Front Page and News

A desk used by JRR Tolkien during the final revisions to the Lord of the Rings trilogy has sold at auction in London for £260,000 (£330,200 including 27% buyer’s premium).

Due to be offered at Adam’s earlier this month, a panoramic view over Dublin Bay by Italian painter Gabriele Ricciardelli (1690-1782) was bought by an Irish cultural institution ahead of the sale on December 4.

Antiquities specialist Kallos Gallery is closing after 12 years as its founder is switching his interest to new projects.

Works by the multi-faceted Scottish wood-engraver, book illustrator, painter and teacher Agnes Miller Parker (1895-1980) come to the market only occasionally, and when they do emerge they are almost always prints.

Art and antiques saleroom Truro Auction Centre has been put up for sale as a going concern after 35 years in business.

A painting of David with the head of Goliath set a record for Guido Reni (1575-1642) when it was knocked down at €10.1m (£8.86m) at an auction in France.

HMRC will increase the fees for anti-money laundering (AML) supervision.

The 23-year-old auction record for Mouseman furniture has been broken by Hawleys at Beverley Racecourse, Yorkshire.

It is apparently not unusual for Christie’s to receive approaches from people claiming to have a work by a great Renaissance master.

Newbury auction house Dreweatts has hired Henry House from Sotheby’s.