It was a big gamble to try and revive an antiques show in Atlantic City, a roll of the dice if you will, but show manager Allison Kohler of JMK Antiques Shows took the bet and ran with it. Kohler was convinced that she could bring an esteemed antiques and collectibles show back to a town where betting is a way of life.
JMK and Kohler threw the proverbial dice and got the roll they were looking for over the weekend of March 27′8. The end result is a new era for the antiques business just west of the world-famous Boardwalk.
The previous big antiques and collectibles show in Atlantic City, the Atlantique City Antiques Show, had fallen by the wayside over the years and was discontinued after 2008. Begun in 1986 and presented in the Atlantic City Convention Center on the Boardwalk, home of the Miss America pageant, by promoter Norman Schaut, the enormously popular show at one point encompassed more than ten football fields of display area. Schaut sold the fair and over the years, after enduring a couple changes in ownership, quality at the fair waned and it was eventually discontinued.
“We didn’t want to recreate the old show,” stated Kohler. “We wanted something new and exciting. It was important for us to reestablish the quality and integrity that the previous show had at one time, yet it was also important for the show to be a JMK event.”
Kohler had nothing but a positive go-getter outlook from the initial planning phases straight through to the close of the show, also presented at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Her enthusiasm paid off in spades as huge crowds made their way through the event. Management stated that more than 5,000 people attended the show over the two-day run and said that “there was money being spent all over the show floor.”
Kohler reported preselling more than 700 tickets for the early buying through her website in the days leading up to the show, and the ticket office was open more than an hour prior to the start of early buying where further brisk sales were reported. At 8:30, amid accolades from exhibitors and congratulations from those passing by her, Kohler greeted the enthusiastic crowd as it briskly entered the show.
Although the hall was huge, with more than 250 dealers set up, the crowd filled the aisles and there was a definite air of excitement. Sold tags cropped up on larger items and smaller merchandise was quickly packed and bagged to accommodate shoppers on the run. Amazingly, the line of buyers for the 10 am opening was even larger than the early buying crowd, especially surprising since there was only a $7 difference between the price of early buying and general admission.
The Sunday crowd was much smaller than anticipated; however, management reported “lots of sales.” Kohler noted that sales for larger items were strong, with her crew of porters reporting a backlog as they attempted to move merchandise off of the show floor for customers.
Smartly, in some ways Kohler modeled her show after the early Atlantic City antiques shows that had proved so successful. The show was somewhat segregated; toy dealers were at the far front corner, classical antiques were in the front corner nearest the entrance, midcentury and quirky items were centrally located and the remainder of the show was filled out with general antiques that ranged from cut glass and Orientalia to early American paint decorated furniture and colorful Mod household items.
“Variety is important,” remarked Kohler, “and I liked the way the show flowed.”
Tiffany lamps, Handel and a host of lamps and accessories by other makers were displayed at the fronts’ booth occupied by Philip Chasen. A sumptuous 12-light lily lamp was the first thing people saw as they rushed onto the floor, surrounded by more than a dozen other lamps and above them hung a wonderful selection of Icart prints. Chasen also offered showcases filled with Steuben, Tiffany and a wide variety of other art glass.
Immediately across the aisle was the booth of Deco2midcenturyfurniture.com, Bernville, Penn., where sleek Deco furniture filled the double-long booth. Stylish desks, chairs, sofas and tables filled the space with the dark woods accenting against the brilliant polished metal surfaces.
Papadinis/Redinger Antiques, West Simsbury, Conn., was another of the dealers on the floor to offer a good selection of classic lighting, with a rare Tiffany pottery lamp base in muted earthy colors topped by a corresponding leaded glass Acorn pattern shade highlighting the group. Several reverse painted glass lamps were attracting attention, as was a selection of Americana smalls that included a cat-form doorstop in original paint.
Arnie Small was on hand with a stellar selection of American art pottery displayed in the booth of Barbara Gerr Antiques, Galloway, N.J., and strong sales from the booth were reported to management. One longtime collector in awe of his selection of Roseville was overheard commenting, “I have never even seen some of these examples, even in the books.” Small just smiled as the two mulled over a small-sized jardinière on a stand in the Baneda pattern. The dealer also displayed a strong selection of Newcomb and Rookwood.
While displays of early toys may never rival the old days in Atlantic City when the market was at its peak and dealers, many of whom are no longer with us, wheeled and dealed around the floor from the start of the show until pack-out, there was an amazing selection of material on the floor.
German Antique Toys, Lengenfeld, Germany, was on hand with a stellar selection of early toys that included tin litho limos, early mechanical Santa figures and the showstopper †a wonderful skittles set with the figures housed in the back of a reclining boy dressed as a clown.
Ray Haradin offered a strong assortment of Britains lead figures and soldiers, many of which were boxed sets that seemingly had never been played with. One of the rarest sets the Pittsburgh, Penn., dealer was offering was a “mammoth” circus, the largest of the Britains circus sets.
Gerrie L. Brand, Port St Lucie, Fla., displayed a selection of robots, mint in the box.
Boyd and Annie Hitchner were seen attempting to stretch open their McLoughlin Santa Train Book. The Haddonfield, N.J., dealers soon reported the rare book, that measured nearly 6 feet in length once fully opened, sold to a Christmas collector.
Charlene Upham, Mardela Springs, Md., offered a diverse assortment of materials ranging from jewelry and coins to stuffed animals. The dealer was seen playfully holding a stuffed pumpkin-man, while boothmate Steve Blumenauer held a large bear with growler
Kohler was so pleased with the event that she personally handed out contracts on Sunday morning for next year’s Atlantic City show. “I thought it was important that I hand them out personally,” she said, “so I could interact with the dealers and get a feel for how they were doing.” Kohler reported an overwhelming response with more than 100 contracts returned before the end of the day and only ten people advising her that they did not want to return.
Plans for the 2011 Atlantic City Antiques Show will include making it a biannual event running in both March and October. The dates for March have been moved forward one week to March 19 and 20, with it taking place the week following Stella’s Pier Show.
For further information, contact JMK Shows at 973-927-2794 or www.jmkshows.com .
