Law, crime and regulation

A Suffolk auction house has successfully received an exemption certificate for an early 20th century ivory figure following a complex appeals process.

The art and antiques market is braced to fight rising business rates following government changes in the spring.

One year after the EU’s ‘new’ cultural goods import regime became fully operational, a leading arts and culture lawyer says the EU is failing in its stated objective of combating illicit trade.

The new rules aimed to prevent objects of illicit origin from reaching the European market. Fred Clark, partner at Boodle Hatfield and arts and culture specialist, gives his expert view on progress 12 months later

New UK anti-money laundering rules coming into force are set to affect auction houses, dealerships, art advisers and other art market participants.

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including a judge's ruling in a case over staff accessing customer data and contact details ahead of joining a rival firm

The impact of the Ivory Act continues to be felt across the antiques trade as another dealer lost an appeal against the government this month.

Two medieval illuminated manuscripts identified as being late 19th century or early 20th century fakes attributed to The Spanish Forger are being sold in Dorset on June 25 estimated at £500-1000.

Tim Maxwell, partner in art and luxury law, and Matthew Shore, barrister specialising in litigation in art and luxury law, both at Wedlake Bell, give their expert view on a recent case

Among the labyrinthine difficulties and uncertainties contained in Regulation (EU 2019/880 ), ‘the Import Regulation’, there is one small but important window of optimism.

Government plans for new fire safety regulations could simplify the rules for the resale of second-hand and vintage upholstered furniture in the UK.

Art dealership Trinity House Paintings has been placed in compulsory liquidation. It went into administration with significant debts in 2023 and that period ended on May 1.