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Good Trends for 2010
Two cheerful items have come our way this month.
First, interior designers remain bullish about antiques. According to a story in The San Francisco Chronicle, designers have included "decorating with antiques" in the "10 Designer Trends for 2010." Interior designers are tastemakers, so their sustained interest in antiques is of consequence.
"Antiques and vintage pieces add soul to any space," designer Jay Jeffers told the Chronicle, "and these types of items are negotiable and plentiful in today's markets, so our clients are able to invest in key pieces for their home."
While growing evermore passionate about antiques, interior designers will continue to embrace eclecticism. "In general, I see a trend to a carefully edited 'anything goes' approach," said designer Kimberly Ayres. "Going forward in 2010, it's all about the mix and how you combine individual, disparate elements. The right classic 19th century piece will mix with certain vintage finds from the '70s and '80s and with pieces designed this year."
Second, 2010 has been proclaimed the year for buying antiques. "If you've ever thought about collecting antiques, or using them to furnish your home, now is the time to buy," says auctioneer and columnist Wes Cowan in the most recent edition of Antique Week.
Cowan attributes the low prices prevailing to the "triple play of economic woes, eBay, and demographics." "Most dealers are eager to make a sale," says Cowan, "and I'm continually astounded at the great bargains that can be had at auction."
Whatever the causes, Cowan is absolutely right that the prices of fine antiques are lower than they've been in a decade. If you've had your mind set on a purchase, but never had the wallet to support your dream, visit a show near you. You'll be surprised at the quality of the antiques on the market right now--and their price tags.
Cheers and happy hunting,
Bob James
President
Armacost Antiques Shows
Headlines
What's Up
Coming Attractions
Shopper's Paradise
Hunt Valley Antiques Show Celebrates Four Decades
A Plug for Classicism
Antiques & Fine Art Editor Recognizes Quality
Appreciating Antiques
"Furniture of Inland Massachusetts, 1790-1830"
"Antique Toys Offer Nostalgic Charm From a Simpler Time"
"2010 Predictions Include Dark Furnishings, '60s Styling"
Living with Antiques
"The Greenest Antiques"
"Decor of Mid-Century Metairie Home Reaches Back in Time"
Investing in Antiques
"Antiques Gaining Popularity as Alternative Investment"
"Top 10 Collectibles for 2010"
"Getting to Know Your Antiques in the New Year"
People
"Sharing a Passion for Reed Organs"
What's Up
Coming Attractions
Delray Beach Antiques Show
February 6-7, 2010
Delray Beach Community Center
General Admission: $10 ($8 on line)
Hunt Valley Antiques Show
February 19-21, 2010
Crowne Plaza Baltimore, Timonium, MD
Sponsored by Family & Children's Services of Central Maryland
General Admission: $15 ($12 on line)
Naples Art & Antiques Show
March 4-6, 2010
Trinity-by-the-Cove Episcopal Church, Naples, Florida
Sponsored by Trinity-by-the-Cove Episcopal Church
General Admission: $15
Brandywine River Museum Antiques Show
May 29-31, 2010
Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania
Sponsored by Volunteers of the Brandywine River Museum and Conservancy
General Admission: $10
Northern Virginia Antiques & Modernism Show & Sale
June 19-20, 2010
Thomas Jefferson Community Center
Arlington, Virginia
Sponsored by Kiwanis Club of Arlington
Promoted by Pappabello Shows
Managed by Armacost Antiques Shows
General Admission: $8
Shopper's Paradise
Seekers of fine antiques will discover a shopper’s paradise at the Delray Beach Antiques Show, February 6-7 at the Delray Beach Community Center in Delray Beach, FL.
The show brings together 30 top-ranking antiques, fine art and jewelry dealers from around the US and abroad.
Visitors will find thousands of exquisite antiques, including period furniture, posters, paintings, prints, glass, ceramics, textiles, rugs, silver, clocks, jewelry, maritime antiques and folk art from five centuries. Every item is backed by a guarantee of authenticity.
