Internet

A chance to own one of the first Apple computers ever made is on offer at Christie’s online-only auction ending on Thursday.

An auction that coincided with the 40th anniversary of Margaret Thatcher’s historic election as the UK’s first female prime minister, raised a premium-inclusive £1.08m at Christie’s.

Dealer portal Online Galleries is to close on July 1 with its US owner choosing to focus instead on growing the art, antiques and vintage online marketplace 1stdibs.

Christie’s will sell a collection of art and design objects through marketplace 1stdibs.

New technology designed to offer dealers a more secure way to accept payment aims to combat issues such as fraud, money laundering and other cybercrime facing the market.

The cost to firms of cyber fraudsters' invoice scams reached nearly £100m in 2018 and small businesses, such as those in the art and antiques trade, remain vulnerable, according to the latest report.

A new record for any item sold in an online-only sale at Sotheby’s was set when the Nobel Memorial Prize for Economic Science awarded to Friedrich von Hayek (1899-1982) sold for £950,000.

Norfolk sisters Catherine and Shelley-Anne Wilford have launched Beeston Auction House after the retirement of the owners of Townsend Auction Galleries.

EBay has announced a change to its postal tracking policy as a caution against buyers who fraudulently claim they never received items that were sent.

Modern British art specialist Liss Llewellyn has divided its business across two buying platforms to help customers search for and find pictures from its 4000 items of stock more easily.

The auction house handling the much-contested sale of Boris Becker’s personal collection has said the event will now take place next year. It follows the bankrupt former tennis champion dropping his claim to diplomatic immunity.

Viyet, a website selling interior design objects, vintage and antique furniture which auction house Sotheby’s bought earlier this year, has been relaunched as Sotheby’s Home.

The Kairos Collective, an online dealing platform for antique and designer furniture, has stopped charging commission on every sale as part of a major change in its trading model.