Latest News Articles by Alex Capon
Top stories this week – including news of the UK government’s export block on JMW Turner's painting 'Walton Bridges'
07 December 2018The most popular stories on this website over the last week included news of the UK government’s decision to place a temporary export block on a view of the Thames by JMW Turner that sold at Sotheby’s.
Sale of Boris Becker's collection to go ahead next year, says auctioneer
06 December 2018The auction house handling the much-contested sale of Boris Becker’s personal collection has said the event will now take place next year. It follows the bankrupt former tennis champion dropping his claim to diplomatic immunity.
A giant toast to the Londongrad sales
03 December 2018A monumental silver-gilt and cloisonné enamel kovsh by Feodor Rückert was among the highlights of the latest series of Russian art auctions in London
7 top lots at London’s Russian auctions including Rostropovich’s cello and a giant enamel drinking vessel
30 November 2018The latest series of Russian art sales in London generated a total of £39.2m (including premium) – roughly on a par with the £38.03m total at the equivalent series last year.
Top stories this week – including news of discoveries in the Old Master market
30 November 2018The most popular stories on this website over the last week included news of some interesting fingerprints discovered on an Old Master being offered in an upcoming Sotheby’s sale
LS Lowry leads Modern British art sales as rare racecourse scene sells at £4.5m
24 November 2018The latest series of Modern British art auctions in London generated a £47.2m total including premium which was significantly up on the equivalent sales last year.
What lots caught bidders’ eyes this week? Six auction highlights including a rare Old Master landscape and pair of royal Russian shoes
23 November 2018ATG’s selection of hammer highlights that sold at auction in the last week, including a 16th century landscape by the artist known as ‘The Master of the Female Half-Lengths’, and a pair of children’s shoes with connections to Russian royalty.
Affordable art: Six works sold or offered for under £1000 including a Marion Saumarez self portrait
22 November 2018Three modestly valued works selling at regional sales below £1000 and three upcoming lots, including a self portrait by a young Marion Saumarez showing her playing the violin.
Hockney record helps modern and contemporary auction series to $2bn total in New York
17 November 2018The latest series of Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary art auctions in New York generated an overall total of close to $2bn.
Auction record for a living artist as David Hockney swimming pool scene makes $80m at Christie's
16 November 2018David Hockney’s ‘Portrait of an ‘Artist (Pool with Two Figures)’ from 1972 became the most expensive work by a living artist when it was knocked down for $80m (£61.6m) at Christie's in New York last night.
Affordable art: Six works sold or offered for under £1000 including a sought-after Modern British gouache
15 November 2018Three modestly valued works selling at regional sales below £1000 and three upcoming lots, including a gouache that set an auction record for the artist Ray Howard-Jones.
Most Read: ATG’s top stories this week – including news of dealers forcing Amazon-owned AbeBooks into a climbdown
09 November 2018The most popular stories on this website over the last week (November 1-7, 2018) included news of a vigorous dealer backlash forcing Amazon-owned AbeBooks into a change of policy.
Affordable art: Six works sold or offered for under £1000 including a Victorian landscape showing hop houses in Kent
08 November 2018Three modestly valued works selling at regional sales below £1000 and three upcoming lots, including a oil painting of oast houses in a Kentish landscape by Edward H Niemann.
The bird, the crab, the clock, the lawyer – four rare pieces of Martin Brothers pottery on view in London ahead of Phillips’ New York sale
07 November 2018An awesome foursome of Martin Brothers figures are on show in London this week at a public viewing being held at auction house Phillips ahead of the sale of the works in New York next month.
Kirkton House provides 182 works in Edinburgh auction
05 November 2018Pictures formed a prominent part of Lyon & Turnbull’s (25/20% buyer’s premium) Kirkton House sale earlier this month as the contents of the Regency manse near Montrose were dispersed from the auction house’s Edinburgh saleroom.
Most Read: ATG’s top stories this week – including the art and antiques trade’s response to the chancellor’s Budget
02 November 2018The most popular stories on this website over the last week included news of the art and antiques trade’s response to the business rates reprieve announced in the Budget.
Assyrian relief sets second-highest price for ancient art at Christie’s New York despite Iraq’s repatriation call
01 November 2018An Assyrian relief unearthed from the royal palace at Nimrud in modern-day Iraq has set the second highest ever price for a piece of ancient art at auction after selling at Christie’s New York.
Saleroom selection: 10 pieces of Asian art on offer in November 2018
01 November 2018November is the UK’s busiest month of Asian art sales with a glut of auctions taking place in both London and the regions.
Five top picture lots from Lyon & Turnbull’s Kirkton House auction
18 October 2018Lyon & Turnbull’s Kirkton House sale offered some notable lots across different categories, not least a prize collection of Pilkington's Lancastrian lustre and a series of valuable bronze sculptures. But the 182 pictures in the consignment also formed a key part of the auction.
Most Read: ATG’s top stories this week – including Banksy’s art market prank
12 October 2018The most popular stories on this website over the last week included news of street artist Banksy’s prank on the art market with a work shredding itself immediately after selling at Sotheby’s.