Participating dealers will include Patricia Barger, Brass ‘n Bounty, Coco House & Company, John Dennison Fine Art, The Dongan Collection, Escutcheon Antiques, J & M Antiques, Lyons & Harper, Peenstra Antiques Appraisals, Elinor Penna Staffordshire, Howard Price Fine Art, Patricia Anne Reed, Katherine Stevens, Nula Thanhauser, Vintage Poster, Thomas Wagner Fine Art, Charles M. Washburne, Ed Weissman, Antiquarian, and more.
Hours of the show are Saturday, February 6, 10 am-6 pm and Sunday, February 7, 10 am-5 pm.
Admission tickets can be purchased at the door for $10 each or for $8 each at www.ArmacostAntiquesShows.com. But if you click on the link below, you will find a free pass for two. Share this link with your friends!
The Delray Beach Community Center is located at 50 NW 1st Avenue, Delray Beach, FL. Free parking is available.
Information is available at 202.441.7407.
Hunt Valley Antiques Show Celebrates Four Decades
The Hunt Valley Antiques Show, Baltimore’s most prestigious annual antiquing event, marks its 40th consecutive year February 19-21. The show brings together 50 of the nation’s top dealers offering for sale more than 10,000 examples of antiques and fine art.
You'll discover beautiful examples of formal and country furniture, paintings, prints, glass, ceramics, textiles, rugs, silver, clocks, jewelry, folk art, toys and equestrian antiques from five centuries. Every item is backed by a guarantee of authenticity.
Help us celebrate a 40-year tradition of bringing fine antiques from the world over to central Maryland. Admission tickets can be purchased at the door for $15 each or for $12 each at www.ArmacostAntiquesShows.com. But if you click on the link below, you will find a a free show pass for two. It's our "40th anniversary gift" to you. Be sure to share the link with your friends.
Hours of the show are Friday, February 19, 11 am-5 pm; Saturday, February 20, 11 am-7 pm; and Sunday, February 21, 11 am-5 pm. The show is located at the Crowne Plaza Baltimore, 2004 Greenspring Drive, Timonium, MD. Free parking is available.
You will also want to take part in our special events.
- A preview party will take place Thursday, February 18, 6 pm-9:30 pm.
- Stephen Harrison, curator at the Cleveland Museum of Art, will open the show with a lecture, Artistic Luxury: Jeweled Masterworks of Fabergé, Tiffany and Lalique, on Friday, February 19 at 9:45 am.
- James Archer Abbott, curator of Evergreen Museum, will lead a private show tour on Saturday, February 20 at 9:45 am.
- Appraisals will be offered by J. Michael Flanigan and Paul Winicki, previously seen on Antiques Roadshow, on Saturday, February 20 at 1 pm.
Separate tickets are required for the preview party, lecture, private show tour and appraisals. More information is available at 410-366-1980.
Dealers participating in the Hunt Valley Antiques Show include Alexander-Mallory, At the Sign of the Sycamore, Aydin Oriental Rugs, Baldwin House Antiques, Susan Barr Antiques, Benchmark of Palm Beach, Brennan & Mouilleseaux, Brill's Antiques, Sue Brown, Bernice Conn Antiques, Douglas Constant, The Country Squire, Jesse Davis Antiques, Dawson Gallery, The Dongan Collection, Dubey's Art & Antiques, Fiske & Freeman, Fletcher/Copenhaver Fine Art, James Gallagher, Gemini Antiques, The Hanebergs Antiques, Hanes & Ruskin, J & M Antiques, Arthur Guy Kaplan, Leatherwood Antiques, Robert Lewis, Aileen Minor Antiques, Zane Moss Antiques, Neverbird Antiques, O'Malley Antiques, Park Place Gallery, Peenstra Antiques Appraisals, The Philadelphia Print Shop, Howard Price Fine Art, Robert Quilter Fine Arts, Derek & Tina Rayment Antiques, Running Battle Antiques, Shaeffer/Klinger, Shaia of Williamsburg, Solomon Suchard, The Spare Room, Spencer Marks, Swan Tavern Antiques, Time & Strike, Ed Weissman, Antiquarian, Roger D. Winter and more.
Proceeds from the show help fund the programs of Family & Children’s Services of Central Maryland. The Baltimore, MD-based agency delivers services to vulnerable individuals and families experiencing problems relating to social and personal adjustment.
A Plug for Classicism
Writing In The American last month, philosopher Roger Scruton warns of the dire consequences Americans face for neglecting beauty in the built environment.
