Latest News Articles by Alex Capon
Top stories this week – including news of an 17th century map dumped outside Oxfam selling at five-times estimate
20 October 2019The most popular stories on this website over the last week included news of a John Speed world map left in a wet, broken frame at a London charity shop drawing strong bidding at auction.
Rare Dante Gabriel Rossetti drawings of a father and son emerge at Oxford auction
18 October 2019Two crayon portraits of a father and son by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-82) have emerged for sale at Mallams of Oxford. They date from the last decade of the artist’s life and depict his doctor Thomas Gordon Hake and the latter’s son George Gordon Hake.
Christopher Dresser vase, Staffordshire pottery animals and a carved oak panel – five auction highlights that caught bidders’ eyes in the last week
11 October 2019ATG’s selection of hammer highlights this week includes a Christopher Dresser vase that made over 40-times estimate and a group of Staffordshire pottery animals that fetched over 20-times estimate.
Rare Andrea Mantegna drawing estimated to make over $12m at Sotheby’s auction
11 October 2019One of only around 20 known drawings by Andrea Mantegna (c.1431-1506) will be the highlight of Sotheby’s Old Master drawings auction in New York next year.
De Stael trademark composition takes £250,000 in sale
07 October 2019Original paintings by Abstract artist Nicolas de Stael (1914-55) rarely appear at auction outside the main salerooms in London, Paris and New York.
A sleeper spotted beneath the Neapolitan dirt
30 September 2019Despite surface dirt and other condition issues, a painting of Naples drew a dramatic bidding competition at a recent auction in Rome.
The kitchen Cimabue to be auctioned in France
30 September 2019A work spotted by a French auctioneer in a kitchen hanging above a hotplate has been ascribed to the Italian artist Cimabue (c.1240- 1302). Valued at €4m-6m, it will be the first work attributed to the Florentine early Renaissance master to be offered at auction.
Top stories this week – including news of a furniture dealer’s warehouse stock sale
28 September 2019The most popular stories on this website over the last week included news of furniture dealer Christopher Howe offering items from his stock with discounts of up to 80%.
Orientalist scene sets new auction high for Turkish painter at Bonhams
27 September 2019A record price for Turkish painter Osman Hamdi Bey (1842-1910) was set at Bonhams when a painting ‘Young Woman Reading’ surpassed a £600,000-800,000 estimate and was knocked down at £5.7m.
British fund manager consigns Roman statue of Emperor Hadrian to Christie’s
25 September 2019A Roman sculpture of the Emperor Hadrian billed as “one of the finest ancient statues from the Grand Tour era of collecting” has been consigned to Christie’s by British investment manager Christian Levett.
Cimabue panel found hanging in kitchen to be auctioned in France estimated at €4m-6m
24 September 2019A work spotted by a French auctioneer in a kitchen hanging above a hotplate has been ascribed to the Italian artist Cimabue (c.1240-1302). Valued at €4m-6m, it will be the first work attributed to the Florentine early Renaissance master to be offered at auction.
Top stories this week – including news of a Chinese sleeper bid to £1.3m
21 September 2019The most popular stories on this website over the last week included news of Chinese porcelain vase carrying a Yongzheng mark bid to £1.3m at an auction in Hampshire.
Top stories this week – including news of a major piece of Fabergé selling in the UK regions
15 September 2019The most popular stories on this website over the last week included news that a miniature sedan chair by Fabergé took £380,000 at a Cotswold auction.
‘Stolen’ Joshua Reynolds portrait at centre of controversy between UK family and Japanese museum
12 September 2019A Japanese museum has claimed it bought a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds “in good faith and without fault from a respectable art dealer” after it was identified as being stolen from a UK stately home.
How resale right can apply to fresh-to-market lots from an artist's estate
09 September 2019Following our guide to Artist’s Resale Right (ATG No 2404) and now published in the Guides section of this website, we have a received a number of enquiries from readers asking for further information.
Shareholders approve sale of Sotheby’s to Patrick Drahi
05 September 2019Sotheby’s shareholders have approved a $3.7bn deal to sell the company to media and telecoms entrepreneur Patrick Drahi.
Jane Austen letter heads home to museum
02 September 2019Jane Austen’s House Museum in Hampshire has successfully raised the £35,000 required to buy a fragment of a letter written by the novelist in 1814. The rare manuscript was being sold on behalf of its private owner by London dealer Maggs.
Top stories this week – including news of the contents from 'Shropshire’s Baroque masterpiece' consigned to auction
31 August 2019The most popular stories on this website over the last week included news of the principal contents of Mawley Hall, an 18th-century country mansion described by Country Life as 'Shropshire’s Baroque masterpiece', coming up for auction in Cambridge.
Sotheby’s shareholders to vote on Patrick Dhahi deal
28 August 2019Sotheby’s shareholders will gather in New York next week to vote on the proposed sale of the company to Patrick Drahi. The board is recommending approval but several investors have raised concerns over the deal.
“A little landscape dad bought on his travels” – works from the Strachan art collection offered at Melbourne auction
21 August 2019Among the pictures from a notable Australian art collection that have emerged at Melbourne saleroom Leonard Joel is a small landscape with turf stacks by Irish artist Paul Henry (1877-1958).