Washington Winter Show 2025

53 This page is sponsored by Mrs. H. Bartholomew Cox the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the DAR Museum, and Woodlawn Plantation. The benefit was a resounding success and Martha Lemon and Liz Dunn went on to chair the Show together for the next fourteen years. Early show planning meetings such as the one pictured here took place at Martha Lemon’s home on Fordham Road, NW, in Spring Valley. For the 1962 Show, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy served as honorary patroness and Mrs. John N. Pearce, the first White House Curator, addressed Show guests at a January 11, 1962, forum entitled, “The White House — Then and Now.” As the Show grew, the number of dealers expanded from eighteen to over forty, including some international dealers. Regular attendees became accustomed to seeing some of the same dealers come to the Show year after year (Elinor Gordon, The Leather Bucket, Earle D. Vandekar of Knightsbridge) and also having the opportunity to explore the wares of new dealers. Show managers, from GreshamWilson and John C. Fifield to current ShowManager Karen DiSaia, have worked with the Show’s Board of Directors to keep the offerings varied, fresh, and exciting. The Show’s steady growth and success meant that its proceeds were able to truly make a difference for The Thrift Shop Charities, five children’s health facilities throughout the city. As time went on, the number of charities the Show supported expanded. Over the past seventy years, more than $9.5 million has been raised and, today, the proceeds from this year’s Show are shared by The Bishop Walker School for Boys, Building Bridges Across the River, and St. John’s Community Services. Mrs. Dunn passed Washington Winter Show Founding Board Members Hannah C. Cox and Helen W. Curtin. away in 2009 at 103 years of age and remained an involved member of the Show’s Board of Directors until her death. As Washington Winter Show Founding Board member Helen W. Curtin remembers, Mrs. Dunn knew all the dealers well and her interest never waned. Mrs. Curtin also recalls that Mrs. Lemon, who passed away in 1996, was always forward-thinking and sweet- tempered. Our co-founders would be immensely proud to know how deeply their vision of creating the best Show possible and raising the most possible funds for charity still drives the Show today and the Show’s philanthropic mission to benefit families in our city. The Trustees of the Washington Antique Show incorporated the Washington Winter Show in 2009. The first Show under the new name was