Organisations

LAPADA, the UK’s largest antiques trade association, are to launch a new division called LAPADA Modern in March.

DMG, one of the world’s biggest antiques fair organisers, have sold another show from their American portfolio.

A VOLUNTEER at the Royal Signals Regiment Museum in Blandford, Dorset, has been jailed for 12 months for stealing £33,000 of medals and selling them on eBay.

DMG Antiques Fairs say they have increased security following the theft of £80,000 worth of jewellery at their Ardingly fair on September 3.

It was all smiles as ATG Editor-in-Chief Mark Bridge presented the awards to the prizewinners at the Asian Art In London champagne gala reception at the Victoria and Albert Museum on November 4.

THE British Antique Dealers’ Association celebrated its 90th anniversary with a dinner for 160 members and guests at Fishmongers Hall in the City of London on November 4.

BONHAMS announced last week that all their businesses worldwide would now be subject to external regulation by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Chairman Robert Brooks, who has consistently called for greater transparency in the auction system, explained why they had chosen to become a firm “regulated by RICS”.

EBAY are to ban the sale of ivory products on its USA site from January.

AN eBay user is being threatened with a libel action after posting negative feedback about a seller.

DMG Antiques Fairs say there will be no quick sale of their portfolio of antiques fairs following the sale of ATG and the Palm Beach International Art and Antiques Fair.

The University of Wolverhampton have announced they will launch a new two-year Foundation Degree in Auctioneering and Valuation in February 2009.

Antiques Trade Gazette and all its ancillary businesses have been acquired from parent company dmgworldmedia in a management buy-out.

STREET art by Banksy – until now a problem area at auction because of authentication – is about to be brought in from the cold thanks to a new independent verification body.

The Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS) have announced their search for a new chief executive after the resignation of Joanna Cave. During her eight years at the helm, Ms Cave led the campaign for the Artist’s Resale Right in the UK against fierce opposition from the British art trade.

Markenfield Hall, a 14th century moated manor house near Ripon in Yorkshire, has won the new Historic Houses Association and Sotheby’s Restoration Award for 2008.

Ebay have announced more initiatives to speed their evolution from auction site to online retail environment.

The Reserve Bank of Australia are to challenge eBay on their decision to make PayPal mandatory on all sales listings. The RBA says it will “shortly be holding discussions with PayPal [an eBay subsidiary] with a view to seeking the removal of these rules”.

Tiffany & Co have appealed over the ruling that eBay do not have to police their auction site for fakes before they are sold to unwitting buyers.

Ebay have won a landmark judgment in the US federal courts, which effectively protects their position as an independent trading platform.

LORD Ashcroft’s Victoria Cross collection – the largest in the world – is to go on public display following his £5m donation to the Imperial War Museum. The news comes as the museum has also received a donation from the Art Fund to purchase an important watercolur by Keith Vaughan (1912-1977) at auction.