*These pre-recorded lectures are available to stream as many times as you wish starting May 24, 2021 through Monday, June 7, 2021, from the comfort of your own home.*
To honor the tradition of the Antiques Show at Brandywine, this year we will be hosting a series of virtual lectures and conversations beginning on May 24th. Join us as we celebrate the history of oriental rugs, rediscover Chester County furniture, explore new markets, and discuss the resiliency of the antiques business. The Antiques Show has been a volunteer fundraising event for the past 50 years and these lectures will continue to support that endeavor as we plan an in-person Show for 2022. Through the years, this event has benefitted the Volunteers’ Art Purchase Fund, Art Education and Programming.
VIRTUAL LECTURE PRESENTATIONS:
“Paint, Pattern & People: Rediscovering Chester County Furniture” with Wendy A. Cooper
Journey through southeastern Pennsylvania starting in Marple Township and continuing into Newtown, Willistown, Aston, Goshen, West Marlborough, London Grove and ending in Knottingham, all while exploring furniture styles and the families of this region.
Wendy A. Cooper is Curator Emerita of furniture at Winterthur Museum following almost two decades there as senior curator of furniture. A cum laude graduate of Brown University, she has an M.A. from the Winterthur Program in American Material Culture. She has guest curated four exhibitions at the National Gallery of Art – The Kaufman Collection of American Furniture (1986-87); In Praise of America: American Decorative Arts, 1640-1840 (1980); An American Vision: Henry Francis du Pont’s Winterthur Museum (2002); and Masterpieces of Furniture from the Kaufman Collection, 1700-1830 (2012 – the present). She is now a freelance consultant, researcher, writer, and lecturer, as well as serving on various museum committees and boards including The Committee for the Preservation of the White House.
“Oriental Rugs; A Journey Through Time” with Frank Shaia
In this lecture the three great rug renaissance periods will be discussed. It will begin with the first rug renaissance during the Safavid dynasty in the early 17th century before continuing to the second revival around the late 19th century and will conclude with the third renaissance which began around 1985 and is still happening today. Explore the rugs of all three periods as well as the journey from one chapter to the next.
Frank Shaia has owned Shaia Oriental Rugs of Williamsburg, Virginia since 1973. He specializes in new and antique rugs of quality and distinction. He is well-known for his knowledge and passion of antique Oriental Rugs and for years has been an exhibitor at Brandywine. He frequently lectures on rugs at antiques shows as well as teaches through the continuing education department of William & Mary.
Cultivating Awareness: “Americana Insights”
“Americana Insights” is a nonprofit online journal and information resource center established by Jane Katcher in collaboration with David Schorsch in 2021. The mission of “Americana Insights” is to inspire, extend, and enhance appreciation and knowledge of traditional American folk art and Americana among new and longtime collectors, students, scholars and the general public.
This program and conversation will be moderated by Laura Beach—a recognized journalist writing on antiques, art and design—in discussion with Jane Katcher, collector of American folk art and Americana for the past 40 years; Robert Shaw, independent curator and editor of “Americana Insights”; and Nancy Druckman, a pioneer in the field of American Folk Art and regular on the PBS series Antiques Road Show. Join us as we hear from these leading industry advocates about their efforts to cultivate and encourage awareness, interest, and scholarship among new and existing collectors of Americana.
“Resilience in the Antiques Business”
Perspectives, stories and experiences from respected dealers with an average of 50 years in the antiques business will set the stage for a lively roundtable discussion moderated by Amelia Jeffers, a recognized industry leader with decades of experiences as an antiques auctioneer and appraiser. The conversation will flow between five presenters around how the antiques industry has evolved in response to changing market conditions over their 50-60 years in the marketplace, with an emphasis on resiliency and optimism for the current climate. Tune in for this casual and memorable peek into the professional experiences of these notable antiques dealers:
● Peter Chillingworth of Scenery Hill, PA, a 60-year antiques veteran with a long-time commitment to the Brandywine Show as a dealer and then show promoter;
● Colette Donovan of Merrimacport, MA, a 50+ year dealer specializing in folk art, country Americana, lighting, and textiles;
● Joy Hanes (Hanes & Ruskin) of Old Lyme, CT, a third-generation antiques professional with more than 40 years as a dealer specializing in 18th and early 19th-Century American high-style country furniture and appropriate period accessories;
● Steve White (White & White) of Skaneateles, NY, a dealer with 50+ years of experience, specializing in 18th-20th Century furniture, artwork, decorative accessories, and estate jewelry;
● Roger Winter (Roger D. Winter Ltd.) of Bucks County, PA, has 40 years of experience with expertise in 18th and early 19th century British furniture and decoration.