PALM BEACH, Fla. (September xx, 2005) --- Brantley Knowles of Palm Beach has been named chair of the second annual Palm Beach Connoisseur Fair Preview Evening. She will also chair the U.S. Trust Lecture Series associated with the fair. Tom Quick serves as vice-chair and Frances Scaife is the honorary chair. Kathy Bleznak serves as the vice-chair for the Vera Wang Luncheon Lecture, part of the U.S. Trust Lecture Series. Both events are presented by U.S. Trust, Town & Country, Audi, Pomellato and Salvatore Ferragamo, and proceeds benefit the Historical Society of Palm Beach County.

The Preview evening will be held on Jan. 5, 2006 from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. in the Cohen Pavilion at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, and will provide invited guests with an early opportunity to view the fine art, jewelry, décor and antiques that will be exhibited during the show, which opens to the public the following day. This year’s U.S. Trust Lecture Series features the top names in style, design, and décor, including internationally acclaimed fashion designer Vera Wang; the executive director of historic Mount Vernon, John C. Rees IV; and the managing director of Jacob & Company, Jim Haag.

Knowles is a strong advocate of historic preservation and has shared a life-long passion for history with her husband, Peter. Active in the Palm Beach community, she is on the Board of Benefactors of the Historical Society of Palm Beach County and is a member of the Preservation Foundation, the Society of the Four Arts, the Garden Club of Palm Beach and the Flagler Museum. A native of Virginia, she has served on the board of several significant historic organizations, including Gunston Hall Plantation, Wilton House Museum, the Historic Prestwould Foundation, the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (APVA) and the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America. She is also an advisor to numerous cultural museums across the United States. A lecturer and author, her history articles have been published in national magazines and newspapers.

The second annual Palm Beach Connoisseur Fair, to be held at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts on Jan. 6 – 8, will feature over 50 elite international and national dealers of fine art and antiques. Tickets to The Preview Evening are $200 per person, and reservations are required. The Vera Wang Luncheon Lecture is $150 per person. John Rees and Jim Haag lectures are $50 each per person, or $225 for all three events. Seating for all lectures is limited.

For more information contact Historical Society Marketing Director, Kae Jonsons, (561) 832-4164 ext. 106.

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