Greek, Roman, Egyptian & Other Antiquities

The antiquities market comprises artefacts and works of art made by ancient civilisations including statues, coins, jewellery and arms and armour.

Provenance is one of the most important considerations when trading in this sector as there is a long history of looting from archaeological sites.

Tiwanaku 2

Cambridge auctioneer negotiates return of artefact to Bolivian government

30 April 2018

A Cambridge auctioneer has negotiated the return of a pre-Columbian artefact to the Bolivian government.

Greek horse's head

Ancient Greek horse’s head rears up at Monaco auction

30 April 2018

Survivals of ancient classical sculpture carved from ivory are incredibly rare, so the appearance on the market of this naturalistically carved ancient Greek horse’s head is a notable occasion.

Seized artworks.

Spanish dealers arrested after antiquities from Libya seized

30 March 2018

Antiquities looted from archaeological sites in Libya have been seized in Spain by police and two art dealers have been arrested.

Coin cabinet

Spink-sponsored British Museum exhibition aims to bring numismatics to the public

20 February 2018

The British Museum is to hold an exhibition on money and medals in a tie-up with specialist London coin and stamp auction Spink.

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UK banks continue to question ‘Persian’ works of art sales over Iranian sanctions

19 February 2018

Britain’s major banks are continuing to crack down on the sale of Persian works of art in the face of ongoing US sanctions against Iran.

Beads

Appeal to help find stolen Anglo-Saxon beads and coins following Canterbury theft

13 February 2018

The Canterbury Archaeology Trust is appealing for help to find the 850 Anglo-Saxon glass beads, multiple coins, metal artefacts and bone objects that have been stolen in a series of thefts from a storeroom in Kent.

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Date change as New York coin convention scraps antiquities

12 February 2018

The New York International Numismatic Convention (NYINC) has taken the decision to drop antiquities from its offering amid concerns over looted art.

Torso

Art Loss Register, New York’s district attorney and antiquities dealers team up to safeguard Lebanese sculptures

06 February 2018

Antiquities looted during the Lebanese civil war in the 1980s are to go on display at the National Museum in Beirut after they were identified in Europe as stolen objects.

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Antiquities trafficking unit formed in New York

15 January 2018

Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus R Vance Jr, has formed an Antiquities Trafficking Unit to focus on potentially looted artefacts in New York.

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Antiquities at BRAFA 2018

15 January 2018

Antiquities is one of BRAFA’s strong suits in terms of exhibitor volume. Around 10 specialists in this field are standing, plus a number of others that mix antiquities with, for example, Asian art.

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Salerooms feel the tribe is right

15 January 2018

The rising popularity of the tribal art collecting scene is tempting auction houses to take steps in that direction.

Duck

Antiquities seized from billionaire collector after anti-trafficking unit launched in New York

09 January 2018

Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr, has swooped on the antiquities collection of hedge-fund manager and philanthropist Michael H. Steinhardt.

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Rupert Wace sells ancient Babylonian rarity in ‘London Art Week’ show

02 January 2018

A Babylonian brick with a stamped inscription was among the sales dealership Rupert Wace Ancient Art made as part of its December exhibition Dizygotica.

Leekfrith

Iron Age gold torcs head to Stoke museum after fundraising target reached

19 December 2017

A collection of Iron Age gold jewellery is to go on display at Stoke-on-Trent’s Potteries Museum & Art Gallery after fundraising hit the £325,000 target.

Winfarthing treasure

Boom in metal-detecting helps ‘treasure’ numbers hit a record

05 December 2017

A record amount of ‘treasure’ has been found in Britain’s fields and ditches by members of the public in the past year.

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Persepolis relief seized in New York

06 November 2017

The ownership of a Persian limestone relief sculpture from Persepolis is under investigation by the Manhattan district attorney’s office after it was seized from the stand of Rupert Wace Ancient Art at TEFAF New York.

Park Avenue Armory

Persian limestone sculpture seized by police from antiquities dealer at TEFAF New York

30 October 2017

The Manhattan district attorney’s office has seized a Persian limestone relief fragment from the stand of a dealer at TEFAF New York amid accusations it had been stolen.

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‘Looted’ vases row reflects antiquities trade pitfalls

30 October 2017

A dispute over two 4th century BC Grecian vases offered at Frieze Masters in London by a Swiss dealer is the latest case highlighting the complexity of the ownership of antiquities.

Stargazer case looks at fundamental art issues

18 September 2017

Christie’s sale of an ancient marble idol has created an art world battleground between Turkey and the saleroom, testing ownership laws...

Iron age torc

Stoke-on-Trent’s Potteries museum welcomes home Wedgwood vase and kicks of fundraising for Iron Age torcs

16 September 2017

The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent had a double celebration today when it welcomed home a vase by master potter Josiah Wedgwood and launched a fundraising campaign to buy the Leekfrith Iron Age Torcs.

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