Defining the Art of Collecting History

It’s most appropriate that a fine art gallery specializing in rare historic material enjoys its own unique 100-year lineage.  VINTAGE 329 is premiering on the world-famous Royal Street corridor as an expansion gallery – a grander version of VINTAGE 429 that opened in the French Quarter in 1998. Gallery owner and collector Joey Sutton, a third-generation descendant of brothers Jack and Joe Sutton, has converted his passion for collecting history into a thriving business that continues to grow and evolve like the pieces he collects.  So successful in fact is the concept, that Sutton, along with his wife Lois, are expanding the original gallery to include antique weaponry, rare books and maps.

From the moment you step inside the new VINTAGE location at 329 Royal Street, you’re on a journey of discovery.  Lost in another world and another time, unique treasures are everywhere.  Some pieces are impossible to miss, like the 1928 Chickering Grand Piano that anchors the center of the main showroom.  Some secret treasures, like Ernest Hemingway’s signed, 1^st edition, 1^st printing of For Whom the Bell Tolls, are tucked away in quiet corners of the stunning 3,000 square feet of gallery space.  Across the room, Beatles fans can’t miss the framed acoustic guitar signed by John, Paul, George and Ringo. A few steps away in the theater room, you will discover a baseball signed by the great Joe DiMaggio and, his wife, Marilyn Monroe. There’s the Presidential flag signed by nine U.S. Presidents from John F. Kennedy to George W. Bush and, even Wyatt Earp’s personal 4-barrel pocket-pistol, each piece authenticated and just waiting for you to take home.

Already established as one of the most unique galleries in the country, VINTAGE is authorized as the exclusive dealer for The History Channel’s Sean Rich’s private collection. A master antique gunsmith, arms and armor expert, Rich is an archeologist by trade, but at heart, he is a modern day Indiana Jones. His excursions take him to every corner of the globe in search of hidden treasures of the past.  In fact, one of Rich’s 16^th century treasure chest finds is on display and for sale at the VINTAGE 329 gallery.

Sean Rich and gallery owner Joey Sutton enjoy a unique collaboration that speaks to the level of inventory and to the passion for history that these two men share.  “The response to the new gallery has been overwhelming.  It’s personally rewarding to share this next phase of development with my wife, Lois.  Her marketing expertise and her nurturing spirit have made all the difference in both the personal and business side of this venture.  Sharing the journey with her by my side has made everything special and personally fulfilling,” says Joey Sutton.

For more than a century, the Sutton name has been synonymous with quality retail offerings in the Gulf South Region.  Specializing in autograph memorabilia, rare books & maps, and antique weaponry, a visit to VINTAGE 329 is truly a journey back in time.  Whether you’re passing through or embracing your sense of adventure with a purchase, your travels to VINTAGE 329 will always be memorable.  The gallery is open daily from 10 am to 5:30 pm.  For more information on VINTAGE 329, call 504-525-2262 or visit vintage329.com.