The Garden, Antique & Design Show opens this Friday, April 17, 2015, in Glencoe, Illinois

Posted on April 13, 2015 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.

The Garden, Antique & Design Show opens this Friday, April 17th, at 10 AM, at the Chicago Botanic Garden, in Glencoe, Illinois, and will continue until Sunday, April 19th at 5 PM. If you want to get in sooner, you can buy a ticket to the preview party this Thursday evening. It’s a lovely show that’s different from most antique shows because it combines gardening with antiques and design. Some people attend the show only for the garden offerings and others for the antiques. If the weather is nice, (it’s predicted to be in the low 60s), the garden will be beautiful.

Just one of the many Tiffany Studios lamps we’ll have at the show

If you read my blog, this is the only game in town this spring. All of the other antique shows are gone, including the Merchandise Mart and the Navy Pier. If antiques interest you, I suggest you visit the show and show your support. The last thing we need is for this show to fail and have no show at all in Chicago in the spring.

This rare Pairpoint Apple Tree puffy lamp is one of several Pairpoint puffies we’ll have at the show

I’m loaded for bear. I’m bringing more lamps by Tiffany, Handel and Pairpoint than I’ve brought to any show in recent memory. I’ll also have an incredible selection of American and French art glass, not to be beat. Come in, say hi, and be treated to a really lovely show. Many top-notch dealers will be there exhibiting.

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.

Reminiscing about the Chicago O’Hare Antiques Fair

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Chicago-1994-show I was cleaning up some old papers when I came across a show announcement for the Chicago O’Hare Antiques Fair from April, 1994. The show was advertised as having 350 dealers, but that probably included some exaggeration. 250+ was more like it. The show took up all of one of the larger halls at the Rosemont Convention Center. Over the years, as it got smaller, the show was moved to one of the smaller halls, but finally there weren’t enough dealers, so the show failed a couple of years ago. Oh well! I really miss that show.

Boy, have times changed. Today, not only does the show not exist, but most of the shows in the greater Chicago area are gone. There are only two left, the Antiques + Modernism Winnetka show in November and the Garden, Antique & Design Show in Glencoe next week. There isn’t a single show left in the city of Chicago, but I hope that will change. The Palm Beach Show Group still lists Chicago as one of their cities, with a projected date of Spring, 2016.

We’ll have this great Amphora vase at the show

If you don’t want either of the two remaining shows to fail, I suggest you support them by visiting next week’s Garden, Antique & Design Show at the Chicago Botanic Garden in beautiful Glencoe, IL, a north suburb of Chicago. The weather is projected to be in the 50s and 60s all next week, so the gardens should be in bloom. The show combines both antiques and garden, for a delightful mix that doesn’t exist at any other show I know of. We’re bringing a truly vast assortment of American and French glass and lamps plus important miscellaneous items. The buying has been good, so you’ll like what you see. The show opens to the public on Friday, April 17th at 10 AM and runs until Sunday, April 19th at 5 PM, with a preview party on Thursday night. I’m looking forward to seeing you!

The results of the NYC Pier Antique Show, March 28-29, 2014

Posted on March 30, 2015 by Philip Chasen

The two indoor lines turned around the corner and extended outside

The outdoor section of the line

The NYC Pier Antique Show ended its two-day run yesterday, March 29, 2014. Attendance started out strong on Saturday, with two lines extending outdoors. Interest and sales were both good, with Saturday’s sales alone easily exceeding all of last year’s March show.

Some of the French glass we have for sale. (That’s my son, Billy, in the back.)

The show was noticeably smaller, with the rumor going around that there were 100 fewer dealers. It was quite evident walking around, but it was still a very nice show. I assume many dealers didn’t come back because they did poorly last year. That was certainly the case for me, but it appears that last year was a fluke. I’m guessing that part of the reason dealers did well this year was because the public’s spending power was spread over fewer dealers.

