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The Philadelphia Antiques Show
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April 14, 2009, Volume 55, No. 29

 

Lamp
Tiffany Studios blue dragonfly lamp, circa 1910, Lillian Nassau LLC.

The Philadelphia Antiques Show, celebrating its 48th anniversary, is the premier antiques and decorative arts show in the country featuring a large selection of American antiques. A Gala Preview Reception, to be held 4:30–10 p.m. on Friday, April 17, will inaugurate the four-day show and sale which runs Saturday, April 18—Tuesday, April 21, and continues for the second year at its new location at The Navy Yard.

Since 1962, show proceeds have contributed nearly $16 million for the advancement of patient care at Penn Medicine. Organized by a committee of more than 250 volunteers, the Philadelphia Antiques Show features more than 50 of the nation’s leading antiques dealers and fine art galleries.

The Loan Exhibit

Patterson
Robert Maskell Patterson, MD, by Benjamin Trott, c.1807, Philadelphia Museum of Art

This year, the featured loan exhibit will be Patriots and Presidents: Philadelphia Portrait Miniatures, 1760-1860, a unique collection of portrait miniatures depicting early Philadelphia’s most prominent figures.

The loan exhibit will chronicle more than a century of portrait miniatures, including those of George and Martha Washington, James and Dolly Madison, and also Benjamin Franklin, Philadelphia’s most famous citizen. A collection of personal, portable portraits depicting early Philadelphia’s most prominent figures celebrates Philadelphia’s history as the center of American government and commerce in the 18th and 19th centuries. On loan from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Rosenbach Museum & Library and private collections, the portrait miniatures were done with watercolors on ivory, oil on panel, or enamel on copper. The miniatures of early American presidents and historical figures will be displayed in an exceptional museum-quality exhibit curated by Philadelphia collectors Dr. Robert and Katharine Booth with help from exhibit advisor, Elle Shushan. The Booths have curated four previous loan exhibits and are prominent collectors of Americana.

The presenting sponsor for the 2009 Show is The Haverford Trust Company. Visit The 2009 Philadelphia Antiques Show online at www.philaantiques.com or for additional information or to reserve tickets call (610) 902-2109. The Philadelphia Cruise Terminal at Pier One in The Navy Yard is located at 5100 South Broad Street.

2009 Beneficiary

The Philadelphia Antiques Show proceeds go to Penn Medicine and will benefit the Penn Center for Patient Safety and Advocacy at HUP. Proceeds will be used to support the hospital’s innovative new facility designed to make HUP the safest place to receive care by virtue of eliminating hospital-acquired infections. 

“We are extremely grateful to be named the beneficiary of The 2009 Philadelphia Antiques Show,” said Dr. Richard Shannon, chair of the department of medicine. “With The Philadelphia Antiques Show’s help, we will be able to eliminate hospital-acquired infections within the next three years.”

The Philadelphia Antiques Show is the major fundraiser for Penn Medicine and has raised nearly $16 million since 1962, supporting innovative programs with direct impact on patient care.

“The success of the 2008 show at our new location—The Navy Yard, allowed us to break attendance and fundraising figures. We are looking forward to another year as the nation’s foremost arts and antiques show,” said Show Chair Lana McDonald. “Our deep commitment to raise money to support Penn Medicine continues to drive our dedication to present an unmatched show year after year.”

Special Events

Each year visitors can also choose from a wide and varied schedule of special events. Special events this year include a lecture by renowned interior designer and author Carleton Varney, The McNeil Curator Lecture given by curators Dr. Robert and Katharine Booth, and daily guided show tours led by Philadelphia Museum of Art Fairmount Park House Guides.

The Sunday brunch lecture, 11 a.m.–1:30 p.m., Sunday, April 19, will feature Carleton Varney, one of the best-known interior and restoration designers in the world. He is president of the New York-based Dorothy Draper & Co. Inc., America’s oldest and most established design firm, will present Glamour in Interior Decoration to brunch attendees. Admission is $75 and includes brunch, the lecture, admission to the show floor and a show catalogue.  A guided show tour is available for an additional $10.

ADA Award of Merit Dinner

The Philadelphia Antiques Show will host the Antiques Dealers’ Association of America (ADA) “Award of Merit” Dinner on Saturday, April 18, 8–10 p.m. to honor a leader in the antiques community. The 2009 Award of Merit recipient is Philip Zea, president of Historic Deerfield in Deerfield, Massachusetts. A well-known lecturer and writer, Mr. Zea is a leading authority on the topics of early furniture, clocks and historical interpretation. He worked as vice president for Museums and Collections at the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities in Boston. He was also curator of furniture at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Williamsburg, and he has been a staff member of the New Hampshire Historical Society. Admission to the awards dinner is $85. For additional information or to reserve tickets, please call (203) 364-9913 or visit www.ADAdealers.com.

Guided Show Tours

Guided show tours will take place daily, 10–11 a.m., before the show opens to the public. Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the show with Philadelphia Museum of Art Fairmount Park House Guides. Each day, the Park House Guides will share their special expertise as they escort small groups through the 2009 loan exhibit, Patriots and Presidents: Philadelphia Portrait Miniatures, 1760-1860, as well as highlight notable objects offered by the show’s pre-eminent exhibitors. Admission is $30.

Ticket Information

General Admission tickets may be purchased at the door: $18, $15 for 65 and older, $15 for Navy Yard employees with ID and WHYY members with membership ID, $10 for students and Penn Medicine employees with ID.

Dates and Hours

Saturday, April 18: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Sunday, April 19: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Monday, April 20: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Tuesday, April 21: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

 

Shuttle Service

The Philadelphia Antiques Show will provide complimentary shuttle service from Amtrak’s 30th Street Station throughout the show and sale.

 

Know
A Family Record Sampler, by Emily Knox,
York County (Southern Maine),1826, typical of New England, M. Finkel & Daughter.

 

Almanac - April 14, 2009, Volume 55, No. 29