New York (NY) — May 15, 2024: TEFAF New York returned to the Park Avenue Armory for its tenth edition, bringing together an enthusiastic international collecting community. The fair opened with a robust turnout on its Collectors Preview Day, May 9th, and steadily drew crowds throughout its 5-day run, May 10-14. The nearly 90 international exhibitors concluded the fair with impressive sales and museum acquisitions across categories.

SALES HIGHLIGHTSWaddington Custot (Booth 316) reported multiple sales, including a Pablo Picasso drawing (offered at $890,000) and an oil on paper work by Philip Guston for a price in the range of $400,000. Further sales from the booth included sculptures by Yves Dana and Barry Flanagan and a small oil by Peter Blake, each in the range of $70,000. Picasso's popularity was additionally demonstrated by Almine Rech (Booth 322), who sold a work on paper ($400,000 - $500,000) and a painting by Pablo Picasso ($1,800,000 - $2,000,000). Almine Rech sold multiple other works, which included a painting by Brian Calvin ($45,000 - $50,000), a painting by Kenny Schard ($180,000 - $200,000), a sculpture by Claire Tabouret ($95,000 - $100,000), a painting by Günther Förg ($60,000 - $65,000) and a painting by Genieve Figgis ($80,000 - $100,000). Kasmin (Booth 201) also sold Picasso’s Femme et deux hommes sur la plage, 1923 ($175,000), in addition to works by Alma Allen, Robert Motherwell and George Rickey.

A steadily strong interest in female artists carried through the fair, with sales continuing from Preview Day to the fair’s full run. Salon 94 (Booth 306) sold three important works by American painter Rebecca Salsbury James and has museum reserves on others. Gana Art (Booth 372) sold multiple works on paper from Japanese artist Shiota Chiharu. After completely selling out its first hang of works by Joan Snyder, Thaddaeus Ropac (Booth 345) continued to see incredible sales in works by the American artist.

Antiquities collectors were active throughout TEFAF New York. Charles Ede (Booth 356) closed deals each day of the fair, totalling nearly two dozen pieces, including a Roman marble Cinerary Urn (listed at $64,000) and a Roman marble Head of Hercules (listed at $56,000) to private collectors. Galerie Chenel (Booth 210) sold Head of Apollo, a Roman work, circa 2nd century A.D., to a private collector.

Reflective of the fair’s expansive genres, works of design were met with continued buyer enthusiasm. Galerie Patrick Seguin (331) sold multiple pieces by French designer Jean Prouvé, including a Cité Bed No.456, variant with bedhead forming a drawer, ca. 1951; Visiteur FV 11 Armchair, ca. 1947; Flaque Coffee Table, ca. 1958; and a pair of hirondelle wall lamps, ca. 1953. Hostler Burrows (Booth 203) saw sales across ceramics, furniture, and glass, notably an Otto Schulz Zodiac Cabinet.

W&K—Wienerroither & Kohlbacher (Booth 308) sold two marvelous drawings by Gustav Klimt, and Edward Tyler Nahem (Booth 321) sold Julian Schnabel, Stephen Janson (known to some as Stephen Gluck), 1988. Beck & Eggeling International Fine Art (Booth 368) sold a work by Yayoi Kusama, Jakobs Traum by Anselm Kiefer, and a large-scale work by Manolo Valdés. David Tunick, Inc. (Booth 371) placed several works, including Edvard Munch’s Anxiety, 1894, as did BLUM (Booth 305), whose sales included Elaine de Kooning’s oil on canvas Emily 2 from 1983 for $190,000; two works on paper by Yoshitomo Nara ($180,000 each); and works by Mark Grotjahn, Tomoo Gokita, Patrick Eugène, and Robert Colescott.

David Zwirner (Booth 347) presented works from George Morandi and George Ohr, receiving active interest from several American museums for the latter. Gallery partner David Leiber shared, “It was a thrilling few days for us in the Armory at TEFAF. Our presentation of the two Georges, Morandi and Ohr, was a catalyst for numerous conversations with private clients and institutions from all over. ​​So far, we have placed at least ten Ohr works in collections, with active interest from several American museums. To see Ohr on the same plane as the Modernist master Morandi was long overdue…”

TEFAF New York’s captivating programming ran through Tuesday, May 14, and included a curated selection of TEFAF Talks and TEFAF Meet the Experts. TEFAF Talks brings together gallerists, collectors, journalists, and other luminaries in conversation around the latest topics in art and design, from philanthropy and conservation to next-generation collecting. Meet the Experts puts the mastery of TEFAF’s dealers and artists on display with interactive discussions directly in front of specific featured works.

TEFAF Maastricht will be held in the MECC Maastricht from March 15-20, 2025.