Front Page and News

A suite of solid ivory and gilt furniture sold by Christie’s on July 7 appears to be the first auction lot to benefit from the exemption to the Ivory Act allowing the sale of items of ‘outstandingly high artistic, cultural and historical value’.

It was rather thin pickings at the latest series of Old Master auctions in London.

The major summer sales of works of art included a boxwood prayer nut and Rothschild provenanced vases.

Bonhams has closed its coin and medals department in London and specialist John Millensted will now work as a consultant to the firm.

The British Antique Dealers’ Association (BADA) has appointed Ashley Gallant as its new managing director.

Topping the bill at Dore & Rees in Frome, Somerset on July 6 was this 2in (5cm) archaeological revival brooch by Castellani.

The Chinese government has written to a UK auction house to demand a halt to the sale of a silver hunting flask, taken from the Summer Palace when it was sacked by British troops in 1860 during the Second Opium War.

A strong turn-out of collectors at the patron and curator evening of Masterpiece London and a busy preview day helped exhibitors to achieve significant early sales as the fair returned after a two-year pandemic-induced break.

Thieves hit TEFAF Maastricht last week, entering the venue and smashing a jewellery case on the stand of London’s Symbolic & Chase.

A series of high sums for works in different media by Dame Barbara Hepworth (1903-75) demonstrated the steadily growing appetite and prices for the artist.

A string of top-end consignments of British works boosted the latest London sales of Modern and Contemporary art.

Alan Elliot’s professional life – he ran a world-class provider of time management and communication systems for many years – overlapped with his private interest in collecting clocks.

Bonhams has bought its fourth auction house this year: Cornette de Saint Cyr, with salerooms in Paris and Belgium.

The TEFAF Maastricht fair opened with a raft of high-value sales last week.

Boldly going where no production action figure has gone before, a ʻdouble-telescoping’ Luke Skywalker in near mint conditon has sold for close to $100,000.

Close to 300 objects and works of art found permanent homes in UK museums and galleries thanks to contributions from the Art Fund charity, a new report reveals.

This small early work by Sir William Nicholson (1872-1949) titled The Dandelion Field is one of three paintings by the artist being offered at Grand Auctions in Folkestone.

Portobello Road Market will return to Sunday trading this summer.