The fourth annual one-day Kempton Antique Show was staged on Saturday, October 21 at the Community Recreation Center in Kempton, Berks County, Pennsylvania. It opened at 9 a.m. and closed at 4 p.m. on a mild, mostly sunny day. Inside the building in two rooms were 43 exhibitors showing a wide variety of antiques and collectibles, with a definite emphasis on Pennsylvania country furniture, both in original paint and decoration and in a natural finish, and accompanying accessories like stoneware, redware, weathervanes, quilts, hooked rugs and other textiles, woodenware, fireplace and kitchen items in iron and tin, holiday collectibles and so on.
There was an enthusiastic crowd on hand for the opening and the show was very busy for a couple of hours. Attendance the rest of the day seemed to be fairly steady and somewhat heavy. This event appears to be growing in popularity and, in fact, has seen an increase in attendance each year, with this year recording the highest number so far. The show is run by and for the benefit of the Antique Dealers Association of Berks County, which does a good job of bringing together a diverse group of exhibitors.
But, how did the participants do? The answer depended upon who you asked. One exhibitor reported a single sale that was more than her gross from the last two years combined! She had made several other sales as well and, therefore, was a rather happy camper. Others were disappointed. But, most seemed to feel this event is moving in the right direction. Actually, several visiting dealers expressed an interest in being included in the show next year, always a good sign!
Russell and Judy Miller of Ironmaster’s Mansion Antiques, Green Lane, Pennsylvania, offered a lead tobacco box with a black head on the lid and a weight inside to keep the tobacco in place. Dating from the 18th century, it was 5” tall with the head, 4” long, and 3” wide. $139 was the price. And we spotted a nice selection of tin cookie cutters shown by Willow Lane Antiques from Macungie, Pennsylvania. They were priced from $10 to $40.
We saw many items very reasonably priced. It was so refreshing from the “usual.” Oh, there are bargains at virtually every antique show. However, at some events, they are few and far between. On the other hand, Kempton seemed to be loaded with them, from one booth to the next. We noticed nearly everyone leaving the show was carrying at least one bag or two of newly found treasures. Hopefully, the photos will help tell the story!
If you love antiques, especially American country items, you must put this show on your “not to be missed” list for next year. We suspect Kempton will be even bigger and better next October than it was this year. And, in terms of reasonable prices and good buys, that’s saying something.
Article and Photos by Patti Guthrie
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Ironmaster's Mansion Antiques from Green Lane, Pa., displays this hand-wrought iron cleaver dating from the late 18th early 19th century. Priced at $250, it is made from iron, wood and brass. Very sculptural, don't you think? We can picture it hanging on a wall in a modern kitchen or near an 18th century fireplace.
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This Diamond Dyes cabinet with two tin doors is completely original, including the paint and decoration. It's offered by B & J Mosley Farms of Boyertown, Pa., who price it at $495. The cabinet is 25" tall by 16" wide.
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This handsome and very practical plant stand is in the original paint and is three feet tall. It's tagged at $325. On it sits an impressive selection of redware, priced from $60 to $300 each. All are shown by Rhoads House Antiques, Fleetwood, Pa. If you visit Kempton looking for redware, this is one of the booths not to be missed.?
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Isn't this neat? Have you ever seen another? We haven't. It's a salesman sample of wood wagon toys, mules, horses, cows and accessories dating from the 1950s and priced at $395 by PJs Collectibles of New Tripoli, Pa. The case measures 27 1/2" long by 18" tall. On it sits that ca. 1950 Davy Crockett coonskin cap made with real skin. It's $24. And, the World War I tin ammo case is German in origin.
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Hex Highway Antiques from Hamburg, Pa., has this nice selection of copper and tin food molds, dating from between 1850 and 1890, the most expensive priced at $55. Partly visible is that agate mold. And, we forgot to ask the price of the attractive wall box.
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The Acorn Post from Pitman, N.J., offers this wonderful group of antiques. The large two-drawer farm table has a four-board, scrubbed top measuring 6 1/2 feet long by 3 feet wide, is 33" tall, and is priced at $985, while the pine spice chest on it is $195. And, $135 is the cost of the large wooden cask with a spout. On the floor are a copper wash boiler with a lid, tagged at $125, the "Heilig" Advertising box which is $38, and the three-gallon, "New Style White Cedar No 1" cylinder churn. It's $185. We didn't get the prices for the tin milk cans and other metal items alongside the table to the left in this picture or the box in green paint to the right.
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Isn't this a stately and handsome rooster? We sure think so. Dating from the 1930s, this copper rooster weathervane is 24" tall and priced at $575 by Stump's Antiques of Sinking Spring, Pa. That price seems quite reasonable to us, particularly when compared to the prices you see on vanes at "upscale" shows.
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What a jolly group of paper-pulp Jack O' Lanterns! These festive fellows, all with their original paper inserts, are priced from $115 to $175 by Stump's Antiques, Sinking Spring, Pa. Halloween has become a year-round and highly sought-after collectible. These guys, especially that cat in the front center, are cool and becoming increasingly hard to find in such good condition!
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Brian Hart from Oley Valley Antiques of Fleetwood, Pa., displays this ca. 1930s miniature cupboard with two doors, tagged at a reasonable $85. It stands 22" tall and is 14" wide. On its shelves are two banks at $25 each, the mini butter print priced at $45, that turned wood "cordial" which is $15, and the coffin-shaped secret box. It's $50.
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This unusually large Lester Breininger platter, measuring 20" across, is priced at $325 by Don Buzzerd of Reinholds, Pa. On the back was written, "A sunny cool morning", plus " * USA * " and the date October 24, 2000. Breininger passed away a few years ago, making all his pottery even more "collectible."
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Willow Lane Antiques, Macungie, Pa., offers these treasures at the one-day Kempton Antiques Show. The paint-decorated blanket chest, dating from the mid-1800s, has a dovetailed case and bracket feet. It's 38" long by 22" tall by 24" deep, and priced at a very reasonable $265. On it sit that nice splint basket, tagged at $85, the plush dog with tiny wheels (not visible in this photo) at $45, and the early teddy bear on wheels. His "adoption fee" is $225.
