(New York) The Art and Antique Dealers League of America (AADLA) has announced that the opening night benefit preview for its inaugural Spring Show NYC, at the Park Avenue Armory on Wednesday, April 27, 2011 will benefit the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®). Co-chairs for the five-day show include: Michael Bruno, Mario Buatta, David Patrick Columbia, Celerie Kemble, Brian McCarthy, Miles Redd, Ellen and Chuck Scarborough, Bunny Williams, and Vicente Wolf.

"The Art and Antique Dealers League of America is thrilled to partner with the ASPCA and 1stdibs.com to debut our fine and decorative arts fair," said Clinton Howell, the League's President. According to Howell, in addition to the members showcasing their specialties from antiquities to twentieth-century works at their respective stands, each will also offer a selection of animal-themed objects at the opening night preview. "To keep in the spirit of this worthwhile organization, our dealers will donate a percentage of sales of the animal-related items," Howell said.

Charles Octavius Cole (1817 - 1858) Boy with Dog, Portland, Maine, 1850 Oil on canvas mounted on board, 48 x 36" Brock & Co. Concord, MA

"Much like art, animals have the ability to fulfill and enrich our lives," said Sean O'Connor, vice president of Special Giving for the ASPCA. "We are excited to showcase pieces from our archive of historic artifacts from the early days of the ASPCA at the spring show, and we are honored to be selected as the opening night beneficiary."

1stdibs.com (www.1stdibs.com), the online luxury marketplace for antiques, 20th and 21st century design, estate and fine jewelry, vintage couture, and fine art is the fair's opening night sponsor.

"1stdibs is pleased to be part of AADLA's first Spring Show NYC which benefits the ASPCA, an organization very close to my heart," said Michael Bruno, the Web site's Founder and President.

Lars Bolander, America's leading interior designer and tastemaker, will create a dramatic mise-en-scene at the Park Avenue Armory, employing his signature style of combining antiques with whimsical decorative objects.

With a roster of sixty top specialists from all over the United States, the Spring Show NYC will offer something for every collector's taste, whether scholarly or decorative. Among the participants are: Jack Kilgore & Co., Hyde Park Antiques, George Subkoff Antiques, Carlton Hobbs, L'Antiquaire & The Connoisseur, Clinton Howell Antiques, Robert Simon Fine Art, Royal-Athena Galleries, Vallin Galleries, Kentshire Galleries, Vojtech Blau, Douglas Dawson, Alfred Bullard, Dalva Brothers, Philip Colleck, Earle Vanderkar of Knightsbridge, Leo Kaplan, Donald A. Heald Rare Books, Peter Pap Oriental Rugs, Inc., and Jeff Bridgman American Antiques.

The Art and Antique Dealers League of America, Inc., is the oldest and principal antiques and fine arts organization in America. The purpose for organizing the league was to bring the various members of the art and antiques trade closer together to promote a greater understanding among themselves and with the public, and generally to devote itself to the best interest of dealers and collectors of antiques and works of art.

Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first humane organization established in the Americas and serves as the nation's leading voice for animal welfare. One million supporters strong, the ASPCA's mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. A 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. The ASPCA, which is headquartered in New York City, offers a wide range of programs, including a mobile clinic outreach initiative, its own humane law enforcement team, and a groundbreaking veterinary forensics team and mobile animal CSI unit.

The Spring Show NYC opens with an invitation-only benefit preview for the ASPCA, at the Park Avenue Armory, Park Avenue and 67th Street, on Wednesday, April 27, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. The general public is invited from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Admission is $75.00 and proceeds go to the ASPCA.

The show opens to the public on Thursday, April 28. Hours are Thursday to Sunday, May 1: 11:00 AM to 7:30 PM; and Monday, May 2: 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. General admission is $25 per person; a five-day pass is $40 per person. For additional information, visit springshownyc.com.

The Art Fair Company, founded by Michael Franks, the former COO of dmg world media, and Mark Lyman, Founding Director of the Sculpture Objects & Functional Art Fairs (SOFA), now produces SOFA fairs in Chicago, New York and Santa Fe, the leading contemporary decorative art and design fairs in the world. They also produce The Intuit Outsider and Folk Art Fair, in Chicago. The company also provides professional promotional and operational support to other art and antique fair producers.