Law, crime and regulation

A Superior Court judge in Los Angeles heard the opening salvos in a legal challenge to California’s uncompromising law that bans the sale of practically all ivory objects – including those fashioned from narwhal and walrus tusks and sperm whale teeth.

Leaders of art and antiques trade bodies from key markets are due to discuss the rising tide of regulation against ivory, and the consequent threat to the trade of antique ivory, when they meet at the annual gathering international dealers in Paris later this week.

Two barons of the Paris antiques trade have been questioned in connection with the so-called Affaire Jean Lupu, a growing scandal surrounding fakes.

The UK Government’s cultural property bill currently going through parliament needs “vital changes” to be workable and to safeguard “legitimate art market interests”, says the Antiquities Dealers’ Association (ADA).

The EU’s planned crackdown on terrorism funding and the way it is investigating possible legislation is a ‘big concern to the trade’.

Two large Old Master paintings worth up to €180,000 (£123,530) have been returned to Italy 22 years after they were stolen.

A man has been jailed for life over of the fatal stabbing of print dealer Justin Skrebowski.

A 48-year-old man has been sentenced to three years and eight months at Hereford Crown Court for the theft of works of art from churches across the country.

Joseph Chait, a 38-year-old senior auction administrator with IM Chait gallery and auction house in Beverly Hills, has pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to smuggle items of rhino horn, ivory, coral and a hornbill casque.

The Union Customs Code (UCC), designed to standardise how customs information is processed, became law on May 1.

A rare American stamp stolen in 1955 in one of the most famous thefts in philatelic history has been recovered after turning up at Spink.

Police have asked for information from any members of the art and antiques trade who may have had recent dealings with the late Adrian Greenwood who was found dead at his home in Oxford last week.

Russian allegations that ISIS is netting $150-$200m annually from the sale of looted Syrian and Iraqi antiquities have been dismissed by the International Association of Dealers in Ancient Art (IADAA).

The prosecution in the trial of the Cols Rouges – the erstwhile portering staff at Hôtel Drouot, the communal saleroom facility used by most Paris auctioneers – have called for prison sentences of up to five years and fines of €250,000 for those found guilty of theft and criminal conspiracy.

An important drawing by Paolo Veronese (1528-1588) that changed hands in a major private sale has been temporarily stopped from leaving the UK.

Following the death of print dealer Justin Skrebowski, 52,000 people have now signed a petition launched by his widow, Gulsen Alkan, to make knife sales safer.

Police have arrested a third man in connection with the death of antique silver dealer Robyn Mercer.

Tributes have been paid to Robyn Mercer, the antique silver dealer who was found dead at her home in West Molesey, Surrey last week.

Surrey Police have confirmed that a second man was arrested today on suspicion of the murder of antiques dealer Robyn Mercer.

Auction houses selling wine, whisky and other alcoholic drinks to other businesses face criminal convictions and fines up to £10,000 if they fail to register for a new HMRC scheme that aims to police the sale of alcohol to retailers and capture an estimated £1.2bn in unpaid tax.