CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – When Elias Hasket Derby, a Salem, Mass., merchant and owner of the first New England vessel to trade directly with China, sent his son John off to college, he sent him off in style. Derby hired John Cogswell, one of Boston’s leading cabinetmakers, to build John a chest on chest for his room at Harvard College. That piece of furniture now resides at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts.

While not everyone is sent off to school with a piece of furniture like that, college days are not too early to become engaged in the world of antiques, and antiques can find a place in student apartments

For University of Virginia students, the opportunity for learning and finding is coming Jan. 22-24, 2010, when Antiques in Charlottesville opens its doors at the Holiday Inn University Center.

“We’re hoping many students in Charlottesville will take advantage of this opportunity to discover the world of antiques and fine art,” said show promoter Jay Melrose. “One nice thing about coming to a show is the dealers who are happy to share years of experience in the trade.”

Melrose added that while antiques are often perceived as not being affordable to college students, there are a number of entry-level items that can easily find a place in a dorm room. Among them are selected artworks, prints, lamps, photos, linens and books.

More importantly, for college students the experience is one of learning as much as it is for acquiring. “The acquiring can come later,” Melrose said. “The most important part is opening the doors to something that can beget years of appreciation and enjoyment.”

Jay Melrose, of Poland, Ohio, began selling antiques at shows in the mid 1980s and, armed with that experience, has worked to rethink the formula of antiques-show promotion. Today Melrose & Duddy shows feature an exciting array of knowledgeable dealers who are engaging generations of new buyers.

Hours for Antiques in Charlottesville are Friday, Jan. 22, 1 p.m. until 8 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 23., 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.; and Sunday, Jan. 24, 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Admission is $8, or $4 with a University of Virginia student ID. The University Area Holiday Inn is centrally located at 1901 Emmet Street.

More information about Antiques in Charlottesville is available online at www.antiquesincharlottesville.com. Visit Melrose & Duddy’s Web site at www.melroseduddy.com. Contact Jay Melrose at 330-519-5132.

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