Provided it's fire-safe and ADA acessible, our property rights-driven building codes let us construct just about anything, even if it's butt ugly. "Here is the democratic culture at work," Scruton says, "on its way to mutual destruction." Europeans, on the other hand, not only value beauty, but believe it's intersubjective. As a result, their cities are gorgeous. "In Venice or Prague, in Bath, Oxford, or Lisbon, you come to see that there is all the difference in the world between aesthetic judgement treated as an expression of individual taste, and aesthetic judgement treated in the opposite way, as the expression of a community."
By ignoring beauty, Americans deny themselves a decent life. "People need beauty," Scruton writes. "They need the sense of being at home in their world, and being in communication with other souls. In so many areas of modern life—in pop music, in television and cinema, in language and literature—beauty is being displaced by raucous and attention-grabbing clichés. We are being torn out of ourselves by the loud and insolent gestures of people who want to seize our attention but to give nothing in return for it."
While Scruton's bleak musings may make you want to open a vein, remember you can control at least one portion of your surroundings.
As individuals, we may not be able to change what takes place outside the rooms in which we live, but at least we can practice self-care within those rooms, by paying close attention to classical proportions. Novelist Edith Wharton, in her 1898 user's guide to interior design, The Decoration of Houses, said it best: "Modern civilization has been called a varnished barbarism: a definition that might well be applied to the superficial graces of much modern decoration. Only a return to architectural principles can raise the decoration of houses to the level of the past. Vasari said of the Farnesina palace that it was not built, but really born--non murato ma veramente nato; and this phrase is but the expression of an ever-present sense--the sense of interrelation of parts, of unity of the whole. There is no absolute perfection, there is no communicable ideal; but much that is empiric, much that is confused and extravagant, will give way before the application of principles based on common sense and regulated by the laws of harmony and proportion."
Antiques & Fine Art Editor Recognizes Quality
We're delighted that the editor of Antiques & Fine Art has chosen to include all our shows during the first quarter of 2010 in the section of the magazine called called "Events!" We're in good company along with all the very finest shows in the US.
Appreciating Antiques
Furniture of Inland Massachusetts, 1790-1830
New England Antiques Journal (01/10) P. 35; Decoteau, Randall
Old Sturbridge Village will host a new exhibition featuring furniture made by craftsmen from central Massachusetts. Curator Nan Wolverton says these rural furniture makers are generally outside the list of well-known standard makers, but their pieces may have been influenced by the same sources as pieces made in metropolitan areas. The influence of the Hepplewhite and Sheraton pattern books were obviously well known to the central Massachusetts makers, but they integrated their own distinctive features, and also adapted the style and materials to fit their clients' needs. "Cabinetmakers in inland Massachusetts made far more sophisticated furniture than was previously thought, and more examples are still being discovered," Wolverton says. "Inland communities were growing wealthier, and people wanted fashionable, more elegant household furnishings." The pieces in the show demonstrate how much the makers changed and adapted designs, and how often they repeated forms long after the styles disappeared from city marketplaces. Many of the pieces are marked by the maker, and some even have documented histories of ownership that run from the original buyers down through those who inherited the pieces. Wolverton says the histories show that chests of drawers tended to pass through the women in families, while desks were more masculine and went from father to son. The exhibit spotlights furniture made by documented makers of rural Massachusetts such as Nathan Lombard of Sutton, Solomon Sibley of Ward (now Auburn), Alden Spooner and George Fitts of Athol, William Lloyd of Springfield, and John Smith of Barre.
Antique Toys Offer Nostalgic Charm From a Simpler Time
Rochester Post-Bulletin (MN) (12/28/09) Erdman, Sandy
Toys from the past are big-ticket items for toy collectors today. Not only are these antique toys valuable, but they bring back nostalgic memories of childhood and years past. However, there is no one type or style of toy that trumps all the rest. "I guess if you are talking about antique toys, there is no hot button," says Ron Wenzel, an antique toy expert. Disney seems to be the leader in hot toys today, and Mattel has always had a winner in Barbie dolls, Wenzel says. These days, electronic toys have taken over from the antique tin and rubber toys. Some people will buy antique toys because they keep a certain kind of collection. Others buy antique toys for the fond memories of a childhood toy, or a toy they wanted but never got. "It is nice to see people appreciate the older toys, the kind that you used your imagination to play with," says Eyota Antiques owner John Erickson. "It's the fun of the hunt for the rare, hard-to-find toys. It is an investment that you can look at and enjoy."
