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The competition between auction houses to expand their private sales operations took a new twist with the announcement last week that Sotheby’s had bought art advisory firm Art Agency, Partners (AAP).

Sir Norman Rosenthal, one of the art world’s best known historians and curators, has described the trade side of the business as “a huge mechanism for preserving knowledge and value”.

Guillaume Cerutti, chief executive of Sotheby’s France and European deputy chairman, is to leave and join Christie’s as president for London, Continental Europe, the Middle East, Russia and India.

Bonhams have announced changes in their senior management structure.

Two senior members of the international auctioneering profession launch separate online-only ventures this week.

Max Liebermann’s ‘Zwei Reiter am Strand nach links’ (Two Riders on a Beach) has become the first painting to be sold from Cornelius Gurlitt’s hoard of art.

Sotheby’s latest set of results give the first indication of how Tad Smith will direct the company.

Former owner of Sotheby’s A. Alfred Taubman – and central figure in the auction price-fixing scandal – has died aged 91.

Sotheby’s have appointed Tad Smith, aged 49, as president and chief executive officer, effective March 31, 2015.

COMMENT: As the saying goes, turnover is vanity, profit is sanity. Hold that thought as you consider the announcement that Bill Ruprecht is to stand down as CEO of Sotheby’s after nearly 15 years.

BILL Ruprecht is to stand down as chief executive, chairman and president of Sotheby’s as soon as they find a replacement.

Sheikh Saud bin Mohammed Al-Thani, once considered the world’s biggest art collector, died at his London home on November 9 aged 48.

Simon de Pury took to the podium at the top of London landmark the Gherkin to launch Falcon Fine Art on October 13.

Auctioneer Richard Madley believes he may have set a record for the longest time ever taken to sell a single lot.

Fair organisers David and Lee Ann Lester of IFAE of Miami, Florida, and Harry Vander Hoorn, second-generation owner of the Dutch stand builders StabiloWorld and partner in Masterpiece London, have formed a new company, Next Level Global Fairs, LLC.

Culture Minister Ed Vaizey is to headline the first Art Business Conference, a new event scheduled for September 4 in London that will tackle key issues for trade professionals.

Public collections in need of information about their oil paintings can be connected with specialists and members of the public with relevant knowledge thanks to a scheme called Art Detective.

Christie's former chief executive Edward Dolman is to become chairman and chief executive officer of Phillips this summer.

Six years ago, Ingrid Nilson of The Antiques Dealers Fair Limited held her first ‘Luxury Antiques Weekend’ in Northumberland, at Linden Hall Hotel Golf & Country Club near Morpeth.

Sotheby’s board have acted to fend off criticism from shareholders led by hedge fund billionaire Daniel Loeb by saying they will issue a $300m special dividend in March.