Letters to the Editor

Having been a senior EEC official specialising in customs matters before becoming an antiques dealer, I am well versed in customs charges relating to the import of antiques.

All too often kind words are expressed about someone only when one learns of their sad demise.

I may be able to add a little to the article about the only known Woodwiss clock (International section, ATG No 2690).

I read with particular interest Graham Smith’s announcement last June of his intention to retire after 50 years in the antiques business. He began working for Owen Humble in April 1973.

A footnote, regarding the portrait of a black man by John Knox Ferguson (Art Market, ATG No 2689).

I was very sorry to read about the death of ATG's antiquarian books columnist Ian McKay (Obituary, ATG No 2689). He was a good guy and occasional visitor here.

I’m working on a monograph on the Pakistani artist Ahmed Parvez who lived and worked in Britain in the 1950s and early 1960s.

I read with some interest your recent piece on Rosa Bonheur’s painting of a donkey and its sale in New York (ATG No 2680).

Our youngest reader?

President Trump’s threats of trade tariffs may affect the market for Chinese works of art.

Gladys Hynes (1888-1958), an overlooked Irish-British artist, pacifist, feminist and Irish Republican, will be the subject of a forthcoming book by Jennifer FitzGerald and Sean Mark and I to be published by Yale University Press in 2026.

Regarding the painting that shows Louis XVI at his favourite occupation of lock-making by Joseph Caraud (Auction Reports, ATG No 2681), this was exhibited at The French Gallery, 120 Pall Mall, London in April, 1867, number 34.

Your report on Onslows’ sale of posters (Auction Reports, ATG No 2678) states that “Terence Cuneo’s well-known poster Giants Refreshed was printed in 1939 for the LNER”.

In the world of Chinese furniture there is a great deal of confusion regarding the terms to describe the wood used to craft these wonderful works of art.

Yet again, we the public and dealers are to be deprived of seeing, buying or selling beautiful works of art – scrimshaw – when the ban comes into force this month (News, ATG No 2676).

Re: ‘Celebrating a skilled Sèvres decorator’ (cover story ATG No 2671).

It was interesting to read your front-page article on the cigar case produced to mark the King of Siam’s visit to the UK in 1897 (‘The £200 eBay cigar case that sparked a £16,000 bid’, ATG No 2669).

Many thanks to Roger Hollest for his raising the question for Milton Silverman to answer in ATG No 2263 and his positive mention of the Art Loss Register’s role, which was referred to by the Judge Lady Justice Arden in the case “de Preval v Alan” quoted.

I was very interested (as always) to read the article by Milton Silverman in ATG No 2658 concerning the saga of the tile that had once belonged to the V&A museum.

Dear Sir, Re: ATG 2660, in the article Brothers’ business boosted by TV show you used the phrase ‘bartering at a brocante’.