It is a rainy Thursday in North Jersey. Temperatures are in the upper 50s, a far cry from 4 degrees this past Monday. Such are the temperature fluctuations in this region. At least there is no snow to hinder visitors to the Winter Show at the Park Avenue Armory. The Show runs from January 18-27 so there is still time to see some marvelous displays.
We went to the Show on Saturday the 19th. I like to go as early as possible to enjoy the enthusiasm of the opening days. It is now Thursday. I have not had a moment to write until now and I am reflecting on what I saw and how I see the state of the market.
My main interest is Americana. There were about ten dealers of Americana that I coud recall who were exhibiting at the Winter Show. Every booth was magnificent and always inspiring. But, I missed the colleagues who were not there. The feel of the show was different and to me, overwhelmingly modern. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Tastes change and the change was evident at the Show.
To me, it appears that New York sets the tone for design and decoration and eventually, the rest of the world follows. If the Winter Show is any indication of the current trend then it stands solidly post 1900. Unfortunately, many folks are unaware of the changes in taste. This past week, I received several calls from clients who declared, "My parent has died, would you come and buy their furniture." "Their furniture" usually turns out to be reproduction 18th century pieces which have very little if any marketability at this time. It is a sad state of affairs but the reality of the times. My advice to one friend, who recently inherited her parents furniture, "If you can hold on until 2026 ( the 250th Birthday of America) there might be renewed interest in American furniture." Or maybe, we dealers can manufacture a new trend toward "Going Green" and being environmentally responsible by recycling and reusing our parents beloved furnishings.
Here are some highlights from the Winter Show, 2019:
Charlie in the booth of Olde Hope.
Andy Warhol by Jamie Wyeth, Adelson Galleries
The booth of miniatures by Elle Shushan
Arthur Liverant
Oversize balloon chairs in the booth of Kelly Kinzle
Toys and banks on display , Gemini Antiques
Wall mural by Rufus Porter in the booth of Stephen Score
Tiffany in the booth of Lillian Nassau
Cherry Blossoms by Sung Hee Cho, 2018 ( South Korea)
David Schorsch's booth at opening on Saturday.