NEW YORK – The International Fine Print Dealers Association (IFPDA) will present its annual Print Fair from Thursday, Nov. 5 through Sunday, Nov. 8 at New York’s celebrated Park Avenue Armory with an international roster of 84 IFPDA member-dealers exhibiting. The crown jewel of New York Fine Art Print Week is the IFPDA’s Nov. 4 gala preview party, which offers ticketholders a first look at important masterworks and new contemporary projects.

Exhibiting dealers reserve their finest works for this established annual event, which draws the most influential curators and collectors in the field. Exhibitors include renowned international galleries, leading contemporary print publishers and distinguished private dealers from Paris, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Zurich, as well as major U.S. cities.

David Roberts, director of Alan Cristea Gallery and IFPDA board member commented: “The IFPDA Print Fair at the Park Avenue Armory is the premier event of its kind, [exhibiting] the full breadth of historical and contemporary printmaking.”

Refreshing this year’s roster are IFPDA members Pia Gallo (New York), R.E. Lewis and Daughter (San Rafael, Calif.), A + D Martinez (Paris), Sragow Gallery (New York), and Ian MacKenzie (London), who are returning after a year or more’s absence.

New members exhibiting for the first time include The Tolman Collection, a specialist in contemporary Japanese prints; Paul Stolper, a London-based dealer exhibiting new editions and print portfolios from contemporary British artists Keith Coventry, Jeremy Deller, Susie Hamilton, and Damien Hirst; Chicago dealer Platt Fine Art, a specialist in 19th- and 20th-century American artists; and Edward T. Pollack Fine Art, a private dealer in early 20th-century American and European artists focused on printmaking.

Each year, several organizing themes seem to predominate among exhibitors, and this year it appears that portraits and self-portraits will figure prominently throughout the fair. It is said that almost no other 20th-century artist recorded his own image as often as Max Beckmann, and the works on offer among the fair’s German Expressionist dealers include a 1918 lithograph, another lithograph dated 1922, and a woodcut from the same year.

At August Laube’s stand, visitors can see an early impression of Rembrandt’s Old Bearded Man in a High Fur Cap. Among the many excellent works to be had at modest prices, C. & J. Goodfriend will offer Standard Bearer in a Landscape, 1540, an engraving by Heinrich Aldegrever, for $4,500.

Two portraits from 1928 and 1934 by Picasso of his then-model and later lover, Marie-Thérèse, will strike an ethereal note among the artist’s more playful works available from John Szoke. Picasso’s works will also be exhibited by Ian MacKenzie, who will survey the artist’s works from the 1930s-1960s. A portrait to note in MacKenzie’s booth will be a delicate lithograph of Françoise Gilot from 1946.

Two Palms will offer Chuck Close’s new anamorphic self-portrait, in which a highly polished steel cylinder anchored in the center of a maple platform creates an undistorted reflection of the indecipherable screenprint beneath it.

David Tunick will offer an intact set of Durer’s Engraved Passion, a series of 15 prints made by the artist between 1507 and 1512, which also includes an additional engraving, St. Peter and St. John.

American artists influenced by France at the close of the 19th century is a focus for dealer Pia Gallo, who will highlight 19th-century French and 19th-century American artists living in France, including Edouard Manet, Paul Signac, Camille Pissarro, Mary Cassatt and James Abbott McNeill Whistler.

The influence of the Whistler era on later American artists will be the organizing theme at Allinson who will show a group of atmospheric lithotints, among them, Martin Lewis’ Snow on the El.

Kandinsky will have a strong presence at the fair to celebrate the acclaimed show currently on view at the Guggenheim Museum. The Worthington Gallery will offer a whole wall of prints from Kandinsky’s Klänge 13.

William Weston’s stand will survey 20th century prints by David Hockney, Joan Miró, Férnand Leger, and Jan (Hans) Arp. Among the works by these artists, Weston will show a signed proof before the edition of 100 of Arp’s 1964 color woodcut Poupée.

Alan Cristea will show Howard Hodgkin’s Into the Woods, Summer, one of a

series of four of the largest carborundum etchings ever made. The series will be shown in its entirety at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in February 2010. The gallery will also exhibit a selection of prints by Anni Albers to celebrate the launch of her print catalogue raisonné to arrive in time for the Bauhaus exhibition opening Nov. 8 at the Museum of Modern Art. Cristea is the worldwide representative for the prints of The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation.

The IFPDA and its exhibiting Members will host a lively Nov. 4 reception to celebrate the opening of the 2009 fair with prestigious guests, curators, seasoned collectors and VIPs. Exhibitors will sell rare and important works on this evening. Preview tickets may be purchased online for $75 and at the door beginning at 5:00 pm. Preview tickets purchased online will include a run-of-show pass, and are nonrefundable. Ticket holders will enjoy early access to the fair and the first opportunity to acquire the newest editions by leading contemporary artists as well as blue-chip works by renowned masters.

