Law, crime and regulation

As part of the new prime minister Boris Johnson’s Cabinet reshuffle, new ministers for culture and for the environment have been appointed.

The Newbattle Abbey Kunstkammer is the latest work of art to be granted an export licence this year, despite the arts minister’s attempts to retain them for the nation.

London Auctions Ltd is insolvent and has entered liquidation proceedings. The west London firm, based at 30-34 Chiswick High Road is understood to have debts of more than £137,000 with around £44,000 owed to unpaid consignors.

A High Court judge has given the go-ahead for a full hearing on the legality of the controversial Ivory Act, due to usher in a near-total ban on the UK trade in antique ivory when it comes into force later this year.

Christie’s has reiterated that it “carried out extensive due diligence” into a head of Tutankhamun after the Egyptian National Committee for Antiquities Repatriation (NCAR) said that it will instruct a UK law firm to file a lawsuit over its £4m sale.

A snuff shoe belonging to dealer J Collins & Son was stolen at the IACF Ardingly fair in West Sussex from a stand in the Norfolk Pavilion.

Antiques belonging to dealer John Langin of RA Barnes Antiques were stolen on two occasions from outside his stall at Portobello Road market last month.

An 18th century watercolour by the artist who John Constable described as a genius has been barred from export in the hope a UK buyer can be found.

A renewed threat to tax Chinese art imports into the US, including those from the UK, would harm the local antiques trade and instead benefit China, US trade officials have heard.

Members of a crime gang believed to be behind the 2017 theft of 260 rare books in west London have been arrested in a joint operation with authorities across Romania, the UK and Italy.

A bronze statue of St Michael the Archangel that had previously been taken 19 years ago has been stolen again from its place at the top of a war memorial in the churchyard of St John the Baptist Church in Eversholt, Bedfordshire.

A ‘colossal and extraordinary grotesque grinning crab’ by the Martin Brothers that sold at auction last year has been temporarily barred from export from the UK.

A set of pier tables and mirrors from the Thomas Chippendale workshop has been accepted in lieu for the nation and allocated to the Victoria & Albert Museum.

A new international body is being set up to promote and support the creation of catalogue raisonnés.

Dating from the 12th and early 13th centuries, the Lewis Chessmen collection was rediscovered on Lewis in 1831 and is among the most famous archaeological finds.