Private Sales

A legal claim lodged against Christie’s in New York has highlighted some of the practices relating to private sales that top-end auctioneers make behind closed doors.

A bookshop’s tweet announcing it had sold a book that had been on its shelf for 27 years went viral over the weekend.

A replica of the largest Roman mosaic to be found in Britain could return home to Gloucestershire where it was made.

A rare 17th century Chinese silver ewer has been acquired by the Palace of Versailles in a private treaty sale conducted by the auction firm Beaussant Lefèvre. It is the only known surviving piece of silverware from a lavish diplomatic gift presented to Louis XIV by the King of Siam (Thailand) in 1686.

The bronze figure known as the ‘Dresden Mars’ is returning home after the Dresden State Art Collections agreed to buy the artwork ahead of a planned auction tomorrow.

Sotheby’s has negotiated the private sale of a still life by Juan de Zurbarán (1620-1649) to the National Gallery, London.

TEFAF Maastricht's preview opened today at the MECC with 275 exhibitors showcasing 7000 years of art history.

A painting that dealer Philip Mould twice bought and sold more than 15 years ago has been attributed to John Constable in the first episode in the new series of the BBC’s 'Fake or Fortune?'.

London gallery Bowman Sculpture has a sold an Emily Young sculpture to the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, US.

A court in the US will decide the fate of more than 5500 Titanic artefacts after the company that owns them filed for bankruptcy.

Continuing the run of ex-Sotheby’s and Christie’s staff joining Phillips, Miety Heiden has been appointed as deputy chairman and head of private sales.

A photo album giving a glimpse of late 19th century life in one of Britain’s most distinguished country seats is heading back home.

Oprah Winfrey has been revealed as the buyer of Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II from Christie’s in 2006 after reports emerged that she sold the painting last year for a $63m profit.

One collection that Sotheby's and Christie's will not be selling this season is that of Ileana Sonnabend. In what has been described as the largest private sale of art ever, the heirs of the legendary New York dealer who died in October 2007 have recently parted with some $600m worth of paintings and sculptures (including Jeff Koons’ 1986 Rabbit valued at $80m) to cover their estate taxes.

Sotheby’s have announced the private treaty sale of a Guarneri del Gesu violin to the Russian businessman and collector, Maxim Viktorov.