The evening’s festivities will also include a treasure hunt sponsored by the IFPDA’s newly launched paper/ink committee, PIC. All who attend will receive a gift bag.

For a full listing of IFPDA Print Fair activities and special events, as well as a list of the organization’s members, log on to www.ifpda.org.

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LOS ANGELES - On Saturday, Nov. 7, Gallery Brown and internationally acclaimed pop artist Steve Kaufman will present "Art Goes To The Dogs," a benefit for film star Linda Blair's animal rescue charity, the World Heart Foundation. Blair will be present at the event, which will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the gallery, located at 140 South Orlando Ave., Los Angeles.

Steve Kaufman, "the former assistant to Andy Warhol," will feature all his colorful images including Marilyn, The Rat Pack and Michael Jackson, plus homages to Lichtenstein, Picasso, Dali and van Gogh. See these famous icons come alive on canvas.

The Linda Blair World Heart Foundation is a non-profit, 501c3 charitable organization dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating abused animals from the harsh streets of the Los Angeles area and the overcrowded and overwhelmed city and county animal shelters.

The fundraiser is open to all, and there is no charge to attend. The evening starts with complimentary valet parking, followed by cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, and a silent auction that will feature Steve Kaufman's 36-inch-tall RCA Dog, one of a limited edition of 20 (see image on invitation shown below). Additionally, 10% of all show sales will go directly to the Linda Blair World Heart Foundation.

LA art fans won't want to miss this exciting opportunity to meet both Steve Kaufman and Linda Blair on Saturday, Nov. 7. For further information on the event, to inquire about the artworks in the exhibition, or to leave a bid on the RCA Dog in the silent auction, call 323-651-1956. Visit the gallery's Web site: http://gallerybrown.com.

Visit Linda Blair's World Heart Foundation online at www.lindablairworldheart.org.

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IOLA, Wis. - The beauty, history and design of depression glass will be the focus of a Nov. 5 online seminar presented by glass expert Ellen Schroy and produced by Antique Trader.

Schroy, a respected appraiser and author of several antiques references including Warman's® Depression Glass, will serve as the presenter for event, which will be held live online beginning at 8 p.m. EST. During this open-dialogue event, Schroy will discuss the history of depression glass, the manufacturing process, popular patterns, recent market trends and research involving depression glass. Additionally, she will assess values and provide hints for detecting fakes and reproductions among patterns and tips for identifying patterns by design.

Throughout and following the hour-long online seminar participants will be able to ask questions and interact with Schroy. The cost to attend the cyber-event is $15.99. Participants will receive a download of the seminar materials, as well as an exclusive savings coupon to apply toward the purchase of the recently released new edition of Warman's® Depression Glass.

To register for the Webinar, log on to www.antiquetrader.com/webinars.

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It was all fantasy and fun at the Big Apple Comic-Con, which wrapped up Sunday with appearances by sci-fi and B-list stars, as well as big names in sports.

"New York is the world mecca of comic books, and this show is a blockbuster," said Vincent Zurzolo, whose New York-based Metropolis Collectibles Inc. is a premier dealer in vintage comic books.

On Friday, as the show opened on a Hudson River pier, he presided over gems like Amazing Fantasy No. 15, published by Marvel Comics in 1962, with Spiderman making his debut. The price: $115,000.

Celebrities invited during the weekend included Shatner, the one-time Star Trek' actor who remains an icon of pop culture.

His newest comic book is the fourth in a series he developed based on TekWar, his science fiction novels, set in the 22nd century when "tek" is an illegal, addictive, mind-altering digital drug.

"It's not your grandfather's comic book anymore," Shatner said. "It's filled with lust and licentiousness, it's filled with sexual innuendo - absolutely! It's a mature thing."

During the weekend, fans of Batman, The Incredible Hulk and the Dukes of Hazzard could meet stars of the old TV shows: Adam West, Lou Ferrigno, John Schneider and Tom Wopat.

And sports fans awaited baseball legends Dwight Gooden, Yogi Berra and Pete Rose.

"With this, we bring the comic-book world to life," said Gareb Shamus, CEO of Wizard Entertainment, which organized the New York show along with Comic-Cons in Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles and Toronto.

He started selling comics as a 12-year-old growing up in Nanuet, N.Y., a town 25 miles north of New York City.

"That was my first job - and I'm still doing it," said the 40-year-old father of two children, ages 9 and 11.
He plays with them, tapping their opinion about "what's the latest and greatest on the market," said Shamus, who publishes the FunFare toy-industry magazine. "My role is to identify what's hot before everyone else does."

