Fiddlers Antiques Shows was conducted during Nashville Antiques Week, starting on February 19 with early buying and setup and concluding February 19, with most of the 50-plus dealers packing up less than they brought. Produced by Scott Jenkins of Emerson Events, the show was held in the Fiddlers Inn motel rooms, which open onto the parking lot with many dealers extending their exhibits, weather permitting, onto the macadam.
Dealers enjoy this economical venue, where they can use their room for daytime exhibits and, in the evening, rest after what most of the exhibitors described as a productive week selling antiques.
Early in the four days of selling, Frank Swala parted with his Virginia-found pine cupboard. The Washington, Penn., dealer said it had its original surface, a red milk paint, and no significant repairs. His additional sales included smalls and more furniture.
Setting up in the same room they had used when the Fiddlers Inn show was conducted as the Tailgate Antiques Show years ago, Rick and Dwan Mabry were selling their collection of early country antique furnishings, which they find near their Raleigh, N.C., home, and in their travels. Their sales included an Eighteenth Century side table in original blue milk paint, a banister back chair from New England, a set of drawers from an early textile stores fixtures, some paintings and silhouettes and many small antiques. Rick said their sales were very rewarding in total.
Kathy Rosenquist, Chicago, was offering her collection of midcentury home furnishings. Her exhibit included a complete room setting †a dining room with an iron-based, marble top table, multifaceted mirrors and split columns in a platinumlike hue.
Coming to the show from just down the road in Knoxville, Barbara McDonald was selling small antiques. Her collection included a good quantity of Native American crafts and useful things, as well as early Americana objects.
Mixing it up from the last 200 years of styles and utility, Ann Arbor, Mich., dealer Gloria Oviatt had very early furniture with some later accessories, all in a very austere background. The bright white papered walls set off her primitive worktable, which was accessorized with late Nineteenth Century stoneware and brightly colored flowers, all to help the customers picture how Oviatt’s collection might look in their homes.
There were many specialists exhibiting at Fiddlers. Malchione Sporting Antiques was the collection of John and Veronica Malchione, Kennett Square, Penn., with decoys, fishing tackle sports and other hobby materials, while The Ewings, Tuftonboro, N.H., were selling from their collection of very small antiques generally found in New England. Tavern Creek Antiques, Portland, Mo., was offering a collection of early primitive furniture.
The show dealers were even exhibiting in the parking spaces in front of the exhibit rooms †they spread out with many having enough inventory for a second setup of furniture and smalls.
Emerson Events plans to continue this show, with dates to be confirmed on its website, www.fiddlersantiqueshow.com or call 615-686-8202 for more details.
