go2antiques: Fort Worth Show Thrives in 55th Year

For Immediate Release

Contact:

Fort Worth Show of Antiques & Art

Jan Orr-Harter, Show Director

www.fortworthshow.com

Fort Worth Show of Antiques & Art Thrives in 55^th Year

Show Seeks New Owner in 2018

3.21.18 FORT WORTH, TX -- On March 2,3,4, the Fort Worth Show of Antiques & Art threw open its doors at the Will Rogers Memorial Center for the 55^th year. “This is the best year of the show ---ever!” said Ann Williams of Fort Worth’s Ann Williams Antiques & Design. Was it gutsy? Over-the-top? You bet! It was also the highest attendance in the history of the show.

Ridgefield Gallery, Ortonville, MI

After a rough winter, Texas shoppers were eager for three days of unmitigated history, color, whimsy and fun. Dealers arrived from Pennsylvania, California, Florida, Minnesota and more. Design author Sue Whitney, founder of JunkMarketStyle.com, was on hand to sign books, demonstrate a little furniture revival and show off her latest venture: a “She Shed,” created in the middle of the show by Liz Collins of Haute Nest in Round Top, TX.

Jan Orr-Harter by Della Orr-Harter

It was a sweet moment for the Show Director Jan Orr-Harter and her family. After 25 years of producing shows in New York and Texas, Orr-Harter is retiring, as is Associate Director Cissy Thompson. The show is officially for sale. “I’m so proud to see Fort Worth and Dallas embrace a large national show. Now is the right time to put it into younger hands,” said Orr-Harter. This show has terrific dealers, happy shoppers, a great staff and many friends in the media and community. It takes all of these folks to make a show in Texas continue to thrive and grow.”

Julian's Antiques of Minersville, PA sold a larger-than-life-size bronze panther.
Fort Worth's nickname is "Panther City."

Founded in 1963, the Fort Worth Show has grown from a small American Country show to a 150 dealer happening with a light-hearted range of antiques and art of every style, era and price point. At the 2018 show, you could buy a five-figure European painting or a vintage Scrabble letter. And you could do it while listening to Rock and Roll, a little jazz and a lot of Willie Nelson.

reVamp of San Antonio took the prize for the best coffee/cocktail table

Commercial exhibits in the show included Red Shed Vintage Tours, the nation-wide estate sale company Everything But The House and the show’s Parking Sponsor, The Mercantile. Shoppers learned about the work of two charities in the 2018 Benefit Booths: The Center for Transforming Lives and Threads of Hope Textiles. Additionally, a trio of social media friends were on hand to keep things on-line: Christina Phillips of the Fort Worth shop Eighth and Park, photographer Della Orr-Harter, as well as Tracy Smith of Cactus Creek in Weston, MO. As a result of their efforts through Instagram and Facebook, exhibitors made sales to callers from New Jersey to Seattle, often with the help of on-site shipper, Roll’en Hills Moving & Delivery.

The French Corner Decor of France and San Diego left a happy Texas buyer with
this extraordinary Aubusson tapestry.

“It’s ideal to look for a new show owner at a time when the Fort Worth Show is strong and vibrant,” says Orr-Harter. “Please spread the word: DFW is a terrific place to do business, the 4^th largest metro area in the US. We are looking for a good team to take the Fort Worth Show into its next adventure in the center of the Fort Worth-Dallas cultural marketplace.”

Bachelor Hill Antiques of Walterboro, SC sold a life-size mule sculpture painted with quotations
about mules, as well as a monumental bust of Abraham Lincoln.