The event, which ran from October 27-31 at New York’s Park Avenue Armory, featured 93 dealers offering fine and decorative arts from antiquity to the early 20th century.
Among the highlight sales were George Washington (The Munro-Lenox Portrait) by Gilbert Stuart, which was offered by Hirschl & Adler Galleries, and a George II giltwood eagle from the workshop of Thomas Chippendale which was sold by Ronald Phillips.
Aronson Antiquairs sold a delftware pair of polychrome groups depicting two gentlemen in a boat for a price in the region of £100,000, while examples of Chinese painted enamel on copper, varying from five- to six-figure prices, were snapped up at Jorge Welsh Works of Art.
‘Great contacts’
“Sales have been strong since the first day, but what really keeps us coming back is the number of great new contacts we’re making every year,” said Carlo Orsi of Carlo Orsi – Trinity Fine Art. The gallery’s sales included a portrait by Guiseppe Maria Mazza offered for a seven-figure sum.
Jonathan Green of Richard Green Gallery said: “We sold two beautiful flower paintings, an early 19th century work and an Impressionist and we have two important Dutch 17th century paintings under offer.
“TEFAF has without doubt established itself as the most important art fair in the US for classical and early 20th century art and I am very proud to be a founder exhibitor at both Fall and Spring.”
However, other dealers noted both footfall and sales seemed lower than in past editions.
Katherine Purcell of Wartski told ATG: “It has certainly been quieter in terms of attendance and very much more modest in terms of business for Wartski compared to previous TEFAF New York and Maastricht shows.
“This however bears no reflection on the sophistication of the look of the fair itself, nor on the distinguished works of art on show. Although collectors and museum curators and directors have attended, the falling stock market has curbed people's appetite and sales have been disappointing for us as well as a number of other exhibitors.
“Fortunately such moods of unease are cyclical and one can be hopeful for better results in future.”
