UK

Renowned as he is for promoting – indeed, creating – markets in art, advertising mogul Charles Saatchi appears to have over-estimated the taxidermy market when bidding at the sale of the Will Fisher Collection at Christie’s South Kensington in February 2012.

Abbott and Holder kicks off 2018 with an exhibition celebrating the art of London’s East End.

Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and the Holy Places…, an elephant folio work of 1865 that sold for a treble-estimate £45,000 at Sotheby’s (25/20/12.9% buyer’s premium) on November 14, was a rare and complete proof copy of a monumental book of Palestinian views recognised as one of the scarcer colour-plate books on the Middle East.

A long-running biannual specialist fair has been renamed and will launch its first edition in London under a new organiser this month.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the London Art Fair (LAF), which has grown from 30 UK exhibitors in its first edition to its current 131-strong international line-up. They will fill the floor at Islington’s Business Design Centre from January 17-21.

Focus on ‘museum quality’ and certification, says British Art Market Federation...

Unsigned, but breathing the name of one of the leaders of the Arts & Crafts movement in Scotland, this enamel panel and unmarked silver brooch sold for £5500 at Greenslade Taylor Hunt (19.5% buyer’s premium) in Taunton.

Our weekly selection from salerooms and dealerships.

Jane Alexander of Dovehouse Fine Antiques Fairs is doing so well with her 70-dealer monthly fairs at the Dorking Halls in Surrey that she is taking extra space at the venue.

We regret to announce the death of dealer and picture specialist Dorothy McEwan.

Jade remains ever-popular in the Chinese art field, although the market has become selective.

More Channel Islands silver to add to over 250 pieces dispersed as part of the Paint collection at Martel Maides earlier this year came to auction recently.

A remarkable group of 14 works by HG Wells – every one of them sporting a dust jacket – sold at strong and very often record sums in the book section of a December 15 sale held by Cuttlestones (17.5% buyer’s premium).

Docklands event aims to attract fresh east London buyers in busy January calendar

As well as dealing in antique furniture, Christopher Howe creates his own designs and has furnished works for institutions such as The National Gallery and Sir John Soane’s Museum.

Auctioneer and valuer association NAVA Propertymark does not agree with the terms of the ivory ban proposed by Defra and is calling for government to replicate existing ‘pre-1947’ rules.

Cockney barrow boy-related jewellery is coming to auction in Salisbury later this month.

The traditional Christmas Old Master series in London provided the first test of the market since the spectacular sale of Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi in New York three weeks before.

The late Gerald and Brenda Flowerday caught the collecting bug in the late 1960s, igniting a keen interest in 18th century English ceramics that would last for the next 40 years.

The season, the spirit in question and the location of the sale put this bottle of Lagavulin whisky, below, into the spotlight.