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Antique & Collectibles News
Updated April 2017

Current Antique News listings: (Click to see full news release.)

Elvis Presley’s revolvers, sheriff’s badge and Graceland sales docs will be auctioned May 5-6-7 by Rock Island

Two of Elvis Presley’s lavish revolvers will be available in a May 5-6-7 firearms auction hosted by Rock Island Auction Company in Rock Island, Illinois. The guns are accompanied by several items personally owned by the legendary performer, such as a diamond and ruby studded Shelby County sheriff’s badge, the Elvis-signed contract to purchase Graceland, and numerous personal files also signed by Presley.

The King himself purchased the revolvers in 1970 from a Beverly Hills sporting goods store before sending them to Germany to be elaborately decorated. One was presented to Vice President Spiro Agnew as a gift but was returned a short time later while Agnew was being investigated for corruption.

“We are thrilled to offer the memorabilia of an American rock and roll icon,” said RIAC President Kevin Hogan. “These revolvers are beautiful enough on their own to bring a great price, but when you add the iron-clad Elvis provenance, things really get exciting. Authentic Elvis items can bring high totals at auction, so we’re anticipating a lot of action when these cross the block.”

The pre-auction estimate for one revolver, seen being held by Elvis in a period photograph, is $160,000-275,000.

Rock Island Auction Company is no stranger to firearms owned by historical figures, having sold a rifle owned by President John F. Kennedy for $149,500 and a Winchester rifle presented by Buffalo Bill Cody for $345,000. The sale will also feature investment-grade antique collectible firearms, luxurious sporting guns and nearly 100 machine guns. The auction is open to the public.

Rock Island Auction Company is the world’s #1 auction company for firearms, bladed weapons and militaria. Their 86,000-square-foot facility hosts eight auctions each year. For more information, please visit www.rockislandauction.com or call 1-800-238-8022. 

13th Annual Clinch River Spring Antique Fair on May 6th

The 13th Annual Clinch River Spring Antique Fair will be held on Saturday May 6th, 2016, 9 am – 5 pm, in Historic Downtown Clinton, Tennessee.

The Spring Antique Fair will kick-off with a party on Friday evening, May 5th from 6:00 to 9:00 pm in Hoskins/Lane Park on Market Street with live musical entertainment by Wild Blue Yonder. With a nod to the past and an eye to the future, East Tennessee favorite Wild Blue Yonder is mixing it up musically in 2017. The five-piece Appalachian Americana group has endeared audiences with warm harmonies, sizzling fiddles and folksy original songs for the past 16 years. Their new shows feature a healthy dose of old-time, mountain tunes along with fresh originals from their three CD releases. All band members are veteran performers with extensive stage experience. Visit the group at www.Facebook.com/wbyband and check out their new videos at www.Youtube.com/wbyband.

Saturday, May 6th is the main event with Market and Cullom Streets closed to traffic as antique dealers’ line the streets for the 13th Annual Clinch River Spring Antique Fair. Over 100 antique dealers, from Tennessee and surrounding states, will line Market and adjoining side streets to present a fantastic antique show offering a wide range of antiques and collectibles to suit every taste. Plus, don’t forget to also visit the 20+ antique and specialty shops in town who will be having their annual spring sales. The antique shops will also be open on Sunday from 1-5 pm.

The day’s events are scheduled from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Main Street will have a display of antique automobiles by the Clinton Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America. Local food vendors will again be set up in Hoskins/Lane Park to help keep up your energy for a full day of exploring and shopping.

This antique fair is sponsored by the Antique Merchants Guild of Clinton in conjunction with the City of Clinton and Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge. For additional information please call (865) 457-5250 or (865) 463-8699 or visit HistoricClintonsAntiques.com/fair.

In May 2017 All Roads Lead to Brimfield, Mass.

The Brimfield, Massachusetts Show Promoters’ Association takes great pride in announcing the dates for the upcoming 2017 Outdoor Antiques and Collectibles Shows: May 9-14; July 11-16; and September 5-10. The shows have been voted number 1 in the world by the Travel Channel and Brimfield is America’s best-loved destination for antiquing; the Governor’s conference has awarded the shows a distinction as one of the top 25 Massachusetts Premier destinations. Since 1959, the event has grown to encompass 22 different, privately owned and operated shows, located on both sides of a one-mile stretch of Route 20. More than 4000 dealers exhibit on over 100 acres, showcasing a diverse and enormous range of bona-fide antiques and collectibles. Brimfield is a one of a kind antiquing experience with worldwide appeal for serious buyers, aspiring home decorators and collectors, as well as casual shoppers. Buying opportunities are unmatched anywhere else in the world.

