For the 50th staging, 74 exhibitors have lined up and they read like a Who's Who of the American trade, featuring Adelson Galleries, Ralph M. Chait, Barry Friedman, Cora Ginsburg, Hyde Park Antiques, Clinton Howell and the Kentshire Galleries, to name just a handful.
Perhaps in the past, this show has not had the international dimension of other New York fairs because it has been, in the main, a showcase for American dealers and Americana. The tradition continues this year with what the organisers describe as the American "core" of the show being 25 specialists in Shaker, Native American, Colonial, Federal and many other aspects of American decorative arts. Americana may mean little outside of the US, but there, specialist dealers such as Leigh Keno of New York are virtually household names.
However, the Winter Antiques Show is far from just a celebration of American antiques, with English, European and Asian work all very well represented and authenticated by a vetting committee of some 125 experts.
With nine exhibitors, by far the largest overseas contingent at the fair is British.
Among those participating are Mallett, Peter Finer, Rupert Wace and Robert Young. And returning to the American fairs scene after a year's absence, the UK's top art dealer Richard Green has taken a stand.
The English dealers are at the fair at the invitation of the organisers and apparently it is quite an honour even to be considered, let alone given a space.
Admission is $16.
Honoured English nine help broadenappeal of old Manhattan
TO many Americans, Manhattan’s annual Winter Antiques Show is the most prestigious fair in the land. It is certainly the most venerable since from January 16 to 25 (after a charity party on January 15) it celebrates a half century at New York’s Seventh Regiment Armory, Park Avenue at 67th Street.
