Antiques show at Morristown Armory offers assortment of wares
Last year, Morristown Armory Antiques Show promoter Allison Kohler was wondering how to get electricity to her more than 100 exhibitors.
"We had the Halloween snowstorm and everyone was basically stuck in here with no electric. Everyone was actually trapped in the building. And we got hit with Superstorm Sandy the year before. So we're happy to be here with good show weather," said Kohler, who didn't mind the rain. "This is perfect show weather."
The Morristown Armory Antiques Show featured more than 100 exhibitors who spotlighted items ranging from carpets, Americana, vases, porcelain, artwork, dolls, prints, paintings, furniture, jewelry, books, pottery, photos and even an Edison phonograph complete with records.
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The show continues today from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"It's a spectacular show with a good group of diversified dealers. How do we get this younger generation to understand about this. This stuff, you buy it, it's useful and almost all of it will increase in value," said Kohler, a resident of Roxbury.
"How do we get this disposable society plugged in. This stuff is beautiful and the knowledge of the people is incredible. The craftsmanship is fantastic. There's really great stuff here."
Decorator Pam Messina of Bergenfield and Nancy Martini of New Milford watched as dealer Kathleen Jansen took six tiny silver spoons from one of her glass showcases.
"These are salters. They're beautiful and hard to find. I put them out at Christmas. They're just different," said Messina. "This is more about history for me. I just love it. When you learn how they did things in the past, it just makes it so much fun. This is a great show. I've been coming for a while."
Jansen who does appraisals, estate sales, cleanouts and consignments at Country Mile in Harding Township, began antiquing at age 15 with her mother.
"I went to Archie's Resale Shop in Meyersville. He had four tons of antiques and vintage. We bought an antique dining room table there because we had a large family and from that time, I was hooked. I have a houseful of the stuff," said Jansen, who handed Martini antique bracelets, necklaces and pins to try on.
"I like more or less anything but the things I love the most are Native American. Baskets, pottery, jewelry, everything, but it has to be really old."
Antique dealer Mimi Gunn of Morristown watched as visitors to her booth studied her folk art paintings, copper pots and decorative wall art, including a pair of German-made cats.
"These are hard to find in this condition, they're not scuffed or marked. They're made very well. Germany was the best at making this type of art," said Gunn, who started her career in antiquities by buying heirloom jewelry when she was ten with her babysitting money.
"I've been in antiques for 44 years. I learned early on. I started doing this when I was a child following my mother. This is the best area in the country for antiques. I think New Jersey has some of the best and most unusual items in the country. There are things everywhere."
Artist Louis A. Pirrello, "Restorations by Louis," held a porcelain restoration clinic and Paul M. Nulton, known for his crystal and glassware repair and polishing, held a glass repair clinic for visitors at different times during the day.
"I appreciate all this stuff. Everything I have was used by someone else except my couch. Every lamp, every mirror, every nightstand. Even my dishes. I threw out my Corelle dishes and bought a used set because I loved them. I like old," said Debbi Riccardello of East Hanover.
"It doesn't have to be worth a fortune, I just have to like it. This is fun today, something to do on a rainy day."
The Morristown Armory Antiques Show will be held today from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 430 Western Avenue in Morristown (exit 35 off I-287). Admission is $10 but a coupon for $2 off is available at www.jmkshows.com.