Category Archives: Antique shows

The results of the Chicago Antiques + Art + Design Show, May 18-20, 2018

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For the foreseeable future I will publish once a week on Mondays.

The Chicago Antiques + Art + Design Show ended yesterday after a three-day run from May 18-20, 2018. We had a decent show. Explanation to follow.

Following is a contemporaneous account of the show events.

Preview party attendees were all gathered in the aisles, having no interest in purchasing anything from anybody.

Thursday, 8:30PM The preview party is in full swing and absolutely nothing is going on in our booth. There are more people this year than last, but that doesn’t make a difference. The attendees are here for a social event and the dealers are the decorations. There has been very little interest and, of course, no sales. The only thing better this year was the open bar. The food was a disaster of hummus, carrot sticks, and a few hors d’oeuvres, with raw artichokes and raw Brussels sprouts for decoration. To top it off, one of our best clients canceled on us because of an injury.

Friday afternoon in our booth

Friday, 2 PM The show opened to the public this morning at 11 AM. There were only a few people on line. Attendance has been relatively light to this point, as well as interest. No sales yet. To make things worse, I cannot connect my computer to the wifi. My phone connects, but my computer refuses.

Friday, 6:30 PM The Merchandise Mart sent a tech to help with my computer connection. She diagnosed and solved the problem fairly quickly. Thank you!

Business was basically non-existent for the day until our long-term clients showed up near the end of the day. They made a nice purchase, so we’re off to a decent start, however we have not yet met our expenses.

Saturday afternoon in our booth

Saturday, 4:00 PM Attendance was a little better today, but business was still quite slow. We made one nice sale to a new client (which is always gratifying). We’re waiting for one of our best clients to arrive later this afternoon.

We sold this important red Tiffany Favrile Tel el Amarna vase at the show

Saturday, 6:30 PM Our good clients arrived late in the day and made a significant purchase. Thanks to them we had a good show.

Sunday afternoon in our booth

Sunday, 1:30 PM Attendance is noticeably better today, partly because the weather is unpleasant. (Bad weather is good for attendance.) A few people seem genuinely interested in some items. We’ll see if that translates to sales later in the day.

Sunday, 5:00 PM The show is over and we’re satisfied. All of today’s talk and potential ended with a decent sale and a small sale. It’s about all we could ask for a Sunday.

We did about the same business and profit as last year. Expenses were high for this show, so it ate into our net. We’ll take a smaller booth next year to trim expenses. Overall I’d say the show was a success, not unconditional, but nevertheless a success.

I’m looking forward to the Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show show, August 30 – September 2, 2018. There’s always good attendance and action. Unfortunately the Baltimore show promoter has moved the show one week later than usual, to the Labor Day weekend. The show used to be held over the Labor Day weekend, but that was many years ago. The show is wonderful, so we’ll continue to exhibit there regardless of the change of dates.

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 Chicago Antiques + Art + Design Show at the Chicago Merchandise Mart opens to the public this Friday, May 18, 2018

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For the foreseeable future I will publish once a week on Mondays.

The second edition of the resurrected Chicago Antiques + Art + Design Show will open to the public this Friday, May 18th, at 11 AM, and continue until Sunday at 5 PM, with a preview party on Thursday night.

Saturday afternoon in our booth last year

We were excited to return to the Merchandise Mart last year, after an absence of four years. Business was good, but our expenses were high, so our net results weren’t what they should have been. Our expenses won’t be much better this year, but hopefully we’ll do more business. Tune in next week for the results of the show.

The show at the Merchandise Mart is not your usual run-of-the-mill antique show. The  exhibitors and their exhibitions will be extraordinary, in a fabulous venue. You will be hard pressed to find a finer show anywhere in the entire United States. Elegance will be the operating theme! There aren’t many antique shows left in the entire country and even fewer of this quality, so make your plans now to attend. You’ll thank me.

We’ll have this special Tiffany Mesh lamp at the show

As usual, we’re bringing a fabulous inventory of French and American glass and lamps, including a fabulous Tiffany Studios 20″ diameter Dragonfly table lamp that we got last week. I know you’ll enjoy the show and my display in particular. Please stop into my booth and say hello.

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

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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 2018 Original Miami Antique Show, February 9-12, 2018

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Thursday’s post will be delayed until Monday to include the results of the the 31st National Arts & Crafts Conference this weekend.

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.

