Swift Sales at Kyoto Antiques

4/30/15 various inks, Caran d'Ache Museum colored
pencil, Canson XL 140 lb. paper

Today was the first day of Kyoto Art and Antiques’ semi-annual antique sale in the Georgetown neighborhood. Although we like to see the interesting Asian wares whenever it’s open, we’re not serious antique shoppers, so we don’t make an effort to go on the first day. (Last September I made my first major purchase there.) We happened to be in the area today though, so we stopped in – and it was packed! We should have known that all the serious antique shoppers would mob the place as soon as it opened.

Needless to say, the crowds made sketching difficult. I spotted this large stone horse and wedged myself against the side of a cabinet to sketch it without getting bumped. Behind the horse was a screen with a lovely bamboo pattern and some Japanese calligraphy. I had roughed it in quickly along with other things in the background. At that point, Greg came by, so I chatted with him for less than a minute. When I looked back again, someone had purchased the screen and taken it away! I guess you have to be quick to sketch at an antique show.