Law, crime and regulation

Legal cases, stolen art, regulation and tax issues remain important part of the art and antiques sector.

This category ranges from the levy of the Artist’s Resale Right to controversies over fakes and forgeries.


HMRC training video

HMRC launches ‘practical, engaging tool’ to help understand anti-money laundering rules

22 May 2026

New training videos to help auction houses and dealers deal with anti-money laundering regulations have been published by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

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The interior design loophole: a regulatory wake-up call

22 May 2026

Summary of a panel discussion on the opening day of The Decorative Fair that was moderated by Freya Simms. Compliance expert Rakhi Talwar was in conversation with Toby Lorford, founder of Lorfords Antiques, and Lucy Sear Barlow of interior design firm Barlow & Barlow

Keats' love letters

Keats’ love letters returned to family after theft now come to auction

12 May 2026

A rare group of eight autograph letters by John Keats (1795-1821) to his fiancée Fanny Brawne that had been stolen in 1989 but later recovered are now heading to Sotheby's.

Anti-money laundering rules

Anti-money laundering rule change welcomed as a time saver

01 May 2026

The threshold of qualifying transactions for artworks under UK anti-money laundering rules will change from Euros to British pounds.

Lord Harley’s Bloody Shouldered Arabian 

Newmarket museum acquires three large equine portraits via tax scheme

29 April 2026

Three large horse portraits by the British artist John Wootton (1682-1764) will be on display at The National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket following an allocation from Arts Council’s Acceptance in Lieu scheme.

1812 Imperial Almanac

Stolen books and letters valued at more than $3m recovered after 35 years thanks to book dealers

24 April 2026

A group of rare books and a bound collection of 37 love letters written by the Romantic poet John Keats to his fiancée Fanny Brawne have been recovered and returned to the family.

ATG Lawyer Writes V3 JPG

A lawyer writes: It is better to be imprecise than wrong

17 April 2026

An application for an ivory exemption yields a notable point of learning

Coalbrookdale benches

Plea to find Coalbrookdale benches and sundial stolen in Herefordshire

01 April 2026

The owner of a group of four antique Coalbrookdale benches and a decorative armillary sundial has made a plea to the antiques trade to look out for her stolen garden items.

Hans Baldung drawing

French government declares Old Master drawing National Treasure ahead of auction

24 March 2026

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.

Leadhills Mine documents

Historical archive of Scottish Enlightenment mathematician and innovator blocked from export

23 March 2026

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.

Union Flag

Newcastle museum targets Trafalgar flag purchase

20 March 2026

North East Museums (NEM) has announced it is “submitting a serious expression of interest” to acquire a Union Flag that was flown from HMS Royal Sovereign, flagship of Vice-Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood at the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21, 1805.

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ATG letter: Fine netsuke demonstrates why ivory act is ‘ridiculous’

20 March 2026

I’m really sorry to hark back to the ridiculous Ivory Act, 2022.

Chalice

Police appeal after antique silverware stolen from Hertfordshire church

17 March 2026

A large amount of silver objects were taken from a village church in Hertfordshire including two chalices, a silver communion flagon, a silver plate and a box of other silver objects.

Mrs Acton in Delhi by Howard Hodgkin

Howard Hodgkin painting blocked from export in hope UK institution will raise the funds

06 March 2026

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.

Gander & White's packing cases.

Trump tariffs ‘have slashed UK antiques exports to the US’, says BADA

27 February 2026

The value of exports of antiques from Britain to the US may have fallen by as much as 49% since US President Donald Trump began his tariff announcements in April 2025.

ATG Lawyer Writes V3 JPG

A lawyer writes: An act of charity can lead to a high cost later on

27 February 2026

That ‘cabinet in the corner’ in a house clearance might cause disputes

ATG letter: Time for an Ivory Act obituary

27 February 2026

Martin Levy’s plea for the Ivory Act to be ‘phased out’ (Letters, ATG No 2729) deserves full support from all quarters – dealers, auctioneers and collectors.

ATG Letter

ATG letter: Canada should think twice before introducing ARR

27 February 2026

Artist’s Resale Right [ARR] is illogical, causes unnecessary unemployment and should be abolished immediately.

PC Webb with antiques dealer Paul Gostelow

Lovejoy episode helps reunite stolen Napoleon altar plaques missing for 12 years

25 February 2026

A 30-year-old episode of the BBC show Lovejoy helped an antiques dealer return two stolen Napoleon Bonaparte III altar plaques that had been taken in 2014 to their former home.

Panel

Stolen 17th century panel returned to church after 30 years

11 February 2026

A 17th century panel stolen from a church in Hertfordshire has been discovered and returned after being missing for 30 years.

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