Prints

Appearance of painting not seen since the 1930s causes a stir as a possible lost work rediscovered

Artists’ portfolios prove popular as Swiss auctioneer’s own firm disperses items from his personal library

When it comes to the prints of Norman Ackroyd (1938-2024), his dramatic monochrome depictions of natural locations – such as St Kilda in Scotland, Skellig Michael and Achill Island in Ireland, or of the Yorkshire Dales – tend to command the most interest.

Two trademark prints by Anthony Fry (1927-2016) posted high auction sums for graphic works by the artist at a recent single-owner sale held by Dreweatts (28% buyer’s premium).

Japanese artist Kusama’s set of lithographs with signature motifs demonstrates more affordable way to collect

Prints from David Hockney’s (1937-2026) Moving Focus series are among the artist’s most sought-after work from the 1980s. The vibrantly coloured images picturing Hotel Acatlán are especially prized.

Innovative art fair recently launched at London gallery expands to American cities for the first time

Scandinavian art amassed by Norwegian collectors Iwona and Bjarne Rieber coming up at Bonhams New Bond Street on October 27 includes works by Edvard Munch alongside those by leading figures such as Harald Sohlberg, Michael Ancher and Nikolai Astrup.

Issued in January 1781 by London publisher Robert Wilkinson, the caricature The Ballance of Power depicts the figure of Britannia standing as Justice proclaiming, No one injures me with impunity.

The market in Australia remains steady, maintaining good selling rates and some strong key areas

An oversize 1881 albumen photograph of Thomas Hill’s painting 'The Last Spike', depicting the instant of the creation of the first continental railroad in the US, rolled to a five-figure sum at Freeman’s (28% buyer’s premium) in Chicago.

Collotype portfolios by Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) ranked first and second in a Prints & Multiples sale at Toomey & Co (28% buyer’s premium) in Chicago.

Original copper printing plates for works by famous artists do not appear often at auction, and rarely does a private collection come for sale.

London books, prints and wine specialist Forum Auctions was founded in July 2016 with the ambition of combining the best of the digital and the analogue worlds. A decade later, with all but one of the original team still on board, the company is preparing for two special anniversary sales. Founder and executive chairman Stephan Ludwig shares his views with ATG.

One of the big surprises at a recent Ketterer (27% buyer’s premium) book auction in Hamburg was the result for a signed lithograph by Maurits Cornelis Escher.

While the Cheffins auction featured the original drawing for the Duke of Wellington’s funeral carriage (see main Art Market story in this edition), the funeral of another British hero of the Napoleonic wars was in the spotlight in a London sale.