AXA Art will exhibit a fascinating group of unusual works of art from public and private collections on its stand at TEFAF Maastricht, the pre-eminent international art and antiques fair which takes place from Friday 10 to Sunday 19 March 2006. This will be the third year of AXA Art's sponsorship of the fair.

All the items to be exhibited have been loaned by clients of AXA Art, the world's leading fine art insurance company with offices in ten countries. Each loan, which might comprise several works, comes from one of these countries and the exhibition will demonstrate the power that collecting can hold over those that come into its thrall. Each of the collectors describes on a wall panel the genesis of the passion, and in some cases life-long fascination, for the objects and works of art they have acquired.

Belgium: on view will be a selection of African instruments and items from the Henry Morton Stanley collection, all loaned by the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren. The Museum was founded in 1897 and houses truly remarkable collections including the almost complete archives of Stanley, the well-known explorer of Africa who famously 'found' David Livingstone on Lake Tanganyika in 1871, greeting him with the words "Dr Livingstone, I presume?"

France: four works have been loaned from the Lebovici Collection formed by Yvon Poullain (one will feature on the AXA Art information booth in the entrance hall). Always a collector, the industrialist Poullain met the designer Yonel Lebovici (1937-1998) in 1975. They became friends and from then on Poullain devoted his collecting entirely to works by Lebovici, who was obsessed with perpetual motion, and installed them in a building in Paris designed by Robert Mallet-Stevens. On view at Maastricht will be Ceci n'est pas une pince, Le Book, Epingle de nourrice and Concorde lamp.

Germany: a group of lighters from the collection of over 4,000 items formed over 15 years by Volker Putz of Hamburg who says: "Collecting has always been one of my passions. As a boy I collected stamps, model cars and beer mats." He says of the lighters: "Each piece has its own story to tell". They range from 2,000-year-old fire steels to electroplated and electronic ignition devices and include phosphorus igniters and earlier matches as well as gold Cartier and Dunhill lighters, some Art Deco watch lighters, others decorated with precious stones and examples that previously belonged to Marlene Dietrich and King Farouk.

Hong Kong: a Chinese Portrait of a Lady in Red, circa 1790, oil and gold leaf on canvas, loaned by Anthony J. Hardy, Partner in Wallem Group, Hong Kong, and Chairman of the Hong Kong Maritime Museum. His extensive collection of Chinese works of art focuses primarily on archaic bronzes, early ceramics and China Trade paintings. Lady in Red is one of his favourite works, which he describes as "an absolutely beautiful painting, the work of a Chinese master … combining 18th century European portraiture with the subtlety of the ancient Chinese painting tradition".

Italy: a replica of the famous Noccolò Amati 'King Louis XIV' violin, now in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, loaned and made in 2005 by Vittorio Villa whose love of music and violins have always been part of his life. He says: "When I listen to the sound of my violins I feel like Pygmalion, the sculptor whose statue comes to life. I've been a professional violin-maker for 16 years, but every time I see a violin growing in my hands, I'm still deeply involved".

Netherlands: a set of 26 so-called "Trotseerloodjes", lead plates of varying dates and origins, which were soldered onto the nails attaching the lead parts covering the borders of slate roofs, plus instruments, loaned by Mr P.P. Steijn. He says: "In the past most lead plates were removed and melted when buildings were restored. I discovered these plates some 45 years ago and got interested in this phenomenon of handicraft, so typical for the Northern Netherlands - I set about preserving as many as I could by contacting more than 5,000 building contractors and restorers, convincing them that these lead plates are fascinating objects of great importance for the study and dating of Dutch architecture."

Norway: a Russian icon, circa 1800, loaned by Erling Kagge, a collector of both Russian icons and contemporary art. Kagge's other passion in life has been polar exploration and during the 1990s he was the first person ever to conquer the North and South Poles and Mount Everest. When he became a publisher at the end of the 1990s he was able to indulge his interest in collecting art. He says: "I am not religious, but the power of a well-painted icon seems to transcend faith".

Spain: a collection of Roman rings loaned by Alfonso Presa who began collecting around 1980. He says: "Since I was small I was interested in the 'Roman customs and manners' and used to play at Roman Legions instead of Cowboys and Indians. I like to collect rings because a ring is a personal object; its original owner must have bought it because he was also attracted to its beauty. I often wonder who its owner was".

Switzerland: a group of prints from the collection of more than 10,000 prints, paintings and books relating to the Swiss town Bad Ragaz and its surroundings, formed over 30 years by the entrepreneur and passionate collector Otto Schneider. He says: "Collecting is part of the human condition, therefore everyone collects in a different way. The true collector can in fact be considered an addict".

United Kingdom: a model of LMS Steam Locomotive The Royal Scott from the collection formed by insurance broker Barry Owen who says: "I collect anything connected with Liverpool. This model … epitomises my love of my home city and the wonderful steam age. Anything my wife does not want at home, or that we have not got room for, is displayed in the office. My staff really enjoy being surrounded by objects linked to Liverpool … we all learn so much".

USA: three 19th century miniatures by American artists: a silhouette by the 'Red Book Artist', circa 1830, Young Lady in Blue Dress by an anonymous artist, circa 1810-15, and Portrait of a Woman in Profile c. 1850 by an unknown American painter. All are from an American private collection. According to the collector: "I don't recall the specific object which first drew my attention … but I do remember the rush of adrenalin … that response to the initial impact of the aesthetics of American folk art has compelled me to surround myself with wonderful and enduring objects for the last 34 years".

AXA Art's exhibition will show just the tip of an iceberg as far as The Thrill of Collecting is concerned but should whet the appetite of visitors to TEFAF Maastricht, the pre-eminent international art and antiques fair. AXA Art's more sombre introductory stand featuring an early 19th century American card table that was badly damaged by hurricane Katrina will alert collectors to the need to protect their works of art (see separate press release).

For further information, please contact:

Sue Bond Public Relations
Hollow Lane Farmhouse, Hollow Lane, Thurston, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP31 3RQ, UK
Tel. +44 (0)1359 271085 Fax. +44 (0)1359 271491
E-mail: info@suebond.co.uk Website: www.suebond.co.uk