Maine Antique Digest, December 2016

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12-C Maine Antique Digest, December 2016
- SHOW -
12-C
Whitehawk Antique Indian & Ethnographic Art Show, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Endless Treasures
by Alice Kaufman
Once the pioneer of August antique Indian art
shows in Santa Fe, New Mexico, then the
gold standard, now the granddaddy, and still
a strong contender, the Whitehawk Antique Indian &
Ethnographic Art Show had a great run in Santa Fe,
New Mexico, August 12-15, and it continues to look
good.
After flirting with the concept two years ago,
producer Marcia Berridge once again combined
her Antique Indian and Ethnographic Art Shows into
one show that she calls “Endless Treasures,” and in fact
the Santa Fe Community Convention Center seemed to
be spilling over with great looking material.
It was difficult to accurately count the number of
Whitehawk exhibitors, as up to four dealers can share
A mix of high-quality ethnographic pieces
and high-quality American Indian pieces.
one booth, but 85 boothswere in use. Berridge estimated
that 95 to 100 dealers were showing their wares. Like
many of the dealers who participated and the collectors
who attended, Berridge likes the mix of high-quality
ethnographic pieces and high-quality American Indian
pieces. Will she combine the two shows for the third
time in 2017? “Next year, yes,” Berridge replied, “and
probably in the future.”
Berridge also plans to continue to col-
laborate with the School of Advanced
Research, offering tours of the facility
through Whitehawk.
How does Berridge choose who exhibits at
Whitehawk and where they exhibit? (As in many
things, location matters.) Prior exhibitors get first
right of refusal for booths. New exhibitors usually
come recommended by dealers, or a new exhibitor
can be a dealer Berridge herself saw at another show.
For more information, call Marcia Berridge at (505)
988-9544 or go to ).
NewYork City dealerMarcy Burns Schillay was asking $26,000
for this large storage jar made in the 1930s at Santo Domingo,
possibly by Monica Silva. Schillay called Whitehawk “a dealer
buying show—and people want to buy where dealers buy.”
She said she “bought well” and sold pottery, jewelry, textiles,
“a little bit of everything.” She said there’d been a “fabulous
steady crowd” made up of “quality people.”
This Classic period Navajo single saddle blanket made with bayeta
and indigo, 2½' x 2', was priced at $8800 in the booth of Denver,
Colorado, dealer Lewis Bobrick. Bobrick said he was happy to be
at the show seeing old friends.
A photo by Tina Modotti (1896-1942) of a 1920s
Diego Rivera (1886-1957) mural at the chapel
at Chapingo University in Mexico was priced at
$1000 by vintage Mexican textile and clothing
specialists Lise and John Thomas of Erzsebet
Bathory, Modesto, California. Michoacan and
Mexican trays were selling.
“It’s been a fantastic show,” said Santa Fe dealer
Robert Vandenberg on the closing day of the show.
“I’m putting out new stuff.” Seen here is a pair of
Hopi moccasins priced at $1150.
Toronto dealer George
Brown was asking
$225 for this late
19th-century photo in
an early 20th-century
folk art carved frame.
“It's been a good show,
and it always is,” said
Brown, adding, “I like
the U.S.—great people!”
Toby Herbst of Santa
Fe priced this 1900-20
Navajo squash blossom
necklace at $11,500 and
called it “a real tour
de force.” He said the
show was great, and he
was selling everything.
Michael Haskell
Antiques,
Montecito,
California,
exhibited this circa
1880 Tubatulabal
basket priced at
$25,000. What was
selling? “A mix of
things—jewelry,
art, furniture.”
Henry High Bear was a
Standing Rock Sioux Indian
who survived the Battle of
Little Bighorn and whose
father was a chief who was
close to Sitting Bull. His vest
was priced at $42,500 from
Brant Mackley of Hershey,
Pennsylvania. Mackley said
he did really well at the
show and was opening a new
gallery in Santa Fe.
Mark Winter of Toadlena
Trading Post, New
Mexico, was asking
$6500 for this circa 1935
4' square sand painting
rug depicting Mother
Earth and Father Sky.
Winter said he had been
buying and selling. “We
do everything at the
shows. We are collectors and dealers. Sometimes you sell more than
you buy. We love the shows!”
Designer Bounkhong Signavong of Lao Design, New
York City and Laos, collects old pieces to make luxe one-
of-a-kind clothing and accessories. The shawl’s hand-
woven silk fabric colored with natural dyes came from
his grandparents and was priced at $4500. The white silk
garment underneath was $7500. How was the show? “No
complaints. I’m selling.”