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Tolland, Connecticut

Tolland Show: A Cure for Cabin Fever

by Ed Pfeiffer

Toward the end of January, for antiques buffs in the Connecticut River Valley region around Hartford suffering from wintertime cabin fever, the Tolland Historical Society's annual show is a welcome occasion. The 2007 event on January 28, the first big antiques show of the year in Connecticut, was the society's 41st.

It was a jewel-box show with 69 exhibitors set up in the gym area and the cafeteria of the Old Tolland High School. The dealers offered a wide assortment of antiques and collectibles with emphasis on country furniture, decorative items, and collectibles. Although the Tolland Historical Society does not release specific attendance numbers, the turnout seemed quite strong, and the aisles were crowded throughout the day. The show's director, Kathy Bach, said the attendance had reached a satisfactory level in recent years and remained consistent. She also noted that the traffic flow was steady all day, without peaks and valleys, a situation exhibitors obviously liked.

Exhibitors reported brisk sales during the two-hour early buying period and for the rest of the day. During the early buying time and about an hour into the general show, Derik Pulito of Kensington, Connecticut, said his sales had included a candlestand, $1500; an 18th-century painted wall box, $1200; an 18th-century armchair, $1800; and three mid-size 19th-century oil on canvas landscapes ranging in price from $500 to $3500. He called the Tolland events the "best little shows in New England."

Also early in the day, Ron Chambers of Higganum, Connecticut, who was doing the Tolland show for the first time, had buyers for six items of pewter, his specialty, at prices from $275 to $450; a teapot; and a cast-iron waffle iron.

Lorraine and Steve German of Mad River Antiques, North Granby, Connecticut, said the morning hours had brought sales of only a few smalls. Later in the day, activity picked up, and they had buyers for a pair of homespun textiles, $80; a pastel sandpaper still life, $1450; a skater's lantern, $395; a doll's bed, $60; an inkwell, $25; a circa 1840 stepladder, $395; and in the last hour, a two-gallon stoneware jug by J. & E. Norton, Bennington, Vermont, with a bird decoration, $1400.

Penny and Ronald Dionne of West Willington, Connecticut, had a long list of sales, including a watercolor of a ship, $800; a checkerboard, $750; a covered wooden box, $185; a carved songbird, $500; and a pair of covered wooden sugar bowls, $850.

Peter and Betty Davidian of Holden, Massachusetts, had an active day. Their sales included a set of five decorated chairs, a thumb-back chair, a hooked rug with a horse design, an Empire grain-painted card table, and a four-gallon crock.

In a round of conversations, a cross section of exhibitors were asked to compare their sales results for the full year 2006 with the 12 months of the previous year. The comments were surprisingly varied. Howard Graff of Townshend, Vermont, reported 2006 as "substantially down." Carol Wojtkun of New Preston, Connecticut, said the two years were "about the same," while Penny Dionne called 2006 "definitely better," and Ron Chambers rated 2006 as "excellent."

Most enthusiastic about 2006 was Thomas Longacre of Marlborough, New Hampshire, who called it his "best ever." Lorraine German made a distinction between Mad River's sales experience at shows and what had happened with their private sales. The private sales in 2006 had been very strong, but only three of the 17 shows they did last year showed increased sales compared to 2005.

The Tolland Historical Society maintains and operates three museums: the Daniel Benton Homestead, the town's oldest surviving residence, built in 1720 and occupied by the same family for more than two centuries; the Old Tolland County Jail, a stone and brick structure built in 1856 with an attached warden's home dating to 1893; and the 1822 Old Tolland County Courthouse, which housed all of the county's courts until about 1890. The society also has extensive activities, including educational programs and other events related to Tolland's history.

For information about the museums, programs, membership in the society, or future shows, call (860) 870-9599; Web site (http://pages.cthome.net/tollandhistorical).