Dijon Spring Fair May 16–25

(no sizes given)

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Fine jewelry features strongly at French salon events. A selection of designer animalier jewelry including pieces by Cartier and Bucherer will be offered by Dijon dealer Philippe Todesco.

 

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Guillaume Fontaine of Le Vicel, France, created this part of his May 2008 display in advance.

 

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These early Nineteenth Century ormolu bronze candelabras are in the form of maidens, themselves supporting candelabras decorated with branches supporting squirrels and acanthus leaves. They will be at the booth of Gilles Linossier, Paris and Lyon.

 

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“The Upbringing of the Virgin,” Sixteenth Century, painted oak, 28 inches, at Béatrice Mura-Todesco, Dijon.

 

D21

Fine jewelry features strongly at French salon events. A selection of designer animalier jewelry including pieces by Cartier and Bucherer will be offered by Dijon dealer Philippe Todesco.

 

D18

Guillaume Fontaine of Le Vicel, France, created this part of his May 2008 display in advance.

 

D20

These early Nineteenth Century ormolu bronze candelabras are in the form of maidens, themselves supporting candelabras decorated with branches supporting squirrels and acanthus leaves. They will be at the booth of Gilles Linossier, Paris and Lyon.

 

D22

“The Upbringing of the Virgin,” Sixteenth Century, painted oak, 28 inches, at Béatrice Mura-Todesco, Dijon.

 

MUST MAY 2

DIJON SPRING ANTIQUES FAIR

W/4 cuts

DIJON, FRANCE — There are three levels of antiques and collectibles events in France, with precious little overlap. The weekly or monthly brocantes, or flea markets, are similar to British one-day village or sports hall events and usually outdoors. French trade events are monthly or bimonthly at out-of-town exhibition centers and are strictly trade only, with hundreds of stands indoors and out, and usually over by lunchtime.

At the very top are the salon events, similar to British standfitted events, but with several important differences. The most obvious is the duration. In tourist areas, they can easily run for a week or longer. They are less frequent — France’s very best, Paris Biennale, is two-yearly. There are no datelines. Rather, exhibits are examined for antique quality. Most have the presence of at least one expert — a wholly independent chartered consultant who issues certificates of authenticity for which he remains personally liable for ten years.

Another behind-the-scenes difference is often in the organization. French salon events tend to be organized by a committee rather than by just the one promoter, venue or trade association. At Dijon, for example, the 2007 committee included a cultural attaché, a retired lawyer and connoisseur, the exhibition center director, dealers, experts, authors and academics. Opened by the Mayor of Dijon, the event is highly valued by the city and its population. According to press officer Monique Raja, its credibility depends on such high levels of scrutiny and organization.

Last year’s 35th Salon des Antiquaires at Dijon’s Parc des Expositions, also dubbed Congrexpo, is more central than most in France, just a ten-minute walk from Place de la République. Around half of the 100 or so French exhibitors were from in and around Burgundy, a large region covering eastern central France. The remainder were from everywhere else in France — though few from Paris. The other half dozen were from Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium and Germany. Accordingly, the exhibits were overwhelmingly French, with a sprinkling of other Continental pieces and some tribal and ethnic displays.

Being French, the Salon would not have been complete without some kind of display. In 2007 it was of the work of artist and writer Yayoi Kusama (Japan, then New York, now Tokyo). The other exhibition at last May’s event was of the restoration of art and antiques — a regular fixture and being repeated in 2008.

Similar exhibitor numbers are expected this year; May 16–25 and September 5–7. There is a trade day on May 15 starting at 8 am, and a trade morning on September 5 from 8 to 10 am. Joining the restoration displays in May will be an exhibition of Soviet realist art (1920–1970).

For further information, +33 3 80 77 39 00, or www.Dijon-congexpo.com