Post Road Gallery is an art gallery with long antique shop roots. Run by Robert and David Bahssin, the gallery specializes in American fine and decorative arts of the 19th century but has a broad eclectic mix of rare and unique objects. We are located at 2128 Boston Post Road in Larchmont, NY, just outside of New York City in Westchester county.
Here is an article that was published about us which appeared in the Antiques and Arts Weekly in May of 2000.
Post Road Gallery, Three Generations of Antiques
Three years ago David Bahssin was opening his mail and found a promotional pen which read, “Post Road Gallery, now in our 45th year.” He called to his father Robert, “Do you know that you have been here for forty-five years?” His father answered, “I guess.” Of course, David knew this to be true, but it was amusing to see it in print. It made him reminisce on the comings and goings and great things that have passed through an “old time antique shop”.
Since 1952, three generations of Bahssins have been in the business of selling fine art and antiques from their shop in Larchmont, NY. Prior to the Larchmont location, Robert’s father, Adolph Bahssin, ran antiques shops selling decorative objects in various locations in the Bronx and Yonkers. In the 1950’s, before the construction of I-95, the main “antiquing route” out of New York City north to New England was Route 1, the Boston Post Road. When Robert returned home from service in Korea he knew that by opening a store in Larchmont he would be one of the first stops for antiquers leaving the city. The move turned out to be the right one, the business prospered in the 1950’s and 60’s. The shop started to handle American paintings and sculpture as well as antiques. In 1974, at the urging of his good friend Rockwell Gardner, Robert was able to purchase the building next to his store. He renovated it, moved his business in, and changed the name to Post Road Gallery. Over the years the gallery has become a source for collectors, museums and dealers.
Like so many “old time antique shops” the stories of the great items bought and sold are numerous and amusing. Robert remembers how he once had a wonderful pair of Tiffany floor lamps each with a dozen favrile tulip form shades that he couldn’t get $2,500.00 for.
David remembers fondly how when he was about six years old he asked his father what the best item in the store was. At that time Robert pointed to a fire screen that was on top of his display cabinet. Robert had bought the screen and sold it locally for $700.00. The next day the purchaser came back and asked Robert if he noticed that the nine major glass disks in the screen were each signed by John Lafarge. He of course hadn’t, so he bought the screen back from her for two or three times what the client had paid. Robert in turn sold it to Walter Chrysler. David recently saw the screen again for the first time in thirty years at the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, VA. It reminded him of the way it looked to a six year old boy. It was like seeing an old friend again.
It is amusing to go through the photo file of sold merchandise. One group of old black and white Polaroids show several sculptures including Carl Akeley’s “Jungle Football”, a large size “Buffalo” by Shrady, and “Nathan Hale” by Bela Pratt. Recently David looked at the group of photos taken years ago and shook his head because everything was so great. His father noted, “Remember, all those photos were taken on the same day.”
Today, Robert looks around his store and thinks his stock is bigger and better than ever. Thirty years from now one can only imagine what today’s stock will look like when it is seen in the “sold file”.
