Tariff on Chinese art stymies sellers, museums

From the famous auction houses of New York to a small art supply shop in Arizona, tariffs proposed by the United States on art-related items from China have elicited a quizzical reaction.

At the end of a long list of potential tariff targets by the Trump administration sits a handful of peculiar items, including "paintings, drawings and pastels, executed entirely by hand, whether or not framed", and "antiques of an age exceeding 100 years".

The US Office of the Trade Representative in Washington concluded public hearings last week on a proposed 25 percent tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, including artwork and related items.