Beginning on Tuesday and ending on Sunday, individual shows open in a systematic and well organized sequence; Beginning on Tuesday at Daybreak: Collins’ Apple Barn, Crystal Brook, Grand Trunk, Mahogany Ridge, Quaker Acres, Shelton’s and Sturtevant’s. At 6AM: Central Park, The Meadows, and Midway. Then at 11AM: Dealers’ Choice and at 1PM: Brimfield Acres North. Wednesday at 6AM: New England Motel; at 9AM: Heart O The Mart and at Noon: Hertan’s. Thursday at 9AM: May’s; and Friday at 8AM: J & J’s.

All shows are open to the public; some charge admission fees (If not free, generally about $5). The majority of shows are open for the full six days. Parking rates vary. Specific show details can be obtained by contacting individual shows, or visit www.brimfield.com for general information. There are several packers and shippers located throughout Brimfield for those unable to transport purchases. ATM’s are also available. Ample parking is available throughout the show area (rates vary). Enticing food choices, including international fare are available.

Directions to Brimfield, Massachusetts: Using the Mass Turnpike (I-90): From points West: Traveling East on I-90, take Exit 8 in Palmer. Turn right after the toll booth, then left at the first traffic light onto Rte 20 East. Continue east for about 8 miles. From points East: Traveling west on I-90, take Exit 9 in Sturbridge. Turn right after the toll booth onto Route 20 West. Continue about 8 miles. From the South: Take I-84 East to Sturbridge, exit onto Rte 20 West. Continue about 8 miles to our shows or take I-95 North to New Haven, then I-91 North through Hartford, Connecticut to Springfield, Massachusetts; take the I-291 connector to I-90 (Mass Turnpike), take Exit 8 in Palmer as above. Air travelers: Brimfield is just over an hour away from Boston, MA, Hartford, CT or Providence RI airports.

For information on area lodging in the Sturbridge area, call 800-628- 8379; log on to www.valleyvisitor.com to explore lodging options in the greater Springfield area. For GPS: The show area is just west of Town Hall, 21 Main Street, Brimfield MA 01010.

Fan Association of North America (FANA) to Hold Conference in Chicago, April 26-30

Members of the Fan Association of North America (FANA), a national collector’s group of hand fan enthusiasts, will be creating their own breezes as they hold their annual conference on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago, Ill., April 26-30. Fan lovers from across the country and beyond will have many opportunities to view and learn about historic and stylish hand fans during the four-day conference.

Highlights of the meeting will include viewing exquisite fans from collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Field Museum and the Chicago History Museum. Lectures on Imperial China treasures, ivory and the law, and lace fans will be held, and the use of fans in Tai Chi will be demonstrated.

In addition, a members’ fan sale that offers extraordinary antique fans, along with other unusual and interesting fans in all price ranges, will be held. This will be followed by a fun charity fan auction to benefit FANA’s educational outreach efforts. FANA members who attend this conference are always delighted to find that “special fan” (or two or three, or more) that they have dreamt about to add to their collection.

FANA welcomes new members who may join by visiting FANA’s website, fanassociation.org. In addition to the annual meeting, member benefits include the FANA newsletter and the FANA Journal. Also check out discussions on Facebook at “Hand Fan Collectors.” For further information, contact Kathryn Hanna at westonkafan@gmail.com or call 952-200-9727.

Antiques and Appraising School Releases Data on Top-Selling Items

The latest results from the Asheford Institute of Antiques survey of buying trends within the antiques and collectibles community were published online by the school's Research & Polling Department. After conducting similar surveys over the past five years, the internationally recognized home-study school on antiques, collectibles and appraising released its latest trending data from the antiques marketplace for the 2016 year. The survey, which concentrated on compiling and grouping information related to customers buying habits over a twelve-month period, was brought back this year after a strong response on the school’s website from readers requesting updates from previous surveys, reported Director of the Institute Charles Green. He went on to note that there were some interesting differences between the results from this poll, and those from previous years.

"We've made our questionnaire sharper, and more specific, as well as bringing the participant base up to over 1,200 respondents, but the questions are still essentially the same," said Green, "even though the answers are quite different."

Carlee Jackson, the school's public relations director agreed with Mr. Green's assessment, and stated that the main goal of this year's survey was to once again measure the interest in current trends of antiques and collectibles, based on actual sales results and requests for specific items. She noted that while the survey was informal in nature, and not predicated on scientific formulas, the results were still quite compelling when viewed in their entirety.

“What we’re seeing is a strong change in direction when it comes to certain areas of the decorative arts,” said Jackson, “It's not just Mid-century modern that's moving, but a number of other areas that are also making up ground.” Jackson went on to note that interest in 1960s and ‘70s collectibles, particularly space and Star Wars-related items, had also risen sharply as well. “There's no doubt in my mind that these are the new, younger collectors that we're seeing today. They're the ones who are really beginning to drive the industry forward.”

