Old-Fashioned Spunk and Potential New Fortune: The Ellis Boston Antiques Show

An exceptional French Louis XV period “Sauteuse,” c. 1750, with grey marble top and featuring tinted burlwood drawer fronts, cubic parquetry sides and gilt-bronze mounts with mascarons. Approximately 42″ w. x 32″ h. x 23″ d. Courtesy of Trianon Antiques.

Nowadays, with the economy the way it is, we more frequently find ourselves planting it on the old sofa instead of scrounging up extra cash to go out on the town. But what if that old sofa was actually worth a decent amount of dough? Our antiques—passed down from grandma, bought at a yard sale, and picked up as trash on the side of the road—could quite possibly spark some good fortune, and if not, serve to add some old-fashioned spunk to an otherwise dull room.

From October 18-21, the Ellis Boston Antiques Show will be held at The Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts. In addition to its 40 featured exhibitors, the show will also include panel discussions with special guest speakers. On Friday, October 19, the “Designing with Antiques” panel, moderated by New England Home editor-in-chief Kyle Hoepner, will give attendees a peek into the Boston interior design world, showing them how to integrate old furniture and household objects with more contemporary rooms.

A more financially helpful panel (“On the Money: What to Collect Now”) held on October 20 will offer expert opinions on the marketplace and tips on what and how to collect. Boston-based appraiser and fine art specialist Colleene Fesko, a frequent guest on PBS’s Antiques Roadshow, will be one of the speakers on the panel. And design expert Andrew Spindler, one of this year’s Best of Boston winners, will also be among the speakers.

For the more avid history junkies, James Russell of the New Bedford Whaling Museum (which will loan selections of its permanent collection to the show) will host “Kindred Port: Art and Affluence in 19th Century New Bedford” on Sunday, October 21, a presentation on the history of the whaling industry in New Bedford and Boston.

The show opens on Thursday, Oct. 18, with a Gala Preview benefiting Ellis Memorial & Eldredge House (tickets $250). Show hours are as follows: Friday, Oct. 19, 1-8 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 20, from 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 21, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $15 (under 12 free) and includes admission to all special programs. For more information, call 617-363-0405 or visit EllisBoston.com.