The 2014 "Antique City" Fun Fair
April 12th, 2014
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JoAnne Schaut and Norm Schaut greeted early buyers on opening day.
A view from the balcony overlooking the show. Schaut photo.
This first edition of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was offered for $2000 from Richard Mori.
Dottie Freeman and Allan Teal of Chester Heights, Pennsylvania, put together a comprehensive display of glass including Webb cameo, Gallé, Daum Nancy, Loetz, Schneider, Steuben, and Heisey. The Webb cameo pieces pictured here, from left to right, were $2000, $3950, and $1750. |
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Norman Schaut’s “Antique City” Fun Fair took place April 12 and 13 in Lehigh University’s Rauch Fieldhouse outside of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. This was the show’s third year at the spacious Rauch Fieldhouse. An 8 a.m. preview took place for early buyers, yet the vast number of attendees chose to come at the 10 a.m. opening.
The opening day attendance was not what it was a year ago. According to Schaut, the show dates and warm spring weather played a role. Next year, the show will be held a week later on the third weekend of April prior to Adamstown’s Extravaganza, which is a big draw in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Schaut offers an advance pre-order ticket for express entry through his Web site, and the system seems to be paying off. “The 24-hour period leading up to the opening we sold 417 ticket orders,” said Schaut. “If you add up both Saturday and Sunday the attendance was the second highest.”
“Tickets went on sale in the beginning of February, and 37% of the total attendance came through advance tickets. There was a $1.40 processing fee per ticket, which we are trying to lower for next year,” noted Schaut.
Two bus groups came to the show. One was the North Jersey Cut Glass Collectors and the other the Delaware Americana Club. The show had slightly fewer exhibitors than last year, yet a remarkably eclectic mix of material is offered at this large annual event.
Christmas material, jewelry, apothecary/medical items, weaponry, advertising, toys, including antique tin and cast iron, and numerous collectibles, posters, art glass, signs, dolls, oak furniture, Masonic items, currency, books, world’s fair collectibles, among other material, are all found at the Fun Fair.
The show featured less vintage clothing and accessories but more toys and advertising this year. Quite a few dealers who specialize in holiday items do this show. Dealer Uwe Heintze from Lengenfeld, Germany said he did $10,000 of business at closing on Sunday, selling holiday material.
Next year’s show dates will be April 18 and 19, 2015. To contact Norman Schaut of Seaview Show Management Inc., call toll-free (800) 822-4119 or see the Web site (www.antiquecityshow.com).
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Serious Toyz of Croton on Hudson, New York, had a wall of lunch boxes. The Beatles was $95; the Green Hornet, $140; Star Wars, $125; and Land of the Lost, $60.
Dealer Uwe Heintze of Lengenfeld, Germany specializes in toys and holiday material. This German clockwork Santa nodder was $3500, and the early rabbit was $2900.
This 24" high Polyphon coin-operated music player was $11,500 from Nancy Fratti of Canastota, New York.
Janice Aibel of Montville, New Jersey, calls her business Sugar Princess. Aibel priced her array of collectible tin pails and watering cans from $95 to $155.Originally published in the June 2014 issue of Maine Antique Digest. © 2014 Maine Antique Digest
