Curios lure the curious

Las Vegas— Most buyers probably didn't come to the summer market here specifically in search of curios, but what they saw piqued their interest and generated orders, according to key exhibitors in the display cabinet category.

Vendors showed new and inline curios in a range of styles,

Here's a look at some of the highlights.

Pulaski

Pulaski had seven new curios, including the Toscano and San Mateo models, both of which did well, the company said. Retailing at $1,199 and $1,499, respectively, they tie in with the company's bedroom collections, one reason for their success.

Both also have stylish shaped fronts. San Mateo is a shorter version with a marble top, while Toscano is a tall version with four glass shelves.

Vice President of Sales Page Wilson believes the company's curios help lure buyers into the showroom.

"With the different things we do, in curios, accents and cases, we generally see more traffic than the average vendor," he said, adding the sheer diversity of product offered helps leverage sales in different categories.

Ultimate Accents

Ultimate Accents had seven curios on display, ranging from the $699 retail Kingston eight-door model to the $1,499 Chinese curio with five adjustable shelves.

The best performers were the Mayfield and Seville models, both at $999 retail. Both have serpentine-shaped glass shelves and carved elements on the frame, with Mayfield in a celadon finish and Seville in a dark finish.

Two reasons these two items proved popular are that they're available in 30 days, and dealers don't have to buy a full truckload of the cabinets, said Ray Steele, vice president of sales.

"What people were looking for is something they can sell and not have to make a major investment in," he said.

Philip Reinisch

Philip Reinisch showed all 25 SKUs of its ColorTime collection of display cabinets, up from nine at the January market in Vegas, in part because of the positive response the collection received at the winter market.

Vice President of Sales Dave Urbanick described the collection as "very salable." ColorTime features five different cabinets in five colorful finishes, with retails ranging from $399 to $799.

"They are great finishes and great price points on items that are in stock and available for immediate delivery out of Indiana and container-direct from China," Urbanick said. "For the retailer, it's something very refreshing in a sea of brown case goods."

He also believes the cabinets are helping retailers reach a younger demographic.

"The success has been building, and the demographic seems to be right," he said. "It's a younger, more fashionable demographic for us, which is really important. The furniture industry needs that new demographic."

Antiques 2000

Antiques 2000 reported excellent success with its 1835 French display cabinet, which comes in both a black and a duck-egg blue finish. Elements include a mirrored back and three glass shelves.

President Julie Shadforth noted the 35-inch wide by 77-inch high piece is a good size for retail sales floors and peoples' homes, because it fits comfortably in rooms with 8-foot ceilings.

"It's functional and can fit anywhere," she said, adding that curios represent roughly 10% of total sales.

Sunny Designs

Case goods manufacturer Sunny Designs got strong response to two new oak curios in its rustic Sedona collection. At $399 retail, the curios feature glass door fronts and shelves, as well as decorative slate elements, which mirror the mixed-media approach used elsewhere in the collection.

Marketing Director Hokeun Lee said the rustic styling drew the interest of buyers from markets around the country, including some metro areas.

"We just keep adding to that collection," Lee said. "It's a pretty simple sale. It complements what we are doing, and by including curios we show the depth of our line. We're not just in dining, home entertainment or home office. We have everything in wood across the board."