Date: Fri 20-Nov-1998

Publication: Ant

Author: SHIRLE

Quick Words:

Ellis-Jackman-Boston

Full Text:

A Remarkable Ellis Memorial Show

(with 51 cuts)

By Bob Jackman

BOSTON, MASS. -- The 1998 version of the Ellis Memorial Antiques Show was a

remarkable event. The 39th show was presented from October 28 to November 1 at

the Boston Center for the Arts. Forty-eight nationally prominent American and

English dealers presented a diverse range of merchandise. The 1,400 people who

attended the preview topped the previous record by 200. That turnout

established a trend with new attendance records each of the next four days.

The 48 large room displays were located along seven short, curving walkways

which subliminally encouraged shoppers to pause and consider each

presentation. Choice merchandise spanned the range of affordability. Many

booths displayed objects with prices ranging from three to six figures. The

most expensive offering was a $550,000 painting by Benjamin West presented by

the William Vareika Fine Arts, Ltd.

Exhibitors widely expressed enthusiasm for the commercial success of the show.

Some speculated that overall sales established a new record for the show, but

there has never been an official tabulation of overall sales. First, sales

have been privately recorded at each booth. Second, traditionally the

exhibition of high ticket items at this show have opened negotiations which

continue for weeks and months before the sales have been concluded.

Tony Werneke of Pond Eddy, N.Y. volunteered, "Almost everything in your photo

of our booth has sold. It's been a highly successful show. Our best Ellis Show

ever." At the end of the show in another booth, the exhibitor reported that he

had sold all the furniture remaining in his booth in a single sale.

A decade ago, most of the Ellis Show attendance and sales were concentrated on

weekends. This year's show continued a recent trend toward action over the

full five day run. Wednesday featured the huge preview party. The early hours

on Thursday and Friday were modestly attended, but the evenings were busy.

R.M. Worth reported, "It's been a very good year. It's been a consistent show

from day to day, and people are spending money."

The diversity of the show has been extending in recent years. Some expanded

areas this year were folk art, Classical furniture, and majolica. Last year

Vermont folk art dealers Carlson and Stevenson joined the show. This year

Phyliss Carlson reported, "The show has been good. All our sales are folk art

smalls. We're pleased."

New to the show were folk art exhibitors Walters-Benisek. Don Walters

observed, "We've been pleasantly surprised. We came with no expectations.

We've sold a little of everything. The response of people has been fun for us.

Their intelligent questions indicate hope for the next time. The committee has

been excellent, professional, but comfortable. We really like the facility.

The quality of light in here is terrific. During the day there is a wonderful

luminosity and at night everything sparkles. We've done business every day."

A museum quality selection of maritime antiques overlapped with folk art.

Hyland Granby Antiques featured a full spectrum of marine antique and art.

Alan Granby reported, "We're having another fine show. It's a pleasure to be

here."

At Quester Gallery of Stonington, Conn., Ann Bilby commented, "It was a good

show, and very well attended. We sold three or four paintings, and many people

marveled at the Richard Haley lever painting "Race Day at Marblehead." It was

rumored that museum curators were seeking funds for a purchase.

London dealer Martyn Gregory is widely recognized as the world's leading

gallery for China Trade art. Penelope Gregory reported, "We appreciate the

strong interest here in New England. The good paintings are getting harder to

find. Our view of Singapore is a particularly fine and rare example. Views of

Singapore are rarer than those of Hong Kong and Canton."

Diana Bittle's marine selection included a deep selection of sailor valentine

and woolwork pictures. She commented, "It's an excellent show. It started well

and kept going, even picked up."

Fine art had a good show. At the Vose Galleries, Jennifer Kaminsky reported,

"We've had another good show. We sold an important work by William Trost

Richards. There has been a great deal of interest in the William Bradford, and

it will likely sell in the coming week."

William Vareika of Newport has been an art dealer for 20 years, but the Ellis

Show was the first at which he has exhibited. He reported, "We've had a few

sales, and more to follow. We've had fun. We've come face to face with people

we had written to or spoken to on the phone. Now having met us, we feel they

will take the trip to Newport where we have one of the largest galleries in

New England.

Formal American furniture has been a strength of the Ellis Show, and it

continues to be. Nationally prominent exhibitors included C.L. Prickett

Antiques, Bernard and S. Dean Levy, Inc., G.K.S. Bush, Kyser-Hollingsworth

Inc, and Tony Wernecke. Dean Levy commented, "It's been a very good show, and

even pieces that have not sold have created interest. Our $35,000 hutch table

has received a lot of interest. Some Boston collectors are surprised that we

handle country. Actually we handle a large number of top of the line country

pieces. Bringing that table to the show has helped us convey a more accurate

picture of our inventory."

Woldman and Woldman presented a booth which combined Classical furniture and

accessories. Joel Woldman reported, "Interest has been universal. We always

enjoy coming back to Boston. They appreciate the designs of this period."

Another Classical exhibitor was Carswell Rush Berlin who concentrated upon

furniture. Berlin reported, "We have been extremely pleased. We've had good

sales, and there have been so many people with an interest in the booth."

Gary Young offered some important examples of Continental furniture. He

summarized, "We did well. We sold an important drum table and a rare Richard

Cosway drawing. We also sold small furniture and accessories." Other booths

featuring Continental furniture included N.P. Trent, the Georgian Manor, and

Philip Colleck. Mark Jacoby of Philip Colleck volunteered, "The show has

gotten even more beautiful. The catalog is beautiful. We did well. We did

better than last time, and last time was a good show. Again we met new

clients."

Museum quality Chinese Export porcelain was offered at the booths of Elinor

Gordon and Philip Suval, and both reported good sales. European porcelain

specialists included James LaBaugh with Staffordshire, Earl D. Vandekar with

artists decorated early English porcelain, and Jerome Blum with mochaware.

Majolica specialist Charles Washburne, a new exhibitor at Ellis, reported, "It

was a real pleasure to be here. The show went well. We met a lot of new

customers, and sold to some established ones."

Exhibitors presented a interesting range of extraordinary smalls. Sallea

Antiques, Inc. presented a double booth of elegant boxes. She had individual

cases devoted to tortoise shell, marquetry, inlay, and tartan boxes. Boxes

were presented by other dealers such as Philip Pfeifer, but his larger area of

concentration was early scientific instruments and elegant architectural

models.

Jewelry specialist Barry Weber of Edith Weber and Co. reported, "We've done

the show for 22 years, and it's a terrific show. It's been upbeat, and there

have been a lot of new faces. The clientele has a deep interest in what the

Ellis has to offer, which is the best." Early American silver was offered at

the booth of Jonathan Trace.

Katharyn Ernst at Peter Pap Oriental Rugs stated, "We've sold some nice period

(Eighteenth Century) pieces, and some pieces have gone out for examination.

We've generated enough business here to be busy for the next couple months."

The extreme example of an exhibitor who tailored the booths specifically to

the Ellis Show was Haley and Steele. That print and map gallery mounted an

antique map exhibit complete with its own show catalog exclusively for this

show.

For four decades the Ellis Memorial Antiques Show has been one of the primary

national events on the antique circuit. In addition to servicing the new

England market, it attracts major dealers, collectors, and curators from

across the nation. This year's edition further enhanced the status of the

show.