International

About 80% of the global art market by value takes place outside the UK. The largest art market in the world is the US with China in third place (after the UK) followed by France, Germany and Switzerland.

Many more nations have a rich art and antiques heritage with active auction, dealer, fair, gallery and museum sectors even if their market size by value is smaller.

Read the top stories and latest art and antiques news from all these countries.

Porgu (Hell) by Eduard Wiiralt

Eduard Wiiralt etchings bring fervent bidding at US auction

04 October 2024

Two of the most familiar works by Estonian graphic artist Eduard Wiiralt (1898-1954) came for sale at a recent sale at Revere Auctions in St Paul, Minnesota.

Daguerreotype

First known ‘romantic’ photograph of an interracial couple in the US comes to auction

03 October 2024

On October 26, Freeman’s Hindman in Cincinnati will offer what is believed to be the first American photograph of a romantically posed interracial couple.

barniz de Pasto escritorio

Cabinet showing 17th century ‘globalisation’ in action makes over 90 times estimate

02 October 2024

Due to the fact that they represent a meeting of three continents and cultures, barniz de Pasto (Pasto varnish) boxes have recently been described by Jorge F Rivas Perez, curator of Latin American Art at the Denver Art Museum, as ‘some of the first works of a globalised world’.

Teak window panel

Window panel from Getty collection reaches six figures at Stair Galleries

01 October 2024

A final treasure from the Ann and Gordon Getty collection excelled at the latest sale at Stair Galleries in Hudson, New York.

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Dealer Dickinson offers ‘early Michelangelo’

30 September 2024

London dealer Dickinson is offering what it says is ‘the one of the most exciting old master discoveries to have been made in recent decades, and is an important addition to the small group of extant drawings by Michelangelo’.

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Mystical posters mesmerise collectors at auction

30 September 2024

A recent Vintage Posters sale at Swann Galleries (25/20/12% buyer’s premium), a summer staple of the New York auction house, was dominated by three large early 20th century magic posters, each hammering for $22,000 (£16,650).

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Paul Allen’s science and tech lots tell a story of human ingenuity

30 September 2024

Memorabilia collected by a founding father of modern computing makes for a remarkable auction

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Harewood furniture for sale at Christie’s

30 September 2024

In October Christie’s conducts a timed online sales series titled Collections.

Istock Metropolitan Police Sign

Important Assyrian artefact returned to Iraq after being held in UK for 22 years

25 September 2024

An ancient Assyrian artefact stolen from an archaeological site in Iraq in the early 1990s has been returned to the country after being stored for an extended period by the Metropolitan Police in London.

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Empire period Sèvres centrepiece surfaces in Ostend

23 September 2024

This Sèvres porcelain basket-shaped centrepiece was one of the highlights in a sale held by Ostantix Auctions (25% buyer’s premium) in Ostend on September 3-4.

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Autumn signals busy art market

23 September 2024

With the Olympics over and the new season well under way, there is plenty of activity in the French art market.

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Biennale in Florence attracts British dealers

23 September 2024

Prestigious Italian fair includes UK firms among the strong international contingent attending this year

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Monet sketchbook draws the eye

23 September 2024

Studies include caricature-like portraits which were an early preoccupation of the young artist

Nour Kelani

Christie’s expands to Middle East with presence in Saudi Arabia

20 September 2024

Christie’s becomes the first international auction house to secure a presence in the Gulf state and appoints managing director in the kingdom.

Ancient funerary couch

Getty Museum returns ancient bronze couch to Turkey

19 September 2024

The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles has returned an ancient bronze funerary couch to Turkey after concluding that it had been illicitly excavated in the early 1980s.

1496 Danish gold noble

Bruun collection sets record for any Scandinavian coin

18 September 2024

The first part of the auction of the extraordinary coin collection of Lars Emil Bruun (1852-1923) raised a total of €14.8m (£12.5m) including premium last week.

WEB Heritage Fantastic Four

First Fantastic Four in super condition becomes the second most valuable Silver Age comic

18 September 2024

One of only two copies of 1961’s Fantastic Four No 1 comic to be awarded a Near Mint+ 9.6 grade by Certified Guaranty Company set a record for this historic first chapter in the Marvel Universe.

174351 5 Glaisher

Rare set of Victorian snowflake prints among highlights at the Toronto Antiquarian Book Fair

18 September 2024

The Toronto Toronto Antiquarian Book Fair is a literary magnet for collectors, librarians, archivists, scholars, academics and dealers.

Straits Settlement basin

Record for Straits Settlement porcelain as ‘dragon and phoenix’ basin brings 61 bids

17 September 2024

A new auction record has been set for Peranakan or Straits Settlement porcelain in Singapore.

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Records tumble at Paul Allen auctions

16 September 2024

Christie’s posted a spate of record prices at three New York sales from September 10-12 offering Paul Allen’s extraordinary collection of scientific and technological items.

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