Five antiquities arrests in Paris
Five Parisian antiquities specialists have been arrested on suspicion of selling looted Middle Eastern artefacts.
According to reports in the French media, the individuals arrested last week were three dealers, a former curator at the Louvre and an expert in Mediterranean archaeology.
Officers from the Central Office for the Fight against the Trafficking of Cultural Goods have been investigating the case.
TFAS moves to Carnaby Street
The Fine Art Society has relaunched with a new London gallery. It will open in a three-storey Grade II listed Georgian townhouse on Carnaby Street in October.
'Portrait of Eric Verrico', 1947-48 by John Minton will form part of the exhibition that will open at The Fine Art Society in London in the autumn. Photo by Justin Piperger Photography.
The Fine Art Society had closed its Bond Street gallery after 142 years in February 2018 but retained its Edinburgh business.
Group managing director Emily Walsh runs the company in Edinburgh and managing director Rowena Morgan-Cox is based in London.
Gibbons returns to refurbished shop
Stanley Gibbons Group, which runs philately auctioneer-dealer Stanley Gibbons, numismatic dealership Baldwin’s and auction joint venture Baldwin’s of St James’s, has reopened its newly refurbished shop and head office at 399 Strand in central London.
The Stanley Gibbons head office at 399 Strand has been refurbished.
The basement is an exhibition area and auction room, the ground floor is the main shop or ‘stamp emporium’ and the first floor houses the Baldwin’s coin room, customer library, museum display and additional viewing space.
New head of BD for Bonhams NY
Bonhams has promoted Sherri Cohen to the newly created position of head of US business development in New York.
Sherri Cohen, Bonhams' head of US business development.
Currently a vice president and director in the auction house’s Trusts and Estates department, she is a US and UK qualified attorney.
Leslie Wright, Bonhams’ US deputy chairman, said: “Sherri’s remarkable skills and can-do attitude have made a huge contribution to the success of our Trusts and Estates team during the past few years. The whole of the US team and I are much looking forward to working with her in this new role.”
UK code to stop summer evictions
The UK Government has extended measures to protect struggling companies from eviction over the summer.
A new Code of Practice has been developed for businesses for “discussing rental payments and to encourage best practice so that all parties are supported”.
The voluntary code encourages tenants to continue to pay their rent in full if they are in a position to do so and advises that others should pay what they can, while acknowledging that landlords should provide support to businesses if they too are able to do so.
Among the changes the government announced is the step to amend the Coronavirus Act to stop evictions until September 30, ensuring “no business will be forced out of its premises if it misses a payment in the next three months”.
Summer school at the Courtauld
The Courtauld Institute of Art is to run a virtual Summer School. It is offering 12 online courses covering a range of subjects from the Middle Ages to Manet; Van Eyck to Russian Art.
The four-week courses running in July consist of lectures available as YouTube videos to view at any time as well as daily, live discussions and object-study sessions where students will be able to virtually meet their tutors and fellow students to exchange thoughts and ideas.
Fees have been reduced from £565 to £395 per course. To find out more visit the Courtauld website or email short.courses@courtauld.ac.uk
Most read
The most viewed stories for week June 18-24 on antiquestradegazette.com
1 Legal wrangle into disputed Frans Hals painting continues as investment firm wins right to appeal
2 De Morgan jar and Portobello Road dealer’s nutmeg grater are among five auction highlights that caught bidders’ eyes
3 Qianlong porcelain vase sells for nearly €2m as Paris auctions get going
4 New appointments across the art trade at associations and fairs
5 German auction house Nagel begins insolvency process but remains operating
In Numbers
10
Cash-strapped airline British Airways is thought to be selling at least 10 works from its art collection which is understood to comprise at least 1500 works. According to the Evening Standard, the items due to be sold include pieces by Damien Hirst, Peter Doig and Bridget Riley, with a work by the latter currently hanging at a Heathrow executive lounge and valued at over £1m.
