This year’s forum, "Furnishing Louisiana: Early Creole and Acadian Styles" is already filled, with the full forum and Friday only tickets sold out, according to Anne Robichaux, marketing associate with The Collection. However, Aug. 7-8 tickets are available, which includes receptions, tours and shopping excursions. In addition, participants are invited to join the experts and speakers at an optional Sunday brunch at world famous Antoine’s restaurant at the conclusion of the event.

The four-day event will concentrate on the distinctive styles of furniture that emerged in Louisiana and throughout the Mississippi River valley by the early 19th century. In addition, the forum also features pre3sentations on the architecture and material culture of the period, as well as a closing panel discussion on collecting and connoisseurship.

"Louisiana furniture has garnered tremendous attention from the local, regional and national antiques communities in recent years," said Jack Pruitt, one of the event organizers and director of development of external affairs at The Historic New Orleans Collection. "The forum will allow people – from curious to serious collectors – to better understand antiques from this area."

At least 10 distinguished scholars, researchers and museum professionals will join private collectors and dealers to discuss early Louisiana furniture. They include, J. Thomas Savage, of Winterthur Museum and Country Estate in Delaware, who will moderate the program and discuss diverse and contrasting traditions in Louisiana.

Other speakers include John H. Lawrence, director of museum programs from the Historic New Orleans Collections, discussing the history of Louisiana from the mid-16th through 19th centuries; Jack Holden, scholar, author and collector of Louisiana material culture will discuss Louisiana furniture and its makers from the colonial and Federal periods; Francis J. (Bill) Puig, consultant, writer and researcher, discussing Creole home and their inventories; Jay D. Edwards, professor from Louisiana State University, discussing Cajun and Creole houses and their relationships to furnishings; Cybele T. Gontar, adjunct professor at Montclair State University at New Jersey, discussing the Louisiana Campeche chair; Andrew Richmond, vice president of Garth’s Auctions in Ohio, discussing vine-inlaid furniture; Jenna Tedrick Kuttruff, professor at Louisiana State University, discussing Louisiana Acadian textiles; and H. Parrott Bacot, professor emeritus at Louisiana State University, discussing hardware on early Louisiana furniture.

Contact: (504) 52304662

www.hnoc.org