Organisations

At their annual conference in Warwickshire on May 16 the National Association of Valuers and Auctioneeers (NAVA) announced the launch of a new foundation degree in valuation and auctioneering which has just been validated by the University of Wolverhampton.

A RADICAL shake-up in the overall organisation, marketing and direction of Palm Beach | America's International Fine Art & Antiques Fair is underway. It will guarantee the future security of the event as a premier American fixture for the next five years and bring in a number of top dealers as part of the organisation.

A rare intervention by the London Assay Office has resulted in the wholesale withdrawal of a 124-lot collection of silver bosun’s calls scheduled to be sold in London last week.

AFTER suspending the membership of London dealer John Hobbs following allegations made against him in the press in early April, the British Antique Dealers’ Association have announced that Mr Hobbs has resigned from the association.

The art and antiques business received some welcome positive publicity last week as a raft of national newspapers picked up on the headline findings of the first RICS Art & Antiques Market Survey.

In a move that will impact hundreds of auctioneers worldwide, eBay are to discontinue their Live Auctions business by the end of this year.

The British Antique Dealers’ Association have suspended the membership of John Hobbs pending an inquiry into the allegations made against the Pimlico Road dealer in a national newspaper.

The Art Loss Register (ALR) have defended their decision to mislead Kent dealer Michael Marks in the Souza paintings case after members of the trade expressed strong concern at the agency’s actions.

Clockworx Ltd, best known under one of its former trading names Auctioning4u, were among the first of the eBay drop-off shops.

A DEALER has had to hand over £300,000 worth of paintings after a judge ruled that his records were not sufficient to show he had acquired them in good faith. He is also facing what is anticipated to be a six-figure bill for costs.

The Society of Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers are to award a £1000 prize in a competition for the best industry-related essay by a junior employee of a SOFAA-registered company.

Dmg World Media are bringing together their extensive American art and antiques fairs network under a new management division based in San Francisco called Art & Antiques Fairs, North America.

Sellers can no longer leave comments on buyers while final value fees are hiked

The results of the 2007 LAPADA membership survey broadly suggest a steady market throughout the previous year. Forty per cent of respondents reported a similar turnover to 2006 and 48 per cent expected it to be about the same in 2008.

EU ruling may supersede court decision on eBay’s status

THE British Museum were credited with uncovering the fraud that led to the jailing of serial faker Shaun Greenhalgh two weeks ago, while auction houses and the trade were criticised for selling his work.

LAPADA have appointed Emma Kendrick-White, to be fair organiser for their London showcase Objects of Desire: The LAPADA London Fair, the third of which will be held at the Royal Academy, Burlington Gardens from May 8 to 11 next year.

There were winners all round as Asian Art In London celebrated its tenth anniversary with a gala party in the Hotung Gallery of the British Museum last Tuesday.

The Art Fund have announced the five £1m winners of Art Fund International, the scheme dedicated to building collections of international contemporary art at regional UK museums and galleries.

THE Good Web Guide has just published its review of the Antiques Trade Gazette websites, including the-saleroom.com, and given them a five-star rating.