Collectors and antique art lovers will be coursing through more than 60 antique dealer displays starting this Thursday at the Avenue Antiques & Art at the Armory show, searching for those special pieces.
The show, now in its third year, offers a broad range of high-quality antiques, including American Folk Art, rare books, Early American, English, Tiffany, and Jensen fine silver, Asian textiles and antiques, and garden antiques, just to name a few.
“Avenue Antiques & Art at the Armory attracts artists and art lovers who have a passion and [are] looking for accessible purchases,” said Director of Avenue Shows Barbara Goodwin, adding that the variety of disciplines and interests, ranging from 17th century artifacts to contemporary art, makes this show unique.
Goodwin said there will be much more variety and a greater number of dealers at this year's show compared to the previous years, especially with a rather large number of English dealers expected to participate.
Avenue Shows will also include a series of complimentary lectures given by leading scholars and experts, beginning with a panel discussion titled “Decorating With Antiques in the Modern World” on Friday at 10 a.m, which will be moderated by design expert and author Susanna Salk.
The discussion will be followed by a 4:00 p.m. lecture titled “Jewels of Scandal and Desire: British Jewelry Collections and Country Houses.” The lecture will delve into the British ruling classes that used jewelry to highlight their prestige and power in the 18th and 19th centuries. It will also explore the extravagant parties thrown by aristocratic families such as the Marquis of Londonderry, who festooned themselves in lavish jewels at their opulent country homes.
The Royal Oak Foundation will present a lecture titled “Treasures at Hampton Court: Tudor Magnificence to Modern Palace,” at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday. Dr. Lucy Worsley, the chief curator of the Historic Royal Palaces, will speak about the treasures of London's Hampton Court Palace, which was completed by Henry VIII and has been a popular destination for royal relaxation and honeymoons.
Antiques and Art at the Armory runs Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 at the Park Avenue Armory, located at Park Avenue and 66th Street. Public show hours are 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $20. Those wishing to partake in the lecture series should register in advance at www.avenueshows.com/events.
