Dealers Descend at Mulford

Tents on the grounds of the Mulford Farm will be chockablock with all manner of decorative items and artworks this weekend from an array of vendors, including Hampton Gather, whose selections are pictured above.

The focus this year is on vintage decorative items for the home and garden

Jul. 19, 2018

Mark Segal

More than 50 art and antiques dealers will take up residence this weekend under white tents on the grounds of the Mulford Farm for this year’s East Hampton Historical Society’s antiques show.

The focus this year is on vintage decorative items for the home and garden as well as art. Classic rattan and bamboo furniture, lighting, textiles, architectural elements, American and European country decorated furniture, Art Deco, garden ornaments, wrought-iron accessories, industrial items, paintings, trade signs, period jewelry, weathervanes, and mirrors will be for sale.

The weekend will kick off with a preview cocktail party tomorrow evening from 6 to 8:30. Tickets to the show, which will open at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, are $10. For those who want a head start, early admission at 9 is $20 both days. Cocktail party tickets are $150 and include return visits over the weekend, with tickets for those 40 and under priced at $100.

Scott Sanders, an interior designer, is the honorary chairman of the cocktail party, proceeds from which will benefit the historical society. “The most wonderful thing about this show is to experience the passion that every single vendor has for their particular specialty,” said Mr. Sanders, who has a house in East Hampton.

Regarding trends in antiquing, Maria Vann, the historical society’s executive director, noted the increasing popularity of 19th-century décor, while Brian Ferguson, an antiques dealer and manager of the show, reported clients mixing modern with top-of-the-line 18th and 19th-century furniture, art, and folk art.

Richard Barons, the society’s chief curator, heard from a dealer in Hudson, N.Y., that people are looking to blend the industrial with the American farmhouse look. “He said that posters, plank-seat kitchen chairs, art student paintings from the 1960s, folk art birdhouses, and even quilts were selling again.”

Tickets can be purchased by calling the historical society, online at its website, or at the gate. The show will close at 6 p.m. on Saturday, and at 5 on Sunday.