Latest News Articles by Laura Chesters
Hermès Birkin: still the handbag of choice at auction
12 October 2016The original ‘It’ bag, a Hermès Birkin, has proved yet again that it remains the world’s most desirable bag after setting an auction record for Fellows Auctioneers this week.
Russian diamond necklaces with Imperial connections given $10m pitch
11 October 2016Two Russian diamond necklaces, with links to Peter the Great and Catherine the Great, will be auctioned by Sotheby’s in Geneva next month with a $10m estimate.
Out of Africa to Cotswolds sale – Leakey collection heads to auction
11 October 2016African artefacts, jewellery and fossils from a family collection linked to the celebrated palaeoanthropologists, the late Louis and Mary Leakey, are to be sold later this month at The Cotswold Auction Company.
“Ill-conceived and badly managed” – new Stanley Gibbons boss savages old regime
11 October 2016The new management of Stanley Gibbons has launched a scathing attack on the way the firm had been run after the collectables and auction group posted losses of £29m.
Paul Weller’s shoes among highlights of The Jam memorabilia auction
10 October 2016Frontman Paul Weller’s shoes and bassist Bruce Foxton’s guitars were among 800 lots of The Jam memorabilia auctioned at the weekend.
‘Supreme Grade, Number One’ – first firearm with Chinese Imperial marks comes to auction
10 October 2016A musket made in the Chinese Imperial workshops, complete with marks, will become the first of its kind to be offered at auction next month.
Fine Art Group to launch lending arm
10 October 2016Philip Hoffman’s Fine Art Group are to launch a new finance company targeting artworks valued between $250,000 and $20m.
‘Frieze Week’ evening sale at Christie’s tops expectations
07 October 2016Christie’s post-war and Contemporary art evening auction posted a strong performance last night with international bidders visiting London during Frieze week helping to bump up the results.
Maddox Street premises to close as Dreweatts & Bloomsbury join Mallett under one roof
07 October 2016Auction group Dreweatts & Bloomsbury will close their Maddox Street premises next year to focus on a new London location in Pall Mall.
Auctioneers brought in to value Chinese art collection after family spat
06 October 2016A family row over a large collection of 17th century Chinese porcelain escalated this week after Art Fund trustee Caroline Butler hired Christie’s to value the collection.
Tributes paid to Michael Newman
05 October 2016Auctioneer, valuer and ‘Antiques Roadshow’ expert Michael Newman died last month, aged 80.
Book dealer’s murder linked to attempt to steal £50,000 first edition Wind in the Willows
04 October 2016The murder of book dealer Adrian Greenwood was part of an attempt to steal a £50,000 first edition of the Wind in the Willows, a court has heard.
Antiques Roadshow's Asian art specialist joins Duke's
04 October 2016Adam Schoon has joined Duke's in Dorchester to head its Asian art department.
Stanley Gibbons losses mount up as they write down £24m
03 October 2016Collectables and auction business Stanley Gibbons has posted a £28.9m full-year loss after writing down the value of its assets.
CITES summit considers exemptions over antiques
03 October 2016The possibility of a global ban on ivory that would allow exemptions for antiques was under discussion at last week’s CITES summit in South Africa.
Interior designer Robert Kime to furnish new Pimlico Road home
29 September 2016Robert Kime, interior designer to royalty and celebrities, is to close his famous Bloomsbury shop and move to Pimlico Road in London.
British ivory exports to Hong Kong under scrutiny
28 September 2016Wildlife campaigners are calling for a crackdown on ivory exports from the UK after a report revealed trade doubled to Hong Kong last year.
New BBC art show uncovers Flemish masterpiece in Swansea storeroom
28 September 2016Dealer and art historian Dr Bendor Grosvenor is fronting a new series called ‘Britain’s Lost Masterpieces’ on BBC Four.
Daughter continues fight to keep family Chinese art collection together
28 September 2016A large collection of 17th century Chinese porcelain could be broken up and sold after a family feud among the heirs of Sir Michael Butler, a former aide to Margaret Thatcher.
Antiques trade will have input to ivory rule changes
27 September 2016Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom has vowed to consult with the antiques trade over plans to tighten rules surrounding ivory.