My lovely wife Lia is helping a client

We bought this fabulous Tiffany lamp at the show and sold it before the show was over

The 2018 Original Miami Antique show at the Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition Center is now history. Personally we did okay, certainly not great, selling mostly French cameo glass and Tiffany lamps and desk items. The pace was plodding, with a sale here and there. Most of the action took place each day before 4 PM, with very little after then.

Saturday afternoon in my booth

The coolest booth in the entire show, Eduardo Cohen, Buenos Aires, Argentina, displayed model airplanes and ships. Unfortunately I believe he had a poor show.

It’s a huge show that’s spread out over several buildings, with one whole building filled with just jewelry dealers. The other buildings were full of a very diverse group of antique dealers.

Monday was a total bust. I have no idea why show management insists on ending a show on Monday. Four-day shows should run Thursday –  Sunday. It put me in a foul mood, so I didn’t feel like asking other dealers how they did. Sorry. Blame the management.

The construction on the Washington Ave. (east) side of the Miami Beach Convention Center is ahead of the west side.

We’ve signed a contract for next year’s show at the renovated Miami Beach Convention Center. Got my fingers crossed that the construction proceeds smoothly so we can return to Miami Beach.

By the time you read this post we’ll be on our way to Asheville, NC, to exhibit at one of our favorite shows of the year, the 31st National Arts & Crafts Conference at the Grove Park Inn, this coming weekend, February 16 – 18. It’s a great show that I recommend you make the effort to attend.

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. 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.

Setting up at the Original Miami Antique Show, February 7, 2018

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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.

We spent yesterday setting up our booth for the Original Miami Antique show at the Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition Center. Our booth is a bit smaller than last week, but setup is still going smoothly. We’ll have it all done for Friday’s opening at 11 AM.

We’ll have this fabulous, just acquired, Tiffany lamp in our booth

The show is much larger than last week with many additional dealers with incredible and varied selections. Nobody will be disappointed when they visit this immense show. It continues through Monday at 5 PM.

Based on the action last week, I’m cautiously optimistic. I will delay my usual post-show Monday post until Tuesday, since the show ends on Monday.

Next week we’ll exhibit at one of our favorite shows of the year, the 31st National Arts & Crafts Conference at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC, February 16 – 18.

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. 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 Miami Antiques + Art + Design Show, February 2-4, 2018

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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 a few people in our booth on Sunday

The Miami Antiques + Art + Design Show is over. We did quite well, selling across the board including four lamps, French cameo glass and Tiffany lamps, glass and desk pieces. Attendance was fairly decent the first two days, but Sunday was quite slow. Even still we sold every day including two sales on Sunday.

A Tiffany Studios 7-light lily table lamp was one of four lamps we sold

Asking around, I heard about 50/50 good comments vs. complaints. Glass dealers did fairly well while painting dealers I spoke to did not.

Now we’re getting ready for the big Original Miami Antique show at the Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition Center. It opens to the public this Friday at 11 AM and continues until Monday at 5 PM. Got my fingers crossed it will go well. It’s a much bigger show than last week’s Airport Show, so there’s more action. If you can only make one show in Miami, this is the one. I’m looking forward to seeing you there. Stop by and say hello.

Can’t wait to get back into the renovated Miami Beach Convention Center next year. Construction is supposed to be finished by August, 2018, so I’m hopeful it will come true. More on that in a future blog post.

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. 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.

Setting up at the Miami Antiques + Art + Design Show, January 30 – February 1, 2018

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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.

Setup at the Miami Antiques + Art + Design Show is half over. We moved our booth to #513 in aisle 5, so we could have an end cap. (So called because it’s at the end of a row and crosses between two aisles, 5 and 6.) It’s going well, but it’s a big job with so many items. No worries, though, as it’s a gigantic space, with plenty of room for everything. We’ll have it all done by the time the show opens to the public tomorrow, Friday, at 11 AM.

We’re just getting started in our booth

Rick & Bob Kaplan, California

The show is a wee bit smaller than last year, with two fewer aisles. It’s still full of the highest quality antiques you could ask for, in any category from silver to jewelry to paintings to glass and lamps (me!) and everything in between.

Bruce Horton Antiques, Bridgeport, PA

You will be thrilled with the size and quality of the show. Come visit and help make the show a big success. It’s always good but this year it’s great!

Next week we’ll exhibit at the Original Miami Antique Show at the Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition Center. Hopefully this is the last time we’ll exhibit there. Got my fingers crossed we’ll be back in Miami Beach next year at the renovated Miami Beach Convention Center.

