Antiques appear never to have been more popular. "Antiques Roadshow" has millions of viewers and eBay is a favorite hobby. Yet the number of people who buy antiques is shrinking. In the age of the Ikea flat pack, collecting belongs to the fusty past. "Shows, Shops & Auctions" analyzes the state of the trade in the new century. The essays are based on the author's peripatetic work history and informed by years of reporting.