The AAADA has tended not to give figures because it regards them as commercially sensitive but organisers conceded that they had been running at around 9000.
The figures would have been augmented by the large number of freebies made available, and very apparent on the opening night. (The opening nights are traditionally better attended in Sydney than in Melbourne).
The crowd appeared so large that it may have made it difficult for dealers to complete sales, reasoned some exhibitors, especially with more jewellery dealers exhibiting. These attract crowds peering into showcases.
The number of exhibitors for an AAADA fair was stated to be a record at 47 which looks like being the maximum the new building can accommodate.
The new venue was well accepted, although the historic Tea House was torn down to help accommodate it. The AAADA, of course, had little influence on this attack on heritage.
Better lighting that came with the new building was much appreciated. Some dealers did not need to install their own as is usual at fairs.
The dead ends of two of the passages, making it necessary to retrace one's steps, blocked traffic flow but was necessary for fire and safety reasons, a couple of dealers observed.
The venue was widely considered the best venue the association had used. The lack-of-obvious venue had dogged several previous fairs and forced them at times into a tent.
The "dealers' satisfaction index" appears to have been high in terms of public attendance and sales judging by a sprinkling of exhibitor opinions canvassed by the Antiques Reporter's correspondent.
Several said they sold better than they expected, although expectations were not high. They enjoyed a higher concentration of inquiries than in recent Sydney post GFC fairs.
The fair benefitted from the closure of the two "Johnson" antique fairs in Sydney, so it may not be a true measure of the change in the level of interest from the public. Some years there have been three or more fairs. The nature of the exhibits have changed with the elimination of the 1960 timeline and of the retirement of many older members of the industry, leaving the remaining committed dealers with the whole cake.
The return to exhibiting of dealers who have been around for a while such as jeweller Veronica Bunda and print dealer Josef Lebovic brought a bit of the rich older blood back into the fold to join the new younger bloods.
Long-established Hordern House brought some of the exhibiting professionalism it has developed by showing at international antiquarian book fairs to the fair with an impressive stand.
The antiquarian book dealer's reproduction of the Mitchell Library's famous Sydney Chinese punch bowl was shown on the stand and offered in an edition of 25 (not 75 as earlier thought) for $16,500. Veronica Bunda was one of the first four people to put her name down to the vase and will use it as a display item in her shop at the Sydney Hilton.
Furniture, which has been the slowest specialisation had a much reduced presence but Chris Snook of Melbourne's Snook and Company said that he made sales in numbers but only after clocks at number one and bronzes at number two.
Ian Perryman said his specialty, carpets, were not big sellers at the fair and this year's show was not exception. He was happy with the opportunity to gain a profile. One of the returning old timers, Ross Langlands, sold six rugs and some textiles. This was a surprise, he said, as he had given up exhibiting in his hometown of Sydney because he could not make additional sales in it. He had continued to show in Melbourne where he did make sales.
Some exhibitors made sales because they moved shows that might have been put on in their own shops or galleries into the fair. This was true of Bunda with a Spring Show and Mossgreen with an exhibition of the work of contemporary artist Kate Bergin, which was traditional in appearance . Bunda used to be best known for furniture, including old cedar.
Antiques which could be used, like furniture, and therefore a practical buy, logically should have performed relatively well because in a tight economy its purchase could be justified. Traditionally the trade has been firmly based on furniture but it is hard for dealers to sell because a lot is going through auctions much more cheaply.
Martin Gallon (Melbourne) had a couple of surprising successes with Victorian paintings including one by a 19th century artist called Gallon who might be a relative.
Vincent Day, of Day Fine Art at Blackheath in the Blue Mountains with exhibits including a pair of watercolours by Constantini (a Tasmanian colonial artist) said overall the fair was by far the busiest he have attended, the opening evening packed with many interested people.
"We ended up on the right side of the line, with many sales in the mid range. His relative Christopher Day also had a successful fair and "great follow up selling three works to clients unable to attend the fair." "The effort of Tira Lewis from the AAADA was invaluable, she is really helping refresh the art and antiques trade image. Her efforts regarding the advertising in the SMH was a great move for our industry", he said.
"It was a 'fair' fair; nothing extraordinary, selling across every field at the lower end," said Paul Rosenberg of Moorabool Antiques." Melbourne. " We took up 1,000 pieces, and sold 60!
"I was particularly pleased to see interest in the best 18th century continental porcelain, however English 18th century was seriously neglected.
"This is an unusual trend, and a reversal of prior trends. Perhaps after bringing fine quality 18th century Continental porcelain to fairs in Sydney for almost 20 years straight, it has finally been noticed!
"Chinese was of course keenly sought, but the scarcity of good pieces on the market at present meant there simply wasn't much available for serious buyers. As a vetted fair, there were no fakes; an un-vetted fair would have had a large selection of 'antique' Chinese ceramics for people to view."
Lee Bradshaw of Etruria Antiques Gallery, Melbourne, said that his best fair in terms of sales had been four years ago before the GFC hit, greatly reducing takings. The Melbourne AAADA fair this year doubled the takings of the first fair and the latest Sydney fair's total was midway between these. "My impression is that antique collecting has skipped a generation. A new generation is showing an interest.
"Not many are in a position to spend $30,000 on a vase yet but they are buying within a budget." Mark of Deco Diva said the fair was "wonderful for me."
He sold "quite a few" Deco pieces including a bronze figural group for priced at $4500; Karl Palda decanter sets (very usable on posh occasions) for $1200, a Rosenthal figure from 1929 of Anna Pavlova as Odette for $2500, an Art Deco drinks trolley at $900; a five piece silver plated tea /coffee set made in 1940 for a Keramos, an Art Deco figure Dancing Girl for $1200 and a Keramos Madonna 1938 by Podany for $750
Alan Landis (like Etruria operating out of an antiques centre) attributed his sustained red dots due to a fresh stock in ceramics and Australiana pursued relentlessly overseas as buyers do not always warm to familiar objects they have seen pass through the local salerooms.
Lee Hardcastle of Sydney continued Mole Creek John Hawkins's emphasis on taxidermy and sold his principal exhibit, a tiger's head by London taxidermists, Rowlands and Co.
Some diversity was missing as "smalls" spread through the fair. Australia will probably never sustain enough interest for tribal or antiquities dealers to show and a dealer who showed prime colonial banknotes is not showing after being caught up in the crash in the banknote market.
The fair missed some of the grand Melbourne dealers selling attention grabbing interior décor who stood out at Sydney shows from the 1980s and irritated Sydney dealers by banking it in Melbourne. It also missed the Tasmanian dealer John Hawkins quirky publicity grabbing inclusions.
Hawkins objected to holding antique shows on a racecourse. Martyn Cook who has helped fill the void in the past regretted he had not shown.
The fair appeared to offer opportunities to buy or secure consignments as well as to sell. Among the visitors to the fair was Charlotte O'Neill whose Bellevue Gill trophy home Addenbrook recently sold for $30 million to developer Bob Ell. It is full of exceptional antiques which will now need a new home as the O'Neills, of Blue Metal Industries and Riva boats have been downsizing.