2010 Predictions Include Dark Furnishings, '60s Styling
Pocono Record (12/26/09) Dr. Lori
In 2010, the newest designs will reflect back to the 1960s, when natural forms, highly recognizable images, and bold colors were extremely popular, making items from that era prize collectibles, predicts Dr. Lori. Natural stones, veined marble, and dark woods such as mahogany and walnut will be more popular than lighter furnishings made of white marble, birch, or beech this year. Posh interiors will feature luxurious, dark, and dramatic wall paneling, built-in shelving for technology components, hide-away pocket doors, and Murphy-style beds. Cruise ship interiors, which are designed to make the most of small spaces, will become the focus of many designs in 2010, Lori says. The integration and union of diverse objects such as tubular steel in contrast with natural granite will experience a revival, while woods will unite with plastics in bedroom furniture. Collectible items such as Beatles T-shirts will be extremely popular, as will Nike's pop-art inspired sneakers.
Living with Antiques
The Greenest Antiques
PointClickHome (01/10) Collins, Anne E.
Buying antiques is a type of recycling, but buying antiques made from recycled materials is about as green as possible. Salvaged clothing scraps, wood chips, bottles and bottle caps, and cigar boxes are the primary elements of an entire category of 19th and 20th century folk art antiques. Some examples of this era include items made from carved layers of discarded wood, often cigar boxes, which is a technique said to have been brought to America by European immigrants at the turn of the last century, often called Tramp Art. Bottle Cap Art took advantage of the widespread distribution of beer and soda bottles following World War II, often stringing together discarded bottles and caps to make small objects, or gluing them together to make larger pieces. Scrap Textiles involves using scraps of wool or old clothing to create Crazy Quilts, Penny Quilts, or Rag Rugs, which usually have an irregular pattern or color. These scrap-cloth pieces were originally made by poorer families but are now a common practice in folk art and green design. Hobo Art involves whittling wood or twig furniture. Whittling was a way for migrant workers in villages to pass the time between destinations and furnish their track-side homes. Finally, Outsider Art is a self-taught technique that involves using many types of salvaged materials to create pieces, and is often edgy and bizarre.
Decor of Mid-Century Metairie Home Reaches Back in Time
Times-Picayune (New Orleans) (01/09/10) Reid, Molly
In 1960, Sally Quinlan and her husband were some of the first to build a home on Veterans Memorial Boulevard, in Jefferson Parish, La., using a floor plan of their own design. The neighborhood has undergone significant change, while the Quinlans' home has stayed very much the same. The home is based around a large space that serves as an entrance, living room, and dining room. The primary architectural feature of the large room is an old-fashioned wood floor held together by wood pegs, two at the end of each plank, creating a four-dot pattern throughout the room. Quinlan requested this style because of her love for early American antiques. The house is filled with variations on the early American theme, along with family heirlooms and mementos. An antique wooden ironing board serves as a side table, and an old white bassinet recovered from a second-hand shop is used as a magazine holder by the sofa. An antique iron sewing machine serves as a base for a marble slab to create a side table, and an antique flour canister and round-backed kitchen chair saved from a decommissioned firehouse round out the large room's furnishings. "I don't want to have anything like anybody else," Quinlan says. "I just looked for anything old-fashioned." Quinlan liked an antique dresser so much that she uses it as a buffet and a place to store her linens, and her dinning room table was originally used by 19th-century servants for food preparation and their own dining.
Investing in Antiques
Antiques Gaining Popularity as Alternative Investment
Investors Chronicle (12/22/09) Barrett, Clear
The popularity of antiques, fine art, wine, coins, and stamps as alternative investments have recently become a well-known trend. Investors looking for fixed assets are extending their horizons to all kinds of collectible objects. "There are no barriers to what makes an alternative investment—only your imagination," says finance journalist Toby Waine. "You can actually have quite a lot of fun making money by collecting everyday objects. It might not make you rich overnight, but if you choose well, items should hold their value, and could increase substantially." Some common objects that could be worth a substantial amount of money include a ginger Barbie doll, a Christmas card featuring Santa in a purple suit, an antique feather-stuffed golf ball, Meccano, children's comics, and sports paraphernalia. Waine says that you have to have an interest to drive you on and it can be a lot of fun meeting like-minded collectors.
