Front Page and News

The TEFAF Maastricht fair has been delayed to May 31-June 6, 2021.

A Grana Ministry of Defence wristwatch – the hardest to find of the so-called ‘Dirty Dozen’ watches made by 12 Swiss manufacturers for the British army– sold for £18,000 at Thomas Miller in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Many auctioneers and dealers have appeared on the myriad of art and antiques TV programmes and salerooms have featured in many documentaries (Chelsea’s Lots Road for example).

Two pieces of Moorcroft Pomegranate pattern made exceptional sums within a matter of 24 hours at the end of September. Both were early versions of the popular pattern and dated 1912 – the year William Moorcroft left his studio at James Macintyre to run his own factory in Cobridge.

Sotheby’s has opened a new shop in its Bond Street galleries retailing art, design and luxury items.

Estimated at £20,000- 30,000, a façon de Venise gilded, enamel led and engraved vase and cover sold for £70,000 (plus 27.5/25% buyer’s premium) last week.

A portrait of George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly, catalogued as in the ‘manner of Anthony Van Dyck (1599-1641)’ was offered as the opening lot of a sale held by Sarasota Estate Auction (20% buyer’s premium) in the US.

More indoor antiques and collectables fairs have been called off as coronavirus cases rise again and restrictions increase.

Separated for many years, portraits of two brothers by WBE Ranken (1881-1941) came up at auction at different London salerooms last week. The fact that they emerged on the market simultaneously was seemingly pure coincidence.

A newly-discovered work by François Desportes (1661- 1743) sold for a sensational €1.65m (£1.5m) at auction in Bordeaux.

The highlight of last week’s Asian art series in New York was this remarkable 14in (35cm) high Warring States period (475-221BC) bronze sacrificial wine vessel or 'fang hu'.

Edward Bawden (1903-89) was one of a number of artists invited to submit designs ahead of Britain’s changeover to decimal coinage. Designs were invited for six coins: the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p and 50p pieces.

Rare books valued at more than £2.5m that were stolen from a London warehouse in 2017 have been recovered in Romania.

A refund plan for exhibitors at the planned Winter Art & Antiques Fair Olympia has been announced by organisers should government restrictions make it impossible to run.

Concerns have been raised that Portobello Road antiques shops could be under threat under new English planning laws that will make it easier to change the use of a retail building.

The highlight of a two-day sale of works from White Oaks, a prominent Atlanta mansion, was this portrait of Anglo-Irish society hostess Oonagh Guinness by Philip de László (1869-1937).

A celebrated Una and the Lion proof set minted in the first year of Queen Victoria’s reign returns to auction next month.

Choice specimens of the rarest English coins are reaching new financial territory.

An English translation of a Dutch 16th century sea atlas was among the standout sales at the recent online edition of Firsts: London’s Rare Book Fair.