The 30th Annual Baltimore Summer Antiques Show attracted tens of thousands of knowledgeable collectors and respected dealers from around the world who traveled from as far as Dubai, Brussels and Beijing to purchase from the extensive array of merchandise offered by more than 500 prominent exhibitors, many of which are the world’s foremost experts in their respective fields. Produced by the Palm Beach Show Group, the Baltimore Summer Antiques Show is the largest indoor antiques show in the country and includes a 70-dealer antiquarian book fair.

“This year’s show was absolutely phenomenal – a blockbuster,” said Joseph Belperio of Shimazu. “We saw educated clientele, a tremendous gate and heard a lot of positive feedback. This is a great show for dealers.”

“The Baltimore show was well organized, and despite the economy, well attended,” said Matt Kendall of The Kendall Collection. “I have come to expect an upscale setting, ready assistance and qualified leads from the Palm Beach Show Group – and they did not disappoint.”

Martin Chasin of Martin Chasin Fine Arts also commented, “There was a really wonderful mix of dealers at the show and the best clients that I’ve ever had came through this year.”

Not only was retail business booming at the 30th Annual Show, but trade business was thriving as well. Jim Alterman of Jim’s of Lambertville purchased an entire booth of important sculpture, including two Auguste Rodin pieces, “Suzon” and “Tete de Muse Tragique,” an Emile Gauguin sculpture, “Marquisian Man,” and an extremely rare Leo Laporte-Blairsy Art Nouveau lamp, “Les Paons,” that was first exhibited at the 1901 Societe des Artistes Francais.

“I will absolutely be returning next year,” adds Michael Pashby of Michael Pashby Antiques. “The show exceeded my expectations by far and I made some very good sales.”

Significant sales were reported throughout the show’s four-day run, September 2 – 5 at the Baltimore Convention Center, including an extremely rare ancient Chinese gold vessel with turquoise and garnet inlay from around the 3rd century AD sold by TK Asian Antiquities. The vessel is from the Royal workshop and had an asking price of $1.3 million.

“The selection, quality and attendance gets better every year,” said Michael Teller of TK Asian Antiquities. “The average buying point was higher than last year and I met new clients from London. The Palm Beach Show Group provides dealers with a little extra care that you don’t see at many other shows.”

Camilla Dietz Bergeron Ltd. had a successful show, selling a pair of Van Cleef & Arpels diamond and platinum earrings circa 1965, an Art Deco Raymond Yard platinum and diamond bracelet, and a pair of David Webb enamel earrings from the 70s, amongst other sales.

John Orban Antiques and Fine Art sold a very rare and important pair of George III terrestrial and celestial globes by John and William Cary of London circa 1839 and 1818, each measuring 15” in diameter, with an asking price of $85,000.

Sales made by M.S. Rau Antiques include a piece of Paul Revere silver, three paintings, an 8.9 carat emerald cut diamond ring, a 19th century French surgeons kit, several Russian pieces and a giant carriage clock.

“Best crowds ever,” said Bill Rau of M.S. Rau Antiques.

In addition to exploring the more than 200,000 items on display on the show floor, guests also enjoyed the show’s free, public lecture series. The well-attended lectures featured engaging talks by industry experts such as Grant Walker, education specialist at the United States Naval Academy Museum and Robert Mintz, associate curator of Asian art at The Walters Art Museum. Also presenting lectures were exhibiting dealers, including Janet Drucker of Drucker Antiques; Robert Lloyd of Robert Lloyd, Inc.; Timothy Stevenson of Carlson & Stevenson Antiques and Art; Jacqueline Smelkinson and Marcia Moylan of Moylan-Smelkinson/The Spare Room; and John Forster of Barometer Fair.

Additional sales highlights from the 30th Annual Baltimore Summer Antiques Show include:

·       Drucker Antiques sold the first sugar muffineer ever made by Georg Jensen (no. 1).  The unique, hand-hammered sterling silver muffineer has a beautiful poppy motif raised from the inside.

