Latest News
Trade fears Cultural Property Bill’s criminal liability clause will damage the art market
The UK’s leading art trade associations fear well-meaning legislation to protect cultural property in occupied armed conflict zones might damage the wider legitimate market. The warning came as they tried to persuade ministers to reword a vital clause in the new...
ADA member wins Best Stand at LAPADA Fair… for the second year running
Congratulations to Costas Paraskevaides of Art Ancient, who has won Best Stand at the LAPADA Fair, Berkeley Square, in London for the second year running. Competition was stiff among the 113 exhibitors, and the highly decorative and imaginative designs of many LAPADA...
The British Museum and Christie’s do their bit for Afghanistan’s national museum… and debunk sensationalist media coverage of the Syrian crisis
The Global Islamic Economy Gateway (Salaam Gateway) has published an article, titled Ownership, restitution and provenance: The looted Afghan bowl that went around the world and back again, about the restitution of an important Safavid bowl looted from the National...
Latest Views
Protecting our Past for the Future – view from the Trade
We have talked today a lot about looting and have seen many illustrations, but it is clear that the greatest crisis currently facing world heritage is the destruction taking place in Syria and Iraq. The major causes of the destruction are two-fold: war with...
Collecting Antiquities
There are many antique shops and dealers in antiques throughout the country. Often they belong to the British Antique Dealers' Association (BADA) or to the London and Provincial Antiques Dealers' Association (LAPADA); there are also more focused local groups, such as...
Why Have an Antiquities Trade?
A fairly widely held and longstanding view argues that there is no place for trade in, and private ownership of, antiquities. The only place for them is – at best – in situ at their place of origin or – not quite so good – in a museum. The archaeologists, academics...