London

Last week in London, it was hard to know where to be or look as, alongside the major Impressionist and Modern art auctions, ‘Olympia International Art & Antiques Fair’ and ‘Masterpiece London’ at the Royal Hospital Chelsea coincided for the first time.

The founders and sponsors of Antiques Young Guns hosted an awards ceremony at the ‘Olympia International Art & Antiques Fair’ to honour the 12 Antiques Heavy Artillery mentors who gave their time and expertise to mentor the finalists of the AYG of the Year Awards 2014.

A group of restituted paintings were among the highlights of a robust series of Impressionist and Modern art auctions in London.

Sotheby’s and Christie’s have well-established specialist departments for brokering deals on sale of Nazi-looted works returned to rightful heirs. Over the last decade some major pieces of Impressionist and Modern art have come to auction as a result of restitution settlements.

“The ivory ban has been a right old dampener on the market as a whole but after taking time to consider its implications, collectors are coming back.”

A couple of recently restituted works of art drew prolonged bidding at Sotheby’s evening sale of Impressionist and Modern art in London including Gustav Klimt's (1862-1918) portrait of Gertrud Loew which was the top lot of the night at £22m.

A Sir William Orpen nude is set to be the star lot at the relaunched Sotheby’s Irish Art sale in London on October 21.

Parking restrictions imposed in and around Battersea Park for the first Formula E electric car race on June 27-28 may impact on visitors to the Masterpiece London fair, held nearby at the Royal Hospital Chelsea from June 25 to July 1.

The 11 dealers who share the space at Core One Antiques, just off London’s Kings Road have confirmed that, after 14 years, they will be closing their Gasworks premises on June 24. They have been unable to renew their lease due to the redevelopment of the riverside area adjacent to Chelsea Harbour Design District.

ATG speaks to Richard Green as he reflects on six decades as a dealer, his firm’s debut at ‘Masterpiece’ this month and how his sons have broadened his taste in art

Kerry Taylor Auctions are selling the Celia Birtwell Collection on June 23 in Bermondsey, south London.

Auctioneers Bainbridges of Ruislip are selling a chalk and gouache drawing attributed to Thomas Gainsborough.

Bonhams are to close their Oxfordshire salerooms and move more merchandise to London as part of a further review of their regional operations.

Sports specialist Graham Budd struck gold in his latest sale by setting an Olympic torch auction record.

Antiques Trade Gazette will be at Art Antiques London this week and next week. Come and meet the team at the fair’s preview day (entrance by invitation only) on Thursday June 11 and on Monday June 15 from 11am.

Auctioneers Dreweatts-Bloomsbury are to make increasing use of Ely House – Mallett’s showroom on Dover Street – as their primary London sale venue.

Max Liebermann’s ‘Zwei Reiter am Strand nach links’ (Two Riders on a Beach) has become the first painting to be sold from Cornelius Gurlitt’s hoard of art.

Bonhams are to launch a series of multi-disciplined sales for British and European decorative arts in their flagship New Bond Street rooms.

Stamp specialists Stanley Gibbons and coin specialists AH Baldwin and Sons are both exhibiting at this year’s ‘Masterpiece London’ fair for the first time.

A new twist has emerged in the long-running story of the ‘six sixes’ cricket ball.