Sunday afternoon outside my booth

Sunday started out like a ghost town, as one would expect at 10 AM. In fact the attendance didn’t pick up noticeably until 2:30 PM and then it wasn’t as busy as Saturday. Why the promoters insist on 10 AM – 6 PM on Sunday is beyond my comprehension. 11 AM – 5 PM would result in the same business for all the dealers and a much needed rest on Sunday morning. At a minimum, the hours should be 11 AM – 6 PM. Six hours are more than enough, but seven hours seem like a reasonable compromise. Dealers, speak up if you agree with me. US Antique Shows, are you listening?

We sold this Tiffany vase at the show

In asking around, I solicited the following comments. From Ron Greenwald, Greenwald Antiques, Cleveland, OH, a decorative arts dealer, “Our show was OK. Yesterday was exciting. Sunday was uneventful. We equaled our expectations.” Adele and Alan Grodsky, lamp and art glass dealers, Cooper City, FL, told me “The show was OK. We sold lamps and Tiffany art glass. We’re pleased with our results.” Bill Holland, hollandarts.com, Icart and Tiffany desk set dealer, West Chester, PA, was disappointed. “Fair, C-. Last year was better. I was disappointed with buying from other dealers because there were fewer.” Jeff Meyers, decorative arts dealer, Chicaloon, AK, was pleased. “The show was very good. There was a lot of interest in modern glass, especially Murano. I was happy the way the show turned out.” George Sorensen, George Sorensen Antiques, art glass dealer, Minneapolis, MN, commented “It was an average Pier show. I’m satisfied.” Ed Hill, Any Antique Will Do, silver and gold dealer, Hopkinton, RI, said “We did well. We equaled our expectations.” Virgil Rogers, Only Authentics, handbag dealer, New York, NY, was satisfied. “It was a little above average for the spring show. I’m pleased.” Personally our show was head and shoulders better than last year, so we’re pleased.

Next we’re off to Chicago for the Garden, Antique & Design Show at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, IL, (a north suburb of Chicago), April 17-19, 2015. We’re down to only two shows in the greater Chicago area, so don’t wait for the Merchandise Mart or the Navy Pier. They don’t exist anymore. Come and visit us in Glencoe or you’ll be out of luck until we return to Winnetka in the fall.

The NYC Pier Antique Show opens tomorrow, Saturday, March 28, 2014

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Philip Chasen

We just arrived

Yesterday was the first day of setup for those willing to pay a little extra. Only a few dealers did, so the Pier was mostly empty, except for the union workers arranging the show. We only had a few hours in the afternoon, but without having to compete with other dealers, we were able to get a lot done in a short period of time. We’ll finish the job today and be ready for the mob that’s expected tomorrow, Saturday. The show will open to the public at 10 AM and continue until Sunday, at 6 PM. It’s short and sweet — no waiting for the results. Either you did well or not. Tune in on Monday for the results!

We made a lot of progress by the end of the day

We’ll next head to Chicago in a couple of weeks for the Garden, Antique & Design Show at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, IL, (a north suburb of Chicago), April 17-19, 2015. We’re down to only two shows in the greater Chicago area, so don’t wait for the Merchandise Mart or the Navy Pier. They don’t exist anymore. Come and visit us in Glencoe or you’ll be out of luck until we return to Winnetka in the fall.

The NYC Pier Antique Show opens this Saturday, March 28, 2014

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Philip Chasen

The NYC Pier Antique Show will open to the public this coming Saturday, March 28, at 10 AM, and close the next day, Sunday, March 29, at 6 PM. It’s a popular bi-annual event attended by eager collectors, dealers and decorators, some from as far away as Japan.

We only have two shows left this spring, then a big break before our summer shows. After the NYC Pier show we’ll travel to Chicago for the Garden, Antique & Design Show at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, IL, April 17-19.

We’ll have this high-quality Daum Winter scenic vase at the show

We’re bringing an extensive group of American and French glass and lamps. The selection will be large, with outstanding examples by Tiffany, Daum and Gallé.

Thursday’s blog will be delayed to Friday, so I can write from the floor of the NYC Pier Antique Show. Next Monday’s blog will have the results of the show.

