The dust has settled after a busy three-day gathering of the fall installment of Music Valley Antiques Show that saw dealers, their collections and collectors descend on the Tennessee State Fairgrounds October 29″1. Produced by Jenkins Management, this twice-a-year event has been a primary stop on the national tour for more than 20 years now.
“The show &†has continued to have great exhibits of Americana, country and fine early American antiques,” said company spokesman Jon Jenkins in a postshow interview. “The dealers have continued to exhibit because it is a destination for the shoppers †decorators, collectors and people who are furnishing their own homes with period pieces. They know this is the place to find it.”
Typical of sales for many of the exhibiting dealers was Lynn and Fran Morehaus, Knoxville, Tenn. Their total was an amount they felt was satisfying, but it was from more small antiques of good value rather than large items. Sales included one large piece of furniture, a chest of drawers in tiger maple, circa 1825, while smalls included some fine early dishes, a campaign torch, rugs, a basket and more. According to Lynn, they were “all right with their business for the weekend.”
Bobbie Pries from Westfield Center, Ohio, was also pleased with sales for the weekend, starting with some furniture and smalls during the preview. Exhibiting with the assistance of her husband, she offered a collection of early primitive furniture and accessories.
City Mouse Country Mouse Antiques features two Cincinnati, Ohio, dealers: Inez Allen and Nan Conlan. Their sales included a country hutch table more than 8 feet long, priced at $2,500; a painted step back cupboard, a matched pair of Chippendale-style and period mirrors at $1,000 and a collection of miniature portraits in pastels, according to Conlan. “We sold in every category: furniture, smalls and art, and we had a great show,” she said.
Van Deest Antiques, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is a dealer with an emphasis on folk art in art objects and useful things. According to Paula Van Deest, they did “quite well!” Their sales were numerous and showed good interest in a broad range of the collection.
By most accounts, sales at the show were good, and many dealers noted that the bulk of their sales were antiques that could be carried by hand. Even so, these were significant items, such as Van Deest’s folk art, stoneware and redware from the Puchsteins and Black Forest carvings from David Herndon.
Karen and Edd Oberg, Richmond House Antiques of Ashford, Conn., donned period costumes while showing their Colonial-era antiques for the fun of it. It may have very well sparked sales, with Karen noting, “We did just great; we sold the wall and lots more. I think we didn’t bring enough.”
Mary deBuhr, Downers Grove, Ill., said she mainly “sold smalls. Lighting, books, candles and a candle mold, and even the last sale of the show was a pierced tin barn lantern that I bought early in the show.” She added that sales were sufficient to go home ahead of the game.
Maxine Craft of Sarasota, Fla., had a similar ledger for the show, writing up tickets for two tables from the Sally Whittemore collection: a hutch table, red base and scrubbed top priced at $1,900 and a wonderful small sawbuck table at $2,450, as well a sage-green painted pantry box for $1,150. Small treenware and books completed her sales.
The crowd was concentrated during the early hours and days of the show with more than 800 waiting for the Thursday evening opening with checkbooks at the ready. By Saturday afternoon, the show had fewer visitors, but the overall attendance was more than 3,500 for the three-day affair, with one entry fee good for the three days and also at the Tailgate Antiques Show (see separate review) in adjoining buildings on the fairgrounds site.
A big topic of conversation during the show among both dealers and customers was the anticipated change in venue that will be coming up soon. The Tennessee State Fairgrounds is owned and run by the city government and the mayor has decided to close operations here. Jenkins Management will move the show again by next October. While the promoters have not yet announced the new site, in a dealer meeting during the show, negotiations with a venue were announced with a formal announcement to come soon. The February 11‱3 show will remain at the fairgrounds.
For more information, www.jenkinsshows.com or 317-598-0012.
