk Art. At the time of the 1969 show she was in both Glastonbury and Watch Hill, R.I. Later she moved to Stonington, where she maintained a fine shop.

Leda G. Roberts of New Preston came up with many unusual and rare things, advertising a shop “Specializing in Fine Antiques”; Rooster Hill Antiques was run by Florence Guinasso, Westfield, Mass.; and Elizabeth Mankin always had a large inventory of canary porcelain at her shop, Side Door Antiques, in South Kent. One of her best customers was Russell Carrell.

C.C. Sparks of East Chatham, N.Y., had a shop open by appointment only and was a member of the Appraisers Association of America; and Spencer and Judd was located on the Main Street of Essex, and advertised “Appointment Advised” as they were constantly on the road in search of American furniture and folk art to bring to shows.

Bobby Spencer is now a resident of Florida. Joseph Stanley Antiques of Pine Street, Philadelphia, spent part of his time as a dealer “Announcing Antiques Tours,” including 22 days of buying in Ireland, Wales and England. These tours included lectures, theater, visits to homes of the nobility and antiques buying, all for $1,395.

Edward and Joan Steckler boasted two addresses, one in Windham, and the other in Watch Hill, R.I., where they sold antiques and decorations. Ed was well-known for his large lighted display case from which he sold snuff boxes and all manner of brass objects. The Stevensons, David and Janice, when not doing shows sold American painted furniture, woodenware, soft paste and Shaker items from their shop on Frisbee Street, East Chatham, N.Y.; and Mason Stewart lived and sold from his home at the corner of Route 6 and Flanders Road, Woodbury, with “A carefully selected stock of American antiques furniture, paintings and accessories.”

The Village Store of Hadlyme had a variety of things ranging from needlework to porcelain, while Bob White of Bloomingburg, N.Y., had a collection of fine American antiques and advised an appointment to all who wanted to visit his shop. Natalie Hoyt Wood, another Newtown dealer, had a booth filled with maps, prints, china and glass, as well as cutout and decoupage lamp shades that she designed and made at her home on Dodgingtown Road. Last but not least was You, Inc, of Cos Cob, a shop open by appointment with antiques and designs for interiors.

More familiar names cropped up in the extra advertising in the catalog, including Sandy Stearns, Jr, of Hobart House; Thomas D. and Constance R. Williams, Lois Weeks Spring, Louis Lyons, John Bihler and Henry Coger, Isabel Mayer, and Dorothy-Lee Jones. Millie Manheim wrote an article for the catalog, “The Skillful Art of Transfer Printing,” and the loan exhibition featured “The Boston State House.”

Now I ask, how many memories did this jog for you?