August 2018

August 2018 VADA News

I hope that everyone is having a great summer and preparing for some serious antiquing in September.

The Norwich Antiques Show takes place on September 15th (a week later this year) on the grounds of the Norwich Historical Society from 10am to 3pm, admission $5 Adults, 12 and under admitted free. The many exhibitors will offer formal to country furniture and accessories, Oriental rugs, linens, fine art, and jewelry.  William G. Smith of Smith’s Auctions will be giving informal appraisals from 1 to 3pm, $5 per item (maximum of 3). The show benefits the Norwich Historical Society located at Main and Elm Streets. In addition to great antiques, there will be a raffle, live music, and delicious food!

Brimfield is coming up September 4th through 9th. Look for Vermont dealers exhibiting in many of the fields.  The Vermont tent is in Green Acres.

Vermont Antiques Week takes place September 27th through September 30th and features 5 outstanding shows with over 175 dealers from all over the country exhibiting quality antiques. For those wondering what happened to the Vermont Antiques Dealers’ Show, previously held in July, it has joined the Vermont Week Shows and has a new name: Antiques at Stratton Mountain Vermont Antiques Dealers’ Show. The Ludlow Antique Show also has a new name: Black River Antique Show, and it is still held at the Ludlow Community Center.

For more information on these shows, as well as places to stay, restaurants, and area attractions, visit the website www.vermontantiquesweek.com.

Tom Baker has been a member of VADA for many years and a dealer for many more years! Tom was in the banking industry for 12 years, living in Albany, New York and then Boston. He and Sheila were avid collectors starting back in 1978 filling three houses, each bigger than the last, to house their collections. They finally decided that in order to keep collecting, they would need to start selling (sound familiar??). They rented booth space in an antique center in Groton, Massachusetts in 1986 and instead of bigger houses, their space in the antique center got bigger and bigger. They eventually moved to California and then back to the East coast to the Albany area where they now live. Tom is co-manager of the Antiques Market Place, a group shop with 20 dealers, in Lake George, New York on Route 149. He also maintains a number of websites: www.bakerantiques.com, www.digantiques.com, and www.antiques-market-place.com. In addition to the shop and websites, Tom does about 7 shows a year in the Northeast. He specializes in game boards, firkins, pantry boxes and other painted pieces as well as American folk art, textiles, and items of local historical significance. Like many of us, Tom laments the changes in the current antiques market—fewer collectors/dealers and fewer new ones to take our place, as well as the need to attract a younger audience. When I asked Tom what he liked most about being a dealer, he replied “Being always on the hunt for the one thing I can’t live without.”

​Sadly, Joseph E. Doppman, Sr. died on July 22nd at the age of 80. Joe restored and sold antique lamps, maintaining a booth at 5 Corners Antiques in Essex Junction. Our condolences to Joe’s family and his many friends and associates.

See you next month with more information on Vermont Week shows.

Vesta Urband   vkurband@gmail.com