Art and antiques news from 2015

Nottingham-based John Pye Auctions are expanding into Mayfair.

Two single-owner collections of Martinware – each exceptional in their own way – will appear for sale on either side of the Atlantic this autumn.

Scientific, medical and natural history books from the library of the Royal Institution are to be sold at Christie’s on December 1.

London’s Frieze Week, an annual high point of Modern and Contemporary art fairs and auctions, will take place one week earlier than usual in 2016, as the organisers of Frieze fairs have moved their dates forward to avoid clashing with the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur.

Leading specialists will debate the use of scientific testing in Asian art at an event to coincide with Asian Art in London (November 5-14).

Staff at The Swan at Tetsworth say it is ‘business as usual’ despite the dramatic ram-raid at the Oxfordshire antiques centre last weekend.

There was drama at the Stonepark auction rooms of Rendells near Ashburton when this Isnik fritware tile was hammered down at £155,000 at their latest sale.

A new senior management team has been appointed to take on responsibility for the group of businesses that includes Dreweatts, Baldwin’s and Mallett, ATG has learned.

A small Dame Barbara Hepworth (1903-1975) sculpture bought at a Christie’s auction by The Pier Arts Centre in Orkney has now gone on display.

Dreweatts are to offer 14 boxes from an important American collection of 18th and 19th century European gold boxes as part of a December 3 sale titled Iconic Jewels & Treasures.

Legendary London jewellery, silver and object d’art dealership SJ Phillips are planning to leave their landmark Mayfair store after almost one-and-a-half centuries.

An Apple-1, the technology that heralded a revolution in home computing when it was launched as Apple’s first product in 1976, is for sale via Christie’s online.

As part of their latest 20th Century & Decorative Art auction in Stansted Mountfitchet, Sworders sold this still life by the influential American photographer Irving Penn (1917-2009) for £61,000.

Ahead of the 18th staging of ‘Asian Art in London’ (November 5-14) – and against a backdrop of a slowdown in the Chinese economy – we invited senior members of the dealing fraternity to give their views on the market and their expectations for the event.

We are planning some exciting changes to the Antiques Trade Gazette website and would like to invite you to join our customer panel.

Christie’s have announced a new themed week of sales in New York next April.

Masterpiece London will take place a week later than usual in 2016, running from June 29 to July 6 (with a preview on June 29).

Thieves who target cultural property or items of great sentimental value will face tougher sentences under new rules.

“Button who?” When Shropshire documents consultant Ben Jones was told that an American client was considering selling the clipped signature of Button Gwinnett he reached for the search engine.

The highlight of Bonhams’ latest sale of Islamic and Indian art in London was this rare Gujarati mother-of-pearl artwork of early date and exceptional size.