Maine Antique Digest May 2015

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Maine Antique Digest, May 2015 35-C
- SHOW -
Charles Edwin Puckett of Akron, Ohio, carries muse-
um-quality medieval and Renaissance illuminated man-
uscripts and Classical antiquities, but for this show he
brings a nice collection of regional maps as well. The 1898
map of Tennessee and Kentucky was $275; an 1836 map of
Virginia by Henry S. Tanner of Philadelphia (not shown)
was $595. He commented, “I’ve always done well here.”
After years in Boston, Akin
Kolawole of Embellish
Antiques is now based in
Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
The set of eight Thonet birch
bentwood chairs, designed
by Joe Atkinson, circa 1950,
was $4900.
Veteran exhibitor Ron
Lotz of St. Louis, Mis-
souri, showed off the dial
of a walnut tall-case clock,
circa 1820, by David
Weatherly of Philadel-
phia, priced at $18,000.
The dial had American
shields at the corners, and
the man who commis-
sioned the clock had an
image of his foundry or
factory painted above.
Lotz presented a timepiece
symphony when all his
clocks struck five. The
Connecticut tall clock by
Simeon Jocelyn (1746-
1823) of New Haven, Con-
necticut, circa 1795, came
with a copy of Connecticut
Clockmakers of the Eight-
eenth Century by Penrose
R. Hoopes, all for $19,500.
Kolawole carries an eclectic mix of lighting and
antiques from various periods, such as this pair of
mid-20th-century caramel glass lamps with gold and
green swirls, circa 1960, priced at $1295 the pair. He
had a number of the hanging lamps for $295 each.
Sheridan Loyd of St. Joseph, Missouri, featured a large
charcoal and gouache Civil War battle scene (on the wall
at left) for $8500. To the right was a Hudson Valley pastel
on sandpaper painting for $3100. The Delaware Valley
ladder-back armchair with most of its original decoration
was $3895; the late 18th-century child’s chair from the
celebrated Weld collection was $1450; and the New York
paint-decorated blanket chest was $4500.
Trace Mayer of Louisville, Kentucky, has been doing
the A& G for 20 years and has a desirable spot near the
entrance garden. The China trade painting of a junk,
circa 1880, was $1500, and nearby are some of his pop-
ular “bee plaques” made from recycled 19th-century
American picture frames.
In the past, Philippe Meunier and John Alonso-Defrocourt,
Houston and Paris, have been known for their majolica and
Palissy wares, but they wanted something different to take
to the many shows they do. Meunier said—in his wonder-
ful accent—“I am turning to paintings now. This is by an
unknown French artist, but the subject is very, very rare, end
of nineteenth century.” Lièvre ou lapin? Hare or rabbit?—
the luminous painting with bright carrot tops was $9500.
Once Heart of Country dealers, Dick and Diane Elliott of Harbor
Springs, Michigan, and St. Helena Island, South Carolina, have
exhibited at the garden show in recent years. Known for their
eclectic eye, they offered a tramp art framed mirror for $2900, an
abused running horse weathervane for $2500, a dog hooked rug
fromVermont for $1450, a bronze sphinx for $1450, and a George
Nakashima prototype chest for Knoll, 1955, for $12,500.
be-backs usually do come back after they measure and
check the details.”
The curious thing is that for such a fancy event, ticket
buyers never seem to leave empty-handed. As Loyd
mentioned, there is enormous variety, and dealers dis-
play some affordable little things next to the expensive
classics. Trace Mayer of Louisville, Kentucky, has made
this a policy: “I’ve been in the show twenty years. Of
course, you want to sell and you want something that
will be successful, but for me the mission is to bring
lightness and fun and accessibility back into the industry.
If you don’t have that next generation coming, what will
happen? We’ve really alienated a lot of our demographic
from being able to participate. We’re offering these
things you see here, so everyone can participate, from
the most affluent to the just-starting. That’s my mission
as a dealer.” He had purchased a collection of 90 bright
paintings by a Russian artist and was selling them for
$500 each, and he had covered the walls with hexagonal
bee plaques recycled from 19th-century American pic-
ture frames that were priced at under $50 each.
In conclusion, the Antiques & Garden Show of Nash-
ville is a different sort of experience altogether from
Heart of Country at its peak or its Americana tailgates.
For the right sort of exhibitor, however, it offers an
alternative opportunity for bringing merchandise to the
upper South. For dealers who would like to build long-
term relationships with wealthy clients—if the econom-
ics work for them—the floor of the A & G provides a
most pleasant atmosphere to spend the weekend selling
antiques.
☞