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.

British and Irish book auctions: June 2-20, 2020

01 June 2020

Our regular listing of British and Irish book auctions (online only at present because of the Covid-19 alert).

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Contrasting examples of the Viennese style in Dallas sale

01 June 2020

An elaborate late-19th century engraved rock crystal, parcel-gilt, gemset and enamelled silver figural centrepiece made c.1880 by the Viennese firm of Hermann Ratzersdorfer was the catalogue cover lot of the Heritage (25 /20/12.5% buyer’s premium) silver and vertu auction in Dallas.

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Phone bidders battle for white jade pendant plaques in Sydney

01 June 2020

The first sale held by Bonhams Australia (22% buyer’s premium) behind closed doors in Sydney was devoted to Asian art,

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Doing the bidding maths remotely

01 June 2020

Rare work on absolute geometry among highlights of mammoth German ‘lockdown’ sale

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One hundred vintage sewing machines offered at Canadian auction

01 June 2020

One of the key features of an online only sale held by Miller & Miller Auctions (18% buyer’s premium) in New Hamburg, Ontario, was a collection of around 100 vintage sewing machines assembled by Karl Koenig.

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Louis Wain’s Cubist cats bring strong overseas interest at New Zealand auction

01 June 2020

Louis Wain (1860-1939) is famed as an artist for his humorous anthropomorphic paintings of cats – typically producing several hundred drawings a year. However, perhaps his most progressive work was the series of ceramic designs in which the cats were rendered in distinctive Cubist form.

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Personal items that belonged to Marie-Antoinette lead auction at Versailles

01 June 2020

Personal items that belonged to Marie-Antoinette were the highlights of Osenat’s (20.83/18% buyer’s premium) themed sale titled Royalty at Versailles.

American silver-plated cocktail shaker

Novelty items shine at Sotheby’s prohibition-themed sale

26 May 2020

An American silver-plated cocktail shaker fashioned as a lighthouse from c.1927-29 was among the lots commanding interest at Sotheby’s sale of prohibition-era items.

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Illustrations: Potter and Shepard’s animal magic

26 May 2020

One New York saleroom that has been notably active in the book market during the Covid restrictions is Doyle (25/20/12.5% buyer’s premium). A recent sale included original illustrations for some well-known English children’s books.

British and Irish book auctions: May 26-June 7, 2020

26 May 2020

Our regular listing of books and works on paper auctions the UK and Ireland.

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International Auction Previews of Books, Maps and Works on Paper – including a group of Franz Kafka documents

26 May 2020

A selection of upcoming lots of books, maps and prints from auctions taking place around the world.

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Wide-ranging PG Wodehouse collection in Philadelphia features both popular and less well-known works

26 May 2020

Diligently researched and documented by a local collector, the late William Toplis, a wide-ranging PG Wodehouse collection offered by Freeman’s of Philadelphia featured books, manuscripts, artwork and much more besides.

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Manuscripts dealer offers a puzzling pageturner

25 May 2020

Five different texts from 16th century Germany are bound up in this intriguing vexierbuch.

German imperial presentation box from Wilhelm II

German imperial snuff box and Banksy screenprint are among five auction highlights that caught bidders’ eyes

22 May 2020

ATG’s selection of hammer highlights this week includes a German rococo revival snuff box which was a gift from Kaiser Wilhelm II to a loyal courtier that made five-times estimate.

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French auction houses reopen following Germany’s lead as lockdown eases across Europe

19 May 2020

Auction houses in France have been given the go-ahead to re-open this month after being closed since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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Antiquities headline Christie's ‘Classic Week’ online from June 2-19

18 May 2020

Offering a range of antiquities, Old Masters, 19th century art, sculpture, books and manuscripts, Christie’s ‘Classic Week’ of sales in New York will take place as a series of seven online auctions next month.

Cocktail set

Sotheby’s sale of prohibition era items opens online

18 May 2020

An online sale devoted to vintage bar ware and drinking accessories inspired by the Prohibition era is currently being staged by Sotheby’s New York.

British and Irish book auctions (all online only): May 19-30, 2020

18 May 2020

Our regular listing of British and Irish book auctions - all held online only for now because of the coronavirus alert.

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Versailles auction to feature portrait of royal architect

18 May 2020

This late-18th century French school portrait of Michel Louis Melan, architect to Louis XVI, will be offered for sale in Osenat’s auction titled La Royauté à Versailles to be held in the town on May 24.

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The 18th century silver-mounted tomahawk that became a British war trophy

18 May 2020

This rare and well-provenanced silver mounted and quillworked presentation pipe tomahawk is billed as a highlight of Morphy Auctions’ three-day May 27-29 sale in Denver, Pennsylvania.

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