International

About 80% of the global art market by value takes place outside the UK. The largest art market in the world is the US with China in third place (after the UK) followed by France, Germany and Switzerland.

Many more nations have a rich art and antiques heritage with active auction, dealer, fair, gallery and museum sectors even if their market size by value is smaller.

Read the top stories and latest art and antiques news from all these countries.

EU flag 2245NE A 09-06-2016.jpg

Protest at new EU proposals to tackle looters and a ‘potentially misleading’ survey

09 June 2016

The EU’s planned crackdown on terrorism funding and the way it is investigating possible legislation is a ‘big concern to the trade’.

Nu sur Nu which sold for €1.423m at Artcurial

Duchamp sale sets new record with national treasure

09 June 2016

A painting by Marcel Duchamp sold for €1.243m (£1.035m including premium) at Artcurial in Paris on June 6.

Battle Scene by Aniello Falcone

Two stolen paintings return to Italy after 22 years

07 June 2016

Two large Old Master paintings worth up to €180,000 (£123,530) have been returned to Italy 22 years after they were stolen.

The Koch wine collection under the hammer at Sotheby's

Tasty result for the William I Koch wine cellar sale at Sotheby's New York

06 June 2016

The Cellar of William I Koch 'White Glove' auction fetches a record-breaking £14.9m at Sotheby’s New York

Carroll's first Alice... comes to auction

First edition recalled issue of Alice set to take top spot at Christie's

06 June 2016

With an estimate of $2-3m, a first printing of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) being offered by Christie's New York on June 16 is eagerly anticipated.

Chinese automaton clock

Chinese-made clock in European style chimes at $1.27m

03 June 2016

A classic Chinese-made European style automaton clock or ‘Sing Song’ sold for $1.27m (£907,140) at Fontaine’s in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

Utap, Dayak shield from Borneo, Indonesia from Patrick and Ondine Mestdagh

Belgian trade unite for 'Cultures'

02 June 2016

Tribal art will be making a splash in Brussels around the city’s Sablon area, as it is does every summer, but this year it will be as part of a new cross-cultural promotion.

David Zwirner Gallery wins ‘open’ battle to represent Albers Foundation

01 June 2016

The David Zwirner Gallery has been appointed worldwide representative for selling works from the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation, after a competitive, open competition between four galleries.

Lee Young during Lyon & Turnbull's Hong Kong sale

Ming stem cup takes £3.68m at Lyon & Turnbull's inaugural sale in Asia

31 May 2016

A Ming stem cup sold at Lyon & Turnbull’s debut auction in Hong Kong today for £3.68m (HK$41,560,000) including buyer’s premium.

wooden statue from the Ivory Coast

Paris museum secures rare piece of Akyè art

31 May 2016

The Musée du Quai Branly, the dedicated museum for tribal art which opened in Paris in 2006, has been a key factor in boosting the French capital as a world centre for ethnography in both scholarly and commercial terms.

First four Shakespeare Folios at Christie's

US collector splashes out £2.48m on four Shakespeare folios at Christie’s

27 May 2016

A private US collector spent £2.48m at Christie’s, acquiring all four of the early William Shakespeare folios on offer in a specially-staged auction.

French trade respond to ivory ban threat

26 May 2016

French art market associations have protested at environment minister Ségolène Royal’s plan to push for “a ban on any kind of ivory trade in France”.

Persian (Qajar) jambiyas

Wagner weapons sold after ivory elements surrendered to customs

25 May 2016

A series of antique weapons were sold by Bonhams earlier this month missing their ivory elements after the items had been surrendered to the UK’s Border Force.

Emancipation Proclamation of 1863

Signed copy of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation to be offered at Sotheby’s New York

20 May 2016

A signed copy of Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 promising freedom to all slaves in the rebel states will be offered at an upcoming Sotheby’s sale in New York.

Abraham-Louis Breguet watch

Rare Breguet watch nets £2.4m

20 May 2016

A watch by Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823) became the second most expensive piece by the Swiss maker when it sold to a private Swiss museum for triple-estimate SFr3.25m (£2.35m) including premium at Christie’s Geneva.

Bidding for the Oppenheimer Blue diamond at Christie's Geneva

Blue diamond sets new auction record

19 May 2016

The Oppenheimer Blue diamond set the world record for any jewel sold at auction at Christie’s Geneva yesterday.

Sotheby’s head of sculpture Eric Bijzet leaves company to become a dealer

19 May 2016

Eric Bijzet has become the latest expert to leave Sotheby’s as he plans to set up on his own as a dealer back home in Amsterdam.

Phillips at Berkeley Square in London

Phillips announce change in buyer’s premium

17 May 2016

Auctioneers Phillips have changed their buyer’s premium with immediate effect.

Chrysanthemum vase from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York

More deaccessions from the Metropolitan Museum of Art

16 May 2016

Christie’s are to sell another major slice of deaccessioned material from the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, just under a year after they held a dedicated auction devoted to a dispersal from the Met’s holdings of English furniture and works of art.

Cheyenne Westphal

Cheyenne Westphal heads series of appointments at Phillips

13 May 2016

Phillips have announced the appointment of Cheyenne Westphal as chairman, reporting to CEO Edward Dolman. Formerly Sotheby’s worldwide head of Contemporary art, she will start in her new role in 2017.

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