Latest News Articles by Alex Capon

Striking a pose for nearly 50 years
18 January 2021Life model depicted by Freud, Auerbach and even Lennon amassed her own art collection

Miniature of Benjamin West by Henry Bone sells to US buyer
18 January 2021A miniature by Henry Bone (1755-1834) depicting the American artist Benjamin West (1738-1820) was among the notable lots at the recent Hansons sale.

Wimperis returns after six years
18 January 2021Reappearing in the same saleroom after a six-year interval, a landscape by Edmund Morison Wimperis (1835-1900) attracted attention at Halls (20% buyer’s premium) of Shrewsbury.

Old Masters face greater challenges on the supply side due to Covid
11 January 2021London salerooms hope for increased consignments after a difficult year for Old Masters

Brit vendor trio boost for Sotheby’s
11 January 2021Three works from British vendors were among the most notable lots at Sotheby’s (25/20/13.9% buyer’s premium + 1% overhead premium) latest Old Master evening sale in London.

Marine scene at Bonhams was ‘owned by a Christie’
11 January 2021A marine battle scene believed to have once been owned by auctioneer James Christie (1730-1803) topped Bonhams’ (27.5%/25/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) latest Old Master sale in London.

Two’s company, three’s allowed
04 January 2021Collection offered in Canterbury recalls the bizarre family life of Stanley Spencer

Russell Drysdale record equalled at Melbourne sale
04 January 2021An important work by Modern Australian artist Russell Drysdale (1912-81) equalled his auction record when it sold at Deutscher and Hackett (25% buyer’s premium).

Rare prints by Iraqi artist emerge in UK
04 January 2021As with other sectors of the art and antiques market, Contemporary art can certainly produce dramatic bidding battles for under-valued material at auction.

Five top Old Masters sold at auction in 2020
28 December 2020Despite the obvious challenges with coronavirus this year, some notable sales still occurred in the Old Master market. Here we pick out five highlights from across the year.

Supply hits Old Masters auction series
21 December 2020The traditional pre-Christmas Old Masters auctions in London were something of a mixed bag this year.

Austrian artist’s rare auction appearance
21 December 2020A group of works by the elusive Austrian émigré artist Marie-Louise von Motesiczky (1906-96) made a rare appearance at Chiswick Auctions’ (25% buyer’s premium) latest British & European Fine Art sale.

Provenance under discussion at International Catalogue Raisonné Association’s second annual conference
17 December 2020Over 200 delegates from 15 countries tuned in for The International Catalogue Raisonné Association’s second annual conference with the topic under discussion being provenance.

Bonhams' Mod Brit sale bids welcome to the latest trends
14 December 2020Something of a recurring theme at auctions this year has been the increasing volume of bidders registering for sales during the pandemic.

Two works by William Roberts underline commercial values at Bonhams
14 December 2020The market for William Roberts (1895- 1980) has expanded significantly in the last two decades and the performance of two small watercolours at Bonhams suggested demand is still healthy.

Pictures set a university challenge
07 December 2020London dealer takes up task of identifying artist behind views ‘of Oxford and Cambridge’.

Scarborough selection consigned by a familiar face
07 December 2020A notable group of pictures from a local vendor gave a boost to the Autumn Art Sale held by David Duggleby (20% buyer’s premium) in Scarborough.

Churchill oil proves the toast of Modern British art sales this season
30 November 2020A total of £9.23m was raised from the latest dedicated sales of Modern British art at Sotheby’s and Bonhams in London.

Bidding for Ravilious wood engraving underlines demand for leading Mod Brit names
30 November 2020As time goes by, an almost imperceptible process seems to take place in the art market where certain artists who were once considered avant garde begin to feel like established names.

Cedric Morris' view of Morocco among Mod Brit highlights at Lyon & Turnbull
30 November 2020A number of notable Modern British pictures came to the auction block at Lyon & Turnbull (25% buyer’s premium) last month.