The Society of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) hosted TEFAF’s New York Collector’s Preview at the Park Avenue Armory Thursday night. Over 300 collectors, philanthropists, museum curators and designers came to support the cause, raising $477,000 for cancer care and research.

“I love the relationship between TEFAF and MSK,” said The Society of MSK President Claudia Overstrom. “We’re so lucky to have this decade-long standing partnership. It brings the best in art and design together with the highest quality in research and medicine. It’s a beautiful marriage to support the most important cause, which is MSK’s goal of curing cancer for life.”

The evening’s Chairs included Beth Blake Day, Alexandra Edwards, Mercedes de Guardiola, Joyce Kwok, Kamie Lightburn, Anjali Melwani, Amanda Waldron, Cecily Waud, and Sarah Wetenhall. Design Chairs included Alessandra Branca, Sallie Giordano, Lisa McCarthy, Alexander Papachristidis, and Stephen Sills.

“It’s such an honor to be able to contribute to MSK’s mission, to the critical research that we’re funding, and to be involved with such an important cultural institution like TEFAF,” said De Guardiola. “There has been so much excitement for young people to participate in MSK’s events throughout the year.”

Papachristidis also went to TEFAF earlier in the morning, and was very impressed with the offerings at hand.

“MSK is such a wonderful cause, and TEFAF is one of the most beautiful shows in New York,” said Papachristidis. “This year it feels like a notch up: there is a fabulous Rothko, incredible antiquities at Olivier Chenel, Pace has some wonderful paintings, there are tons of amazing Lalannes – Ben Brown has an exceptional Lalanne deer. The fair is a feast for the eyes; one can find museum quality pieces that no one normally sees.”

The collectors and art advisors were out in full force, and they all concurred that this was the crème de la crème of TEFAFs.

“I think the fair has very high quality work this year, even higher than usual,” said collector Frances Beatty Adler. “The art market is on the rise, and quality is the most important thing, so the dealers brought the best of what their area is.”

Beth DeWoody was chatting with Jean-Gabriel Mitterand about his booth, replete with Warhols and Lalannes, and was very enthusiastic about a 1996 Lalanne turtle.

“I love this Lalanne turtle,” said DeWoody. “It’s made of marble, which is very rare for Lalanne. I’ve never seen it before.”

Art advisor Joyce Varvatos was shopping for clients, and was very impressed.

“The fair is super high quality this year,” said Varvatos. “I’m excited, and I’m seeing a lot of great things. I have a handful of clients on speed-dial, I’m FaceTiming some of them, and there is a lot of humor involved. The Lichtenstein at Coulon is extraordinary, the Cecily Brown at Berggruen is incredible, as is the Tony Cragg at Lisson, and the Rothko at Pace Di Donna Schrader is amazing.”

Dealers were thrilled that so many works had either been sold, placed on hold, or had shown major interest. Gagosian was exhibiting works by Kathleen Ryan, and all had already been sold.

“Kathleen is inspired by consumerism,” said Bernie Lagrange, who was instrumental in bringing Ryan to Gagosian. “These pieces represent rotten fruit. She uses semi-precious stones - the more rotten parts of the fruit are the more precious semi-precious stones. She salvages pieces from scrapyards, like car hoods and discarded pieces of an airstream, and creates these very beautiful vanitas on consumer culture.”

Paul Coulon, who has a gallery in London, was enjoying his third year at TEFAF. Coulon’s highlights included the 1976 Lichtenstein interior still life that everyone was raving about, and a Christopher Wool text painting from 1989 that has been in the same collection for 30 years. Interest in both was high.

“Every time we come here it’s very exciting,” said Coulon. “We are in the middle of Manhattan and we have some of the best collectors living a few blocks away. It’s always great to be here, in the company of some of the highest quality exhibitors.”

Further down the aisle, Pace Di Donna Schrader was showing the superb yellow Rothko that was another hit among collectors, along with a rare 1841 Delacroix drawing of lions in various poses. They, too, had sold a lot of works.

David Zwirner was exhibiting a mini survey of Robert Ryman’s works from the artist’s own collection, showing a lifelong experiment with paint’s reaction to different mediums.

“We’ve had an incredible response to the stand,” said Zwirner’s Susan Dunne. “There has been a wonderful group of collectors, museum curators and directors.”

Spotted in the crowd admiring Francois-Xavier’s Lalanne’s imposing “Lapin a Vent” in the center of the middle aisle were Eva Lorenzotti, Helen Schifter, Maria Hatzistefanis, Judy Cox and George Farias, all present for a great cause. For Muffie Potter Aston, this “lapin” wasn’t the only one on her mind.

“I have been involved with MSK for over 30 years,” said Aston. Cancer affects one in four people around the world. It has been a cause that has always been near and dear to my heart. My father was an oncologic surgeon, he founded two cancer centers; my mother was one of the first presidents of the American Cancer Society. So it was only natural that I would get involved with MSK. I have a special place in my heart for MSK’s Bunny Hop, because I co-founded it about 30 years ago.”

TEFAF is open through Tuesday, May 19.