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A group of people sit and stand in a cozy room filled with antique furniture and books. A man stands in the center, speaking animatedly. The room is warmly lit, with paintings and various decor items displayed on the walls and shelves.

New Orleans Antiques Forum

The South’s premier event for lovers of decorative arts and material culture, held annually every summer

About Antiques Forum

Since 2008, HNOC’s New Orleans Antiques Forum has brought together antiques aficionados, scholars of material culture, and fans of finery in a weekend-long celebration of history and aesthetics. Talks and panel discussions are complemented by a reception, optional tours and dinners, and opportunities to browse antiques in the French Quarter with fellow attendees.

An elegant dining room table set with ornate gold candlesticks, crystal glassware, and fine china plates on a dark wood surface. The centerpiece is a lavish floral arrangement with pink, orange, and white flowers in a decorative vase.

Upcoming Events

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A woman and a man are browsing an antique shop filled with wooden furniture and decorative chandeliers. The woman is inspecting a cabinet while the man observes. Various lamps and mirrors are displayed throughout the store.

Past Forums

August 7 to August 9, 2026
2026 New Orleans Antiques Forum

Material Belief: Objects of Faith, Spirit, and Tradition

Explore the history and cultural context of antiques shaped by belief, devotion, and spiritual practice throughout the American Gulf South.
Signature Program
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Tapestry depicting St. Louis Cemetery #1
August 8 to August 10, 2025
2025 New Orleans Antiques Forum

Delight & Distraction: Material Culture of Southern Amusement

Step right up and explore the history of southern amusement through its eclectic material culture.
Signature Program
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Black, rosewood box with a gilded and mother of pearl inlaid top, containing pieces for the game "Boston".
August 8 to August 11, 2024
2024 New Orleans Antiques Forum

New Lives for Old Things: Refashioning Southern Material Culture

The 2024 New Orleans Antiques Forum will discuss the long lives of objects in historic practices and current concepts.
Signature Program
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A circular painting depicting a domestic scene with people gathered around a table inside a room. The border features various decorative teacups and saucers on a green background.
August 3 to August 6, 2023
2023 New Orleans Antiques Forum

Music to My Eyes: Material Culture of Southern Sound

Attendees of the 2023 New Orleans Antiques Forum will be immersed in the objects and art that embody the development of “southern sound.”
Signature Program
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A vintage military drum with a worn, red wooden frame and rope tensioning. The drum features a painted design of an eagle clutching an American shield amidst stars and clouds. The paint is faded, giving it an antique appearance.
August 1 to August 4, 2019
2019 New Orleans Antiques Forum

Fancy Footwork

The 2019 New Orleans Antiques Forum will “take steps” to explore topics including the depiction of animals in the decorative arts, the stylized feet of furniture and silver, the conservation of Dorothy’s ruby slippers, and more.
Signature Program
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A pair of vintage floral-patterned shoes with pointed toes and small heels. The fabric is a soft pink with cream and yellow designs. The shoes have a strap with a button on the side and a slightly worn appearance.

2013

Opulence & Intrigue: Exoticism in the 19th Century
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2012

Circa 1812
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2011

French at Heart: Continental Influence in the Gulf South
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2010

Furnishing Louisiana: Early Creole and Acadian Styles
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2009

In Search of Southern Style
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2008

The Inaugural New Orleans Antiques Forum
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A speaker presents at a podium, displaying a slide of an ornate, decorated box. The slide includes text and a historical photo. The presentation is held at The Historic New Orleans Collection, as indicated on the podium. Portraits adorn the walls.

Related Stories

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First Draft

What to Do If Your Belongings Are Damaged in a Disaster

Damage from fire, water, and debris can ruin prized possessions. HNOC shares tips for DIY remediation and when to seek professional help.

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First Draft

Possessed by the Past at Shadows-on-the-Teche

An antique armoire gives insight into a New Iberia plantation's complicated history and road to preservation.

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Material Culture from our Holdings

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A vintage wooden dresser with four large drawers and ornate handles. It features a tall, rectangular mirror framed in the same wood, supported by two turned posts on either side. The dresser has a polished, dark wood finish.

Meeks Dresser

A fine example of early 19th-century furniture, this dresser has a hidden drawer.

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An antique wooden box with hinged doors, displaying intricate scenes of grand architecture. The box is open, revealing a light green interior. The exterior paintings feature detailed buildings and trees, with a vintage, ornate style.

Leila’s Collectible Boxes

A look inside the Williams Residence offers insight into some of the interior decorating styles of the late 1940s and early ’50s, as well as Leila Williams’s personal collecting interests.

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Related Virtual Exhibitions

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Virtual exhibitions

Goods of Every Description: Shopping in New Orleans, 1825–1925

Peer into shop windows of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

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A vintage illustration of a 19th-century pharmacy interior. The room is filled with shelves of bottles. Several people, including pharmacists and customers, are engaged in transactions and conversations. The ceiling is ornately decorated.

Related Books

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Blue background with a white illustration of an ornate silver pitcher. The text at the top reads Crescent City Silver. The pitcher features intricate floral and filigree designs.

Crescent City Silver

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A book cover featuring a portrait of a man with dark hair in 19th-century attire, set against a muted background. The title Vaudechamp in New Orleans is at the top, and William Keyse Rudolph is at the bottom.

Vaudechamp in New Orleans

by William Keyse Rudolph

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Cover of Furnishing Louisiana: Creole and Acadian Furniture, 1735-1835 by The Historic New Orleans Collection. Features ornate wooden furniture detail with decorative patterns and tassel-like designs.

Furnishing Louisiana: Creole and Acadian Furniture, 1735–1835

by Jack D. Holden, H. Parrott Bacot, and Cybèle T. Gontar, with Brian J. Costello and Francis J. Puig
edited by Jessica Dorman and Sarah R. Doerries

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