NEW YORK, NY.- The highly anticipated first edition of TEFAF New York Fall 2016 opened its doors to the public on Saturday, October 22nd. The 94 world-class specialist dealers from 14 countries, showing museum-quality fine art and antiques, in the Park Avenue Armory, delivered the total “TEFAF experience.” The light and airy atmosphere was much appreciated by the attendees of the historic building that was completely transformed by Dutch designer Tom Postma especially for the fair.

Exhibitors at the fair have been extremely positive about the event. Hicham Aboutaam of Phoenix Ancient Art, who presented a remarkable “Park Avenue Pantheon,” says, "The VIP preview day was spectacularly crowded. There were many new faces along with well-known international collectors and an impressive number of people from the museum world, all with their eye on their next acquisition. We are extremely happy with TEFAF and their celebration of the Armory. This is THE new major event for New York and I believe will be an important nucleus for the global art collecting community."

TEFAF New York Fall is unprecedented in the United States in scale and quality. Exhibitions extend throughout the building drawing the visitor into an immersive fair experience, equalled only by TEFAF Maastricht itself.

With treasures ranging from a rare Cartier Mystery Clock to a highly important map with the first depiction of New York Harbor at $10 million, TEFAF New York Fall did not disappoint the throngs of attendees in the first two days. By the close of business on the first day, many dealers already reported excellent business with many already calling the fair a roaring success.

Michael Plummer, Managing Director of TEFAF New York, commented, “we are thrilled with the museum-quality level that our dealers have brought to TEFAF New York. The global art community has responded passionately to the fair, including the collectors, the museums, the interior designers and the artloving public. We are excited for the days to come.”

An early sampling of sales include:

Aronson Antiquair: Pair of polychrome swan tureens and covers, Delftware, 30.5 x 28 cm, Netherlands, Delft, circa 1765 to an American Collector.

Alessandra di Castro: Angelica Kauffmann (Chur 1741-1807 Rome) Portrait of Prince Stanislaus Poniatowski (Warsaw 1754-1833 Florence), Oil on canvas, 77x54 cm (30.3 x 21.2 in)

Daniel Crouch Rare Books: The only surviving complete example of this monumental planisphere from the dawn of the Dutch Golden Age Teixeira, Luis Magna Orbis Terrarum Nova -- asking price: in the region of $820,000 to an important American institution.

Peter Finer: A superb suite of armour for the field in Maximilian fashion, from the armour of the Dukes of Brunswick-Luneburg, circa 1520-30, sold to an important collector and connoisseur of arms and armour sold in the high sevenfigure range.

Bernard Goldberg Fine Arts: Edward Hopper (1882-1967) Portrait of Guy Pène du Bois, circa 1904, Oil on canvas, Signature: Edward Hopper (lower left) Marked by Robert Henri with red dot (lower right) for in the region of $1.5 million.

Ben Janssens Oriental Art: A limestone sculpture of Buddha Maitreya, China Northern Qi to Sui Dynasty, 6th to early 7th century

Daniel Katz Ltd: Memento Mori, Spain, 16th century, Oil on panel, sold for $150,000 to a Contemporary art dealer.

Jack Kilgore & Co., Inc. : Sold 6 works in the first two days including Emile Jean Horace Vernet Portrait of the violinist Charles Auguste de Beriot, (1789Paris-1863) sold in the region of $135,000; Rogelio de Ejusquiza, Portrait of Jose (a de Ochoa) sold for between $200,000-300,000

Ronald Phillips: A pair of George III ormolu mounted white marble candle vases by Matthew Boulton, English circa 1775; Matthew Boulton had had nine different medallions available for this type of candle vase. Most pairs of vases however have repeated medallions. There is only one other pair of candle vases of this type known that also features 8 different medallions.

Otto Naumann: Among the several sales is Anton Raphael Mengs, Portrait of Mariana de Silva y Sarmiento, Duquesa de Huescar, for $275,000 to CNN Anchor Anderson Cooper; Cristiforo Savolini (Cesena 1639-1677 Pesaro) Madonna and Child, Edmond Dehodencq, Portrait of a Boy to a Private Collector; Guissepe Sanmartino, “Baccante” – Sculpture sold to a Museum.

Phoenix Ancient Art: Northumberland Aphrodite Anadyonmene Statue, was among the early sales, in the seven-figures, at the VIP Preview to a European private collector. At Phoenix, the momentum remained at the Memorial Sloan Kettering benefit and opening day where all three of their superb Greek Corinthian helmets sold to three different collectors -- New York, California, and Mexico -- with prices ranging between $200,000 and $350,000.

Rob Smeets Old Master Paintings: Luca Giordano (1632-Naples-1705) Portrait of a Mathematician, Oil on Canvas, 127 x 100 cm (50 x 39.4 in) circa 1663

Taylor Graham, Louis Auguste Mathieu Legrand (29 September 1863 – 1951), Women Dancing, Pastel on Cardboard

Tomasso Brothers: Reported having collectors in their booth within moments of the doors opening at the Early Access VIP Preview on Friday, October 21st. They were glad to welcome many new and existing customers to their booth on the second floor, including US museum curators. Amongst sales during the Early Access VIP Preview was a terracotta relief panel for a figure in the region of $200,000, which sold to a new private client in the opening minutes.

Tomasso Brothers also sold A Nymph And A Satyr Crowned By Cupid, Johan Tobias Sergel (1740 - 1814) circa 1770-80