Front Page and News

The new art hub at Cromwell Place plans to host exhibitions by international museums, release specially developed technology for art-world professionals and provide flexible working spaces and art storage, it was revealed last week.

Christie’s has said Turkey’s claim to own an ancient Anatolian idol that has been on American soil for over half a century sets “a disastrous precedent for collectors, museums and the art market”.

For the first time eBay is applying VAT to the fees of its business sellers.

A group of six Indo-European solid ebony chairs (sold for £26,000 (plus 20% buyer’s premium) at Dawson’s of Maidenhead on August 26. The buyer bidding online via thesaleroom.com was from the London trade.

A sapphire and diamond coronet designed by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria in 1840 has been ’saved for the nation’ after its purchase for the London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.

Christie’s has reacted quickly to rival Sotheby’s announcement of a new premium structure (ATG No 2306) by increasing its own buyer’s premium.

Sotheby’s has upped the ante in the digital auction space by scrapping buyer’s premium for online-only sales.

The Chinese auction market is attempting to tackle non-payments with a series of initiatives debated at the Chinese Antiques and Artwork Auction International Forum last week.

The new Criminal Finances Act, which is expected to come into force in September, gives police the power to seize art, antiques and jewellery in the same way as if it was cash.

A Song dynasty brush washer, one of the few examples of Ru guanyao court ware still in private hands, will be offered by Sotheby’s Hong Kong with an estimate in excess of HK$100m on October 3.

Dealers and auctioneers are again being targeted by scam guides that seek to extort large sums of money in return for inclusion in worthless trade listings.

It’s late August and the art market continues its summer slumber.

Seven phone bidders competed for this 15th century gold heart-shaped brooch, a medieval gift of love from the time of the Wars of the Roses, at Hansons in Derbyshire.

Sir Stanley Matthews’ first football contract showing the legend was paid a princely £5 a week has sold at Derbyshire saleroom Hansons.

Self-regulation of the art and antiques trade was set to be the focus of an auction conference in Shanghai at the weekend.

A unique Victoria Cross and other awards won by one of the greatest heroes in Canadian history is to be auctioned by Dix Noonan Webb on September 27.

London dealership Marchant is to sell Chinese artworks at a dedicated auction in New York.

Chiswick Auctions is to open its South Kensington showroom manned by a group of former Christie’s staff early next month.

Dealer Colnaghi is launching a foundation to bring Old Master paintings to a “21st century audience”.

Lawyers are warning UK art market businesses that they must overhaul their direct marketing to consumers ahead of seismic changes to data protection law from May 2018 – or risk hefty fines.