News

NOT all the market resides in a state of stagnation.

Since the time of Edward II, an ingot of gold weighing one pound has been part of the oblation at a coronation – presented by the monarch to the Archbishop of Canterbury and placed on the altar as instructed in the Liber Regalis and thus “fulfilling the commandment of Him who said ‘Thou shalt not appear empty in the sight of the Lord thy God’”.

CULTURA Basel, Switzerland’s only international antiques fair, has been abandoned and there seems no likelihood of reviving the critically-acclaimed fixture.

EVERYONE is aware of how rich a thin stratum of Russians have become in the post-glasnost years. The buying power of Russia’s new rich was amply in evidence on March 23 at Bonhams (19.5/10% buyer’s premium) Bond Street when the spectacular 3ft 1in x 5ft 8 3/4in (94cm x 1.74m) canvas, Nero’s Torches, by Henryk Siemiradzki (1843-1902) sold at £260,000 at an otherwise fairly predictable 19th Century Paintings sale.

THE Fine Art Auction Group are to adopt the Dreweatt Neate Fine Art name for their full network of regional salerooms. The move follows the addition of the Donnington Priory company to the group’s portfolio in November last year.

A 100-LOT collection of Meissen, Derby and Cont-inental porcelain figures, together with some furniture and works of art from a local Thanet private vendor, formed the backbone of Canterbury Auction Galleries (15% buyer's premium) February 24 outing which attracted a large number of private buyers, many of whom secured the top ceramic lots.

PARIS auctioneer Jean-Claude Binoche has been given an eight-month suspended jail sentence, and fined €100,000, after a Paris court found him guilty of fraud.