Law, crime and regulation

Legal cases, stolen art, regulation and tax issues remain important part of the art and antiques sector.

This category ranges from the levy of the Artist’s Resale Right to controversies over fakes and forgeries.


Adrian Greenwood

Life sentence for Wind in the Willows book dealer murderer

25 October 2016

Michael Danaher, 50, who tortured and murdered Oxford book dealer Adrian Greenwood during a robbery targeting a £50,000 first edition of ‘The Wind In The Willows’, was yesterday given a life sentence, with a minimum term of 34 years.

BBC investigates the ivory trade in Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall documentary

24 October 2016

A BBC One documentary by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall called 'Saving Africa’s Elephants: Hugh and the Ivory War' will be aired tonight at 9pm.

Michael Mazarind tapestry

Export block for 300-year-old London tapestry

24 October 2016

The government is hoping to find a UK-based buyer to pay £67,500 for a 300-year-old tapestry to prevent it from leaving the country.

Fuller calls for trade to lobby on ivory in advance of consultation

21 October 2016

Natural history expert Errol Fuller has called for the antiques trade to lobby quickly over any rule changes to the UK trade in ivory.

Collector and shippers indicted over New York tax dodge

21 October 2016

A Manhattan district attorney has warned the art and antiques trade of its obligations regarding local sales taxes after a collector and his shippers were indicted for fraud.

Venus, a painting attributed to Lucas Cranach the Elder

Princely buyer defends Cranach attribution over ‘fakes’ claim

20 October 2016

The buyer of a major Old Master painting at the centre of a potential ‘fakes’ scandal has strongly defended its authenticity as a row threatens to erupt over its attribution.

Mel Draisey

Musician in plea for stolen violin

18 October 2016

A London-based musician’s equipment, including an antique violin, has been stolen and she is calling on the trade to help her find it.

St Luke Drawing the Virgin and Child is attributed to the workshop of Dieric Bouts the Elder

Recently rescued national treasure to go on public display

17 October 2016

An Old Master painting recently saved for the nation by the Bowes Museum is set to be showcased at a new exhibition held in the painting’s new home.

Neville awaits sentencing in Mallett embezzlement case

14 October 2016

Henry Neville, former director at Mallett and head of their New York branch, has pleaded guilty to all criminal charges relating to an embezzlement case brought by US authorities.

Market forced on defensive over Old Master ‘fakes’

10 October 2016

Lawyers representing the Frenchman Giulano Ruffini have defended his role in handling paintings at the centre of a ‘fakes scandal’ besetting the Old Masters market.

The late Sir Michael Butler

Auctioneers brought in to value Chinese art collection after family spat

06 October 2016

A family row over a large collection of 17th century Chinese porcelain escalated this week after Art Fund trustee Caroline Butler hired Christie’s to value the collection.

Adrian Greenwood

Book dealer’s murder linked to attempt to steal £50,000 first edition Wind in the Willows

04 October 2016

The murder of book dealer Adrian Greenwood was part of an attempt to steal a £50,000 first edition of the Wind in the Willows, a court has heard.

Frans Hals portrait

Old Master market faces the “biggest art scandal in a century”

04 October 2016

A series of Old Master paintings has come under the spotlight as further details emerge about a potentially major fakes scandal.

Venus by Lucas Cranach the Elder

Old Master ‘fakes scandal’: the background

04 October 2016

Earlier this year, authorities in France seized a painting attributed to Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553) which was being exhibited in the Caumont Centre d’Art in Aix-en-Provence.

John Scanlon CITES

CITES summit considers exemptions over antiques

03 October 2016

The possibility of a global ban on ivory that would allow exemptions for antiques was under discussion at last week’s CITES summit in South Africa.

Ivory antique

British ivory exports to Hong Kong under scrutiny

28 September 2016

Wildlife campaigners are calling for a crackdown on ivory exports from the UK after a report revealed trade doubled to Hong Kong last year.

Daughter continues fight to keep family Chinese art collection together

28 September 2016

A large collection of 17th century Chinese porcelain could be broken up and sold after a family feud among the heirs of Sir Michael Butler, a former aide to Margaret Thatcher.

COMMENT: Why modern ivory ends up in the antiques chain and how to stop this happening

27 September 2016

Michael Baggott, silver dealer and regular TV antiques pundit, looks to his own specialism for a solution to the antique ivory conundrum – and volunteers to help

Antiques trade will have input to ivory rule changes

27 September 2016

Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom has vowed to consult with the antiques trade over plans to tighten rules surrounding ivory.

ATG launches seminar on CITES with SoFAA and BADA as antique ivory trade rules tighten

26 September 2016

Antiques Trade Gazette is partnering with auctioneer body SoFAA and dealer organisation the BADA to host a seminar on the essentials of CITES, as the government announces tougher rules around the trade of ivory-based objects.

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