Old Guilford Antiques Show is back with a new look and new name, 'Shoreline Antique & Retro Market'

GUILFORD — The Guilford Antiques Show, a long-standing benefit for the Hyland House, is back but reinvented and renamed after a nine-year hiatus.

Vintage clothing, accessories, decorator art, antique furniture, retro items and textiles will be on full display at the renamed Shoreline Antique & Retro Market at the Guilford Fairgrounds.

The show, to benefit the Hyland House, has been rebranded to include much more than just antiques.

“It’s like resurrecting the Hyland House antique show in a totally different genre,” said Mairi Bryan, co-treasurer of the Hyland House.

The market takes place 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, June 1 and  10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, June 2 at the Guilford Fairgrounds, 11 Lovers Lane, Guilford.

Since becoming president of the Hyland House board in 2018, Bob Donahue had promised, “I will make it my goal to bring back the antique show for the Hyland House.’”

The original Hyland House antique show started in 1969 and continued until 2015 taking place at Elizabeth C. Adams Middle School.

The show came to an end because “at that time, in 2015, the antiques’ market was just really dwindling and people were not as interested in buying items,” Donahue recalled.

The Hyland House, a nonprofit museum since 1918, is a historic house named for George Hyland, the settler who purchased the land on which it stands in 1657. 

The two-story saltbox structure was built circa 1713 by Hyland’s son-in-law Isaac Parmelee. The National Registry of Historic Places describes it as a “landmark building in the history of domestic architecture.”  

Donahue said the original antiques show drew collectors and buyers from all over. “People came from out of state, people came from all over Connecticut, people came from everywhere because the Hyland House was known for having a real high-end antique show.”

Bryan has fond memories of the show going back to 1995.  

“I actually have a lot of furniture in here that I bought at the old Hyland House antique show,” she said, referring to her home.

Rain or shine, some 45 dealers will utilize the two new barns at the Guilford Fairgrounds, in addition to the new pavilions.

With live music and food trucks throughout the day, “there is really something for everyone,” said Donahue.

Branford’s New England Auctions will feature Americana and folk art, antique photography, glass bottles and Victorian era antiques, including furniture and books at their booth.

“An eclectic mix of fine antiques,” described Michelle Staffa, manager of operations.

Staffa is excited to be a part of this show and interact with the buyers, as well as the other dealers.

“It’s not just collecting an item, but it’s the finding of the item. Going for a day to a flea market and spending it with whoever you’re with and then finding this just cool, whatever it is that you fall in love with and then talking to the person and finding out where did they get it from,” she said.

“Every piece has a story,” she said.

Attendees can bring collectibles from their private collections to be appraised by Fred Giampietro, owner of New England Auctions.

Donahue said this show “is more in vogue with what we’re doing right now in the world, which is that people appreciate antiques, but they also like just older things, older books, older records, older lamps.”

“It’s more of an eclectic market,” he said. “You can find something for $5 or $5,000.”

The Shoreline Antique & Retro Market takes place Saturday, June 1 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, June 2 from 10 a.m. at the Guilford Fairgrounds, 11 Lovers Lane, Guilford; tickets $10 a day.

Contact Sarah Page Kyrcz at suzipage1@aol.com