Unpredictable: The Washington Antiques Show

By SHANNON HICKS

Published: Sep 19, 2003 12:00 am

WASHINGTON DEPOT ââ Furniture and objects with unusual proportions, original surfaces, extraordinary shapes and impeccable pedigree will be on display at this yearâs Washington Antiques Show, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, October 4-5, at Bryan Town Hall. The show will benefit Gunn Memorial Library.

Unpredictability is the theme of this yearâs show, organized again by New York and Connecticut antique dealer Lou Marotta.

âNo two years of this show should be the same. I want to keep it fresh, humorous and intriguing,â Mr Marotta said.

Items from the 17th Century to the early part of the 20th Century will be displayed by 23 dealers from such locations as New Preston, Woodbury, Palm Beach, Southampton, Rochester and Manhattan.

âThe important thing is the presence of imagination,â said Robert Couturier, honorary chair of the show, referring to both the show and his own work as an architect and interior designer. Mr Couturier will chair a special benefit cocktail reception at the show, which will take place 6:30 to 9 pm on Friday, October 3. Guests will be able to preview and purchase antiques from France, Sweden, Italy, Asia and America before the showâs official opening Saturday morning.

Several designers and art and antiques experts will offer lectures open to the public during the run of the show.

Albert Hadley will open the show with a guided tour of the exhibits, pointing out special pieces and unusual finds. Additional speakers include designer Jeffrey Bilhuber; Ann Smith, curator of the Mattatuck Museum of Art; Robert Austin, Litchfield County painters; curator Stephen Szczepanek, Asian textiles; Eric Cohler, interior designer, interiors and art; Todd Romano and Chris Spitzmiller, how to light a room; and Jeffrey Simpson, antiques editor for Architectural Digest.

Tickets for the Friday evening preview party start at $100; tickets for the special Hadley tour are $25; general admission show tickets are $10. All tickets include admission to the show for both days. Lectures are an additional $25 payable at the library, and advance reservations are not necessary.

For information call Mr Marotta at 212-223-0306.

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It’s important to clarify that while public process matters, so does the right of a property owner to reasonably develop land they legally own—especially when they follow the rules and engage with the town in good faith. The Board of Selectmen (BOS), whether one agrees with their decision or not, did not “give away” anything. The land in question was part of a road that had been unused and undeveloped for generations. There was no public access, no signage, and no infrastructure—just an overgrown path most residents never knew existed. Mr. Ackert calls the discontinuance “illegal,” but state law grants municipalities the authority to discontinue roads, subject to procedural requirements. The fact that this matter is in litigation shows that questions of law are being properly addressed in court—not in letters to the editor. If the court finds procedural flaws, they’ll be corrected. That’s how the legal system works. Real solutions are found through public process and the courts, not through social media outrage. What’s missing from this conversation is a recognition that towns need to balance many interests: history, environment, public access, private property rights, and economic development. And while the newly championed Revolutionary War heritage is important, there are also pressing modern realities: towns need housing, economic vitality, and responsible development. These things don’t happen in a vacuum—they require compromise, planning, and often, yes, change. If residents truly wish to preserve this trail as public space, the appropriate path is through purchase, conservation easement, or formal designation—not by expecting private landowners to bear the burden of public sentiment. If the writer believes so strongly in its value, perhaps they might consider investing in its preservation themselves. We can honor our history without freezing our town in time. Development and preservation aren’t mutually exclusive—but vilifying one side of the conversation only deepens division. Let’s focus on solutions that balance respect for the past with the rights and needs of those who live here now.

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Thank you both for running my letter and the excellent editor's note. I deeply appreciate the Bee and what it means to Newtown.

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Dan was a real gentleman. I had the honor of knowing him for about 10 years from high school and into early adulthood. He was always upbeat and amiable. His love of golf was boundless. I remember him droning on about the type of wedge this or that professional golfer was playing at any given time. He loved to play also. Dan made the winning putt that clinched a championship for NHS men’s golf in 1984. It was a snaking, downhill putt that few people would have had the nerve or imagination to have holed at such a critical moment. It was magic!! You are a true gem, Dan. May your eternal reward be endless days of long, straight drives and the sound of difficult putts finding the bottom of the hole.

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Congratulations John! This is quite a feat & shows a lot of perseverance, endurance, & commitment while becoming more healthy & having fun! The ultimate achievement! Wishing u a long healthy life!

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“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” The 1st Amendment does NOT say "except when there's a budget problem, or when some people wish things would quiet down." There is no way a proposed ordinance can be construed as other than singling out RockthisDemocracy, and also no way the town does not get expensively buried in court should it be foolish enough to go down this path.

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Unpredictable: The Washington Antiques Show

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