The Holiday Antiques Show

Here is a nice 18th-century New England shoe-foot cupboard. It was prominent in the booth of Chris and Karen Doscher. The Doschers are from Wallkill, New York, and trade as Witt’s End Antiques. The piece is constructed of white pine, with a red-washed surface. The storage unit features two paneled doors with butterfly hinges. It was marked $2950. The small wooden bowl shows an old blue-painted surface and was priced at $295. The bail-handle woven basket is Taconic and tagged $320. The whale oil lamp was marked $185.

Here is perhaps the most unusual offering of the entire show. The fishing boat is constructed entirely of matchsticks. The boat features three levels of cabins, rope bumpers, and several lighting elements. It appears that the model was electrified at one time, though that feature is not working. The boat measures 27" in length and is 17" high. Robert and Roxanne Werowinski of James Island Antiques. Charleston, South Carolina, priced this matchstick construction at $950.

Marc Witus of Gladstone, New Jersey, loaded one shelf of a corner cupboard with 19th-century toleware items. The tray resting flat on the shelf was marked $275; the decorated document box, $375; the oval boat-shaped bowl, $395; the large tray, $895; and the shallow bowl with scalloped rim and diamond-shape bottom was $850.

Tom Degnan of Antiques at Pompey Hollow, Ashford, Connecticut, offered this table set with redware and whale oil items. The double-lens whale oil lamp was tagged $675; the single-lens example, $475. The redware storage containers were $235 each. The large redware vessel with a strap handle was marked $475. It appears that this container may have been for some sort of spirits; there is a small hole opposite the spout that could have been used to restrict flow by covering it with a thumb.

Bud Hughes is from Stratham, New Hampshire, and specializes in Americana and folk art. This grouping features a very nice red-washed chair-table with a very tall seat. It was priced at $1100. The hooked rug depicts a horse and buggy within a floral oval design. The price was $1300. The cutlery box was $295, and the trade sign, reverse-painted on glass with a wooden frame, was $850.

Mauchline ware describes a wide variety of wooden articles crafted as souvenirs. The name is taken from the Scottish town of the same name. This group of Mauchline ware items was offered in the Antiques of London, U.K., booth. These examples consist of small trinket-type boxes, a crochet needle case, a piecrust wheel, and a shot glass size tumbler. Each piece is decorated with a transfer decal depicting a tourist attraction in Scotland or elswhere in the United Kingdom. The pieces all date from the third quarter of the 19th century through the first quarter of the 20th century. Prices ranged from $50 to $100. A reference guide on the collecting category was also available.

Bill and Joyce Subjack of Neverbird Antiques, Surry, Virginia, never fail to draw attention with their bright and interesting booth. This folk art oil on canvas, circa 1865, was one of their visual magnets. It is identified, lower center, as “Rock Springs Farm/ Charming Forge/ Berks County, Pennsylvania.” The subjects are identified as Daniel Foulks, Sally Taylor, and Dawn Foulks, all perhaps the grandchildren of the farm’s owner, Andrew Taylor. His name appears on a label on the reverse. The bright painting was offered in what appears to be its original frame. The price was $3800.

Brill’s Antiques, Newport News, Virginia, is a mainstay of the Holiday Antiques Show. The dealer displayed a large group of Imari dishes priced at $250 each. The pair of silverplate candelabra was marked $1800. The Federal sideboard is constructed of pine and covered with matching flame mahogany veneers. The piece dates 1790-1800 and is in excellent condition. It was priced at $5800.