Antiquities website

A beta version of Medusa-Art.com was launched this month. The site claims to have pieces dating back to 500 A.D. "but the majority are much older with cultures dating back to the ancient Greeks, Eyptians and Romans." Prices can be a low as $200 with "investment pieces in the $40,000 range."

Go to www.medusa-art.com for a look-see.

Nippon

Rock n' roll has infected the International Nippon Collectors Club. The organization is holding its 28th Annual Convention, July 30-Aug. 2, in Cleveland, OH, home of the Rock n' Roll Museum. This year's convention has been aptly named "Nippon Rocks."
The 230+ membership collect fine porcelain made in Japan from 1891 through 1921. For more information go to www.nipponcollectorsclub.com.

Dealers Wanted

The Bel Air Fall Antique Festival in Omaha, NE, to be held Sept. 12, is seeking dealers. Call 402-514-7999. This show has all the makings of being a quality event. Go to www.belairplaza.com for more info.

advertise or die

An Ad-ology Research study, "Advertising's Impact in a Soft Economy," finds that more than 48% of U.S. adults believe that a lack of advertising by a retail store, bank or auto dealership during a recession indicates the business must be struggling.

Our experience with our advertising base shows that usually is not the case. It just means the antique shop owner has decided to save a little money by not advertising and will generally start advertising again once the economy appears to be improving.

Still, the results of this study should give shop owners reason to pause and wonder if negative public perception is worth saving a few dollars.

Books on silver

The web site www.antiquesilverlibrary.com claims it has "uncovered over 8,700 pages and 30 rare, privately published and out-of-print reference books and research manuals and museum works on antique silver and the silversmith trade." The web site has a list of titles and for $125, they will send you a DVD of the material. An address and phone number is listed on the web site.

As of today, silver was trading around $15 per ounce.

Chicago Pride Show

Chicago's Prairie Avenue Gallery will host a Pride Show with opening reception Sunday, June 7, noon-4 pm. The Gallery is located in the Prairie Avenue Historic District in the Keith House, 1900 S Prairie Ave.

The Prairie Gallery, known for ground-breaking shows, hosted the first AIDS art show in the mid-1980s, a showcase for black photojournalists and shows featuring emerging Chicago artists. Call 312-326-2923 or find them on facebook.

Overland Park show

Shawn Hastings of Shawn Hastings Productions, who took over from Willowrush Productions, based in Indiana, the respected Overland Park Antique Show, has been scrambling to get the word out. The spring show will be March 20-22 at the Overland Park International Trade Center, 6800 W 115th St.. Admission is $6 for all three days.

This is one of the best shows held in the Kansas City area with scores of quality dealers from the Midwest.