London

It was a pretty short sale. Sotheby’s evening sale of Impressionist and Modern art auction last night offered just 27 lots and took less than 90 minutes to complete.

LAPADA Fair have sold out the stands for their upcoming fair months ahead of its opening in September.

Sotheby’s will start dedicated sales of Modern and Contemporary African Art in London next year. The decision underlines the growing importance of a sector in which Bonhams have stolen a march in recent years.

Peter Harrington have announced a new exhibition to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Beatrix Potter with a selling exhibition of her books.

Sacha Llewellyn is a co-founder of Liss Llewellyn Fine Art, which specialises in reappraising under-represented artists of the past.

Of all the many car boots in London, the Battersea Boot is one of the best known and the poshest, with its website telling buyers that they can expect to find quality items including “designer goods, vintage, shabby chic, even antiques and collectables, alongside general car boot goods”.

Three works by LS Lowry (1887-1976) formerly owned by the late Cilla Black sold for almost £700,000 (including premium) at Sotheby’s yesterday.

People out for an early morning jog or dog walk on Hampstead Heath, London had a bit of a surprise today as heads were turned by seven artworks on display to promote the forthcoming return of the Affordable Art Fair.

The 59th London International Antiquarian Book Fair (or “book paradise” as described by author Mark Beech in an admiring Facebook post), drew more than 180 book dealers to Olympia. View ATG's exclusive photogallery from the drinks reception held at the end of the fair’s second day.

The auction of Pelé’s personal collection became most lucrative sale of football memorabilia in history with the 2000 items totalling £3.6m including premium with 100% of the lots sold.

An auction record was set for any football medal as Pelé’s 1970 World Cup winner’s medal was knocked down at £280,000 in London this evening.

The auction of Pelé’s vast collection of memorabilia concludes in London today where the highlight on offer at the third and final day of the sale will be the Brazilian legend’s winner’s medal from the 1970 World Cup.

Two large Old Master paintings worth up to €180,000 (£123,530) have been returned to Italy 22 years after they were stolen.

Antiques Trade Gazette’s London Summer Capital of Art 2016 supplement, published this week along with the weekly newspaper, has received the support of culture minister Ed Vaizey.

In 1996 Frank Skinner, David Baddiel and the Lightning Seeds sang about ‘30 years of hurt’. Sadly for English football fans, it is now ‘50 years of hurt’ since the national team actually won something. Or have even reached a final.

Brian Sewell’s art collection will come up for auction at Christie’s in September, it was announced today.

New books and works on paper specialists Forum Auctions will hold their first London sale at the Westbury Hotel in Mayfair on July 13-14.

A private US collector spent £2.48m at Christie’s, acquiring all four of the early William Shakespeare folios on offer in a specially-staged auction.

The owner of a new company operating High Road Auctions in Chiswick has told ATG he will be investing in the refurbishment of the premises and has already created escrow accounts to separate client’s money from day-to-day business expenses.

Christie’s have announced that a major landscape by John Constable will be among the works on offer at their Defining British Art sale in London this summer.