A jazz group played in the foyer, white jacketed waiters served delicacies, and champagne sparkled in flutes at the bar. Was this a fancy society wedding? No, it was the preview party for the the Washington Winter Show is underway this weekend at the Katzen Art Center at American University. Best of all, it’s proceeds go to help children and families at risk in the Washington, DC area.

It’s well worth braving the cold to visit the booths and examine some real treasures. Whether you can afford it or not (which I cannot ), seeing sparkling jewelry, Chinese kimonos, and oversized Bison bones from the Pleistocene are fascinating.

(Click on any photo below to enter the gallery of larger photos)

(all photos (c) Diana Belchase 2015)

I interviewed three dealers: Jay Gates of Gates Antiques who describes how an English, Dutch marquetry cabinet was made, Judy Loto of Russack & Loto Books, who talks about why it’s important to collect books about collecting, and finally William Hutchison of William Hutchison Books, who shows us a family inscribed edition of Ulysses S. Grant’s autobiography and a gorgeous edition of Shakespeare’s comedies.

The Washington Winter show runs from January 9-11, 2015 and is at American University’s Katzen Art Center, 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. Tickets are $20 and go to raise funds for at risk children and families in Washington, D. C.