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

Dadiani

Cork Street gallery seeks to widen buyer base by welcoming Bitcoin

06 July 2017

A Cork Street gallery has become the first in the UK to accept digital currencies such as Bitcoin.

Lot 21 J.M.W. Turner - Ehrenbreitstein.jpg

JMW Turner’s landscape sells for ‘underwhelming’ £17m

06 July 2017

In a lively evening sale of Old Masters at Sotheby’s, one of the few large-scale oil paintings by JMW Turner (1775-1851) left in private hands was knocked down at £17m.

Art and Antiques Fair Olympia

WATCH – “I’ve sold things at Olympia that I couldn’t sell at Masterpiece”

05 July 2017

This year was the 45th anniversary of the summer Olympia fair or, as it is now known, ‘The Art & Antiques Fair Olympia’. ATG visited during the middle of its latest run to gauge how exhibitors were finding the event this year.

WEB Boer photo 8.jpg

Rare early photographs at auction reveal a snapshot of the Second Boer War

05 July 2017

Militaria archive material such as documents, letters and log books has been delivering strong results at auction recently, aided by cross-over appeal to photography enthusiasts.

Wedgwood vase

Victory for public appeal as Wedgwood’s First Day’s vase returns to Staffordshire

05 July 2017

A long-running appeal to raise nearly half a million pounds to return a Wedgwood’s First Day’s vase to Staffordshire has triumphed.

Titanic

Thousands of Titanic artefacts to be sold after owner goes bankrupt

04 July 2017

A court in the US will decide the fate of more than 5500 Titanic artefacts after the company that owns them filed for bankruptcy.

Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Cup

The Goldsmiths’ Company pledges £10m to fund new museum

04 July 2017

The Goldsmiths’ Company has pledged £10m to help fund the creation of a new home for The Museum of London.

JMW Turner's 'Ehrenbreitstein'

Old Masters in focus as Sotheby’s offers a late JMW Turner landscape at auction

04 July 2017

One of the leading lots at this week’s Old Master auctions in London is a JMW Turner (1775-1851) that Sotheby’s predicts could make a record for a British-born artist.

Olympia

Anti-ivory trade campaign group Action for Elephants descends on Olympia fair

03 July 2017

An action group that campaigns for the protection of elephants staged a protest against the trade in antique ivory outside Art & Antiques Fair Olympia, on Saturday afternoon (July 1).

WEB Holey Dollar 28-6-17.jpg

Australian Holey Dollar coin from 1813 sells in London auction

03 July 2017

The Holey Grail of the Australian coins world… hang on, we used that pun in a 2013 ATG story. Nevertheless, it is Holey appropriate:  the Holey Dollar remains a must-have for collectors of Australian coins.

Schmadribach Waterfall

Government issues export bar for 18th century waterfall drawing in hope of finding UK buyer

03 July 2017

The department of culture, media and sport has issued an export bar on an 18th century drawing of Schmadribach Waterfall by Austrian Romantic artist Joseph Anton Koch (1768-1839) and launched a search for a UK buyer to match the asking price of £68,750.

img_6-4.jpg

Mayfair centre Grays Mews to close due to Crossrail chaos

03 July 2017

Rocketing business rates and the impact of building works for Crossrail are to force the closure of Grays Mews.

img_10-1.jpg

Pick of the Week: Riding the £23,000 Brompton omnibus

03 July 2017

A highlight of Sworders’ Country House sale in Stansted Mountfitchet on June 27 was a rare tinplate London omnibus.

St James's

‘Swing from old to new’ evident in SLAD survey

03 July 2017

The number of art dealers specialising in modern and contemporary art in central London is growing, and outstripping dealers in period work.

WEB Victoria scarf E 30-6-17.jpg

Scarf crocheted by Queen Victoria for a humble British Army sergeant comes to auction

03 July 2017

The popular image of Queen Victoria in the latter days is of a sombre, dressed in mourning black, unsmiling monarch who was definitely not amused. However, an intriguing item coming up at auction shows her compassionate, caring side.

img_17-7.jpg

Agate’s growing appeal

03 July 2017

Dendritic agate – a pale chalcedony with treelike inclusions caused by traces of iron or manganese – is a relatively lowly stone but was a favourite of Russian jewellers in particular. Carl Fabergé used it in many pieces in a country where it is considered a stone of longevity, good health and prosperity.

img_26-1.jpg

The influence of Burne-Jones on British artists

03 July 2017

A “jewel-like” painting of a young girl reading by Edward Frampton (1870-1932) starred in Dominic Winter’s (19.5% buyer’s premium) June 15 sale.

img_20-3.jpg

A cluster of Nossiter results

03 July 2017

Bonhams’ (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) sale in Knightsbridge on June 14 included a group of pieces attributed to the British Arts & Crafts jeweller and designer Dorrie Nossiter (1893-1977).

img_21-1.jpg

Telling tales from Farouk to Thatcher

03 July 2017

Stealing all the headlines at Sotheby’s (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) Fine Jewels sale in London on June 7 was the £540,000, 26ct ’tenner’ diamond, bought by the vendor at a boot fair in the 1980s. However, among the 370 lots were items with more illustrious provenances.

img_27-1.jpg

Northern artist’s street view Down South

03 July 2017

A London street view by the northern English artist Harry Rutherford (1903-85) led the sale at Chiswick Auctions (22% buyer’s premium) on June 13.

News

Categories