A Crossroads For The Silk Road: Treasures

Philadelphia, Penn.

:Seemingly standing at a crossroads, Treasures, the antiques show formerly known as Treasures… From The Silk Road To The Santa Fe Trail, and formerly a Caskey-Lees managed event, is, after four years, still seeking solid ground on which to establish its footing. Managed this year, for the first time, by the energetic Women's Committee of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, with assistance from Bill Caskey, the show was conducted October 24–26.

A benefit for the University Museum, Treasures takes place in the museum's grand rotunda and surrounding areas amidst numerous artifacts on permanent display from the museum's collection that are simply too large to move. Under the watchful eyes of a pair of massive Ming or Ch'ing dynasty lions that once stood outside of the "Forbidden City" and an equally large stone Guanyin bodhisattva figure from the Tang dynasty, dealers display their wares, some similar in nature, and conduct their business.

The show was attended by a healthy-sized crowd, although it was hampered on preview night and again over the weekend by the Philadelphia Phillies appearance in the World Series. The committee commented after the show that they were pleased with the overall attendance figures.

"Treasures 2008 is an extraordinary shopping and collecting exposition," stated the show's co-chairs Helen Weary and Joanne Conrad in the catalog. "The Treasures exhibitors offer antiques, fine art, jewelry, textiles and much more from many parts of the world. These objects reflect the artistic traditions of cultures and countries where the museum has conducted research and assembled collections for more than 120 years."

Originally with a stronger focus on antiques and antiquities, with a just a smattering of interesting and associated contemporary materials, the show has seen a shift and decorative items are now represented in almost half of the booths. Contemporary handmade clothing was offered in several booths, including one in which the designer was the proprietor; elsewhere was jewelry, newly constructed of old and ancient beads and materials; and contemporary carpets, many replicating the designs of the Gee's Bend quilts, were also offered.

"Treasures is not a strict antiques show," commented the co-chairs, nor has it been since its inception in 2005. "We believe that contemporary objects, as well as antiques, which reflect the artistic traditions of cultures" seen throughout the museum's collections "are appropriate to this show. We are striving for a mix of offerings which will appeal to our audience," they said.

The trek from the entrance, via a hallway that runs through the display area housing the museum's antiquities display, heightens the mood for the show with vast selections of ancient glass and pottery on view. Once inside the rotunda exhibition area, however, the exhibits lose their staid, museum-like appearance and take on a life of their own — filled with color, dynamically lit and seemingly extending an invitation to commingle with, learn about, touch and enjoy the objects.

Materials seen around the floor include a healthy assortment of early Oriental and European porcelains and ceramics, ethnographic masks and utilitarian tribal items, jewelry that spans numerous periods and textiles ranging from Nineteenth Century carpets to early Asian clothing — both regal and rural in character.

Philadelphia dealer David Salkin was on hand with a good selection of Oriental furniture, sharply displayed in a booth that resembled a contemporary living space. Items included a painting table from Shanxi province, China, with stylized dragon motifs carved in relief across the aprons, along with other tables and chests with carved embellishments, that were shown alongside Twentieth Century furnishings. The simple, yet elegant tables and wall decorations worked well with the French Art Deco leather club chair and other fanciful items displayed. In his own way, Salkin provided tutelage for show patrons in regards to living and decorating with antiques while incorporating a wide range of periods and styles.

Although somewhat smaller than the museum's lions, Vallin Galleries, Wilton, Conn., offered a wonderful pair of large Chinese Buddhist lions in three-color Sancai glaze. Measuring approximately 30 inches tall, and with an overall turquoise coloration, they were displayed on top of an elegant long table that was also home to a diminutive pair of foo lions — roughly one-third of the size of the larger counterparts that flanked them. A painted screen, decorated with an interesting landscape highlighted by a regal procession, served as a backdrop. An Oriental writing desk was at the front of the booth, flanked by a pair of early chairs, while an ornate demilune table was displayed against the rear wall.

Imperial Oriental Art, New York City, participated in the show again this year and among the offerings was an extremely rare Ming Swatow blue and white Portuguese armorial dish from the Wanli period. "It is one of the earliest pieces painted with European ships and is one of four known to exist," stated the dealer of the 18-inch dish. A large pair of famille rose covered jars, Qianlong period, were attracting interest, as was a pair of Qianlong period blue and white jars each decorated with a painted seascape with boats and pavilions and highlighted with gilt. The later pair, retaining the original covers topped with molded foo lions, had come from a private European collection, according to the dealer.

Santa Fe, N.M., dealer Alan Scott Pate was another returning dealer and amidst his selection was an assortment of early ningyo, including a Japanese Edo period gosho-ningyo (palace doll) depicting a Korean musician. A stunning ningyo, a baby dressed in a kimono, was filled with emotion and motion as the figure was in a crawling position with one adventurous hand reaching forward. A female standing doll, accompanied by her younger brother, both in palatial attire, were also offered from the attractive display.

Similar to the Gee's Bends quilts popularized in the United States, pieced together from swatches of fabric salvaged from worn-out clothing, were the jackets and quilts displayed by Miyamoto Japanese Antiques and Textiles, Sag Harbor, N.Y., that had been constructed in a similar manner. Also on display in the booth were numerous examples of extremely rare Nineteenth Century Katazome designed fabrics that were hand-woven and stenciled dyed with Indigo.

Contemporary items included the art of Bisa Butler, Bridgewater, N.J., a young lady that began her art career as a painter, later incorporated fabric into her painted works and is now working exclusively with fabric. Her stunning portraits and scenes are reminiscent of Romare Bearden's work, an artist that she commented had influenced her after viewing a piece from his "Mecklenburg" series.

There were fewer dealers participating in the show this year; this due to the available space provided by the museum. "Two museum galleries which had been used for the show in the past were occupied by a special museum exhibit [Surviving: The Body of Evidence] and not available to us," stated the co-chairs.

The Women's Committee reported that this year's show "drew many new faces, and generated great exposure for the museum, which is our ultimate goal. While we have not yet announced our financial gift to the museum for this year, we can tell you that we have generated more than $300,000 to donate to the museum during the first three years of Treasures."

The show dates for next year's Treasures are October 30 through November 1. For information, 215-898-9312 or www.museum.upenn.edu .