Latest News Articles by Anne Crane
Dummy paratrooper 'Rupert' drops in for D-Day
20 January 2020‘Rupert’ is one of the dummy paratroopers which were dropped over German-occupied France in the early hours of June 6, 1944. Made from burlap and weighted with sand, these were intended to serve as a distraction during the D-Day landings.
French cat painter's felines head to Heritage sale
20 January 2020Heritage now conducts a monthly online-only auction titled Fine & Decorative Arts. The February 13 sale includes two typical oil on panel works by the French cat painter Jules Gustave Leroy (1856-1921).
Christie’s sells David Little's pre-civil war silver collection
13 January 2020It took just one sale to disperse a collection of pre-civil war silver painstakingly amassed in just over a quarter of a century at the rate of one piece a year.
Exhibitors explain BRAFA fair’s long-lasting appeal
13 January 2020BRAFA Art Fair, Brussels’ major international art and antiques show, is one of the earliest events in the European fairs calendar.
Senses and sensibility – Trio of Michael Sweerts portraits emerge over two months
06 January 2020Several portraits by the 17th century Flemish artist Michael Sweerts (1618-64) have been achieving six-figure sums at auctions in Europe recently.
Asian art from Paris salerooms
06 January 2020Every year Paris plays host to a December Asian art auction series with a raft of sales at the Drouot auction centre and at the independent rooms across the French capital.
Bidders warm to frieze
23 December 2019This Neoclassical drawing by the Swedish sculptor Johann Tobias Sergel (1740-1814) proved very popular in the opening Old Master works on paper section of the mixed-discipline traditional sale held by the Hôtel des Ventes de Monte-Carlo 25% buyer’s premium) on November 27 in Monaco.
Miniature’s major pulling power
23 December 2019Depiction of Emperor Shah Jahan is thought to have been prepared for his official chronicle.
Duchess of Modena service: 11 pieces sold
16 December 2019The 11 pieces of early-18th century Régence silver gilt from a dressing service pictured below were billed by Christie’s as “the last remnants of France’s most glorified stylistic and historically important period”.
Italian images of the Virgin and Child feature in French gallery
10 December 2019The Madonna, Eternal Woman is the title of Paris Old Master picture dealer Galerie G Sarti’s autumn exhibition which continues at the gallery on the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré until December 20.
Napoleon’s boots march out of auction with €91,000 bid
09 December 2019A pair of boots owned by Napoleon which were worn by him during his exile on the island of St Helena have been sold at auction in France.
Portrait of mystery rich lady
09 December 2019This portrait by Nicolas Régnier (1588-1657) of a richly attired lady possibly depicts Maria Farnese and appears to have been executed when the artist was in Modena where he painted several portraits of members of the d’Este court.
Lioness bronze set to roar into auction
09 December 2019Besch holds its traditional winter sale series from December 27-31 at the Hotel Martinez in Cannes. Wines, champagne and spirits; Impressionist and Modern art; designer watches, pens, jewellery and coins all feature.
Meet Snaggletooth and Greedo
09 December 2019Bruneau closes the year with a December 14 sale of Comics and Toys, for which Travis Landry, its director of pop culture, will join forces with ‘event entertainment company’ Altered Reality Entertainment.
Japanese Meiji period cabinet offered in Maryland sale
09 December 2019A Japanese Meiji period shibayama inlaid lacquer shodana will feature in the Asian works of art section of Weschler’s Capital Collections auction on December 13 in Rockville, Maryland.
Pair of 18th century plaques
09 December 2019A pair of Castelli maiolica plaques will feature in Artcurial’s mixed-discipline sale of furniture and works of art in Paris on December 16-17.
Prince charming doll by Jumeau
09 December 2019On January 11-12 the specialist doll auction firm Theriault’s will be offering the collection of an American heiress, the late Huguette Clark.
Vintage Italian magic items in an American auction
09 December 2019A selection of books relating to conjuring dating back to the 17th century is one of the features of the latest Potter & Potter Magic sale to be held on December 14 in Chicago.
Chinese porcelain vase is surprise star of dedicated Asian art sale
07 December 2019The main series of Asian works of art sales in Paris takes place during December. Auctions include dedicated sales at Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Artcurial and Tajan while the Drouot auction centre has no fewer than 15 auctions wholly or partly dedicated to this field.