Avenue Antiques & Art at the Armory celebrated its opening night preview Wednesday, December 2nd, once again at the Park Avenue Armory on New York’s Upper East Side. This year’s show, which will be running and available to the public December 3rd through the 6th, kicked off it’s annual event with a private and highly exclusive cocktail party to benefit The American Cancer Society’s HOPE LODGE Jerome L. Greene Family Center (NYC).

Among those in support of last night’s cause and luxuries were New York’s social elite, Avenue Magazine Publisher Julie Dannenberg, benefit chairs Cricket Burns, Diana & Richard Feldman, Richard & Marcia Mishaan, and Pamela Gross. A special appearance by Gossip Girl’s Kelly Rutherford (Lilly van der Woodsen on the CW hit series) was also part of the evening’s festivities as she celebrated and previewed her December cover of New York Family Magazine.

With over 70 exhibitors lining the walls and filling the room at the lofty and extravagant Park Avenue Armory affair, one couldn’t help but envision a headline that reads, “Where the Upper East Side Does Happy Hour”.

Dealers specializing in antique English and American silver shared the space with an assortment of dealers showcasing contemporary and vintage jewelry, antique American, English, and Swedish furniture, American, Asian, and European porcelain, Russian antiques, antique flags and rugs, rare books, and other objets d’art. Designed for consumers and aficionados who regularly pursue the best of everything, last night’s Avenue Antiques & Art at the Armory was also catered toward those in the gift-giving mindset, with this year’s date running along side the holiday season. Richard Mishaan, one of New York’s most prominent interior designers, and Creative Director for the event stated, “A well-decorated home is filled with pieces of all periods and prices. It is the mix that creates excitement."

With several full bars and multiple hors d’oeuvre stations sprinkled throughout the venue as well, attendees, consumers, and exhibitors alike were in for a night of luxury and opulence that both satiated the eye and the pallet... and let’s not forget the wallet. 

Official Charity, HOPE LODGE NYC provides cancer patients and their loved ones a free, temporary place to stay when their best chance for effective treatment and hopeful recovery requires them to be in New York City.

Official Sponsors of this New-York-elite event were Brooks Brothers, The Pierre New York, Great Performances, Champagne Ayala, and Xavier Flouret wines.

Exhibitor’s List:  http://avenueshows.com/exhibitor-list.php
Website:  http://www.avenueshows.com/

*photo 1 courtesy of WireImage  (by Joe Kohen/WireImage): Kelly Rutherford

*photo 2 courtesy of Getty Images (by Amy Sussman/Getty Images): Kelly Rutherford and Julie Dannenberg

*photo 3 courtesy of Getty Images (by Amy Sussman/Getty Images): Kelly Rutherford