A Short Tale Explaining How Jan and John Ended Up Exhibiting at the Fitzwilliam Show

This story begins with an offhand comment at the Dorset VT show to Arlene Rich, a Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire antiques dealer who also works with the Fitzwilliam Historical Society to organize their annual antiques show. "We'd love to be on the waiting list for the Fitzwilliam show," John said. "Please call us if you have an opening -- even if it's at the very last minute."

We had always heard very positive comments from dealer friends who go there to buy. In light of this, we were not surprised to learn that the show -- only a week away -- was filled. We assumed that we might someday be offered a space, but surely not for at least six to eight months.

On the following Friday evening we returned home, exhausted after a day of errands and deliveries, and anticipating a relaxed dinner and a quiet evening. Our voice mail, however, presented us with an alternate agenda. The third message was from Arlene Rich, and it began, "You said, 'even at the last minute....'"

After a very brief discussion, we decided that we could find the energy to get it all together and do the show. We returned Arlene's call. After filling us in on all of the details, she suggested that we "just throw a few things in the van and come."

During our hasty meal we discussed the merits of packing a light load, rather than a more representative assortment of things that represent our business, and decided on the latter. We began after 8:00 and by 10:00 we had packed and loaded 'quite a few things'. We locked the van and went to bed, alarm set for 4:00 a.m.

We were already dressed when the alarm sounded. After a quick breakfast, we jumped in the van and headed for New Hampshire. When we arrived shortly after 6:00 a.m., Fitzwilliam's little common was swarming with dealers. Most exhibitor booths were spaced along the perimeter of the common, separated from the outside world by the rails of a simple wooden fence. Although the show wasn't scheduled to open until 9:00, a few aggressive buyers (all of whom we knew from other shows) were circling the field, ogling merchandise and looking to us like vultures with checkbooks. We set up our tent, hoisted heavy pieces of furniture over the fence rails, set out smalls, and walked the show, hoping to compete with the roadside shoppers. We enjoyed some success as buyers and even sold a few things to other dealers in the show.

By the time the show opened to the public, we had already done what most people would consider a day's work. Nevertheless, we spoke with buyers throughout the day, taking turns talking or walking so as to fight off the effects of sleep deprivation. From conversations with other dealers as well as from our own observations, it was clear that very little furniture was sold at the show. Sadly for us, our booth was not the exception.

At 4:00 p.m. we found a parking space outside of the fence and hoisted each piece of furniture and each box of smalls over the fence and repacked our van. There is one advantage to selling nothing of substance or size at a show. Packing for the return trip requires no thought. We put every piece back in the same place and took it back to Conway, neither wiser nor richer.

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