Online portals

THE Antiques are Green campaign, launched by Beaconsfield dealer Nigel Worboys earlier this year, is gaining momentum. Now we want as many people to back it as possible.

IN a fresh attempt to help the fight against the illicit art trade, the international police organisation Interpol has made its database of stolen art available to access online.

THE English Ceramic Circle’s annual loan exhibition marks the launch of a major research project to record dated and documentary English pottery and porcelain on their website.

CHRISTIE’S have launched legal action against US Internet entrepreneur Halsey Minor. Minor took Christie’s to court last December, accusing the auction house of fraud and a number of other torts after pictures he consigned to Christie’s dealership Haunch of Venison in May 2008 were not returned “in a timely fashion” when they failed to sell.

A NEW website has been launched which aims to do for antique silver what abebooks.com has done for the antiquarian and secondhand book trade.

EBAY UK have launched a new anti-counterfeit campaign and want to work closely with the antiques industry to beat the fakers.

BURRELLS Antique Desks have won their case against rival dealer Steve Campbell in a dispute over his use of their name to divert customers to his business via the internet.

ATG Media have launched an award to find the Best Auctioneer on the Internet.

THIRTY antiquarian books on the subject of silver are now available in digital form online.

LIVEAUCTIONEERS have posted figures for their first quarter as a stand-alone online auctions platform.

A COUPLE dealing in antique desks have issued a warning over internet addresses after discovering that a rival was using their name to divert potential customers to his own website.

ATG Media have launched their bid to replace eBay as the primary provider of live online auctions. There have been several companies jockeying for position since the demise of eBay Live Auctions at the end of last year, but ATG Media, who also own Antiques Trade Gazette, argue that their new partnership scheme offers the best deal.

THE Science Museum are to launch an online database of 2500 objects covering centuries of medical history from their collection. Brought to Life: Exploring the History of Medicine, goes online on March 2, primarily as a resource for GCSE students and undergraduates, but is also expected to be a useful research tool for antiques specialists.

A Mary Fedden watercolour is among the items for sale on the philanthropic auction site www.buyoncegivetwice.co.uk

Online retail giant Amazon.com have announced their intention to purchase AbeBooks, the most important internet marketplace for rare and out-of-print books.

Atlanta-based WorthPoint, an online database and social network for antiques and collectibles, have announced its intent to acquire GoAntiques, the online buying and selling network.

A FRENCH company has launched a new online stolen art database which allows victims of theft to offer rewards directly.

A NEW detailed survey of online art market information services concludes that they have a long way to go to be able to provide reliable information for art investors.

A NEW internet innovation for the art market has been launched with the aim of making it easier to assess shipping costs and cutting delays in having works dispatched.

Auction houses and antiques malls in the United States are reporting a surge in overseas buying on the internet thanks to the weak dollar.