Published on New York Social Diary (http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com)

London's Luxe Masterpiece Fair

Masterpiece American Committee members: Susan Gutfreund, Philip Hewat-Jaboor,

Betsy Pochoda, Jamie Drake, Audrey Gruss, Thomas Woodham Smith, Rose Tarlow,

Scott Snyder, and Ellie Cullman.

London's Luxe Masterpiece Fairby Brook S. Mason

LONDON. Paris has the ultra haute Biennale des Antiquaires while Maastricht,

Holland sports The European Fine Art Fair, which snares a hefty 70,000 visitors every

March. Now London boasts Masterpiece Fair, which ranks as a five star art, antiques,

jewelry and design show. This relatively new event staged in a grand marquee along

the Thames on the South Grounds of Royal Hospital Chelsea opened June 27 and ran

through July 4, 2012.

Masterpiece fills the gap to perfection left by the untimely folding of the Grosvenor

House Art & Antiques Fair only three years ago.

Philip Hewat-Japoor, Masterpiece chairman says, “Masterpiece was born out of the

need to reinvigorate the market in London, the great historic hub of the art market and

is a reflection of the eclectic nature of the collectors who live here.”

Crowds outside Masterpiece Fair.

Inside the fair.

Ways in which Masterpiece proving a winner: the number of dealers has zoomed up

from 117 to 165 this year. Plus, Philip Hewat-Jaboor reports that 150 are on the

waiting list.

No wonder as the marquee is kitted out like a four-story Georgian brick edifice

complete with a white columned facade. Inside under the 14-foot ceilings is a massive

glittering Swarovski tree near the entrance.

Masterpiece is cleverly positioned right along side the Queens Jubilee, Ascot and

Wimbledon and second this fair is spiced up with luxury dealers like Rolls Royce,

Clarence Dillon Wines and upwards of twelve tony jewelry dealers.

Scott's, the main bar at Masterpiece.

Le Caprice.

The Rolls Royce stand featuring Rolls Royce-Ghost Sixth Sense.

Other luxe touches include the swank Harry’s Bar, the Caprice Restaurant and even

Rolls Royce taking a stand.

Attracting considerable attention is a celebration of her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee: a

dazzling loan exhibition of diamonds entitled Brilliant, curated by Carol Woolton, the

jewelry editor of British Vogue. This includes a remarkable holographic portrait of Her

Majesty encrusted with diamonds, among a 31-carat D flawless diamond, which is set

in a headpiece designed by royal hat maker Philip Treacy.

L. to r.: Van Cleef & Arpels; Harry Winston; Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany Radiance by Karl Lagerfeld for NET-A-PORTER.COM (40-carat black

diamond pavé and leather collar).

Clockwise from above: Diamond Chandelier by Solange Azagury-Partridge; Le Bal

de Mai from Dior; William Pear Brooch by Michelle Ong of Carnet.

Shaun Leane diamond necklace sketch.

While the crowd is international in scope with Russians, Italians and the French as

well, Americans are prominent. Sitting on the Masterpiece American Committee are

Audrey Gruss, interior designers Susan Gutfreund, Geoffrey Bradfield, MarioBuatta, Ellie Cullman and Jamie Drake.

Second, Drake, whose interiors for Mayor Bloomberg are well known, designed a

Second, Drake, whose interiors for Mayor Bloomberg are well known, designed a

room specifically for the fair. For his room on display, Drake expresses his distinctive

approach in combining a diversity of styles and periods.

Banked by modern columns, Drake’s room features two photographs: The Lovers and

Concerning the Soul by David LaChappelle. Juxtaposed with those contemporary

images are Louis Quinze chairs, Drake’s own custom designed furniture, 18th century

black-lacquered chairs mixed in with antique porcelain. "Without question, I am going

shopping here," says Drake.

Jamie Drake's room.

Spotted shopping on the fair floor were Simon Parker-Bowles, Princess Michael ofKent and Jasper Conran. Among the treasures at Fifth Avenue’s A La Vieille

Russie is a pair of two Nobel oil-themed diamond-set enamel brooches by Faberge

jeweler. They are sold together for a low seven-figure price tag.

“We feel the fair has a certain amount of potential and we hope to develop our

relationships there,'' says ALVR's Peter Schaeffer. Bound to spur their sales is

London's huge Russian population with mansions costing millions of pounds sterling.

Ward Landrigan of Verdura was displaying examples inspired by Fulco diVerdura’s years in Hollywood.

From Verdura:

The Gold and Diamond "Curb-Link"

Bracelet Watch with Mother-of-Pearl

Dial. Based on the gold curb-link

bracelet watch originally designed by

Fulco di Verdura for Greta Garbo.

$28,500.

Gold, Platinum and Diamond "Lily" Bracelet.

This bracelet was designed for and worn by

Marlene Dietrich. This bracelet is mounted in

18k yellow gold and platinum with over 6.4

carats of round diamonds. $83,500.

“We can tell you that we were impressed with the international appeal of Masterpiece

last year,” says Landrigan who presides over the Fifth Avenue Verdura headquarters.

“Clients who purchased ranged from Britons to those from continental Europe,

Southeast Asia, Australia, the Far East, and of course the US,” he says.

Jewelry is moving briskly with Siegelson clinching a deal for a Cartier diamond

brooch for $350,000.

On hand with jeweler to the stars Fred Leighton are an aquamarine and 18 karat gold

cuff by Rene Boivin at $145,000 and a pair of 19th century old-mine diamond fringe

earrings for $205,000.

