Show Chair Anne Hamilton with her husband Matt Hamilton.
This August marked the fifth anniversary of the Newport Antiques Show. Forty-two of the country’s top antique dealers shared their best acquisitions—ranging from furniture, to paintings, to jewelry, along with fine and decorative arts—to nearly 2,500 antique enthusiasts. The Show is pleased to announce that it has raised a cumulative $1 million net profit for its two beneficiaries, The Newport Historical Society and The Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County.
“Much of the Show’s success can be attributed to our dedicated sponsors, exhibitors and party chairs,” says Newport Historical Society’s Executive Director Ruth Taylor. For the fifth consecutive year, William Vareika Fine Arts, Ltd. was the Presenting Sponsor. Specializing in the purchase and sale of important 18th, 19th, and early 20th century American paintings, watercolors, drawings, and prints, this art gallery is one of the largest in New England and is one of the Show’s lead exhibitors. Brown Brothers Harriman of Boston returned for the second year as the Preview Party Sponsor. Anne F. Hamilton of Newport and Philadelphia was again the Show’s Chair. “Anne is essential in making the Show happen,” Taylor states. “We could not have reached this $1 million milestone without her assistance.”
Dealer Liaison & NHS Board Member Jessica Hagen-Hill with Show Manager Diana Bittel
“The energy was incredible this year,” explains Joanne Hoops, Director of The Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County. “We were thrilled with the number of people who left the arena remarking about how satisfying and interesting the Show was. We are always excited to partner in this event. The support we receive is critical to The Boys & Girls Clubs as it helps sustain the quality programs that we offer to youth and families. Also significant, the event showcases the beauty and craftsmanship of our culture throughout the ages, bringing joy to so many. We offer sincere thanks to our sponsors and founders who have supported this endeavor over the past five years, and to the Show managers and exhibitors who bring history to life for all to enjoy.”
On loan from the NHS collections was the exhibit Their Manners Pleasing, Their Education Complete: Newport Samplers 1728-1835 which featured 18th and 19th century needlework. Dr. Margaret Ordoñez, Professor in the Textiles Department at the University of Rhode Island, discussed the exhibit and offered advice about preserving antique textiles during a morning lecture.
Exhibit Curator and Historical Society Intern Jessie Macleod poses with the 2011 Loan Exhibit
“This fifth anniversary is historic,” says Taylor. “Not only were antiques with Rhode Island connections exhibited and purchased in the region of their provenance, funds raised support Newport’s past and Newport’s future.”