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Dreweatts have secured a preview for their forthcoming Urban Art sale at Selfridges.

Partridge Fine Art are to roll out a summer programme of exhibitions and other events at their Bond Street gallery, playing host to major names in the art and antiques trade in the process.

Fears that New York’s flagship May sales might usher in a market meltdown were allayed last week as Sotheby’s and Christie’s posted solid results for Impressionist and Modern art.

One collection that Sotheby's and Christie's will not be selling this season is that of Ileana Sonnabend. In what has been described as the largest private sale of art ever, the heirs of the legendary New York dealer who died in October 2007 have recently parted with some $600m worth of paintings and sculptures (including Jeff Koons’ 1986 Rabbit valued at $80m) to cover their estate taxes.

Photo from 1866 rescued from the attic sells in Nottingham...

Two auctioneers, two Gérôme sculptures, but two very different estimates

After weeks of legal wrangling, permission has finally been granted to sell property from the bankrupt Manhattan Old Master dealership Salander-O'Reilly Gallery.

Around 260 people attended a champagne reception on Thursday, May 8 to mark the official opening of Sworders new saleroom in the presence of HRH Princess Michael of Kent.

There was high drama at Christie's latest decorative arts sale in London, when half the £3.1m total came from this Glasgow school panel by Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, which sold to an American collector for £1.5m (plus premium).

Auctioneer unhappy about need to opt out at short notice

All eyes were on this 3ft 3in (99cm) high Roman marble double bust of Bacchus and his lover Ariadne at Bonhams Antiquities sale on May 1.

Ceramics specialist Ben Williams, who exposed studio pottery forger Jeremy Broadway, has drawn up a guide of how to spot fakes that have still not been traced.

READERS who watched the recent BBC drama Miss Austen Regrets will recall the scene in which a startled, bemused but not overly enthusiastic Jane is told by the Prince Regent’s librarian that his royal master is a great admirer and that she should feel quite at liberty to dedicate any new novel to the Prince.

The art and antiques business received some welcome positive publicity last week as a raft of national newspapers picked up on the headline findings of the first RICS Art & Antiques Market Survey.

The Louvre have secured the return of a French Crown Jewel after 121 years, through a private sale with Christie’s New York.

Cheshire auctioneers Robert Stones and Nick Allsopp of Peter Wilson, in Nantwich, have taken part in an experiment at King’s College, London, test-driving the so-called ‘intelligent gavel’.

The Harris Museum & Art Gallery in Preston, Lancashire will unveil a new Ceramics and Glass Gallery on May 14.

The World Jewellery Confederation have drawn up a voluntary code as a first step in trying to establish an international standard for precious metal jewellery, flatware and hollowware.

Two strong results for very different pieces were produced in Christie’s double bill of English furniture on April 24.

SOMEWHERE on a shelf in a pub in the Midlands there may be five rare books that could throw a whole new light on the Brontë family.