Vincent van Gogh – Still Life with Two Sacks and a Bottle
TEFAF Maastricht 2025 has successfully concluded its 38th edition, reporting robust sales across all collecting categories and reaffirming its status as the world’s premier fair for art, antiques and design. Over 50,000 visitors, including international collectors, connoisseurs and institutions, converged on Maastricht to acquire the finest works spanning over 7,000 years of art history.
Attendees included representatives from prestigious institutions including: The Art Institute of Chicago; Château de Chantilly; Cleveland Museum of Art; Fine Art Museums of San Francisco; Hong Kong Palace Museum; Louvre; Louvre Abu Dhabi; Metropolitan Museum of Art, Minneapolis Institute of Arts; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Museum of Modern Art, Paris; New Museum, New York; Musée d’Orsay; National Gallery, London; National Gallery of Canada; Palais de Tokyo, Paris; Suermondt Ludwig Museum; Rijksmuseum; Toledo Museum of Art; Van Gogh Museum, Zayed National Museum and many others. Among many sales the US firm of MS Rau antiques sold this van Gogh Still Life with Two Sacks and a Bottle to a private collector. The asking price was $4.75 million.
A set of four George II candlesticks by Robert Calderwood, Dublin c1745 at the Limerick fair.
Collectors know all about having to make choices. One choice available this St. Patrick’s Weekend is Ireland’s biggest fair or Europe’s biggest fair. Limerick or Maastricht. If you can avail of either more power to your elbow.
The array of dealers at Limerick Racecourse today and tomorrow is impressive. They have assembled from Donegal to Dublin, Belfast to Kerry, Tipperary to Roscommon, Antrim and Drogheda to Kilkenny and Galway and all points between. On offer is everything from silver, rugs, jewellery and porcelain to art, antique furniture, militaria, vintage fashion and collectibles of every type.
TEFAF Maastricht is a world fair which brings curators from major museums and heavy hitting private collectors with deep pockets to a beautiful Dutch town every year. It runs until March 20. So refreshing to see the super rich looking at objects ranging from antiquities to cutting edge contemporary art instead power playing with global politics on an inept scale. World domination aside if you can’t find something you want at either of these venues you are just not looking properly.
Gallerie Maria Wettergren, Paris will show After the Storm (Square) by Gjertrud Hals at TEFAF Maastricht : Photo Omar Sejnaes.
Carl Fabergé – An Imperial enamelled gold and gem-set egg pendant 1896-1908
This Fabergé egg, made with silver, gold, enamel and diamonds, will be feature by Wartski at TEFAF, Maastricht. The egg pendant, measuring just 2.4 cm, is decorated with opalescent white guilloché enamel, bound with a single band of rose cut diamonds mounted in silver, from which spring alternating chased yellow and green gold oak leaves. Wartski is a British firm of antique dealers specialising in Russian works of art.
Among many highlights at TEFAF, which offers unparalleled collecting opportunities, is a grand piano by Ruhlmann with Macassar ebony veneer, walnut, and violet wood and a case ornamented with gilded wood and gilded bronze. The Pleyel piano was commissioned by François Ducharne, then head of Soieries F. Ducharne, for his private mansion in Paris. This rare piano will be showcased alongside a unique collection of Ruhlmann furniture and objects, including rugs, armchairs, pedestal tables, and a coffee table, all featured by Galerie Marcilhac of Rue Bonaparte in Paris.
TEFAF. globally recognised as the premier fair for fine art, antiques, and design, runs from March 15 – 20 with an invitation only preview today and tomorrow.
A rare Youghal Art Metal Workers mirror, Killarney furniture and a treen collection
The enduring popularity of antique fairs lies in discoveries waiting to be made. The St. Patrick’s Weekend Fair at Limerick Racecourse on March 15 and 16 is no exception. Here you will find everything from a French Restauration chest of drawers in flame mahogany and a George I sugar bowl made by George Newenham in Cork c1720 to Killarney furniture and a rare Youghal Art Metal Workers mirror.
Shortly after the Cork International Exhibition of 1902, where Thomas Sparks of the Keswick School of Industrial Arts had given demonstrations, skilled local dockyard workers and coppersmiths aided by Sparks formed the Youghal art group in 1904. A number of their large mirrors were purchased by the Abbey Theatre. Ink Jar antiques and gallery from Donegal will bring a circular Youghal mirror to the Limerick Fair along with Killarney wood pieces and a collection of treen.
Cork silver dating back more than 300 years is not something you come across every day so there will be significant interest in the Newenham sugar bowl at Weldons stand. They will also showcase four Irish George II candlesticks by Robert Calderwood, Dublin c1745. Ashbrook Antiques of Roscrea will bring French furniture. With dealers from right around the country this packed to rafters fair will offer everything from art and antique furniture to porcelain, jewellery, vintage fashion, Irish coins and banknotes, Oriental rugs and all sorts of collectibles.
