Rick McConn, co-manager of Marburger Farm Antique Show, said of the March 29⁁pril 2, show, “We shattered our previous attendance record and dealers sold well not only [at Marburger Farm Antique Show] but across the fields&•
Dealers and customers alike were in the area for more than a week in good numbers, spending time and money shopping this show and the many others along the small country highway, Route 237, for the 43rd spring.
Estimates of visitors were in the thousands as gate revenues at this and a few of the other shows were counting totals that exceeded the shows of the recent five years or more. Exhibitors’ sales were generally the best for the last several years as well.
Mario Pollo, Bearsville, N.Y., said he already had a good show by lunchtime of the first day at Marburger Farm. He said the success continued through the week for him, selling some early folk art, fine art and furniture.
The English Antiques Company of Jacksonville, Fla., was selling things both big and small. Co-owner Janet Gould said they sold a set of 12 chairs, Centennial Georgian, for relatively small money; a Jacobean bible box for $1,500 and a good deal of Victorian-era transfer are. They had to arbitrate the sale of a Jacobean library table, as there were two customers who had been looking at it, and both returned at virtually the same time to buy it for the tagged price of $1,500.
English ironstone from the Nineteenth Century was the primary ingredient in Mary Eikenhorst’s inventory, and it was attractively displayed on period furniture. The College Station, Texas, exhibitor said sales were good.
Some of the sales were unconventional items. Harry Myers and Jacqui Stoneman of Dallas sold a vintage camel costume for two people for $850.
Marta and Don Orwig, Corunna, Ind., were “selling up a storm,” he said. They received an overseas container with repurposed iron, including a great deal of garden materials, industrial furniture and lighting. Their sales were the best they have ever had in Texas, virtually selling out the containerload plus a great deal of their early American architectural objects, furniture and folk art. He also said they sold a good deal of iron garden furniture and urns, along with “a huge iron light fixture.”
Jeff Scofield, Bloomington, Ind., was offering the back altar of a dismantled Catholic church, in very good condition.
Marburger is also Americana in great quantities. Sniktaw Antiques, Gurnee, Ill., was offering early painted furniture and small painted antique accessories. Neil Rasmussen, Atherton, Calif., had a tiger maple chest. Donna Shannon, Chapel Hill, N.C., was selling early textiles in great quantities. Dennis and Dad, Fitzwilliam, N.H., trade in early earthenware, both American and English.
Marburger Farm Antique Show is among the biggest of the Round Top shows, with more than 350 exhibitors on 43 acres and several thousand visitors, according to management. Their date pattern is Tuesday morning opening at 10 am for early buying, 2 pm regular admission and closing Saturday, always ending the first Saturday of April and October. The next show is September 2⁏ctober 1.
For more information, www.roundtop-marburger.com or contact Rick McConn at 800-999-2148. Dealers may contact Ashley Ferguson at 800-947-5799.
