Contact Us

Tynietown.com

Notebook

This page is for all the miscellaneous stuff that doesn't seem to fit anywhere else!

Philadelphia Miniatura 2011

I went to the preview Friday evening, as I do pretty much every year. For the second year in a row, I was surprised at the unpleasant attitude of the staff that works this show. The people who work the front desk outside the main ballroom were cold and unfriendly, as though they wished they were somewhere else. I asked several people about the auction items supposedly from Carolyn Sunstein's collection and no one knew anything about them. Eventually I was pointed to an unattended desk in the lobby and when someone actually showed up there, I was told a bit rudely that I couldn't be in lobby before 5:30. Absolutely no one working there showed me a smile the entire evening and I'm beginning to dislike going to this show because of the way it is run. There were a lot of young people wearing staff badges who didn't know much about what was going on and it was frustrating. I really don't know why the show promotors don't instruct their staff to be pleasant, friendly and helpful - like Kensington!

I noticed a number of dealers were not in attendance, including Michael Walton, Ray Whitledge, le Chateau Miniatures, Lilliput Land... I remember when this show attracted numerous dealers from the UK and each year it seems like fewer and fewer make the trip and that's disappointing. And it didn't seem as crowded as last year. Maybe it's the economy.

I was glad to see less Bespaq there this year, and that stuff from Australia that looks like Bespaq, but otherwise, I felt kind of disappointed and I spent a fraction of what I normally spend there, coming home only with a beautiful Queen Anne chair by Betty Valentine upholstered by Annelle Ferguson which I purchased from Annelle at the Gallery of the Guild booth, a lacemaker's table and chair from taller Targioni, and then I bought an amazing necklace with a tiny, tiny hand-painted Tuscan landscape in a pendant from Christina Goodman and that's it. I spent a lot of time just chatting with several vendors - several people had questions about the auction story I wrote earlier this year when Jackie Andrews' Wilton was sold for very little money, and others had some questions about Eileen Rhoads' upcoming auction. The door prizes were so disappointing I didn't even turn in my ticket for anything. I don't know, the whole evening seemed sort of off for me. Photos to come.

Allentown Antique Toy Show 2011

This show is usually the same weekend as Philadelphia and the main reason I go is because Les and Joanne Payne usually bring some artisan things from their collection as they are downsizing. Last year I bought some wonderful things from them and this time I purchased a Warren Dick lowboy and a piece of antique petitpoint that will make a wonderful wall hanging for Grimshaw Hall one day. Ann Meehan brought a lot of Tynietoy that was reasonably priced and authentic. The Paynes had good Tynietoy as well. And there was a lot of painted over Tynietoy in another booth and I mean a LOT. So sad. I wish that person would throw in the towel and retire; the business would be better off without her. I know a lot of people buy expensive tickets to this show while the dealers are setting up, so maybe some really wonderful things disappear before Saturday, but I wasn't too excited by anything there this year. I suppose I am just more interested in the great things I know are coming up at auction and perhaps I've become disillusioned with the shenanigans of too many of the dealers. I hope next year is better.