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.

Casablanca

Casablanca movie poster sets record at Heritage Auctions

02 August 2017

A record for a Casablanca movie poster was made last week when an Italian example sold for a premium-inclusive $478,000 (£361,800).

Roman mosaic

French museum buys ancient mosaic from auction in Monaco

02 August 2017

An example of a Gallo-Roman mosaic floor from around 150-200AD that would have decorated the floor of a wealthy villa in Vienne in Southern France, has just been acquired by the city’s museum from an auction in Monaco.

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10 Clarice Cliff highlights offered in Christie’s online-only sale

02 August 2017

Christie’s are offering a collection of Clarice Cliff in an online-only sale for the first time this month.

Anthony Browne BAMF

BAMF chief: ‘We’re gathering data to make EU-national hiring case to government’

01 August 2017

Art market leaders are gathering facts and figures on the sector’s need to retain and hire staff from the EU after Brexit to present to the Home Office.

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Five at the fair: A preview of objects on offer at the second TEFAF New York Fall

31 July 2017

The second annual TEFAF New York Fall is set to run from October 28-November 1 this year at the city’s Park Avenue Armory. Covering objects from antiquity to the early 20th century, the event includes jewellery, furniture, paintings and more. Below is a preview of five items on offer at the fair.

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US antiques dealers plead guilty to selling modern elephant ivory objects

27 July 2017

Two New York antiques dealers, owners of an upmarket Manhattan antiques shop, yesterday pleaded guilty to selling modern ivory objects and uncarved elephant tusks worth more than $4.5m.

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Burdett whale tooth sets scrimshaw record in US sale

25 July 2017

In an August 2016 ATG wrote that the scrimshaw market had been in the doldrums but was showing signs of a return to buoyancy. Judging by the latest results from Massachusetts auction house Eldred’s, bidders are certainly prepared to push the boat out for the best examples.

Bacon

Spanish police recover stolen Francis Bacon paintings after tip-off from the Art Loss Register

24 July 2017

Three Francis Bacon artworks stolen in Madrid in 2015 have been recovered by Spanish police near Barcelona.

Credi

Getty Museum chooses Old Master drawings for biggest-ever acquisition

24 July 2017

Los Angeles’ J Paul Getty Museum has bought 16 Old Master drawings in its largest-ever purchase by value.

Rijksmuseum van Oudheden bronze dirk

Ancient ‘peat bog’ bronze sword sells to Dutch museum at Christie’s

24 July 2017

A museum in The Netherlands has bought a 3000-year-old ceremonial sword at a Christie’s auction. It had been found around 120 years ago in a peat bog.

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Asian ship gun to ward off pirates fires the auction imagination

24 July 2017

This bronze Lantaka ship’s swivel gun/signal cannon is one of the antique firearms to be offered by Cordier Auction in a July 30 auction of more than 350 lots of militaria and firearms.

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All the world's a stage in Ohio sale of fairs memorabilia

24 July 2017

A sale entirely devoted to memorabilia from the world trade fairs and exhibitions is to be held by Grays Auctioneers in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 31.

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Go with the market flow in Milan

24 July 2017

Milan’s Navigli district dates to the 12th century and nine centuries later it is full of vintage shops, restaurants and bars, with its canals a great backdrop for the city’s biggest antiques and vintage market.

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Children’s classics in the Vienna Secession avant garde

24 July 2017

A superb suite of the original ink and gouache drawings – one shown here – made by Carl Otto Czeschka to illustrate a 1908 edition of Die Niebelungen dem Deutschen Volke sold at $290,000 (£224,805) in a Sotheby’s New York (25/20/12.5% buyer’s premium) sale of June 6 called Important Design.

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No kidding: goat bank coins it in at US auction

24 July 2017

Multi-consignments from single-owner collections and a smorgasbord of different collecting categories provided bidders with a huge choice of vintage toys in specialist auctioneer Bertoia’s (20% buyer’s premium) sale on June 2-3.

Uzbek monument

Stolen Islamic tile discovered in London art gallery will return to Uzbekistan

19 July 2017

An important glazed Islamic calligraphic tile stolen in Uzbekistan is to be returned to the country after it was discovered for sale in a London gallery.

Christie's

Christie’s half year auction results recover after tough 2016

19 July 2017

Christie’s first half results show positive signs for the art auction market after a difficult 2016.

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EU culture bill will ‘cripple trade’

17 July 2017

New EU rules designed to improve checks on imports of ancient artefacts “will cripple the legitimate international trade”, warns Vincent Geerling, chairman of the International Association of Dealers in Ancient Art.

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Thomas More not the merrier at the Tower

17 July 2017

Translated from a Paris version that had appeared earlier in that same year of 1535, an 8pp German newsletter giving an account of the execution of Thomas More sold for $11,500 (£9055) as part of the Eric Caren archive at Christie’s New York (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) on June 15.

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First French version of The Little Prince

17 July 2017

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s much-loved tale of The Little Prince was first published in New York in 1943, with Reynal & Hitchcock issuing it in both French and English versions.

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