The 23rd Stuart Antique Show attracted a record crowd in January. Puchstein Promotions bought this long-standing show five years ago and through determination and expert marketing have managed to increase the show's attendance and popularity in that short time.

"It's real simple and easy," Bill Puchstein told me. "We provide a nice facility, an eclectic mix of dealers, one admission for the whole weekend, and a good food concession." 

Soon after marrying off their son, Aaron, it was business as usual for Kay and Bill Puchstein  as the Stuart show was exactly one week later.

"The wedding date had to be set between our shows,"  the Puchsteins told me.

Seven buildings make up the exhibit area at the Martin County fairgrounds and were filled with a variety of antiques and collectibles. Jewelry, furniture, paintings, glass, decorative objects, pottery, linen and textiles caught my eye. All the buildings were fully occupied as Bill Puchstein informed me  dealer space was sold out.

"Half of our dealers are from the North and all of them have done our shows in the past." Puchstein went on to say,

"The booth rents are affordable. We provide 24 hour security. Dealers can drive into most of the buildings to unload and every space has a back wall," he added.

Dealer Robert Bennett of Vero Beach displayed military memorabilia.  His inventory consisted of swords, medals, daggers, helmets, tin boats, military toys and toy soldiers. His toy soldiers  filled a table wide display case and consisted of mostly Britians. Bennett showcased a World War I spiked Prussian helmet. The helmet was dated 1898 on its inside leather band and was priced at $475. Bennett mentioned that spiked helmets were typically worn during World War I but originally date back to the 1840s.

MS Antiques owner Myrna Hammersly  who recently relocated her business to All Good Things Antique Mall in Lake Worth, sold a working 1920's Victrola early on opening day. Displayed in her booth, an unusual pyrography tray priced $155 captured a lot of show goers' attention as did a pair of Arts and Crafts hammered copper bookends offered at  $65 for the pair.

Hammersly told me she's drawn to bookends and she offered a nice mix of vintage ones for buyers to choose from.

Furniture dealers included Walkertown, North Carolina, Whispers Of The Past dealers Rebecca and Kevan Nelson who displayed furniture for every room in the house.

"All our furniture sports its original finish," Rebecca Nelson told me. "We use paste wax to bring up the sheen."

A beautiful country farm table the Nelsons acquired in High Point, North Carolina, took center attention in their booth. The table tagged at $798 was made of pine wood. They also displayed a Victorian golden oak dresser from 1880-1910 priced at $488. 

"The golden oak period produced some beautiful pieces of furniture," Rebecca Nelson pointed out.

Florida antique shows wouldn't be complete without a sampling of Highwaymen art. Local Stuart dealers Ben and Marion Cowan displayed a booth full of these desirable paintings. The Cowans are enthusiastic about Highwaymen paintings and always provide detailed information to show goers.

"Harold Newton trained under Beanie Backus and his emphasis was on quality while other painters such as Alfred Hair concentrated on quantity," Marion Cowan said. She pointed out the difference in each man's work to demonstrate their dissimilar painting styles.

For the hunting and fishing enthusiast, dealer Ronald Zelnick provided them with a chance to find an item needed to complete a collection. Zelnick specializes in fishing lures, duck and turkey calls and decoys.     

Some of the other items spotted at the show included a Great Lakes ice fishing decoy $65; a Victorian Bamboo bookshelf, $169; an iron handle tipping kettle, $395; sterling silver charms at $10 a piece; a cast iron frog cigar holder, $45; a pair of bronze Indian maiden bookends, $175; Dean's Rag Book Company boudoir doll with the original label from England, $195: and a Seth Thomas metronome also found with an original label priced at $195. Other dealers brought furniture: A marble topped Victorian lamp table, $495;  Victorian metal shaving stand, $175;  ice cream parlor bistro set with four chairs, $195; mahogany dining room rectangle table with four side chairs and two arm chairs $895 and a walnut barrister's three level bookcase tagged at $495.

The Stuart Antique Show is held three times a year--November, January and March at the  Martin County Fairgrounds.  The show is well attended.  Other shows the Puchsteins promote are the Vero Beach Extravaganza held once a year in February and the Deland Antique show which is held four times a year at the Volusia County Fairgrounds. Deland is the Puchsteins' longest running show at 27 years. All shows are inside and air-conditioned. One or more concession stands are available at each show and show goers can take time out for lunch while shopping or snack on tasty muffins and coffee. Breakfast is also offered for early shoppers.

For information on this show or any of the other shows the Puchsteins promote in Florida, contact them at P.O. Box 27272, El Jobean, Florida 33927 or call 941-697-7272. Their website address is www.floridaantiqueshows.com.