1) Latest government guidance sketches out possible way forward for art and antiques firms
A 50-page document detailing the steps the government is taking to return some businesses in England to operation and ease some of the current lockdown has now been published.
Prime minsiter Boris Johnson spoke in the House of Commons on May 11. Image: parliamentlive.tv.
2) Credence ready for revival
Form, colour and condition are defining criteria in the oak market – but this 17th century oak ‘credence’ was found in a barn with moss and had several areas of rot and decay. It was, however, a rare form c.1630.
Seventeenth century ‘credence’ – £1550 at Claydon Auctions.
3) Cain Hoy porcelain: number of known survivors grows to 11 as tea bowl and saucer emerge at Adam Partridge
More previously unrecorded porcelain attributed to the John Bartlam factory of Cain Hoy, South Carolina, has emerged for sale in the UK.
4) Victorian butter dish is among four lots to watch at auction
With estimates from £40-5000 here are four previews of upcoming items.
A Victorian glass and silver butter dish, with a resting cow finial with hallmarks for Richards and Brown, London 1868, is estimated at £150-250 in Hansons’ auction on May 14.
5) Légion d'honneur sword and early ventriloquist's doll are among five auction highlights that caught bidders’ eyes
ATG’s selection of hammer highlights this week includes a rare French First Empire sword for a Légion d'honneur recipient that made over 35-times estimate.
First Empire small sword for a Legion d'honneur recipient, €76,000 (£66,100) at Czerny.
This list is based on unique users for individual news stories over the period May 7-13, 2020.
