Latest News Articles by Laura Chesters
Pick of the week: Pair of andirons designed by EW Godwin head to Texas
16 January 2026Cotswolds dealer Paul Shutler has sold a pair of EW Godwin-designed andirons to the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston.
Dealers celebrate Burns Night with selling exhibitions of portrait miniatures and books
16 January 2026A portrait miniature of Robert Burns’ (1759-96) best friend is part of a pop up exhibition in Mayfair ahead of Burns Night.
York book fair gets 2026 off to a strong not stormy start
16 January 2026Storms and the threat of snow could not dampen the spirits of rare booksellers and buyers in York for the first PBFA fair of the 2026 book calendar.
Curious curios – new owners for two antiques centres
15 January 2026Two dealers are celebrating the New Year by taking on the ownership of antiques centres in the Lake District and Glasgow.
UK institution sought for 18th century Bouchardon sculpture being sold by Scottish Highland council
13 January 2026A bust of 18th century politician and landowner John Gordon of Invergordon (1707-83) has been blocked from export by the UK government in the hope a museum will raise the £3.1m needed to keep it in the country.
Auction house and dealer hires among the latest recruitment round up
09 January 2026The latest Movers & Shakers in the UK and overseas
Historic York bookshop to reopen after three-year renovation project
08 January 2026James Hallgate’s Lucius Books will relocate its York shop just down the road after a three-year renovation project of the former Ken Spelman Books premises in the historic city.
Tributes for antiques dealer lost in Christmas Day swim
06 January 2026Antiques dealers and singer Kate Bush were among those paying tribute to Matthew Upham, 64, following his tragic disappearance at sea.
National Portrait Gallery buys only known photographs of Ada Lovelace via Bonhams
02 January 2026Three photographs of computing pioneer Ada Lovelace (1815-52) have been acquired by the National Portrait Gallery in a private treaty sale.
Friends of Versailles buy Sèvres snuff box at Bonhams
29 December 2025A snuff-box made for Madame Adélaïde has set an auction record for a Sèvres box, selling for £150,000 (or a premium-inclusive £190,900).
Plea to recover antique lace stolen from Portobello Road Market
23 December 2025Veteran Portobello Road Market dealer Anne Swift and her son Phil were the victims of a theft from their market stall.
Government launches consultation on licensing sellers of knives and bladed items
22 December 2025Antiques dealers in bladed items are hoping to encourage collectors to respond to the latest consultation.
Jerwood Foundation buys sketch by British realist painter Coldstream
19 December 2025Arts charity Jerwood Foundation has purchased a William Coldstream (1908-87) sketch from an art dealer in Somerset.
Seeing ghosts: Leighton House holds show to highlight ‘lost’ objects it hopes to recover
19 December 2025Despite its name, a new exhibition, 'Ghost Objects: Summoning Leighton’s Lost Collection', at Leighton House in west London is not, in fact, a séance.
UK buyer sought for Battle of Trafalgar Union flag
18 December 2025An export block has been issued for a Battle of Trafalgar Union flag in the hope a UK institution will raise the £450,000 needed to keep it in the country.
Auction houses Christie’s and Sotheby’s reveal totals for 2025
17 December 2025Christie’s posted projected global sales of $6.2bn (£4.65bn) for 2025 while Sotheby’s reported a figure of $7bn (£5.25bn).
UK buyer sought for 17th-century English maritime manuscript
16 December 2025The manuscript journal of Captain John Narbrough (1640-88) has been temporarily blocked from export in the hope a UK institution can raise the more than £800,000 needed.
The London Original Print Fair reveals new dates for 2026
15 December 2025The London Original Print Fair will run from May 14-17, 2026 at Somerset House in London.
Cornwall auction house goes up for sale
10 December 2025Art and antiques saleroom Truro Auction Centre has been put up for sale as a going concern after 35 years in business.
Cheshire auction house launch planned for new year
09 December 2025A dealer and estate agents are to open an auction house in Cheshire in the new year.