News

In a final bid to block the sale of two €28m (£25.4m) imperial bronzes, a Chinese collector revealed himself as the winning bidder and said he had no intention of paying for them.

THIS year's 22nd staging of TEFAF Maastricht, which starts on March 12 with a day-long vernissage, will be scrutinised more than any other for signs of how the international art market is coping with global recession.

ANY remaining hope that The Mall in Camden Passage might remain as an antiques centre has vanished after a government inspectorate ruled in favour of the landlord’s redevelopment proposals.

POLICE are urging churches to review their security measures after 20 pieces of valuable silver were stolen in raids on three churches in Warwickshire villages in under a week.

As befitting a sale with world-famous brand associations, Christie’s dispersal of the Yves Saint Laurent–Pierre Bergé collection in Paris was more like a rock concert or fashion show than an auction.

SOTHEBY’S latest figures showed just how deeply they were hit by the art market slump since October, with revenues for their final quarter sales cut by more than half to $166.2m. Profits for the year are down 87 per cent.