Letters to the Editor

I’m writing in the hope that readers might give me a view on whether a recent experience of mine is or is not common practice among regional auction houses.

Auctioneers and their guests headed to the Society of Fine Art Auctioneers’ (SOFAA) dinner held recently at the Royal Thames Yacht Club in Knightsbridge.

Another lovely depiction of the tough farming days came with your report on the fine Sheila Fell painting (Art Market, ATG No 2559).

I write concerning eBay’s practice of charging the incorrect import duty of 20% on some items that are over 100 years old; UK law is 5%.

I am a lifelong Henry Scott Tuke historian and the buyer of the chalice featured in ATG No 2558.

Regarding your request for memories of HM The Queen, I wanted to bring to your attention this photo published on the front page of ATG in March 1988.

I think I am correct in stating that the Wedgwood Arts & Crafts charger featured on the front page of last week’s issue (ATG No 2559) was painted by Alfred, not Louise, Powell.

I wondered whether any of your readers would be able to identify a designer or maker of this table?

I was fascinated by Roland Arkell’s article on sealed glass bottles that appeared in ATG No 2553. It was of particular interest as many years ago I was given the top of a green bottle with a roundel that included my family coat of arms.

I was interested to read the article about smaller auction houses having to close client accounts due to some banks tightening their rules (ATG No 2555 ‘Banks close down client accounts’) despite it being a fundamental requirement of their membership of NAVA and SOFAA designed to protect buyers and vendors at auction.

I thought this picture may interest your readers as we remember the life and work of Elizabeth II. Here she is presenting me with the Queen’s award for Enterprise for my PR Consultancy (Gong Muse) in July 2014.

A pleasure to see the IACF Alexandra Palace Antiques & Collectors Fair back in action on September 4. A fair well above standard – not quite at the Olympia or Battersea level – and geared for people in the mid-price range.

Recently I rang the accounts department of a well-established saleroom that I’ve dealt with for over 20 years. It just happened that I was going to have to collect in person so was checking I could come up and pay while the second day of the sale was still going on.

As the UK brought into force the EU’s fifth Money Laundering Directive in early 2020, it was believed that the art market had plenty of time to register and comply.

I was thrilled to see the portrait of Lady Northcliffe by Philip de László (1869-1937) featured in your publication (Art Market, ATG No 2552).

With reference to the rediscovery of the painting In a Ligurian Garden by British Impressionist Henry Herbert La Thangue (News, ATG No 2553), I thought your readers may interested to know where it would have hung when it was purchased by textile tycoon Prince Smith.

The firing glass featured in Auction Reports, ATG No 2553, that is inscribed 'IM 1779' was in all probability used by the Installed Master for that year.

I was enjoying reading the article on the queen’s brooch, which sold recently (ATG No 2550), when I was surprised to come across the name of Ray Lindwall, the scourge of English cricket in the 1950s.

Referring to the UK’s near-total ban on selling antique ivory objects, would the beautiful Vizagatapam, India, c.1830-50, ivory chess set in the collection of Mr Holger Langer (Collector Interview, ATG No 2550) be classed as museum quality?

I am currently writing a supplement to my book 'The patterns and shapes of the Pinxton china factory 1796-1813', published in 1996.