Armory laden with antiques

April 09, 2006|Destinations

The Spring International Art & Antiques Show Seventh Regiment Armory

NEW YORK April 28-May 3

If you hear a gasp from an antiques dealer, a customer has probably just pointed to an item and said, ''My grandmother threw out one of these." More than 50 dealers from Britain, France, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, and the United States display and sell items dating from the 17th century to the present. The inventory of treasures includes furniture, Oriental rugs, tapestries, rare books and autographs, clocks, silver, and estate, antique, and contemporary jewelry. One featured piece is an Art Nouveau choker with gold, platinum, pearls, diamonds, and red enamel. You can drool April 28, 29, 31, and May 1 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., April 30 and May 2 from 11-6. Admission is $15.

Park Avenue at 67th Street, 212-472-1180 (-0590).www.nyinternationalantiquesshow.com.

'Saint Francis Xavier -- His Life and Times' Cordoaria Nacionalmuseum

LISBON Through April 15

The 500th anniversary of the birth of St. Francis Xavier, patron saint of the Roman Catholic Church's foreign missions, is commemorated with a 300-piece exhibit that explores the politics, economy, art, society, and religion of Lisbon, the launching point for missionaries who traveled throughout the 16th-century Portuguese empire. Paintings, sculptures, gold-crafted pieces, and other items from European public and private collections are on display Tuesday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $2.50, $1.25 for seniors, free for children under 12.

Avenida da Índia, 646-723-0200.

'Niki in the Garden' Atlanta Botanical Garden

ATLANTA April 29-Oct. 31 More than 35 whimsical animals, mythical figures, totems, sports heroes, and dancing women rub elbows with the flowers and plants in the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Some of Niki de Saint Phalle's massive outdoor sculptures are 18 feet tall and adorned with mirrors, glass, semiprecious stones, and ceramic mosaics. The late artist described her creative process as a ''work in the darkness of a secret tunnel, always searching for the sun, hiding from the moon, and paying homage to the stars." You can pay homage to her work Tuesday-Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Thursday until 9). Admission is $12, $9 for seniors, $7 for students, free for children under 3.

1345 Piedmont Ave., 404-876-5859. www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org.