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JMK SHOWS TO DEBUT SPRING EDITION ALEXANDRIA ANTIQUES SHOW
MARCH 2, 3 & 4, 2012, AT GEORGE WASHINGTON MASONIC MEMORIAL

The well established Alexandria Antiques Show will be returning to the grand setting of the George Washington Masonic Memorial on March 2, 3 & 4, 2012. Due to the phenomenal success of the November, Alexandria Antiques Show, JMK has decided to run this successful event two times a year, with a spring and autumn edition! The show is considered one of Virginia’s most celebrated and enduring displays of antiquities in the region. It has a reputation for quality and variety that attracts antique lovers and collectors from all around. The show will have an impressive array of 31 distinguished, nationally prominent antiques dealers, many of whom have successfully exhibited in the show before. They carry outstanding examples of antique furnishings and decorative accessories, fine paintings, prints and sculptures, rare porcelain, pottery and glass, oriental rugs, silver, exquisite antique and estate jewelry, and so much more from the exceptional to the extraordinary, all in the magnificence of the George Washington Masonic Memorial, a perfect setting for a show of this caliber. The show will be a tribute to the rich heritage and traditions of Alexandria while at the same time it will be on the cutting edge of appreciating, living and decorating with antiques.

Perched 330 feet high, atop Shuter’s Hill, at the upper end of King Street, the George Washington Masonic Memorial, at 101 Callahan Drive, Alexandria, VA, is much more than a colossal memorial and museum just a few minutes from the nation’s capital; it is a major tourist attraction and destination honoring and perpetuating the memory of our nation’s first president. It provides ample on-site parking and can easily be reached by car via major roadways serving the DC area, as well as by public transportation to the King St. stop on the blue and yellow lines of the Washington Metro.

For complete information about The Spring Alexandria Antiques Show, or any other JMK Antiques Show, contact Allison Kohler at 973-927-2794 or check their web site at www.jmkshows.com.  

Dr. Lori To Star On Reality Show 'Auction Kings'

Southeastern Antiquing & Collecting magazine columnist Dr. Lori will star as the expert antiques appraiser on the reality TV show Auction Kings on the Discovery channel. As she interacts with the auction staff, the TV show will feature her identifying and evaluating objects that people want to sell at Gallery 63 in an Atlanta suburb. Dr. Lori has already appraised several objects for the show in front of the cameras for the upcoming season. Auction Kings airs Tuesdays at 9 pm.

You can read some of Dr. Lori's articles in our Article Archive.

Spotlight on: Eastbrook Flea Market & Antique Mall

Eastbrook Flea Market & Antique Mall has been in business for 17 years now in Montgomery, Ala. Dot McDaniel, the owner, is proud to say 300 dealers in her 50,000 square feet of space sell collectibles, antiques and good quality furniture.

Over the years, Dot has seen quite a few items go out her door. One of the strangest she remembers was a buffalo head that was heading for the new owner’s wall. In addition to that, the strangest thing she has seen drive away was a sofa tied to the top of a car.

When asked why should antiquers and collectors should stop by and see the mall, Dot replied, “Our prices are low enough that a dealer can resell and a collector can buy, as we do not charge a commission.”

Eastbrook Flea Market & Antique Mall is located at 425 Coliseum Blvd. in Montgomery. It is open Monday-Friday 10-6, Saturday 9-6 and Sunday 12:30-4:30. Give Dot a call at 334-277-4027 or email her at dotmc@elmore.rr.com. 

Miami National Antiques Show & Sale, Jan. 27-29

Dolphin Promotions is pleased to announce the 35th anniversary of the Miami National Antiques Show & Sale. The show will return on Jan. 27-29 to a completely-renovated and newly-rechristened Miami Airport Convention Center (MACC), the same location it has been held at for the past 35 years. A $20-million renovation of the former Miami Mart Center will include new lighting, A/C, escalators, elevators, restrooms, flooring, and a completely new entrance lobby. The adjacent Doubletree Miami Mart Hotel is also undergoing extensive improvements.

The Miami National Antiques Show will feature 200 exhibitors, many in walled room-setting vignettes, and presenting a wide range of quality antique furniture, decorative and fine arts. It is one of the longest-running antique shows in South Florida. Show hours are: Friday, noon to 8 pm; Saturday, noon to 7 pm; and Sunday, noon to 5 pm. Weekend admission is $15, good for return entry all three days. The Miami Airport Convention Center is located at 711 NW 72nd Avenue just off the 836 (Dolphin) Expressway at Milam Dairy Road/NW 72nd Avenue exit.

