MARBURGER FARM ANTIQUE SHOW REPORT FROM ROUND TOP

Weather Whets Appetite for Antiques

Round Top, TX  10.21.09   “It’s floodin’ down in Texas,” sings Willie Nelson. “The telephone lines are down.” That was the only thing down at the fall 2009 Marburger Farm Antique Show. In one of the rainiest months on record, spirits were up for sellers and shoppers alike. It even stopped raining during the shopping hours for the twice-yearly mega-show in tiny Round Top, Texas.

The show began with a round of applause for the relatively new show owners on producing their fifth Marburger Farm Antique Show. It ended with a clap of thunder just as the last sated shopper was leaving the show. In between were five beautiful, brisk and busy shopping days for Americans weary of recession and ready for the future.

If antique shows provide any clues, that future involves a rebound in the housing market. Shoppers came with tape-measures and lists for new homes, second homes and renovated homes. One home builder arrived with a $50,000 shopping budget to stage luxury homes.

“There’s nothing like Marburger Farm anywhere else,” said Oregon shopper Kathryn Balmanno. She was re-doing an old house and needed unique items worth the trip to Texas. At the top of her list: a fabulous buffet. Libby Snipes of Fort Worth came looking for an antique door and fireplace mantel to go into a new house. She found transom side lights for the door at one Marburger Farm booth. And in the very next booth, she found an antique door in exactly the right size. Then off she went to find a mantel.  

“We had a huge crowd on opening day,” said show co-owner Rick McConn. “But this time, we also had record crowds on Wednesday through Saturday. The secret is out to visit Marburger Farm every day.”

Noting the strong weeklong crowd, Indiana dealer Tom Bireley said, “This is the only show that I do where I wish that I had even another day.” Bireley sold a mix of Americana and Continental antiques, including eight chandeliers, trunks, chests, bookcases and a barrel front corner cupboard covered in original painted floral designs. 

Also from Indiana, and owner of the 3,000 square foot “Warehouse” in Bloomington, dealer Jeff Scofield reported, “This was the best show I have ever had in my career. After the downpour all night, on opening morning I saw a double rainbow and it ended right in my booth. Marburger Farm was a real blessing for me.” Scofield sold a pair of large Italian candelabra torchieres, four French architectural doors, sconces, decorative furniture and a pair of big zinc architectural mirrors. “People were genuine and no one put on airs,” continued Scofield. “They knew what they wanted and they didn’t hesitate.”      

At the other end of the massive Marburger spectrum, Texas dealers Donna Rinn and Rhonda Wilcox of Curious Goods Antiques sold “fun and funky finds,” such as 1960s turquoise vinyl-covered furniture, jewelry made from old watch gears, keys and religious medals, as well as paper ephemera such as vintage school flash cards to be re-purposed in shoppers’ art projects. “Our prices,” said Wilcox, “are very affordable to everyone.”

Most Marburger Farm dealers sold from the eight football-field size tents. Others set up shop in the 12 historic buildings that have been restored on the site. Santa Monica, CA dealer Suzanne Fox lined the stairs of the historic Silver Dollar Saloon with over-sized Victorian English and American cast iron urns full of white pumpkins from a Texas farm. “I could have sold a truck full of the urns. It was fun to have a frenzy.” Inside, she offered Georgian and Regency accessories, paintings, Staffordshire, transferware and majolica.

Nearby, Monticello, GA dealer Aaron Hequembourg sold the artwork that he creates by engraving old images and photographs onto 19^th c. salvaged wood. He sold several engraved images of children when an interior designer saw them and then raced off to bring her client over. “You see a lot of designers with their clients at Marburger Farm. You don’t see that at other shows. Shows may ebb and flow,” continues Hequembourg, “and the day may seem to start out slow. Then someone comes in and buys half of your booth. Marburger Farm has unlimited potential.”  

Sisters Gwen McClure and Teri Elliott of Kansas City’s French by Design agree. “We sold $22,000 on opening day. We were slammed.” After writing hundreds of sales tickets, McClure reported, “We brought back-stock to replenish the booth every day. We completely re-did the booth three times during the show. And it really worked for us to have something that everyone could afford---from $25 to thousands of dollars. We want to be known at Marburger Farm,” said the former French resident, “for our French antiques and our mid-western prices.”

Randy Farmer and Michael Moore of the Nashville shop Artifacts were equally candid. “This was the best Marburger Farm show we have ever had,” said Farmer. They sold a nearly seven foot tall antique fountain with figural lion heads spouting water, chandeliers made from industrial artifacts and other antiques in stone, concrete, iron and marble. “We spent four days creating vignettes in our booth. Presentation is important at Marburger. Not everyone can hit a homerun every time. But for us, this time, everything clicked.”

And the weather is finally clicking in Texas too. After a month of deluge --- except for those five lucky shopping days --- it has just stopped raining. The bluebonnets of 2010 will be spectacular. For its spring edition, the Marburger Farm Antique Show returns on March 30 – April 3, 2010. Find information on vendors, travel, maps, lodging, shipping, bus trips and special events at roundtop-marburger.com or call Rick McConn at 800-999-2148 or Ashley Ferguson at 800-947-5799.