The upcoming American election could not have been far from fairgoer's minds, given that one of the most iconic works in the show was a large painting of Barack Obama’s face (the image was clipped from the Wall Street Journal), by Spanish artist Jose Maria Cano, in the booth of London gallery Riflemaker. The work, priced at £35,000, attracted a lot of attention; not surprisingly, by the end of the sponsors’ preview, there were two reserves on it.  

As for Americans themselves, Scott Zieher of New York gallery Zieher Smith said he hadn’t seen many around, “But that's okay, because we come to London to meet Europeans.” Now in its second year at Zoo, Zieher Smith had brought a solo show of Brooklyn-based artist Wes Lang, whose mixed-media works deal with American themes and include American flags and the sorts of bare-breasted women you might see on a tattoo. Lang has never shown in London before, but by the preview’s end, Zieher had parted with several works by the artist, priced at both the low and high ends of his $1,000–10,000 range. The buyers were Belgian, French, and mainly British collectors. “Even some riskier pieces sold,” said Zieher. “So I now feel optimistic.”

Given all the speculation on the subject of American collectors, it was refreshing to run into a particularly enthusiastic one, the New York–based Steve Shane. Shane said he had just bought a sculpture from “a Stockholm gallery” at Zoo, though he didn't disclose anything further, except to say that the uncertain times weren’t keeping him from collecting. “I'm buying more art!” he said, before adding, “If you are a true art lover, why would you cancel your trip? I would come here even if I weren't buying.”

To hear many of the dealers at Frieze, and now Zoo, tell it, there are other such collectors out there — ones who are buying for pure enjoyment, or for the sense of discovery, and have not yet let financial woes deter them. Near the exit to Zoo, at the booth of Los Angeles gallery The Happy Lion, was a new neon work, in an edition of 3, by Alejandro Diaz, depicting the words “Happiness is Expensive.” All three sold, for “more than $4,000, less than $6,000,” according to gallery director Justin Izbinski. Happiness may indeed be expensive, but there’s still a market for it.

Sarah Douglas is Staff Writer at Art+Auction. She blogs at "The Appraisal."