Latest News Articles by Laura Chesters

Police ask for help to find stolen antique jewellery from Oxford dealer
29 March 2020Police are trying to trace antique jewellery stolen by burglars from Norah’s Antiques in Oxford.

James Bond guns stolen from North London home
28 March 2020Detectives are appealing for information after five deactivated guns used in James Bond movies were stolen from a residential address in Enfield, North London.

Coronavirus: Emergency measures for the self-employed announced by chancellor
26 March 2020Emergency help from the chancellor Rishi Sunak will be available for self-employed people it was announced today.

Masterpiece London cancelled for summer 2020 due to coronavirus crisis
26 March 2020The summer 2020 edition of Masterpiece London planned for June 24-July 1 has been cancelled, organisers have announced.

National Trust house in Cumbria buys portrait by Georgian society painter George Romney
25 March 2020Sizergh Castle and Garden, a stately home and garden in Cumbria run by the National Trust, has bought a portrait by 18th century painter George Romney.

Call to trade for help to locate lost Mod Brit painting stolen from train to Crewe
24 March 2020The owner of a painting by Mod Brit artist Terry Frost (1915-2003) is appealing for help after he left it on a train from London to Milton Keynes on January 23.

Historic archive of Second World War floating harbour designer bought at auction by museum
24 March 2020An historic archive belonging to the engineer who oversaw the design of the Mulberry Harbours in the Second World War has been bought by a museum after being offered at Mitchells’ auction last week.

Portraits of mystery young women catch the eye in auctions
23 March 2020Two alluring early-20th century British school portraits of attractive young women caught the eye in recent regional sales. Both modestly estimated, they brought similar four-figure sums.
Business rates are updated
23 March 2020Chancellor Rishi Sunak has set out a package of temporary measures to support businesses through the Covid-19 period of disruption.

Auction house Paddle8 files for bankruptcy protection
19 March 2020The online auction house Paddle8 has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in New York.

Christie's switches focus to private sales and postpones auctions to deal with coronavirus
19 March 2020Christie’s has made a series of changes to its auction schedule across the world to deal with the spread of coronavirus.

Record level of Treasure finds boosted by metal detectorists and a tipper truck
18 March 2020The number of items deemed to be Treasure and found by the UK public has hit a record high, according to new figures from the British Museum.
Coronavirus: Government unveils further business support
18 March 2020Chancellor Rishi Sunak has set out a package of temporary measures to support businesses through this period of disruption caused by the Covid-19 virus.

Budget 2020: Business rates scrapped for small shops and galleries
11 March 2020Art and antiques dealers welcomed news from Chancellor Rishi Sunak that the government will abolish business rates for small businesses this year but warned more still needs to be done.

Movers and Shakers - new appointments across the art and antiques market
10 March 2020An update on new appointments and expansions including at 1818 Auctioneers, Charterhouse and Swann Auction Galleries.

TEFAF Maastricht remains quieter but stand-out sales continue as Van Gogh sells for around €12m
09 March 2020Monday in Maastricht at TEFAF was a quieter experience as visitor numbers (anecdotally) remained down into the second week of the art and antiques fair.

Growth in second-hand will ‘skyrocket’, conference hears
09 March 2020The art and antiques trade should be able to tap into the desire by younger people to buy second-hand, delegates of the latest LAPADA Conference were told.

British Museum buys 3000-year-old Bronze age gold pendant
07 March 2020A well-preserved 3000-year-old Bronze age gold sun pendant, known as a bulla, has been bought by the British Museum after it was found by a metal detectorist in Shropshire in 2018.

UK remains in second place in global art market league table
05 March 2020The UK has retained second place ahead of China in sales of art and antiques, according to the latest Art Basel and UBS global art market report 2020.

How to promote the art and antiques trade and win new customers – LAPADA conference 2020
03 March 2020How to best promote the art and antiques trade, take advantage of the worldwide focus on sustainability and win new customers were the themes for this year’s LAPADA conference.