Museum acquisitions
Museums often acquire works through donations but, in spite of funding constraints, they also make purchases to expand their collections, either bidding at auctions, negotiating private treaty sales or, in the UK, via the Acceptance in Lieu scheme.
![Mottisfont seal matrix](/media/94089/mottisfont-medieval-seal-and-seal-matrix-national-trust-images-james-dobson-1616370.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133350328300000000)
Rare medieval seal matrix bought by the National Trust at auction returns to its original home after 500 years
01 August 2023A rare medieval seal matrix that was found by a metal detectorist in a field and offered at auction will now go on display at its original home.
![Henry VIII](/media/94043/2603nedi-tapestry.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133346792330000000)
Rich tapestries: fundraising plans for historic textiles
25 July 2023Fundraising is under way at two museums and a third has just finished a lengthy conservation project.
![Tapestry](/media/94010/img_5-1.jpg?rxy=0.3089887640449438,0.47094801223241589&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133346782240000000)
Funds needed to buy Henry VIII tapestry to return it to UK
24 July 2023A previously lost tapestry, commissioned by Henry VIII for Hampton Court during the turmoil of the English Reformation, is a step closer to returning to the UK for public display.
![Title page of cricket book](/media/93662/img_1-1.jpg?rxy=0.48979591836734693,0.25938566552901021&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133340611540000000)
Howzat: British Library nets rare cricket book from dealer
17 July 2023An early book on cricket from the library of commentator John Arlott has been acquired for the British Library from London dealership Peter Harrington.
![Most Read.jpg](/media/34324/most-read.jpg?rxy=0.48987108655616945,0.5&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=131837333650000000)
Top stories this week including news of a Warwickshire museum buying a rare interracial portrait
02 July 2023The most viewed stories on this website over the last week included news of a Compton Verney’s purchase of a rare 17th century double portrait depicting two women, one black and one white.
![Missal prayer book](/media/93191/inscriptions-and-annotations-by-fr-huddleston-national-trust-james-dobson.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133321950670000000)
National Trust unveils prayer book connected to Charles II's escape bought at Liverpool auction
27 June 2023The National Trust has confirmed its purchase of a prayer book at auction in Liverpool which is now on display at Staffordshire farmhouse Moseley Old Hall.
![Rebecca Solomon picture](/media/93158/img_5-1.jpg?rxy=0.484629294755877,0.430622009569378&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133322554910000000)
Solomon work to stay in UK after two museums step in following auction
26 June 2023A work by Rebecca Solomon (1832-86) originally offered at Sotheby’s and later blocked from export to the US has been bought by two UK museums.
![Double portrait](/media/92991/double-portrait-2.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133319872200000000)
Compton Verney buys rare 17th century double portrait of black and white women
23 June 2023Compton Verney has confirmed the purchase of a rare 17th century double portrait depicting two women, one black and one white. It had previously sold at auction in 2021.
![Joseph Wright of Derby Self Portrait](/media/92982/joseph-wright-of-derby-self-portrait-at-the-age-of-about-forty-c-1772-73-derby-museums-art-funded-2022-images-omnia-art.jpg?rxy=0.46692607003891051,0.34076433121019106&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133317494920000000)
Art Fund helps museums to buy 900 items in 2022 with £4.5m of funding
22 June 2023The Art Fund’s latest annual review revealed it had helped support acquisitions of more than 900 objects and works of art for museums in 2022.
![William Holman-Hunt’s medal](/media/92806/img_4-4.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133315905800000000)
Holman-Hunt’s RSA medal purchased by the Ashmolean
19 June 2023A medal awarded to Pre- Raphaelite Brotherhood artist William Holman-Hunt (1827- 1910) has been purchased by the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford from dealer Tregeagle Fine Art.
![Corday letter](/media/92606/osenat-corday-letter-charlotte-corday.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133312267920000000)
Letter by Marat murderer Corday bought by Normandy institutions
14 June 2023A letter of justification by the woman who assassinated the French Revolutionary journalist and politician Jean-Paul Marat has been bought by a group of Normandy institutions at auction.
![Renoir](/media/92605/66263807_jpeg-large.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133312267550000000)
Ulster Museum buys a Renoir – the first Impressionist painting to enter a Northern Irish public collection
13 June 2023National Museums NI has bought Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s (1841-1919) L’allée au bois via the government’s Acceptance in Lieu scheme for the Ulster Museum.
![Constable drawing](/media/92424/2597ne-constable-drawing.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133306330540000000)
Constable drawing returns to Colchester
08 June 2023A John Constable drawing of St Botolph’s Priory is to return ‘home’ after Friends of Colchester Museums purchased it from a client of auction house Roseberys.
![Roan bust](/media/91069/2591nedi-roman-bust.jpg?rxy=0.53166666666666662,0.36873508353221957&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133269867440000000)
Roman bust found in Texas charity shop to return to Ludwig I’s collection in Germany after more than 70 years away
27 April 2023A Roman bust discovered in a US charity shop and bought for just $34.99 will be repatriated to Germany.
![Millicent Garrett Fawcett](/media/90800/img_4-1.jpg?rxy=0.47333333333333333,0.31159420289855072&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133261958880000000)
Swynnerton’s Suffragette portrait of Millicent Fawcett enters Parliament
17 April 2023A rediscovered portrait of a leading figure in the fight for women’s suffrage has been purchased for the UK Parliament.
![Roman Missal prayer book](/media/90583/img_4-3.jpg?rxy=0.77909738717339672,0.13274336283185842&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133255998500000000)
National Trust buys prayer book of ‘Charles II’s priest’ for Moseley Old Hall
15 April 2023The National Trust has bought a prayer book at auction in Liverpool for display at Staffordshire farmhouse Moseley Old Hall.
![img_9-2.jpg](/media/90622/img_9-2.jpg?width=125&height=125&rmode=max&updated=04%2f07%2f2023+09%3a39%3a03)
Omai (Mai) saga ends with a joint purchase
10 April 2023Sir Joshua Reynolds’ Portrait of Omai, now to be known as Mai, will be bought jointly by The National Portrait Gallery and the Getty Museum after long-running discussions.
![img_32-5.jpg](/media/90558/img_32-5.jpg?rxy=0.16977611940298507,0.620253164556962&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133255985790000000)
US museum sales for Forge and Lynch during Asia Week
10 April 2023Oliver Forge and Brendan Lynch made a series of sales to US museums at the recent edition of Asia Week New York (March 15-30).
![img_24-1.jpg](/media/90344/img_24-1.jpg?rxy=0.4111310592459605,0.58314350797266512&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133249950790000000)
Millennials and museums flock to TEFAF Maastricht
03 April 2023Dealers at the Dutch art and antiques fair noticed a welcome trend of more eclectic tastes among younger buyers
![Victorian sporting jacket](/media/90399/img_5-4.jpg?rxy=0.48909090909090908,0.34830097087378642&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133249852140000000)
Victorian ladies’ cycling gear wheels its way to Australia after wealthy donor bids at auction
03 April 2023A Victorian ladies’ sporting jacket believed to have been used for cycling has been bought for the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne, Australia.
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