A booth at the 2015 Washington Winter Show.

Launched in 1955, the Washington Winter Show is the second oldest charitable antiques show in the United States. The renowned event, which has raised over eight million dollars for numerous local charities since its inception, attracts leading dealers and patrons from the Washington metropolitan area and beyond, year after year. The 2016 Washington Winter Show will kick off with a Preview Night reception on Thursday, January 7, at American University’s Katzen Arts Center -- a graceful and modern venue. The opening event will include a champagne reception for benefactors, sponsors and designers as well as a reception for gala patrons and young collectors.

An English silver table, circa 1770. G. Sergeant Antiques.

This year’s show will center around the theme Through the Eyes of a Child -- a subjects that speaks to the event’s mission to introduce young patrons to antiques and conjures early memories of collecting for even the most seasoned connoisseurs. The theme is bolstered by a superb loan exhibit, Through the Eyes of a Child: John Mason’s Memories of Gunston Hall, which will present eighteenth century objects from the collection of Gunston Hall, a Georgian estate built in 1759 for the  Virginia statesman George Mason. According to Frances Talley, who serves as co-chair of the 2016 Washington Winter Show alongside Patricia Montague, “Gunston Hall is not only historically significant as the home of George Mason, but in its architecture and art and it will be a special treat to showcase its treasures amongst the incredible period furnishings, decorative arts, vintage jewelry, porcelains, ceramics, silver, and architectural gardens accents also on display this year.” These varied offerings will be presented by 44 of the country’s top art and antique dealers, including Artemis Gallery, Mark & Marjorie Allen Antiques, G. Sergeant Antiques, Spencer Marks, and Earle D. Vandekar of Knightsbridge.

A Set of Six Piero Fornasetti Strumenti Musicali Plates, 1960s. Earle D. Vandekar of Knightsbridge.

Overseen by a Designer Committee that includes some of the area’s most sought after interior designers and architects, including Kelley Proxmire, Principal of Kelley Interior Design, a Bethesda-based firm known for crafting tailored traditional interiors, and Amy Zantzinger, another Maryland-based designer who served as White House Social Secretary under George W. Bush, the Washington Winter Show will include a number of design-centric events. On Friday, January 8, best-selling author and Southern Living’s Editor-at-large James T. Farmer, III, will host a keynote lecture and garden-to-table lunch. A true Renaissance man, Farmer is a well-known cook, lifestyle expert and interior/garden designer. On Saturday, January 9, celebrated interior designer Carey Maloney will give a lecture detailing his experiences traveling the world to find and collect interesting and one-of-a-kind objects. Maloney, who is a partner at the New York-based architecture and interior design firm (M) Group alongside architect Hermes Mallea, is known for his elegant and beautifully curated interiors. The designer lectures will be complemented by a series of guided walks led by scholars and top tastemakers, including interior designers Jean Perin and Marika Meyer. Perin, who often consults on historic homes, will tour the show pointing out interesting decorative pieces, while Meyer will highlight her favorite ojbects on view. A number of dealers, including Diedre Healy of Earle D. Vandekar of Knightsbridge, Rich and Gail Mellin of Mellin’s Antiques and Jay Gates of Gates Antiques will host talks covering a range of topics, including twentieth century Italian design and the whimsical tableware of Piero Fornasetti.   

The 2016 Washington Winter Show, which is produced by Karen DiSaia Management, opens to the public Friday, January 8 and will run through Sunday, January 10. The event will benefit the Bishop John T. Walker School for Boys, THEARC, and The Founders Board of St. John’s Community Services. For more information visit www.washingtonwintershow.org or call 202.248.7159.