For more info, visit www.miaminationalantiques.com or contact Gordon Merkle at gordon@dolphinfairs.com or call 954-563-674. 

51st Annual Original Miami Beach Antique Show, Feb. 2-6, 2012

U.S. Antique Shows, a major producer of antique shows in North America, announced today that WorthPoint®, the leading online resource for item valuation and reference, has agreed to be the Platinum Sponsor of the 51st Annual Original Miami Beach Antique Show. WorthPoint will also provide free valuations on the show’s Appraisal Day and demonstrate its new technologies to show attendees. The Original Miami Beach Antique Show is the world’s largest indoor antique show, and it returns to the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach on Feb. 2-6.

Appraisal Day is an annual tradition at the Original Miami Beach Antique Show. This year, it will be held on Saturday, Feb. 4, from noon to 6 p.m. Each show attendee has the opportunity to bring one item for valuation by a Worthologist—a WorthPoint subject-matter expert. Worthologists will give verbal appraisals of each item’s fair market value.

“The Original Miami Beach Antique Show prides itself on featuring the latest trends each year, and our 2012 Show will be no different,” said Andrea Canady, Show Director. “With the addition of WorthPoint as our Platinum Sponsor, we’re excited to highlight how its technology is benefiting our industry and the many antique dealers and attendees that participate in our show every year.”

WorthPoint’s Worthologists will be on the show floor to demonstrate new technology and products that help people value, preserve, buy and sell antiques and collectibles. They include an iPhone/iPad app that serves those roaming from one sales venue to another with pricing data from Worthopedia®, the world’s largest online price guide with more than 100 million sales records aggregated from leading auction houses, virtual marketplaces and eBay. The app also locates the nearest shopping venues.

Additionally, Worthologists will demonstrate a new Marks/eReference Library containing detailed information on distinguishing makers’ marks as well as e-books that cover a wide range of collecting topics. WorthPoint’s new and improved sister site, GoAntiques, will be showcased as well. It opens the door to a virtual trading network where dealers target and customize distribution of their inventory, while buyers are notified when items fitting their interests become available.

“We are thrilled to be the Platinum Sponsor of the Original Miami Beach Antique Show and share our new technology and products with show attendees,” said Will Seippel, CEO and founder of WorthPoint. “The collecting community is always on the go, as evidenced by this show, and our products provide the ability to retrieve antique and collectible value and reference data quickly, which makes everyone more successful. This show is the perfect opportunity for dealers and buyers to meet face to face.”

The Original Miami Beach Antique Show has 900 established dealers from 22 different countries, including an additional 100 new exhibitors. The show is a must-attend for serious collectors, museum curators, gallery owners and anyone with an interest in antiques and history. Items range from 17th to 19th Century furniture, American and European silver to exquisite time and Art Deco pieces. Show times are noon to 8 p.m. on Feb. 2-5 and noon to 6 p.m. on Feb. 6. Admission is $20 for all five days.

In keeping with its commitment to contributing to the community, this year’s charity raffle will benefit the Humane Society of Greater Miami. Their Founding Foster Care Fund is dedicated to improving the lives of pets living in shelters and provides temporary care for animals with special needs. Raffle tickets can be purchased to win the grand prize, a men and women’s Rolex watch. Tickets can be purchased during the show at $25 each (five for $100), or online at http://bit.ly/RolexRaffle. For more information about the show or to purchase tickets, please call 239-732-6642 or visit www.MiamiBeachAntiqueShows.com. Connect on Twitter @MiamiAntiquShow or Facebook at www.facebook.com/OMBAS. 

JAMES D. JULIA AUCTIONEERS DONATES VALUABLE REPLICA OF
ROBERT MELDRUM COLT TO MUSEUM OF NORTHWEST COLORADO

James D. Julia Auctioneers, of Fairfield, Maine, announced that they are donating to the Museum of Northwest Colorado, in Craig, Colorado, an exact replica of the famous gold inlaid and engraved presentation Colt revolver which was once owned by infamous lawman Robert D. Meldrum.

