Europe

Over the course of six days from June 7-14, a dozen sales devoted to the arts of Asia were staged by 11 firms at the Drouot auction centre as part of Printemps Asiatique.

A group of Chinese objects in a June 14 sale of furniture and works of art held by Coutau Begarie (30% buyer’s premium inc tax) included this carved celadon jade group dated to the 18th century.

Dealer Speelman’s own figures and vessels shine among Asian art sales held in Paris

A long bidding battle took this Qianlong mark and period covered vase to a triple-estimate €230,000 (£194,915) to top Peschetau-Badin’s (30% buyer’s premium inc tax) Asian arts sale on June 13.

The Fonsie Mealy Chatsworth Summer Rare Books & Collectables Sale on July 30-31 includes a private collection of works by Jack B Yeats, The Cuala Press and modern Irish and English literature.

Selection of items by the Hungarian family firm date from most in-demand era of production

A fine example of Thai silversmithing sold well above its estimate for €17,000 (£14,400) at Historia Auctionata (27% buyer’s premium inc VAT) in Berlin on June 19. The 9in (23cm) parcel gilt and niello pumpkin-form tea kettle probably dated from the 1870s.

There was saleroom drama at Aste di Antiquariato Boetto (25% buyer’s premium) in Genoa on June 19 when a 12in (30cm) Chinese blue and white jar estimated at €2000-2300 shot to €820,000 (£692,000).

The subject of this massive Italian micromosaic panel is taken from the lost series of frescoes depicting the Hours of Day and Night by Raphael.

Most Parisian galleries are going away for the summer but one hardy soul is holding an Olympic exhibition

The Rare Books sale at Ketterer Kunst (25/20/19% buyer’s premium) in Hamburg on May 27 included this first edition dedication copy of Das Kapital (1867).

Serpenti jewels, which followed the launch of Bulgari’s signature gold Tubogas bracelets in the late 1940s, were featured in Vogue and other fashion magazines on countless occasions in the Sixties.

In a private collection since it was last sold in 1991, one of only two known autograph manuscripts by author and journalist Albert Camus of his masterpiece L’Etranger was sold by Tajan (23/20/12% buyer’s premium) in Paris on June 5.

Watch chatelaine offered at auction was produced by a man who created many works for the Hanoverian household

Fabergé’s rock crystal, platinum, silver and diamond ‘ice flower’ jewels were made by the workmaster Albert Holmström, c.1913-14, after designs made by his niece Alma Pihl (1888-1976).

Irish art sales rated as ‘very good’ despite some supply challenges as private collectors wait to consign

While the identity of the main artist was up for debate, the impressive ownership of a work sold in Austria was not in doubt