London

CLARION Arts have named their Spring Olympia fair FORM.

Renowned Bristol-born graffiti artist Robert Banks, better known as Banksy (b.1975), has made himself into a globally-recognised phenomenon by planting his subversive guerrilla artwork in the world’s best galleries, museums, and amusement parks.

£57m Indian summer for auction rooms

When Sotheby’s sold the first portion of the Wardington library of atlases and geographies last year, London dealer Bernard Shapero set a cartographic auction record by paying £1.3m for the ‘Doria’ atlas, a superb collection of so-called Lafreri School maps of the latter part of the 16th century.

Spink have added musical instruments to their portfolio by taking an equity stake in Brompton’s Auctioneers. They will operate from Spink’s newly expanded premises at 29 Southampton Row in London WC1, starting with a sale on November 6.

PROGRAMME Monthly and Football Collectable is a monthly magazine for football programme and memorabilia collectors. Published since 1981, it offers collecting advice including football programme prices and features famous programme covers.

On September 26 Baldwin’s Auctions obtained £210,000 (plus 15% buyer’s premium) for this unique gold medallic triple unite of Charles I – proof that the rarities in the English coin market are now attaining trophy status.

“I leave to my dear friend Taffy my Compass so that he may occasionally know where he is going/ My Watch which almost cost me my life so that he may occasionally arrive at an appointed time / With Regards from his erstwhile passenger Lawrence.”

MICK Jagger and Keith Richards may be doing well for 60-somethings, but they’ve got nothing on this old rocker. Dated to 1610, it is thought to be the oldest known rocking horse in the UK and was quite likely made for Charles I.

Bonhams to stage private exhibition of unique hoard.

BEAD-collecting tends to fall between jewellery and tribal art and is often overlooked as a collecting area in its own right.

THE new owners of Atlantic Antiques have set out to reassure dealers at Antiquarius, The Mall in Islington and Rogers Antiques Gallery in Portobello about plans for the future. Following last week’s ATG report, they say that there will be no significant changes or rent rises, that the centres have enjoyed a recent revival and that they will concentrate on letting several unoccupied properties acquired with the portfolio.

THE Bloomsbury Postcard and Collectors Fair is now in its 22nd year and is, say organisers IPM Promotions, the largest monthly postcard fair in the world with more than 120 tables selling all types of paper collectables.

Christie’s are to merge their British and Old Master pictures departments in London.

WHERE polar exploration collectables are concerned, Christie’s have in recent years enjoyed, if not a monopoly, then certainly a strong grip on the auction market.

IN an unusual trade initative, three London dealers have combined forces to buy and sell one of the largest silver collections in private hands and one of the biggest for sheer numbers ever to be offered in the trade.

THREE of London’s longest established antiques centres have changed hands following the acquisition of Atlantic Properties Ltd by London & Associated Properties PLC.

THE Whitewebbs Museum of Transport is holding its annual antique and collectors’ fair at the museum in Whitewebbs Road, Enfield on Sunday October 22.

Assay Office London will hold their next Fakes and Forgeries seminar at Goldsmiths’ Hall on Wednesday, January 24.

LAST week's fire at the Royal Academy building at 6 Burlington Gardens is unlikely to affect the fairs scheduled to be held at the premises next year.