Mother of pearl and tortoise shell jewelry casket, ca. 1865 at Kentshire (Photo: courtesy of Kentshire)

Next month the San Francisco Fall Antiques Show celebrates its 30th anniversary.  It was co-founded back in 1981 Toby Rose and the late Nancee Erickson as the primary fundraiser for the Enterprise for Highschool Students; and thirty years later it continues to support early career development and job referrals for students in San Francisco.

French Napoleon III carved giltwood rope-twist stool after the model by A.M.E. Fournier, late 19th century at Epoca (Photo: Eric Petsinger)

This year’s theme, Hidden Treasures, is inspired by the traditional 30th anniversary gift, the pearl.  For fans of pearls like myself I am sure that jewelry dealers will have plenty of these captivating gems.  The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco are lending some of their unique treasures to the special exhibit, once again curated by Maria Santangelo and Holland Lynch, and highlighting antiques and arts that have something to hide.

Andrew Skurman speaking to the audience after having been awareded the “Médaille des Arts et des Lettres” by the French Minister of Culture (Photo: courtesy of PRWeb)

Celebrated San Francisco architect Andrew Skurman returns with an installation comprised of giant pearlescent scroll brackets.  “I always thought of them as very mysterious, as the letter S.  S is a whistling letter, it calls out to you.  When you follow the line of the letter S with your eyes it sends you in different directions, as does a secret.  You approach it and try to penetrate the secret, but it remains closed to you until you find its special key.”, Mr. Skurman explains.  Given my own fondness for the letter S, I can’t wait to see what he has created this year to top the red pagodas.

A work box in the form of a peacock made from mahogany inlaid with holly and boxwood,
ca. 1830 Berlin (Photo: courtesy of Carlton Hobbs)

Russian neo-classical mahogany and brass armchair, ca. 1800 at Antoine Chenevière Fine Arts Ltd.
(Photo: courtesy of Hedge)

On Wednesday, October 26th, is the night of the opening gala, one of San Francisco’s favorite Fall social events.  In keeping with the theme, the focal point of the always lavish cornucopia of delicacies and libations by McCalls Catering is an Oyster Bar, sponsored by 1stdibs, along with an amuse bouche by Honorary Chair Chef Tyler Florence.  Known for his restaurants, TV shows and books, Tyler is a perfect choice for this year’s inspiration, as he continues to surprise us with new flavors in his timeless cuisine, has a strong love for good design, and a passion for youth education.

House Beautiful’s Kitchen of the Year 2011 at Rockefeller Center, designed by Tyler Florence (Photo: Chris Eckert)

The Show Chair once again is Michelle Goss, joined by O.J. and Gary Shansby, Elizabeth and Paul Touw, Laura King Pfaff, Lisa and John Grotts, Jenna Hunt, Jennifer Raiser, Suzanne Tucker and Premier Sponsor Chair Amanda Wallis.

Danish settee by Frits Henningsen, ca. 1940 at Almond Hartzog (Photo: courtesy of Almond Hartzog)

Stone of Paper “Oro” commode by Maria Paola Lucentini, late 20th century at Therien & Co.
(Photo: courtesy of Therien & Co.)

Among the 65 leading decorative and fine arts galleries from across the United States and Europe are Therien & Co. from San Francisco and Thomas Livingston Antiques from Berkeley, who have been part of the very first show in 1981, Foster-Gwin and Montgomery Gallery, also from San Francisco, who have been there since 1982, as well as Almond Hartzog Gallery, Colonial Arts, Epoca,, Hackett | Mill, John Bergruen Gallery, Peter Pap Oriental Rugs, Daniel Stein Antiques, and Xanadu Gallery from San Francisco, American Garage, Habité, and J.R. Richards from Los Angeles, Anderson Galleries and R.M. Barokh Antiques from Beverly Hills, Joel Cooner Gallery from Dallas, Finnegan Gallery from Chicago, Arader Galleries, Beauvais Carpets, Carlton Hobbs, Gioia, and Kentshire from New York, Janice Paull from Algarve, Portugal, Antoine Chenevière Fine Arts Ltd. and Susan Ollemans Oriental Art from London, England, Danish Silver from Copenhagen, Denmark and Galerie Steinitz from Paris, France.

 “Fiori Della Notte” double-tiered table by Piero Fornasetti, 1955, collection of Trevor Traina (Photo: Hedge Gallery)

The lecture series looks promising once again, and it is dedicated to the memory of the late Michael Barcun, a Tiffany veteran and member of the advisory committee of the show, as well as an active participant in the lecture program, chairing the series for a number of years.

Born to be Beautiful: Pearls and the Celebrated Women Who Wore Them
Ruth Peltason will talk about the women with classic style who adored pearls, such as Grace Kelly, the Duchess of Windsor, Doris Duke, Coco Chanel, Diana Vreeland and Elizabeth Taylor.

Princely Treasures
Archduke Dr. Géza von Habsburg will introduce us to the “Kunstkammern” (art chambers or cabinets of curiosities), the private predecessors of museums.

Collecting Opportunities: The Rise of the Asian Art Markets
Henry Howard-Sneyd will compare and contrast Chinese and Indian collecting and collectors.

U.S. vs. Art Thieves: Tales from the FBI’s Real Indian Jones
Robert Wittman will share some of the tales from his best seller “Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World’s Stolen Treasures”, recounting notorious heists and daring recoveries of priceless antiquities.

Designing Hollywoood’s Golden Age: Art Direction from Films of the 1920s and 1930s
Cathy Whitlock will use archival photographs and original renderings to illustrate the most memorable sets of the time and analyze the boom and in the market for contemporary Asian paintings.

The Curated Home: Designing Today with Art and Antiques
In this panels discussion, moderated by Suzanne Tucker, celebrated interior designers Thomas Jayne, David Kleinberg and Suzanna Lovell will offer their trade secrets and professional advice on integrating fine and decorative arts with diverse architecture, textiles, finishes, and client sensibilities.

Toraja architectural panel from Sulawesi, Indonesia, early 20th century at Joel Cooner Gallery
(Photo: courtesy of Joel Cooner Gallery)

2011 Preview Party Benefit Gala: Wednesday, October 26th, 2011, from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
2011 Show: October 27th to October 30th, 2011, Thursday through Saturday from 10:30am to 7:00pm, and Sunday noon to 5:00pm
Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center

For tickets please visit the San Francisco Fall Antiques  Show.  I hope join us for the big anniversary event and help raise money for Enterprise for High School Students.

Hoping to see you there!

Cheers,