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Export Licences


Union Jack

UK buyer sought for Battle of Trafalgar Union flag

18 December 2025

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.

Captain John Narbrough journal

UK buyer sought for 17th-century English maritime manuscript

16 December 2025

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.

Devi Mahatmya image

UK buyer sought for collection of Hindu paintings from the Devi Mahatmya

27 November 2025

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.

Pascaline

Auction of earliest-known calculator suspended after Paris court ruling

21 November 2025

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

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Extensive cartographic archive to leave the UK

17 November 2025

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

A sculpture on a plinth by Henri de Triqueti

Export bar placed on rare sculpture of scandalous Victorian heiress

14 November 2025

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.

pocket chronometer

Chronometer used on HMS Beagle voyage with Charles Darwin given export bar

10 September 2025

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.

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The £1.2m Baird Casket finds a UK home in private collection and stars in new book

01 September 2025

A 14th century French gothic ivory casket or coffret that was completely unknown to the public until shortly before its sale at auction in 2021 has emerged in a UK private collection and is now also the subject of a new book.

Barbara Hepworth’s sculpture

Yorkshire museum to buy Barbara Hepworth sculpture after fundraising plea

19 August 2025

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'.

Florida map

Plea for museums to raise £6m to keep nautical chart archive in the UK

14 August 2025

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.

You can make customs declarations without specialist help

11 August 2025

Response and update to customs declarations legal column

Needlework sampler display

Latest Arts Council annual report reveals six objects saved for the nation

25 July 2025

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

ATG letter: New Temporary Admissions scheme costs us more

21 July 2025

Further to the article by Milton Silverman (ATG no. 2702) which gave some positive news for those of us that use the temporary admissions procedure, I wanted to point out that the new system has also led to extra costs.

Barbara Hepworth sculpture

Final plea to save Hepworth sculpture for the nation as 80% of funds raised

15 July 2025

Yorkshire museum needs the final £600,000 by August 27 to save a Barbara Hepworth sculpture

ATG Lawyer Writes V3 JPG

A lawyer writes: Permanent improvement to temporary admissions

14 July 2025

Changes this week make importing art and antiques into the UK easier

Barbara Hepworth sculpture

Plea to save Hepworth sculpture for the nation

05 June 2025

Museum and Art Fund launch fundraising to save Barbara Hepworth sculpture

Anglo-Saxon gold and garnet panel

'Outstanding' gold artefact saved for the nation after crowdfunding campaign

04 June 2025

A rare Anglo-Saxon gold and garnet panel bought at a Spink auction last year and blocked from export will stay in the UK after a successful crowdfunding campaign by a local history trust.

Botticelli's Virgin

UK buyer sought for £10m Botticelli Virgin and Child

13 May 2025

A temporary export bar has been placed on a painting of the Virgin Mary by Sandro Botticelli valued at £10.2m.

Anglo Saxon panel

UK buyer sought for export-blocked Anglo Saxon gold panel

30 January 2025

A rare Anglo-Saxon gold and garnet panel has been blocked from export from the UK after it was bought at auction at Spink in September last year.

The Fairhaven panels

UK government blocks export of remarkable 17th century panels

09 January 2025

An export bar has been placed on a set of highly decorated 17th century panels that sold at Sotheby’s last year for £1.62m.