The 53rd Annual Fort Worth Show of Antiques and Art is opening its doors for one more day this year. For three days, March 3-5, Will Rogers Memorial Center will be stocked full of rarely found antiques and art. Let's just say this isn't your grandmother's antique mall. Expect to find accessories and art from a wide range of eras set at various price ranges including midcentury modern chairs, eclectic textiles and vintage lighting.
The show, originally named The Dolly Johnson Antique Show after its founder, is the oldest continuous antique show in the American West. "There are only a handful of cities in the world that host an antique and art show that is more than 50 years old," said Show Director Jan Orr-Harter. "We are Fort Worth, born and bred.
"The show is wonderful," said Adele Kerr, owner of Adele Kerr & Co. Antique Market. "A lot of the dealers are from all over the country, and a lot of them are used to doing the bigger shows, so the merchandise is always cream of the crop."
Kerr's first time at the Fort Worth show was about five years ago, and she is one of more than 150 exhibitors that is participating in this year's event. As an antique and art dealer who runs a store out of New Braunfels, Texas, she said she works with many outdoor accessories, like rustic, salvaged garden planters, and will be bringing a broad mix of pieces including lighting, upholstered furniture and mid-century artwork and prints, ranging in prices from $30 to as high as $2,000.
"I think we are all looking forward to having a really busy show this year," she said. This year will be the first time for the Fort Worth Show of Antiques and Art to feature new one-of-a-kind furniture rather than simply antiques. High-end custom furniture designer Earl Nesbitt, from Edgewood, New Mexico, is one of the few artists bringing new work to the show.
Nesbitt designs contemporary, sculptural pieces like chairs and tables out of solid wood. He is bringing a semi-circular desk, hall table, coffee table and an 8-foot dining room table made from slabs of mesquite. He calls it "through the heart" for its heart-shaped inclusions reflected throughout the table.
"I'm really excited about that," he said. "It's a gorgeous piece."
While Nesbitt resides in New Mexico, he said he has a number of clients in the Fort Worth area and is looking forward to attending the show for the first time and expanding his reach.
"I love Texas and the people there; it's a lot of fun," he said, "and I love the connections that I get to make with people when I do shows."