From Fred Leighton: An aquamarine and 18 karat gold cuff by Rene Boivin, 1930s,

$145,000.

From Fred Leighton: 19th Century old-mine diamond fringe earrings, in silver on

gold, $205,000.

From Epoque Fine Jewels, Belgium: A magnificent platinum and diamond tiara set

with 45 carats of diamonds. This tiara can also be worn as a necklace. Circa 1905-

1910.

From Epoque Fine Jewels, Belgium: Art Nouveau dragonfly pendant by RENE

LALIQUE, depicting four dragonflies, with greenish-blue enameled legs and wings

with complex gold veining set with diamonds and green and blue plique-à-jour enamel,

with complex gold veining set with diamonds and green and blue plique-à-jour enamel,

centering a large oval aquamarine; on a rod and link enameled gold chain. Signed:

Lalique. Paris, circa 1903.

Especially prominent are Regency antiques with Thomas Coulborn. On hand with

Ronald Phillips is a grand gilt Chippendale over mantel dating from 1765 and tagged

at £850,000. “The English country house look still endures,” says Simon Phillips.

Then Kentshire is showing a pair of Venetian glass and mirrored urns practically five

feet in height. "They had belonged to Dodie Rosenkrans," says of Bob Israel of

Kentshire, speaking of the late San Francisco socialite and philanthropist.

Park Avenue private dealership Collisart, which specializes in American paintings, is

sporting a 1901 Mary Cassatt pastel Sarah and Her Mother with the Baby for $3

million and a Cecilia Beaux oil 1888 Twilight Confidence which had been locked up

in a private collections for generations priced at about $1 million. Princess Alexandratook in the Collisart stand.

From Thomas Coulborn & Sons Ltd: Regency Bronzed and Parcel-gilt Bergère

Chair; England, circa 1800-10. With carved winged caryatid supports in the form of

Nike, Greek Goddess of Victory, terminating in animalier hoof feet, the decoration

restored.

From Collisart: Twilight Confidences, 1888. Signed Cecilia Beaux, Concarneau; 60 x

72cm.

Frederik Molenschot chandelier available from Carpenters Workshop Gallery.

Contemporary art specialists such as Gagosian with a staggering 11 galleries is

showcasing for the first time Damien Hirst's monumental gold plated silver sculpture

Saint Bartholomew: Exquisite Pain.

Then the London Robilant & Voena

is touting Damien Hirst's 2006 Happy

Damien Hirst's gold plated silver sculpture

Saint Bartholomew: Exquisite Pain.

is touting Damien Hirst's 2006 HappyLife made up of butterfly wings that

had belonged to film director and

fashion designer Tom Ford. It costs a

stunning £1.65 million.

With London dealer MichaelGoedhuis, who also has an office in

Beijing and is frequently in New

York, are the latest contemporary

Chinese ink paintings. Goedhuis has

curated an exhibition “Ink: The Art of

China” on view at the Saatchi

Gallery.

Although the average price for ink

paintings by superb painters hovers in

the $50,000 and up range, Goedhuis

says that price tier will substantially

rise.

“We believe these levels will

appreciate in a short period of time to

match those of Chinese oil paintings

presently valued at $500,000 to $5

million” says Goedhuis.

Concurrently with Masterpiece, Goedhuis has curated an exhibition of contemporary

Chinese ink paintings at the Saatchi Gallery.

On Tuesday, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice showed up to take in the show and

wine tasting. "Michael's taste is impeccable," says Saeb Eigner, a billionaire banker

who collects Chinese ink painting.

Michael Goedhuis (curator of the INK

exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery).

From Michael Goedhuis: OldCypress from the Forbidden City, by

Liu Dan, 2007, ink on xuan paper.

From Michael Goedhuis: Autumn Aria by Yang Yanping, 2009, ink colour on rice

paper.

Masses of period silver from candelabra to wine buckets can be found with the

London N. I. Franklin.

Also design is a strong component. Among the design dealers are Linley with a desk

for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Fashioned from walnut and Bombay rosewood, the

desk features an architectural miniature of the distinctive Horse Guards’ building

designed by William Kent in 1745. Already significant design sales have been scored

like Sir Marc Newson's 1990 riveted aluminum Lockheed Lounge for a cool $2

million plus with Geoffrey Diner.

The Linley stand.

The event won wide approval from the New York set on day one. "This is now the

best fair in the world," says Scott Snyder.

Spotted strolling through aisles were Princess Alexandra, Princess Michael of Kent,Lord Thompson, Sheikh Al-Thani, Charles Saatchi, and Jeffery Archer.

Celebs in the worlds of fashion, film and design included Tom Ford, TerenceConran, Jasper Conran, Vivienne Westwood, Julien Macdonald, India Hicks,Jasmine Guinness, and Paul Smith, as well as art world connoisseurs Lady Helen

Taylor, Timothy Taylor, and Henry Wyndham.

Princess Michael of Kent.

Theo Fennell.

Clockwise from top left: The Duke of Kent and Lady Helen Windsor; Arun Nayar;

Eddie Redmayne; Holly Valence.

Paul Smith.

Melissa Odabash and Julian Macdonald.

Interior Designer Rose Tarlow and her sister.

Claire Forlani.

Cherie Lunghi.

Bryan Ferry and friends.

Vivienne Westwood.

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