Americana Week has become a New York City tradition spanning almost 14 days of jam-packed auction rooms and show venues, heralding what most collectors and market watchers consider the greatest concentration of goods, people and events involving American antiques to be found anywhere, anytime.
For more than 30 years, historic American furniture expert Thomas Schwenke has participated as an exhibitor in at least one of the major January shows. This year, however, he is taking an entirely new approach: He is devoting all his available time to meeting with his customers.
“It’s difficult to serve your clients with so many shows, not to mention the multi-session auctions at Christie’s and Sotheby’s,” explains Schwenke. “Over the years I have been inundated with questions from people who are seeking special items, who want to know how to better manage their collections, who need advice on buying and selling at auction, who are looking for appraisals, or who have restoration projects. By having time to meet with them personally in New York I am able to address all their needs.”
According to Schwenke, Americana Week offers one of the best opportunities for individuals to add to their collections, meet other people with similar interests, and learn more about historic American furniture, porcelain, and fine art. Those interested in attending, however, need to be able to properly discern between a stated price and market value, but often lack the experience to do so.
“It doesn’t matter how high the bar is set at these Americana Week events,” he says. “With expert guidance from an independent insider like me, collectors actually save valuable time and money and still take advantage of all the excitement.”
Based in Woodbury, Connecticut, Thomas Schwenke is an acknowledged authority on American antique furniture, and the premier dealer expert in Federal furniture. He has lectured extensively and is routinely consulted on questions of authenticity and value. For more information, call 203-266-0303, or visit http://www.schwenke.com.