MAASTRICHT.- Six galleries have been selected to take part in TEFAF Showcase, which gives younger dealers a one-off opportunity to exhibit at TEFAF Maastricht. The selected candidates, who will be taking part in TEFAF's Silver Jubilee edition, are specialists from a range of disciplines including modern jewellery, contemporary art, Old Master paintings and Japanese art. Three are from the United Kingdom, one from Italy, one from France and the sixth will become the first-ever TEFAF exhibitor from Hungary.

"As the years progress, we find that the level of applicants is getting higher as people have realised that they need to be of a certain standard to be considered," says Ben Janssens, Chairman of the Executive Committee of TEFAF, and a member of the selection panel, which consists of TEFAF members and independent art specialists. "Showcase is now an established feature of the Fair and many visitors head straight for that section because they know that there are new dealers there."

The selected Showcase candidates are:

* Didier Antiques (London)
Didier Haspeslagh and Martine Newby Haspeslagh launched the gallery in 2006. It specializes in artist's jewels by post-war painters and sculptors and silver and gold wares by leading 20th century designers and architects.

* Fergus Hall – Master Paintings (London)
Fergus Hall set up his independent dealership in 2008 and specializes in Old Masters, primarily 17th century Dutch and Flemish paintings and British pictures from the 18th century.

* Kálmán Makláry Fine Arts (Budapest)
This modern and contemporary art gallery focuses on the works of Hungarian artists who have lived in France such as Judit Reigl, Alfréd Réth and István Sándorfi.

* Giuseppe Piva Japanese Art (Milan)
Giuseppe Piva deals in a range of Japanese works of art, including armour, helmets, swords, screens, netsuke and lacquers.

* Christophe de Quénetain (Paris)
Established in 2001, Christophe de Quénetain specializes in 17th, 18th and 19th century furniture and objects d'art. The gallery's expertise also covers Old Master paintings and drawings from the same period.

* Vigo Gallery (London)
This new contemporary gallery was set up by Thomas Williams and Toby Clarke in September 2011. Williams has been championing contemporary figurative artists since 1999 while Clarke was previously Director of Contemporary Art at The Fine Art Society in London.