A total of twenty-two new dealers have signed on swelling the roster to eighty-two. A number of them are recruits from Maastricht as well as the Haughton’s International shows.
The high level of new dealers, which include Pelham Galleries, Helly Nahmad, Royal-Athena Galleries and Kenneth Rendell, says how powerful this southern show has become in three years. A number of seven-figure and six-figure art works will be on offer in Lester’s $4 million, 55,000 square-foot tent. Attendance of 35,000 is expected, according to Mr Lester.
In all, there are eight dealers from London: Pelham Galleries and Graham Gallery bringing English and continental furniture; Helly Nahmad, dealer in Impressionist and modern paintings; Mathaf Gallery, Orientalist paintings; Ossowski, gilt mirrors and period carvings; Windsor House Antiques and Adrian Alan, both continental furniture; as well as the Silver Fund, which specialises in Jensen silver. From Sussex is Marilyn Garrow who specialises in textiles. Three Parisian galleries, which specialise in Impressionist and modern paintings—Daniel Malingue, Galerie Schmitt and Pierre Levy—will also participate.
Jerome Eisenberg of Royal-Athena Galleries, who also publishes Minerva, is bringing a Roman, life-sized statue of a youth from the second century, priced at $365,000.
“We are taking the same level of quality we show at Maastricht,” says Paul Michelssen, Pelham Galleries manager. Front and centre in his booth will be a massive (6 x 17 feet) pair of eighteenth-century paintings, “The triumph of Bacchus” and “Aurora” by the Florentine artist Giovanni Sagrestani, each for a multi-million dollar price.
Jacques de la Beraudière will be air freighting from Paris a large Van Dongen portrait, “Lady with a yellow shoe”, of 1905, at $3.3 million; a Picasso still-life from 1943 for $2.7 million and a Corot portrait of 1855 for $1.3 million.
Richard Green of London, who sold an important Canaletto at the fair last year, is taking a number of Old Masters, including a Dirck Hals and a Guardi.
For details, see p.76
Originally appeared in The Art Newspaper as 'Warming up to Florida'