Law, crime and regulation

US antiques dealers have been granted permission by a court judge to go forward with a lawsuit challenging New York's complete ban on the trade of elephant ivory and rhinoceros horn, regardless of age, within state lines.

Dealers in Chinese art remain on high alert as art and antiques appeared on a new list of Chinese goods facing a 10% US import tariff from September 1.

The FBI’s art crime team and auction house Christie’s have returned a pair of Louis XVI bronze vases that were stolen by the Nazis to the heirs of the original Jewish owners.

Claude Monet’s ‘Le Palais Ducal’ has been temporarily blocked from export in the hope that a UK buyer can raise the £28.2m needed.

A JMW Turner landscape valued at £10m will be exported overseas unless funding can be raised to keep it in the UK.

A glove signed by boxer Muhammad Ali, a 2ft bronze Buddha, a 19th century silk Persian rug and a Persian limestone relief panel were among the items reported stolen in a burglary of a garage in Maida Vale, north London.

A rare portrait of the dancer Vaslav Nijinsky has been temporarily stopped from export from the UK in the hope a museum can raise the funds to keep it in the country.

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.