The Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair™ returns to Chicago’s Merchandise Mart for its 11th year April 25-28, 2008, with the finest assortment of objets d’art and worldly treasures, as well as exciting new show elements. Known as the premier antiques fair in the Midwest, the Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair provides collectors, connoisseurs, designers and the general public an intimate environment to see a broad range of antiques.
More than 130 of the top national and international antiques and fine art dealers will display a wide range of offerings from across the globe. Dealers will be displaying the finest in 20th Century Design, Architectural Design, Asian Art & Antiquities, Barometers, Ceramics, Coins, Decorative Arts, Folk Art, Furniture, Glass, Jewelry, Paintings, Posters, Prints, Rare Books and Maps, Sculpture, Silver, Textiles, Tribal Art and more. This year’s Fair will also feature the return of dealers from the famed Marche aux Puces in Paris and members of LAPADA, Britain’s hallmark of quality antiques dealers.
“Our Spring 2008 Fair will offer visitors more resources than ever before, but still maintain the feeling of seeing treasures in a comfortable, intimate setting,” said Joan Ulrich, senior vice president, Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. “The Fair continues to be a destination for established antiques collectors and new antiques enthusiasts alike. The Fair is a great way to cultivate a sense for 20th Century design and classics steeped in tradition. We recognize the diversity of attendees and have organized a group of dealers that appeal to a wide range of preferences.”
The Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair is conveniently located adjacent to The Merchandise Mart Design Center and LuxeHome, the Midwest’s heart of the interior design community. Design professionals eagerly anticipate the Fair each year, as it provides them the opportunity to introduce clients to the world of antiques and also educate them on how to incorporate sentimental antiques into their current interiors.
The Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair will once again be an exciting component of Artropolis, a world-class, city-wide celebration art, antiques and culture with Art Chicago at its centerpiece. The multiple art shows under the Artropolis umbrella enable attendees to enjoy a diverse selection of art, prints, sculpture and other three dimensional forms from antiquities to contemporary art. As part of Artropolis, the Fair presents attendees with ideas on how to mix 20th Century furnishings with contemporary art.
Artropolis is Chicago’s celebration of everything art. It offers an international art exhibition, world-class antiques fair, satellite art shows, educational programs, guided tours, music, theater and dance performances are planned at a variety of venues: from major museums to small galleries, from world-class concert halls to cutting-edge clubs, from exclusive tours to private parties. Artropolis features five separate shows that will be co-located at The Merchandise Mart– the epicenter of Artropolis: Art Chicago, NEXT, The Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair, The Artist Project and The Intuit Show of Folk and Outsider Art.
PREVIEW PARTY:
Thursday, April 24, 2008, 6-9 p.m.
The Women’s Board of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) will host the 11th Annual Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair Preview Party. The evening offers the first viewing of the Fair, and a portion of the evening’s purchases will benefit the RIC in addition to your ticket purchase. Enjoy sumptuous buffets and refreshments, and enjoy the company of some of Chicago’s best designers throughout the evening.
Tickets: $500, $250, $150
For more information and tickets, contact the Women’s Board office at 312.238.6023 or visit womensboard.ric.org.
ANTIQUES FAIR OPENING PRESENTATION:
What’s Next
A Conversation with Michael Bruno
Presented by Traditional Home
Friday, April 25
10–11a.m.
The Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair is pleased to welcome Michael Bruno as the Fair’s Opening Presentation Speaker. It’s been said that as soon as a trend is identified as “in,” it’s out. But 1stdibs.com founder and president Michael Bruno actually has his finger on the pulse of antique dealers and design professionals’ sales activity, and is most likely to truly predict what’s next in design. Join Bruno, along with Senior Arts and Antiques Editor Doris Athineos of Traditional Home, for a lively conversation about the popular trend toward Modernism, the treasures of London and Paris, and the role of interior designers shaping the interiors we crave.
Michael Bruno founded web site 1st dibs.com in 2001 after moving to Paris following a successful career with Sotheby’s real estate division in San Francisco. 1st dibs was created to provide the design trade access to the world’s best upscale antiques and decorative arts dealers. Its value as a source for stellar material is equal to its educational benefits.
SHOW HOURS:
Friday, April 25 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Saturday, April 26 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Sunday, April 27 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m
Monday, April 28 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
TICKETS:
Tickets are $20 each and grant admission to the weekend’s other Artropolis events including Art Chicago, Next, The Artist Project and Intuit. Tickets are $15 a piece for groups of 10 or more, seniors and students. For more information, call 800.677.MART (6728).
The Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair will be located on the 8th floor of the world-famous Merchandise Mart. More information about the Fair can be found at www.merchandisemartantiques.com.
SAVE THE DATE:
The Merchandise Mart International Fall Antiques Fair will be held October 3-6, 2008, providing an additional showcase for an estimated 100 world-renowned dealers to display their fine art featuring a wide range of categories.
For more information on The Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair, please visit www.merchandisemartantiques.com