With nearly 180 international dealers exhibiting thousands of artworks and objects at the Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show, held over President's Day weekend, the largest vetted antiques show in the U.S. is underway.

Last year, organizers reported 50,000 visitors attended the popular annual fair, now in its ninth edition.

Scott Diament, President and CEO of Palm Beach Show Group, told the Palm Beach Post that part of the appeal is that there is something for everyone, works range in price from $200 to seven-figures, and cover a wide swath of collecting interests. Offered are fine art, antique and estate jewelry, furniture, ceramics, Asian art, silver, glass, textiles, decorative objects and more.

Among this year's highlights is Jonquilles (daffodils), an 1885 Monet still life, offered by M.S. Rau Antiques for $1,250,000. The New Orleans-based dealer is also showing a spectacular 29-carat yellow diamond ring with a price tag of $1.285 million.

About 40 exhibitors specialize in estate and antique jewelry, including Hancocks, Veronique Bamps, Primavera Gallery, Nelson Rarities and Fred Leighton.

Irving Penn’s 1957 portrait of Pablo Picasso is available from London's Chris Beetles Fine Photographs gallery for $110,000; the booth will also feature great illustration art from the likes of Aubrey Beardsley and Arthur Rackham.

Contemporary Chinese ink paintings will be shown by Michael Goedhuis preceding his exhibition of them at the Saatchi Gallery in London this June.

David David Gallery will be exhibiting an exciting selection of European and American works from the 19th & 20th centuries, including works by Sorolla, Picasso, Peto, Daugherty, Kuhn, Lichtenstein, Thieme, Jean Dufy, Paxton, Chihuly and more.

Paul Vandekar, of Earle D. Vandekar, will have paintings of cavorting mermaids by Cape Cod artist Ralph Cahoon, along with gorgeous creamware, Sevres plates, and a set of twelve framed Japanese watercolour paintings of irises, from Lowther Castle, circa 1890-1900.

American paintings specialist Gavin Spanierman has works by Theodore Butler, Lockwood de Forest, Lilla Cabot Perry, and Hovsep Pushman, on display.

An exclusive Opening Night Private Preview Evening benefiting Hope for Depression Research
Foundation will kick off the show on Friday, February 17.

The 9th Annual Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show will take place February 17-21, 2012 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center located at 650 Okeechobee Boulevard. Hours are Saturday, February 18, Sunday, February 19 and Monday, February 20 from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., and Tuesday, February 21 from 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Tickets are $15 daily and $25 for a 4-day pass. For more information, please visit www.palmbeachshow.com