People who made a New Year’s resolution to augment their collections of art and antiques had the chance to attend a series of fairs held every January. The fairs gave dealers a chance to show off precious paintings and decorative arts. I had a chance to stop by several of them. Here are some highlights I found among all the booths, if you missed the shows this year, mark your calendars for attendance in 2014.
Winter Antiques Show
The “grand classic” is the Winter Antiques Show at the Park Avenue Armory. This year the opening of the 59th annual was, as always, a social event as well as an opportunity to purchase museum quality artifacts. We missed seeing Mayor Bloomberg (although we’re told he was pricing earrings among the jewels at Kentshire). Here are some of the “shoppers” we happened to see. www.winterantiquesshow.com
click here for a gallery view of images from the winter antiques show
The Metro Show
Aimed at “anyone enchanted by beautiful things,” the second annual Metro Show touted “a diverse range of offerings for art-lovers and collectors of every taste, inclination and budget.” From the attractive booths set up in the Metropolitan Pavilion we were attracted to items ranging from vintage scientific instruments to a basket made from expired auto license plates.
click here for a gallery view of images of the metro show
New York Ceramics Fair
Forty dealers brought priceless porcelains pottery, glass, Cloisonne and enamels to Bohemian Hall. Among the sales this year was a 1790 Ralph Wood Staffordshire figure of Benjamin Franklin and a bird with lots of character made by Robert Wallace Martin in Southall, London, dated 1897. www.caskeylees.com
Outsider Art Fair
The maverick Outsider Art Fair features booths specializing in folk art and works by self-taught artists. Along with legendary artists Thornton Dial and Bill Traylor, there were pieces by newly discovered artists, primitive, unusual, innovative works. www.outsiderartfair.com
American International Fine Art Fair
And down in Palm Beach, the convention center was filled with exhibitors at the 17th annual AIFAF. We saw lots of works in glass, admired the butterfly collages created by Palm Beach resident Nadine Kalachnikoff, and happened to be there when Jon Tsoi “Master of Tao-Blindfolded-Mystery Art Medicine” was mixing up putty and ropes creating a piece to be offered by the YY Gallery. www.aifaf.com
click for a gallery view of images of the american international fine art fair
