Latest News Articles by Laura Chesters
Government issues export bar for £1.2m Queen Victoria sculpture in hope of finding UK buyer
08 September 2017A sculpture of Queen Victoria by Alfred Gilbert has been temporarily barred from leaving the country while the government searches for a buyer based in the UK to pay the £1.2m asking price.
Tributes paid following the death of French arts patron Pierre Bergé
08 September 2017French fashion businessman and patron of the arts, Pierre Bergé, has died aged 86.
Young blood in demand at BADA networking event
08 September 2017The British Antiques Dealers’ Association (BADA) hopes to attract new members and young people to the world of art and antiques with a series of events.
Coutts places musical instruments above classic cars in investment report
07 September 2017The value of musical instruments outpaced the investment in classic cars and fine art last year, according to a survey by a private bank.
Customs delays after Brexit could be major blow for art market
06 September 2017Brexit could give the opportunity for advantageous changes to the VAT system for the UK art and antiques trade, delegates of The Art Business Conference heard today. But any benefits could be outweighed by huge customs delays.
Former Met art crime boss pleas for art and antiques unit to re-form
06 September 2017Richard Ellis, a former Metropolitan Police officer, used the platform of The Art Business Conference to call for the restatement of the art and antiques crime unit today.
Tapestry gallery S Franses appeals to Supreme Court to stay in London home
05 September 2017Antique textile and tapestry specialist S Franses is taking its fight to stay in its St James’s gallery to the UK Supreme Court.
Christie’s brings home the Bacon with auction of rediscovered painting
05 September 2017A rediscovered Francis Bacon is to be offered at Christie’s next month with a £7m-10m estimate.
Novelty silver kangaroos help Fairfax auction jump to $1.74m at Leonard Joel
04 September 2017Antiques owned by the late businessman James Fairfax caught the eye of buyers with a set of four Victorian novelty kangaroo salts among the highlights at the auction in Sydney.
BBC’s ‘Fake or Fortune?’ team discover lost work by Australian artist Tom Roberts
04 September 2017An early painting by UK-born Australian artist Thomas William Roberts (1856-1931), was authenticated on the BBC’s ‘Fake or Fortune?’ after being lost for more than 130 years.
Shop talk: Halstead Antiques Centre
04 September 2017In our continuing series looking through the keyhole of ‘bricks and mortar’ shops in 2017, ATG talks to James Killbery who owns Halstead Antiques Centre on the Essex/Suffolk border.
Chinese auctioneers hope British advice on non-payment fits the bill
28 August 2017The Chinese auction market is attempting to tackle non-payments with a series of initiatives debated at the Chinese Antiques and Artwork Auction International Forum last week.
Mark Hill returns to rostrum at Dawson’s
28 August 2017TV collectables expert, author and specialist Mark Hill is returning to the rostrum to join Dawson’s in Maidenhead to run its new modern and contemporary design auctions.
Wigan saleroom boss feels he is a lucky man
28 August 2017Some auctioneers believe they are rock stars when they take to the rostrum. But the owner of a new auction business in the north-west has been closer to real-life rock stars than most gavel-masters.
Calling all the lonely people: Eleanor Rigby lyrics, bible and grave deeds up for grabs at auction
26 August 2017The original score for The Beatles' song Eleanor Rigby is being offered at an auction in Warrington with an estimate of £15,000-25,000. The document, handwritten in pencil, is signed by producer George Martin and Paul McCartney.
Trade asked to be vigilant after huge peacock sculpture stolen
24 August 2017A 6ft high peacock sculpture by artist Geoffrey Dashwood has been stolen from a garden in the New Forest.
British Museum database suffers technical glitch
23 August 2017The British Museum’s Collection Online database is back up and running after a technical glitch forced it out of action this month.
Pitman painter faker who made £30,000 forging Norman Cornish ordered to pay back just £1
23 August 2017A man from Sunderland who forged the work of local artist Norman Cornish (1919-2014) has been ordered to repay £1.
Sotheby’s scraps buyer’s premium fee for online-only auctions
22 August 2017Auction house Sotheby’s is to scrap buyer’s premium – the fee paid to the firm by those who buy at auction – for its online-only sales.
Chinese art and antiques market shrinks as non-payment remains a “chronic problem”
22 August 2017Failure by buyers to pay for works of art they have successfully won at auction in China remains a major problem for the industry, according to the latest report.