More than 500 exhibitors displayed everything from a fully functioning Batmobile to the current dozen "hottest toys," chosen by FunFare.

As fans lined up to have comic books signed by their artistic creators, families streamed into the show.

"We don't want children to be exposed to an adults-only environment, with sex and violence," said Shamus, standing by a table where real-looking weapons - synthetic air pistols, machine-guns and a sniper rifle - were sold to anyone over 18 for as little $45.

On Friday, Shamus and two business partners launched GeekChicDaily, a free online newsletter and Web site aimed at pop culture enthusiasts looking for new video games, technology and applications.

"It's cool to be a geek now," Shamus said.
As part of the show, panel discussions were scheduled on topics such as ``Star Trek'' and reality shows.

With tickets to the event selling at $25 each, organizers expected at least 30,000 people - some dressed in costumes representing their favorite comic-book, movie or TV characters. Costumes were judged on Saturday evening during a party open to the public.

In short, Shamus said, Comic-Con "is like Toys R Us on steroids."
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On the Net:
Big Apple Comic-Con: http://www.wizardworld.com/home-apple.html

Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-CS-10-16-09 2352EDT

LONDON (AP) - The British capital's cutting-edge art sale kicks off Thursday, but cautious collectors may be cutting back.

Although London's annual Frieze Art Fair has all the usual weirdness - works include a ghostly white tree, molten red computer mice and garlands with breast-shaped balloons - exhibitors say the fair has lost much of its former frenzy.

"It's a different style of spending," said Javier Peres, of the Peres Projects gallery, which has locations in Berlin and Los Angeles. "It's a much more thoughtful process of acquiring works."

Frieze is one of the biggest events in the world of contemporary art - along with Art Basel in Switzerland, Art Basel Miami Beach and the Parisian art fair FIAC, which begins next week.

Gallery owners shell out serious money for a stall at the fair - largely seen as "a sign of recognition," according to Andreiana Mihail, whose eponymous Romanian gallery is displaying at Frieze for the first time.

The fair also generates a motley assortment of off-venue events and parties, ranging from the Zoo Art Fair - which tends to draw younger galleries - to the Free Art Fair, where artists give their work away to members of the public. Auctioneers are also capitalizing on the crowd of collectors flocking to Frieze by holding lucrative contemporary art sales.

Often surprising, sometimes bizarre, the fair embraces a wide range of art.

A particularly popular piece, a large, bronze trumpet plugged into a giant snow white ear, played Beethoven to passers-by. Nearby, a model's bare arm periodically poked out of a hole in a white wooden panel, lazily scratching out pencil marks before bemused visitors.

One work, a metal ziggurat made from recycled window frames, towered over the other exhibits. Lithuanian artist Mindaugas Navakas would not be drawn out on its meaning.

"There is no clear message," he said. "I'm not interested in clear messages."

But the message from buyers seems to be that they're on a budget. Many of Frieze's fringe events have disappeared, and the Free Art Fair says this year will be its last. Zoo has traded its stately home at the Royal Academy near Piccadilly Circus for grittier surroundings in East London's Shoreditch neighborhood and is experimenting with a less commercial feel.

Auctioneers are bracing for some of their worst October figures in years. Christie's expects sales of up to 23 million pounds ($37.2 million) at its two contemporary art auctions this weekend - a drop from 2008 and less than half of the 51.8 million pounds that changed hands at the same events in 2007.

Sotheby's is also preparing for lower sales at this weekend's contemporary art and 20th century Italian art auctions. The two events collectively made more than 60 million pounds in 2007 - but this year Sotheby's only expects sales of up to a third of that amount.

With fewer works being put up for sale, Sotheby's condensed its day and evening auctions into one.

Christie's spokesman Matthew Patton said contemporary art sales volumes are down across the auction world.

First-time exhibitors at Frieze were under no illusions.

"To be honest, it might be hard to recoup the money" spent on renting out a stall, said Olga Chatzidaki, whose Greek gallery AMP is only a year old. But she liked the exposure at one of the world's top art events.

The sentiment was backed by Mihail, whose modest white stall was dominated by a large red banner reading: "Long Live and Thrive Capitalism."

"It's worth it, even if I don't sell," she said. "Image is more important than money."

Note: See the London Eye column to be published on Auction Central News on Monday, Oct. 19 for Tom Flynn's insightful observations of this year's Frieze Art Fair.

___

On the Net:

Frieze Art Fair: http://www.friezeartfair.com/

Zoo Art Fair: http://www.zooartenterprises.com/

Free Art Fair: http://www.freeartfair.com/

Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-ES-10-15-09 1035EDT

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Promoters Bill and Kay Puchstein, who together with Jim and Yvonne Tucker purchased the West Palm Beach Antique Festival in December 2008, have bought out their partners to assume full control of the popular south Florida show.

