Latest News Articles by Laura Chesters
Lost portrait of Robert Burns bought at auction heads to National Galleries Scotland for exhibition
27 January 2026A 'lost' portrait of Scottish poet Robert Burns, rediscovered at auction last year, has been loaned to the National Galleries Scotland for exhibition by its new owner.
Dealers outraged at report claiming benefits of the Ivory Act nearly four years on
23 January 2026Antiques dealers have described the Ivory Act as a “vast amount of expensive, time-consuming red tape” which has, for one, “taken away 50% of annual turnover”.
Maybe not in Greenland, but American visitors are very welcome in Battersea
23 January 2026American decorators and buyers were in abundance on the first day of the winter edition of The Decorative Fair in Battersea Park this week.
UK institution sought for Woburn Abbey’s Claude Lorrain landscape
23 January 2026A picture by Claude Lorrain (1600-82) has been blocked from export in the hope a UK institution can raise the £9m needed to keep it in the country.
Georgian pharmacist’s autobiography returns to his home county after museum buys manuscript at auction
22 January 2026An autobiographical manuscript by a Georgian pharmacist in Dorset will return to the county after the local museum purchased it at auction.
Art and antiques dealers and collectors among donors of nearly £60m of art and antiques for nation’s museums
19 January 2026The nation’s museums have benefitted from more than 30 art and objects via tax saving schemes.
Pick of the week: Pair of andirons designed by EW Godwin head to Texas
16 January 2026Cotswolds dealer Paul Shutler has sold a pair of EW Godwin-designed andirons to the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston.
Dealers celebrate Burns Night with selling exhibitions of portrait miniatures and books
16 January 2026A portrait miniature of Robert Burns’ (1759-96) best friend is part of a pop up exhibition in Mayfair ahead of Burns Night.
York book fair gets 2026 off to a strong not stormy start
16 January 2026Storms and the threat of snow could not dampen the spirits of rare booksellers and buyers in York for the first PBFA fair of the 2026 book calendar.
Curious curios – new owners for two antiques centres
15 January 2026Two dealers are celebrating the New Year by taking on the ownership of antiques centres in the Lake District and Glasgow.
UK institution sought for 18th century Bouchardon sculpture being sold by Scottish Highland council
13 January 2026A bust of 18th century politician and landowner John Gordon of Invergordon (1707-83) has been blocked from export by the UK government in the hope a museum will raise the £3.1m needed to keep it in the country.
Auction house and dealer hires among the latest recruitment round up
09 January 2026The latest Movers & Shakers in the UK and overseas
Historic York bookshop to reopen after three-year renovation project
08 January 2026James Hallgate’s Lucius Books will relocate its York shop just down the road after a three-year renovation project of the former Ken Spelman Books premises in the historic city.
Tributes for antiques dealer lost in Christmas Day swim
06 January 2026Antiques dealers and singer Kate Bush were among those paying tribute to Matthew Upham, 64, following his tragic disappearance at sea.
National Portrait Gallery buys only known photographs of Ada Lovelace via Bonhams
02 January 2026Three photographs of computing pioneer Ada Lovelace (1815-52) have been acquired by the National Portrait Gallery in a private treaty sale.
Friends of Versailles buy Sèvres snuff box at Bonhams
29 December 2025A snuff-box made for Madame Adélaïde has set an auction record for a Sèvres box, selling for £150,000 (or a premium-inclusive £190,900).
Plea to recover antique lace stolen from Portobello Road Market
23 December 2025Veteran Portobello Road Market dealer Anne Swift and her son Phil were the victims of a theft from their market stall.
Government launches consultation on licensing sellers of knives and bladed items
22 December 2025Antiques dealers in bladed items are hoping to encourage collectors to respond to the latest consultation.
Jerwood Foundation buys sketch by British realist painter Coldstream
19 December 2025Arts charity Jerwood Foundation has purchased a William Coldstream (1908-87) sketch from an art dealer in Somerset.
Seeing ghosts: Leighton House holds show to highlight ‘lost’ objects it hopes to recover
19 December 2025Despite its name, a new exhibition, 'Ghost Objects: Summoning Leighton’s Lost Collection', at Leighton House in west London is not, in fact, a séance.