Auctioneers

One of the most talked about pictures sold recently was a portrait by an almost unheard of artist that dramatically exceeded its £150-250 estimate by 80-times at a Surrey sale.

Woolley & Wallis is selling elements of a silver and malachite table service designed by Josef Hoffman for the Palais Stoclet in Brussels.

Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas were probably members. So too Charles Robert Ashbee.

Made in 1762 at the cusp of the vogue for rococo and neo-classicism, this 15in (44cm) high Sèvres vase combines elements of both styles.

Mittens worn by British Everest expedition leader Sir John Hunt in 1953 have been reunited 70 years later following a successful auction bid, it has been revealed.

This 18ct gold ring demonstrating French portrait photographer René Dagron’s (1819-1900) invention of microphotography quadrupled its estimate at Bonhams in Paris.

As timing goes, the sale date for an album of handwritten letters, photographs and ephemera related to Sophia Duleep Singh (1876-1948) could not have been much better.

A group of design objects consigned by British textile artist and designer Ann Sutton (b.1935) was offered as part of the Lyon & Turnbull Modern Made sale.

This 1970 Heuer Autavia Chronograph was awarded to rally driver Doug Harris for finishing the 16,000-mile London to Mexico World Cup Rally in 1970.

A small but eyecatching self-portrait by Denton Welch (1915-48) equalled the auction record for the artist.

Two works bringing demand at different auctions recently showed the market’s continued appetite for works by Modern British female artists.

A drawing by Sheila Fell (1931-79) offered in Cockermouth showed how strong demand can emerge even for a simple sketch.

Periodicals were produced in a Scottish camp by inmates to make life a bit more meaningful

A necklace composed of nine ‘Stuart crystal’ memorial slides comes for sale at Sworders’ auction of Fine Jewellery and Watches on June 27.

Christie’s holds its live summer Asian Art auction in Paris on June 14 with an online sale running from June 6-20.

Sotheby’s Asian Art sale in Paris on June 15 will include some rare jades with notable provenances.

In the years after the Wall Street Crash in 1929, some of the less expensive gemstones became popular in jewellery manufacture.