UK

A new art advisory group has been formed to help ease the pitfalls of buying and selling art and antiques.

The white shirt bears a dark ‘V’ across the front more like St Helens rugby league team, but the ball underneath is unmistakably round rather than oval. Then the words ‘Manchester United’ emblazoned below the figure give the game away.

The UK government has passed the third reading of the Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill, opposing amendments called for by the art and antiques trade.

“Non-runners but ripe for restoration” is how Cheshire auction house Peter Wilson describes three 1930s cars found in a garden. It also sums up what fans of classic car ‘barn finds’ are after.

Joe Trinder is leaving Wotton Auction Rooms, were he is auctioneer, valuer and cataloguer, to join start-up saleroom Dawson’s.

Thousands of privately-owned works have become easier to access than ever before on a website launched by the Open Inheritance Art project.

Financier Falcon Fine Art has completed its first art lending deal in Belgium. The firm helped a collector in Belgium borrow against the value of a collection of 19th century “museum-quality” paintings and sculpture.

The sale of an early 20th century artwork attributed to Paul Nash has been cancelled after recent tests have thrown doubt on its origins.

Police are appealing for information after a painting by British artist Mary Potter was stolen at a recent fair in London.

One challenge that auctioneers face is whether to sell a collection as a whole, or in several different groups, or individually. Finding the right strategy is vital to getting lots away with decent prices.

The London dealer Godson and Coles of Fulham Road has concluded the sale of this George II period brass-inlaid mahogany metamorphic table to Temple Newsam House.

A Bristol filming session for the BBC's TV show Flog It! series saw the multi-estimate sale of this Victorian gold ring.

A French collection comprising 70-lots documenting historical attempts at achieving flight will be offered at Bonhams on March 1.

A group of historians, museums and TV presenters including Alan Titchmarsh and David Starkey have condemned the slaughter of elephants but have argued the case for the defence of the antiques trade.

Saturday’s last-gasp, nail-biting England victory was hailed as one of the greatest games of the Six Nations championship. Talking of rugby ‘greats’, a jersey coming up at auction on February 18 is a reminder of an earlier international player who falls into the ‘legend’ sports category.

A pensioner thief has been sentenced to eight months' imprisonment after a series of art thefts.

Shop owners in London and the south of England are facing a significant increase in business rates when bills arrive in April.

THESE days climbing Everest is a bit old hat. Don’t get me wrong – people still die in the attempt and it is a massive achievement – but more than 4000 people have climbed the world’s highest mountain since it was first conquered in 1953 by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.

The debate over the trade in antiques containing ivory reached Radio 4 last week. BBC Radio 4's daily consumer programme 'You & Yours' featured a slot on the topic with both wildlife charities and the antiques trade represented.