The results of the 31st National Arts & Crafts Conference at the Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC, February 16-18, 2018

Posted on February 19, 2018 by Philip Chasen

My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.

There were about 200 people on line at the opening on Friday

If you’ve never visited the National Arts & Crafts Conference at the Grove Park Inn, you don’t know what you’re missing. There just isn’t another show anywhere like it. Let’s see. The venue is the astonishingly beautiful, historic Grove Park Inn. The show is contained, so it’s its own thing, with a personality. Everyone, including the dealers and attendees, was smiling and in a good mood. It’s Arts & Crafts heaven, with a ballroom filled with antique dealers and hallways filled with the finest craftsmen of modern Arts & Crafts lighting, ceramics, rugs, bronze, textiles and anything you can think of. The show hours are short and sweet — 5 hours on Friday, 6 hours on Saturday and 5 hours on Sunday, ending at 4 PM. Clients have enough time to make up their minds and dealers leave refreshed instead of exhausted. Nobody doesn’t like this show. It’s our favorite of the year.

My booth on Friday

As opposed to the Original Miami Antiques Show last week, this show started with energy and enthusiasm. At 1:00 PM on Friday, the crowd rushed in and the action started right away. We were busy almost all the way to closing at 6 PM. Friday was a good day.

The aisles were crowded early on Saturday

Saturday was another story with a much slower pace. What a difference a day makes. We ended the day disappointed with one small sale.

We sold this wonderful Martin Brothers bird tobacco jar on Sunday

Sunday was slow until a flurry of activity mid-afternoon. We wound up making three good sales to make it our best-ever Grove Park show!

We look forward to next year’s show. Put it on your calendar and make sure you attend next year. I promise you you won’t regret it!

By the time you read this post we’ll be on our way home. Our next show is not until May 18-20, 2018, when we’ll exhibit at the 2nd edition of the resurrected Chicago Antiques + Art + Design Show at the Chicago Merchandise Mart. It’s a wonderful venue for a show that deserved to be restored from purgatory.

We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. I recently listed some of the new items on my website and will list more every week. Click Philip Chasen Antiques to take a look. I will make every effort to actively list new items as often as time permits. I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.

The results of the National Arts & Crafts Conference at the Grove Park Inn, February 17-19, 2017

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Philip Chasen

We sold this beautiful Tiffany Favrile lamp at the show

The National Arts & Crafts Conference finished its three-day run yesterday at the Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC. In contrast to our shows in Miami, Tiffany Studios lamps, glass and desk set items sold best.

It was quite busy on Friday shortly after opening

Attendance and interest seemed better than last year, which was a good year. This show is unlike any other we do. True collectors and decorators fly in from all over the country to attend. Most are knowledgeable, courteous and friendly. It’s a real pleasure to exhibit at this show. We look forward to next year’s show.

I was busy on Sunday on a short day, from 11 AM to 4 PM, so I didn’t have a chance to record other dealer’s reactions. However in asking around most dealers were quite upbeat. I saw sale after sale. The UPS packer on the show floor was busy every minute of every day. It was very refreshing.

I recorded a short video of the show. Click here to view it.

After exhibiting at four shows in the last few weeks, we’re off on a brief vacation to view the Aurora Borealis. If we get lucky, we’ll see it and I’ll write a blog with photos. I will have complete access to my email, so don’t hesitate to write. I’ll answer as soon as I finish drinking my Cuba Libre.

Our next show is a new one for us, the Charleston Antique Show in Charleston, SC, March 17-19, 2017. I have no idea what to expect since I’ve never exhibited there, but I figure it’s worth a shot. I have low expectations and am hoping for a nice surprise.

I’ve been listing on my website many of the new items I’ve recently purchased and I’ll be listing more in the near future. Please check my site as often as you can.

Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around. I will update it as often as time permits. We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.

The results of the National Arts & Crafts Conference at the Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC, February 19-21, 2016

Posted on February 22, 2016 by Philip Chasen

The historic Grove Park Inn

The National Arts & Crafts Conference at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC, closed yesterday, after a three-day run from February 19-21. The show was very well attended with enthusiastic, knowledgeable collectors.

Part of the huge line of attendees at the opening on Friday

It’s an event, not just a show. The audience is captive while staying at the resort and spends more than the usual amount of time participating in the show and associated lectures and tours on the Arts & Crafts movement in the United States. The show is different than most others in that it’s divided into an antiques section and a crafts section. There’s no mixing of the two, so attendees are clear who’s who.

