Southern Jewelry News

(MIAMI, Fla.) - dmg world media reported record attendance, by several thousand people, and robust exhibitor sales at the 49th Annual Original Miami Beach Antique Show. The show was held January 21-25 at the Miami Beach Convention Center and showcased fine American and European silver, original paintings and works of art spanning more than three centuries, textiles and rugs and highly sought 19th and 20th Century glass, Asian Art, objects of virtue, and pieces of Art Deco and Modernism eras.

This five-day show featured more than 800 national and international exhibitors and is the largest indoor antiques show in the world. The show also exhibited an original 19th Century watercolor by Joseph William Mallord Turner, who is recognized as the first artist to reach $1 million at auction, a $1 million Van Cleef & Arpels necklace with approximately 150 carats of diamonds and South Seas Pearls and a 21.54 carat fancy vivid yellow diamond surrounded by 10 carats of white diamonds in an 18 karat white gold setting.

“Despite the current economy, we saw a record number of people attending and purchasing antiques at this year’s show,” said Andrea Canady, fair director for the Original Miami Beach Antique Show. “Our show is an indicator of antique purchasing trends for the year and we saw novice and serious antique enthusiasts purchasing a large variety of quality items.”

Exhibitor comments on the last day of the show were favorable.

“This is the best show we’ve had since starting to exhibit at the Original Miami Beach Antique Show more than 25 years ago,” said Jack Ophir, president of Ophir Gallery in Englewood, New Jersey.

“This was the first time we’ve exhibited at the Original Miami Beach Antique Show. We’re absolutely thrilled with the show and thankful we participated,” said Anthony Puca, owner of Me-N-My Partner in Mullica Hill, New Jersey. “We were able to cultivate relationships from around the world.”

“This show was fabulous as usual. We’ve never had a bad show in the 16 years we’ve been exhibiting,” said Jan Matheson, co-owner of Mathesons’ Antiques & Auctions in Melbourne, Fla.

“The crowds and sales at this year’s show were terrific! This is the only show we participate in all year,” said Kelly Schultz, owner of Kelly Schultz Antiques. “This show had a lot of buying and selling activity that has not taken place in recent years.”

For additional show information about dmg antique shows, please call 239-732-6642 or visit www.dmgantiqueshows.com.