NYBG's 2019 Garden Furniture & Antiques Fair
Spring is a popular time for fairs and sales of all kinds and whenever my schedule allows, I always try to attend a few of my favorites.
Last week, I went to The New York Botanical Garden’s annual Garden Furniture & Antiques Fair. This year, more than 20 of the country’s leading exhibitors showcased their finest garden antiques for purchase. I also attended the Preview Party Collectors’ Plant Sale, which features hard-to-find trees, shrubs, and plants propagated from NYBG collections, and hand-selected for their rarity and charm. It’s a splendid time of year to be at The New York Botanical Garden - not only to enjoy its many fun and interesting events but to see its stunning gardens and horticultural displays. I hope you take the opportunity to visit the next time you are in the New York City area.
Here are some photos - enjoy.
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- The Garden Furniture & Antiques Fair is held every spring to benefit NYBG’s Fund for Horticulture, which directly supports curators and gardeners who work tirelessly to make The New York Botanical Garden one of the most important horticultural showplaces in the world.
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- The event is set-up just outside the NYBG’s landmark Enid A. Haupt Conservatory – the nation’s largest Victorian glasshouse. The Palm Court, with its spectacular 90-foot dome, is often used for receptions and other gatherings.
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- The Fair includes a variety of 18th, 19th and early 20th-century garden antiques, architectural elements and accessories from both Europe and America. Here is a collection of botanical plates from More & More Antiques in New York City. http://www.moreandmoreantiquesnyc.com
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- I always like to visit with the dealers to learn about the pieces they exhibit. Here I am with Brooklyn-based modernist dealer, Rayon Roskar, behind some of his decorative garden ornaments and a planter. Rayon also focuses on early to mid-century Swiss lighting design – you can see a few of his lighting pieces behind us. http://rayonroskar.com/
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- These garden containers are from Milne At Home Antiques. I love this basket – the details of the weave are so beautiful. http://milneinc.com/
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- Here is a view of the top of the planter.
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- And here is another pretty planting vessel with its interesting shape and carvings.
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- Here I am with Judith Milne – I stop at the Milne booth every year. It always has many large and beautiful outdoor planting containers.
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- Here is a table filled with all kinds of flower frogs. Flower frogs are made of lead, pottery, glass, or bronze and sit at the bottom of a bowl or a vase to hold flower arrangements firmly in place.
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- There are also many casual and whimsical pieces at the Fair, such as this stone hippo animal ornament.
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- David Bell Antiques in Washington, D.C. featured this garden ornament – a stone carved collection of fruit. It reminds me of the the ones I have at my Bedford, New York farm, which inspired my fruit basket planters available on QVC.
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- Here are some other stone planters from David Bell – many of the planters are already filled with lovely specimens.
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- I also liked this garden chair from Village Braider Antiques in Plymouth, Massachusetts – a family owned business that’s been selling antique elements for more than 35-years. https://www.villagebraider.com/
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- The Village Braider paired the chair with this curved bench.
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- Here’s another fun animal figure – a fish presented by Fleur in nearby Mt. Kisco, New York. Fleur specializes in rare and distinctive garden antiques, and other decorative accessories for the home. http://www.fleur-newyork.com/index1.html
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- I am always drawn to anything faux bois. Fleur also had these fun faux bois stools.
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- And on the wall – this stunning gold mirror.
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- Nearby, I stopped to look at these faux bois planters from Finnigan Gallery in Chicago, Illinois. Finnigan Gallery offers a variety of 18th, 19th and early 20th century garden antiques, architectural elements, bold and unusual lighting as well as eclectic furniture and accessories from both Europe and America. http://www.finnegangallery.com
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- Multiples of a kind are very useful in decorating. Here is a set of three marble stones with scalloped edges from Valaer Van Royen in New York City. https://www.van-royen.com/
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- And this was a familiar piece – a giant clam shell. My own giant clam shells also inspired products now available on QVC. This one is another beautiful piece from Valaer Van Royen.
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- Jeffrey Henkel Antiques in Pennington, New Jersey, offers many sculptural elements and antique garden objects, such as this interesting collection of pegs. http://www.jeffreyhenkel.com
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- Here I am with Jeffrey in front of his display.
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- Kevin Sharkey, who attended the Fair with me, took this photo of a bronze leaf – it can be hung on the wall as an art piece or placed on a table.
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- The Collectors’ Plant Sale attracted many buyers and a flurry of activity. NYBG experts are always on hand at events to help guests make their selections. The Garden is an ideal venue for learning about plants and expanding personal botanical collections. I always make a stop to see the beautiful plants for sale.
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- Here I am with longtime publicist, Susan Magrino – it’s always fun to attend events like this one with close friends.
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- In this photo, I’m joined by CEO and President of the New York Botanical Garden, Carrie Rebora Barratt, and two antiques dealers.
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- In the end, I purchased several plants including red-osier dogwood, Cornus sericea “Cardinal’, buttercup winter-hazel, Corylopsis pauciflora, and a variegated Jacob’s ladder, Polemonium caeruleum, Brise d’Anjou. These will make wonderful additions to my gardens at the farm. What a fun evening at The New York Botanical Garden – please visit the NYBG when you can.
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