Travelling – Antique Spectacular

Antiquers come to Expo Center to buy back their childhood

katiemck — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 14:18:57 +0000

ROCK ISLAND -- The shelves and cases held memories hundreds were happy to remember. Glassware, jewelry, rugs, books, postcards, trinkets, furniture, knickknacks and more offered glimpses into the past, of how the world once was and how it still is. "If things could talk," said Debbie Sexton, of Sumner, Iowa. With her sister, Denise Erusha, of Cedar Rapids, the two wandered the winding path lined with 70 antique dealer booths at the QCCA Expo Center Saturday during the annual Fall Antique Spectacular. "We antique a lot," Ms. Sexton said, adding that seeing all of the items "gives you the feeling that not everything is disposable." Antiques are little treasures, she said. When people don't want something anymore, they tend throw it away or donate it to a thrift store such as Goodwill. But the items overflowing from nearby booths? They mean something, she said, glancing around. "Somebody hung on to this stuff." Margaret Behr, of Geneseo, was in search of antiques to add to the collections she and her parents held on to. She said she collects vintage Christmas items from the late 1880s through the 1960s, such as Santas, blown glass ornaments and turn-of-the-century cards, and was in search of more on Saturday. "I have such good memories of Christmas as a child," she said, like "helping my mom decorate the tree." Her parents came to the states from Germany in 1957, she said, and with them, they brought old Christmas decor. Having grown up with those decorations, Ms. Behr decided long ago that when she had a house of her own, she would decorate with vintage pieces, too. "I start decorating for Christmas the moment the Thanksgiving dishes are cleared off the table," she said. While she wasn't finding many holiday items Saturday, there were "fabulous primitives," she said, as well as some excellent pottery. "It's an exceptional show for this area," she said. The variety and quality of the items at the Antique Spectacular is what keeps antique dealer Steve Bina and his wife, Thelma, traveling to the event from La Crosse, Wis., to sell their items year after year. At the Quad-Cities show, he said, "We see stuff that we don't normally see." He said he tries to offer items in his booth, Steve Bina Antiques, that are of good quality and that are interesting and unique. Right now, he said, items that are mid-century modern -- or 50s retro items -- are popular, as well as western-inspired, Roy Rogers-era pieces, such as furniture made with wagon wheels. "I like meeting the people," Mr. Bina said, of traveling and dealing antiques. A retired teacher and administrator, he said he also enjoys learning about antiques. If he comes across something he doesn't know about, he said, he buys it and learns. "It's history," he said. "It's a piece of history." Some items -- especially those that span generations -- do not lose their value, he said, such as equipment for hobbies including hunting and fishing, and toys, things that kids and families do that their parents did and so on. "That's kind of what antiques are all about," he said. "You retire and buy your childhood back." By Laura Anderson Shaw, landerson@qconline.com

Antique Spectacular fuels memories of simpler times

katiemck — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 14:18:57 +0000

ROCK ISLAND -- The minute Heather Kopp walked through the doors of the QCCA Expo Center Saturday morning, the hunt was on. She and hundreds of others had their work cut out for them at the 18th Fall Antique Spectacular going on this weekend at the Expo Center in Rock Island. "You don't see this stuff at the mall," said Ms. Kopp's husband, Chris. Like many other attendees, the Aledo couple has frequented the Spectacular over the years because of the quality and variety of the available items. "(We) just like to look at the different antiques (and) anything old," Ms. Kopp said. Going through all of the items is the best part, she said. "That's the fun of it, (the) picking," she said. Going in with an open mind and no real game plan seems to suit prospective buyers best. "They have a big selection" with several vendors, said Sandra Haywood, of LeClaire. To make it through successfully, Ms. Haywood said she circles the room twice before she leaves. While she never comes to buy a specific item, some of her favorites to collect include Flow Blue Dishes that have what she described as a blurry, pretty blue and white pattern to them. "Blue is my favorite color," she said. Ms. Haywood said she has become more interested in antiquing over the past seven years or so, but she has "always liked them." Antiques just have "a warm feel to them," she said. Antiques dealerMaggie Vincent, of Bettendorf, described the Spectacular and antiques shows as a whole as "a sharing type of experience." She said she has been into antiquing for the past 30 years or so, and customers always want to tell her their stories. The items are filled with memories, she said. Customers often stop at her booth and talk about the various items she has on display, remembering their mothers and grandmothers, she said. "They're shopping for their childhood." That's exactly what Ed Quartell of Davenport was doing while his wife, Donna, was off in search of pottery. He was scoping out antique toys. They make you think back to the days when you would play with them as a kid, he said. Wandering around and looking at the treasures lends the "opportunity to basically not worry about today and fall back into those times when life was a little bit slower," and people weren't in such of a big hurry, he said. It also was a time when"people were more formal; their houses were more formal," said dealerLynn Rehberger, Highland, Ill., of Antiques II. "Possessions were hard to get, so they were prized, she said. Ms. Rehberger has been a dealer for 25 years and became interested in antiques and their stories years ago because her aunt's big, old house was filled with old things. "Everything had a function," she said, such as special dishes for salt and vases for celery. "It was a different time," she said. She enjoys talking with people, spreading and hearing their stories. It's fun for her to watch customers on the hunt. "It's the thrill (of it)," she said. "They like finding the rare things." And when they find them at her booth? "I'm so excited," she said. "I made their day." The show draws hundreds of people each year for thefurniture, clothes, jewelry and accessories, figurines, art, pottery, stoneware, books, primitives, silver, glassware, china, toys, advertising, marbles, rugs and more. Going to antique shows "is better than going to a museum because you can touch," she said. "What a better way to spend a day than waltzing through and learning about history?" By Laura Anderson Shaw, landerson@qconline.com

Hunters find treasures at Antique Spectacular

katiemck — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 14:18:57 +0000

ROCK ISLAND -- Hundreds gathered at the QCCA Expo Center Saturday in search of oldies but goodies at the 16th fall Antique Spectacular. The center was filled with several organized rows of antique furniture, jewelry, books, china, kitchen ware, rugs, wall hangings, artwork, knickknacks and more. Christa Hocker, of Geneseo, said she was most interested in the jewelry and hats. "I love jewelry. I love the old hats and stuff like that," she said. Her friend, Mary Johnson, also of Geneseo, agreed, and said she also was interested in Berger plates, some painted with birds and others with forget-me-not flowers. One of the Berger artists, "Otto (Berger), was my aunt's father-in-law, so there's kind of a family connection," Ms. Johnson said. Ms. Hocker and Ms. Johnson said the two have came to the Antique Spectacular event between six and eight times and both enjoy it. "It's indoors, it's clean," Ms. Johnson said, adding that it's also "a good place to buy Christmas presents." Ms. Hocker said she liked the variety of vendors and items. "I'd like to back a truck up" to the door, she said, and the two laughed. Across the room at a stamp booth, Lisa Crews, from Davenport, was busy "treasure hunting." Ms. Crews said this was her third or fourth Spectacular, and Saturday she was on the hunt for some stoneware pottery. "It's made locally, and I really just like them," she said. She paused as she sorted through the stamps and said she had bought a few stamps at the last show and was looking for more to start a collection. "There's a lot of different things to look at," she said of the Spectacular. Groups gazed at the items in each booth intently, some with their hands clasped behind their backs. Inside each booth was a world of organized chaos with a variety of items arranged in cases and on shelves and tables. "I like oil paintings, folk art, early furniture and architecture," said Roy McGoldrick, of Moline, who was in search of goodies to collect and sell. He said he, too, has been to several Spectaculars and tries to come every year. "They put on a good show," he said. By Laura Anderson, landerson@qconline.com