First impeachment resolution for sale
An original copy of the first impeachment resolution against US president Andrew Johnson will be offered at Bonhams New York on March 6 with an estimate of $120,000-180,000.
The official House of Representatives document from December 7, 1867, refers to the ‘high crimes and misdemeanors’ of which Johnson was accused.
Johnson was the 17th US president and the first to be impeached, having allegedly violated the Tenure of Office Act by removing secretary of war Edwin Stanton from office three months earlier.
On this occasion, however, the House voted against impeachment by 108 votes to 57 – and this document is signed by all 57 ‘Yea’ voters.
The impeachment vote would later come back to House for a second occasion on February 24, 1868. This time the House voted for the articles of impeachment by a vote of 128 to 47 which meant Johnson could be tried by the Senate.
He was eventually acquitted by a single vote in the Senate in May 1868.
Bruton fair shelved after date clash
The annual Bruton Decorative Antiques Fair is cancelled this year due to a dates clash.
Launched in 2016 by Sue Ede, the event has previously taken place in October at the Haynes Motor Museum. However, the venue’s schedule meant that only limited dates were available this year.
Ede said: “The only dates we were able to secure for Bruton 2020 clashed with The Decorative Antiques & Textiles Autumn Fair, where a number of our exhibitors plus our security staff will be in attendance, so we had no alternative but to cancel.”
Ede told ATG that the cancellation is a temporary measure and that Bruton is expected to return next year.
It is a sister event to Ede’s Bath Decorative Antiques Fair, which has its 31st edition from March 6-8.
New York hosts business conference
The Art Business Conference will return to New York on March 30 at Christie’s in the Rockefeller Plaza.
The one-day conference for art market professionals will cover topics including the latest Anti-Money Laundering directive, the science and economics of collecting and sustainability.
Interim manager for Maastricht fair
Sofie Scheerlinck has been appointed interim managing director of TEFAF, the fair organiser behind TEFAF Maastricht, following the announcement that current CEO Patrick van Maris van Dijk is to step down.
Sofie Scheerlinck has been appointed interim managing director of TEFAF.
Scheerlinck joined TEFAF as managing director of TEFAF New York in March 2018. Based in New York, she will divide her time between the US and Amsterdam.
The new role is effective from April 1 and she will continue to focus on TEFAF’s global integration strategy.
Abacus counts on new premises in Oz
Australia’s Abacus Auctions has moved to new premises in Melbourne. The auction house says that the new offices offer “more pleasant surroundings and spacious accommodation” including a warehouse that vendors can drive into when delivering consignments.
The new location is around five minutes’ drive from the previous space. The first auction there will be the February 29-March 1 sale of Stamps, Postal History and Picture Postcards.
Bill Wyman lots come to auction
The archive of Rolling Stones bassist and founder member Bill Wyman is to be offered for the first time at auction.
The sale is taking place at American saleroom Julien’s on May 29-31 and features more than over 1000 lots selected from Wyman’s “renowned and vast” archive. This contains not only an “unprecedented” collection of his instruments, stage-worn ensembles, awards, personal items and artefacts collected during his three-decade career with the band, but also instruments and objects from his ongoing solo career.
Among the highlights are Wyman’s 1962 VOX AC30 ‘Normal’ model amplifier (estimated at $80,000-100,000) which clinched his audition for the Stones – they were highly impressed by this piece of expensive equipment.
See p14-20 for our entertainment memorabilia special.
Most read
The most viewed stories for week February 6-12 on antiquestradegazette.com
1 And the award for ‘best antiques in a movie’ goes to…
2 Bonhams' CEO Matthew Girling to leave auction house
3 Auctions and art fairs postponed and cancelled after spread of coronavirus in Asia
4 New faces at TEFAF and Phillips plus a new home for Abacus Auctions
5 Guidance for anti-money laundering regulation published
In Numbers
3
The number of Blain Southern galleries set to close.
Dealer Harry Blain, co-founder of the Contemporary gallery announced last week that all its premises – in London, Berlin and New York locations – will go. “I deeply regret that I have been unable to secure the gallery’s future long term,” he said in a statement.
