International

Following the Franco-Prussian War, when Alsace-Lorraine was annexed by Germany, workers at the Sarreguemines factory rejected German nationality and brought important technical skills and artistry to Choisy-le-Roi.

The swan-form sad iron is a favourite of iron collectors and has been much reproduced.

Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) epitomised the power of words and, on June 25, that is what bidders had the chance to own in the form of those penned by the political and spiritual leader himself in a letter to his friend, South African architect Hermann Kallenbach (1871-1945).

The colours and designs of Qing dynasty robes were designed to convey rank and entitlement.

A pair of pistols Napoleon Bonaparte supposedly intended to use on himself after defeat sold for €1.69m (£1.4m) including buyer’s premium at auction house Osenat in Fontainebleau, France.

Spectacular gold dressing table set was made in the Arts & Crafts form inspired by Norse motifs

On July 2, Vienna auction house Tiberius (27% buyer’s premium) sold the inventory of Laudon Castle, a privately owned, moated baroque residence on the outskirts of the Austrian capital.

The latest sale of Fine & Decorative Arts at Morphy’s (20% buyer’s premium) in Denver, Pennsylvania featured many good examples of Amphora and Zsolnay.

The pale blue hue known as clair-de-lune is one of the most treasured Qing monochrome glazes, and was reserved exclusively for imperial porcelains.

This unusual famille rose ‘cong’ form vase is finely painted with scenes of huntsmen, two with camels and two on horses.

The extraordinary coin collection of Danish butter magnate Lars Emil Bruun (1852-1923) is coming to auction at long last.