Green Bay Press-Gazette - Library's rugs take stage at Antiquarian show, sale

Green Bay Press-Gazette - Library's rugs take stage at Antiquarian show, sale: "Library's rugs take stage at Antiquarian show, sale

By Sean Schultz
sschultz@greenbaypressgazette.com
The pop-culture buzz words for old stuff are vintage and retro. But whatever you call them, collectibles are hot.

For close to half a century, a good stop for collectors has been the Green Bay-De Pere Antiquarian Show and Sale, this year on Friday and Saturday at the KI Convention Center in downtown Green Bay. Thirty-one dealers from around the Midwest are setting up at the event that usually draws about 1,000 people.


Bob Klozotsky of Kaukauna, co-chair of the show with wife Jane, said on display will be furnishings, antique silver, art and jewelry.

This year's show also offers a chance to see a selection of Oriental rugs, long in storage at the Brown County Library.

Mary Jane Herber, a society board member and the library's local history and genealogy librarian, said a collection of 23 rugs(Antique Oriental Rugs ) was donated by Alonzo Weston Kimball, a postmaster here in the 1880s and his father, Alonzo Kimball, a former Green Bay mayor.

The century-old rugs, which are not for sale, were used on the library floors and when a new downtown library opened in 1974, they were displayed as artworks. Herber said the rugs have been in storage for years and will be featured at the antiques show "because people are interested in seeing them again."

Over the years, the show has raised nearly $500,000 toward the society's purpose to fund local historical buildings and museums, Klozotsky said.

Beneficiaries have included the Brown County Historical Society, Historic Hazelwood, Neville Public Museum of Brown County, Heritage Hill State Park, National Railroad Museum, Catholic Diocesan Museum and White Pillars museum, as well as local cemeteries and the Green Bay City Stadium site.

Presentations at the show will include "Collecting Antique Toys" at 6:30 p.m. Friday with Jim Kelly from Kelly Antiques, Little Chute. Saturday's presentation, "Identifying Victorian Jewelry 1880 & Beyond" at 10 a.m. will be with Matt and Trudy Wojtyla, Green Bay, and Shelly Young, Allouez.

From 1 to 4 p.m. both days, experts will be on hand for free identification of items showgoers bring in. Please only bring one item per person, and don't bring jewelry."
Antique Oriental Rugs