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

Girl with balloon

Banksy sells out at Forum Auctions

14 October 2016

Forum Auctions’ white-glove Banksy sale made more than £600,000 and set 15 records this week.

Mahogany commode at Woolley and Wallis

Going, Going, Gomm: mahogany commode bid to £28,000

14 October 2016

This early George III mahogany serpentine dressing commode with distinctive carved decoration forms part of a group thought to have been made by the London cabinet-maker William Gomm (c.1698-1780).

Mandarin Oriental hotel

Pelmets, plinths and pedestals: fixtures from top London hotel go to auction

13 October 2016

Fancy a piece of the opulent Mandarin Oriental hotel in your own living room?

Stephan Ludwig

Forum Auctions formalises Italian operations

12 October 2016

Forum Auctions has formalised its deal with book dealer Filippo Rotundo’s Phiobiblon Gallery and will hold Forum branded auctions in Italy later this month.

Philip Mould

Philip Mould reveals his worst ever deal

12 October 2016

London dealer Philip Mould has revealed his “first and most stupid deal” and his regret at missing out on buying a drawing by David Hockney.

Marlborough College collectors fair

New collectors' fair at Marlborough College launches this month

12 October 2016

The organisers of a new collectors’ fair at Marlborough College say they have had “a tremendous response from the trade” but still have a few spaces left for the inaugural event later this month.

Hermès bag

Hermès Birkin: still the handbag of choice at auction

12 October 2016

The original ‘It’ bag, a Hermès Birkin, has proved yet again that it remains the world’s most desirable bag after setting an auction record for Fellows Auctioneers this week.

Hannibal by Jean-Michel Basquiat

Overseas bidders take advantage of weaker pound to lift Frieze-week auctions

11 October 2016

Fewer lots were on offer at this year’s Frieze-week auctions in London but demand generally held up with international bidders taking advantage of favourable exchange rates.

Leakey collection

Out of Africa to Cotswolds sale – Leakey collection heads to auction

11 October 2016

African artefacts, jewellery and fossils from a family collection linked to the celebrated palaeoanthropologists, the late Louis and Mary Leakey, are to be sold later this month at The Cotswold Auction Company.

“Ill-conceived and badly managed” – new Stanley Gibbons boss savages old regime

11 October 2016

The new management of Stanley Gibbons has launched a scathing attack on the way the firm had been run after the collectables and auction group posted losses of £29m.

The Jam memorabilia

Paul Weller’s shoes among highlights of The Jam memorabilia auction

10 October 2016

Frontman Paul Weller’s shoes and bassist Bruce Foxton’s guitars were among 800 lots of The Jam memorabilia auctioned at the weekend.

Chinese musket

‘Supreme Grade, Number One’ – first firearm with Chinese Imperial marks comes to auction

10 October 2016

A musket made in the Chinese Imperial workshops, complete with marks, will become the first of its kind to be offered at auction next month.

Fine Art Group to launch lending arm

10 October 2016

Philip Hoffman’s Fine Art Group are to launch a new finance company targeting artworks valued between $250,000 and $20m.

imaginary cities

“They came, they saw, they bought”... brisk business at a Battersea decorative fair

07 October 2016

The Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair ended October 2 after a six-day run that included a number of international sales.

Lucy McKenzie’s Olga Korbut

‘Frieze Week’ evening sale at Christie’s tops expectations

07 October 2016

Christie’s post-war and Contemporary art evening auction posted a strong performance last night with international bidders visiting London during Frieze week helping to bump up the results.

Livery cupboard at Bonhams auction

Hidden attractions help cupboard to £60,000

07 October 2016

Livery cupboards are a pretty rare species in the oak lexicon but what makes the example shown here particularly unusual is its early date combined with the presence of drawers.

Cahn International

Fifth Frieze Masters starts off with salvo of sales to private buyers

06 October 2016

The opening of this year’s Frieze Masters was marked by a number of sales. Among the fashionable crowd who queued at Regents Park into the early evening yesterday for the opening of the fifth edition of the event, were many who came prepared to buy.

Japanese Meiji period shodhana

Ornate Japanese cabinet from Leicestershire house takes £34,000 at Gildings’ auction

06 October 2016

“It’s a super quality piece, the sort you can stand in front of for hours appreciating the quality and intricacy,” said Will Gilding in the wake of the sale of this Meiji period shodhana for £34,000.

The late Sir Michael Butler

Auctioneers brought in to value Chinese art collection after family spat

06 October 2016

A family row over a large collection of 17th century Chinese porcelain escalated this week after Art Fund trustee Caroline Butler hired Christie’s to value the collection.

Still life with Oranges by Vanessa Bell

‘Unseen’ works by Bloomsbury group artists to be sold at Dorset auction

05 October 2016

Bridport saleroom Busby’s will offer ‘unseen’ works by members of the Bloomsbury group on October 20.

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