Fiddler's Inn Tailgate Antiques Show

NASHVILLE, TENN.

:Antiques collectors, dealers and one promoter were all in fine fiddle after their week at Nashville's Fiddler's Inn for Jenkins Show Management's Tailgate Antiques Show, February 9-12.

According to show manager Steve Jenkins, "the house was full. We had more dealers than at any time in the last five years. The first day's gate was the best first day in five years and Saturday was a new record high."

Dealers' comments were generally on a high note as well. Mainer Jim La Furgy said it was his best yet there.

Weather was not a big factor during the show, as it often can be in February, with only some rain on opening day.

The Tailgate Antiques Show at the Fiddler's Inn is a long-running event that "tailgates" onto the Heart of Country Antiques Show in Gaylord's Opryland USA Hotel and Resort. Now in its 19th year, Fiddler's is conducted in the rooms and parking lot of the motel. Mr Jenkins founded the show as an alternative to Heart, which was sold out of dealers' spaces. It now has a reputation as a source for dealers to buy to stock up for their inventory and for other shows.

Setup is complicated, hard work, as the motel's furniture must stay in the rooms. Some dealers display on the beds, but most figure out some way to create more floor space, such as moving tables and chairs into the bathroom. Add portable booth walls and decorate them with paper and the room is transformed into an exhibit space, about the same size as a booth in most shows.

Thistle is the business of Marilyn Draper Carr of Barrington, Ill., who specializes in folk art and form as decoration. The look of this booth is very stark, mostly shades of white, gray and black on objects.

Dwan and Rick Mabrey have been doing Fiddler's for many years. Their passion is country and western, and they are usually dressed as if they come from much further west than their Raleigh, N.C., home. Offerings at this most recent gathering included numerous early game boards, an antique rope bed and a jelly cupboard that sold early in the week.

Ohio was settled early in America's history as a part of Connecticut's original charter. As such, many parts of the state resemble New England, including the style of period furniture there. Often the principle difference will be in materials or species of wood used to make something. David Good, Good Forsythe Antiques, Camden, Ohio, had a diminutive comb back armchair from Ohio in his booth with a strong price and it was not found later in the week.

From Heisey is another Ohio dealer with great New England style merchandise. In fact, some really is from New England, as he makes several shopping trips there each year. He had several very valuable pieces, including a tall-case clock, which had some restoration to the original works, priced at $5,500.

The Millers, Linda and Ralph, from Carroll, Ohio, have one of those trailers that seem too large to be pulled by a pickup, but it works for them: they need it to carry all they bring in furniture. Their room was full to overflowing. They specialize in early American country furniture in milk paint, predominantly made of native soft woods.

Bruce Knight owns a very large group shop in Springfield, Ohio, the Heart of Ohio Antiques Mall, but he and his wife still do some shows and offered an interesting supply of small antiques. Their display was full of showcases. English transfer ware and brass were among the collection they offered.

Ohio was not the only state represented at the show. Two new dealers, Max Hand, from Charlotte, N.C., and Joe Bennett, from Greenville, S.C., mentioned in the same sentence because they are friends who set up with similar antiques, mostly sporting goods and fishing tackle. Joe and Max have this arrangement at a variety of antiques and fishing tackle shows.

Many other dealers work in partnerships for this twice-yearly, weeklong show, as they can do the work together and each has time to shop. Cynda Zeigler, Shawnee Mission, Kan., and Claire Sellows, Greenwood, Mo., brought a collection of early furniture and accessories. Their exhibit included an early desk in pine and a blanket chest, each with all the accoutrement.

Often the February edition is the larger of the two Fiddler's Inn shows, but Mr Jenkins said the dealer bookings for the fall were way ahead of recent past years. Dates for that event are October 12-15. For information, 317-598-0019 or www.jenkinsshows.com.