Date: Fri 10-Apr-1998

Publication: Ant

Author: DAVIDS

Quick Words:

Bider's

Full Text:

Wendy Park Ave Show

w/cuts

NEW YORK CITY -- A new upscale, uptown show was launched by Dianne and Meg

Wendy over the first weekend of April with upbeat reviews being repeatedly

heard from both exhibitors and attendees. The show, which took place at

Wallace Hall on 84th and Park Ave, looked not only to the general New York

City crowd and those in town for other events to fill its aisles with buyers,

but it also catered to a local crowd with distinct tastes.

"Quiet, intense and purposeful people" was how Virginia Shaw of Van Slyke and

Bagby described her customers during opening night. Several items were sold

including a nice Georgian four-drawer chest. Also among the furniture in her

booth attracting attention was an impressive Eighteenth Century stainwood and

mahogany abattant from Southern France.

Management reported large crowds for its Thursday afternoon opening with good

sales being reported by many of the exhibitors. A steady flow of patrons

trickled through the gate on Friday with the crowd picking up late in the

afternoon and remaining heavy throughout the weekend.

The show was relatively small. Only 36 dealers took part, yet they filled the

confines of the hall with due elegance. One of the more attractive booths

toward the rear of the show was The French Connection's of Lakeland, Fla. A

good selection of furniture included several ornate commodes with perhaps the

most stunning being a Louis XV rosewood example with figwood, tulipwood and

boxwood marquetry inlays. The piece was matched with a nice pinkish marble top

and mounted with bronze gilt. On top of the commode was a rare Nineteenth

Century Louis XVI gilt bronze mantel clock with the Greek goddesses of day and

night flanking the movement. Also highlighting the booth was a striking pair

of Neoclassical Louis XVI seven-light candelabra in gilt bronze, dore bronze

and French marble, signed by the desirable maker Barbedienne.

Leatrice Platt reported a good show. Among the items Platt sold on opening

night was a pair of French Regency style Directoires chairs retaining the

original velvet seat and back coverings and white paint. Platt featured an

eclectic booth with a mix of Nineteenth Century decorative smalls, a large

architectural ornament, and a Venetian Nineteenth Century commode in bombe

form and wonderful old dry blue paint.

A more formal look was achieved by New York City dealers from Tout Le Monde as

they exhibited at the forefront of their booth a bold pair of George III style

black lacquered chests with extensive chinoiserie decoration. Also in the

booth was a most impressive George I bookcase over chest done in a vibrant red

lacquered surface with delicate chinoiserie decoration.

A wonderful large bibliotheque with stepped cupboards on each side was offered

by Bijon European Antiques of Toronto. The French Provincial case piece had a

regal aire in a faded yellow paint with green and white trim. Also on display

was an impressive Cartel d' applique clock by Ant. Foullet, thought to be one

of the most impor tant clock makers in the Louis XV period. The large clock,

which had been stamped by the maker on both the front and the rear, was also

unusual in the fact that the bronze applique on top was a pure Regency design

and did not feature the usual child or cherub.

Glenbrook Antiques had a booth filled with formal furnishings ranging from a

mahogany Regency style triple pedestal dining table to a rare triple labeled

New York Classical sideboard, circa 1825, which had originally been made

within a few miles of the show in the workshops of Michael Allison.

Several pieces of British Colonial furniture were offered by Shelburne Falls,

Mass., dealers Fair Trade. Among the assortment was a nice writing desk made

of Burmese teak and ebony and an elegant armoire/cabinet constructed of

rosewood.

Perhaps the most fun was had in the booth of To The Point of Richmond, Va.

Dealer Roy Van Orden offered a mainstream fare of antiques such as the English

Queen Anne secretary desk, which was flanked by a Chippendale burlwood masters

chair. Yet over in the corner was a surprise -- a triple tier rack of canes.

Van Orden was quick to point out that you don't have to have a bum leg to

enjoy one of his canes as he pulled one from the rack with a smile. The dealer

specializes in a diverse sideline of systems canes, canes with gadgets,

watches, whistles, theater glasses, and (what seemed to be his favorite, and

certainly mine) gambling devices incorporated into the handles.

Of the gaming canes, there was one that featured a dice game, which operated

via a spring actuated mechanism; a roulette wheel cane, also with a spring

actuated mechanism and secret compartment for some snuff; an ivory cane with a

secret compartment containing ivory dice; and another small ivory betting

device.

There was an auctioneer's cane with a gavel handle, a policeman's whistle

cane, a station master's cane with train whistle handle, a voyeur's cane with

concealed spy glass handle, and a Sabbath cane, with its handle closely

resembling a golf club, which Van Orten explained was a popular cane back when

golf courses were closed on Sundays.

Lauren Stanley Decorative and Fine Art offered a fine assortment of American

silver made between 1850 and 1900, most of which was considered to be of

museum quality. Highlighting the offering was a rare Renaissance Revival

five-piece tea and coffee service by Wood and Hughes. Also displayed was a

large water pitcher by Tiffany with repousse floral design.

The 19th Century Shop, Baltimore, Md., offered a quality selection of first

edition books that included David Hume's Treatise of Human Nature printed in

1739 in three volumes. The dealer also offered what he termed as the most

important book in American political philosophy, a 1788 first edition of The

Federalist by Jay and Madison Hamilton. On the lighter side of their offering

was an autographed photograph of Albert Einstein, and an autographed pen and

ink drawing of Mickey Mouse by Walt Disney.

The next show to be presented by Wendy Management will be the White Plains

Antiques Show on May 8-10.