Annual show draws dealers
Antique dealers from three states are gearing up and packing up to converge at the Tanglewood Center in Lyndora for the 62nd Annual General Federation of Women's Clubs' Intermediate League Antiques Show and Sale March 16-18.
The tradition continues with the $100 door prize being offered along with the quilt raffle.
“This will be the 32nd year the First United Methodist Church has sponsored the handmade quilt for us,” said Leona Angert, committee woman for the event.
Judy Neigh, the business manager for the show, said of the 41 dealers from the tristate area this year, a mix of former and new vendors has been scheduled.
“A major portion of this year's show, as in past years, will benefit local charities,” said Angert noting more than $300,000 has been returned to the community courtesy of the club.
Recipients include the Associated Artists of Butler County, Broad Street School, the Butler Public Library, BERI, Butler County Historical Society, Butler Meals on Wheels, Community Health Clinic, Paul Lawrence Dunbar Center, Maridon Museum, Tanglewood Center, VNA and the YWCA.
Returning dealers make up the bulk of the vendors. Making their 15th return to the show are Sue Baechtel and Mark Stulginsky of Fenelton.
They are the owners of Whimsy Antiques 243 Camp Run Road, Harmony, which features items such as Majolica pottery, country furniture and accessories and textiles.
“The Butler Women's Antique Show and Sale gives collectors a great chance to find that special item,” Stulginsky said.
“This is always a gem of a show. Great dealers, with wonderful merchandise in all categories and prices.”
Stulginsky and Baechtel continue to be excited about antiques because they delight in the hunt for the perfect items that brings smiles to their customers' faces.
“The people, the antiques, and the interaction with our customers drive us to bring the best pieces to market.” Stulginsky said.
“Our best customers are the ones that have ‘knowledge' of what they want,” he said.
Stulginsky and Baechtel will bring a variety of pieces from their Harmony store including a Blazing Star quilt circa World War II.
They will also bring several pieces of furniture including a unique Western Pennsylvania pie safe circa 1880.
“It is mortise and tenon construction which is unusual in this type of furniture,” Stulginsky said. “It is pinned, with breadboard pull-out shelves, and finished in old paint.”
The mortise and tenon joint construction has been used for thousands of years to join pieces of wood. The types of joints vary but the mortise is basically the hole and the tenon, or rail, is the piece that is formed and inserted into it.
Stulginsky and Baechtel advocate collecting what you love.
Stulginsky's advice to the novice collector is simple: “Remember, buy the best you can afford. Quality and the unusual always sell.”
The preview gala will be at 6:30 p.m. March 16, kicking off the weekend-long show.
<B>What: </B>62nd annual GFWC Intermediate League of Butler Antiques Show and Sale<B>When:</B> 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. March 16, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 17 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 18.<B>Where: </B>Tanglewood Center, 10 Austin Ave., Lyndora.<B>Tickets: </B>Available at the Butler YWCA, Antiques on Main Street and Intermediate League membersCall 724-287-7959 or visit www.pittsburghantiques.net for more information.