The Tuckers, who live primarily in Missouri and independently organize nine Florida shows between January and March of each year, decided the additional duties required of them would be too much to take on in addition to their already demanding schedules. The West Palm Beach Antiques Festival is an 8-times-yearly event, with an additional 800-dealer Spectacular held in February.

The first edition of the West Palm Beach Antiques Festival's 2010 season to operate under the Puchsteins' exclusive management will be held Nov. 6-8. Under the Puchsteins, some features will remain the same, such as early buying on Fridays. But shoppers will note some changes they're sure to appreciate, such as an upgraded entrance area with garden and architectural items, and live plants. Dealers will take turns decorating the lobby, for a fresh and different look each month.

Dealer/visitor interaction is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the festival. A mainstay at the show for some 20 years, now, is Florida memorabilia dealer and expert Larry Roberts, author of Florida's Golden Age of Souvenirs 1890-1930. Roberts specializes in pre-1950 examples of Floridiana and usually has more than 1,000 objects plus postcards and paper goods at his booth. In recent years, Roberts has expanded his inventory to reflect a longtime interest in Native-American artifacts from Florida and pre-Colombian artifacts from South America.

Additional news coming from the Puchstein camp confirms that the Jan. 1-3, 2010 show will serve as the launch pad for the 1st Annual Antiques and Modernism event, a combination of the traditional West Palm Beach Antiques Festival show and the West Palm Beach Modernism show. Modernism dealers from all over the country will offer Arts & Crafts, Mid-century, Art Nouveau, glass, pottery, European furniture and accessories, and other specialties.

For more information about the West Palm Beach Antiques Festival, call 941-697-7475.

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ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - Allison Kohler, owner of JMK Shows & Events, will produce the new Atlantic City Antiques and Collectors Show, which will debut March 27-28 at the Atlantic City Convention Center.

The new event will replace the long-running AtlantiqueCity show, which F+W Media announced in September it would no longer produce.

Officials at the Atlantic City Convention Center began interviewing and evaluating promoters who could bring a high-quality show to their venue. On Oct. 2 they notified Kohler that she had been chosen to produce the new event.

JMK Shows, based in Succasunna, N.J., produces antique shows, doll shows and home shows. Allison's parents, Rona and Jesse Kohler, founded the company in 1972. They are still active in the business.

The two-day event at Atlantic City will combine all categories of antiques and collectibles in one spectacular location, yet they will be separated within the venue. Antique furniture and furnishings will be set up in one area, toys and ephemera in another. Vintage clothing will have its own designated section, as will fine art and dolls.

For one admission, attendees will be able to visit and shop from several specialty shows under one roof. For dealers, this means attractive booth pricing structures depending on their specialty, said Kohler.

"I am honored and welcome the opportunity to create, reinvent and rebrand an event of this caliber in Atlantic City," said Kohler.

Dealers interested in obtaining information about exhibiting at the new Atlantic City Antiques and Collectors Show should visit the JMK Shows & Events Web site at www.JMKSHows.com, e-mail Allison Kohler directly at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call the offices of JMK at (973) 927-2794.

NEW YORK - On Wednesday, Sept. 16, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum will host the 2009 Guggenheim International Gala, its annual fundraising celebration, now in its fifth year.

The gala is chaired by Richard Armstrong, Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and Museum; Maria Baibakova, Isabella and Theodor Dalenson; Danielle Ganek, Art Garfunkel, Sarah Jessica Parker, Amy Phelan, and Jacqueline Sackler. Honorary chairs are Phyllis and William Mack; and Jennifer and David Stockman.

The Guggenheim will honor Deutsche Bank, its visionary partner, with a special tribute.

A star-studded event among the full year of 50th anniversary programming, the 2009 Guggenheim International Gala will take place within the Guggenheim's Frank Lloyd Wright-designed landmark on Fifth Avenue, where guests will enjoy a preview of the full-scale Kandinsky retrospective that opens to the public on Sept. 18. In addition, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's new performance installation, Levels of Nothingness, commissioned and produced by Works & Process at the Guggenheim, will premiere with two 25-minute performances at 8 pm and 10 pm.

The evening will begin with cocktails at 7 p.m. in the rotunda and in the newly opened Cafe 3 space overlooking Central Park. The spiraling ramps will offer a preview of Kandinsky, a major exhibition of almost 100 paintings and more than 60 works on paper by Vasily Kandinsky, a pioneer of abstraction and an artist whose work was collected in depth by Solomon R. Guggenheim.

Music will be provided by Dustin O'Halloran, whose piano compositions were featured in Sofia Coppola's film Marie Antoinette, along with a string quartet.

Peter Hoffman of the SoHo restaurant Savoy, long recognized for its commitment to sustainable agriculture, is preparing a special menu showcasing seasonal organic ingredients from local farms.

