Legal Cases

Sotheby’s has begun legal action against dealer Mark Weiss over the sale of a Frans Hals painting that it now believes to be “undoubtedly a forgery”. However Weiss said he will "contest the claim vigorously".

A judge has ruled that the New York art dealer involved in the $80m forgery scandal that brought down the Knoedler gallery will not serve further prison time.

A co-defendant of the accused art thief known as 'Spider-Man' told a court room in France he had destroyed five paintings worth more than $100m.

Sotheby’s is taking legal action to recover its losses over the sale of a ‘fake’ Italian Old Master.

A suspected antiques scammer faced court accused of taking antiques worth more than £650,000 from elderly people.

Dallas based Heritage Auctions is suing a Christie’s-owned firm in the US over alleged data theft.

London’s Mayor Gallery has filed a complaint in New York state court claiming the Agnes Martin foundation acted wrongly when rejecting works submitted for authentication.

Stamford dealer Stuart Porter has been sentenced to five years and four months behind bars after pleading guilty to fraud charges.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The long-awaited tax fraud trial of art dealer Guy Wildenstein has begun in Paris.

Following the lawsuits filed against New York-based appraisers Leigh and Lesley Keno, a further US regional auction house have now made a claim over unpaid debts.

New York-based appraisers Leigh and Lesley Keno, two of the best-known faces of the US version of TV programme Antiques Roadshow, are facing increasing scrutiny as their debts mount with a string of regional auction houses.

Historical documents and manuscripts from the scandal-hit Aristophil investment scheme could soon return to the market as the slow process of restitution promises to quicken in the coming weeks.

As world legislators clamp down on the modern ivory trade, an ATG round table reveals the antique variety has a serious image problem to tackle

A Superior Court judge in Los Angeles heard the opening salvos in a legal challenge to California’s uncompromising law that bans the sale of practically all ivory objects – including those fashioned from narwhal and walrus tusks and sperm whale teeth.