Art and antiques news from 2015

Christie’s evening sale of post-war and Contemporary art last night posted a premium-inclusive total of $658.5m (£445m) as the bumper fortnight of auctions continued in New York.

The two outstanding blue dash chargers offered at a recent sale held by Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood in Exeter form part of a small but distinctive group of early 18th century delft dishes boldly painted with a variety of quirky bird, animal and figure subjects.

Mark Rothko’s 'Untitled (Yellow and Blue)' led Sotheby’s sale of Contemporary art in New York last night.

A judge has hailed the “professionalism and integrity” of members of the trade who helped snare a thief who stole antiques and art from her wealthy employer.

A new high for any work of art sold at auction came at Christie’s New York last night as Pablo Picasso’s ‘Les femmes d’Alger (Version ‘O’)’ sold at $160m (£108.1m).

Global online art sales grew by 68% in 2014 to total $2.64bn, say Hiscox, the international specialist insurer, in their third annual survey of the market.

The English Ceramic Circle (ECC) will hold a study day titled ‘Eat, Drink & Be Merry’ in conjunction with the ‘Art Antiques London’ fair in Kensington Gardens on June 16.

Two lantern clocks engraved with the signature ‘Thomas Loomes at ye mermayd in Lothbury’ recently appeared at auction within days of each other.

The Lockheed Lounge by Australian designer Marc Newson beat its own record as the most expensive work to sell at auction by a living designer when it fetched £2.1m at Phillips in London.

A leading dealer in Japanese works of art says he will go out of business if sales of ivory in the UK are banned.

Briefly owned by Louis XVI, who intended them for the Louvre, this 13in (33.5cm) high pair of fine gilt-bronze-mounted kakiemon porcelain and Egyptian porphyry brûle parfums sold for £1.65m at Sotheby’s in London this week.

This Italian baroque bronze depicting ‘Ganymede and the Eagle’ by Massimiliano Soldani-Benzi (1656-1740) proved the highlight of Lyon & Turnbull’s recent sale in Edinburgh.

US insurance firms Crystal & Co and AIG Private Client Group are working together to create a new product for owners of conceptual art.

A key component of this spring’s series of Islamic auctions was Bonhams’ 30-lot consignment of objects relating to Tipu Sultan, the Tiger of Mysore.

The Conservative Party Manifesto pledges to “press for a total ban on ivory sales” despite recent assurances from the Government that they would not damage the legitimate antiques trade.

This rare Indian coin drew a four-way competition at Wilkes & Curtis’ latest auction.

What is billed as “the best collection of English clocks that has come to the market in living memory” will go on sale later this year at Winchester dealers Carter Marsh.

COMMENT – Dealer Jamie Sinai believes modern functionality will eventually lead to a celebration of creativity and individual flair

This large Burmantofts faience plaque sold for £7000 at 1818 Auctions of Milnthorpe, Cumbria. The vendor, who bought it at a car boot sale for £20, was in the room to watch bidding surge way beyond a £400-600 estimate.

A charity aiming to redevelop the vintage market end of London’s Portobello Road has been forced to defend its plans in the face of protests against further gentrification of the area.