Show manager Debbie McArdle and husband Jim are also dealers as Iron Horse Antiques. They sold this silhouette of a gentleman from the first half of the Nineteenth Century. The silhouette of the gentleman’s head was hollow-cut while his suit was a scissor-cut watercolor applied to the paper, giving the image a bit of a three-dimensional look. Manitowish Waters, Wis.
Review by W.A. Demers
ONLINE — Returning as the ninth online event, the Fox Valley antiques show began as an opportunity for dealers to move merchandise during the Covid-19 pandemic. “Our online shows are now highly anticipated events for dealers and customers alike,” said Debbie McArdle, president, Chicago Suburban Antiques Dealers Association (CSADA) and the show’s organizer. “With this ninth show, we once again observed how our dealers have improved their photography skills and their descriptions are more detailed. Now well acquainted with the platform, they realize how quickly they can upload their inventory and manage their page. During the online show, many of our participants are comfortable also selling at in-person shows, or tending to their stores, or attending estate sales, or even grocery shopping! They find it all very manageable.”
The show featured 33 dealers, a consistent slate from the previous year. The show opened at 10 am on Saturday, October 19 and the portal was closed at 6 pm on Sunday, October 20. On offer was country to formal antiques, folk art to fine art, Seventeenth Century to Modernism, garden to holiday, textiles, jewelry, toys and more. The platform was developed by Marvin Getman, who designed it in response to Covid shutdowns after March 2020. “There were about 4,300 unique visitors to our site — 2,375 on Saturday and 1,916 on Sunday — and there were 36,836 booth visits, reported McCardle. “Of those booth visits, customers clicked through to see more detail 12,241 times. Our sell-through rate remains steady at 17 percent. In addition, many of our dealers reported sales after the show closed as well as through their websites. Those sales are not reflected in the sell-through rate. Google no longer provides data about our attendees’ states and countries, but we know our reach is well beyond that of an in-person show.”
Among six new listings on Sunday afternoon by Kent and Gale Antiques, Midlothian, Va., was this large pitcher of black on white pottery with effigy. This striking example of Anasazi pottery was priced $1,450. With bold stepped motifs to the body, it boasted a raised effigy on the rim. From a private Nevada collection, the 5¼-inch-tall vessel had two collection tags on its bottom.
Much of the show’s success is the ease of use provided by Getman’s platform — both for shoppers and dealers. Each dealer is allowed to upload up to 30 items on the platform and replenish the “shelves” as items sell. These are clearly marked as “new”, and “sold” labels are added to those that have found buyers. Navigation is enhanced by links that denote categories, or if one is looking for a particular dealer, there are links for those as well. Sellers are encouraged to provide multiple photos of each item so that shoppers can see it from a variety of angles, and they are advised to photograph their merchandise with clean, uncluttered backgrounds. There are multiple ways — email addresses, phone numbers, street addresses — for buyers to reach sellers, even a button that provides a quick connection.
Antiques show dealers specializing in Americana, historical items, including early photography, Civil War materials, maps, prints, books and more, David and Jane Thompson, South Dennis, Mass., had an active show experience. “We really enjoyed the Fox Valley show,” said David. “It is always fun to interact with collectors from all over the country, we would never ‘meet’ otherwise. This time we sold to new buyers in California, Alabama, Texas, Pennsylvania and Vermont, as well as returning buyers we know from in-person shows in Illinois and New Hampshire.”
Among the interesting items in their virtual booth was a brass letter clip dating from the 1940s featuring an American eagle surmounting a shield of stars and stripes and holding arrows in one talon and a laurel branch in the other. David wrote in its description that it was almost certainly made in England for the American market, as most of the finest examples of letter clips were. “Letter clips, or letter holders, in the Nineteenth Century were essential to people dealing with documents or other important papers, long before the invention of staples or the common paper clip, now so ubiquitous that we hardly appreciate it,” he wrote.
Dating from the 1840s, this brass letter clip featured an American eagle surmounting a shield of stars and stripes and holding arrows in one talon and a laurel branch in the other. David Thompson of David & Jane Thompson Antiques, South Dennis, Mass., said that it was almost certainly made in England for the American market, as most of the finest examples of letter clips were. “Letter clips, or letter holders, in the Nineteenth Century were essential to people dealing with documents or other important papers, long before the invention of staples or the common paper clip, now so ubiquitous that we hardly appreciate it,” he wrote in the online description.
“Probably one of the most fun sales we had was a pair of early Nineteenth Century coin silver spectacles with quadruple green lenses,” he said. “We had three people wanting to buy them. But the first caller was thrilled to get them because he collects all things related to Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. He explained to us that in the original book, the reason it was called the ‘Emerald City’ was because everyone had to wear green glasses.”
Also offered — and sold — by the Thompsons was a rare, historic tornado original silver print photograph, dated July 3, 1907, near Neillsville, Wis. It was extraordinary as it showed a tornado as it is happening. Today, the Thompsons noted, we have become used to pictures and videos of twisters taken by storm chasers, but there were no storm chasers in 1907. “That someone just happened to have a box camera ready to go in this rural location — and was able to capture this image, at some peril to himself — is quite remarkable.”
“We are all-in for the next Fox Valley show in March,” the Thompsons concluded.
Wanda and John Joiner reported, “This was our third time participating in the show. The platform is extremely easy to use, as a dealer and a buyer. We try to concentrate on items that are small and easy to ship. We had several repeat customers that purchased items from us in previous Fox Valley shows, and we actually made another postshow sale from someone who purchased from us. It is so much easier than doing in-person shows. We would do one of these monthly if that was an option.”
Quickly after this bird carving was added to John R. Joiner Antiques’ page as a new listing, it was marked “Sold.” The Twentieth Century carving was identified as a Laggar or Luggar Falcon and measured 12 inches high on a 4-by-4-inch base. Newnan, Ga.
For David and Cheryl Craig, Indianapolis, Ind., it was their third time showing in Fox Valley’s online show. “We did have a lot of interest in a variety of our items,” wrote Cheryl in an email. “We sold the metal hanging candle box in green original paint along with the dog painting, two painted book boxes, Huntley & Palmer painted biscuit tin, rectangular iron trivet with brass feet, a cast iron trivet with heart on handle and star motif, a wire basket with six colorful seamed metal balls and a Pennsylvania pewter ladle by Lewis Keuger. It was our best online Fox Valley show yet.
“The platform is so easy to use,” she continued. “We look forward to being part of the next online Fox Valley show in early 2025. We are honored to be part of the Fox Valley shows. We have not done as many physical shows the past year so the online show is a great way to keep us active.”
“We have heard from a number of participants that customers are thankful for the opportunity to shop from home and they look forward to each show,” said CSADA’s McCardle. “Our dealers enjoyed sales from repeat customers as well as new customers from far-away places — customers they would never otherwise meet.” The 10th online show will take place March 8-9, 2025. “In addition, we still host one in-person show per year, Fox Valley at the Fairgrounds in Wheaton, Ill., taking place June 7, 2025,” McCardle concluded.
For information, www.foxvalleyantiques.getmansvirtual.com for updates.
