March 30th and 31st 2018 at the
Garnet B. Rickard Recreation
Complex,
Bowmanville, Ontario
Coverage by Douglas Phillips
What makes a great show – Collectors, Dealers and Location. This year the Bowmanville Antiques and Folk Art Show had all three – a refurbished hall, twenty-one dealers many long time, several new faces, and hundreds of avid collectors who eagerly lined-up an hour before the show opening on Friday evening. The doors opened and with their shopping list in hand the hall was abuzz with collectors and dealers engaged in negotiations. Sold signs quickly appeared on many items of furniture, outstanding paintings and crocks. Collectors quickly moved from booth to booth, old friends greeted each other, and the show took on a congenial atmosphere.
This year a special exhibit ‘The Year of the Box’ was presented by Ben Lennox, Steve Acken, and Chris Spick that spanned functionality to Folk Art. Before the plastic tote box our ancestors kept their processions in special boxes, from travel chests to kitchen wall boxes. They were hand made and decorated with motifs that depicted their function. Boxes were given as presents to mark special occasions like a bride’s box or a bible box. These have been passed down through the generations and are still treasured by families today
Bill Dobson who presents the show along with a panel of experts, vets all the show items for their authenticity and provenance. Each item carries a tag with a full description, the year, price and where it was found and if it came from a well-known collection. This is the hallmark of the Bowmanville Show and why it has been a great success over the years. Bill has decided to pass the torch to the new owners Ben, Steve and Chris who have a close association with the show through their special exhibits. Bill will still exhibit at the show and help with the transition.
Be sure to plan your visit the 46th Annual Show in 2019.