North America

There was no slowing down in the Contemporary art market as the latest sales in New York posted a record for any auction series.

Christie’s posted a record total for any auction ever with a $745m (£462.7m) premium-inclusive total at their evening sale of post-war and Contemporary art in New York last night (Tuesday, May 13). It now begs the question: how much further can this boom keep going?

Legislation designed to protect art authenticators from lengthy and expensive legal claims has been proposed in New York.

A reported increase in Asian buying was the most notable feature of a somewhat underwhelming series of Impressionist & Modern art auctions in New York last week.

Alasdair Nichol, picture specialist and vice chairman at Freeman’s of Philadelphia, called the Horst collection “an auctioneer’s perfect storm” – the sale of a previously unknown cache of untouched European and American art exposed to market for the first time in close to a century.

The run on pearls continues with two spectacular prices paid for exceptional natural saltwater gems at auctions on either side of the Atlantic this week.

A near complete working draft written by Bob Dylan for arguably his most famous song, ‘Like a Rolling Stone’, will be offered at Sotheby’s in New York this summer.

The star entry in the latest sale of rare books, autographs and manuscripts at Doyle in New York proved to be an example of one of the most ancient forms of writing.

ST Louis Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster says he has ordered auction house Ivey-Selkirk to suspend business pending an investigation into their activities following a number of complaints.

Wide-ranging bill to end sales already given unanimous backing at the initial stage

New York has hosted three key events in the modern commercial history of the Martin Brothers.

A group of private collectors from China’s Hunan province have privately purchased the famed Min Fanglei, a bronze ritual wine vessel from the Late Shang or Early Western Zhou period due to be sold in New York last month.

New York has firmly reinforced its status as the capital of the global art market with a 25% growth in the value of US sales last year.

A ban on the commercial trade in elephant ivory “except in a very limited number of circumstances” announced by the USA this month promises far-reaching consequences for the antiques trade.

The book of hours known as The Rothschild Prayerbook sold for $12m (£7.55m) at Christie’s in New York.

Next month, the fairs frenzy in Florida sees a new arrival on the scene: ‘Miami Art + Design (MA+D)’ from February 14-18 to be held in a new circular waterside pavilion at Bayfront Park in downtown Miami.

Baldwin’s and their partners began 2014 in style at the ‘New York International Numismatic Convention’.

The New York Court of Appeals has overturned a decision that could have forced the state’s auctioneers to make public the names of their consignors.

The most expensive printed book sold at auction will go on display to the public after the buyer pledged to lend it to libraries across the US before putting it on permanent loan at one of them.