Art Market

More than 70 lots of paintings, works on paper and antiques assembled by the well-known auctioneer and collector Paul Whitfield (1942- 2018) went under the hammer at Mallams (25% buyer’s premium) in Oxford on May 17.

Enthusiastic bidding emerged for two paintings included in an Old Masters sale at Chiswick Auctions (25/12% buyer’s premium).

This classic example of Venetian vedute was taken to a multi-estimate £34,000 at Gardiner Houlgate (22% buyer’s premium) in Corsham.

Among a number of works at the latest Old Master, British and European Art sale at Sworders (25% buyer’s premium) sparking keen interest were a couple of contrasting paintings selling well above predictions.

Dealers are now facing more competition from collectors as works estimated in the hundreds of pounds range are taken to four-figure prices

A small but eyecatching self-portrait by Denton Welch (1915-48) equalled the auction record for the artist.

Two works bringing demand at different auctions recently showed the market’s continued appetite for works by Modern British female artists.

A drawing by Sheila Fell (1931-79) offered in Cockermouth showed how strong demand can emerge even for a simple sketch.

Recent results for the Bloomsbury Group artist show how his prolific output creates a wide price range

A couple of works by leading names in the Modern British art market helped Dreweatts (26/25/20/12.5% buyer’s premium) post a total of over £1m (including premium) at its early spring Modern and Contemporary Art auction.

On Saturday 17 April, 1982, the artist Jonathan Warrender (b.1954) found himself in the back of a Bentley whirling through country lanes towards Chequers.

Works by Keith Vaughan (1912-77) from the collection of the man who played a crucial role in preserving and promoting his legacy come for sale.

The 1947 Street Scene with Figures by LS Lowry (1887-1976) is the earliest work so far to appear on the market from a group of vibrant figurative pastels.

Despite being a copy by a little-known Norfolk painter, ‘authentic’ portrait makes remarkable price

Bonhams’ (27.5/26/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) latest Marine sale was led by an elegant depiction of a famous naval battle between British and French ships that took place towards the end of the American War of Independence.

High-value Post-war and Contemporary art is increasingly on offer beyond Mayfair and the centre of the capital

Art from the collection of Christine Poirot-Delpech was the object of a sell-out single-owner sale at Art Valorem (28.8% buyer’s premium inc tax) at Drouot on April 6.

One of the top-priced lots in a recent sale held by CRN Auctions (22% buyer’s premium) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 23 was this work on paper by Alexander Calder (1898-1976).

Flying over a £200-300 estimate at a recent sale at Dawsons (25% buyer’s premium) in Maidenhead were two small mixed-media works by Maliheh Afnan (1935-2016).

This late untitled drawing by Arshile Gorky (1904-48) in pencil and crayon on paper was the highlight of a sale of Modern and Contemporary paintings held by Digard (25/20/14% buyer’s premium) on March 28 at Drouot in Paris.