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.

img_27-3.jpg

Chandelier shines in Los Angeles

23 March 2020

A highlight of the sale held by Andrew Jones (25% buyer’s premium) in Los Angeles on February 23 was this impressive 24-light cut and moulded glass chandelier with a 6ft 6in (1.98m) drop.

img_27-4.jpg

Baroque ivory sleeper could be Schenck masterwork

23 March 2020

This stellar 17th century Baroque ivory plaque depicting the Pieta attended by angels and putti carries the name 'IC Storer' for the German artist Johann Christoph Storer (1621-71).

VS Gaitonde abstract sold at Sothebys

Gaitonde abstract leads Sotheby’s South Asian Art sale in New York

22 March 2020

A painting by the pioneering Indian abstract artist Vasudeo S Gaitonde (1924-2001) led Sotheby’s anniversary sale of Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art in New York when it sold for a hammer price of $1.5m (£1.25m) against a $1m-1.5m estimate.

Christie's King Street landscape.jpg

Christie's switches focus to private sales and postpones auctions to deal with coronavirus

19 March 2020

Christie’s has made a series of changes to its auction schedule across the world to deal with the spread of coronavirus.

White's.jpg

Coronavirus: some Irish auctioneers bank on internet bidding as Adam's and DeVeres postpone sales

18 March 2020

Irish auctioneers are split on whether to postpone sales to comply with the country's coronavirus social distancing rules, with some banking on internet bidding to continue to host auctions.

01-035.jpg

Ireland’s role in Britain’s colonial past recalled in single owner collection for sale at Sheppard’s

17 March 2020

A private collection featuring Anglo-Indian and Islamic objects, amassed from Irish country house sales over a 60-year period, comes to auction in Durrow, Ireland on March 24.

Coronavirus: UK auctioneers keep calm and carry on as many fairs take a hit

16 March 2020

The UK’s art and antiques trade is bracing itself for challenging times as the impact of coronavirus takes hold.

Christie’s auction

Coronavirus: Christie’s postpones many forthcoming international sales and shuts down offices

16 March 2020

Christie’s has chosen to postpone many of its forthcoming international sales and close most of its offices in response to the coronavirus. The firm's March and April calendar is being restructured with sales in New York and Paris put on hold for at least two months, although its London office remains open.

img_59-2.jpg

Gray stars on US prime-time

16 March 2020

Dealer Ashley Gray of Gray MCA in Bath, which specialises in original fashion illustration from post-war 1940s to present, was over the moon when he discovered an exhibition he is involved with appeared on prime-time TV in the US.

img_44-1.jpg

Previews of drawing sales planned in Paris despite postponement of Salon du Dessin

16 March 2020

The Paris drawings fair 'Salon du Dessin' has been postponed until the end of May because of the coronavirus alert, but some specialist auctions that are scheduled to coincide with the event are still going ahead at the time of writing.

Announcement from thesaleroom.com: internet bidding will continue uninterrupted

16 March 2020

Online auction marketplace thesaleroom.com (owned by ATG parent Auction Technology Group) made the following announcement to reassure auction houses that internet bidding will continue uninterrupted:

British and Irish book auctions: March 11-31, 2020

16 March 2020

ATG’s calendar of book auctions taking place in the UK and Ireland from March 11-31, 2020.

gavel-3577255_1920.jpg

Coronavirus: Phillips postpones international auction schedule

15 March 2020

Auction house Phillips has decided to postpone all of its sales and events globally until mid-May.

Salon du Dessin in Paris

Salon du Dessin postponed as organisers reverse decision to go ahead

13 March 2020

The prestigious Paris drawings fair ‘Salon du Dessin’ has been postponed until the end of May as the outbreak of coronavirus in Europe continues to have a major effect on the fairs calendar.

Elizabeth I cup

Elizabethan silver makes rare appearance in Swiss auction

12 March 2020

Elizabethan silver rarely appears at auctions in continental Europe, so an upcoming collection being offered for sale at Koller in Zurich is something of a special occasion.

TEFAF 2020.jpg

TEFAF Maastricht 2020 to close early due to coronavirus

11 March 2020

TEFAF Maastricht will close earlier than planned, at 7pm Wednesday, March 11.

Sony-Nintendo PlayStation gaming console

‘A pivotal piece of video game history’: PlayStation prototype from failed Sony-Nintendo partnership draws huge bidding in Texas auction

11 March 2020

A prototype of the PlayStation has sold for $300,000 at auction in Texas. The 28-year-old gaming console, offered by Heritage Auctions as part of a sale in Dallas this week is thought to be the sole survivor from 200 made during a failed joint-venture between Sony and Nintendo in c.1992.

Salon du Dessin in Paris

Organisers say Salon du Dessin will go ahead despite new public events restrictions in France

10 March 2020

The Paris drawings fair ‘Salon du Dessin’ is to go ahead as planned later this month, despite the new restrictions on public gatherings in France.

Richard, George and Matthew.jpg

Movers and Shakers - new appointments across the art and antiques market

10 March 2020

An update on new appointments and expansions including at 1818 Auctioneers, Charterhouse and Swann Auction Galleries.

IMG_4687.jpg

TEFAF Maastricht remains quieter but stand-out sales continue as Van Gogh sells for around €12m

09 March 2020

Monday in Maastricht at TEFAF was a quieter experience as visitor numbers (anecdotally) remained down into the second week of the art and antiques fair.

News

Categories