Tag Archives: sotheby

Banksy’s latest artwork: self-destruction

Posted on: October 8, 2018 by Alexander Herman

On Friday night in London, Sotheby’s auctioned off a ‘unique’ version of Banksy’s famous image of a young girl reaching for a red balloon. It was the last lot of the Contemporary Art auction in an important week for the London art market, with Frieze London having opened earlier that day. But just as the […]

The Fatimid jar dispute and the 1970 UNESCO Convention

Posted on: July 9, 2018 by Alexander Herman

An interesting case came down last month from the High Court in London in the matter of Jeddi v Sotheby’s. The case was brought by an Iranian antiquities dealer named Ali Jeddi against Sotheby’s UK for refusing to return his property, a 10th century Fatimid jar made of translucent quartz and finely decorated with images of […]

Sale today of once-“obscene” Mapplethorpe photo

Posted on: October 7, 2015 by Ruth Redmond-Cooper

Today, Sotheby’s New York will be auctioning off a print of a controversial Robert Mapplethorpe photograph entitled Man in Polyester Suit (no, we won’t describe it for you). Twenty-five years ago the work was at the centre of criminal proceedings brought against the Cincinnati Art Center and its director for contravening US obscenity laws after the institution had […]

Upcoming Shows on Appropriation and Pop Art

Posted on: September 16, 2015 by Alexander Herman

Two interesting exhibitions are coming up. One is at Sotheby’s in New York and will feature appropriation art by the likes of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. It will run from 23 September to 16 October and yes, the works are for sale. The other is at London’s Tate Modern and will feature Pop Artists from the […]

International Art Transactions: 13 May 2015 seminar

Posted on: March 31, 2015 by Ruth Redmond-Cooper

On Wednesday 13 May 2015 from 2-5.30 pm there will be an Institute of Art & Law seminar in association with Maurice Turnor Gardner LLP held at the firm’s London offices in Milton Street EC2Y 9BH. The seminar will explore the legal issues surrounding international art transactions, covering questions of title, customs duties and freeports, working with foreign […]

Upcoming seminar: Succession Planning for Art

Posted on: January 20, 2015 by Ruth Redmond-Cooper

On 25 February 2015, there will be an IAL evening seminar hosted by Collyer Bristow LLP in London entitled Succession Planning for Art: Owners, Collectors and Creators. The seminar will examine the most effective ways in which artists, dealers and collectors can ensure that, following their death, their wishes concerning the disposition and management of their estate […]

Another Australian auction dispute

Posted on: January 13, 2015 by Alexander Herman

On the heels of McBride v Christie’s Australia, came another auction dispute from Australia, this one involving the children of renowned painter John Olsen and Sotheby’s Australia. Sotheby’s had listed for auction an Olsen work entitled Mother, which had been painted in 1964 for the painter’s second wife, marking the birth of their daughter. The children, now executors of their mother’s […]