A pristine white decor with Swarovski crystals designed by Michael Gabellini of Gabellini Sheppard Associates will provide a backdrop for the bright spectrum of the Kandinsky canvases in the exhibition and the guests' suggested attire, black tie with colors inspired by Kandinsky.

Before or after dinner, guests are invited to the museum's Peter B. Lewis Theater for the debut of Levels of Nothingness. Inspired by Kandinsky's The Yellow Sound (1912), Mexican-born Rafael Lozano-Hemmer creates an installation where colors derive automatically from the human voice to generate an interactive light performance. Isabella Rossellini will read seminal philosophical texts on skepticism, color, and perception, as her voice is analyzed by computers that control a full complement of rock-and-roll concert lighting. The audience will have the opportunity to test the color-generating microphone as well.

As a gift from the Guggenheim to its friends and supporters, a limited-edition art object, a miniature organ emitting both music and light by Peter Coffin titled Clavier à lumières, will be given to all guests. In tandem with Kandinsky's explorations of synaesthesia, the New York-based Coffin's work reimagines the notion of a unified sensory experience, operating as an instrument of integrated color, light, and sound.

The annual gala was the recent recipient of three awards at the 2008 New York Event Style Awards for its transformation of a raw parking garage for the 2007 Guggenheim International Gala. Funds raised from the 2009 gala will support the exhibitions and programming at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

In-kind support for the Gala is provided by Swarovski. Levels of Nothingness is made possible by Deutsche Bank and Colección/Fundación Jumex.

To purchase tickets or for ticketing information, contact Bronwyn Keenan at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 212-423-3539.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - The 70th anniversary of the release of the MGM musical The Wizard of Oz won't pass unnoticed in the home state of its central character, the feisty Kansas farm girl Dorothy Gale.

The capstone of Kansas celebrations of the August 1939 release of the iconic film will be Oct. 3-4 at a special edition of the annual OZtoberFEST in Wamego, the northeast Kansas town that has embraced all things Oz more so than any other in the state in which L. Frank Baum's set the books that inspired the movie.

However, commemoration of The Wizard of Oz at 70 already has commenced in Topeka, the capital city whose capitol dome is the color of the Emerald City.

The Great Overland Station, the railroading museum, is showing through October All Aboard the Oz Express, which contains just a fraction of the Oz memorabilia collected by Jane Albright since she was a girl growing up in Topeka's Potwin neighborhood.

I grew up reading Oz books,'' the former Jane McNeive said recently at the display in the station's Fink Exhibit Gallery. The books, she said, "present Oz as a very real place," and one with which the young girl was fascinated.

"I remember when I was little, my parents were planning a trip to Utah, and I was just really cross that they weren't taking us to Oz," she said. "It seemed possible because when you read these books, Dorothy keeps getting there."

By the time Albright was a student at Hayden High School and later The University of Kansas, she was collecting more than just Oz books. After friends gave her some Oz collectibles, Albright began acquiring more, particularly vintage games and toys.

Albright found items that date back to around 1900 when Baum published the first Oz book. There are Valentine's Day cards, jars of Oz peanut butter, even an Oz snowboard. She has posters of the original movie and its many international editions. There are Oz books from around the world, especially Russia where Oz sequels have become so popular some think it originated in that country.

One section is devoted to holiday ornaments, nutcrackers and other seasonal Oz items, with a nod to the fact that Baum wrote non-Oz books, too, including The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus.

Albright's material also includes acknowledgement of the spin-offs of Oz, including the Broadway musical Wicked and other film adaptations of the Baum story or movies and television programs that reference Oz or use it as a jumping-off point.

Although the walls are covered, display cases jammed and exhibit areas crammed with Oz memorabilia, Albright said visitors to her home wouldn't think anything was missing from her collection there because it is so extensive. She also is putting together an exhibit of Oz dolls for the United Federation of Doll Clubs Museum in Kansas City, Mo.

As an active member of the International Wizard of Oz Club, Albright also is organizing its annual convention which will be Oct. 2-4 in Manhattan and Wamego. In Manhattan, the English Department at Kansas State University will conduct a symposium, Recreating Oz, in conjunction with the convention, which also is timed to coincide with Wamego's OZtoberFEST.

All four of the still-living actors who portrayed Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz who still make public appearances will attend OZtoberFEST for autograph sessions and cameo appearances in the Columbian Theatre's annual production of the stage musical version of The Wizard of Oz. There also will be hot-air balloon rides, presentations, a display of gowns worn by Judy Garland and other activities.

Albright said she intentionally made the All Aboard the Oz Express exhibit at the Great Overland Station one that people coming to the International Wizard of Oz Club convention or OZtoberFESt would want to stop and see, as it isn't duplicative of what is on display at the Oz Museum in Wamego.

