On Thursday, January 27th 2011, I, along with about 650 other guests, attended the Young Collectors Night at the Winter Antiques Show held at the Park Avenue Armory. The event was a benefit for the East Side House Settlement, a community resource in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx whose believe is that “education is the key that enables all people to create economic and civic opportunities for themselves, their families and their community.”

The evening offered a private viewing, to the up and coming youth of the Metro New York area, of thousands of antiques from over 75 of the most knowledgeable dealers in the country.  I, myself, simply loved the Tiffany lamps that were on display as well as the 17th and 18th Century maps of the New York area.  If neither of those are to your taste you could have tried on countless vintage pieces of jewelry or admired huge handwoven rugs, took a look at 150 year old photographs or read letters written by a multitude of US Presidents.

All the while the DJ was playing some up-tempo music while we all got to partake in beverages from the 3 bars laid out throughout the venue as well as the 2 eating stations which contained delicious smoked salmon on pumpernickel and juicy free-range turkey breast on pumpkin bread topped with cranberry chutney.

The Armory was turned into a museum with aisles upon aisles of booths filled with items from the days of past.  Money was raised for a good cause, people enjoyed themselves for a few hours and knowledge was bestowed on the many who learned a little, or a lot, about the antiques on hand from one of the knowledgeable designers and/or dealers.

Thanks should go out to the event Co-Chairs were Courtney Booth and Emily Israel and Vice Chairs Valerie and Brad Aston, Alexandra Buckley Voris, Stephanie and Frederick Clark, Kipton Cronkite, Britt and Cristin DeVeer, Elizabeth Meigher, Billy Nacey, Anika Yael Natori, Allyson and Chris Pachios, Tatiana G.P. Perkin, Marie Rentschler, and Caroline Rowley.

Kudos should also go out to the sponsors of the event, the New York Magazine and Elie Tahari and a shout out to Wendy Goodman, Chairwoman of the Interior Design Committee and New York Magazine‘s Design Editor who was on hand with her entourage of 45 of the country’s most illustrious designers.

– Mike J

Photo Credits:  GuestofaGuest.com, vivanista.com and Mike J