Letters to the Editor

I wholeheartedly agree with Gill Behari’s letter in ATG No 2539 (‘Why I believe high postage costs are unacceptable’).

Your report that the UK’s share of the global art market has declined blames VAT and Brexit for this (ATG No 2537), but fails to mention the effect of Artist's Resale Right which is probably the real reason for the current decline.

Lying in the bath before coming into my shop for yet another quiet Saturday, I listened to an item on the radio about Record Store Day or #RecordStoreDay.

I am an avid reader of ATG as a private collector.

Like your reporter, for many years I also believed the lamp featured in ATG No 2538 (A Trio of Arts & Crafts designers in focus) was by Arthur Stansfeld Dixon, director, and chief designer of The Birmingham Guild of Handicraft.

I read with interest your informative report on the sale of Lalique perfume bottles (ATG No 2535). I was amazed at the huge prizes.

Re: your article in ATG No 2538 (A Trio of Arts & Crafts designers in focus) including a Mouseman oak blanket chest sold at Sheffield Auction Gallery for £12,000 hammer, which features the mouse carved in recess rather than profile.

I am writing to tell you of a recent complaint which I brought up with an auction house regarding postal charges, and was wondering if you have had other trade outlets saying the same thing.

The image on the sewing box in your letters section (ATG No 2537) is the Victoria Sea Water Baths, Southport, Lancashire.

I’d like to lend my support to Ivor Braka in his brave and principled decision to fight the parasitic bureaucracies of the ARR (front page, ATG No 2536).

This print is on a sewing box made in the Victorian period.

I very much enjoyed Roland Arkell’s excellent article on Ercol furniture (ATG No 2531).

In ATG 2530, you featured a view of the Doge’s Palace by Samuel Prout that I purchased at Chorley’s on January 25. Your report mentioned John Ruskin’s admiration for Prout which was a key reason behind my decision to buy the work.

I was interested to read (Issue 2533, 12 March) of the “Byzantine ring from Guilhou’s huge collection”, which was sold at Toovey’s for £11,000.

Max Rutherston is right to take exception (ATG No 2533) to the letter from Pete Matthews (ATG No 2532), who saucily tells the trade to stop moaning about the Ivory Act.

Re: RJ Horlock’s letter in ATG No 2529. The picture mentioned is based on a print by Thomas Burford, 1710-74, October from a set of prints for the 12 months, c.1745.

I must take exception to the letter from Pete Matthews (ATG No 2532) in which he tells the trade to stop moaning about the Ivory Act.

Re: Michael Leigh Mallory’s metal detecting find of the Henry III gold penny sold by Spink (ATG No 2528).

Regarding your article in ATG No 2531, ‘Four months’ before ivory ban becomes law’, I fail to see why the trade is ‘frustrated’ and describe the process as chaotic.

Hear hear to Mr Michael Baggott, hopefully trying to save works of art in ivory objects (Letters, ATG No 2530).