Museum to Host Book-A-Ganza on Saturday;
Special Show & Sale on Saturday & Sunday Unveils New Garden-Inspired Creations
Winchester, VA 04/12/10…Book lovers and garden enthusiasts alike will want to visit the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (MSV) for the upcoming festive weekend of April 17 and 18.
From 10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 17, the MSV will host Book-A-Ganza, an event for both novice book lovers and serious collectors. This special activity will include a book appraisal session and expert panel discussions about book collecting and care.
This same weekend and to coincide with the beginning of the 77th Annual Historic Garden Week in Virginia, the MSV is also presenting a special show and sale in the Museum Store of garden-inspired creations by artist Neena Jhaveri. This free event will take place from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, April 17 and 18, and will include live entertainment on Saturday.
Book-A-Ganza
An event for Shenandoah Valley book lovers, Book-A-Ganza will include a 10:30 a.m. presentation, “Book Collecting 101,” an 11:30 a.m. book appraisal, and a 1 p.m. program, “The Care of Books,” during which experts will give book collectors practical advice about keeping book collections in the best possible condition.
According to Patrick Saine, event co-coordinator and owner of Winchester’s Blue Plate Books, the Book-A-Ganza seminars have been designed with both the novice and expert collector in mind. For the novice, the event introduces the world of book-collecting and helps new collectors better understand how to evaluate books. For the serious collector, the seminar will share the latest thinking regarding preservation techniques.
In “Book Collecting 101,” attendees will learn the vocabulary, practicalities, and theory of collecting books from an expert panel that includes, along with Saine, Lorne Bair, owner of Lorne Bair Rare Books and immediate past president of the Virginia Antiquarian Bookseller’s Association, and David Gray, director of learning resources of Lord Fairfax Community College Library Information and Services. These panelists will explore a wide variety of topics, including what ‘first edition’ means, what makes a book valuable, and which books are most ideal to collect.
Book-A-Ganza attendees are invited to bring one book each to be examined at the book appraisal session which begins at 11:30 a.m. During this session, those participating will learn an expert’s opinion of the fair market value of their books. Saine anticipates that the appraisal session will yield outcomes similar to those seen on the popular PBS television program, Antiques Roadshow: some owners will find buried treasure, while others will learn their books have more keepsake than monetary value. Appraisal participants are encouraged to bring an older book that they have always suspected might have high monetary value. A limited number of book-appraisal time slots will be available; registration for these time slots will begin at 10 a.m.
After lunch on their own—the Museum Café will be serving lunch and the Museum also has a picnic area for those who wish to bring a bag lunch—participants may attend a 1 p.m. session, “The Care of Books.” This panel discussion will present experts who will discuss how and where to store books, how books in poor condition should be repaired, and the best methods to handle and display books. Panelists will include Jill Deiss, Book-A-Ganza co-coordinator, professional bookbinder, and owner of Winchester’s Cat Tail Run Hand Bookbinding; Trish Ridgeway, director of the Handley Regional Library; and Bryon C. Smith, director and curator of the Newtown History Center in Stephens City.
Admission to Book-A-Ganza, which includes MSV gallery admission, panel discussions, and the book appraisal, is free to MSV Members, $8 for adults, and $6 for senior/youth.
The Museum Store Presents Neena Jhaveri: A Show & Sale of Garden-Inspired Creations
Concurrent with Saturday’s Book-A-Ganza and also continuing on Sunday, the Museum will celebrate the beginning of Historic Garden Week in Virginia with a special show and sale of garden-inspired creations made by Shenandoah Valley artist Neena Jhaveri. A Frederick County resident, Neena Jhaveri has created customized pottery for the Museum Store since its 2005 opening. The artist’s pieces for the MSV are created using pressed flowers, herbs, and greenery from the Museum’s own Glen Burnie Gardens. According to Museum Store Manager Bonnie Barr, Jhaveri’s garden pottery is a perennial Museum Store best-seller; many customers collect the artist’s one-of-a-kind pieces and eagerly anticipate her newest creations.
Along with featuring the artist’s popular customized Museum pottery, the show will unveil Neena Jhaveri’s newest garden-themed works, including paintings, purses, tunics, scarves, linens, jewelry, shoes, and home accessories. Highlights of the weekend event will include the unveiling of Iris Infusion, the new painting inspired by the Museum gardens, and block-printed tunics and table linens on fabrics from India that fuse the artist’s botanical style with the country of her childhood.
On both days throughout the show the artist will be at the Museum to discuss her work. In addition, on Saturday the band The Three Wise Maids and The Milkman will perform from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Museum admission is never required to visit the Museum Store, including during this special event.
Historic Garden Week in Virginia begins Saturday, April 17, and runs through Sunday, April 25. Tickets to the Clarke County tour, scheduled for April 26 and 27 and sponsored by The Winchester-Clarke Garden Club and The Little Garden Club of Winchester, are on sale in the MSV Museum Store. The store will continue its special display of Jhaveri’s garden-inspired creations throughout Historic Garden Week; those interested in speaking with Neena Jhaveri should note that the artist will be in the Museum Store only on April 17 and 18.
The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley complex—which includes the Museum, the Glen Burnie Historic House, and six acres of gardens—is located at 901 Amherst Street in Winchester, Virginia. The site is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Details about additional MSV events and admission fees are available online at www.ShenandoahMuseum.org or by calling the MSV at 540-662-1473, ext. 235. –END–
Contact
Julie B. Armel
540-662-1473 ext. 225
armel@shenandoahmuseum.org
