Client Confidentiality Overturned in London Court
December 2 2020
Picture: The Art Newspaper
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Art Newspaper has reported on a ruling by London's High Court to overturn client confidentiality in relation to a fraud case.
The story revolves around a painting by Paul Signac which passed through the hands of the convicted New York art dealer Timothy Sammons. Sammons had helped broker the sale of the $4.85m picture owned by collector Linda Hickox through the London dealer Simon Dickinson. Sammons failed to pay Hickox after the eventual sale, and so the collector has pursued Dickinson in the courts to find out who the painting was sold to. The court in London ruled in favour of Hickox and Dickinson has since handed over the information.
Although court's decision is this particular case seems entirely reasonable, client confidentiality is and has forever been one of the corner stones of the art market. We'll wait and see if this ruling has any long term implications on the trade.
