Antiques expert
Judy Frankel
lets us trail along
as she shops the
Ann Arbor
Antiques Market.
WRITTEN BY KHRISTI ZIMMETH
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANGIE BAAN
Ever wish you knew insider secrets for shopping antiques and
collectibles shows? We have. So we jumped at the chance to
spend the day at the Ann Arbor Antiques Market — celebrating
its 40th year — with our favorite insider, Judy Frankel of Judy
Frankel Antiques in Troy.
Fortified by strong black coffee from one of many on-site
booths and shielded from the nasty weather by a trusty umbrella
(the show goes on rain or shine; these people are serious!), we
met one recent Sunday morning to navigate the hundreds of
booths set up on the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds in Ann
Arbor (for details, see sidebar).
A former show dealer (she was a regular exhibitor about 15
years ago), Frankel now scours Europe to stock her always-tempt-
ing shop. In Ann Arbor, she spent the day greeting old friends
and chatting up new ones as we worked our way through the
labyrinthine booths and their thou-
sands of wonderful wares. Along
the way, she pointed out interesting
objects, offered tips on determining
authenticity and other instructions
on how to separate the wheat from
the chaff Here's what we learned
at the feet of the master:
Top Textiles "I love old fabrics,"
says Judy, who collects 17th-century
textiles, among other things. One
of the first items that caught her
eye was an early 20th-century crazy quilt made of old millinery
fittings. She complimented Indiana dealer Karen Anderson
on its quality and condition. "The graphics on this just don't
quit,' she says. Dated 1909 and initialed "mgt," it was an
example of a hard-to-find antique. "I once had a quilt made
up of old pockets," she says. "At $1,200, it's a very good price,
despite a little bit of damage. You just don't see a lot of these."
Eye Candy While the stalls were filled with all kinds of vin-
tage jewelry, Judy's eyes lit up over a bit of beautiful bling for
the home — a 1930s chandelier in the booth of Indiana dealer
Patricia Appenzeller. "That's a nice European chandelier," she
said. "I like the bronze color," which, she says, helps identify
Judy spent the day greeting old
friends and chaffing up new ones
as we worked our way through
the labyrinthine booths and their
thousands of wonderful wares.
This page, top to bottom: Among the finds at
the Ann Arbor Antiques Market is a crazy quilt
(in the Victorian sense of broken or "crazed"
into splinters) made of old millinery fittings,
dated 1909. Vintage ribbons and chenilles
tempt passersby. Flow Blue china is a popular
collectible. Opposite page, clockwise from top:
Many items are repurposed from antiques,
like this jewelry made from typewriter keys.
A three-tiered Italian chandelier dates to the
1930s. Antiques dealer Judy Frankel points
out identifying marks on a piece of Gouda pot-
tery to writer Khristi Zimmeth.
B 2 0 •
SEPTEMBER 2008 • EN
platinum
its Italian origins. "I don't think the French ever did that color.
The size and the prisms make it especially nice." She also liked
the price tag — a bargain at $895. "The smaller size makes it
perfect for a smaller home and can be hard to find," she says.
Great Gouda No, it's not a cheese; it's European art pottery.
Named after a manufacturing city in Holland, Gouda thrived
in the first half of the 20th century "Now here's something,"
Judy says as we wandered past David Spear's booth and she
picked up a small piece of the earthenware. "I love Gouda, but
you don't see a lot of it in the States. It's usually bright and
vibrant, but this one is a bit more subdued," she says. She cau-
tions that while more reproductions are hitting the market as
the pottery's popularity increases, you can tell old Gouda by its
weight. "The problem is that the Chinese can make anything,
and often do," explains dealer Spear, of Onion House Antiques
in Bay City "As a collector, you have to be especially vigilant."
Salvage Style Super-cool industrial antiques are hot, hot,
hot, says Frankel, who is bringing back more and more early
manufacturing items from her European travels. She says her
clients can't get enough. She oohed and aahed over a pair of
$700 industrial pipe racks in Toledo dealer Don Billmaier's chic
booth. Billmaier's shop name — aptly titled D-Bomb Antiques
— boasts a tag line of "Nuclear Antiques." Pointing out the
gunmetal gray color of the metal, she says, "I love the color and
patina of this stuff It's definitely a hot trend and something to
keep an eye on in the future."
When To Go
There's still time to get in a few finds before winter begins
and you're forced to troll indoor antiques shops and
eBay 'til spring. Celebrating its 40th year, the Ann Arbor
Antiques Market will be open Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 20-
21 and Oct. 18-19. For more information, contact (352) 771-
8928 or visit annarborantiquesmarket.com . Judy Frankel
Antiques is in the Antiques Centre of Troy. To contact her,
call (248) 649-4399 or visit judyfrankelantiques.com .