CHADDS FORD, PA.- Thirty-one of the nation's most outstanding antique dealers will showcase a variety of American and English furniture, glass, metalware, ceramics folk art, quilts, Oriental and European porcelain, rugs, and other fine collectibles at the 38th Annual Brandywine River Museum Antiques Show on Memorial Day weekend, May 23-25. Show hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily.

Several dealers will share their "Passion for Collecting" through special talks in their booths. Topics include antiques for the garden, the differences between New England and Mid-Atlantic furniture, the origin of the looking glass, and collecting folk art. These 30-minute talks are free with admission and will take place on Sunday, May 24 and Monday, May 25 at 11 a.m., 11:45 a.m. 12:30 p.m. and 1:15 p.m.

The exhibition Everyman's Metal: 17th-, 18th-and 19th-Century Pewter in America will go on view in conjunction with the Antiques Show. Buttons, buckles, dishes, lamps, cups, cutlery, cuspidors and chamber pots formed from this versatile metal will be on display in this exhibition, which explores the integral part pewter played in most early American households.

Special Events:
The always lively Preview Party takes place on Friday, May 22, from 6 to 9 p.m. The evening features a wonderful array of food, including carving stations, seafood bar, and sushi center, as well as jazz selections performed by "First Choice. Tickets cost $125 per person ($50 tax deductible) and $100 ($25 tax deductible) for "Young Collectors" ages 35 and under. The cost includes valet parking, cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, music, and show admission.

On Saturday, May 23, Wayne Hilt, a pewter restorer, appraiser and collector, will share his expertise and lead a tour of the exhibition. Richard Graver, a West Chester pewter maker, will also speak about pewter manufacturing. The tour, which begins at 9:30 a.m., is preceded by a continental breakfast in the museum restaurant at 9 a.m. The $25 fee includes the tour, breakfast and admission to the Antiques Show. Space is limited, and reservations are required.

Bessemer Trust Company of Delaware, N.A. is the Presenting Sponsor of the 2009 Antiques Show. Media Sponsors are The Hunt, Delaware Today, and Main Line Today. Corporate Sponsors are Pearl Pressman Liberty Communications Group, Everything but the Kitchen Sink, Back Burner Restaurant, Inn at Montchanin Village, and Krazy Kat's.

The Antiques Show is hosted by the Museum Volunteers, and all proceeds benefit their Art Purchase Fund, which has added more than 200 paintings, drawings and prints to the Museum's holdings since 1975.

Admission to the Antiques Show is $12 per person.