The international market absorbs the Polo, Patiño and Johnson collections in one year. Tous les Louis do well but Louis XVI best of all

Private collector vs State in Spain

Hidden in the English countryside, a Victorian time-warp is slowly falling apart

Big price, big fake?

Christopher Wood's "The great art boom"

From rinceaux to Reeboks

Medical technology is being utilised to obtain clear images of watermarks

“A way of thinking that has visible form”

The TEFAF Basel saw only 12,500 visitors, but some good sales nonetheless. Could the organisers have promoted it more?

Strong bidding from expatriate Iranians recalls pre-Revolution prices

Illustrations partially compensate for jargon

Via many points in the US

The oldest working tapestry weavers in Flanders apply high-tech to some of the finest royal hangings

England's stately homes embrace Davey and Goldsworthy

Initial plans to tour the exhibition to Russia have now been shelved

New book will cover the 1,000 Italian drawings in the Chatsworth collection

Newly bought architectural albums on show

Tate makes early bid for National Lottery largesse to expand southward

The Museum of Modern Art has loaned 70 paintings for the first in a series of major exhibitions

Spanning the history of consumer design from 1900 to 1992, it aims to explore design ideas, techniques and materials as well as individual pieces and mass-produced objects.

Carbon dating for the Altamira caves, a penguin troubles sceptics at the submerged Grotte Henri Cosquer, and the sponge is a give-away at Alave

Decorative arts no longer the Cinderella

National Maritime Museum laments “smash and grab” approach of private salvage operations but who else has the funds?

“Collection for a King” opens on 5 May

Celebrating Elizabeth’s forty-year reign with robes, regalia, royal presents and memorabilia

A renewed emphasis on Western art is apparent

After twenty years in boxes a friend of the patron’s family funds its display

Experts complain that large number of fakes in the market makes it difficult to identify authentic works

Follows disappearance of jewels, manuscripts

It is estimated that between 65-80% of Giacometti furniture and sculpture offered at auction since 1986 is fake