Franks Promotions filled its hall with exhibitors offering many styles and periods of antiques and home décor for the fifth time at the Big Red Barn Summer Antiques show, June 26 and 27. Manager and co-owner Susan Franks said she was thrilled with the response to this slightly smaller version of the company’s famous antiques show. “We started this because some of our dealers in the region wanted a comfortable place for a summer show, so with our air-conditioned building, we thought we would give it a try. That was five years ago, and now there is a waiting list for dealer spaces and wonderful crowds here to sell and buy,” said Franks.
There were more than 100 exhibitors for the show, selected for the styles each was known to be able to offer. The Harpers, Pasadena, Texas, were showing early American period and country-style home furnishings.
Cypress Creek Antiques, Comfort, Texas, presented a room setting featuring a dining room with all the accoutrements, including table, chairs, hutch and small pieces necessary to complete the picture. Partners Randy Nicholson and Joe Dobbs had a full house for the visitors.
From Dallas, Texas, where he produces several antiques shows, Ralph Willard was showing important small antiques. He has a large collection of early Japanese Imari earthenware, and for this show he also offered a Craven and Lyon clock and other early accessories.
Fundustrial offered its current collection of popular industrial antiques. From San Antonio, Texas, the partners “basically sold out in the two days,” according to Susan Skinner.
The heat at Round Top in June had to be considered, so Franks moved the dining area inside the air-conditioned building rather out on the patio. This reduced the capacity for exhibitors, but kept the customers at the show longer, allowing them to consider more carefully their purchases.
Summer at the Big Red Barn is one of four antiques shows in Franks’ facility; the next show is the Original Round Top Antiques Festival, September 29⁏ctober 2, in the Big Red Barn, the Big Top Tent and the Continental Tent. For more than 40 years this semiannual event has served as the foundation for all the antiques shows in Round Top, Carmine and the neighboring villages with several thousand antiques dealers and customers numbering in the tens of thousands.
For information, www.roundtoptexasantiques.com or 512-237-4747.
