Renowned architect Bobby McAlpine will make an appearance at
next week’s Antiques at The Gardens show, but tickets for his lecture have
already sold out. Birmingham Botanical Gardens director Fred Spicer isn’t
surprised: He said the four-day celebration of refined artistry is shaping up
to be the biggest since the Gardens took over the event in 2005.
“The whole first floor and part of the second floor of the
Garden Center, our main building, is totally transformed,” Spicer said. “We’ve
created booths for antiques dealers we’ve selected from eight years. We have a
lot of returning fan favorites.”
In addition to the heirlooms and artifacts, this year’s show, which raises money for the Gardens’ educational programs, will the event will feature walk-in displays that show off the talents of
interior designers and architects around the state. Themes for the tastemakers (as the event calls them) include “Jewelry Box” and “Weeks to Africa.”
Birmingham interior designer Dana Wolter and architect Jeff
Dungan will spend early next week furnishing a 9’X5′ box with a cozy living
room feel – and several for-sale antiques – for a theme titled “Fireside Chats.”
Wolter said the show serves as a kind of convention for Birmingham’s artists,
designers and dealers.
“Everyone’s space will be a little bit different, but it
will be a reflection of who they are and what they like,” she explained. “I’m
excited to see everyone else’s creativity, forget my own. Just to see what
everyone else is going to do with their little auditorium space.”
The things you can actually take home include jewelry, furniture,
paintings, silver, prints, maps and books. Artifacts range from a bureau from
Victorian England to more affordable items, such as a tea set that costs, say,
a few hundred dollars instead of a few thousand. Not exactly a steal, but then
again, the show isn’t What’s on Second.
“These are fine
dealers; it’s certainly not a yard sale,” Spicer said. “You’re talking about
people who know the things that they have, who have selected them very, very
carefully, who know about the provenance of the pieces that they’re selling.”
And for those of us who sometimes go a whole day without
using the word “provenance?” Admission is just $10, and Spicer said anyone is
more than welcome to just browse, speak with dealers and designers and learn
about how the other half lived.
“It’s a quality antique show and sale and something that
Birmingham really doesn’t have except for this. There are wonderful antiques
dealers in Birmingham, but the kind of show and sale that we’re doing is unique
to Birmingham.”
And besides, he continued, plants and antiques just go
together.
“Buying an antique is kind of like the ultimate in
recycling. If it’s a beautiful wooden
desk, that tree was turned into a desk a hundred years ago, it’s not a new tree
that had to be cut down.”
Antiques at The Gardens will run October 3-6. Tickets are
$10 and parking is free. If you missed out on lecture tickets, you can still attend
a black-tie gala on Friday night for live music, refreshments and private
browsing of the sale.
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