Art and antiques news from 2007

ROYAL Doulton Ltd are looking for a new owner for their Minton paper archive – the collection of thousands of original watercolours, drawings, pattern books and other manuscript material relating to designs for the Minton factory dating back to 1793.

SOTHEBY’S are celebrating a rarity – a profit in the first quarter of the year, when a seasonal dip in sales activity usually means making a loss.

Rumours are currently rife both inside and outside Sotheby’s that the company’s strategic business plan not only includes the stopping of sales at Olympia but also, even more controversially, the closure of their Amsterdam operation.

A UNITED States university professor has developed a computer program that he believes can identify fake paintings.

VANCOUVER auction house Heffel have taken nearly £900,000 in a single online auction, including one painting which sold for more than £250,000.

The Victoria and Albert Museum have secured the funds to acquire this spectacular early 18th century French silver ewer and basin commissioned by John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough.

PRESTIGE Ceramic Fairs have a new and attractive venue; in Kent at the 16th century Sutton Valence School which is set in 100 acres of grounds in the Weald of Kent, near Maidstone.

What’s in name? Everything as far as John Miles of Swansea is concerned. For years now, he has been researching his family tree and, in that time, learnt of a unique heirloom that has been lost for about 80 years.

Among the many unique and important pieces of English pewter in the David Little Collection sold by Christie’s in King Street on May 1 was this mid 17th century broad-rimmed pewter charger.

INTEREST in art as investment is spreading beyond the City – now the London Business School are organising a conference to focus on the issue.

Bonhams have become the latest saleroom to open an office in Moscow, a further indication of the growing importance of Russian buyers in the international auction market.

Auctioneers make commitment to future of South Kensington salerooms

After five years of preparation, work has now begun on Sworders’ new saleroom. The building, which employs state-of-the-art environmentally-friendly construction techniques, is expected to be completed by spring 2008.

JP Humbert auctioneers of Towcester have purchased Harp auctioneers of Northampton.

Cambridgeshire saleroom Grounds & Co has changed its name to Clifford Cross Auctions.

There’s been plenty of speculation about who might have paid £1.7m plus 17.5 per cent premium for the two recently-rediscovered Fra Angelico (c.1395-1455) panels of Dominican saints at Duke’s of Dorchester on April 19.

Dublin fine art auctioneers James Adam’s are to join forces with premier bloodstock sales company, Goffs, to host Ireland’s first specialist sporting sale in October.

NEW contracts being rolled out by online art and antiques database Artfact, who took over Invaluable last year, have alarmed a number of auctioneers who have been approached to sign up for their catalogue and online auction services.

Rock and pop memorabilia auctioneers Cooper Owen are now under the sole ownership of Louise Cooper who founded the business in 2005.

For the second time in the space of a week a UK provincial auctioneer was celebrating a million-pound sale of works by one of the world’s most famous artists.