Martin Levy

Martin Levy is Chairman of H Blairman and Sons Ltd and a member of the Spoliation Advisory Panel

Sir Nicholas Goodison (1934–2021)

Remembering Sir Nicholas Goodison (1934–2021), the City grandee with a scholar’s eye for the decorative arts

Nicholas Goodison had a distinguished career in the City – but he will also be remembered for his scholarly and philanthropic contributions to the arts

20 Jul 2021

Diptych with scenes of the Passion (detail), (late 13th century). Wallace Collection.

Now that the UK ivory ban has become law, how will it work in practice?

The implementation of the Ivory Act is going to need a lot of pragmatism and expertise

3 Jan 2019

Three soldiers (from the Flagellation of Christ; 1360), Master of Agrafen, or a follower.

We can preserve elephants AND conserve art

This week’s parliamentary debate on the UK domestic ivory trade revealed some serious misconceptions about antique ivory and those who study and sell it

7 Feb 2017

Ivory diptych showing images of the muses together with ancient scholars or scientists (5th century), possibly Gaul. Musée du Louvre.

A golden opportunity to protect antique ivory

It’s time to acknowledge, once and for all, that bona fide antiques are simply not a concern when it comes to tackling the illegal trade in African ivory

20 Sep 2016

Mirror valve: game of chess, from the Louvre collection

Antique ivory poses no threat to elephant conservation: in fact, it needs protection itself

Antiques dealers have cause for concern, but there’s also an opportunity to broaden the debate…

25 May 2016

Listen up, Chancellor: we must not allow the Gillows collection to be mothballed

The Judges’ Lodgings Museum in Lancaster is threatened with imminent closure. It should be a source of not only civic but national pride

3 Mar 2016

Antique ivory: an opportunity for progress on US imports?

Banning the import of antiques will not help the otherwise commendable effort to save the elephants

25 Aug 2015

The owners of restituted artworks have every right to sell them

Those complaining the impact on previous owners are missing the point

20 Jul 2015

Forum: Is the US ivory ban counter-productive?

In Apollo’s June issue, Martin Levy discusses the impact of the proposed US ivory ban on the cultural sector

9 Jun 2014

The Spoliation Advisory Panel and Art Restitution Claims

Items from the Tate, V&A and Ashmolean museum are being investigated by the Spoliation Advisory Panel: what is the panel, and what do they do?

5 Apr 2014