I grew up with parents who collected. Weekends were spent in the car, visiting dealers and enjoying the Pennsylvania countryside where there were so many shops. My father was enamored with anything nautical that had an American connection. Our house was filled with wonderful and interesting objects plus wall to wall marine paintings. I realized very early on that I liked things. I also figured out rather quickly, that the only way I was ever going to have those things that I liked, was to go into the antiques business and be a somewhat “collector/dealer”.
       

I was on a panel once for a show and a question was put forth “ do you collect what you sell or do you only collect what you don’t specialize in”? My answer was and is that I sell what I do collect and what I love, as I cannot imagine trying to sell something to anyone that I would not want to have myself. I have downsized into a much smaller house since starting my business in 1977 and therefore, many of the things I “would never sell”, I have sold. I have enjoyed more sharing the things that I think are exceptional and wonderful than having to have so many of them.

        My focus is not primarily one area or another. But nautical works of art are a great part of what I do. I specialize in sailor’s valentines and other shell works of art, British ship woolworks, Napoleonic P.O.W. ship models, and 19 th century U.S. ships in various ports. I still love American furniture and have a particular affinity for Bermuda furniture, having a Bermudian mother. Philadelphia material, Baltimore album quilts, garden accessories, weathervanes, China Trade port paintings, some ceramics, some folk art, Noah’s arks, and children’s paintings all appeal to me, too.

        After college, I ended up in New York. I worked at Sotheby’s, and was not excited particularly by the Renaissance Works of Art or Art Nouveau Departments where I landed, in spite of begging to be in the Americana Department. Regardless of my placement, it was a great learning experience for understanding the auction business and the value of things (at that time).

        Since 1977, I exhibited in way too many shows to remember them all. I started with every little show I could get into in the area and then went further afield. From Penn Valley, Brandywine, Chester County, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Lake Forest, Southport, Boston, Washington, Hunt Valley, Annapolis, Alexandria, Gladstone, Nantucket, Newport, Ellsworth, Wayside Inn, Norwalk, Baltimore Museum, Delaware, and Philadelphia just to name some.

        Now I am just doing the Newport, Delaware and Philadelphia Shows, but still offering the things that I love. I had a web site previously but it seems I neglected it and next thing I saw was that someone in China had taken it over. I wonder how they are doing with it over there! In these times, having a site up and going seems imperative so here it is back finally and I hope you enjoy it.

By Appointment Only
dhbantique@aol.com
510 Fishers Road
Bryn Mawr, Pa. 19010

Cell: 610-715-1595

Home: 610-525-1160