Texas Antique Week can only be described as "A Francophile's Heaven!" Knowing I had a busy week ahead of me this week and that Sunday was my only day to check out this highly acclaimed antique show, MH and I headed out to Round Top, Texas at dawn-thirty this past Sunday morning. Coffee in hand and moving pads in tow (just in case) we took off on this 3 1/2 hour drive.
New to the antique selling business, and looking for venues for showing my own treasures, I told myself that I was going to Round Top to conduct "business research" and to see if this was a show that I might want to haul my goods to when it occurs again in the fall. (This antique show is held in the Spring and Fall each year.)
Well I arrived at the first tent at the Old Henry Farm Antique Show (in Round Top) and all professed business acumen sort of flew out the proverbial window. When I saw the bounty of treasure in front of me I became simply giddy. As I gleefully sprinted from treasure to treasure last Sunday, looking at beautiful antique after even more beautiful antique, I kept asking myself "Is this Heaven?" I have to tell you, I've never seen so many wonderful vintage and antique pieces amassed in one area before. For some shoppers it could have been overwhelming - for me it was like a dessert buffet line in which I had to stealthily choose on which desserts to spend my appetite. I scoped out all of the vendor booths that had the overall look that appeals to me. There were abundant antiques of all types at the show, but I chose to spend my time in booths with the "Frenchy" looking items that I like.
After spending a long time at Old Henry Farm Antique Show, we then drove a short distance on down North Highway 237 to Arbor Antiques Show. Here we found a 12 acre venue featuring tent after tent, booth after booth of American and European antique furniture and linens. French antiques were plentiful and choosing one or two items was difficult - I loved it all!
I'd like everything on this table please.........
And, if money were no object, all of these antique vellum books would come home with me as well.
If you're thinking about heading out to participate in Texas Antique Week this week, keep in mind that there are antique shows in three towns; Carmine, Warrenton and Round Top. Some people travel to the area and spend a whole weekend or even longer to allow themselves time to see everything. Once you decide on which town you are heading to first, you then need to decide what "Show" you are going to visit. I chose to go to Round Top. Once we arrived, I had to decide which of the NINE antique shows I wanted to check out first. Each Show has multiple booths or tents within their space. For example, I went first to Old Henry Farm Antique Show. Here there were multiple tents on this 22 acre venue!
After leaving the Old Henry Farm Antique Show, we headed out towards Marburger Farm which hosts 350 plus dealers on 43 acres! I was so excited as I've heard and read so much about the awesome antiques at this show. Much to my disappointment, this show was incorrectly advertised as running from March 28th through April 8th. It actually opened to the public yesterday and runs through April 8th. Someone told me that perhaps it opens to "the trade" earlier - I am not certain. Oh well, I'll catch this show in the fall.
The original Round Top antiques show, credited for starting this Texas Antique Week event, is The Big Red Barn and runs April 4th through April 7th.
If I could, I'd head back out to Round Top this weekend. This weekend will be THE WEEKEND for all you Francophiles to look for your own French treasures. There's so much from which to choose. Happy shopping!
Au revoir, Mitty
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