News

UK: A LIBRARIAN who wrecked valuable books and sold them to a Cheltenham dealer and a London market stall faces jail after being convicted of theft.

CLARION Events, organisers of the Olympia Fairs, introduce a new initiative at their Spring Olympia to further emphasise their conviction that presentation and creative stand display in a no-dateline context are the way forward.

Withers LLP, the international private client law firm, has launched a specialised legal service for clients concerned with cultural assets. The new service will be headed by Pierre Valentin, formerly legal counsel for Sotheby’s Europe, who has joined Withers.

HOUSE price gains have outstripped furniture price increases in the south east of England for the first time in 34 years, according to the Antique Collectors’ Club Antique Furniture Index. It is the first time property has taken the lead since the Index started at 100 in 1968. Furniture recorded a slight drop at the end of 2002, falling from 3575 to 3492.

UNCERTAINTY over the future of Phillips de Pury & Luxembourg continued this week, with chairman Simon de Pury confirming only that he was conducting negotiations with stakeholder LVMH.

DAVID Duggleby of Scarborough and Lyon & Turnbull of Edinburgh have joined the Society of Fine Art Auctioneers. The announcement of their membership comes as SOFAA also open their doors to valuers for the first time and change the society’s name to the Society of Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers.

THE one-day conference on the future of professional fine arts education and qualifications set for January 29 has been cancelled because not enough people signed up for it.