Last week, my mum was visiting so we decided to head down to the Merchandise Mart’s International Antique Fair. If you haven’t been and you have an appreciation for antiques and fine art, I would definitely recommend checking it out next year. With more than 120 of the world’s top dealers, there was plenty to look at for every taste, from antiquities to mid century modern furniture, 20th century jewelry and handbags, rare books, folk art, textiles and accessories. A flea market this is not. Prices reflected the beauty and quality of the pieces so unfortunately I wasn’t in much of a purchasing mode. It was fun, however, just to wander up and down the aisles speaking to the dealers and admiring so many beautiful treasures. Here are a few of my favorites from the show.
This beauty was at the top of my list. Apparently it was custom made for a family in New York during the fifties. Can’t get a hold of this exact piece? The Ming sideboard from Baker reminds me a lot of this piece and is more readily available (although unfortunately not much cheaper!)
This bowl would be the perfect accent to a contemporary coffee table or the Wormley buffet above. For a similar look at a fraction of the price, head down to Chinatown and search the import shops, or check out these options on eBay.
Begging for a mantle…
I’d put this little accent chair next to my entry console. Again, if you don’t have access to this gorgeous original, Ballard Designs offers the Delamere arm chair–not exactly the same, but is available in black and has a similar scale and weight so would also make a great chair for entries or extra living room seating.
The perfect coffee table (well, when I was in my 20s and didn’t have sticky-fingered kids around!)
This whale was more than 6 feet long and would look great hanging from a high ceilinged entry way of a beach house.
Picture this ram’s head chair recovered in a silk navy and white stripped fabric. Would make a great statement at the ends of a dining table or as extra seating in a living room. I actually saw something very similar at Evanston’s own Akbik Gallery but in a bone inlay.
Not only a fun day with my mother, but also a good reminder of the fact that there are few things that are really new–so much of what we see today is an evolution of the past and in order to really appreciate what’s in the stores today, it helps to explore what was there 50, 100, 200 years ago!
Investing in very good furniture always pays off –so easy to mix different styles when you have quality to begin with, and pull it together in a dynamic, and personally your’s look.