HELVOIRT.- The overwhelming sentiment at the close of TEFAF Maastricht 2018, which ran from the 10th18th March with Early Access Day on the 8th March and Preview Day on the 9th March, was that the Fair had been a resounding success, with sales reported from every section of the Fair to both private and institutional collectors. The 2018 edition of the Fair welcomed over 100 new museums in addition to the museums that already visit the Fair. The international reputation TEFAF Maastricht has for offering works of extraordinary and unrivalled quality means it continues to be a hub for collectors worldwide. TEFAF Maastricht welcomed around 68,000 visitors during the course of the Fair.

Christian Hemmerle, the youngest and one of the newest Members of the TEFAF Board of Trustees said, “Exhibitors make an enormous effort with their presentation every year but this year the standard of curation and the quality of objects on offer was exceptionally high, which resulted in a consistently buoyant and positive Fair.”

Curated and focused displays throughout the Fair resulted in exceptional results for exhibitors. One such exhibitor in TEFAF Paintings is new participant Lullo · Pampoulides (Stand 368). The young gallery, run by Andreas Pampoulides and Andrea Lullo, sold primarily to new collectors during the Fair, and had to re-hang their stand twice. Sales included The Assumption of Saint Mary Magdalene, by Francesco Albani (1578 – 1660), oil on copper, dated c.16301640, which went to a US public institution, and one of the highlights of their stand, Saint Francis Paola, oil on canvas, c.1625-1626, by Simon Vouet (1590-1649), which had an asking price of €250,000. The latter sold on Friday to a private collector and also had serious interest from four museums.

Stoppenbach & Delestre (Stand 333) presented a special exhibition entitled Brittany from the Pont-Aven school to Post-Impressionism, which proved to be extremely appealing to US collectors visiting the Fair. The gallery sold two works from the exhibition to the same private collector from the US – Pont Aven, Sortie de la messe à sept heures, 1923, oil on canvas, by Gustave Loiseu (1865-1935), and La Moisson, c.1890, oil on board, by Émile Bernard (1868-1941).

Jorge Coll and Nicolás Cortés, the directors of Colnaghi (Stand 306) reported 19 sales to date, highlighting strong demand from collectors for Old Master works. The gallery was particularly encouraged by the level of sales to both new and younger buyers. Included within the sales was Portrait Head of an Older Woman, bluish white marble, probably Luna (Carrara), from the Julio – Claudia Period, mid-1st century AD. The work was sold to a private US collection and had an asking price of €700,000.

Commenting on the unique appeal of TEFAF Maastricht, Rupert Maas of The Maas Gallery (Stand 335) commented that “…this is the only Fair in the world that I know, where you see museums come with the desire (curators), decision (directors) and money (patrons and trustees) in one place in order to streamline the acquisition process.”

Moving to TEFAF Modern, one of the highest value works sold at the Fair was Lilacs, 1887, by Dutch master Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890), oil on canvas, sold by Hammer Galleries (Stand 406). The work, which had an asking price of €9.5 million, was sold to a private collector who was new to the gallery. This was a very exciting sale for the gallery, which this year celebrates its 90th anniversary and its ninth year at TEFAF Maastricht. It is also the third Van Gogh that gallery president, Howard Shaw, has handled during his career.

Thomas Salis (Stand 404) also reported that all their sales were to new customers, both private and institutional. L’allée cavalière, Tour Eifel, 1898, oil on canvas by Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947) went to a private Swiss collection, whilst the bronze sculpture Cardinale seduto, conceived in 1975, by Giacomo Manzù (1908-1991) went to a leading Spanish collection. Two major American institutions are considering three works by Édouard Vuillard (1868-1940) – Portrait de Misia Natansson, oil on board; Modèle se déshabillant, boulevard Malesherbes, distemper on paper mounted on canvas; and Les tasses noires, tempera on canvas.

New exhibitor, Mazzoleni (Stand 500) had a very successful first outing at TEFAF Maastricht with numerous sales reported during the first few days of the fair, including the sale of a 1918 work by Gino Severini (1883 – 1966). Luigi Mazzoleni said that the European audience was particularly strong and guests were extremely well educated and knew what they were looking for.

