GFWC antique show
LYNDORA — After a two-year pandemic-caused hiatus, the GFWC Intermediate League of Butler’s Annual Antiques Show and Sale will return for its 70th year.
The show begins with an opening-night gala from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. March 18at the Tanglewood Center, 10 Austin Ave. The sale will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 19 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 20.
Proceeds will go to fund local nonprofit organizations, said Yolanda Cypher, publicity chairman for the show.
The organizations being helped this year include the Butler Arts Center, Butler County Alliance for Children, Butler County Symphony, Butler Public Library, Jean B. Purvis Community Health Center, Fishbone Ministries, Grapevine Center, Kids Weekend Backpack Program, Maridon Museum, Meals on Wheels, Tanglewood Center, Friends of Preston Park Foundation and YMCA.
Cypher said the 60 members of the GFWC Intermediate League were anxious to get the show back and running after two years lost to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The show takes a lot of effort on the part of the members,” she said. “It’s our only fundraiser. We want to get back into business, so to speak.”
The effects of the pandemic still will be felt even though the antique show and sale has returned.
Cypher said for the opening night gala the buffet line will be replaced with prepackaged hors d'oeuvres, and masks will be required for all attendees.
“As people come in, they will be broken up into groups before going into the various rooms to maintain social distancing,” Cypher said.
One of those rooms will be occupied by Darlene Schwab, whose Red Rabbit Antiques has locations in Antique Center of Strabane in the North Strabane Town Center, 2510 Washington Road, Cannonsburg; Schoolhouse Shops at Leesburg, near the Grove City Premium Outlets; and Kensington Court, 3464 Babcock Blvd., North Hills.
Schwab said Red Rabbit Antiques grew out of her interest in collecting antique teddy bears and rabbits.
“I have a home economics education degree. I taught and I was a message therapist for over 20 years, but I’ve always had an interest for antiques,” she said.
“I collected way too much. I had retired teachers as friends who had shops. I started getting to know people who own antique shops, and one thing led to another. I started doing some shows at my friends’ shops,” said Schwab.
“I went into Kensignton Court. I’ve been doing that for 12 years,” she said.
In addition to antique teddy bears and mohair rabbits, Schwab said her grandmother got her interested in collecting children’s items, such as tea sets and miniature hutches and cabinets.
“I don’t have kids, but I’m attracted to the miniatures. I collected a lot of that by going to antique shows and going to stores,” she said.
“Then I got into antique sewing implements and fabrics. That’s still my passion,” she said.
Schwab said she also collects samplers done by 7- and 8-year-old girls in the 19th century as a way to learn sewing skills. “Most of them are from the 1800s. A lot of them are framed. They come in different sizes.”
She added Ironstone china to her collections. Ironstone pottery was made in England in the early 19th century. She called it an everyday, heavy-duty ceramic that started out as plain white and then expanded into patterns in red, blue, green and brown.
Schwab said she specializes in items from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, which she called mid-century modern.
Even though she started her stores as a way to thin out her collection, Schwab said she still collects. Often it’s a case of finding an item that’s a little better than one she already has which takes the spot of something already in her collection.
She said she enjoys the thrill of the hunt, going to estate sales, flea markets, antique shows and garage sales to see what she can uncover.
“I love going into an old house or barn and rummaging through someone’s attic. It’s getting harder and harder to find stuff. Ebay has affected the antique market and prices,” she said. “It’s just fun. You never know what you are going to find.”
Schwab said she’s looking forward to attending GFWC Intermediate League of Butler’s Annual Antiques Show and Sale.
“I used to go as an attendee. They run such a great little show. This is going to be my seventh year as a dealer,” she said. “The women are there to help you. They set it up for you. They put on a very nice preview night.”
She said she was asked to speak before the women’s group prior the 2020 show, back before the show, and everything else, was shut down by the pandemic in March 2020.
This year, Schwab said she is looking forward to the return of the show.
She said she’s bringing a lot of items: painted wooden bowls, pantry baskets, a country store cheese display, signs, bears, egg crates, egg baskets, garden pieces, crocks and antique seed jars.
“It’s a little bit of everything,” she said.
