Held annually on the third weekend in New York in January, the 70th edition of The Winter Show is a marvelous excuse to view and browse works spanning 5,000 years, presented by 68 internationally renowned dealers. This show is as good as it gets for an American, high profile première art, antiques and design fair, bringing in many of the world’s top dealers in fine, decorative arts and some jewelry.
We toured their glamorously decorated booths during the fair’s press preview, chatted with dealers and made notes about some of the unusual items that tickled our imagination for a fanciful acquisition.
Whether it’s a miniature illuminated Book of Hours from the Middle Ages, a 17th century Delftware pitcher, vintage wallpaper for your living room, or anything representing the “Americana” or post war decorative arts, The Winter Show presents myriad works. Paintings, works on paper, fine furniture, objets and jewelry, plus contemporary ceramics and glass, each item is rigorously vetted by a committee of 120 experts to reinforce the fair’s high standards of authenticity and quality in the industry.
Did you know that porcelain “flower pyramids” were often placed in fireplaces in those big, drafty 16th century castles and estates when fireplaces were out of use in the summertime and used for floral displays? Aronson is a dealer specializing in Delftware, the blue and white pottery made in Holland since the 1600s, as Asian pottery fell out of favor among the European nobility. The main ambassador for Delftware was Queen Mary (1662-1694) II, the consort of William II, Prince of Orange, Stadhouder of the Netherlands. Despite the restrained Protestant image, the royal couple went completely mad for Delftware. One such flower pyramid on view dates from ca. 1686 from the De Grieksche A factory in Delft. The hexagonal base, which can hold water, has paw feet and is decorated with repeating, allegorical figures emblematic of Faith, Hope and Love. There are a total of five tiers to this vase to insert flower stems.
Miniature, bound manuscripts are always fascinating. Think of the hours it took for someone to handwrite and decorate each tiny page of one of these manuscripts, many also bound with beautiful precious gold hinges and gold-leaf decorated leather, cherished by nobility and used as personal prayer books in the Medieval and Renaissance époques. Les Enluminures, with offices in Paris, New York and Chicago, offers the most exquisite tiny books which present the viewer with an immediate connection to artisanship. Remember, any mistake on the page meant a re-do!
There’s nothing wrong with merging antique with modern styles as shown by Carolle Thibaut-Pommerantz and her glorious vintage wallpapers. Her gallery is renowned for its antique wallpapers, from 18th century to Art Deco eras. Think of this as visual art for your walls, whether it’s small panels or large-scale wall covering.
Maison Gerard, established in 1974, never disappoints. A collection of 20th century furnishings, sculpture, lighting, accessories assembled in one gallery is on view at the show. It’s always one of the most chicly decorated booths with lots of foot traffic, filled with furnishings you swear will be great in your house until you check the price!
In all confidence, each and every item, painting, décor piece, objet d’art, wall hanging, is of the utmost perfection at The Winter Show, making an in person visit, or an online look, a must for this January!
The show is on view until January 28, 2024.
