Jenkins Management conducted the fall classic combined Tailgate / Music Valley Antiques Show at the Tennessee State fairgrounds for the last time on October 27′9. Just before the show opened, Steve Jenkins announced that the new location for future events will be at Hendersonville Expo in the northern suburb of the Music City. For this final fairgrounds gathering, with more than 130 dealers filling two buildings and, in Jon Jenkins’ words, “good attendance for the fall,” there was satisfaction among the dealers in their sales for the weekend.
Jeff Walton, Bluffton, Ohio, was selling case pieces and smalls in good quantity. He said, “Loading out was a lot easier than it has been lately, with a mule chest, a jelly cupboard, some more furniture and lots of really good smalls getting sold.” He added that a couple refinished pieces did not sell. “They [shoppers] came here for the painted pieces, and that is what I sold.”
Next to Walton was a double booth shared by five dealers, all featuring small antiques rather than furniture in their collections. Suzanne Baker from Westville, Ind., was showing her collection of items such as small early folk art suitable for hanging and also some paint decorated furniture. Causing a stir was a faux grain painted blanket box, with paint decoration that was described as “like waves in shades.” A large portrait of a child was sold early in the show. Baker also sold an early small painted dower chest.
Mathew Ehresman had a country and primitive motif to his collection in the Vaughn Building. This worked well for the Wadsworth, Ohio, dealer, as he said that his sales were good. Included were an early blanket chest, a chimney cupboard and many examples of small early household objects. As with other exhibitors at the show, Ehresman found several additions to his display, including five Shaker ladder back chairs that still showed traces of their early red milk paint.
Jim Stoma, Latcham House Antiques, was part of the group of five dealers; in fact, he was the group’s organizer. His said that sales were better than last year, a good total, with the only large pieces a single ladder back chair and a pair of banister back side chairs. Smaller items sold included a pair of mirrored tin sconces, a whale oil lamp and a flintlock lighter. Several early artwork pieces also left his inventory, including several watercolors and a silhouette.
Colleen Feese, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was situated in the middle of the group, selling well through the three days of the show. Her collection was small antiques and early art. The last in the group was Mustard House Antiques, Greenfield, Ohio, owned by Debbie Schlichter. She was selling small antiques. “The show was good for me,” she said. “I sold no furniture, but I did sell a peg rack, a game rack, a great hooked rug and a small lantern early in the show. Later, my sales included various lights made from antique earthenware with handmade shades, several wooden bowls, a small end table and several small early boxes in original paint.” Also selling was a rocking horse.
Munday and Munday, the mother-daughter team from Benton, Ill., offered a collection of earthenware. Sales were good in the dishes, but they also had their collection of early antique Christmas decorations. One large area of their exhibit was a variety of feather trees surrounded by early tree ornaments and some Christmas motif playthings for children.
At Mountain Lodge Antiques, Littleton, Colo., there was another selection of Christmas decorations. The dealer, Cindy Adams, had a large assortment of small early blown glass tree ornaments.
Kracker Barrel Antiques offered only small antiques, not a single piece of furniture. Joe Cardetti, the owner from Saint James, Mo., was selling “across the board.” He had silhouettes, portraits, lighting and early woodenware sell well.
Sparrows Nest Antiques, Lincoln, Neb., on the other hand, was showing a large collection of furniture. The exhibitor brought a good quantity of early Nineteenth Century furniture that had been gathered from more than the dealer’s home area. A large cupboard was the center for of the exhibit, with more than a dozen early summer quilts as colorful accessories.
Mostly English earthenware was the product line for Dennis and Dad, Fitzwilliam, N.H., who took an oversize space. Dennis and Ann Berard were showing some of their collection of early dishes from the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries.
A late booking into the show, American and English Antiques brought a great load of furniture from its Evansville, Ind. shop. According to Kenny Drew, it was worth the effort, as they were selling well.
The show is moving from the Tennessee State Fairgrounds because the city of Nashville, which owns the property, has been trying to sell it for several years. This has been unsettling for the business of running two major antiques show a year at the site. Jenkins Management found the new venue, Hendersonville Expo Center, immediately north of the city with one room designed as a huge exhibition hall, holding 200 booth spaces. This will be the show’s new home as Jenkins has a six-year commitment for the site. The next edition will be conducted February 2‴.
For more information, www.tailgateantiqueshow.com or 317-598-0012.
