If You Have To Ask, You Probably Want To Learn Something
The 33rd Baltimore Summer Antiques Show is being held at the Baltimore Convention Center this Thursday-Sunday. Once again, WBJC’s booth will be set up at the show so that members of our staff can meet and greet listeners who have a passion for gorgeous retro items as well as classical music. Some find antiques intimidating, and I can’t say I blame them. There’s so much to learn, even within a particular specialty – china, glassware, furniture, or my personal obsession, jewelry – that it can take years to learn the intricacies of period style, manufacturers or designers’ names, and – very important! – how not to pay too much for an item or buy a fake. Even after nearly two decades of spending quite a bit of time around dealers and collectors, I don’t consider myself an expert; perhaps an aficionada, but even that’s a pretty generous term.
In a way, antiques have a lot in common with classical music. You don’t need to know what was going on in Brahms’ life when he composed his German Reqiuem in order to enjoy the piece. It’s perfectly fine to hear the music, think “Wow! That’s gorgeous!” and have that be the end of it. Same goes for old jewelry. Do you care that the vinaigrette (a pomander locket, folks, not a salad dressing) I’m wearing was made in the late 19th century and might once have hung on a chatelaine brooch alongside a mechanical pencil, notepad, sewing scissors, and other useful items? Perhaps. You may just prefer to say “Nice necklace!” and go on with your day.
Should you, however, hear an amazing piece of music or find yourself faced with an intriguing antique object and want to know more about the provenance of either, go ahead and ask! Most people in either business are more than happy to share their knowledge. The important thing is to appreciate beautiful things on whatever level(s) you wish to do so.
The above pic was taken at the 2008 Baltimore Summer Antiques Show, but it’s representative of what one might find in Jane Fletcher’s booth (among others!)
If you happen to attend this year’s Baltimore Summer Antiques Show, please stop by WBJC’s booth (#2417) and say hello to us. Don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes – this show is huge! Here’s a schedule of host appearances:
Thursday, 8/22:
Jonathan Palevsky, noon-3pm
Kati Harrison, 3-6pm
Friday, 8/23:
Jonathan Palevsky, 11am-2pm
Kati Harrison, 2-4pm
Dyana Neal, 4-7pm
Saturday, 8/24:
Jonathan Palevsky, 11am-1pm
Mark Malinowski, 3-5pm
Judith Krummeck, 5-7pm
Sunday, 8/25:
Jonathan Palevsky, 11am-1pm
Judith Krummeck, 1-3pm
Dyana Neal, 3-6pm
Tags:antiques, Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore Summer Antiques Show, classical music, Dyana Neal, Jonathan Palevsky, Judith Krummeck, Kati Harrison, Mark Malinowski, WBJC
