Jan and John Maggs Antiques

Conway, Massachusetts

Newsletter -- September 25, 2007

Since last month's newsletter . . . .

. . . . we enjoyed our first selling-free Brimfield. We shopped nearly every field and brought back almost 50 fresh pieces. Free to wander and observe, it became apparent that the number of buyers at Brimfield has dropped considerably during the past decade, with a corresponding decrease in the number of sellers. Some fields appeared to be less than 75% full. Nonetheless, fewer buyers means less competition, which certainly played a major role in our success. And, observing the laissez-faire attitude of most other buyers affirmed our decision to be stallholders no more.

Our sales at Antiques in a Cow Pasture, on the Sunday after Brimfield, were disappointing, although we were able to buy a few small items to add to the week's total. Frank Gaglio again assembled a small coterie of fine dealers, but our efforts were not rewarded by strong attendance. Dealers in our neighborhood spent their considerable idle time speculating on the reasons so few buyers came and pondering the future of this enjoyable little show.

On the Saturday prior to Brimfield week we shopped Farmington Antiques Weekend. We arrived for the 8:00 opening and were  on our way home by 9:30, since the field was even smaller than in the Spring. Although we consider the day's buying a success, we wonder how much longer this show can continue.

Because we bought so well at these three events, our shop is fuller than it has been for a while. A few of our new finds will be found below.

WEEKEND SHOP HOURS

UPCOMING SHOWS

Click on the highlighted text for more information

September 29 - 30, 2007

Vermont Antiques Dealers' Association Show

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October 13 & 14, 2007

Rhinebeck!

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November 10 & 11, 2007

Gala Fall Opening

at our shop in Conway

Click here for our complete show schedule for 2007.

This Month's Featured Inventory

A Selection of Recent Finds

Furniture

Killingworth, Connecticut blanket box SOLD

 

Set of 6 Centennial Queen Anne side chairs SOLD

 

Near-pair of banister-back side chairs SOLD

See more in our Furniture galleries by clicking here.

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Smalls

Three period witch's kettles or cooking pots

Dome-top document box bound in tooled leather

Pair of Queen Anne petal base candle holders

Two small treenware sanders

See more in our Smalls galleries by clicking  here.

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Paintings (well, actually, only one -- but a nice one!)

Twilight

Arne Aspelin (Swedish, 1911 - 1990)

See more of our stock of Paintings by clicking here.

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Jewelry

Queen Anne witch's heart brooch

 

Georgian paste feather pin

To visit our Period Jewelry gallery click here.

This Month's Feature

Don't miss this month's first-hand account of Jennie's marriage to George Bardwell in the September 1873 entries of Jennie Williams' Diary.

Tales of the Trade

A Brimfield find with a twist: read A Good Deal.

The Back Page

We're still rushing to button up for the coming Winter. The scariest task is now behind us - The Cupola

Pippin's Page

We're told that Bengal cats love lofty places. Click here for a look at Pippin's most recent conquest.

Click to visit the Jan and John Maggs Antiques website.

Links

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