Visitors will enjoy American country and formal furniture, decorative arts, folk art, needlework, Chinese export porcelain, glass, jewelry, rugs, clock cases and more at the 46th Brandywine River Museum of Art Antiques Show on Memorial Day weekend, May 27 to 29.

The show features 27 of the country’s finest antiques dealers. New to the show this year are Dover House Antiques from Louisville, Ky.; Federalist Antiques from Kenilworth, Ill.; Hilary and Paulette Nolan from Falmouth, Mass.; Olson Antiques from Newburgh, N.Y.; Harley N. Trice from Pittsburgh, and White & White from Skaneateles, N.Y.

Show admission also includes entry to the museum and the galleries. Proceeds from the Antiques Show benefit the Museum Volunteers' Purchase Fund, and art and education programming.
This year's exhibition is “Sipped and Savored: The Art of Chocolate,” drawn from the collection of Wilbur Chocolate of Lititz, Pa., and showcasing the art of consuming chocolate in its many forms.

While chocolate is a common candy treat of the 21st century, European connoisseurs went to great lengths to enjoy the “food of the gods” beginning in the 17th century. Thick chocolate beverages were expertly mixed in ceramic pitchers and pots made just for the purpose. These elegant vessels were manufactured in the celebrated potteries of Europe and Asia into the 20th century.

Advancements in the processing of chocolate allowed for it to be molded into shapes in the 19th century. Elaborate metal molds were manufactured for use by chocolatiers to craft ornate chocolate sculptures, both large and small, in any number of fanciful shapes. Moving into the 20th century, chocolate was promoted as a nourishing part of a child’s diet, and cocoa products became staples in every kitchen. The exhibition is on view May 6 to 29.
Special events are:

Preview Party -- Friday, May 26, 6 to 9 p.m.
$125 per person
Enjoy passed hors d’oeuvres, along with many other culinary stations prepared and presented by Blanch & Shock, the Museum’s on-site caterers, throughout the museum. Tickets include valet parking, open bar, music and hors d'oeuvres and dessert.

Breakfast and Lecture – Saturday, May 27, 9 to 10:30 a.m.
$30 per person (includes Show admission)
Join Amanda C. Burdan, Brandywine’s associate curator, along with Allison Schell, program and development manager at the Chadds Ford Historical Society, for a demonstration of the preparation of chocolate from bean to bar, followed by a tour of the decorative arts exhibition. The presentation will begin at 9:30 a.m. following a continental breakfast in the museum café at 9 a.m.

A Passion for Collecting: Dealer Talks -- Sunday, May 28 and Monday, May 29
Free with show admission
Each day features four different talks by dealers in the show. These happen on the show floor at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., with topics ranging from ceramics, weathervanes, and samplers to folk art, pottery, rugs and more. See one or all eight of these talks by dealers who know their wares. Register in advance by calling 610-388-8318 or meet in the museum’s first floor atrium 15 minutes prior to each lecture.

Show admission is $18 per day. The show is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Brandywine River Museum of Art is on Route 1 in Chadds Ford. Call 610-388-2700 or visit www.brandywinemuseum.org.