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Art and antiques news from 2015

It was all change at the top in 2015 with Tad Smith replacing Bill Ruprecht as CEO of Sotheby's, Patricia Barbizet taking over from Stephen P Murphy as CEO of Christie's and Matthew Girling moving up to the role of global CEO at Bonhams.

Stephan Ludwig and Ian Goldbart, creators of the group of businesses that include Dreweatts, Baldwin's and Mallett, suddenly departed in the early autumn of 2015.

Dealer association BADA brought in an industry outsider as its new CEO - Marco Forgione, former head of events industry trade body EVCOM.

In other news, dealer Richard Green made his debut at Masterpiece in London, cementing the fair's place as a major event in the annual calendar.

The antiques industry waited nervously to see whether the newly elected Conservative government would carry out its manifesto pledge to "press for a total ban on ivory sales".

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Sextant story of shipwreck cannibalism

30 November 2015

A simple pencil message on a wooden sextant case sold at a London auction tells a story of desperate shipwrecked sailors adrift in a dinghy and running out of food and water.

Penman looks to design at Chelsea

30 November 2015

Penman Fairs will launch a new London event for 2016 called ‘Art, Antiques & Design’.

Cultural property law to be debated in German parliament

30 November 2015

The German Cultural Property and Heritage Protection Law (Kulturschutzgesetz) is due to be debated in the German Bundestag next spring after a “defused” draft of the law received cabinet approval on November 4.

IACF acquire Sandown fair and switch day to Monday

20 November 2015

International Antiques & Collectors Fairs (IACF) have added the monthly antiques and vintage fairs held at Sandown Park Racecourse to their roster of events.

Paris Tableau to join new Biennale

20 November 2015

Paris Tableau, the specialist Old Masters fair, announced midway through its run this month that from next year it would become part of the new annual Biennale des Antiquaires.

Sotheby’s begin staff cuts with voluntary scheme

20 November 2015

Sotheby’s have begun a voluntary redundancy scheme as they look to cut costs as part of their restructuring plan.

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Nazi looted Houdon bust returns to Poland

20 November 2015

A late 18th century bust of the Goddess Diana which was looted from the Royal Lazienki Palace in Warsaw by the Nazis has been returned to Poland after emerging at auction in Vienna.

Research project begins into effect of total ivory ban in the UK

20 November 2015

Stakeholders in the art market are being asked to participate in a project seeking to gauge the effect of a total ban on the sale of ivory works of art in the UK.

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Qing bamboo brushpot bought for £700 makes £58,000 in Dorchester auction

19 November 2015

The primary draw to the regions – rather than London – during last week’s glut of Asian works of art sales was the auction titled ‘In Pursuit of the Scholar’s Spirit’ conducted by Duke’s of Dorchester.

Christie’s change antiquities schedule

18 November 2015

Christie’s have announced major changes to their antiquities sales calendar in London and New York.

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Should connoisseurship be placed under the microscope?

18 November 2015

“There are 12 symbols in the Chinese language for the word fake – and each means something slightly different”.

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Whip-round proves fair gain for Lyon

17 November 2015

When two academics spotted a work on the stand of the Lyons dealer Galerie Michel Descours on the opening night of the dedicated Old Masters fair Paris Tableau last week, they immediately felt it was a work that should be in the Musée des Beaux Arts in Lyon.

Chance offer gives Gloucester dealers new town-centre home

16 November 2015

A lifeline has been thrown to the 60 dealers at the Gloucester Antiques Centre on Gloucester Quays which closed earlier this month with six weeks’ notice given to quit.

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Major lots help generate over $2bn total in New York auction fortnight

16 November 2015

The large sums of money changing hands at the top end of the Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary art market was underlined at the latest auctions in New York.

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Modigliani tops Christie’s ‘Artist’s Muse’ sale in New York at $152m

12 November 2015

Christie’s latest cross-category sale entitled The Artist’s Muse set the second highest ever auction price for a work of art when Amedeo Modigliani’s Nu couché (Reclining nude) sold at $152m (£104.8m).

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Lichtenstein’s Nurse sets artist’s record

12 November 2015

A new auction record came for American pop artist Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997) when 'Nurse' was knocked down at $85m (£58.6m) at Christie’s cross-category sale entitled The Artist’s Muse earlier this week.

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Customs return ivories to London dealer after three-year battle

12 November 2015

Following a long legal battle, London dealer Joost van den Bergh has successfully overturned a controversial customs decision to seize three rare 17th century ivories.

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Police hunt for thieves after Regent’s Park watch heist

11 November 2015

Police are appealing for help from the antiques trade to trace two men captured on CCTV at the scene of a watches burglary in London.

Gloucester Antiques Centre dealers move to city centre after landlord gives notice to quit

10 November 2015

The Gloucester Antiques Centre has been saved by a local property developer after the 90 dealers at the centre were given six-weeks notice by their landlords the Peel Group to quit the three-storey premises on Gloucester Quays.

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‘Yongzheng’ vase posts £114,500 record for Carmarthen auction house

09 November 2015

Welsh auctioneers Peter Francis set a new house record when this 8in (19cm) celadon glazed vase sold via the-saleroom.com to a bidder from mainland China for £114,500.