Margaret Schwartz, Founder of Modern Antiquarian, shares her wisdom on visiting one of the largest antiques shows in the U.S.
Anyone who knows me knows I love Round Top! I’ve been going since 2016, and it only gets better every time I attend. I have a booth at The Compound biannually during the Spring and Fall shows.
Round Top Antiques Fair stretches over 12 miles between Austin and Houston on Texas State Highway 237. It’s one of the largest antiques shows in the U.S., making it a must-attend event for any designer or design lover where there is something for everyone. Whether you’re into midcentury modern or industrial, traditional brown antiques or garden ornaments, you can shop for projects no matter the style or price.
Here are a few tips and what I’m seeing at this year’s spring show, which takes place from March 18 to April 1.
Photography by Kelly Maguire
Do your Homework
To make the most of the visit, it is essential to research ahead of time and figure out which shows to attend. More venues are open the second week, but the first week is a better option for designers, as it offers you the first pick of the show’s offerings and less foot traffic.
Most dealers are prepared to work with designers. So we’ll have measurements, designer pricing, and information we know designers want to know, including coordinating shipping.
Dress to Go the Distance
Dressing comfortably is essential. Make sure you check the weather because it can change quickly in Texas. Dress in layers and bring good rain gear in case you get caught in any storms that roll through.
Travel & Stay
You can fly into either Austin or Houston. I prefer Austin because it’s closer and an easy airport to navigate. I recommend renting a car to get from the airport and hotel to the venue. You can’t walk from one venue to another, and there are no ride-shares, so a car is necessary.
Book your hotel well in advance. There are some options in Round Top, but they book quickly, try booking a stay in Brenham, Texas (about 30 minutes away).
The Round Top Experience
Round Top has changed and evolved over the years. Beyond shopping, there is so much to experience, from the food to events. You can attend dinners, book signings, music, and pop-up events. Attending these events is great for getting to know the dealers, designers, and others in the industry. There’s a lot of exchanging of information down here. People are more open to sharing insights, collaborating on resources, and locating specific items you might be looking for with another dealer. This is a fantastic networking opportunity as designers come from across the U.S. Honestly, the prices can’t be beaten down here. And dealers are generally open to negotiating prices.
The Scene at Round Top
This market, I am seeing three major trends. Of course, it’s spring, so we’re seeing tons of fabulous garden elements. Many pieces for the garden are being purchased and used indoors. People are placing a high value on durability which the stone and concrete elements of a garden item offer easily. People are bringing these inside so they can have fresh greenery, or a touch of the outdoors, in their homes all year round.
We’ve all been reading about it in the magazines, but it’s true that “pretty” is back, those good quality pieces that are just a little bit more feminine and romantic, including painted furniture.
Then there are English pine antiques! My dear friends Randy and Bernie of Antiques of Dallas are one of the leading dealers of English pine in the country. They have an absolutely unrivaled knowledge of English pine. We’re seeing more and more of those pieces being used. In all different spaces, bedrooms, living spaces, entryways, that’s the kind of furniture you can have for a long time and really move around in a home and repurpose it over the years.
Modern Antiquarian at Round Top
We created a garden oasis to showcase during the spring market; we brought some of these with us this spring that I love.
Photography by Kelly Maguire
I love this early 20th Century French Cast Stone Dry Sink. I had a verdigris painted wood stand built for it to make it more usable for everyday life. The sink has a beautiful honest patina, which has a natural kind of aging on it with moss and deepening of the stone coloring. It has lovely details on each side with acanthus leaf patterns, wonderful scrolls, rosettes, and beading as well. It’s one of those pieces that the more you look at it, the better it gets. This piece can truly bring the outdoors in!
Photography by Kelly Maguire
These oversized cast stone shells have a generous scale which would make a large impact in any garden space. The plinths have been added to give them a larger visual presence. They have stunning patina with the perfect amount of wear on them, but are in excellent condition with no cracks or losses. They’re really versatile and could sit outside for years and just get more and more beautiful with age. I can see these in a garden, on a porch, or in a conservatory space filled with lush greens.
Photography by Kelly Maguire
This early 20th-century iron French Art Deco garden set is designed by famed and highly collectible designer Mathieu Matégot. The chairs have an unusual and feminine scrollwork back. The chairs have unique bow legs on the front and hairpin back legs which match the hairpin legs of the table. The perforated top of the table and the seat of the chairs is rusty gold and typical of Mathieu Matégot’s work! They are very structurally sound and have a good weight to them, making it easy to hold up in any wind, and would be great for all summer use.
If you’ve been to Round Top before, it’s changed a ton over the past few years. And there are more and more venues opening; the style and offerings are so vast. So it is really, really worth coming down and experiencing it because there is truly nothing like it on this side of the pond. There is such a collaborative community down here. I hope to see you this spring or fall, October 14 – 28, 2023.
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