News

A Bank of England £1m Treasury note sold at Spink on October 1 for £68,000.

Help is at hand for well-heeled jobseekers intent on gaining an entry into the art world. Sophie Macpherson Fine Art Recruitment and Consultancy, together with Virginia Sykes-Wright, project director of Asian Art in London, have developed a new Fine Art Careers Course designed to help people break into a highly competitive employment marketplace.

Sotheby’s have announced that they are to open an office in Doha and are planning a series of auctions in the Qatari capital in early 2009.

As the US and European governments infused billions into their banking systems, Christie’s have changed their approach to credit. Dealers who were previously allowed several weeks to pay for items after collection have now been informed they must pay before receipt of their goods.

THE campaign to save The Mall in Camden Passage appears to be facing defeat, with the landlords of the North London antiques centre having evicted all the remaining dealers. The iconic Grade II listed building at the head of the famous antiques thoroughfare, which formerly housed over 30 dealers, now lies empty with the shutters down.

The Moscow-based luxury retail giant Mercury Group have bought a majority stake in the London-based international auctioneers Phillips de Pury & Company. Phillips de Pury said that Mercury initially offered a possible partnership in July last year, but the deal developed into an effective takeover last week.

WHETHER or not the art market will be able to steer its way through the current financial storm remains an open question. But providing some relief from the constant talk of falling stocks and the global credit crunch, a pair of Dutch marine pictures saw some strong bidding at the latest picture sale held by Woolley and Wallis on October 8.