According to them, the annual Baltimore Summer Antiques Show is “where knowledgeable collectors and dealers acquire antiques.” Additional PR materials from their website say that it is the largest summer indoor antiques show in the USA. It is now in its 33rd year and includes 575 International Dealers and a 90-dealer Antiquarian Book Fair.
I do not collect antiques, but I am a great lover of tsotchkes, so I figured why not go? This was my first giant fair of antiques and it was just as overwhelming as an art fair. There was a lot of artwork mixed in with antique jewelry, rugs, furniture, and other random and sundry housewares, and, for the most part the artwork was hilariously awful. If you are looking to purchase a faux impressionist painting or a Warholian ‘signature’ piece, this is the place. (I will admit I liked the Warhol sketches.) Did I buy anything? Nope. But I did find some pretty amazing things, both from a beauty standpoint and a ‘scratch your head/not understand at all’ perspective. All are pictured below for your viewing pleasure.
Andy Warhol: To Shoe or Not To Shoe
Lions? Dogs? Not sure, but cute.
Faux Caravaggios and Renaissance-ish Bust?
This band of monkeys in wigs was one of my favorites.
I want them all. I want my house to look like this.
King Charles Cavalier book ends? Salt and Pepper shakers?
Political correctness was not on sale at the Antiques Fair
A sculpture of a small boy and a large stinky boot – a must have ?
‘Saxing Around’ is a giant sculpture of a Saxaphone made of golf clubs painted sparkley gold. I’m not sure how this is, technically, an antique, unless the 80’s are now part of antiquity.