Not a great deal is known about Meldrum. There are no books written about him. There was never a movie made about him. But most certainly, his life and his character would be the grounds for a most interesting Western movie. The Meldrum presentation Colt is an exceedingly rare presentation Colt given to him by the Tomboy Mining Company of Telluride, Colorado.

What is known about Meldrum is that sometime around the turn of the century he was hired as a mining guard for the Tomboy Company to assist them with two major problems: the first was to rid them of activists that were attempting to organize their miners to strike. The second problem was claim jumpers stealing minerals from their site. Although it’s not known exactly what Meldrum did, it was obviously very important for the mining company. A gun of this nature around the turn of the century was very, very expensive; so expensive in fact that of the vast number of Colt revolvers produced by the world renowned Colt industries, only 16 first-generation Colt single action revolvers ever had any gold inlay at all.

Meldrum was the epitome of a tough western character. He was hard as nails, fast as lightening and had an unquestionable mean streak. As a lawman, it is known that at the time that he was a guard for the Tomboy Company he also was a deputy in the village of Telluride. The Tomboy Mining Company was located high up in the mountains above Telluride. It was literally a small village near the peaks of some of the taller mountains in the area. The village sported a small general store, a school, and even a bowling alley where the miners lived and worked. According to one source, the Tomboy Mining Company, desperate to deal with their problems, had originally contacted Tom Horn. Horn was a range vigilante and had worked for the Cattlemen’s Association, ridding the range of cattle rustlers. At the time that they contacted Horn, supposedly he was too busy, but he apparently referred them to Meldrum, and they later hired him.

Meldrum established his reputation early on in the village of Telluride. Just after being sworn in as a deputy sheriff, he brazenly walked into a busy local saloon and announced in a loud voice that he was the new deputy sheriff in town, and he would not tolerate any funny business. If anybody had any issue or problem, he would be glad to step outside with them, then stepped up to the bar and had a drink.

He dealt with problems in a very direct way, but his mean streak apparently was exhibited whenever anything didn’t go quite his way. During his lifetime, he killed a number of men, at least two were unarmed. In one incident while in Telluride, a large Scandinavian miner had gotten drunk in one of the local saloons and was creating a disturbance. Someone sent word to Meldrum. The small, slight of build Meldrum announced to the miner that he was taking him to jail. However, the large miner responded he would do no such thing and would beat Meldrum severely if he tried. Meldrum simply drew his gun and shot him dead. The matter eventually went to court, but Meldrum was acquitted.

Later in life as a deputy sheriff in Wyoming, a similar incident did not work out so well for him. He attempted to arrest a young cowboy who had gotten drunk in a local saloon. The cowboy defied him and once again, Meldrum pulled his pistol and shot the man dead.

Unfortunately for Meldrum, the unarmed dead cowboy had a lot of friends in the community, and Meldrum was taken to court. A lengthy court battle ensued in which he was finally sent to the penitentiary.

Some years later after Meldrum was released from prison, it is known that he moved to a small community in Wyoming, started a saddle shop, and apparently was an excellent leather worker. His saddles and holsters were of excellent quality. (Some of these exact creations are on display at the Museum of Northwest Colorado).

One night, his saddle shop mysteriously burned down, and Meldrum himself was never seen alive again by anyone. To this day, it is still unknown what happened to him, although it is suspected that a relative or a friend of one of the various men that he killed eventually had their revenge.

The story of the Colt is almost as interesting as the man himself. Many years ago, a Montana rancher negotiated a deal with a fellow rancher. The fellow rancher wished to purchase bull sperm from a top-of-the-line bull, but the asking price from the Montana rancher was a little steep. In lieu of cash, the rancher friend offered an interesting old Colt revolver he had. Even more unusual is the fact that the name of the sperm-donating bull was “Colt”. The Montana rancher thought the gun simply an interesting sidearm and wore it in a holster frequently when he worked on horseback. On other occasions, he left it in the glove compartment of his pickup truck and frequently shot it.

Over the years, it sustained a fair amount of use and abuse. The inscription on the gun, however, intrigued him. It read: "From The Tomboy Gold Mine Co. Lt'd / Telluride Colo to Rob't. D. Meldrum". He always wondered who Robert Meldrum was, and one day he discovered that the museum in Craig, Colorado, had an outstanding collection of outlaw items, which included objects that had belonged to the nefarious lawman, Robert Meldrum. A visit to the museum and various conversations with the very affable curator, Mr. Dan Davidson, eventually led the Montana rancher to loan his Colt to the museum for exhibit. The Colt was an outstanding addition and was featured in their Meldrum presentation.

