You can see why from January 21 to 30 with the 51st staging.
There was a time when this fair was of no real international interest and was very much centred on Americana.
But, over the past decade or so, it has certainly earned its spurs as a top-quality, prestigious event and, although it remains largely a showcase for the best of the American trade, it has a formidable contingent of English dealers among the 74 exhibitors.
There are nine of them on parade, all well known on the international fairs circuit, offering a wide range of material.
There will be diverse offerings from The Fine Art Society of Bond Street and fine pictures from Richard Green and Martyn Gregory of London.
Mallett, of Bond Street and Madison Avenue will show their internationally known stock of high-quality decorative furniture and objects.
They will be joined by London folk art specialist Robert Young; antiquities dealer Rupert Wace and Oriental expert Roger Keverne, both from Mayfair; London dealer in distinguished objects ancient and modern Richard Philp, and leading arms and armour specialist Peter Finer from Warwickshire.
The American trade, of course, could not be better represented. A sample: Adelson Galleries, Carswell Rush Berlin, Ralph M. Chait, Geoffrey Diner, Barry Friedman, Leigh Keno, Clinton Howell and Kentshire Galleries.
The best Americana and American antiques still abound at the Winter Antiques Show but all disciplines are represented and examined by a vetting committee of 125 experts.
Daily admission is $20, although prices for entrance to the opening night party on the evening of January 20 range from $300 to $5000. You have to pay to be seen to be rich in Manhattan, but at least for the exhibitors it means there are plenty around with the means to buy the stock on offer.
