Philadelphia Antiques Show 2022

105 THE PH I LADE L PH I A SHOW made in Philadelphia, and then took it home. The best cabinet makers were here.” It only made sense that Philadelphia should have its own show of American antiques. But the realities of staging a show were imposing. Where to have it, who should manage it, and how to attract the best dealers? It was decided that the show would run Monday through Saturday (although it now runs Friday to Wednesday). The rationale, in the words of Ali Brown, was simple. “You cannot get a Philadelphian off his golf course on a Sunday, and I believe there is a blue law that we cannot sell on Sundays, so it was planned not to run over a Sunday.” The die was cast; and the week was chosen: April 24 through 28, 1962. Finding a venue for the Show was difficult. For that job, Gresh Wilson, the first Show Manager, arrived from Boston so he and Mrs. Brown could look for a location to hold the Show. An armory in University City was suggested. After an initial inquiry, that site, the 103rd Engineers Armory, at 33rd and Market Streets in West Philadelphia became available, and an agreement was signed. Luring the country’s best dealers of American antiques to their fledgling show may have been the highest hurdle of all for Mrs. Brown and her board of volunteers. The Board agreed that only the finest dealers be invited. Said Mrs. Brown, “Unless we could have what we considered absolutely top dealers in the country, we were not going to go through with it.” Mrs. Brown, almost single-handedly, put together an Advisory Committee of collectors who knew which dealers were top of the line. The Committee then contacted those dealers and extended the invitation. Some of the dealers were skeptical. There were only one or two who accepted readily. Said one New York dealer, “We were not reluctant because we were doing a lot of business with some real biggies in Philadelphia, and they were the ones who asked us. We were doing quite a fancy business in Philadelphia. It was in our best interest to participate in the show.’’ Two of the earliest dealers to sign on, both from New York, were prominent in America, and were joined by two prestigious Philadelphia dealers. From there the seed was planted, and soon 50 dealers had accepted, three of whom are still exhibiting at the Show today. Meanwhile, Gresh Wilson was busy on the logistics and the set up. He planned for 50 booths, most about 10 by 20 feet, and each decorated as an exquisite room. In addition, he had to attend to such Cover of Through the Looking Glass Image on cover: The Rittenhouse Orrery from the University of Pennsylvania Left: 103rd Engineers Armory, Philadelphia, PA