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New York's art and antiques fairs market, traditionally focused on European items, will enter new territory with two shows scheduled for October.
The Arts of Pacific Asia Show and World Art: The Tribal & Folk Art Show represent the first major international expositions of their kind in the city. Despite New York's reputation as the capital of the art world and its international populace, non-Western art and antiques shows are more likely to be held on the West Coast or in Paris.
"It's our coming-out," says Eric Robertson, owner of the Robertson African Arts gallery on West 22nd Street and a world-renowned dealer. "New York is a huge resource for collectors, but we haven't had anything on the level of these shows before."
The shows, to be held at the 26th Street Armory with about 80 exhibitors each, are made possible by an alliance between two producers: the California husband-and-wife team Caskey-Lees and Sha-Dor Inc., headquartered in Baltimore.
Caskey-Lees has organized tribal art shows on the West Coast for 10 years and Pacific Asia shows for four. But New York's steep advertising,...