Highlights of the 54th annual Delaware Antiques Show

Gregory Cerio Furniture & Decorative Arts

We took in opening night at the 54th annual Delaware Antiques Show in Wilmington, presented by the Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library. It's a spectacular edition of this venerable event, and here are a few highlights:

  • Newsom & Berdan Antiques & Folk Art has this beautiful 18th century appliqué mat on offer. Found in New Hampshire, it depicts a strange and festive panoply of activities in a small town.

  • The marvelous tableau—featuring carved figurines—in the booth of Leatherwood Antiques.

  • An array of cat paintings by Elizabeth Fearne Bonsal (1861–1956) that comprise the playing pieces in a parlor game. We couldn't figure out the rules, but the images are amazing. From Steven F. Still Antiques of Lancaster, PA.

  • A delightful walking stick with a boot-shaped handle offered by The Norwoods' Spirit of America.

  • Miniature paintings; extra-large heads. Elle Shushan offers this group of four c. 1827 paintings of children by Charles Foot Tayler.

  • Barbara Israel sold this c. 1940 Continental sculpted group of limestone chinoiserie-dressed children playing musical instruments.

  • A sampling of the samplers in the booth of M. Finkel and Daughter of Philadelphia.

  • The prize piece in Peter Eaton's booth is a c. 1815-1820 bookcase and desk from Massachusetts in the Sheraton style.

  • Spencer Gordon flashes a sterling smile in the booth of his silver gallery, Spencer Marks, Ltd.

  • A survivor of Andersonville Prison—the notorious Georgia prisoner of war camp—saved a few dried beans from the meagre rations that internees received and used them to make stick-pins. Nathan Liverant and Son Antiques has one of these incredible Civil War relics on sale.

  • S.J. Shrubsole has a stupendous group of enameled gilt-silver wares made c. 1880 by Tiffany for John William Mackay, a discoverer of the Comstock Lode—the largest silver mine in the world.

  • An eagle atop the mirror frame, an owl at the base: might rests on a foundation of wisdom. Jeffrey Tillou Antiques is selling this magnificent c. 1820 girandole mirror.

  • Not sure what William and Mary themselves would have thought of their royal portrayal, but this c. 1694 delft plate from London—offered by Samuel Herrup Antiques—sure finds favor in our court.

Share: