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One of the most interesting things about auctions is how unusual objects from one side of the world come to be sold on the other, often with no apparent link.

Police made 20 arrests after a series of dawn raids linked to the investigation into the theft of Chinese artefacts and a rhino horn last year.

Whitehall officials overseeing CITES enforcement have removed guidelines from their website after conceding that they are confusing.

Christie’s have announced that from September 30 their main buyer’s premium structure will change to the following:

The London Borough of Croydon has chosen Christie’s as the auctioneers for its controversial sale of 24 Chinese works of art from its collection.

The Society of Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers held a seminar titled ‘CITES, What’s Going On?’ in London on September 2 attended by more than 40 members.

As so often happens, a spectacular price for a very rare object will bring another out of the woodwork.

Break-ins to target jewellery dealers are not exactly uncommon these days, sadly, but there can’t be many involving home-made boats built to make a getaway.

The US Fish & Wildlife Service has brought a series of prosecutions as part of Operation Crash, a nationwide crackdown on cross-border trafficking in rhinoceros horn works of art.

Three pieces of Victorian art from the Leverhulme collection will be offered at Sotheby’s in London later this year with a combined estimate of £9m-14m.

The competition for private sales among the leading auction rooms will step up during the coming weeks as both Sotheby’s and Christie’s hold exhibitions at their new private galleries in London.

Borro have introduced a concierge service to help make their asset-backed loans programme much easier and quicker to use for clients across the UK.

More than 2000 objects from a Dorset toy museum will come under the hammer in November.

The University of London is reported to have cancelled plans to auction off a rare set of four early Shakespeare folios to raise funds for further acquisitions.

An autographed letter signed from Charlotte Brontë doubled its estimate to make £24,000 at Lyon & Turnbull’s September 4 rare books, maps and manuscripts sale in Edinburgh.

With the Royal Academy opening a major show of Australian art in London on September 21, Christie’s will hope the added attention on this sector will yield benefit at their specialist sale being held in the Capital the week after.

A remarkable archive of Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s personal property makes its second visit to the auction room in less than a decade this month when it is offered by Heritage Auctions in New York.

Nelson Events and IACF have announced that they will start charging reduced rate VAT on stands at their fairs from October 1. In a letter to ATG this week, they explain why they have been forced into this move, albeit reluctantly.

Antiques traders in Portobello Market have been praised by police for their help in catching a vicious gang who have now been jailed for a string of terrifying robberies netting jewellery worth nearly £250,000.

Speculation over the future of Sotheby’s has been rife since Wall Street hedge fund billionaire Daniel Loeb’s firm Third Point announced it had acquired a 5.7% stake in the firm.