2019

The most popular stories on this website over the last week included news of two men from south London being sentenced for selling antique ivory fans on eBay to buyers in China and the US.

A painting by Sir John Lavery (1856-1941) consigned to Irish auctioneer Whyte’s by a man in Lancashire, has been identified as having been stolen 25 years ago from a British public school.

Banksy’s derisive portrayal of The House of Commons reduced to an assembly of primates achieved a record £8.5m (plus premium) in Sotheby’s latest Contemporary Art evening sale.

ATG’s selection of hammer highlights this week includes a Guangxu period ‘dragon’ charger and a whimsical majolica cheese dish that both made over 30-times estimate.

“Good old-fashioned country house auctions are a rarity these days and it is a privilege to organise one against such an historic backdrop.” So says Guy Schwinge of Dorchester auction house Duke’s, referring to the upcoming sale of the contents from Athelhampton House in Dorset.

In a move to increase its digital presence and reach new bidders, Bonhams has agreed a long-term partnership with online auction marketplace thesaleroom.com.

Fundraising led by writers’ association English PEN has helped save for the nation the judge’s annotated copy of 'Lady Chatterley’s Lover'.

The major auction houses host their biannual Islamic Art Week auctions in April and October, and this month a series of events and auctions are planned across the capital.

Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was so keen to be able to work while he travelled that in 1925 he commissioned a case maker to create the bespoke trunk that could turn into a writing desk.

With estimates from £150-1500, here are five previews of upcoming sales this week.

An auction record for a rare coin and the illegal export of ivory items were among the issues that sparked the latest discussions across the art and antiques trade.

The most popular stories on this website over the last week included news of furniture dealer Christopher Howe offering items from his stock with discounts of up to 80%.

Film and TV memorabilia has been growing in popularity as a collecting field in recent years, with original posters particularly sought-after. However, props are also in demand from a wide variety of sources.

A record price for Turkish painter Osman Hamdi Bey (1842-1910) was set at Bonhams when a painting ‘Young Woman Reading’ surpassed a £600,000-800,000 estimate and was knocked down at £5.7m.

Former Masterpiece London fair chief executive Nazy Vassegh is planning a new art fair in May next year.

Two men from south London have been sentenced for selling antique ivory fans on eBay to buyers in China and the US. The items were illegally exported without the required export permits.

ATG’s selection of hammer highlights over the past week includes a first edition of ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone’ that created a bit of auction magic at Chiswick Auctions.

A UK auction record for a copper coin was set this week when a rare Edward VIII 1937 pattern penny sold at Spink & Son.

The antiques trade has been asked to help spot antiques from Sudeley Castle in the Cotswolds near Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, which were stolen earlier this month.

The British Hallmarking Council has issued new guidance for jewellery dealers on articles hallmarked outside the UK by the Birmingham Assay Office.