Another much-anticipated lead-up to OZtoberFEST will be the release next month of a 70th anniversary edition of The Wizard of Oz.

Each of the 1939 film's original Technicolor camera negatives was scanned and reassembled in a new digital master with twice the resolution seen in the master for the film's previous DVD releases. People can see the result in movie theaters Sept. 23 at a special one-night screening.

The one in Topeka will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Hollywood 14, where the tickets already are on sale.

Then on Sept. 29, The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Edition will go on sale, including a commemorative set with nearly four of all-new and never-before-available bonus features housed in numbered collectible packaging. It will sell for a limited time only for $69.92 for DVD and $84.99 for Blu-ray Hi-Def. There also will be a two-disc special edition DVD set for $24.98.

Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-CS-08-22-09 1501EDT

LONDON - On Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, promoter and toy soldier authority Norman Joplin will present his annual Old Toy Soldier and Figure Show at the Holiday Inn Bloomsbury, on Coram Street in London. Sponsored by Old Toy Soldier magazine, the show is held in the hotel's combined Academy, Booker and Turner Rooms, and this year will feature 52 dealers selling antique and vintage toy soldiers and civilian figures from 75 tables.

"There may be bigger toy soldier shows, but this event is the only one that is a dateline show," said Joplin. "The dealers sell only items made during the 90-year period between the 1890s and 1980s, and that's what attracts buyers from all over the UK, Europe and even the United States. In all, there will be between fifty and seventy-five-thousand soldiers and figures available for purchase."

High-profile British dealers who will be taking part include Lynn Kenwood, Ged Haley, Bill Kingsman, and principals of The Toy Cupboard, a business known for its inventory of extremely rare civilian figures. Continental vendors include Francois Beaumont (France), Nils Fischer (Sweden) and Thomas Finck (Germany). American dealer, publisher and auction company partner Ray Haradin will also be there, offering a fine selection of early productions by Britains, Heyde and Mignot, as well as coveted "dime store" figures.

In addition to browsing and buying, attendees will be able to chat with Hugo Marsh of Special Auction Services, Leigh Gotch of Bonhams, representatives of Old Toy Soldier magazine, and author Peter Greenhill, who will be launching his new book published by GMC Publications titled The Heraldic Sketchbook.

"We are honored that Peter has chosen to introduce his new book at this show," said Joplin. "Peter has continued the tradition of Richard Courtenay heraldic figures by adding to the original range and producing his own widely admired line of figures under the branding of Courtenay Greenhill. Collectors are excited over the prospect of meeting Peter."

The camaraderie with fellow collectors from around the world is, to many, the highlight of the show. "It's a unique opportunity that happens only once a year, where everyone gathers together to buy, sell, deal, swap and socialize," Joplin said. "We don't charge admission for anyone under 16 because we want to encourage parents to bring their children and instill an interest in collecting toy soldiers and figures to a whole new generation. It's a timeless, ageless hobby."

Show details: The Old Toy Soldier and Figure Show, sponsored by Old Toy Soldier magazine, will take place at the Holiday Inn Bloomsbury, Coram Street, London, from 10:30 a.m. till 4 p.m. Admission is £3 ($5), under 16 free. Early buying starts at 6:30 a.m. and costs £15 ($25). The venue is only two minutes' walk north of Russell Square Underground station.

For additional information, call 262-692-3913 in the USA or 01926 496062 in the UK, or visit www.normanjoplin.com. E-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

IOLA, Wis. – For more than 23 years, collectors from all corners of the world made the journey to the southern New Jersey gambling mecca of Atlantic City to shop for antiques and collectibles at the Atlantique City mega-show. Those days – at least under the current ownership – now appear to have come to an end with the announcement from F+W Media, parent company of the show’s sponsor, Antique Trader, that the spring 2010 edition of the event has been canceled.

Citing the opportunity to further develop its online collectors marketplace and launch a Midwest-based antiques event, F+W Media issued a press release confirming its cancellation of the spring event, which would have taken place over the weekend of March 27-28, 2010. While the press release leaves questions regarding whether or not the show name and rights have been sold, or may be sold, there can be little question that F+W is moving in other directions within the antique-show sector.

“Given the uncertainty surrounding the current economic environment, we believe it’s in our best interest not to produce the Atlantique City event next year and to notify the antiques and collectibles community of our decision now,” said David Blansfield, President, F+W Media. “The resources within our Antiques & Collectibles team will instead focus on new opportunities within our changing marketplace, and we’ll engage with the community about these new initiatives immediately.”

“There are immediate opportunities for us to produce events in the Midwest, closer to our core communities, as well as to continue to develop…our antiques and collectibles community online,” Blansfield added. “Our focus will shift to organically growing these new businesses.”

