Law, crime and regulation

THE online registry of valuables Swift-Find have taken over the Trace database of stolen art and antiques. It means Invaluable are no longer conducting Due Diligence as part of their online services for auctioneers, dealers and collectors.

Call for dealers to sign up as specials

The launch of a new collecting agency for the artist’s resale levy has broken the monopoly of The Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS).

AUSTRALIA have rejected Droit de Suite.

A NEW code of conduct has been agreed to offer standard guidelines for locating and unearthing treasure trove.

THE world stamp market is reeling this week after what could prove to be a €5bn pyramid selling scheme was unmasked in Spain.

SWIFT-Find, the international registry of valuable items, have bought the Trace stolen valuables database from the Invaluable Group.

THE Australian government has acted to protect indigenous artists following media reports that exposed exploitation and corruption in the Aboriginal art world.

Extra caution is advised when purchasing ‘prisoner of war’ bone ship models following the appearance at auction in March of three models specialists believe are 20th century replicas.

FEARS that the European Commission’s proposals to restrict the use of mercury could threaten the trade in antique barometers appear to have receded for the time being at least.

BAMF urge fight against piecemeal London Bill THE House of Lords committee that is looking into the London Local Authorities Bill has urged the Government to find a national solution to the regulation of the market in secondhand goods.

A substantial portion of the antiques stolen from Ramsbury Manor, near Marlborough in Wiltshire, on February 1, have been recovered near Stratford-upon-Avon.

BAMF call on parliament to hold off in favour of nationwide legislation

A THIEF who used a key to get into a display cabinet and avoided being filmed on CCTV has made off with two unusual artefacts from a museum in Surrey.

MORE details have been emerging as to exactly how dealers will have to meet their obligations under the droit de suite directive.

DROIT de Suite, the much-dreaded Artist’s Resale Right, faced an early test at a Godalming picture sale last week, and slipped into the world of UK provincial auctions with barely a murmur.

More details have emerged of art and antiques stolen during the multi-million pound raid on Ramsbury Manor, home of property developer Harry Hyams, on the evening of February 1.

Droit de Suite, the Artist’s Resale Right, finally came into force on February 14. It means that, subject to certain conditions, living artists are entitled to receive a royalty each time their art work is bought and sold via an art market professional.

Tiffany the jewellers are suing eBay in a case that challenges the very formula that has made the online giant such a success.

A LOOPHOLE in the export law has forced the British Museum to pay almost £100,000 more than the original auction price for the most expensive British coin ever sold. The museum believes the case highlights the need for Britain’s laws on exporting art to be reconsidered.