Latest News Articles by Alex Capon
Weaker supply means lesser names provide highlights at Sotheby’s Old Master sale
08 December 2016Sotheby’s Old Master evening sale in London last night was somewhat short of stellar works but the auction registered a decent performance for the material on offer.
Christie’s reaches 250-year milestone
05 December 2016Christie’s is officially turning 250 years old today.
Beethoven manuscript at centre of attribution debate fails to sell at Sotheby’s
29 November 2016A musical manuscript at the centre of a row over whether it was handwritten by Ludwig van Beethoven or a copyist has failed to sell at an auction at Sotheby’s.
Record for Ben Nicholson rounds off record year for Mod Brits at Christie’s
25 November 2016Christie’s auctions of Modern British & Irish art this week helped lift their annual total in this category to £68m, the highest figure the firm has ever posted.
Trade associations seek to amend bill in Parliament to ‘protect’ legitimate art market
25 November 2016Politicians and trade bodies have raised further concerns over how a new Cultural Property Bill could impact the art market.
Huge Hepworth bronze leads Sotheby’s Modern British art sale at £3.2m
22 November 2016A large-scale sculpture by Dame Barbara Hepworth led Sotheby’s evening sale of Modern British art tonight.
Anne Estelle Rice painting emerges at Folkestone auction
22 November 2016A still life by American painter Anne Estelle Rice (1877-1959) and a piece of early English furniture are among the top items on offer at Grand Auctions’ upcoming sale on December 12.
10 highlights from the Modern and Contemporary art auctions in New York
21 November 2016The flagship Modern and Contemporary art sales in New York in November are an important bellwether of the global art market. This year a total of $1.29bn (£1.03bn) changed hands, including the auctioneers’ premium. Here ATG picks 10 individual highlights from around the salerooms.
FA Cup winner’s medal from Everton’s Cliff Britton appears at auction
18 November 2016Medals won by former Everton winger Cliff Britton (1909-75), who later went on to manage the club in the 1950s, are being offered at an auction in East Yorkshire.
Christie’s sets auction record for Claude Monet painting at $72.5m
17 November 2016A ‘Grainstack’ painting by Claude Monet set a major auction record for the artist at Christie’s in New York last night.
Queen Anne ‘Vigo’ coin sells for £225,000 at Boningtons
17 November 2016Boningtons have sold a rare Queen Anne 'Vigo' gold coin for £225,000. One of Britain's rarest coins, it was knocked down to a buyer in the room and set a house record for the Essex auctioneers.
‘Slowhand’ turns vendor as Eric Clapton sells $19.5m Gerhard Richter at Christie’s
16 November 2016A large abstract painting by Gerhard Richter consigned by musician Eric Clapton was among the highlights of last night’s auction at Christie’s New York.
'Car boot' Chinese vase sells for £50,000 at Salisbury auction
15 November 2016A rare Chinese imperial enamel vase bought for £10 at a car boot sale has been hammered down for £50,000 at Woolley & Wallis’ Asian sale today. It sold on the phone to a Chinese buyer.
Muted performance for Munch as Sotheby’s sale falls below estimate
15 November 2016Edvard Munch’s ‘Girls on the Bridge’ was knocked down at $50m (£40m) and led Sotheby’s evening sale of Impressionist & Modern in New York last night.
Five funky designs drawing serious bidding at Sotheby’s David Bowie auction
15 November 2016The stand-alone design section at Sotheby’s auction of the David Bowie collection followed in much the same vein as the Modern & Contemporary art. High demand for items from the singer’s collection led to a ‘Bowie premium’ with 13 records posted for individual designers and an overall total of £1.11m from 100 lots.
David Bowie collection puts in electric live performance
11 November 2016Sotheby’s sale of David Bowie’s collection got off to a flying start in London last night. The collection was clearly ‘there to be sold’ but the Bowie provenance turned what may otherwise have been a solid sale into a bumper proposition.
Qianlong Emperor’s musket makes £1.65m and leads Sotheby’s Asian art auction in London
10 November 2016The first Chinese firearm with an imperial reign mark ever offered at auction sold at Sotheby’s yesterday for £1.65m.
Chinese brush pot takes £155,000 at Shrewsbury auction
09 November 2016A Chinese cinnabar lacquer brush pot sold for £155,000 at Shrewsbury auctioneers Halls earlier today.
Price of gold jumps after the election of Donald Trump as US President
09 November 2016The price of gold has risen during early trading following the election of Donald Trump as US President.
‘Immense passion and a very distinctive eye’ – Richard Attenborough’s collection comes to auction
08 November 2016A second tranche of Lord and Lady Attenborough’s collection will appear at auction later this month.