Front Page and News

The sale of a £200,000 Chinese vase in Suffolk completed a trio of house records across the regions that belied the usually quiet auction season.

Wick Antiques has on offer a monumental silver-gilt cup and cover presented to Ralph Fletcher (1757-1832), who is remembered for his actions during the ‘Peterloo Massacre’.

A sketch attributed to John Constable (1776-1837) uncovered in a Holland Park home is to be offered at auction in Maidenhead – the latest in a string of Constable sketch discoveries.

A curator of archaeology at the Yorkshire Museum in York and an assistant curator of ceramics at The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent are among the winners of the Art Fund’s latest annual New Collecting Awards.

New data has been released on the collection of fees for Artist’s Resale Right (ARR) but the art market remains split on its view of the levy.

The fine art division of auction house Wright Marshall ceased to operate from August 9 after the administrators of the Knutsford firm could not secure a buyer, write Laura Chesters and Noelle McElhatton.

Dix Noonan Webb (DNW) has become the first UK numismatics auction house to set its buyer’s premium beyond 20%. The London coins, medal and jewellery specialist will charge a premium of 24% from September.

Aldridges of Bath smashed its house record last week with the sale of a Yongzheng mark and period bowl for £220,000 (plus 20% buyer’s premium). It had come for sale following a routine house call.

Against the backdrop of a weakening pound, the price of gold in the UK has hit an all-time high.

Sitter rather than artist determined the value of an otherwise unassuming portrait that came up at Wotton Auction Rooms’ latest sale.

A snuff shoe stolen from a stand at a fair in June has been recovered following an ATG article alerting the trade.

An Art Deco bronze by Demétre Chiparus (1886-1947) sold for more than £20,000 at the latest 'Art and Antiques for Everyone' fair – the first edition under the management of MAD Events.

A ‘photo gun’ inspired by an African explorer has been snapped up for £138,000 (plus 17.5% buyer’s premium) at Special Auction Services, setting a house record for the Newbury saleroom, writes Tom Derbyshire.

An exceptional example of Thai silversmithing has sold for £13,500 (plus 17.5% buyer’s premium) in Leicestershire.

An English travelling doll’s house, made in 1810 to entertain children on long journeys, sold for €48,000/£42,800 (plus 22% buyer’s premium) at Fonsie Mealy in Kilkenny, writes Noelle McElhatton.

Second-hand goods including antiques have helped boost retail sales in June according to the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics.