Law, crime and regulation

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.

A consultation into the trade of non-elephant ivory has been launched to find out whether the government should take further action to restrict the trade in ivory.

Chinese art and antiques are part of a new list of $300bn-plus of imports drawn up by President Trump’s administration in the country’s escalating trade war with China, ATG understands.

The Court of Appeals in London has upheld a decision that said advisor Simon de Pury was entitled to a $10m fee on the strength of a handshake agreement.

Writers’ association English PEN has launched a campaign to raise the £56,250 needed to buy the judge's copy of 'Lady Chatterley’s Lover' that has been barred from export.