Dealer Spotlight

HL CHALFANT: American Fine Art & Antiques:

Skip Chalfant is the sole proprietor of HL Chalfant Antiques, with a depth of knowledge in fine art and early American furniture and objects. Born and raised in historic West Chester, PA, Skip developed an early love for antiques. Following extensive training under the esteemed vision of Philip H. Bradley, and years of concentrated study of early Americana, he opened HL Chalfant in 1982.

In 41 years dealing in antiques, Skip has become a highly respected authority in the field, having sold some of the finest examples of American William & Mary, Queen Anne, Chippendale, Hepplewhite and Sheraton furniture. Objects represented by HL Chalfant are known for their extremely high quality and rarity, often taking his name in documents proving history and provenance.

Objects, which have been represented and sold through HL Chalfant, are now among the major collections of America’s most prominent museums including The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Winterthur Museum, The Art Institute of Chicago and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Skip has seen and sold the items most sought by collectors. Most notably, in 1990, he happened upon and sold a Garvan Carver dressing table, which would be conservatively valued today at over $1M. Other important finds by HL Chalfant, hold his name as provenance, and often encourage auction bidders at Christie’s and Sotheby’s. Collectors are often reassured by Skip’s vast knowledge, hiring him to assess items on their behalf before making considered purchases.

“...Skip is one of the most sincere, honest, respectful

people I have ever known...” – Arthur Liverant

A member of the Antiques Council, and past President of ADA, Skip now serves on the Board of ADA as well as that of the Chester County Historical Society. Skip‘s pieces have been featured in national publications including Art & Antiques, The Magazine Antiques, Antiques & Fine Art, Maine Antiques Digest, the New England Journal of Antiques, The Hunt and Antiques & The Arts Weekly.

Scott Chalfant, joining the business in 2005, now lends his expertise to increasing interest in the fine arts through the development of the Chalfant website, advertising and marketing efforts, booth designs and event coordination. He has conducted numerous events on behalf of the gallery and has begun writing articles on decorative arts for trade publications. Since his arrival at HL Chalfant, the gallery has been completely renovated. Items are now available for viewing at www.hlchalfant.com, with the first Internet sale happening in 2006.

Together, the father and son team have begun a series of discreet decorative arts consignment sales known each year as The Unveiling. The annual sale gathers collectors and consignors in an exclusive network created by HL Chalfant for a rare look at items new to market. This opportunity to see early American rarities before they are made available elsewhere is an event collectors can’t miss.

ADA board member Arthur Liverant said, “One of the greatest results and benefits of the ADA has been the opportunity to get closer with dealers who share the same values in business as me. Human beings tend to be competitive but the dealers who have been accepted into the ADA can be trusted to work very hard to represent materials in the best possible way.”

“Specifically, Skip Chalfant is one of the leading dealers within the ADA. I have had the privilege of being a colleague of Skip’s for 39 years. We have become ‘friendly competitors,’ with his friendship much more important to me than the business relationship we share. It is an honor to be in a business transaction with him, with his intellect and quest for knowledge. He has found a way to make the traits that make others competitive work positively for him. I can believe every word of anything he ever tells me, and I have never ever heard somebody say behind his back that Skip did a bad thing, never ever.”

Liverant added, “As a human, Skip is one of the most sincere, honest, respectful people I have ever known. He has a great feeling for all people at every level of life. He is respectful of humanity and always looking for the things he and Elizabeth can do to make the world better.”

“These qualities make him appreciate the craftsmanship of a vintage Porsche as much as the curve of an old Philadelphia Highboy.”

“Skip is terrifically sincere and one of my closest friends and I am lucky to be friendly with Skip, Scott, Kristin and the kids. There’s never a conversation we’ve ever had where we don’t inquire about each other’s family.”

The HL Chalfant gallery is open 6 days a week and online 24/7 at www.hlchalfant.com. Visit Skip and Scott Chalfant at The Philadelphia Antiques Show, The Delaware Antiques Show, The Deerfield Antiques Show and The Chester County Historical Society Antiques Show.