When RMS Queen Mary was launched in 1934 it was not only at the cutting edge of technology but also featured some of the grandest interior designs ever seen aboard an ocean liner.

This polychrome advertising plaque features a portrait of Ninon de L’Enclos, a notorious courtesan who scandalised France by numerous affairs with prominent statesmen and church notables.

Many animals stuffed by taxidermists stand out as fiercesome beasts that could easily have turned on the hunters themselves.

Our selection of 14 upcoming lots at UK auctions.

A letter of apology written by George Harrison after two autograph-hunting schoolgirls got a distinctly unfriendly reception when they turned up on the doorstep of his home took £6100 at auction.

In the 007 collecting scene Dr No (1962) is usually the film poster buyers are most keen to say yes to.

Shown here is the original 15ips (inches per second) tape of, by repute, Rod Stewart’s first recording on June 18, 1964, together with a second copy.

In one way, Johnny Berry (1926-94) was luckier than many of Manchester United’s Busby Babes: he survived the Munich air disaster on February 6, 1958, that killed many of his teammates.

Footprint design telling a story of lost love stars among a selection of ‘out of the ordinary’ collectables lots sold at auction

With Arsenal still setting the pace at the top of the Premier League as we went to press, several lots offered at Graham Budd’s (24% buyer’s premium) sale on March 7-8 acted as a reminder of the club’s formative days.

On November 26, 1976, the Sex Pistols released their first single, Anarchy in the UK.

Gold has become the standard to aspire to at the Olympics but for the first version of the modern summer Games it was silver.

Middle-Earth history works edited by Christopher and two copies of The Hobbit with interesting links

“A very rare and early item of cricketing history” is how Knights Sporting Auctions (20% buyer’s premium) describes the large silk handkerchief shown here.

Beautiful construction, rarity and interesting history combined to make a British-made cutaway model sought after in a Canadian auction.

On June 9, 1934, Donald Duck made his debut in a supporting role in a Silly Symphony cartoon titled The Wise Little Hen.

An original owner of considerable military renown made the difference when a c.1820 gold fob seal came up for auction in London on March 14.

A pair of football programmes proved the pull of early Manchester United memorabilia remains strong among collectors