Top Picks: The ADA Online Show

I had no intention of writing this post. I've got a shit ton on my plate already trying to finish custom orders and prep for my first annual decorator's tagsale. But after a thirteen hour work day, ten of which were in the sun (guess who forgot to put on her sunscreen!), and six of which were spent sanding non-stop, I'm quite literally burnt out. I know I'll wake up fresh and inspired again tomorrow, I always do, but until then, I'm nursing a dirty martini and perusing the ADA Bi-Annual online show. That acronym is 'Antiques Dealers Association of America' and it's a vetted group of the best of the best antiques business in the country. If they just added a 'The' to the title they'd be 'TADAA', as in 'Tadaa, here's the most amazing antiques you never knew existed but suddenly need to own!'.

I was just going to casually flip through the show, not analyze it, or write about it. But the stuff these brilliant dealers have put forth this year??? I'd be such a jerk not to share. You need to go check out the show. Loads of amazing and rare objects, and crazy reasonable prices!! This is your chance to own a little piece of history, a treasure, to adopt an heirloom!
http://adadealers.com/antiques/index.php?page=search&s_res=AND&cid=333&hw_num=90

Here are my favorite pieces, but seriously go look for yourself there's so many beautiful things!

c.1950s carved hand offered by Steve Powers

It's visceral, and so beautiful it's hard to look away.

Direct link with all the info here 

Thistle weathervane offered by Jeffrey Tillou Antiques

I mean, damn. I love weathervanes. And this one, it's breathtaking. The rare and striking form and the verdigris are stunning. 

Direct link with all the info here 

Ugh. I love this. LOOOOVEEEE

I might need it. I've been collecting post impressionist spring landscapes by female artists lately.

And yes, that's the most pretentious sentence I've ever written. But still, this is stunning

Direct link with all the info here 

19th century ambrotype of a firefighter in his uniform.

Ambrotypes were stage 2 of the photography evolution in America, directly after daguerreotypes, which had a sharper image, but as they were printed on polished silver plate, were stupid expensive. 

By about 1863 ambrotypes too were becoming obsolete. And what that tells us is that this is a damn early, likely pre-Civil War image of an exceedingly handsome young man in his firefighter's uniform.

. Oh geez. If I had all the money. All the money ever, or at least enough to buy fancy schmany amazing antique things, I would buy this straight away. A coat of arms from 1768. Wow, just wow. 

Direct link with all the info