Law, crime and regulation

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including the arrest of antiquities dealers and experts in Paris relating to looted Middle Eastern artefacts.

Following the removal of four lots from a New York sale, Christie’s has expressed frustration at being denied access to key information on possible looted antiquities.

A trading standards investigation has unearthed a ‘medal factory’ in Derbyshire, sparking the fear that thousands of fake military awards and badges could be in circulation.

The antiquities trade has welcomed a new independent report that estimates the volume of looted objects on the market is much smaller than previous reports have suggested.

As the implementation of the Ivory Act 2018 draws closer, it is approaching closing time at the last-chance saloon for UK owners who wish to monetise Art Deco chryselephantine sculpture.

Painting went through lengthy ownership saga before being returned to family and then sold.

The Export Licensing Unit (ELU), which closed under the March lockdown, has reopened with a new temporary procedure.

Dealers and collectors of antique ivory will seek to take their case to the Supreme Court after the Court of Appeal rejected their latest challenge to the Ivory Act 2018.

The art market is lobbying for the reopening of the Export Licensing Unit (ELU) which closed in March.

Historically verifiable ownership is very different from having an opinion

International exports are predicted to return to growth following the easing of the lockdown in the UK. However, current art and antiques exports have slowed to a trickle.