Antiques at the Armory Hosts Most Diverse Show of Antiques Week in NYC, 1/25-27

Now in its 18th year, Antiques at the Armory, January 25-26-27 at the 69th Regiment Armory, Lexington Avenue and 26th Street, offers the largest variety and most affordable material of the series of events of Antiques Week in New York. 100 dealers, (making this the largest show of Antiques Week,) will set up displays of art, antiques, folk art, ethnic and tribal materials, vintage designer wares, pottery, ceramics, jewelry and more.

Antiques at the Armory gives the public a great chance to look and shop where magazine editors, decorators and stars of stage and screen are seen shopping. At a recent show both Jon Bon Jovi and Anna Wintour (editor of Vogue) were seen on the floor shopping at the same time.

Though known for the large collection of art, folk art, weathervanes and textiles, the event continues to enlarge on the categories presented. This year's additions include Americana dealers, Colette Donovan of Merrimacport, MA; Pioneer Folk Antiques, L.L.C. of Ellsworth, ME; South Road Antiques of New York, NY; and Mary and Joshua Steenburgh of Pike, NH. They join returning Americana dealers Cherry Gallery, Judith and James Milne, Thurston Nichols, A Bird In Hand, Mad River and American Garage. Like the buyers in town for Antiques Week many of the dealers at Antiques at the Armory are only in New York for this one special weekend. (A full list of exhibitors is available on line at stellashows.com.)

A good category for new collectors to affordably enter the Americana arena are trade and folk signs. Signs can be very affordable, terrific graphically, and are often fun and witty to boot. Many dealers will carry some signs and Victor Weintblatt's large booth is almost all folk signs.

Innovative, difficult to categorize exhibits will also be presented, including Joshua Lowenfels offering outsider art and found objects; Cottage + Camp with folk art, furniture, lighting and modern; Turkey Mountain Traders with Native American artifacts; Kip McKesson African Art of Tanzania with African furniture, art and objects; and David & Eleanor Billet offering modern and industrial furnishings. Joining the diverse group of returning dealers are the following new dealers, Antediluvian Antiques & Curiosities with Victorian taxidermy and curiosities; Candler Arts with a collection of folk art and objects that strive to be surprising and oddly beautiful; Duchess Antiques with NYC memorabilia; and Barbara Gerr Antiques with American art pottery.

Antiques at the Armory is as always a great show to find important but not imposing Americana and folk art (and lots of it) but over the years another important collecting category that has been growing and is now substantial is 20th Furniture and Design. Dealers with depth in this genre include Barnard of New Hope, PA; Bridges Over Time of Newburgh, NY; Greg Nanamura of New York, NY; and Jeffrey Henkel of Pennington, NJ.

Antiques at the Armory is the largest and most affordable fair of the annual Antiques Week in New York. This popular show offers great pieces to add pizzazz to any décor at modest cost and they can be found in the many lavish displays at this annual January event.

Antiques at the Armory will run January 25-26-27, 2013. Hours: Friday and Saturday 10 am to 7 pm, Sunday 11 am to 5 pm at The 69th Regiment Armory is located at 68 Lexington Avenue, at 26th Street, in the Gramercy area of New York. Admission is $15. There is a free courtesy shuttle to and from The Winter Antiques Show uptown.

Show details and dealer lists at stellashows.com or Stella Show Mgmt. Co. 973-808-5015.