If there is one word to describe the Genesee Country Antique Dealers Association it is “brave.” This Western New York (Greater Rochester area) association of dealers launched a new antiques show and sale in June in the Finger Lakes city of Canandaigua, New York. For customers, it was a success. More than 60 dealers brought their offerings to the Civic Center venue.
The Collector did not ask dealers about their sales, but there seemed to be plenty of potential customers searching for something to take home. We did see items leaving the show with happy patrons and a number of “sold” tags were displayed. Attracting more than 60 dealers with quality antiques to a first-year show is testament to the GCADA reputation. And delivering a decent-size crowd of shoppers reflected a good job of advertising. In an era when some shows are struggling to keep dealers, keep quality and attract customers, the association members should declare a success.
Many of the dealers that participate in the group’s March show at Nazareth College in Pittsford, New York were present in Canandaigua, but the organizers also brought in some out-of-state and dealers from other regions of the state to provide buyers with more choices. Among them were Robert Conrad Antiques from Yagertown, Pennsylvania, and from a few hours to the east in Deposit, New York was the noted dealer Richard Axtell.
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With 64 dealers present, there was a wide enough variety to please many interests. There were many examples of early antiques, from furniture to lighting, that met or exceeded the “150 year” test, but also quality items that most would consider antique, even if somewhat newer.
Many dealers recognized that the location in the Finger Lakes would make it worthwhile to bring lake-related items. There were half-hulls, pond boats, and even a set of vintage canoe “bumpers” that had been hanging in a boathouse. Watercolors and paintings with water themes were also evident. Those with cottages who wanted to welcome visitors in a big way could have purchased a light-up “Tourists” sign, probably from the 1950s or 60s.
The Civic Center, which also serves as an ice rink, could have used a little ice on what turned out to be a sunny, 80-plus degree day. There was a breeze through the building, so patrons weren’t too troubled by the heat. The dealers, some of whom managed to bring modern fans, were feeling the effects of the day’s heat, the set-up the night before, and no doubt contemplating the pack-up. It’s good to remember what they have to do to bring a show to life. While they contemplated packing up, we could head for the waterfront for lunch.
Canandaigua seems like a natural for a summer show, and we hope dealers and the association found this show successful enough to prompt a “second annual” next year.
Article by Bruce A. Austin
