As the 7th Annual Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show came to a close, the show floor was buzzing about the remarkable number of sales that took place during this year’s event at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. Throughout its five-day run Feb. 12-16, the show boasted record attendance as its impressive array of 180 international dealers attracted more than 50,000 art enthusiasts, high-profile collectors and industry experts that were eager to admire the nearly 200,000 items on display.

 Exhibited items included fine art, sculpture, furniture, silver, textiles, bronze, jewelry, objets d’art, porcelain, ceramics, pottery, watches, clocks, Asian art and antiques, Persian carpets, glass and more ranging in date from the antiquities to the 20th century. After only seven years, the show has quickly established itself as the most anticipated winter event in South Florida and according to Bill Rau of the prestigious, New Orleans-based gallery M.S. Rau Antiques, “The Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show is one of the premiere shows in America.”

 “The combination of the top-tier dealers that participate in our show year after year and the magnificent collections they present to our guests is what we attribute to our success,” said Kris Charamonde, managing partner of the Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show and co-owner of the Palm Beach Show Group. “Each day, the show’s record-breaking attendance numbers and the sales reports from our exhibitors continued to exceed our expectations.”

 Important sales highlights of this year’s show include:

·          With an asking price of $845,000, M.S. Rau Antiques sold a charming composition by Norman Rockwell titled “Little Girl with Lipstick.” The gallery also sold an extremely rare and important English mahogany circular extension dining table, cir. 1850, which had an asking price of $298,500. Designed and patented by Robert Jupe, the table is one of only a handful known.

·          Rehs Galleries, Inc. had an excellent first day, selling three paintings, including Eugene Boudin’s “Trouville, le port maree basse,” which had an asking price of $250,000.

·          Owen Gallery sold an important Grandma Moses painting titled “Quiet Day.”

·          Carlson & Stevenson Antiques and Art sold an entire collection of water colors from 1890 called “High Society.”  The collection consists of 62 paintings.

·          Danish Silver had an extremely successful opening day, selling three vintage, art deco Georg Jensen flatware sets from the 1930s and 40s.

·          Great Canes saw a lot of interest in their collection of antique walking sticks – many of which have been used in Hollywood productions such as “Sherlock Holmes,” “The Picture of Dorian Gray” and a number of Agatha Christie movies. The company sold more than 20 canes in the first show day alone.

·          A.B. Levy Palm Beach welcomed clients from Holland who purchased a fine Tiffany silver set.

·          Koman Fine Art reported several sales, including a Robert Hogg Nisbet painting titled “Kent Landscape.” The painting was executed in Kent, Conn., exhibited at the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, Conn. in 2003, and is now returning home to Litchfield, Conn., where the new owners live.

·          Petit Trianon Antiques sold two pairs of 19th century French armchairs.

·          Sallea Antiques sold a very important wooden, melon-shaped English tea caddy from the 18th century.

·          Three antique jewelry suites from Vendome, Inc. were sold, including a Van Cleef & Arpels 18k gold and diamond tassel necklace cir. 1948, and a coral, onyx and carved emerald collar necklace and ear clips from the 70s. In addition, they sold a 3.53-carat intense yellow diamond ring and an art deco platinum, sapphire and diamond bracelet.

·          Five pictures from Surovek Gallery were sold, including a David Hockney pool piece from 1980, and works from Jasper Johns and Jim Dine.

·          Gavin Spanierman Ltd. sold a painting by F Luis Mora, titled “Fountain in a Spanish Garden,” which had an asking price of $110,000.

·          Seven sculptures, including important works of bronze and marble by Cyrus Dallin, Jose De Creeft and the famous art deco artist CJR Colinet, were sold by Steve Newman. 

·          A Kenneth Hayes Miller painting titled “Where Shall We Eat” was sold by Tom Veilleux Gallery.

·          Spencer Marks Ltd. sold more than 15 important pieces of silver that ranged in date from the 18th century to the 20th century, including a pair of George II English sterling silver double-lipped sauce boats, cir. 1759, made by London silversmith Thomas Heming. The rare sauce boats belonged to Sir Robert Jenkinson.

·          Vallejo Gallery sold a Charles Reifell painting titled “Summer Session at Ballast Point, San Diego” and a Greener whaling harpoon gun, cir. 1865. In addition, the gallery sold several pieces from a great family collection of whalemen's scrimshaw and folk art works, including several scrimshaw whales teeth, a whale tooth ivory pie crimper, a panoramic scrimshaw English London headland scene and a very unusual, large marionette puppet carved from whale tooth ivory, cir. 1820.

·          William Cook sold a Regency mahogany breakfront bookcase to a local couple from Palm Beach. The bookcase was made by Gillows, which has supplied furniture for some of the finest houses in England.

·          An important Minton Majolica tortoise was sold by Charles L. Washburne Antiques. It had an asking price of $36,750.

·          Michael Pashby Antiques sold an early 19th century mahogany campaign desk, a pair of Gillows shell back hall chairs and a Chinese export reverse painting on glass.

·          Made in Russia sold 20 Russian icons that ranged in date from the 16th to the 19th century, including an important triptych depicting the Annunciation.

·          A rare Cartier gold bracelet, cir. 1960, and a beautiful pair of white gold and aquamarine Boivin earrings were sold by Primavera Gallery.

·          David Brooker Fine Art sold more than 10 paintings to clients from all over the world, including a very nice horse painting to a member of the British Parliament, Richard Spring MP.

·          The Kendall Collection sold a watercolor painting by Andrew Wyeth, titled “Back to the Island.”

