International

As a rule, musical boxes, which were the favoured mode of reproducing music by mechanical means in the salons of Europe and the US during the 19th century, were more or less portable mechanisms.

Our regular listing of British and Irish book auctions - all being held online only for now because of the coronavirus alert.

Anyone walking past the Palais de Chaillot in Paris may have noticed a large sculpture of an architect on the edifice of the north wing. It is the work of the French artist Jean-René Debarre who was born in 1907.

Several surprising prices emerged at Geble (19% buyer’s premium) in Radolfzell on Lake Constance on April 25.

This late 19th century surcoat or longgua, finely embroidered in silk and gold thread with eight dragon roundels, was originally worn by a high-ranking woman at the Chinese Imperial court.

Sotheby’s and Christie’s have released figures to highlight how they have been able to manage the process of rapidly migrating their core business online during the coronavirus crisis.

The Paris auction centre Hôtel Drouot intends to reopen on May 25, pending “any government counter-argument”.

Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas, is consolidating its three offices into one large global headquarters to incorporate offices, salerooms and cataloguing space.

Freeman’s (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) of Philadelphia opened its latest Design sale with a Meissen Whiplash dinner service designed in 1903-4 by Henry Van de Velde, the Belgian Art Nouveau architect and designer.

Jeffrey S Evans’ spring sale of 18th and 19th century glassware and lighting takes place in Mount Crawford, Virginia. It includes a collection of more than 100 18th and 19th century English drinking glasses, to be offered unreserved on May 20.

ATG’s calendar of book auctions taking place in the UK and Ireland from May 5-16, 2020. All sales are now held online due to the coronavirus alert.

Schmidt’s Antiques’ next ceramics auction in Ypsilanti, Michigan, will be on June 6 and features a wide range of English and Continental pottery and porcelain from Britain, Continental Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

The UK and Australia have a strong connection, highlighted by commemorations such as the recent Anzac Day (April 25) to remember Australian and New Zealand soldiers who fought in the First World War.

Ceramics, both English and Continental from the 18th century through to modern pieces, were one of several elements featured in the most recent Style auction held by Sotheby’s (25/20/13.9% buyer’s premium) in New York.