Jan and John Maggs Antiques
Conway, Massachusetts
Newsletter -- May 17, 2006
Since last month's newsletter . . . .
Our April opening was a grand success. Saturday morning saw a lively group of buyers, and we were still in the shop at 6:30 on Sunday evening. We're grateful to all who came, helped us to celebrate, and found things to enhance their collections. We're happy to say that we still have plenty of things left from the trip, many of which appear in this month's New Inventory section.
The Concord show, rescheduled after a snow-related February cancellation, was one of our best shows in many months, led by very strong jewelry sales and an outstanding painting by Dennis Sheehan. Several other dealers reported strong sales as well, though not every dealer was so elated. We saw Paul Davis at Brimfield this week, and he informed us that most of the show's dealers prefer the earlier date, despite the inconvenience and uncertainty of winter weather. Consequently, the 2007 Concord show will return to its traditional February date.
As usual, huge crowds came to May Brimfield. The owners of Dealer's Choice claimed a gate of over three thousand buyers at its Tuesday show. We loaded our van with scores of small, not-in-inventory objects that have been stored in our barn for a decade or two and brought only a few of them home. May's was also heavily attended, but, while many dealers reported very good sales, our show was disappointing (though not as much so as the doll dealer in the next booth, who reported a gross of $325 and no sale over $20.00!).
Business continues to be uncertain, though events of the past few weeks inspire optimism.
UPCOMING SHOWS
Rhinebeck
May 27 & 28 at
Dutchess County Fairgrounds
Brewster Historical Society Antiques Fair
June 24, 2006
Drummer Boy Park; Brewster, MA
Click here for our complete show schedule for 2006.
This Month's Featured Inventory
English Furniture
17th century oak joined stool SOLD
Petite oak court cupboard SOLD
English oak Queen Anne side table with drawer SOLD
American Furniture
Cherry Chippendale three-drawer chest SOLD
York County, Maine ladderback armchair SOLD
Period Federal country card table SOLD
Smalls
English oak bible box with incised decoration
Small Georgian walnut box on bracket base SOLD
Georgian tea caddy SOLD
Undecorated 18th century Rhenish stoneware jug
Large early 17th century "bearded man" jug SOLD
Pair of cut-card base Queen Anne candle holders
Pair of fine classical brass pushup candle holders
Pair of early 19th century brass pushup candle holders SOLD
Tooled leather-covered dome-top box SOLD
Set of ebony-handled knives and forks SOLD
Dutch tiles
18th century Delft tile: Moses SOLD
18th century Dutch tile: the scourging at the pillar
18th century Dutch manganese tile: Christ at Emmaus
18th century Dutch manganese tile: Zachariah in the Temple
Jewelry
Queen Anne emerald and rose-cut diamond ring SOLD
Pair of 10k gold earrings with amethyst stones SOLD
Georgian 18k citrine earring and pin set
This month, the second installment in our series on travel in the UK:
Pub Dining
Tales of the Trade
On our recent trip to England we made the acquaintance of a fifth-generation British antiques dealer. How this happened vividly demonstrates the role of chance in our business. Click for A Chance Encounter.
The Back Page
Click here for his month's Back Page -- a curious duo spotted at Brimfield last week.
Links
Click to visit the Jan and John Maggs Antiques website.
Click for directions to our shop.
Click for links to all past issues of this Newsletter.
For additional links to businesses and places of interest, visit our Links Page.
Thanks for taking the time to read our little monthly. As always, we encourage you to e-mail any comments that might make the newsletter more useful to you. Just click the mailbox, or write to jmaggs@jmaggs.com.
And we thank you for being a customer.
John and Jan