For the third edition of the Salon du collectionneur, lovers of art and antiquities met at the Grand Palais. Founded and organised by the French national antique dealers' association (Syndicat national des antiquaires), the show was a big hit with the general public, collectors and dealers in 2003 and again in 2005. Openness, diversity, quality and culture have been the key qualities that have helped the show to build up a loyal following.
In 2007, the Salon du Collectionneur acquired a new dimension. With more floor space, a prestigious setting, the incomparable light and space offered by the glass roof of the Grand Palais, it has joined the elite circle of the world's leading events for amateurs of art and antiquities. It has also made full use of the majestic quality of the setting to develop the cultural and educational components that have been central to the show's originality.
Paintings-drawings-sculptures; jewellery; furniture-artefacts-mementoes-postage stamps; Asian art-archaeology-primitive arts: the Salon du collectionneur is organised thematically by specialities. This policy shifts the focus on to individual items and enables a structured and meaningful approach to the organisation of the exhibition.
More than 120 French and international galleries (from 12 different countries), 47 of whom were first-time exhibitors, were united in 2007. The numerous treasures on show included exhibits like the officer's clock from the Royal Clockmakers' in Turin, to a brown ink drawing by George Grosz, and a portrait signed by Jean-François Millet. This edition focused on the links between object and collector. Craftsmen, central to the collecting process, were represented by the workshops of the Grands Ateliers de France, an academy of craftsmen specialised in the decorative arts and art de vivre.
The 2009 edition, September 11 - 20, included a lecture cycle, demonstration/presentations on some of the crafts that are involved in the world of the arts, and an exhibition of private collections: a booth paid a tribute to Dina Vierny (in collaboration with the Dina Vierny Foundation – Maillol Museum) and the presentation of around 130 bouquet holders.
Another highlight was the "Collector's dinosaurs" exhibit, a presentation of natural history items (an area of 400 m² was set aside for meteorites, fossils, and skeletons of plesiosaurs, dinosaurs, sabre-tooth tigers and other extinct species). Other features were a selection of the 9th SNA prize for fine arts books, and workshops on clock and watch-making by the craftsmen of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie.
The Salon du collectionneur continued to fulfil its role in furthering cultural knowledge and awareness, through a range of daily talks on cultural topics. Jean-Gabriel Peyre, member of the cultural commission, again assembled a panel of top specialists "to give insights into still unfamiliar areas and enable a deeper appreciation of areas that are better known".
