By Karissa Minn
kminn@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — The 58th annual Salisbury Antiques Show and Sale features sellers from as far away as Mount Airy.
Mount Airy in Maryland, that is.
This year, Claziena Burlik traveled two states south to sell linens at the Salisbury show for the first time.
The show is held at the Salisbury Civic Center, 315 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. It began Friday and continues today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Lunch will be served, and tickets are $6 at the door.
At The Linen Lady booth, Burlik sells French, American and estate linens from the 1870s through roughly the 1950s.
She said Friday that shoppers seem interested in bed linens and table linens, especially nice tablecloths and napkins for Thanksgiving.
“If you go to the store, you buy polyester junk,” Burlik said. “But this is all handmade, and it’s pure linen, so the value that you get is just amazing.”
Selling antiques is a family business for Burlik, and she has carried it on for 30 years.
“My mother and I did it together,” she said.
Burlik used to sell antique furniture, but it was too heavy for her to handle easily. Linens are a lot lighter, she said, “and more fun.”
In total, 17 antiques dealers from North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Maryland are participating in the Salisbury show this year. They offer fine china, estate jewelry, silver, ceramics, furniture, clothing, rugs, art and more.
Franchot and Carol Palmer of Salisbury have been selling antiques at the event for more than 30 years.
“We enjoy this, and it’s a matter of support for the museum,” Franchot said.
He said their shop, 1839 Antiques, sells mostly English pieces, with some American and Oriental ones as well.
On display are a paintings, drawings and etchings from various historical periods, including a collection of lithographs from the British magazine Vanity Fair.
Rather than browsing, Franchot said, shoppers at their two booths tend to know what they’re looking for and at what price.
“A lot of people come well-versed in what they’re trying to buy,” he said. “People are looking for value.”
At the Old Sarum Gallery booth, Davis Cooke and John Short sell restored paintings dated roughly from the 1880s to the 1930s. They also offer their restoration services to customers.
“After 30 to 50 years, the varnish they used turns to dark yellow,” Short said. “We replace the old varnishes, which are natural resin, with a museum-quality coating made of acrylic.”
The Salisbury Antiques Show — the oldest event of its kind in North Carolina — benefits Rowan Museum and its two house museums, the Old Stone House and the Utzman-Chambers House.
Lib Taylor, who serves on the antiques show committee, said she thinks the Veterans Day holiday Friday allowed more people to come this year.
“There are so many men here today,” she said. “I think it’s going great.”
A silent auction continues at today’s show, and bids close at 2 p.m.
Lee Piper, of Salisbury, says she tries to go to the event every year.
“I frequently do Christmas shopping here,” Piper said. “I am always looking for inspiration. … I can’t buy just anything; I have to find just the right gift.”
Charlie and Barbara Harvel of Davie County say they like coming to the show because they’re “history buffs.”
Charlie said he likes finding Civil War letters and old documents from the 18th and 19th century. He also looks for small furniture pieces and silver, while Barbara prefers linens.
“We’ve been at it for years,” she said of their antiquing hobby. “We just have an appreciation for old things.”
Debbie Dotson, also a Davie resident, said she just browses for whatever catches her fancy.
“I’m in one of those good old Southern families that never gets rid of anything, so I have everyone’s antique stuff,” Dotson said. “I like to see the things I have and see what the value is.”
For more information, contact the Rowan Museum at 704-633-5946.