About Us

OUR BACKGROUND:

Dwight grew up in Tucson.  As a young rock collector, Dwight’s first antique was a lawyer’s stacking bookcase that his grandmother bought him to display his collection.  During his teenage years, Dwight collected enough merit badges to become an Eagle Scout! After he graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in 1984, his passion became collecting, restoring, and re-selling antiques.

Christy grew up in Anchorage, Alaska in a house full of antiques. Her mother’s passion was buying and selling antique oil lamps as a side line.  Both her parents retired and moved to Tucson, where Christy soon followed.  She attended the University of Arizona, where she earned both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees . Christy decided that being in the antique business is a lot more fun!

Our Story

• “Elephant’s Trunk Antiques” was the Schannep’s first antique store, opened in 1990.
• Tucson’s largest antique mall (at the time) , The American Antique Mall, was established in 1993 through the invitation of other dealers to join the Schanneps.  In 1993, only a couple of other smaller local antique malls and stores were in operation.
• Over 500 different dealers have enjoyed their own small business with booths in our antique mall!
• We have proudly provided high wage employment to dozens of Tucsonans over the last 30 years.
• Taxes and substancial charitable contributions have been distributed to our community through our business establishment.
• Millions of dollars of antiques and collectibles have been sold by the American Antique Mall over the last 30 years!
• Several antique shops and estate sale businesses have since been opened from our former dealers.
• We have served as the business model for Tucson’s other newer antique malls.
• We introduced antique mall accounting software (AMAS) © to Tucson, which is now being used by Tucson’s other antique malls.

Christy was a regular guest on the KTUC AM 1400 Antiques and Collectibles Hour Radio Show © with Fran Andrews in 1990.  Dwight has authored many articles for local and state-wide antique magazines and periodicals. Dwight and Christy were the featured “Super Collectors” on the national Fox Cable Network © “Personal FX Antiques and Collectibles Show ©” in 1997 (pre – Antiques Roadshow).

Both Christy and Dwight have been featured on local television news programs, as well as local, regional, and national printed literature. They were featured as the front cover story for the Antique Trader Weekly © on January 13, 2010! Dwight has written multiple articles for the Antique Register (an Arizona based monthly antique publication). Dwight was featured on July 3, 2013 (and multiple re-airs) on the Travel Channel’s © “Dig Wars – Ruby, Az. ©” as the featured appraiser.

As qualified and experienced appraisers, both Dwight and Christy have been trained and tested in appraisal theory, principles, procedures, ethics, and law.  They have extensive education and testing in the areas of antiques, residential contents, and fine art.  They both have additionally been trained and tested in the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice through the American Association of Appraisers.

The American Antique Mall is popular with local, national, and international shoppers. The world’s largest gem and mineral show comes to Tucson each February.  As a result, the American Antique Mall welcomes customers, year after year,  from every corner of the world.  Many celebrities visiting Tucson’s health resorts, or filming movies, have been known to frequent the American Antique Mall. Our reputation was established, early on, for specializing in quality items from quality antique dealers.

You are personally invited to visit us and see the exciting and unusual treasures we have to offer!