International

About 80% of the global art market by value takes place outside the UK. The largest art market in the world is the US with China in third place (after the UK) followed by France, Germany and Switzerland.

Many more nations have a rich art and antiques heritage with active auction, dealer, fair, gallery and museum sectors even if their market size by value is smaller.

Read the top stories and latest art and antiques news from all these countries.

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Fairyland colour brightened up wartime woes

10 February 2025

Daisy Makeig-Jones’ lustre designs for Wedgwood arrived at precisely the right time.

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Pan handy to serve meals for one (one ex-emperor)

10 February 2025

Credited with saying “an army marches on its stomach”, Napoleon Bonaparte knew the value of eating well, both at home and on the road.

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Lucien Freud painting materials bring interest in US auction

10 February 2025

Less-than-pristine paints and brushes from the studio of Lucien Freud (1922-2011) were sold by University Archives (23% buyer’s premium) in Wilton, Connecticut.

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White glove sale for Bromer collection of Art Nouveau jewellery in New Jersey

10 February 2025

An inheritance influenced Boston dealer duo to turn their collecting interest to a different market

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Bidders now recognise beauty of Bonheur’s downcast donkey

10 February 2025

An oil on board titled 'Portrait of a Donkey', painted and signed in 1881 by the noted French animalier Rosa Bonheur (1822-99), performed with gusto at Helmuth Stone Gallery (25% buyer’s premium).

1954 Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Stromlinienwagen

1950s Mercedes becomes most expensive Grand Prix car ever sold at auction

07 February 2025

A 1954 Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Stromlinienwagen has become the world’s most expensive Grand Prix car ever sold after hammering down at €51.15m (£42.5m) including 15% buyer’s premium.

Emile Boisseau sculpture

BRAFA reports record visitor numbers for its 70th edition

05 February 2025

BRAFA 2025 came to a close on February 2 having registered a record 72,000 visitors.

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Pioneering female author Burney makes her entrance

03 February 2025

A copy of pioneering female author’s novel Evelina appeared at auction for first time in a decade

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Five questions with art dealer Jill Newhouse

03 February 2025

Jill Newhouse founded her gallery in New York in 1980. She is the fourth generation of her family to be an art dealer.

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Marvels come to the market including two large portrait plaques by a celebrated Limoges enameller

03 February 2025

Paris auction staged at the Drouot centre offered a richly varied and valuable range of lots

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BRAFA brightens up grey skies

03 February 2025

Event in the Belgian capital manages to combine sense of luxury with a friendly and relaxed atmosphere early on

Gold medal from 1904 Olympics

Olympic gold medal from 1904 races to record price

31 January 2025

A gold medal from the 1904 Olympics set its own first when it fetched $436,297 (£351,000) plus 25% premium at RR Auction's timed sale in the US – a record for any 1904 medal.

Simon Phillips

Latest Movers & Shakers including new chair of Treasure House Fair

30 January 2025

The latest jobs moves and appointments across the world of art and antiques

Bob Dylan Tambourine Man Lyrics

Bob Dylan's Mr Tambourine Man lyrics sell at auction

28 January 2025

Bob Dylan’s draft lyrics for 1965 hit 'Mr Tambourine Man' sold for $400,000 (£320,800) plus 27% buyer’s premium at Julien’s Auctions in Nashville, US, earlier this month.

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Yale Centre for British Art buys rare Emma Soyer portrait from dealer

27 January 2025

Art dealer Dominic Sanchez-Cabello has sold a rare portrait by Emma Soyer (c.1810-42) to the Yale Center for British Art.

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Saxon armoury splashes out for sitter with military connection

27 January 2025

London dealer William Thuillier has sold a portrait of Frederick Augustus I, the Elector of Saxony and Duke of Warsaw, to the armoury of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen in Dresden.

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Scarce Singer painting emerges at auction

27 January 2025

Until the 1990s, Ilona Singer (1905-44) belonged to a forgotten generation of artists whose lives were cut short by the Nazis.

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Assembled with care: the sumptuous Zilkha collection comes to auction

27 January 2025

Sale of Kunstkammer items amassed by the founder of Mothercare will bring English and Continental silver and furniture in the princely tradition to the rostrum

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Schlemmer figure hits a new high

27 January 2025

A plaster figure by the Bauhaus artist Oskar Schlemmer (1888-1943) set a new auction record for one of his sculptures when it was sold by Lempertz (26/20% buyer’s premium) in Cologne.

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Tinplate toys take impressive five-figure prices

27 January 2025

Well-funded bidders joined the fray at the recent sale of tinplate toys held by Hohenstaufen (24.5% buyer’s premium) in Göppingen. The two top lots were very different but brought equally impressive results.

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