Art and antiques news from 2004

SOUTH AFRICA: A new auction house is opening in South Africa. Charles Rudd, who for the past seven years was an auctioneer and valuer at Ashbey’s Galleries in Cape Town, plans to conduct his own regular monthly catalogue sales in Cape Town starting on February 3.

HOPES of establishing a national database of stolen art have taken a significant step forward. MPs on the parliamentary committee who recommended the database be set up three years ago gave the project a new boost after publicly criticising the Government for failing to act despite promises to do so.

Ebay are warning their users to be vigilant after users of PayPal fell victim to a hi-tech scam in November and December. Many received a replicating virus that, camouflaged as an email from the online payment provider, tried to trick the recipient into sending sensitive information.

FRANCE’S new auction watchdog has flexed its muscles for the first time, banning two paintings – one attributed to Van Gogh, the other to Toulouse-Lautrec – from sale on suspicion of being fakes.

UK: Fraser Glennie Fine Arts, the auction arm of the Circencester-based surveyors and estate agents, are to join the Cotswold Auction Company.