A Busy, Productive Day For Newtown Historical Society

By Shannon Hicks

Thanks to a pair of events held simultaneously on March 5, Newtown Historical Society welcomed visitors of many interests to the center of town.

At Edmond Town Hall, the historical society hosted its annual spring antiques show. This year’s event had dealers coming in from across the state as well as one each from Massachusetts, Maine, and New York. While the number of booths did not increase — show manager Nancy Taylor once again arranged for 25 dealers — the show floor seemed fullers than in years past without looking overcrowded. Dealers brought plenty of furniture with them, and the larger pieces sold well on Sunday.

Peg Jepsen, who owns Ram Pasture Antiques in Newtown, had one of the best booth locations of the day. Ms Jepsen was on the inside corner of the floor Sunday, opposite the main entrance from outside (visitors could enter the show from the town hall’s lower parking lot or from within the town hall, where historical society treasurer Bonnie Miller was found staffing an admission table for most of the show’s run).

Among her offerings was a 19th Century cherry slant-front desk and a late 18th Century English mahogany chest.

Ms Jepsen, whose sons, Michael Jepsen and Chuck Zimmer, were keeping her company, was pleased with the show’s offerings.

“I see a more class this year, and people are coming in and saying they see a little more quality,” she said.

Ms Jepsen, who said she did “really well,” sold a Victorian three-tier plant stand, an Empire stand, and a small princess mantel clock that had been made in New Haven. She also sold, almost as soon as the show opened, a 5’4” by 9’7” Persian Nahavand rug and, to the same buyer, a bench that had been created from old barn chestnut wood and topped with hard rock maple.

Louise and Dick Baker, Newtown residents and the owners of Baker Antiques, offer everything from figurines, china, and other glassware to kitchenware, tinware and small furniture pieces dating from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s.

“We had a good show,” Mr Baker said. “A lot of the kitchen stuff sold well. Some of the antique bottles went, as did some of the china and collectibles.” Mr Baker was also pleased to report that the couple had sold off a pair of small chairs and a tiny table on Sunday.

“It wasn’t a huge buying crowd,” he continued. “It’s a big looking crowd, but we sold a lot.”

It was a good — and busy — weekend for the Bakers, who had spent Friday and Saturday in Newington working at the Mountain Laurel Glass Club Annual Glass, China & Pottery Show.

Sunday also proved beneficial for B. Jane Brymer, owner of Poverty Meadows Mercantiques.

“I really can’t complain. It only takes a few good sales to make a show, and it’s been a good day,” said Ms Brymer, who showcased here vintage collections of items made in Connecticut including hats, hat stands and pins, linens and tools.

“The turnout has been remarkable,” Ms Brymer said late in the afternoon. With less than an hour to shop, attendees were still streaming into the gymnasium.

Nancy Taylor was also pleased with the event, which was a fundraiser for Newtown Historical Society.

“I’ve been walking around a lot, talking with dealers and hearing what many of the buyers have been saying,” said the show manager. “I’ve heard good things from dealers and customers, and it’s been a good, steady flow at the door.”

Open House Across The Street

At 44 Main Street, the historical society was also hosting an open house event at its headquarters, The Matthew Curtiss House. Docents greeted guests as they stepped into the red saltbox house that is diagonally across the street from Edmond Town Hall.

Inside, guests were welcome to walk through the home’s rooms, view collections, and ask questions of any of the historical society members who were volunteering their time to serve as guides.

In one front room, Newtown resident Peg Forbell was working on a few projects. For some time she was crocheting squares with fine thread, which would later be added to a coverlet in progress. She also had on view some counted cross stitch works in progress, along with a few finished projects.

Mrs Forbell has won many awards for her handiwork, including a number of honors from The General Federation of Women’s Clubs of Connecticut.

In the Keeping Room, fellow resident Lorraine VanderWende was doing some theorem painting, which was practiced widely during the 19th Century. The craft was taught to young women in finishing schools as a way of decorating household objects that was faster than needlepoint.

Artists work in oils on white velvet, first creating a number of stencils that are applied in sequence, very close together but not touching so the paint does not overlap.

Theorem subjects include flowers, fruit, or baskets of flowers and fruit, people, or animals.

Even though a detailed scene may be portrayed through theorem or stenciling, the design is always done by hand, not transferred whole onto the surface and then varnished.

Mrs VanderWende has been practicing the art of theorem painting since the early 1970s, when Ruth Swensen presented a program on the subject for Newtown Woman’s Club. Mrs VanderWende was hooked, and Ms Swensen became her first teacher.

Today Mrs VanderWende is a teacher with a full class, and is a member of the Charter Oak and Fairchester chapters of The Historical Society of Early American Decoration.

“I’ve taken classes from all the good teachers around here — Harriet Syverson, Peg Emery, Gina Martin — and I’ve taken it very seriously since the start,” Mrs VanderWende said. “I’ve learned a lot.”

The next offering by Newtown Historical Society will be a free program on Monday, March 13. At 7:30 pm, in the community room of C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street, Dr Edmund Sullivan will offer a tour of past campaigns with a slide presentation entitled “Tippecanoe and TV Too.” Admission is free. Call 426-5937 for additional information.