TEFAF is one of the foremost art and antiques fairs. It takes place in Maastricht, Holland, and exhibits objects ‘reflecting 6000 years of excellence in the applied arts’. The 2010 fair included a display of parts of violins under restoration by the workshop of Florian Leonhard Fine Violins.

          From its modest beginnings as the Pictura Fine Art Fair in 1975, TEFAF continuously changed names and venues until 1988 when it moved to its present location at the Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Centre (MECC). From consisting of just 28 International Exhibitors back in 1975, TEFAF has grown to attract more than 260 from 17 countries and around 70,000 visitors, not forgetting to add to the statistics the 175.000 tulips at the entrance, which has become the fair’s trademark.  

 In 2005 three very rare Amati violins from the Palazzo Comunale in Cremona were exhibited, to tie in with the Amati 500 jubilee that was celebrated during the fair. This year TEFAF wanted to make visitors aware of the fragility of objects that are not often classified under the definition of art, under the slogan ‘Optimal Conditions – Collectibles’.

         Four categories of objects were presented: bottles of wine, half restored vintage cars, damaged paper works and damaged musical instruments. The focus of the presentation was on the paper works and the musical instruments, combined in one cabinet containing tools used for their restoration, and photographs showing the tools in use. Among them were silicone moulds, and clamps on broken parts of violins demonstrating the various types of damage and repairs faced daily by restorers. The idea of the theme ‘Optimal Conditions - Collectibles’ was to combine the shock factor of destruction with the positive experience of the many opportunities for restoration. Rounding the concept off were two publications, explaining the use of these objects.

          This year TEFAF took place between 12th and 21st March at the MECC in Maastrich, just 500m from the Meuse river, and featured instruments under restoration at the workshop of Florian Leonhard Fine Violins.