Key initiatives include the launch of an antiques and collectibles show at the Iola Old Car Show and Swap Meet, with a July 8-11, 2010 debut. The Iola car show and swap meet regularly attracts nearly 100,000 attendees annually. Additionally, F+W plans to develop its online collector marketplace and expand its Antique Trader print and online editions.

“Our goal is to better serve both buyers and sellers and all enthusiasts moving forward,” Antique Trader Publisher and Editorial Director Dianne Wheeler. “New opportunities are being created every day to ensure F+W Media’s family of products are well positioned at the core of the community, serving our readers and vendor partners in the best way possible.”

In her Sept. 2, 2009 blog appearing in the online edition of the Press of Atlantic City newspaper, columnist Carla Linz Callaway suggests that the event fell prey to "changing times and technology," and that it is gone for good. In the blog posting, she writes that "Atlantic City tourism officials don't expect it to come back."

While unconfirmed, there has been a buzz circulating within the antiques trade that a Florida-based show promotion group may have bought, or is in the process of buying, Atlantique City - or that they may be interested in establishing an antiques fair of their own at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Whether there is any truth to the rumor or not, collectors can look forward to another new show which will take place in the Philadelphia/South Jersey metro area - an “antiques and collectors expo” produced by Jerry Frey. The show will launch in April 2010 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks, near Valley Forge and King of Prussia Mall. Auction Central News will provide full details on this event in the near future.

All dealers who signed up in advance for Atlantique City will receive a full and complete refund of their deposit monies as soon as possible. Any questions regarding deposits should be addressed to Events Coordinator Karen Thulien, She can be reached via e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

About Atlantique City:

Held in recent years at the new Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantique City started in 1986 as an annual show held at the original Atlantic City Convention Center venue and quickly grew as one of the nation’s most diverse and largest indoor antiques and collectibles shows. In time, the show expanded to semiannual status. Over the years, some of the world’s top dealers exhibited antiques, toys, advertising, fine porcelain, glass and lighting, jewelry and various collectibles at Atlantique City.

Krause Publications purchased the show from founder Norman Schaut in 2001 and eventually dropped the fall edition, returning it to an annual event. The shows consistently offered as much in entertainment value as in buying and selling opportunities. Special displays have included the Kennedy Collection, Miss America memorabilia, and Treasures from the Titanic.

The state Treasurer's Office said it's the first time the PBS show has delved into unclaimed property held by a state.

Show host Mark L. Walberg and appraiser Peter Shemonsky went to the Capitol in Denver today to look over some of the jewelry in Colorado's Unclaimed Property Division.

Eric Rothaus, a spokesman for state Treasurer Cary Kennedy, said the visit was videotaped for broadcast on the show. The show also plans a stop at the Colorado Convent Center in Denver on Saturday.

Last year, the Unclaimed Property Division returned more than $22 million of lost and forgotten property through the Great Colorado Payback.

Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WS-07-23-09 1403EDT

MILTON, W.Va. - Blenko Glass Company will host its 2nd annual Festival of Glass on Aug. 7 and 8 at its corporate headquarters and studio in Milton, W.Va.

Glass-blowing demonstrations and workshops will begin at 8:00 a.m. on the 7th. Interested parties are urged to sign up as soon as possible, as space is limited.

Blenko is one of the few remaining handcrafted glass companies in the United States, and has been in its current location since 1921. Skilled craftsmen have produced handcrafted Blenko glass for four generations.

Blenko Glass Company located at 9 Bill Blenko Dr., off exit 28 of Interstate 64 in Milton. Other attractions nearby include antique shops and a large flea market. To read more about the festival and to view a schedule of demonstrations, log on to www.blenkoglass.com.

CRANBROOK, ENGLAND - The Antiques Dealers Fair Limited is introducing three new fine art and antiques fairs in 2010. Described as "prestigious boutique events," the fairs will take place in Gloucestershire, Hampshire and Leicestershire.

The first new venture takes place at Tortworth Court, near Wotton-under-Edge in Gloucestershire (Feb. 26-28, 2010), replacing The LAPADA Autumn Antiques and Fine Art Fair, an autumn event that formerly was held at The Centaur at Cheltenham Racecourse for five years.

The next new event is The Botleigh Grange Antiques and Fine Art Fair at Hedge End near Southampton. This fair has been introduced to serve an eager audience in the south and is slated for April 23-25, 2010. It accommodates some 30 exhibitors.

A further fair joins the 2010 schedule in the autumn. The Luxury Antiques Weekend at Stapleford Park in Stapleford near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire (Sept. 17-19, 2010). Stapleford Park Country House Hotel is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World and is situated in the most stunning quintessentially English countryside.

