Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1344697
A ROUND TOP ANTIQUES SHOW GUIDE PROMOTION W hether by p h o n e , email, or s m o k e s i g n a l , the words "Meet me at Marburger" are trending sky-high. After a year of COVID isolation, shoppers are eager for reunions of all kinds. "Meet me at Marburger" is a message of hope. Hope for renewing relationships — and for antiques at the end of the tunnel. From March 30 to April 3, that tunnel leads to 350 top exhibitors from across the U.S. and Europe, most in large tents on the hallowed 43-acre cow pasture that Marburger Farm Antique Show calls home. Thousands of shoppers will arrive in SUVs, buses, and even a few horses and helicopters. Families will re- unite to shop, old friends will reconnect, and dealers look forward to seeing one another and their customers. Look for antique furniture and accessories from all over the world, industrial, mid-century, lighting, jewelry, and more, including 30 artist booths. All required COVID precautions will be observed. Colorado exhibitors Terry and Bill Pfister of East of LA Antiques will arrive with horses in tow: a pair of large con- crete Clydesdales, a circa-1900 carved carousel horse, and two Herschell- Spillman horse-and-buggy carousel rides from St. Louis. "We are so excited to see everyone," says returning dealer Terry Pfister. "Marburger is like coming back to your best friends." Here's what those friends might find: a carved Italian pediment with original gilding; cast-iron mantel from New Orleans; Czech chan- delier with candle cups of porcelain roses and amethyst glass; Italian sconces with plenty of bling; and two cabin-weary exhibitors who look forward to seeing "some of our favorite people in the world" at Marburger. "I missed everyone," says Texas dealer Janet Romine after an absence from the show. Romine, whose booth is named Rubbish, returns with a whimsical mix of ironstone, a full wall of antique portraits, and vintage school-teacher flashcards. The pandemic has given her extra time to alphabetize thousands of fresh flash- cards. Some of the best words: "Bee," "Lucky," and "Enjoy." The chance to enjoy spring in Texas is bliss to dealers from the Northeast. "We loaded a 30-foot trailer for last spring's show. It's still sitting here, ready for Texas," says Spencerport, New York, exhibitor, Patrick Kenny of South Porch Antiques. Inside the trailer are massive industrial and wood tables; architectural doors, windows, and fragments; silver serving pieces and flatware; cast-iron garden urns; and hundreds of smalls, such as old trophies and transfer ware. Marburger Meet Me at INSIDE VIEW: 92