Europe

A small Castilian mediaeval alabaster statue of Saint Cecilia playing a portable organ led a strong selection of traditional art and antiques in the Paris pre-Christmas auctions at Hotel Drouot.

A remarkable drawing by German artist Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld (1794-1872) that was recently restituted to the family of a Holocaust victim has sold for €1.7m (£1.44m) at an auction in Berlin.

This Rembrandt Bugatti bronze of ‘The Giant Anteater’ (Le Grand Fourmilier) more than lived up to its status as the potential star at a recent auction in Paris.

A newly-discovered drawing that has been attributed to Leonardo da Vinci will be offered by Paris auctioneers Tajan next year, estimated at €15m (£9.62m).

If a Chanel snow globe, a Fabergé bracelet or a blue table by Yves Klein are on the list for Father Christmas this year then head to Christie’s Paris showroom this weekend.

As you peruse this story on your computer, smartphone or tablet, take a look at the keyboard on said devices and spare a thought for the Rev Rasmus Malling-Hansen (1835-90).

A group of art and antiques dealers, fairs and museums have become the first to use the new internet domain name of ‘.art’.

The organisers of Fine Arts Paris, the new fair to be staged in the French capital in November 2017, have revealed more details about the concept.

Leading trade bodies are voicing concerns that a revised EU consultation into the illicit trafficking of antiquities could lead to a “burdensome” new import licence system.

One of the most famous firearms in French literary history has sold for €360,000 (£305,605) at Christie’s in Paris.

TEFAF have revealed the list of 270 exhibitors standing at the next Maastricht fair in March.

A rare and recently rediscovered Irish Commonwealth/Charles II silver porringer sold today for £25,000 – five times its estimate – at Sworders’ auction in Essex.

A still life by Marc Chagall led Dorotheum in a record-breaking auction last week when the painting achieved a premium inclusive €1.02m (£872,269).

Like the Statue of Liberty or Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower is symbolic of the skyline of one of the world’s great cities. The ultimate Parisian souvenir, sold in model form to tourists round the world, what would you give to have a piece of the real thing to take home?

A handwritten poem by Anne Frank has sold at auction in the Netherlands at €140,000 (£119,000).

The French national antique dealers’ association Syndicat National des Antiquaires (SNA) has appointed Mathias Ary Jan as its new president at a meeting of the board of directors yesterday.

Like many Russian aristocrats born in the later years of the 19th century, Prince Felix Youssoupov (1887-1967) lived an extraordinary life both before and after the Russian Revolution.

Phillips set a record price for a wristwatch sold at auction over the weekend when a Patek Philippe Reference 1518 was knocked down for SFr9.6m (£7.7m).

Two unusual works by Giovanni Antonio Canal, better known as Canaletto (1697-1786), will be on display in a Mayfair Gallery this week prior to their sale at auction later in the month in Genoa, Italy.