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Summer Antiques Show at Birchwood Manor

JKK Shows has announced the Summer Antiques Show at Birchwood Manor just north of Morristown in Whippany, N.J., will take place on July 30, 31, and August 1. The show will include 100 exhibitors featuring outstanding quality and variety with a focus on affordable prices.

Antiques of all types will be on display including American can Continental furnishings, silver, paintings, vintage fashions, Art Deco, lighting, jewelry, art glass, scientific instruments, watches, porcelain, and much more. The event encompasses every inch of space on Birchwood Manor’s expansive first floor, including two ballrooms, two cocktail lounges, and the Greenery.

“People love coming to Birchwood,” said Allison Kohler, Director of JMK Shows. "Besides the beautiful grounds, the chandeliers, and lunch in the outstanding dining room, coming to the Birchwood Manor Summer Antiques Show is a fabulous way to shop for a day in air-conditioned comfort; it’s a destination for show-goers."

In addition to the distinguished roster of exhibitors, the show features an expert glass repair clinic, vintage trunk restoration clinic, a silver matching service, expert porcelain and pottery restoration by Louis Pirrello, and a certified appraisal clinic by Linda Roberts from White Orchid Appraisals at just $5 per item. China mending service while you wait is available on Saturday and Sunday only.

Returning buyers are in for a feast for the eyes with an array of antiques and collectibles for every taste level. Exhibitor highlights include one of the largest selections of fine working antique barometers in the U.S. at the booth of Barometer Fair, Inc. The firm from Sarasota, Fla., has been buying, selling, and restoring antique barometers since 1979.

Seventeenth through Twentieth Century American and European art will be well-represented by The Art & Antique Gallery of Worcester, MA. The gallery’s Bill Union announced that he is now expanding his inventory to include African-American artists because of customer demand. David and Nancy Crockett from Artifacts specialize in anything unusual and formal including fine crystal, porcelain, art, and furniture dating from the Eighteenth Century through Modernism.

[Show hours are: Fri. noon-8; Sat. 11-7; and Sun. 11-5. Admission is $8 (with a copy of the ad $7). Info: The Summer Show at Birchwood Manor, 111 North Jefferson Road, Whippany, NJ 07981, 973-927-2794, (during the show 973-887-1414 or 973-224-2797) or www.jmkshows.com Plans are well under way for a winter show at Birchwood Manor on Jan. 7-9, 2011. 

Antique Lamps To Light In Missouri

Coal-oil, or kerosene, lighting is often mystic to those who are too young to have experiences the warm glow that illuminated our homes in years past. Collectors restore and light the old lamps that were essential for our parents and grandparents. Many young people today are discovering the nostalgia and beauty that antique lighting add to their home décor - especially family heirloom lamps.

Collectors who prize old lamps will hold their annual Gathering (convention) Aug. 5-7 at the Holiday Inn Select in Columbia, Mo. The Gathering is sponsored by the National Association of Aladdin Lamp Collectors (www.aladdincollectors.org). Floyd & Bonnie Durk are the General Knights (hosts) who plan and organize events. Calling themselves Aladdin Knights, the group is America’s largest club of antique lamp collectors. More than 600 are expected to attend.

The public is invited to the 18th International Lamp Show & Sale on Aug. 6, 9 am-3 pm in the Columbia ExpoCenter, attached to the Holiday Inn. There is a nominal admission fee. Info: www.aladdincollectors.com, Dlites208@aol.com or Floyd and Bonnie Burk, 11225 E. Robb Cook Rd., Centralia, MO 65240.  

GasLamp Antiques and Decorating Mall Celebrates Summer with “Freedom Fest”

Voted Nashville's best antique mall for six consecutive years, GasLamp Antique and Decorating Mall will host their annual “Freedom Fest” on, Saturday, July 3rd. The celebration, located at 100 Powell Place, Suite 200, in the Staples Building across from 100 Oaks Mall, will feature special store give-aways.

“We bring Freedom Fest to the community each year to commemorate the July 4th holiday,” said Lauren H. Bugg, owner of the GasLamp Antique and Decorating Mall. "Plus, it’s just good summer fun."

The festivities, which will include hourly drawings and refreshments, are scheduled for Saturday, July 3rd, from 10 am to 6 pm.

GasLamp is home to more than 160 vendors offering an assortment of high-quality antiques, retro furnishings, religious pieces, vintage clothing, home accessories and collectibles. Named "Best Antique Mall" by the Nashville Scene Readers’ Poll every year since 2004, the store houses an eclectic mix of merchandise within its 25,000 square feet of space.

The "shop green" showplace is open Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm, and Sunday, noon until 6 pm. For more information, call 615-297-2224 or visit www.gaslampantiques.com to sign up for a new online magazine, Design Elements. 

MARBURGER FARM ANTIQUE SHOW BRINGS OUT THE BEST

Was it the aroma of wildflowers? The full moon in the Texas sky? The perfect weather? Or was it the mountain of antiques that set off a shopping frenzy at the March 30-April 3 Marburger Farm Antique Show in Round Top?

"I’ve never seen anything like it," said first-time exhibitor Jeff Littrell of Atlanta, "except perhaps the 'running of the brides' at a Filene’s Basement sale. It was the most fun I’ve had in 30 years in the business."

In a Texas cow pasture that blooms with antiques twice a year, customers arrived by SUV, by pick-up truck, by busloads of mom clubs, school clubs, groups of realtors and re-unions. Some customers even arrived by helicopter - not the first time that the 350-dealer blockbuster show has used its helicopter parking zone.

"It’s been a long winter for America," said show co-owner Rick McConn. "People were ready for some fun. We had the most out-of-state buyers ever, international buyers, stores buying containers of inventory, and lots of kids, strollers, families, sometimes three generations together. It was a record Marburger Farm attendance. We ran out of tickets at the gate."

