Letters to the Editor

MADAM – Laura Chester’s article ‘Rising to the Portobello challenge’ (ATG No 2295) accurately describes how the antiques section has been, and still is, the backbone of Portobello Market.

MADAM – Following your recent article about Bill Neal’s Chinese mother of pearl gaming counter made for Queen Charlotte, I was touched to read Elizabeth Cannon’s letter in response and tribute to my late husband, David Howard (Letters, ATG Nos 2291 and 2293).

MADAM – My compliments on an excellent round table debating the issues facing the trade (ATG No 2291), to which I would very much like to add my views.

MADAM – I believe the 'Susanna and the Elders' sold at the Swiss Old Masters sale (ATG No 2292, p4) to be the very painting that I had in 1979 at my Euro Art Centre in Holland.

MADAM – I am writing to say how much I greatly enjoyed your two recent bumper issues: your books special (ATG No 2290) and the edition featuring the dealer round table (ATG No 2291).

MADAM – I read with interest your story about Evelyn Dunbar’s Joseph’s Dream, which set a world-record price for the artist of £73,500 (£60,000 hammer) at Cheffins on May 11 (ATG No 2292).

MADAM – Following on from your ‘State of the Trade’ debate (ATG No 2291), I would like to add my views concerning the advantages of the BADA merging with LAPADA.

MADAM – Milton Silverman in A lawyer writes (ATG No 2291) sets out useful guidance on the legal status of when the hammer falls.

MADAM – In a recent Fairs & Markets (ATG No 2291) I was very interested to read about Bill Neal’s Queen Charlotte mother of pearl gaming counter.

DEAR EDITOR – Without wishing to appear nit-picking (really, I don’t) the article in your militaria special that references the Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund Sword (ATG No 2290) describes Captain Rutherford as US-born, in 1764.

MADAM – In last week’s Books, Maps & Prints supplement (ATG No 2290), on page 39 it is stated that the German astronomer Sir William Herschel discovered Venus.

MADAM – Rejoice, rejoice. Another elephant has been saved from slaughter for its tusks by the prompt removal of an unworked ivory gong from a profit-earning display at Sandringham (ATG No 2290).

MADAM – I thought you would be pleased to hear that a lost family possession from the 17th century has been returned to me after one of your readers noticed my obscure family name in a recent Dealers’ Diary (ATG No 2276).

MADAM – Recent letters and opinions expressed in ATG’s pages about salerooms and better transparency on buyer’s premium have missed an additional yet very important point – namely that of payment to vendors.

MADAM – I have been reading the responses in your letters pages from the antiques trade to the stringent ivory laws appearing around the world.

MADAM – Regarding General Patton’s sword referenced in your militaria feature (ATG No 2287), the details supplied as to the background of this weapon are not totally correct.

MADAM – As someone with a foot in both artist and auctioneer camps, I’d like to add a contrary view to the often one-sided debate on Artist’s Resale Right (ATG No 2287).

MADAM – Having read your story about the reappearance on the market of boatswain whistles that had been pulled from sale in 2008 by the Antique Plate Committee (ATG No 2282), I would like to draw the attention of your readers to the work of this committee and the Hallmarking Act 1973.

MADAM – I read your Editor’s Comment on ARR and Brexit (ATG No 2286) with interest and write to you now with a different perspective.

This is an edited version of an open letter by Anthony Coleridge, chairman of Christie’s South Kensington (CSK) 1987-2001, to Christie’s owner François Pinault (see also news, ATG No 2287, for Christie’s response).