Art and antiques news from 2005

NEW York’s Asia Week wrapped up towards the end of last week and fair exhibitors and dealers hosting Manhattan selling shows are collating just how successful the enterprise proved.

Dreweatt Neate (Buyer's premium: 17.5 per cent)SOMETIMES one could be forgiven for thinking that the words ‘Oriental work of art sleeper’, as, for instance, ‘English middle order collapse’ don’t require spaces between them and that, German-style, they are all one word.

TRADITIONAL British pictures have not been one of the strongest areas of the art market in the last couple of years, with sporting paintings being particularly stuck in the doldrums.

THE famous Bermondsey Square Antiques Market has traded in the square since 1948. This August, Southwark Council and developers Urban Catalyst will start work on the 18-month redevelopment of the square, during which it will be business as usual for the Friday antiques market. Or as near as possible given the immense upheaval for the traders.

“Perhaps the last collection from a commissioning family that is likely to come onto the market” was how Berkshire auctioneer Mark Law of Law Fine Art described the remarkable sale of the Andrew Keith Collection conducted at Littlecote House, Hungerford on April 5.

THE added tax burden of Droit de Suite, which comes in at the beginning of next year, could be far worse than feared.

Maryland auction house Hantman’s will sell personal artefacts and archival material relating to Pierre August Renoir at auction on May 14.

Police have announced two dates for a roadshow of objects recovered from what is thought to be a £30m art theft spree.

The mixed feelings felt by the trade towards television boiled over last week as David Dickinson became involved in a very public altercation with a dealer at the spring NEC fair.

Key trade issues raised in this week’s news pages will be addressed at the Art of Dealing conference at Earls Court on May 16.

LAPADA are to target young dealers in a membership drive after their latest survey shows hardly any existing members are aged under 35.

For obvious reasons the Royal Doulton 'Norfolk' pattern is avidly collected in East Anglia.

TWO long-term directors of auctioneers Rosebery's are to leave southeast London to pursue a career offering antiques themed breaks from a Pyrenean château.

Right: this handsome reticulated porcelain vase and cover by George Owen was the highlight of a private and local collection of Royal Worcester porcelain sold by Glasgow auctioneers McTear’s on March 25.

A SMALL Renoir portrait painted in 1913, with an estimated value of €170,000-200,000 (£120,000-140,000), was stolen from the Tajan premises in Paris shortly before it was to be offered at a sale on March 31.

THE antiques trade is mourning the loss of two of the leading figures of their generation. Maurice Turpin (1928-2005), the Mayfair dealer in fine period furniture and objects and David Sanctuary Howard (1928-2005), Chinese export porcelain connoisseur, both died, aged 77, last week.

HE HAS suffered a few knocks to his character in his 110-year history, but when Golly’s life began over a century ago, it was hard to find anything not to love about him.

THE trade are being warned of a new internet scam that risks involving innocent dealers in money laundering – and can leave them with large bills to pay.

TATE Britain has acquired an important painting by Richard Parkes Bonnington (1802-1828) thanks to grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Art Fund.

HAMPTONS Auctioneers of Godalming will change their name to Dreweatt Neate this month. Having become part of The Fine Art Auction Group earlier this year, the saleroom will be rebranded under the Dreweatt Neate banner in time for the Surrey firm’s April 13 sale.