Art and antiques news from 2007

NEW Bond Street dealers Partridge have announced that HRH Princess Michael of Kent has joined them as president of the firm.

THE untimely death on January 16 of Robert Noortman, the charismatic Dutch picture dealer who co-founded of the TEFAF Maastricht art fair, inevitably raises questions about the controversial relationship between Noortman Master Paintings and its owners Sotheby’s.

THE British Art Market Federation have launched a new attack on Droit de Suite following the release of figures showing how the levy has performed in its first year.

As recent London sales have demonstrated, demand for top-class Italian maiolica is on something of a roll. There is an international roster of collectors who are attracted to this colourful ceramic version of Italian Old Master painting.

Wessex Auction Rooms, a new purpose-designed saleoom, has just opened on the outskirts of the Wiltshire market town of Chippenham.

THE Metropolitan Police have defended their decision to cut funding to the art and antiques unit by 50 per cent.

ROBERT Noortman, the high-profile Maastricht picture dealer and one of the founding fathers of the TEFAF Maastricht fair, has died of a heart attack, aged 60.See next week's ATG for a full report.

WE regret to announce the death on January 5 of long-time exhibitor and chairman of TEFAF Maastricht Dave Aronson. He was 60.

Already 2007 looks set to follow 2006 as the year of the dealer’s stock sale. As reported last week, renowned international style guru and interior decorator Keith Skeel is to follow in the footsteps of Partridge, Dick Turpin, and John Jesse by selling his collection of ‘antiques and eccentricities’ at auction.

Bonhams have announced the opening of a new office in Hong Kong and three sales slated for May at Asia World Expo, the new exhibition centre there.

ALMOST five years after the idea was first conceived by Florida entrepreneur David Lester, his luxury floating exhibition palace SeaFair is preparing for its maiden voyage in the summer.

19th century furniture may not be the height of fashion, but this wine table is one of only a handful known to carry the label of Anton Seuffert, New Zealand’s premier cabinetmaker and inlayer. Many of the timbers seen to the 23in (58cm) diameter top are timbers native to New Zealand.

The Doggett’s Coat and Badge Race runs for four and a half miles along the River Thames, starting at The Old Swan Inn at London Bridge, finishing at The Old Swan at Chelsea, and passing under 11 bridges en route.

After four consecutive years of falls, the Antiques Collectors’ Club’s annual Antique Furniture Index stabilised in 2006, suggesting a bottoming out of antique furniture prices.

Helped by their stunning November series of New York art sales, Christie’s announced 2006 sales of £2.51bn including auction premiums. The figure – that includes more than £137m in private sales – is the highest in art auction history.

“Dealers in fear of a turfing-out” ran the story in ATG No 1722, January 14, which told the story of the Somerton Antiques Centre, home to 27 dealers.

Aynsley China has a history stretching back to 1775 when John Aynsley first started producing ceramics in Longton, Staffordshire. Its enduring reputation is for its bone china tablewares decorated with floral sprays or fruit in the manner of Royal Worcester, or for its commemorative pieces. They remain very affordable and even Aynsley’s well-painted cabinet plates featuring British landmarks usually cost less than £100.

MARK Wilson, the man at the centre of the bidding controversy reported on this page last week, has told ATG that he will not bid for antiques at auction again.

Dublin and Edinburgh rooms all but double sales totals as Bonhams raise stakes in Scotland

LONDON-based specialist book auctioneers Bloomsbury Auctions enjoyed a successful inaugural sale in Rome on December 6 where a total of €801,000 (£545,000) was realised.