THIS WEEK: A bumper week on the market. If you want a hand bidding on some of the goodies don't hesitate to get in touch. Enjoy! ON THE MARKET A FANTE ASAFO FLAG (20th Century) £500 - 800 Fante refers to a group of people living across the central fishing villages of Ghana. These are often referred to as war flags but Asafo companies' roles were much broader. Responsible for sanitation and roadworks, protection of state goods, local policies, conducting funeral rights, and community...
10 months ago • 2 min read
The Friday F.U.N Email (Factoid, Under 2k, Nuggets) Factoid: Why are so many masterpieces discovered in France? A Caravaggio in the attic, a Brughel behind a door and a golden icon in the kitchen. These are recent examples of rare masterpieces found in unexpected places at home. But what do they all have in common? All were discovered in French homes. As it turns out, this is no coincidence. A combination of two factors creates a helpful environment for overlooked treasures. The first is...
10 months ago • 2 min read
THIS WEEK: A weepy statue, some pretty pieces to buy, a sleeper & much more. Keep on scrollin... What happened? A congregation of churchgoers in Mexico have borne witness to a real-life miracle… or did they? Visitors were moved by a statue of the Virgin Mary that appeared to be shedding real tears. If seeing is believing, the Tictok videos are mighty convincing. What do the sceptics say? Enter Professor Luigi Garlaschelli. A chemist from the University of Pavia has suggested the following....
10 months ago • 2 min read
THIS WEEK: A doorstop deal, alphabets, snippets & much more. Keep on scrollin'... What's the sculpture? This is a bust of Highland landowner Sir John Gordon, made by French artist Edmé Bouchardon in 1728. 200 years later it was bought by Invergordon Town Council for just £5. Fast forward to 1998, the work had been all but forgotten. It was ultimately 'rediscovered' propping open a shed door. Initially valued at £1.4 M, an overseas buyer has approached the small Scottish town with a juicy...
10 months ago • 2 min read
The Friday F.U.N Email (Factoid, Under 2k, Nugget) Factoid: pulped fiction It started in an Oxfam in Swansea. When a public plea for people to stop donating copies of the Da Vinci Code went viral. It also caught the eye of Turner Prize-winning artist David Shrigley. "I read the story in the Telegraph and that sparked my imagination in the sense that I was like I want those. I don't know why, but I want them" says Shrigley. "So, I set about acquiring as many Da Vinci Codes as I could." Since...
11 months ago • 1 min read
THIS WEEK: The BM hit back, 'the master of the chair' & much more. Keep on scrollin... The BM responds. The scandalous theft of 2,000 items from the British Museum has plunged its reputation to new lows. Some items from the treasured collection even appearing on eBay. "One Roman object, it is said, valued at up to £50,000 was offered for just £40." The BM have announced their response. A digitization project that will take 5 years, cost $12M and aim to catalogue the whopping 2.4M records and...
11 months ago • 2 min read
The Friday F.U.N Email (Factoid, Under 2k, Nugget) Factoid: Picasso liked short women. When it came to women, Picasso did not have a type. His only stipulation was that they had to be submissive and no taller than him. At only 5 ft. 4 inches tall, you might think this slowed him down. Quite the opposite. He accumulated no less than two wives, six long-term mistresses and hundreds of short-term affairs—all dysfunctional relationships. As biographer John Richardson says: "Although he was quite...
11 months ago • 1 min read
THIS WEEK: Two Edinburgh School paintings, a scorched bowl, Kim K defeated and much more. Keep on scrollin'... ON THE MARKET DAVID McCLURE Mirror I £1,000 - 1,500 McClure might be a highly celebrated member of the Edinburgh School but his paintings don't fetch massive sums at auction, unlike some of his contemporaries. It means you can still pick up good examples of his work for relatively little. This is a subtle self-portrait disguised as an interior. Charming. BROWSE HERE PETER...
11 months ago • 2 min read
The Friday F.U.N Email (Factoid, Under 2k, Nugget) Factoid: 367 pieces, valued at $963 Million. This is the size and value of Roman Ibramovich's art collection. According to documents reviewed by the Guardian, it is one of the most significant modern art collections ever amassed. "This is a stupendous collection,” says Andrew Renton, the professor of curating at Goldsmiths; he adds: "It’s not the vulgar collection of a nouveau riche; it shows very good taste." The pieces in the report include...
12 months ago • 1 min read