Museum acquisitions
Museums often acquire works through donations but, in spite of funding constraints, they also make purchases to expand their collections, either bidding at auctions, negotiating private treaty sales or, in the UK, via the Acceptance in Lieu scheme.

Painting returns to William Morris' ‘heaven on earth’
25 September 2023A picture of Kelmscott Manor painted when it was the home of William and Jane Morris is returning to the house after it was acquired for The Society of Antiquaries of London.

Say cheese: University buys Elizabethan manuscript on cheese making
19 September 2023The University of Leeds Libraries has bought the earliest known book about cheese making in Britain.

Pick of the week: Sceptre recalls story of a tragic emperor
18 September 2023This intricate gold filigree and gemset sceptre was presented to Charlotte, Empress of Mexico, by the Mexican city of San Juan del Rio.

Regency Coade stone torchère lights up Fitzwilliam Museum collection
04 September 2023A Regency Coade stone torchère has been acquired by The Fitzwilliam Museum from West Midlands dealership Thomas Coulborn & Sons.

Chelsea ‘Gold Anchor’ vase joins portrait bought by V&A
21 August 2023The Victoria and Albert Museum has bought the only known version of a vase produced by the Chelsea porcelain factory during its ‘Gold Anchor’ period.

Belgian dealership takes pride in sales to Dutch and American institutions
07 August 2023Antwerp dealership Galerie Lowet de Wotrenge has made two sales to international institutions.

Rare medieval seal matrix bought by the National Trust at auction returns to its original home after 500 years
01 August 2023A rare medieval seal matrix that was found by a metal detectorist in a field and offered at auction will now go on display at its original home.

Rich tapestries: fundraising plans for historic textiles
25 July 2023Fundraising is under way at two museums and a third has just finished a lengthy conservation project.

Funds needed to buy Henry VIII tapestry to return it to UK
24 July 2023A previously lost tapestry, commissioned by Henry VIII for Hampton Court during the turmoil of the English Reformation, is a step closer to returning to the UK for public display.

Howzat: British Library nets rare cricket book from dealer
17 July 2023An early book on cricket from the library of commentator John Arlott has been acquired for the British Library from London dealership Peter Harrington.

Top stories this week including news of a Warwickshire museum buying a rare interracial portrait
02 July 2023The most viewed stories on this website over the last week included news of a Compton Verney’s purchase of a rare 17th century double portrait depicting two women, one black and one white.

National Trust unveils prayer book connected to Charles II's escape bought at Liverpool auction
27 June 2023The National Trust has confirmed its purchase of a prayer book at auction in Liverpool which is now on display at Staffordshire farmhouse Moseley Old Hall.

Solomon work to stay in UK after two museums step in following auction
26 June 2023A work by Rebecca Solomon (1832-86) originally offered at Sotheby’s and later blocked from export to the US has been bought by two UK museums.

Compton Verney buys rare 17th century double portrait of black and white women
23 June 2023Compton Verney has confirmed the purchase of a rare 17th century double portrait depicting two women, one black and one white. It had previously sold at auction in 2021.

Art Fund helps museums to buy 900 items in 2022 with £4.5m of funding
22 June 2023The Art Fund’s latest annual review revealed it had helped support acquisitions of more than 900 objects and works of art for museums in 2022.

Holman-Hunt’s RSA medal purchased by the Ashmolean
19 June 2023A medal awarded to Pre- Raphaelite Brotherhood artist William Holman-Hunt (1827- 1910) has been purchased by the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford from dealer Tregeagle Fine Art.

Letter by Marat murderer Corday bought by Normandy institutions
14 June 2023A letter of justification by the woman who assassinated the French Revolutionary journalist and politician Jean-Paul Marat has been bought by a group of Normandy institutions at auction.

Ulster Museum buys a Renoir – the first Impressionist painting to enter a Northern Irish public collection
13 June 2023National Museums NI has bought Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s (1841-1919) L’allée au bois via the government’s Acceptance in Lieu scheme for the Ulster Museum.

Constable drawing returns to Colchester
08 June 2023A John Constable drawing of St Botolph’s Priory is to return ‘home’ after Friends of Colchester Museums purchased it from a client of auction house Roseberys.

Roman bust found in Texas charity shop to return to Ludwig I’s collection in Germany after more than 70 years away
27 April 2023A Roman bust discovered in a US charity shop and bought for just $34.99 will be repatriated to Germany.

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