ROUSING SALES AND ATTENDANCE ENERGIZE 2013 METRO SHOW

EDITIONS | ARTISTS’ BOOK FAIR REPORTS RECORD ATTENDANCE AND SALES

New York—Despite arctic temperatures throughout its five-day span, a record number of art and antiques lovers continually poured into the second incarnation of the METRO Show, with more than 2,000 attendees on opening night, with a total of 11,000 visitors for the duration at Chelsea’s Metropolitan Pavilion. New this year, was the addition of Editions | Artists' Book Fair, which occupied the adjoining Altman Building. Curators from American Folk Art Museum, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, Getty Museum, Hammer Museum, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Cleveland Museum of Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Whitney Museum, and Library of Congress were sighted at both fairs rubbing shoulders with such bold faced names as Lucy Liu, Blythe Danner, Harvey Fierstein, Connie Chung and Maury Povich, Jerry Lauren, Ellie Cullman, Mario Buatta, Nonnie Frelinghuysen, Lucy Danziger, Harry Heissmann, Dennis Rolland, Stephanie Stokes and Adam Kimmel.

Said Caroline Kerrigan-Lerch, the director of METRO Show: “We are very pleased with the enthusiastic response we received for this year’s fair and are particularly happy with the sales that dealers reported, which in some cases were extraordinary.”

	METRO Show 2013 Opening Night

Here are some acclamations from dealers, collectors and designers about the METRO Show opening night:

“The show has a great attitude with a great mix,” said Jerry Lauren, the fashion executive and brother of Ralph Lauren and an established figure in the world of American Folk Art collecting. “It’s a charming show, and the quality has improved greatly from the past.”

Interior designer Ellie Cullman, an avid collector in her own right, was impressed with the diversity of material that reflects today’s collecting trends. “METRO is a great resource for collectors and designers. With its wide range of the highest quality material - from folk to contemporary – this show has become a staple in our January calendar.”

Kiziah Sharp New Jersey Sampler M. Finkel & Daughter

Exclaimed Amy Finkel of M. Finkel & Daughter, Philadelphia: “We had the best opening night at any show anywhere at anytime. Great crowd, great decisions, great sales!” They included a pair of 19th-century gatepost crows; a linked-heart-shape door mat; and four samplers, including ones made by in 1825 by Kiziah Sharp and in 1840 by Jane M. Huey.

First-time participant Malcolm Grimmer of H. Malcolm Grimmer Antique American Indian Art, from Santa Fe, proclaimed it “a wonderful opening, with an excellent demographic of people across a wide range of ages.” He sold 20 of the 28 illustrations from his rare Macnider Ledger Book, circa 1880 and originating with the Sioux tribe.

	Elizabeth Springett Trees of Life Stephen Score, Inc.

Declared Stephen Score of Stephen Score Inc., Boston: “We were absolutely slammed. It was just so exciting seeing the sea of people who turned out.” The gallery sold, among other things, a yellow sunburst zinc gate ornament, circa 1920; an Art Deco floor lamp; a wooden barn owl, circa 1900-20; carved herons from Martha’s Vineyard, circa 1960; and Elizabeth Springett’s Trees of Life quilt, circa 1855-60.

Domed Top Box from New England Samuel Herrup Antiques

Samuel Herrup, whose Samuel Herrup Antiques is located in Sheffield, Massachusetts, made this observation: “An exciting opening that continued through the run of the show, resulting in numerous sales in all categories,” including a pair of painted side chairs, circa 1880; a Pennsylvania gate-leg table, circa 1720-40; a domed top box from New England, circa 1820-40; and an ebony mirror of Flemish or German origin from the 17th century.

	Palmist Trade Sign Gemini Antiques Ltd.

Said Leon Weiss of Gemini Antiques Ltd., Oldwick, New Jersey: “It’s the largest crowd that I’ve ever seen at an opening event and it led to numerous sales, including a carved lion’s head; a menagerie wagon medallion; French articulated soldiers, circa 1860; a giant pistol trade sign, circa 1950; a barber pole, New York, circa 1870; an Old South Church bank; a trench-art artillery shell, American, 1918; and a palmist’s trade sign, circa 1895.

“There was a tremendous energy on the floor, the people were engaged, and the diversity is very refreshing,” said Tim Hill of the Hill Gallery, Birmingham, Michigan. Among the diverse items he sold were pair of stone lions, circa 1870, and Model with Whirly-gig by Philip Pearlstein.

Monumental Figurehead Ricco/Maresca, New York

Said Frank Maresca of Ricco/Maresca, New York: “A broad and eclectic crowd with more young collectors in the mix. The concept of specificity is not as interesting to them and they understand what METRO is trying to do in presenting a diverse cross-section of disciplines.” Among the sold items: Cipher by George Widener, 2012, mixed media on found paper; a monumental figurehead from New York, circa 1850-60, made of yellow pine with black pitch; Magic Circle 12-21-2012, also by Widener, ink on pieced paper, 2012; a collection of hand-lettered sign painters samples, Paris, France, circa 1930.

	Kris Kuksi Venus Admiring Mars Gun Stephen Romano

Stephen Romano of New York remarked: “The wonderful thing about a well-attended fair like METRO is that audience members are very eager to engage in dialogue about what they are looking at since there is such a wide variety of works. I am particularly proud to have participated in METRO, the only fair one I know of that allow a mix of quality works from all periods of art history. For my part I had works from the early 1700s to works that were completed specifically for exhibition at this fair.

