Auctioneers

THE highlight of Dreweatts' January 13 furniture sale at Donnington Priory was a pair of monumental, late 19th century Italian, sculpted alabaster, twin-handled urns.

FRANÇOIS Curiel, who has established Christie’s as France’s leading auction house during his nine years in charge in Paris, is to replace Andrew Foster as President of Christie’s Asia. Curiel will be based in Hong Kong but remains International Head of Jewellery and boss of Christie’s Geneva.

WHEN St John Price bought his first sycamore and penwork box from Halcyon Days in Brook Street, London for £30 in 1966, the term Mauchline ware was yet to be invented.

IRISH silver carries its own cachet and, as in England and Scotland, pieces with rare provincial hallmarks are always more sought-after.

This graduated pair of Staffordshire shaped oval meat platters are printed in green with scenes from the rare and desirable ‘Arctic Scenery’ series.

ANOTHER major dealership on the London antiques scene is to close with the announcement of the auction of the entire trading stock of Sampson and Horne Antiques at Bonhams on April 28.

THIS 17in (43cm) oval serving dish, seen at Chiswick Auctions latest sale, is from a breakfast service ordered by George III from Flight Barr and Barr of Worcester in 1805.

THE London Jewish Museum of Art (the Ben Uri Gallery) have announced that they have purchased a crucifixion by Marc Chagall for what they believe to be a fraction of its real value at a Paris auction.

IT was undoubtedly a challenging year for many but two of the UK’s leading regional art and antiques salerooms enjoyed record sales in 2009.

AS part of a decision to downsize, St Joseph's Convent at Haunton in Staffordshire sold the remainder of their collection of oak furniture and accessories by Robert Thompson (1876-1955) at Richard Winterton of Lichfield.

AUCTIONEERS across Britain showed a remarkable degree of stoicism as they battled to hold sales while knee-deep in snow. Fortunately it was a relatively quiet time of the year for the sales calendar.

The demand for golden age English clocks has been on something of a high for several years now and shows little sign of abating.

FOUR centuries of contact with the North American continent – exploration, trade, settlement, war and missionary activity – mean that, just occasionally, spectacular Native American art objects are found in the United Kingdom.

Traditionally a glass sale is always one of the last pre-Christmas auctions in the London rooms.

THIS outstanding Louise Rayner (1832-1924) watercolour, depicting the Butter Market at Ludlow, Shropshire, posted a new house record for Louis Taylor of Stoke-on-Trent at their latest sale.

THIS 15th century bronze portrait of Cecilia Gonzaga is one of more than 2000 medals in the collection formed by New York collector and former Hollywood actor Michael Hall to be offered by Baldwin's in London in 2010.

A COPY of A Christmas Carol has now knocked Oliver Twist off the top of the tree to become the most expensive Dickens title ever sold at auction.

The latest Old Master sales in London underlined the importance for auctioneers of securing the best works by major names.

THE Hôtel Drouot was rocked to its foundations on December 2 after a massive police swoop ended with 12 people being taken into custody on suspicion of organised theft.

IT wasn't just the London auction rooms that benefitted from the Russian influx last week. On November 29, Wilkinson's of Doncaster offered this 19th century Russian silver and niello work box.