Latest News Articles by Laura Chesters
Charity shop discovery takes four-figure sum at auction
13 February 2026A painting by Modern British artist George Hammond Steel (1900-60) which was discovered in an RSPCA charity shop in Royal Wootton Bassett drew strong interest at auction earlier this year.
Kansas museum buys rare 18th century writing desk by Parisian cabinetmaker
13 February 2026A bonheur-du-jour secrétaire by celebrated cabinetmaker Roger Vandercruse Lacroix (1728-99) has been purchased by a museum in Kansas from French dealer Galerie Léage for a six-figure sum.
Customer leaves it to last minute for rug purchase as LARTA celebrates a strong event
13 February 2026Sales at this year’s edition of The London Antique Rug and Textile Art Fair (LARTA) continued, literally, until the doors were shutting on the final day.
New antiques dealers believe The Decorative Fair at Battersea ‘is the perfect mix’
13 February 2026Each edition of The Decorative Fair brings new faces and this season Sheldrake Collection, founded by friends Alice Dickie and Chloe Shann, was one of them.
Plenty to bite into at The Winter Decorative Fair in Battersea
13 February 2026From huge sharks to chocolate pots, The Decorative Fair offered a tempting range to suit all tastes
Right riveting reads from the art and antiques world
13 February 2026Forget the biblical rain for a while, keep indoors and look forward to these books to bury your head in – with more to follow soon
Stolen 17th century panel returned to church after 30 years
11 February 2026A 17th century panel stolen from a church in Hertfordshire has been discovered and returned after being missing for 30 years.
British Museum succeeds in raising £3.5m for 'Tudor Heart' pendant
11 February 2026The British Museum raised the £3.5m needed to buy a gold pendant discovered by a metal detectorist in a field in Warwickshire in 2019.
Plea for UK institution to raise £750,000 for Bedford House puttis blocked from export
10 February 2026A pair of puttis, believed to have been crafted as one of a pair of chimney pieces for Bedford House in London, have been blocked from export.
Latest figures reveal art trade fines of nearly quarter of a million
06 February 2026Almost a quarter of a million pounds in fines have been issued to art dealers and auction houses by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) in the six months to September 30, 2025.
First a Tudor portrait identified, now dealer follows up with a Canadian Highlander firmly named
06 February 2026A portrait of a mystery soldier identified by a dealer has sold to a private collector.
More than £200m collected since launch of Artist’s Resale Right
05 February 2026To mark the 20th anniversary of Artist’s Resale Right, collecting agencies the Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS) and the Artists’ Collecting Society (ACS) have issued updates on the amount collected and how it is distributed.
Promotions and hires across auction houses and art dealers
05 February 2026The latest round up of Movers & Shakers in the art and antiques sector
Christian Dior Haute Couture collection takes €6m at auction
04 February 2026The white glove sale of a collection of modern Christian Dior Haute Couture from a wealthy fashion fan has set four world records.
Export block on 18th century ‘shock dog’ by female sculptor
03 February 2026A UK institution has the chance to raise £635,000 to buy an 18th century animal sculpture after it was blocked from export.
Trinity House Paintings: search for 25 works goes on
30 January 2026Twenty-five artworks have been listed as missing and registered with the Art Loss Register (ALR) following the administration of Trinity House Paintings.
Tudor map of Devon town bought by local museum
30 January 2026A rare Tudor map of the Devon town Kingsbridge has been acquired by South West Heritage Trust.
BADA Friends launches spring/summer event calendar
30 January 2026Art and antiques specialists Geoffrey Munn, Robert Tucker and Bentley & Skinner are among those involved in the latest schedule of events for The British Antique Dealers’ Association charity initiative BADA Friends.
Business launches and new joiners across the world of art and antiques
28 January 2026The latest Movers and Shakers from auction houses, galleries, advisors and associations
Third record breaking year for archaeological discoveries – boosted again by metal detectorists
27 January 2026The number of archaeological objects unearthed by the British public in 2024 (the most recent available figures) has soared to close to 80,000 items.