We sold this fine Tiffany Favrile counterbalance floor lamp with intaglio-carved dragonfly at the show

We sold in three days almost exactly what we sold last week at the impossibly long, 6-day, Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show, but this time we made a profit because of our expenses were much lower. It’s a fun show, in a glorious, historic hotel. Put it on your calendar for a visit next year. You’ll thank me.

Our next show is not until April 15th, when we’ll be at the Chicago Botanic Garden, in Glencoe, IL, for the Garden, Antique & Design Show. It’s one of our two remaining shows in the greater Chicago area. We really like exhibiting in Chicago and look forward to seeing all of our old friends.

If you’re selling, please let me know. If you have what I’m looking for, I’m paying the highest prices. My decisions are quick and my payments just as quick. Just snap a photo and email it to me.

I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. I will continue to list more as often as possible. Please click here to take a look.There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.

The results of the National Arts & Crafts Conference, February 20-22, 2015

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Philip Chasen

grove-park-2-2015(6) My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.

There was a big, enthusiastic crowd at the opening on Friday

The National Arts & Crafts Conference finished its three-day run yesterday, February 22, 2015, in Asheville, NC. Most attendees traveled from far, with some smaller percentage from the local area. It was a unique, self-contained show, which included educational conferences, a plethora of antiques and modern dealers — all in the majestic ambiance of the 1910 Grove Park Inn. For Arts & Crafts enthusiasts it was a great place to be for the weekend.

We sold this important Carl Kauba Indian bronze at the show

I only had time to ask a few dealers for comments. David Surgan, HeintzCollector.com, Brooklyn, NY, a specialist in Heintz Art Metal Shop wares, told me “Good. Passionate, devoted, informed, enthusiastic devotees attended. We sold more items than last year, but the gross was down. We’re looking forward to next year’s show.” Arnie Small, Barbara Gerr Antiques, Galloway, NJ, art pottery dealer, was very pleased. “Great show. Great crowd. This show was killer for us. It’s the premier Arts & Crafts show in the country.” Jack Papadinis, Jack Pap Antiques, W. Simsbury, CT, a dealer in 20th century lighting and decorative arts, commented “The show was about average. Lots of new attendees. Several regular attendees couldn’t make it because of the weather.” Personally, our show was better than last year. We only made a few sales, but they were all good. We’re pleased and will be back next year if there is no conflict with the dates from other shows.

We’re exhausted after working five shows in a row. Next year will be different. We’ll get back to our usual routine, which includes a week’s rest in the middle of our show circuit. Now we’ll slow down until our next show, the NYC Pier Antique Show, March 28-29, 2015. In the meantime, I can see St. Maarten in our near future. 🙂

Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around. I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.

The National Arts & Crafts Conference opens today in Asheville, NC, February 20, 2015

Posted on February 20, 2015 by Philip Chasen

The blog schedule will return to normal this Monday with the results of the Grove Park Inn Arts & Crafts Conference in Asheville.

The temperature was -3 on Thursday morning

The National Arts & Crafts Conference will open today, February 20, 2015, in Asheville, NC. We only had one day to set up, instead of the usual two, because the Palm Beach show ended on Tuesday and the Asheville show started setting up on Wednesday. We missed Wednesday’s setup because of the long drive, but we worked diligently and made it happen.

We were about half finished at this point

The show is heaven for Arts & Crafts enthusiasts. It includes outstanding dealers specializing in lighting, pottery, art, and furniture. The ballroom is filled with antique dealers, while the outer hallways are filled with reproduction arts & crafts. It’s a great mix.

Arnie Small has an amazing display of American Art pottery

The show opens today at 1 PM and closes on Sunday at 4 PM. You’ll love the show, so try to make it!

After working hard at five shows in a row, we get to slow down for a little while until our next show, the NYC Pier Antique Show, March 28-29, 2015. I can see St. Maarten in our near future. 🙂

Results from the Grove Park Inn Antiques Show

Posted on February 22, 2010 by Philip Chasen

A few of the Tiffany lamp offerings in my booth at the Grove Park Inn

Friday: The antiques portion of the show opened at 3 PM and lasted until 6 PM. The main ballroom is small and holds about 50 antiques dealers. The crowd was large for this small room, so it was packed and busy. Lots of folks thanked us for exhibiting at the show and raising the level of quality at the show — that’s very nice to hear! Not many sales, but the show is off to a good start.

