The summer and fall seasons are filled with antique shows in all parts of the country. Shows in the city under tents and in hangars, in small towns fields and sports arenas—where ever a group of dealers , under the direction of a promoter, can set up shop for the weekend.

Spurred on by the recommendation of a few of the members in the Kindred Spirits Antique Club, I attended the Calgary Antique Show at the Olympic Park for the first time this year. It turned out to be a beautiful hot day—a fact that was much appreciated by everyone in attendance. Apparently the last three years in a row had seen dealers and buyers alike struggling with serious rain and flooding in the tents. That is one of the joys of outdoor shows. However the heat brings its own challenges. I realized I had not properly prepared for the outing. I had considered cool climate apparel, but had not counted on the effects of its opposite.

One of the most important things to bring to an antique show is a knapsack. It can protect your new treasures (if they fit), but more importantly it can hold a sun hat, healthy snacks or a lunch and your water bottle. Being at the mercy of fast food vendors who run out of bottled water (the only fresh water on the premises) on a hot day is not conducive to a long visit. For cooler fall weather, your trusty knapsack can carry an extra sweater , an umbrella and an extra pair of shoes to change into after you have waded into the mud . Be careful however . Antique shows can be crowded, and your knapsack can knock things over .

Now that you are prepared to brave the elements, antique shows can be a lot of fun. Attending them with a like minded partner is part of the enjoyment. Antique shows also give you the opportunity to see a lot in a small amount of time. Since some of the dealers are from other parts of the country, you may see inventory that is not typical in your area. You have the ability to compare condition and prices of similar items. You will also have access to information on other upcoming shows . Attending a lot of shows will help you spot possible trends.

A major drawback of shows is that they are not necessarily great places to find bargains. The costs of renting booths and traveling to and from shows must be recovered somehow. However your best chance at finding a geat deal may happen at the end of the sale. A dealer may take a lower price if it means they won’t have to repack the item.

Another possible drawback to antique shows is the very inventory they may have. In England, for example, the shows may have a “timeline”. This means that items are not allowed that are after a specific time—for example Victorian. The organizers have the power to ask the dealers to remove the items from their booths. This also means no “Victorian” reproductions. However most of the shows in North America are billed as “Antiques and Collectibles” and die - hard show attendees know that the latter is becoming more and more prevalent. This may disappoint you if you are not a fan of collectibles.

Make sure you examine your prospective purchase very carefully. It is not so easy to contact the dealer if you encounter a problem or if the item you purchased is not what was represented. You may want to ask the dealer to provide you with a written invoice outlining exactly what the item is, how much you paid for it, and how to contact them should there be a problem. Any reluctance, except for situations where the dealer is extremely busy serving customers, should be viewed with concern. In those cases, the dealer may ask you to return later when traffic has abated.

The size of many of these shows can be overwhelming. Don’t feel you need to examine every item on every table. Once you have been to a few shows you will learn to spot those which carry the general type of merchandise you like. You will learn to edit. This is no different than going to antique shops. Each store mirrors the interests of its owner. This does not mean that you should automatically assume a certain type of item will never be seen at a certain shop, but rather that the item in question may not generally be found there. So, armed with all this information, it’s time to get that knapsack out of storage and get thee to an antique show...

Written by Johanne Yakula

From Times Past

12403 Stny Plain Road,

Edmonton, AB T5N 3N3

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