It's no surprise that a historical society is interested in history—even if it's history that unfolds outside of the museum's parameters. The East Hampton Historical Society is no exception and welcomes the return of a favorite summer event, the East Hampton Antiques Show, to its Mulford Farm museum in East Hampton, NY this weekend (July 21 and 22, 2018) with a Cocktail Party Preview on Friday, July 20, 2018.
Now in its twelfth year, the East Hampton Antiques Show has become widely recognized as a premier antiques event on Eastern Long Island. Presenting antiques, art, jewelry and collectibles, the East Hamtpon Antiques Show is a highlight for both the art and social calendar for East Hampton, NY. Proceeds from Cocktail Preview benefit the East Hampton Historical Society.
“I have had the extraordinary pleasure of calling East Hampton my treasured getaway for over a decade," stated Interior Designer Scott Sanders. Precious few places compare to the East Hampton mystique of peaceful escape, so I proudly join all those who are grateful for the mission of the East Hampton Historical Society – that of collecting, preserving, presenting and interpreting the material, cultural and economic heritage of our town."
The 2018 edition of the East Hampton Antiques Show features a diverse assembly of objects by over 50 antiques and art dealers, set beneath white tents on the Mulford Farm's greensward. Interior designers are big supporters of the event with 25 A-listers, who also work in the Hamptons, on the Designers Committee. This year’s list includes Charlotte Moss, David Netto, Robert Stilin, Marshall Watson, Tom Samet and others.
The focus of this year's show is vintage decorative items for the home and garden as well as art. Expect to find a broad range of styles from classic to contemporary. The offerings will include classic rattan and bamboo furniture, lighting, textiles, architectural elements, American and European country decorated furniture, Art Deco and Moderne, garden ornaments, wrought-iron accessories, industrial items, paintings, period jewelry and more.
Antiquing, like history, is a moving target – trends ebb and flow, based on societal influences and personal taste. To provide some guidance on how to approach antiques, the East Hampton Historical Society asked a few experts to share their personal insights on current antiquing trends and what they believe is hot right now.
Resonating with experts is a resurgence of interest in 19th Century furnishings, the careful curation of items from multiple eras into one space to achieve visual excitement, and designers’ resounding enthusiasm for introducing antiques into their projects.
Maria Vann – Executive Director of the East Hampton Historical Society
“As a historian, it seems to me that trends in antiquing are similar to how people are inspired by historical narratives. For instance, a once despised and ignored Alexander Hamilton, became all the rage on Broadway as his story and his significance was presented in a new way. When historical stories re-emerge in popularity, style trends can follow.
There are waves of what is socially pleasing and antiques are routinely presented in new ways by expert designers. They set the stage for what larger consumer populations relate to with regard to style. For example, as the PBS Victoria series gained popularity, so did Victorian clothing trends…and now we are seeing more 19th century decor becoming popular. History and antiquing trends appear to be parallel narratives, with antiquing being the physical manifestation of revisiting the past and making it present.”
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18th Century Louis XV Fauteuils chairs at JED booth. Courtesy of The East Hampton Historical Society.
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Richard Barons – Senior Museum Curator of the East Hampton Historical Society
“Some people are talking about “'Modern Nostalgia' as they focus on trends in collecting and interior design for the season," Barons said after speaking with a few antiques dealers. He pointed out that Ronald Wells, proprietor of Ronald Wells Gallery in Hudson, NY, relayed that people are looking to blend the industrial with the American Farmhouse look.
“Items that conjure-up warm & fuzzy windows into the past are flying out of my gallery,” Wells reported. He added that posters, plank-seat kitchen chairs, art student paintings from the ‘60’s, folk art bird houses and even quilts were selling again.
"It might be time to come home to a room filled with warmth and comfort," Barons said, "A hideaway curated with an international blend ranging from beach to Bauhaus.”
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Polaris booth at East Hampton Antiques Show. Courtesy of The East Hampton Historical Society.
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Scott Sanders – Designer and Honorary Chair of the East Hampton Antiques Show
“The most wonderful thing about this show is to experience the passion that every single vendor has for their particular specialty," Scott Sanders stated. It’s infectious, and mixed with their comprehensive knowledge, I’ve been inspired to buy 'outside of the box' and even, sometimes, outside of my own design comfort zone. Without fail, those pieces have turned into treasures, whether for me or my clients.”
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JED Booth at East Hampton Antiques Show. Courtesy of The East Hampton Historical Society.
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Brian Ferguson – Antiques Dealer and East Hampton Antiques Show Manager
“The BEST is always desirable,” said Brian Ferguson, Show Manager of the East Hampton Antiques Show, who brings 45 years of experience in identifying trends in the antiques market. “The market is changing – for the past 15 to 20 years Mid-Century Modern was hot. Now I see clients mixing modern with the top of the line 18th and 19th century furniture, art and folk art. By curating with restraint and cherry-picking the best from each period, you can create tremendous visual appeal. That’s how you achieve the Wow Factor!”
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Schorr & Dobinsky Booth at East Hampton Antiques Show. Courtesy of The East Hampton Historical Society.
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BASIC FACTS: The East Hampton Antiques Show at Mulford Barn in East Hampton, NY kicks off with an Opening Night Preview Cocktail Party on Friday, July 20, 2018 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets start at $150 per person and include return visits over the weekend. Junior Tickets (ages 40 and under) are priced at $100. Ticket sales benefit the East Hampton Historical Society.
Tickets can be purchased in a variety of methods. Call 631-324-6850 Ext. 1, e-mail [email protected] or purchase online by clicking here and scrolling to the bottom of the page. Tickets can also be purchased at the gate on the night of the event.
The East Hampton Antiques Show is open to the public on Saturday, July 21, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday, July 22, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 or $20 for Early Buying opening at 9 a.m.
Mulford Barn is located at 10 James Lane, East Hampton, NY 11937. Click here to discover more about the historic property.
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