Sir Joshua Reynolds’ portrait of Pacific islander Omai.
Omai export stop now extended
A deadline extension to raise £50m to keep Sir Joshua Reynolds’ (1723-92) portrait of Pacific islander Omai in the UK has been issued.
The picture was blocked from export (see ATG No 2535) in March and the deadline of July has now been extended to March 2023. The extension has been granted as a serious intention to raise funds with a view to making an offer to purchase the painting has been made but no details have been released.
A group of historians wrote to the Financial Times last month arguing the picture must remain in Britain.
New Paris event line-up announced
The exhibitor list of the first edition of the new fair Paris+, par Art Basel (Paris+, by Art Basel) has been announced.
The event will take place on October 20-23 with 156 Contemporary art galleries from 30 countries and includes 16 emerging galleries.
Art Basel and Masterpiece London owner MCH Group secured the autumn date taking over the slot from the long-running annual fair devoted to Contemporary art, FIAC (the Foire Internationale D’Art Contemporain).
The event will be held at Grand Palais Éphémère and its extension on the Champ de Mars this year and next while the Grand Palais undergoes a major renovation.
Gorgosaurus makes a full appearance
The Gorgosaurus skeleton to be offered in Sotheby’s Natural History sale on July 28.
The first ever complete Gorgosaurus skeleton is to be offered at auction by Sotheby’s, writes Ella Crane. With an estimate of $5m-8m, the sale is part of its live Natural History auction in New York on July 28. The remarkably pristine skeleton of this Gorgosaurus was discovered in the Judith River Formation, Montana in 2018 and measures nearly 10ft (3m) tall and 22ft (6.7m) long.
Due to the conditions of the sediments in the area in which it was found, the specimen has a particularly well-preserved skull, including a left maxilla and cranial bones.
In addition to its condition, its location south of the Canadian border makes it one of only a tiny handful to be discovered in the US.
All known skeletons, both from the US and Canada, are housed in institutional collections, making this the only specimen of its kind available for private ownership.
The Gorgosaurus was a member of the Tyrannosaurid family native to western North America and was a smaller, close relative of the Tyrannosaurus rex.
Sotheby’s will be putting the Gorgosaurus up for auction as a highlight of its Geek Week sales series.
Youngman joins McTear’s
John Youngman of McTear’s.
McTear’s in Glasgow has appointed John Youngman as gallery co-ordinator and auctioneer.
He previously worked at Great Western Auctions in Glasgow and Thomas R Callan in Ayr.
McTear’s has also announced details of a new auction: A Cabinet of Curiosities taking place on August 10. The sale features a private Scottish Highlands collection of natural history.
Medallion marks Baldwin’s 150th
This year long-running coin dealership AH Baldwin & Sons is celebrating its 150th anniversary.
The firm (now part of the Stanley Gibbons group) was founded by Albert Henry Baldwin in 1872 and has since traded from premises around the Charing Cross area of central London.
To celebrate this milestone, Baldwin’s is releasing a new book and a commemorative medallion. Titled 150 Greatest Rarities, this explores some of the finest and most valuable items the firm has sold or auctioned, as well as the history of the dealership.
The medal, designed and struck in London in an edition of 300, pays tribute to the firm’s founder.
The price of the silver-layered bronze medal is £40. They are available both in the shop and online.
Most read
The most viewed stories for week July 7-13 on antiquestradegazette.com
1 Silver flask withdrawn from auction after Chinese government intervention
2 Victorian diamond necklace sets house record at Catherine Southon
3 Art Deco necklace bearing the Boivin mark makes over 10-times estimate
4 Rare 16th century ‘prayer nut’ stars in our pick of seven auction highlights sold this week
5 Furniture suite could be first ‘museum quality’ ivory sale
In Numbers
£12.76
The price of scrap silver reached a two-year low last week with Brighton precious metals dealer Michael Bloomstein paying £12.76 per ounce. The weakness of the silver market came despite the high rate of inflation and economic uncertainty that usually bolsters the price of precious metals. While gold was ‘only’ at a four-month low, the silver price appears to be more affected by confidence in global growth due to its greater use in industrial sectors such as photovoltaic components in solar panels.
