Front Page and News

Cases disputing the rightful ownership of antiquities have become common in recent years with nations including Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Iran and Iraq seeking repatriation of objects in private or public ownership in Europe and the US.

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including The National Gallery in London acquiring a painting by Spanish artist Joaquín Sorolla (1863-1923) for £325,000 from the Daniel Katz Gallery.

The Paris Biennale and dealer association Syndicat National des Antiquaires have organised an online auction at Christie’s.

An album of 12 early watercolour drawings of Australian Aborigines made a surprising £72,000 (plus 25% buyer’s premium) at Forum Auctions in London.

Dealers, fair organisers and antiques centre managers are preparing to return to business with a mixture of enthusiasm and caution.

Auction houses in London have announced they are restarting live auctions in June.

Among the best-performing lots at the latest mammoth sale held by TimeLine in Harwich, Essex was this 1st-2nd century hollow-formed bronze foot.

Most surviving 17th century brown salt glaze vessels were made in Germany, typically in Frechen, close to the city of Cologne.

Date for English trade premises to accept visitors again is now set and Covid-19 safety measures planned

London Art Week is set to have a record number of participants this summer as it launches an online-focused format.

A Roman bronze from the 1st century led the online sale of works from the collection of London dealer Daniel Katz at Sotheby’s.

The Export Licensing Unit (ELU), which closed under the March lockdown, has reopened with a new temporary procedure.

West Dean College of Arts and Conservation has bought a watercolour depicting the grand entrance hall of the college dating back to when it was a house.

Two outstanding works on paper – a letter by Robert Burns and a page from the manuscript for Charles Dickens’ 'Pickwick Papers' – headline the June offerings across the field of books, maps and prints.

Dealers and collectors of antique ivory will seek to take their case to the Supreme Court after the Court of Appeal rejected their latest challenge to the Ivory Act 2018.