Historical Society’s Show

A New Opportunity For Antiques Shoppers

By Shannon Hicks

Newtown Historical Society was counting on the good reputation of its annual spring antiques show when it decided earlier this year to offer a fall antiques show at Edmond Town Hall. The gymnasium of Newtown’s town hall was packed with the displays of 25 dealers last weekend, as well as a steady stream of visitors as the first fall show was presented.

Jane Fertig, a dealer out of Oxford, said it was the past history of the show that prompted her to try the new show on September 28.

“I had heard good things about the Newtown show, and it’s in my back yard more or less, so I decided to get in on the fall event,” Ms Fertig said early Sunday afternoon. The show ran from 10 am to 4 pm, with no early buying allowed. Ms Fertig’s booth offered miscellaneous smalls, “no particular specialty, just things I like,” she said.

Louise and Dick Baker, owners of Baker Antiques of Newtown, had a lot of visitors to their booth. The Bakers were presenting everything from 1930s to 50s kitchenware and bakeware (including a ton of beautiful cast iron) to children’s seats, jewelry, pottery and glass, one of their favorites. The Bakers will be at the show specializing in glass at Southington High School this weekend.

“We’ve had a lot of lookers today, but not a ton of buyers,” Louise Baker commented. “I think people are very interested in the smalls, though.”

Jim Murphy, of J&J Murphy Americana, also of Newtown, also had an attractive booth. He had a jelly cupboard, a bureau, wire baskets, measures, mortar and pestle sets, and similar items, all pre-1840 American. “It’s the stuff that you used,” he explained.

By early afternoon Mr Murphy felt the show was doing “just fine,” adding the Newtown show “has always been good to me.”

Across the street at Matthew Curtiss House-Museum, visitors were offered free tours by costumed docents of the building’s 18th Century room settings and an ongoing demonstration of copper knocking by Newtown resident Nancy Lee Schulz. The building serves as the headquarters of Newtown Historical Society, which sponsored and will benefit from the proceeds of the antiques show.