Finding The Sublime At The New York Gift Show

Abandoning our 4-foot drifts on the East End, I bore through the icy winds of Manhattan’s canyons to survey the Winter Gift Show at that landmark crystal palace, the Javits Center. Perhaps not as glamorous as the Winter Antiques Show, but at least affordable, the Gift Show presents wares ranging from the inexorable to the sublime.

Approaching this show is not for the meek unless one’s addiction to shopping is primal. Beyond the Depression-era bread line to sign in, your gaze takes in the acres and acres of vendors and hawkers intent on capturing your almighty dollar. Booths ranging from sleek architectural wonders to fleabag potpourris line the long aisles, whose vanishing points end somewhere in Ohio.My good friend Susan, who, like me, has the fortitude for wading into the morass, gladly accompanied me to the show. We chose to narrow our focus to the “handmade” section. To qualify for this particular area, a company must have a more artisanal approach to its products. We were pleasantly surprised that handmade American crafts were not only extant, but thriving, creative, chic, affordable and holding their own price-wise against similar foreign imports. And, happily, these small artisanal companies were founded by a young, enthusiastic, entrepreneurial generation—which made this show feel quite alive and vibrant.

The Gift Show had a plethora of jewelry designers whose booths were packed with everything from cloth adornments to diamonds being showcased. The next gift item that seemed to dominate the aisles was scarves, scarves of the diaphanous, feather-light, sheer variety. Though patterns ranged from Hicksian graphics to flower child tie-dyes, the creative energy funneled into these products confirmed the latest fashion trend: that scarves are not simply a winter accessory.

American vendors from the hinterlands and mountains proved that woodworking was not simply a 19th-century American craft. From stunning carving blocks to paper-thin wood bowls, from finely hewn dolls to exquisite ornaments, these young American craftsmen have revived the art of woodworking.

Although Susan observed that candle makers were not much in evidence, this year’s showcased designs were pushing the boundaries of the medium. Less about the scent and more about the form, the candles were sculptural, paper-thin scrolls of wax—like a piece of art—and a shame to light and burn away. Some, resembling a miniature Richard Serra maquette, could set a modern glass coffee table aflame with excitement.

Dotted amongst the hordes, I am always happy to find local craftsmen—many plying their trade in omnipresent, perennially hip Brooklyn. Wilcoxson Brooklyn Ceramics, in artisanal sherbet glazes, has created quirky hand-constructed pottery cups, bowls, vessels and vases that are shaped to your personal grip. Upbeat and unpredictable, they would enhance any Hamptons table setting.

So many glass blowers find the bellows and kilns of Brooklyn a tremendous resource for realizing their fledgling genius. Eidos Glass Designs blows out the most fluidly streamlined lamps I have viewed in ages. At prices not to be believed, these transparent wonders are affordable and well worth a bedside table position overlooking your view of the bay! Another glass maker, Dan Mirer, from where else but Corning, New York, stole Susan’s heart with his exquisite jars and wine glasses. These ingeniously covered and hazed spheres of thick glass are crowned with finial handles representing a perfect frozen water droplet.

Hailing from Seattle, Washington, Two Tone Studios produces a striking selection of subtle, happy hued vases, glasses, salad bowls and decanters. Though the colors were sweetly joyous, it was the collection of shapes that struck us. Inspired by the 18th-century Venetian glass works, Two Tone Studio has created comfortable and usable glassware shapes that are unique in the market—modern yet reminiscent.

If materialism irks you, then the Gift Show might ruffle your feathers a bit. You quickly observe that there is so much stuff surrounding you that you become overwhelmed. And then it hits you that this bounteous cornucopia is only a taste of single samples representing multiples of this myriad of merchandise. It is a bit like peering into the universe and contemplating infinity—but this is an infinity of “stuff.” The good news is there are not only diamonds in the rough but rubies and emeralds, too. The Gift Show's handmade section showcases wonderful American craftsmanship well revived, healthy and thriving.