"My small, high quality fairs featuring an interesting mix of specialist dealers have proved very popular with the public, and they attract discerning clients who find the concept of 20 to 25 reputable exhibitors under one roof at conveniently situated four-star hotels most appealing," explains Ingrid Nilson of The Antiques Dealers Fair Limited.

"A number of BADA and LAPADA members have been tremendous supporters of my fairs, which are vetted with a dateline of 1970 for most disciplines," Nilson continued. "Strong marketing plays a major role in ensuring all our fairs are not just regional events, but bring in a suitably wide audience, even from abroad."

Visit The Antiques Dealers Fair Limited online at www.adfl.co.uk.

PHILADELPHIA - The seller behind the greatest real estate deal in American history - the Louisiana Purchase - which doubled the size of the country at a cost of $15 million, or approximately four cents per acre - was Napoléon Bonaparte (1769-1821). The French leader remains an undeniably powerful and enigmatic figure in world history. Through Sept. 7, 2009, the National Constitution Center will host NAPOLÉON, an exhibition offering visitors a rare opportunity to explore the private life of the Emperor of France and to see beyond the legend to gain an understanding of this complex political leader whose actions reshaped the landscape of Europe and America.

Created from the extraordinary collection of First Empire authority and author Pierre-Jean Chalençon, NAPOLÉON showcases rare, personal belongings of Napoléon I, as well as some of the most famous depictions of him by important artists of the time. NAPOLÉON is a 6,000 square foot international traveling exhibition distributed by Exhibits Development Group in cooperation with Cultural Arts Entertainment Group. The Constitution Center is the sixth stop on the NAPOLÉON exhibition's first North American Tour. The exhibition marks the first time a number of items from the Chalençon Collection have ever been on display to the general public.

"Napoléon is one of history's most iconic political figures; this exhibition sheds light on his fascinating life," said National Constitution Center President and Chief Executive Officer, Linda E. Johnson. "It also conveys how the destinies of France and America intersected from the time of the American Revolution to Napoléon's reign."

NAPOLÉON features more than 300 objects from the First Empire of Napoléon Bonaparte, including original framed paintings, sculptures, personal effects, prints, and documents, as well as furniture from the Imperial palaces. The exhibition is organized into 12 sections that trace Napoléon's life: The Rise to Power, The Egyptian Campaign, First Consul, The Coronation, The Emperor's Family, The Imperial Court, Art and the Emperor, Napoléon at War, The Road to Defeat, The Final Exile, Death of the Emperor, and Legend.

Highlights include:

* The earliest known letter in Napoléon's hand, written at age 14

* A lock of hair from Napoléon's wife, Empress Josephine Bonaparte

* The sword that proclaimed Napoléon Emperor in the Coronation Ceremony at Notre Dame

* One of Napoléon's signature hats worn during the battle at Essling in 1809

* Napoléon's camp bed from the Battle of Wagram

* Napoléon's personal map of the French Empire at its zenith in 1812

* In his own hand, the first will Napoléon wrote during his final exile on the island of St. Helena

* Napoléon's monogrammed shirt and long johns worn shortly before his death

The exhibition also showcases connections between Napoléon and the United States. The correlations are highlighted in artifact displays, such as the valise that contained the signed Louisiana Purchase documents from America and a book on the American Revolution from Napoléon's exile on the island of St. Helena. Additionally, text panels chronicle the influence of the American Revolution on the French Revolution, Napoléon's admiration for George Washington, the impact of the Louisiana Purchase on America, how President James Monroe used First Empire style to redecorate the White House, and the time Napoléon's brother, Joseph Bonaparte, spent living in Philadelphia and Bordentown, N.J., among other connections.

To further augment the exhibition, the Center's public programming staff in the Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach is developing a variety of special programs and family activities. Also in keeping with the Center's mission to foster discussion and citizen engagement, evening programs about current and historical topics related to the exhibition are planned.

In addition, the Center is offering a special iPod audio tour in conjunction with the NAPOLÉON exhibition. Guests can learn more about the man behind the legend during this extensive tour, which is offered in English, French, and Spanish.

Visitors to the exhibition will receive exclusive offers and discounts from French restaurants, boutiques, and galleries throughout the Greater Philadelphia area when they present their NAPOLÉON ticket stub at participating businesses.

The Center has also partnered with the Alliance Française de Philadelphie and the French-American Chamber of Commerce in Philadelphia to promote the exhibition throughout the region.

Admission to NAPOLÉON is $17.50 for adults, $16.50 for seniors ages 65 and up, and $13.50 for children ages 4-12. Active military personnel and children ages 3 and under are free. Group rates are also available. Admission to the Center's main exhibition, The Story of We the People, including the award-winning theater production "Freedom Rising," is included. iPod audio tours cost an additional $4. For ticket information, call 215.409.6700 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.