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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 2, 2007
CONTACT: Molly Dannenmaier
Director of Marketing and Public Relations,
409-765-7834
molly.dannenmaier@galvestonhistory.org
“Genteel Junque,” Galveston Historical Foundation’s Annual Fundraising Sale of Donated Treasures, To Be Held at Garten Verein Pavilion, Saturday, August 25
Preview Party and Sale, Friday Evening, August 24.
A wide array of furniture and household items will be available for sale at Galveston Historical Foundation’s (GHF)’’s annual sale of donated items, called “Genteel Junque,” at Garten Verein Pavilion, 2704 Avenue O, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 25.
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GHF asks community members to donate their no-longer-needed treasures for the Genteel Junque Sale, held to benefit the 1839 Samuel May Williams House, the first property GHF ever bought and restored. Household items of any type (except clothing and bedding) will be accepted. Pick-up is available upon request.
The Saturday event is free and open to the public, but early-birds may attend the Preview Party and Sale the previous evening, Friday, August 24, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Admission to the preview is $13 for GHF members and $15 for nonmembers. Memberships are for sale at the door.
The first hour of the Preview Party (5:30 to 6:30) is open to GHF members only.
A German parlor set that dates from the 1800s is one of the special features of this year’s sale, along with a large collection of Victorian furniture that was donated by the newly retired owners of a Houston bed and breakfast inn. Sixteen boxes of Big Band albums will also be up for grabs.
“You will see all kinds of household items, furniture, art, and lots of wonderful antiques,” says Beth Shriner, assistant director and director of historic properties for GHF. “We’ll have buffets, chairs, antique rockers, silver and even several vintage sewing machines.”
“The bed and breakfast furniture is mostly tables, chairs, buffets, hall trees and some beds. It’s a very good collection of mid- to late- 19th-century furniture,” says Shriner. “We think these and the German furniture are the outstanding pieces for this year’s sale.”
Most of the furniture donations come from GHF members themselves, says Shriner, although anyone can donate and receive a donation form for tax purposes. “Usually we have 300 to 400 people come, and last year we netted about $11,000, which was truly a banner year for us,” she said.
Sharon Pagan, owner of Vic’s Estate and Fine Jewelry, located at 2413 Market Street, is a consignment vendor who has participated in the Genteel Junque Sale for the past few years.
“My grandfather opened this business in 1929, and back then, it was just a gun business with a loan window,” she says. “People would come with sewing machines, flatware, jewelry, and all kinds of things. My grandparents would give people loans and they made a fine name for themselves because they gave people years to redeem their merchandise. And that’s how we got such a variety of beautiful things.”
This year, Vic’s Estate and Fine Jewelry will be showing an array of white and yellow gold jewelry, estate rings, and silver plate flatware. They will also feature mother-of-pearl pendants, pins, rosaries, and carved olive wood figurines, all from Jerusalem. “These are never-before featured items,” says Pagan. “We really love being part of the sale with GHF. They are wonderful people and they treasure our things. We love it. It’s a win-win situation.”
For more information about the Genteel Junque Sale, go to www.galvestonhistory.org or call 409-762-3933.
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