Auctions

Mystery of the Basquiat sold at Christie’s for $37m

But the work is still owned by Tony Shafrazi two months later

Artnews

Margaret Thatcher collection snapped up at Christie’s auction

Former prime minister’s belongings attract bidders from 41 countries

Secret fire sale held of 250 works confiscated from dealer in Knoedler gallery scandal

Glafira Rosales’s name was not mentioned in connection with the auctions, which included pieces by Sean Scully, Kenneth Noland, Jules Olitski, Louise Lawler, Andy Warhol and Ad Reinhardt

Dozens of Sotheby’s staff take buyout option

The voluntary programme will cost the auction house around $40m after shaky sale season

Charles Moffett, former Sotheby’s vice chairman, dies at 70

Before working at the auction house for 16 years, he had a long and distinguished career as a curator at national museums

Artnews

Flattering portrait of Henry VIII helps Sotheby’s dominate Old Master auctions

Work from Hans Holbein’s studio was a highlight of London’s sale season

Lawnews

Christie’s to sell 2,000 photographs seized by US government in biodiesel fraud

Collection valued at more than $15m was used to launder money, Attorney’s Office says

London’s winter Russian art sales have lukewarm results

Auction totals continue dropping but the number of lots sold go up

The sheer amount of contemporary and Modern art for sale may finally have matched demand

While the frantic pace continues in early December, with visitors flocking to Art Basel in Miami Beach and its many satellite fairs, some taking of stock seems in order

Record set for Canadian artist—and Steve Martin favourite—Lawren Harris

Interest has been sparked by show of the Group of Seven leader at the Hammer Museum in LA

Auction of German dealing dynasty’s collection disappoints

Sotheby’s sale of Konrad Bernheimer’s family property, once looted by the Nazis, failed to meet expectations

Common sense makes a comeback at New York’s November sales

This month's auctions signalled a slowdown in the market as collectors started to exercise restraint

Sotheby's offers voluntary redundancies to cut costs

Chief executive Tad Smith hopes to keep “excellent, less-tenured” staff who want to change the worlds of art, jewellery, cars and wine

Auctionscomment

The sky is falling on the art market, or is it?

Kenny Schachter on the auctions in New York

Bonhams boss adds dramatic twist to the auction theatre

Under Matthew Girling, the auction house is running an advertising campaign that makes devious dukes and ravishing brides central characters in the backstory of items listed for sale

Strong finish for New York auction marathon at Christie’s

Matisse’s drawing of sleeping beauty fitted mood of quiet Impressionist and Modern sale

Records for Cy Twombly and Mike Kelley at solid Sotheby’s sale

Contemporary art auction in New York meets expectations as market finds its level

Louise Bourgeois’ spider breaks record, but auction at Christie’s crawls in below estimate

Auction house’s post-war and contemporary sale in New York last night was patchy

Modigliani sells for $170m to China, but market ‘a little cooler, a little smarter’

Shaky stock market dampens Christie’s contemporary and Modern art auction

Sotheby’s third-quarter results are a mixed bag

Auction house chief Tad Smith points to positive progress, but firm is still operating at a loss

Never on a Sunday: Phillips contemporary sale fails to meet low estimate

The auction house’s CEO Ed Dolman pins tepid results to “selective bidding” by collectors saving their money for the week’s auction gauntlet

Picasso portrait helps Sotheby’s put Taubman blues behind it

Billionaire sells Blue Period La Gommeuse for $67m in upbeat Impressionist and Modern sale

Lacklustre result for Sotheby’s sale of former chief's best works

Modigliani soars, but many pieces once owned by Alfred Taubman fall flat

Iron Lady’s handbags go under the hammer

Christie’s to sell Margaret Thatcher’s belongings after V&A turns them down