by Madison Fisler Lewis
July 30, 2014. Starting on Friday, Aug. 1, the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum will host the eighth annual Art and Antiques Show which will continue through the weekend until Aug. 3.
A special “preview party” will be held on Thursday, July 31, for guests to get a good look at all the items that will be offered this year. Vendors hailing from all across the East Coast will be bringing a vast array of items that range from fine and folk art to furniture and jewelry and everything in between. During the preview party, shoppers will enjoy wine and cheese during the early purchasing opportunity. The cutoff date for purchasing tickets for the preview party was last week, and this year the museum is expecting more than 100 people to attend.
On Saturday, Aug. 2, Schatzie Crowther from Ayr Mount will give an informal presentation about the 1815 Federal-era plantation house located in Hillsborough that has been restored and furnished with period antiques and fine art. Tickets to hear the guest speaker are an additional $20.
The presentation is titled “String of Pearls: Historic Houses of R.H. Jenrette.”
From a release:
Ayr Mount is a hidden gem located off the Old Indian Trading Path in Hillsborough. Built for merchant William Kirkland of Ayr, Scotland, this 1815 Federal-era plantation home remained in the Kirkland family for four generations. In 1985, Ayr Mount was purchased and meticulously restored to its original splendor by Raleigh native Dick Jenrette. Over the past 40 years he has owned and restored a dozen old houses, most dating back to the early 19th century. He has received awards for preservation activities including the Ruth Coltrane Cannon Award, the North Carolina Order of the Long Leaf Pine and the MESDA Frank L. Horton Lifetime Achievement Award for the Southern Decorative Arts. Schatzie Crowther and Bill Crowther have worked at Ayr Mount for 25 and 30 years, respectively. Schatzie is the Director of Visitor Services and has seen the site transform from a private residence to a public treasure.
“This is our biggest fundraiser of the year,” said Allison Wonsick, Communications Manager at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum.
“All of the money raised goes towards operating costs of the museum. Being a nonprofit, we need these fundraisers and the generous support from our sponsors.”
Items that will be available include the following:
- Fine art
- Folk art
- Antique furniture
- Jewelry
- Silver
- Fine porcelain
Hours for the Art and Antiques Show this year are 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 1 and Saturday, Aug. 2. On Sunday, the hours for the show are 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tickets to the show are $10 and give guests access to the show for the entire weekend. The tickets can be purchased at the door.
The official vendor list includes:
- Blythe Jewelers
- York Cottage Antiques
- The Polished Antique
- Heritage Antiques Maps
- Mountain Thistle Antiques
- Sherwood Antiques
- Victoriana
- John Dennison Fine Arts
- Shaia Oriental Rugs
- Bond Street Antiques
- Zane Moss Antiques
- Brill’s Antiques
- Town & Country Linens and Textiles
- Davis O’Reilly Antiques
- Rohx Baxter Designs
- David Herndon Antiques
- Red Clay Gallery
The Blowing Rock Art and History Museum is located at 159 Chestnut St. in downtown Blowing Rock. For more information, call 828-295-9099.
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