Auctioneers

Embroiled in the debate regarding the rights and wrongs of selling elephant ivory works of art, Chiswick Auctions have become the first UK saleroom to stop almost all sales of ivory – regardless of age.

The opening salvos have been fired in the court case centred on the version of Caravaggio’s ‘The Card Sharps’ which sold at Sotheby’s in 2006.

Christie’s continue to dip their toe in retail waters with an initiative for Christmas shoppers at South Kensington.

The Fine Art Auction Group’s (TFAAG) acquisition of Mallett on behalf of the Stanley Gibbons Group has been confirmed following the acceptance of its cash offer by more than 95% of Mallett PLC’s shareholders.

Mallams of Cheltenham saw this jade rolling horse, part of a private collection of Chinese handstone carvings, sell for £170,000 at their latest Asian art sale.

The chairman of one of the UK’s most successful provincial auction houses has joined the condemnation of Christie’s new 2% success fee, saying he is appalled by it.

Bonhams will offer an archive of over 350 unpublished images by the Victorian amateur photographer Emma Francis Johnston.

Adam Partridge auctioneers of Macclesfield have been shortlisted for the Green Business Award as part of the 2014 Cheshire Business Awards.

Christie’s have opened their new exhibition space and office in Shanghai at the Ampire Building, near the Bund.

Christie’s have reorganised the sale schedule for their future auctions of Chinese works of Art in Europe making some significant changes.

This Fabergé enamelled silver and hardstone cigarette box sold for £46,500 at the latest sale held at Nicholas Mellors of Newark.

Magistrates have fined a West London auction house £3200 for breaching the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) (CITES) Regulations 1997.

The Association of Accredited Auctioneers (Triple A) are hosting a viewing event timed to coincide with Asian Art in London. This Qianlong ‘lotus and bats’ doucai jar and cover, estimated to bring £100,000-150,000 at Peter Wilson of Nantwich on November 27, is among the lots on view at Rountree Tryon Galleries of 7 Bury Street on November 2 from 12 noon-9pm.

Scottish firm Lyon & Turnbull have sought to address the age-old problem of succession planning at a regional saleroom by making a number of significant internal appointments.

Paintings and objects from the estate of the late Mary Soames, the youngest daughter of Sir Winston Churchill, are to be sold at Sotheby’s in London.

This huge installation created using more than 40 gallons of oil paints will be the centrepiece of the first exhibition to mark the launch of shows by visiting artists to The Garden Rooms at Tennants.

The name Jean-Baptiste Greuze (1725-1805) was mentioned as the possible hand responsible for this unsigned 18th century French charcoal and chalk drawing that leapt from lowly expectations to sell for £320,000 (plus 22.5% buyer’s premium) at Toovey’s of Washington, West Sussex on October 8.

When Ann Ullmann, the daughter of Eric Ravilious (1903-42), visited J.S. Auctions’ newly refurbished salerooms in Banbury in August, she declared herself delighted to see this previously unknown 16 x 20in (41 x 52cm) watercolour, above, by her father for the first time.

Still Life, Vase with Daisies, painted by Vincent van Gogh at the home of his physician Paul Gachet just weeks before he died, carries an estimate of $30m-50m at Sotheby’s New York on November 4. It will be on view in London from October 12-18.

Sotheby's United Kingdom sales have outperformed all other global regions at auction for the year to date, according to figures just released.