Chicago is losing its antique shows

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Philip Chasen

Chicago is a great city for antiques. Its large population and centralized location allow it to draw collectors and decorators from all directions. There’s good interest from the affluent community of the greater Chicago area. You would think it could support many antique shows, but they’re mostly gone.

So what happened? I wish there were some clear answer, but there isn’t. Ten years ago, we would come to Chicago to exhibit at 5-6 shows annually. Now we’re down to 2 — Winnetka in the fall and the Chicago Botanic Garden in the spring. Amazingly there isn’t a single show left in downtown Chicago.

The Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, IL

Here’s a little history. Dolphin Promotions used to hold a show at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. At one point, the show was held three times a year, with approximately 200 exhibitors. I loved that show. Buying was easy. Attendance was great. The show was easy to setup. Vehicles were permitted to drive onto the show floor. The hotels were right across the street. Listen to my very big nostalgic sigh! As dealers started to drop out and fewer people attended, the show was cut to once a year, until it finally closed. I sure miss that one.

Arlington Park Racetrack

The antique show at Arlington Park Raceway was one of the best in the country many years ago. There were three floors of dealers and 30,000 visitors! After the fire at the racetrack in July of 1985 (click here for the video), the promoter, Charles Wheatley, moved the show temporarily to Donnelly Hall at McCormick Place (click here for the article from the Chicago Tribune). Unfortunately he never restarted the show at Arlington after the racetrack’s reconstruction. (Scratch my head about that.) Many years later Dolphin Promotions restarted the show to moderate success. The show was then sold to Shawn Hastings, who unfortunately ran it into the ground. It closed a few years ago.

The Chicago Merchandise Mart

The story in downtown Chicago is even more unfortunate. For years, the Merchandise Mart ran a very successful show. At one point it ran twice a year, but later was cut to once a year in the spring. Two years ago, the Palm Beach Show Group decided to come to Chicago. Here the details get a little murky, but to the best of my knowledge, they tried to negotiate with the Merchandise Mart. After failing to reach an agreement, the Palm Beach boys decided to do battle with the Merchandise Mart. They started a new show at the Navy Pier to compete head on with the Mart. Dealers were forced to choose between the two. The Mart caved and the Palm Beach boys won the battle (but apparently not the war). The Palm Beach Show Group held a show at the Navy Pier last year that was not well received. They couldn’t get enough dealers to resign for 2015, so not only will there not be a Navy Pier show, there won’t be a Merchandise Mart show either. Sounds like a case of killing the goose that laid the golden eggs. I don’t know if either the Merchandise Mart or the Palm Beach Show Group will revive either show. Personally I would like to see an agreement where the Palm Beach Show Group runs the show, but the Merchandise Mart hosts the show. The earliest that could happen would be the spring of 2016. Since they couldn’t work out an agreement for 2015, I’m pessimistic there’ll be a show next year. I hope I’m wrong.

So what does that leave? The Antiques, Garden & Design Show at the Chicago Botanic Garden, in Glencoe, IL, a beautiful suburb north of the city. It will be held this April 17 – 19, 2015, 10 AM to 5 PM, Friday – Sunday. We’ll be there and we hope you will too. It’s a fun show that combines antiques and gardening. If the weather is nice, some of the flowers will be in bloom, but there are no guarantees. Chicago weather is fickle — it could be 40° or 80°. But we’ll be indoors and not subject to the weather. This will be your only chance to see us at any antique show in the greater Chicago area until the Winnetka show in October. Make your plans now. You’ll enjoy the show!

Now for a little down time and a lovely vacation. We’ll be back in time for our next show, the NYC Pier Antique Show, March 28-29, 2015.

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. 🙂

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. 🙂

The results of the Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show, February 13-17, 2015

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Philip Chasen

The blog schedule will be modified for a while because the Florida shows started and ended on unusual days. The next post will be this coming Friday, February 20th, from the floor of the Grove Park Inn Arts & Crafts Conference in Asheville.

There was a decent opening crowd on Saturday morning

The Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show ended yesterday after a 5-day run from February 13-17, 2015. Attendance was decent, but below the levels of some previous years, when it was difficult to walk down the crowded aisles. Sunday was the busiest day, but business was not in line with the number of inquiries. It was amazing how many times we heard “We’ll think about it.” or “We’ll see you later. (or tomorrow)”. We gave out so many business cards that we ran out. I’m sure there is a relationship between the business cards distributed and the show results. More cards = worse show. The real purpose of a business card should be to get in contact with a dealer. Too many people use them as a “polite” way of excusing themselves from making a decision. I would much rather deal with a no decision on the spot.

We sold this lovely Daum blownout scenic vase at the show

Personally our show was quite mediocre. French glass sold well again while English furniture (not mine) fared poorly. We answered so many questions from knowledgeable, bona fide clients that it could easily have gone better, but it wasn’t our turn this year. We did much better last year. Next year the show is getting longer and the booth rent is going up, so we’re on the fence as to whether we’ll return. We won’t make that decision yet.

I like to get comments from dealers I know, but amazingly I didn’t personally know many of the dealers at this show. Consequently I solicited only a few comments. Lloyd Macklowe, Macklowe Gallery, New York City, a dealer in Art Nouveau decorative arts and jewelry, told me “We had an excellent show. Well attended. We were very happy.” David Lowenherz, Lion Heart Autographs, New York City, a dealer in autographs, was pleased as well. “I did very well. Very good turnout. Very interested and curious customers in a super elegant setting.” Michael and Ewa Cohen, Cohen & Cohen, London, England, dealers in Chinese export porcelain and works of art, were not pleased. “It wasn’t a disaster, but it wasn’t great. We were disappointed. Last year we had the best show ever and this year we didn’t see those same clients. We’ll be back. It’s still a show with great potential.” Bill Rau, Rau Antiques, New Orleans, LA, dealer in high-end quality items, told me “We sold a couple of very nice paintings and a lot of objects and nice jewelry. Traffic was very good. There was a lot of strong competition. I was 6.5/10 pleased.” Two dealers refused comment.

This week we’ll be in Asheville, NC, for the National Arts & Crafts Conference. It’s a beautiful show in an amazing 1910 historic hotel. The focus is Arts & Crafts, both antique and new. It’s a very pleasant show that we enjoy doing. Attendees fly in from all over the US.

The Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show opens today, February 14, 2015

Posted on February 14, 2015 by Philip Chasen

The blog schedule will be modified for a while because the Florida shows are starting and ending on unusual days. The next post will be this coming Wednesday, February 18th, with the results of the Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show.

6:10 PM Friday, looking down my aisle. That’s my booth on the right.

It’s Friday afternoon, February 13th, as I write this post. We’ve had to be open to “special” guests for the last four hours. It was a bad idea. There were very few people walking around, with even fewer questions and certainly no sales. The show is long enough. Why extend it unnecessarily? It’s bad enough we’ll have to suffer through another preview party this evening. It’s my opinion that today’s activities will suck some of the oxygen out of the actual show. When the crowd is big and active, it creates excitement and electricity. Sales turn thinkers into buyers. Save the oxygen for the show.

8 PM, Friday night, in front of my booth

9:30 PM UPDATE: There was a nice crowd for the preview party, which included decent interest from prospective buyers. We even made one small sale, which hasn’t been paid for yet, but I’m optimistic will be shortly. I still prefer shows with no preview party, but I haven’t been able to convince any promoters yet.

If you read this post on Saturday, the show will open to the public today at 11 AM. It will run until Tuesday, February 17th, at 6 PM. If you want to see a classy show, with really great exhibitors, make it your business to come. It will be well worth the trip. You’ve got my word.

Next week we’ll be in Asheville, NC, for the National Arts & Crafts Conference. It’s a beautiful show in an amazing 1910 historic hotel. The focus is Arts & Crafts, both antique and new. It’s a very pleasant show that we enjoy doing. Attendees fly in from all over the US.

Philip Chasen Antiques

The blog for chasenantiques.com

Category Archives: Antique shows