The event brought 15,000 visitors to The Park Avenue Armory where 94 dealers from around the world exhibited. Representatives from a number of US museums were reported attending, including The Met, the Frick Collection, The Getty, The Detroit Institute of Art and the National Gallery of Art Washington DC.
Managing co-director of the fair Jeff Rabin said that it had “exceeded our highest expectations in every regard”.
A visitor examines a silver table garniture set from Paris c. 1888 on the stand of Jaime Eguiguren, Arte Y Antiguedades of Argentina.
Sales made after the initial rush at the preview include:
- A pair of polychrome Delftware swan tureens and covers, made c.1765 in Delft, which Aronson Antiquairs sold to an American Collector. The Dutch gallery also sold a polychrome figural cistern for around $45,000.
- Fernando Lianos’ Christ Carying the Cross with two executioners, a 16th century oil-on-panel work which, with an asking price of $300,000, went to an American Collector. The painting sold on the stand of Colnaghi, who also sold an 18th century polychromed wood carving of St John the Evangelist by Pedro Duque Comejo y Roldan for a price in the region of $300,000 as well as a pair of oil on copper images by Pedro Oreente of the Adoration of the shepherds and Magi at an asking price in the region of £200,000, also to an American collector.
- Richard Green Gallery sold Bernardo Bellotto’s Venice, a view of the Grand Canal…, which had an asking price of $5m, to an American collector.
- Littleton & Hennessy Asian Art sold a Wanli period scaled bronze lion-head door knocker featuring dragons chasing a flaming pearl for around $160,000.
- A limestone sculpture of Buddha Maireya from China’s Norther Qi to Sui dynasty (6th to early 7th century) sold from the stand of Ben Janssens Oriental Art.
“Americans travel to Europe less these days due to the exposure they feel,” Janssens told ATG before the fair. “It would seem a good time to travel to the US.”
And with many of the reported sales going to US buyers, the fair seems to have effectively targeted that sector of the market.
A visitor on the stand of Haboldt Pictura, an Old Master paintings and drawing specialist.
“The inaugural TEFAF fair in New York has been tremendously good to us,” said TEFAF chairman Willem van Roijen. “It has made its mark as a full standalone global even in New York but also provided the perfect window on what to expect at TEFAF Maastricht.
TEFAF Maastricht takes place March 10-19, 2017.
The inaugural TEFAF New York Spring Fair, which focuses on modern and contemporary art and design, takes place May 4-9 and will also be held at the Park Avenue Armory.