Then 2008/2009 came, and the rancher’s fortunes began to decline. He was in desperate need of money, and around the same time, he learned that his Colt, left on loan was, in actuality, a very valuable object. He also discovered that the James D. Julia Auction Company in Fairfield, Maine (the world’s leading auctioneer of important and historical firearms), had just sold a similar gold-inlaid Colt revolver in pristine condition for an enormous sum of $747,500. He contacted Julia’s and after various discussions, made arrangements to consign the gun to an upcoming auction.

At the same time, Julia’s learned that the gun was currently on loan to a museum, so James Julia made a personal call to the curator of the museum. During his various discussions, he was impressed with the curator and what the museum had done. The Meldrum Colt was obviously a significant addition to the museum, and he felt badly about the circumstances. However, he realized that the rancher, desperate for money, was going to sell the gun, regardless of whether it was in a Julia auction or somewhere else. So if Julia elected not to take it for auction, it was still going to be pulled from the museum and sold.

After Julia thought about the matter, he called the curator back and told him that although the gun was being removed, if he was successful in selling it at auction, he would personally, at his own expense, have a special, exact, hand-made recreation of the famous Meldrum gun made and personally donate it to the museum, and this is exactly what he did.

Before offering it at auction, Julia contacted Doug Turnbull Restorations. Turnbull is considered one of the finest gun restorers in the world today. His specialty is in Winchesters and Colts. Doug told Julia that he could produce an exact re-creation of the pistol without any problem at all, and arrangements were made.

An order like this involves a tremendous amount of artistry. From the time of the order, it took literally many months for Turnbull’s master craftsmen to create the replica gun. The final product was expensive, but the result was exact in every detail. It can now be seen on permanent display at the Northwest Museum along with a selection of other Meldrum items, as well as a great number of other very historic old western items. The museum is located in Craig, Colorado. Its business hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (year round). The curator is Dan Davidson, and more information can be had by contacting him at (970) 824-6360 or via email at musnwco@moffatcounty.net.

James D. Julia Auctioneers, the world’s leading auctioneer of rare, historic and expensive firearms can be contacted via their website at www.jamesdjulia.com, by phone at (207) 453-7125, or at 203 Skowhegan Road, Fairfield, ME 04937.

As a side note, the original Meldrum Colt, by the way, sold at public auction to one of the world’s largest collectors of western artifacts for $258,750. With antique firearms, history is very important. But of equal importance is condition. Had the rancher never distressed the gun and had it been in its outstanding original condition, the gun would have likely brought a multiple of what it realized. 

Jack Vinales Moves to Larger Gallery in Sarasota

After more than 21 years of operating an antiques store at the same location in Sarasota, Fla., Jack Vinales is moving his Jack Vinales' 20th Century Classics to a larger space. He never considered leaving the historic downtown neighborhood of Burns Square but had needed to move to a bigger gallery for some time. Prior to opening in 1990, he was a dealer in the Creative Collections Antiques Mall for four years, which was also located in Burns Square.

His gallery has focused on fine designer furnishings from the Art Deco movement through the mid-century Modern styles of the 1950s, and even includes the Pop Art period of the 1960s. The shop has also featured an extensive selection of rare American and European Art Pottery and is well known for its large inventory of rare Bakelite jewelry.

There is everything imaginable for the fine mid-century interior, including art and lighting. Collectors and dealers from around the world visit the shop regularly, either to add to their collections or buy for their private collectors in other states and countries. There is always beautifully designed furniture on view by famous designers such as Charles Eames, Eero Saarinen, Warren Platner, and magnificent examples of Heywood-Wakefield. Additionally, there is a fine inventory of vintage Fiesta and Russel Wright. Pottery selections include artist signed pieces of Rookwood, Roseville, Fulper, and Weller.

The new address of Jack Vinales' 20th Century Classics is 500 S. Pineapple Avenue, just one-half block north of the original location. It is close to Burns Cinema and in the center of the many shops and restaurants of the Burns Square neighborhood. Hours will be 11 am to 5 pm, Monday through Saturday. Call 941-957-0002 for more information or visit the website: www.JackVinalesAntiques.com.

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.