The media spotlight’s glare this week may be on the multi-million dollar paintings and sculptures on the block at Christie’s and Sotheby’s Impressionist/modern auctions, but meanwhile over 90 dealers and publishers are setting up shop at the Park Avenue Armory for the 21st edition of the IFPDA Print Fair, which has a private opening tomorrow night, and runs through Sunday, November 6.
This tightly vetted fair is no sleepy event, however. As much as prints provide a gateway for the aspiring collector, they also attract major buyers. (Case in point, Christie’s, in its Wednesday evening sale, is putting two rare Picasso prints on the block.) And this fair has always offered an impressive historical scope, as evidenced by the slide show accompanying this post. There’s everything from 16th century Old Masters and Japanese prints to modern and contemporary works. In fact, brand new editions are a mainstay of the fair. (Look for work by Richard Serra at Gemini G.E.L. and Lisa Ruyter at Alan Cristea.)
IFPDA president Tara Reddi, a dealer with Marlborough Gallery, has been on the board of the organization a number of years and admitted to us that every time the fair rolls around “I shop there, even though I have to work.” Among her past purchases have been an 18th century Kuniyoshi, a Kiki Smith print, and a 19th century reliquary with a Mexican woodcut in it.
She’ll likely have a hard time resisting this year, as well. Just one of the finds on view: a 1920 lithograph by Otto Mueller, Adam and Eve, on offer at Alice Adam for $100,000. It is, we’re told, a unique hand-colored impression that has been in the same Boston collection for 45 years.
For a sneak preview of that and other offerings, click through the slide show at left.