The Winter Show is an annual antique fair featuring furniture, art, and other decorative objects. It is held for the benefit of the East Side House Settlment, an organization focused on education and technology as a means of fighting poverty in Upper Manhattan and The Bronx.
The show consists of 70 exhibitors, typically very well-recognized in their field, and all of the pieces featured in the show are independently vetted for authenticity by the event’s organizers.
Since I am by no means an expert on antiques, this blog post is only meant to highlight the exhibitors and pieces that best captured my interest.
To me, the most impressive piece of furniture that I saw was this pair of Thomas Chippendale gilded armchairs. Perhaps it was the bright colors that made them stand out among the rest of the mostly muted colors, but I also recognized the Chippendale name. He was a British cabinetmaker in the 1700’s who originated many iconic designs that are being reproduced to this day. His clients included notable individuals of his time, and his success became so great that his business grew into an integrated full-service interior design firm that catered to the aristocracy.
An additional layer of interest for the pair of chairs come from the fact that they were previously owned by Sir Elton John.
The Brocket Hall Saloon Chairs - Offered by Ronald Phillips Fine Antique English Furniture - $400,000
The Bernard Goldberg Fine Arts booth had a few pieces that were more recognizable to me, particularly this Frank Lloyd Wright highback chair, and this Stickley tea table.
High-back chair from Browne’s Bookstore in Chicago Illinois
Designed by : Frank Lloyd Wright (1908)
Gustav Stickley, along with his brother and partner Liepold, are known for their prominent role in the American Arts and Crafts Movement. Interest in their furniture decreased in the latter part of the 20th century, and after their deaths, Liepold’s wife was on the brink of closing the company when the son of their one of their leading retailers bought her out. Many of the original designs are still produced, however it is the early pieces, such as this one, that are considered rare and collectable.
Tea Table With Grueby Tiles, Designed By: Gustav Stickley (1902-1903)
Another booth that I was eager to see was that of Maison Gerard, who are well known as specialists in French Art Deco and Art Nouveau furniture.
Pictured below is a contemporary pieces designed by Ammar Kalo (2016). The Stratus Chair, made from Baltic birch plywood, simultaneously demonstrates a novel application of the material, as well as innovative joinery.
There was a lot of interesting exhibitors to see outside of furniture. Fine art, such as paintings, silver, ceramics, and jewelry were all well represented. However it was the more eclectic booths that drew me in.
Peter Finer, an antique arms dealer especially stood out. Here he displayed antique swords, armor, sets of dueling pistols and highly ornate antique firearms. (Look at the intricacy of the inlay on the one set of pistols. Amazing how that can be achieved on such a non-flat surface!)
Perhaps my favorite booth was Gemini Antiques, who specialize in antique banks and cast-metal toys.
I especially like that they had a good amount of Britains soldiers, which I fondly remember playing with as a child, and have held on to some of mine to this day.
The show definitely emphasizes quality over quantity. My interest in attending was to see a lot of furniture and hopefully get some inspiration. I was amazed by the quality and craftsmanship of the pieces that I saw, and will never get over how it was possible to achieve such results with just the tools and simple technologies of the time. It seems that these encumbrances were overcome with remarkable care and patience. The show is a good way to spend an afternoon in the dead of New York City’s winter, and while everything there is for sale, most people are there just to look.