People

Fair organisers David and Lee Ann Lester of IFAE of Miami, Florida, and Harry Vander Hoorn, second-generation owner of the Dutch stand builders StabiloWorld and partner in Masterpiece London, have formed a new company, Next Level Global Fairs, LLC.

Culture Minister Ed Vaizey is to headline the first Art Business Conference, a new event scheduled for September 4 in London that will tackle key issues for trade professionals.

Public collections in need of information about their oil paintings can be connected with specialists and members of the public with relevant knowledge thanks to a scheme called Art Detective.

Christie's former chief executive Edward Dolman is to become chairman and chief executive officer of Phillips this summer.

Six years ago, Ingrid Nilson of The Antiques Dealers Fair Limited held her first ‘Luxury Antiques Weekend’ in Northumberland, at Linden Hall Hotel Golf & Country Club near Morpeth.

Sotheby’s board have acted to fend off criticism from shareholders led by hedge fund billionaire Daniel Loeb by saying they will issue a $300m special dividend in March.

Statute of limitations laws may prevent previous owners successfully reclaiming art acquired during the Nazi purge of the late 1930s that was hoarded in a Munich flat.

Details are slowly emerging regarding the discovery in Munich some two years ago of an extraordinary cache of art with a Nazi era provenance.

Daniel Loeb, whose Third Point hedge fund has acquired almost 10% of Sotheby’s stock, has called for the auction house’s chief executive and chairman, Bill Ruprecht, to step down.

The Pinault family, owners of Christie’s and the luxury goods group PPR, are to hand back to China the two Qianlong bronzes that caused great upset when offered for sale in Paris four years ago.

Eric Knowles has joined the team at Dreweatts and Bloomsbury Auctions as a consultant.

Simon de Pury, the high-profile international auctioneer, has sold his remaining stake in Phillips de Pury & Company to The Mercury Group and stepped down as chairman.

The Florida organisers International Fine Art Expositions (IFAE) have teamed up with the French dealer association Syndicat National des Antiquaires (SNA), organisers of the Paris Biennale, to launch a Miami fair in 2014.

The High Court has issued an order freezing $15m of assets belonging to art collector Sheikh Saud Bin Mohammed Al-Thani.

The High Court has reserved judgment on whether to continue freezing the assets of a Qatari sheikh accused of being a serial defaulter on debts run up at auction.

This 2ft 5in x 2ft ½in (75 x 62cm) bust length portrait drew the attention of a number of bidders with a particular interest in historical pictures when it appeared at auction in Dorchester.

Henry Wyndham is reported to be recovering well after he was shot in the face at a grouse shoot in Scotland.

Last month, we reported on Sue Ede’s purchase of The Bath Decorative Antiques Fair from Robin Coleman, the Bath-based dealer who has organised the event for the past 23 years.

Sue Ede has acquired ‘The Bath Decorative Antiques Fair’ from Robin Coleman, the Bath-based dealer who has organised the event for the past 23 years.

For the third time, fair organiser Ingrid Nilson is hoping to enliven the first Friday of the Olympia International Fine Art and Antiques Fair with another Secret Antiques Dealers’ Ball on June 8 at The Hilton Olympia Hotel just next door.