Antique Shows and Events for Mid-August 2012

I think anyone who has been following NOVA-Antiques via our Newsletter and or Blog knows by now that one of our favorite events of the year is the Lucketts Fair.  The antiques and collectibles are just a portion of this event because this it has a little bit of something for everyone.  Live Music, great food, especially the ice cream, arts, crafts and of course lots and lots of antique and Shabby Chic furniture and accessories.  This event will be held on August 18-19, 2012 at the community center grounds which of course is right across the street from our friends at Old Lucketts Store Antiques.

Another great antiques and collectibles show this weekend is in New York; The Madison Bouckville Antique Festival.  This show features hundreds of quality dealers and thousands of people from around the country in search of antique furniture, vintage pottery, china and glass as well as linens, rugs, antique lighting, vintage jewelry and memorabilia.  The Madison Bouckville Antique Festival is one of the largest and well known antiques shows in the nation and it will take place on August 17-19, 2012.

Next week, August 23-26, we look forward to the Baltimore SummerAntiques Show.  If you have never been to the Baltimore Inner Harbor, this is just another excuse to visit.  This antiques and collectibles show attracts over 500 dealers and thousands of people from around the world including Canada, England, Germany, France and Italy.  As such, the quantity and quality of the antique furniture, vintage collectibles, memorabilia, ephemera and jewelry is exquisite to say the least.

A Short History of the Lane Cedar Chest

Remember seeing that old cedar chest in Grandma’s house when you were growing up. Well aside from being a functional piece of antique furniture, chests have a rich history from earliest times as storage containers. Some of the earliest chests have their history with the amazing pharaoh’s of Ancient Egypt, where they were used to store golden treasures as well as the documents of the time. In modern times however, one of the largest and best known manufacturer of cedar chests was the Lane Furniture Company.

Edward Hudson Lane first founded the company in Altavista, Virginia in 1912. However, the Lanes were unsure of what success they would have selling chests, so they originally named their company The Standard Red Cedar Chest Company. Situated on a junction served by the Virginian and Southern Railways made it easy for the cedar chests, and later other furniture, produced by lane to be sold in many more cities and places outside of Virginia. It is interesting to note that although they had contracted with the federal government to produce pine ammunition boxes in their infancy, the height of their cedar chest days came during World War II.

In the 1920’s, Lane, whose tag line had been, “The gift that starts the home,” began advertising their cedar chests as “Hope Chests,” where young ladies could stockpile clothing and small furnishings in anticipation of a future marriage. Many of the advertisements at the time featured soldiers with their betrothed and other patriotic gestures. Later, Lane became known for and is still known for their quality furnishings and accent pieces. Mr. Lane passed away in 1973 and the last cedar chest to roll off their production line was manufactured in 2001.

NOVA-Antiques Newsletter Archive – October 12, 2006 . . . .

Aldie Antiques Market & Shaker Forest Festival - Weekend Happenings

Looking for Shabby Chic furniture and decorative arts? Look no further than the Aldie Antiques Market on Saturday, September 13, 2008. This market that is sponsored in part by Bella Villa Furnishings is located at 39317 Mosby Highway (Route 50) in Aldie, Virginia, right outside Washington, DC. The market is usually held on the second Saturday of each month and not only features shabby chic furnishings but many antiques, vintage collectibles and decorative arts.

Held in the beautiful Seneca Creek State Park in Gaithersburg, Maryland, the Shaker Forest Festival features many gifted artisans and a fun atmosphere for the entire family. There are many demonstrations from woodworkers, soap makers, potters and metal workers using many of the tools and technology that the Shakers invented. The festival is held 10 am to 6 pm on Saturday and Sunday, September 13 & 14, 2008 as well as on September 20 & 21, 2008. There is plenty of free parking and shuttle service, prize giveaways and unique food and beverages. There are also new artists on both weekends of the festival.

Decorating in the Shabby Chic Style

Shabby Chic was first mentioned in an article in The World of Interiors Magazine in the 1980’s and then was popularized by designer Rachel Ashwell in the 1996 in a book by the same name. This style of decorating uses heavily painted antique or vintage furniture that is then rubbed or sanded to make them look distressed, worn and old. Most of the items are usually painted white, mint green, pink and aqua colors. Accessories also accent the décor.

Most of the accessories used to compliment the shabby looking furniture are vintage linens and bedspreads, antique chandeliers and feminine looking fabrics, usually containing roses or other flowers. Other fabric including chintz or barkcloth and sometimes people stain their fabrics to make them look older than they really are. The look can be very elegant, inviting and romantic in the right room. Shabby Chic is sometimes called cottage.

There are many places to pick up items to start your shabby chic decorating. If you are handy, have the workspace and have the ability to do it yourself, you can pick up many items at antiques flea markets, garage sales or estate sales and transform them into the shabby chic style. If you would rather not, there are many shabby chic dealers, boutiques and shops where you can find affordable pieces for your home. In the Washington, DC and Northern Virginia metro area, there are a few shops that specialize in shabby chic décor including, Bella Villa Home Furnishings in Aldie, Virginia, Sarah Jean Décor in Purcellville, Virginia and The Cottage Room in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

There are many places on the Internet as well where you can get shabby chic items, probably too many to mention in this article. The pictured poster by artist Mary Elizabeth can be purchased at All Posters.