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West Friendship, Maryland

The 20th Annual Spring Mid Atlantic Antiques Market

by Robert Kyle

This show has it all: long track record; location near major cities and interstates; about 100 quality, diversified dealers; a laid-back promoter who doesn't take herself too seriously; indoors in a spacious building; and a late March date, when buyers are itching to put winter behind them and go shopping.

So why was attendance down and buying spotty? There was really no explanation, other than that's just the way it is now.

"When it was a one-day show, the door would open, and the show was swarming with people," reflected Patricia Keener, a dealer with a dozen years at this show. She referred to the show's first 14 years when it was a Saturday-only event. Buyers approached it then with an eager now-or-never fervor. There were more early buyers, more people in general, and more of a sense of urgency.

The frenzied swarm has become more of an orderly procession these days, and the early buyers' line is a trickle instead of a flood. But the added Sunday, once viewed as tedious and unnecessary by dealers, has become a time for opportunity and second chances for buyer and seller. Many mediocre Saturdays have been erased by show-saving sales on the second day. It happened on this weekend.

"Sundays seem to be steady," Patty Keener said. Another dealer, Ingrid Melber, new to the show, said, "Sunday morning was better than everything else together."

"The attendance was lower than usual," admitted promoter Sims Rogers of the two-day total. She didn't offer any speculation why or exact numbers. On the face of it, there was no good reason why the exhibition hall at the Howard County Fairgrounds on March 25 and 26 wasn't teeming with patrons. The weather wasn't too warm or too cold; the sun was shining; there were no other area shows competing; and gas prices hadn't gone into the stratosphere yet.

In the Washington/Baltimore area, as with other regions, the reality is that shows are attracting fewer people, and those who shop appear to be more selective, deliberate, educated, and price conscious. Many dealers, however, did well at this show despite the lack of energy they sensed on the floor among buyers.

New Market, Maryland, dealer Rick Fleshman, known for his oak, has switched to darker woods for most shows. "Oak has slowed down," he said. "The further west you go, the more popular it is." He went oakless at this show. It paid off. His sales included a $4500 circa 1820 Hepplewhite walnut chest, a walnut Empire Sheraton chest, a walnut bracket-footed blanket chest, and a small mahogany display case. All buyers were new customers.

Tom Peper, a show regular from Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, said he had a good show before entering the building. He sold "an expensive" painted corner cupboard off his truck when he arrived and a paint-decorated wooden box to the trade. Inside he sold "a mix of everything." Once he was set up, the public bought painted country furniture, a hanging cupboard, a shelf, three Beacon blankets, his "best" Native American silver bracelet, and Bob Dylan music memorabilia. "I think for some dealers the show was pretty soft," he said. "I have it dialed in pretty good. I know what to bring."

A significant sale out of the booth of Roland Dallaire was a $17,000 Dutch cupboard, circa 1840, from the western Pennsylvania/eastern Ohio region. "It was two-piece walnut with five drawers and a top with nine panels on each side," he said. "It was untouched and had no apologies to make. There is some interest in good things here."

Patty Keener sold a mahogany sideboard, a tall Victorian coat rack, a large, refinished gilt mirror, Rose Medallion and Chinese export Fitzhugh plates, and an Oushak Turkish rug. Her shop in Westminster, Maryland, has received follow-up calls. One resulted in the sale of four aquatint etchings. "We finally did really great," she said, noting that Sunday sales helped the bottom line.

John La Follette of Agler House Antiques, Columbus, Ohio, shared a booth with Keener. His best sale was a $6800 George II secretary. He also sold a cherry Empire Sheraton transitional chest for $600.

"I've been disappointed in the crowd and know a lot of dealers have not had their normal show here," Elizabeth Wojcik said. Nevertheless, the Raleigh, North Carolina, dealer had "a pretty good show," led by a painted stepback cupboard priced over $4000, a good quilt, and a set of painted hanging shelves. "There is a little more hustle and bustle, usually," she said, noticing, as did other dealers, the lack of spark and excitement. "The early buying was terrible. Not many people and no energy."

The early buyer period was 8:30 to 10 a.m. with a $15 fee. Regular admission was $8. Some dealers think the show should open at 8:30 to the public and discontinue early buyers.