Top 10 Collectibles for 2010
Daily Herald (IL) (01/01/10) Schmidt, Franklin; Schmidt, Esther
There are a number of collectibles that could be hot commodities in the coming year. Antique and vintage books are often available for a bargain at antique shops. Some original illustrated classics such as Winnie the Pooh or Little Women can sell for hundreds of dollars, but well preserved sets of bound books by relatively unknown authors can go for as little as $10. Insulators can range from ordinary, aqua-colored pieces worth a few dollars to rarer versions worth thousands. Intricate colorful insulators can be found at flea markets and antique shows. Miniature whisk brooms are popular because they are easy and fun to display in the home. Transferware can be quite valuable based on the pattern, color, maker, and condition. Bakelite utensils reached their popularity during World War II. It was used in a variety of objects, including jewelry, flatware, kitchen utensils, radios, and telephones. Salt-glazed pottery can be found for as little as $50, but prices can go into the hundreds of dollars. Antique lanterns are very popular because of their small-town country style. Faucet handles are popular because of the individualized style they can bring to a home. They can often be found in box lots at auctions, in bins at antique malls, or at specialty shops. Salt and pepper shakers are some of the easiest collectibles to find. They are often collected by theme, and while most are relatively inexpensive, there are some examples that can be somewhat pricey. Antique and vintage perfume bottles can be had for as little as $5 at some estate sales, but the same bottle might go for well over $100 at an antique store.
Getting to Know Your Antiques in the New Year
Cape May County Herald (NJ) (12/27/09) Schwerdt, Arthur
A great way to have a better 2010 is to focus on your own assets, including everything you have accumulated or inherited over the years, writes certified appraiser Arthur Schwerdt. Knowing the value of these assets can help you make better decisions in the future. The first step to understanding the value and liquidity of your assets is doing some research, Schwerdt says. Databases and publications such as antique digests provide a good foundation for researching the value of antiques. Online retailers also are a good source for prices, particularly replacement services for glassware, china, and silver, although these services require knowing the manufacturer and pattern name. Attending antique shows and visiting shops are other excellent ways to learn about antiques and can be a lot of fun. Next is understanding what you can actually get for an item. Selling to dealers is an option, and some dealers may be willing to sell an item on consignment. Local auction houses are another option. Keep in mind that online auction sites such as eBay can be risky, unless an item is protected with a reserve price. Be willing to get help if needed. Ask an appraiser, particularly if the value of your items need legal documentation for insurance, a charitable donation, or an inheritance.
People
Sharing a Passion for Reed Organs
Clay County Progress (01/21/10)
Jerry Taylor, a retired high school teacher, spends his time teaching others about the history and preservation of antique reed organs. Taylor's house, which he calls the Organ Loft, is filled with about 30 antique organs built between the mid 1880s and 1935. "It's like an exhibit that shows the evolution of reed organ production in America, with all different kids of models from the big old wall climbers in the Victorian days to the modern organs of the 1920s," Taylor says. "It's a good history lesson in the Industrial Revolution." The fascination with antique organs started when he was a child. Taylor's grandfather, J.M. Taylor, had a Kimball parlor organ in his living room. A reed organ, also known as a parlor organ, pump organ, cabinet organ, or cottage organ, generates sound using free metal reeds. U.S. companies manufactured several million reed organs and melodeons between the 1850s and 1920s. Reed organs, which are smaller, less expensive, and more portable than pipe organs, were common in churches and homes in the 19th century, and were considered pieces of furniture. Taylor regularly browses the Internet to find antique reed organs to save from demolition. After some refurbishing, he says the rescued antique organs sound as good as new. Some of Taylor's pieces also were donated by individuals and churches. The collection includes a portable organ built by Estey Organ in the early 1900s and a 1905 Gem Roller organ that plays wooden rolls with metal pins.
Abstract News © Copyright 2010 INFORMATION, INC.
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