Organisations

A £42,500 grant from the National Art Collections Fund (Art Fund), the UK’s largest independent art charity, has helped the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside acquire an English astronomical table clock (1787) by Thomas Barry (1756-c.1820).

THE National Arts Collection Fund have announced a raft of new grants to celebrate the start of their centenary year. First up is a grant of £33,000 towards the £132,000 needed by the Glasgow Museums to acquire Harry Clarke’s stained glass window depicting the Coronation of the Virgin.

COSTAS Kleanthous, pictured right, has been appointed a director of the board of LAPADA, the UK’s largest professional art and antique dealers’ association.

Brian Allen, Chairman Elect of the National Arts Collection Fund, has announced that they will celebrate their centenary in 2003 with a £1m purchase.

THE British Antique Dealers Association are advising members who qualify for compensation in the wake of the Sotheby’s/Christie’s price fixing case not to miss the claims deadline.

FACING up to the decline in demand for brown furniture was the central issue taxing the National Association of Valuers and Auctioneers (NAVA) at their annual general meeting in Cardiff.

WHILE the bubble may be bursting in some fields of collecting, Beatlemania looks like remaining a safe bet for a long time to come. The latest eye-popping bid for a piece of the Fab Four came on eBay when this 1968 Yellow Submarine bubble gum store display box, right, complete with 40 original, mint condition Beatles gum packs made £15,100.

The patent dispute pitching a Virginia inventor against eBay appears to be heading to trial. US District Court Judge Jerome Friedman issued a series of rulings in late October that, while firming up aspects of eBay’s defence, rejected the company’s attempts to have the claims – made by MercExchange, a Virginia technology company – thrown out.

UK: THE RICS Antiques and Fine Arts Faculty is working on a plan to develop a masters degree for graduates who hold a degree not accredited by the RICS.

THE Society of Fine Art Auctioneers have voted through measures to widen their membership and strengthen their influence as a professional body. Thirty five of the 36 members took part in the ballot – all of them voted to open up the membership to include valuers and individual associate members. Until now, membership has been restricted to auction firms.

Listings on eBay can sometimes be prone to hyperbole but when a seller from Ontario, Canada described this remarkable object as “definitely one of the finest sticking tommy candlesticks ever made” few enthusiasts of antique mining collectables could have argued.

LAPADA, the UK’s largest dealer association, have launched the LAPADA Wedding Present Service in a bid to boost business for their more than 700 members.

WITH the backing of 65 per cent of a PayPal shareholders vote, eBay have completed their acquisition of the leading online payments company. Despite the overwhelming approval of the merger, some shareholders did object to it, suing eBay and PayPal in an attempt to block the acquisition.

COMPLEX bureaucracy and form filling are the biggest threat to small business – the backbone of the European art market – says Anthony Browne, chairman of the British Art Market Federation.

Members of the Society of Fine Art Auctioneers are being asked to vote by post this month on far-reaching proposals which could significantly change the nature and power base of the society.

THE RICS have announced details of their 2002 Fine Arts Conference, which will be held in Amsterdam from November 14-17. Highlights of the conference include a day at the Rijksmuseum prior to its renovation next year during which time its displays will be significantly reduced.

LAPADA are to launch an innovative scheme to attract new collectors at their Fine Art and Antiques Fair at the Commonwealth Institute, in London from October 9 to 13.

PAYPAL, the leading online payment service, are facing a new challenge that could scupper eBay’s attempt to take them over.

Christian Deydier, head of the Syndicat National des Antiquaires, sees lobbying for change as one of his most important roles. With help from his Vice-President Hervé Aaron, and Honorary President Philippe Kraemer, Deydier promises to “give it everything when it comes to lobbying… We must make the most of current favourable circumstances.”

The mysteries of the auction process will now be much easier to understand thanks to a new publication, A Guide to Buying and Selling at Auction, from RICS.