News

The auction of a well-known antiques dealers’ collection generated strong interest in Bath yesterday. The mixed consignment of 356 lots drew competitive bidding throughout but the eyecatching result came for an Indian work of art that went dramatically over estimate.

A new one-day conference addressing the impact of art crime will be held in Gateshead on November 11. It will be held at the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art.

A sword owned by Benjamin Franklin will be offered at an upcoming Christie’s sale in New York, estimated at $200,000-300,000.

French Energy and Environment Minister Ségolène Royal has strengthened laws in France on elephant ivory – but appeared to stop well short of a total ban suggested earlier in the year.

A new antiques sourcing website, Looking for Antiques, has been launched after a construction period of nine years.

London Bridge is falling down, goes the song. A bit further upstream, it turns out that the Houses of Parliament are actually doing the falling down.

A temporary export bar has been placed on the coronet designed for Queen Victoria by her husband Prince Albert, giving UK buyers an opportunity to raise the £5m (plus £1m VAT) asking price to keep it in the country.