News in brief including an export bar on Louis XIV's table top

King Louis XIV era table top which is subject to a temporary export bar.

06 Jul 2024

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Sun King’s table top export bar for now

King Louis XIV of France was not averse to spending on lavish household items.

He was a dedicated patron of the arts and commissioned the Palace of Versailles at a cost of roughly £1.5bn in today’s money.

Now a table top once belonging to the Sun King is the subject of a UK government temporary export bar to try to prevent it leaving the country.

It is hoped this piece by master glassworker Bernard Perrot of Orléans (1640-1709), worth around £7.5m, will be bought by a British gallery or institution. The table top is made from 111 panels of worked glass and pictorial panels including the depiction of the Judgment of Paris, gods, goddesses, flora and fauna. It is framed by a structure of gilded metalwork.

The export bar has been set for its “outstanding aesthetic importance” and “outstanding significance to the study of the work of Bernard Perrot and other émigré glassmakers working in France in the 17th century,” the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said.

The export bar will run until October 18, when it is hoped a domestic buyer can be found to purchase the table top at the recommended £7.5m price tag and “save it for the nation”.

It was last sold at Sotheby’s in 1988. The identity of the current owner is undisclosed.

Sanders joins the Dreweatts team

Gemma Sanders.

Dreweatts’ new modern design auctions department will feature furniture, lighting, and decorative arts from the early-20th century to contemporary pieces including creations by designers such as Charles and Ray Eames, Alvar Aalto and Hans Wegner.

Prior to joining Dreweatts, Sanders spent 15 years at Bonhams, where she was head of the modern design auctions department.

“I am delighted to join Dreweatts at such an exciting time,” Sanders said. “Modern design auctions represent a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the creativity and innovation of 20th and 21st century designers. I look forward to curating auctions that will captivate collectors and design aficionados alike.”

The inaugural modern design auction is set for November 21.

Sotheby’s Paris HQ makes a short hop

Sotheby’s Paris headquarters will relocate from its current premises on 76 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré to 83 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in October.

Sotheby’s says it will gain 30% more exhibition space from the move. The new location - formerly the site of the Galerie Bernheim-Jeune - will also consist of a showroom, café and wine cellar with a tasting area.

The auction house is also moving its premises in Hong Kong and New York in July and 2025 respectively.

Holt appointed

Elaine Holt.

Sotheby’s Asia has appointed Elaine Holt as deputy chairman and chairman of modern and contemporary art.

Holt has been in the fine art industry for over 20 years having been a dealer and auction specialist and adviser.

Holt will join in July as Sotheby’s prepares to move its maison to Landmark Chater in the heart of Hong Kong.

Bonhams Skinner appoints Starr

Robin Starr.

Bonhams Skinner has appointed Robin Starr as general manager. She most recently served as the firm’s vice president and director of American and European works of art.

Starr will be responsible for overseeing the overal l performance and operations of Skinner across its two Massachusetts salerooms in Marlborough and Boston.

Gorringe’s back as a SOFAA member

East Sussex auction house Gorringe’s has rejoined the Society of Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers (SOFAA).

In Numbers

39 The number of colonial-era artefacts repatriated to Uganda by Cambridge University’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. The items will be initially housed at the Uganda Museum in Kampala before being returned to their respective regions.