Every year in the month of March, 275 of the world's leading art, design and antique dealers gather under one roof at TEFAF in Maastricht.
On show are some of the most premier treasures from private collectors from all over the world. Moreover everything is for sale - which lure not only the great museums with their representatives - but tens of thousands of visitors to the Dutch town with its roman remnants.
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Last year TEFAF Maastricht celebrated its 30th anniversary. Above you can see a film made by Barnebys featuring me attempting to give a sample of all the art, design and antiquities being shown at the fair.
Read more about previous years' showpieces and sensational discoveries at TEFAF!
The assortment at the leading art, design and antique fair is to say the least voluminous. Everything from roman sculptures and African masks to silver caplets, baroque fountain sculptures and oil paintings by Pablo Picasso can be found.
Every item at the fair has been carefully reviewed by a jury composed of a number of smaller groups of specialists with different areas of expertise. The jury has 24 hours, after the exhibition has been assembled and before any visitors are let in, to evaluate and decide authenticity, credibility of provenience etc...
If the jury would find an item they don't consider fit for the nobel fair the items are removed from their showcase and locked in a special room until the end of the fair when the exhibitor can retrieve it.
Design Take Over
The big surprise at this year's TEFAF in Maastricht is the great space given to modern design.
TEFAF has previously been associated with antiquities and paintings by old masters. However modern and contemporary art saw its onset a couple of years ago.
This year the design section has been given even more space and furniture as well as works or art from the 20th century is as much of a given as old masters and 18th century furniture.
There are designers from all over the world - even though the American and European representation dominates when it comes to the 20th century design exhibited at the fair.
To visit the fair I would suggest to start with a visit to the TEFAF website. You need to book at least 24 hours to indulge in the splendours of the fair. Flights can be booked to several close by cities, for example Brussels from where you can travel by public transport or rental car to Maastricht.