·          Philip Chasen Antiques sold several pieces throughout the weekend, including Tiffany lamps, glass and desk items, and Louis Icart etchings and oil paintings.

Notable guests seen shopping the show included Donald Trump, industry icon Ronald Bourgeault and collectors John and Marjorie McGraw. Former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and his wife, Judith, returned for the second time after their initial visit on Saturday and commented, “We enjoyed the show very much. There is an excellent group of art and antique dealers that exhibit here each year. We found something for our new apartment in Palm Beach.”

 Also popular among guests, was the show’s dynamic lecture series that featured speakers such as Gloria Lieberman, the director of Skinner's Fine Jewelry Department, and John Blades, executive director of the Flagler Museum. In addition, author Pat Rybovich presented a lecture titled, “The Story of Rybovich:  A West Palm Beach Legacy Since 1919” to a sold-out crowd.

 Additional comments about the show from exhibitors and industry experts include:

·          “This year’s opening night was the best we have ever seen,” said Ken Leach of Gallery 47. “People were smart, knew exactly what they were looking for and were eager to buy. The aisles never looked so packed and there was a certain energy that could be felt throughout the entire show floor.”

·          Last day trading with British premier dealer Haynes Fine Art of Broadway saw them set a new record in sales. “We are delighted with the level of sales, with many clients returning on the last day to complete their purchases,” said Tony Haynes. “The show has set a new record for Haynes Fine Art in show sales and we are confident in achieving several follow up sales over the coming months.”

·          “This is a great fair,” said Michael Owen of Owen Gallery. “We have a lot of clients that come down from New York and Boston every year for the show.”

·          “I have never seen such attendance in my life,” said Alan Granby of Hyland Granby Antiques. “Sales have been brisk and there have been more qualified people here at this show in one day than I’ve seen in five days at other shows.”

·          Carlos Cajigas of Petit Trianon Antiques adds “This show is magnificent. The people that are here come to see and buy, not just to look.”

·          “Traffic has been wonderful and sales have been very good,” said Clay Surovek of Surovek Gallery.

·          Lloyd Macklowe of Macklowe Gallery comments, “The show is fun, the crowd has been excellent and there is a good energy among the attendees.”

·          “This show is a winter reunion for all of us in the collecting field from the Northeast,” said industry icon Ronald Bourgeault. “With the diversity of merchandise, there is something for everyone.”

·          Collector Marjorie McGraw adds, “It gets better every year. As a former dealer, I can appreciate how well the show is executed.”

·          Gus Davis of Camilla Dietz Bergeron Ltd. noticed the increase in traffic over last year and stated, “The show has exceeded our expectations in sales, attendance and interest. We have sold a lot of big, bold statement pieces.”

·          Graham Arader of Arader Galleries adds, “We are extremely delighted with the success of the Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show and are thankful to the show owners for providing us with such enthusiastic clients who have purchased some of our finest Audubon aquatints of birds.”

·          Exhibitor Steven Neckman comments, “We had stronger sales this year than we’ve had in the seven-year history of the show. I sold an amazing assortment of pieces that ranged in price from $500 to $50,000.”

·          “This is a fantastic show and it has definitely exceeded our expectations,” adds Michael Pashby of Michael Pashby Antiques. “It was without a doubt one of the best fairs I’ve done in the last year. I made multiple sales each day.”

·          “I was pleasantly surprised with the change in mindset among buyers from last year to this year,” said Charles Washburne of Charles L. Washburne Antiques. “People were buying even on the last day.”

·          Exhibitor William Cook adds, “I was very pleased to see old clients and to meet new ones at this year’s show. As far as traffic goes, as an exhibitor, you couldn’t ask for more.”

·          “The Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show was the very best show of my career,” said Deborah Wilson of Vendome, Inc. “The clientele were educated and there was a rarified atmosphere that gave everyone a positive outlook. Every detail of the event was taken care of – and that really makes a difference for the exhibitors and the attendees. This show is, without a doubt, the best in the country.”

·          “We had strong sales throughout the entire show that spanned every category of the items we exhibited, including clocks, bronzes, wristwatches and KPM plaques,” said exhibitor Larry Dalton. “Things are definitely on the upswing.”

·          “People are definitely starting to spend comfortably on art again,” said Ron Cavalier of Cavalier Galleries, Inc. “We sold a number of works by the American sculptor Jim Rennert, which was the highlight of our show. Several clients of ours from Nantucket were in attendance and we also met a lot of great new clients.”

·          “We were very pleased with the attendance at this year’s Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show,” said Gregg Whittecar of Eostone. “The customers were intrigued and impressed with our products which resulted in great sales. We sold more fossil panels this year than we did last year and shipped items all over the United States and around the world. The traffic on the floor was international – which I believe the show has become famous for – and that’s what makes it so successful.”

Next year’s Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show will be held Presidents’ Day weekend, Feb. 18-22, 2011, at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. For more information, please contact Chrissy Lambert, director of public relations, at 561.822.5440 or chrissy@palmbeachshow.com, or visit www.palmbeachshow.com.

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About the Palm Beach Show Group

Recognized as the nation’s leading producer of premiere art and antique shows, the Palm Beach Show Group owns and operates the Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show, widely recognized as the largest show of its kind in the United States, as well as the Baltimore Summer Antiques Show and the DALLAS International Art, Antique & Jewelry Show. Additionally, the Palm Beach Show Group has added a new gem to its lineup of shows: the Ft. Lauderdale Antique, Art & Jewelry Show, January 7-10, 2011, at the Broward County Convention Center.