Latest News Articles by Alex Capon
Sotheby’s auction totals up but private sales fall
18 August 2014Sotheby’s figures for the first half of 2014 saw a significant increase in auction totals help them to a 20% rise in operating income compared to the equivalent period last year.
Artist’s studio records top hits with scenes of 1930s funfair
15 August 2014When dispersing the contents of an artist’s studio, there is always the question of whether to sell the works all in one go or drip them onto the market over a longer period of time.
Matania lots give boost to Yorkshire sale
17 July 2014Twenty lots comprising works by Anglo-Italian artist Fortunino Matania will be offered at the upcoming fine art sale being held by Tennants of Leyburn, North Yorkshire.
Old Master series boosted by sale of key collections
14 July 2014While two of the top prices of the London auctions last week came for ancient sculptures – the £14m Old Kingdom Egyptian limestone statue at Christie’s and the £8.3m for the Roman marble of Aphrodite (c.41-54AD) at Sotheby’s – there was also a bumper run of Old Master and British picture sales.
Bacon triptych tops contemporary sales
07 July 2014The total from last week’s Contemporary art auctions in London may have been a far cry from the record New York series in May where $1.57bn (£975m) of art changed hands, but there was still plenty of action as the market continued on its current buoyant course.
Mixed fortunes but Monet in the money at flagship London art sales
30 June 2014One of Claude Monet’s paintings from his celebrated Water Lilies series led a slightly mixed round of Impressionist & Modern art auctions in London last week.
Holman Hunt sells below estimate but still sets auction record
24 June 2014Consigned by the debt-ridden Delaware Museum of Art, Isabella and the Pot of Basil by William Holman Hunt (1827-1910) was the top lot of Christie’s sale of Victorian, Pre-Raphaelite and British Impressionist art in London last week.
Munnings hunting scene is hotly pursued in Salisbury
16 June 2014When it comes to 20th century sporting pictures, there is no bigger name than Sir Alfred Munnings (1878-1959). Earlier this month, a sale at Woolley & Wallis in Salisbury sale saw the consignment of certainly one of the more notable works by the Mendham, Suffolk-born artist to have appeared in the regions over recent times.
Lowry’s view of Manchester takes £2m at Sotheby’s
13 June 2014A painting of a well-known location in Manchester by L.S. Lowry (1887-1976) led the latest sale of Modern & Post-War British Art at Sotheby’s.
No end to desire for Russell Flints
28 May 2014An instantly recognisable William Russell Flint (1880-1969) watercolour drew a strenuous competition at Mallams in Oxford last week.
Fresh British pictures on the US starting line
23 May 2014Two market-fresh British pictures consigned from a private American collection to Ahlers & Ogletree’s upcoming auction make a significant addition to the 1000-plus lots being offered at the Atlanta saleroom.
Large Lenkiewicz group sees signs of growth
23 May 2014Most fine art sales at Exeter saleroom Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood feature multiple works by the irrepressible Robert Lenkiewicz (1941-2002) and their latest event was no different.
New York series posts record auction total
16 May 2014There was no slowing down in the Contemporary art market as the latest sales in New York posted a record for any auction series.
Biggest auction total ever as Contemporary bubble continues to expand
14 May 2014Christie’s posted a record total for any auction ever with a $745m (£462.7m) premium-inclusive total at their evening sale of post-war and Contemporary art in New York last night (Tuesday, May 13). It now begs the question: how much further can this boom keep going?
Law change could protect authenticators in New York
12 May 2014Legislation designed to protect art authenticators from lengthy and expensive legal claims has been proposed in New York.
Asian buyers prominent during New York sales
12 May 2014A reported increase in Asian buying was the most notable feature of a somewhat underwhelming series of Impressionist & Modern art auctions in New York last week.
Hemy’s oyster dredgers head home to Falmouth
02 May 2014Appearing at the latest of the twice-yearly marine sales at Bonhams Knightsbridge was a painting by Charles Napier Hemy (1841-1917) which had local connections helping bring demand.
Sotheby’s to sell Bob Dylan’s handwritten lyrics to ‘Like a Rolling Stone’
01 May 2014A near complete working draft written by Bob Dylan for arguably his most famous song, ‘Like a Rolling Stone’, will be offered at Sotheby’s in New York this summer.
Cleveley arrives at Bonhams this summer
01 May 2014Bonhams will be looking for fair winds in July when the John Windeler Robertson collection goes under the hammer in New Bond Street.
Stubbs’ big cats to headline Sotheby’s Old Master sale
02 April 2014A rare painting of two big cats by George Stubbs will be offered for sale at Sotheby’s Old Master sale in London on July 9.