FYI, the National Antique Week runs from November 23-30th, but in England.  If American antiques dealers would recognize what a positive image could have on their sales, perhaps they might want to come together for such an occasion. It’s hard for anyone to not be curious about antiques.

The camaraderie of dealers working together for the purpose of promoting their industry is a step in the right direction.  With English trade publications such as the Antiques Trade Gazette, Antiques News, and many other organizations giving publicity and support for the event, the trade and the public both receive the confidence of such endorsements.  The fact that the Chief Executive of the dealer group, LAPADA initiated the combination of multiple media forms is most impressive.

But that is England.  Where could you even begin to think of organizing such a stupendous event in the US?  Fairs have a locally centralized mode that has no relationship at all with going to dealer shops that are packed with far more merchandise and can become frequent destinations for buyers.  Putting on a show in your own store once a year for a weekly National event sounds like a lot of fun and not as predictable as a traditional antiques show.

Unfortunately, some of my industry aspirations get caught up in the cross hairs of reality. We have no American form of LAPADA, and American antiques publications aren’t focused on the industry’s macro operation.  It is too bad that the American antiques industry is so fragmented and without some form of mission statement and common purpose.  

The public is waited for that kind of opportunity; at least the English are going to give it a chance.