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. 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 Miami Antiques + Art + Design Show opens to the public this Friday, February 2, 2018

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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.

By the time you read this blog, we’ll already be in warm, sunny Miami for the opening of the Miami Antiques + Art + Design Show this Friday, February 2, 2018. It opens at 11 AM and closes on Sunday at 5 PM. The weather is predicted to be in the 70s all week. The show will feature over 200 premier exhibitors from the U.S., Canada, Europe and South America, offering the finest antiques and decorative arts. It’s a very high quality show that is worth a trip from anywhere in the world (and clients do fly in from as far as Japan).

After a few rough years of the show getting smaller, a serendipitous series of events led to the show growing again. Last year the show grew to 200 dealers from only 60 the previous year. This year the show has stabilized at 200 dealers, as many of the dealers from the Original Miami Beach Antique Show decided they would only exhibit at one show in Miami due to the temporary relocation of the Original Miami Beach Antique Show to the Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition Center. (Supposedly the show will be back in the Miami Beach Convention Center in 2019. We’ll see if that materializes, but more on that later when I hear the scuttlebutt in a few days.)

We’ll have this beautiful Tiffany 18″ Peony at the show, along with many other original Tiffany Studios’ lamps

We’ve been buying like crazy, so we’ll have a fabulous display at both Miami shows. Our inventory of quality French and American glass and lamps is stupendous. We had to rent an additional showcase beyond the eight we already bring just to fit it all. Come and visit the show. The quality and selection are extraordinary! You’ll be able to get first crack at the items that are being exhibited exclusively at this show plus the items that will be brought to the Original Miami Antique show the following week.

Speaking of which, the Original Miami Antique Show follows the Miami Airport Show, starting on Friday, February 9 and continuing until Monday, February 12 at the Miami-Dade County Fair and Exposition center. If you can’t make both shows, make sure you visit this one.

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. 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 Antiques + Modernism Winnetka show, November 3-5, 2017

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My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. The weather is getting colder and my show schedule is picking up, so I have gone back to publishing twice weekly.

We sold this fabulous Tiffany Dragonfly lamp at the show

After two disappointing shows in a row, we finished our show circuit with a big success in Winnetka, IL. We didn’t make many sales, but they were all good, including three Tiffany lamps.

Saturday afternoon in our booth. We sold the Poinsettia (back right), but the Crocus (front left) is for sale.

The show started off on Thursday evening with the usual excruciating preview party, with no sales, of course. Attendance was light throughout most of the show, but that wasn’t important to us, as the right people showed up. All of our sales were to existing clients, to whom we are eternally grateful. Not one single sale to a new client, which is unfortunate.

A selection of fine Daum Nancy glass from our show

No more shows until February 2, 2018, when we’ll exhibit at the Miami Airport show. That gives us time to beat the bushes to find new treasures and take some time to smell the figurative roses. November is usually a good month for business. Then business dies in December because most people are looking for less expensive Christmas gifts than we offer. Occasionally we make a Christmas sale, but that’s the exception, not the rule. Cold weather and the New Year bring a new wave of enthusiasm.

I will update my site 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 view from the preview party at the Antiques + Modernism Winnetka show, November 2, 2017

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My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. The weather is getting colder and my show schedule is picking up, so I have gone back to publishing twice weekly.

A view of our booth looking down from the stage

Thursday, 6:30 PM. The preview party has started and as many of you know, I’m not a fan. I suffer through, although good food and drink make them more palatable. The food and drink at this preview party are good, so I’m suffering slightly less, but suffering nonetheless.

The setup went reasonably well, except we were constantly stepping over one another in our small booth. Additionally we had to wait several hours to get electricity. Annoying, but it didn’t prevent us from finishing with plenty of time left over. If I say so myself, the final product is a beautiful booth.

Thursday, 9:30 PM. The party is over and I can’t wait to get to the room and watch Thursday night football. I’m rooting for the Jets.

The hallway was full of people at the party

Attendance was fairly good and there were a few questions, but of course, no sales. As I sit here, the booth is empty and the hallway is filled with people having a grand old time. I’m sorry, but I’m here to do business, not to entertain the local socialites.

Here’s hoping the show goes better than the preview party.

I’ll try to add a few items to my website this weekend. The busier it is, the less time I’ll have, but I should be able. Check my website to see if I was successful.

I will update my site 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.