Relief at the top as it’s back to business as usual for the Haughtons

This is the event that was launched in Manhattan by the London organisers Brian and Anna Haughton in 1989 and in a very short time transformed the landscape of American antiques fairs.

They introduced strict vetting to America and, surprisingly, introduced a high-profile internationalism for the first time to fairs in this most cosmopolitan of cities.

For some years now, this autumn fair has not only been by some margin America’s top antiques event, but it is up there alongside Maastricht, the Paris Biennale and Grosvenor House in the world’s premier league.

Its importance and standing was evident last year when it had to be cancelled as the Armory reverted to military use following September 11.
The top end of the international trade was thrown into some turmoil by the cancellation with dealers having bought expensive stock especially for this New York fair and no outlet at which to sell it.

A number of Manhattan-based exhibitors held selling exhibitions at their galleries and they were joined by some Europeans with the same dilemma who borrowed galleries to show their fair stock.

While these shows, which were held on the fair dates, boosted morale, they did not, on the whole, prove a great commercial success. Other exhibitors booked into the International took stands at other fairs at the last-minute, but all agreed there was no substitute for the Haughton event.

There have been some splendid specialist fairs but, although it has taken a long time, this is the the most important international, broadly-based fair to be held in America since the terrorist attacks. At
a time when reports from the fairs front indicate that trade could not get much worse, many many dealers – and not just this year’s 71 exhibitors – will be looking for signs of some recovery.

Considering the economic and political climate in America prospects of a good fair frankly could not be bleaker. But in all disciplines this fair will bring together some of the best currently on the market.

Having missed last year, collectors, museum curators and dealers will be anxious to see what is on offer from the usual stellar names and a number of newcomers.

Regulars like Vervoordt, Perrin, Dandois, Mallett, Blairman, Vallois and Wartski are joined for the first time by Ossowski from London with giltwood mirrors and furniture; Karl Kemp from New York with neoclassical works; Hyland Granby from Massachusetts with period maritime artefacts and Wayne Heathcote, the Brussels tribal art specialist.

Also new to this fair are three distinguished London dealers in Asian work, who already stand at the Haughtons’ March Asian art fair – Berwald, Marchant and John Eskenazi .

The arrival of Heathcote beefs up an already notable aspect of this fair, which is tribal items, while the three dealers in things Asian add welcome strength to the Oriental department.

These are two sectors currently making the running in academic and popular taste. From antiquity through Renaissance to Chinese contemporary there is an immense variety on sale but the fair does attain a balance.

English exhibitor Peter Finer has already made his mark with arms and armour and the Haughtons’ exhibitor list takes into account the vogue for Art Deco. Admission is $15, but if you have the cash to spare go and see the Upper East Side’s finest, richest and thinnest strutting their $1000-a-head stuff at the exclusive charity preview party on the evening of October 17.

This is one antiques bash where the guests have undergone more restoration than the works on sale.