·       David Brooker Fine Art sold 14 paintings all to new clients, a majority of which were marine paintings.

·       TK Asian Antiquities sold an extremely rare 10th century imperial yellow robe decorated with colorful birds.

·       Asiantiques sold a six-panel screen, gold leaf, ink on paper, Hogen Tan'Yu seal, Kano School, from the late 18th to early 19th century.

·       Robert Lloyd sold a large pair of sterling silver candlesticks made in London in 1764 with the maker’s mark, ‘NH.’

·       TOJ Gallery sold a bulbous, hand-painted Boch Freres Keramis vase painted by Leon Delfant, circa 1930, and a lidded floor vessel, measuring 22" high with an approximate circumference of 70”, which is a stunning example of the large-scale work done by Donna Craven.  The vessel is coiled, hand-excised with applied decorations and strap handles, and then wood fired and salt glazed.

·       Reichner Antiques sold a Wedgwood Victoria Wear bowl gilded in bronze circa 1900.

·       Spencer Marks sold a very important sterling silver Art Nouveau coffee and tea set by Orivit, a significant German metalware firm that only made silver for a few years between 1901 and 1904. There is an identical example of the service in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

·       Russack & Loto Books, LLC sold an unusual early 20th century design book for French hotel interiors that had great photographic images.

·       Carlson & Stevenson Antiques and Art sold an album done in 1877 in Rome showing illuminated manuscript skills and forms, and a set of five late 19th/early 20th century carved wooden puppets. In addition, they received interest from an academic institution in some of their 19th century hand-done copy books.

·       Robert Milberg Antiques sold an Art Deco Austrian painting circa 1920 and a very good antique Turkish Oriental rug circa 1870.

·       Kevin T. Ransom Bookseller sold a signed first edition Robert Frost book, entitled “In the Clearing.”

·       Steve Newman sold a total of 30 sculptures, including works by Emile Gauguin, Auguste Rodin, Leo Laporte-Blairsy, Jose de Creeft, Max Kalish, Joseph Konzal, Vincent Glinsky and Cleo Hartwig.

·       Berry & Co. sold a multitude of silver pieces, including a Turkish-style Gorham sterling silver coffee pot.

·       Larry Dalton sold a mini sterling silver carriage clock circa 1890 in its original leather traveling case.

·       Zane Moss Antiques sold many pieces, including a burled walnut pedestal desk circa 1860, a mahogany canterbury circa 1860, a leather-topped tufted walnut stool circa 1880, a Staffordshire pair of sheep circa 1860, a black forest coat rack with antler hooks and a dog head carving circa 1900, a pair of brass lamps circa 1880 and an Edwardian inkwell circa 1890.

·       Jay Chatellier Fine Art sold a Robert Edge Pine painting, titled “Portrait of Mary Nevett,” circa 1785.

·       Stevens Antiques sold two good sets of bronze andiron.

·       Martin Chasin Fine Arts sold a sterling silver hand-engraved teapot, London, circa 1799, by Solomon Hougham. It is ovoid in shape with a carved finial and ebony handle. Also sold, was a beautiful pair of sterling silver serving dishes made in Sheffield, England in 1838. They are oval in shape with a cast and applied border in a swirling foliateb design. The hand-engraved dishes are lobed and clearly hallmarked.

“This show has energy,” said New York City dealer Leah YM, who attended the show throughout the weekend. “There are certain shows that you can’t rock and roll in, but you can here – you can rock and roll from a hundred dollars to a million dollars.”

The 31st Annual Baltimore Summer Antiques Show will return to the Baltimore Convention Center August 25 – 28, 2011, and will feature more than 500 top dealers of antiques, jewelry and fine art. Tickets are $12 each and are good for all four show days. For more information about the Baltimore Summer Antiques Show, please contact Chrissy Lambert, director of public relations, at 561.822.5440 or chrissy@palmbeachshow.com, or visit www.baltimoresummerantiques.com.