Law, crime and regulation

Police have recovered a haul of stolen Asian artworks and returned them to the Museum of East Asian Art in Bath.

A significant amendment means that the new law governing the sale of bladed items will not impact buyers of antique weapons as once feared.

The global art market is preparing to defend itself against a renewed US threat to tax Chinese art imports, as part of President Trump’s trade war with China.

In her talk titled 'Grey Matter – Detecting Stolen Books in Circulation' at a recent symposium organised by ILAB, Margaret Ford of Christie’s set out her own five-point plan to address the problem of stolen books – or books with title issues – in the market.

In the wake of more high-profile book thefts, the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers is tackling head-on the sometimes thorny issue of provenance.

Police appeal after jewellery and cash worth £830,000 stolen in night heist

In 2006 a well-known philatelist submitted three important penny red stamps on cover to the Royal Philatelic Society (‘RPSL’) for an opinion on authenticity. The response came that they had been ‘faked’. The process was repeated in 2014 and the same reply received.

The government is seeking views from the art and antiques market on how new anti-money laundering laws will impact the trade.

The art and antiques trade has described the introduction of new controls on the import of cultural goods as a “considerable blow” to the market.

Stupidity is no defence if suspicious transactions are a serious possibility.

Copy of a letter sent to Jeremy Wright MP, secretary of state for culture, concerning the temporary export ban placed on a 350-year-old cabinet by Baroque artisan Giacomo Herman in the hope a buyer can be found to keep it in the UK (see ATG No 2388):