The greatest collectors of the world come

The antique dealers Biennale opens its doors today to the general public and on 24 September, under the frame of glass of the Grand Palais. A very expected return in the building of the universal exhibition, to reconnect with the lavish tradition of the event for its 23rd edition. Annual Maastricht fair now taking international antiques leadership difficult competitive Paris plays more than ever the map of the savoir-faire à la française. "We are the leaders of the world of luxury," explains Christian Deydier, President of the Syndicat national des antiquaires, organizer of the operation. We have orchestrated both for the opening gala dinners with a decorative Arts Museum reopens its doors at the same time. The greatest collectors of the world come. The greatest designers also. American buyers are again active in France.

This year, the budget invested in his image by the Biennale des antiquaires is enormous: more than 30 million euros, is two times more than the previous edition. The staging is signed by the designer François-Joseph Graf and booths, majestic, are designed in Sham with 7 metres high, neo-classical facades. As in a theatre setting, are represented in columns, terraces and trees Watercolour. The setting is spectacular.

What content The President of the Union confesses that he "would like be more selective in the choice of participants as do fairs such as Maastricht or Basel successfully". One hundred eleven professionals occupy the 4,000 m2 of exhibition including 45 foreigners. The show continues to present a majority French offer. In addition, he is weakened by which fit its force since its inception: the furniture of the 18th century French, a trading in decline. Only eight stands are, this year devoted to this specialty.

"Large merchants in this area are today suffering a significant shortage of goods", explains Christian Deydier. Hervé Aaron, whose Gallery is a specialist in this market segment for a long time, is a new behavior of the fans. "You qualify what is called the crisis of the French classic furniture." This year, signs of good health, we sold several objects between 500,000 and 700,000 euros. There is always a customer looking for exceptional pieces even if demand in the medium range has disappeared. The taste is now moving towards beautiful objects, at fort decorative potential. It sought to rebuild an entire room in the style Louis XV or Louis XVI is gone. They are still Americans who represent the majority of our customers, before the French and the rest of Europe. "The Aaron booth, whose dressing is carried out by the Interior Designer Jacques Grange, one of the most precious furniture is a Secretary said" slope", the shooting is done around 1750 to marquetry straw and varnishes sets"Martin"(imitation of the lacquer of China). Elegant, typical of the style Louis XV, forms are signed by the cabinetmaker Adrien Delorme. The chinoisant in bright shades of yellow and blue, composed of a valuable work on applications of straw, is extremely rare. According to Bill G.B. Pallot, specialist House of the 18th century, there are only four similar models. Its price is approximately EUR million.

Paris still the stronghold of the Decorative Arts with the entry into force of the furniture of the 20th century. Not less than ten merchants, devoted to the subject, expose to the Biennale. The context is favourable. Last June in Paris the dispersion under the hammer of Christie's in the collection of a couple of French fans, the Dray, confirmed the enthusiasm for the Art Deco furniture. 314 Lots were awarded to EUR 59 million, an all-time in the area and not less than 19 objects reached never matched prices. According to specialists, parts that had been purchased about ten years ago have seen their value multiplied by two or three on this occasion.

The star of the Biennale in Art Deco, found on many booths, was a visionary: Jean-Michel Frank. Ultra-épurées lines, simple drawings using fine materials such as are commonly seen among designers of furniture of today was imagined by the Decorator, more than 70 years ago. Its production was not bloated. He died in 1941.

According to Christian Boutonnet, of the CRA in Seine Paris Gallery, in five years its rating has more than doubled for rare parts. His creations include at the stand of the CRA in Seine several tables with a copy to drawing near to a bench to rounded edges covered with shagreen a Dogfish skin to sell for approximately 300,000 euros. Need at least 100,000 euros more the merchant however refused to disclose a price to get a pair of small tables completely wrapped with thin strips of ivory. Despite their simple appearance they resumed with their busy line and the application of the precious ivory, which is a technical feat, the principles of the great 18th. All these tables are from the home of the New York billionaire Nelson Rockefeller. A prestigious pedigree justifying a price much stronger than controversies arise at the moment about the origin of certain furniture in the Decorator.

"A place to take".

The biennial has failed, in contrast to Maastricht, to attract new heavy weight of Modern Art, operators that show the highest price of the art market today. Exception of major US Gallery L & M (for Levy & Mnuchin) of New York specializing in painting of post-war American considered "classic". "We thought that he had a place to take in the Biennale, that our presence would be especially noticed that our colleagues are absent." "It's a way to put one foot in Europe in the context of a still growing market", justifies Dominique Levy.

Several works exceed the $ 5 million with an abstract painting dated 1957 painted by American artist Cy Twombly on their stand. "Sunset", consisting of yellow, orange and red, trace was conducted in the early days of his stay in Rome. According to the market, it is the last work still in hand of that time. It is for sale for $ 7 million.

However, it is possible to acquire masterpieces for less. Corinne Kevorkian, specialist of Oriental antiquities, for example exposes of big cuts "minaï" created in Iran in Kashan from 1180 and the Mongol invasions of 1220. A very short period of technical virtuosity where ceramics are designed according to the technique of the "little fire" discovered in Europe only in the 17th century which allows the use of a variety of colors such as blue, ochre, Brown and even gold. The sets tell epics on the same principle as the Persian miniatures. This journey in time for the connoisseurs is selling for about 50,000 euros.