J. Kugel (Stand 200) brought one of the most extraordinary examples of decorative arts to the Fair – The Bulgari Clock, an ivory and silver gilt astronomical clock made in Augsburg in 16371639, which sold on the for an undisclosed sum to a private European collector. Institutional sales were also reported throughout TEFAF Antiques, Christophe de Quénetain (Stand 108), for example, sold six signed plates and two large dishes ‘con archittetura dell’Africa’, either from the workshop of Carlo Giuseppe Rampini or Antonio Francesco Imbres, and painted by Siro Antonio Africa, tin-glazed earthenware, c.1700, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, USA. In addition, a white marble sculpture entitled Jeanne d’Arc, c.1840, by Auguste Trouchaud after S.A.R. Princess Marie d’Orléans (1813-1839) is on reserve to the Musée des Beaux-Arts d’Orléans.

Leading London antique silver dealers, Koopman Rare Art (Stand 156), reported several sales during the Fair, which for them is a continuation of significant sales made over the last six months and indicative of momentum gaining in the antique silver market. Among the sales at TEFAF Maastricht were a pair of silver gilt ewers by Edward Farrell for the Duke of York (17631827), with an asking price of £175,000, and a set of four silver-gilt George II candlesticks designed by William Kent and translated into silver by Paul Crespin, which had an asking price of £450,000.

Rupert Wace Ancient Art (Stand 428) reported strong sales throughout the Fair, which included the sale of a Villanova lid with hunting scene, 8th – 7th century BC, bronze, for €150,000 to a public collection. In addition, Sycomore Ancient Art (Stand 436) sold their most important piece to a private Middle Eastern collector for a six-figure sum. The Egyptian work was a blue glass inlay head, probably representing the sky Goddes Nut, New Kingdom, dated 1570 – 1085 BC.

Private collectors were out in force within TEFAF Tribal, with sales reported throughout the section. Galerie Meyer – Oceanic & Eskimo Art (Stand 135), sold a very important Yipwon from the Korewori River on the opening day to private collectors from France, whilst Bernard de Grunne Tribal Fine Arts (Stand 121), sold one of the stand out works of the section, a Black Uli, from New Ireland, as well as a Kota Janus, Reliquary Guardian Figure, from Gabon, both to private collectors.

Focused artist exhibitions were also highly successful within TEFAF Paper. UK based dealer James Butterwick (Stand 725) focused exclusively on the works by Boris Kosarev (18971994). The exhibition was entitled The Kharkov Laboratory (1918-1929), the nickname by the artist for his studio, and Butterwick sold seven works, all to different private European collectors. The sales ranged in price from €1,000 to €25,000.

Galerie Tanakaya (Stand 727) also had a focus on a selected artist, Foujita Tsuguharu (18861968). It is the 50th anniversary of the artist’s death and currently there are two exhibitions taking place in Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan, as well as a recently opened exhibition at the Musée Maillol, Paris, France. During TEFAF Maastricht Tanakaya sold 23 works by Foujita, including Young girl holding three buttercups, black ink and watercolour on paper, for €180,000.

Scandinavian design appeared popular at this year’s Fair. Dansk Møbelkunst Gallery (Stand 600) had a good fair selling a number of items mainly to new clients. Their sales included a tapestry weave rug “Park, Grön”, 1957 made by Märta Måås-Fjetterström AB for Barbro Nilsson (1899-1983) to a new American client and two rare lamps by Poul Henningsen (1894-1967), made by Louis Poulsen, one a painted copper, brass and painted iron floor lamp, 1926-1928 and the other a brass and painted copper pendant, 1926, both in original condition, to a new German client.

This year’s TEFAF Showcase looked very strong with each of the five exhibitors going to great lengths to create beautifully displayed stands. Their efforts were rewarded by sales to new clients and compliments from both visitors and exhibitors alike. Kallos Gallery (Stand 3) sold only to new collectors and the sales included a Mesopotamian ring, for €14,000 to private collector with a particular interest in Byzantine jewellery.

TEFAF Maastricht 2019 will take place from 16th – 24th March 2019, with Early Access Day and Preview Day taking place on the 14th and 15th March 2019 respectively.