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Export bar placed on Alan Turing’s unpublished Second World War papers

20 August 2024

A remarkable archive of newly discovered scientific papers by the mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing and his collaborator Donald Bayley has been temporarily blocked from export.

2910 NE Spink Iron Age

Iron Age coin bearing the name of a hitherto unknown British ruler is blocked from export

16 August 2024

A temporary export bar has been placed on a British coin sold at auction that features the never-seen-before name Esunertos.

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Shackleton’s Polar Medal blocked from export

12 February 2024

A temporary export block has been placed on Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Polar Medal in the hope a buyer in the UK can pay £1.7m.

Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Polar medal.

UK buyer sought for Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Polar medal

02 February 2024

A temporary export block has been placed on Sir Ernest Shackleton’s polar medal in the hope a buyer in the UK can pay £1.7m.

Fra Angelico panel

Export block on Fra Angelico panel and museums compete for 12th-century walrus ivory carving

09 January 2024

Two rare artworks sold through auction houses Christie’s and Sotheby’s have been temporarily blocked from export to give UK museums a chance to buy the multi-million-pound treasures.

Hans Coper vase

Call for UK museum to buy rare Hans Coper bottle vase owned by Henry Moore

13 December 2023

A bottle vase by the famed studio potter Hans Coper which was owned by the world-renowned sculptor Henry Moore has been blocked from export in the hope a UK institution can raise the £600,000 price tag.

New Testament bible

Medieval bible 'looted during Hundred Years' War' blocked from export

09 November 2023

A New Testament bible formerly owned by the French King Jean II but believed to have been in the UK for more than 600 years has been temporarily barred from export.

Tapestry

Funds needed to buy Henry VIII tapestry to return it to UK

24 July 2023

A previously lost tapestry, commissioned by Henry VIII for Hampton Court during the turmoil of the English Reformation, is a step closer to returning to the UK for public display.

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Album revealing roots of Kew gardens is on export hold

24 July 2023

A group of drawings which helped develop the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew have been temporarily blocked from export in the hope a UK buyer can step in.

Giacometti chandelier

UK buyers sought for Giacometti bronze chandelier and 18th-century botanical drawings

18 July 2023

A Giacometti chandelier and drawings which helped develop Kew Gardens have been blocked from export in the hope a UK institution will raise funding.

Risaldar Jagat Singh and Risaldar Man Singh

UK buyer sought for Philip de László painting of two Indian soldiers

19 April 2023

A temporary export block has been placed on a portrait of cavalry officers in the British Indian Army by Philip de László, in the hope it can be purchased by a UK institution.

Omai

The National Portrait Gallery and Getty Museum to jointly buy Reynolds’ Omai portrait

31 March 2023

Sir Joshua Reynolds’ Portrait of Mai (Omai) has been bought jointly by The National Portrait Gallery and the Getty Museum after long-running discussions.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge's anti-slavery poem

Search for UK institution to buy Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s anti-slavery manuscript

21 March 2023

An anti-slavery poem written in ancient Greek by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) has been temporarily barred from being exported from the UK.

Kellett sledge flag

Cash call from Navy museum to help buy Kellett sledge flag

14 March 2023

The National Museum of the Royal Navy is launching a fundraising plan to buy a flag from polar explorer Captain Henry Kellett (1806-75).

Gould drawing

English School double portrait and Gould watercolours are among the latest artworks to be saved by the nation

26 January 2023

Six artworks are set to be saved for the nation according to the latest Exports of Objects of Cultural Interest report.

Egyptian limestone relief

UK museum sought for Egyptian limestone relief depicting women musicians in pharaoh’s palace

25 January 2023

A limestone relief depicting a group of female musicians in the palace of the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten has been temporarily blocked from export.

The Nativity

Ulster Museum acquires 16th century Nativity scene

05 January 2023

An Italian Nativity scene has been saved for the nation after it was blocked from export by the government.

Ivory casket

UK buyer sought for £1.5m French gothic ivory casket

06 December 2022

A 14th century French gothic ivory casket or coffret has been blocked from export by the UK government in the hope a British institution can raise the £1.5m funds needed to keep it in the country.

Squadron Leader Scarf

UK buyer sought for record breaking RAF Victoria Cross medal

01 November 2022

An export block has been issued on a Victoria Cross medal in the hope a UK buyer will emerge.

Parchment roundels

UK buyer sought for Elizabeth I roundels 

20 September 2022

A conjoined roundel manuscript given by the Archbishop of Canterbury to Queen Elizabeth I has been temporarily blocked from export in the hope a UK institution can raise the funds.