Saturday: Hours today are 12 – 6 PM — short by most show standards. A good crowd showed up, but not the exceptional crowd that I was led to believe would be here. One dealer told me that the show used to be only Saturday and Sunday and it was his theory that Saturday was slower than normal because the show was open for 3 hours on Friday. I’ve always liked 2-day shows like the Pier Show in NYC, because of the intensity and excitement. I would like to see this show revert back to that format.

A fabulous Tiffany Studios 12 inch diam. blue Favrile floor lamp with carved butterflies, vines and florettes

Again sales were few, but good ones, so the day was a success. Interest was strong in anything Tiffany Studios. I assumed that there would be more interest in the pottery I displayed, but I was wrong. There was so much pottery at this show that my offerings were diluted by the plethora of offerings. In looking around the show, sales of Arts & Crafts furniture were quite good, with many items having sold tags on them.

Sunday: Nice short hours from 11 AM – 4 PM — can’t beat that. That’s more than enough time for people to make up their minds and short enough for dealers to get out early on Sunday and start their trips home.

I made a bet with Lia that we wouldn’t sell a thing on Sunday, and I’m happy to report that I lost. One nice sale and one small sale. So the final tally was a good show for me. Business is certainly back. Every show so far in 2010 has been a good one. In speaking to other dealers at this show, almost everyone remarked that it was a big improvement from last year. One furniture dealer told me it was his best show ever, at this show or any show!

I’d love to exhibit here next year, but I think there’s going to be a date conflict with another show, so I may have to skip it. Too bad! It’s very pleasant here — the folks, the atmosphere, the promoter, the other dealers.

I’m taking a lot of time to add new items to my website. I’ve already listed new items under Gallé glass (including a blownout vase), Daum Nancy glass and Tiffany Studios glass. Soon I’ll be adding many Tiffany Studios desk pieces. Please take a look, as every day I’m adding more. Click on this link chasenantiques.com.

Please send me your suggestions or questions about art glass, lamps, Louis Icart, shows, auctions, etc. If it’s interesting, I’ll answer your question in a future blog entry.

Setting up at the Grove Park Inn Antiques Show

Posted on February 19, 2010 by Philip Chasen

For several years, I’ve heard lots of good things about the Grove Park Inn Antiques Show, though I’ve never had the opportunity to visit nor exhibit there. I decided this was the year to try, and so far it’s looking like a very good decision. The show hasn’t even opened yet, but it’s very pleasant so far, with a good vibe.

That’s me in front of one of the giant fireplaces

First is the Grove Park Inn itself. It’s a wonderful 1913 masterpiece of a hotel. Just being in the lobby with the gigantic boulder fireplaces surrounded by people warming themselves in rocking chairs is great fun. Add to that a glass of delicious Ravenswood Zinfandel Lodi 2007 and you’ve got a wonderful relaxing time. And of course, enjoying it with my honey makes it perfect.

The show promoter, Bruce Johnson, is very friendly. He made us feel welcome, as well as most of the other dealers, many of whom I already know. Setup went very well, except that North Carolina is having a cold wave. It was colder here than in New York. For most of the day, the roll up door was open and we had to set up in freezing conditions. What a relief when they finally closed the door and the room warmed up.

Some of the wonderful Arts & Crafts furniture at the show

It’s a beautiful show with very high quality Arts & Crafts furniture, ceramics, and linens. The show is mixed, with the antiques dealers in the main ballroom and the quality reproduction dealers in the hallways. There are many lectures for attendees, so the whole weekend is a complete Arts & Crafts experience. From everything I can see, it’s Arts & Crafts heaven.

My booth, almost set up at Grove Park Inn

I’m not a perfect fit for this show, as many of my items are Art Nouveau, but I have enough Arts & Crafts items to satisfy many collectors. I’ve brought many Tiffany lamps and they’re perfect for Arts & Crafts homes. I also have a nice collection of Arts & Crafts ceramics, including Rookwood, Newcomb College, Grueby, Arequipa, Marblehead, and others.

Right now, I’ve got a good feeling that the show will go well. Read my post on Monday and I’ll let you know.