Ellis Antiques Show Returns to Boston

The Ellis Boston Antiques Show is returning to the city this October after a three-year hiatus, re-launching a 49-year tradition that will feature nearly 40 of the finest antiques exhibitors from across the country and around the world.

Housed this year in the Cyclorama, the show kicks off on Thursday, October 20, with a Gala Preview benefiting the South End’s Ellis Memorial & Eldredge House. The show continues on Friday, October 21, and runs through Sunday, October 23.

“The Ellis Antiques show is the tops for New England,” said Marc Glasberg, owner and founder of Boston’s Marcoz Antiques, one of this year’s exhibitors. “It gives the Boston area and dealers a certain charisma regarding antiques.”

In addition to Marcoz Antiques, this year’s Boston exhibitors include Polly Latham Asian Art and Vose Galleries.

“We’re really glad that it’s back,” said Vose Galleries assistant manager Chris Greene. “It’s important to have these types of shows in the city. It really livens up the city’s whole culture.” 

Ceramics, Rare Maps, Quilts And Fine Art

The show will feature a range of antiques including ceramics, rare maps and prints, jewelry, quilts, pottery, and fine art, among other items.

“We worked really hard to get a wide array of antiques into the show, both in terms of what they are and in terms of pricing,” said co-producer Tony Fusco of Fusco & Four.

The show was originally established by Ellis Memorial’s Board of Directors in 1960 as a fundraising event.

Fusco contacted Ellis Memorial’s Board of Directors as soon as he heard that the 2009 show would be canceled, and he has been working with his Fusco & Four partner, and event co-producer, Robert Four over the past three years to make the show’s return a success.

“There was a huge vacuum when they closed the show,” he said. “People in the antiques world were shocked. To think that Boston, a city that is totally steeped in history, would not have an antiques show—that shocked people.”

Show Benefits Charity

The cancellation of the 2009 show also cut off a source of funds for Ellis Memorial, which is now in its 125th year of providing care for children, disabled adults, and families in Boston. It is also on Berkeley Street to house programming.

“For over 48 years, this show provided Ellis Memorial with funds that were unrestricted, which gave the Board resources to direct funds where they were needed most,” said Leo Delaney, Ellis Memorial’s CEO. “Since the event closed in 2008, we as an organization have been working on establishing new events in order to raise unrestricted funds to support our core operations.”

All proceeds of Thursday night’s $250-per-ticket Gala Preview will benefit Ellis Memorial.

“They do such incredible work in the South End, and they really benefitted from this antiques show,” Fusco said. “When the former organizer pulled the plug, it really hurt Ellis Memorial. We wanted to continue to benefit them.”

Fusco expects over 3,000 people to visit this year’s show at the Cyclorama, a return to the show’s original venue after several years at the Park Plaza Liberty Building.

Cyclorama, A Prized Location

The circular, domed Cyclorama offers about 14,000 square feet of space, which Fusco and his team will fill with wall-to-wall carpeting, hardwood wall booths, and grid lighting, with preparations beginning the Monday before the show.

“The Cyclorama is just a great, flexible space for us,” Fusco said. “It’s just a big, open, raw space where we can be creative and create a whole environment.”

The Cyclorama’s South End location is another benefit.

“There’s so much activity in that neighborhood now,” said Fusco, whose team at Fusco & Four also produces two other exhibitions at the Cyclorama. “People will wander by and see the tents and banners, and they’ll just come in after they have brunch.”

Antique Lectures Included

While the Ellis Boston Antiques Show is, broadly, a retail venue, it is also an educational one, with lectures built into the weekend’s schedule.

“We want people to grow their appreciation of these antiques because they’re part of our history, and the only place you can see some of it is in museums,” Fusco said. “People are going to see things that they absolutely haven’t seen before. They’re going to be blown away.”

Gala Preview: Thursday, October 20, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Weekend Show: Friday, October 21, 1 p.m. – 9 p.m.; Saturday, October 22, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Sunday, October 23, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.; admission $15, under 12 free.