First-time dealer at the show Ingrid Melber of Westwood Antiques, Ellicott City, Maryland, said Saturday was sluggish but Sunday morning active. "I sold a pine nightstand, antique crucifixes, dishes, pedestals, and oak baskets," she said.

Hawks Inn Antiques, Hamburg, Pennsylvania, was delighted. "I had the world's largest trade sign," dealer Ken Silveri said. Priced at $675 and selling quickly, it was 12' long and advertised Burrows Rustless Screens for a Langhorne, Pennsylvania, company. His other sales included a bull-shaped sheet metal butcher shop trade sign, four quilts, three pie safes, a desk, china, and smalls.

"The overall market has been soft, whether it's in the store or in the shows," said Steve Goldberg, who operates Hearthside Antiques in Poolesville, Maryland. He was having a soft time at this show.

"It's definitely slower, a smaller crowd than last fall or even last spring," observed Robert Chambers of Brocante, Leesburg, Virginia. "It's three o'clock on Saturday, and I'm not at the break-even point yet," he said.

Marc Witus of Gladstone, New Jersey, sold a dye cabinet and two gold rings. "This one is slower than most shows I've done," he said. "I will have to think long and hard whether or not to return."

Peter Chillingworth of Scenery Hill, Pennsylvania, said, "It's been fairly quiet, kind of sporadic. Who knows why? If you look down the aisle, there's a crowd here, but they just don't seem to be interested in what's for sale."

Back for a second time, Robert Conrad of Yeagertown, Pennsylvania, admitted, "I brought all the wrong stuff last time." This time he replaced his higher-end country furniture with smalls. "It's always a thrill trying to figure out what to take where. I did a smaller booth with small things this time." He said the strategy worked, giving him a good show.

Michael Veneziani of Maryland had an active Saturday but a slow Sunday. He sold "a real good Sheraton desk," a santo, and a 19th-century map of troop movements at the Battle of Gettysburg.

David and Nerea Freto of Finksburg, Maryland, did well with their smalls. "We sold a little of everything," she said, "across the board—glass, redware, majolica."

Sticking with the formula that continues to work show after show are dealers Kay Baker and David and Dennie Houck. Each fills a booth with myriad smalls from tools and kitchen implements to advertising and random home accessories. Many items are priced under $20. "We've been doing the show twice a year for ten years," Dennie Houck said. "It's a very good show for us."

Sheppheard's Antiques, Bedford, Pennsylvania, did well last year at this show but not this time. "I really think down here you need to advertise on TV," Effie Sheppheard said.

"I have tried TV," said Sims Rogers, "which in the area of this show is very expensive, and the money-to-return ratio was not there. I had small luck when I could get a decent price on the Weather Channel, but that changed and put me out of that segment."

The promoter said in addition to placing ads in the Washington Post and Baltimore Sun, she buys time on public radio and a news radio channel. She sends out over 5000 cards. She does not, however, print and hand out a show program listing participating dealers with a floor map. Visitors are on their own learning who's there and how to find them. Regular dealers, however, often occupy the same spot year after year.

Advertising antiques events on television is becoming more common in the Washington, D.C., area. Both Weschler's and Sloans & Kenyon auctions run announcements on the local PBS channel when it airs the Antiques Roadshow.

"They don't call it advertising because it's public television," said Ellen Garrity of Sloans & Kenyon. "It's sponsorship." She said the station, WETA TV, also has a radio program, which allows sponsors to buy time on both. But due to budget constraints, not all auctions are promoted this way, she said.

"Yes, I do TV," said Leesburg, Virginia, promoter Dordy Fontinel. She opts for the commercial route. "I do channels seven, four, and cable [in Washington]. It is pricey, but I believe that in times like these a promoter must do everything possible to bring the customers to the dealers."

She said making small newspaper ads larger is also necessary in this era of declining attendance. "I looked at the ads for some of the other shows, and they are small and easily missed in the papers. You have to really knock them over these days."

Sims Rogers is doing what she can but knows that times are changing. "I think the downturn in our business is a serious one that we will all come out of, if we stay together and hang in," she said. "Imagine if everyone would drop out until it got better? How would it get better? Let's be realistic—the only way I will be successful is if my dealer is successful. So, logically, I work for their success."

For more information on the Mid Atlantic Antiques Market, call (410) 228-8858.