Latest News Articles by Alex Capon
MEPs raise concerns over ‘freeports' for storing art
25 March 2019Members of the European Parliament on a special committee for financial crime and tax evasion have warned of the art market potentially being used as “a suitable vehicle for illegal activity”, according to a report.
Top stories this week – including news of sales at TEFAF Maastricht 2019
24 March 2019The most popular stories on this website over the last week included a report of early sales made at the flagship art and antiques fair TEFAF Maastricht 2019.
Sale of art owned by Hertfordshire County Council to go ahead despite protest
20 March 2019Hertfordshire County Council is going ahead with the auction of artworks from its collection this week despite the launch of a petition to ‘save’ it from being dispersed.
The early bird sales at TEFAF Maastricht
18 March 2019Eager buyers made a beeline for Delft fruits, a Renoir and Paul Storr silver candlesticks in the first few hours of TEFAF Maastricht this year.
Exhibitors report early sales as TEFAF Maastricht 2019 opens its doors with new vetting policy
15 March 2019TEFAF Maastricht 2019 has opened for its preview event and news of sales is already coming through.
Top stories this week – including news of where the Antiques Roadshow will be filmed during summer 2019
15 March 2019The most popular stories on this website over the last week included news of the locations and dates for the recording of the next series of the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow during summer 2019.
George Michael auction at Christie’s led by Damien Hirst’s dove in formaldehyde
14 March 2019Christie’s auction of the George Michael collection in London tonight was led by 'The Incomplete Truth' by Damien Hirst (b.1965), a work from 2006 featuring a dove in a tank of formaldehyde.
David Bowie demo tape for Starman sells for £41,000 at Merseyside auction
13 March 2019A tape thought to contain “possibly the first ever demo version” of David Bowie’s 1972 hit ‘Starman’ drew strong competition at Omega Auctions’ latest sale.
Irma Stern portrait leads South African politician’s collection of works being offered at Cape Town auction
13 March 2019Two private collections of South African art have yielded works by some of the leading names in the market to Strauss’ sale in Cape Town on March 18.
London's Contemporary art sales fall year-on-year despite sales of Hockney and Freud portraits
11 March 2019A lack of sufficient stellar consignments at the latest Contemporary art sales in London meant the overall total was down on last year.
John Armstrong wartime painting to be offered at Dreweatts' spring sale
11 March 2019Dreweatts’ Modern and Contemporary art sale in Newbury on April 3 will offer a range of Modern British pictures, including a selection of St Ives School group works. However, one of the main highlights in this category is a wartime painting by John Armstrong (1893-1973) which carries an estimate of £20,000-30,000.
Pat Douthwaite and Mary Fedden come to the fore in Edinburgh sale
11 March 2019Lyon & Turnbull is holding an auction of Modern & Contemporary art, sculpture and design at The Mall Galleries in London on March 27 under the title Modern Made.
Anne Redpath still life among leading lots at auction of works from Hertfordshire County Council
11 March 2019An impressive collection of 20th century British pictures will be offered at Cheffins in Cambridge on March 21 after Hertfordshire County Council took the decision to offload them.
Top stories this week – including news of the ‘ultimate attic find’ coming to auction and Bonhams raising its buyer’s premium
08 March 2019The most popular stories on this website over the last week included news of a painting found in a French attic believed to be by Caravaggio and now due to be auctioned with a valuation of over £100m, as well as Bonhams raising its buyer’s premium to a level beyond Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Phillips.
David Hockney double portrait at Christie’s tops London’s Contemporary art auction series
07 March 2019A large David Hockney (b.1937) double portrait led Christie’s latest evening sale of post-war and contemporary art in London.
Huge Jenny Saville painting at Sotheby’s auction makes 1000% increase over 10 years
06 March 2019It was a case of little and large at Sotheby’s last night as an enormous work by Jenny Saville (b.1970) and a small portrait by Lucian Freud both sold at the firm’s latest Contemporary art evening sale in London.
Journeys of discovery: Highlights from the stands of 11 dealers at TEFAF 2019
04 March 2019An intriguing find by a dealer new to TEFAF Maastricht leads a look at some of the highlights on offer at the huge event.
How the art and antiques trade is preparing for Brexit
04 March 2019As we approach a crunch vote on Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal, a no-deal result is still a possibility – so too the prospect of an extension to the Article 50 process beyond the March 29 deadline. As the selection of comments and advice from across the trade suggests, the art and antiques sector, like businesses up and down the country, is preparing for every eventuality.
Top stories this week – including news of Sotheby’s and Phillips raising their buyer’s premiums
03 March 2019The most popular stories on this website over the last week included news of Sotheby’s and Phillips raising their buyer’s premiums with the new rates higher than rivals Christie’s.
The ‘Toulouse Caravaggio’ – painting found in French attic valued at £100m to be offered without reserve at auction
28 February 2019A marketing drive has begun for the sale of a painting touted as the ‘Toulouse Caravaggio (1571-1610)’. The picture was unveiled in London today ahead of its auction in France in June.