Grinling Gibbons show takes place
Bonhams is to host an exhibition celebrating the life and legacy of the 17th century master wood carver and sculptor, Grinling Gibbons (1648-1721).
Grinling Gibbons: Centuries in the making opens on August 3, 300 years to the day after Gibbons’ death.
It will be on display at Bonhams 101 New Bond Street until August 27.
The show has been organised by the Grinling Gibbons Society.
Society director Hannah Phillip, who curated it, said: “This exhibition is about Grinling Gibbons’ legacy right up to the present day. Gibbons was a man who imbibed all the different influences around him and took them forward, brilliantly, in his own style. It’s all about inspiration; where Gibbons got his inspiration from and what he has inspired in others.”
Among the exhibits will be Gibbons’ Wren Library Coat of Arms and his famed carved limewood cravat.
Transatlantic fair opens new chapter
Among the items available at The Transatlantic Book Fair is this Pontifical illuminated manuscript, c.1460, from the workshop of Giorgio D’Alemagna and Taddeo Crivelli. It is offered by Bibliopathos with an asking price of $80,000 (£58,000).
A new online book fair has launched. The Transatlantic Book Fair, an online event created between the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association (ABA) and the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America (ABAA), will take place on July 22-27.
It will feature items from over 150 rare book dealers from North America and Europe with over 5000 items.
Private fund backs collectables group
Private equity fund Blackstone Tactical Opportunities has bought a majority stake in the Certified Collectibles Group (CCG) in a transaction valuing the company at more than $500m (£360m).
The transaction includes a group of new investors also taking stakes in the business. Mark Salzberg, CCG’s founder, and Steven R Eichenbaum, CCG’s CEO, will retain a significant minority stake.
Blackstone plans for CCG to expand its geographic and product reach as well as acquire new technologies and develop its digital presence.
EU launches new VAT selling rules
New VAT rules have been put in place by the European Union for distance selling.
From July 1 companies selling goods valued at €150 (£128) or below to consumers in EU member states will have to charge import VAT. Firms must collect VAT from customers at the checkout.
Even though Great Britain has left the EU, these new changes affect companies here who sell to Europe.
Firms are now required to either sign up for the new Import One-Stop-Shop scheme (IOSS), use an online marketplace that will take care of the charges or pay for the postal service to provide the documentation.
However, those in Northern Ireland are treated as within the EU (due to the Brexit withdrawal protocol) and for businesses trading within the EU, there is the One Stop Shop (OSS) scheme.
Bonhams expands Florida business
Luis Miguel Torres of Bonhams.
Bonhams is expanding in Florida with the appointment of Luis Miguel Torres as a representative in the area. Based in Palm Beach County, he will join representatives April Matteini and Alexis Cronin Butler.
He previously worked for luxury brands including Davidoff of Geneva and Georg Jensen.
Investors buy US auction house
An investment group led by billionaire Steve Cohen is buying US sports collectables auction house Goldin Auctions.
According to newswire Bloomberg, the firm is being bought by Collectors Holdings, owned by Cohen and investors Dan Sundheim and Nat Turner, and the current owners will get equity in this acquiring firm.
The auction house was founded in 2012 by Ken Goldin, who sold a majority stake in the company earlier this year to a group of investors led by the Chernin Group in a deal that valued the firm at more than $40m.
Most read
The most viewed stories for week July 1-7 on antiquestradegazette.com
1 Eric Knowles and Charles Hanson team up for Kent valuation day
2 Dealer and former auctioneer join forces to develop Dorset business
3 ‘Harmonica’ pistol from the 1860s stars in our weekly pick of five auction highlights
4 Wedgwood vase and Matisse etching are among five lots to watch at auction
5 Obituary: chairman of Canterbury Auction Galleries Anthony Pratt (1955-2021)
In Numbers
2300
The number of antiquarian books left to Oxfam in Tavistock, Devon, by the late Andres Nurmela. Nurmela, who died in January, used to visit the shop every week and had told the manager he would leave his collection to it.
