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Latest art and antiques news from Antiques Trade Gazette. Browse by topics such as art finance, auctions, insurance and recruitment.

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Bid Barometer

10 April 2017

ATG’s selection of auction lots bought by internet bidders on thesaleroom.com from the period March 30-April 5, 2017. This includes both the highest prices over estimate and the top prices paid online.

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Wartime photo albums are snapped up at auction

10 April 2017

The extra push of archive items accompanying medals at auction is well recognised but such material is increasingly on the advance in its own right. Honours offered with log books, diaries, maps, letters and so on are very attractive to buyers given the background story they create about the recipient.

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Commodes channel auction interest in Guernsey

10 April 2017

Decorative furniture from the 19th century was in keen demand at Guernsey auctioneers Martel Maides (17.5% buyer’s premium) on March 15-16 including a pair of satinwood demi lune commodes.

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Welsh items produce white-glove success at Bonhams auction

10 April 2017

With every one of the 531 lots sold, from an oak gateleg table that opened proceedings to a 1925 Douglas motorcycle, the March 29 Bonhams (25/20/15% buyer’s premium) sale of contents from Glyn Cywarch, a Welsh home of the Lords Harlech, was one of those ‘white-glove’ sales in which auction rooms take such pride.

My solution to the issue of email scams

10 April 2017

In April dealers and auctioneers were warned to be vigilant about invoice scams on email after fraudsters appeared to have hacked accounts and intercepted invoices. Here one dealer makes a suggestion to help prevent such fraud.

Jane Brown

Fryer & Brown to be dissolved as Opus Auctions launched

10 April 2017

Surrey auction firm Fryer & Brown Auctioneers is set to be struck off the UK company register after it ceased trading in January.

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Dealer falls to ‘card not present’ scam

10 April 2017

A Petworth dealer has been the victim of a £2200 ‘card not present’ debit card fraud.

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The other flying Richthofen revealed in photos

10 April 2017

A famous military name always in demand at auction is Richthofen. However, the two lots sold at Dickins Auctioneers (19.5% buyer’s premium plus VAT) on March 31 related not to the Red Baron of Great War fame, but to his cousin, Generalfeldmarschall Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen (1895-1945).

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Famous fairy tale author Hans Christian Andersen's jester amuses at auction

10 April 2017

Hans Christian Andersen did not confine himself to the fairy tales that are his principal and lasting legacy.

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Runcorn auction rides in with a Beswick rarity

10 April 2017

A rare version of one of the most popular of Beswick farm figures, a shire horse in a piebald gloss finish, pulled its weight at The Auction Centre (16% buyer’s premium) in Runcorn on March 18.

Letters to the Editor: it's time sellers, not just buyers, benefited from transparency

10 April 2017

In the debate about transparency of auctioneer fees, sparked by the Advertising Standards Authority December 2016 ruling that buyer's premium needs clearer promotion, the point of view of vendors needs to be heard too, three letter writers argue.

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Turner and Guardi: big guns arrive for London’s July Old Masters series

10 April 2017

A large, late work by JMW Turner appears at Sotheby’s on July 5 with an estimate of £15-25m.

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Judge says seized silver and ivory tea set won’t be returned

10 April 2017

A judge has ruled against a London gallery over the seizure by UK Border Force of a Chinese silver tea set containing a tiny quantity of elephant ivory.

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Who dares wins big bids for special forces relics

10 April 2017

Special forces memorabilia making special prices is not a top-secret scenario in the militaria world. The appetite is always high for the exploits of small elite units where bravery and hair-raising tales are the norm.

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Commando classic knife sells at Derbyshire auction

10 April 2017

A classic Second World War British Commando 2nd pattern Fairbairn Sykes fighting knife sold with scabbard for £550 at Hansons (17.5% buyer’s premium) on March 21 against an estimate of £100-120.

Bookends

Memories of the only British Nazi occupation go to auction in Guernsey

10 April 2017

Tangible mementos of the dark years of 1940-45 were offered at a St Peter Port sale held by Martel Maides (17.5% buyer’s premium) on March 15-16.

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Sir Gordon Russell is the cheaper Cotswold School choice

10 April 2017

With the major names of the pioneers beyond the purses of most admirers of Cotswolds School furniture, works by Sir Gordon Russell are steady sellers and 16 pieces offered at Mallams (20% buyer’s premium) all found buyers on March 16.

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Russian medal marking victory over Persia sold at auction

10 April 2017

A 50 ducat medal commemorating the end of the Russo-Persian war was worth far more than its weight in gold at Künker (23% buyer’s premium) in Osnabruck in the March 13-17 sale.

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Daniel Quare barometer heats up Austrian auction

10 April 2017

Daniel Quare (1648-1724) is primarily known as a clock and watchmaker. He was, however, also an accomplished maker of portable barometers, one of which came up for sale at Dorotheum (25/22/15% buyer’s premium) in Vienna on March 29.

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A lawyer writes: auctioneers need to mind the wording of their artist attributions or run risk of selling fakes

10 April 2017

Three articles recently published in ATG focused on the sale of a painting and in each case the key issue was authenticity. Here, lawyer Milton Silverman provides advice, including legal precedent, on how auctioneers can avoid disputes relating to authenticity as a result of misattribution.

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