Ellis Boston

by Celina Colby

Stepping into the Cyclorama last weekend felt like stepping into a luxurious old home. Forty booths were decorated with an astounding quantity of ornate antiquities. Chandeliers sparkled from the ceiling and bookcases hugged the walls, filled with rare artifacts and old volumes. Friends and collectors sat in high-backed chairs discussing vintage Chanel bags and porcelain figurines. You might well have seen the same scene in any of the sophisticated historic homes on Beacon Hill.

For 49 years the Ellis Antiques show was held at the Castle at Park Plaza. In 2008 it closed due to budgeting problems and a great Boston tradition was lost. Tony Fusco of Fusco and Four, who was working on the Boston Antiques show at the time, suggested that Ellis merge with Boston Antiques, thus combining the best of both. A new tradition was born.

Last Thursday evening a gala preview opened the fourth annual Ellis show since Fusco took over. The gala’s proceeds benefit the Ellis Memorial group, which supports working families in and around Boston’s South End. “It’s hard to imagine a city like Boston without an antique show,” said Fusco. “All other major cities have one.”

The show isn’t just for museum curators and old goods groupies. Fusco uses the show as a way to promote the preservation community in Boston. Many restorers of old homes are looking for furnishings and decorations that will fit a certain period aesthetic. Every year the show garners a new crowd of viewers. To keep it from feeling repetitive, Fusco searches the country, attracting a diversity of dealers and rare items. New this year were 16th-20th century drawings from Découvert Fine Arts and tribal artworks from Nasser + Moreau.

Fusco also created and runs Boston Design Week, a 10-day design festival March 19-29 that takes place all over Boston. Last year there were more than 80 events focusing on everything from interior and graphic design to production and product design. This year the contemporary art show AD20/21 will be a highlight of Design Week, with a gala preview featuring music, art, and fine wine at the Cyclorama.

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Image Credit: Celina Colby.
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Celina Colby is the editorial assistant at Art New England and the editor and founder of Trends and Tolstoy.