Aside from the popularity of Mid-Century Modern furniture, many of the younger dealers from the survey also noted that literally anything 20th century, from brutalist metal sculptures to lesser known painters, had also become increasingly sought after by both dealers and collectors.

“We're in a virtual bidding war every time something from this era comes up,” said Shannon Smith, a young East Coast dealer.

Older dealers seemed to echo a similar sentiment but indicated that there were other areas of the market that were beginning to show signs of renewed interest, particularly in the area of Greek and Egyptian revival styles—especially when done in stone and marble. Claude Paquin, a longtime dealer from Quebec, said some of his Victorian marble-top side tables, which hadn't moved in years, were suddenly flying out the door.

“Who knows?” said Paquin, “Maybe it's the beginning of something old!”

Readers can view the full results of the Institute's survey at the school’s Student News page at: http://www.asheford.com/2016-survey-results.html. For more information about the school's antiques and appraisal course, call 877-444-4508 or write: Asheford Institute of Antiques, 981 Harbor Blvd., Suite 3, Dept. 275PX14 Destin, FL 32541-2525 (Canadian Office: 131 Bloor Street West, Suite 200, Dept. 124PX14 Toronto, ON M5S 1R8). Or visit the website at: www.asheford.com.

WICA 2017 Convention

The White Ironstone China Association will hold their 23rd annual convention May 4-7 at the Embassy Suites in East Syracuse, N.Y. To start the weekend, there will be a convention welcome meeting on Friday evening. This will welcome any newcomers to the convention, and give everyone time to re-connect with friends. Following this event, the Embassy Suites is offering complementary drinks and snacks at the Evening Reception.

The guest speakers this year are Jacqueline Beaudry and Jean-Pierre Dion from Canada. Jacqueline has been director of an art gallery for 20 years, and Jean-Pierre is a professor at the Universite du Quebec at Montreal for 30 years. Both have an interest in Canadian ceramics. They will speak on the white-ware of the 19th century in Canada. In addition, Mary Eikenhorst is planning a display of Canadian and English-made white ironstone that were potted for the Canadian market.

Come and join us for a weekend of information and several chances to purchase some very nice pieces of White Ironstone China. You must be a member to attend. To join, visit www.whiteironstonechina.com which has a link to join the club. The Sunday Sale is the only function that will be open to the public, May 7th 9-10 am.

The Art & Antiques Fair Olympia Returns for a 45th Year in London

The Art & Antiques Fair Olympia is set to return to London this summer in what will be its historic 45th year. The prestigious Fair, which offers more choice than any other top European fair, has prices ranging from £100 to hundreds of thousands of pounds. An audience of art and antique enthusiasts from across the globe are anticipated to descend on Kensington Olympia in search of one of a kind, rare and beautiful pieces.

Opening with an exclusive Preview day on Monday 26 June and closing on Sunday 2 July, the Fair is the definitive place for homeowners, interior designers and collectors looking for inspiration. The Fair is expected to attract around 25,000 visitors with more than 55,000 pieces for sale. Each object will be individually vetted by independent experts, providing peace of mind for any buyer—whether a first-time visitor or a regular returnee.

Known for its diverse offering, the Fair features over 120 dealers, some of whom exclusively choose Olympia to display their pieces for sale in a seven-day-only equivalent of a pop-up shop.

From diamond rings to dining tables, from antiquity to the modern day, the Fair will have works of art to cater to all tastes.

As well as the large variety of dealers present, the Art & Antiques Fair Olympia will boast an impressive line-up of speakers giving insight into current trends, interiors, and history.

Mary Claire Boyd, Fair Director said, “Olympia in June is the place to buy that elusive piece that so many of us dream of owning; the essential destination for interiors pieces. The 45th edition of this flagship fair includes exhibitors who can only be seen at this UK show, while others save and restore their best pieces for this seven-day, keenly anticipated event.

“There is also an opportunity to learn a tremendous amount from the combined knowledge of some of the world's leading experts in their fields who are always happy to share their expertise with interested visitors and via the free talks programme.”

After a successful opening year in 2016, SOFA London will be making a welcome return in the Fair. A version of the critically acclaimed Chicago-based show, The Sculptural Objects Functional Art and Design Fair (SOFA), it is an area dedicated to celebrating contemporary three-dimensional art and design—sure to make a big impact.

Located in the elegant National Hall in London Olympia means that the Fair is extremely easy to get to, and there will be a free shuttle bus during the Fair between London Olympia and Sloane Square. A Preview held on Monday 26 June, late openings, champagne bar and a specially created menu at Mosimann’s restaurant all combine to make the Fair a prestigious and must-attend event in London’s summer calendar.

Tickets are priced at £15 in advance and £20 at the door and £60 on Preview day.The Art & Antiques Fair Olympia takes place at the Olympia National, London, W14 8UX. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.olympia-art-antiques.com.