Centuries of discrimination cannot be overturned in a blink but as the search for overlooked artists gathers pace the small steps being taken at TEFAF might herald a giant leap for womankind.
Abandon by Camille Claudel at TEFAF.
In Maastricht next month The European Fine Art Fair will highlight the work of women artists. This trend is firmly established and unstoppable. New discoveries are waiting to be made.
We know the big names like Claude Lalanne, Louise Bourgeois and Hilma af Klint. But how about Camille Claudel, Emma Soyer, Gjertrud Hals, Marie Bracquemond, Hilla von Rebay, Juliana Seraphim, Bianca Boni, Hannelore Baron and Sheila Hicks. Many of them are relatively obscure, largely by virtue of their gender. Their art is about to be brought to a wider, global audience as all of them will feature at Maastricht.
Camille Claudel (1864-1943) is a renowned sculptor but her work is little represented in major international institutions, especially when compared to that of her master, Rodin. Galerie Malaquais of Paris will highlight her work at TEFAF.
The Eye by Juliana Seraphim (1934-2005) at TEFAF.
The London gallery Richard Saltoun will show work by Juliana Seraphim, a Palestinian artist and a leading member of the Middle Eastern art scene from the 1960’s to her death in 2005. Seraphim is known for her unique Surrealist style and iconography that engaged deeply with gender struggle, the liberation of female sexuality and agency, nature and spirituality.
Masque c1928 by Hilla von Rebay at TEFAF.
The visionary artist and creator Hilla von Rebay (1890-1967) was part of the first wave of abstraction to sweep across the US. She is best known for her role in the creation of the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum in New York which she founded and directed as curator. Graphic work by the artist, developed in parallel with her curatorial role, is now being rediscovered and recognised as a major influence on the American art scene, both formally and theoretically. This art will be featured by Galerie Raphael Durazzo of Paris.
The name Emma Soyer is unfamiliar to most museum goers today but she was as well known as any of her contemporaries from the mid 1830’s to the 1840’s before her tragically early death. According to Colnaghi: Elliott Fine Art of London, who will showcase her art, very few artists have fallen as dramatically from public and art historical awareness as Soyer.
The Two Inseparables by Emma Soyer at TEFAF.
No less than nine major figures of modern and contemporary art – Ella Bergmann-Michel, Hannelore Baron, Louise Bourgeois, Pierette Bloch, Marcel Cahn, Sonia Delauney, Sheila Hicks, Vera Molnar and the American feminist artist Mira Schor – will be highlighted by Galerie Zlotowski of Paris at a booth entirely dedicated to women artists.
Galerie Pauline Pavec will unveil unseen works by Marie Bracquemond, who ranks alongside Berthe Morisot and Mary Cassatt among the greatest figures of Impressionism, at TEFAF. The selection of art by women at the fair ranges from Roman miniatures to contemporary sculpture, Modern masters and Palestinian Surrealism.
The broad ranging European Fine Art Fair at Maastricht enjoys an unrivalled appeal as a destination for collectors, curators, art market professionals and art lovers. From March 15-20 it will feature more than 270 prestigious dealers from 22 countries in a not to be missed fair with some of the finest works currently on the market spanning 7000 years from antiquity to the present day.
Tiziano Vecellio, known as Titian – Madonna and Child with St. Mary Magdalene
Not every fair boasts a Titian but there is one among the highlights at TEFAF Maastricht which runs from March 15-20. Trinity Fine Art of London will bring this painting by the Venetian master of a Madonna and Child with St. Mary Magdalene dated to around 1555-1560. It is being brought to light after being hidden from public view in various private collections for more than two centuries. The picture is remarkable for its sophisticated composition and emotional depth; the superb quality of the brushwork and the excellent condition of the painted surface give this picture the edge over other versions of the same subject hanging in some of the world’s leading museums, such as the Hermitage, the Gallerie degli Uf izi, and the Museo di Capodimonte. Fascinating details relating to Titian’s studio practices were revealed when the painting was X-rayed in 2024, in this case demonstrating how Titian modi ied and changed the composition
Birds in Flight by John Behan UPDATE: THIS MADE 8,400 AT HAMMER
A tall and significant Birds in Flight sculpture by John Behan will lead Woodwards sale in Cork on February 8. The appealing series of birds in flight by the much loved Irish sculptor who created the Swan fountain at Bishop Lucey Park in Cork city centre is enduringly popular and sought after. This one is estimated at €10,000-€15,000.
Garden lots on offer include a pair of cast iron domed benches (€2,500-€3,500) and a pair of cast iron vases (€1,200-€1,600). Antique furniture pieces like a Georgian walnut card table, an Irish Georgian display cabinet (each €300-€400), a Georgian wine cooler and an Edwardian display cabinet (each €300-€500), a William IV table and a pair of inlaid tube chairs (each €200-€300) are all modestly and realistically estimated. Art includes a pastel by Tom Walsh. The sale is on view all week and the catalogue is online.
