Export Licences

The auction of a rare and unpublished drawing by Hans Baldung (c.1484-1545) that was due to take place in Paris on March 23 has been postponed after the work was declared a National Treasure by the French government.

An extensive 18th century archive relating to James Stirling (1692-1770) has been blocked from export in the hope a UK institution can raise the funds to keep it in the UK.

A painting from Howard Hodgkin’s (1932-2017) period in India has been temporarily blocked from export in the hope a UK institution will raise funds to keep it in the UK.

A pair of puttis, believed to have been crafted as one of a pair of chimney pieces for Bedford House in London, have been blocked from export.

A UK institution has the chance to raise £635,000 to buy an 18th century animal sculpture after it was blocked from export.

A picture by Claude Lorrain (1600-82) has been blocked from export in the hope a UK institution can raise the £9m needed to keep it in the country.

A bust of 18th century politician and landowner John Gordon of Invergordon (1707-83) has been blocked from export by the UK government in the hope a museum will raise the £3.1m needed to keep it in the country.

An export block has been issued for a Battle of Trafalgar Union flag in the hope a UK institution will raise the £450,000 needed to keep it in the country.

The manuscript journal of Captain John Narbrough (1640-88) has been temporarily blocked from export in the hope a UK institution can raise the more than £800,000 needed.

The British government has temporarily blocked the export of a group of 19th century Hindu paintings in the hope a UK institution will raise funds to buy them.

A Paris court has delayed the sale of the earliest-known calculator.

The largest group of cartographic items to come onto the market in years will be granted an export licence.

A UK gallery or institution will need to raise £280,000 plus VAT to acquire a work by Henri-Joseph François, Baron De Triqueti, before it leaves the country.

A pocket chronometer known to be on board HMS Beagle when Charles Darwin sailed on the ship’s second voyage from 1831-36 is subject to a temporary export bar in the hope of keeping it in the UK.

The Hepworth Wakefield and Art Fund have successfully raised £3.8m after a public appeal to save Barbara Hepworth’s 'Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red'.

A British maritime chart collection spanning 200 years has been temporarily blocked from export to give UK museums the chance to raise funds to keep it in the country.

Half a dozen artworks were saved for the nation in the past year and are on display at museums across the UK.