UK

The United Kingdom accounts for more than one fifth of the global art market sales and is the second biggest art market after the US.

Through auctioneers, dealers, fairs and markets - and a burgeoning online sector - buyers, collectors and sellers of art and antiques can easily access a vibrant network of intermediaries and events around the country. The UK's museums also house a wealth of impressive collections

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Silver centrepiece up at auction is a reminder of rich regimental histories

02 May 2018

Among the rich history of the British military is the story of regimental silver. As regiments are disbanded or amalgamated much of this history has been in danger of fading away, but these magnificent examples of silver help to keep memories alive.

Peter Paul Rubens, ‘Portrait of Clara Serena, the Artist's Daughter’

‘Copy’ of Rubens sold by Met Museum now offered at Christie’s after attribution upgraded

02 May 2018

A painting thought to be a copy of a Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) portrait when it was deaccessioned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art will now be offered at Christie’s in London with a full attribution. It will carry an estimate of £3m-5m.

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Marina Abramović comes to Masterpiece London in alabaster portraits

01 May 2018

Serbian artist Marina Abramović (b.1946) is famed for her unpredictable, avant-garde performance art but this summer she comes to Masterpiece London set in stone.

Sir Stanley Spencer

Sir Stanley Spencer’s ‘majestic’ painting of Cookham regatta to be unveiled in public for first time in 60 years

01 May 2018

A Sir Stanley Spencer painting will be shown in public for the first time in more than half a century ahead of its auction at Sotheby’s.

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Cambridge auctioneer negotiates return of artefact to Bolivian government

30 April 2018

A Cambridge auctioneer has negotiated the return of a pre-Columbian artefact to the Bolivian government.

Freya Simms

Freya Simms steps into top LAPADA role: "I'll ensure dealers are in a strong place with Brexit and the ivory ban looming"

30 April 2018

Former Olympia fair organiser and art market PR will head the dealer association, after the sudden departure of the previous chief.

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Pick of the Week: Talismanic shirts lead to saleroom good fortune

30 April 2018

Two finely executed Indian talismanic shirts made multi-estimate sums at Roseberys in south London.

Iain M Smith Auctioneers & Valuers

First auction after fire for Iain M. Smith in Perth

30 April 2018

Scottish auction house Iain M. Smith has announced the date of its first sale since a fire destroyed the saleroom’s premises at Perth Aerodrome in Scone.

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Here-to-sell strategy

30 April 2018

Since the start of the Chinese boom at UK auctions many, if not most, estimates have been little more than here-to-sell signals. Settling on a figure with which vendors are happy with, and then leaving it to the worldwide market on the net, is now common practice.

Lawes of ecclesiastical policy

Beautiful bindings at South Cerney auction

30 April 2018

A volume containing Richard Hooker’s sixth and eighth books dealing with The Lawes of Ecclesiastical Policy… is a 1651 re-issue of an edition first published three years earlier. The principal attraction, however, was the armorial binding.

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Beccles fair hosts 100 traders for first of two annual stagings

30 April 2018

The busy market town of Beccles on the River Waveney at the edge of the Broads National Park in Suffolk started an antiques street market in the closed-off town centre nine years ago, in early May.

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Robert Young holds exhibition as primitive influence on modern boosts folk art

30 April 2018

Recent exhibitions at London institutions such as the Modigliani show at Tate Modern may well have contributed to rising interest in folk art.

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Busby contract demands the beautiful game

30 April 2018

Manchester United fans grumbling about the current style of play will be interested to learn that when Matt Busby joined as manager he was contractually obliged to play entertaining football.

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Buyer nets Kangxi vase

30 April 2018

A 10in (25cm) tall Kangxi period (1654-1722) rouleau vase painted with fishermen and cranes took a six-times estimate £2800 at the 1200-lot Spring Sale at Hansons (20% buyer’s premium) on March 22-26.

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Petworth fair bigger than ever

30 April 2018

Petworth Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair is bigger than ever this year as it returns for its fourth staging.

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Traders believe antiques centre thefts may be linked

30 April 2018

The theft of a piece of pottery from an antiques centre in Hampshire has been met with responses from other shop and centre owners reporting similar occurrences.

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Plaques brighten snowy days

30 April 2018

Delayed by snow for a week, the Spring Sale at Chorley’s (20% buyer’s premium) on March 27 opened with a local collection of Republic-era (1912-49) porcelain.

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Oriental lots across the UK give bidders plenty to chew on

30 April 2018

The feast from the east that that has put bread (and some Michelin-starred meals) on the table of dealers and auctioneers for more than a decade continues to do so at sales from Scotland to Surrey.

Painting

Staithes Group sells along the coast at Scarborough auction rooms

30 April 2018

Well-situated on the North Yorkshire coast, Scarborough saleroom David Duggleby (21% buyer’s premium) is the regular recipient of pictures associated with one of the area’s biggest artistic exports.

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Austin/Desmond shows works of Chilean artists Mario Fonseca and Mauricio Valenzuela

30 April 2018

An exhibition on two artists active during the Chilean dictatorship of General Pinochet opens at Austin/Desmond this month.

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