Australia, Thailand, and Canada join the list of international attendees alongside Europe and the US. Four collateral exhibitions and the launch of Vintage Photo Parma marked nine days dedicated to collecting, design, and material culture.

Mercanteinfiera returns to Fiere di Parma from February 27 to March 7, 2027

(Parma, October 13, 2026) – 55,000 visitors and 6,000 international dealers from four continents. These are the closing figures for the Autumn edition of Mercanteinfiera, which for nine days brought together the global marketplace for antiques, mid-century modern design, fine collectibles, and art at Fiere di Parma. Alongside long-standing participating countries—including France, the United Kingdom, the United States, China, South Korea, and Vietnam—the fair welcomed new buyers from Australia, Thailand, and Canada, further expanding its global footprint.

The exhibition halls presented a dynamic market where everyday objects elevated to collectible status coexisted alongside high-value rarities. Among the booths, highlights included timepieces valued at €200,000 and an antique tiara worth approximately €120,000. In vintage fashion, the resurgence of the British aesthetic was a notable trend, influenced in part by the popular visual imagery of the television series The Gentlemen.

The four curated collateral exhibitions spanned three centuries of social history, fashion, and lifestyle: A World of Menus, curated by Garum – Biblioteca e Museo della Cucina & Menu Associati, presented nearly 70 pieces from a 400-item collection, ranging from the earliest known printed menu from 1803 to a historic Titanic menu, alongside the historical archives of Academia Barilla.  “Pronto, chi parla?”,  curated by the Museo della Telefonia Pubblica, traced the evolution of Italian public telecommunications through restored phone booths, a design element nearly vanished from the modern urban landscape.
Embroidered History, curated by Ilaria Dazzi and Simona Palo in collaboration with the Associazione Arcadia, examined the history of the handkerchief, from bridal accessories to keepsakes embroidered by First World War soldiers. Sounds & Horizons, curated by Flavio Dassenno, brought together Asian musical instruments selected from the private collection of Luigi Blesio, built over decades of travels.

Photography featured as one of the standout additions to this edition. With Vintage Photo Parma, a new section dedicated to vernacular, anonymous, and vintage photography curated with Fabio Castelli, cultural entrepreneur and founder of MIA Photo Fair—Mercanteinfiera created a commercial and critical space to reflect on historical imagery, including unsigned works. This theme was central to the October 4 panel talk featuring collector, publisher, and visual artist Jean-Marie Donat; image hunter and critic Serge Plantureux; Sergio Smerieri, founder of the Gu.pho festival; Stefano Vigni, photographer and publisher at SeiperSei; and Alberto Gerosa Volonté, anthropologist, director, and head of Thy Lab. The panel was moderated by La Repubblica journalist and critic Michele Smargiassi.

The Mercanteinfiera Talks program similarly addressed objects as material witnesses to cultural transformation: From the history of telecommunications, traced by Luca Tomassini, Cavaliere del Lavoro, and Gabriele Balbi, Professor of Media History at Università della Svizzera italiana, to the cultural significance of the handkerchief, presented by costume designer and fashion communicator Camilla Ruffini. Journalist, curator, and art critic Mimmo Di Marzio introduced his book Gli Insospettabili.

The dining traditions of the House of Windsor took center stage during a panel with Francesco Vicario, Royal Editor at Gente, and Giovanna Gallo, Royal Contributor for the publication, who explored royal etiquette, state menus, and customs of the British Royal Family. Among the fascinating details shared were insights into the Buckingham Palace cellars, which house bottles dating back to 1715 with an estimated value of £2 million.

The program also highlighted the art of painter Welleda Cantù, presented by antique dealer Tommaso Tomasi, art historian and archivist Marzio Dall’Acqua, and journalist Stefania Provinciali. Concluding the Talks series was the “Vintage Scarf Styling” workshop led by vintage illustrator Alice Negri.Although the exhibition halls have closed, market activity continues online. From October 23 to November 2, 2026, Mercanteinfiera renews its partnership with Catawiki for a dedicated online auction, extending the opportunity for collectors and dealers to connect beyond the dates of the physical fair.

The next edition of Mercanteinfiera will take place at Fiere di Parma from February 27 to March 7, 2027 (Dealer days: February 25–26).

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