"I wrote so many receipts that I had writer’s cramp in my hand," complained a happy Larry Arnold of Colorado. "On opening Tuesday, we had lots of first-time Marburger shoppers and lots of people at their first antique show ever. But on Wednesday morning early, when things were quieter, a woman from Austin stepped into my booth and bought 49 pieces of silver. She had never been here before."

Long-time Marburger exhibitor Lowell Dunn of Canterbury Court Antiques also noted the change. Selling English furniture, Imari and Staffordshire, Dunn reported that "We always do well at Marburger, but this time we sold to lots of new customers. People are wanting value for what they are spending. They found it at Marburger Farm."

The new shoppers reflect the show’s outreach through the internet and high-end consumer publications. The magazine Cowboys & Indians came to see what the ruckus was all about. The Maine Antique Digest sent their "Young Collectors" team, Andrew Richmond and Hollie Davis, to report on the show. Washington State bloggers Linda Albers and Dixie Derocher came to blog the show for the first time. "We're updating Facebook as we go through the Marburger Tents," said Albers. "People are going nuts for Marburger Farm." As CactusCreekDaily.com put it, "Marburger Farm-the best of the best."

The Special Events Tent at the show featured Jo Packham, founder and editor of the magazine, Where Women Create. Packham greeted shoppers in a fictional woman's workshop created entirely out of antiques from Marburger Farm by nationally-known designer Gina Galvin. Galvin's own workshop was featured on the Spring cover of the magazine. "There are more young people here than I have ever seen at an antique show," she said.

"I love those young women," said Bushnell, Fla., dealer Buffy Charboneau, who sold an extensive collection of gold-filled Victorian bangles, many engraved with old-fashioned names. She also sold retro 1950s silver necklace and earring sets, as well as copper hand-hammered Arts and Crafts Era lighting and accessories. "It was really surprising to see the younger generation interested in older things. We should have started doing this show years ago!"

Dealers reporting excellent sales included Richard Auber of Stonington, Conn., who sold an American chest of drawers, a French armoire, a Black Forest carving and a triptych oil painting by New York artist Frank Vincent DuMond. Karol and Tom Streling of Kawadin, Mich., sold primitives, Americana and an agricultural potato processing machine to be re-purposed as a table.

John Sauls, co-founder of the Marburger Farm Antique Show, had his best-ever Marburger opening day, selling quilts, quilts and more quilts. Another long-time Marburger dealer, Georgia Morel of New Roads, La., also reported strong opening day sales of lighting, garden artifacts and industrial antiques.

"I needed that shot in the arm," she said. "We all did. My favorite story from the show, however, was not opening day," reported Morel. "At the fall show a woman had fallen hard for a railroad cart in my booth. She kept coming back to look at it to use as a coffee table, each time saying it was too expensive. After the show, her husband called and asked if he could pay over time and have me bring it to the spring show as a surprise birthday present for his wife."

Every month, Morel said, the man sent a check with the reminder that it was a surprise and to bring it with a red ribbon. At the show, the cart stood for three days in Morel's booth with a card and red ribbon. All the dealers in the tent knew of the plan. On the third day of the show, the woman came to look at it again and saw the card with her name on it. She started crying, and all the nearby dealers rejoiced with her. "I was crying too," said Morel. "It was such a gesture of love."

Atlanta exhibitor Brian Kelley says that Marburger Farm brings out the best in both customers and dealers.

"We all save our best merchandise for Marburger Farm because we know that Texans appreciate quality antiques."

Kelley sold a seven-foot-tall 18th c. Italian mirror and every Italian crystal chandelier that he brought. "Marburger Farm," he said, "is one of the few shows in the country that has lots of energy every day. We sell every day, right up to the end. But one of the reasons that Marburger continues to draw huge crowds on opening day is simply this: the show is strict on security and no one gets in before the opening day. Customers know that the show is full of the best merchandise that we can find."

After selling more than her share of French fautiels on the farm, Jeanne Tardif, also of Atlanta, summed up the week by saying, "Marburger Farm Antique Show is the best show out there."

See for yourself. The Fall 2010 Marburger Farm Antique Show runs Tuesday September 28 through Saturday October 2, 2010. For information on vendors, travel, maps, lodging, shipping and special events, see www.roundtop-marburger.com or call Rick McConn at 800-999-2148 or Ashley Ferguson at 800-947-5799.

Deja-Vous in Austell, Ga., Expands, Adds New Dealers

Deja-Vous antique mall at 2785 Jefferson Street in Austell, Ga., has expanded into an adjacent building and added new dealers. They are: Gary and Cissy Collins (hand-painted furniture), Ted Ross (45 and 78 rpm records, rock and soul); Holli Hallmark (handmade jewelry); Jim Kilgore (knives, baseball cards and western wear); Renee Ray (high-end furniture, and a great eye for decorating); Mike Little (with a lifetime passion for collecting, now ready to part with some of his great finds);and Claire Watson (a wonderful collection of unique items at great prices). There is still one space left in the new building. To inquire, call Laura Lee at 770-944-3033. 

Oldies, But Goodies – What’s The Oldest Appliance You Have (That Still Works)

They don’t make them like they used to, we all know. While my mother still lived in our original family home a few years ago, she still had the same refrigerator that I remember from my childhood in the early 1960s. She kept it in the garage as a second refrigerator for the overflow, but it still worked. Weighed a ton, but it worked.

So what appliance do you have around the house that still works? Is it a stove or a refrigerator a toaster or a vacuum cleaner? Send in a photo of yourself with it, and you could win 15 seconds of fame in the next issue. Mail a photo and a description to: Editor, Box 510, Acworth, GA 30101. Or email that information to us.