We’re fairly far along the fair season that traditionally begins with the Winter Antiques Show in New York, and for decades culminated with the London fairs in June, for decades the Grosvenor House fair, now sadly only of fond memory.
Other fairs have sprung up, but no venue seems to be doing much business. Attendance, save for the gala previews, is typically off. But galas do not very often engender sales, because galas are precisely that- parties with an elaborate backdrop provided courtesy of the art and antiques dealers. Mind you, was a time that the relationship between gala and dealer was, as it was originally conceived to be, a symbiotic one, with the partygoer almost invariably also a collector and, sufficiently fed and watered during the course of the gala, feeling good enough about his surroundings to splash out and make a purchase or three. This, for us, is the stuff of legend, as it all happened long before we came on the scene. In fact, we have only ever made one- count it- one sale at a gala preview.
Traditionally, shows were collector driven, but in the late 1980’s and through the first few years of this last decade, interior designers supplanted collectors. Consequently, when we entered this business, our marketing focus preshow was always to let the better designers know what material we planned to bring. A designer pack was always sent to them, replete with tearsheets detailing our better offerings, and sufficient passes to allow the designer, and such of their clients that might be interested, to attend gratis. Nothing magical in this, but astonishing the few numbers of other dealers that ever did this. And, frankly, it often paid off for us, as designers would shop the show, with clients in tow, and, if they didn’t actually make an at-show purchase, we almost invariably enjoyed some after-show business.
All this, however, is in the past. Of course, the financial meltdown of 2008 and the slow economic recovery haven’t helped the fairs, but one has to be honest and realize that fairs were very much on the decline prior to that. Our own success through 2008 was at best spasmodic, but generally the good fairs compensated for the bad ones. And, too, they are fun to do- the travel, the set up, the socializing with clients, and kibitzing with other dealers- it’s all great fun. But unless backed up with some sales, extremely expensive fun. We’ve never done a fair that, with all expenses totaled including personal travel, goods transport, stand rental and amenities, was ever less than $30,000, and some cost us considerably more.
What will rejuvenate the fair scene? That’s an open question and, to date, none of the new fairs seem to be anything other than the old fairs redux. A gala preview with a benefit charity, a lecture series, and attractive stands populated with good quality dealers- it’s a standard formula and lately, not a very successful one.