Join Fine Objects Society for an unforgettable, multi-day Retreat in the picturesque Hudson Valley. This immersive experience will draw together a community of collectors, curators, designers, and dealers to explore the evolving field of antiques in a rapidly changing world. Through intimate conversations, dynamic keynote presentations, and excursions highlighting direct engagement with objects, participants will hone connoisseurship while expanding their passion for historic things.
Home base for the Retreat will be Midwood, a ten bedroom historic home nestled among 75 acres of private land with one of the most iconic views of the Hudson River. The Midwood property was part of the original land grant given to Robert Livingston the Elder by King George I of Great Britain in 1686, and it remained in the Livingston family until the 1980s. Since then, Midwood has functioned as both a family home and a gathering place for notable events, bringing together luminaries from far and wide. The property is part of the Federal Hudson River Historic District, and Midwood’s land, main house and carriage barn are about as historic as a property can be in the Hudson Valley.
Registration $450 for members, $535 for non-members (includes one year FOS membership)
Limited accommodations available for purchase, see below
Featured events
Optional Pre-Retreat Excursion
Meet-Your-Maker at the FIELD + SUPPLY FALL MRKT
Hutton Brickyards | 200 North Street, Kingston, NY
On your way upstate, join us at Field + Supply’s annual Fall MRKT, a modern interpretation of a traditional arts and crafts market bringing together a carefully curated group of vendors to create a unique shopping experience. Meet makers and designers, listen to live music, and enjoy delectable bites from local purveyors!
Welcome to Midwood with Benjamin Q. Davidson & Pippa Biddle of Quittner
Midwood | 760 Woods Rd. Germantown, NY
Quittner began as a small antiques shop born from a shared passion for the past. Today, it has grown into a Germantown-based design practice, workshop, and retail destination rooted in traditional forms, offering historically inspired lighting and homewares alongside a curated selection of antiques. Founders Benjamin Q. Davidson and Pippa Biddle both grew up in old houses steeped in history. Ben learned proportion, layering, and the beauty of imperfection at Midwood, his grandmother’s 1880s Hudson Valley home. Pippa absorbed a deep appreciation for material history and generational continuity at the Ridgely House, her family’s 1726 Maryland home, lived in continuously since 1760. This talk will explore Midwood and its enduring influence on the vision and work of Quittner.
MANITOGA and the living legacy of Russel Wright with curator Steffi Ibis Duarte
Midwood | 760 Woods Rd. Germantown, NY
MANITOGA / The Russel Wright Design Center presents and interprets Manitoga as the Wrights’ inspiration and design achievement as a leading regional and national center for innovative and sustainable design, architecture, and landscape. In this session, Steffi Ibis Duarte, curator, design historian, and collections specialist, will present an overview of MANITOGA, highlighting the museum’s extraordinary collection of the Wrights’ work.
Furnishing Utopia: A Decade of Designing Together with Jean Lee and Dylan Davis of Ladies & Gentlemen Studio
Midwood | 760 Woods Road Germantown, NY
Furnishing Utopia is a global independent design collective that explores how past idealistic movements—most notably the Shakers—continue to shape modern design and contemporary living. Through workshops, exhibitions, and collaborations, the collective looks to the past, engages with the present, and imagines new possibilities for a more utopian future. Furnishing Utopia is organized by Jean Lee and Dylan Davis, founders of Ladies & Gentlemen Studio, a bi-coastal, multidisciplinary design studio. From lighting and furniture to collaborations and community-driven exhibitions, L&G’s work reflects a commitment to creating thoughtful, meaningful experiences through design.
Hudson Antiques Crawl
Warren Street | Hudson, NY
Auction Preview & Reception at STAIR Galleries
STAIR Galleries | 549 Warren St. Hudson, NY
Since 2001, STAIR has set the standard as one of America's premier auction houses, known for thoughtfully curated sales that bridge the worlds of modern design and timeless tradition. For this year’s FOS Retreat, founder and fourth-generation furniture specialist Colin Stair will offer an insider’s look at STAIR, followed by an exclusive preview of their October sales. Guests will have the rare opportunity to discover an extraordinary selection of furniture, fine art, porcelain, silver, carpets, and Asian works of art—each piece carefully sourced from distinguished private collections and estates.
Book talk with Monica Nelson, author of These Long Shadows: Women’s House Museums in the American South
Midwood | 760 Woods Rd. Germantown, NY
In These Long Shadows (Atelier Éditions, 2026), writer and graphic designer Monica Nelson excavates the domestic narratives and mythologies contained within the publicly preserved homes of some of the American South’s leading cultural figures—from Nina Simone to Carson McCullers. In this presentation, Monica delves into the process of researching and writing These Long Shadows, which emerges as a constellation of new visions, narratives, and readings with which to examine the nation's ever-metamorphosing historical landscape.
Excursion to STAIR Restoration Studio
STAIR Restoration | 33 Maple Ave. Claverack, NY
Founded in 1980 by Sotheby’s Furniture Specialist Alastair John Stair, STAIR Restoration has become a trusted name in the care and preservation of fine furniture and interiors. Today, the studio is led by Colin Stair, a fourth-generation furniture expert, alongside Nigel Thomas, a restoration specialist with over 25 years of international conservation experience. Together, they guide a team of master craftsmen dedicated to architectural restoration, furniture conservation, and bespoke design. This exclusive behind-the-scenes tour offers a rare opportunity to see STAIR’s restoration practice in action, exploring the tools, techniques, and artistry that bring treasured pieces back to life.
Curatorial tour of Clermont State Historic Site with Noa Kriegler Allen
Clermont | 1 Clermont Ave. Germantown, NY
Built between 1730 and 1750, Clermont State Historic Site was the Georgian country home of the Livingston family for more than two centuries, housing seven generations of Livingstons along with servants and enslaved people. The estate was rebuilt in the late 18th century after British soldiers burned Clermont and 24 other Livingston properties, and in the 1920s, it was remodeled in the Colonial Revival style. Today, the house reflects its 1930s appearance, furnished with pieces that embody all three centuries of Livingston family life. For this FOS excursion, Clermont Curatorial Assistant Noa Kriegler Allen will lead an object-focused tour highlighting the site’s exceptional collection, including fine Empire-period furniture, glittering chandeliers, porcelain, artwork, and more.
Visit to the home of collector and photographer Pieter Estersohn with a wine and cheese reception sponsored by The Magazine Antiques
Pieter Estersohn | Red Hook, NY
Pieter Estersohn is a celebrated photographer of architecture and interiors, with work featured in leading publications including Architectural Digest, The World of Interiors, and Elle Decor. He has contributed to more than 60 books, notably as the author of Life Along The Hudson: The Historic Country Estates of the Livingston Family (Rizzoli, 2018), which showcases Midwood, and most recently Back to the Land: A New Way of Life in the Country (Rizzoli, 2024). Since relocating to Red Hook in 2010, Pieter has cultivated an extraordinary personal collection, which he will share with the FOS Retreat during a special evening gathering—complete with a festive glass of wine. Sponsored by The Magazine Antiques, this intimate visit and reception promises to be a memorable highlight.
Optional Post-Retreat Excursion
Curatorial Tour of the Thomas Cole Historic Site
218 Spring Street, Catskill, NY 12414
A full schedule of events is available here.
Stay with us
Stay with us onsite at historic Midwood. A limited selection of rooms are available. View the room list and pricing here, and book with your registration below.
Fine Objects Society wishes to thank our 2025 Retreat sponsors:
