Results of the Baltimore Summer Antiques Show, September 2-5, 2010

Posted on September 6, 2010 by Philip Chasen

On vacation for a week, so no new posts for a little while.

The show started off on the right foot with good sales and interest on the first day, Thursday. It looked like the show was going to be a really good one. Then came Friday and Saturday.

The view from my booth at the Baltimore Summer Antiques Show, Sunday afternoon, September 5, 2010

The Palm Beach Show Group bought the show a few years ago and made a few changes. One was to expand the show to four days, from three. That’s supposed to give the dealers more selling time, but for the most part, it doesn’t work. After all, who comes on the Friday of a four-day show? If you’re a dealer or very interested collector, you come on opening day, Thursday. If you’re busy during the week, you come on the weekend. So it appears that most of the people who come on Friday are just out for a stroll, like going to a museum, except everything is for sale, and you don’t have to buy a thing. And that’s exactly what happened. Nobody bought a thing on Friday.

Saturday looked like it was going to be a better day. Lots of people, lots of questions, and serious interest. Based on the serious interest, I should have had a great day, but unfortunately, not one single person returned and the day was a complete bust.

Fine Galle vase with red fuchsia on a flattened triangular shape

Sunday is a funny day. Some are wonderful and others awful. Never know who’s going to show up. Interest was good and sales picked up considerably, with special interest in French glass.

All in all, a decent show for me. I spoke to several other dealers. Most of them didn’t lose money, a few did very well, and the rest were satisfied, but with lowered expectations.

Also on the bright side, the Hilton hotel was wonderful, with an incredible view of Camden Yards from the balcony. Lots of comfortable chairs. It’s as close as you can get to being at the game, without being at the game. The Orioles lost to Tampa Bay, 8-4 — good for the Yankees.

The view of Camden Yards from the Hilton Hotel, September 4, 2010

I recently added over 10 Galle vases to my website, 7 Tiffany lamps, 1 Grueby vase, 1 Newcomb vase, Daum Nancy glass and a fabulous Burgun & Schverer internally decorated vase. This coming week, I’ll be adding many new items. Please take a look. Click on this link chasenantiques.com.

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

The Baltimore Summer Antiques Show is open until Sunday, September 5, 2010

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Philip Chasen

The Baltimore Summer Antiques Show is now open to the public and will end on Sunday, September 5, 2010, at 6 PM. Tuesday and Wednesday was orchestrated chaos with dealers busy hauling in their treasures and setting up the show. In the end, it all got done. Packout on Sunday night is usually a nightmare as everyone is ready to leave at approximately the same time. The logistics of the building make that impossible, so Sunday night is usually a frustrating experience. Most dealers are ready to leave between 8 and 9 PM and many don’t get out until midnight or later.

Late afternoon Thursday at the Baltimore Summer Antiques Show, September 2, 2010

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The show looks beautiful. There are more than a few high-powered dealers who exhibit at very few shows, including M.S. Rau, from New Orleans. When do you go to an antiques show and have the opportunity to buy an original Claude Monet or Norman Rockwell? You can at M.S. Rau.

Original Norman Rockwell oil painting available in the booth of M.S. Rau Antiques

I’ve brought an incredible selection of lamps, glass, ceramics and artwork. Make the time to visit me and see the summer’s best antique show.

Rare Galle water lily blownout vase

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Business on the first day was lively, with sales in many different areas from French cameo glass to 19th century porcelain plaques to paintings. If business continues at this pace for the entire show, it will be good evidence that the market is back — a welcome event.

On Monday or Tuesday, I’ll report about the results of the show.

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

Results of the Chicago Summer Antiques Show, August 27-29, 2010

Posted on August 30, 2010 by Philip Chasen

This year, Dolphin Promotions held its annual summer Chicago Antiques Show at the Rosemont Convention Center. It had been held there for many years, but was moved to a downtown location last year in an effort to reinvigorate the show. This year, Rosemary Krieger, the owner of Dolphin Promotions, decided that the show was better off back in its original location. To give the show a boost, she upped the advertising budget and offered incentives to the public, including free parking for a paid admission.

Sunday at the Chicago Summer Antiques Show, August 29, 2010

Show attendance was light to moderate for most of the show, but many of the attendees were serious buyers, so a decent percentage of the dealers reported that their shows were fair to good. Personally, my show was decent, with good interest in Tiffany and Loetz glass and Tiffany desk set items. Sales were decent on Friday and Saturday. Sunday was a bust, with the usual cast of tire-kickers. If only I knew which Sundays to stay in my hotel room and watch TV!

Tiffany Studios Pine Needle magnifying glass

There are so many interested, knowledgeable buyers in the greater Chicago area, that I would love for the show to succeed and grow again. As the economy strengthens in the coming months and years, the show will have a decent chance.

This coming week, we’re off to Baltimore for the biggest show of the summer and probably one of the biggest shows of the year. The Baltimore Summer Antiques Show is held every year over the Labor Day weekend, ending on Sunday. This year’s dates are Thursday, September 2, to Sunday, September 5. The show was expanded to four days after the previous promoter, Frank Farbenbloom, sold it to the Palm Beach Show Group. This is one show that you should get on a plane, get in your car, or get on a train, and ATTEND. The show is not only huge, but top-notch quality, with some fantastic dealers who exhibit at very few shows, including some from abroad. Buyers fly in from all over the world, including Europe, Japan, and South America. The Baltimore Inner Harbor is a fun location in the summer, so for the price of one trip, you get the antiques show, wonderful local entertainment and great restaurants.

The Baltimore Summer Antiques Show will be held September 2-5, 2010

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

Why do antique shows have preview parties?

Posted on April 23, 2010 by Philip Chasen

My booth at the April 2010 Los Angeles Antiques Show

I don’t understand why fancier antique shows have preview parties. They are an enigma to me. Apparently show promoters feel they’re important. Perhaps if a show has the support of a non-profit organization, it will benefit the show. I just don’t see it. Let me try to analyze the different points of view.

From a dealer’s point of view, I’m totally in the dark. For the most part, preview parties are a waste of a dealer’s time. Almost nobody is there to look at antiques, much less buy antiques, so the evening is spent drinking (that part’s not bad) and scrounging for food. It depends on the show, so sometimes there’s plenty of food and other times not. At some shows, a box with a half sandwich and a couple of cookies is handed out to the dealers for dinner. What??? Give me a break — that’s insulting.

The Los Angeles Antiques Show preview party, April 21, 2010

From the attendee’s point of view, it’s a fun night out. See and be seen. Eat, drink and be merry. Why not? Attend an elegant social event, get fed, drink and have a great time. This part I understand.

My biggest problem is with the promoter’s point of view. I guess they’re trying to give the show a certain cachet. But is that really what they’re accomplishing? I don’t think so. Whether the show benefits a zoo or a children’s charity doesn’t seem to have any impact whatsoever on the success of the show. A show’s success is measured by other criteria. Is the paid attendance excellent? Are the dealers selling well? Is there a waiting list of dealers who are trying to get into the show? Some of the most successful antique shows in the country do not have preview parties and are doing great — the New York City Pier Show, the Baltimore Summer Antiques Show, the Miami Beach Convention Center Antiques Show. So if a preview party doesn’t seem to have much, if any, effect on these criteria, why have them?

Have I ranted enough yet about preview parties? I wish they would go away and promoters would get down to the business of running high quality shows that the public wants to attend.

I’ll post the results of the Los Angeles Antiques Show on Monday or Tuesday.

I’m taking a lot of time to add new items to my website. In the last few days I’ve added to the Gallé glass and Icart etchings listings. 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.

The Miami National Antiques Show results

Posted on January 18, 2010 by Philip Chasen

2:30 PM on Sunday, 1/17/2010, at the Miami National Antiques Show

I’m writing this blog at 2:30 PM on Sunday, so the final results are not yet in, but I have the preliminary results — the show is in trouble. Attendance was very light for most of the show, especially when I remember back 15-20 years, when the aisles were so crowded that it was difficult to move. Attendance at most shows in the US is down, but this one seemed down more than most. On a personal note, sales were good for me because the right people showed up. Almost all of my sales were to established clients (thank you to each and every one of you), with a couple to new clients. New clients are essential because established clients don’t remain clients forever.

Some shows enter what I will term a “death spiral”. It’s hard to say which comes first, but here’s the gist of it. Fewer clients show up to buy, so sales are disappointing. Disappointing sales lead some dealers not to return the following year. The following year the show is smaller and lower quality, so attendance goes down because of word-of-mouth. You get the point — one bad thing leads to another until eventually, the show collapses. So what can a show promoter do? Take the patient to the ICU and treat aggressively. That means NO business as usual. Give the right medication and treatment and save the patient. Take the Palm Beach Show Group as an example. They purchased the Baltimore Summer Antiques Show from Frank Farbenbloom. The show was OK when they bought it, but going nowhere. The new promoters were very aggressive in signing new, high quality exhibitors to the show, glamming up the look of the show and most importantly, advertising strongly. Now the Baltimore Show is on firm footing with high quality exhibitors, excellent attendance and good sales.

The Atlantique City Antiques Show entered a death spiral that wasn’t fun to watch. Each year the show got smaller and business got worse until finally the show collapsed. Allison Kohler of JMK Shows is reviving the show March 27-28, 2010 with many changes and hopefully a very large advertising budget. One big change is that the show will only be held once a year. Good move, Allison. I wish her the best of luck (and me too since I’ll be exhibiting there).

Rosemary Krieger is the very capable owner of Dolphin Promotions, the promoters of the Miami National Antiques Show. Rosemary, I know you read my blog, so take heed. This used to be a great show, so now you have to take dramatic action to renew and restore it and thereby break the cycle. Shorten the show to two days, Friday and Saturday, like the NYC Pier Show, so there will be bigger crowds and more energy. Greatly increase your advertising budget to include radio and TV. Increase free passes for the dealers to give out to their best clients. Make the parking free to the public. Sign new quality exhibitors with the promise of greatly increased advertising and a shorter show. Otherwise, my friend, the news is not good.

The Original Miami Beach Antique Show, January 21-25, 2010

This week the eagerly anticipated Original Miami Beach Antique Show, opens to the public. It will be held at the Miami Beach Convention Center, Thursday, January 21, to Monday, January 25, 2010. It’s a huge show that attracts both exhibitors and attendees from all over the world. I’ve done business at this show with people from almost every continent. There’s always a lot of action, with millions and millions of dollars of merchandise changing hands. Many dealers save their best items just for this show. Give yourself at least two days to see everything.

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.

Call or write and let me know what you would like to buy, sell, or trade. philchasen@gmail.com or 516-922-2090. And please visit my website. chasenantiques.com

Thank you, Baltimore

Posted on September 8, 2009 by Philip Chasen

My booth with a great new Tiffany floor lamp addition

I say thank you now, but for most of the weekend, I didn’t think I would say that. The show started off well on Thursday with good attendance, good interest, and moderate sales. Attendance stayed good throughout the four days of the show, but that was partly due to the promoter’s generous distribution of complimentary tickets.

I’ve got mixed emotions about that. On the one hand, you can’t make a sale to someone who’s not there, so good attendance is important. On the other hand, there are a tremendous number of people who attend shows because it’s great entertainment, either free or low cost. That’s great for the attendees, but surely not for the dealers. You can understand that, right? Shows are better than museums. You can hold and touch the objects and ask questions of experts. Try touching something at a museum and see what happens. Off with your head!#&*%

Sunday afternoon at the show

Business was much slower on Friday (to be expected) and non-existent on Saturday (not to be expected). Sunday is the day when I never know what to expect. Most of the time, Sunday attendees are out for a good time, so sales usually suffer. Occasionally, serious clients can only make it on Sunday, or clients who were in earlier return, so it can be a good day. This particular Sunday was the latter. So the result for me was a decent show, off from previous years, but good for today’s economic climate.

I spoke to several other dealers and asked how they did. One dealer was ecstatic and said it was his best show in Baltimore. Another one did very well and was quite pleased. The majority of dealers I spoke with described their results as mediocre. No big surprise there.

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.

Call or write and let me know what you would like to buy, sell, or trade. philchasen@gmail or 516-922-2090. And please visit my website. chasenantiques.com

So-so results at the Pasadena Antiques Show

Posted on August 10, 2009 by Philip Chasen

The Pasadena Antiques Show, August 9, 2009

It’s really tough work sitting at a show when there’s very little to do. Kinda like Chinese torture. The show opened on Friday. I wish I knew why. There were very few people and of those who showed, there seemed to be even fewer buyers. 8 hours of sitting. It’s easy when people are asking questions and making purchases, but not this Friday.

Irene Stella seems to have it right. She’s the promoter of the Pier Show in NYC. It’s a 2-day show. The public comes en masse and everyone makes their decisions quickly whether to purchase or not. It’s good for the public and good for the dealers. I would like to see the Pasadena show shortened to 2 days, but it’ll never happen.

Saturday was much more lively. Attendance was good, interest was good, especially in Tiffany Studios desk set items, and sales were decent. Now if only Sunday would be like Saturday, the show would have been good, but alas, no dice. Attendance wasn’t very good and interest was poor.

In my opinion, the main problem is that there isn’t just one important show in the LA area that everyone MUST attend. There’s one little show here and one little show there and as a result, LA is a difficult city in which to do well. It doesn’t matter how wealthy the residents are if they don’t show up. I say that because I’m always amused by show promoters when they try to convince me that I should do a new show in some city. “Do you know what the average income is within a 50-mile radius of the show?” I couldn’t care less, because that’s not what’s most important. It’s getting those people to attend the show that’s most important and that’s way tougher than it sounds.

On to Chicago in a couple of weeks and then Baltimore over the Labor Day weekend. That’s the one I’m looking most forward to. It’s big and important, so everyone shows up. It doesn’t guarantee I’ll do well, but at least I’ll have a fighting chance.

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.

Call or write and let me know what you would like to buy, sell, or trade. philchasen@gmail or 516-922-2090.

Philip Chasen Antiques

The blog for chasenantiques.com

Tag Archives: Baltimore Antique Show

Results of the Baltimore Summer Antiques Show, September 2-5, 2010

The Baltimore Summer Antiques Show is open until Sunday, September 5, 2010

Results of the Chicago Summer Antiques Show, August 27-29, 2010

Why do antique shows have preview parties?

The Miami National Antiques Show results

Thank you, Baltimore

So-so results at the Pasadena Antiques Show