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.
It was time to set up the show on Wednesday and Thursday
The Arlington Park Racetrack Antiques Show was held in Arlington Heights, IL, from April 13-15, 2012. Unfortunately, the show has gotten smaller and smaller over the years and has been in a vicious cycle. There were fewer dealers, so there were fewer people. Some dealers didn’t do well and won’t come back, and round and round it goes. It’s possible to reverse a vicious cycle, but it takes extraordinary effort and money. A show promoter has to commit to a show and pour money into promotion to attract new dealers and new attendees. It’s been done before. The problem is that the show promoter, Shawn Hastings, has been very ill for quite some time, so he wasn’t able to do what needed to be done. Hopefully, he’ll do something now and reverse the trend.
Saturday afternoon at my booth
Personally, my show went well. Thanks to a very loyal customer base in the greater Chicago area, the right clients showed up and made purchases. (You know who you are, so I’d like to send each of you a personal thank you.) There was interest in a variety of areas, including French cameo glass by Daum and Galle, Tiffany desk items, and American Art Pottery. Icarts, paintings, and lamps were slow at this show, but unpredictability is why I made a conscious decision many years ago to diversify. Everything that didn’t sell at this show may sell at the next.
Another aisle on Saturday afternoon
In asking around, a few dealers did okay and a few were complaining. I didn’t hear anyone rave about his/her show. Attendance was fairly light all weekend, with mostly tire-kickers coming on Sunday.
Our next show will be at the Merchandise Mart, in downtown Chicago, Friday-Sunday, April 27-30. It’s Chicago’s best show, and one of the best shows in the entire country. There will be great exhibitors, many of whom exhibit at very few shows a year. It’s worth a trip from anywhere.
_________________________________________________________________
A wonderful Martin Brothers stoneware face jug
Look around my website. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. I regularly add Tiffany vases, lamps and desk accessories, as well as French cameo glass by Galle and Daum Nancy and Louis Icart etchings. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com
Very interested in the spring and fall antique shows at Arlington Pk. How do I get on a mailing list?
Contact the show promoter, Shawn Hastings, at wlnutman@madisontelco.com
Please email dates for shows in the Chicagoland area, especially Arlington Park Racetrack and Chicago Merchandise Mart.
The Chicago Botanic Garden Antiques and Garden Fair is this coming weekend in Glencoe. The Merchandise Mart show is the following weekend. The Arlington Park Racetrack Antiques Show has been cancelled.