King of the Roads by Tom Walsh. UPDATE: THIS MADE 500 AT HAMMER
A selection from what Derry O’Keeffe, Automobilia and Collectibles, will bring to the Limerick fair.
Walk, trot, canter or gallop around Ireland’s biggest art and vintage fair at Limerick Racecourse today and tomorrow and there is every chance you will end up in the winners enclosure. If you are a collector there is sure to be something here just for you.
A very broad range of interests is catered for in this national assembly of antique shops, art galleries and vintage dealers. On offer are collections ranging from art to vintage fashion, collectibles to antique furniture pieces for the home. There is jewellery, silver, glass, coins, banknotes, Oriental rugs, memorabilia, porcelain, clocks, mirrors, comics, old Irish glass and even bakelite radios. This comfortable fully indoor event with ample parking offers an inspirational collection of objects across all price points.
The Purple Onion gallery will display Returning Home by Henry McGrane at the Limerick fair
Tom Wesselmann (1931-2004) – “Smoking Cigarette # 1,”1980
Galerie Gmurzynska of Zurich will bring this artwork by Tom Wesselmann to the Winter Show which opens today in New York. Made of oil and wood on masonite with a formica base it is signed and dated. The renowned fair brings together over 70 internationally known dealers from Europe and the Americas featuring rare,museum-quality pieces. Myriad works from paintings and works on paper, fine furniture, and design, to jewellery, and contemporary ceramics and glass will be on view. The Fair was established in the mid-1950s as a benefit for East Side House Settlement and, by the end of that decade, had firmly established itself as the leading event of its kind in the United States. The 71st edition of the fair continues until February 2.
Maison Gerard of New York will bring this unique c1930 Art Deco coffee and tea set by Bloch-Eschwege Silversmith & Maurice Muller (1907-2003) Pic Arian Camilleri
This red lacquered sideboard by Jules is a highlight on the stand of Milord Antiques at the New York Winter Show.
From lacquered sideboards to medieval books of hours and a Swedish rococo cabinet to a prized Cork Distilleries sign, antiques fairs are of enormous interest whether the audience is global and international or local.
It tends to make not a whole lot of difference. The popularity of fairs at all levels of the collecting world is undiminished. This is where discoveries are made, inspiration flourishes and new deals are struck.
Upcoming fairs in New York, London and Limerick this month offer an array of breathtaking objects to stimulate the imagination of any collector.
The biggest is The Winter Show in New York. Long located at the Park Avenue Armory in Manhattan this annual US highlight with dealers from Europe and the United State has a global reach. Taking place from January 24 to February 2 the 71st edition of the fair will feature rare and exceptional art and antiques from antiquity to day with over 70 exhibitors.
Les enluminures will bring this 15th century Book of Hours to the Winter Show in New York.
Among them are Milord Antiques from Montreal with 20th century design, antique furniture and artworks. They will feature a red lacquered sideboard by Jules with gold leaf, etched motif and brass legs. Jules Leleu (1883-1961) was the winner of the grand prize at the 1925 Exposition in Paris. Among his many commissions were designs for the ocean liners Ile de France and Normandie, huge signifiers of 20th century style, luxury and glamour.
At another point of the collecting spectrum Les Enluminures of Chicago, Paris and New York will highlight a c1480-90 Book of Hours from Rouen, an illuminated manuscript in Latin and French with 12 full page miniatures by the Master of Raoul Du Fou.
Christopher Hall Antiques will bring this 18th century Rococo cabinet from Sweden to London’s Decorative Fair.
In London the Winter Decorative Fair at Battersea Park kicks off next Tuesday (January 21) and continues until January 26. Launched specifically for the interiors market in 1985 by a dealer in decorative antiques, The Decorative Fair was an instant hit with designers, decorators and the trade, and has become an internationally renowned thrice-yearly event.
Around 130 exhibitors will display decorative and formal antique furniture, 20th century design, art and collectibles like furniture, lighting and mirrors, rugs, folk and tribal art. Courtesy coaches to Battersea Park will operate from Cliveden Place, SW 1 near Sloane Square underground.
Paul Butler of Kilkenny will bring this Cork Distilleries sign to the National Antiques Fair at Limerick Racecourse next weekend.
The National Antiques Fair at Limerick Racecourse next weekend is a must, especially for those unprepared to make the winter journey to New York or London. This fully indoor event, open from 11 am to 6 pm on January 25 and 26, is brimful with antique shops, art galleries and vintage dealers.
There is art from galleries like Treasures in Athlone, who will bring work by artists like James Brohan and Mark O’Neill, collectibles from La Belle Epoque, militaria and enamel signs from Paul Butler of Kilkenny along with a great collection of vintage fashion, hats and handbags, jewellery, antique furniture, Oriental rugs, old Bakelite radios and even two vintage votive stands in solid brass from Annamoe Antiques. The time to join in the hunt is now.