Among his heated sales: Kris Kuksi’s Venus Admiring Mars Gun, 2008, mixed media, and several works by outsider artist Charles A.A. Dellschau; three works by 30 year old Hong Kong artist Sonya Fu; 20 works by William Mortensen; an assemblage by Kris Kuksi. Said Romano: “I probably could have sold this Kris Kuksi 200 times over at significant prices for this artist, the response was simply amazing.” Also sold were two collaborative works by Dan Barry and Jana Brike and all seven works by Limor Gasko.

George Stapf Pair of Carved and Painted Wood Flags Garthoeffner Gallery Antiques

Folk Art specialist Pat Garthoeffner of Garthoeffner Gallery Antiques, Lititz, Pennsylvania, had this to say: “Opening night was phenomenal. All we did was talk and write sales.” Among the sold items were a pair of carved and painted wood flags by George Stapf, circa 1880; a Windsor writing armchair, 1780; a nautical diorama, circa 1830-40; a salesman’s sample plow, 1880; a pair of out-sized wood-carved and polychrome-painted American flags, circa 1870; a banner weather vane; and a wood figure with articulated arms, circa 1820.

Chicago’s Carl Hammer of the Carl Hammer Gallery said attendees were very receptive and excited by the show. “The mood was very celebratory,” he noted. Hammer reported that Woman With a Choker Necklace by Lee Godie was among the pieces snapped up by a collector, as well as Bill Traylor’s Untitled Big Black Boar, pencil and poster paint on found cardboard.

Jan Johnson of Jan Johnson Old Master & Modern Prints, at the show from Canada, rendered this assessment: “The opening night was very well attended and there was enthusiasm across-the-board for everything all around. It was a diverse crowd, a young crowd. And it was interesting to meet people who haven’t thought about buying prints before, people who weren’t designers or antiques collectors. I was happy to see a crowd that overlaps.”

	Queen Anne Mahogany Bonnet-Top High Chest Gary Sullivan Antiques Inc.

“My booth was packed with enthusiastic buyers of the highest level,” raved Gary Sullivan of Gary Sullivan Antiques Inc., Sharon, Massachusetts. Among the sold items were a fine Queen Anne Mahogany bonnet-top high chest, Boston, circa 1760, and a Queen Anne Mahogany tall clock case by Gowen Brown Boston, circa 1760.

Pronounced George Jacobs of George Jacobs Self-taught Art, Newport, Rhode Island: “There is one word for this fair and that word is ‘refreshing.’ You can really walk around this fair and see a huge amount of diverse offerings and still not get tired. Opening night was everything you would want in terms of quantity and quality the crowd was very well-heeled. I was extremely pleased, but so was everyone.” Sales included etchings by Frederick Kahler.

Clarke Fitz-Gerald Eye of the Needle Steven S. Powers

Steven S. Powers, whose eponymous gallery is in Brooklyn, reported positive feedback and a strong interest among the people who stopped by his booth, which introduced the work of James Washington, Jr., an African American artist. Among the sales were Eye of the Needle, a sculpture in elm by Clarke Fitz-Gerald, circa 1977; Wren, a small stone and wood sculpture by Washington; and a folk art hooked rug called Blue Cat, circa 1910-1920.

	13-Star U.S. Navy Commissioning Pennant Jeff R. Bridgman American Antiques

Offered Jeff Bridgman of Jeff R. Bridgman American Antiques of York County, Pennsylvania: “The show looked fantastic and the attendance was massive.” Among the sales were an extensive collection of American baskets on an elaborate tramp art shelf and a 13-star U.S. Navy commissioning pennant, circa 1876.

Vanessa German I Think I’m Beautiful and You Is Sho’ Nuff Beautiful Too Pavel Zoubok Gallery

Opening night made a big impression on first-time participant Pavel Zoubok, whose Pavel Zoubok Gallery is located in Manhattan: “There was an interesting cross-section of collectors from different worlds, just what I wanted to see, because I am always endeavoring to expand the audience for my gallery, which specializes in contemporary art and collage and mixed media.” Among sales was Vanessa German’s I Think I’m Beautiful and You Is Sho’ Nuff Beautiful Too, mixed media.

Arlie Sulka of Lillian Nassau LLC in New York was very pleased, commenting that “there was lots of energy, which I’m happy to say translated into sales,” including a piece of Tiffany Studio art glass; ceramics and a menorah by Albert Paley; and a Tiffany frame, early 20th century.

“There was a serious group of collectors who knew what they were looking at,” observed Bernard Goldberg of Bernard Goldberg Fine Arts, LLC in New York. Among his sales: Head of Woman by William Zorach, a bronze with gold patina.

Editions | Artists’ Book Fair Reports Record Attendance and Sales

Rescheduled due the effects of Hurricane Sandy, the EDITIONS | ARTISTS’ BOOK FAIR celebrated its 15th anniversary alongside the METRO Show, in the adjoining Altman Building. With fifty-two international exhibitors attending, many of whom reported record sales, E|AB presented an extraordinary range of material from the $20 woodcuts found at Cannonball Press to a recent etching by Jasper Johns published by the Neiman Center at Columbia University. Numbering among the fifteen new exhibitors were Paris based Revue Noire, specializing in works from the African Continent; Island Press out of Washington University, St. Louis exhibiting a new portfolio from Trenton Doyle Hancock; and Fulton Ryder, who distributed 1,000 free posters created by Richard Prince for the opening night. “The 15th anniversary of the Editions | Artists’ Book Fair spoke to the strength of the market for editions and artists’ books and to the resilience and dedication of its many producers and supporters,” said founding director Susan Inglett.

The 2014 edition of the METRO Show will open on January 22 and run through January 26.