TEFAF

An intriguing find by a dealer new to TEFAF Maastricht leads a look at some of the highlights on offer at the huge event.

A surge of fresh faces in the Modern section, a shift in the global vetting policy and stronger links with the host city are among the recent shake-ups at TEFAF Maastricht, as CEO Patrick van Maris tells ATG.

Old Master art dealer Mark Weiss began exhibiting at TEFAF Maastricht in 1988. But for all the important 16th and 17th century portraits Weiss has sold at the Dutch fair since then, few are likely to have made a local connection quite like his gallery’s star object for 2019.

Art dealers and auction house experts were struck from all TEFAF vetting panels following the introduction of a new global policy last year.

It’s 12 months since Oliver Moss took the helm of fourth-generation Chinese and Japanese art dealership Sydney L. Moss. A busy year culminated in Moss making Japanese sculpture discoveries that will form the centrepiece of the dealership’s 2019 TEFAF Maastricht stand.

MADAM – As someone who has been dealing in early furniture for over 50 years and who has served on vetting committees for the Grosvenor House and BADA fairs as well as having been a consultant for Sotheby’s, I find TEFAF’s decision to exclude dealers from their vetting is frankly bizarre.

A number of dealers and auctioneers have reacted to TEFAF’s new policy on vetting which will prevent all commercial specialists from being members of its vetting panels.

The TEFAF decision to remove dealers from vetting at their shows has caused debate (ATG Nos 2367 & 2368). Here, silver dealer Alastair Dickenson writes to ATG giving his view, while we canvass opinion from four more experts.

Dealer association BADA has introduced changes to the vetting committee of its fairs to “ensure independence”. While dealers can still hold vetting positions, the chairs of 16 specialist sub-committees must now be non-exhibitors.

Art dealers and auction house specialists have been removed from all TEFAF vetting panels to avoid any potential conflict of interest.

Though an assortment of highprofile sales took place at the recent TEFAF New York Fall, some participants reported that business was markedly slower than in other editions.

A pair of Kangxi double gourd porcelain vases available at TEFAF New York Fall typify not only the quality on offer at the event but are also testament to its cross-cultural nature.