Further Details:
Among the Asian art dealers participating is Susan Conway of Asian Ethnic Artifacts. `The show draws a knowledgeable group of Asian collectors and this makes it both interesting and enjoyable for the Asian dealers who participate, she commented. Conway interest lies in objects that both have aesthetic appeal and reflect the life, culture and/or history of various Asian populations. She maintains close ties with members of the Miao, Dong and Yi minorities in China, among others, as well as Tibetan groups, and will be bringing examples of their textiles, jewellery and utilitarian objects. She will also have a selection of Han Chinese and Japanese pieces, including `lotus' shoes, inkstones and kingfisher hair ornaments. Capital Antiques & Fine Art are also enthusiastic about the show, feeling that it `has been for years one of the great events'. Among the Asian artworks they will be offering is a 19th century Chinese ivory tusk carved with a representation of Shoulao holding his staff with his scroll and a gourd containing the elixir of life in one hand and a branch of the peach of eternal life in the other. Mical Wilmoth Carton of Chairperson-Antiques, who is participating for the fifth time, will also have some Asian material among his stock. He is `particularly fond' of small jade antiquities, with which he has had previous success at this fair, and a highlight in this category is a Warring States carved nephrite warrior figure. He will also be offering 18th and 19th century Chinese export ceramics, as well as some Japanese and Vietnamese items. `This is the largest, highest-quality international show on the Atlantic coast of the US, both in terms of dealers and customers. It always has record attendance and sales, and many visitors come just to see and handle items that are usually found only in museums, he said. Second-time participants Classic Chinese Antiques will be showing a wide variety of pieces, from classic Ming furniture to 19th century decorative works. `I present really unusual, cutting-edge material in Baltimore because the large number and sophisticated tastes of the attendees warrant more interesting, less traditional antiques, commented David. N. Salkin. `It's a fun show in a great town, and I have been looking forward to it all year. Several sets of delicately carved wall panels depicting birds and flowers, some dating from the Ming period, will feature in his display, as will a late Ming cypress painting table with elongated aprons from Jiangsu which has never been seen before in the US. Also exhibiting at the show for the second time is Peter Rosenberg of Vallin Galleries. `Last year revealed a promising new market. Visiting collectors, decorators and dealers from up and down the Atlantic coast came to buy, he stated. Having been in business for nearly 30 years in the area, Jem Hom feels that the show is important as he has a wide client base in Washington, DC and Baltimore. His particular focus is jade carvings and sculpture in jade or other hardstones. Highlights are a collared jade bi disc from the Neolithic or Shang period, in a good state of preservation, and a Northern Qi seated Buddha with finely rendered features and details.